Greycat

Dang, Lum. You really expect someone to sit down and read *all that?* 😉 As far as the OP? A few thoughts. The system currently feels tacked on, because frankly it is. COH had a habit of growing "wider" instead of "taller," like other MMOs. COH, then COV, was released with a cap of 40, with the last 10 levels released an issue later. And it stayed at 50, instead of following so many OTHER MMOs which just kept raising that cap, spreading things out and making it feel like someone coming in in (say) issue 10 would never catch up to an issue 0-1-2 vet. The system really seemed (to me) geared towards "Hey, we're going 'freemium' now... how do we get people to keep paying? Oh! Whole new system that you have to be a *paid* subscriber for!" (We were also initially told "no, there's no solo/small team path, GRIND THOSE BAFS!" and had the two "sides" of the tree getting their two types of Incarnate XP from different activities... it's the only time I walked away from the game (for a few months.) Also, Hybrid was supposed to be the "root" of the next set of powers - the only one that got fleshed out (and had its *own* IXP - Advanced IXP) - of the rest, only one (Genesis) even has a description (creates patches of .. buffs/debuffs.) Mind, Omega, Vitae, we don't know what they were doing. We'd be using those to fight the Battalion. Then the *next* tree, we'd be using to fight the Ascended (IIRC) like Prometheus, and so forth and so on. It's clunky and tacked on feeling because it was - it was meant to introduce a grind. Other thoughts: - No, I don't think the whole thing needs to be scrapped. - Yes, Shards should be done away with. Part of the above mentioned grind design. - IIRC, a 7th slot causes problems with the game. Blame the spaghetti. - I really kind of don't like the idea of seeing the system turned into "Invention system 1.7." - That said, as far as special enhancements that have some special effect on their own, not part of any set? That I've wanted for a while. Make them rare/very rare, doesn't need to be part of this system, add some flavor and variety that way. But just as part of the regular invention system. - Adjustments I'd make? Alpha should be available regardless of exemped level once you've earned it and filled it. The others should be toned down in non-Incarnate content. (Or maybe "non Hard mode +whatever content," since that's a thing.) - Not everyone runs the arcs, as mentioned. I'm still baffled how people have trouble with it - though, frequently self inflicted. Granted, I rush through Ramiel's arc to get it done quickly, since i see any iXP earned there as wasted given the auto-unlock of Alpha at the end. But I've also gotten the unlocks and components just by hanging around in MSRs or running other stuff, so... - I'd be more interested in more Incarnate-level (and interesting, not Mot or Praetoria) content, if *anything's* looked at re: Incarnates.

Not sure where you think I'm particularly *caring* how many people are in an SG. The only reason it's even tangentially touched on by me is that getting the suggested prestige "by activity" isn't telling anything. And no number that could be devised could tell "how many people" are in an SG anyway- you see one with 12. Is that twelve people, or four people with three accounts? Which goes right back to "original prestige" and, to a point, this version - it's not anything like an accurate indicator of SG activity (much less if someone should want to join it.)

Which still has the issue of "is it one person doing their own thing or an active SG?" Personally I'd revise the SG search system (and related items on the SG side) so someone searching for a SG would see: SG name Tags (RP, PVP, public, private etc. - which may include "recruiting") Email (set on/off by SG, as well as who gets it, an icon.) Message (set on/off by sg, as well as who gets it, an icon) Base code (visible, members only, off) Description (text field, can be blank) Leader (text field, can be blank) (or maybe "contact") It's sort of like looking for a restaraunt or store. I want to know where they are, what their hours are, what their menu's like, I don't care if they made ten thousand or eleventy billion dollars (like the old prestige,) I want to know where they are and what they have to eat. BUT. All this in any case requires UI changes with everything, which is apparently a bit of a problem.

To expand on that - The only time you're going to see your SG's password is when you set it. When people ask about it in help, I try to mention this, and *strongly* suggest putting it in the SG's description or MOTD - someplace easily visible and accessible to the rest of the SG. If you forget it? The only thing you can do (if there's no other SG member to ask) is set a new one, if you're a member of the SG who can.

Nope. I don't care about what the ATs are called. I don't *care.* I've got characters that have absolutely nothing to do with Arachnos that are ... "Soldiers of Arachnos." Any discussion of them where I have to use that are purely OOC. The character is the character, picked for powerset combinations that work for that character. (Also, as far as "Stalker?" Refers to more than just the illegal activity. And I give you one heroic figure from early in another series with it as (part of) his name:)

It still tells us nothing about the supergroup. As mentioned, all it would take is someone with two (or, remember, you can have up to three accounts on at once) PLing their alts, trading, etc. to start getting that prestige. It doesn't tell us it's an SG you'd want to join, or that has interests you do. There could be a great SG that only meets once a week, since the members tend to just have (say) Saturday off together - the during-the-week activity wouldn't show up, since it'd just be a person on for an hour here, another running a TF the next day with non-SG-mates, someone at another time writing up an AE arc, etc. - who'd also get "buried" under "OK, Jim's running a farm, we've got 7 SG mates who want to join." There's a lot that should be done with the SG system. Doing away with the (now defunct) prestige listing is one of them. Using the tags you give? That would be useful. Prestige has always been a ridiculous thing to show for the "top 100 SGs" or rank them by. Revise the SG search / listing system, dump the Prestige number all together, put in the tags and other useful info.

Sending people to Pocket D's sewers? Now that's evil.

Yes, it was. I miss those. And the actually dangerous Quantums and Voids.

They don't any more. Don't think they have since live. It's just negative now.

Unless they have a very different rent structure, I wouldn't. I can't imagine rent (or insurance...) is cheap there. Find a job (like I have now) where you telecommute, move well outside the city (no, not salmanca) to somewhere affordable and where I don't have to worry about my car being used as a throw toy or club.

Really think we need a limit on how long a thread can be replied to. Dredging up a thread that hasn't been touched in two years? C'mon.

So many questions... How many alts do you have? Uh... let's see. Looking JUST at my main server, Everlasting... 181 across all accounts. Which is lower than it was on live: https://cit.cohtitan.com/profile/787 Are they level 50 or did you park some permanently lower than 50? Some are 50. Some are on the way. Some don't need to be. Some are base building and the like, so they're peacebringers at level 1 and will probably stay that way. What motivates you to make a new alt? What doesn't? RP. I've got a storyline with various clones getting freed from their maker, the organization around them, etc. which leads to a few. I've got several remakes from live. I've got duplicates on other accounts for RP reasons. I come up with a name and use it (Rez Dispenser, Celery - yes, a stalker, Sweet Child of Mimes, Smash and Crab and so on.) I want to try a powerset combo. I have a storyline that needs one. There are myriad reasons. So what alts are you into? When do you have the urge to play them? Into? All of them. Urge to play them? Random times. Sometimes it'll be a team need, soemtimes it'll be an RP need, somtimes it's just "Haven't played with you in a while." Are there any that have a sole job like MSR or Hami raids, or a niche pvp event? MSRs, usually. Slowly leveling one called "Assume Reposition," for instance, specifically to Fold Space and Wormhole stuff in... once they're at 50 and incarnated (and have cash to spend on Ultimates.) Rez Dispenser was also meant to do that, aiding to the green healing umbrella, but she got pulled into RP...

I play on a server full of roleplayers who do things for character reasons, including diving headfirst into mobs you *know* are going to kill them. So... no.

Surprised? ... but you're a PsychicKitty...

Someone else mentioned this before, and I was able to log out instantly. Tried a few spots, too, to see if it was near AE or what, and I didn't get one.

When you actually needed the respec... yeah. On more than one team that all piled out the door dead in the olden days.

Yep. You used to have to go to one of the Vault Reserve buildings to get to it.

There was less content and (depending on when you're referring to) more debt, so yeah, there were definite grind points. My first 50 was an elec/elec blaster. Hitting the old debt cap and running out of my own contacts - and a friend's - in the late 30s? SLOOOOOW last few levels to hit 40 and get contacts again.

As mentioned - *both are ridiculous.* Longbow's a little more grey as they're not any nation's military or police force (supposedly a UN force, as I'm recalling. Which is problematic in different ways.) Arachnos *is* their military. It doesn't matter - as you state later - if they managed to sneak into Faultline (and I'll note, if you go to Echo:Faultline, there's a badge at the far south that mentions spiders... whether that was added post-opening-zone-update or not, I can't say.) We wouldn't stand for - say - Pakistan or Libya sneaking in and setting up a military base in Idaho... or taking over part of New York as a military enclave. But that's what we're handwaving Arachnos doing. For either side... what they had before? Agents sneaking in and doing whatever? Sure. And that's something that can be dealt with with small forces. *At Most* what either side should have, territory-wise, is an embassy type compound (which is about the only way I could fit the Longbow enclave in Nerva and have it make the least bit of sense) for a physical presence. Have agents, have safehouses, sure. But the (I agree with "hamfistedly implemented" here, too) military *occupation* of another nation's territory? No. It's annoyed the hell out of me since it was done. The Isles are, as the name states, islands. Their first defense is "Ocean." They obviously have airpower (and submarines.) That's not an insignificant hurdle. Ask the UK. Hell, Cuba's 90 miles from FL and if the US wanted (for whatever reason) to invade, it'd *still* be a substantial task. Even if we had something like a real life Portal Corp to help, it takes time to move people and things. To get to that main entrance walkway, you have to get *to* Mercy Island, survive defenses on the way, land troops (under fire,) etc. The troops that were there were plenty to drive off the Skulls, Hellions, Snakes, etc. that were there. What's the population of the Isles? Even if we went "some small percent are metahumans," and "some percent of *those* have useful abilities and decide to become heroes," yes, Arachnos is getting steamrolled. Especially given how often Recluse and the patrons get smacked down - by heroes *and* villains. Honestly, it's the only way a Longbow occupation *would* make sense. The US (and allies) drive Arachnos out of the US, then invade this obvious hostile nation, topple the government, and stick Longbow in as an occupying peacekeeping force until a new government is in place. But that's not what's happening. Instead we're doing the equivalent of "Durrr, look, the Russians took over Los Angeles and Miami? They've got troops stationed there and they're kidnapping and otherwise threatening civilians? That's nice. Wonder what the sportsball score is." It's ridiculous. Same with "sneaking into Faultline while it was sealed off." Agents? Sure. Safehouse? I can buy that. Built up military base? No. I don't care how "sneaky" Arachnos is, that would *not* be something that could be done with nobody noticing. (Oh. And I have to go back to the point about progression the OP made, which has been echoed. When you started at Fort Darwin... yes, the progression made sense. Starting off beating on low level mobs around the fort, eventually getting down to the city... where you find yourself at the ferry to go to the next zone. It was, frankly, rather nicely laid out.) Did it *really* "progress" the story? I'll grant redside you at least thwart Longbow somewhat. Blueside? You ... rescue Mrs. habashy and out one mole. Arachnos is still there. And as far as players "enjoying" the story? I don't think I've ever heard anyone ask to team to do those arcs. (Or Twinshot or Graves, who are utterly unrelated and would work regardless of the invasions.) I don't think either would end up on the majority of "top ten favourite or memorable arcs." Or even *remembered* arcs, for that matter. If they were popular, DFB wouldn't be three of the most typed letters on either side....

I honestly rather agree with the OP, frankly. I find Longbow in Mercy island as - frankly - ridiculous as Arachnos *taking over parts of Paragon.* (Which should pretty much result in the ROgue Isles being steamrolled by the US military.) Plus, while it's true I'm not fond of backstories being forced in certain ways (like the whole Zig breakout thing,) starting in Fort Darwin made sense for you. You were just yoinked out of the Zig, stuck in a flyer - where did you start? In an Arachnos base, in front of a flyer (where there are Longbow doing calisthenics now.) I think both starting zone changes were just ... not improvements. If they wanted new contacts, they could've just added Twinshot and Graves "extended tutorials" arcs without it. But, reverting it would take a *lot* of work, I suspect. I doubt we have the old map setup - physically it's the same, but messed around with. Which comes to the echo zone suggestion... If you look at what we have as Echo zones, they're basically other *zones* - Galaxy, obviously, Atlas is the old version, Faultline has old geometry, even the RCS is different in many ways. (Plus, even if we *could* get it as an echo, you can't get contacts and missions in Echo zones... which is part of what the OP is talking about. And you have to ask for an Ouro portal to get there.) So. Yeah. You know, I miss the original Mercy Island and found it preferrable to what we have now, but I don't think it *is* revertable, or even easily made into an echo. And that rather sucks.

I suggested a while back having a "note" space for characters, honestly. Some of the notes I don't need publicly available (not stuff that would be publicly known, little quirks i just want to remind myself of nobody else needs to see, specific plot plans for that character, etc.) and while you can do that in the playernote section- that doesn't move between computers, and I *do* (older system, newer system, laptop.) 'til then? Yeah. Notepad or something on a NAS or something like google docs.

Heh. I do know the Steel Canyon fires - at least the explosion - hits with (as I recall) three ticks of "Yes, you ARE dead, no you are NOT resisting this" damage. There are also spots you can stand in occasionally that just ignore the boom. I've had it explode and just miss me.

Eh. Personally I think there should be one pack granted per account - not character, account - at the start of the event as a "Hey, look, these exist, and now you can see inside!" thing, and drop as an *extremely* rare drop doing winter stuff. But, eh. Don't honestly care one way or another.

We really need to have some limit to necroing threads. 3 months and it's locked, say.

"Explain it to a duck." Doesn't matter if there's no real conversation. You can explain a problem to a rubber duck and suddenly get ideas... since you're having to start from the beginning and explain everything, including what you're assuming.