Champions Online

[Verfall]

I just read through the Lead Desinger Interview and I hope that stuff he mentions towards the end is for real and not just him running off at the mouth. I saw some lizard beasts in a screenshot so hopefully what he is talking about really happens in the game.  In case you are wondering he mentions a moonbase & monster island.  Man I really wanna punch a dinosaur so bad... :gbthungry

Holy crap, he grew up here. Hell, he went to the same Uni as me. Ok, I'll shamefully admit this might just turn the tide on me playing this. Knowing a guy from this backwater province is doing something I'd love to do can only mean I'll probably enjoy the game. If only I could get past knowing Jack has his dirty little hands on the thing, heh.

[UnkoMan]

Would you even need seperate models for on fours vs upright? Or simply different animations as they have also suggested other movement options like floating above the ground.

Well, you can basically do this in FF. Make a mesh based on male basic and it uses any male basic keyframes. In wrestling games it's the same thing, except the parts are all scalable. But it's not like somebody has any vastly different parts like wiggly tentacle arms. They all move the same.

I suppose they will just follow this sort of thing. Make the keyframes for the specific model types (say female/male/huge like CoX) and then be able to swap them around. Pretty easy.

[RTTingle]

A bit of news from the Champions Online gang yesterday.

This is really starting to worry and concern me.  It seems CO is really sticking it out there... and making it obvious --- this is the way things should be on CoX.  If they actually deliver... wow.

With a limited crew, limited capabilities of the program and code itself, I'm starting to think CoX has no way to counteract this.  I wonder if CoX really has anything left?  They even teased a shields powerset coming and well, I was underwhelmed.

Any matters... here is CO showing something again, that everyone has been wanting in CoX.  I suggest checking it out yourself, there is concept art up as well.

Stronghold

My trial was a joke. The judge, the jury, my idiot lawyers? They're dead men – they just don't know it yet. When I get out of here, what I've got planned will make that spree in Millennium City look like a preschooler play date.

I started planning my escape the second they handed my sentence down. But then the guards slapped those inhibitor cuffs on me. They say it's just an energy field, but I can feel it hanging on me. It presses down on my shoulders and smothers the power in me like dirt kicked on a campfire.

Getting my powers sucked away messed with my head, and before I could react, I was in the transport and on my way to Stronghold.

If you get caught and lose it all like I did, savor those last seconds of freedom. Smell the fresh air as long as you can. Drink in every bit of the desert view. Get a picture of that painted sky in your mind and lock it in. And take a long, last look at the sun.

Because if you're going to Stronghold, you're going down in the ground. You're not going to see the sun for a long, long time.
— Red Jack McCall

By the mid-1970s, supervillain crime was taking a vast toll on the American economy. Supervillians were stealing billions of dollars in cash and property each year, and destroying billions more. One reason was that it was difficult to keep superpowered villains incarcerated – catch a few, and it would be only a matter of time before they busted out of prison or were freed by their cohorts.

In 1976, noted penologist Dr. Charles Wildman proposed Stronghold – a super prison designed to hold supervillains.

Stronghold would be buried deep in an isolated New Mexico mesa. Its massive stone walls would be strong enough to withstand superpowers, but more importantly, the super-technology within the prison would block superhuman abilities and be capable of containing even the worst threats.

Soon all the states were sending their superpowered convicts to Stronghold, and with its power inhibitor technology, breakouts became a thing of the past. Supervillains were caught, convicted and served their sentences. The public was safe.

As the 1990s dawned, Stronghold suffered the worst disaster in its history. After a freak thunderstorm knocked out a portion of the prison's power grid, the prison descended into chaos. A group of inmates led by Blackstar of the Ultimates made a break for the surface, freeing as many villains as they could along the way. By daybreak, more than 40 hardened supervillains were on the loose.

Wildman was forced to resign in disgrace, and a new, tougher warden was brought in to rebuild the facility. Peter Kennedy ran Stronghold with an iron hand, and soon gathered many enemies amongst the prisoners and staff.

In 2001, a disgruntled guard released the monstrous Grond from his hot sleep coffin. The giant irradiated supervillain smashed his way out of Stronghold, killing multiple guards in the process. After an investigation into the incident, Warden Kennedy was removed from his post by the Bureau of Prisons.

To get Stronghold back on track, the government turned to a familiar name: Wildman. Arthur Wildman, son of Stronghold's founder and a noted academic and prison administrator, is now in charge of the facility. Arthur Wildman has revised security procedures, lobbied for technology upgrades and revamped the psychological evaluation that all employees must undergo before being hired. Whether that will be enough to keep Stronghold secure remains to be seen.
About Stronghold

The prison itself is buried deep within the rock of the Devil's Head Mesa. Its isolated location was picked so that the public would be protected by distance as well as stone and steel.

On top of the mesa are living quarters for employees, support facilities and a hangar for the prison's vehicles. Prisoners are kept below ground, with the most dangerous inmates in the lower levels. Underneath tons of rock is the "hot sleep" chamber, where the most powerful supervillains are kept in a form of coma for the length of their sentences.

Currently, the most fearsome supervillain in Stronghold is Menton, a powerful mentalist capable of commanding legions of mind-controlled followers.
New Neighbors

Recently, there is a surprising amount of activity in the windswept desert surrounding Stronghold.

There has been increased activity at Area 51, and strange beings have been reported in the area. PRIMUS has established a base in Uranium Flats for Project Greenskin, a team dedicated to the capture of the renegade supervillain Grond and studying the effects decades of nuclear testing have had on the area.

There's a new owner at the nearby Snake Gulch dude ranch, and whoever it is has been moving in some unusual equipment for a would-be tourist trap. And people have reported restless spirits in the abandoned community of Burnside. Is the old ghost town living up to its name?

RTT

[Stopman]

I'd like to see some kind of team combo design implemented.  Player 1 fires off Power C, Player 2 fires off Power A and Player 3 fires off Power E and then KABOOM!! big explosion type thing.

The Champions PnP game had the 'Fastball Special" combat maneuver...

[Lightning Bug]

Okay, well...I've played Champions in one form or another since 1988...this looks really cool, and appears that it will address some long standing gripes I've had with CoH...I've run out of friends who have any interest in talking superheroes with me...and I really miss you guys...so...

...where do I sign? 

:)

[Valandar]

I just hope it doesn't have the HUGE GAPING HOLES in the system that P&P Champions had that let the munchkins in the local area use it to prove their "Munchkin Rank" - just how badly COULD you break the system, and so on.

[RTTingle]

Okay, well...I've played Champions in one form or another since 1988...this looks really cool, and appears that it will address some long standing gripes I've had with CoH...I've run out of friends who have any interest in talking superheroes with me...and I really miss you guys...so...

...where do I sign? 

:)

:blink:

WOW!

Where have YOU been?

RTT

[captainspud]

I just hope it doesn't have the HUGE GAPING HOLES in the system that P&P Champions had that let the munchkins in the local area use it to prove their "Munchkin Rank" - just how badly COULD you break the system, and so on.

It doesn't use the HERO system. It borrows the basic game philosophy and the thematics, but the actual game mechanics are new.

[Valandar]

I know.

But it mentions having a "points based system", and if those things aren't rigidly controlled... ouch.

BTW, I still have my copy of "The Island of Doctor Destroyer" module...

[Lightning Bug]

Okay, well...I've played Champions in one form or another since 1988...this looks really cool, and appears that it will address some long standing gripes I've had with CoH...I've run out of friends who have any interest in talking superheroes with me...and I really miss you guys...so...

...where do I sign? 

:)

:blink:

WOW!

Where have YOU been?

RTT

hehehe...my adventures have been long and not very much fun at all.  Suffice it to say that I think they are over, and part of getting things back to normal for me is reconnecting with you guys.  This whole Champions thing seemed a good opportunity to do that...so...you're stuck with me again!   :thumbup:

[Figure Fan]

Okay, well...I've played Champions in one form or another since 1988...this looks really cool, and appears that it will address some long standing gripes I've had with CoH...I've run out of friends who have any interest in talking superheroes with me...and I really miss you guys...so...

...where do I sign? 

:)

:blink:

WOW!

Where have YOU been?

RTT

hehehe...my adventures have been long and not very much fun at all.  Suffice it to say that I think they are over, and part of getting things back to normal for me is reconnecting with you guys.  This whole Champions thing seemed a good opportunity to do that...so...you're stuck with me again!   :thumbup:

WOW! Welcome back, Lightning Bug! :cool:

I don't think I've seen you on here since sometime in 2004..

[Lightning Bug]

Okay, well...I've played Champions in one form or another since 1988...this looks really cool, and appears that it will address some long standing gripes I've had with CoH...I've run out of friends who have any interest in talking superheroes with me...and I really miss you guys...so...

...where do I sign? 

:)

:blink:

WOW!

Where have YOU been?

RTT

hehehe...my adventures have been long and not very much fun at all.  Suffice it to say that I think they are over, and part of getting things back to normal for me is reconnecting with you guys.  This whole Champions thing seemed a good opportunity to do that...so...you're stuck with me again!   :thumbup:

WOW! Welcome back, Lightning Bug! :cool:

I don't think I've seen you on here since sometime in 2004..

Yeah, I haven't really skinned or anything since about then...I posted until summer of '05, but not very much.  The first half of '05 was REALLY busy for me.  But, hopefully things will calm down for me, now.  *crosses fingers* 

Good to see you, FF  :)

[Viking]

Welcome back, Lightning Bug!  Things were never the same without you.

At any rate, I will allow myself to be cautiously optimistic about Champions Online from the snippets that I have heard.

[Lightning Bug]

Welcome back, Lightning Bug!  Things were never the same without you.

At any rate, I will allow myself to be cautiously optimistic about Champions Online from the snippets that I have heard.

Thanks Viking :)  It's good to see you too!

As a long-time Champions player, I'm both really excited and reasonably skeptical about CO.  My reservations stem mostly from the fact that Cryptic is making it, and a lot of their design decisions on CoX I find very questionable.  I won't list them all here...but I will remain, like Viking, cautiously optimistic until I see them directly addressed by a Dev, or I experience (or don't) in beta/release. 

[RTTingle]

Gotta say, I'm with Viking...

... My overall enjoyment of COH dropped when you disappeared.  At that point I was in it just to finish.  Shame you missed the black tie party when EC hit 50.  :(  Damn it, wish I had screen caps.  It was small, but fun.

Lemmie know if you ever sign back into COH for any time, I'll re-up my account as soon as you do.

RTT

[DMenacer]

They have had 10,000 people sign up at their forum in their first 10 days, Do you know how early you joined the forum?. Its easy to find out, just check the properties of your Avatar for something like this.

http://forums.champions-online.com/image.php?u=1876&dateline=1203711271

The u=1876 shows me that I was the 1,876 person to sign up at the Champions forum.

[RTTingle]

They have had 10,000 people sign up at their forum in their first 10 days, Do you know how early you joined the forum?. Its easy to find out, just check the properties of your Avatar for something like this.

http://forums.champions-online.com/image.php?u=1876&dateline=1203711271

The u=1876 shows me that I was the 1,876 person to sign up at the Champions forum.

#135.

RTT

[UnkoMan]

4404. I don't take too kindly to other numbers...

[Xenolith]

So, do you gusy think they will change Champions/Hero System to relfect the changes in the computer game?  Will the computer game match the rpg?  I can't see how the MMORPG will be anything like Hero System, but who knows?

[captainspud]

So, do you gusy think they will change Champions/Hero System to relfect the changes in the computer game?  Will the computer game match the rpg?  I can't see how the MMORPG will be anything like Hero System, but who knows?

Again, the Hero system is not being directly used AT ALL. They're borrowing some of the basic ideas of points-based power purchases, and some of the specific powers, but otherwise it's thematics-only.

[Pyroclasm]

So, do you gusy think they will change Champions/Hero System to relfect the changes in the computer game?  Will the computer game match the rpg?  I can't see how the MMORPG will be anything like Hero System, but who knows?

The only thing Cryptic is using is the IP. ie the storylines, locations, characters, etc.  They do not own the Hero system, nor did they license the Hero system.  It is not the PnP game translated to CRPG.  It is Champions in "flavor" only.

[Valandar]

The one thing I liked the most about Champions was how the mechanics were completely separate from the "flavor". You only had to worry about Physical, Energy, or Mental unless a specific weakness was involved, and while two people might both have 12d6 Energy blasts, one guy might shoot green beams of hard radiation that went "FWOOM!", while the other guy shot bolts of coherent magic plasma that went "Shrak!". They'd look and sound different and the Rad guy might affect Count Von Radium more than magic guy, and magic guy might affect the Cobalt Kid more than Rad guy, both were the same against a majority of villains. You defined yourself by flavor and roleplay more thn numbers.

[Lightning Bug]

Gotta say, I'm with Viking...

... My overall enjoyment of COH dropped when you disappeared.  At that point I was in it just to finish.  Shame you missed the black tie party when EC hit 50.  :(  Damn it, wish I had screen caps.  It was small, but fun.

Lemmie know if you ever sign back into COH for any time, I'll re-up my account as soon as you do.

RTT

That's really nice of you to say, RT :)  I wish I could have been there for you 50 celebration, too!  We spent so much time trying to keep you alive and out of experience debt so you could make it...lol...I still remember when we had you sidekicked and had managed to keep from dying all the way through the mission only to have you bite it at the hands of an exploding barrel.   :P

[Viking]

That's really nice of you to say, RT :)  I wish I could have been there for you 50 celebration, too!  We spent so much time trying to keep you alive and out of experience debt so you could make it...lol...I still remember when we had you sidekicked and had managed to keep from dying all the way through the mission only to have you bite it at the hands of an exploding barrel.   :P

One day, we'll find the secret headquarters of those nefarious Exploding Barrels, and give them what for!

[RTTingle]

...only to have you bite it at the hands of an exploding barrel.   :P

I got one shotted by a barrel.  That was pretty embarrassing.

I guess it makes up for the flapjacking I did to that one Devoured Earth.

RTT

[Lightning Bug]

...only to have you bite it at the hands of an exploding barrel.   :P

I got one shotted by a barrel.  That was pretty embarrassing.

I guess it makes up for the flapjacking I did to that one Devoured Earth.

RTT

HAHAHAHAHHA...that was hilarious!  Waiting 10 minutes while you put down 734 mines was totally worth it to see that poor guy flop around for 20 seconds before dying.   :lol:

[Viking]

I think that Devouring Earth later reported Emerald Cloak for griefing, which resulted in the subtle "barrel one-shot."  Karma is funny that way.

[Valandar]

Getting back on topic...

... I do like the graphics on the screenies I've seen... but why did they redesign Defender and Dr Destroyer so totally?

[Lightning Bug]

Getting back on topic...

... I do like the graphics on the screenies I've seen... but why did they redesign Defender and Dr Destroyer so totally?

I suspect that somewhere around CO's release we'll see a 6th edition of HERO Games/Champions hit the shelves, sporting redesigned characters that match the way they're depicted in the online game.  You can see shades of it coming when you go to www.herogames.com which proudly displays the new Defender every chance it gets. 

[Pyroclasm]

Q: What's the relationship between the Champions Online MMO and the Champions roleplaying game?

A: In late 2007 Cryptic Studios was looking for a comic book-style setting for its next massive multiplayer online roleplaying game. Several of Cryptic's designers and administrators are long-time Champions fans, so naturally they thought of using the Champions Universe. They opened up negotiations with us, and the end result of those negotiations was that Cryptic bought the Champions and Dark Champions intellectual property from us. They didn't buy the HERO System rules, just the Champions and Dark Champions IP (the characters, places, events, and so on). Under the terms of our agreement they license back to DOJ the right to produce roleplaying game books for Champions and Dark Champions.

The Champions Online MMO is going to be based on the Champions Universe setting and characters, so it will contain a lot of people and places that Champions fans know and love - Dr. Destroyer, Millennium City, Mechanon, VIPER, Vibora Bay, and so on. However, characters and organizations in the game may not be exactly like they are in published Champions books. The needs of an MMO and of a paper-and-pencil roleplaying game aren't always the same, and as the owners of the Champions Universe IP Cryptic Studios can change things around however it sees fit. However, we're working closely with them, and they're always interested in our ideas. So it's safe to say that Champions fans will instantly recognize a lot of what's in the MMO, and that reading our Champions books will give you some insight on the content of the MMO. Going forward we'll work with Cryptic so that new Champions books we publish "match up with" the MMO as much as possible, both graphically and in terms of content.

Another thing to remember is that the Champions Online MMO is not a "HERO System MMO." It doesn't use the HERO System rules, and the full rights to those rules are still owned by DOJ, Inc. Players of the MMO won't be able to use the HERO System rules to design their characters, for example. But once the MMO is available we'll publish a book that shows how to build Champions Online powers and abilities in HERO System terms so you can easily re-create your MMO character for your tabletop RPG game if you want.