City of Heroes and/or Villains

[Yuki Akuma]

So, who here plays this delightful game? I downloaded it (legally) yesterday, and I have to say I'm having a blast... blasting people.

I was wondering what sort of characters people here play. I only have one, so far.

Volt Girl - Mutation Blaster, Electrical Blasts/Energy Manipulation
[Insert Picture Here - I'm at work, so no screenshot yet]

Alexandra Davidson is the daughter of Capt. Alexander Davidson, A.K.A. "Captain Volt". During World War II, the captain was exposed to energy from a strange new Nazi weapon while simultaneously being exposed to a lethal dose of electrical energy. Miraculously, due to the mutagenic nature of the new weapon, the captain's body absorbed the energy, and he became charged with the power of ten turbines! From that day forth, he became Captain Volt, defender of the Allied Nations against the evil Axis.

When he retired, the captain married and had a daughter. This daughter seemed entirely normal, and didn't exhibit any of the super powers of her father. However, it was discovered that, when she had her own children, she had been the carryer of a specific gene. Her daughter, Alexandra, inherited this gene. On the day of her fourteenth birthday, the dormant energy of her body was unleashed, and she gained electrical powers similar to those of her grandfather!

While her grandfather required a source of energy to use his powers, using his own body as more of a conduit and amplifier than an actual power source, Alexandra, now calling herself Volt Girl after her grandfather's original sidekick, could control and amplify her own natural bioelectricity. Her supercharged metabolism allows her to throw bolts of electrical energy, as well as concussive force, and allows her to fly by manipulating her personal magnetic properties. She can also run at high speeds, just like her grandfather.


...As you can see, I love the fluff aspect of the game. :smallbiggrin:

[Logic]

I had the option to get City of Heroes or City of villains for free with my purchase of Guild Wars: Factions, and I chose Villains just because it came with a heroclix action figure. Haven't opened the box yet though.

[Eldritch Knight]

City of Villians, Guardian server. I am the Unholy Dr. Entropy.

En Melee/Regen Stalker.

Very fun

[Dragor]

I really want these games. Sadly, no credit card.

So, I am an envious man.

[Swordguy]

Captain Howizter

En/En Blaster, lvl 28.

Virtue Server

Think a dyslexic Captain America (except without the bullet in the head).

Battle Cry: "For doG and Country!"


Of course, I haven't been able to play in a few months, due to massive spontaneous computer slowdown. Frame rate dropped under 3 frames/sec while standing still. :smallfurious:

Fun game, though. I like it MUCH better than WoW, for I am a casual player, and hate equipment farming.

[Khantalas]

I had a trial version of both. Thirty days, then you have to buy the game and pay for it.

Stupid parents not letting me pay for stuff online.

Anyway, I've had a blaster character named Ebon Saint. Tech hero, with Archery and Electrical Manipulation powers. When I hit sixth level, I started improving my jumping and hurdling abilities, complete with Combat Leap. I spent all my prestige (I remember it was Infamy for villains, but I can't remember the name for heroes) points on Enhancements for Run and Jump. I was a mobility freak. I was even gonna get Flying when I was able to justify it in those tights for a Tech hero.

[slapdash]

I used to play, but unfortunately my computer at the moment can't run it. It's the only MMO that managed to hold any interest for me.

I had two main characters; a martial arts/super reflexes scrapper named Lunch Money ("I take back what bullies shake down!") who was transformed by a magic fortune cookie, as well as Ante Up ("Time to fold, partner!"), a cyborg bounty hunter from Nevada who was a rifle/energy blaster.

[AaronH]

Love City of Heroes / Villains

I've filled all my slots except one right now

I started long ago with a Defender named "Cap'n Fabulous" but eventually got tired of the gay jokes so I haven't played him in a while.

My primary is Nouveau, A Science SS/Invul Tank
My Main Villain is Joe T, magic (I think) Thugs/dark MM

Unfortunately neither has fleshed out backgrounds.....

However, I do have a Elec Blaster named "Justice Toaster" who's backstory is that a midget wizard was attempting to commit suicide by dropping a toaster in the bathtub, but instead of dying it switched his and the toasters minds. They are both much happier now.

[Neon Knight]

I had a short trial for City of Villians. I was a crazed battle armor wearing russkie based off the Tesla Trooper from Red Alert 2.

Good times.

[Jerthanis]

I really enjoy City of Heroes/Villains

I play mostly heroes as from what little I've played of Villains and what lot I've played of Heroes, is that Heroes play better together while Villains don't really benefit all that much from groups.

I play on the Virtue server and my main is a Science Origin Dark Miasma/Dark Blast Defender named Mrs. Darkholme.

Ariel Addams was a research scientist dedicated to removing the myriad threats to Paragon City not through heroics, but through scientific breakthrough in the area of her doctorate, Trans Gravatonic Particles. She readied an experiment that she thought would de-power the villains the same way Lord Recluse once de-powered the heroes, but through respectable science instead of magic (which she believes does not exist, and any magic she sees, she assumes is simply the work of cleverly disguised science or technology.) her lab assistant, Jeordy Darkholme, who Ariel often teased for having a crush on her, warned her not to perform the dangerous experiment, but Ariel went ahead with it anyway. She nearly died in the blast, but Jeordy threw himself in the way to shield her. He gave his life saving her, and after marrying the love of her life post-humously, Doctor Ariel Addams-Darkholme, better known as Mrs. Darkholme dedicated herself to ridding Paragon City the "right" way.

I also play a lot of my Mutation Electricity/Ice blaster (love Ice patch to death) Triboelectric, a mutant who can either agitate the molecules in things she touches, building static electricity, or slow the vibration of the molecules, thus freezing them.

[Suraht]

I played CoH/V for a long time...I started playing in June of '04, and outside of a two month break in '05 to give WoW a try, played until recently, when I got into the LotRO beta.

I love the game, but I've done just about everything the game has to offer. I'm waiting for I9, to see if the additions there(Statesman's TF and inventions mainly) manage to respark my interest.

[Azuroth]

Did you know, that Auto Assault time cards (which can be purchased offline at places like Wal-Mart, Gamestop, etc.) will work just fine for City of games!

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb!

P.S. I've been reading the boards since comic 40 or so, and this is the first time I've bothered to register to post, so feel special!

[Saint George]

My two favorite characters.

Swamp Fever
Illusion/Weather Controller, Science

The experiment was simple, find a way to splice plant DNA into the human genome to allow humans to use a simple form of photosynthesis. It could end world hunger in a single generation. Of course, finding the proper plant to splice was difficult enough. Dr. Alex Franco attempted this experiment with a hardy swamp plant the locals called "The Green Fever" due to the powerful hallucinogenic properties of the pollen. Of course, this is a dangerous plant to keep in a lab since a brief contact can cause... accidents. A rather horrific lab accident later Dr. Franco found himself as a half plant, half human creation. While it was a partial success, Dr. Franco no longer needed to eat to sustain himself, it carried other traits from the plant. He could release spores that cause anyone around him to hallucinate, and could even control the degree of these visions. Soon after he took up the name Swamp Fever and began combatting those that would science to hurt instead of help humanity.


Ryfe
Invulnerability/Super Strength Tanker
Magic
Ryfe's life story is a rather short one, due to the fact that he is a little less than 2 years old. Of course, that is only how long he has been alive. Ryfe awoke in a glass case in Paragon City's Museum of Civilization. After setting off several alarms by accidentally breaking his case, Ryfe learned his story by reading the bronze plaque in front of his stand. "This Crusade Era suit of armor was recovered in the Catacombs of a Spanish Monastary, and was apparently never actually used in combat." Looking down at his heavy metal fists this newly sentient suit of armor tried to come to terms with his brand new existence. But, what use is a sut of armor that was never even used? What is his purpose? Ryfe wanders the city trying to find his purpose in this new world, while fufilling the only job he knows how to do... how to protect.


No. I don't like writing backstories... and no I dont wander around checking other peoples profiles for them.......

[Deleran]

My characters are Spineshot (http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8104/screenshot2006090817025cs7.jpg) (50 Scrapper Spines/Regen) and friends on Justice server. Not currently playing though.

Shadeshot (http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/930/screenshot2006090816544sm8.jpg) (23 Warshade)

Strangeshot (http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6/screenshot2006100319591bn3.jpg) (25 Rad/Darkness Corruptor)

Not Pictured: Shineshot (8 Peacebringer), Sparkshot (10 Elec/Elec Blaster)

[Sturmjaeger]

I've been playing CoH since summer 2004, and CoV since launch. Love them both. Multiple heroes and villains on several servers.

[Dragor]

Can someone give me the lowdown on the character design? If I learn more about the game I may get it for my birthday. (In July, but hey, I'm planning ahead here. It's the only way I could arrange for the monthly fees to be paid.)

Thanks...

[Suraht]

Allow me to first say that if you do end up getting one game, try to get both. You pay the same price per month for the subscription of one game as you do for both of them, so it'll only cost you the extra price of the discs for the whole package.

Character design...well, if you're talking the way the characters look, then this is possibly the most versatile MMORPG around. There are people that will spend hours in the costume creator tweaking their look. With a little digging around, there isn't much you can't create.

If you're talking more about the classes and such, then it's fairly simple. Every character selects an archetype, which has several primary and secondary powersets to pick one of each of....for example, if you played City of Heroes, you would first choose from the following for your primary powerset(City of Villians has a seperate list to choose from):
Tanker(meat shield)
Scrapper(high damage melee)
Blaster(glass cannon)
Controller(crowd control)
Defender(buffer and debuffer).

Once that guideline is established, you would choose from a primary, then secondary powerset. For example, if you chose Defender as your archetype, you would get to choose from:

Empathy(heavy overall buffing and healing)
Force Field(heavy defense buffing and light crowd control)
Radiation Emission(heavy overall debuffs and light buffs)
Storm Summoning(balanced buffing, debuffing, and crowd control)
Sonic Resonance(heavy resistance buffing and light crowd control)
Trick Arrow(good overall debuffing)
Dark Miasma(good overall buffs, good crowd control, good overall buffs)

Once you choose your primary(and starting power), you would then get a list of secondary powersets to choose from. In most cases, the secondary powersets you get to choose from are a lower-powered version of another AT's primary. As you progress, you'll earn the choice of a new power from your lists at every even numbered level up until level 32, when it changes so that you only gain a new power every third level.

Once you finish the character creation, then you'll go into a newbie training zone that gives you the basics of how to go about the business of fighting(or causing) crime. You run the tasks and will gain your first level, and then go into the main game(I recommend choosing Galaxy City as your starting point instead of Atlas Park for the heroic type), where you'll be introduced to the trainers(the signature heroes that actually grant you your levels when you gain enough XP to earn one) and your first contact, who will assign you missions that you will run.

Once you hit level 6, you will gain access to Power Pools. These are non-mandatory pools that you can pick and choose from to try to fill out the holes that your primary and secondary leave. Among these power pools are the incredibly sought after travel powers...teleportation, super speed, super jumping, and flight. There are two prerequisites to gaining a travel power:

1) You have to be level 14 or higher
2) You have to have another power selected from the power pool that the travel power you want is in.

So, the majority of the player base will at least pick one power from the travel power pools at level 6, 8, 10, or 12 so that they can grab the travel power as soon as they hit 14. There are other power pools that people feel are necessary, but it's really all a matter of taste. In fact, with more recent developments of getting temporary travel powers early in your character's career, some people are even delaying gaining a travel power until they run out of the temporary ones.

Once you hit level 41, you gain access to the Epic Power Pools, but description on those can be saved...after all, it's not a short road to that far in the game, and it varies pretty greatly between heroes and villains.

Now, you have all these shiny powers, but so does everyone else that picked your primary and secondary. How do you differentiate a bit? Well, for every level that you don't gain a power, you gain enhancement slots. These are slots you permanently affix to one power that allow an enhancement to be placed into it, and that enhancement will boost a specific aspect of the power it's attached to. You gain two slots for every odd numbered level until level 33, and then you gain three slots for every non powered level. There are caps in place that keep you from taking an attack power and putting nothing but high potency attack enhancements in it...you can only boost any aspect of a certain power so much before a new enhancement will do nothing, so it allows for a bit of strategy in character building.

While that doesn't cover everything, I think it gives you the basic idea. Of course, it could also be clear as mud. If so, ask the questions, and I(or someone else) will do what I can to answer them.

[Telok]

I played from release to CoV beta and "enhancement diversification", then stopped.

I really really like the game. It has wonderful eye candy, beautiful character creation, and people both player and developer who really care. And I can't play anymore. Mabey in another year or so.

Simply put, ED and the changes associated with the implementation of PvP killed my four favorite characters. It took one character with six powers six slotted with recharge reduction SOs, and made them non-viable. To say nothing of the fact that my entire reason for taking the Stealth power pool was destroyed (mission accept instant ambushes and Phase Shift).

Meh, it's still a very good game. I, personally, just can't enjoy it anymore when I remember how much fun I used to have.

[NecroPaladin]

Currently on haitus. I can't spare much time due to some personal RL problems. However, I belong to a very influential SG (I think #17 most powerful), which gives me interesting stories to tell when I come back.

[Arlanthe]

Wow, I guess I am the only one here who got bored with it after about a month? It has some great features- making characters was a blast, and I spent quite a lot of time doing just that.

But the game gets very, very tedious quite fast. By level 25 you've done almost every "type" of thing you're ever going to do, only in different backdrops. The quests are extremely limited in nature (kill X# foes, clear all of the bad guys out of one of the six types of barren instances), and that's pretty much it. Some PvP there. A few "novel" things, but mostly the same monotonous grind over and over.

Kill 15 Circle of Thorns.
Clear all of the Clockwork out of the Warehouse
Kill 20 Hellions
Clear all of the Vahzilok out of the Sewer
Kill 15 XYZ People
Clear all of the Clockwork out of the Warehouse again, but click on three glowing boxes while you're at it
Kill 20 XYZ People
Clear all of the Circle of Thorns out of the Cave- oh, and make sure you kill the leader while you're at it
.
.
. ad infinitum.

[Talrok]

Wow, I guess I am the only one here who got bored with it after about a month?....

Nope, I 1st started following CoH a year before it came out, did beta, played for 6 months post release and for all the same reasons you mentioned Arlanthe, I stopped playing. The game truly got way to tedious and repetitive with its finish a mission, rinse and repeat. It was not just the 10 (or whatever) different styles of missions but the fact was that was all there was to do in the game was missions & nothing else to do worth my time. I am glad to see the changes that are being incorporated in the near future & may just give the game another chance. I do miss my Ice/Ice Blaster that I used to have & would love to recreate him.

[Vaniel]

I have the game, payed for three months of play. I had multiple characters. going from Blasters to Masterminds. However, the game was very, very, redundant, as time passed by. My strongest characters was at 30 I think...

However, as my finances go down, something has got to go away. Why pay 15$ (or so), when I can play with my Xbox360, free, or pay 5$ a month (or so) to play ALL the games I want.

[Wizard_Tom]

I actually quite enjoy CoHV. I play on the Infinity server (Global Handle: Arman Souzan, say hi or something). I play primarily heroes, and I'm an avid altaholic. I quite enjoy the character creation system, and will frequently just randomly create a new character whenever an idea comes along (recently I created a character after digging out my Fireborn books that was essentially a scion). And yes, the mission designs can become quite redundant, but then I care more about the story arcs then the goal of any given mission. I also enjoy badge collecting, though only badges that interest me for some reason or another. When I can I try and role-play. I also enjoy how fast PvE combat is.

When I'm playing I'll usually either be on Arman Souzan, my fire/electric magic blaster from the world of Tyrra; Kiryshi, my gravity/forcefield mutant controller, who is striving to learn why she has her powers (aka: first character, still no backstory); or Scott O'Hagen, sword/regen natural scrapper, a dragon reborn in a human body.

If anyone plays on infinity, let me know.

[sun_tzu]

City of Heroes was my first MMORPG, and I still love it. Got a level 50 Technology Invulnerability/Super-Strength Tanker, Techno-Paladin, as well as a level 50 Technology Robotics/Force-Fields Mastermind, Checkmate Warren.
And plenty of alts.