Returning Player Diary
By
Abe_Froman,
Posted on: 2012-03-26 21:42 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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EXCELLENT!|
Originally Posted by Creole Ned
Nethergoat, since you mentioned that Dark Astoria was your favorite zone you might like to know that the original version of it has been preserved as Echo: Dark Astoria. It can be accessed through an SG base with the old DA teleporter beacon or through a portal in Ouroboros (that also gives you the option to go to Echo: Galaxy City).
Since DA never originally had any story arcs in it, you will find the Echo version exactly as you remembered it. Heck, some missions will still try to send you to the old version of the zone, so it's important to know how to get there! (this is probably unintended and may be fixed at some point) |
I'll go farm some zombies with my fire/ice blaster for ol' times sake.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
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It is certainly unintended for some situations... the Citadel Task Force still sends you there for either the 2nd to last or last mission. If you have a rogue on your team with no mission teleport power and the final mission is in Echo of DA, they're simply SOL. I'm sure they plan to fix that.
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Originally Posted by Creole Ned
Heck, some missions will still try to send you to the old version of the zone, so it's important to know how to get there! (this is probably unintended and may be fixed at some point)
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my lil RWZ Challenge vid
Okay, got in a pretty good run tonight.
Did Aaron Thiery's arc before going for Twinshot, as suggested- wisely as it turns out, I'm leveling like a demon.
The action was fairly generic, but the story was interesting and the dialog well written. The final mission was in one of those multi-level Arachnos maps I hate, and also a stealth 'kill all' that frustrated me for a minute before I remembered about that 'feature'. Where's this guy I'm supposed to talk to, grrrrr....oh wait, I skipped past that one spawn. Bleh!
But the story had a fun twist, and the writing was a huge improvement over the old days. And, got some merits...almost forgot about those!
Then off to the polarizing Twinshot.
Swimming against the tide a bit here, I really liked the first arc. It wasn't anything epic or heart rending, but it was a light, fun arc filled with engaging characters. It was like one of the good MA arcs got loose in the 'real' game. I doubt I'll run it again any time soon, not because it isn't good but because it's like a book I've just read. The entertainment (or lack thereof) is in the writing and I'm not one to finish a story then flip back to the front and start reading again.
The second arc was a fun take on introducing a new player to various zone features, a HUGE improvement over the old "run all over the city talking to different security chiefs" routine. The dialogue entertained, and the finale in Manticore's mansion was fresh and entertaining.
*SPOILER*
I especially liked the denouement, as I was thinking "Really, they want me to buy that Manticore's being held hostage by some Arachnos minions?" The "I was testing you all along!" twist short circuited my budding annoyance with the plot and triggered a rueful laugh.
Fun arc, I'm looking forward to reconnecting with the characters in King's Row when I hit level 10.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
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That mission doesn't have an ambush. What I suspect happened was a side-effect of phasing (not the power, the zone effect).|
Originally Posted by Nethergoat
Over to the hunting ground, engage a spawn...and here comes the ambush of course! You know I've been gone for a while when an ambush actually surprises me.
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Certain areas of Praetoria, Atlas Park and Mercy Island are affected by "Combat Phasing". What appears in those areas varies, depending on what missions you've completed. For example, if you return to the site of your first mission, you'll find that it's no longer overrun by Hellions.
The border of the Vahzilok area for that second hunt mission is wonky though. You have to get fairly close to the waypoint before it registers that you're in that phase, and when the zombies phase in, you're well into their area. There's even a couple spawns outside the area; trying to melee them will cause them to phase out before you get there.
Because of the oddness of this area, I suspect that you phased into that area right beside a spawn, causing them to aggro on you by surprise.
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| Enjoying the new liberality with cell phones- call in the mish, get the next one and it's pretty close. |
@Roderick
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Half the fun in Twinshot's arcs comes from Dillo's dialog.
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Originally Posted by Nethergoat
Then off to the polarizing Twinshot.
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Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
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Check your Reward Tokens, and place any you haven't yet. |
Originally Posted by Nethergoat
okay had a few minutes so I headed to Wentworth's for my first drop off.
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Why do I say this?
Because if you have a high enough tier opened up......you can use the /auctionhouse command to access the market interface from ANYWHERE.
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Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
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Or /ah for short...
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Originally Posted by ClawsandEffect
Because if you have a high enough tier opened up......you can use the /auctionhouse command to access the market interface from ANYWHERE.
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For some definition of "fun," anyway. I find Dillo endlessly infuriating because he seems purpose-designed to be a walking meme generator. And I'm the guy who really likes Jar Jar Binks.
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Originally Posted by Hyperstrike
Half the fun in Twinshot's arcs comes from Dillo's dialog.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Originally Posted by ClawsandEffect
Because if you have a high enough tier opened up......you can use the /auctionhouse command to access the market interface from ANYWHERE**.
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** For values of 'anywhere' equaling 'public zone'. You can't use it in missions or SG bases.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Softcapping an Invuln is fantastic. Softcapping a Willpower is amazing. Softcapping SR is kissing your sister.
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On the topic of the Twinshot arc...
I seem to be a very particular minority that I loved all of the Twinshot arc except for Dillo.
I dunno. I kind of see what Sam's saying.. I felt like whoever was writing for Dillo was trying too hard. That character is more of a cutout than the rest, to me.
And I don't know about anyone else, but in the intro mission, having Flambaux walk up and obnoxiously prattle really sold that whole scene for me.
Because in EVERY supergroup indoctrination there's One Of Those. It made it 'real' for me.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Softcapping an Invuln is fantastic. Softcapping a Willpower is amazing. Softcapping SR is kissing your sister.
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Hiya, Goat!
I like the Lizardroid! Very nice!
I'm also enjoying reading your take of things from a newish start (funny, Goat never looked newish).
Eventually we'll run out of new things to tell you that make you go, "!!!!"... but, for now, we're still holding a few things back for fun.
Oh, and welcome back!
@Zethustra
"Now at midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew come out
and round up everyone that knows more than they do"-Dylan
and round up everyone that knows more than they do"-Dylan
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Well mine's @MeagenImage but it's got very little CoH content.
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Originally Posted by Nethergoat
and note to all, I made a twitter account for the goat-
@n3therg0at is there a thread somewhere collecting the twitter handles of forumgoers? I tracked down a few people with their search function, but it was sorta slim pickin's. |
Character index
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Exactly. It feels like he was written with the intention to be a joke and nothing more. If he had some actual depth or if we learned more of his backstory so we could see him as a real person with quirks, rather than quirks masquerading as a real person, I wouldn't have nearly as much of a problem with him.|
Originally Posted by Void_Huntress
I dunno. I kind of see what Sam's saying.. I felt like whoever was writing for Dillo was trying too hard. That character is more of a cutout than the rest, to me.
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I mean, I find Fusionette infuriating, granted, but I can still see her as a real person who's just obnoxious and irritating. She's not solely there to act as the punchline of a joke.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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When you have time check "Find Contact" button in your contact list if you didn't already did. You will be surprised :P
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Specifically, you'll be surprised that previously unlockable contacts can now be accessed without unlocking them and show up in your Contact Finder when you're of the appropriate level to work with them.
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Originally Posted by Kangstor
When you have time check "Find Contact" button in your contact list if you didn't already did. You will be surprised :P
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Wow, I never noticed this. I guess that's the downside of flying.
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Originally Posted by Asgardian_Blade
Don't know if you've noticed or not, but on top of adding tailoring to each trainer, they added a full-blown ICON store in Atlas Park between the hospital and train.
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Teams are the number one killer of soloists.
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The Wentworths and Black Markets are so empty nowadays. On the other hand, the Universities seem to have more traffic.|
Originally Posted by ClawsandEffect
Check your Reward Tokens, and place any you haven't yet.
Why do I say this? Because if you have a high enough tier opened up......you can use the /auctionhouse command to access the market interface from ANYWHERE. |
Note: there's also /vault.
Teams are the number one killer of soloists.
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I suspect you're right- I was caught in a cascade of spawns, if I hadn't been a scrapper with a tray full of inspirations it would have been a mess. As it was, it surprised me and I lived- fun instead of annoying. If I'd been a blaster I'd have a different opinion...|
Originally Posted by Roderick
That mission doesn't have an ambush. What I suspect happened was a side-effect of phasing (not the power, the zone effect).
Certain areas of Praetoria, Atlas Park and Mercy Island are affected by "Combat Phasing". What appears in those areas varies, depending on what missions you've completed. For example, if you return to the site of your first mission, you'll find that it's no longer overrun by Hellions. The border of the Vahzilok area for that second hunt mission is wonky though. You have to get fairly close to the waypoint before it registers that you're in that phase, and when the zombies phase in, you're well into their area. There's even a couple spawns outside the area; trying to melee them will cause them to phase out before you get there. Because of the oddness of this area, I suspect that you phased into that area right beside a spawn, causing them to aggro on you by surprise. |
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Originally Posted by ClawsandEffect
Check your Reward Tokens, and place any you haven't yet.
Why do I say this? Because if you have a high enough tier opened up......you can use the /auctionhouse command to access the market interface from ANYWHERE. |
Poked around my Reward Tokens (6 unspent) and sure enough, right there below the repeatable tier 9 stuff was REMOTE AH.
Wow....that's gonna make life easier.
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Originally Posted by Void_Huntress
On the topic of the Twinshot arc...
I seem to be a very particular minority that I loved all of the Twinshot arc except for Dillo. I dunno. I kind of see what Sam's saying.. I felt like whoever was writing for Dillo was trying too hard. That character is more of a cutout than the rest, to me. |
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Exactly. It feels like he was written with the intention to be a joke and nothing more. If he had some actual depth or if we learned more of his backstory so we could see him as a real person with quirks, rather than quirks masquerading as a real person, I wouldn't have nearly as much of a problem with him.
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But they were all written in a very over the top way, and I can see not digging the story if that kind of thing bugs you.
I thought it was fun & nicely addressed the necessity of the go here, look at this important game feature, now go there and look at this OTHER important game feature mission.
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Specifically, you'll be surprised that previously unlockable contacts can now be accessed without unlocking them and show up in your Contact Finder when you're of the appropriate level to work with them.
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It never made sense to me in a game so starving for content to have some of the better stuff hidden away and gated off.
Thanks for all the tips, everyone.
I'm having a great time rediscovering CoH. I have to say, for just making a character and playing the game I haven't felt *any* constraints being a Free Player. Some of that is my Tier 9-ness, but it's still kind of amazes me that I can log in and pretty much play the game how I always did without spending a cent.
Viva capitalism!
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
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Originally Posted by Nethergoat
playing the game I haven't felt *any* constraints being a Free Player. Some of that is my Tier 9-ness,
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Yes, it's the Tier 9. If you aren't at least Tier 3 (I think, off the top of my head) you're kinda boned. Real free players don't get quite the experience you are getting.
But since it's free, you can just make a second account and run around as a complete newbie for a while. You don't even have to download the client again, just use a different username and password.
On the slots thing: If you still have all your slots (6?) as global slots, then you never used any. Conversely, if you aren't currently on a server where you spent extra slots, I don't think you'll see the option to spend them.
Scroll around with the character selection when you first log in. There should be 12 characters if you filled up the server. If there's more, then you should have extra slots on that server to spend. You can use extra characters over 12 in the selection list to clue you in that you should have extra slots on a given server. I guess just looking for a server with more than the default number of slots would tell you too.
Hmm, it would be nice if you could get a list of servers where you have spent "server slots." It would make returning easier.
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Originally Posted by gameboy1234
Yes, it's the Tier 9. If you aren't at least Tier 3 (I think, off the top of my head) you're kinda boned. Real free players don't get quite the experience you are getting.
But since it's free, you can just make a second account and run around as a complete newbie for a while. You don't even have to download the client again, just use a different username and password. |
that's a good idea- I'll roll up a whole new account and do a compare/contrast between Tier 9 Cool Guy and Tier Bupkis Schlub.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
Ok, killing two birds with one stone- made a new account & rolled up a villian (with a little help from my son)- THE RUST BUNNY, a broadsword/DA brute, will soon be terrorizing Mercy.
Differences so far, really miss all the costume bits I picked up over the years, and also TWO SLOTS TOTAL? Yikes!
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
Yeah I've played with some free and almost-free accounts just to see what it's like. It's remarkably easy to get to at least tier 3 though, and pick up some store-bought IOs and costume pieces to make you feel a little less noobish along the way.
I love /autionhouse but as usual with things like this I kinda miss seeing familiar people at Wents when I'd log in, heh.
But not that much.
my lil RWZ Challenge vid
Okay, moved on to King's Row.
Much more familiar environment, and the police scanner welcomed me back to reality by sticking all my mission doors as far away from wherever I was as it possibly could.
Yay!
Also made my first "paragon market" purchases- picked up the Zone pack suggested above, along with the Barbarian & Animal costume packs.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
Welcome to your new Premium Status
Nethergoat, since you mentioned that Dark Astoria was your favorite zone you might like to know that the original version of it has been preserved as Echo: Dark Astoria. It can be accessed through an SG base with the old DA teleporter beacon or through a portal in Ouroboros (that also gives you the option to go to Echo: Galaxy City).
Since DA never originally had any story arcs in it, you will find the Echo version exactly as you remembered it.
Heck, some missions will still try to send you to the old version of the zone, so it's important to know how to get there! (this is probably unintended and may be fixed at some point)