First Impressions from a longtime player

[Nafsmar]

First let me say wow it is great to be back in Paragon City. I went home last night like a giddy little kid and installed this on my PC and laptop. Before I even had a chance to create a character my daughter asked what was I playing. I told her this is the fabled City of Hero game I had always mentioned to her. Needless to say the next hour she would spend creating characters on the character screen never actually getting to login though cuz she was just taking that long and her bedtime came first. So after I put her to bed I sat down and created my first character in seven years or so.  An ice/ice blaster. I got to tell you it was great running around Atlas Park doing missions and street sweeping damn I missed that. In addition I felt sort of overwhelmed when did they add all these secondaries and primaries. I don't remember any of that. A lot of acronyms were thrown out in the chat and I had no clue what they were talking about. However I'll do some Forum reading to get familiar with it all again. Got to get back out there and kick some villain butt. Just wanted to post my appreciation for this server.

[JusticeBowler]

Welcome home!

 

You'll get all the acronyms. If not, just spam questions in the HELP channel like a noob, there's no shame in that. Folks will sort them all out for you.

 

If you weren't around for late-live play you're going to see the game has really changed. It is still what it was, but it's like there's another game layered on top of the first one. They are imperceptible different to the naked eye, but once you realize the difference it is like two completely different worlds. (Mostly around things that are now OP or in some cases "broken" but still fun.)

[DoctorHugh]

Heh, like you OP, once I decided that I had heard enough about 'rogue servers' (I'm generally pretty skeptical of things) and figured I would give this a shot, 2 hours later I was grinning like a kid on Christmas as the CoH screens were loading up. An hour after that I was grinning like a kid on Christmas who just found out Santa was real!

 

I was aware of most of the new primary/secondaries but hadn't gotten to play many of them on original - I just had too many heroes made already before they were added. I was a bit sad that I couldn't resurrect my old characters, but on the whole, new chars are the most fun anyway and I get to try out all the new stuff!

 

Some 'new' things to be aware of:

- The 'P2W Vendor' is available in the starting zone, even in the tutorial areas. The Prestige enhancements, powers, pets and travel/utility powers are really handy and free!

 

- You can access the Auction House from anywhere by typing '/ah' in chat (not the quotes). Handy for dumping those excess Insps, picking up new ones, etc.

 

- If you are looking to bang out a few levels fast, people seem to run the 'DFB' (Death From Below) trial a lot shortly after creation.

 

- Many contacts who weren't accessible to you before (due to Origin type or whatever) are available now. You can start with all the Atlas City Hall contacts and work up from there.

 

So... welcome home, bring the family, it's good to see everyone again!  8)

 

Edit: Forgot an important one - using the Galaxy City tutorial, you get to 'choose sides' for any AT. So your Defender can start as a villain or your Brute as a hero. And talking to Null the Gull in Pocket D allows you to take older characters and change alignment.

[Sidious]

Welcome back!  :D

 

when will the parent/child duo be bringing justice to the streets of Paragon again?

I have the distinct feeling that you're going to be relegated to playing only when she doesn't want to.

Which is great fun to watch as a parent.

But playing in game with the kids is even more fun.

[SolarCenturion]

A whole new generation of Sister Flames.

;D

 

I nearly cried when I got back into Paragon City

[srmalloy]

Heh, like you OP, once I decided that I had heard enough about 'rogue servers' (I'm generally pretty skeptical of things) and figured I would give this a shot, 2 hours later I was grinning like a kid on Christmas as the CoH screens were loading up. An hour after that I was grinning like a kid on Christmas who just found out Santa was real!

 

Having seen the dedication that the Paragon Studios staff brought to the game, I was certain that there would have been at least one of the developers who had a full copy of the server and client code, as a high-paranoia off-site backup if nothing more, and that the reappearance of CoH as rogue servers was just a matter of time. And it turns out that my expectations were too low, and sub rosa servers had been running for years. None of which could dampen my mood when the Homecoming people brought servers out in public... and it's been sucking up as much or more time than it did back in 2012.

[Healix]

[Thorazine]

- You can access the Auction House from anywhere by typing '/ah' in chat (not the quotes). Handy for dumping those excess Insps, picking up new ones, etc.

 

Thanks for this, I completely forgot this and it's awesome!

[I Chaos Games]

A lot of acronyms were thrown out in the chat

 

I wish my fellow nerds and geeks would learn to type. It seems they have acronyms already to go 6 hours after something just came out.

 

[justicebeliever]

Welcome Back to Paragon City, voted by Lifestyle magazine as “Best city for living cheap on high wages”.  Guess it has something about low property values due to frequent devastation, and employers having to pay top wages to get people willing to step foot in an office building.

[Abraxus]

Welcome Back to Paragon City, voted by Lifestyle magazine as “Best city for living cheap on high wages”.  Guess it has something about low property values due to frequent devastation, and employers having to pay top wages to get people willing to step foot in an office building.

 

Part of that bonus pay would be to work in a building that is laid out as those office maps are.  It would drive one insane, so one would want to be well compensated for it.  Of course, the reason they are that way is probably due to the constant reconstruction, and remodeling from the aforementioned frequent devastation. :o ::) ;D 8)

[Robotech_Master]

More than once I've been tempted to turn villain just so I could murder some architects...

[justicebeliever]

More than once I've been tempted to turn villain just so I could murder some architects...

 

Lol, +1 Inf...

[Nafsmar]

 

- The 'P2W Vendor' is available in the starting zone, even in the tutorial areas. The Prestige enhancements, powers, pets and travel/utility powers are really handy and free!

- If you are looking to bang out a few levels fast, people seem to run the 'DFB' (Death From Below) trial a lot shortly after creation.

 

I didn't see the P2W the first time thru the tutorial but when I ran it again I made sure to check it out. This will be silly but The xp bonus timer only counts for actual in game time?

 

That DFB was one that I saw alot and was like what is that LOL. So its a very low lvl TF type mission? That sounds like a fun way to meet new people right out of the gate.

 

Welcome back!  :D

when will the parent/child duo be bringing justice to the streets of Paragon again?

I have the distinct feeling that you're going to be relegated to playing only when she doesn't want to.

Which is great fun to watch as a parent.

But playing in game with the kids is even more fun.

 

Does this mean we can't play together? I made her a seperate game account but due to work I haven't been on as much as I want to be so I haven't been able to check that out yet.

 

I actually played right until the end but maybe because it was ending I just didn't pay attention to what they added at the end. Kinda nice actually because it is like a bonus to me.

[Nafsmar]

One last question before I jump into the game. Well 2 actually. I remember there being a newspaper where you can get missions from. Does that exist in game? I also remember doing a series of missions complete with a major boss that once you were done you got an award that allowed you to buy IOs like Luck of the gambler Global recharges. Is that still available as well. That is how I primarily IOed out my characters with the really expensive/rare ones.

[justicebeliever]

Welcome back!  :D

when will the parent/child duo be bringing justice to the streets of Paragon again?

I have the distinct feeling that you're going to be relegated to playing only when she doesn't want to.

Which is great fun to watch as a parent.

But playing in game with the kids is even more fun.

 

Does this mean we can't play together? I made her a seperate game account but due to work I haven't been on as much as I want to be so I haven't been able to check that out yet.

 

I actually played right until the end but maybe because it was ending I just didn't pay attention to what they added at the end. Kinda nice actually because it is like a bonus to me.

 

We have two personal computers at home and my son and I love to play together.  But I also play when he either not around or asleep.  We or I would love to team up!

[Abraxus]

One of my sons (my oldest) played with me on Father's Day this year.  We had a really good time, but he has other interests, so it's kind of a rarity.  I just love the fact that this game was around when he was quite young, and it was one of the first MMOs he ever played.  Now that it's back, he still loves it.

[DoctorHugh]

One last question before I jump into the game. Well 2 actually. I remember there being a newspaper where you can get missions from. Does that exist in game? I also remember doing a series of missions complete with a major boss that once you were done you got an award that allowed you to buy IOs like Luck of the gambler Global recharges. Is that still available as well. That is how I primarily IOed out my characters with the really expensive/rare ones.

 

Newspaper missions would be the 'zone' missions that you get from talking to your police Detective contact in each zone. You do 3 'newspaper' missions to unlock a Safeguard mission (usually a bank robbery?) that you talk to the Detective for. Happens in each zone beyond the starter Atlas/Mercy zone. Villain side you pick those up from contacts like Mikey the Ear and Drea the Hook in Port Oakes.

 

(Edit: to clarify, you get a Newspaper 'contact' on zones in Villain side, and a Police Radio contact on hero zones, after you talk to the detective/fence in that zone)

 

I'm not sure about boss/IO mission you refer to, but it sounds like you are talking about the Merit Reward vendor. You earn Merit Rewards for completing many story/Hero arcs, and use the Merit rewards to buy various things, among them things like recipes, IOs, Enhancement Converters etc.

[justicebeliever]

One last question before I jump into the game. Well 2 actually. I remember there being a newspaper where you can get missions from. Does that exist in game? I also remember doing a series of missions complete with a major boss that once you were done you got an award that allowed you to buy IOs like Luck of the gambler Global recharges. Is that still available as well. That is how I primarily IOed out my characters with the really expensive/rare ones.

 

Newspaper missions would be the 'zone' missions that you get from talking to your police Detective contact in each zone. You do 3 'newspaper' missions to unlock a Safeguard mission (usually a bank robbery?) that you talk to the Detective for. Happens in each zone beyond the starter Atlas/Mercy zone. Villain side you pick those up from contacts like Mikey the Ear and Drea the Hook in Port Oakes.

 

(Edit: to clarify, you get a Newspaper 'contact' on zones in Villain side, and a Police Radio contact on hero zones, after you talk to the detective/fence in that zone)

 

I'm not sure about boss/IO mission you refer to, but it sounds like you are talking about the Merit Reward vendor. You earn Merit Rewards for completing many story/Hero arcs, and use the Merit rewards to buy various things, among them things like recipes, IOs, Enhancement Converters etc.

 

In the lower level zones (KR, Steel Canyon, Skyway, and Faultine) it only requires 3 Radio/Newspaper Missions to get the Safeguard/Mayhem mission.  All others require 5 missions...

 

I feel like I should know the name of the TF you are mentioning, but it's not coming to me...

 

Here's a list of all the TF's (except one).  The changes to that list are all TF's can be soloed now, and all merit rewards have been raised.  The missing TF is the Market Crash TF in Kallista Wharf (it's the one that Homecoming built).  That one gives a purple recipe the first time you run it.  You can skim the list and see that some of the TF have special awards, like Ms. Liberty TF which gives Synthetic Hami-O.

 

Here's a similar list of trials in the game.  Nothing is missing, but the same changes as above (soloable, and higher merit rewards).  DFB offers not merit rewards, but gives low level SO's and a temp power that boosts either defense, damage, accuracy, or resistance.

[Nafsmar]

Thank you. You both have just answered my questions and thank you for that list that will be very handy as I get back into the game. 

 

@justicebeliever That sounds like a plan once my daughter and I make the characters we're going to play I'll hit you up.

[Coyote]

One last question before I jump into the game. Well 2 actually. I remember there being a newspaper where you can get missions from. Does that exist in game? I also remember doing a series of missions complete with a major boss that once you were done you got an award that allowed you to buy IOs like Luck of the gambler Global recharges. Is that still available as well. That is how I primarily IOed out my characters with the really expensive/rare ones.

 

Yes, Newspapers are still in the game. When you go to a new villain zone, you get the zone's Broker as a contact. I think you just have to talk to one of them once to unlock Newspapers as an active contact. But there is also a Find Contact button that will teleport you to any contact within your level range that you have not yet unlocked, and the contacts will talk to you and give you missions, so you don't have to do Newspapers unless you want to do 3 of them so you can unlock a Mayhem Mission.

 

Merits are awarded after finishing any story arc, including Task Forces, Trials, etc. You also get 5 Merits for getting all of the Exploration badges in a zone.

[Twisted Toon]

 

Here's a similar list of trials in the game.  Nothing is missing, but the same changes as above (soloable, and higher merit rewards).  DFB offers not merit rewards, but gives low level SO's and a temp power that boosts either defense, damage, accuracy, or resistance.

 

Keep in mind that the power boosts you get from Death From Below only last until level 20, I believe.

[Mister Mass]

One last question before I jump into the game. Well 2 actually. I remember there being a newspaper where you can get missions from. Does that exist in game? I also remember doing a series of missions complete with a major boss that once you were done you got an award that allowed you to buy IOs like Luck of the gambler Global recharges. Is that still available as well. That is how I primarily IOed out my characters with the really expensive/rare ones.

Once a character hits 20, they will begin to receive tip missions.  Completing 10 Alignment tip missions for one alignment (Hero, Vigilante, Villain, or Rogue) will allow the character to receive a Morality tip mission.  Completion of a Morality mission that reinforces the character's present alignment earns 40 merits - although you will gain 100 merits for doing this the very 1st time.  On Live, you were time-limited on these - but that has been eliminated on Homecoming, so you can do these multiple times in a day.  10 Alignments missions & the Morality mission can be run very quickly, & the 40 merits can help you purchase the IOs you want.  Of course the tips are random drops, so RNGesus can slow you down.  I typically run other content, then cash in my tips periodically, so that I can run at least one Morality mission every day.