City of Heroes - NG

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

I'd probably like CoH if the monthly fee was $5 or so. I just don't think I'd get enough out of it to justify the $15. It's a change of pace game, not a primary game for me.

I agree. It's just so sterile and........I don't know....amateurish. I need content. If I only wanted to "make friends" or whatever, I'd just play a really good one player RPG and log onto AIM at the same time. CoH just isn't worth the $15 a month for me. Maybe it'll get better when CoV comes out, but for now it seems extremely bare.

[Thomkal]

Blackadar and Schmidty I understand where you are coming from (well not the amateurish part). I've been with COH since the beta, and I really worried about it surviving the first few months due to the concerns you've mentioned. I brought it up at the time and posted on their beta boards about how disappointing it was that they spent so much time on creating a living breathing city, and then failing to give it much "substance".

There's very little color outside of grey, white, black, and brown in the city zones themselves and the more remote zones (that I've been to at least) don't look all that different from each other. The geometry of the buildings are almost all squares or rectangles. I could overlook that because they did so many details "right"-the civilians who talk about the heroes as you walk by or click on them, the variety of cars and trucks, the road signs and ads and signs on buildings, the tram system (even if it is a bit ridiculous for superheroes to be taking the tram) and much more. So while the similar looking zones bothered me a lot at first, I've learned to look past them.

The one thing I could not look past was the abysmal decision to use "mix and match" interiors for the missions. I've created a character, run the tutorial, and then in my first mission outside of it, had the exact same layout as I did in the tutorial mission. And the lack of color applies there even more. That just boggled my mind. How does that appeal to the person who just bought your game? And worse than that there was almost no human villains with superpowers in the early game. (that's changed a bit for the better) Fighting robots with electric powers or zombies with "vomit" powers just wasn't what I was looking for. I really thought the game might go under with these design decisions.

But the good news is that things get a little better as you go up in level. You get a few more interior types, new villian groups, some human, some alien, and some in between. Story lines that began with your first level character develop and in some cases come to a conclusion when you face an archvillian. There are Trial group missions, where you run a series of interconnected missions with a story behind them, and more beyond that. You have more powers to use giving you more strategic choices.

The bad news is that the upper levels just drag and drag on even with all this. It helps to be in a group at this point, but even still it will take forever to go up a level if you are a casual player like me. I think in my experience its the MMORPG that takes the longest to go from 1-50. Too long perhaps in my opinion.

I left the game for a while because of the dragging and the allure of WOW and EQ2. But I've come back because I love the genre so much. If you aren't such a comic fan, the game probably won't have the same appeal.

[Bonegavel]

I guess I really should try WoW just to be able to compare, but no Fantasy based MMO can appeal to me because I am a dyed-in-the-wool tabletop PnP RPG guy. I remember when Baldur's Gate came out and it was hailed as some sort of greatest game ever and it isn't 1 billionth of a single sit-down session of AD&D.

With that said, I can still enjoy these games (picked up Guild Wars and I think there is promise there) just in a different way.

I definitely think that $15/month is waaaay too much for the game but I have the money and with the time I spend in game I get my money's worth by the first day of the billing cycle.

If you are looking for pretty colors and vividly rendered environs, this isn't the game for you. If you are looking for endlessly varied instanced missions, this isn't the game for you.


I still have to ask how different the mission structure is in WoW? Are they that varied? Isn't it a nightmare to move around in that game? Blackie, you have yet to get a travel power, i think (not 14 yet). Once you get Super Speed or Fly you may have a hard time playing another MMO again. Before CoH, I accepted that traveling around an MMO was slow and painful. No longer.

I understand that everyone comes to these games with different expectations, desires, and goals. I can't get into the fantasy MMOs because they pale in comparison to PnP RPGs. I can get into CoH because the Comic/SuperHero genre is far less complex and more about beating the shit out of things and following relatively simple plots and schemes of villains.

What does WoW do that CoH doesn't?

[Blackadar]

Bone:

It's not easy to describe. WoW has a helluva lot more atmosphere - beautiful areas to explore, monster diversity and the like. Add in a more NPC interaction, more quests and backstory and you have a gameworld that's much more "alive". It has a lot to do with presentation - something Blizzard excells in.

Now, CoH's combat is more interesting and it's MUCH more party-friendly. In addition, WoW has some serious issues with endgame content, player base (annoying 13 year olds), population imbalances and so on. So it's not perfect by any means.

As for travel, I don't really mind it so much in WoW. Yes, it can get annoying at times. But it's not the old 20 minute EQ runs. And the world is pretty enough to enjoy the trip.

For whatever reason, in CoH I feel like even at level 11 I'm running around beating up thugs - the same guys I've beaten up for the last 10 levels. I don't understand a darn thing about the backstory except there are gangs running around. And I've just seen the same concrete jungle over and over.

If I invested the same time in WoW, I'd probably be close to level 20. I've probably seen a couple of very different zones, killed no less than 10 very different types of mobs, done countless quests and have a much better feel for the backstory and my "contribution" to the world at large.

My guess is that WoW between levels 1-30 blow away any other MMO and that CoH probably starts to get really good after level 25 or so. I just don't think I can get through the grind to get to the good stuff in CoH.

[Anthony]

word of advice - don't go to Brickstown then. i partnered up with a couple guys from here to level (trying to get to lvl 14 so i can fly). the mobs in Brickstown are no joke. sorta felt like the Matrix in that zone. there's some definite badasses in that zone. i died 3 times trying to escape that zone.

[rkmsuf]

Leroy Jennnnnnnnnkiiiiiinnnnnnns.

[Bonegavel]

Blackie,

Cool and yeah, the atmosphere in CoH is "sterile" compared to that. It has its pros/cons.

CoH definitely has great looking character models (important for the genre) great power effects (important for the genre) and a superb combat experience (important to the genre).

However, also important to the genre are colorful villains (both figuratively and literally) and that is somewhat missing.

If CoH could simply put more emphasis on new content, new missions, new plots, new Archetypes, new powers, new new new, the game would be much better off. The only bone thrown your way for reaching 50 is the unlocking of 2 new Archetypes. Other than that, every new character you start has the same set of missions available depending on your origin.

Once I got over that hump (i went through a "i'm quiting phase" a few times), I discovered that I really enjoyed the process of leveling, even though it becomes slow and painful, and the building of a character through the power selection and the enhancement slot allocation. You really can play 2 characters with the exact same Primary and Secondary very differently.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

Blackie,

Cool and yeah, the atmosphere in CoH is "sterile" compared to that. It has its pros/cons.

CoH definitely has great looking character models (important for the genre) great power effects (important for the genre) and a superb combat experience (important to the genre).

However, also important to the genre are colorful villains (both figuratively and literally) and that is somewhat missing.

If CoH could simply put more emphasis on new content, new missions, new plots, new Archetypes, new powers, new new new, the game would be much better off. The only bone thrown your way for reaching 50 is the unlocking of 2 new Archetypes. Other than that, every new character you start has the same set of missions available depending on your origin.

Once I got over that hump (i went through a "i'm quiting phase" a few times), I discovered that I really enjoyed the process of leveling, even though it becomes slow and painful, and the building of a character through the power selection and the enhancement slot allocation. You really can play 2 characters with the exact same Primary and Secondary very differently.

I'll post this again on a different thread, but...

Believe it or not, I've gone back to WoW. Since I sold my account (something I do NOT regret), I'm starting over. And my hiatus from WoW and my experience with CoH were just the trick. I've also devoted myself to RPing more and leveling less. We will see if that holds.

What I liked most about WoW - and missed in CoH - was the story and feeling of "culture". For example, I started off with a troll priest. Within my first few levels, I know that my tribe was overrun by murlocs and there are few survivors. That we are indebted to the orcs for taking us in. That we're an aggressive but honorable race but that we've been exiled and hated by other trolls because we struck an alliance with the orcs. As a priest, I don't quite fit in with my other trolls, so I'm a bit unusual. This character is on a medium-pop server.

So I started another character - a tauren druid. The backstory is even better. That we're a peaceful and proud race, a plains people who are mystic by nature and love the land. That we're not much different from the Night Elves, but not as haughty. That the orcs helped us to drive off the centaurs and that's why we're allied with them. And as a druid, I'm very much in character with my noble race. This character is on a low-pop RP server.

Both starting areas are visually very striking. I really love the Tauren plains. Since I got my new monitor, the colors of the game stand out even more. It's quite beautiful.

I'm sure I'll run into some of the same problems that I encountered before towards the endgame. Hopefully, many of them will be resolved before I get to level 60. The Battlegrounds seem very interesting - PvP with a purpose, many of the 12 year olds have moved off to Guild Wars and I've selected character types (priest, druid) that are always in demand in groups.

CoH is a good game, but I doubt I'd play it enough to justify the monthly expense.

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

CoH is a good game, but I doubt I'd play it enough to justify the monthly expense.

Nice. That is definitely more depth than CoH where you basically make up your own bio and it really means NOTHING other than for fun.

I have yet to have anyone comment on the few bios I've made and have yet to truly role-play because, frankly, there isn't much to role-play here.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

Nice. That is definitely more depth than CoH where you basically make up your own bio and it really means NOTHING other than for fun.

I have yet to have anyone comment on the few bios I've made and have yet to truly role-play because, frankly, there isn't much to role-play here.

What the hell are you talking about? There's plenty of role-play here. Silver Streak RPs like a scrapper all of the time.

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

What the hell are you talking about? There's plenty of role-play here. Silver Streak RPs like a scrapper all of the time.

Hehe. No, that's role-"over dead"-play.

[Bad-example]

I hit 33 last night. Although it takes longer to level post-30 I am still having fun. Currently I am pursuing story arcs involving the Council, the Freakshow and Nemesis, and trying to avoid missions involving the Circle of Thorns because, well, they get under my skin.

[Bad-example]

Professor Ion is now sitting at 36. Good missions are a little hard to come by at this point. The CoT missions are a pain, mostly because the maps tend to be more difficult to completely clear.

Ion can't kick ass like uber heroes White Napalm and Tauntological, but he does do a good job of both taking and dishing out the punishment.

I did the tailor missions, which were surprisingly easy, so now I have a cape and an aura on my main costume.

[Raiders Army]

Gratz on 36! I noticed you're moving up there. I should be on tonight, so we can team. I have the Crey missions which are much better than the CoT missions (which you get in your 40s as well).

[Airhog]

Private Psycho on the Victory Server. I am a Spike/Regen/Scrapper. I am upto level 5 now. Its been fun, but im not sure If I will buy the game once my trial is over. We will see though.

[Qwikshot]

RAWR! Green Drake is back...as is Hangfire, Hangfire, Hangfire, Hangfire!!!

[KWhit]

I created an account and character to take advantage of the free trial. So far, I am hooked.

Look for me on Victory. My name is Boros, lvl 10 tanker.

I didn't think I would like the game that much, so I didn't put a whole lot of thought into my build, name, or costume, so I'll probably create a new character soon once I learn some more about the game (I still feel like a noob).

I'd love to group with you guys to help me learn the ropes!

[Bonegavel]

The other thread got me thinking about all the characters I've created, here is my list. To see what characters you have on what server go to the character copy tool and it at least gives you their name.

hxxps://secure.cityofheroes.com/cgi-bin/coh_transfer.pl

Champion
Dead Embers
Jade Spectre
Red Cent

Freedom
Crontab
Fountainhead
Hardtolookat
Plushkin
Rhodanus

Guardian
Broken Ties
Brushburn
Debbie Dark
Lepper Con

Infinity
Fuglyanna
Zugzwang

Justice
Frantic Photon

Liberty
Sophocles 9000

Pinnacle
Green Fuse
Left Hand of Xi
Miss Truncheon
Obsidian Claw

Protector
Daemon Doctor
Frozen Senator
Outcrop

Triumph

Victory
Albino Claw
Colophon
Excidian
Phaero
Pyronancy
Ramble
Silent Partner
Tauntological

Virtue
Dead Sea
Ecclesiates
Jux Tapoze
Keynote
Ramsack
Tripolar

[ColtCrazy]

a friend and I just bought this game. I play a controller and I love it. But in the back of my mind, I do wonder if I will love it enough to keep playing it for $15 a month. It's definitely cool right now, but I have a free month to play so we'll see how it goes.

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

a friend and I just bought this game. I play a controller and I love it. But in the back of my mind, I do wonder if I will love it enough to keep playing it for $15 a month. It's definitely cool right now, but I have a free month to play so we'll see how it goes.

I went through many phases with this game. At first I was elated. Refreshing game. Fun combat. Then, that wore off and I settled into a deeper learning curve of the dynamics of the ATs. Then, boredom set in. The grind to 50 with 1 character nearly did me in. Then, once I hit 50 I have gone back into a play-for-fun mode. Hitting 50 released a lot of anxiety for me.

Now, I am really concentrating on slotting of powers, power selection, slotting of said powers, team configurations, tactics (of which I wish there was more), etc.

Game isn't perfect by any stretch, but it is the only one to keep my attention for more than the free month. Combat is the most fun I've had in a MMO and that is apparently the most important aspect to me as there isn't much else.