The end of City of Heroes

What the main site now shows.  I'm quite fond of the evening sky/statesmen

 

On the 30th of August, Paragon Studios announced the closure of the studio and City of Heroes. The decision apparently came from the parent company and publisher, NCSOFT.   As this unfortunate event was already very well covered by gaming sites such as Massively.  I will instead comment on what COH and its closure meant to me. 

For those that were in the loop, COH was a MMO inspired from superhero comic books.  Most notably MARVEL & DC comics.   The character creation / customization is one of the best even by today's industry standard given that players can create almost any super-hero/villain that they can imagine.   With exception to non-anthropomorphic characters.... such as my idea of parasitic intelligent life-form that is utterly incomprehensible to humans.
  
Its worth noting that COH was also first in its genre and still managed to held my interest as compared to the new kids on the block like CO or DCUO.  Character creation / concept in DCUO was abysmal in comparison but that is another story.  Can't speak for CO much since I haven't yet played it but the game didn't appeal to me due to the way the Archtypes (classes) are structured.

I was also fortunate enough to be introduced to the Virtue server which my friend played on.  There, I was exposed to a vibrant role-playing community.  While not all players role-play, most characters I came across have a back-story that explained how they came about.  That gave people an idea of who they are dealing with which added more depth to the game.   Not only that the community also had a website for the dossiers of the players' characters. 

As an old-school pen/paper Dungeon & Dragons role-player, that got me really excited..  I literally went crazy with the character creator and made dozens of concepts for different heroes and villains.  At the end of my 2 year run with COH, I had over 20 characters.  Even though none were at max level, I was having the a great deal of fun.

COH was a game that let players to generate their own content. It allowed me to express my creativity in ways that I never could in all the previous games that I play.
I would spent hours thinking of how my character should look like, what motivated him/her to become a hero/villain and the character growth.
How they attain even more power and in what ways have their outlook changed in doing so.

It is without doubt that I am terribly sad to see COH go.  I had originally expect this game to last much longer and so took my time with the game.  One of my greatest regrets when it comes to COH was that I have yet seen 90% of the remaining content.  There are tons of story-arcs, mission architects and power sets that I will now never get a chance to play. 

Like an unfulfilled relationship, there was still so much left undone. 

COX: Ellusive

Dossier Record #: 03130497

ID: Ellusive
Real Name: Unknown
Aliases: Pale Face
Affiliations: 

Base of Operations: Etoile Islands (Rogue Isle)

Alignment:Villain
Identity: Secret
Occupation: Thug
Education:Unknown

Origins: Natural
Universe: Primal Earth
Place of Birth: Unknown

Sitting atop a container, Ellusive is often found at the docks
especially during the dark of the night.

BACKGROUND

A relative unknown to the powers that be, Ellusive's identity & past is shrouded in mystery. No one knows who he is or where he came from except that he has recently appeared in the Etoile Islands.

The Etoile Islands have always been a safe haven for the criminally inclined. A place suitable for those with shady history & questionable motives. As a small time thug, Ellusive is certainly beneath Arachnos or Longbow's attention and it seems that he prefers it this way

Powers

---

While Ellusive appears to be human, he possess abilities that does not make him quite human. Then again, in a world full of super powered Heroes & Villains capable of superhuman feats. Anything is possible and his origin will always remain a subject of speculation.

High Pain Threshold
Even without protection, Ellusive is able to shrug off injuries that would otherwise incapacitate an ordinary human. Despite severe injuries Ellusive could still continue fighting at as if uninjured.

Rapid Healing
Ellusive possesses remarkable healing abilities. Light to medium wounds take only seconds or minutes to mend itself even without the use of advance medical steriods. However it is unknown if his regenerative abilities are sufficient to help him recover from grevious injuries.

   

Skills

---

Expert Swordsmenship
A natural with swords. Ellusive's attacks are swift & precise, simply by exploiting weakness of his target. He is able to dispatch even armoured adversaries.

Paraphernalia

---

Rust Encrusted Blade
It is not known why Ellusive carries this sword when newer bladed weapons are easily accessible. Perhaps it holds sentimental values for him but one thing is for sure. If the massive trauma from the sword cuts or the haemorraghing doesn't kill Ellusive's victims. The tetanus caused by the rust might finish the job.

Shades
Never seen without a pair of fashionable shades. Ellusive does not take too kindly to those who demand that he remove his eyewear.

Sleeveless Biker's Leather Jacket
Another fashionable apparel that is often seen on biker gangs or thugs.

COX: Varielle

Dossier Record #: 03126695

Name: Varielle
Aliases: Green Archer,
Current Alias: Green Archer

Affiliations: None
Base of Operations: Praetoria Earth

Alignment: Good
Identity: Secret
Occupation: None, Scout
Education: Not Applicable

Origins: Magically attuned humanoid
Universe: Praetoria Earth
Place of Birth: Unknown

Varielle observes the situation from within the tree canopy

BACKGROUND

Arriving in Praetoria recently, Varielle remained un-notice until she crossed paths with the Powers Division. Appearing at the wrong place at the wrong time, the Powers Division took her for a suspect and tried to apprehend her. Caught by surprised she was quickly overwhelmed by the brutality of the Powers Division.

Were it not for the intervention of a Resistance Patrol group, Varielle would have surely perished. The Resistance brought her to one of their hideouts and slowly nursed her back to health. During this time, Varielle learnt to speak Praetorian language & also about the tyranny of Emperor Marcus Cole.

Despite this, she revealed nothing about her origin or her motives except that she will join the Resistance's cause in gratitude towards their kindness. Grudgingly, the Resistance accepted her offer and allowed her to start of as a low level operative.

Powers

---

Varielle had made it known that she was neither human nor from Praetoria. Below are the list of special powers she possess. It is unknown if these attributes are innate to all members of her species or whether they were acquired through other means.

Dark Vision
Possessing superior vision, Varielle is able to see perfectly clear in extremely low-light conditions. While others might fumble about in the dark, she moves with ease and is able to engage in ranged combat despite the lack of lighting.

Magically Attuned
While Varielle is not able to cast spells, she is highly sensitive to magic and is able to tap into it as a resource.

 

Abilities

---

Skilled Archer
Well-trained in the use of bows & arrows. Regardless of whether Varielle is stationery or mobile, her accuracy suffers little even if her target is on the move.

Arcane Archer
By channeling magical energy into her weapons, Varielle is able to imbue her arrows with various enchantments. Depending on the type of enchantments, these arrows could potentially alter a battle dramatically if used strategically.

Skilled Tracker
Without relying on modern technology, Varielle has a fairly high chance to locate her quarry as long as the trail has not gone cold...

 

Paraphernalia

---

Wooden Shortbow
Lacking the penetrative power of conventional firearms the bow more than makes up for its weight & balance. Allowing Varielle to carry it with ease and rapidly unleash a hail of arrows on the move.

Leather Quiver
A seemingly ordinary quiver designed to hold arrows.

Boots of the Nimble
A pair of snug & comfortable leather boots. It is magically enchanted to boost Varielle's running speed & jumping power. Allowing her to cover great distances & overcome obstacles easily.

Mass Effect 3

COX: Desert Scythe

Dossier Record #: 03126487

Name: Desert Scythe
Real Name:Tariq Ibn Sadini
Aliases:
Affiliations: Tunisian Army, French Foreign Legion

Base of Operations: Etoile Islands (Rogue Isle)

Alignment:Villain
Identity: Secret
Occupation: Street Hawker, Soldier, Translator
Education: None

Origins: Natural
Universe: Primal Earth
Place of Birth: Gafsa, Tunisia

Desert Scythe empties his magazine at law enforcers in Paragon City

Born out of poverty to a family of street hawkers, Tariq's early life was harsh and difficult.   Living conditions were poor & the basic necessities were often hard to come by.  At times the family had to make do with only one small meal a day when business was poor.

Not wanting to burden his parents & hoping for a better life.  Tariq left his family at the age of 18 and enlisted with the army.  For two years he trained & served the Tunisian military until his parents were stricken with terminal illness.   To afford the exorbitant cost of medical treatment, Tariq signed up with the French Foreign Legion.

Although training was grueling Tariq made it through and eventually served as a full fledged member. With better wages, his family moved to America where they could receive better medical attention.

While life in the Legion was hard & often dangerous.  Tariq considered himself fortunate to have his comrade in arms & his family in a better situation.  However, all these changed when the events of Sept 2011 took place. 

In the aftermath that followed, Tariq's parents had became victims of hate crimes against those perceived as Middle Eastern.   The death of his parents changed Tariq significantly, he became bitter & began to perceive the world differently.

Tariq saw greed & corruption in all stratas of human society.  Blaming capitalism & Western Imperialism as the main culprit.  He saw the Arab Leagues as tyrants who oppressed the common folk & too cowardly to oppose the Western Powers.

Despite this, he remained with the Legion for several years.  Until a fateful mission in East Africa which killed his entire unit except for Tariq who was severely wounded.

With his comrades dead there was nothing holding Tariq back.  Acting upon his feelings, he resigned from the Legion.  Taking on the name as Desert Scythe, he began his crusade to cleanse the world of its evil & corruption.  His methods however were questionable & often extreme.  Ranging from assasination, sabotage & acts of terrorism. 

Powers

---

An ordinary human being with no special powers or abilities. The intense training regime set by the French Foreign Legion has made Tariq much tough & stronger than most human beings. The lifetime of hardship & being constantly on the run has also kept him in his top condition.

  

Skills

---

Advanced Obstacle Course - Gold Tariq has held top position consecutively for obstacle courses & was unsurpassable even till date. This has allowed him to overcome almost any physical obstacles that gets in his way.

Marksmanship
Years of training & combat experience has made Tariq one of the deadliest gunsman. Unlike most soldiers, his accuracy with a ranged weapon does not suffer due to mobility.

Fire-arms expert
Military training has taught Tariq how to operate most firearms, from pistols to battle rifles and Light anti-tank weaponry.

Close Quarter Combat Specialist
Tariq is as adpt at melee combat as he is with fire-arms. His fighting style is so versatile that he is able to perform vicious melee attacks with his fire-arms when necessary.

Paraphernalia

---

Bizon 5-01B
A prototype weapon Tariq acquired through the black market. It has been retrofitted & heavily modified by Tariq to suit his own needs & preferences. Incorporating a jagged bayonet blade underneath the barrel & expanded magazine.

COX: Character Concepts III

I realize one of the motivating factors in creating a certain character is the Power Sets that are associated with it.  I'm also one who is into the novelty of a playing a new Char for the first time.  That means not picking Power Sets or Archtypes for characters I have already created.  Though I tend to have alot of Corrupters more than any other ATs.

To make it easier for myself, I break down Power Sets by the types that I have yet based a char off.

MELEE

1. Street Justice (Haven't got the points to buy this)
2. Staff Fighting (Not available yet)
3. Battle Axe (I have a character reserved for this)
4. Claws
5. Super Strength (I hate the animation for Super Strength)
5. Fiery Melee
5. Electrical Melee
5. Stone Melee
5. Ice Melee
6. Dark Melee (Feels like melee version of dark blast)
7. Spines (I really hate spines)


MELEE (Secondary)

1. Electrical Aura
2. Fiery Aura
3. Stone Armor
3. Ice Armor
4. Dark Armor
4. Ninjitsu (This is a stalker only power and I didn't enjoy playing stalkers)


RANGED

1. Radiation Blast
2. Fire Blast
2. Ice Blast
2. Dark Blast
3. Sonic Blast (I would love to play this if not for the annoying sound it makes)
5. Psychic Blast  


MASTERMIND

1. Daemons (Love this set but no idea on the characer concept)
2. Zombies
2. Ninjas


SUPPORT

1. Time Manipulation
2. Pain Domination
2. Radiation Emission
3. Sonic Resonance
3. Empathy (I would rate it higher if it was not limited to Cont/Def)
4. Cold Domination
4. Dark Miasma

Looking at the list... it doesn't look like much at all.  I think I technically hit a dead end on what type of new characters I would make.

Troubleshooting my own PC - Missing External HDD drive

Just today I had trouble booting up my PC and it was stuck at P.O.S.T for a looong time.  Then went into start-up repair which Windows 7 informs me that it cannot repair my computer after 1 hour of scanning/attempt to repair.

I couldn't remember what I did next but somehow later the computer worked!  Everything was back to normal, except booting up took exceptionally long.  It used to take 30 seconds to a minute, now its at least 5 minutes to boot up.  But everything works so far...

Worried my computer is about to fail... AGAIN!  I decided to back-up my documents and to my horror my portable HDD is missing or appeared not to be working.  After scouring the web and attempting to reboot.

The error found in USB Root Hub was Error code 10.  Searching the web there were multiple solutions out there.  Most suggest doing something to your registry, having anti spyware or rebooting.

Rebooting, I tried and did not work.  Already had anti spyware so it didn't work either.  The only thing I didn't do was to do a registry clean-up.  So I decided to try something else, something far simpler and to my surprise it worked!  Heres what I did to help myself.

1. Click Window button (at bottom left hand corner)
2. Click Control Panel
3. Click Hard & Sound
4. Under Device & Printers, Click Device Manager
5. See above screenshot, expand on Universal Serial Bus controllers
6. Remove External HDD from computer, aka unplug the USB from the PC.
7. Find the offending USB Root Hub (it will normally have a "!" mark.
8. Right Click and select Uninstall
9. Plug in the USB that connects the External HDD back into the PC
10.  Computer will auto-detect new devices
End:  At this point the External HDD is once again accessible!


WARNING
*This is not meant to be a solution for others having the same trouble and I will not be held responsible for any damage or error your computer sustains while attempting this.  This merely catalogs what works for me.  Also because I have a memory of a goldfish, its easier for me to have a reference point on a blog I visit regularly than write it on a notebook that will end up missing in a few months time*