Sneak peeks of Issue 12 from the Test Server - BY ACCIDENT!!

[Logan Darklighter]

Yes, you read the title right. I've already talked about this in-game to some people. Here's a recount of the story:

Early this morning, I got up and with nothing better to do, fired up the test server while browsing, when it downloaded new patch, and confirming that it
wouldn't let me log on as part of the Closed Beta, I went in and played around with the new features on the costume editor (which anyone can do, you just
can't log in after that.) just to see the new organization of stuff. Found some oddities, too. A classic English style monocle option for both male and
female toons. A set of "widow" shoulder pieces (from the Blood Widow set, I assume) and most oddly - a set of Widow leggings that had the Ghost Widow
style sheen to them. It's different from the "tights sleek" option. More light the kind of sheen you get from oil on water. That sort of subtle
rainbow effect.

Anyway - here's where things went strange.

I backed out of the costume edit screen, and sort of out of habit/reflex, forgetting that I was on the test server for a moment, clicked on Cyberman 8 and
logged in.

AND LOGGED IN.

After a stunned "WAIT... THAT wasn't supposed to happen!" moment. I started checking things out.

Let me back up a moment. I don't know if everyone else has this. But for some months now, when I log into test server, I have TWO listed. One says
"Training Room" and lets you play with other people normally when the test server is open. The other one says "Training Room 01". And
I'm not really sure WHAT is going on with that one. Because not only is the Legendary Base replicated there along with our roster, but it's the base as
of a couple of my edits back. In other words, it's not completely up-to-date.

Secondly - and this is the weird part. It's completely unpopulated. I NEVER see anyone there, even when the regular test server is open. It's almost
like I'm logging onto a private server of some kind.

THAT's the server I accidentally logged into with Cyberman 8. But it has the most recent version of Issue 12 stuff in it.

Well!

Now - unfortunately, I do NOT have a level 50 villain to test any VEATS out with. And I'm not sure if it would've worked. When I tried logging any
OTHER of my characters in, it would give me the standard "server is closed, you are not allowed" message.

But not if I logged in with Cyberman 8. HE can get in! I have NO CLUE why that is.

So -

I spent some time running around taking screenshots, visiting the Hollows (no screenshots really necessary here. But I can confirm that War Witch has changed
the spawns a LOT. Going to be a lot easier of a zone to go to in the 5-10 level range), checking map points. Seeing what I could see.

The first thing I noticed was that a lot of the billboards were blank. Here's a screenshot to show you what I mean:



I assume that this is a "work in progress" placeholder for the in-game ads that they are going to put in the game.

Here's a few more.







On that wide shot in Atlas above, you can see several of them.



It looked like most, if not all signage for in-game restaurants and street level businesses would remain unchanged. And several billboards are not included in
the changes.

This next one is a bit bizarre looking. It's the same thing, only in Boomtown.



In regards to the Midnight Club and the two Roman Zones. Apparently they haven't been added yet. When I looked around. I found the entrances to the
Midnight club in the campuses of the University in Steel Canyon and in Croatoa. But I couldn't enter. There were several Ouroboros missions that were
accessible though. But if they sent you to a zone that didn't exist, then you would be stuck and have to quit out of the arc.

But here's a few telling screenshots.



What is HIGHLY AMUSING to me is this: I've known for sometime that SOMEONE on the COH staff is an old school Star Blazers fan. They've already had a
radio mission that referenced a "Wave Motion Gun" prototype. But the above bit of work-in-progress placeholder text uses the name of the villain from
the show - Desslock!















So there's my evidence, because of course "screenshots or it didn't happen!" ^_^

Oh! Hey, I just checked and it's downloading another patch. I'm going to go check and see if I can still get in. I'll be back on the edit to let
you know what happened!

EDIT: Okay. The "Training Room 01" appears to be down. I've seen that happen before, so I'm not sure if it'll stay that way or not.
Obviously I can't get in on the regular training room. I'll check again later.

[Acyl]

Hahah, oh jeez, that's awesome. You're not the only one who's experienced weirdness with I12 and the
Test Server - the VEAT information we've got so far began with a similar sort of leak, someone managing to log in as a level 50 villain - then backing out
and managing to go through power/costume selection (though not actually create) for a VEAT character. Seems like they've got bugs in the lockout code.

You may well be the first to discover what you've posted, though - the contact info and arc fragments that is. Awesome.

-- Acyl

[jpub]

Did you report this to the devs? They may want to know because it sounds like a major bug that you can get in.

[Logan Darklighter]

Not yet. I want to see if it will happen again soon. I think I will report it though in the next 48 hours or so. I'd love to get a "Bug Hunter"
Badge for this!

[Sofaspud]

Is Cyberman 8 a tech origin? I wonder if the billboards are going to be 'targeted' towards the viewer's origin and/or archetype. Because
'TECH ONLY' as a placeholder just doesn't make much sense to me.

And this is pretty cool, by the way. Good stuff here. I'm going to second jpub in a way and ask that if you haven't, you report it, just because
it's cool to help out wherever possible.

ETA: hey, it just occurred to me. How old is Cyberman 8 compared to your other characters on the test server? I'm wondering if he's grandfathered in
by mistake somehow. Kinda like how some people still have costume combinations equipped that you can't do anymore because the editor's been changed.

--sofaspud
--"Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs

[Logan Darklighter]

I don't think the "grandfather" thing is the explanation. Because Lora Doubet - my first level 50 - is older by far. She's been around since
2004, where C8 has only been around since late 2006. Lora couldn't log in.

[Foxboy]

Yeah they copied Virtue over to Test 01 for some random thing involving... character transfers I think, and they've never reverted it back. Test 01 usually
really DOES what they say could happen on test, since so many folks are *Whinebot* Using test native toons for PVP!*/whinebot*
''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

[Foxboy]

A similar leak later today let the cat out of the bag on the new purchasable character slots.

They will be purchasable on a slot-by-slot basis per server.

So, want 5 more slots on Virtue only? Pay the fee and there you go.

Plus: some new Chest Icons, including a computer Power Switch, and a "Do not litter" sign.
''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

[Acyl]

They really gotta look at fixing their code somewhere. I mean, this is the third major leak I've heard
about - first the guy who gave us the VEAT screenshots, the rogue CYBERMAN INVADER, and now the slot purchase stuff.

I mean seriously, there's a problem here. =P

I figure someone in programming is going all >_< around now.

-- Acyl

[Foxboy]

The leaks were because some genius forgot that "Test 01" was still available to the public when they made it a "dev playground" server. If
Atlantea had known any of the dev slashcommands he could have autolevelled, etc.

That's right, Atlantea was a Dev/GM while he was there.
''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

[Logan Darklighter]

You are KIDDING ME?!?!

Ah well, I couldn't have leveled any higher anyway. I was using Cyberman 8, and Pete's already at level 50.

But... what ELSE could that have done?

[Logan Darklighter]

OH! I almost forgot! One of the bits of info that I found out when I went to the Icon Store in-game on the Test Server is this:

You are now given the choice of whether to use your free costume change or pay influence.

That's a HUGE quality-of-life upgrade as far as I'm concerned, as I don't want to be wasting free costume changes on minor edits!

[Bob Schroeck]

Well, finally! That's one I've wanted for a while!
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.