Abraxus

Something tells me, IF that were to become an issue, we would know pretty quickly across the board.

Quoted. 🤣

I haven't tried the Cel Shading option yet, because I'm not a fan of it, but it's proof positive that some thought has been given to the subject, and in addition to cranking up the settings to improve things, there are options to give it a fresh look in the existing version of the game.

An Incarnate, equipped with I/Os is as powerful as one would expect to be in the endgame content, of a Super Hero genre game. If you got this far, and couldn't feel that you were powerful, it would be completely counter-point to progressively getting more powerful through the levels, only to find you are constantly over matched in the end-game content. Of course, there are places like Nightward, and Dark Astoria that can present a challenge for even powerfully equipped heroes like I described above. So, it's out there if you want to challenge yourself. But, if you love being powerful, and being able to dominate, the regular content, and Task Forces allow you do that too. I think we have a situation where both camps can find a modicum of satisfaction. I'll admit that I'm not a number cruncher, so from that perspective, I don't measure things to the decimal point. I just have fun playing the game.

I fully realize that the graphics in CoH are dated, especially when compared to the latest eye-candy filled games out there. However, I have noted that if your system is running even a mediocre graphics card, once can run with all of the graphics settings in-game turned up to 11, which makes a noticeable improvement across the board. Then there is the the fact that folks are excited about things like the venerable Jedi Knight coming to the Ninetendo Switch, and folks who play KOTOR, and KOTOR 2 many times through, and have no complaints at all about the graphics, because they love the game. Those graphics are downright archaic even when compared with CoH. So, perhaps I'm blinded by my love for the game, but the graphics don't bother me in the slightest. In fact, just like most comic books you see having different illustration styles, I think of the look of CoH as it's signature style. That works for me. What do you guys think?

Lots of VOIP options out there, and lots of them are free. In fact, the Discord server for Homecoming has multiple voice channels available for use. You just have to join, and they are there. https://discord.gg/SyTFuDw

Especially when there was another one of essentially the same topic in the current topic list? Oh well! The answers are there. Once just needs to read to find them. 😉

If you remember, while Napster was directly targeted, and ultimately shut-down, it served as the catalyst that changed the face of the music industry. I suggest that if the web had been as mature then (technology-wise that is) that Napster probably would have found a way to survive. Anyway, the point is that, once something became an infinite resource, the big guys tried mightily to put the genie back in the bottle, and eventually failed. So, once they recognized they were clinging to an outmoded business model, they changed. So, in this case, since the proverbial genie has again already escaped the bottle, hopefully in the 7 years that have passed since it's closure, they have had time to reflect, and will get to the part where good things happen, rather than resorting to a struggle where they can win the opening battle, but will still ultimately lose the war. Just like before, folks will just go deeper underground, and have to adapt play-styles, but as you yourself pointed out, servers will go on. So, from a business perspective, why not play along and see what good can come from it? They really don't stand to lose anything they haven't already lost. Just my .02 of a dollar's worth.

Perhaps we can agree that changes were made during the SCORE years to accommodate a much lower player population, from which these servers were derived. Perhaps we can further agree that in a higher population environment, some thought was given to how to roll some of those back to the way things originally were, because leaving them the way they had been modified was having predictably unfavorable consequences. I am not on the team, and I don't have any insight into the conversations that took place for any of these changes. But, extrapolation from what I have learned of these situations over the past few months tells me that is as feasible a theory as any other. Perhaps further discussion, where empirical data is accumulated, and provided in the correct threads to make the case for a degree of compromise, who knows what can happen? But, simply expressing dissatisfaction probably won't accomplish much more than finding some folks that agree, and some that disagree, and some that don't care, because they don't do Hami raids, which won't change anything. 🙂

Not much optimism there. There are on-going efforts to make sure that will be the opposite of temporary. So, you were either unaware, or don't give it much chance for success. I can't tell. In either case, rest assured that if they wanted to shut it down, they could have done so as soon as they became aware of their existence, and the opted not to, but instead to enter into discussions about legitimizing the whole thing. We are all dreaming of what a "post deal" CoH will look like, and we kind of enjoy that line of thought.

The Titan City Info Tracker used to do things like that. But, I'm not sure it works with the Homecoming version of the game. At least, not yet.

Said the man on a City of Heroes forum... *sigh* 😉

I don't believe Titan is leading these negotiations. That is the Homecoming team, or at least, that's how I understand it. Titan personnel (i.e. Tony) were also involved, thought to what extent, we never really knew. I don't know if someone else (Sekoia) from Titan will take Tony's place there, or if Titan will continue to be involved with the deal at all. But, the delayed response is likely the result of having to negotiate all of those hurdles, without having to give away specifics that would go against the NDA. Not an easy task, I'm sure.

Who knew? Guess I'll have to play some to celebrate! 🎆

I feel fairly sure they try to take in all perspectives, but in the end, they know that any change (with the exception of QoL changes) are going to be met with a certain segment of the player-base who don't like it. If the push back/outcry is significant enough, perhaps some compromise can be reached. But, things are done for a reason, and contrary to popular belief (especially those who don't like a change), they don't do it just to see how mad they can make people, or screw-up their enjoyment of the game. We just aren't privy to all of the reasoning, and discussions that go into changes/bug-fixes. So, while folks accuse them of not taking their perspective into account, remember they have a perspective too, and it's one that would be difficult to explain in most cases, because of the complexities of coding for, and trying to run a 15 year old game.

Perhaps your characters can share a cell in the Ziggerat in Brickstown for your IP transgressions! 🤣

Go big, or go home my man! 😎😉

We take that chance every time we post! 🤣

Nobody here is trying to profit off their IP. Hopefully, that classifies it as innocuous enough to just be looked upon as animated Cosplay.

It sounds like Sekioa has really been the one running things for quite some time, and that Tony was just the recognizable name attached to Titan. He didn't seem to have an issue with it, seemed content with what had been accomplished during his tenure, and was ready to move on. If he's cool with it, I see no reason to get concerned unless we are given a more solid reason to do so.

It's gonna be fun, but not without it's challenges. In the end, hopefully things work out to our advantage.

Tony appointed a new owner of Titan this morning (Sekoia), and said basically that this person has been doing it de-facto for quite some time already. He said he has really just been the "name" behind the Titan Network, when this other fellow has been the real driver of things. He just made it official with this appointment. He also indicated that the "merge with Homecoming" thing was a bit premature, and they would be remaining separate for the foreseeable future.

I'm just trying to say that folks should have fun playing, and be concerned about things of a legal nature when/if it becomes necessary. Worrying about low odds stuff will just make you old before you're time! And, for the record, I'm not encouraging anyone to do anything. I'm just advocating not being critical of those who engage in "homage" behavior. If it becomes a thing, it will sort itself out, and not bring "DOOM" to our server in the process.

Yeah, and I could be struck by a bolt of lightning, or win the lottery. The chances of either are probably about equal to anyone out there with a valuable IP, coming to the Homecoming CoH server to look for stuff that they consider theirs to protect. Not saying it's impossible, just improbable. Mainly because it's not worth the time, or effort. If, by some small chance it does happen, we will adapt, adjust, and overcome. It's what we have always done.

Yup. If I made a small character, and named him Will Robinson, and dressed him in old sci-fi garb; that who the heck ever owns the IP for Lost in Space would ever know, let alone give a flying crud! They'd probably be happy just to be thought of in the first place!🤣