Techwright

"What do they feed you...?" "Steel...Steel and pig iron furnaces so hot a man forgets his fear of hell. When you're hard enough, tough enough...other things..." -- quotes from "The Quiet Man"

Took me a slow moment (duh...), but, yeah, it makes sense. 👍

I could get behind this with a couple of additional points: 1.) "special train station" could be a stacked station: tram up top, buses and/or ground train on lower level. Then just adjust the Croatoa station to reflect the new transport. 2.) Casinos suggest organized crime, at least in the old-school sense, and since IP is next door, and is a major hub of Family activity, it would be a natural spill-over. I'd want a line coming off that stacked station and heading into the west side of IP, say middle west, and new material added to the west side of IP, opening it up to more than dreary runs to the other side for brief adventures. IP is big enough for 3 stations. 3.) Casinos also suggest the Rogue Islands and might present an opportunity for blue side to have some of the villains from the casino on the islands put in an appearance.

Tank or Brute? Durabull Cyberbully Try "taur" instead of "bull", then add a preface (minus the dash, unless you want it): Mecho-, Mechano-, Techno-, or Cyber- Surely there's a Chick-Fil-A calendar over the past 25 years with a name for a mechanical bull you can use. 😉

Thanks to all for the feedback (so far)! Just to be clear, I'm reading two +recharge enhancements per skill is not enough, but if three is still the cutoff to diminished returns, should I stop there, or overslot? I'm guessing I'm going to want to create enhancement sets that give recharge bonuses. It is indeed a very different mindset, as I usually run damage up to three.

How is that adjusted exactly? I've only had a tiny bit of slow-down, but those buff numbers are highly annoying when trying to see what's going on in the crowd. I've tried several different things that sound like the answer(s) under "Options" but have had no change.

More like...

Seems more of a chalkboard green to me. Not that I want to get into one of those "Is it blue or is it gold" kind of discussions. Might it help to isolate the color so the eyes aren't influenced by the others?

Beggers a long-standing question in my mind: what would it truly take to open up a wide arrange of colors? The engine may not handle it, but I'm thinking of those color graphs in some other MMO's predating 2010 where you just move the dot around until it lands on the color you want. Apologies if this detracts too much from the thread. I rather like what you've started Greycat!

A year ago, I built a Titan Weapon/Rad brute. I liked the concept, I liked the look. I...didn't connect with the playstyle. 😞 After 27 levels of frustration, I reluctantly tabled him and went to build...pretty much everything else since I understood them, even masterminds, which I'd previously thought were the big change in playstyle thinking. I'd really like to dust off my character and make it work this time, but I need some help in understanding how this beast of swing and smash smoothly operates. I've done a few hours of reading and searching, but either my search-fu is weak (likely) or what I seek is just not out there yet. First off, I understand momentum is necessary, and that I'm wielding something so huge that it takes a moment to start. But getting things going is painfully long. Is there something I can use, like say interrupt, that reduces that start-up by, say, 25% to 50%? Second, momentum is supposed to keep things going, yes? Then why, even when I've queued up my next move, before he finishes another, does the brute suddenly start going through a warm-up to an action again? It doesn't happen consistently, which makes it more confusing to me. Third, I was losing opportunity because other strikes were not ready to go, everything was still resetting. I've resorted to doubling up on recharge time enhancements to try to keep something active showing. However, I've never had to do that with any build before, so I suspect I might not be doing it right. How to keep something active at hand? Fourth, even when double-slotting the recharge time, when I get to the end of the abilities, the character again goes through a warmup to swing, despite having an ability available. I believe I was not out of momentum. Is there anything I can build into the character that would keep him swinging as long as momentum is maintained? Fifth, though I generally do not work with a rotation, I can see where rotation would be important with Titan Weapons. May I have a good brute TW rotation, please? Lastly, an opinion please: does TW/Rad lend itself better to a tank or a brute? I'd rather stop at 27 and rebuild as a tank if I had to, than to continue on and find I'm forever frustrated with the performance. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Yeah, a 3-hour monorail train to the countryside? The patch may have made that canon, but I'm not buying it, especially when the canon map conflicts with the location info. Had the canon map had an inset (like so often is done for Hawaii and Alaska) and had the train appeared differently in Croatoa, like more of a traditional commuter train, I'd be happy to buy into the idea of a distance commute, with an understanding that we just changed lines at the last stop in town.

I remember also having the idea that a rail yard would be a great fit in the game. I still think it would, if for no other reason than I want to see Mr. Incredible clones lifting boxcars for exercise. LOL. I also recall catching the art director's interest at one point when I suggested this is a big Northern city, and it needs ethnic communities: Chinatown, Little Italy, Czech Village, etc. That's an interesting mission idea. I always pictured an International airport zone as a launch point for expanding the game to World of Heroes, opening up one continent after another with major expansions. Now you have me needing to go back to KW and compare it to what's on the map. I'd imagine it was heavily altered. Also, isn't the crossing in KW pretty low for letting cargo ships into IP? So not even a small craft downtown airport? I suppose the idea could be retconned into a heliport. Maybe even have a bit of near-futurism and add a drone freight business at one end.

Even our train stations evolved. It used to be that we'd travel the yellow line then cross a zone to get on the green line. A third line, the red line, was destroyed in the war. At some point the devs just threw up their hands and merged everything. I kind of always wished the red line had been partially resurrected, and remained separate.

Were there ever any known plans for the zones that are outlined but inaccessible in the Paragon City map? For example, that light green zone east of Independence Port, the one with the rivermouth, looks like they intended a green-line station, possibly a switch track to Salamanca. Also, the actual playable area for many of these zones is rather small. There's practically a whole 'nuther zone's worth of space in the map's center below Perez Park. Were there any plans to expand the zones into these areas, perhaps when the war walls were brought down? As a side note, I knew Independence Port was big, but compared to the other zones, wow. It really should have a third tram station on the other side of the harbor.

Maybe I'm just jaded, but I'd always seen the excessive back-and-forth as a way to pad gameplay, and keep the paying players from burning up content too fast. Regardless, without the cosmic/base teleporters nor the team transports in the original game, I found it kind of fun to memorize all the shortcuts, including things like Pocket D, sewers, and the auction house teleporters saved up from day jobs, to plot the best route from point A to point B. It became kind of a mini-game for teammates to see who could get to the next destination most efficiently. Of course, those were also the days of the taxi supergroups, so invariably someone crossing a zone would hollar for one.

Sunshine. 😉

Just a standard character creation process now. You'll have the crab and widow archetypes during creation. When you're all ready to go, it will give you options: go immediately to the original training ground of a side (which means you'd automatically be red or blue from the start OR enter the Galaxy City's destruction starting scenario (which will ask you to pick a side about midway through the scenario) OR choose neither and instead enter the game directly. It should ask you immediately with this last option to choose a side.

Yes it is possible with Homecoming. Even if you goof and the character ends up on redside, you can visit Null the Gull in Pocket D and ask him to change your alliance to something blue side.

You'd never need a leash. He'd always come back to you.

Fun, and I'm going to assume it would have a conditional element for working, just like the jetpacks exhaust visuals. But wouldn't it need to be associated to specific powersets? I mean an MA/SR scrapper, for example, would have no need for such a piece, yet the option would be there for them to use under the current system. Unless...hmm...unless there's an added inf-purchase option with the P2W for acquiring tank cannon ammo giving those without range striking an option. Intriguing... *wanders off in thought*

I love storm, but as one of my major characters uses it, I'm looking for something a tad different. I'd been thinking of controller, but I'll look over the dom option. Thanks! When plant control adds a moss monster option, I'll be sure to look you up.

I like the idea of a stone controller, though I'm not a huge fan of how high the cage visuals are set. I find them hard to see into the crowd especially if I'm meleeing. That said, I'm not dismissive of them. Thank you for the feedback!

I'm toying with the idea of creating an earth-powers alt, and would like feedback as to which archetype with such powers you think is the most enjoyable to play. Note I didn't say "easiest" nor "most challenging", though it may also be one of those. I'm fully aware of the old mantra "just play what interests you", and I ultimately will, but I still appreciate the feedback. Oh, and let me know why you think your choice is most enjoyable.

forgot to add "WW" for Wentworth's, the blue-side auction house, though I rarely see this used anymore. It's more likely to just be called the "AH". also "WW": War Witch, the trainer at the center of Croatoa, but also represented in the Pocket-D zone. War Walls (rare), the massive glowing forcefield-on-top-of-concrete walls that frame most city zones. And... "+2", "+4", etc. when in context with recruiting a team refers to the adjustable difficulty settings the leader has set for the mission or task force. MSR = Mother Ship Raid = mid- and upper-level league raid taking place in the Ritki War Zone. "RWZ" = the Ritki War Zone "AP" = Atlas Park, the first major zone of the game. "KR" = Kings Row zone. Often the first zone new characters venture to after Atlas Park. "team" = 2 to 8 players "league" = a collection of teams "sg" = a Supergroup, this game's version of a guild "star" = leadership of a team (based on its icon) "Icon" = blue-side tailor shop chain

Might as well start with some of the first things they see in chatter upon arriving in Atlas: TO = training-origin enhancements DO = dual-origin enhancements SO = single-origin enhancements IO = invention-origin enhancements HO = Hamidon-origin enhancements, aka "Hami-O" DFB = "Death From Below", an instanced "dungeon" for beginning players with faster than normal experience gains. DIB = "Drowning In Blood", a mid-teen level instanced "dungeon". Posi-1 & Posi-2 = The two halves of the Positron Task Force Yin = the Penelope Yin Task Force BM = "Black Market", the auction house for villain-side play "blue", "blue side" = the hero city, Paragon City, and progression system "red", "red side" = the villain city, the Rogue Islands, and related progression system "gold", "gold side" = the Praetorian (parallel universe) city, and related progression system "purple" = sometimes used to describe zones or events that mix both hero and villain characters for a common goal. "Inf" = the game's main currency. Though there's only one currency, sides apply different names to it: "Influence" (blue side), "Infamy" (red side), or "Information" (gold side) "START" / "P2W" = a special vendor marketing both free and inf-currency purchased goods. Some of these are vanity items, while others have some very important benefits. Timed-usage jetpacks are sold here. UPDATE: "P2W" has been changed by name in Homecoming to "S.T.A.R.T.", but they remain the same vendors. The old P2W term is still sometimes used. "badger" = someone focused on collecting as many badges as they can. "NPC" = non-playable character. A server controlled character. (Stated just in case we get a true rookie player) "GM" = Giant Monster (usually the toughest enemy to fight) or Game Manager, a person guiding the game. Context will decide which GM (though some would argue they can be one and the same.) "AV" = arch-villain, the toughest enemies to face except for Giant Monsters. "EB" = elite-boss. A step down from AV "SoA" = Soldier(s) of Arachnos - aka "huntsmen" or "crab soldiers" - a playable archetype like tanks or blasters. SoA were considered elite selections back in the day, and can still be challenging to play/build well, so maybe not the first choice for new players. "TF" = a task force. A bit like a blue side story-arc "dungeon". Task forces designate a specific team of up to 8 characters for a series of missions, usually with some length to them. Once the TF start, no other character can join or be swapped into, so if one leaves or drops, the remaining team must carry on without them. Due to the length, a player should consider the time commitment before joining so as not to cripple the rest of the team if they must leave early. "SF" = a strike force, the red side version of a task force "door mish" = an instanced mission one enters via a marked door "radio mish" = blue-side missions select from a police-band radio. You'll need to find your police contact in each zone to activate this feature per zone. Note: there is an NPC contact on red side known as "the Radio" that issues missions. There's no relation, though it might be confusing if a newcomer sees this in chat. "newspaper" or "paper" = red-side mission version of the blue-side radio missions. You'll need to find your villain contact to activate this feature per zone. "tip" = a mission that comes to you via random drop. These alter or reinforce your morality rankings. "COT" = the Circle of Thorns NPC villain group "Vahz" or "Vaz" = the Vahzilok NPC villain group, or possibly a reference to their top dog, the arch-villain, Dr. Vazhilok. "BP" = the Banished Pantheon NPC villain group "Hami" = The Hamidon, or possibly its alternate-universe counterparts. The Hamidon is one of the top villains/Giant Monsters in the game. "Hami" might also references forces under the Hamidon's control. "Skuls" = the Skulls, a low to mid level NPC villain group. The use of the misspelling references a whimsical moment in the original game where a player typed "Go. Hunt. Kill Skuls." The comment has since become a catchphrase throughout the game. "LB" = Longbow, an NPC hero group with a penchant for sticking their collective noses and egos where they don't belong, annoying not only villains but occasionally heroes as well. Ms Liberty is their leader. "Ada" or "Adam" = nicknames given to Adamastor the Giant Monster found within the zone Echo Dark Astoria. Adamastor is a popular opponent visited 1 hour after his last summons. "Pal" or "Pally" = occasional nicknames for The Paladin, a giant monster robot found in Kings Row. "BaBs" or "BAB" = the Back Alley Brawler, a signature character and player trainer found throughout the game, notably in the southwest end of Atlas Park, and within Fort Trident. Not to be confused with nicknames sometimes used for Babbage, the giant monster robot. "Babs" (note the lower case usage) = occasional nickname given to Babbage, a giant monster robot appearing in the Boomtown zone, and on the streets towards the end of the Synapse Task Force. This latter version will appear anywhere the task force team leader exits from a former mission, but almost always this occurs in the Skyway zone. Task Force teams frequently call for aid on the Looking for Group channel. Not to be confused with nicknames for the Back Alley Brawler. "PP" = Perez Park, one of the earliest hero-side hazard zones in the game. "RWZ" = The Rikti War Zone. This is a walled-off war zone where a crashed mothership belonging to the alien Rikti is wedged like a thorn in the side of Paragon City and continues to provide a constant threat of Rikti troops. As the Rikti prove a threat to the entire planet, they necessitate a combined response of heroes and villains under the banner of the Vanguard organization to protect the entire planet. Access to the zone is only by Vanguard bases with portals which connect to a central Vanguard base within the RWZ. "SC" or "Steel" = Steel Canyon, an early mid-levels zone on the hero side. NOTE: Confusingly, SC may also reference Skyway City, which is an equal level zone to Steel Canyon, however SC is far more often used for Steel Canyon. "Sky" = Skyway City, an early mid-levels zone on the heroes side. "Bricks" = Brickstown, a later mid-level zone on the hero side. Brickstown is home to the "Zig". "Zig" = nickname for The Ziggurat, a pyramidal brick prison. The Zig is one of the possible tutorial zones for new villain character through the "Breakout" story line. "Boom" = Boomtown, or its older name of Baumtown. one of the mid-level hazard zones on hero side. "PI" = Peregrine Island, an endgame zone on hero side. "AE" = Architect Entertainment, a.k.a. the Mission Architect system. Found in specific buildings throughout the game, this is the system for player-created content, both uniquely designed stories and missions as well as "farming" missions for rapid security/threat level advancement or currency gains. "IP" = Independence Port, a mid-level zone on the heroes side. "TI" = Talos Island, a mid-level zone on the heroes side. In rare cases, TI may reference the island itself, and not the full zone which include a bay, other islands, and corners of the mainland. "TV" = Terra Volta, a mid-level zone on the heroes side. TV contains the nuclear power plant for Paragon City and is therefore a frequent target for ne're-do-wells. TV is unusual in that it is a zone entirely contained within a larger zone, Independence Port. "DA" = Dark Astoria, an endgame zone for both heroes and villains. Not to be confused with Echo Dark Astoria, which is a preserved previous interpretation of the zone, currently only accessible by portal from the back of the Oroboros zone. Echo Dark Astoria is access practically every hour by those wishing to fight the Giant Monster Adamastor. "KR" = Kings Row, a low-level zone on the heroes side. Home to the occasional giant monster Paladin. "CF" = Crey's Folly, a high mid-level hazard zone on the heroes side. "FF" = Founders' Falls, a mid-level zone on the heroes side "Striga" or "SI" = Striga Island, a mid-level zone only accessible by smuggler's boat or through designated base portals. "SI" is very rarely used due to easily being confused with villains's side zone Sharkhead Island. Striga Island in the original game was a heroes-only zone, however Homecoming has recently made it accessible to both heroes and villains. "Shark" or "SI" = Sharkhead Island, a mid-level zone on the villain's side "Cap" or "CAD" = Cap Au Diablo, a mid-level zone on the villains' side. "CAD" is rarely used. "Mercy" or "MI" = Mercy Island the starting zone for villains' side. "PO" or "Oakes" = Port Oakes, a low-level zone on villains' side.