When I first looked at MH after CoX closed, I dismissed it immediately. I was looking for a replacement for City and this wasn't it.
12 months on, and I've given it another go (it's F2P so why not?) and I'm actually enjoying it. Why?
The main problem I had with MH was that I had to play a canon character who had a specific look. It had a "top-down" isometric view, which I wasn't used to (new = uncomfortable). Since then I've tried a lot of MMOs and whilst they've had good customisation and camera options, they've just not got the immersion factor. Firefall & Defiance were two games I stuck with beyond the first half hour and it wasn't long before I realised that I only needed one character. There was no replayability.
And for me, replayability was a huge part of what appealed about CoX. The Hollows was my second home for many years as I tried different builds up to 20. Re-doing the same content with a different AT. Doing the same stuff with a different toon felt like a different game to me.
So when I signed up for MH and picked Storm as my first character, I did what they suggested on the forums (and what was suggested many times in CoX). I played to 20. Then I went on to 30. BY that time, I had enough "Eternity Splinters" to buy a random hero box. I also picked up a "free hero" box from an MMORPG.com giveaway and I splashed out on two cheap (450G) heroes during the current BOGO promotion. For £6.50 I had 7 heroes to play with.
Don't get me wrong. MH is not cheap! Costumes and heroes are expensive, and so things like the current BOGO promotion are extremely tempting. The Steam packs are also far cheaper than buying the same thing on the Marvel store which is not great marketing (if you're on Steam. However, I'm still playing Storm and having a great time.
Each hero is like a powerset combo in CoH. They have three power sets and, similar to CoH, you can choose which powers to take. Storm, for example, has ranged single target, AoE and buff/debuff powers. I can choose to focus all my points in one power, or spread them out across many. Just like CoH, you can "pick what you like", or sit in excel and plan the most effective build. This chap (http://forums.marvelheroes.com/discussion/59559/introducing-malfeanww-lazy-n00b-builds-taskmaster-melee-and-ranged-live-4-4-2014/p1) has done a great series of guides (his writing style is almost as good as TMS' writing - remember that awesome Storm guide?) that really help a newcomer pick through the vast amount of information needed to absorb when picking up a new MMO. They are releasing a new hero every month (i.e. a new powerset) and there are just over 30 heroes in the game currently, so there's plenty of scope for something "different".
My tips.... (from someone who's only played ranged toons)
- Run through the story. It's great, well written, and well balanced. By the end of it, you should have well in excess of 200 Eternity Shards which will allow you to pick a cheaper hero, or get a random hero box.
- Don't spend any real money until you're sure you like your starting hero. If you don't get on with Daredevil, just start a new account and pick a different one! Play to at least 20 though.
- Keep one eye on the "social" chat. Currently, it seems to be filled with people asking questions. I've learned a lot from just keeping an eye on it.
- There is a LOT of loot in this game. However much of the low level stuff isn't of much use, so slot what you like and donate the rest (level up your crafter and enchanter first). As you level up, you'll have time to read about the different types of loot and what to keep/sell/donate.
It's not CoX. Not by a long shot. There is really only one story and of course you can't customise your character. But this game is only a year old. CoX at 1 was still very story lite and I think they do have plans to continue the story. The top down view and lack of customisation might be deal breakers. That's OK, this game 'aint for everyone. For me though, I can replay the game with a different powerset and I can feel superheroic again, taking on 5-10 mob spawns solo and winning.
I was quite surprised to find I liked it.
-H
At launch the game was kind of "ehhh", but it struck a cord in me because the attitude and level of communication the devs had with the community reminded me of CoH. I bought an ultimate founder's pack because of that, and I wasn't disappointed. The game has changed by leaps and bounds since launch, and only gotten better.
It's not a replacement for CoH, as the two games are completely different types of games. If you don't like diablo-style ARPGs, then you won't like MH regardless. It does, however, have many of the same appeals CoH held for me. Can be just as easily soloed as grouped. Is very casual friendly. Has several different ways to level. Let's you feel like a superhero by being able to take on mobs of bad guys, not just 3. Has awesome Devs who regularly communicate with the community (including the Dink, who often shows us previews of the new character art she's working on, and, I think, another ex-CoH dev).
I did try MH and didn't like it. Only played it for 15 or so minutes but it just did not appeal to me. Really glad you're enjoying it! :)
So I've finally decided to give this one a go. I've picked Colossus as my starting hero and gotten to 20, so far it seems fun but it's starting to get boring as it all comes down to mashing a single AoE power and perhaps a single-target one for bosses. No need for more than one AoE and one ST power. Does it get any different from that?
I was in Marvel Heroes at the startup of the beta, and I've been with it since. I agree on many of the points above. It's a very different play experience from City, but being a Diablo 1-3 player from way, way back, I felt it natural to start up with Cyclops and go get busy. As soon as Gazillion announced the Ultimate Founders program--$200 for all of the heroes available up through launch, with all costumes, and some exclusive stuff never to be offered again like the Symbiote Spider-Man outfit--I was hooked.
In fact, I need to get back to sorting my stash right now. :)
Would I go back to City? You bet. Would City stop me from spending money on Marvel? That's a tough call, as I do enjoy what each game brings to the table. They are certainly unique playstyles from each other, although there are distinct parallels. Luke Cage is a mix of Street Justice and Thugs Mastermind. Cyclops is a Defender all the way. Storm is the closest the game has to a Controller so far. Daredevil, Black Panther, and Spider-Man are definitely Scrappers.
Try it out. It's a free to play game, and Gazillion is getting better as they keep upgrading it. One final note, a parting warning: if you plan to stay with Marvel Heroes, you might not want to try to play with a 32-bit operating system. Currently, there are a number of folks (me among them) having some memory issues with the game due to it simply being more than a 32-bit OS can take. However, upgrading to a 64-bit OS seems to fix the issue.
Any of you guys the Captain America named City of Heroes?
Quote from: Exxar on June 10, 2014, 04:44:36 PM
So I've finally decided to give this one a go. I've picked Colossus as my starting hero and gotten to 20, so far it seems fun but it's starting to get boring as it all comes down to mashing a single AoE power and perhaps a single-target one for bosses. No need for more than one AoE and one ST power. Does it get any different from that?
Yes.
My experience is that it's really accessible from early on. I started with Storm. I picked powers I liked, spammed them and stuff died. After playing through the story, I got 200 splinters which allowed me a random hero and I got lucky with Ms Marvel. With that character I can choose to tank (they have a Taunt in the game), single target DPS, or AoE DPS. That's when I started looking at the game mechanics and doing what I tried to do in CoX - make a toon that can do everything!
So you can get a hero, spam their powers and melt stuff. Or you can delve into the maths and the min-maxing (which is one of the things i loved about CoX. At work I was in Mids, at home I was in game). The great thing is that you don't
have to fully understand everything which is great because the amount of loot in the game is overwhelming at first.
Playing Ms Marvel is definitely not a spam fest. Leap into the mobs, pull them in and nova them, find the boss and start a single target attack chain. When the mobs get too overwhelming, AoE to clear then back to the boss. If health dips, pop the regen power. Playing Storm is a case of rolling my fingers across "asdfg" until my blue bar runs out. Storm is having a revamp soon though....
Ms Marvel is 58 now with 84 hours played according to Steam so it's a vast amount quicker than my first 50 in CoX (An Emp/Psi that hit 50 in 2005 with 400 hours)
Hit me up in-game with a friend invite (I haven't worked out how to do that myself yet) @Mellenta. Have also created the Paragon Titans SG which anyone is welcome to join. It's currently got 1 member. Me :)
I know this game isn't for everyone, but after getting my head around the numbers and seeing the effects of building for certain things (like +Res or +Damage) I'm beginning to enjoy it.
-H
Quote from: OzonePrime on June 11, 2014, 06:20:30 PM
Any of you guys the Captain America named City of Heroes?
Not it. I'm on there as Tubbius, same as I was on City. :) Look me up.
Will do. Am Ozoneprime in game. :)
do you have to pay for the downloader like in secret world?
MH is 100% completely free. It subsists entirely off completely-optional store purchases and bundles.
Quote from: Aggelakis on June 18, 2014, 01:15:51 AM
MH is 100% completely free. It subsists entirely off completely-optional store purchases and bundles.
cool, ty for the information I might check it out :)
If you do decide to, then now would be the time. June is their anniversary month and they have a special gift of 365 items for each account. You need a character to level 30 though.
-H
I installed it, and think it looks much better than when I tried it in Beta, but I am still wanting the Vision as a playable character darn it! :D