Abraxus

Yeah. I doubt even if Marvel knew of this new instance of CoH, they would have much less concern about it than they did back in the day. I think they are much too big to be concerned about a big green fellow, with black hair, and purple pants, named "The Incredible Bulk" in a 15 year old game. 😉

My comments were more directed at the concern over the copyrighted characters, as opposed to the game itself. There is currently no policing of this, and unless there is a problem from an IP holder, there likely won't be. So, in my facetious way, I was encouraging folks to play as they have been, without so much regard for who their toon might bear a remote, or striking resemblance to in the real world. There are other threads to express concern for the future of the game itself. 🙂

Too much thinkin', and not enough playin'! 😉 If there is a problem, when/if it actually becomes a problem, they'll let ya know, and it would likely be a name change, or a reset to generic costume pieces. But, likely not without notice of some kind. I think we are still a long way from that becoming an issue on anyone's actual radar. So, have fun, and stop worrying! 🙂

Just a guess, but I think they were already working on a communication about this. Likely the reason we have not seen it yet, is because like everything else, it's complicated by what they can, and cannot say on things that cross into the negotiations, and the folks involved with them. I don't envy them the task, quite honestly. But, I do understand why it's not as easy a thing as it might seem.

I'll second that, but only if we get a "Virtue" too! 😎

All of that!

Basically, things blew wide open in mid-April. Then after a brief outage (a few days), Homecoming was born in it's present form. So, basically since late April, or early May. Welcome back to you, and your family! Now go...hunt...kill skuls!

So, with this, Tony V has announced his departure, and the "merging" of Homecoming, and The Titan Network. Tony V announces departure, and future of Titan Network

If the very definition of compromise, is an agreement that pleases nobody in full, but is acceptable to most, then we've done pretty well at maintaining the status-quo around here. I mean, everything is a compromise of sorts. A little more this, or a little less of that. Never gonna please everyone, and as long as it's not a game-breaker for the masses, then it's business as usual!

That's interesting. I typically create characters by visualizing who they are, and what they can do. The name is usually what comes last in my process. That said, I have never created a character whose name was already taken when I checked, so I guess I've done well on that count. 😎

This is just me. I don't speak for anyone else. That said... I believe The Hamidon was intended to be the most super, of the super villains in the game. A world destroyer that even Recluse, and Statesman feared. As such, I believe it was meant to be the ultimate challenge in the game, that was not always successful if a team didn't employ actual teamwork, coordination, cohesion, communication, and be composed of the right compliment of archetypes. All working in unison, knowing that given the power of this enemy, the whole effort could fail. There was actual risk! I believe those circumstances, and that risk were removed at some point because the SCORE server (from which the code for Homecoming was derived) was altered to accommodate for a much lower population. Some rules were bent, and others were totally broken so that fewer could be mightier. Now that low population is no longer a factor, that rule has been reset to the way it was in live. Some don't like it because they have experienced that victory enough times, they have come to expect it, and the massive rewards that come with it. But, it was the way it was for a reason. I believe that reason was that the monster was supposed to be nigh unbeatable by anyone but the best of the best teams, and that when victory was achieved, it was well earned. It wasn't meant to be a party in the Hami-zone, and certainly not the cake-walk that allowed it to be run multiple times a night with victory all but assured regardless of competence, team size, or actual participation. That is probably not going to go over well with the folks that don't like this change. But, as others have said, it CAN be done. It's just more of an earned victory, rather than a given one. Let's try to show a little perspective in our estimation of game play here. Please?

It's a delicate balance, and a tightrope that the Devs walk in any kinds of change. Because there are folks who love things just the way they are, and those that seek change. With the exception of QoL changes which are typically received well by all, other changes to the game always have their fans, and detractors; both sides of which make their perspectives, and opinions known. Just peruse the September 10 Patch Notes thread for a bit of a taste. Just gotta remember, there are always two sides to darn near any topic of discussion, and often, they both have valid points.

We could save some time/effort by just pasting a link to the previous threads that hit on this topic, every time we see a new one pop-up. But, what's the fun in that? 😉

Yup. That's a great way to put it! This is animated cosplay for those of us who don't do the "Con" circuit, or just couldn't get into the actual physical costume vibe.

I don't enter my homage characters in contests. It just doesn't feel right to me, and besides; that's not why I created them. I did so because I enjoyed the idea of the light RP, using catch phrases, and other semi-recognizable instances from the original in my game play. But, I don't feel like I need to rewarded for how well I used the costume/character creator to approximate them. Anyone with the will, and a little time can do that, and I don't need validation that badly. 😉

Absolutely! How about this? "Don't be sad because it's over. Rejoice because you did it!" I certainly felt that way about the original run of the game. But, now that we have been given a second chance, I appreciate it more than I ever did before, because I know that the only thing that is permanent, is impermanence.

It IS all good! I certainly remember the 7 years when we didn't have a live game to speak of at all. So, I am embracing all of it! Even the stuff that I don't really care for, because it's here, and I can appreciate the opportunity to loath these things once again, and not take them for granted this time around. 🙂

I have some "homage" characters. Perhaps some that others might consider a little too close to the mark. I'm having fun with some light RP'ing with them, which is something of a rarity for me. So, until/unless there is something that specifically prohibits such things, forcing me to make enough changes to avoid the hint of violating the rules, I will keep on having fun with these characters.

👆 This! **Edit** That would have had more impact if there hadn't been a page break inserted between this, and the previous post, but you know what I mean. 😉

I'm not criticizing anyone here. However, I do recall a lot of chatter about how the game has gotten WAY to easy. Now that a large group endeavor has been made more challenging, most of what I'm seeing is that it's too hard. The thing is, as I recall, it's supposed to be hard. There is supposed to be significant risk of failure, to make the reward something well earned. It forced cohesion, teamwork, and strategy to win. Granted, that might be something of a rarity in a lot of the content, but please don't complain about a challenge when presented one. Adapt, and overcome...or don't do it. In the immortal words of Jimmy Dugan "The HARD is what makes it worth doing".

Which is life described in a nutshell. Don't be afraid to dive in, for fear that it could all end. You'll miss out on some pretty cool times that way. 🙂

There have been numerous efforts over the years to obtain control of the IP from NCSoft. All of them went on so long that the news (what little of it there was) just died away quietly, and so did the negotiations. However, the difference this time around is time (7 years), and the fact that the code is out in the wilds of the internet, and could never be completely snuffed out again. So, facing that reality, the hope is that this time, the negotiations are being done in good faith, with the intent to arrive at an equitable, and mutually beneficial deal for both parties involved. We have no real idea what that would be, outside of our hopes that it would mean fully legitimized play. The details very likely won't be known until it's all done, and we don't really have a sense of when that will be either. But, as long as there is no word that the deal failed, you're fine. In fact, you're fine in either case. It's just that in the event of failure, you might be faced with the possibility of finding another serve to play on, and starting over again. In all honesty, in that event, I would do exactly that (I already know two friends who put up private servers), rather than consider never playing again. That would only happen if it became no fun to play, and as long as I have folks to play with, that is hard to imagine.

I believe there will be more to it than just an agreement for them (NCSoft) to forgo any future legal action. But, again...that's just what I believe because piecing together the history of all of this, that makes sense to me. But, I don't for a moment believe that I know for sure what will, and won't be a part of any agreement that is struck, if it happens at all. I certainly hope it does. I just don't know, and the only ones who do, are not at liberty to say anything about it.

We have no way of knowing what it will, and will not include. I'm sure the reason that it's not a done deal already is because there are things they'd prefer not to voluntarily give up, while NCSoft would prefer they did. Therein lies the contention, and the need to negotiate. Until the details of that deal are announced, anything we could offer is nothing more than conjecture that fits the situation. 🙂

I went totally the other way. I had a spreadsheet with all of my L50 characters from live (25 of them), and so far I have recreated all but about 5. Now, I made a few tweeks here, and there. But, for the most part, I am taking their journeys again as many times as it takes to have that many at that level again. Of course, it helped that when Icon, and Paragon Chat came along, I had the opportunity to recreated them, and save their costume, and power profile settings LONG before Homecoming ever broke on the scene. When it did, I a rare reversal of how thing typically go for me, I was ready for this curve ball thrown my way! I called up my saved files, and like the fabled Phoenix, they rose from the ashes of their former selves! In record time I might add!