Homecoming Server Update (May 20th): What's Next?

[Eiko-chan]

Re: Multi-boxing.

 

I would only ever do this so that I could add one of my other character's to my Supergroup.  If there was a way to invite to supergroup via email that would be great. 

/altinvite <character name>

[Panache]

Huge fan of the name policy, thank you for implementing this.

[Blue Pulsar]

I have a couple thoughts on the naming server.  I don't hear people complaining about what people are accusing them of complaining about.  I don't even hear people actually complaining, just offering feedback.

 

When someone says "This rule is crap/awful/stupid," "You guys just hate altitis," etc, it's complaining. And name-policy opponents here have done so. One even threatened to quit, saying that others will too. That's childish.

 

Saying "I understand your concerns, but how about we adjust the policy to fit X problem?" is not complaining, and a few here have done so.

 

Accusations:  You want to keep the name of 400 toons locked for ever even if you don't play them!

 

This is actually the case with some people. Obviously 400 is a exaggeration, but not hyperbole. Some people have literally over 100 toons.

 

Actual Concerns:  Many of us are not power gamers.  We have 2-5 characters,  and enjoy the lower level game.  We don't necessarily reach 50, even on one character, let alone all 2-5.  Can we make the name lock kick in at 30 or so?  That seems like a good compromise.

 

If you have 5 characters, and play 1 hour a day, only play one character a day, skip 2 days a 1 week, and only play 1 week a month, you should have NO problem having all your characters to a level where their names are safe. This policy will literally have no effect on you.

 

And at 30, you're name will be safe for an entire year.

 

Or perhaps allow the first 2 characters per shard to be name locked at 30?

 

While it's not a bad idea, accounts are free, and this would be a workaround to the rule. Make a new account, lock 2 names, wash, rinse, repeat.

 

 

The big issue I have with those that don't like the naming policy is that they all seem to be acting like they will lose access to the game... No, you won't. You won't lose your character, you won't lose your costume, your supegroup, your levels, your powers, your friends, your global, your slots, your enhancements, etc, etc, etc... And you will likely even get a rename token. Which means what? If you camp 10 toons at 6 or higher, and then leave them game for many months or longer, you MIGHT... MIGHT have a character or 2 that needs a new name... and with the vast amount of languages, words, names, and ideas out there, you can very easily get something close or better.

[Moiread]

A single DFB will get you to at least level 6 and takes 20 minutes. If someone seriously can’t invest twenty minutes and then two minute every 90 days to keep a character ‘active’ then I really don’t know what to say.

[Kheprera]

/altinvite charactername allows you to invite your alts to your SG. No in-game email, even. I've used it, it works.

 

Naming policy: The only people I see this being a problem for are military who get deployed who won't be able to log in for months (or even over a year) and people who get hit with or have a debilitating illness that may prevent their logging in for an extended period.

 

I have four characters. The highest is level 6. I spend most of my time base building (which is where my altitis sits, I'm working on 3 bases right now). I don't currently care to group, and hate powerleveling. I want to run through all the content; take it nice and slow and savor the journey because I didn't the first time. I can turn off XP gains to keep my levels low.

 

On the old live servers if I made a character on one shard, I made it on all to make sure *I* had the name. Some I even played. This time around only one character will get that honor for use in base touring.

 

My enjoyment of the game is not dependant on the name of my character. I've been a GM for tabletop rpgs since the 80s, most Hero System/Champions. I have lists of names for metas that are three-columned typed pages in the double digits. I *could* camp names, but there's no point. So I'll let someone else play a Shard or  Torsion Ring with their own spin. If you have a fantastic idea for Arachnavoodoo, go for it. My concepts are still mine, they won't leave me, and they'll pop up in another game somewhere.

 

None of my characters are past level 6. I can log them on and off with no issue as needed. As someone with Altitis and Basebuilding Syndrome, I support the name policy with exception for those mentioned above.

[Sylvar Panda]

Just wanted to say "Thank you" to SeraphimKensai, Eiko-chan, and Kheprera. I didn't know there was a slash command for inviting alts to a solo SG. I have always had variable play schedule and used to have to wait for a friend to log in to get my alts into my solo SG. /altinvite is going to save me so much time. (There is so much to re-learn and new stuff to learn too.)

 

As for everything Homecoming related, I am grateful just to be able to play and reconnect with folks and meet new people who missed and enjoyed this game as much as I did. as far as naming rules or whatever else: Homecoming is like getting invited over to play in a friend's pool... Their pool, their rules. It was that way with servers from the original makers and we paid them and they got paychecks. Homecoming is a free and they're essentially volunteering for our benefit.

 

So yeah, all I got is Gratitude.

[Captain Fabulous]

Tossing in my 2 cents in favor of the naming policy. If you can't be bothered to at least periodically log-in your characters and not risk *possibly* losing the name (you only lose it if someone else tries to take it), then they clearly aren't that important to you.

[CY13ERPUNK]

"Praetorians cannot access Kallisti Wharf and must make new characters"

 

is there a reason for this? or are characters that were created as praetorians just fucked? ie locked out of content for no other reason than 'just cuz'

 

i just dont understand why u would choose to lock-out a chunk of new content based on a characters origin ; this has never been done before afaik =/

 

i mean if heroes and villains can swap sides and go back and forth and get to all of the zones, why are praetorians being punished in this regards? =[

[Kheprera]

AFAICR, Praetorians are locked from all non-Praetorian zones until they choose hero/villain side. Can't even access Pocket D.

 

*UPDATE*

 

I recalled mostly correctly:

[Varkarrus]

Glad to hear about the multiboxing thing, though kind of unfortunate it's recommended not to be done on Everlasting.

 

The only reason I have any interest in multiboxing at all is because I had an idea for an RP character that was a pair of twins that was really just one person with two bodies.

[Greyhawke]

Having a naming policy is fine, I just don't particularly like this one. It's fine for those of us who are active, but for those like my wife who play very sporadically it is more of a burden and becomes more like a job. I want her to play with me, but if she loses the name of a character that is dear to her, she will quit playing. That's not a threat, it's just sad a reality for many more casual players.

 

That said, I see the need for something. Name camping is a problem for new players who can't find a name they want. Here are my suggestions:

 

(1) I would prefer the "permanent" names be lowered to level 40. I would also prefer the 1-5 names be doubled to 60 days, and 6-20 increased to 120 days. I would like a permanent name lock on a name that matches your global, though I realize that would be difficult to stop everyone from making multiple accounts. Maybe limit it to globals created prior to May 20?

 

(2) It would be great for names to not be unique. I know it might take some coding, but doesn't all of the improvements we are getting? It's just a matter of priority. The names are already not unique per shard. Could the code be fooled to think each global name is it's own shard for purposes of character name?

 

(3) Is there a name request thread? A name trade thread? Something like that. If not, someone please start one for each server/shard. Those were always the best on Virtue. You will find that many people are willing to give up a name to a good home. (And PM me a link, I want to participate!).

[Chuckers]

I like the name policy. I currently have 9 characters and none of them have over 3 days off line. Not that I play them all regularly, and I play every night, I just log them in to move them around to a new day job. Or check if they've sold anything on the auction house. With the not having to go back to queue if you log out to the character select screen, cycling through my characters takes no time at all.

[blitzboy]

I'm not going to be logging on and mucking about with dozens of characters that I would otherwise have, especially when I'm not playing. To me, this basically says "we don't support alititis", which is, frankly, what makes this game so great.

 

The message is clear: "We don't support assholes sitting on names that they aren't actively using." 

[Captain Fabulous]

Having a naming policy is fine, I just don't particularly like this one. It's fine for those of us who are active, but for those like my wife who play very sporadically it is more of a burden and becomes more like a job. I want her to play with me, but if she loses the name of a character that is dear to her, she will quit playing. That's not a threat, it's just sad a reality for many more casual players.

 

That said, I see the need for something. Name camping is a problem for new players who can't find a name they want. Here are my suggestions:

 

(1) I would prefer the "permanent" names be lowered to level 40. I would also prefer the 1-5 names be doubled to 60 days, and 6-20 increased to 120 days. I would like a permanent name lock on a name that matches your global, though I realize that would be difficult to stop everyone from making multiple accounts. Maybe limit it to globals created prior to May 20?

 

(2) It would be great for names to not be unique. I know it might take some coding, but doesn't all of the improvements we are getting? It's just a matter of priority. The names are already not unique per shard. Could the code be fooled to think each global name is it's own shard for purposes of character name?

 

(3) Is there a name request thread? A name trade thread? Something like that. If not, someone please start one for each server/shard. Those were always the best on Virtue. You will find that many people are willing to give up a name to a good home. (And PM me a link, I want to participate!).

 

Be a good husband and take care of her chars for her. It doesn't take much time to log them in periodically if it means she'll continue to play with you.

[Captain Fabulous]

I'm not going to be logging on and mucking about with dozens of characters that I would otherwise have, especially when I'm not playing. To me, this basically says "we don't support alititis", which is, frankly, what makes this game so great.

 

The message is clear: "We don't support assholes sitting on names that they aren't actively using."

 

^^^^^^^THIS

[Frakk]

I think the naming policy is to generous.  If people can't be bothered to log characters in are they even playing?

 

[Sakai]

While yes, that is a great idea, but the game wasn't programmed that way and it would take a great deal of code rewriting to change it.  It is not in the scope currently of what can currently can be done.  The policy isn't overboard and fairly reasonable considering the current situation of things.

 

How do you know? Are you a programmer or a Dev? Alot of things can be done these days with programming. The policy is fair in your opinion. To be honest I dislike it enough to consider leaving and I have heard some other people say the same thing already. I shouldn't have to be punished and have names stolen just because I am too busy to play a "login all my characters" game. That is just unfair.

 

A dev stated somewhere it would be too much work to modify the way names are handled.

 

I accept this method and will periodically check for the one name I actually want. Doubt it will ever pop up but that is ok.

[Jacke]

"Praetorians cannot access Kallisti Wharf and must make new characters"

 

is there a reason for this? or are characters that were created as praetorians just fucked? ie locked out of content for no other reason than 'just cuz'

 

i just dont understand why u would choose to lock-out a chunk of new content based on a characters origin ; this has never been done before afaik =/

 

i mean if heroes and villains can swap sides and go back and forth and get to all of the zones, why are praetorians being punished in this regards? =[

 

This is due to limitations inherited from City of Heroes Live.  Which included Kallisti Wharf, a zone under construction back then but not released.  Kallisti Wharf is a Co-op zone like the Rikti War Zone, where Praetorians can't go either.

 

And these character limitations aren't the first.  When City of Villains was created, Heroes were Heroes and Villains were Villains and never mixed except in Co-op zones, first Pocket D, then others.  And it took even longer and a major revision to the game to introduce alignment changing to allow one to become the other, as well as the Vigilantes and Rogues in between.  Heroes still can't go to the Rogue Isles and Villains can't go to Paragon City.

 

And Praetorians were added at the same time, with their own factions, and they were set apart from the Heroes and Villains of Paragon back then.  And Praetorians are internally complex, with 2 factions each with 2 subfactions.  They also had a process to become either a Hero or a Villain in the rest of the game at about level 20.  That was in the initial design of their addition to City.  It seems to be a significant part of the design and can't be changed without a lot of planning and work.

 

These restrictions are locked in on a low level, even considering recent changes.  For example, I can now /altinvite my Praetorian characters to my own SG.  The Praetorians can enter the SG base via the Pocket D SG portal and use its facilities.  I also have a full set of teleporters in my SG base.  Use them to send a Praetorian anywhere, they get yanked to Nova Praetoria right quick.

 

That very much seems to be a sanity check on flags on those characters to prevent them from going where their current character internal state wouldn't make sense and cause all sorts of issues.

 

There's now the First Ward and the Night Ward, which allow Praetorians content at higher levels (roughly 20 to 40).  But I've also heard (but not confirmed) that Praetorians should still leave Praetorian, become either Heroes or Villains, then return to First Ward and Night Ward.  The reasons weren't made clear and I've yet to find a more authoritative comment.

 

This isn't a limitation that is trivial.  It also can't be changed without a lot of planning and work.

[Greyhawke]

 

 

Be a good husband and take care of her chars for her. It doesn't take much time to log them in periodically if it means she'll continue to play with you.

 

Which I plan to do. However my wife is an example of what others may be experiencing. The causal player won't understand or appreciate this name change policy. And I can't log in for my casual friends the same as I can for my wife.

[Greyhawke]

I would LOVE if there was a countdown timer next to names that are expiring. That would help me manage this, and be VERY helpful to the casual player.

[Frakk]

if they are your friends just tell them what the policy is.  It's still simple to log in once every 30 days.  if they are more casual than that help them get characters they like.

to level 20.

[Eiko-chan]

There's now the First Ward and the Night Ward, which allow Praetorians content at higher levels (roughly 20 to 40).  But I've also heard (but not confirmed) that Praetorians should still leave Praetorian, become either Heroes or Villains, then return to First Ward and Night Ward.  The reasons weren't made clear and I've yet to find a more authoritative comment.

It's because Praetorians remain locked out of content - like access to red/blue zones, Ouroboros, tips - until they do the transition. I do not know whether the transition can be delayed or not.

 

(Interestingly, Praetorians do not seem to be locked out of Super Groups, though that may be related to the fact that Super Groups no longer care about side/alignment. The only access to a base they have would be through Pocket D, however.)

[Nitekilla]

In my household, my son has his own account and we team together.  Is this considered multiboxing?

[Nericus]

So to be clear on the multiboxing, its okay for my family and i to all be on at once at any time on multiple systems from our home,  but running multiple log ons from same PC is bad unless it is during low population times, correct?

[Cerulean_Caver]

I would also like to voice my support for the naming policy. Frankly, I thought 1000 character slots was a bit extreme to begin with. I understand that people could just have created another account, but honestly if you're spending that much time creating characters, when do you find time to play the game?

 

Until it was mentioned I had no idea multiboxing was a thing. But yeah, I can see how that could screw up server load. I suspect the long-term solution to this problem is to charge a nominal monthly fee for an account. I also assume that there are ways to identify legitimate instances of multiple users in the same household playing simultaneously, either through IP, mac address, lack of AFK, etc... My son and I would fall into that latter category and I'm certain we want to pass this wonderful game on to the next generation.

 

In any case, thank you again for all your hard work and effort to make this minor miracle happen.