Champions Online

[BlueBard]

Yeah, like running cars into superheroes traveling down the street, causing massive crushing damage . . .

That ought to become a new feature in CoX.  The cars already hit us and bump us out of the way, they just don't do the proper amount of damage.

That would facilitate the ongoing mutation of CoH into FFvTTR, at least thematically:

1.  We have Nazi-ish soldiers
2.  We have time travel as of Ish 11 (and had interdimensional travel even before that...)
3.  Ish 12 will give us Roman soldiers

Man, add killer cars, dinosaurs, super-Soviets, and gun-toting gorillas and we're just about there!

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

So one computer (presumably owned and run by the city government) controls all of the motor vehicles in the city?  Is it just me, or is this idea completely insane?  You can't drive to the grocery without the government knowing exactly where you are.  It sounds like something out of 1984.  And if a hacker (or supervillain, considering the setting) got control of that thing, the possibilities are endless.  They could kill anyone they want by crashing their car, or if they're at home, by driving an 18-wheeler through their house.  They could prevent police from responding to crimes by stopping police cars in their tracks.  And if they're feeling really destructive, they could pick an important building and crash a dozen fuel tankers into it at once.

I would like to point out that this sort of thing has been planned in real life for years.  Why?  Major reason is that it firstly reduces human error, allows for safe travel at much higher speeds and allows for the entire road system to plan around anything unforseen.  Several companies are working on something similar right now.  Note that this doesn't necessarily mean that the central computer knows which car is where, just that there is a car there.

Now back to your discussion.

[UnkoMan]

Just wondering... is there any more info on this game that I don't have to read through their somewhat dull and unfamiliar forums to find?

[RTTingle]

Just wondering... is there any more info on this game that I don't have to read through their somewhat dull and unfamiliar forums to find?

You could always just click on Dev Tracker.  That usually takes you to the most important stuff right away.

Theres also this...

[BatWing]

looks like i wasnt the only one that found out about this awsomeness game!

i got a question peeps do u have to pay for online also? i hope not!

Dear Jebus!
a game that has been descended from the heavens!! aahhh!!
i get chills from my spine by watching the trailer! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

we could make a superhero team called Freedom Reborn!!!

i got dreams baby!
[spoiler]Dreams![/spoiler]

[Pyroclasm]

i got a question peeps do u have to pay for online also? i hope not!
we could make a superhero team called Freedom Reborn!!!

1. Most definitely YES.
2. That is the intention.  FR has a thread in the team recruitment forum.

[Camma]

we could make a superhero team called Freedom Reborn!!!

Done and Done!

But then it looks like you already found it  :thumbup:

[BatWing]

so is that a yes to pay for its online?

[Pyroclasm]

i got a question peeps do u have to pay for online also? i hope not!

1. Most definitely YES.

[BatWing]

what?! whered u read this?

[Pyroclasm]

what?! whered u read this?

On their website.  It's a standard MMO.  You will have to buy the game and then pay a monthly fee.  Just like City of Heroes/Villains and countless other MMOs.

[Camma]

Because there has been no official announcement about monthly fees (the game is still in early development) there may not be much mention.  But Pyro is right, this is a big name, big development MMORPG and it will have at least a $10-15 monthly fee on top of the cost of the box (likely $50 new).

[vamp]

How varied will the inhuman (beast-man, alien, etc.) costume piece/character looks options be in CO? (Amadaeus)

Arkayne: The amount of "inhuman" costume pieces and customization options is really impressive already! So far I've seen various beast-man heads (rats, cats, bears, wolves, stag), insect heads (with different mandible and antennae options), and various monster heads (undead/alien/demon with different sizing, horn/bone options, etc.). Additionally there are a number of different "stances" players can choose from (bestial stance, for example) to complete their "inhuman" look.

I can think of a certain Ursus arctos member that will be happy

[Pyroclasm]

That sounds great.  What I want to know is whether I can put wings on that beast from the onset.  I don't want to "earn my wings".  I guess Grizz will be able to make his avatar without worry.

[captainspud]

This is the kind of thing I'd normally write a big wall of text about, but I'm not in the mood to (kinda tired), so I'll be brief:

I think Champions shot its load way too soon. They started the hype way too early, and as I worried, they haven't been able to keep it up. There hasn't been an exciting announcement out of them for over a month. And in the meantime, they've given NCSoft some warning and some details on what they're doing, giving their old coworkers plenty of time to copy and adapt.

CO's announcement and initial buzz has put new fire under the NCSoft team-- that game is being transformed. As things stood at the CO announcement, CO was going to make CoH its b***h. But CoH is making amazing leaps, closing the gaps with amazing speed.

I don't know what they were thinking-- starting a media blitz 18 months before the release of a game that has a direct competitor.

I'm sure CO's still going to be good, and I'm sure it'll do well. But I think the way they've gone about things has been a huge mistake. I don't know about you, but most of my blind enthusiasm has drifted away. I'm still interested, but no longer excited. CO had an opportunity to steal CoH's fanbase-- but instead of surprising us in the last three months of development with a sudden exposure of the game's awesomeness, they put a list of easily-copied features on the web, and their competitors look like they're going to ensure that any differences come launch time are minimal.

This mismanagement of their public face is going to mean the difference between the old possibility of wiping their competition out entirely, to the new reality of a grudging co-existence and painful war of attrition. Instead of stealing CoH's entire fanbase, CO's only going to get the ones with low levels of attachment; and let's face it, the fun players to play with are the ones with a HIGH level of attachment. If CoH continues to improve the way it has been, the old-timers and diehards are going to stay put, which is going to have a detrimental effect on the average CO population.

Or... I dunno. Maybe I'm just imagining things.

[stumpy]

I wonder if the CO strategy isn't to make an announcement with some features that won't be especially hard for NCSoft to duplicate and then, later on, to announce features (maybe not long after CoX has "caught up" with the earlier features and not long before a CO public beta) that would require fairly major restructuring of CoX, features that effectively can't be tacked on. In other words, a later CO announcement could spotlight features that would essentially require a CoX2 from NCSoft. It seems like Cryptic would have a pretty good idea which new features could be tacked on and which ones would require a new game from the ground up. That way, there will be a huge fan base of CoX players, all of whom have heard of CO, badgering NCSoft about the new features and NCSoft won't have an answer. Meanwhile, Cyptic is across the street doing its fan dance...

I agree either way, though. They have revealed an awful lot too early in the game. And, even if they are thinking in terms of the idea I outlined above, they are giving NCSoft a lot of time to earn money toward developing CoX2. It almost seems that Cyptic was anxious to have a large group of players awaiting a beta, which is useful, but it's way too early for it. With all this time, NCSoft won't be sitting on its butt with regard to CoX2 and if that comes close to the CO release date (say CoX2 is in beta by then), Cyptic will have really shot itself in the foot because so many CoX players will be waiting to see what CoX2 is like before they switch over to CO or commit to $15/month for each.

[Figure Fan]

Interesting posts, guys.

Something tells me, as Stumpy's post alludes to, that the CO team knows what they are doing. I don't think the other shoe has fallen, necessarily.

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

How varied will the inhuman (beast-man, alien, etc.) costume piece/character looks options be in CO? (Amadaeus)

Arkayne: The amount of "inhuman" costume pieces and customization options is really impressive already! So far I've seen various beast-man heads (rats, cats, bears, wolves, stag), insect heads (with different mandible and antennae options), and various monster heads (undead/alien/demon with different sizing, horn/bone options, etc.). Additionally there are a number of different "stances" players can choose from (bestial stance, for example) to complete their "inhuman" look.

I can think of a certain Ursus arctos member that will be happy

Yes, yes he will be. Also in a screenshot in my game informer magazine I noticed a superhero about to be attacked by several different lycanthropes with two very large werebears in the back.

That sounds great.  What I want to know is whether I can put wings on that beast from the onset.  I don't want to "earn my wings".  I guess Grizz will be able to make his avatar without worry.

I haven't seen any winged characters as of yet, nor have I seen anyone with a cape yet either. The closest thing I can think of to anything like that is a villainous character they confirmed to be in the game that was four arms and is named Grond.

Now if only the monstrous heads can actually wear some head accessories! I'd settle for a pair of glasses or goggles at least!

[MJB]

I've stated this elsewhere but my "excitement" for CO has wained since CoH has been upping their game.

-MJB

[BlueBard]

Well, there will be others who got bored with CoH/V and want to get in at the beginning of a new MMO.  Those guys will either play both or switch.

Me, I'm on the fence.  The announced Accuracy buff they're calling 'Beginner's Luck' along with the announced leveling buff will help reduce the low-level grind (if it makes it into Live).  That and powerset-proliferation may hold my interest.  I do know that I won't be paying two subscription fees, so whichever MMO wow's me (pardon the pun) will be the one that gets my money.

[BWPS]

Sorry for the not-reading of the whole thread if its been given, but I was wondering if anyone knows of even a ballpark release date. I couldn't find anything about it on the site.

[captainspud]

Spring '09. May, I think.

[Camma]

Spring '09. May, I think.

Well you just argued with yourself, which is the best kind of arguement IMO.  One year is plenty of time to trickle information as it becomes available.  And i really should have emboldened the last phrase of the previous sentence (but im feeling tired, waaahh).  There is plenty of marketing fodder still to come, and I have to assume that was CO's plan to make a big entrance and then keep pleasing with what they deem to be quality content.  But really, was the so called inital media blitz, really that.  I don't recall that much; i heard about it here on a forum dedicated to both superheroes and an MMOG (a superhero MMOG at that!), they had a website for info and forums.  Perhaps i live under a virtual rock, and missed the mass media advertisements, or maybe you are blowing CO's entrance out of propotion.  The point is you can dog their strategy all you want now.  Any strategy is proven by it outcome.

Don't get ME wrong tho.  I'm not all for CO and dont seek to defend it.  Im interested in it mainly cuz of the migration potential of you - yes spud just you - pffft, no really, if everyone here is going over to CO when it comes out Im all for it.  But im not a big fan of the cell shaded type graphics, and personally i have a yen for something other than doing superheroes again for content.  Now Conan has some pontential in the content realm, sounds a bit too PvP oriented and twitch gamey for me, but some things can be overlooked.  LOTRO had me at first the same reason SWG did, but imo failed in the same right (tho not as drastically and suddenly).  GW is moderately interesting in terms of lore, some of the free MMOGs out there are kinda neat but frustratingly buggy.  Oh and hey, Pirates of the Carribean Online rocks (not free tho after a week), i definetly recommend the sailing combat portion.

But back OT, if your agenda is to defend CoX then why arent you playing it.  If you are just dogging CO, then you, like your claim against them, have jumped the gun.  If you are just being the precious Spud that we know and love, then good thats why i sat down to write.

[GrizzlyBearTalon]

I reiterate a point from long ago...

well in this thread...

I want to punch a dinosaur.

Seriously...

I want to punch it right on it's scaly nose or kneecap depending on the size of said beast.

If somehow I get to punch a dinosaur in COX I would *IMMEDIATELY* reactivate my account to have access to such glorious beatings of giant reptile lizard growly bitey things!

[Mike B]

Ok now we know champions is coming out and soom maybe dc on line though everything is hush hush from them.So now we going to have 3 superhero online games hmm i wonder who will come out the winner it looks like a good old fashion tripple threat wrestling match.May the best game win.

[captainspud]

Wasn't DC Online cancelled?

[Camma]

I thought it was the Marvel one that was cancelled.  IIRC the DC one was just really hush hush.

[BWPS]

I thought it was the Marvel one that was cancelled.  IIRC the DC one was just really hush hush.

Probably very suck suck as well.

[BatWing]

too much reading,
i'm hoping to get a aura around ur character y'know?
like putting a electric aura.
i hope the effects are pretty sweet.
maybe they might put in healing factor in it. :thumbup:

[Durothill]

one thing to remeber about the CO team is they have a pretty good idea of what the COH engine can be modified to do short of a major overhaul. I'm sure CoH can be stretched to some of the features they've been anouncing but the CO engine will be able to do them better and with more depth.
Also as launch approaches i'd be willing to bet the announcments pick up in speed and size :).
All in all i'm happy its spurred on the CoH team to all the new devlopments and i'm hoping they in turn will light a fire under teh Co devs, a little competition is often good for consumers :).