What in the heck have you people been doing?

I leave for like... uh... a year or so? And hot damn, the place has changed since I've been gone! The game's gone all free to play, there's a bunch of new powersets, and most egregiously of all I come back and half the names I recognise are still here! Don't you have anything better to do? I'll have to start playing again?

I'm thinking of resubbing to the game, since the f2p experience is fine and dandy but a bit alienating for a veteran (it seems like the free players are getting something similar to pre-I9 CoH gameplay-wise, without Inventions and whatever. Hey, whatever works) and I have money and uni break time to burn.

Looks like there's been all kinds of new stuff as well, including a bunch of new powersets that we've been annoying the devs for for ages. Looks like they finally caved and made skeletons and assets for animals, which should come in handy. Can someone sum up what's new since... uh... about Going Rogue?

I'm guessing that the moderation and community management staff has probably been rotated since I left too, so hi to the new crew as well. I assure you I'm not a troublemaker as far as I'm aware of, though I almost made myself canon.

Heeeey! Welcome back!

I'm sure someone else will be along shortly to fill you in on everything new.

Also, check out Nethergoat's Returning Player Diary, which might have a lot of the info you are looking for, as well as some thoughts on the free-player experience.

Welcome back.

you've been gone a year? o_o

well damn...

..still trying to remember who I vaguely recognise... and it seems the forums ate my avatar somewhere down the line, need a new one.

So co-op zones are no longer mid-to-endgame content but buy-in stuff early on, by the sound of First Ward. (I actually think they've done the F2P thing pretty well so far- it's kinda funny that the free game is basically the old game while a lot of the updated stuff is behind the paywall) And I sympathise with the devs in how tricky it is updating a game that's... like, HOW old now?

Considering rolling a new character, but jeez, I have waaay too many alts already. Any new powersets that are really worth trying?

And I think it's been more than a year I've been gone, not counting a quick check back a few months ago! I think last time I was playing, I was fresh out of high school! So like... 2-3 years?

I checked back and made a Kinetic Melee/Shields character (I THINK a scrapper, my memory is shot) for Going Rogue, and I think by the time I quit it was juust after Shields came out. (and from all accounts, was very good) I might reroll.

We have issues.

And stuff.

I think I remember your posting-ness.

Welcome back!

Man, I do not have the time to read up on everything, but I think I get the gist of most of it.

Am I right in guessing that the VIP subscription is more or less equivalent to pre-F2P subscribed game content? That is, full access to Inventions and ATs and such?

I also bought Going Rogue and a couple of the Booster Packs, so I assume I have access to those as well?

- WB Let see

- First Ward is a what lvl 20-29 Zone new Zone

- Dark Astoria is a incarnate lvl zone now

-Signature Story Arc- Who will Die (Two Heroes will die and are going to be removed form the game.

- Incarnate Trials alot of them- End game Content.

- No more Galaxy City ( was Destroyed by the new Shivans and Coming Storm)

- Pretoria a lvl 1-20 Zones

- New Power Sets, Titan Weapons, Staff Fighting (Coming out next week.), Kinetics Melee,Time Manipulation, Electric Control, Darkness Control, Beam Rifle, Dual Pistols, Demon Summon, Beast Mastery and Street Justice.

- Sewer teams got replace by The Death form Below (DFB) Sewer Trial- lvl 1-14

- lvl 15-20 Drowning in Blood Trial or (DIB) Take place in Bloody Bay fighting two Giant Shivans

- New Incarnate Powers (lvl Shift up 3+)

- New VG groups and Mobs

The Fitness Pool going inherent - Stamina by level 2.

Travel powers at level 4.

New powers for the travel power pools; Burnout, Spring Attack, Afterburner, Long Range Teleport.

Ancillary/Patron Pools available at level 35.

If you like Stalkers, they just got some very nice buffs, like Assassin's Strike being usable out of Hide.

There was another round of Power Proliferation.

The Circle of Thorns got a makeover.

Enhancement Converters, letting you randomly change one to another.

Four legged critters everywhere.

And don't forget about the Signature Story Arc(s) Or, SSAs. The conclusion (seventh part) of the first arc "Who Will Die?" gives us our first toe-hold into ... SPAAAAACE!!!

I'm very glad you are back. Lots of good changes in the game, and more to come.

Welcome backfire Professor Back!

Wait.

Welcome Back.

If you like Melee try Stalkers now, they received some major improvements in I22, so much so that Scrapper players are taking notice.

Definitely roll up anew character as Atlas Park and Mercy Island were redesigned.

Good to have you back, Professor.

I recognized your name when I saw the thread title, but as your name was white when the thread began, but now is gold, and as the slap-happy Pikachus are present, I presume you went VIP.

While I cannot speak for how effective Beast Mastery is in terms of set power, it is tremendous fun graphically. I greatly enjoy sending a swarm of bees ("Nooooooooooo! Not beeeeeeeeees!") at a bad guy. Sending hundreds of ravens a la "The Birds" in a cone at a group of bad guys is likewise fun. And siccing lions and wolves is just great. Then again, I always loved dropping bad guys on their noggins with Lift, but CoH has something for everyone.

As I am partial to Control sets, Time Manipulation has also been enjoyable, and it is also interesting to see how it interacts in various powerset combinations.

You probably also qualify for the mobile auctionhouse: type "/ah" and the Market will open up for you, pretty much anywhere except in bases and instanced missions. VERY convenient.

So good luck and hope to see you ingame!

Looks like they'll be wanting to show off the new quadrupedal skeleton(s) as much as they can! I gotta wonder, did they just make one catch-all or actually go to the effort to differ cats and wolves and bears? (oh my)

I thiiink I might roll a new character just to get a better look at all the new stuff, since they've clearly been busy with new powers and profileration... aww, no Fire/Fire Stalker?

Might roll on a new server too, as much as Justice is the Aussie home I could use a fresh perspective for my odd hours. I notice Exalted isn't just a crazy White Wolf pen and paper RPG anymore, though I gotta wonder how an all-VIP server does- I expect it takes some population hits. And is Virtue still the ironically named RP central?

Welcome home

The game gets better and better with each new Issue, so you've come back at the right time

Yeah, I'll roll an alt on Virtue... tomorrow, when I can actually think of a solid character concept. I think I'll fit in just fine.

Just make a catgirl - you'll fit right in.