City of Heroes Freedom

[Star Ranger4]

... Carp. Beam Weapon sounds like I'm in for a re-roll on 'myself'
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Shader]

So I walk back to my computer after enjoying (readuffering) a few-ten days R&R away from it and boot it up and down load ye-gods how many emails and start to work through everything...
In the back ground I fire up the NC-Launcher.... interesting Test has a "small" patch going onto it... 182 MB... while Beta has .. ho-boy 1,965 MB ?!? ... what are they doing in there? That's going to take a while for me to chew through on my connection.
I shudder the size of patch when it lands on live and test.
Then I checked the CoH boards for an explanation as the the Test patch and found this note:

Since the announcement of City of Heroes Freedomâ„¢ and Issue 21,
we've been getting a lot of questions about features and
functionalities that will make it into the game. Well, it is now time
for you to experience all those changes first hand, for the VIP Beta for
City of Heroes Freedom and Issue 21 is starting at 4:00 p.m. PDT ( 7:00 p.m. EDT / 12:00 a.m. BST / 1:00 CEST) on August 9 (August 10 in Europe)!

If you've never accessed our Beta server before or need a refresher, get the latest set of instructions to install it here.

Once that's done, delve into the next evolution of City of Heroes
starting from the new Character creator and its myriad of improvements
and additions, straight into the brand new combined tutorial and the
updated Atlas Park and Mercy Island!

And while you're at it, browse through the Paragon Marketâ„¢ as well as the brand new Paragon Rewards system that supersedes the Veteran Program!

City of Heroes Freedom and Issue 21: Convergence have so much to offer, you will want to make sure you check our Issue 21 Overview page as well as our City of Heroes Freedom mini-site before embarking on the Beta adventure.

We're looking forward to seeing you on the Beta server!

And yes at some latter date they are giving out Paragon Points, and its open to all current subscribers....
Now if only a)I could get the patch was downloaded and b)I wasn't going away for the weekend.

[Foxboy]

Welll! Know where I'll be this evening. *part of stampede to crash the Beta servers*
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

[ECSNorway]

Query, is the NCSoftLauncher for Mac out yet?
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Foxboy]

It's supposed to be... but, If you have Steam, I seem to recall you can use that to launch CoX
ETA: Here is the official forums in re: Mac Users.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

[OpMegs]

Also, new CoT:


---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."

[Terrenceknight]

So..given such large changes are happening with Freedom..I'm going to also attempt to get on the beta server, but I do have a question. Will I need to set up a separate account just for the beta server?

[Logan Darklighter]

You won't need a separate account. In other words - you log in to the Beta Server using your normal CoH log-in. And if you copy characters over, they'll be on the Beta server before you start it up. But you will need a different copy on your hard drive of the game client. I believe the link above explains how to install that.

[Logan Darklighter]

Also, new CoT:

Okay - now THAT is more like it!

[Terrenceknight]

Yah I have installed a second client onto my system so I guess I'm good to go when the server is available.

[Logan Darklighter]

Just checking to be sure on your behalf Terry - but you did download and install the BETA server and not just the TEST server?

[Terrenceknight]

Yeah I followed the instructions and the CoH client is -Beta-. When I try (and fail!) to log on its to Beta Servers heh. Mainly just trying to log on to make sure I have the right shit downloaded

[Ankhani]

If there isn't one already, I'll be making a "The Legendary" global channel when the beta comes up. Be sure to join for communication goodness!
---

The Master said: "It is all in vain! I have never yet seen a man who can perceive his own faults and bring the charge home against himself."

>Analects: Book V, Chaper XXVI

[Logan Darklighter]

Cool beans, then! ^_^

[Niteflier]

You know you're on vacation when your internet is only 30 Kb/sec. Ah, well, only 2500 hours before I can load up!

[Star Ranger4]

hmm. Interesting stuff on the official site's sub page for the Paragon Market section I found while waiting on todays update...

http://na.cityofheroes.co...eedom/paragon_market.php

• Dual and Team Inspirations. Dual Inspirations combine the power of two Inspirations into one and last longer than a standard Inspiration. Most Team Inspirations grant an Inspiration's benefits to your entire team; though Resurrection Team Inspirations resurrect your character or a single other character. Dual and Team Inspirations are character specific, but they can be redeemed by any character in your account.

• Two More Enhancement Trays. You can add one or two more Enhancement trays, letting you store up to 20 more Enhancements on each character. The new Enhancement trays are accountwide.

• Five More Costume Slots. Your characters can have a maximum of 10 costume slots (including the default first costume slot). These costume slots are accountwide and apply to all new and existing characters. You will not be able to unlock the five new costume slots through in-game missions.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Terrenceknight]

Squeeeeeeeee Rocket board. That is all.

[Drenivian]

Just read down the patch notes in the Beta, and wow, they gave Regen and the HEATs a small bit of love.  Lets just see if that stays.
Now I just have to get through work before i can SEE these changes, grumble grumble.
*********************
In the epic rage of furious thunder
legends create their tales
when the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
our glory will prevail

[Logan Darklighter]

Ok. Epic fail time. 

They've given in and made it like WoW. 

There are no more instanced missions before a certain level. You have to share maps. You go into a "Hellion Cave" and there's 15 billion other people in there with you JUST LIKE ATLAS PARK. 

It's Northshire Abbey kill-stealing all over again. 

I want to cry. 

So much fail. I wanted so much to get into an instanced mission so that I could actually see my new Street fighting power set in action properly and not lagged so that the power goes off 15 minutes after I hit the button. But no. 

FAIL Devs! FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL. 

EPIC PICARD FACEPALM to INFINITY. 

[Morganite]

From what I've seen, the problem is closer to having enemies respawning too fast for comfort. And even then there's instanced missions mixed in, at least on the path I took.

But the sections that do require "kill x" missions... I'm just not expecting that many people to be in any given one at a time.

[Matrix Dragon]

I've seen a comment from Second Measure somewhere (Can't find it right now) that the phased mission approach being used in Atlas and Mercy isn't going to replace traditional missions. Rather, it's being used at lower levels to take a lot of strain off the servers. Levels 1-10 and 50 have a major percentage of instances being generated, and the later has a lot more teams. A collection of phased missions at low levels apparently make things much less stressful on the server. Spawn rates are still being tested... And I'm not sure what they'll do about the crowded cave problem.

EDIT: Aha, found it. http://boards.cityofheroe...=3795329&postcount=5

[Terrenceknight]

Does anyone have a link for the beta patch notes? I'm having a difficult time finding them.

[Ankhani]

Here

Make sure you're logged in, or you won't see the beta forums.
---

The Master said: "It is all in vain! I have never yet seen a man who can perceive his own faults and bring the charge home against himself."

>Analects: Book V, Chaper XXVI

[Terrenceknight]

Thanks Ankh! *Skuttles off to read*

[CrimsonKMR]

before I bother to install the beta...
must be a current sub to play in the beta or anyone can?
There is no coincidence, only necessity....
- Clow Reed