Evolution of City of Heroes

[Mistress Urd]

City of Heroes released back in April of 2004 had 23 issues to make the game what it is. We are fans of the game being here on TN because we felt the game did several things right and kept us entertained for years.

Now, what were the most positive changes made to the game and why it helped make the game so loved. Please refrain from criticizing changes you didn't like, that can be the topic of another thread

I'll go first. Note, there were lots of great changes, but these were high on my list.

Icon - Yep, being able to change and customize your character's appearance is one of the more enjoyable things to do in the game. I'll include the further improvements of body sculpting and gender change as well.
Character Respec - Beats having to delete a character and starting over again over a "bad power choice"
Difficulty Sliders - It got annoying when folks would "fill" teams just so they can have more/tougher enemies to fight. So glad this feature was added and revamped to full player control later.
Experience Distribution - At one point I recall the game would evenly split experience but later on (someone help me its been a long time) a change was made so that when more people were on a team more experience was generated. It was important for the game to encourage teaming and the change helped encourage full teams
Super Side Kicking - Just overall a better way of doing SK/Exemplar
Giant Monsters con Purple - It was nice that some level 50 couldn't just casually pop the kraken in Perez.

Ok, those are some of my favorites, what are yours?

[Vee]

Merits. I didn't join til issue 12 but I can tell you I wouldn't have kept playing til shutdown if I'd had to continually run respec trials etc. for an endless flood of snipe/pet recipes.

[Mistress Urd]

That's another good change too. I recall people doing speed Katies. Beats doing the headdesk after getting the same recipe again that I don't need.

[Auroxis]

Invention system, by far my favorite feature of the game.

Really rewarded players for putting a lot of thought and effort into their builds, and was a fun process trying to reach the various milestones (softcap, perma hasten etc.). Combined with the game's diverse powerset system, it didn't lend itself to people just copying others but rather encouraged people into making their own unique builds.

[doc7924]

Ragdoll physics. - I know it was added rather early on but before it defeated mobs just fell over and laid on the ground or stairs or whatever like mannequins.

Wentworth's - a good place to unload unwanted items and make a good profit.

City of Villains - not sure if this counts as a change as it was in some ways a separate game, but since later on it was all folded together, it really expanded the amount of powers you could use to make characters. Plus the costume pieces.

Adding costume slots - so you didn't have to keep changing the one you had when you got tired of it.

[Steelhelm]

I'd have to say the Alignment system. As a badgehunter, I was so happy to be able to switch my main to the dark side and get all the villain badges. Plus, it was great to just be in the villain zones for once (I had only made Heroes up to that point in time) and experience their story arcs.

[OniMeteorix]

Oh man, being an altaholic, my favorite new addition(s) was every single new powerset they introduced. All of them. It was just so much fun to have something new to try every couple of months, and 90% of the time my characters were inspired by the power sets. Kinetic Melee, Beam Rifle, Shield Defense, etc. Although, I gotta say paying for individual power sets when you were already a premium member was not always great, but IIRC some of them were free and some weren't.

[Paragon Avenger]

This was before my time, but I like the added levels 41 through 50.
As I understand it, the game started with just 40 levels.  I don't know if 50 levels were always planned from the start, but I'm glad for them. 
Also, the Midnighters' Club was kind of fun.  A different way to reach a co-op zone.  Ouroborus too, of course.  We were suppose to go there to run time-travelling missions, but it became a great "train" station.

And supergroup base stacking.  With stacking, you could turn a small room into a 2-story room giving enough space for all the storage.  Most of us just used it to make really cool looking bases.

[doc7924]

This was before my time, but I like the added levels 41 through 50.
As I understand it, the game started with just 40 levels.  I don't know if 50 levels were always planned from the start, but I'm glad for them. 
Also, the Midnighters' Club was kind of fun.  A different way to reach a co-op zone.  Ouroborus too, of course.  We were suppose to go there to run time-travelling missions, but it became a great "train" station.

And supergroup base stacking.  With stacking, you could turn a small room into a 2-story room giving enough space for all the storage.  Most of us just used it to make really cool looking bases.

When I started COH it was a 40 cap. I think they raised it to 50 the same issue they put in PI, but I could be wrong.

I know COV was 40 cap at first since I got a 40 real fast and had to wait a while to go to 50.

[Cheesy]

Loved the flashback system to return to arcs I'd out levelled!

The arachnos spider / widow, loved both of those when they where introduced!

[Aggelakis]

Cap was planned to be 50 from the start but launching the game with 40 levels meant faster release. Level cap was upped with Issue 1, two months later.

[blacksly]

Each of the sidekicking versions were such a great improvement over anything available on other games. The ability to have your friends play together at any time even if they didn't stick to strict leveling pacts is a huge improvement over "Do you have a character anywhere near 35?".

[Nyghtshade]

I loved so many of the features mentioned above.  For me, another favorite was Base Building, and the Architect mission options.  Also, the Ski Chalet, yet another great place to gather and RP, plus skiing!  I loved the Holiday events, and especially frozen Croatoa where you could ice-skate.  So many great 'quality of life' improvements the Devs were always adding.  :-D

Also, I loved Devs who actually listened to what players wanted, and acted on their suggestions.  Gosh, I miss this game!

[Paragon Avenger]

Several of the devs also played the game.
Sometimes, when you're developing something, you don't want to even think about it after 5pm.
But there were devs enjoying pugging with the rest of us.