A walk through the Wayback Machine
By
Acroyear2,
Posted on: 2012-08-11 22:52 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Among the characters who benefited from multi-summons of pets, I fondly recall being able to get as many as three Dark Servants out on my Dark/Dark Defender. Admittedly, though, that was one of the only awesome things about a Dark Miasma in the early days. Old DM was nothing like it is now - it is vastly more effective now. (Many of its powers actually changed for the better in I4, and it was the significant beneficiary of buffs aimed squarely at making it functional in Arena PvP - something I consider deeply ironic, since it has never been good for PvP, but the buffs made it excellent in PvE.)
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
Yeah, I remember Adrenaline Boost being complete garbage for quite awhile too.
My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom
Quote:
Actually it's still there. I don't think it's changed at all.
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Originally Posted by Culex
http://i.imgur.com/di7xz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/UyF4r.jpg --Remember the fun dev-place in Grandville before it was discovered and forcibly torn down by...I dunno, Jack? This is a bit of the pre-torn-down status, and I think it's just completely gone now. |
This is a shot of Icon in Steel Canyon on the Test Server when issue 1 debuted.
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3074/iconparty.jpg
And yes, my PC at the time was pretty shabby. No shaders, little or no anti-aliasing. And my character's costume sucked. I still play that character, but I do not have any variation of that look in any of her costume slots.
The guy in the bottom right of this one is The Confessor, who was during launch and issues 1-2 a pretty vocal regular on the forum. He showed me how to build my characters so they do not suck and also how to herd, which was really hysterical to watch. I took this shot for sheer trademark violation value, as The Confessor's character was a decent rendition of the Astro City character, and the guy right in front of me is Raziel of Soul Reaver. I think that may have been his name, too.
http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/2272/confessor.jpg
This one is Confessor again, and my character is defeated and underfoot. I was playing Dark Melee/Dark Armor in issue 1. Unstackable resist shields (do I want smash/lethal resists or do I want psi resist + status protection). Given how terrible a choice this was, I spent a lot of time like this before stacking shields became available. And Body Mastery, for the Conserve Power.
Confessor is actually targeting and attacking Shadowhunter, but in those days Unyielding Stance (rather than Unyielding) immobilized you. You also wouldn't change your facing when attacking, so you'd get this experience of punching in front of you to hit the guy behind you.
Also, he had perma-unstoppable on that character (Dark Melee/Invulnerability scrapper) which made him virtually unkillable (taking 10% damage, dodging 90% or more of all attacks thanks to capped resists plus Invincibility's fairly high +def per target in melee with no target cap).
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9058/unyielding.jpg
I like this shot for sheer value of punching an old-style (pre-updated look) Rikti chief soldier in the face.
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7...ktisoldier.jpg
Since then, Dark Armor's been buffed a little bit, I've upgraded my computer, and Rikti actually wear clothes:
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/1994/rikti2.jpg - this is actually from one of the missions you get in Ouroboros to unlock the alpha slot. It took me about five minutes to kill everything.
The old style Rikti facing the 5th Column in Founder's Falls:
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/6...5thcolumn2.jpg
I'm only half sure that's the 5th Column and not the Council.
Around this point I got a new video card of some sort. All I remember is it did shaders. Anyway, I think someone asked for a shot during the Rularuu invasion event? This was taken in Independence Port, so it's not like King's Row or anything. And only one big eyeball:
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/4...uuobserver.jpg
This one of a pack of Rularuu in Brickstown:
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/4...uuinvasion.jpg
Here's Terra Volta's exterior on the test server. Things got a bit busy:
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/6276/respectrial.jpg
Someone mentioned the doors opening and entire teams dropping dead right outside? There was a lot of that. The original respec trial on test was significantly harder than the one that ultimately went live. I remember how great it was on test when the team I was on finally won. Even on live, a lot of people had trouble with it.
And here's my first supergroup (Sparkle Motion, Champion Server) doing a group shot in the long gone Paragon Dance Party:
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2...danceparty.jpg
The 5th Column back in the days before the Council:
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4941/5thcolumn.jpg
Here's a shot from the ending event for CoV beta, which featured Longbow and the Freedom Phalanx violating the Rogue Isles' sovereign soil in a full-fledged military invasion.
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/831/endofcovbeta.jpg
Also, I seem to recall Manticore threatening people with his "new enema arrow" during said event.
The main thing I remember is getting my toggles randomly shut off by Longbow Ballistae and getting hurled around Mercy Island like a rag doll getting kicked by Godzilla.
This was during the end of CoV beta event, possibly before the attack. Maybe we wanted Statesman to play Freebird? I don't remember:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4...etatorches.jpg
No, wait, I'm pretty sure this was the response to the introduction of enhancement diversification. 
A shot from CuppaJo's going away party in Pocket D. Someone summoned up some bad guys. In this shot, the guy bottom center is Kuularth the Scavenger and the one targeted is Lanaruu the Crazed.
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5...rthlanaruu.jpg
Also, this was taken on July 2, 2005. I do not know what was going on:
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8123/statestram.jpg
It's not even my screenshot. Someone put some shots of Statesman hanging out with some people. Here's one that might help with recognition for anyone who was there.
The green guy seems to be the guy who was taking the screenshots:
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/321...esmanparty.jpg
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
Quote:
I believe the textures are changed to make it all broken and trashed.
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Originally Posted by Zaloopa
Actually it's still there. I don't think it's changed at all.
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I wouldnt say its long gone, I still have a character logged in paragon dance party on justice.|
Originally Posted by BellaStrega
And here's my first supergroup (Sparkle Motion, Champion Server) doing a group shot in the long gone Paragon Dance Party:
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2...danceparty.jpg The 5th Column back in the days before the Council: http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4941/5thcolumn.jpg |
The yellow loading zone screen still pops up when i choose the character. Just wish i knew how to get ppl in the same zone.
My Pre-Order Coh box.
My character in coh beta.
My character in a coh beta mission.
Quote:
I was actually embarrassed to play my Kin after they changed the FS sound effect. That wimpy Tinkerbell jingle is nothing compared to the old k-KRACKKK!
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Originally Posted by JayboH
I was always worried that my speakers would blow with the old FS.
 |
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True. I still have characters in Outbreak. But the zone itself is no longer accessible to anyone who's not already living there. |
Originally Posted by SynakulOne
I wouldnt say its long gone, I still have a character logged in paragon dance party on justice.
The yellow loading zone screen still pops up when i choose the character. Just wish i knew how to get ppl in the same zone. |
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
Quote:
Yeah, I have a Fire Tanker in Rikti War Zone...and he has a mission there to collect Kora Fruit (don't ask...) so we can all use mission teleporter to get there.|
Originally Posted by SynakulOne
I wouldnt say its long gone, I still have a character logged in paragon dance party on justice.
The yellow loading zone screen still pops up when i choose the character. Just wish i knew how to get ppl in the same zone. |
The Rikti there still drop loot/purples by the way.
Wayback Machine eh?
Hmm...most of my good memories are of massive exploits:
Architect Exploits (all fixed):
Mastermind bug, you got your pets outside, were maled to 5 or 6 and made 100,000,000 per run and about 4-5 levels too.
Mitos, just stood there and let you punch them.
Arachnobombs, just run around and tag them, they blow up and you get 2-3 levels per run.
Rikti Portals, kinda ho-hum but still nice.
Rikti Monkeys, they were underlings out of a level range and gave oodles of XP.
Other shenanigans:
Failing mission 1 of Katie TF, setting speed records or trying to (We got a 13 minute one once with 4 Fire/Rads, my Mind/Bubble (built for stealthing) and 3 /Colds.
Aforementioned Sewer Trial exploit, was handy when recipes came out.
SpeEdens, was a map glitch in the first wall that you could avoid, just tp everyone to the end and finish in 8-10 minutes for a recipe
Map glitch in States Task Force, you could go under the Aeon City map, assemble and fight the AVs without retribution.
Map glitch in Hive, could go under and fire on Hamidon with impunity.
Reportedly some maps gave the same rare salvage every run, Arachnos maps.
Recipe rolls triple or multiple rewarding off one click at Merit vendors.
Auction house glitch with IOs, say you had a Miracle proc in a slot, if you multi-clicked "Get" you could find yourself getting four or five back because of server lag.
SHO/HO exploit, you finished RSF and left window up, went to Warburg and clicked to get a 52. Heroside you asked a level 3 to mal you and clicked to get a 52-53.
Veng stacking outside of Arena before matches.
Using teleport to get inside Tiki Room in Pocket D.
Using Fly to go over war walls and into University to get the Inventor badge before that was even live.
TP Foe on Mitos during Master LGTF runs.
Solo spawning maps for TF, 1 person spawn for LRSF/STF for the win.
Snake Egg farm in Mercy and Psypunk totally losing in on the Beta forums when it got reported, lolz.
Contact missions infinite rewarding if you were in Cathedral of Pain mode, basically you needed to be in a sg, the CoP suspended all active contacts and so if you had a delivery, it would keep rewarding FOREVER, giving you infinite money.
Some goof getting Admin mode and asking people for their passwords.
Questions about the game, either side? /t @Neuronia or @Neuronium, with your queries!
168760: A Death in the Gish. 3 missions, 1-14. Easy to solo.
Infinity Villains
Champion, Pinnacle, Virtue Heroes
Once upon a time having a level 2 in your group threw off the xp curve and gave everyone that wasn't the level 2 massive amounts of xp. The lvl 2 got no xp but got paid by basically getting all the SO drops.
I remember people camping out in the magic shop in IP while one higher lvl killed mobs around the shop and people were just dinging left and right.
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
I remember Tsoo Sorcerors being the absolute bane of my tanker.
Unyielding was unyielding stance - which meant you couldn't move to follow them when they ported. You couldn't turn off unyielding stance, because that meant you would be held. Even if you managed to get close enough to hit them, that wouldn't last, because their Hurricane could debuff the range of melee attacks. To zero.
Good times.
Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.
-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!
Quote:
Hahaha, I'd almost forgotten the "good" old days when Hurricane would put them "out of range" of melee attacks.
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Originally Posted by Smersh
I remember Tsoo Sorcerors being the absolute bane of my tanker.
Unyielding was unyielding stance - which meant you couldn't move to follow them when they ported. You couldn't turn off unyielding stance, because that meant you would be held. Even if you managed to get close enough to hit them, that wouldn't last, because their Hurricane could debuff the range of melee attacks. To zero. Good times. |
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
Old school CoH will always be one of my favorite games, sure it was unbalanced but it had it's own personal style that no other game had. Heck I still remember the first Tanker Tuesday like it was yesterday. 
Champion-
Flaming Intern/Tanker(main)
The Ice Albatross/Blaster
Apollonius/Controller
Valtrix/Defender
All the tank sets in the Intern variety
Burning Intern/Brute(CoV Main)
And the list goes on...
What a difference a few years makes.
Classic Flashfire:
Modern Flashfire:
Dig those cowboy boots!
Quote:
Wow, his new look looks awful. When are they gonna get a new NPC costume designer?
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Originally Posted by SlickRiptide
What a difference a few years makes.
Classic Flashfire: Modern Flashfire: Dig those cowboy boots! |
Quote:
I'd like to see you do better with the Random button. |
Originally Posted by Xzero45
Wow, his new look looks awful. When are they gonna get a new NPC costume designer?
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"You don't lose levels. You don't have equipment to wear out, repair, or lose, or that anyone can steal from you. About the only thing lighter than debt they could do is have an NPC walk by, point and laugh before you can go to the hospital or base." -Memphis_Bill
We will honor the past, and fight to the last, it will be a good way to die...
Quote:
Heh. They actually kept some of his original theme, what with the big boots and the goatee. Toss in that western belt and he's got a sort of a gaucho thing going, semi-sorta.
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Originally Posted by DarkGob
I'd like to see you do better with the Random button.
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Quote:
You suck, we did an 8 minute Katie and other people were faster |
Originally Posted by Neuronia
Other shenanigans:
Failing mission 1 of Katie TF, setting speed records or trying to (We got a 13 minute one once with 4 Fire/Rads, my Mind/Bubble (built for stealthing) and 3 /Colds. Aforementioned Sewer Trial exploit, was handy when recipes came out. |
Not an exploit, but MUCH earlier farming hydra in the sewer trial for XP.
It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba
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Yeah, at the time my PC was slooooooooooooooow so that cost us at leat 2-3 minutes heh! |
Originally Posted by Minotaur
You suck, we did an 8 minute Katie and other people were faster
Not an exploit, but MUCH earlier farming hydra in the sewer trial for XP. |
It's funny you mention Hydra farming because I was on a four-person PuG Hydra Trial the other day with a Peacebringer, my Scrapper, a Dark Defender and a Willpower Tanker (Our lead wasn't 50) and we were joking we should tell people to farm Hydra during then upcoming 2xp...
Questions about the game, either side? /t @Neuronia or @Neuronium, with your queries!
168760: A Death in the Gish. 3 missions, 1-14. Easy to solo.
Infinity Villains
Champion, Pinnacle, Virtue Heroes
Quote:
Only way to get in is to have a dev teleport you in those maps.|
Originally Posted by BellaStrega
True. I still have characters in Outbreak. But the zone itself is no longer accessible to anyone who's not already living there.
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They like to use the PPD map for contests and such.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Smersh
I remember Tsoo Sorcerors being the absolute bane of my tanker.
Unyielding was unyielding stance - which meant you couldn't move to follow them when they ported. You couldn't turn off unyielding stance, because that meant you would be held. Even if you managed to get close enough to hit them, that wouldn't last, because their Hurricane could debuff the range of melee attacks. To zero. Good times. |
Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net
Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.
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... first real frustration (I3) with my namesake fire tanker:|
Originally Posted by Smersh
I remember Tsoo Sorcerors being the absolute bane of my tanker.
|
Getting caught between two Sorcs. Both with hurricane running. And being too low for Acrobatics.
Since we're running screenies:
Everyone had to try it. Even me, with Teleport...
Nobody complained about force fields:
This looks too solid to be light:
Floor inspector or diving board?
NPCs getting into the act:
Didn't have burn, but figured I should get used to it early:
Quote:
That damn planking fad is everywhere. |
Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
Floor inspector or diving board?
NPCs getting into the act: |
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Quote:
*raises glass*|
Originally Posted by GlassGoblin
I can't let a discussion of the Old Hollows go by without raising a glass to the heroic efforts of the Taxibots.
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To the Taxibots! No other Supergroup helped us survive like they did, asking for nothing in return. May their spirit never fade from this game.
I sit in my zen of not being able to do anything right while simultaniously not being able to do anything wrong. Om. -CuppaJo
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning. It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion.
Quote:
/signed. We all spend WAY more time looking at our characters backs and backsides than their faces, and look how many options we have for faces!
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Originally Posted by Aisynia
I've always wanted a butt slider.
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Stay Gold, Paragon. Stay Gold.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.
--Remember the old mothership? So pretty.
--Remember the Eochai invasion and its public alert system? Glad they've gone back to using that now for some events, it lent a lot of tension to it.
Tyger (50), Mutation-Controller Mind/FF - oldest Mind/FF on Union