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DC Universe Online makes Legendary members even more legendary
Do you want to be a living legend? It certainly beats being a dead legend, since you can enjoy it more. And if you're a Legendary member of DC Universe Online, you already get access to a variety of accompanying benefits. But starting on April 3rd, Legendary members get an even bigger legend with several new benefits aside from free access to all DLC. So what will you get? PC players will receive a monthly stipend of 500 Station Cash, while PS3 players will see a similar influx of 500 Loyalty Points for use in a new in-game store. For both platforms, you'll get the ability to unlock rare lockboxes for free and a full set of Replay Badges every month. Replay Badges allow you to reset all of your instance lockouts, giving you a chance to play back through content more frequently -- and with 150 of them free each month, your exploits as a Legendary member will be the stuff of... well, you can guess.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroish
This may already be clear, but I'm a pretty big fan of comics, superheroic or otherwise. City of Heroes first attracted me because, well, superhero MMO. Like most fans of the genre, I've been creating my own superheroes since I was old enough to think of an appropriate name, and the thought of being able to create these characters and throw them against all manner of villains was more than enough to pique my interest. I dropped my money on a boxed copy and never looked back. Unfortunately, for all its strengths, City of Heroes isn't all that great as a superhero game. It's clear that the people working on the game also know a lot about comics, and there's a definite sense that Paragon Studios works overtime at replicating the source material. But there's a lot of stuff that the game can't or won't handle, and as a result it's never felt like a game about superheroes so much as a game inspired by them. Most of the notes are there, but the music isn't, and I think I've finally nailed down a few reasons why.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Digital Enhancements
Last week, I covered the raw basics of Enhancements in City of Heroes. This was a good place to start, but it also glossed over everything but the basics. It's telling that glossing over everything but the basics still involves stuff that's as bogglingly complicated as diversification, but then, there's a reason I decided to do these columns in the first place. But with all the basics out of the way, what more could there be to cover? Lots, as it happens, because last week didn't touch upon dual Enhancements or Inventions, both of which cover the same ground and take into account the specifics of Enhancement Diversification and so forth. So for those of you wondering why I didn't talk about IOs, those still trying to get a handle on the system, or those just morbidly curious about how the game works, it's time to start in with the enhancements that broke the entire system in half more or less the second they were introduced: Inventions.
Grab, smash, and burst: Champions Online summarizes Alerts
Champions Online's upcoming Alert system seems to be the perfect solution to Captain Immediate Gratification's urges. In the push of a few buttons, a primed and ready superhero can dive right into team vs. villain action. Executive Producer Rob Overmeyer writes an after-report of the Alert system from its recent stay on the public test server. His post provides a great overview and how-to guide of the system, starting with its three basic variations: GRAB Alerts (stopping villains from doing crime), SMASH Alerts (all-out brawls), and BURST Alerts (unstable environments necessitating instant action). Within the three versions of Alerts, all sorts of crazy events can occur. Players' nemeses may appear, and classic villains may team up to fight you. There are also specific rewards based on the Alert tackled; for example, Champions will give resources for GRAB Alerts and modifications for BURST Alerts. "Alerts are a great platform to offer a ton of gameplay with loads of variety," Overmeyer writes. "We're really excited to launch Alerts, and to see the feature grow with Champs over time."
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Some Enhancement evening
Using the Enhancement system is pretty important to playing City of Heroes successfully. It's a combination of both gear and (arguably) character specialization, and it's the main way that you increase your power over the course of your leveling. Sure, you get new powers as you level up, but your earlier powers remain your steadfast workhorses. Mastery of Enhancements is the path to being imbalanced. Unfortunately, the Enhancement system is also really, really complicated. I don't say this lightly; in fact, I say this specifically after a conversation with a fellow Massively staffer who has never fully understood how this system is supposed to work. Said staffer is an intelligent man, but the system is rife with corner cases, strange rules, exceptions, and several elements that are never really explained in full. So for all of the newer free-to-play people or old hands at City of Heroes who never really got the system, here's a primer on how Enhancements work.
Win a year's subscription by making a blockbuster City of Heroes poster
Want to make your mark on a game world and get a year's subscription at the same time? Sounds like an achievement only a superhero would be capable of, right? Fortunately, Paragon Studios has an entire legion of super-powered imaginations at its disposal. The studio has launched a contest in which players are challenged to create a City of Heroes-themed poster worthy of a blockbuster marquee. If you're interested, you have to be 13 or older and use non-copyrighted material to make a good-looking movie poster on your computer. Submissions have to be turned in by April 10th, at which time Paragon will choose a first-, second-, and third-place winner out of the heap. Each winner will have a chance at seeing his or her poster put into the game itself, and all will win free subscription time (first place gets a full year, second place six months, and third place three months). This contest may be part of a larger plan for City of Heroes. In her latest producer's letter, Melissa Bianco wrote, "We're already on our final push for Issue 23 polish, in pre-production on Issue 24, and putting some exciting new content into place for the summer. You may have heard whispers, but it will be fun. Think: popcorn."
Champions Online previews the new Specialization system
Whether or not you're a fan of Champions Online, you have to admit that the game gives players a lot of options in customizing a character. But apparently the designers felt a need to add another layer of customization, hence the upcoming Specialization System. A preview of the system has been posted, giving players a chance to look at the various combinations that will shape your improved abilities, whether you're playing with an Archetype or a freeform character. Each character will gain access to three different trees to spend Specialization points; the first tree at level 10 based off of your primary Super Stat. The two subsequent trees are unlocked at level 20 and 30; these trees are predetermined for Archetypes and can be freely selected for freeform characters. Each tree offers a number of benefits for given roles, allowing a great deal of flexibility in creating a character build that suits what you like to do best.
DC Universe Online kicks off the Battle for Earth today
It's time for the main event in DC Universe Online. You're not just taking part in the Battle for Metropolis or the Battle for Gotham City or the Battle for the Local Burger Joint. No, this is the Battle for Earth, the newest DLC pack for the game, available now for all players. It's time for the war against Brainiac to reach its conclusion, and considering the setting, you can be sure the war won't be won with polite speeches and reasonable discussion. Of course, this means a lot of new elements, such as a new powerset and a new raid. If you're not one of the Legendary players and have to choose whether or not to buy the pack, there's a new trailer available just after the cut meant to show off all the niftiness therein. And besides, can you really opt out of taking part in the battle for Earth? Your character probably lives there. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release]
DC Universe Online explains how the Earth powerset rocks out
DC Universe Online players have known that the next major powerset has been set in stone for some time now. The Earth powerset is rolling along, and in the latest developer blog the team explains just how the set works for all sorts of players. At its foundation, the powerset is split into the Geokinesis and Seismic trees, with the former allowing players to shape weapons of stone and the latter projecting earthquakes and similar eruptions. Mastery of Geokinesis allows players to summon earth golems to fight alongside them, solidifying a defensive strategy with transferred damage and special stone totems. On the other hand, mastery of the Seismic tree lets you summon localized epicenters and yank pillars of stone from the ground, flinging enemies around and knocking them off their feet. While it doesn't seem like the new set will be kind to property values, players will probably have more than a few new tricks to use like a stone-cold killer.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: That's really super, Super Pack
So, the Super Pack is out. Not a whole lot has changed in City of Heroes as a result. The skies have not been raining fire any more than they already do on a regular basis (superheroes, you know the deal). People still log in and play and enjoy themselves. And my enormous ranting diatribe still sits in the archives for anyone who missed it the first time or just wants to take a second look for posterity. My feelings haven't changed. But while launching into a full-on rant was certainly cathartic and managed to hit a lot of good points, there were a lot of good points brought up in the comments that I simply hadn't touched on. So it's time to address some of the those ideas and complaints, both the good and the bad. (Although under the circumstances, it's pretty much all bad in varying flavors.)
City of Heroes goes beastmode
The Mastermind archetype in City of Heroes is in for a treat with a new primary power set in the form of Beast Mastery! Masterminds will soon be able to call upon all sorts of animal allies to harry their foes. The Intrepid Informer: Issue #19 introduces the new power set and goes into great detail about its function. The Beast Master's pets, which range from a swarm of stinging insects up to a dire wolf, have limited ranged attacks but are potent in close-quarter combat. To make up for that, the Beast Mastery power set includes three blast attacks that can help Masterminds take control of the battlefield. Secondary powers can help define the way that a Beast Master interacts with summoned pets. A more defensive or supportive secondary power set will allow players to heal or buff their pets through battle, while Storm Summoning and other potent offensive power sets will help weaken foes before they become too much of a threat. Along with some tasty abilities, Beast Mastery also brings a new mechanic to the game: Pack Mentality. This buff can stack up to 10 times and boosts Beast Mastery pets' damage by 2% each time it's applied. Additionally, Pack Mentality fuels Fortify Pack, a player-based AoE Defense and Regeneration buff that helps protect offense-oriented pets. This allows players to decide when their pets need to go into all-out damage mode or play it safe to get through a tough battle. The Beast Mastery power set has been a long-time request from fans of the game, so start cooking up an origin story and taste the sweet, sweet reward for all your patience!
Why I Play: City of Heroes
When I first sampled City of Heroes, I was just recovering from a nasty break-up with Star Wars Galaxies and looking for a new roleplaying paradise. What I found after a month was that I had a lot more fun planning my next character using the little booklet that came with the box than I actually did grinding my way up through the levels. That early version of the game... was not good. Fast-forward a few years to the Paragon Studios takeover and the implementation of the Mission Architect. I fell in love all over again. It took several years (and all the improved content those years enabled), but the game eventually became something I wanted to play. And I'm going to tell you why.
City of Heroes launches Issue 22, and it's going to be a killer
If you've been looking forward to Issue 22 of City of Heroes, your wait is finally over. The new issue, Death Incarnate, hit the live servers just this afternoon. That means the inclusion of new powersets for Controllers and Dominators, a newly revamped experience in Dark Astoria for solo Incarnates, buffs for Stalkers and Gravity Control, and new content for low-to-mid-level characters. In other words, no matter how you want to play, you're likely to find something in the latest patch to get excited about. Need a little more convincing? Well, there's a lovely new trailer for the update to help get everyone ready to charge into the newfound circus of death. There's also a new developer diary discussing the fine points of Darkness Control, the new powerset included for free for all VIP subscribers. All told, it's a good collection of toys for City of Heroes players, even if it might behoove said players to fear the reaper just a little bit more.
War Witch conjures up a new producer's letter for City of Heroes
If you've been missing the wit and wisdom of Melissa Bianco, better known to City of Heroes players as War Witch, then you're in luck. The game's newest producer's letter is penned by none other than Ms. Bianco, revealing that she has just recently been moved into the role of producer for the game as a whole. But there's more to the letter than just revelations about her recent career moves -- there's also more information about what's coming for the game beyond Issue 22. Masterminds can look forward to a new powerset, Beast Mastery, hitting the Paragon Market at some point in March. Everyone can also look forward to new temporary powers and minipets as well as the conclusion of the current featured story arc. There's also a teaser about something else exciting coming along for the summer, although the letter remains mum on what the next two major patches will bring for the game. Fans will no doubt want to read closely between the lines to see if they can tease out any other nuggets of information, but it's clear that the team at Paragon Studios has plenty of irons in the fire.
DC Universe Online braces for the Battle for Earth
DC Universe Online heroes and villains better prepare for the fight of their lives because Sony Online Entertainment has announced the third DLC pack, Battle for Earth. The DLC will grant players access to a whole new powerset known as Earth Powers. It is what it sounds like, folks. In addition to the new power set, the studio is also adding a brand-new raid: Themyscira. Comic book fans will recognize this as the home island of Wonder Woman and her fellow Amazons. It's up to players to fight alongside a variety of mythical creatures in order to defend Wonder Woman's home against Chimeric Brainiacs. To top it all off, Battle for Earth's storyline will put players toe-to-toe with Brainiac's Prime Avatars before they go up against the big bad Brainiac himself. Heroes will be fighting, obviously, for the defense of Earth, while villains will want to take Brainiac out of the picture because, hey, why let someone else destroy the world when you can do it yourself? The new DLC pack will hit the Marketplace on March 13th, though it will, of course, be free to Legendary members. So hone your skills and prepare for the final showdown; the fate of the Earth is in your hands. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release]
DC Universe Online's next update: Welcome to Paradise
Going toe-to-toe with your first big, recurring villain in a final showdown is an important moment in every superhero's life and an experience that DC Universe Online players will get to treasure in the game's next content pack. The update will bring Brainiac, the main scumbag since DCUO launched last January, to his knees -- and bring players to Paradise Island, home of Wonder Woman and the Amazons. Players will find Brainiac as he's assaulting the Amazons' island and have their final confrontation with him there. But don't worry about the ache of missing your main antagonist, heroes! If there's one thing that comic books have taught us, it's that you should never count a villain out for good -- and that the conclusion of one story arc doesn't mean that things are going to settle down at all. As Jens Anderson (Creative Director for DCUO) says, Brainiac's future isn't settled; his fight "will be an ongoing one as he tries to recover from the player's resistance and future Luthor's manipulation of everyone... The story will then move into a new phase, but Brainiac's actions will always have a lasting effect on DC Universe Online." Moving forward, players can anticipate learning more about the shady figures of Future Lex Luthor and Future Batman.
DCUO's game update 9 brings the world together with role-optional alerts and team buffs
DC Universe Online's Game Update 9: Assemble For Battle is now live and operational, and it brings with it a few very interesting features, especially for players interested in group content. One of said features is the addition of role-optional alerts. As any MMO player knows, there's often a rather large population disparity between various roles. Generally, there's a ton of DPS with much lower numbers of tanks and healers, which can make finding a group a PITA if you're in the former camp. As of this update, all alerts are considered role-optional, which means the longer a group waits in the group-finder for a certain role (such as a tank or a healer), the less picky the group-finder will be about filling that role. For instance, if a healer can't be found after a substantial period of time, the role will be filled by another available role. This is possible thanks to the team buff. Any time three or more group members are within range and line-of-sight of one another, the whole group will gain a buff to compensate for missing roles. For instance, a group missing a tank will get a damage mitigation buff, a group without a healer will get a health regeneration buff, and so forth. The official post notes that "the buffs are by no means a replacement for having the actual role in your group. But with some self-reliance, it will... allow you to complete the Alert successfully." For the full details on the new system, plus other features such as Novice Raids, click on through the link below to the official site.
RIM: It's okay, we have superheroes
It's a common human trait that, when faced with a series of calamities, the brain will retreat into a fantasy world in which everything is the exact opposite of reality. Could this be the inspiration for RIM's four new cartoon characters, which the company hopes will spread its "Be Bold" marketing message? The pattern certainly seems to fit. From left to right: there's GoGo Girl, who "saves the day with a brilliant strategy" (translation: we don't have a strategy). Then comes Justin Steele, who's "always ready to stick up for his friends" (translation: we don't have friends). Trudy Foreal "isn't afraid to call it as she sees it" (translation: our shareholders are complaining). Finally, the adventurous Max Stone is "able to jump out of a plane" (translation: we're going to crash).Update: RIM has provided a little update stating that this is "not a new ad campaign." Still, it's fun to imagine what might have been.
City of Heroes' Matt Miller answers our questions about the death of Statesman
Statesman has been the face of City of Heroes since the game has launched. He's been the man at the forefront of the game's lore and the setting-defining hero for players. He earned a lot of ire from some players due to the designer who had chosen him as his avatar, but that didn't diminish his importance to the game as a whole. But after surviving war against the Rikti, the machinations of his rival Lord Arachnos, and the invasion of his alternate self from Praetoria... Statesman has finally fallen and is no more. Of course, this brings up some pretty hefty questions about the future of the City of Heroes setting, since such a death is about as high-profile as in-game-deaths can be. We had the opportunity to ask Matt Miller a few questions about the ramifications of Statesman's death, the team's motivation, and what players can expect in the wake of his passing. After all, even though the hero is gone, the villain responsible is still out there...
Baby Monkey (Going Backwards on a Pig) is free this Saturday
The only thing cuter than a baby monkey riding a pig is a baby monkey riding a pig the wrong way -- silly monkey -- which is exactly what Baby Monkey (Going Backwards on a Pig) is all about. To make this game even more adorable, developer Kihon Games is offering it for free for a limited time, starting Saturday, Nov. 19. Also, anyone with five GameCenter friends in the leaderboard will get 1,500 Monkey Bucks, which we assume can be used to buy bananas, bugs and throwable feces. Kihon is teasing a possible new skin for both baby monkey and pig, as well -- superheroes. We'll call them Captain Swine and his trusted sidekick, Mad Monkey, for now:
