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 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[City of Heroes launches Issue 22, and it's going to be a killer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/city-of-heroes-launches-issue-22-and-its-going-to-be-a-killer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/city-of-heroes-launches-issue-22-and-its-going-to-be-a-killer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/city-of-heroes-launches-issue-22-and-its-going-to-be-a-killer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Alas, poor Statesman! I knew him, Manticore.
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.

Continue reading City of Heroes launches Issue 22, and it's going to be a killer

MassivelyCity of Heroes launches Issue 22, and it's going to be a killer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomincarnateincarnate-systemissue-22ncsoftnew-patchesparagonparagon-studiospatchpatchessuperherosuperheroesupdatesvideovideosTue, 06 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[War Witch conjures up a new producer's letter for City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/war-witch-conjures-up-a-new-producers-letter-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/war-witch-conjures-up-a-new-producers-letter-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/war-witch-conjures-up-a-new-producers-letter-for-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It kind of feels like cheating that they're fighting on a beach instead of a bamboo forest.
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.

MassivelyWar Witch conjures up a new producer's letter for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-22covcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomissue-22melissa-bianconcsoftnewsparagonparagon-studiospreviewssuperherosuperheroesupcoming-contentupcoming-patcheswar-witchThu, 01 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Embrace the darkness with City of Heroes' Issue 22]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/embrace-the-darkness-with-city-of-heroes-issue-22/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/embrace-the-darkness-with-city-of-heroes-issue-22/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/embrace-the-darkness-with-city-of-heroes-issue-22/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- City of Heroes
City of Heroes players better prepare themselves for another descent into the realm of Dark Astoria because in the upcoming Issue 22, Paragon Studios is sending them right back to the twisted realm. Of course, there's a catch: Dark Astoria is being twisted and transformed "into a Level 50 Incarnate co-op zone, with missions that can unlock Incarnate abilities for both Heroes and Villains."

But high-level Incarnate players aren't the only ones getting goodies in Issue 22; a new low-level trial -- morbidly titled Drowning in Blood -- is also being introduced in the update. And who could forget the new powersets? Not us! Controllers and Dominators are being given access to the Darkness Control main powerset as well as the Darkness Affinity and Dark Assault secondary sets (for Controllers and Dominators, respectively).

For the full preview of City of Heroes' Issue 22, just click on through the link below to the game's official site.

MassivelyEmbrace the darkness with City of Heroes' Issue 22 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdark-assaultdark-astoriadarknessdarkness-affinitydarkness-controldeath-incarnatedrowning-in-bloodf2pfree-to-playissue-22ncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchpatchespowersetpowersetsupdateupdatesWed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes lets low-level players go Drowning in Blood]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/city-of-heroes-lets-low-level-players-go-drowning-in-blood/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/city-of-heroes-lets-low-level-players-go-drowning-in-blood/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/city-of-heroes-lets-low-level-players-go-drowning-in-blood/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Okay, it's more like drowning in vines and gelatin, but that isn't as evocative.
Designing a low-level instance is a challenge that's rarely discussed. High-level challenges are of course the marquee elements of any game, but the low-level content needs love. How do you introduce the concepts to players? How do you make the rewards meaningful while still making room for later improvement? City of Heroes is tackling precisely those problems with the new Drowning in Blood trial, a level 15-30 trial in Bloody Bay coming with Issue 22.

In a recent developer diary, world designer Cord Carney explains how the team tried to balance both storytelling aspects and gameplay elements, keeping the second lower-level trial as engaging for new and returning players as the recent introductory trial Death From Below. Carney also explains how the trial will offer players a chance at obtaining a buff that lasts up to level 30, giving everyone a reason to participate with lower characters without unbalancing the endgame. It's an interesting look at making lower-level content engaging, epic, and fun.

MassivelyCity of Heroes lets low-level players go Drowning in Blood originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-22covcoxf2pfree-to-playissue-22low-level-contentlow-level-triallow-levelsncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchestrialsupcoming-patchesupdatesTue, 28 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Issue 22 is all juiced out]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-issue-22-is-all-juiced-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-issue-22-is-all-juiced-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-issue-22-is-all-juiced-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
On Christmas, Ms. Lady and I received a power juicer.

This wasn't a bad present by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a present that left us momentarily baffled. We hadn't asked for a power juicer, we didn't feel a great need for a power juicer, and we weren't even sure exactly what to do with a power juicer. (Make juice, obviously, but beyond that?) It was a great present but one that struck us as so far out of left field that we really weren't quite sure how to use it at first, much less what it would offer us.

Issue 22 of City of Heroes strikes me in much the same way. It's not that the update is bad or unwanted or unnecessary; it's that the entire thing is essentially aimed in a direction away from my own playstyle. I imagine a lot of free players are going to run into the same issue because even though it's being touted as the game's newest free update, there's precious little in there that's actually changed on the free side.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Issue 22 is all juiced out

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Issue 22 is all juiced out originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reportercity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-freedomcity-of-villainscohcolumncolumnscovcoxdesignf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomincarnateincarnate-systemissue-22ncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospatchespowerspowersetsupdateszonesWed, 25 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes Issue 22 update features heaps of new content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/city-of-heroes-issue-22-update-to-feature-lots-of-new-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/city-of-heroes-issue-22-update-to-feature-lots-of-new-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/city-of-heroes-issue-22-update-to-feature-lots-of-new-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

CoH
Paragon and NCsoft have officially announced the latest update for the long-running City of Heroes superhero MMORPG. Issue 22: Death Incarnate is the title's first major content drop since the free-to-play conversion, and new endgame trials, costumes, powers, and VIP items are on the way.

Chief among the updates are tweaks to the Dark Astoria zone (it becomes a Co-op Incarnate Zone tailored for level 50-plus heroes). Also noteworthy is the new darkness power set for Controllers and Dominators, which should cause a cackle of glee for those of you who relish summoning spectral minions and commanding shadows.

There's also a new trial called Dilemma Diabolique in which heroes and villains must join forces to take down the evil sorceress Diabolique before she makes good on her nefarious plan to rule the world. And that's just the tip of the new content iceberg. More info on Issue 22 is available at the CoH website.

[Source: NCsoft press release]

Gallery: City of Heroes Core Gallery

MassivelyCity of Heroes Issue 22 update features heaps of new content originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohdark-astoriadarknessdeath-incarnatediaboliquef2pfree-to-playgalleryissue-22ncsoftnew-powersetsparagonparagon-studiospatchespower-setspowersscreenshotssuperheroThu, 12 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST