So let's look to the future for a moment, a future where Segs has unleashed the COH emulator and we can run and customize our own servers, what would you do?
I would:
1. Update the Lore to blame Darrin Wade for the shutdown until a new hero arose to vanquish him
2. Make sure as much of issue 24 was available as possible, as I recall some of the new missions were bugged but the new powers and enhancers and pool power customization was ready.
3. make some of my own modifications that I have been considering
A. PVP: well due to likely low server populations for awhile and that people will be starting over, I would consider (key word is consider) making Bloody Bay and Siren's Call into Hazard Zones instead of PVP. All badges, missions and temp powers are there but they are now hazard zones like Boomtown. Have in game reminders about the ARENA and its badges and leave Warburg and Recluse Victory as PVP
B. Bases: again to compensate for low initial populations have a special limited time bonus of when you start a group and a base that you start with 36 million prestige for it and possibly the fusion generator badge as that was gained via PVP and again I expect PVP to be not used much right away. Still need the salvage of course to build it......
C. The Statesman....is dead. LONG LIVE <insert new signature hero name here>
D. The powers and archetypes. Time for some minor tuneups for some and some upgrades for others. If the issue 24 power changes are not in place, I would see about inserting the i24 changes to the tier 9 armor powers to help avert power crash and long recharge times. Also the same for the Tier 9 blast powers.
Warshades and Peacebringers: when you make either one you can choose to have energy flight or the quantum teleport power, can't have both must respec to change. You get the corresponding secondary power at L10 as always. This gives flight to human form Warshades at last and gives travel power CHOICE to both WS and PB.
WS and PB: nova form powers get a damage buff to ensure they are stronger then the human form versions. To me this is due to the characters energies being concentrated in nova form to make stronger beams.
No further tune ups for WS that I can think of, ideas welcomed.
Peacebringer: oh get ready......KB remains in nova form beams, but human form loses KB except for the Photon Seekers. Melee gets mag 2 stun and beams a mag 2 KD except for the eyebeams and Tier 9 blast power.
Dwarf mode melee powers get mag 3 stun due to energy concentration in that form.
More power slots for PB and WS....? Or possible unlocking of an extra power slot from a new mission for any of the Archetypes?
EDIT: Forgot one other thing for PB/WS, examine the power deactivation when transformed, see if Pool powers can be made active when transformed, barring overamping the character into a game breaker, or make pool powers SUPPRESSED when transformed.
Super Strength rage: may need to look at that power's crash and its effects. Possible minor buff to damage of the other SS powers....?
Make Moment of GLory from the regen set more.....glorious?
Energy Melee: time to look at the Energy Transfer power....restore original form or insert it as an option in the customization? Giving players a choice between the 2 versions may be best....
Restoration of player's characters lost in the Great Shutdown.......well perhaps names, levels, salvage, inf, powers, enhancers.... badges though may be a problem due to some activating accolades and other powers. At least restore the No Defeat/No Temp Master of badges.....? They weren't linked to any powers so they wouldn't be a problem. Same with damage/debt/healing/money...hmmm restoration of healing badges would slightly reduce heal farming....
EDIT: perhaps restore no map and plaque badges as some are tied to accolades so that since they'd have to revist the zones for those badges, may as well get them all. Restore all achievement and accomplishment badges not tied to powers? Same with PVP and Gladiator badges? Or restore none and look upon it as an opportunity rather then a burden...?
Attempt to make new incarnate trials for the powers that we never got....failing that, make the powers and have them unlocked via the other trials? This presumes I can find data on what those powers were meant to be, though I suspect Omega was a bookend to the Alpha slot.
All costume sets from the bonus packs available in the tailor? Size and gender change between costume slots also
Keep veteran rewards and have veteran costume pieces like the anime armor.
See if Mayhem and Safeguards can be added to Ouroborus
Anniversary badges: unless I can change how they are awarded, I would have them available for a month or two then if possible have an AE mission that awards it at the end for those that missed it.
Plug the holes that let people under the map to the Matrix room.....and/or make the matrix room a "penalty box" for those that need a time out....?
Update maps to have the red dot to show where a GM has spawned, similar to how some events showed the location on the map? Could be useful in Grandville.......also add a count down timer for Grandville for the next flyer launch.
Endeavor to restore AE badges removed from the great Positron purge, but make the requirements more reasonable.
PVP reputation decay......revisit? Possibly lock rep so that it doesn't decay after obtaining one or both rep badges?
EDIT: Willpower armor set.....revisit?
Stone armor: slight diminish of speed penalty from rooted and granite powers.....
Facelift to granite....? use appearance of rock armor but recolored thus character costumes and auras are visible in granite.......or just have character skin change to same color as statues in AP/KR/Galaxy but have all the attributes of Granite armor......costumes and aura would remain....
Dayjobs.....reduce time from 21 days to 14..?
Mastermind upgrade.......attempt to use the mechanics of two hercules combining into a zeus to give pets power to merge....? Might be a game breaker if even possible to do......much research needed but could be a fun upgrade.....
Flight......boost flight cap speed?
Super Speed: if there is a travel power that needs an upgrade it is this one. Walls, potholes, rocks, mountains, buildings, even water and empty should not be a problem for this power. If the Flash can run up buildings, run on air an water then surely super speed can be upgraded in CoH.........imagining right now what it would be like to run on air in defiance of gravity in the shadow shards......