Displaying first appearance of character?

[twozerofoxtrot]

7 minutes ago, Ghost said:

Doesn’t it have to be activated, for your bio to be seen?

 

I could be wrong, but thought that’s the way it is now.

 

Nah, just type a Bio and it appears.

[Greycat]

59 minutes ago, Ghost said:

Doesn’t it have to be activated, for your bio to be seen?

 

I could be wrong, but thought that’s the way it is now.

 

Nope. The only thing affected is the creation date. The bio is untouched.

[Ukase]

9 hours ago, ZacKing said:

Badge count doesn't mean much

Yes and no. As for what it means, that's really tough to pinpoint with accuracy. We have a fairly generous community, which I think is by design. 

Arguably, one of the harder badges to get in game is "Avoids the Green Stuff". 
Unfortunately, if a player has this badge, it could mean anything from them being very observant to the incoming damage on Anti-Matter, to being whisked around by Incan - essentially meaning they could have lucked out by being on a good league. 

So many badges in game where a player with intention can get them, but it doesn't mean they'd be a great fit for a master run with no temps, no defeats.

The only things that I believe badges convey are simply the player is invested in their character. The more badges they have, it suggests they are "Plugged in" with the community. At least some of it, anyway. Mainly because there are so many badges that would be very difficult to get without at least a few friends. It suggests they can cooperate, and at least for a little while, get along with others. 

The absence of badges certainly doesn't mean anything. But, on the off-chance it could mean the player has never played their character beyond AE...well, that's cause for concern. Is it rude to be so judgmental? Maybe. But when you're an older player, with less free time than you used to have, do we have to take the risk? Sure, we might miss out on one of the better players! But, we might also miss out on an idiot. 

Clearly the bias against "AE babies" is there for a reason. I don't think the reason is jealousy, or loathing of farmers. (but it could be, I guess, but that doesn't make sense to me)
I think some players chose the AE route, left AE and learned things were different. And some of those lessons were also learned by those who hosted those players. It can't be too hard to imagine why some folks are cynical about a low badge count. 

I think the best solution is to try and team with these folks in trivial content before challenging content. Something as easy as a speedy Miss Lib can tell you a lot. Who has stealth? And who is used to killing everything in their path with the help of the 7 others on the team. And who apparently doesn't really quite understand what a speedy run is. 
And that clever bastard that knows to ouro out of the mission, instead of exiting the mission and then using an ouro portal. Yeah, you! How dare you be so smart and focused?! 

Edited to add: 
I feel I should add this: I know a player. I "met" them first through the help channel. I simply surmised they were new and still learning. I spent at least 30 minutes with them explaining how the incarnate system worked. Why one alpha might be good for one character, but not so good for another, and that everything depended on what they were looking for, and to never forget it acts like an extra slot filled with an enhancement that has the attributes of that alpha. 

Later, I learned they weren't new. Or maybe they were. But a year later, I ran into them, and despite having a badge count of around 1200, they were one of the worst players I'd ever encountered, before or since. Turns out they were closing in on 70, had grandkids underfoot, and well, the nicest way I can put it, they just didn't learn very well. I even noticed they would ask the same questions over and over. It doesn't mean they were stupid or not a nice person. It just meant they weren't focused. As much as they wanted the badges, they didn't want them enough to get rid of the grandkids and pay attention. So, high badge count certainly doesn't mean everything. This is the last player I would want to take on any kind of badge run. But, I learned this by teaming with them on more trivial things, like some of the ouro challenge badges. 

 

Edited October 13 by Ukase
wanted to add something

[Bionic_Flea]

You know, I don't think I have ever used badges to judge another player.  I do frequently look at their info, but I am looking for true level, (is this a vet level 100 or level 10), what does the build look like (does it have essential powers, good set bonuses and accolades), and the global (is this a person whose name I recognize).

 

The level and build lets me calculate how hard I can set the mission, if I am leading.  Or it lets me know who might be needing more help if I'm just along for the ride.

 

The global is just a nice check to see if it is someone I know from forums or in-game to send a tell, "Oh hi, personname!"  Or, on rare occasion, I see a global of someone I know to be difficult and can either opt out early to avoid drama or just keep an eye out.

 

First appearance and badges don't tell me as much.  Although I do like Ukase's insight that it shows some level of being a cooperative player with at least a few friends.

[MoonSheep]

42 minutes ago, Bionic_Flea said:

You know, I don't think I have ever used badges to judge another player. 

 

amateur

 

can you imagine a world where we didn’t judge other players?

 

[Glacier Peak]

The two things that count for me when I play with others:

 

Are they on my global and do they like getting caught in the rain... oh wait just the first part. Since I play on Indomitable, I don't have to worry about maxing out my global friends list, so I tend to add people who are pillars of our small community. As for the topic at hand - I display my first appearance proudly on my main, but I don't really care for doing so on my other characters. What I do instead is just put my global @Glacier Peak so that players know who is driving the character and then the badge count, days since creation, and number of PvP matches won (there's a joke) really don't matter. 

[ZacKing]

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

Yes and no. As for what it means, that's really tough to pinpoint with accuracy.

 

It's not hard to pinpoint at all.  People interested in badging will chase them.  Those who aren't interested in badges won't.  Again, badge count really doesn't mean anything.  You're admitting as much in your own post. 

 

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

Arguably, one of the harder badges to get in game is "Avoids the Green Stuff". 
Unfortunately, if a player has this badge, it could mean anything from them being very observant to the incoming damage on Anti-Matter, to being whisked around by Incan - essentially meaning they could have lucked out by being on a good league. 

...

The absence of badges certainly doesn't mean anything.

 

You're arguing that looking at badges is an indicator of something by saying that badge count doesn't mean anything.  Something doesn't add it up there.

 

2 hours ago, Ukase said:

The only things that I believe badges convey are simply the player is invested in their character. The more badges they have, it suggests they are "Plugged in" with the community.

 

How you define "invested" is going to be different than me or the next person.  I have alt characters that I've purpose built to use for various level TFs.  I'll run them a couple of times a week, but will spend the bulk of my time on "main" characters.   I definitely don't have anywhere near the same amount of badges on them that I do on main characters.  That doesn't mean I'm neglecting those alts and I'm not invested in them.  Far from it.  I've invested quite a bit of time and resources into purpose building them. 

 

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

Is it rude to be so judgmental? Maybe.

 

No maybes about it.  It's rude to prejudge people based on a badge count. 

 

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

But when you're an older player, with less free time than you used to have, do we have to take the risk?

 

If you're concerned about "bad" players wasting your time, then toss the good players you run into a friend request and team up with them.  Socialize and make friends.  Problem solved.  You're not forced into PUGing anything at all.

 

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

And some of those lessons were also learned by those who hosted those players. It can't be too hard to imagine why some folks are cynical about a low badge count. 

 

I've read enough posts here over the years and run into enough elitists in game that I understand perfectly why quite a lot of people who think anyone who doesn't level the "correct/right/traditional" way are cynical of others who don't play the way they they believe is proper. 

 

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

Later, I learned they weren't new. Or maybe they were. But a year later, I ran into them, and despite having a badge count of around 1200, they were one of the worst players I'd ever encountered, before or since.

 

Thank you for adding this part.  It's a clear example that shows badge count doesn't mean anything and like others have said, there are "vets" out there with loads of badges that don't know what they're doing.

[neon1nj4]

Spot the boomer: CoH edition.

[Seed22]

15 minutes ago, neon1nj4 said:

Spot the boomer: CoH edition.

Most of CoH IS boomers 😛

 

It’s actually pretty interesting. The forums is mostly older players in their 50s-60s. Discord is usually 30 and under. 
 

Nothing exact. Just gives me an idea of the audience I’ll be dealing with. I personally prefer the discord as of late. 
 

The forums is a lot like NextDoor. People who have nothing better to do than judge how another plays the game. It’s cyclical; someone makes a passive aggressive or thinly veiled judgement post about X aspect regarding how someone plays. Some people who agree pile on, people who disagree point out how dumb the topic is and end up arguing, then the thread either gets locked or driven way off course with memes. Or someone mentions Snarky.

 

Then the cycle repeats. Sometimes in the same day even.

 

 

Edited October 13 by Seed22

[Ukase]

1 hour ago, ZacKing said:

You're arguing that looking at badges is an indicator of something

Precisely. But, I am not sure what it means. I just know it doesn't mean "nothing". It is worth something. But a lot depends on how they got them - and that information isn't available from the character info. 

[Bionic_Flea]

1 hour ago, Seed22 said:

People who have nothing better to do than judge how another plays the game.

 

[Seed22]

1 hour ago, Bionic_Flea said:

 

I forgot snarky responses! Let me put that on the bingo card for next time.

 

I rarely make comments on how others play the game(literally never in game), but YOU lot...I'd need exponential functions to begin to calculate over the years how often you all do it. So yes, DO start with the man in the mirror 🙂
 

I do spend too much time reading this stuff though. That much is true. What else am I to do on days off/lunch breaks while friends are busy :P.  In that aspect, I’ll take a note from Mr. Jackson and look at making a change there. 

Edited October 13 by Seed22

[srmalloy]

23 hours ago, Ukase said:

Well, I have an old hard drive that's not being used; still has Windows 95 on it, maybe. Not sure. It has that character info on it. The program, I think it was called Sentinel. 

Sentinel+; I have a folder with saved character data and costumes from Guardian on live, but so far with the characters I've recreated, I've chosen to relevel them from scratch so I can do a better job with their builds.

[ZacKing]

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

Precisely. But, I am not sure what it means. I just know it doesn't mean "nothing".

 

It means that player completed whatever the badge required on that character, whether through their own skill/work or being carried by others.  That's it. 

[Apogee]

3 hours ago, Seed22 said:

Most of CoH IS boomers 😛

 

It’s actually pretty interesting. The forums is mostly older players in their 50s-60s. Discord is usually 30 and under. 
 

 

I would hazard a guess that most of CoH is GenX (those in their 40s and 50s) not Boomers (60s-70s). While I love our boomer community they are too busy yelling at kids to get off their lawns to play CoH.

 

Also, obviously the best way to judge a player's experience and investment in the game is to look at their spreadsheets.  Maybe a little button on the character ID page, or a little spreadsheet indicating the level of spreadsheeting the spreadsheeter sheets.  Ok, the edible has finally kicked in...

[lemming]

3 hours ago, Apogee said:

I would hazard a guess that most of CoH is GenX (those in their 40s and 50s) not Boomers (60s-70s). While I love our boomer community they are too busy yelling at kids to get off their lawns to play CoH.

Yea, I tend to run into more people a bit younger than I am.  (Born right at the edge of boomer, supposedly Generation Jones which is a blend of boomer & X.)

[MrPengy]

On 10/12/2024 at 9:59 PM, High_Beam said:

I use badges to determine that 🙂

 

I know others have pointed out their lack of trust in it but when I see a 50 with no Lower level TFs or their defeat badges are low or they have less than a dozen explore badges, they are suspect.  I use that information for nothing other than my own purposes.  I don't go trying to eff with them and since I don't have a say in certain aspects of the game, I only express my opinions about it in depth when it is appropriate.

 

Is this some thing you check on a regular basis...? I can understand being amused by certain badges or lack of badges, but I can't imagine going out of my way or taking time to actually look for this.

 

I'm not sure how you would judge my characters, since I don't like the "lower level" TFs, and I don't hunt for Exploration badges. Any exploration badges I have attained are accidental. Many of my toons have never done a single TF, because I don't always have time to commit. I'm not sure how that says any thing about me other than I'm considerate enough to not jump ship halfway through a Citadel.

[Ukase]

22 minutes ago, MrPengy said:

Any exploration badges I have attained are accidental.

Are you one of those folks that just play mostly one character? How do you get your influence? How are you funding your characters if you're not endlessly exploring multiple zones for the cheap reward merits, and then exchanging those reward merits for loot to subsidize your character's build? 

I have a few characters that don't really go looking for all the explorations, but those characters tend to be purpose specific characters. Like my ill/rad controller that has Siege/AM missions held for my alts that want to complete Portal Jockey. Or my Rad/SS tank that holds the Schweinzer contact and just sits in Port Oakes next to him for my characters that want Invader/TFC. 

But a character that I play routinely...I don't think I can ever leave a zone without grabbing the explores. That's how I get the influence to fund their builds. Congratulations for playing in a way that's different. I'm just curious how you get your influence to build your alts. 

[High_Beam]

40 minutes ago, MrPengy said:

Is this some thing you check on a regular basis...? I can understand being amused by certain badges or lack of badges, but I can't imagine going out of my way or taking time to actually look for this.

The checking is based on one of two things.  The actions of the player in question or what I am about to try and run.

 

WRT the actions of a player, well the signs are obvious, not knowing how to get from point A to Point B.  Not knowing zones, not knowing enemy types, not knowing general team terminology, the list is massive.  But sometimes the player is a real new player, I pull up their card, see their level and can use badges as a gauge.  A lower level guy with no Positron 1 or 2 yet you see badges corresponding to doing things that don't relate to accolade hunts (Negotiator, Shining Stars, Lords of Death Arc) they tell me that the player is just inexperienced and should be helped and informed.

 

When I am running a Task/Strike Force or something similar, and there are parameters (we are going for X badge or have challenge settings such as no deaths) I use badges to determine depth and breadth of play experience.  Someone who knows more than to just be a sitter, knows the variables of their powers and adjusts accordingly.  Sure there are PL'd characters out there that play extremally well, awesome.  But in general, fresh from the farm 50s are shit.

 

Do I look at every card for badges?  No!  What you do is on you and not my business.  We all judge and catalog, things and people.  It is human nature; it is society.  Its what we do after we catalog that defines good or bad.  I don't go around calling players out for being X or Y, my opinion about them means nothing to anyone else.  I keep it in my pocket and it goes away when I do the wash because I don't make the rules beyond who I choose to play with.

 

And for clarification, when I say lower level task forces, I mean any of the TF/SF that exemplars you down below level 50.

[Nerio72]

Apparently I've played the game like 6 times based on badges for TFs that I've done. I'm a noob I guess! Since about issue 4!

[Ghost]

3 hours ago, Ukase said:

 I'm just curious how you get your influence to build your alts. 

Farming?

[ZemX]

3 hours ago, Ukase said:

Are you one of those folks that just play mostly one character? How do you get your influence?

 

It's less about playing just one character as it is about NOT playing hundreds.  People who alt a lot, and especially those who powerlevel in farms, have a vastly greater demand for influence than do those who balance their time playing 50s and leveling up alts.  We don't have 100s of alts, but we're also never strapped for cash because playing any 50 is basically printing money with little effort and funding a new alt is just sending an email from a rich alt to a new one.

 

I don't even bother converting merits anymore.  Used to.  But now I just buy converters to use for spinning uncommon recipes into rares when they pile up enough and I want to clear them out.  I build rare IOs from dropped salvage and converted recipes, then list them on the AH.  Between that, selling common drop recipes, and just plain inf rewards, I never much think about money anymore.  And these days the only explores I bother grabbing are the one per zone I need for LRT beacons.

[Tattooist]

In my opinion I don't think this option should even show at all on the profile nor should there be a way to see someone's date of creation. What's the point? I can't think of a single other MMO that provides this same function. It just gives a way for others to look down at other people, or for an account to "look cool" by having an old year-date. It's ultimately pointless.

[Greycat]

1 hour ago, Tattooist said:

In my opinion I don't think this option should even show at all on the profile nor should there be a way to see someone's date of creation. What's the point? I can't think of a single other MMO that provides this same function. It just gives a way for others to look down at other people, or for an account to "look cool" by having an old year-date. It's ultimately pointless.

 

There are a lot of things that COH does that other MMOs don't do. That's part of why we're here.

[Glacier Peak]

6 hours ago, Tattooist said:

In my opinion I don't think this option should even show at all on the profile nor should there be a way to see someone's date of creation. What's the point? I can't think of a single other MMO that provides this same function. It just gives a way for others to look down at other people, or for an account to "look cool" by having an old year-date. It's ultimately pointless.

The connection that City of Heroes has that other MMOs don't is comic books. Comic books have dates of issue.