I know this may sound like major QQing but I just wanted to sincerely ask. Whatever happened to SOE's hint that there will be alter egos (hidden identities) in this game?

For a game that lets you play as a superhero or villian I find it quite strange you don't have anything like this.

No other superhero game has it, so I'm not surprised SOE doesn't have it either.

Originally posted by jusomdude

No other superhero game has it, so I'm not surprised SOE doesn't have it either.

And just because no other game has it dosen't it mean that including it would give them an upper hand over the rest?

Whatever I suppose there is no need for secret identities unless it was a sandbox game anyways...

There were talking about it in their Inside the Studio youtube series on Oct 14, 2010.  Just 2 weeks before the game was supposed to release, so I don't know how it was cut.  Especially considering the passion and emphasis they put on how important secret identities are to a hero game like this.   "Key pillar", "very important part of it" and a game without secret identities isn't a full realization of the world.

Youtube link  See it at the 2:30 mark

To talk about the system in that manner has to mean they are/were close to having it release ready.  Maybe it will be a monthly update?

Before I get excited I'd like some idea of what it could bring to the game, in CoH I could see an ability to use subtefuge to patrol or travel though enemy territory to get to instances or pvp zones within each zone.....but in DCUO where we already have contentious facility 24/7 its not quite so obvious what it will add?

Originally posted by Spyted

Before I get excited I'd like some idea of what it could bring to the game, in CoH I could see an ability to use subtefuge to patrol or travel though enemy territory to get to instances or pvp zones within each zone.....but in DCUO where we already have contentious facility 24/7 its not quite so obvious what it will add?

If it's more than just a different name and a new set of clothes, SOE could use Secret Identities to add a system of alternate activities and perhaps give the world more depth and meaning, which would be an improvement to a gameplay experience that is currently shallow and linear.  Perhaps it could help provide a framework that would broaden the game into feeling more like an actual MMO, with a virtual world and society, instead of an action lobby game with a subscription.

This is something they were touting less than 3 months before the actual release (and just weeks before the original release date).  I do not understand how something Chris Cao considers a "key pillar" to the genre did not make it into the game at launch, and has not been at the forefront of any discussion about the game since.

Perhaps Mr. Murphy could ask that question to SOE next time.

Originally posted by Rohn

Originally posted by Spyted

Before I get excited I'd like some idea of what it could bring to the game, in CoH I could see an ability to use subtefuge to patrol or travel though enemy territory to get to instances or pvp zones within each zone.....but in DCUO where we already have contentious facility 24/7 its not quite so obvious what it will add?

 

If it's more than just a different name and a new set of clothes, SOE could use Secret Identities to add a system of alternate activities and perhaps give the world more depth and meaning, which would be an improvement to a gameplay experience that is currently shallow and linear.  Perhaps it could help provide a framework that would broaden the game into feeling more like an actual MMO, with a virtual world and society, instead of an action lobby game with a subscription.

This is something they were touting less than 3 months before the actual release (and just weeks before the original release date).  I do not understand how something Chris Cao considers a "key pillar" to the genre did not make it into the game at launch, and has not been at the forefront of any discussion about the game since.

Perhaps Mr. Murphy could ask that question to SOE next time.

Fantastic idea!  Or he could ask it of RadarX since he talks to him daily.

Alter egos aren't just for RP or playing "dress up". It should have been an entirely alternate (and core) style of gameplay! TONS of mini games they could have come up with - I mean the whole freaking Detective Comics name implies some form of "secrecy" that's totally missing.

Or just transform yourself into a civilian that walks around and performs alternative quests would be fun.

Originally posted by MannyMana

Or just transform yourself into a civilian that walks around and performs alternative quests would be fun.

There needs to be some risk of being "discovered" though. There would have to be places to change costumes where you would need to be discrete. Events where something "unexpected" happens.

They promised it, as many things, in their videos before release. But tbh, I have a ton of other stuff on my list with higher priority for DCU.

I'd say that the "secret identity" mention in the video was probably something on the drawing board, but ended up being something to get players (unfairly) excited.

Much like the "we don't have crafting, but we've got collections" comments from Cao, which are not even vaguely similar, but made people wonder if collections was some great mini-game rather than just "find the orb, hold down your button".

I been wondering the same thing about secret ID's but now I dont see how or why they would put this in the game now, to me and others that there's really no need for it I mean if you look how they designed the game and how it play's your in hero or villain mode 24/7,  so secret ID's just has no place in DCU right now unless they do a complete rewrite of the entire game to fit it in so you can have that "This looks like a job for Superman" moment.