If we start with no user data

[Von Krieger]

Well, if you are actively in pursuit of Empath on a non-healer I assumed it would be a Badging character.  As such, you'd have to switch sides to get all the badges anyway, so I just did it on one of my jaunts through the Rogue Isles.

What does SG Mode have to do with Empath?

There were also a set of SG badges/awards based on the amount of healing done.

[MWRuger]

There were also a set of SG badges/awards based on the amount of healing done.

Yeah the SG Achievement badges let you buy inspires at your base. It could also improve resurrection.  For my main badger, that would absolutely work, but I was hoping to combine the two tasks. I can do stuff grindy like this if I have to but I don't enjoy it so I like to get the most bang for my buck.

[Mageman]

Easiest way was to get the Healing Destiny power and stand in Mercy Island in the southernmost Arachnos base where a ton of troops are lined up.  Set the power on auto and wait a few hours while you make lunch or something.  Each casting did thousands of points of healing.

I never heard of this. I hope to try it out if and when CoX comes back!

Yeah the SG Achievement badges let you buy inspires at your base. It could also improve resurrection.  For my main badger, that would absolutely work, but I was hoping to combine the two tasks. I can do stuff grindy like this if I have to but I don't enjoy it so I like to get the most bang for my buck.

If you want to do it for your SG, if I remember correctly, you could be in the Rogue Islands in SG mode as a vigilante (still hero, but falling). IF I remember correctly!

[MWRuger]

I never heard of this. I hope to try it out if and when CoX comes back!

If you want to do it for your SG, if I remember correctly, you could be in the Rogue Islands in SG mode as a vigilante (still hero, but falling). IF I remember correctly!

OK. I couldn't remember exactly when you lost designation in alignment process and had to leave your SG. I only had one Villain SG so I could do go vigilante do it for the hero base finish the side change and then do it for the Villain base.

[Luna Eclypse]

I don't know if I'd aim to re-level all the characters I used to have... there were many. If we have to start over from scratch, I think I'll slow down to enjoy myself more this time. CoH was always, to me, a game about the journey and not the destination. Around the time the Incarnate System was in place, I found myself pining for the earlier days when the major focus was just meeting up with new people and going out to kick some butt together. That was less exciting for me with everyone gunning for the new end-game content in a hurry. Repeating those same Incarnate Trials over and over became tiresome just from never going to different places. I maxed out all of the available Incarnate Powers on maybe two characters and decided I was done with it until new ones were released. I spent more time going back and starting new characters.

A game usually only gets to make one first impression on a player. 9 years ago, it made me fall in love with it. With this 2 year absence, if we have to start over, it gets to make that impression all over again for me. :)

[kierthos]

If we get the game back, and it doesn't have character data/account data... well, I'd be a bit upset, but you know, we'd have the game back.

Personally, I wouldn't mind leveling up my characters again (mind you, I only had two level 50s...), but I would miss having some of the costume options from the Veteran Rewards. Mind you, I did 'jump forward' something like 27 months in Veteran rewards in one day....

[btru]

Maybe early access to the character creator so we could reserve our names and character builds early?

[Harpospoke]

Standard Run I would slot with one -End, and Prestige Power Slide I would slot with one +Run, so I was covered whichever I chose.

That's a good idea.

[Evala Tempest]

I am urged by me desire to play this again to say that any thing extra is only a perk. No other game has held the same place in my heart as that of COH. That being said, I was very spoiled by the vet rewards and would most dearly love to have it. I will miss my traps defender and scrapper that were incarnate. I should hope there will be some method for "catching up" for the loss of influence and killer enhancements. Having all that data restore would most certainly be a gift. Having said that, achieving all those "perks" was apart of the fun.

[WolfSoul]

If we do not get our data (characters, etc) back. I can live with it. I keep waffling between wanting to start over and not wanting to start over (all those alts! lol)

What I'd like to see is that everything that exists in game, costumes, powersets, I/O's, etc. All be available to all subscribers as the base game and NEW vet rewards, store items, etc be made to fill the hole.

Just my two cents.

Wolfsoul

[Neutron-Star]

Similar things have been suggested by others, but here are some thoughts/suggestions:

Assumptions:
-no character data
-hybrid FTP/subscription model
-in-game cash shop like Paragon Market

There could be three ways to get items players want and used to have:

First way is tied to subscription time:
-Offer a one year and/or lifetime subscription that includes "all the things." It has all veteran rewards, all costume pieces, max charter slots, all locked content, all archetypes and power sets, etc.  The new owners get a big chunk of money from me upfront, I get everything I used to have from the start.  I personally would pay $200+ for such a thing.  I bet many others would too.
-Additionally, take all/many of these items and divide them into 12 sets of mixed groups.  One month's set may have the first 3-4 levels of the Vet rewards, 5-6 costume sets, a couple power sets, whatever.  The next month's set would be a different set leading up to the 12th month with the last of the things.  Then subscribers could earn them monthly through the first year.  Sort of like fast-track neo-vet rewards.  This gives subscribers incentive to stay and lets them earn back things much quicker then before without having to shell out a ton of money up front.
-Perhaps the "one free level 50" perk could be tied to any type of sub.  I think if someone is going to pay a sub they can be trusted to not abuse it or dilute the quality of the high level character pool.  Perhaps include in the first month's neo-vet package.  Maybe that character is locked if their sub lapses.
-A FTP person would have similar access to the basics as they did before the shut-down plus access to the store.

Second way to earn stuff could be through bundles:
-I like the idea of deeply discounted bundles based around what different priorities people have. Bundle all the costume, all the powers/archetypes, all the vet rewards etc.  That way players can grab the things they are most interested in if they are FTP or month to month subscribers.
-Plus offer a discounted "bundle of bundles" to replace my "all the things" sub-package above.  I would like SOME way to get everything up front and am not partial to exactly how.
-These bundles could also be limited to the early months of re-launch.

Third would be a-la-carte items:
-Offer everything un-bundled in the store for folks who want to pick and choose the things they want to pay for.
-Maybe a store-wide discount in the early months of re-launch.


Another idea:
What if people could pay to be part of a head-start or beta-test week/month that also unlocks all-the-things?  That would eliminate the need for a separate store transaction(s) to buy bundles or items. Would also give people a chance to grab the global and character names they want.  When regular access opens up, run the store at 50% discount for a month and regular prices there after.  Gives folks who really want it two chances to get in early at reduced rates but lets the new game owners make a decent profit initially and on-going.

Also - please continue with Mac support for game and launcher, thanks!

PS - one million thank you's for working to get our game back, we are extremely lucky to have you and will support you now matter how these details are sorted out!

[The Fifth Horseman]

Either way, I would like some of the existing NPC costume parts to become purchasable. PPD powered armor and such.

[Von Krieger]

Either way, I would like some of the existing NPC costume parts to become purchasable. PPD powered armor and such.

I think the Enforcer set was made because folks liked the PPD armor so much. If I recall correctly the PPD armor clipped majorly, and also had a few places where there was no mesh, so you had invisible bits at certain angles, as they were designed to fit together with the other PPD armor parts, and not just any old thing.

Though looking at it in Icon (after discovering that the PPD Shell doesn't exist on the female frame) that if you use the Tights, it clips a lot less than I recall. Though I can't seem to find the gloves, which to my recollection were the piece I was thinking of the most. I want to say that it's the hoses on the gloves I was thinking of.

Or maybe I'm thinking of another powered armor-y thing?

But yeah, there's a lot of NPC stuff that I'd love to have bludgeoned towards working nicely with other bits. The Victoria pieces for one, more of the Thorns outfit pieces for another.

[Eoraptor]

I don't know... I think there is a certain status to have NPC costume components. the idea that it separates out the players from the NPCs helps to make the game a bit more immersive. you can't just clone your favourite NPC's look  makes it more imperitive that the game is about you and your quest to save the city, not the PPD's, or Vanguards, or Arachnos's, etc... besides, if you really want to wear PPD power armor, there was always ToT

[MWRuger]

Without the dev tools (missing at this time) it is likely that NPC parts will stay exactly that. But if they make CoH2, maybe it could be in there.

Really, until the sale happens (please, oh please!) it's all speculation base what Iron Wolf has said and what can be gleaned from what Codewalker has said about how server side works based on what calls the client made. A slippery slope to base an argument on.

[GN2]

My opinion on payment is pretty simple: Gating content behind paywalls is bad, as it fragments the playerbase. Being able to directly purchase power (The "super boosts" that were offered late in the game's lifespan are a direct example of this, with things like the store enhancements and good powersets being cash shop only being less direct examples) is extremely bad.

(And yes, I do consider pay-for-ATs to be content)

[Brightfires]

I don't know... I think there is a certain status to have NPC costume components. the idea that it separates out the players from the NPCs helps to make the game a bit more immersive. you can't just clone your favourite NPC's look  makes it more imperitive that the game is about you and your quest to save the city, not the PPD's, or Vanguards, or Arachnos's, etc... besides, if you really want to wear PPD power armor, there was always ToT

It still would have been nice to have the Death Mage bits for my Nemissary, though. He was supposed to be a rogue Death Mage, after all. 

I'd have colored them entirely white, of course, and switched a few details out here and there... He never was one for strict conformity... But it would have been awfully nice for him to have access to the proper hat and spikey back-pieces at the very least.

[Serpine]

Or maybe I'm thinking of another powered armor-y thing?

I'm pretty sure what are saying matched the story we were told regarding PPD Shell armor. I'm theorizing these were parts they had working before they gave up because of the arms or some other issue. Though running around in live with the purchased transform power they eventually gave, I really don't see where any significant collision / missing geometry would have been: The "glove" arm components are some bicep armor and the gun bracers and both seem sufficiently broken up from the shoulders and eachother.

I never understood the collision fear anyway. Some collisions can be used for highly interesting looks. And if a part collides or shears in a way that doesn't look good, people simply won't use the combo so they don't look bad (and if they really do want to look bad, the random button generally produces more gruesome results anyway).

I don't know... I think there is a certain status to have NPC costume components. the idea that it separates out the players from the NPCs helps to make the game a bit more immersive.

Personally, I think having more components that match those of non-unique entities in the game world available make it *more* immersive. They provide immediate clear hints and questions about your background (be it that the piece is one from your former/current alligience or a trophy from enemies). And they can help solidify your connection to the setting in a concrete way. I give as the ultimate example the villain Arachnos archetypes: Many of those who enjoyed them had a great time acting and looking the part.

[Paragon Avenger]

I say give nobody nothing.
And give me everything.
Wait, that sounds like a villain, I usually played heroes.

[The Fifth Horseman]

I never understood the collision fear anyway. Some collisions can be used for highly interesting looks. And if a part collides or shears in a way that doesn't look good, people simply won't use the combo so they don't look bad (and if they really do want to look bad, the random button generally produces more gruesome results anyway).

Indeed. See my avatar - Roman helmet pieces plus Enforcer mask and jaw :)