Goodbye, Paragon City. Goodbye old friends.

[Kyodai]

I'm aware that this post is only one of many expressing sadness at the sunset of the greatest MMO ever.  There are very few words that can properly convey what CoH has meant to me, and the memories that were formed as a result.

If you ever played on Triumph, there was a very active SG called True Alliance.  My best friend at the time (Electric/electric blaster) named Macron was doing his best to convince myself and a few other friends to join him in playing CoH.  We were resistant, as life was very busy at the time.  One day, Mac comes over to the house we were all sharing at the time. It's around Christmas time, not long after launch, if I remember correctly.  He hands one of the gifts to me, and one to my roommate, Doozr.

I think you can guess what was under the giftwrap :)

Doozr and I installed, and BAM, that was it.  The beginning of an eight year love affair with our city, with all its beautiful views and complete with its flaws.  Back then, it was rare to see a level 50, and when we did, we treated them with a kind of awe and respect.  I learned all about game etiquette during those early days in Paragon.  Macron would come over and use one of the spare computers in our "gaming lab", log on, and teach us the proper way to do things, how to conduct ourself on a team, what a TF was all about, how to get our capes...everything.

Anyhow, to make a long story longer getting to 50 took forever, but Doozr and I both dinged within about 10 minutes of each other.  Much celebration occurred, and we took to alts, made TONS of joke toons, worked on min-maxing our mains, etc.  But the center of it all was Macron.  Showing us what it meant to be truly part of an online community, exploring PvP when it was introduced.  So many laughs, so many villains defeated.  So many Wolves piled into a shipping container and NUKED TO ASH by a single Fulcrum-Shifted (and slightly crazy) Blaster.

A few years later, Macron had passed away.  There were two memorials for him.  One in real life, and one online.  There were probably the same amount of attendees in both places, which is to say...TONS.  We all drifted away from playing regularly, but we always knew our city would be there. 

About 2 years ago, several of us came back to the game, remarking over the phone that whenever we were there, it was like we were able to be with Macron again.  We were able to walk the streets and defeat the same villains together again.  I was able to perch on top of the same skyscraper in Steel Canyon that Mac took me to upon first gaining my Travel Power.  We spent a TON of time helping out folks who were new to the game, just like he did.  It became a place of remembrance, a kind of living, breathing memorial for us personally.  Many new friends were made, many new toons were leveled.

In late July this year, life once again got busy.  I now have a 4-year old son to take care of (single dad=no spare time).  CoH once again got put on the back burner.  Then I got the email that the game was shutting down!  I had uninstalled the game client, and cancelled my sub.  Complications ensued, and was basically not able to log back in to experience the final months of the game, as much as I wanted to be there for it.

So I come here instead, to a place filled with the people I had known and loved, if only because we had loved the same thing...to say goodbye.

Goodbye to our Fair City.  Goodbye Macron, you crazy sonofagun.  Goodbye Heroes and Villains of Paragon and the Rogue Isles.  Thank you for giving me a place to walk with my friend for a while longer.  Thank you for being the best online gaming community in the history of the genre.  Thank you for everything. /em Salute!

Kyodai (50 Ill/Kin Controller)   Originially Triumph, transferred to Freedom
Yasuru (50 Kat/SR Scrapper)   Originially Triumph, transferred to Freedom
Gunsong (50 Dual Pistols/MM Blaster)   Freedom
Tetsuo Tempest (50 TW/Fire Brute)   Freedom
Ray o' Sunshine (50 Fire/Kin Controller)   Originially Triumph, transferred to Freedom

...and countless others.  Rest easy, and I'll see you on the flip side, Macron.

[MaidMercury]

Sorry about your friend, Macron.
God bless.
Sounds like you and him were buds with your SG:True Alliance.
I remember having a fun SG.
Yes, sometimes small things become larger than life after they've become ingrained
in your ritual.

[johnrobey]

Thanks for taking time to write and post this, Kyodai.  Many of us have been grieving losing City of Heroes.  I'm glad for the good and happy times we had in CoH.  Glad also so many from the community have chosen to be here and write.  Best wishes to you!

[Kyodai]

Thanks for the replies, guys, it means alot to me.  I'm glad there is a home for people who can relate?

I'm off to check the "other games" section.  Gotta find a new online home someday :)

--Kyo

[johnrobey]

Thanks for the replies, guys, it means alot to me.  I'm glad there is a home for people who can relate?

I'm off to check the "other games" section.  Gotta find a new online home someday :)

--Kyo

For now there's here.   :)