What would you change aesthetically?

[Luminara]

12 minutes ago, srmalloy said:

The problem is that the vast majority of the architecture is heavily Brutalist, which was a popular architectural style in the 1950s through the late '60s, and was largely over by the late 1970s and early '80s, so it wouldn't have been featured so heavily in a post-Rikti reconstruction.

 

Brutalism is mostly concrete and rebar, so it's cheap and comparatively fast to erect.  Those two factors are important in the perspective of a post-war economy.  If you need to put businesses back into the economy, house people quickly and keep costs under control, it's as good a way to do it as any.  The only really viable alternative would be having the military forces construct sub-urban housing units (United States post-WWII) and low-cost urban apartment units (Britain post-WWII), but that wouldn't have been large and impressive to fly, jump, run or teleport through.

 

Brutalist architecture is also relatively solid, compared to a lot of other options.  That's another important factor, from a psychological perspective.  People would want solid buildings, thick walls, concrete over their heads, rather than glass and steel, because they represent safety and shelter.  And knowing that the Rikti weren't gone, safety and shelter would be critical factors in the rebuilding efforts.

 

In the context of a post-war reconstruction effort, Brutalism makes sense.  It may not be pretty, but it checks all of the boxes better than anything else does.

 

In the post-post-war era, now, newer architecture is warranted... though I loathe having to say that.  Praetoria and AP play merry hell with framerates on my $350 laptop.

[FoulVileTerror]

100% what @Luminara just said.

 

Especially the bit about newer zones being hell on performance.   Hello there, Kallisti Wharf.  *crashes to desktop*

[Greycat]

1 hour ago, FoulVileTerror said:

100% what @Luminara just said.

 

Especially the bit about newer zones being hell on performance.   Hello there, Kallisti Wharf.  *crashes to desktop*

Oh lord. Were you around when they first introduced "Ultra mode?" I had a character who couldn't move off the tram platform until I looked straight down.

 

(Also. The heck with the *rikti* being the reason to want a bunch of concrete and rebar. With everyone teleporting, superjumping, foot stomping,etc? I'm surprised it doesn't look *more* solid and bunkery!)

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Greycat

[FoulVileTerror]

Odd thing.   My old computer that I used to play City on back in 2007 to 2010 could handle Ultra Mode.  It could consistently outperform -this- current computer, despite all the hardware apparently being "better" on this one.

Something's suspect here . . . 

 

ANYWAY!

One of the other aesthetic changes I'd like to see is an increase in the amount of civilian outfits, animations, and gameplay for our characters.  The variety of suits are nice, but I'd also like to see . . . well, basically everything the NPC civilians have as far as outfit options.  They get some really cool stuff!  And I really like some of their expressive walk cycles, especially in places like Port Oakes and Old Haven.  Like that one walk cycle where the person slams their fists against their own skull trying to silence the voices.   I want that.

[Darmian]

The ability to make my toon a bit over weight?  I mean why not?

 

 

[Darmian]

I could just list stuff here all day!

 

(And I should some time just post where I think stuff could go game world-wise, and no, that's not even bothering with "end game" or "itrials" or what have you!)

 

A drive in!  An actual suburb!  People on bikes/bicycles! Ambulances, the aforementioned firetrucks! Ducks!

 

[FoulVileTerror]

Ducks?

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/23253-funplex-graffiti-wall-contest/

[Darmian]

2 minutes ago, FoulVileTerror said:

Ducks?

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/23253-funplex-graffiti-wall-contest/

AW!

 

I meant "real" ducks though.  Or geese!

[Player2]

2 hours ago, Luminara said:

 

Brutalism is mostly concrete and rebar, so it's cheap and comparatively fast to erect.  Those two factors are important in the perspective of a post-war economy.  If you need to put businesses back into the economy, house people quickly and keep costs under control, it's as good a way to do it as any.  The only really viable alternative would be having the military forces construct sub-urban housing units (United States post-WWII) and low-cost urban apartment units (Britain post-WWII), but that wouldn't have been large and impressive to fly, jump, run or teleport through.

 

Brutalist architecture is also relatively solid, compared to a lot of other options.  That's another important factor, from a psychological perspective.  People would want solid buildings, thick walls, concrete over their heads, rather than glass and steel, because they represent safety and shelter.  And knowing that the Rikti weren't gone, safety and shelter would be critical factors in the rebuilding efforts.

 

In the context of a post-war reconstruction effort, Brutalism makes sense.  It may not be pretty, but it checks all of the boxes better than anything else does.

 

In the post-post-war era, now, newer architecture is warranted... though I loathe having to say that.  Praetoria and AP play merry hell with framerates on my $350 laptop.

While all of this makes sense in a contemporary architecture discussion, we're looking at reconstruction in the City of Heroes world where teleporters, force fields, and other super science (and magic) effects are fairly commonplace.  I can't remember the scene exactly, but there was a scene from one of the Star Trek: TNG movies where they indicate that windows were replaced with force fields.  Considering that force field technology is common enough to be used all over with the War Walls, it seems fair to expect that the tech would eventually start to make its into basic architecture.

[Darmian]

Oh!  You just reminded me!  The War Walls!  Aesthetically how about actually being able to see part of the actual next door zone through the force shields as opposed to generic buildings etc?

[Greycat]

59 minutes ago, Darmian said:

Oh!  You just reminded me!  The War Walls!  Aesthetically how about actually being able to see part of the actual next door zone through the force shields as opposed to generic buildings etc?

There used to be (probably still are) holes here and there in the walls. If you manage to get through, you'll see they're just ... arranged buildings, floating on nothing. We don't have a continuous world (thus the load screens,) and I *believe* IC there's some "space" between the zones, but I could see rearranging said floating buildings to look like the "proper" next zone.

[Darmian]

2 minutes ago, Greycat said:

There used to be (probably still are) holes here and there in the walls. If you manage to get through, you'll see they're just ... arranged buildings, floating on nothing. We don't have a continuous world (thus the load screens,) and I *believe* IC there's some "space" between the zones, but I could see rearranging said floating buildings to look like the "proper" next zone.

Surely it can't be that hard?  I mean it's still only Paragon itself and not everywhere.  But if there is "Space between the zones", that's an entire slice of plot/story just never used! Refugees, black market deals, smugglers, who knows what?

[FoulVileTerror]

Generally the Tram missions that go Outdoors are described in briefings as taking place in the space just outside the War Walls.

So, the space -does- get used . . . sorta-kinda.

 

A continuous full-scale city is definitely a City of Heroes 2 sort of thing, I fear.   I just don't think this engine could handle something of that magnitude.  (Codewalkers and Devheads being the better source than me for that assumption.)

[Darmian]

In the meantime we can wish.

 

 

[Luminara]

7 hours ago, Player2 said:

While all of this makes sense in a contemporary architecture discussion, we're looking at reconstruction in the City of Heroes world where teleporters, force fields, and other super science (and magic) effects are fairly commonplace.  I can't remember the scene exactly, but there was a scene from one of the Star Trek: TNG movies where they indicate that windows were replaced with force fields.  Considering that force field technology is common enough to be used all over with the War Walls, it seems fair to expect that the tech would eventually start to make its into basic architecture.

 

Force field technology, the emergency medical teleportation system, everything going on at Portal Corp., most of the advanced science shown to be part of the foundation of the game world was reverse engineered from recovered Rikti technology.  It wasn't available for use during the reconstruction.

[Player2]

1 minute ago, Luminara said:

 

Force field technology, the emergency medical teleportation system, everything going on at Portal Corp., most of the advanced science shown to be part of the foundation of the game world was reverse engineered from recovered Rikti technology.  It wasn't available for use during the reconstruction.

I did say "eventually."  Things are still being reconstructed, such as Faultline, and the force field and other advanced technology is now available...  So new updates should start showing such things.

[EmmySky]

8 hours ago, Player2 said:

While all of this makes sense in a contemporary architecture discussion, we're looking at reconstruction in the City of Heroes world where teleporters, force fields, and other super science (and magic) effects are fairly commonplace.  I can't remember the scene exactly, but there was a scene from one of the Star Trek: TNG movies where they indicate that windows were replaced with force fields.  Considering that force field technology is common enough to be used all over with the War Walls, it seems fair to expect that the tech would eventually start to make its into basic architecture.

Star Trek:  First Contact

Picard explains it to Lily Sloane.

Edited October 22, 2020 by EmmySky
Bolding

[FoulVileTerror]

The introduction of new technologies in to civilian life is something that can take a long time.

Especially when that technology is reverse-engineered from a hostile invader.  And government legislation comes in to play.  Or with corporate ownership of said technologies.  Or being in a setting where either the government or corporations are run by shadowy cabals of supervillains which may be infiltrated by members of said invasion in disguise. 

 

Not saying that we shouldn't see that technology in the hands of civilians by now, but just that there are plenty of reasons why it isn't necessarily the case at this point.

Also to potentially give some ideas for stories that could be told within this setting.

[Greycat]

2 hours ago, Luminara said:

 

Force field technology, the emergency medical teleportation system, everything going on at Portal Corp., most of the advanced science shown to be part of the foundation of the game world was reverse engineered from recovered Rikti technology.  It wasn't available for use during the reconstruction.

I thought Portal was mostly Dr. Webb, pre-Rikti, as an outgrowth of discovering that tiny percentage of Supradyne users who got to peek into other dimensions (and IIRC went crazy. Which I was assuming was part of what States - and bab? - had everyone swear not to talk about, per - think it's one of the boomtown or E:FL plaques..)

[Luminara]

22 minutes ago, Greycat said:

I thought Portal was mostly Dr. Webb, pre-Rikti, as an outgrowth of discovering that tiny percentage of Supradyne users who got to peek into other dimensions (and IIRC went crazy. Which I was assuming was part of what States - and bab? - had everyone swear not to talk about, per - think it's one of the boomtown or E:FL plaques..)

 

They had a big boost in understanding and manipulation from Rikti tech.  Portal technology isn't vastly different from teleportation, the way it's portrayed.

[Frostbiter]

I know how we can rebuild Paragon to be better. What we need is two cities! One on the ground and one on a disc suspended above it. We'll even move Terra Volta to the upper disc! What could go wrong?

[Luminara]

48 minutes ago, Frostbiter said:

I know how we can rebuild Paragon to be better. What we need is two cities! One on the ground and one on a disc suspended above it. We'll even move Terra Volta to the upper disc! What could go wrong?

 

Ask Jack Kirby.

[Frostbiter]

4 minutes ago, Luminara said:

 

Ask Jack Kirby.

To be honest, Kirby has so much work that I'm not sure what you're referring to. That and I'm not much of a comic book fan. 

 

..should I duck and cover for revealing that? I feel like I should.

[Luminara]

45 minutes ago, Frostbiter said:

To be honest, Kirby has so much work that I'm not sure what you're referring to.

 

The New Gods.

 

Kirby worked both sides of the fence.  He created numerous characters for Marvel, but he also created The New Gods for DC.  Darkseid, Highfather, Orion, Apokolips, the entire Fourth World concept came from Kirby.  He laid the foundations for some of the most popular and well-read stories DC has ever had.

 

In more specificity, your comment brought to mind New Genesis, the home world of Highfather and other new gods.  Highfather and his pantheon resided on a floating platform city over the world of New Genesis.

 

54 minutes ago, Frostbiter said:

That and I'm not much of a comic book fan.

 

Neither am I.  Poverty and collecting comics are mutually exclusive.  But I am a fan of numerous comic book characters, I enjoy reading about them when I can, and I find the history of comic books and the people involved to be fascinating (it's modernized mythology, essentially, and i'm fascinated by the mythologies of different cultures).  I couldn't spend money on comic books, but I could spend time reading about them and their writers, editors and publishers.

 

1 hour ago, Frostbiter said:

..should I duck and cover for revealing that? I feel like I should.

 

They'll have to come through me to get to you.  😉

[Frostbiter]

5 minutes ago, Luminara said:

 

The New Gods.

 

Kirby worked both sides of the fence.  He created numerous characters for Marvel, but he also created The New Gods for DC.  Darkseid, Highfather, Orion, Apokolips, the entire Fourth World concept came from Kirby.  He laid the foundations for some of the most popular and well-read stories DC has ever had.

 

In more specificity, your comment brought to mind New Genesis, the home world of Highfather and other new gods.  Highfather and his pantheon resided on a floating platform city over the world of New Genesis.

 

 

Neither am I.  Poverty and collecting comics are mutually exclusive.  But I am a fan of numerous comic book characters, I enjoy reading about them when I can, and I find the history of comic books and the people involved to be fascinating (it's modernized mythology, essentially, and i'm fascinated by the mythologies of different cultures).  I couldn't spend money on comic books, but I could spend time reading about them and their writers, editors and publishers.

 

 

They'll have to come through me to get to you.  😉

Ok, now it makes sense. Derp. I just didn't make the connection to Apokolips. I was thinking the city of Midgar from FF7 when I wrote that. I collected comics with my allowance when I was a kid but that only ever bought me like two a week and I was a much bigger X-Men fan in the 90's.