Hiatus

[Gravitus]

Been on a Hiatus since 2021. Can anyone give me the big highlights on what I have missed? thinking about coming back . 

[Without_Pause]

I always just find the patch notes for the any issue I missed out on.

[MoonSheep]

there’s been a lot of updates but the mechanics aren’t fundamentally different

 

there’s a few new (unremarkable in my opinion) powersets and some cool TFs/arcs, lots of power adjustments etc

 

the biggest change is likely to be the power level access changes, can’t remember when that was enacted. e.g you can now pick your lvl 32 power in your primary at 26, your lvl 38 secondary power at lvl 30. you can also keep access to those powers if you’re exemped down 5 levels, meaning you can use a lvl 30 power at lvl 25 - handy

[ZemX]

Just go here and scroll down to the bottom where you'll find links to patch notes with dates next to them.  Easy to see where you left off.  Somewhere in Issue 27.

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Issues

[Without_Pause]

I can't even recall what of the new powersets have genuinely stood out to be. I'm not saying they are bad. I just feel like they are on some level fairly average/solid. I think I have been more impressed with sets which got reworked than anything. A glace at my Top 20 characters and I only really see a /stone Stalker as being something 'new' that stands out. Again, I find the other new ones fairly solid. They just aren't 'need to play.' I've mostly been playing sets I need to give another go around on, new-to-me sets, and ones which got reworked. 

 

I should add I haven't tried Arsenal Control yet, or the newer version of Mind. 

Edited August 19 by Without_Pause

[High_Beam]

Many cool new power sets that many enjoy, Seismic Blast (its fun to throw rocks at people), Earth Manipulation (unique mechanic that some hate but I like), Symphonic Control (terrible sound effects but crazy damagy fun), Sonic Assault, Storm Blast (super fun and interesting mechanics), Marine Affinity (newest and fun), Arsenal Control (fun and a bit OP if you ask me but the tankiest life-savingist pet in the controller game), Arsenal Assault (okay, its a thematic thing).  Try them all!  No two combos are the same.  Huzzah!

[Techwright]

I suppose it depends on when in 2021 you left, We got the Dr. Aeon Strike Force in November of that year.  We just got the Labyrinth of Fog zone.  Striga Island became co-op.

[Gravitus]

Nice....one thing that never ceased to amaze me is the awesome community this game has. That being said,

 

Have there been any fundamental changes to quality of life or base building?

[ZemX]

Oh, and one thing you might or might not have heard, which you won't find in patch notes is that CoH Homecoming now has official license from NCSoft to run these servers.  That was at the beginning of this year and it drove a LOT of traffic this way for a little while.  I think it's mostly quieted back down to pre-announcement traffic levels by this point.

[BZRKR]

5 minutes ago, Gravitus said:

Have there been any fundamental changes to quality of life or base building?

Yes. Check it out here:

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/forum/30-base-construction/

[Vexxillion]

28 minutes ago, Gravitus said:

Nice....one thing that never ceased to amaze me is the awesome community this game has. That being said,

 

Have there been any fundamental changes to quality of life or base building?

Base shift was fixed!

[Without_Pause]

I'm not sure when it happened, but not being forced to take the T1 in your secondary has been a boost to a number of builds. 

[MoisesG]

Also tanks are awesome now!

[Techwright]

6 minutes ago, Gravitus said:

Nice....one thing that never ceased to amaze me is the awesome community this game has. That being said,

 

Have there been any fundamental changes to quality of life or base building?

I forgot to add that Fort Trident was redesigned from a hidden base in Atlas Park, to a base with an entrance just to the east of City Hall.  Some of the tweaks to it allow for it to act as a base of sorts to those without a supergroup base.

 

Base building has had some tweaks, but generally remains the same, I think.  Others can better speak to that.

 

5 minutes ago, ZemX said:

  I think it's mostly quieted back down to pre-announcement traffic levels by this point.

Still, we've had something like 6 players in the last week pipe up in the General forum to say they were new or returning from the OG game.  Considering they are likely the vocal bunch, there's likely several others who've not announced themselves.  While it is not a flood of new players, it does represent healthy progress.

[Ukase]

1 hour ago, Gravitus said:

Nice....one thing that never ceased to amaze me is the awesome community this game has. That being said,

 

Have there been any fundamental changes to quality of life or base building?

Candidly, the changes in game are kind of blurry to me. If you return, welcome back. If not, enjoy your day. 
I do think it's worth logging in and taking a look around. 

The city modder tool has some interesting add-ons that can subtly change things that might have annoyed you, like demon pet noises, and can color up the place a bit like making the globe Atlas carries look like an actual planet instead of just a big gray ball. That may be worth looking into should you decide to return. 

[High_Beam]

3 minutes ago, Ukase said:

 the globe Atlas carries look like an actual planet instead of just a big gray ball.

But . . . But . . . Concrete and a Brutalist aesthetic.  You are going to make Atlas Shrug 🙂