The Classic Hero Challenge

[Jacke]

3 hours ago, ineffablebob said:

Sunday for sure. Saturday is out. Weeknights are largely day-to-day guesswork, but if we pinpoint one ahead of time I can probably be there.

This coming Sunday tomorrow, Synapse isn't WST.  It is the following 7 days.

[Normal Thomas]

Hm. Sounds like the 17th would work best. Sometime in the evening like 7pm CST?

[cranebump]

Just pinged lvl. 30, trained, and hoofed on over to:

Cya next week, kemosabes (I fervently hope):-)

 

P.S. Is Synapse smirking at me?

[ineffablebob]

All right, let's get some Synapse plans going. It looks like Friday or Sunday evenings are likely to be best for most folks, and we can probably run both given that you can do it with three people if necessary. So, who's up for:

 

Friday Jan 15 at 8 PM Eastern

- ineffablebob

- Greycat

- Jacke

- cranebump

- FFW

 

Sunday Jan 17 at 8 PM Eastern

- ineffablebob

- Greycat

- Jacke

- FFW

 

I can make either time, and have two eligible characters (as long as I'm willing to cheat and EX Classic Hero down, which I am) so likely I'll end up doing both.

Edited January 11, 2021 by ineffablebob
Added people!

[Greycat]

Bump it to 7:30 (I work 'til then) and I can do either day, otherwise it's sunday.)

[Jacke]

I can do either day or both.

[cranebump]

I can do:

Friday Jan 15 at 7 PM Eastern

- ineffablebob

[Normal Thomas]

I'm good with either although I'd bump the Friday time from 7pm EST to 7:30pm or 8pm EST

[ineffablebob]

Looks like Friday will need to start later, moved it to 8 PM Eastern. I've updated the names upthread of each person who said they could make it, though I assume not everyone would said they could would want to do both nights.

[Max Firepower]

I am game! Having a plan in advance makes me more likely to make it.

 

Friday night through Sunday are flexible.

 

It’s not like we are going out...

Edited January 12, 2021 by Max Firepower

[0th Power]

I dont know if its good or bad, but these i0 characters are the only one I enjoy playing now.

[Greycat]

1 hour ago, 0th Power said:

I dont know if its good or bad, but these i0 characters are the only one I enjoy playing now.

They're different from the normal game experience we've probably all done to death. So it makes sense.

[ineffablebob]

Mission designer team meeting, circa late 2003...

 

LEAD: OK, next up for review we have Stop Stage Magician Sacrifice. L30-34, Circle of Thorns, ok, ok..wait. Twenty-one magicians to save?

 

DESIGNER: Oh, crap, sorry. Must have fat-fingered that, was supposed to be 2.

 

TEAM: <general laughter>

 

DESIGNER: I'll fix that in the next version...

 

LEAD: No, no, leave it! It'll be hilarious.

 

 

Customer support meeting, circa 2004...

 

LEAD: All right people, there's been a huge spike in tickets, what's going on?

 

SUPPORT REP: The majority of players are reaching the level 30 contacts and getting this Stop Stage Magician Sacrifice mission. They can never find all the magicians, so we get paged.

 

LEAD: What idiot thought it was a good idea to put twenty-one magicians in this thing?

 

 

Classic Hero 2004 did not leave the blackjack of magicians hanging! Even though it was a huge Ornery Bagel map, complete with portal room, which nearly killed her. Fortunate that I leveled mid-mission so those were even-level, instead of +1.

 

More importantly, that level was 32! Fulcrum Shift online.

[Doomguide2005]

12 hours ago, ineffablebob said:

<funny stuff> ...

 

More importantly, that level was 32! Fulcrum Shift online.

So when you reach 40 ... still returning to normal play?  Or maybe only 'advance' to issue 5 or 6? when they added play to level 50? 🙂   

Edited January 14, 2021 by Doomguide2005

[Jacke]

13 hours ago, ineffablebob said:

Classic Hero 2004 did not leave the blackjack of magicians hanging! Even though it was a huge Ornery Bagel map, complete with portal room, which nearly killed her. Fortunate that I leveled mid-mission so those were even-level, instead of +1.

 

Besides my Classic Hero, I'm also leveling a few other toons and I often run the classic contact missions.  I find the level of mobs that get thrown against you in maps sometimes weird, as in a whole lot of +1 mobs.  Even when I did a mission during a Flashback (outleveled Tony Kord and couldn't get the Level 5 to 10 Badge mission in regular play), "Level 9" and it was damn hard, even with powers up to Level 14.

 

Worst are the Vahzilok, who for some reason have mob groups so close together you're usually going up against 4 to 9 of them, toxic vomit and all.

 

 

Quote

More importantly, that level was 32! Fulcrum Shift online.

 

56 minutes ago, Doomguide2005 said:

So when you reach 40 ... still returning to normal play?  Or maybe only 'advance' to issue 5 or 6? when they added play to level 50? 🙂   

 

Levels cap for Heroes was raised to 50 in Issue 1 along with Peregrine Island, the Rikti Crash Zone, and a few other things.

https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Issue_1

Edited January 14, 2021 by Jacke

[Doomguide2005]

52 minutes ago, Jacke said:

<snippity, snip>

Levels cap for Heroes was raised to 50 in Issue 1 along with Peregrine Island, the Rikti Crash Zone, and a few other things.

https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Issue_1

Duh!

Somewhere in the back of my brain I knew that ... how else would i run into Kheld ATs in issue 3 when my newbie self was in the Hollows or see level 52 Malta running through Kings Row.  

[Greycat]

To be fair (did I mention not sleeping particularly?) they *did* raise the cap around then to 50... for villains. 🙂

 

[cranebump]

Well...I most likely ain't gonna make the Synapse run. Our private school is doing a virtual parent weekend. After conferences, there are mandatory evening activities that I don't think I can (sneak) get out of. So, if I'm not there promptly at 8 pm EST, just go on without me.

 

Earliest I could actually get on (if things ran to the bitter end), is 9 pm EST (that takes into account the drive home, plus getting situated (I ain't wearin' the monkey suit for CoH--clashes with the spandex).

 

So, doesn't look great, atm. Hoping to be there 8 sharp (fingers crossed), but I wouldn't count on it.

Edited January 15, 2021 by cranebump

[ineffablebob]

1 hour ago, cranebump said:

Earliest I could actually get on (if things ran to the bitter end), is 9 pm EST

Wouldn't bother me to run a bit later. We'll meet up and I'll check with the crew, but if everyone is cool with going a bit later, we'll wait for you. Nothing stopping us from running other missions while we wait.

[cranebump]

38 minutes ago, ineffablebob said:

Wouldn't bother me to run a bit later. We'll meet up and I'll check with the crew, but if everyone is cool with going a bit later, we'll wait for you. Nothing stopping us from running other missions while we wait.

That's awesome! Hopefully, I'll be there at 8. When I know for sure, I'll contact ya.

[cranebump]

Okay, looks like I can get out of her at a reasonable hour. I'll see everyone at 8!

[Max Firepower]

I will aim for 7:30 to 7:45 pm start - and negotiate for a 'flexible' end time as it's a 3 day weekend.  

 

L30... considering Recall Friend (since I be fast and stealthy and all) or... I could take the Frosty Breath power, but L32 is coming right after that.   Hrm... Still another 3-4 bubbles to find out, so that may take awhile.  😉

 

FWIW - renamed C0ld Snap 2004 over to "Johnny Snow 2004" - there are several references to Johnny Snow in different milieus, but I'm listening to Dr. Horrible a bit lately... just wish I could make Bad Horse as a Villain.  

 

Don't you dare say neigh, or I'll make you my mare.... See y'all soon, and 15+ years ago, simultaneously.

[cranebump]

Full team for Synapse!

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by cranebump

[ineffablebob]

Now that was a classic Synapse run!

 

Like Crane said, we had a full team. In fact, this full team:

 

Here we are facing down Babbage, who was kind enough to spawn far enough away from the police drones that we could beat him mercilessly.

 

 

 

Tried to get a picture of us with his corpse, but we were distracted by the L35 Council that were following a random person who stopped to hit the big clock.

 

 

The Clockwork King tried to hide from us in a corner, but to no avail.

 

 

Awesome time, had a blast. Looking forward to the Sunday run!

 

[Jacke]

I had a fun time on the Classic Synapse!  Screenshot of the results below.  1 hour 53 minutes 8 seconds, with only 5 defeats.

 

Next up in about 2 weeks is the Classic Sister Psyche Task Force.  The team leader needs to be Level 26 or higher to access it on a Pillar of Ice and Flame (Champion, Levels 25-29, "Clamor and Destruction").  Team members should be Level 25 or higher, but can be down to Level 20.

 

Back to the Synapse TF tonight.  I think I might have had all of those 5 defeats personally, too.  🙂  I was recreating the Classic Scrapper Experience, eating floor and all.  When I had the Health and Endurance, I could run into a group of mobs, hit Follow Up on one for the +ToHit and +Damage, take the alpha while firing Spin and Dark Regeneration for PBAoE goodness and a full health bar.  Of course, going up against Clockwork with a Dark Armor Scrapper (who isn't running Murky Cloud because his build has it at Level 22 and I didn't run it for Classic's sake 🙂 ) sometimes leads to not enough Endurance when the Health gets low.  And Dark Regeneration does have a 1.32s cast time. 🙂

 

And of the game improvements since Issue 0 so hard to leave behind, the lead one has to be Inherent Fitness.  But close afterwards is the improvements in inter-Zone travel.  It got really hard to stick to the Classic Yellow Line and Green Line Monorails. 🙂

 

One thing I noted.  Two Blasters and I don't think a single one got defeated at all.  Now how is that recreating the Classic Blaster Experience ?!?  🙂

 

 

Now Level 24, so I emptied out me pockets for Level 25 Enhancements.  Damn, are SOs pricey!  Only double the effect of DOs but 3 times the cost.

 

Okay, mostly broke, but now to clear out my old missions from Level 15-20 and get new contacts for 20-25.  This wiki page is very helpful here.

https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Stature_Levels

 

(Wiki page helpfully pointed out by @Knock! back on 2020 Dec 14 here .)

 

Have an arc open.  Meh.  It tops out at Level 19 which is 5 beneath me.  Later.  Did a hunt misson against the Tsoo.  Then a door mission in 'Boomtown'.

 

Well, while I'm here in 'Boomtown', I should get all the Badges and Plaques.  Plaques aren't hard.  Neither are 7 of the 8 Badges, especially as I recently got them on one or two other toons.

 

Somewhere Irwin Allen is laughing at me.

 

The 8th Badge, "Towering Inferno" (and yes, I've seen the film; I saw it on its initial release) is on that sharp peak centre top of the screenshot, viewing from NW of the building.

 

Normally, my toon would have at least the Prestige Power Jump Pack and a temp flight power, but Jacke Shadowclaw has only Super Jump.  And this isn't like another 'Boomtown' Badge, "Destined for Valhalla", where one can scramble up a conveniently wrecked and tilted skyscrapper (which wouldn't stay up in the real world but would just fall apart).

 

Tried a straight jump up along the side.  Couldn't find enough features to catch on to work my way up.  Saw those big holes on the sides of the neighbouring building and on the other side of the main one.  Tried working my way up, but just couldn't keep making the jumps between the buildings.  Without a teammate with Hover or Fly and Recall Friend Teleport Target, this one will have to be for after Level 40.

 

 

Next up, my 5 Level 20-25 contacts.  In the lottery of having them in Talos Island (yay, easy to get to) or Independence Port (boo, lots of running around), I got 4 in IP and only 1 in Talos, Piper Irving.  Oh, well.  While in IP, I ran around and got all its Badges and Plaques.  (And unlocked the Long Range Teleport Power, which I won't be using until Level 40.)

 

The "difficult" Badge, on the Valor Bridge ("Valorous"), was up high, on the very top here, see the screenshot below.  Turned out it was easy to get.  Those big suspension cables?  Each has a catwalk on the inside of it, making it a fairly easy run to the top.  Where I also beat up a mob each from the Family and the Freakshow.

 

Did one Level 20-25 mission, from my Natural Contact in IP, Rondel Jackson, "Stop the Sky Raiders before they can make off with Balsim's designs", which was timed at 75 minutes.  In Skyway City.  Sigh, there goes my Classic City Monorail experience.  The door was right by Skyway North just to taunt me.  But I finished it in just under 15 minutes.  And got the very helpful Cryonite Armor temp. 🙂