Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Looking back on busy times for City of Heroes with the development staff]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/20/looking-back-on-busy-times-for-city-of-heroes-with-the-developme/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/20/looking-back-on-busy-times-for-city-of-heroes-with-the-developme/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/20/looking-back-on-busy-times-for-city-of-heroes-with-the-developme/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's been so much going on with City of Heroes over the past few months -- we've seen a new spin on older content and the anniversary and the new endgame system engaging the game's players in new content. It's a lot to take in all at once, and it's easier to process when you have the chance to talk it over with some of the development staff.

During a special NCsoft event, our own Bree Royce had just such a chance to get some questions answered directly by the development team about Issue 20, the Incarnate system, and the state of the game both at present and going forward. Matt Miller and Nate Birkholz shared reflections on what has worked and what has gone a bit awry in the development, something that should be of interest to every City of Heroes player. Sadly, the discussion does not include any zombie catgirls -- just the parts that worked and the parts that wound up being problems.

Continue reading Looking back on busy times for City of Heroes with the development staff

MassivelyLooking back on busy times for City of Heroes with the development staff originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxendgamefeaturedfuture-patchesincarnate-systemincarnate-trialsincarnatesinterviewissue-19issue-20issue-21mission-architectncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetoriapraetorianpraetorian-invasionweekly-strike-targetFri, 20 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Seven years in the city, part two]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/a-mild-mannered-reporter-seven-years-in-the-city-part-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/a-mild-mannered-reporter-seven-years-in-the-city-part-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/a-mild-mannered-reporter-seven-years-in-the-city-part-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Welcome back to the second part of our look back through the past year of City of Heroes. The last installment, in case you missed it, discussed the first two issues that went live over the past year, Issue 17 and Issue 18. And here's a quick recap: They were pretty awesome, but they were lacking much for the high-end portion of the game. This time we're turning our gaze forward to the later two issues, the good and the bad.

And there was some bad that came with these updates, a certain level of unavoidable badness. I called this part of the game's history the fall of the unleveled empire, and while I don't think we've quite obtained empire status, there are those among us -- including me -- who either believed that leveling past a certain point would always be an option or believed at least that level-locking was something that happened to other games. Enough meandering about it -- let's finish up our look at City of Heroes in its seventh year of operation.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Seven years in the city, part two

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Seven years in the city, part two originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reporteranniversarycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcolumncovcoxfeaturedincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19issue-19-strike-packissue-19.5issue-20ncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchesretrospectivestrike-packupdatesWed, 04 May 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Linger]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/a-mild-mannered-reporter-linger/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/a-mild-mannered-reporter-linger/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/a-mild-mannered-reporter-linger/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

So I was originally going to dive into the matter of the next archetype on the list when it hit me that there were two big issues I didn't talk about in my last column, issues that were brought up on or around the PAX panel but weren't directly addressed. And if there's one thing that I'd like to think I'm known for in the City of Heroes community, it's darting off like a hyperactive badger whenever something catches my eye, regardless of what that means for the overall flow or pacing of a column.

Being known as a good writer would be nice, too, but I like to keep a broader perspective.

So we're going to take a second to talk about two matters that have stuck with us as an overall community -- the low-level game revamp and the mysterious Issue 20 NDA. The latter is especially mysterious because we now know what's in Issue 20, and it's certainly nothing that will rock City of Heroes to its foundations. Far from it -- the issue, while shaping up nicely, is pretty much standard stuff. Why the obfuscation?

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Linger

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Linger originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's only fitting that PAX East 2011 would see another panel for City of Heroes, as last year's convention was the first time the team from Paragon Studios had been to the east coast. While this year's panel didn't see the many announcements and surprising new reveals of last year, it's good to see the team making the trek out to Boston once again in what fans can only hope will be a regular event.

As always, the line to get into the panel was gargantuan, with players lining up an hour before the panel doors opened for a seat in the relatively small theater. Once players had filed in and the room had settled down, it was time for a look at the past year or so for City of Heroes and at what players could expect for the near future, as well as the usual lively question-and-answer session.

Continue reading PAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes

MassivelyPAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontent-patchescovcoxcustomizationendgameendgame-systemfeaturedincarnateincarnate-systemissue-19issue-20nate-birkholzncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespaxpax-2011pax-eastpax-east-2011ryan-rothstrike-forcetask-forcetia-parahuiupcoming-patchesupcoming-updatesupdatesMon, 14 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Stricken pack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/a-mild-mannered-reporter-stricken-pack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/a-mild-mannered-reporter-stricken-pack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/a-mild-mannered-reporter-stricken-pack/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's been a while since the Incarnate system went live, and we've had a little time to get used to the ideas that the Issue 19 Strike Pack brought to the table. Not a full shakedown, mind you, but enough to make it clear what the fairly minor addition actually does for the nascent endgame. Whether or not it brings anything positive to City of Heroes is still up for debate. Depending on whom you're talking to, it either nicely handles a few weaknesses of the current Incarnate design or it's a step in a bad direction.

As usual, I don't think the answer is anywhere near that simple. The Strike Pack is a good thing in many ways, and not just because of the addition of the higher tiers of Incarnate abilities. I love giving people more reason to run Task Forces, definitely, but if there's a serious problem introduced by this it goes right back to the same endgame problems that City of Heroes has always had, problems that I'm not completely sure even Issue 20 will fix.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Stricken pack

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Stricken pack originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxendgameendgame-progressionfeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsgame-patchesgroupingi19incarnateincarnate-systemissue-19issue-19-strike-packncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospatchessolostrike-packupdatesWed, 09 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes launches the Issue 19 Strike Pack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/city-of-heroes-launches-the-issue-19-strike-pack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/city-of-heroes-launches-the-issue-19-strike-pack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/city-of-heroes-launches-the-issue-19-strike-pack/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Have you found yourself acquiring the deific power of the Incarnate system too darn slowly? Or have you found yourself stymied as you train up your Alpha Slot abilities, knowing that new tiers will be available but wishing they were available right now? City of Heroes players with either conundrum can take heart in knowing that the Issue 19 Strike Pack has just gone live, adding in solutions to both of these problems for everyone.

Players looking for a chance to earn more Incarnate materials every week will be happy with the new Weekly Strike Target, which grants extra rewards to players for the first run of a chosen Task Force and/or Strike Force and badges for players who repeatedly run the target. It also coincides nicely with the expansion of the Alpha Slot, allowing players access to the highest tier of powers available. It's not a bad thing to have extra motivation to run the Task Forces in City of Heroes, and this update offers two excellent incentives.

MassivelyCity of Heroes launches the Issue 19 Strike Pack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes has been firing on all cylinders for this month's announcements, promising a great deal to come in the next few months. One of those promises was an addition to Issue 19's list of feature in a smaller update, and now that's been both dated and expanded upon. The Strike Pack is due out in early February, and it promises to give players both a chance to improve Incarnate abilities even further and more opportunities to gather the all-important materials for same.

According to Black Scorpion, starting with the launch of the Strike Pack, a single co-op Task Force (or a Strike Force and a Task Force) will be designated as a Weekly Strike Target, with characters earning double merits and a special Incarnate item for the first completion in a week. The Incarnate item is the key to unlocking the upper tiers of the Alpha Slot, which apply an effective level shift to your character, allowing said character to count as level 51 for purposes of hitting, missing, dodging, and so forth. Special badges are also promised for running the Weekly Strike Target multiple times, which should help keep City of Heroes active for everyone.

MassivelyCity of Heroes launching the Strike Pack in February originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As I write this, DC Universe Online's launch is a day away. By the time you're reading it, it'll have already happened. Not coincidentally, I also had a chance to interview Melissa Bianco again, proving once again that Paragon Studios knows full well how to step up its game and strut its stuff when necessary. Unfortunately, this puts me in an awkward position, because there's interesting stuff between the lines of that interview -- but there's also a nagging question that people have been asking me about why I seem to care so much about DC Universe Online.

I should note that everyone who has asked that question has done so in such a way as to remind me how wonderful my regular readers are -- polite, respectful, and genuinely curious. Seriously, give yourself a pat on the back; the comments from the column are always a joy.

In truth, though, I think the interview partly answers the question. It should be clear from Paragon's burst of new information that the City of Heroes team has been keeping an eye on DC Universe Online, and I take that as a sign that the team knows how to run a darn good game. You can't honestly think it's a coincidence that we got a new groundswell of information and promises of more just before another superhero game launched, can you?

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Moving forward and upward

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Moving forward and upward originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last year was undeniably a pretty good year for City of Heroes -- it boasted a six-year anniversary, a new expansion, and a newly improved graphical engine to make the game that much more attractive. This year... well, it's still up in the air, but it's still kicking off with a brand-new competitor for the game, which adds a whole host of new challenges for the development team at Paragon Studios to overcome. Not to mention that when you've just come off of a good year, you're faced with the question of what you can possibly do to top it.

But the team behind the game is prepared for the challenges of this year and already looks forward to raising the bar again in 2011. We had a chance to talk with Melissa Bianco, lead designer of City of Heroes, about what's coming next for the game and how the team plans to face new and ongoing hurdles. Check on past the break for our talk about potential sequels, the upcoming issues of the game, and what we can expect to start seeing in the next few months.

Continue reading The road ahead for City of Heroes: Our interview with Melissa Bianco

MassivelyThe road ahead for City of Heroes: Our interview with Melissa Bianco originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>additionscity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxfeaturedgame-additionsgoing-rogueinterviewissue-19issue-20melissa-biancomicrotransactionsncsoftnew-additionsopinionparagonparagon-studiospatchesupcoming-patchesMon, 10 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2010's roguish review]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/a-mild-mannered-reporter-2010s-roguish-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/a-mild-mannered-reporter-2010s-roguish-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/a-mild-mannered-reporter-2010s-roguish-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

I joked once, long ago, that I should never answer WRUP truthfully, because it will invariably result in a total lack of doing what I announced. Lo and behold, I had the time to play through a single Mission Architect mission amidst an intensely obnoxious virus (just at that level where you're sick enough to know it but not sick enough to avoid work) and the preparation needed to get my house ready for hosting an entire family.

For the record? Never agree to do that for your family, no matter who your family is.

So instead, we're going to take a look through the big news of the year, the five biggest stories that have affected City of Heroes in the past 12 months. I had originally planned to save this one for next week, but I doubt that we'll get an enormous piece of news between now and next week. It's been an interesting year for the game as a whole, so between an expansion, major updates, and tumultuous times in the larger MMO world, let's look at the five biggest stories pertaining to the city.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2010's roguish review

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2010's roguish review originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reportercity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxdevelopersdevelopment-teamend-of-the-year-2010expansionexpansionsfeaturedgoing-roguegrissue-17issue-18issue-19issue-20matt-millermelissa-bianconcsoftparagonparagon-studiospositronwar-witchWed, 22 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Issue 19 goes live in City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/issue-19-goes-live-in-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/issue-19-goes-live-in-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/issue-19-goes-live-in-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

While World of Warcraft goes through its own world-shattering events, City of Heroes is getting hit hard as well. Issue 19 has just gone live, allowing players to experience the first step of the Praetorian invasion. Luckily, the patch also brings with it the Alpha Slot, empowering players with the first tier of the Incarnate system and allowing characters to stand against the invasion at a heretofore unseen level of power. There's also a surfeit of assorted quality-of-life improvements, not the least of which is the movement of Fitness to a baseline set of powers.

Issue 19's features have been getting talked up for some time, so players will likely find many familiar entries among the official patch notes. Most noteworthy is the free respec token that's being given out to all characters, with a second free token being awarded on December 8th for characters who have used the first free token. It's the perfect time for City of Heroes players to log in, get playing, and start fighting back against the Praetorian invaders with all the might they can muster -- and with the new systems, that's quite a lot of might indeed.

MassivelyIssue 19 goes live in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apex-task-forcebaseline-fitnesscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-19covcoxfitnessfree-respecfreespeci19incarnate-systemissue-19major-patchesmajor-updatesncsoftnew-patchparagonparagon-studiospatchpatchesrespectask-forcestin-mage-task-forceupdatesTue, 30 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Community dancing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/a-mild-mannered-reporter-community-dancing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/a-mild-mannered-reporter-community-dancing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/a-mild-mannered-reporter-community-dancing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's really hard for me to log in to City of Heroes recently, I have to admit. I know there are so many nifty things coming with the next patch that really, I just want to wait for Issue 19. I've got a baby Praetorian brute that will benefit from baseline Fitness to insane degrees, and it's really hard for me to convince myself that I should spend another minute leveling on a character without Stamina like an animal. Of course, I also have really been enjoying the game lately, so it's a difficult balance between the two opposing forces.

That certainly hasn't kept me from enjoying the discussion about City of Heroes going down of late, nor has it stopped me from logging in to take part in our livestream event for the game. Click on past the break to see this week's highlighted discussion, and in case you missed the stream, I took the liberty of embedding it right there at the end of the column. If you were already watching, well, you get another chance to listen to my dulcet tones after reading. Aren't you lucky?

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Community dancing

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Community dancing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorybaseline-fitnesscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxfeaturedfitnessi19incarnateissue-19melissa-bianconcsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospatchesweatherweather-systemsWed, 24 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Points of great divergence]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/17/a-mild-mannered-reporter-points-of-great-divergence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/17/a-mild-mannered-reporter-points-of-great-divergence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/17/a-mild-mannered-reporter-points-of-great-divergence/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's been an interesting few weeks leading up to the launch of the Incarnate system, in no small part because it's all been secret knowledge up until now. Yes, you all saw my writeup on the new task force and a quick interview regarding Issue 19 just a couple of days ago, but it happened before then, and I've been sitting on my hands with some knowledge about just what the next evolution would mean for City of Heroes. As a result, I didn't want to talk about it too much -- speculation was pointless, since I knew what the Alpha Slot actually did, and I wasn't allowed to just say it.

So what do I think about the Incarnate system? I'm excited about it, obviously -- I'm excited about anything that really takes a new idea and runs with it, and I have a lot of faith in the team doing the development. But at the same time, I can see more than one future lying ahead for the post-Issue 19 City of Heroes, one good, one bad. Armed with the knowledge of the first slot and a loose overview of what's coming, I think now is a time to look at what I see as the two possible outcomes.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Points of great divergence

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Points of great divergence originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are times when working with MMOs can be a bit of a mixed bag. You get some hate-filled feedback, you find that one of your major hobbies is now part of your job, and you're either a shill for the company or you're overly negative. And then there are times when you get to run the newest City of Heroes task force with the development team from Paragon Studios, and suddenly you remember why you got into the field in the first place.

It's one thing to be told over and over that a task force represents a new high-water mark for City of Heroes, and another thing entirely to start playing it and realize that it's pretty much exactly what was advertised. The first phase of fighting off the Praetorian invasion required fancy footwork, careful play, and learning encounters without being overly tedious. And even aside from that, it featured giant robots and the explanation of the flying swords from the Issue 19 trailer -- both things that turned out to be even more awesome than I had dared to hope.

Continue reading The City of Heroes team against the Apex task force

MassivelyThe City of Heroes team against the Apex task force originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apex-task-forcecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontentcovcoxdeveloper-tourdevelopmentfeaturedhands-oni19invasionissue-19major-patchesncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetoriapraetorianriktitask-forceupdatesMon, 15 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Paragon Studios answers our questions about Issue 19 of City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/paragon-studios-answers-our-questions-about-issue-19-of-city-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/paragon-studios-answers-our-questions-about-issue-19-of-city-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/paragon-studios-answers-our-questions-about-issue-19-of-city-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Just three months after the major upheaval of Going Rogue, City of Heroes is getting another big update in the form of Issue 19. Bringing with it new task forces, the first part of the new Incarnate system, the long-awaited baseline Fitness pool, and several other quality-of-life improvements, the issue is packed to bursting with things for players to enjoy. So we naturally had a few questions, even above and beyond our first impressions of both the Incarnate system and the new Apex task force.

Of course, this issue isn't the work of just one or two people within Paragon Studios, but the whole team. So it was fitting that we got our questions about the newest update to City of Heroes answered by several members of the team. Melissa Bianco, Matt Miller, Sean McCann, and Tim Sweeney all took the time to answer some quick questions about the substance of the update, so click on past the break to see our questions and their responses.

Continue reading Paragon Studios answers our questions about Issue 19 of City of Heroes

MassivelyParagon Studios answers our questions about Issue 19 of City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apex-task-forcecity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxcraftingendgameendgame-systemenhancementsfitnessfitness-poolgoing-roguegri19incarnate-systemincarnatesinteviewsissue-19ncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetoriatin-mage-task-forcetip-missionstipsupdatesMon, 15 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes developer diary: Challenging the gods]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/city-of-heroes-developer-diary-challenging-the-gods/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/city-of-heroes-developer-diary-challenging-the-gods/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/city-of-heroes-developer-diary-challenging-the-gods/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Issue 19 brings a big change to characters in City of Heroes. There's always been a line of thought running through comic books that superheroes are essentially modern deities, but when you start stepping into the Incarnate system, the comparison becomes far more straightforward: You are wielding the powers of gods. Just like Statesman and Lord Recluse, player characters will be empowered beyond the ken of mortals and will begin the road toward a new apex of ability.

Of course, when you're making such huge changes to the fabric of the game, you need more than just a quick stir in the patcher. A great deal of work went into elevating characters to deification, and that's precisely what the latest City of Heroes developer diary covers. Tim "Black Scorpion" Sweeney has penned an entry on what went into the design of the Incarnate system, so skip on past the break to see how players go from being mere mortals to Incarnates... within the game, anyhow.

Continue reading City of Heroes developer diary: Challenging the gods

MassivelyCity of Heroes developer diary: Challenging the gods originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-scorpioncity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxdev-diarydeveloper-diaryfeaturedgoing-roguegri19incarnateincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19ncsoftparagonparagon-studiosplayer-enchancementsplayer-powerstim-black-scorpion-sweeneytim-sweeneyThu, 11 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The changing of the environment]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-changing-of-the-environment/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-changing-of-the-environment/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-changing-of-the-environment/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If I had to make a list of video game characters I hate... well, it would take up a thousand words and then some. (Fuuka Yamagishi would be on there.) But if I just had to make a list of MMO lore characters that I hate... actually, again, it would take up a thousand words and then some. (Tyrande Whisperwind would be on there.) Still, near the top of the list would be one of my least favorite characters from the lore of any game, and appropriately enough it's City of Heroes -- because I really, really hate Statesman.

Honestly, before I even knew about his background, Statesman rubbed me the wrong way. But it was only made worse by the fact that he derived his powers from Jack Emmert's ego, thereby giving him nearly limitless everything as long as Emmert was in charge. The comics made him out to be a jerk; the game made him out to be The Best Hero In The World Ever. And through it all there was a subtle reminder that he was the real hero. Your character was great and all, but you weren't really the hero. It was Statesman.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The changing of the environment

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: The changing of the environment originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorycharacterscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxfeaturedissue-19issueslorelore-characterslore-figureslore-shiftmajor-updatesncsoftopinionparadigm-shiftparagonparagon-studiospositronstatesmanupdatesWed, 10 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Issues 20 and Incarnates previewed for City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/issues-20-and-incarnates-previewed-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/issues-20-and-incarnates-previewed-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/issues-20-and-incarnates-previewed-for-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If you were one of the lucky fans at the recent City of Heroes meet-and-greet, you were treated to a wealth of information from Paragon Studios about the future of the game. If you weren't, however, you still get a fair slice of luck with today's reveal on the official site about the Incarnate system, complete with lore illustrating the start of what promises to be a far-reaching storyline in the game. We've also gotten a look at the event's presentation on future content, which should give fans plenty to look forward to.

The Incarnate system is kicking off with the Alpha Slot in Issue 19, which will be focused on wide-ranging enhancements to all of a character's powers. Unlike Enhancements, Incarnate abilities can be slotted and removed without destroying them. Each slot will have several branches that players can explore as well, allowing for a great deal of character customization. Moreover, the most powerful Incarnate abilities allow characters to improve their effective level in battle past the cap. You can head to the official site for more details on the next major system of City of Heroes -- or you can take a look at the gallery for a preview of what's coming and the slides which give us a sneak peek at a new warehouse map, new costume pieces, and the trials of Issue 20.

Gallery: City of Heroes updates preview

MassivelyIssues 20 and Incarnates previewed for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-slotbackstorycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxgalleriesgallerygame-mechanicsgame-updatesin-game-eventincarnateincarnate-systemissue-19issue-20loremajor-patchesmajor-updatesncsoftnew-contentparagonparagon-studiospatchespreviewsscreenshotscreenshotstrialsupdatesTue, 09 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes dev diary: Dr. Aeon's Guide on How to Make a Proper Interdimensional Invasion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/27/city-of-heroes-dev-diary-dr-aeons-guide-on-how-to-make-a-prop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/27/city-of-heroes-dev-diary-dr-aeons-guide-on-how-to-make-a-prop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/27/city-of-heroes-dev-diary-dr-aeons-guide-on-how-to-make-a-prop/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

With the upcoming Issue 19, City of Heroes is bringing in the long-awaited Incarnate system, the first step in improving and honing the powers of characters who have already reached the level cap. Of course, that would be rather unbalancing if there wasn't something new to challenge the newly-empowered characters, but the whole invasion of Praetoria into Paragon City and the Rogue Isles should give even the new Incarnates something challenging to handle. Two task forces are being added to challenge characters that have reached the apex of power.

So how exactly does one craft a new invasion in City of Heroes? We were lucky to get a brand-new developer diary from Sean "Dr. Aeon" McCann detailing how the Apex and Tin Mage task forces came into existence, from the challenges it presented in design to the result of all that hard work. Take a look past the cut to check out the diary, wherein we get a full rundown of how one launches an interdimensional war. (In the game, at least. Actual aggression against other dimensions is not covered.)

Continue reading City of Heroes dev diary: Dr. Aeon's Guide on How to Make a Proper Interdimensional Invasion

MassivelyCity of Heroes dev diary: Dr. Aeon's Guide on How to Make a Proper Interdimensional Invasion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxdr-aeonexpansionsgoing-roguegrincarnateincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19ncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchessean-dr-aeon-mccannsean-mccanntask-forceupcoming-patchesupdatesWed, 27 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes developer diary: Going Rogue, new powersets, new enemies, new problems]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/city-of-heroes-developer-diary-going-rogue-new-powersets-new/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/city-of-heroes-developer-diary-going-rogue-new-powersets-new/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/city-of-heroes-developer-diary-going-rogue-new-powersets-new/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

As of right now, City of Heroes is in a state of flux. Like any game with a new expansion, the superhero game boasts features that are changing and endgame structures that are being disrupted, and the changes of Issue 19 promise to introduce an actual endgame into a game that's long lacked one. But it all started with the most recent expansion, one that gave players the chance to switch sides back in August -- Going Rogue.

Much like Rome, the foundation for the expansion wasn't laid in a day. We were granted an early look at a developer diary by Floyd "Castle" Grubb, longtime veteran of the Paragon Studios team and lead designer for the Powers and Entities team. Take a look past the cut for his diary, explaining the various ways in which the powersets of the expansion were developed and fine-tuned, as well as highlights the new additions for both enemies and players.

Continue reading City of Heroes developer diary: Going Rogue, new powersets, new enemies, new problems

MassivelyCity of Heroes developer diary: Going Rogue, new powersets, new enemies, new problems originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlecity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcoming-updatescovcoxdemon-summoningdeveloper-diarydiarydual-pistolselectric-controlexpansionfeaturedfloyd-castle-grubbfloyd-grubbgoing-roguegri19i20i21issue-19issue-20issue-21issueskinetic-meleencsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespowerspowersetsupdatesWed, 20 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NYCC 2010: The City of Heroes Issue 19 panel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/nycc-2010-the-city-of-heroes-issue-19-panel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/nycc-2010-the-city-of-heroes-issue-19-panel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/nycc-2010-the-city-of-heroes-issue-19-panel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's the end of the convention season, and City of Heroes fans on the East Coast managed to get one last treat -- another chance with the development team that had long been anchored firmly on the other side of the country. The team's panel in March at PAX East saw the revelation of several new facts about the game, including the first announcement of Kinetic Melee and Electric Control, and the panel that closes out the year at New York Comic Con contained several interesting new facts as well.

Melissa Bianco, David Nakayama, and Jesse Caceres were all in attendance, with the panel overseen by community representative Tia Parurahi. With Going Rogue having been out for nearly two months, this panel focused on the upcoming Issue 19 and what the changes mean for the game, as well as how much the development team is ramping up production to improve the game all around.

Continue reading NYCC 2010: The City of Heroes Issue 19 panel

MassivelyNYCC 2010: The City of Heroes Issue 19 panel originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-slotalpha-strikeapex-task-forcechallengescharacter-customizationcity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcostume-piecescostumescovcoxdavid-nakayamaendgamefeaturedgame-updatesgoing-roguegrhigh-end-contenti19incarnate-systemincarnate-task-forcesissue-19jesse-caceresmelissa-bianconcsoftnew-arcsnew-york-comic-connyccnycc-2010paragonparagon-studiospatchesstory-arcstask-forcestia-parurahitin-mage-task-forceupdatesSun, 10 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Because of reasons!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/a-mild-mannered-reporter-because-of-reasons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/a-mild-mannered-reporter-because-of-reasons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/a-mild-mannered-reporter-because-of-reasons/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's weird to say it, but City of Heroes feels like it's still on the cusp of a storm. Going Rogue was a fine expansion, but it doesn't have the sense of breaking that built-up tension, that feeling of something major just over the horizon. Or perhaps it's just me, perched out on my metaphorical porch and loudly proclaiming that this next one is going to be the big one, as I puff on my metaphorical corn-cob pipe and look across the metaphorical skyline of rural Metaphorbraska.

OK, that one kind of got away from me there, but what I was trying to get at was that it's time for another question-and-answer session for City of Heroes and that I don't think I'm the only person feeling like Issue 19 might hold some great secret. We'll know soon enough, although right now it's time for Issue 20's super-secret beta, which even I don't know about just yet. I'm very curious. On to the questions!

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Because of reasons!

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Because of reasons! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcscharacter-typescharacterscity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxfeaturedfitnessgoing-roguegrissue-19issue-20levelslimitsncsoftndaparagonparagon-studiosstorystory-arcWed, 06 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes previews the coming Issue 19]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We've known about the bare basics of Issue 19 for a little while now, but City of Heroes players have just been treated to a new explosion of information about the game's next major content patch. And it promises to be quite a big update, with two new task forces, new events in Praetoria, and some alternate animations and auras that had not been previously announced. Several powers will now have a number of locations that can be used as a launching point, so you could fire your Radiation Blasts from your eyes, one hand, both hands, or other possibilities. More tip and morality missions are being added, as well as the option for characters who were not from Praetoria to enter the city.

It couldn't come at a better time, as Praetoria's infiltration and invasion are the center of the two new task forces. Overseen by Apex and Tin Mage, two important lore figures, the chains have characters face off against Praetors and uniquely Praetorian enemies to keep their world safe from Emperor Cole's designs. There are also new live events being added in Praetoria, such as a mass protest that heroes can take part in or help shut down. With the previously announced first Incarnate slot and the move of Fitness to inherent (with a slight clarification of unclear wording), the update promises to be an infusion of both content and systems for City of Heroes, so take a look at the official rundown for more.

MassivelyCity of Heroes previews the coming Issue 19 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignment-systemalpha-strikeaurascharacter-aurascharacter-customizationcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontactscovcoxcustomizationgame-updatesincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19major-updatesmoralityncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetorianspratoriapreviewstask-forcetask-forcestipsupdatesTue, 05 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: All the news that's fit from PAX]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/a-mild-mannered-reporter-all-the-news-thats-fit-from-pax/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/a-mild-mannered-reporter-all-the-news-thats-fit-from-pax/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/a-mild-mannered-reporter-all-the-news-thats-fit-from-pax/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The revelations at PAX East were pretty darn big for City of Heroes, but they had a big advantage over PAX Prime. At the time we sat down in Boston, Going Rogue was months away, and we knew almost nothing about what it would bring us. This time around, it's been out for a couple of weeks, and most of the fancy pieces of knowledge are pretty well established. It would be hard, if not impossible, for the development team to hit us with the same one-two punch.

I wouldn't argue that the team quite managed that -- there's no comparison to revealing two new power sets, the endgame system, and video demonstrations of much-awaited sets -- but Paragon Studios sure did manage to drop quite a bomb on us. As I've done frequently in the past, we're going to take this point by point, with a full collection of neat pieces of news that leave me wondering just how much interesting stuff is yet to come from the development team.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: All the news that's fit from PAX

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: All the news that's fit from PAX originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcontentcovcoxdevelopmentdevelopment-teamendgameendgame-mechanicsfeaturedgame-mechanicsgoing-roguegrincarnateincarnate-systemissue-19issue-20matt-millermelissa-bianconcsoftnews-analysisopinionparagonparagon-studiospax-2010positronsystemsupcoming-patcheswar-witchWed, 08 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2010: City of Heroes moves Fitness over to inherent powers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-city-of-heroes-moves-fitness-over-to-inherent-powers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-city-of-heroes-moves-fitness-over-to-inherent-powers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-city-of-heroes-moves-fitness-over-to-inherent-powers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Big news got dropped today during the City of Heroes panel over at the inimitable PAX, the sort of thing that every veteran of the game will be interested in. Fitness -- also known as the powerset that is more or less mandatory by level 20, or the Stamina set -- is being moved from power pools into the inherent power set. That means that three of the default power choices in the game have just been rolled into every character from level 1, making builds more flexible and players very happy indeed.

It wasn't mentioned specifically whether this means the powers will simply be under inherent powers or base movement speed, regeneration rates, and so forth will be increased. There has also been more information about the highly anticipated Incarnate System, with Issue 19 rolling out the Alpha Slot to start players down the road of improvement at Level 50. We'll have more on the panel as a whole and the details of the revelations, including news on the Issue 20 testing, but for now, all City of Heroes players should be happy to learn they have three new power selections to play with when 19 launches.

MassivelyPAX 2010: City of Heroes moves Fitness over to inherent powers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know that Going Rogue is going live for City of Heroes players in August, and that means a new major patch for the game. We know that the update will be Issue 18, followed by the much-discussed Issue 19 that finishes the Incarnate System and expands the endgame. What we haven't known until now is exactly what Issue 18 will contain other than expansion content -- and while it's unlikely that many of the game's players would be skipping out on the expansion, there's always the chance. The development team has broken that silence, however, revealing some of the additions to the game with the new update, including the long-awaited return of the Cathedral of Pain.

Yes, Issue 18 will see the return of the Cathedral of Pain trial after a nearly four-year hiatus. Players can expect the trial to have been heavily rewritten while maintaining the same basic framework, the location itself being one of the core sanctums for Rularuu the Ravager. Beyond that is the addition of the Tips system, additions to Mission Architect, and the ability to trade inspirations between heroes and villains. Take a look at the official site for more previews of the next free update to City of Heroes, and take a look at the gallery for some more shots of Praetoria and the revamped Cathedral.

Gallery: City of Heroes Issue 18 screenshots

The new Cathedral of PainHeroes launching into actionA group shot of some Going Rogue heroesIn honor of the Emperor himself

MassivelyCity of Heroes returns to the Cathedral in Issue 18 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cathedral-of-paincity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-18coh-issue-19covcoxfree-updatesgoing-roguegrincarnate-systemissue-18issue-19mission-architectncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetoriaupdatesThu, 08 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A video retrospective of City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/a-video-retrospective-of-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/a-video-retrospective-of-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/a-video-retrospective-of-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We're still not done celebrating six straight years of City of Heroes, and likely won't be entirely done until July. Even that's largely because we'll have something else to celebrate... but we're getting ahead of ourselves. While we here at Massively took our own look back through the changes in the game over the years, the Samuraiko Productions team has put together something well worth spotlighting: a visual walk through the changes, additions, and updates the game has had over the years.

The six-minute walk through history starts out at the very first build, complete with now-archaic UI elements and some questionable fashion choices, and heads straight on through to the upcoming Going Rogue and Issue 19. While there are occasional anachronisms, the video itself gleefully plays with those slight discrepancies, focusing instead on the broadening and expansion of the game. There are also little in-jokes and cameos here and there throughout the film. Whether you're an old fan, a new player, or just want to see a tour through history, take a look past the cut for this excellent trip down memory lane for City of Heroes.

[Thanks to Samuraiko for the tip!]

Continue reading A video retrospective of City of Heroes

MassivelyA video retrospective of City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxfan-madegoing-rogueissue-19paragonparagon-cohparagon-studiospatchesupdatesTue, 04 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2010: City of Heroes panel reveals many things]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/28/pax-east-2010-city-of-heroes-panel-reveals-many-things/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/28/pax-east-2010-city-of-heroes-panel-reveals-many-things/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/28/pax-east-2010-city-of-heroes-panel-reveals-many-things/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Unpacking the City of Heroes panel at PAX East is a big deal: there were huge amounts of information being thrown around, and a lot of new pieces of information to process. For that matter, there was far more than anyone expected, with information about the full spread of new issues up to Issue 19 and the reveal of Matt "Positron" Miller's heretofore unrevealed new endgame system. The panel as a whole featured a huge breadth of information about the game from concept into the future, and was filled with people long before the official start time, with fans vocally professing their adoration for the team the whole way through.

We had the good fortune to be front and center at the theatre, and once we started taking notes we didn't really stop until the event was over. At the panel were lead designer Melissa Bianco, former lead designer and current lead system designer Matt Miller, art lead David Nakayama, and development producer Jesse Caceres. They opened off with a discussion of the game's history from launch back in 2004 to the present. The changeover from Cryptic to Paragon Studios was discussed in brief, mentioning that four of the major launch employees (Miller, Bianco, CW Bennet, and Brian Clayton) were still with Paragon even after the change.

Continue reading PAX East 2010: City of Heroes panel reveals many things

MassivelyPAX East 2010: City of Heroes panel reveals many things originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-heroes-issue-17city-of-heroes-issue-18city-of-heroes-issue-19city-of-heroes-ultra-modecity-of-villainscohcovcoxcryptic-studiosdavid-nakayamaexpansionsfeaturedgoing-rogueissue-17issue-18issue-19jesse-caceresmatt-positron-millermelissa-biancomelissa-war-witch-biancomission-architectnew-powersetspanelsparagonparagon-cohparagon-studioesparagon-studiospax-2010pax-east-2010powersetsultra-modeSun, 28 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST