I think another that really stuck out is how aesthetics and performance were not tied together. You could wear whatever you want and not worry about being less powerful for it.
Outfits separate from power like in so many other MMOs.
A system that let you team with people of higher or lower level, that when they introduced Super Sidekicking, just made it even better than ever.
Flashback system to play old missions.
So many character slots available.
Developers that listened and would talk with the playerbase about things, even during the work in progress stages.
A visual style that didn't make people look like plastic caricatures like how I found CO's character models.
Being first to market on ideas and technologies that latter comers would fail to implement correctly or at all.
A decent chat system that allowed multiple tabs of communities, excellent roleplaying (with /emote text, whispers, a sensible chat range and none of that stupid x and y can't talk to each other stuff that some games have.)
I'll agree with all of the above, but I'll also add how great the system was at allowing communities to flourish. As I've tried Brand X and Brand Y, that was what I missed most.
My arcs are constantly shifting, just search for GadgetDon for the latest.
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GadgetMania Under Attack: The Digg Lockout
The list goes on a ways, but the main things that stuck out were these:
Devs that cared, and listened. This wasn't just 'a' product, it was their product, and it has always showed. And even though they were so invested, they took time to listen to players...this game wouldn't be the same without its community, but the community would never have had the same impact if devs didn't hear us out and even put some of our crazy ideas into the game.
Character building: the costumes, the variety of powers, customizations...I could play the same powers twice with different archeytpes and new slotting and it would be a different experience. I could (and did) have 10 different characters of one AT and they all were unique. I could tell my story in a bio, I could tell it through binds, I could make the characters all look their parts. While playing their game, the devs' character creator let me make something entirely my own
Team play: No other game has as good of multiplayer as I've found here. Every team member contributes, regardless of level and build, but the game doesn't stop being doable when someone has to duck out. You can have thousands of different powers, but any of them will work somehow to help the team, often making a unique chemistry that brings new ways of playing with the other team members. 3 controllers, 2 doms, and 3 kheldians? Sure, roll with it. 4 blasters, 4 corruptors? Yep, you'll be good. 8 tanks? Why not!
Seriously, there's so much this game does well it boggles my mind others aren't stealing Paragon's ideas. Thanks CoH for all the fun, and thank you for spoiling me for any other mmo's. They can't compare.