OverkillEngine

Taking a break is always a thing, thankfully this game appears to be here to stay for a while. Also, once a friend and I had reached a certain proficiency back in Live, one of the things we like to do is spice it up via metagaming - like making a synergistic duo like a controller and defender, then crank up the mission settings and play a game of "keep the PUG alive" despite the mission looking like deep purple suicide to them.

All confuses work that way. Why? 1) Confusion is more powerful than other status effects - A) A hold just takes a mob out of a fight temporarily, a confuse can make the affected mobs eliminate multiple other mobs. B) Fewer mobs have protection/resistance against it. C) It is often on powers that otherwise do not have an aggro component, meaning no risk for the caster. D) confused mobs will often cast beneficial powers *using their modifier* on the confusion caster instead of their allies. 2) A properly used confusion increases xp/time, which is the only xp metric that really matters when it comes to active gameplay since mobs are an infinitely renewable resource. Killing them faster is better. Getting mission rewards faster is better. Confusion effects help with speeding up both if you don't just stand there and let them beat on each other like you are a spectator at the Bum Fights. TLDR; full xp from idle confusion defeats would make all other controls objectively inferior.

This, I turn on the lighting effect but tone down color posterization and the outlines to the minimum. Does very well at covering up that some of the textures are blurry messes especially when compared to later costume pieces.

To me the primary issue there is that the AE has always had deliberately neutered content for ease of farming and leveling. I made all my characters as Praetorians while relearning the game and have yet to step into the AE since coming back, nor have I had easy availability of large tricked out teams from 1-20 since most the pop are on Hero/Villainside. Which has forced me to at least build characters that are soloable as well as relearn enough of the game to achieve that goal. Plus there is only so many times I could possibly stand to run the same set of AE missions over and over before tearing my eyes out, I am playing a game to have fun, not bore myself into fits of insanity.

True, I did the Penny Yin TF and the Caverns of Transcendence yesterday with some decidedly tricked out allies after having spent my time solo'ing and duo'ing my way out of Praetorian content and it was a heck of an adjustment since my normal power rotation and positioning stopped meaning as much during it. If someone only had that sort of experience while leveling, they would have no idea what to do later on. Especially if they themselves are not at the same level of tricked out builds.

Kind of sad really that so many other games have trained people to have that mentality since CoX is one of the few games where making a new alt and leveling them organically is actually fun on top of being a form of necessary instruction in learning how that specific character's build actually works. (As well as how to deal with certain content - powerleveled players aren't likely to know how to deal with Malta Sappers for example even if their build has the tools) Just changing out a primary or secondary set or some power pools within an AT can cause fairly large swings in function and effect.

Heck I just found Homecoming a couple weeks ago and already have a very simple routine: get the Inner Inspiration prestige power, get 8 hours of double xp, go do story mission arcs and sell medium and large inspirations and one piece of orange salvage when one drops for 400K or more inf, which is usually shortly after hitting level 5-6. And then sell any common IO recipes that drop along the way. Easily keeps me in enough inf to get to 20 in comfort while stockpiling merits I can abuse later for market games. And my storage has salvage to spare. Starting an alt in this game is easier than ever, so long as you don't insist on decking them out in yellow/orange IO's by 20 or something else completely as ridiculous. Don't even *have* to throw a single inf at them. Back in the early days of Live, I remember slotting TO's uphill in the snow, both ways! And we liked it!

And I gotta say, the experimental graphics options to run cel shading breathes some new life into the game too. It actually helps reduce subtle clashes in materials textures when one cannot get an exact match in parts.

First time in Homecoming, played the original game for a long time. Oh hey and thanks for the links, now I know Homecoming has a wiki page. That's already been helpful for figuring out what has been changed as far as standard systems from vanilla. Was having a heck of a time trying to find John Snow until I read about just being able to use a slash command.

Recently installed Homecoming, and oh, the wonderful nostalgia. Like slipping on a set of old comfortable shoes. It also makes me realize just how much QoL that this game had baked into it compared to even more modern MMO's. Little things, like a map UI element that can function as both a minimap and main map. Full keybinding and ability to quickly port them to other characters. Not needing to fiddle with looting bodies. Not being harshly limited in who you can team with. An auction house system that isn't a form of economic BDSM. Absolutely ludicrous levels of player agency over build and appearance. Feels good to be back. Thank you.

Howdy, just exploring the content and very happy this game has been resurrected. I would like to put forth the suggestion of alternate power animations for sets like Fire, Ice, and Psi Melee (non exhaustive list) to where one could choose to have all sword or all fist attacks. (and maybe extend the option to sets that share powers with these sets too. Tentative example: Frozen Fists = quick 2 hit slice Ice Sword = medium straight punch Frost = horizontal slash Build Up = no change Ice Patch = no change Taunt = no change Greater Ice Sword = frozen uppercut with slight windup Freezing Touch = quick thrust with ice sword Frozen Aura = no change