He missed one of the best features of CoH/CoV! I can't beleive he's naive enough to call base raids 'A lagfest where the highest level wins'! Lagfest? I don't know about, I only did open PvP. But one of the best things about CoH/V is they take the levels out of PvP! When you enter a PvP zone, you're autoleveled to a certian level(50 for base raids). Sure, if you're level 20, you won't have as many skills as a level 50 and the level 50 still has a slight statistical advantage(Do to having better ehancments) but you have always have a chance to win(*cough* WoW*cough*instanced capture the flag games where you get owned if you take your level 7 against a level 10*cough*).

If you read the whole thing he said he GUESSES it would be like that. He said he hasn't even been in one yet.

I maxed a villain out within a week of CoV coming out and played awhile after that and I have to say he got everything correct. Character creation and the cities are the best parts about CoV. Other than that it gets old and boring.

The base raids are nothing to look forward to either because certain classes just overpower and its not balanced at all. Most of the SGs I was in didn't even bother and when I had my own SG which had one of the biggest bases at the time, nobody would fight us.

I could make characters all day.. thats as far as CoV goes.

Having been a big fan of both CoH and CoV, I can agree with much of what the author says, but not all. For instance, CoV has never been, for me, standing back and watching auto attacks. I must consciously choose pretty much everything except my toggle powers, which I use and then try to keep running by leaving that mob alive until the end, and one autofire power, which tends to either be hasten, or a click status protection, depending on what I'm playing. Attacking is a conscious effort and all attacks are deliberate, not auto-fire. That being said, all attacks eventually boil down into set patterns that become rinse and repeat, even if it's a bit more active on the part of the player (which is still a step in the right direction).

As for contacts versus randomly generated inhabitants, I do find the inhabitants add spice to the cities, making them feel alive, but I don't agree that missions are somehow diminished by this. By taking the time to immerse yourself in the storylines, you can delve into the reasons behind the missions, and suddenly the repetitive killing sprees take on nuances. You have different reasons for beating people down, and in CoV, you have different goals, such as rescuing, stealing, taking down a boss, destroying an object, or stopping a plot by a superhero/supervillain. NPCs will often join you in missions, lending you their powers, or actively try to escape from you if you are taking them hostage. The nuances are there, if you take the time to appreciate them.

So, is there room for improvement? Certainly! Economies do add much to online games. They allow for more social elements to thrive, which is always a good thing in a MMOG, assuming that there are enough rules in place and enforced to keep people from behaving too inappropriately. However, CoV remains, in my mind, one of the best games, because it makes the most effort to draw you in and help you feel like the world is alive, whether or not there's another player in sight.

The problem with CoV is that its just more of the sameness; once I'd learned my way around the new zones and hit the villanious groove I quickly turned dull just like its predecessor.  Its a shame because they're very good games and I like the idea of tem but they run out of Fun very quickly.

Ah yes city of vllains/heroes. I haven't, and won't play CoV since CoH was... well you read the article, but without PK. Even relative to the majority of MMORPGs on the market, I found this game to be horribly shallow. I don't know if I have ADD, but it seems to me that linear gameplay with single path tunnels of 0 variation is more likely to make someone with an attention deficit bored. In a typical MMORPG half the fun is getting distracted (aka exploring). I guess what is meant is that if you get distracted RL, it's easy to figure out where you left off :P

When I played CoH the game had one redeeming factor: it's character creation system, which is a marvel (no pun intended). I purchased CoH the day it came out, and I quite literally spent almost as much time creating new characters as I did "playing" the characters I made. I found the game play predictable, boring and it was probably the most uninspiring game I have ever played. There weren't even any items, so I couldn't ignore the flaws of the game in a mindless attempt to get a new shiny sword, or cool looking armor. The item system feels like the devs said to each other: Well, players just use items to stat-max anyway, let's replace the item models with... actual numbers! Brilliant. Maybe the artists were all too busy with the char-creation.

I found the game especially dissapointing due to the excitement the creation system initially inspired. This eagerness to play my work of art was quickly squashed by one of the most boring MMORPG's I have played to date. I should also note everyone I know who played this game had a very similar experience, which is why I've always been confused why other developers didn't pick up on how succesful the character creation was. It was the one good thing most people I talked to had to say about CoH.

The funny thing is that I played COH only very briefly, yet everytime I start a new game, as I enter the character creation to choose from the 5 hair colors and 3 present faces I think of COH. Within 10 seconds I log in, with the same inevitable result: I look the same as 25% of the other players, and again I think of the game I played for less time than any other MMORPG and lament.

This idea that the game is dull and uninteresting astounds me. Clearly you guys never read you rmissions because they have long stretching story arcs that span dozens of missions and contacts. If you took the time to actually read the stories you would find very immersive experiences within the missions themselves, including actually understanding who the named bosses are, what the special graphics and items in the instance are (they don't make it obvious so you have to know what's going on to see and understand it all). Not to mention that this is the only MMO with cutscenes and bubble dialogue popping above the characters heads. What are you guys talking about?

I felt that the author of this article was just irresponsible in many of the things said. There is, at the very least, 3 standard templates of the grinder's paper missions, not even considering the hundreds of story arcs and custom missions available through the NPCs. It is not all just kill everything in the instance. There are kidnappings, as well as item retrieval. You can complete these objectives many different ways depending on the powersets you pick. If you pick the high dmg dealing builds then, yeah, the only way you're going to get through the game is by bashing through everything. If you take the concealment power pool, however, you can invis all teh way through missions without every fighting a single guy sometimes. All that said, the paper missions (instances available on demand through a newspaper you just pull out) are repetitive, but that's the whole point of them! They are for people that want to grind through the game and not read anything too detailed. If you WANT variety in your stories and missions then the NPCs provide all that for you, including customized battles, items, mutliple goal missions, and stories that span a dozen different instances.

This idea that the main mission NPCs have no personality is silly. They are the only ones who provide the long expanding story arcs and are the only NPCs that have personality. Just because they don't talk to you as you walk by doesn't mean they are not immersive characters. They are all very cool and unique to interact with and have interesting backstories and arcs if you take the time to read them.

CoV/CoH does need an economy. That is the only point of criticism in this article that I felt was accurate.

CoV is a VAST improvement on CoH, so much so that many of the key features within it are now being brought to CoH in Issue 7 (a free update so large it rivals what other people release as paid expansions, and that happens about twice per year). The author of this article took no time to learn the real core improvements of this game, doesn't mention anything about the brilliant Sidekicking/Lackying system, the incredible nature of group battle that makes every time you play a different experience (different combos of powersets makes new strategies and gameplay possibilities). I could go on. If you want someone who actually plays these games extensively to do a real article on what CoH/CoV brings to the table that no MMO does then please allow someone like myself to do so, someone that has played since CoH launch and knows what they are talking about. There are many MANY things that NCSoft/Cryptic has done with this title that set it apart from it's competition, things that will surely become industry standards in all future MMOs.

For an article that says it's going to "dig into the nuts and bolts" of the gameplay, that was remarkably shallow.

Nothing said that hasn't been said better, before. Don't take offense, that's just honest criticism.

I generally agree on all salient points; CoH/V is best played from the character creation screen. The PvE becomes dull very quickly. The PvP takes a little longer to pall, then you realize that only certain builds and especially certain classes are PvP viable. Stalkers, anyone?


I hope, for your next installment, you'll put a little more content into your article. Because "What we've learned" could have come from a compilation of game reviews and forum posts, for all I can tell.

I am with him on character creation, it is one of the best out there. At the same time, the character creation has me terribly disappointed.

Because I followed CoH fromt he first lingering steps.. When we could choose our own power combinations and build our own hero, not follow a preset mold. Yes, they would have been forced to balance them very well, which is also the reaosn they droppedthat idea and went for this system of: You want THIS? or THAT?

But imagine a classcreation just as detailed and intriguing as the character model system? No matter how simplified the actual game was after that, I would have been one of their most loyal fans. Now.. I hardly find the interest ot stay for the full two weeks. because it is not MY character, MY Villain.. It is a copy of everyone else, because the creator said so...

I hope the next time a company do a superhero system, they do it by following the PnP character creators with free choices, not this simplified childrens system.

I totally agree on the character creation. Its alot of fun and probably the best part of the game.

Where i totally disagree is the npcs. They would be fine in many other modern- and future-style games but not in CoV. For example, lets say your character is a huge guy, crayz expression on his face, spikes everywhere and a plasma rifle in his hands. Wouldnt it be cooler if the random npcs flee from this character instead of saying "Oh look, isnt that the guy i read about in the papers, who kidnaped this scientist yesterday?".

Reading Nathan's article was interesting for me because I believe it is difficult to get a complete picture of a game that takes a lot of time to experience the "whole" of the game... what I mean, is simply that it seems like the big draw for me was always getting my next power ... to see what it was, how cool, what it could do and how it could help me, etc. Plus, as you progress through the levels, you enter new zones/areas with new types of enemies with different powers than you have encountered before, and with that comes new mission types and maps.

I played CoH and CoV alot! (I totally have a problem) Level 50 is the highest level you can reach in CoH and level 40 is currently the highest level in CoV. I have six level 50 characters in COH, and three level 40 characters in CoV. The point here is jsut htat I have been through the "whole" game(s) several times.

Alot of what Nathan said was true... BUT CoV is considerablly better than CoH although they have done a lot to add to CoH as well. For example, there are things that Nathan probably was not high enough level to experience, for example, the PVP zones... now you have various means to do PVP, and I am personally not a big PVP fan... but check this out. One of the PVP zones allows for both villians from CoV and Heroes from CoH to enter... each can do missions in that zones which gives either the heroes or the villians a bonus or a defecit towards their powers. (15% increase to damage, or -5% to accuracy). So, you can pick missions to buff your side, or debuff the other side. SO? Well here is the cool thing about it, in the zone there are hot spots where fights break out between NPCs (hero and villian NPCs)... the battles generally have like 30-40 NPCs... then what happens is the player characters from both sides join the big rumble... so now you are not only fighting NPCs, but PCs in this huge street battle... OH... The point is that the more battles your side (hero of villain) win, the more a bar moves in your direction which tells you who is winning the zone... if your side is winning the zone, you receive more XP for the missions and per kill.

That's just one example... another is the highest level PVP zone where you can try to steal the launch codes for a nuclear missle and then lauch the missle. (Yes, you actually can see the missle launch... it's very cool). In this zone it's every man for himself... heroes, villians... everyone is fighting for the launch codes... yep.. there are NPCs all over the place getting in your way as well ;)

Oh, last PVP .. there is an arena, where you can fight other players in various settings.. BUT the cool type of arena battle is one where you don't actually fight. See, through out the game you get badges for various things (more on tht in a sec) some of these badges are for various mob types that you face in the game (the PVE characters) well what you do in this arena battle is you use a certain number of credits to select your gang of minions, and you then control them in the battle. The cool part is that differnt people have different types of henchmen to choose from because they earned difffernt badges. (essentially it's a PVP where you don't have to pit your "healer" toon againts someone's "smasher toon" and you get to use abilities and mobs that you don't get to use int eh actual game).

Badges.. well there are badges which do lots of things in the game. For example, you have badges that unlock special contacts that give out totally different missions at the various levels and int he different zones. Through out their story arcs you receive various temporary powers... see unique maps and receive single origin enhancements. I beleive there are like 12-20 of these special contacts.

On the other hand, there are super groups badges, where you need to get various badges, so that you can buy certain items for your base, liek the variosu teleporter pads (so you can teleport from the base to various zones. Or liek the SG healing badges... etc

Also, while in SG mode, you collect salvage from the various mobs you kill... you can then use one of 3 work benches in your base (if you can afford to buy them... you also need to earn presetige [read: base money] to build and maintain your base)... and with your salvage and the workbench you can build compnents with which you can create special items to then place in teh base [some for use, some for defense in the base raids].

The point with the badges, is that you don't have to jsut do missions, you can badge hunt... in port oaks, there is an old fort.. where you have to wait until night time when the ghosts of pirates appear in the area... then you have to lure the ghosts over to these "ghost traps" where you defeat them over the trap and they get sucked in. If you can lure 100(?) of them over traps and defeat them then you get that badge. Some badges are for completign certain story arcs... some are for healing, some for holding, some for being in a PVP zone for a certain amount of time..etc.

Oh, and boring "same old same old" missions... well if you have time, you can always do strikeforce missions (like task force missions in CoH)... they are unique, special, challenging. They made up of several missions strung together over a complete story arc where you face a large boss at the end.. The first strikeforce, you actually face two bosses at the end... These are very fun and very different. One of the strike forces you need to get from your base's super computer... you end up fighting sky raider's on a floating oil rig platform... you have to work your way to the top by moving through several levels on the platform which has foes and cannons and mission launchers, etc... you are out in the middle of the ocean.. it's jsut crazy, thent eh boss ambushes your team... it's definately fun.

Oh, other unique missions... when you get to level 20,30,40, you can do special misisions to get a new costume. At otehr levels there are special mission to get an aura, and another to get a cape. The cape mission for example, you have to go to a CoH zone, and destroy two statues... when you destroy the second status a "hero" comes flying in and attacks you... you have to defeeat the hero and steal his cape.

Oh, there are some other special mission in teh PVP zones where you can get special temp powers for completing them...

Okay okay.. so the point is that it's not just all the same mission over and over... there are some unique stuff to do tht is fun... it just isn't stuff you get to do in the first 10 levels. (the catch is that it takes some time to get to those levels so a review of the game when you jsut play for a few hours isn't goign to capture the depth of the game...)

BUT.. it is true that the game is repetitive in many respects... but, how can you avoid that? It is true that you can do the missions differently depending on your character powersets and abilities... but if youplay one character he only has that one method. Teaming can be fun (especially with known team members.. supergroup) it changes the dynamic, and the mobs change with more members on a team. There are some misisons where you rob banks, and casinos, etc. still you basically run around and hit stuff... but you are a villian ;) in CoH they added things like putting out building fires that the hellions start in the zone... but that's for a badge. I dont' know.

Ultimately I think that different peopel like different types of games... I hate the repetive aspects of CoH/V but I enjoy getting and using the new powers as you go up in level and then figuring out how to use those abilities to complete the missions/battles I face. It's a very D&D type thing. But it's not like a game like age of empires, or civalization... it's not liek tetris... it's not like dance dance revolution ;)

Hmmm.. one last point... What would you do to fix teh game? The most interesting aspect for me, in playing this game, is that you can send sugguestions directly to the developers through the game. I've sent 15 big changes/ideas and they have done 14 of them so far (I think the last one is actually in issue 7)... now, these things might have been on their TTD list... but I get the impression that they like good ideas and if they can do it they will. So the point here is that if you have any ideas for improving the game, changing the mission types, addign an economy... I beleive they would love to hear your ideas. You mentioned adding an economy... well I am not sure it makes sense to have a system like in EVE or some of the other games.. you can trade in CoH/V enhancements, infamy/influence, salvage/components... (you can't trade prestige (base money)... it would be interesting if they made the stores in CoV more of a black market for the dual origin and single origin enhancements... (but 90% of the players are below level 20)... where the only enh available were sold by other players, or won via drops. There are casino's throughout the CoV world (a huge pyramind casino in one zone, where the whole zone is like vegas)... perhaps more gambling for infamy and enhancements.

Still... adding an economy doesn't fix the kill-kill-kill misison part of the game which is where you spend most of your time...

Finally... The article was interesting to read... a lot of what Nathan said was valid to a point... there is more to do than jus thte same mission over and over... the game does change as you go up in level.. there are unique missions and maps and enemy types throughout the game... some are at the end of story arcs. You can do missions, build bases, hunt for badges, try to get temp powers, do PVP or arena battles, and even jsut explore the maps (there are actually some really neat spots you can find from just exploring... having a travel power helps - level 14) and I have honestly sat with several people and watches teh sun set int eh game... (I have a really high end system so the game looks unbelievable)... people do actually enjoy "existing" in this world from time to time. ;)

oh crap.. I have to run.. I'm late for my mmorpg addition anonymous meeting.    

Character creation screen = my favorite part of games.

Too much review type discussion and not enough design type discussion.  I am thinking that the more the author thought about the CoH/CoV design, the more he found it to be really bad.  Character creation excepted of course; it is the one and only thing they got correct.  In my opinion, CoH/CoV got everything, and I do mean everything, else wrong design wise.  The rapid fall off of CoH/CoV populations after WoW launched is easy proof that no matter what the 'elite' designers and critics of MMORPG games claim, folks really just want to have a good time playing the games they pay for.  And if a game does not provide that 'fun factor' long term, then it is going to fail.

So where are these MMo's that have the non grind that people seem to imply?

I like CoV.

I don't have to worry about the 'next big shword or gun".

I can get on play for a while and feel unstressed.


I also think this new series of articles goes about as far as a kiddy pool for depth.   SOunded like just another review of a game.

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Originally posted by Shoal
Too much review type discussion and not enough design type discussion.  I am thinking that the more the author thought about the CoH/CoV design, the more he found it to be really bad.  Character creation excepted of course; it is the one and only thing they got correct.  In my opinion, CoH/CoV got everything, and I do mean everything, else wrong design wise.  The rapid fall off of CoH/CoV populations after WoW launched is easy proof that no matter what the 'elite' designers and critics of MMORPG games claim, folks really just want to have a good time playing the games they pay for.  And if a game does not provide that 'fun factor' long term, then it is going to fail.

---

What are you talking about? EVERYTHING wrong design wise? I would love to challenge you on that statement. How about the sidekicking system, so that if you're level 40 and your lvl 1 friend just started playing you can still play together. There is one design concept that goes way beyond anything any other MMO offers. Want more? Instanced missions on demand that adjust to the number of people in your group and their levels to provide a perfect gamingn experience everytime regardless of server load. You get a perfect little mission for you and your team with no interruptions from anyone.

That's just if you want to grind. The game has a simple system where you complete 4-6 instance missions like mentioned above, one heist (rob a bank or a casino), and then you are introduced to a  new contact. That new contact has one or two story arcs to complete. When you're done you go back to doing the instanced missions for a while until you get a new contact. You move through zones, completing them as your character advances, and in CoV the PvE experience is perfect in how it moves you all the way to lvl 40 while keeping the game fun the entire time.

To do everything I mention, and to really understand the depth of gameplay enhancments that this series offers, you need to spend a good deal of time understanding how powers work, how to build a character, and how to slot those powers with enhancements. You will have to reroll a few times until you really get a feel for how to build you character's powerset, especially which power pools are taken (shared powers available to all classes).

The fact of the matter is, there is a slight learning curve in this game, and yes it's not entirely obvious how brilliantly deep the series is right away in terms of design and gameplay. If you did not see this when you played CoV (and CoV only, by the way. CoH gets all this good stuff on the next update) then you either did not spend enough time really looking into it, or, I'm sorry, you are not smart enough to recognize a brilliant game when you see it. This is not a game for the masses, it is a game for a purist gamer.

COH was the first mmorpg that I even played. As I mentioned before I'm a 39 year old man that is married and has two masters degree, and so on. So, the game certainly had an appeal that affected me.

I loved the art in the game and the character design. I was impressed the first time that I noted the rust on a gas meter in some alley. That's love (on the part of the designer, and me as a player).

What got me was the lack of real content, and the heinous grind, and frankly I didn't even know what that word meant at the time. The first time that I heard it though, I knew what it was.

However, I really enjoyed my character (Then I reached the end of the game, and found that just when I had gotten all of my powers there was notI tried to create Alts but the simply could not retain interest, because I am too bright to enjoy doing the same tCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng over and over. So, I basically did notCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng until COV came out.ng to do. That actually made me sad.s name was TheAdlerian, after my favorite psychologist) and that various friends that I had made in the game. I also enjoyed how TheAdlerian's body movements almost created a kind of dance. I could coordinate flying along with fighting in a really cool way. After awThen I reached the end of the game, and found that just when I had gotten all of my powers there was notI tried to create Alts but the simply could not retain interest, because I am too bright to enjoy doing the same tCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng over and over. So, I basically did notCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng until COV came out.ng to do. That actually made me sad.le my fingers didn't even know that they were Then I reached the end of the game, and found that just when I had gotten all of my powers there was notI tried to create Alts but the simply could not retain interest, because I am too bright to enjoy doing the same tCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng over and over. So, I basically did notCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng until COV came out.ng to do. That actually made me sad.tting the keys.

Then I reached the end of the game, and found that just when I had gotten all of my powers there was notI tried to create Alts but the simply could not retain interest, because I am too bright to enjoy doing the same tCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng over and over. So, I basically did notCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng until COV came out.ng to do. That actually made me sad.

I tried to create Alts but the simply could not retain interest, because I am too bright to enjoy doing the same tCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng over and over. So, I basically did notCOV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off. ng until COV came out.

COV was ruined for me at the store by a gigantically headed young man standing next to me. He turned to me in the checkout line and said in that superior young nerd fasThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. on sometThen, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy. ng like, “ah...yuuuu knooow thooot that game it such a joooke, because all they did was change the palette and publish the same game.” At the time, I just shrugged it off.

Then, I got the tThat ruined the damn game for me. ng home and started playing it. I created a character that was going the be TheAdlerian’s (Tank) clone turned evil. In COV a tank is called a Basher (or sometThat ruined the damn game for me. ng) and I noted that the powers where exactly the same as the COV tank. So, I concluded that at least in tThat ruined the damn game for me. s area the bigheaded boy was correct. Then I did some missions and noted that they were the same as COH, and again I thought of the bigheaded boy.

That ruined the damn game for me.

I decided to fool around with PVP (terrible lag) for a bit and found that my 50 could pound away on another 50 with little result. At one point a tank and I were fighting for about 20 minutes, and then I asked if he was as bored as I was; he said yes and we both flew off.

So, my love affair with the game had to end.

I still tEconomy:nk that it has great potential, but also that it’s creators are working a money hustle, when they should be hustling there obvious and wonderful imaginations. Grind should be seen as unetEconomy:cal, because it is, admit it.

Economy:

On there boards I made a suggestion for an economy that goes a little sometSuch devices would be like the “temp powers” that appear in the game, only you get to keep them. Whatever the setup, I believe that players would just love trying to find the pieces of these devices, especially if the powers generated where effective. ng like tSuch devices would be like the “temp powers” that appear in the game, only you get to keep them. Whatever the setup, I believe that players would just love trying to find the pieces of these devices, especially if the powers generated where effective. s:
The idea is that different missions might or might not yield components to special weapons or power enhancing devices. One would then “slot” the pieces together to build the tSuch devices would be like the “temp powers” that appear in the game, only you get to keep them. Whatever the setup, I believe that players would just love trying to find the pieces of these devices, especially if the powers generated where effective. ng. If desired the designers could make the device sellable, or they could make the device work only for the owner, thus avoiding the whole ebay tSuch devices would be like the “temp powers” that appear in the game, only you get to keep them. Whatever the setup, I believe that players would just love trying to find the pieces of these devices, especially if the powers generated where effective. ng.

Such devices would be like the “temp powers” that appear in the game, only you get to keep them. Whatever the setup, I believe that players would just love trying to find the pieces of these devices, especially if the powers generated where effective.

Oh well, maybe they’ll straighten things out, because the game, as I said, has massive potential.

Sorry about the formatting in the above message. Something strange happened and it remove all of my paragraph breaks. 

Some of the design concepts could have worked out quite well, the side kicking system mentioned (I had forgotten about) is a very clever idea to help bridge that annoying gap. However IMO even where the design had potential, the implementation failed. I will admit I haven't played the game since the first month COH was released, but I quit because I immediately realized there were fundamental things that I require to enjoy a mmorpg that were missing, and would never be changed. The item system for example, which just detracts hugely from the game for me.

As for the missions, I have to say the person who mentioned backstory seems to be a bit confused. I do not care about backstory, it is something that should always be there, and not ring too hollow, but to be honest in a superhero game I really don't care. The only time I want lore is when I love the my character, the gameplay .. everything about the game so much, that I just want more and more of the game. But you need a solid game first, I need to be impressed by the gameplay, and kept on my toes by the quests. Without that, I've already quit before I had time to be impressed by someone's writing skills, which are almost certainly inferior to any novel I could name.

Truthfully though, when I quit this game it was the first time I quit completely. I never read the forums (even when I played), I didn't know anyone who was still playing, I just quit and never missed it. So I really don't know how well it ended up doing.

This review and subsequent discussion has been interesting. I'm actually new to the game, but I'm coming from a different angle. I'm no stranger to Mmorpgs, but I've never been interested in them prior to this because I don't like a lot of the people who are online gaming--the power levelers, the one-hit killers, and the young Leet-speakers (I'm 36). My friends all have the game (or just got the game, like me) and we decided that we'd rather play with each other, chatting through TeamSpeak, than interact with a bunch of strangers to go on missions.

That socialization part, the in-jokes, and talking out tactics and strategies before we rush the goons, has brought the old role-playing vibe back in. We're all really engaged now, even the early-adopters among us with 40th level characters. We also all logged on with a pre-set idea that we'd form a super group, and it would have a theme--and we built our characters to reflect that theme. Other players have already noticed it, and it's been a blast to run our similarly designed characters down the street.

Now, playing alone or with just one or two of my pals, I can sorta see through the veneer of the game--I mean, it's got "monster" generation, "dungeon" missions, even characters with "spells" and big, ugly "monsters." CoH really hides those elements as well as anything I've seen (CoV, a little less so, since you're dealing with more monsterous characters. I'm fighting snake-men, for cryin' out loud; I should have built a barbarian king named Kull!).

Nevertheless, like with most games, it's the group you play with that makes CoH/CoV so much fun. If you're playing with strangers, it may not be the best way to mine your own personal comics knowledge. If you're playing alone, well, that's cool, too, but it's just not going to be as much fun as when you're in a group.

Mark Finn/WHACKO the Clown, Guardian Server