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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.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The replacements
Hey, guys, did you know that Going Rogue is launching in less than a week? That's crazy. It feels especially strange to me, since this was an expansion that had barely been announced when I started here, and has since become pretty personally important. But we're not here to talk about my vague feelings about the impending launch, we're here to talk about its larger implications for City of Heroes -- namely, the obvious systemic changes that might well be coming when the expansion goes live. Now, some of you are doubtlessly going to point out that we're not even getting our first Incarnate slot, the expansion isn't changing any part of the system, and so forth and so on. But you forget that there is an interesting change to the system coming that we all know about: the fact that archetypes will no longer be allegiance-locked. That's right -- whether you're in City of Heroes or City of Villains, you'll no longer be limited to five different archetypes. And considering the fact that the archetypes are roughly analogous on both sides now, this might have just a bit of an impact.
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.
Time for City of Heroes players to get ready for Issue 18
Are you ready for Issue 18 of City of Heroes? There are only a few days left to get oneself ready for all of the updates coming just to the basic game, even without counting the fact that it coincides with the launch of Going Rogue. But just in case you're not quite ready, the team at Paragon Studios is going to help get you ready by allowing players to pre-download the patch before next Tuesday. Even beyond that, players are being given the option to move characters, redo their costumes, or even change that most sacred identifier -- the global chat handle. All players with an active account at the beginning of next week will receive a free costume change token and respec token for all characters on the account. Players will also have the option to change their global chat handles, which are normally locked after the first change. On top of all that, the no-charge server transfers from earlier in the year will be back for the first week of Going Rogue's release, allowing City of Heroes players a chance to put everything in order to optimize their play experience. So if you're not ready now... it's time to get ready.
Paragon Studios is sending City of Heroes fans to PAX Prime
Remember how it was mentioned that if you weren't already going to PAX Prime, you likely wouldn't be able to, which would mean missing out on meeting the team behind City of Heroes? Apparently, Paragon Studios had the same thought process, which is why they're giving fans a chance to get a free three-day pass to the convention. They're not including airfare or lodging, but considering how quickly the actual passes were sold out, the former is at least only a hurdle of money rather than availability. The contest, running until August 16th, asks for fans to write a haiku expressing their excitement for next week's launch of Going Rogue. Three winners will be chosen on the basis of originality and cleverness, and each will win a pass to all three days of the convention. That means not only seeing the City of Heroes team, but a pass to all of the other entertainment to be had over the weekend. So if you think you can express your enthusiasm in no more than seventeen syllables, take a look at the full rules for entry and start writing.
City of Heroes has plans... PAX plans
If you haven't already thought about PAX Prime coming up in September, odds are good you're not going. But if you are going and you're a fan of City of Heroes, you'll be happy to know that the team from Paragon Studios will be making a showing at the convention. The team will be hosting a panel as well as a meet-and-greet event for the fans over the weekend, similar to what was done during PAX East in March. Players will also be rewarded with a new disguise power -- in this case, the Praetorian Police Department's duty outfit. Since the convention will take place after the release of Going Rogue, the panel's topic will be on the new expansion as well as the future beyond release, most likely covering the Incarnate system and the further future. The meet-and-greet, meanwhile, is happening off-site and gives players both the aforementioned costume code and an exclusive lenticular button for the game. Take a look at the full rundown of the events with the City of Heroes team -- even if you're not attending, we'll make sure to keep everyone up-to-date on the information.
Shocking revelations in the newest City of Heroes developer diary
It's fair to say that Going Rogue is going to be a fairly big shock to the system of City of Heroes -- especially if the control-oriented archetypes have anything to say about it. The fourth powerset included with the expansion, Electrical Control, hasn't gotten quite as much press time as Kinetic Melee, Dual Pistols, or Demon Summoning. But it's got just as much spark as the others -- more, in fact -- and a new offsite developer diary by Floyd "Castle" Grubb and Keetsie Braz da Cunha focuses on both the visual and mechanical design of the powers. As Castle describes it, the powerset wasn't originally designed for player use, but as a testbed of several concepts to see how they would play out in the game engine. It was converted to a player set when Going Rogue approached, however... which required a re-design of several parts of the set. The visuals were a hurdle as well, seeing as the set had to feel visually distinct from the many other electricity-themed powers the game already possesses. Take a look at the full diary to see how the problems were solved, showing City of Heroes players another peek at how the development team is conducted.
Share and enjoy in City of Heroes with the Praetorian Clockwork!
Greetings, fine consumer! You appear to be the sort of discerning individual highly anticipating the upcoming expansion for City of Heroes, much like several of your friends in [SUBJECT_HOMETOWN_HERE]. Going Rogue will be releasing on August 17th, available online or at [SUBJECT_RETAILER_HERE], but perhaps you'd like an opportunity to see some of the most useful automatic companions available before the fact? If so, today is your lucky day, because you have the unprecedented opportunity to take a look at the details behind the Clockwork, the latest and greatest release from Neuron Technologies Unlimited! Featuring voice recognition, a shiny chrome finish, and over nine thousand home maintenance routines, the Clockwork offer an unparalleled level of safety and security for the entire family. These super-toys last all summer long, with a self-replenishing power source and ample maintenance facilities. And if one of your neighbors challenges the bright new future being assembled by Emperor Cole, you'll be happy to note that all Clockwork are equipped with the best possible threat neutralization capabilities available. Further information, including ordering details and a full description of how you and your robot can share and enjoy your lives, can be found at the official site for City of Heroes.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Places to go, questions to answer
It's hard to believe that in just two weeks, all of the debates about whether or not Going Rogue will revitalize City of Heroes will be out of the land of theory and into the realm of practice. And while we've still got another week in the land of theory, right now we're taking a trip... well, still into the land of theory, but into the land of theories you asked for. Which is different, in a way! I have a hard time writing these introductions. Haggs asked: "...now that you're getting new lower-level content, why would you want to go through it as fast as you're going through the old content?" It's not always a question of "want." Levels 1-20 in City of Heroes are not nearly as slow as the later levels -- they don't start to really feel long until you reach the 30s, but it's much faster to go from 1-20 than from 20-30 even if you're just playing casually. The flow of leveling appears to be tuned so that players will be able to hit a level of moderate competence fairly quickly, spend a bit of time fleshing out their powers, and then spend quite some time filing off any rough edges via the 40+ powers.
Preview: City of Heroes: Going Rogue
I got to play the new Going Rogue expansion for City of Heroes at Comic-Con. I haven't played the six-year-old MMO in a while, so I was out of the loop -- since I'd last played it, Paragon Studios has updated the graphics, added a mission editor, and put out a host of other upgrades and features. But Going Rogue's big feature is something players have been asking about for a while: For the first time in the game, heroes and villains will be able to switch sides with an interesting set of morality quests. Paragon Studios senior producer Jesse Caceres and the game's art lead, David Nakayama, told me that the alignment change is a natural evolution from all of the other customization choices they've given to players in the past. "One of our strengths is the character creation system," says Caceres, "and with the Mission Architect, players could custom create and craft their own stories, create their own villain groups. We want to give players more options, so with this expansion, we're giving them the freedom to change their alignments from Hero to Villain" (and vice versa).
Video guide to Nova Praetoria and the Underground for City of Heroes
If the various videos released by the team at Paragon Studios have made anything clear, it's the difference between hearing about City of Heroes and seeing the game in action. That's what makes the most recent teaser trailer so interesting. We've been told about Nova Praetoria and the Underground, and we've seen static shots of the cityscape -- but seeing it in motion is a whole different thing. It turns a concept into a living, breathing city. The video, released today via the game's Facebook page, is embedded after the cut and is well worth a watch for any fan of the game. Showcasing several of the most prominent buildings, it serves as an excellent primer for players before Going Rogue goes live in just a couple weeks. It also helps demonstrate some of the effects that the art team has been touting for some time, highlighting in real time how Praetoria has been designed for Ultra Mode. Take a look past the cut, and keep your eyes peeled for more on the upcoming City of Heroes expansion as we approach launch.
City of Heroes shows off the upcoming Kinetic Melee set
Melee characters in City of Heroes have always lacked ranged abilities. Some of this is implied by the archetype, of course -- you wouldn't expect a character built around hand-to-hand combat to be at maximum potency outside of grabbing distance -- but it's a bit of a disadvantage at times when a tanker or brute can do very little but get shot as he moves into range. Kinetic Melee, one of the power sets coming with the Going Rogue expansion, is poised to change that a little. It might not be a blaster set, but it's more than capable of mixing things up at a longer range. Of course, that's hardly the only trick that the new powerset can pull. Kinetic Melee is full of smooth maneuvers that weaken the target with each hit -- and one of the marquee abilities, Siphon Power, strengthens the wielder with each hit. It's a steady chain of the target being worn down and the player character building up, coupled with knockback and knockdowns to keep control of the battle flow. Check out our gallery below, or take a look at the official site for more details on one of the upcoming powersets for City of Heroes. %Gallery-98440%
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Two sides to the story
I'm pretty excited for Going Rogue. Part of that is kind of inevitable -- I write a column about City of Heroes, I've tried to make a clear point that I'm a fan of comics in general, and quite honestly right now I'm in a bit of a video game drought and could use something new. But there's more to it than that, and it goes right back to my love of BioWare and the motivation to do speed runs of Silent Hill 2 just to see all of the various endings available. What I'm getting at here is that I'm a big fan of any game that offers me morality or lets the game shift depending on my choices. So when Going Rogue had its two factions explained, I sat up and took notice, because the morals at play are certainly not black and white. No, they're grey and gray -- if not closer to blue and orange -- and that led to the inspiration for what I believe to be two of my most popular columns. And wouldn't you know it, even with both columns written, there's still more to be said.
SDCC 2010: Melissa Bianco on lessons and innovations in City of Heroes Going Rogue
There's less than a month left before the release of Going Rogue, something that many City of Heroes players are looking forward to with heavy anticipation. The team at Paragon Studios has been anything but stingy with information about the upcoming expansion as well -- they've been more than happy to share just how impressive the features are going to be. We had a chance to catch up with the the team at SDCC 2010, which gave us the opportunity to take a closer look and get a few more insights about the game's development. Melissa "War Witch" Bianco was on hand to share several details about the game's upcoming improvements, and while many of the elements previewed at the convention are familiar to players following Going Rogue, there are some new revelations beneath the cut. If you're allergic to cuts, you can at least take solace in the confirmed fact that the expansion will feature seven new costume sets, including the Praetorian Police costume and the Resistance outfit. For more on missions and how they'll be implemented in the upcoming City of Heroes expansion, click on away.
The lore behind districts in City of Heroes: Going Rogue
As we alluded to in our small preview last week, Nova Praetoria is one of the most elite neighborhoods in the alternate Earth setting of Going Rogue. The City of Heroes team has long been known for giving every region a detailed backstory, and the new areas of Praetoria are no exception. Official information on Nova Praetoria and the Underground has just been released on the official site, giving players a chance to take a peek behind the visuals to see how day-to-day life functions in the world's most prestigious city -- and its underbelly. The seat of humanity's self-proclaimed savior, Nova Praetoria is elevated from the rest of the world both figuratively and physically, built on an artificial island upon an artificially flooded river. Unfortunately, between the Resistance and the disenfranchised Destroyers -- former soldiers who want to tear down Cole for purely anarchistic reasons -- even the seat of power is increasingly less stable. Meanwhile, the Undergound below is a war between Cole's loyalists using the tunnels for their original purpose of surreptitious transport, the Resistance setting up headquarters to strike at Cole's base of power, and the ravenous Ghouls patrolling the tunnels for unknown reasons. The lore on both areas is top-notch, and it should help make City of Heroes players even more invested in the coming expansion. %Gallery-97436%
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The community and the harsh truths
It's that time again. (Those of you who immediately started in with a Wheel of Morality sketch earn a gold star and are excused for the rest of the day.) With less than a month remaining according to the official timetable for Going Rogue's release, we're taking another look at the community topics of City of Heroes, one that should prove quite rewarding. Literally, even, as some of our highlighted discussions are about prestige, merit points, and what you get off of a Giant Monster's corpse when you kill it. More than anything, if there's a theme to this round's discussions, it's a call for improvements. I've made the occasional joke about how the expansion will bring everything anyone ever wanted into the game, and there's certainly a strong thread of that running through recent discussions as well. After all, we all know there are areas where City of Heroes could be stronger, so perhaps a few side updates aren't wholly remiss? Or maybe I'm just feeling cantankerous this week. Every problem looks like a nail when all you have is a hammer, and so forth. Onward with discussion!
City of Heroes previews the districts of Going Rogue
If there's been a complaint about the visuals for the upcoming City of Heroes expansion, it's that Going Rogue will be sticking characters in yet another cityscape. On the most technical level, that's true. However, compared to the utilitarian New England city areas in Paragon City and the urban decay of the Rogue Isles, the sweeping curves and smooth designs of Praetoria couldn't be more different. And even if the visuals from the newest reveal don't grab you, there's still a wealth of information in the latest official disclosures on the expansion's site. Nova Praetoria is the heart of the world's administration and the most exclusive neighborhood ever. (It's the equivalent of the President asking you to move in next door, if the President ran the entire planet and could bend cars in half with his hands.) In a parody of the omnipresent memorials to lost heroes in Paragon City, Nova Praetoria is dotted with statues celebrating the still-living Praetors. The Underground, directly beneath the district, was created to avoid any sight of the day-to-day maintenance of the city -- but it's since become a haven for the movement against Cole and his empire. Take a look at our gallery below for more of the visual awesomeness. %Gallery-97436%
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Angry, desperate, hungry, cold
Everyone has different definitions of what constitutes a hero. City of Heroes features plenty of them, after all, and even then there's a breadth of different elements that make them heroic. Some of them are bravely fighting against the odds with unreliable powers or no powers outside of training. Some are heroes who have all the power in the world, but they consider the needs of society to be greater than their own needs. But there's one unifying trait so simple as to be almost comical to state. Heroes do the right thing. No matter what. So it's kind of silly to try and glorify the actions of Emperor Cole's jackbooted maniacs, rallying under the "loyalist" banner as if stomping on people were something to be proud about. The fact of the matter is that Cole has been named Tyrant pretty appropriately, crushing any chance for an entire world to make its own choices and mistakes and steps forward. And the reward for handing him control has been paradise, sure -- if you consider what he's offering a paradise.
City of Heroes Going Rogue soundtrack available on iTunes and Amazon
There's just a little more than a month left until City of Heroes players get to take the new expansion for a spin, and Going Rogue's promotions have been stepped up accordingly. Oddly, while the art direction, storytelling, and mechanical aspects of the expansion have all gotten significant attention, we've heard very little about the music that will be expected to set the mood. But if you really want to know, there's no need to speculate -- the soundtrack is already available for purchase. Available both on iTunes and Amazon (albeit slightly cheaper on Amazon), the soundtrack contains 13 pieces composed by Jason Graves, previously of Dead Space and Command & Conquer 4 fame. The previews available suggest a highly orchestral and high-energy collection of pieces, with each piece giving a distinct and different feel from the familiar melodies of the Rogue Isles and Paragon City. Going Rogue players may well want to pick up the soundtrack, as it's only a few bucks and should conjure some engaging images for future City of Heroes adventures.
NCsoft announces Comic-Con schedule for Aion, City of Heroes, and Guild Wars 2
Comic-Con is just over a week away, and if you're a fan of any of NCsoft's games you'll be happy about the latest news: NCsoft has released the full schedule for its Comic-Con presence. Fans will be treated to some merchandise giveaways and signings, and there will be speaking sessions centered around Guild Wars 2 and City of Heroes: Going Rogue. While we can't play Guild Wars 2 quite yet, NCsoft will have stations set up to experience Aion and Going Rogue. Events are scheduled daily from the 22nd through the 25th, so check out the NCsoft events calendar to be sure you don't miss anything!
