praetoria
Latest
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Praetoria's invasion in review
It's all over and done for Praetoria now. Well, not all done; as long as new characters can start in City of Heroes as Praetorians and later run through the relevant Incarnate Trials, it'll never really be done. And we'll have more stuff in the postscript, of course, because there's always a postscript. But this big overarching story arc that the game has been running since the launch of Going Rogue almost two years ago is finally finished. And that prompts an obvious question: How did the whole arc look in retrospect? Let's face it: This whole arc has been something new for City of Heroes, an attempt to replicate the huge multi-comic crossovers that are really fun until they make up all the comics ever. You know, like what happened to Marvel comics from the late '90s until the early '00s or what's currently happening at DC. And just like those big crossovers, this one had some big flashes of brilliance and some moments that seemed like a letdown.
Take a walk through the underground in City of Heroes
City of Heroes players are currently getting to enjoy all of the improvements within City of Heroes Freedom prior to the change in business models, but there's more in the update. For example, there's the newest Incarnate Trial, which sends players deep beneath Praetoria to investigate the areas into which Hamidon is creeping despite Cole's best efforts. But this is a collision of more than just Hamidon and Praetoria: Statesman, Desdemona, and the Incarnates of Primal Earth are tied up in a search for Praetoria's Vanessa DeVore. It can be a bit confusing at first glance, but the official site has just posted a guide to the lore and the process through the trial. Players will join up with Desdemona during the march through the tunnels, which culminates in a fight against one of the Seeds of Hamidon deep beneath the world's surface. Since players have the option to unlock the Alpha Slot or level the other Incarnate Slots via the trial, the guide should come in handy for players diving into the endgame options in the wake of Issue 21.
City of Heroes previews First Ward
It's important for City of Heroes players to remember that Issue 21 isn't just bringing City of Heroes Freedom -- it's also bringing several pieces of new content, including the foreboding First Ward. The official site has just put up a preview of the new region, the site of Emperor Cole's first attempt at making his perfect society... and the site of his greatest failure in that goal. Because First Ward was the start of Praetoria, one that ended in destruction and death despite everything. Protected by a prototype system of sonic fencing which would later be used around Praetoria proper, First Ward was able to repulse the Devouring Earth for quite some time. But Hamidon had a secret plan to burst up from within the city, leading to widespread death and destruction across the landscape. The city remains as a place where the veil between dead and living has been weakened to near the breaking point while the Devouring Earth stalk the streets, and while something may be blossoming within the city, it's certainly not Cole's dream. City of Heroes players can check out the official site for the full details on what has happened to the city.
Looking back on busy times for City of Heroes with the development staff
There's been so much going on with City of Heroes over the past few months -- we've seen a new spin on older content and the anniversary and the new endgame system engaging the game's players in new content. It's a lot to take in all at once, and it's easier to process when you have the chance to talk it over with some of the development staff. During a special NCsoft event, our own Bree Royce had just such a chance to get some questions answered directly by the development team about Issue 20, the Incarnate system, and the state of the game both at present and going forward. Matt Miller and Nate Birkholz shared reflections on what has worked and what has gone a bit awry in the development, something that should be of interest to every City of Heroes player. Sadly, the discussion does not include any zombie catgirls -- just the parts that worked and the parts that wound up being problems.
Praetorian invasions hitting City of Heroes
It sure seemed as if the heroes and villains of City of Heroes had repelled the invasion of Praetorian forces. Certainly there had been an incursion, but it looked for a time as if the worst were over. But that's not the case, not even close to the case. Primal Earth's heroes might be striking against Emperor Cole's soldiers in their homes, but the dimensional assaults have only just begun. Starting on May 11th, Praetoria will besiege Primal Earth with intensity, and it's going to be up to players to try to prevent an all-out slaughter. Servers will be assaulted in a steady pattern, with a new pair hit every day during the event's duration. Players who take part in the final event on May 27th will be awarded a special account-wide badge to commemorate the heroes and villains who stood against truly overwhelming odds. If you don't want to be left on the sidelines, take a look at the full list of times and servers and get ready to fight against a bigger invasion than City of Heroes has seen since the game launched.
Exclusive Dev Diary: Designing the task forces for City of Heroes Issue 20
City of Heroes traditionally packs quite a lot into its large content patches, and Issue 20 looks to be no exception. Aside from the two new Incarnate Trials meant for endgame players, the update is going to see two new mid-level task forces added for players between levels 20-40. With one force for heroes and another for villains, everyone will have a chance to enjoy some new storytelling about the war against Praetoria outside of the earliest invasions. But of course, new task forces don't just materialize out of thin air. It takes some hard work and a solid set of design principles to make them rewarding, something that Paragon Studios has been steadily improving since launch. John Hegner, Lead Mission Designer for City of Heroes, took the time to share with us what went into the construction of these new task forces and what they should mean for the player, so click on past the break for our exclusive developer diary on the design of the new content.
Producer's letter for City of Heroes hints at the future and promises big improvements
It's the start of a new year, one that already promises to be an exciting one for fans of superheroic MMOs. DC Universe Online is launching tomorrow, Champions Online will be going free-to-play early this year, and City of Heroes is not sitting down either. In what we hope might be a new monthly tradition, fans have been treated to a brand-new producer's letter that looks back at the year before and begins peering ahead to the next 12 months while also hinting at some of the more interesting new additions to the game. Among the more interesting revelations are the promise of a double XP weekend this month, as well as more information regarding Praetoria's Hamidon when PAX East rolls around. The development team is also hoping to step up its communication this year, both from well-known members of the team and from some of the newer talent with less public exposure. While another expansion might not be in the works for City of Heroes in the near future, fans can take a look at the full letter on the site and rest easy -- it promises to be a very interesting year.
The City of Heroes team against the Apex task force
There are times when working with MMOs can be a bit of a mixed bag. You get some hate-filled feedback, you find that one of your major hobbies is now part of your job, and you're either a shill for the company or you're overly negative. And then there are times when you get to run the newest City of Heroes task force with the development team from Paragon Studios, and suddenly you remember why you got into the field in the first place. It's one thing to be told over and over that a task force represents a new high-water mark for City of Heroes, and another thing entirely to start playing it and realize that it's pretty much exactly what was advertised. The first phase of fighting off the Praetorian invasion required fancy footwork, careful play, and learning encounters without being overly tedious. And even aside from that, it featured giant robots and the explanation of the flying swords from the Issue 19 trailer -- both things that turned out to be even more awesome than I had dared to hope.
Paragon Studios answers our questions about Issue 19 of City of Heroes
Just three months after the major upheaval of Going Rogue, City of Heroes is getting another big update in the form of Issue 19. Bringing with it new task forces, the first part of the new Incarnate system, the long-awaited baseline Fitness pool, and several other quality-of-life improvements, the issue is packed to bursting with things for players to enjoy. So we naturally had a few questions, even above and beyond our first impressions of both the Incarnate system and the new Apex task force. Of course, this issue isn't the work of just one or two people within Paragon Studios, but the whole team. So it was fitting that we got our questions about the newest update to City of Heroes answered by several members of the team. Melissa Bianco, Matt Miller, Sean McCann, and Tim Sweeney all took the time to answer some quick questions about the substance of the update, so click on past the break to see our questions and their responses.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: This edition is so stupid
Guys, I have to warn you straight up... this edition is really stupid. It's just plain stupid. I'm not saying that it's bad, and I'm not saying it's not worth reading -- I'm just saying that it's really surprisingly dumb. You're all fond of City of Heroes, and I am too, but considering how dumb this week's edition is, maybe you should do something else for however long you would normally read one of my columns. I guess there are some pretty good things on YouTube these days. Oh, wait, sorry, it looks like I was reading my notes wrong. It's not that this edition is stupid, it's that the community threads we're spotlighting today are all about things that are stupid. Because there are things here and there within City of Heroes that are just a little dumb, when you get right down to it. Also, it gave me a thematic hook for this column, so that's good too. Click on past the cut for this week's highlights!
City of Heroes unveils the trailer for the Apex task force
At the best of times, the task forces in City of Heroes resemble the huge crossover events of comics at their finest -- sprawling events covering multiple titles that give heroes and villains alike a chance to really show what they can do. And if there were ever an occasion for some truly impressive superhuman antics, it would be the invasion of Praetoria coming in Issue 19. Paragon Studios has released the trailer for the first of two major task forces, and it should give some idea of the scope of what awaits. First shown at the New York Comic Con panel, the trailer features several shots showing the devastation wrought by Praetoria's machines of war, as well as the powers that heroes are unleashing to fight back. Some of these powers appear to be related to the Incarnate system, although the team was reluctant to definitively identify them as such. Take a look past the break for a sneak peek at what's coming next for City of Heroes, in all of its world-colliding glory.
One Shots: Now you're thinking with portals
With all the heroes running around in City of Heroes, you'd think that crime would have long ago been wiped off the map. But no, the criminals still attempt nefarious deeds daily. There again, when you have the ability to create (or become) a villain, all the criminal activity probably isn't as much of a surprise. Today's great City of Heroes screenshot comes to us from Brenner H., who has been doing his best to put the smack-down on evildoers everywhere. He writes in: "Going through the new zone of Praetoria was an amazing experience with great story and fun. But like everything it comes to a close. Here is me deciding to go to Paragon City (The Heroes' side) and to begin my adventure. Beyond this portal is my future!" Whether you love story, graphics, or concept, we love to hear about your favorite MMO from your perspective. If you'd like to take part in One Shots, then email a screenshot you like to us here at oneshots@massively.com. Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Feel free to add server, guild, or any additional information you'd like. We'll post it here on Massively and give you the credit. %Gallery-85937%
City of Heroes reactivation weekend set for early October
Paragon Studios is planning another reactivation weekend to lure former City of Heroes players back, and the company is offering more attractive bait than in previous weekends: Praetoria. The new content in Going Rogue will be available to all account holders past and present from the morning of October 7th to late on the 10th. It's a limited view -- you can only access Praetorian content up to level 14 -- so don't plan on an Extra Life-style gaming marathon to power to the level cap. However, if you've been wondering what the expansion is like, this is a good chance to try it out for free. Visit the City of Heroes site for all the details on this free weekend.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Community lives!
The community for City of Heroes got a big shot in the arm when the expansion came out. While it hadn't exactly died in the last few years, it was certainly on a lower pulse. These days, I can't log in without seeing pretty much every server near capacity. Even with a month having passed since the initial release, it seems that Going Rogue is doing a fine job of keeping people wrapped up in the game. You can rail about the lack of endgame all you want, but Praetoria's a pretty good starting ride. Of course, it's high time for us to do another community roundup post, so the fact that the community has rallied back serves my own purposes. We've got more than just a surfeit of content to talk about -- we've got a whole collection of new missions and gameplay types to work with. And, of course, there are those "just 20 levels" of starting content to chat about. So click on through to see what City of Heroes players have been chatting about for the past month.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Both sides now
Back when Going Rogue was first released, I made a point that I wasn't going into detail on the alignment and tip system. As I saw it at the time, there were two major reasons not to go whole-hog into it, the first being that I was already writing an entire novel on the expansion, and the second being that Paragon Wiki was hard at work putting more details into place. Why try to reinvent the wheel in a weekly column? And there was also a third reason: I'd been spending more time in Praetoria than on my old characters. So I suppose in some way I ought to thank whichever designer gave my poor brute the chance to fight two elite bosses at the same time with three NPCs as backup in a single-player mission. It gave me plenty of incentive to spend more time with my higher-level characters. (Seriously, that mission is absurd.) That meant I started diving into the alignment system, and that means I'm going to spend more time detailing one of the centerpieces of City of Heroes gameplay at the moment: alignment.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria
It's finally here, and I have to admit, it's a little weird to realize it. After I spent the better part of half a year focusing on Going Rogue, the expansion has been released and is totally playable. To have the game sitting in front of me (metaphorically) after it's become such a huge part of my professional life is almost too daunting. I almost didn't even want to fire up the launcher to... OK, yeah, that part isn't fooling anyone. Getting to play around a bit while it was in beta to see how it would play was nice, but I couldn't get myself into City of Heroes fast enough to start leveling a Loyalist and going to town on the new side of town. At the end of the day, I'm just a player like everyone reading this column, and the game I got to play on Monday evening made me very happy indeed. There's a lot to see and do, and I've tried to recap some of the disconnected thoughts in this week's column. And as a bonus, there's a sad announcement at the end! It's like a bonus, anyway.
Mayhem is afoot: Win a copy of Going Rogue or a City of Heroes Mutant Booster pack!
Mayhem we say, Mayhem! The good Mother tricked us yesterday with an early launch of City of Heroes: Going Rogue and threw off our superpowered plans! But, while we scrambled to get you coverage with the strength of 10,000 men, the brave (or cruel) heroes (or villains) of Paragon City (or the Rogue Isles) entered the mirror universe of Praetoria to carve out their destinies (or plunder and loot maniacally). We hope you guys are enjoying the new areas, and the new morality options, entered into the game! But, alas, are you saddened that you can't join your superpowered friends in Praetoria? Are you one of the few who don't own a copy of City of Heroes? Well, how about we fix that for you with a superpowered contest, courtesy our friends at NCsoft? Want to win a full copy of City of Heroes: Going Rogue, or a copy of the Mutant Super Booster costume pack? Super jump after the break for all of the details!
First Impressions: City of Heroes Going Rogue
To hear the team talk about it, Going Rogue isn't simply an expansion for City of Heroes but a full-on reboot of the game in general. It's hard to see how, on some level; outside of the new powersets and a new starting area, not much is visibly being added with the expansion. But sitting down and playing through the starting area and the game's opening suddenly feels like an entirely different experience. It's not a new game -- but it feels like a leap forward from where the game had been just a few days before. I didn't get nearly as much time with the Going Rogue beta as I would have liked, and I'll be the first to admit that I'm biased when it comes to City of Heroes. But even with those standards set, I was impressed right away with how the game has been revamped from the start -- and what these revamps mean for the game as a whole and moving forward. Click on past the cut for the first impressions of the latest expansion, which launches today. (Coincidental, yes?) %Gallery-99455%
Going Rogue video diaries wrap up with a look at Praetoria
With less than a week to go until the official release of Going Rogue, most City of Heroes players are on the edge of their metaphorical seats. (Or leaning back in the reclining chairs of cynical pre-disappointment, but that's another metaphor.) It makes a perfect time for Paragon Studios to launch their final video documentary on the coming expansion, this one focusing on the mirror world of Praetoria. Embedded past the cut, the video features the team discussing the overall impression of the new areas, both from a gameplay and lore perspective. We've seen the area in action more than once now, but the newest documentary shows off yet again just how different the game really looks. It also discusses how the new areas are intended to be a revamp for the entire game, starting from the ground up and moving forward. It's an ambitious goal, one that City of Heroes players will get to experience in less than a week -- but until then, you can check out the video past the cut to wrap up the four-part series.
City of Heroes releases flyover for Imperial City and Neutropolis
We've got a treat for City of Heroes players today, one that should provide more than a few smiles -- a video flyover of two more zones from Going Rogue. Where the first video previewed the core of the capital and the (ideally invisible) underground, this one focuses on the Imperial City and Neutropolis. The former is the region where the vast majority of Praetorian citizens live and work every day, while the latter highlights the almost-otherworldly (pun intended) technology under development. While cityscapes are nothing new for the game's environs, the Imperial City is a cut above anything that's previously been featured. The billboards stand out, the architecture is unique, and at times the game almost looks like something other than City of Heroes entirely. With less than a week until Going Rogue's release, it won't be long before players get to experience these environments for themselves -- but until then, you can take a look at the video past the cut.
