Hey, people.  I would have posted this on the main CoH forums but, obviously, they don't let people with inactive accounts post. 

I played CoH when it first came out and had a good time with it until the repetition got to me so I quit.  I was gone for a long time... much longer than I had intended, but other MMOs kept me distracted.  Two years ago I wanted to come back, so I bought the Good vs Evil Edition and got back into the game.  Once more, I had a great time until I discovered that the laptop I use really could not handle the game very well.  I stayed around for about a month or so but eventually it got to the point that most of the things I wanted to do were too taxing on my machine making me ineffective.  Not to mention that I could hardly play the CoV portion at all. 

Anyhow, I'm getting a gaming laptop this year and so my first thoughts are back on CoH.  I have a couple of questions that I hope some of you experts can clear up for me.  I plan on buying the Architect Edition simply to have most of the Issues in one quick install.  I know I don't need to buy the new edition, but it also comes with a few bonuses and the free month worth of play (the free month does work on old accounts, right?  I believe it did when I bought the DVD two years ago).  What I want to know is: will all the bonuses I got from the Good vs Evil edition remain?  The Jump Jet, Pocket D warp, etc.  Or will they be "written over" because I'm installing a new edition?  I think they'll all stay, but I need confirmation.

Also, I know CoH has been pretty good about this in the past, but are my old characters still on the server?  When I came back, there was something going on that inactive characters needed to log in or the names would be up for grabs again.  Did this happen again in the past 2 years?  Did anything happen that would remove or alter my unused characters?

Finally, does anyone have pictures of the costume pieces in the Magic Booster Pack?  I found pictures for the Cyborg set but not the magic.  I believe you get one set in the AE DVD so I'd like to see what they look like.

Thanks in advance for any help and if there's anything else you think I should know after being away so long, I hope that you'll share that wisdom with me.

(Originally posted by Handofgod)

I'm breaking up your post to allow for easier answers. Hope you don't mind. --Sudsboy

I plan on buying the Architect Edition simply to have most of the Issues in one quick install. I know I don't need to buy the new edition, but it also comes with a few bonuses and the free month worth of play (the free month does work on old accounts, right? I believe it did when I bought the DVD two years ago). What I want to know is: will all the bonuses I got from the Good vs Evil edition remain? The Jump Jet, Pocket D warp, etc. Or will they be "written over" because I'm installing a new edition? I think they'll all stay, but I need confirmation.

The free month does work on an existing account.  All your previous bonus items and other stuff will remain.  When you purchased that edition, it asked you to enter a confirmation code when subscribing.  That code enables those goodies on your account, and it doesn't go away.

You might consider just downloading the client from the NCSOFT account page before you decide to buy the MA edition.  You can do that for free, then pay a month's sub to reactivate rather than spending for a new copy of the game.

Also, I know CoH has been pretty good about this in the past, but are my old characters still on the server? When I came back, there was something going on that inactive characters needed to log in or the names would be up for grabs again. Did this happen again in the past 2 years? Did anything happen that would remove or alter my unused characters?

They changed it so that only characters lower than level six (I think, can't remember if that number is right) are affected by name change.  Regardless, it's only an issue if someone else took the name you had.  On my two accounts, I only had one character that happened to over several re-ups once they lowered the level to six.

Finally, does anyone have pictures of the costume pieces in the Magic Booster Pack? I found pictures for the Cyborg set but not the magic. I believe you get one set in the AE DVD so I'd like to see what they look like.

You can find pics of the set on the CoH site unless I'm mistaken.  I bought the magic pack and was underwhelmed, but YMMV.  I'd never paid for a pack of costumes before, and I was imagining more available options.

Thanks in advance for any help and if there's anything else you think I should know after being away so long, I hope that you'll share that wisdom with me.

 

Have fun.  You might also check out Champions Online, releasing September 1st of this year.  It's made by the same company that originally released CoH.

Thanks for the detailed response.  That was exactly the information I'm looking for.

I still think I'll buy the AE rather than download.  It would be more convenient to have all those issues on one disc and will likely be easier than waiting for a huge download.  Plus for $5 more than a month subscription, I'll get one of those costume packs (still can't find images on the main sight or anywhere for the Magic pack) and a 14 day trial for a friend, which would be the only way he'd play the game.  So not a bad deal just buying a new copy.  I'm glad that all the previous codes I got will still work along with the new ones. 

Thank you again for the answers.  I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

No prob, bud.  Here is a link to the magic pack.  What you see in those pics is almost what you get (it isn't much).

Originally posted by sudsboy

No prob, bud.  Here is a link to the magic pack.  What you see in those pics is almost what you get (it isn't much).

Thanks again.  It certainly doesn't look like much, but the clothes look cooler than the cyborg stuff.  But I think the cyborg Self Destruct power sounds more fun.  So now I have to figure out which of those two packs I'd choose if I do buy the AE DVD. 

Question on Self Destruct: Does it cause XP debt when you use it?  Or are you not penalized because it's a power and not a defeat, per se?

I have no idea, as I never bought that pack.  I would guess it doesn't cause debt (who would want to use it then?), but this is CoH we're talking about, so you never know.

Self-destruct does not give you debt.

It's weird in a couple ways. I discovered very awkwardly that you can't Vengeance off it either. But it is a cool power, occasionally useful to Nuke enemies and for a base or hospital teleport.

Most of the people who've picked up the various packs are pretty happy with them. If you like costumes, the extra pieces are nice and even my non-costume-crazy self thinks the other add-ons (mission teleport, fortune telling, etc) are cool. And I thoroughly understand leaving and coming back. I've done that too many times to count at this point.