Greycat

On top of what @Rudra said, our devs did a "power X or power Y" choice once, and it was such a PITA they've said "never again." (And as a bit of a side topic, I'd *much* prefer being able to pick your path at level 1 for the VEATs rather than having the forced respec at 24. I absolutely hate that implementation, having just gotten another character where VEAT powersets fit the character best to that point. )

I don't *believe* that does, but someone who's poked into it more could give a better answer. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't similar to, say, "Arachnos" vs "Rogue Arachnos" where the latter doesn't (or didn't) count for certain kill badges.

So I've got a few Kheld threads going through my head, as usual, especially after the Kheld backstory/lore guide update I dropped. (And it's something I did an AE on long ago - seem to recall it being very ongoing-SG-story-focused, though, so I'm not sure it'd make a good general play arc if I found it.) Those threads: - Twilight Son being "the last Kheldian" because of the Battalion. At least in the way his timeline worked out. - Dev comments in the 2014 (think it was) AMA that there's some link between Khelds being on Earth and the Battalion - "No Battalion, no Kheldians on Earth," essentially, and - *We have Portal Corps.* To me, I'd think some Khelds would know about this and start thinking about avoiding that possibility, going to Portal and finding other dimensions without the Battalion to colonize. And that this could make for some interesting jumping off points for story arcs. Or just... the utility and experimentation this could open up. - The Peacebringers are at war with the Nictus. They'd likely be VERY interested in clearing up War Wolf Earth. - These other worlds have very different environments - and hazards. If you come up with some environmental issue/effect/danger you're not sure would work elsewhere... why not have Kheld colonists run into it as a test run before employing it somewhere else? For instance, they find what appears to be a perfectly suitable world, only to find a necessary part of the ecosystem actively drains energy - and have to decide what to do about it. (Though, we don't really have multiple-ending arcs available.) - Use this "initiative" to prototype enemy group abilities/powersets/etc. while working them into mainstream story arcs under development - they can be useful as longer-term beta tests, basically. - Have the Kheldians and Praetorian refugees working together on a resettlement project, with all the potential issues and enemies it would involve - has Primal Hamidon learned of his counterpart, potentially seeing this as a way to make an entire planet his own "eden" by coopting this? Are former Council members with growing n-fragments infiltrating? What about the Resistance or Loyalists - would they see this as a new start? Would any of them work together? (Nictidon?) ... all right, I mostly want to see more Kheld arcs and think there are some interesting lore-based jumping off points. 🙂 That and getting rid of the (honestly nonsensical, given *what Khelds are and how they travel, plus portal*) "they're all going to die" bit.

Haven't looked - are they listed as "Family" for the enemy group? If they're listed as anything else, they won't count - at least as I recall the way defeat badges work.

Also as I recall, character sorting, "fog of war" status on maps. AE missions also includes custom groups. Easiest way to get to everything is to use the HC launcher and go to "Screenshots." Believe both mac and PC give the breadcrumbs at the top (your path will be different) - Go back one folder ("Homecoming" in this case). Most of what you want is going to be in there. Account (which will have a subfolder with things like player notes and such) Architect Screenshots Costumes Powercust (your power customizations) Demo (does anyone demorecord any more?) Logs You may not have all of these, and most of the rest should as I recall be automated. Whether you want to move screenshots and logs over or just archive them somewhere is up to you.

They'd be far too OP if they were.

This is a really minor thing (that, since it's UI related, may be "stupidly difficult to correct for such a little thing." Or break things in interesting ways.) But have you ever noticed VEAT powerset listings, before you're forced into the respec at 24? They're organized differently for the primary and secondary. Yeah. Primaries show Bane, then Crab. Secondary shows Crab, then Bane. The same happens for widows. Yes, it's a minor thing. Yes, the other one disappears after you pick a path. But would putting these in the same order in the menu be possible? Just for the sake of consistency and organization.

So, missed this thread before. I did an overview of Epics (planned, changed and otherwise) over in guides. Incarnates are among them. You *were* planned to get... rather stupidly powerful, frankly (enough that they were basically invalidating earlier Incarnate powers.) You would fight both with and against Wells, not to mention Ascended and Dimensionless. (And higher up the tree there, too. Feel like fighting aspects of primordial chaos and order?) I don't think the information *really* made it into the game, but the Wells are supposed to be a buffer between a race and "the Source." The one on Earth is apparently weird in actually giving out powers. (Part of what gained the Battalion's interest.) If that's *anywhere* it's probably in Prometheus's infodump menu. As far as "never as powerful as the signature characters?" Even ignoring Incarnate powers, that's put to the test many times. How many people can fight AVs now - and do so in safeguard/mayhem missions, where they show up as potential adversaries? Recluse's Victory? The last arc in the VEAT missions have you taking down both Recluse and going to fight Statesman (and, in theory, winning.) Heroside, you *used* to face down Tyrant himself when you went to free Statesman (so... yeah, heroes basically got a downgrade here,) who's also an Incarnate after all. So, I'd say that by the end... yes, you are matching the signature characters' power, and would have gone well beyond that with everything else that was planned. And would *not,* eventually (post-Battalion) have been tied to the Well, since you'd have surpassed it.

That... seems like an odd thing to have had trademarked in the first place. I could somewhat see "Superhero," the compound word, maybe being trademarkable (though, again, the point about "two competitors owning a trademark,") but "Super Hero" and "Super Heroes" just seems like an odd thing to have ever been OK'd. They're such generic, easy-to-come-to terms. So, good that that was invalidated.

I'd say the main reason I wouldn't see this being done would be the work involved - either it'd be back with no real damage (which wouldn't really fit the "it was hit by Shivan meteors" spiel from the tutorial, Habashy's arc, etc.) or they'd basically have to rework the entire zone - which I'm not sure the team has the tools to do. (Skill, yes, tools, no.) Either that or we ignore the whole "Galaxy City was destroyed!" and just bring it back.

I'm guessing mega there is right - if you have an attack queued and it gets into range, even briefly, it will go off. (I most notably take advantage of this fighting Protean on a melee character - run, jump with attack queued, it'll go off as I pass and I land out of range of his attacks or AOE heal.) Known colloquially as "Jousting."

I would enact violence on anyone who used this.

You *can* just try using "random." Surprisingly few farms have shown up for me on that. But, yeah. Boolean type searches (NOT farm NOT fire) would be useful. (Yes, typing in -farm or NOT farm brings up... farms.)

Thing is... is the "Go talk to the detective for the first time" thing really a "mission?" It certainly isn't in the mission list to override doing whatever it is you're doing when you zone. The detective is, at best, a new (though special) "contact" you haven't met yet. I'm suspecting the behaviour is specifically a holdover from redside's introduction, where you *had* to be assigned to one of them to get any new missions and there's some coding wonkiness from that - which I'd... eh, half argue is obsolete now thanks to the "find a contact" button.

... when was this? Holds used to hold, as I recall. Might have been part of the whole i13 revamp.

People would have to actually PVP some amount. Yes, I know there *are* PVPers out there, but I don't really see them saying much - I'd assume they're used to how things are and have adapted (and probably generally run teams, which balances things out about as well as it can.) (Note. Not saying this as someone who "hates PVP" or anything. I've gotten into one or two good scrums while here, and used to be fairly involved in the zones on live. Some of my favourite memories or stories are PVP related. But... that's the thing. I've gotten into one or two fights... despite being in the zones since coming to HC. I almost never see anyone.)

I *think* (though it's been a while) the gold titles are separate from whatever the regular titles are - so you couldn't accidentally lose your "2023 navel lint picking champion" because you clicked on a badge title. I don't know if the gold's a side effect of that or otherwise able to be specified. Aside from that, I'd have to ask - who's doing the determination of who gets them and what they are? What's the cutoff? Veracor would have been a perfect "ok, obvious example," with the single character he ran raids and such on continuously 'til he hit 40k VL, sure. Or Dacy with all the base building. But what about people who keep a large SG running - which is decidedly work, having done that in the past? Or the people going to DJ events - which maybe not many know, but which can also be a good bit of work to set up continually? Who sets the "must be this tall to ride" sign and how are people recognized? I basically would just hate for this to be nothing but a popularity contest if it were done..

Pfft. I just disagree out of spite. I don't want the a**holes spreading that nonsense to have any influence here, including censoring or altering a line of NPC dialog.

... or they may, but nobody knows where they spawn and they take forever to saunter across the map and reach the player. They may be the smartest NPCs in the game. "You want us to ambush them? All right..." *starts walking the long way through Indy Port.* "Sorry, they weren't there when we showed up. Yeah, crazy how that keeps happening."

I don't tend to join them because of (typically) the extra time and messing about they require. The ones I've joined have also just had people rushing as much as possible, which... just isn't enjoyable to me at all. Are you suggesting having a WST that *has* to be multistar?

Are these the zone raids, instanced, or both?

Reserved for future notes, commentary, etc.

Sources: City of Heroes, in game information/arcs 2013 Lore AMA 2014 Lore AMA: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ocOo69mXIQ8HthabNe1F4X1EcZcSDwZFEE9sT8WSBc4/edit#heading=h.yul06fnzfa3k Original Kheld backstory guide (with other links and references,) which I compiled with the Kheldian forum community which was actually helpful: https://web.archive.org/web/20120905121326/http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=114391 KLB: OK, this probably causes some confusion. The document itself is “Kheldian Epic Archetypes, Revision 4.” (Authors – Sean Fish, Rick Dakan, Jack Emmert, Al Rivera, Jane Kalmes) which covers their backstory and the original design they were going for. Separate document. My original link is broken, sadly, but I do have a copy used extensively for reference, last updated October 2004. This incorporates Jack Emmert’s backstory and theme for what Kheldians were and are, which takes up 25 of the 37 pages of the document. I really wish this were more reachable in game – even if it’s just through, say, a Kheldian Embassy where you can go click on things to find out about them. (The rest of the document is mostly design and ideas for enemies and the like.) Issue 3 introduction of Kheldians: http://www.cityofheroes.ca/news/game_updates/issue_3_a_council_of_war_kheld.html Also City of Heroes (archive.org) for the actual NA website archive.

“What could have been” These are things that were changed or definitely dropped entirely. Source for these are primarily KLB, given it’s an early design document, so assume that unless otherwise noted. Enemies we don’t see: The Nictus were initially planned to work with / infect other enemy groups. However, noted very bluntly in the KLB, due to time constraints it was decided to just give the enemy groups either a mob with a Quantum gun or have them hire a Void mercenary. Which works for some, but there are some it’s a real pity didn’t show up – as they’d make more sense! For the most part, these do not have descriptions past the name, but what we could have seen: Banished Pantheon: Night Shamans Carnival of Shadows: Nictus trapped in Illusionists (which makes me wonder why “trapped.”) Circle of Thorns – Rod to a Dark Mage Clockwork King, Council, Family, Malta, Warriors: Enhanced Quantum Array Gun Crey: Lt. Paragon Protector – cloned version of the Kheldians. Devouring Earth: “Crystal Prism guy – light splitter.” Freakshow: Modified Juicer (Kheldian effect.) Hellions, Outcasts, Skulls, Tsoo: Nictus Assassin Nemesis, Rikti: “Slightly Different quantum array gun.” (This description just amuses me.) Rularuu: Vulnerable to Wisps – Mental attack Tsoo: New Ink Man; Nictus powers Vahzilok: Lt. eidolon Powers: The only really interesting thing to me about Peacebringers in this document are that both Nova and Dwarf were pictured as being in the primary powerset, versus Nova in the primary and Dwarf in the secondary. Dwarf got moved to the secondary – though it appears we lost a power called “Reactive Armor” (Damage to foe if hit OR reflect attack power OR heal from certain type.) It’s noted as “Depending on code support,” so I’m presuming said support wasn’t there by release. Warshades, by comparison, had some other changes from the document. They were mentioning “tentacles reaching out” for the hold and wrapping around the target – though (a) this again leans back into the “synth” initial concept and (b) we know from comments on other sets by live devs on things like whips that this was basically impossible. More interesting to me is that there were proposals of a toggle confuse power, “Infuse” (instead of our fluffies, it would animate and control a defeated enemy, who later explodes, though they may turn on the WS,) and both shapeshifts are just listed as “(Life draining monster? TBD on code support.)” So… no Nova or Dwarf. (Granted, you can argue Dark Dwarf does drain life, but…) Both PB and WS also had a mez resist toggle in this document. In the AMA (Lore Questions 2014,) Sean McCann (Dr Aeon) mentions that he really wanted to expand on the Path of the Dark and its connections to Cimerora. Synths The Kheld design document also seems to indicate that, on Earth, the Peacebringers (at least) weren’t merged with the way other races were, but required some technology (which does put the “natural” locked origin in as something to discuss) to sort-of merge into something called a Synth. The only traces left of this by release seem to be the comment by Shadowstar about feeling disoriented, as well as the CB “tentacles” of Horus and Requiem. It even seems somewhat contradicted in the same document, so (personal supposition) I suspect this was actually discarded early. Other interesting notes: Going from the KLB (Kheldian Epic Archetypes) – the four revisions noted in the document history have one or two interesting notes. 26 Aug 2004 – “Incorporated Sean’s Warshades.” Were they really just PBs at the beginning? And the last revision in this version of the docc, 01 Oct 2004, Jane Kalmes, “Tweaked background fiction to indicate that Kheldians do not die off when fused with a human.” I just find those little notes to be interesting glimpses of their development and such.

Non-Kheldians There are several “Kheldian-adjacent” enemies in the game, typically the result of Nictus experiments. Quantum gunners: (COH) These are simply standard enemies who have been given or otherwise acquitted Quantum weaponry. They are not otherwise different from other enemy mobs in that group. Shadow Freaks: (COH) These are Freakshow who have been implanted with N-fragments, altering their powers. They are an experiment by Arakhn. Galaxy soldiers: (COH, “Basic N-fragment utilization,” Shadow Science) A Galaxy soldier is created by implanting a “sufficient” number of Nictus fragments in a willing human host and subjecting that host to careful training. These Galaxy soldiers can use Nictus-like powers, but are not true Nictus themselves. These are created by Arakhn. Void hunters: (COH, “Altered N-fragment utilization,” Shadow Science) Mercenaries created by the Nictus specifically to fight Kheldians. The N-fragments used are altered using “Quantum energy techniques.” Similar to a Galaxy soldier, these are implanted into a willing host, then specially trained and equipped. The scientists doing this noted concerns about “long term effects” and don’t know what would happen if “Total integration” happened to a Void Hunter. Like the Galaxies, these are created by Arakhn. (KLB) Although the Void Hunters are nominally under the purview of the council, their driving goal is eliminating what the Nictus perceive to be their greatest enemies. (COH, “Anonymous e-mail,”) A letter (apparently from Requiem, given context clues, but unsigned) mentions their numbers are dwindling and she “must improve the conversion rate for those implanted with N-fragments.” So conversion is apparently not just unconcerning, but desired. (COH, “An emailed warning,”) An email was composed (but not sent) to Arakhn noting that the Void Hunter candidates received from Requiem were members of “his old organization” and that he might be planting them to prepare for a coup against her. (COH, “Quantum dispersal weapons”) Discovered in Striga Isle, some of the Void Hunter weapons are “tuned differently” to work against Nictus and N-fragment imbued enemies. War Wolves: (COH) There’s a little contradiction about War Wolves. In some descriptions, they are failed implantations of N-fragments, but they are also mentioned as a “Process” of Requiem’s which Arakhn has no interest in. Plus, of course, there’s “war wolf Earth” where there’s nothing left but War Wolves – and Requiem – after the Nictus takeover of the Earth of that dimension. Vampyri: (COH) This used to be listed as another failed N-fragment implantation, but that seems to have been edited at some point as it was contradicting other listings. Vampyri in general are Nosferatu’s super soldiers, gaining both strengths and weaknesses in the process. However, there are “dark” vampyri you will run across which *have* been implanted with N-fragments. Nosferatu himself admits to being “interested in the process,” considering undergoing it even after evidence that Arakhn and Reequiem planned to dispose of him was given to him. He only switches sides and fights against them after the player characters defeat him.