Techwright

Adding a thought regarding the last moments of Episode 21 "The Pirate"...

I'm guessing that CotW have strong punative rules against sneak attack helmet removals by their own members. Any others, though...that's why the Armorer asks if any one else has removed a member's helmet. Can there be another head covering? I suspect there has to be, though I'm puzzled why we've not seen nor heard of it. For example: who cuts their hair? If they're given some sort of cloth covering for the face while the hair is trimmed, that would make a certain sense. I was about to say a cloth covering for the head while the armorer repairs damage to the helmets, but this latest episode may have an answer for that. More on that farther down. What of head injuries? I'm afraid this probably falls under the possibility of "let them die" based on Din's experience of season 1. That's not really good tactics, as we see from Din's healing to fight several other days. Perhaps in the right location and the right circumstances, again a head cloth covering could be used, but I have my doubts based on what was already shown. The question of CotW reproduction comes up repeatedly here and elsewhere. I don't recall which episode it was, but I seem to recall hearing that a CotW member is allowed to remove their helmet in front of their spouse (and their family?) when in private. I guess I'll need to dig for that reference. Maybe it was the one with the spotchka farmers? I'm actually surprised protein shakes with straws aren't a standard with them. Was that actually... I agree with Mr. Vee, that was a good episode

I'd find it ridiculously hard to live anywhere in the game without powers, or at least substantial tech. Yes, I tend to think of myself in terms of a powered individual living in Paragon. Probably Sentinel: part ranged, part melee. Maybe not the strongest at any one thing, but adaptable and with reasonable defenses. Alternatively, controller. Sentinel-wise: That one I'd have to think about, though I will say the foundation would be survivability. No sense in having a powerful attack if I can be one-shotted. Possibly ice, therefore. Controller: this is easy: storm/illusion. Good survivability, and a downright vicious attack on opponents. I've got some great character origin stories but the one that has always struck a chord with me, the one I'd want if I lived in this world, is the guy who has wealth enough (not Bruce Wayne-levels of wealth, but enough) that he could relocate out of the city, but instead spends his wealth freely to improve himself (in the scenario paying the right people to design him a powered under-suit to his costume), then spends the rest of his fortune to acquire the rights to an old movie hero franchise so that he can inhabit and personify the role for real. Sure his life is a real terror, but if he's going to go out, he's going to do it on his terms: helping people and having fun while doing it. There's actually a real-world influence in this idea: Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels (The Lone Ranger and Tonto) knew the impact they had with young people and more or less set a standard for themself to continue being a quality influence in people's lives long after their roles ended. Classic goodie-two-shoes hero, because that aligns with the old movie hero whom my in-world self has chosen to personify. I'd also see it as the means to bring out the best in people. I think I'd start with a mystery private life. Once I'd built a name, I'd have enough time to decide whether I could do a Tony Stark-like reveal. As close to an ICON tailor store as possible. Think about it: where will there always be spare heroes nearby if you're attacked when resting? There's also the advantage that the buildings around ICON are usually one or two story structures. Living in a skyscraper gives a good view and a good balcony launchpad if you're a flyer, but just look at what happened to Baumtown. Probably not a good structure to live in around these parts. Incorporating my movie-fiction persona into my "real" person. I'd probably travel outside the city periodically doing uplifting work visiting children's hospitals and the like while in costumed persona. I'd enjoy getting people to associate my role with goodness and inspiration, even if a little daft for the old style I'd deliberately incorporate with it. I can laugh at myself with them. I'd have a deep satisfaction bringing out the best in people, regardless of what face I wore in public. Yes, though unconventional. Part of the reason I'd have acquired the movie franchise was so that I could reboot the character and story. As my reputation grows, I'd be growing my fanbase with online chats, sites, and more. I'd strike licensing deals for new designs in clothing and gifts related to the rebooted franchise and character that I "inhabit". I'd probably work it into new story material as well, whether movie, book, or internet series. It's a little like DC's Booster Gold, but without the narcissistic and financially exploitive tendencies. I'd just be recouping my expenses, keeping my gear up to date, and providing for travel and charity options.

Are you asking for a specific TF/SF, or are you asking for a design plan? Because I'm not sure any TF is a model example, each adding something or lacking something. I'd have to give it some thought, but a pattern or design layout might get closer to what I'd consider ideal.

I'd always assumed that a main reason more games like CoH and Champions didn't appear in the wake of the MCU's creation was because the MCU is deemed as a great experiment. No one else had ever interlinked various projects in similar fashion, and at least for the first 5 years, it was often seen as a euphoria that would quickly die and be forgotten. Why then sink 7 years and tens of millions of dollars into developing something that would be obsolete upon launch? We're now seeing with MCU phase 4 and 5 such a problem. Whether it is due to bad design/handling or just audience fatigue, there's a chink in the armor, and that's going to likely keep game houses hesitant at development. I really think if the comic phenomena is going to continue in both movies and TV/internet shows, eventually convincing games to take a chance, someone is going to have to branch out into quality material beyond Marvel and DC. It's much riskier, but the payout might be a stable genre for the future as there are more foundations for it. I've said for a while one place to start might be Turok; Dinosaur Hunter, an old Gold Key comic (if I recall correctly) that I first encountered when Valiant comics rebooted it in the 1990s. It became a popular video game, and memory of it might still be around. Besides, it can tap into both the comics and the dinosaur/kaiju movies, like the Jurassic Park/World phenomena.

It does look like they're hovering over someplace like Siren's Call with Peregrine island in the distance over the water. The only possible explanation for it to be the RWZ (called White Plains originally) would be if they were looking east over a very big Independence Point harbor, and the developed island was an early design for Terra Volta.

Episode 14 "The Summit" and Episode 15 "Plan 99", or as I like to think of them: "Why can't all episodes be this good?" These... hit hard. I truly hope this invigorates the series in people's thinking. Looking forward to season 3, and hate that it is going to probably be a year or more until then.

Interesting. I wonder if that bad CGI was produced by the same studio that was criticized (rightly so) for the flat look of Bruce Banner in the Hulkbuster outfit and other things during the two Infinity War movies. My understanding is that Marvel put at least 2 CGI studios to work on those movies due to the massive number of special effects needed. And as of this weekend, this may be something of a moot point, due to an arrest of actor Jonathan Majors. Personally, I think the charges will be dropped. The defense attorney has already stated some pretty solid evidence that Mr. Majors is not guilty of the charges, including two signed confessions by the accuser, but we'll see. It does raise an interesting point, though: When the MCU puts so much into one character: Thanos, now Kang, what do they do if the actor is suddenly unavailable due to any number of circumstances? Recasting Kang sounds like it would be hard, but then, he is a multiversal character. I suppose they could whack this Kang and have another, played by a different actor, take his place.

Bear with me please...by "high rez" are you referring to the OP's suggestion of using A.I. or of the faces that were brought into the game later? I've heard of negative reactions to A.I. clarified faces. Trying to recall where, though. Warcraft? As to the latter, I thought the faces brought in on the gold side Praetorian robots were clearer and pretty good. They didn't seem jarring in context of the whole. I realize Going Rogue wasn't near the end of the game, but by example, if the oldest faces could be improved to that standard, I'd be agreeable to seeing that. However, @TheZag is right, best to mark improvements as a second option, or tag old looks as a legacy option. @Snarkyis also spot on: removing pieces stirs ire. I've seen that recently first hand in another game I play.

Multiple questions regarding the choice to destroy Galaxy City: Why was it done? Yes I know the story had to show the Battalion vanguard in action, but what made the development team pick Galaxy City for the chopping block? Was it seen as really bad or really useless, or some other negative characteristic? Or was it possibly chosen because it was good and they wanted to create emotional impact? In your opinion, was Galaxy City the right choice for the zone to be destroyed? Would you have considered another zone a better choice? Lastly, lore-wise, what's currently going on in the spot that used to be Galaxy City? I don't recall. Is the vanguard still roaming the ruins? If so, are there missions to purge them from the planet? If not, why not. --- In answering that second question, personally, I'm not sure GC was the best choice (keep in mind I lack an answer as to why the devs chose it). At the time, computers were still draggy when too many entered Atlas Park, and with it being a major hub zone (and invasions still being a thing in AP, if I recall correctly), we really needed a lesser populated starting zone. At least, that was my opinion. Removing GC increased the traffic to Atlas Park. Nowadays its not so much a problem since most have newer computers. As to what zone I'd like to have seen destruction rained down upon instead, I'd have picked Skyway City. That place is a mess of useless road systems, and confusing understreet sections. Even the NPCs get confused where they need to be. Destroying it might have allowed for a complete rebuild/redesign, possibly faster than other zones due to its multiple connections, unlike say, Boomtown.

Apparently you've never been near Batesville, IN, USA. The Batesville Casket Company has trucks out on the adjacent interstate all the time. It might just be the perfect job for @Snarky. While I'd agree about the mission design, the idea of leaving one portal and going to another makes a bit of sense from a role-playing standpoint. Presumably these things need precision tuning. I could see loading the second portal in the building and having it on standby to move a team as quickly as possible to another dimension while they're still filing out of the former portal. But yeah, having them leapfrog around the complex is not good game design.

Now imaging a stretchy with arms that far out, animated over the tornado effect already in game, but with more damage dealing. Knockdown, say minor damage, aoe effect with both a winding twist, then unwinding twist.

Question: Is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as bad as the bloodthirsty are saying it is? It's a little hard to tell which trashers are taking delight in doomsaying and which are trying to give a genuine report. Trying to decide if I should go to one of the few remaining, oddly-timed showings in my region or save my money and just wait many months until Disney+ puts it in their queue. Mostly I'm interested in making certain that I'm not left behind on the main story arc of the MCU when whatever is next roles around. Knowing that the next Big Bad was introduced in this movie has me wondering if I need to go see it. (And yeah, I'm aware a different version of him was in Loki.)

I've only had a moment to skim the comments. I'll probably come back later with a deep read and probably a more detailed answer. I'd not want to continue the story, nor replay it. Portal Corp. has revealed a multi-verse. I'd want to set 2.0 in an undiscovered dimension. Build the lore from the distant past forward. What would that look like? Not sure, except that certain things would have a familiarity to them. Would there even be a Well? I realize The Well is a multi-dimensional entity, but does it extend to all dimensions or just a great many? Would the Prussian who indefinitely extended his life through incredible mechanical means even be a megalomaniac villain, or would he possibly be the long-lived hero, taking Statesman's place as leader of the world's champions? Would characters we know as normal people be superheroes there, and vice versa? I find the idea of a fresh start within a slightly familiar situation would deliver a lot of delighted surprises to players of 1.0. No war walls, as others have said. A new game could have a more expansive city, possibly with different neighborhoods in places (or parts of places) where familiar ones exist in 1.0, but also with an eye toward the broader state, region, and yes, world. An airport or city-to-city technology should be a necessity to explain trips to Europe, some Pacific islands, Antarctica, or the Congo. For that matter, we need trains. I don't mean the elevated commuter system (which I think we should still have), but tracks and switch yards representing freight hauling as well as passenger systems hopefully a bit more like European or Japanese models rather than real-world Amtrak. I'd want instance settings in more than just non-descript open spaces and half-empty or deserted warehouses and office buildings in the Brutalist style. Where are the junk yards, the ballfields, the museums? If we must fight in closer quarters, why not through an apartment building or a deserted school? Oh, and as I think of it, do so with breakable walls, possibly even a challenge of bringing a building down if there's too much damage done. One other point I always think about (and have occasionally mentioned): ethnic neighborhoods. I want to see the Czech Village, and the "Littles" for cultures like Italy, Greece, and China (or since we have the Tsoo, something reflecting Hmong culture). Show their bodegas, their restaurants, their fruit stands, trinket stores, and urban temples. Maybe even set missions within some of them.

Yep! I suspect they'll drop the last two episodes of the season as a 2-for-1, and if last season is an indication, these last two will be strong as well. Speaking of this episode, what's up with...

Children of the Watch are weird...

Carl Weathers is indeed showing he is a formidable Star Wars director. I do like some of the others as well, though. Dave Filoni and Bryce Dallas Howard spring to mind. As to the spoiler comment, it is an excellent point, but if I may note... I've been forced to assume... I've watched some reactions and read others, and some have made a comment that I'm kicking myself for not considering (good for them!):

Season 3, Episode 4 - The Foundling, or as I like to say: the completely opposite level of interest from last episode.

The things you forget... 🙄 I started reading the OP and was like, this guy has some crazy thoughts. Who wrote th...why is my avatar here? 🤪

That or to phase out the Incarnate mess, a fair exchange that increases our thematic powers, like unlocking a 7th or even eventually 8th slot on a limited number of powers. Just the 7th alone could create some interesting possibilities with sets. I don't recall what they were, but over a year back, I'd figured out a few other possibilities that could be used besides just slots.

Energy Conversion, for lack of a better term. Think X-man Dazzler, who converts sound to light, X-Factor's former teammate Strong Guy, who absorbed energy and redirected it as powerful punches and kicks, or Marvel's Sebastian Shaw who absorbs kinetic energy of all kinds but can redirect it into his own attacks. In a COH context this could be expressed as a character that can ramp up their attacks depending on how much energy surrounds them or targets them. For example: In solo play, the character would have weaker attacks if initiating fights, suggesting the idea of using the ambient sound in the room for energy. The character would gain stronger attacks when the enemy initiates attacks creating more sound. The character creates very strong attacks when hit by the enemy, redirecting a notable portion of the energies into the character's own energy attacks (or energy shielding). Any damaging attack to the character would suffer a degree of mitigation (due to the absorption and redirection of a portion of the energy), so the Energy Converter would be naturally a bit tanky. An early ability gained would be to drop a sound-making device that delivers notable sound for a limited time, boosting their solo ability. Think sub-woofer, as an example. Such device would appear in a look/animation showing to the character's origin (one for tech/natural, one for science/mutation, and one for magic). In team play, there'd be the added opportunity for team effort. The team could direct their energies at their Energy Conversion teammate who could then deliver powerful single-target blasts greater than any single character could, or diffuse for still potent AoE and cone attacks. I'm kind of surprised that I've not read anything about a Speed Assault, or words to that effect. It's definitely a power set I'd like to see, but its just not practical. It would be hard to implement properly at anything that looked authentic to blazing speed. Were it to be done at faster levels than speedy things we have now, it would be impossible to control. Even if the player's hand-eye coordination were superb for such a task, you'd forever be running into problems with technology not keeping up: slow computers, network issues, etc. Elastic Attack - this one I can actually see as doable, I actually sat down one time and looked at most of the current powers and attacks and found several that I thought could be reskinned to an elastic power set. But the sad truth is, that would be a major redo on look and animation, so I just don't see it happening. (May I eat my words someday).

Card King very much looks like a shoo-in for the Batman Rogues Gallery group The Royal Flush gang. Impressive. Most impressive.

You had me at Miles Davis! Classic and classy jazz kind of guy here.

Is this turning into a west-side-of-The-Pond vs. east-side-of-The-Pond thing? Because I refuse to discuss chips, crisps, and fries while a population cannot even figure out what a "pudding" is. At least we on the western shores have it figured out. We can even turn it into a pie: ( 😉 ♥️ ✌️ )