City of Heroes nears launch...

[roguebanshee]

CoH was set to cost $14.99/month last I checked.

A few reasons why I think it's worth it:
Great stories to be found
A comic book every month
Areas that all have something that makes them special and no wasted space just to seperate zones
Really good graphics
Combat is fast paced and action filled but never without tactics unless you want a quick trip to the hospital
No camping
Everyone looks unique from the start
Balanced so solo is possible and full teams still have a challenge
You aren't forced to have a specific setup in a team to do good stuff at higher levels
...but the archetypes are still very different and complement each other nicely

[LiquidDamage]

I've been playing with WarLocke quite a bit over the last week or so, and I have to say that this is the most fun I've ever had in an MMORPG. Probably the most important thing to mention is the character creation system. It is the most flexible in-game system EVER MADE. I have no qualms about saying that. It is just crazy what you can do.

So, I will post a screenshot of my character, Half-Cocked (No. It is not a sexual innuendo you perverts. It is about her being reckless and cocky in her approach to life):

http://www.revisionlogic.com/temp/coh/coh-...half-cocked.jpg

Think of her as a goth Paris Hilton, with the ability to lift Volkswagons over her head (well, she COULD, if it was in the game :P). She was caught shoplifting, and forced to do community service for a year. This was a horrifying prospect until she learned that, in Paragon City, vigilantism is counted as community service. So, she whined and pouted until her daddy (owner of Magnum Research) bought her the best scientists in the world. :)

Here are some shots of her doing what she loves most: Slamming her hands together so hard that the shockwave sends everyone within a 15 foot radius flying.

See the fear in their eyes

What is the sound of Half-Cocked clapping? THOOM.

Ninjas cannot totally flip out if they have trouble standing

You can see WarLocke's character, The Atomic Woman, to the right of mine in that last pic. She cannot clap her hands. Perhaps that is hereditary, much like being able to roll your tongue.

[TaiDaishar]

Yet another sweet beta I am not in...

Oh god, LET ME IN

[WarLocke]

It is the most flexible in-game system EVER MADE. I have no qualms about saying that. It is just crazy what you can do.

I will second this. My costumes tend to be basic and two-toned, but that's more a failing with me than the system. I have seen some incredible costumes in this game.

You can see WarLocke's character, The Atomic Woman, to the right of mine in that last pic. She cannot clap her hands. Perhaps that is hereditary, much like being able to roll your tongue.

Nah, I just wanted to go more of the defensive route. At level 16 I only have 2 attacks (Jab and Punch), and you have at least 2 others (Haymaker and Handclap). Theoretically I'd be better at soaking up damage (levels and such being equal), but I've made several mistakes with AW - she could be so, so much more.

Speaking of the Atomic Woman, here are the covers I've done for her so far:

The Atomic Woman #1
The Atomic Woman #2
The Atomic Woman #3
The Atomic Woman #4
The Atomic Woman #5

You all may notice that her coloring is darker in issues 2 and 4 - she was in her supergroup colors in those shots. Also, Half-Cocked makes an appearing in issue 2! B)

Now, for some of the more interesting shots from my collection:

- It's always neat to run across someone with a special title. As I understand it, these can only be given out by developers; not even testmasters can give you one.

- I came across a wall that looked very interesting while running around Boomtown. That texture can't be a coincidence...

- I got the chance to go on a level 35 mission sidekicked to the Afro American and grouped with Phantom, two of the most notable beta tanks. Let me tell you, high-level missions are freaking awesome. :ph34r:

- If you look closely at the buildings in Paragon City, you'll notice some interesting things. You can even come across Cryptic Studios if you look hard enough! :lol:

- Sometimes Half-Cocked and I really get into trouble, as you can see when we attended this ninja dance party! Notice all the little rays shooting from everyone's heads? That's the visual notification that they've been Taunted - I had just gotten the Provoke power (range, area-effect taunt) and it's an awesome power. Every single Tsoo in the image was gunning for me. B)

Also, for everyone who's interested in character creation or power information, there's a very neat character planner you can download from COH Warcry. I also have a ton of in-game demos, but you need the client to run them so I can't really pass them out until after release. <_<

And, lastly, a note for Liquid: Since "The Atomic Woman" seems to be such a commonly wanted name and/or I've peeved off someone on the beta boards who's trying to keep it from me (I've only managed to reserve it on Prime, which will become the test server), I may have to play Meteor Maiden in release. I just slapped that costume together for the Justice 'launch-day test', but it's basically what I'd go with, I think...

[Jim]

Hi

I just received my E-Mail conformation that I'm in...>Monday, April 19, 2004 11:29 PM
[I signed up for the CoH Beta April 2nd.] :P

Thank you for visiting the City of Heroes web site and submitting a Public Beta Application!  We would like to take this opportunity to officially invite you into the City of Heroes Public Beta Test! 

I just made it since the Beta part 2 closed tonight, Midnight Moday 4/19, if I had know I would have posted a Heads Up :o

I visited the site after reading WarLockes post above, maybe that did the trick ;)

[Walkiry]

Heh.

NCsoft does not have plans to release the game in Europe in the near future.

(From Panini Comics)

Nifty ^_^

[AtomicKitKat]

Hope they get some damn strong servers. Also hope they plan to release it Asia-side.

[Jim]

Hi

Last night I did all that was explained & instructed to do in the Email I received notifying me that I'm in the Beta. The last thing I did was to register for the Beta forum. :D

The last message I recall was that I would receive another E-Mail within the next 24 hours...I'm sure it was related to the URL needed to DL the client. I'm sitting here at my desk in Great Antisipation, however 14 hour has gone by and still no Email. <_<

I can't find any download for the Beta at the CoH web site, is this how you went about the whole process from Notice to Client DL ? :huh:

[TaiDaishar]

Well, check your junk mail, my hotmail filtered that e-mail to the junk inbox even though I had @coh.com in my "safe" list.

As for the URL needed you should've gotten it in an e-mail but if you didn't:

https://secure.plaync.com/BetaTestClient.zip

Note you'll need to sign to the boards but in this pop up window you'll need to write your PlayNC master account (and not what they said on the e-mail).

Edit: I AM IN THE BETA WOOHOO YEEEHA, must take most out of the time I have left til launch!

[Jim]

Hi TaiDaishar

Thanks found the Email with the DL URL [same as the one you posted] :D

I'll see you in the Game since we are both newbies and probably have the lowest level characters in the game :P

What is your charcater Name ?

I must say having 2 different Log-ins & passwords is Nuts :o

[LochnarITB]

I just made it since the Beta part 2 closed tonight, Midnight Moday 4/19, if I had know I would have posted a Heads Up&nbsp; :o

I visited the site after reading WarLockes post above, maybe that did the trick&nbsp; ;)

Hmmpphhhh..... <_<

Standing request: If anyone runs into a good open beta sign-up, please kick this old guys chair to wake me so that I can run over and do my bit. Nothing better than having fun on someone else's dime! B)

[Jim]

Hi

It took about 1/2 hour to make my Mut/Tank character "Nankor"...Never, have I seen so many choices for character creation, a close 2nd was AO, it was great. I'm a Huge Guy in a Combat Helmet [blue & red] :D

I will keep you advised & you should check out these web sites for Demo & Beta listings :blink:

http://gamershell.com/download_demo.shtml

http://www.gamespot.com/misc/betacenter/

http://www.onrpg.com/ordercat4-titleD.html

http://www.gameogre.com/betammorpg.htm

http://internetgames.about.com/cs/beta/

Tester Info...All you wanted to know about games testing but were afraid to ask !

[WarLocke]

So, the Name Reservation server went up a little while ago. Basically, you log in and make a 'throw-away' character on the server, and that name is reserved for your account across all servers from the release on the 28th to March 15th.

I got in, reserved "The Atomic Woman", and am satisfied. But there are a ton of people who are losing their names, because before today the official line was "The first name in the character list (per server) is reserved on that server" and now many people who have been active on the COH boards for 2+ years are having their names snapped up before they can reserve them. It's a damn shame.

The only other thing that annoys me is that, apparently, you don't get access to your reserved name until you get a retail serial code to activate your 'release' account. So I've reserved the Atomic Woman, but I'll have to play another character during the preorder 3-day headstart, which kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing; the idea was to have some sort of level spread at release, where the preorders were in the low or maybe mid teens so the newbie areas ween't so swamped. Well, if I have to wait for release anyway to play my main character, you can be sure I'll be dumping my temporary alt to do so, and there I am back in the newbie crush. Bah.

[LochnarITB]

I will keep you advised & you should check out these web sites for Demo & Beta listings&nbsp; :blink:

Thanks. I have been to some of those before. My problem is that I end up getting lost trying to sort through the drek. There is so much out there that no single person can ever find all the gems. That is when it is nice to hear that someone has run into something good.

[roguebanshee]

The only other thing that annoys me is that, apparently, you don't get access to your reserved name until you get a retail serial code to activate your 'release' account.&nbsp; So I've reserved the Atomic Woman, but I'll have to play another character during the preorder 3-day headstart, which kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing;

The devs posted that you don't have to wait to use your reserved name, they made an error when they wrote the instructions.

[WarLocke]

The devs posted that you don't have to wait to use your reserved name, they made an error when they wrote the instructions.

Yeah, I saw that post this morning, so now I'm all set and happy. The Atomic Woman will be stomping 5th Column face come Sunday. B)

It really is a shame about Poison and Geist and Lady Liberty and everyone else who got their names poached, though. :angry:

[rriggs]

Hey I didn't make the beta, so I'll plan on finding you guys on April 28th. I read some of the stuff on the COH site, and it was confusing on what exactly you would get and not get if you pre-ordered. It said you got this stuff, like a sprint power and reserved name, but then later it said you only got those if you participated in the beta? Is there any point to pre-ordering at this point? Or should I just plan on hitting BestBuy that day?

Cheers!

[roguebanshee]

Things over in Paragon City are heating up.

You could say that...

A Big Flying Saucer appeared as I was logging off.

The end of the beta draws near.

[LiquidDamage]

Hey, WarLocke, they changed the name reservation process again. It is now per server, and you have to have only one character on that server, or NO names will be registered:

http://www.cityofheroes.com/news/item218.html

So, Trouble is playing on Victory now (which is currently Name Registration), because its the only server where we all have the names we want. We were going to do Justice, but then I saw a Donna Matrix on there that wasn't the one we know, and Hollow-Point(who will be Recoil on Victory) remembered that you didn't have The Atomic Woman on Justice, so I bagged it.

Hopefully it won't be super populated, but I have a feeling all of the beta servers will be the most popular ones.

[WarLocke]

Actually, I now have the Atomic Woman reserved on all available servers except for Pinnacle. Just about to log on and see if it's been freed up there, as well.

Yep, still can't get AW on Pinnacle, dangit. Oh well.

Also, be sure to be online tonight from 7-9 CST. The Invasion is on! B)

If you have problems staying in the game (I was getting dropped without fail after 10 or 15 seconds all day yesterday) there's a bug with the Friends list - removing all your friends is the current recommended workaround.