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Will improved City of Heroes graphics come before Going Rogue?
Apparently not content with his most recent contest, Sean "Dr. Aeon" McCann decided that he would use the official City of Heroes forums to declare a war upon television. Really, it's not that unusual for the game's forums, which tend to be on the friendly and silly side; what is a bit more unusual is the carrot being offered. His promise is that if readers join him in his war against television (which, to be fair, is a fine war), the game's "Ultra Mode" will be released to all players prior to Going Rogue. Silly? Of course it is, McCann isn't even on the same team in charge of the graphical upgrade. Except that there has been a persistent rumor that the upgrade, revealed at Hero-Con along with the groundswell of Going Rogue information, will be going live before the expansion's launch anyway. Of course, McCann himself points out that he couldn't possibly follow up on his promise... which could mean that he knows something will happen. Or it could be the resident mad scientist of City of Heroes being his usual impish self. Either way, this rumor has a bit more meat on its bones, so players might want to go ahead and keep an eye on that thread. [ Thanks to Informant D for the tip! ]
New City of Heroes Mission Architect contest leaves everyone powerless
If there's one storyline that comic book writers love coming back to, and there certainly is, it's the idea of the main characters losing their abilities. Seeing whether or not heroes can overcome challenges without their gifts, or if villains are as dangerous when merely mortal, gives a lot of definition to normally superhuman antics. It's time for creators in City of Heroes to take on that trope, because the latest Mission Architect contest is all about taking the power away from the best-known champions of the city or the isles. The contest, running until February 24th, requires an arc centered around a known figure losing their powers, be they hero or villain. If that's not enough to capture the feel, though, the arc is meant for the lowest possible level band of 5-10. There's also a brief reminder that part of the goal is to stretch one's legs, and that the best arcs will likely incorporate features not generally found in low-level content. As with the prior contest, the prize is a permanent title and a potential Developer's Choice pick for the arc, so City of Heroes players should start thinking about what would be a fun way to be unempowered.
The Spring Fling is on in City of Heroes
It's time for heroes and villains to put aside their differences once again in the name of love. Or the name of temporary powers and costume pieces, if you're the cynical sort. City of Heroes is going to host its Spring Fling once again, running from February 9th until March 2nd, and as usual it focuses on bringing opposites together under one roof. Because at the end of the day, aren't villains and heroes really two sides of the same coin? She fights crime, he robs banks, she defends the innocent, he sets fire to orphanages? Well, all right, but whether you like it or not the event requires differences to be set aside in order to make the most of the holiday. Both villains and heroes get their own mission arcs, but each arc requires at least one person of the opposite faction to complete the chain. In addition, the temporary buff power Dimension Drops only provides its full benefit when used upon someone of the opposite faction, further encouraging everyone to work together. The official event preview page gives plenty of details on rewards and storylines, so head on over for an overview, and start thinking about which of your mortal enemies in City of Heroes is the most palatable partner.
Free transfers in City of Heroes extending another month
Back in December, City of Heroes announced that players would be allowed to transfer characters between servers for free until the end of January. Aside from the small but vocal part of the population that was certain this was a prelude to server merges, it was met with praise and good will by the playerbase. Paragon Studios has apparently decided that what's fun the first time is even better the second, as they've decided to extend the free transfers until February 28th for all players. Of course, there are certain slight catches -- as before, you can only transfer six characters from one server to another within a week, as well as not being allowed between American and European servers. You also lose your Supergroup affiliation, any accumulated Prestige, and possibly even your name depending on the server you choose. The full support page details all of the possible wrinkles, as well as warning against trying to transfer characters with names shorter than three letters (unless you don't mind losing the name). Having more chances to play with friends on other servers is always welcome, so kudos to the City of Heroes team for extending the free transfer period!
