El D

I think a lot of the prior examples of hitstop in this thread emphasize that it works fantastically for a cinematic experience - such as in movies or anime - and in fighting games and 3rd person action RPGs where the gameplay is intended to be handled with a controller, designed to utilize haptic feedback, and made with movement and combat mechanics where weight and reach matter more directly/at all. Which is where the problem comes in, seeing as CoX has next to none of those things (and those it does have aren't implemented the same way). Combat in CoX provides no haptic feedback via any sort of controller and doesn't shift in perspective akin to Fatalities or zoom-in/repeat shots. There's no change in damage or functionality from mistiming a swing or not building up enough power (specifically as it works in Monster Hunter or a fighting game) and no mechanic for variances in character/weapon weight. None of the cinematic or numeric impacts of hitstop exist in CoX - the gameplay just isn't designed for it. What CoX's gameplay is meant to be is functional, engaging, and quick. Specifically so in the framework of an MMO, which means the 'weight and impact' of Titan Weapons is purely visual. It's an illusion via animations and power FX to sell the aesthetic of the set. You could play Titan Weapons the exact same if the weapon and the FX were entirely invisible (call it Titan Interpretive Dance). There's no numerical difference with or without the weapon because the weapon itself isn't a gameplay mechanic (nor is the character model, for that matter). Also CoX's emphasis on frenetic gameplay is precisely why Titan Weapons was lambasted for being painfully slow ever since it was introduced. The lumbering, powerful swings fit the look, but they still didn't feel as quick as other sets (and in various cases, outright weren't as quick, even after they got adjusted). All that combines to mean that slowing down the animations on a set that is already considered very slow - even if it's just in player perception of the animation change rather than actual animation time - is not going to be taken as an improvement when the aesthetic is all that changes. To play devil's advocate, bundling this with mechanic improvements? That could work. Hitstop being included with some number tweaks to enhance Titan Weapons performance might get more broad interest and player support, but I still see it as a hard sell just from the way the game operates. Also at that point, knowing our community, various folks would probably just ask for the mechanical boosts without the animation change.

A fair thought! Mission contacts or minor NPCs could be solid additions, yeah. Some of them already lend themselves to that sort of inclusion - having the Shining Stars (like you mentioned) and the Hearts of Darkness would work well. Heck, a dance off with Crosscut doing /e popdance and Dillo doing /e robotdance practically writes itself.

Toss a few more generic citizen dancers or hero/villain group NPCs into Pocket D? Sure, why not. There's plenty of precedence for it with the existing NPCs and the inclusion of memorium NPCs as well. Also there's a lot of 'new' dance emotes made well after Pocket D was put in-game to use with them for bonus points. Put in Signature NPCs - like Ghost Widow or Manticore - on the dance floor? That's a bit more of a stretch. Signature NPCs showing up only happened during Dev events when they were actively being piloted so players could actually interact with them. Just having a pure CPU Manticore mindlessly grooving out for photo opportunities feels... kind of desperate, to be honest. 'Look at me, totally dancing with The Real Manticore!' Frankly, it's a lot more fun to snag those moments with the devs actually playing said NPC. That said, I wouldn't be opposed to it for say, a special event of some kind. CoX's Anniversary tosses the Phalanx and Arachnos into Pocket D for a weekend or something. As permanent additions, though? Nah, I don't think they should be relegated to background filler.

This is definitely a more engine-friendly workaround for a 'stretchy punch' set. With the proper color selections available and optional matte/non-glowing customization options, players could even make them match existing costume pieces pretty closely. As a possible alternate, have the attack animations summon SFX of a stretchy fist that matches the costume's selected glove pieces, akin to how the weapon sets work. Doesn't actually stretch the character model, just makes a temporary SFX that fakes it.

It makes sense with the lore and expands on the Nictus updates that Requiem and Arakhn have already gotten in fun ways. Sounds good to me! Always in-favor of updating older AVs like that. Okay, a Nictus-ified giant wolf for Requiem would be cool. Heck, at that point give Arakhn a warped bat/vampire-alien form and make them mesh with the whole Warwolf/Vampyri transformations. Bring the whole transformation aspect of the villain groups full circle.

No - account data from when the game was originally live is not accessible by Homecoming (if it even still exists at all by this point). You'll have to recreate characters/bases/supergroups from scratch, but HC has implemented a lot of tools that make advancing through the game easier than it was pre-sunset.

Going to second the 'worth a watch' comments - the art style is vibrant, the fight scenes are solid, the music and voice acting are great, and frankly, it's just nice to have a Superman who feels hopeful again. The new takes on the classic villains are fun and the broad utilization of Krypton's alien technology makes Supe's opposition feel a lot more organically interconnected.

As OP mentioned in the initial post, I'd rather not have chat windows more cluttered than they already are. That's real estate taken up by something entirely unnecessary in local channels, and in global channels you already go by the global name as is. I don't oppose the idea of this being a 'toggle on' option in the chat settings for folks who really want it, mind, but I also don't see much point in it - if someone wants or needs to know another player's global name there's already tons of immediate options. Click their name in the chat window and hit Get Global Name. Right click their avatar and use 'Add Note' (though 'Get Global Name' could definitely be added to that menu, too). Or type /getglobalname "character name"

Yeah, this has been one of the more common issues with CoH as well - or perhaps most notable? There was a pretty hefty series of threads on the original forums about Sonic Resonance provoking migraines and headaches in numerous players, for example, prompting the power FX to be changed back in Issue 10. The only modern set with similar issues I can recall off he top of my head is Electrical Affinity's intense strobing when combined with a bright color palette. In-general I'd say CoH is pretty solid, if not necessarily due to baked-in options but from how modular the framework is. Don't jive with a certain sound? Players are free to replace or remove the sound file for it. Need adjustments to the UI? Tweak the colors or replace various icons with more user friendly symbols. The game is lacking against the 'modern standards' of user accessibility but the freeform modding approach makes up for some of it (and for a 20 year old MMO, it's certainly not awful). Though, those options can also require player initiative beyond 'search in menus' and information that's gradually becoming outdated in modern gaming, but that's a whole other can of worms... As for letting people know, aside from stickied threads on the forums, wiki entries, and mentions in the in-game Options I'm not sure what else there is. Get CoH onto a list of 'Accessible MMOs' or something and list what modifications it's good at handling? An op ed piece? It'd get the word out more, but that'd still require investigation.

My supergroup treats it as the modern year (as is seemingly hinted at via the new history plaques and zone details) and the out-dated technology is just a stylistic choice for the narrative/time capsule from when the game was first published. Similar to how Gotham in Batman The Animated Series was deliberately retro but set in the 1990s timeline-wise. If you need an in-universe handwave, all the villain groups and massive, world-shaking events that have continually disrupted the most important city on Primal Earth (and in many cases, the rest of the globe) is as good an excuse as any why tech in some places has seemingly stagnated. There's plenty of agencies and institutions in the real world that still run on increasingly outdated computer and electronic systems after all, and we don't have Nemesis or the Council or the Rikti invading every other week. Alternately, perhaps the CRT monitors, brick phones, and old school cars are just 'retro-themed' but containing modern technology inside them. People love that kind of stuff IRL too.

What @Greycat and @huang3721 said. Also, regarding Prometheus lashing out because he had a bone to pick with Zeus - there's some pretty important context around that exchange, in that Prometheus is falsely conflating Statesman with the actual Zeus. That's the entire reason the Freedom Phalanx even go in the first place, being 'random mortals' to Prometheus who he won't be predisposed to hate. They're there solely to work around the Not-So-Jolly Blue Giant because they know he won't hear Statesman out. There's also the even more relevant context earlier in the same comic where Statesman himself says he isn't Zeus and isn't a deity. Incarnates are certainly god-like, but they aren't literal gods. Not even the main 'My face gets put on the game's box art' ones. Which I'm glad about, honestly. If Statesman had been equivalent to actual, full-on 'block my texts from Hera, I'm turning into a swan' Zeus, that would have made Darrin Wade's arc even more obnoxious than it already is.

Statesman isn't a deity, though, and never was. He was Incarnate, yes, and possessed the powers of Zeus, but he was never referred to as god. Beyond that, assuming Zeus was also an incarnate is a hefty pull, given that's never stated anywhere lore-wise. The only Zeus-linked entities that exist currently in canon are Incarnates of Zeus (Statesman and Imperious), Zeus-class Titans (not relevant), and the Avatars of Zeus made by Pandora's Box (though the less said about the story fustercluck that is SSA 2, the better). Also

Welcome back! Glad to have you around again, BaBs.

... huh. Well, Drew Goddard has a solid enough track record as a writer/director IMO, and with the advent of AI siphoning off actual human creativity in media and the AI-techbros fawning over the machine consuming the artist, there's definitely some 'real life writes the plot' potential here. Whether or not a film that actually says something vs a nostalgia cash-in will get made remains to be seen. I just hope they don't make the mistake the Star Wars sequels did and tie too much back to the original cast. A Matrix story that moves past the original cast or just has them as the backdrop for the story would work so much better than either rehashing what we've already seen yet again or twisting what ought to be their narrative legacy.

As someone who grew up watching the original X-Men TAS (and playing the side-scroller X-Men beat 'em up arcade game and Marvel vs Capcom)... This is fantastic. This is exactly what I wanted and more. It's not just continuing where the original left off plot-wise, but honoring the spirit and style of it as well - with a fresh coat of paint and awesome fight choreography. This is what happens when a franchise is worked on by folks who aren't ashamed of 'what it used to be' but rather know how much better it could have been sans budget limitations, juggling TV ratings, and the tech of the time. The modernizations in the dialogue and character choices work excellently, and so far all of the returning and new voice cast have been great. Fully on-board with seeing where this goes given the storylines they seem to be adapting. More stuff like this, please and thank you.