Ncsoft has announced the launch of issue 13: Power and Responsibility, which adds day jobs for your character's alter ego, the pact leveling system, multiple character builds and more.

SEATTLE, Dec. 3, 2008—NCsoft®, the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) today announced the next free update to its highly successful comic-book inspired MMO, City of Heroes®. The release of Issue 13: Power and Responsibility introduces several innovative features to the MMO genre. Macintosh players won't be left out as open beta testing for the new Mac version of City of Heroes is just around the corner.

Issue 13: Power and Responsibility unveils some pioneering features to the MMO genre. Multiple builds is a character customization option and delivers the ability to have two different build-outs for each character. This offers enormous flexibility for players who can now switch back and forth between their two character builds, depending upon the task ahead of them, by visiting contacts in game.

Pact leveling is a new innovation for MMOs. This system allows two friends to enter their characters into a pact before level five, and have their XP permanently in sync, regardless of how much each character is online. This way when they play together they will always be the same level. It's similar in concept to City of Heroes' already popular Sidekick feature which allows players on different levels to play together.

Read more here.

Wow, sounds like they need to just put a level up button in the game. 

Nah. For CoX, it was the journey not the end that was exciting. (and that's mostly because there really isn't an end-game even now)

Originally posted by Szark

Pact leveling is a new innovation for MMOs. This system allows two friends to enter their characters into a pact before level five, and have their XP permanently in sync, regardless of how much each character is online. This way when they play together they will always be the same level. It's similar in concept to City of Heroes' already popular Sidekick feature which allows players on different levels to play together.

Read more here.

This is annoying. I was hoping it wouldn't be level-based.

a mac version? wow, that's a heck of an announcement.

Pretty cool features, I only wonder if the exp is shared (divided by 2) or some other means of distribution. Great for friends indeed. 

Originally posted by Darkz0r

Pretty cool features, I only wonder if the exp is shared (divided by 2) or some other means of distribution. Great for friends indeed. 

You split the xp with the person in your pact.  It is nice for a friend and I who like to be able to do similar level content, but can't always play at the same time.  The side-kick feature addressed this to a degree, but people were always looking for a mentor, and often you'd be one or two short.   Then friends would get left out.  This should address that better.

My first try at downloading the new issue was a bust, but it just patched fine now.  The base creation and decoration options now are truly amazing I must say.  These in themselves may be worth some of the bumps associated with this issue.  The new shield power set looks very cool, my warshade is now much improved (something we've been asking for), day jobs are a fun idea, and I already have a leveling pact with a good friend.

This issue has been a bit of a bumpy process, but it's starting to look like it may be worth it.  Some nice stuff here.  Thanks guys.

Originally posted by Darkz0r

Pretty cool features, I only wonder if the exp is shared (divided by 2) or some other means of distribution. Great for friends indeed. 

It's indeed a great feature.

My gf plays a lot less then me. So this feature would have been perfect for us. Unfortunately we don't play CoX anymore. The EU servers are just ghosttowns :(

But especially for couples and friends with different play schedules this is a very nice feature.

Cheers

Originally posted by Guillermo197

Originally posted by Darkz0r

Pretty cool features, I only wonder if the exp is shared (divided by 2) or some other means of distribution. Great for friends indeed. 

 

It's indeed a great feature.

My gf plays a lot less then me. So this feature would have been perfect for us. Unfortunately we don't play CoX anymore. The EU servers are just ghosttowns :(

But especially for couples and friends with different play schedules this is a very nice feature.

Cheers

Well I play on Union and for the last while there has been an increase in Unions population...even more so since this issue came out, last night (wednesday) there was close to 400 players online according to the search tool and that was only on the hero side.

Active players usually spike when an Issue is released.  Especially since NCSoft reactivates accounts for free through the first weekend.  Seems to me that ever since Issue 9, subs have been slowly increasing.  Could just be on Infinity though as that's the only server I play on.

Increasing the cap really isn't for CoX.  Alt-itis is definately running amok in this game.  I enjoy the 1-49 journey moreso than the 50 experience.  Not to say that I am bored at 50, just the "getting there is half the fun" expression applies here.

Originally posted by themilton

Originally posted by Szark

Pact leveling is a new innovation for MMOs. This system allows two friends to enter their characters into a pact before level five, and have their XP permanently in sync, regardless of how much each character is online. This way when they play together they will always be the same level. It's similar in concept to City of Heroes' already popular Sidekick feature which allows players on different levels to play together.

Read more here.

 

This is annoying. I was hoping it wouldn't be level-based.

Milton, I could almost swear it isn't level based. It may be this detail as reported to the OP was already outdated, or skewed in that  perhaps there is a minimum level requirement of Five? I don't know. My husband and I played around with this feature on the test server and our toons were not that young. I'm going to get in-game to confirm and report back.

Overall I am (so far) impressed with Issue 13 . There is so much to explore and absorb, to figure out, however, that it is taking me some time to gather useful information and intelligent observations. And that is a delight for a sesoned vet. Did someone mention something about End Game? Folks THIS is the stuff of End Game!

Originally posted by jaix

a mac version? wow, that's a heck of an announcement.

The mad part about this, they get pre-acces to 2 new lovely goodies.

Valkery outfit and mission-teleporter, only later PC users can get these 2 new things.

Originally posted by KarreMania

Originally posted by jaix

a mac version? wow, that's a heck of an announcement.

 

The mad part about this, they get pre-acces to 2 new lovely goodies.

Valkery outfit and mission-teleporter, only later PC users can get these 2 new things.

Playing the devils advocate here, I must remind everyone that those with Macs have missed out on a lot of cool CoX goodies we PC users already own, simply because we had the right computer all along.

However, I am no fan of the, "Throw money to entice the masses and let the existing customer rot," marketing ploy, a standard of business-as-usual no matter where you look. What is up with that?

Originally posted by Deathstrike2

Wow, sounds like they need to just put a level up button in the game. 

Now that's a great idea

Let's do it in all gamez, mouhahah

Characters can be a MAXIMUM of level 5 for Level Pacts to work. The devs said they will datamine and get back to the players. And if things work out then they'll raise the level. Until then, it is indeed level 5. Which is fine. You people who want to "play with a friend" and Level Pact can just make new characters together. Everybody can enjoy making CoX characters. I don't see it as a big deal.

It's not a big deal really.  It's a compliment to the sidekick system that's been in place since release.  This is a nice way to have a veteran bring in a friend to the game, without forcing one to sidekick or exemplar.