Start Here With Base Construction

[Display Name]

Start Here With Base Construction

 

I've never played CoH before.  I can't even guess how to begin.

 

Edit: Since my original post, I have become more familiar with base editing.  I'll continue updating this post as I figure stuff out.  But I'm not going to move beyond "getting started."

 

Since this is the first MMO I've ever played, then I didn't even have the "meta-gaming" experience that most first-timers have.  So relax!  You can do this, too!

 

How to get a superbase

Go to City Hall in Atlas Park (I always refer to Atlas when I can because starting players can go there too.)  This is the building behind the giant statue holding the globe.  No matter which entrance you take, head straight forward and talk to the guy to the left of the information desk.  Since I don't like demoting people for not logging in regularly, I change the days until demotion to the maximum (600.)

 

Editing the base

To edit your base, simply enter it from any of the base portals.  The base portals will appear as blue columns of light that you can click on.  On your map the base portal will appear as a green circle with a white "P" in it.  Once there, a pop-up will give you the option to "Edit Base," "Add Personal Item" and "Upgrade Plot.  There are also some tabs on the top that say "Chat," "Room" and "Object."  This annoying pop-up will not go away until you exit the Entrance Room.  If you don't have the proper permissions, your pop-up will look different.  If you're visiting the base with a password or you're part of a Coalition with that base, then you won't see the annoying pop-up at all.

 

How to change the size of the base after creation

In the Entrance Room select the option "Upgrade Plot" on the annoying pop-up.  This will allow you to choose the size you want and deserve.  Simply select the size from the options and click on it.  Then move your mouse over your existing base map and left click to implement the change.  IMPORTANT TIP: Place the overlay so that your rooms will be correctly positioned on the larger map.  If not, you'll have to re-position each room on your new map.

 

The rest of this post will assume that you're already in "Edit Base" mode.

 

An overview of the user interface

When you're in the base editing mode, you'll have a window on the bottom of your screen with the tabs "Chat," "Room" and "Object."  Clicking these tabs will toggle each pop-up on and off.  Underneath these tabs, you'll have the buttons "Create Room," "Pick Style," "Place Item," "Current Room" and "Options."

 

Before we go any further, let me introduce you to the "undo" feature: CTRL-Z.  Undo will really come in handy BUT you can only undo eight times AND it no longer undoes anything after you exit the editor.

 

Right-clicking the base map and holding it down while moving the mouse will alter the camera position.

 

Now let's discuss the pop-ups available in the editor.  Click the "Room" tab at the top of your edit window to toggle the pop-up.  Each room will have a name like "Entrance Room," "Small 4x4," etc.  The arrows on either side of the name will scroll through each room in your base.  The "Stats" tab will tell you the total number of each type of object you can place in the base.  But it will only show you the stats for that room.  So for instance, the Stats tab will tell you that you can have a total of eighteen storage objects in the base but it will only tell you the number of storage objects you have in the room you're currently editing.

 

How to create a single room

If the button "Create Room" is grayed out then it's because it's already on.  Select the room size and use your mouse to position it on your map.  The "Small" room sizes are actually pretty big so keep that in mind.  If the overlay is red while placing your room then it's not placed correctly.  Once you have the room where you want it, left click to implement the change.

 

How to insert an object into a room and how to move it around.

To place an object in a particular room select the room on your "Room" pop-up.  While in editing mode, you can also move your toon from room to room as you normally would and the object will be placed in the room your toon is in.

 

Once you have the room selected, click the "Place Item" button in the editing window.  To the right you'll see different tabs like "Arcane Power," "Tech Power," etc.  At the FAR right you'll see a couple of arrows that allows you to move left and right to see more tabs.  There are MANY, MANY objects you can put in your base and the vast majority of them are just for looks.  On your Room pop-up you'll see a tab that says "Stats."  Each object has a value and there's a limit to how many objects you can have in the base, depending on the type of object.

 

To place any kind of object, select the appropriate tab to the right of the "Place Item" button.  Click on the object you want and move your mouse over the map of the room to position it.  Right-click the object to rotate it.  Left-click the object to place it.  Since it's not going to be where you want it on your first try, left-click to re-select it and (while holding the left click) move it again.  If you place the item too close to the wall it will cause the baseboard of the wall to disappear.  Simply move the object a little farther out from the wall and the baseboard will reappear.

 

When you're trying to place an object like a toilet paper roll, shower head, hand dryer, etc., you'll notice that it only attaches the object to the floor.  If you want to attach an object to another surface, select the object you're attaching and press the F5 key until the surface you're trying to attach to appears on your screen.  Once you have the correct surface selected, it will attach when you get the hang of it.  This is especially useful if you're an original Live player and want to attach a circuit breaker to a power generator!

 

Rotating an object beyond simply right-clicking is a bit more complicated.  Advanced rotation of an object requires you to place the object first.  First, left click the attached object and hold the left click down.  Then, while holding down the applicable rotation keys (Shift, CTRL, ALT, etc.,) move the mouse around.  In other words: it requires two hands.

 

Additional tip: CTRL + ALT will allow you to rotate an object on a different axis and I don't believe it's listed in the cheat sheet.  This is particularly useful for attaching the hand dryer to the wall.

 

Workshop Items (ie: crafting tables and storage)

The different types of storage objects are under the "Arcane Workshop" and "Tech Workshop" tabs.  They're called "Enhancement Table," "Salvage Rack" and "Inspiration Storage."  Each storage object can hold up to 100 of the respective types of storage.  You can have a maximum of 18 of the regular storage objects in your base.  This can be any combination of the different kinds of storage.  I normally put two Enhancement Tables and sixteen Salvage Racks in my base.  There's also a 19th storage object that can be placed in your base called a "Personal Storage Vault."  This storage object only holds salvage and is specific to a toon.  And you don't need a special vault to be able to access it anywhere.

 

There's only one type of crafting table that seems to matter: the Invention Worktable.  This object allows you to turn recipes into enhancements.  Too bad...  It would have been nice to be able to craft inspirations and convert salvage.

 

How to move a room

According the the FAQ, moving a room is a painful process.  And that's correct.  Sometimes the editor will allow you to attempt to move the room but it won't move it if you have any objects mounted to the walls.  It's strongly suggested that you don't mount ANY objects to the walls until you've finalized the layout.  Cameras, vents, posters, etc.  There is one exception that I've discovered by accident: if you have Alphabet objects mounted to the wall it won't prevent you from moving the room.  Whoops!  There's another exception: having a Stall Panel Wall (an object from the Bathroom tab) attached to the wall.

 

How to understand power requirements

According to the FAQ for super bases, power requirements have been greatly diminished in Homecoming.  But that shouldn't stop you from creating a large room and dropping the biggest, fanciest, most powerful power generator available in your base!  In order to use a power generator, you simply need to install a (working) one in your base at some convenient location.  I say "working" because you have the option of installing deactivated/blown up power generators.  Once you do that, you'll likely never think about power again.

 

How to modify the base password

It's not called "password" in the command, so don't get that confused.

 

Simply type /sgpasscode (passcode) in the chat window.  Note that the CoX modifies the password you enter and displays your new code on the System channel.  Click on the "Global" tab in your chat window so you'll see the new code when it's changed.

 

And in case you're wondering, type /altinvite (toon name) to invite your alternate toons into the supergroup.  Note that they will be the lowest rank in the SG when they join and should be promoted if necessary.

 

How to modify permissions of storage racks so that people I give the password to can't pull stuff from the salvage racks unless they're a member

This is easy.  Non-members are never allowed to access Salvage Racks, Enhancement Tables and Inspiration Storage.  Non-members include people who are members of your Coalition and/or visitors with your base password.  The default settings for any regular storage object is that only Leaders and Commanders are able to place and remove items.  This can be modified to include members all the way down to the lowest rank.  However, only members able to edit the base can do so and only if they have the proper rank to access the storage object.

 

How to use my personal base as extra storage since I can't take advantage of the Coalition feature

I mean let's face it: a Personal Storage Vault only holds 100 units of SALVAGE.  That's not going to cut it long term.  If you have a toon in your friends' supergroup and one in your personal supergroup, then you can switch a THIRD toon back-and-forth between your friends' supergroup and yours.  It's important that you have at least one toon in your friends' supergroup so that it can invite the third toon back into your friends' supergroup.  This can get confusing really fast so don't screw it up.

 

How to find more information

This guide is by no means a comprehensive one.  It doesn't tell you how to fix things when you accidentally create a wall somewhere or raise/lower a section of the floor you didn't intend to be changed (remember: CTRL-Z can help.)  So it's still going to be a learning experience for you.  But hopefully this will get you off to a good start.

 

Check the FAQ:

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/4046-base-builders-faq/

 

"Cheat" sheet with quick commands:

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/956-base-builders-cheat-sheet/

 

Advanced techniques:

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/4904-the-macgyver-manual-or-quotyou-used-x-to-make-yquot/

 

Edited August 24, 2019 by Display Name