Techwright

Nanna, Nanna, Nanna, Nanna,

That seems reasonable. I've seen The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, so I'm aware of the characters named. (I liked about 50% of that production. The "You're free" scene with Bucky was amazing.) Most of the ones you named as poor or unlikeable I agree with. Iron Man 2 I apparently had a greater fondness for, but it definitely needed something else added to it. And yeah, Winter Soldier is usually in people's top 3. Middle of the pack is surprising, but intriguing. Still not sure that I'll see it in theaters, but if it goes to D+ quickly, as I suspect, I might resubscribe to see that and catch up on some other things.

I was hoping they'd call it "Coulson". Death with resurrection is his super power after all.

*Grabs the two pennies* They've stopped making these. They might be valuable someday. @tidge is on target. I wish this event was just called "Valentines" or something like that, and one of the other two events had "Spring" added to the name, but it is what it is.

Thanks for making that point. May I assume you've seen all, or most, of the MCU movies? After seeing it, where would you place it if your were ranking it alongside the others?

Would the Fantastic Four, especially Reed Richards, quickly realize Clark Kent is just Superman with glasses? 😉 Okay, more on target: I've not always been a fan of the Fantastic Four in the comics. When they go way out there on the whole battling "phenomenal cosmic powers" thing, they can go ridiculous on scaling and it easily loose me. It is the humanity of the team, the smaller scale, where things get interesting. The trailer shows Ben Grimm's depression at what he's become. What I really liked in the comics was his relationship with the blind artist Alicia Masters, and how Alicia's acceptance of him helped him to cope. Might the demonstrated angst in the trailer be a foretelling of things to come? Any hint (leaks, footage, press releases, etc.) that we might be getting Alicia and the relationship?

It's a good point, thank you for making it, and I should clarify. I've had the kind of teams you mention. I do see those as a courtesy. I'd note the difference is "option". When a lead gives an option for someone higher to lead, but is willing to continue as lead, its not so much of a problem. When the recruiter announces they won't be leading and the star is going to someone else, that's the issue. I think some folks have only read part of my OP. In which part did I say I was "afraid"? I stated the opposite quite clearly. I used to enjoy the team lead, I've even done league leads, though I admit I don't find that as enjoyable. I also pointed out there's a RL condition involved that affects my level of participation, and noted it as but one example. I'd also note that speaking to the contacts is a point of holding up the team. I mentioned that too in the OP. Further, it is not the only duty of the lead, just the main one. The lead has the responsibility for adjusting difficulties and for settling problems within the team. None of which the leader can do if they have to step away. While not countless in my case, I have experienced this as well. I truly wish I could say never as Scarlet Shocker can. I actually got yelled at in a league not long ago, wondered why, looked at the league roster and realized that the guy who recruited it, dropped it in my lap without announcement, and left me to tidy it up. Personally, I hate leaving a team. I feel like I'm failing the other 6 chaps. But I realize some times, there's just not a great option.

I see at this writing that you've only 6 posts and all in this thread. I'll assume you're a new player or at least one unaccustomed to these forums. My apologies if my assumption is incorrect. I suggest you take the time to search the forums' history on the topic. The idea of hardcore has often been discussed. It is not a well-received idea, and I think some of that has to do with the presentation coming across as driven "this is the way", rather than a considered "I think several of us would be interested in". But regardless, it's been pointed out elsewhere that people generally are not interested in it, and additionally, there are too many variables that a player cannot control whereby their character could suddenly be taken out. Maelwys is correct. It would not be a popular server, but another ghost town. Those that are interested in the prospect have, in time past, formed groups to attempt to do this within the confines of the servers already active. The development teams, both original and Homecoming, have given us many tools for modifying instance missions to a player's content. I'm sure if you are interested in pursuing this course, you'll likely be able to find a team, league, or possibly super group willing to go along for the ride.

Is it that time of year again, already? 🙄

That has got to be one of the funnier parts of the game series, especially if Gandhi controls nukes. I get together with a gang every few months for a Halo gaming night. I'm there for the friendship and the pizza. I don't own an X-box, or even the PC version of any Halo game, so I stink at it. I therefore play under the code name "Gandhi". Another guy's son plays under the handle "A Small Child". We therefore have the occasional announcements of "Gandhi has killed A Small Child" and "A Small Child has killed Gandhi". 😁

Can't recommend any, as I've not been inside AE in a Rocket Raccoon's age. But I'm intrigued and watching this thread for something I'd like to tackle.

Civ VII: I'm taking the "let's see in 6 months" approach. I've seen a lot of negative reviews on it (Steam reviewers have it at Mixed right now, which is 5 rungs down on the ranking scale), and there's no way I'm shelling out $70, or even $20, for that rank. I would like to hope they'll make every effort in 6 months to fix what the players feel is broken. But if there's little change in 6 months, I'll be putting it in the "review every 6 months" category. I loved the early Civ games. At some point, I don't remember which one, a Civ game ruined it for me. It felt like they'd moved the game too far off the heart of the series design. I personally would be very, very happy if they did a remake of Civ II, mostly just improving the graphics to modern standards, and most especially improving the opponent AI. One thing that has always annoyed me in Civ games is the potential for an AI power that you've been treating exceptionally well to suddenly declare war on you, with no build up and no reason. It's 2025, and AI is all the rage. Build in one that acts much more like a human, and Civ II Redux could be the best of the series, despite being largely the earliest model.

I can see how ridiculous that is, But that was one of those ridiculous super powers they went bonkers with in the 1950s, like super-ventriloquism. What I refer to is something separate from his personal nature. And Kryptonian science is supposed to be on the edge of that oft-quoted idea of looking like magic to those from a lesser culture. Yikes! Let's hope an international crisis never involves hotel corridors. It's a fair point, and one I was considering after I wrote it. ID photos for driver's licenses, requiring the removal of glasses, would set that up as well. One thought I had was to use a small transparent "dot" of Kryptonian tech that can be adhered to the temple and act like a temporary version of the glasses (smaller tech = tiny battery = less charge, short term). That allows for short periods of removing the glasses. As it is Kryptonian science-like-magic it would be easy to wave a hand to say the science can baffle any Earth tech as well. I'm sure if a serious writer ever covered it for comic or movie, they could create a definitive Kryptonian tech explanation. I like the idea of a magic wielder getting involved, but then they'd have to appear in every version of the Superman tale. A.I. Jor-El does so now (at least, as far as I can recall) and therefore it's tech "magic" could fit the bill. The takeaway, though, is that, whether advanced science or magic, there's avenues of explanation DC's never explored for a "simple" disguise. I'd also like to add that your concept of the magic user arriving when Clark is in school, is on point. The idea of getting him using the glasses early, magic or tech, means that those subtle changes that happen over the teen years will seem natural to those he grows up with. It reinforces the idea that anyone who goes looking, even back to early Supes appearances around Smallville, will never associate the two faces as one person. Personally, though, I'm much more into the stories where Lois finds out early on, and chooses to sink the story. This maintains her reputation as Pulitzer-level investigative journalist, while fleshing out her compassion over her aggressive "news hound" nature. Great point! It reminded me of a pair of situations the TV show Candid Camera set up back in the 1970s. As I recall, both took place in New York City. In one, the crew built a door right in the middle of the sidewalk. People casually walked around it. A few of them even opened it and walked through it without really focusing on it. No one actually stopped to wonder why someone had set a door up that way. In the second, a guy dressed up in a gorilla suit and walked the city. No one even blinked an eye.

You know, there's an incredibly easy fix for all this: the glasses. Have Fortress of Solitude Jor-El A.I. design and print a high-tech Kryptonian device that looks like a normal pair of eyeglasses. When Clark dons them, they do some high-tech Kryptonian mumbo-jumbo that messes with people's perceptions. To any looking at him, glasses-wearing Clark appears similar but visibly different enough that he's never really considered. In essence, these Kryptonian glasses become his mask. Doctor Who had a similar concept they called a "perception filter". It was designed to hide something in plain sight by influencing people to look anywhere but straight at the object.

Well, since the thread has arisen, I'd note that the old comments often referred to having such a con being a trigger for an NCSoft shut down. How about now, since we've now got the official stamp of approval? Also, taking @Doc_Scorpion's original warning seriously, @TalynDerre's "piggy-back" comment seemingly makes a lot of sense, and any coordinated get-together might need to have a video conferencing option for those unable to attend in person.

It's a minor detail, perhaps, but if one is going to utilize temporary items, then find an allied super group base or a server's public base with a Tier II or Tier III Empowerment station. If you don't have access to these, there's also a Tier III Empowerment Station in Fort Trident (enter the Freedom Corp building just east of Atlas Park City Hall). Find it in the back, top level, small side room. With an Empowerment Station, in exchange for some common salvage (white), you could gain 90 minutes of Increase Recovery at 17%. While at the same stations, you can also acquire Endurance Drain Resistance at a 20% resistance, which will really help retain endurance when going up against endurance leeches like the Clockwork or the Freaks. I often use these two to smooth out the end drain when going through the teen security level ranks. Note that with Empowerment stations there are 3 options for each benefit, each option using a different set of salvage, but only one set can be activated during the 90 minutes. Also the arcane-based Empowerment Stations use different salvage from the tech-based ones.

Okay. "I'm not the only one who didn't realize this." See the wiki article on Kurse.

New trailer. Thoughts: The dragons look pretty good, though I can't shake the feeling that they're standing in front of green screens. Weird. I get the feeling the CGI gang tweeked Toothless' details since the teaser. The rest of the effects look pretty good. Costuming is not bad. Hair department couldn't find a blond wig to match Astrid's skin tone? My big concern is the humans. So far they've not really connected with me like the animated ones did. Second concern is that, with few exceptions they seem to be doing a shot-for-shot remake of the original. Why do we need that? I'm not for changing the story, but filling in some of the details a bit more would be nice. Conclusion: so far it's not convinced me to spend my money in the theater. Rental on Amazon, I suppose, if nothing off-putting arises on any future trailer. I'm still not convinced I actually need a live action version.

I'd be down for a Columbo reference. By the way, Westbrush is a play on Eastwood, Dirty Harry's actor. I think you might have gotten it a bit muddled when typing it up. There's so many possibilities: Jo "Lolly" Kak - Bald guy with a lollipop (and I understand KAK is a gun parts manufacturer. Double the fun) Heracles Pear - a little gendarme with a waxed mustache. (the family name Poirot is apparently derived from the French for "pear") Castle - wait. No, not Castle Carnaby Bones - Barnaby Jones Dan O. Bookem E.V.E. 13 a prototype police robot - pun on Adam 12 Officers Martin Mallory and Reed McCord - Adam 12 characters Pete Malloy (actor Martin Milner), Jim Reed (actor Ken McCord) Officers Pancho Franks and Jonathan Boulanger - CHiPs characters Frank Pancherello and Jon Baker etc. I'd like to see this play out in other ways too. Could we get TV pun names on doctors and nurses hanging out in or near hospitals? Could we maybe get a Gage or a Mantooth with EMT equipment standing with the Fire Chief in the Steel Canyon fire events?

Interesting hypothesis on the asterisk in the title. Especially when sharp-eyed fans noticed the number of arms on it changed. Spoiler warning: the link speaks only in concept, but backs it up with some trailer observations regarding one character, which might end up revealing a lot.

Rotten Tomatoes score (R.T.) / Metacritic score (M.C.): Thor: The Dark World: R.T. = 67, M.C. = 54 The Marvels: R.T. = 62, M.C. = 50 Eternals: R.T. = 47, M.C. = 52 Captain America 4: R.T = 52, M.C. = 43 Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania: R.T. = 46, M.C. = 48 I didn't include the D+ projects, though I'll report that the hated Secret Invasion scored R.T. = 53, M.C. = 63 which would put it between the top two in this list. So not the worst one out there, but definitely not far from it. It's pretty much tied with Eternals. EDIT: Cap 4's score adjusted to show current status as of Feb 12 @ 6:30pm EDT USA.

Sure! There's this place I heard about. Supposedly serves a mean peach tea to die for.

Responding to that specific hidden comment: One thing I've not seen is Baron Zemo. Zemo has a well-established history with the Thunderbolts, and the MCU Zemo is a very popular character. Perhaps his role would come into play in a future Thunderbolts movie. We've also not seen Bill "Goliath" Foster. His connection to Ghost is important and rumor is he will be there for her. Not sure if it is just in the role of surrogate dad or if he'll be digging out the old Goliath suit to help out.

I'm not defending the character, but scientific genius in RL doesn't necessarily mean a heightened thinking in all areas. I once heard it said that Einstein was often escorted across the street by others as his mind was so wrapped up in some computation or other that he would frequently forget to take his safety into account. (Also, pretty much every hero in that council of the Illuminati was an idiot for attacking Scarlet Witch head on and one at a time.)

I've been seeing a lot more of this of late, and its becoming a real annoyance. I'm playing one of my 50s, accept a PUG invite to a task force or trial, and once the full team is assembled, the team lead declares: "Okay, which 50 wants to lead the task force?" Bait and Switch. Sometimes there's another 50, often all eyes skim the list and find I'm the only one, and suddenly, I'm in an unwanted position. Personally, if I'd wanted to lead this task force, I'd have been the one recruiting. I've done it many, many times over the last 20 years. I've zero problems with initiating it myself...except, real life has changed and now there are certain medical conditions in my household that might require my unexpected, immediate safety intervention. I might have to step away for an extended time. Such an urgent response has less effect on the team when I'm a grunt standing outside an instance door than when I lead and the team depends on me for things like contact check-ins. I only point this out as just one behind-the-curtain example of why people don't lead teams. Reasons don't need to be spelled out. If they wanted to recruit and lead, they would have. When one joins a task force, it should be a sign that they are willing to work at the recruiter's level minus one. A TF recruiter in turn should either stick to leading or be up front in the recruitment phase with his intentions: "I'm recruiting but will be asking a higher rank to take over", or words to that effect.