Filed under: Super-hero

One Shots: Oops, sorry

by Krystalle Voecks Feb 9th 2010 at 2:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, Screenshots, One Shots, Champions Online

One of the things that we love in superhero MMOs like Champions Online is the sheer creativity that people employ in coming up with their costumes. We know we spend hours stuck in the character creator. Then, just when you think you've got a great looking costume; someone whips by in some combination that will either elicit envy -- or baffled amusement. Today, we have a Champions Online screenshot that apparently edged more towards the amused side of things (although we're not entirely certain why) from CorayThan. He writes in to tell us more about it:

I met Cylon-Man (a.k.a. Flame Runner) while running around killing irradiated humans. I thought his costume was so hilarious I just had to do a photo shoot! I chased him for about 5 minutes taking all the screen shots I could. Then, in the middle of my screen-shot UI-less frenzy, I saw him yell, "help!" He'd pulled about 6 mobs at once. Sadly for him, they got revenge for their fallen comrade before I could put my UI back up and help him out. He thought it was pretty funny when I apologized for letting him die because I was too busy taking screen shots.

One Shots is all about what you're doing as players, but we can't post your screenshots if you don't send them in! All you have to do to take part is to email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what's in the screenshot. We'll post it out here, and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots

Fans express concerns in newest Ask Cryptic

by Rubi Bayer Feb 9th 2010 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, News items, Champions Online

The folks at Cryptic wanted to hear from you, and hear from you they did. Last week, the call went out for fan questions for the next installment of Ask Cryptic, and the current round of questions was posted last night.

It's no secret that concern has been growing in the player community for a while now regarding all things Cryptic. While a bit of Star Trek Online made its way into the Q&A, things primarily focused on Champions Online and the company as a whole.

Fans asked questions regarding the future of Champions Online and Cryptic's commitment to the game, what they plan to do in order to rebuild faith in the company, and what they've learned from the rocky ride they have had so far. A few questions made it in that were less "big picture" as well, regarding themed characters and the upcoming melee rebalance.

The latest Ask Cryptic can be found on the official site, so take a look and see what you think.

City of Heroes announces Secret Admirer Contest

by Rubi Bayer Feb 5th 2010 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Contests, News items

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and City of Heroes is ready and willing to help you woo your sweetheart. Well, as long as your sweetheart is the War Witch -- anyone else and you're on your own.

They're making it worth your while, though. The City of Heroes Secret Admirer Contest invites you to create a digital or homemade Valentine's Day card for the War Witch and submit it for the chance to win some great prizes. While we can't guarantee that the lady herself will be presenting you with her phone number, three people in each category (homemade and digital) will be presented with prize packages including Logitech gaming headsets and a pile of CoH goodies.

The contest is going on now and will last until the submission deadline of February 28th. Take a look at all the rules and regulations here, and good luck to you!

Will improved City of Heroes graphics come before Going Rogue?

by Eliot Lefebvre Feb 4th 2010 at 9:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Expansions, Rumors

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! ]

Anti-Aliased: A Cryptic opinion

by Seraphina Brennan Feb 4th 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Super-hero, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Champions Online, Anti-Aliased

So, wow, what a set the last week and a half has been. There seems to be a very strong theme going on in my inbox recently, and that's, without a doubt, Cryptic Studios. I've read unflattering comments about my integrity as a journalist, the usual statements of how this site is Cryptic's lapdog due to all of the Star Trek Online and Champions Online coverage, and, even more oddly, people want to know my opinion of Cryptic's recent actions -- specifically Star Trek Online and Vibora Bay.

Well, I was never one to shirk from the truth. I've been wanting to give my personal opinion on these events since Vibora Bay hit, so I might as well dedicate this column to my evaluation of Cryptic Studios. But, before we get to Cryptic, I have a few ground rules that I want to go over with you guys. Some facts that I'd like to set straight for, oh, I dunno, the fifth time.

New City of Heroes Mission Architect contest leaves everyone powerless

by Eliot Lefebvre Feb 4th 2010 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Contests, Game mechanics, News items

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.

Community manager Daeke leaves Cryptic, Stormshade to replace him

by Seraphina Brennan Feb 3rd 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, Culture, MMO industry, News items, Champions Online

Today, Cryptic_Stormshade confirmed what the Champions Online community was speculating on since the early morning hours -- that Cryptic_Daeke, the Champions Online community manager, has parted ways with Cryptic Studios.

David "Daeke" Bass's leaving comes amidst heavy fire from the community on Cryptic's most recent endeavor, the addition of Vibora Bay in Champions Online. Daeke was the first member of the Cryptic staff to acknowledge that Vibora Bay would be a piece of paid content, and not a free patch to the game.

The switch in community managers is sudden and unexpected, leaving many in the Champions Online community wondering if this event and Vibora Bay's announcement are somehow related. Stormshade, however, has declined to speak any further on Daeke's departure, simply stating, "Daeke has moved on to other things. We wish him the best of luck wherever that path takes him."

Stormshade has now stepped away from Star Trek Online to become the new CM for Champions. We here at Massively would also like to take the time to wish Daeke the best and luck with whatever he pursues next.

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Death to the warehouse map!

by Eliot Lefebvre Feb 3rd 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Culture, Game mechanics, Endgame, Opinion, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

If you've played City of Heroes from levels 1 to anything, you already know the map I'm talking about. The more levels you've been through, the more you've seen it. Heck, you probably knew exactly what map I was talking about just from the subject line, because... well, it's the warehouse map.

As I was thinking about this week's column, I was trying to figure out why it is that City of Heroes gets criticized as often as it does for being "repetitive." I'd gladly concede the point, but the follow-up question becomes, well, what's so inherently different between the gameplay here as opposed to World of Warcraft, or EverQuest II, or Lord of the Rings Online, or even Dungeons and Dragons Online? How is killing X of critter Y for questgiver Z in any way less repetitive than punching the Fifth Column around for the hundredth time?

But with the recent addition of Melissa "War Witch" Bianco as lead designer, with her promises of "more content," I formed at least part of an idea of why that pointless accusation will not go away. And I believe the blame can be laid squarely at the feet of that stupid warehouse map.

PvP with the Champions Online Cryptic Corps

by Rubi Bayer Feb 3rd 2010 at 3:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, Events, in-game, PvP, News items, Champions Online

It stands to reason that the people who make their living creating MMOs love to play them, and the Champions Online team is ready to do just that by logging some PvP time in their game.

The Cryptic Corps will be taking a break to queue up for PvP this Friday from 3-5 PM PST. What they're planning on doing is still a mystery, but they'll announce it in game in plenty of time for you to get prepared. Break out your best level 40 characters and see if you can successfully take on the Cryptic Corps.

They're going to make it worth your while, too. If you beat Cryptic's team, of course you'll get bragging rights, but they'll award you a special forum title as well. No word yet on what the title is, so feel free to pass the time making guesses or suggestions. Good luck, and have fun!

The Spring Fling is on in City of Heroes

by Eliot Lefebvre Feb 3rd 2010 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Culture, Events, in-game, News items

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.

The return of 'Ask Cryptic' for Champions Online

by Kyle Horner Feb 3rd 2010 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Super-hero, News items, Champions Online

Ask Cryptic is finally back for the Champions Online community. In the past. the feature regularly allowed a Q&A style of communication between curious or concerned players and the developers at Cryptic working on the game. Unfortunately, once Champions Online launched the feature fell by the wayside, at least until now. If you would like to submit some questions (be they about Vibora Bay or other topics) there's only two simple rules given by Cryptic:

Any topic is fair game.
Questions must be written in a respectful tone.

Seems pretty reasonable, no? Head over to this thread on the official forums to post your questions -- just remember you'll need an official forum account to gain access. We look forward to seeing the results of your questions, which you can be sure to find right here on Massively.

City of Heroes announces holiday contest winners

by Eliot Lefebvre Jan 31st 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, Screenshots, City of Heroes, Contests, Player Housing

As Christmas recedes into memory, it's easy to forget about the stress of the various celebrations and just remember the nicer parts of the holiday. For our characters in City of Heroes, of course, the holidays saw yet another onslaught by elemental minions of ice seeking to spread permanent winter. But the pot was sweetened a touch by the addition of the holiday contest, a chance for players to decorate their base or alter their costume in such a way that they became a bit more seasonally appropriate.

Just a bit over a month out, the winners of the contest have been announced, and it takes only a quick glance at the artistry involved to see why. Bases were transformed from fortresses of solitude into... well, they were still sort of fortresses of solitude, but now they had appropriate decorations hanging from the icicles. Meanwhile, characters were transformed into crime-fighting ski bunnies and workshop elves. Giving City of Heroes players a chance to work their creativity almost always results in some excellent material, so feel free to take a look at the official page listing the winners and screenshots of each.

Free transfers in City of Heroes extending another month

by Eliot Lefebvre Jan 31st 2010 at 3:00PM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, News items

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!

Zatanna Zatara joins DC Universe Online cast

by Rubi Bayer Jan 29th 2010 at 10:30AM

Filed under: Super-hero, New titles, News items, DC Universe Online

They've taken some time to answer fan questions and announce their upcoming weekly comic, and now the DC Universe Online team has returned to rolling out cast members for their upcoming MMO.

The latest addition to the cast is Zatanna Zatara, the Justice League of America's tuxedo-jacketed magician. Zatanna is descended from a long line of magicians, and her inherited talents make her one of the world's most powerful magic users. She's wary of abusing her nearly limitless powers, and you'll find her restricting herself to defensive and non-lethal spells.

Like any traditional MMO caster class, Zatanna is a formidable foe and a very weak one at the same time. Her incantations rely entirely on the (backward) spoken word, so she can be shut down simply by rendering her unable to speak: even a plain cloth gag does the trick. Getting close enough to get a gag on her is another matter entirely -- good luck.

Follow along in the gallery for a closer look at Zatanna.

Gallery: DC Universe Online: Zatanna Zatara

Interview sheds more light on latest City of Heroes guest authors

by Eliot Lefebvre Jan 28th 2010 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Culture, Events, in-game, Interviews, Opinion

With the recent introduction of three new arcs in the guest author series, City of Heroes gets to enjoy a bit more time in the limelight thanks to the Mission Architect system. The arcs are currently available on the live servers, and while they won't provide weeks of enjoyment, they'll certainly pass a fair bit of time and be a fun ride in the process. Gamepro recently had the opportunity to talk to the newest guest authors about their experience working on the arcs and playing the game.

If there's one unifying strand to all of the author comments, it's that working on Mission Architect doesn't just help create content, it forces creators to train themselves to write better. With limitations on how much speech can appear and when, all three authors mention that it forces the story down to its essentials. But it's not a limiting factor in making things weaker -- rather, it forces you to craft something that's entertaining even without a lot of flowery dialogue.

The full interview also covers each author's experiences in balancing the arcs, as well as Ms. Lackey's discussion of her history as a player. Whether you've already experienced the new City of Heroes arcs or have yet to take them for a spin, it's clear that a great deal of thought and effort went into them.