Returning Player needing some help!

Hey guys,

Im back to CoH, which I didnt touch since 2010. No particular bad reason, only took a break, for I really admire some of the concepts behind this MMO. However a lot has changed, and I'd love to have some info on the topics below. So lets get to it:

1) PVP
Siren's used to be often full of players, now its empty it seems. What happened to PVP? Where does it happen now, if any? Any particular changes to the whole system?

2) Redside
At least on Virtue, I noticed a huge lack of villains. What goes? Is this a trend, the pop just reduced, or what?

3) Rogues and Vigilantes
Ok, I get it, shades of gray. But in practice, how do they work regarding to groups? Other than which side to group, do they have any other perk or difficulty?

4) Skull guy?
Who is the skull war-machine-ish guy facing off States on the forum banner? Where is recluse nowadays?

Those are the ones for now; Id like to hear any other returning-player-tips you guys would like to provide me.

So please go ahead!

1) Pretty much just what Kitsune said. It's been in decline a while. I believe all the serious PVPers have moved to Freedom. I play some on Virtue, and there isn't much more of a PVP crowd there than any other server I play on, that I can tell. Some servers have occasion PVP events, not really regularly, that I've noticed, but outside of that, your only real consistent bet would seem to be Freedom.

2) Side-swapping, and the ability to create most any alt anywhere have further diminished redside's population. However, the new redside low level content was expanded as much as bluesides, and I found it quite fun and worthwhile, but if you want to play with other folks, your best bet is blueside, so that's where most folks go to start out with.

3) Again, what Kitsune said is pretty much it, except to note that Rogues and Vigilantes can also join any missions on either side, except for Ouroborous stuff. They can lead TFs and SFs on either side. They can solo or lead the Signature Arcs either side as well as can solo/lead Tips and Papers/Radios on either side.

4) Yup, what he/she said, again.

Rouges count as villains for Ouro and anything else that is has different things for villains and heroes.

Same with vigilantes and heroes (such as the valentine missions).

One thing about Epic PPs - other than the Epic ATs, all ATs get access to APPs starting at 35.

All AT except HEATs can open Patron PPs at 35, as long as they are a villain or a rogue, and do the unlock arc from a patron. Once unlocked it's yours to keep, even if you go hero.