22 Dec, 2008
Back in the game
After being gone for so long, I'm noticing things as I go through my characters. I got lucky on some of them. They were logged out before the last issue hit in some key places. I've returned to several left at the Train station or Wentworths, to find them with new Day job badges. Pretty Cool.
I'm still getting used to the new baby-blue marks in the Experience bar/circle. That is something that needs some time getting used to.
I have noticed a few pieces of software that seem to work at first on Vista, and then develop problems. WeGame for instance I've loaded, hoping to capture game footage. But it refuses to start in game. I've a graphics program that I was hoping to do some Red-eye correction with on some photos taken early last month -- but it fails to work or bombs completely. I've still got another piece or two of software I was using. I had to install some background software for my old G15 keyboard, as well as a particular piece to work with City of Heroes. That is still pending.
I cleared a few characters off of Virtue yesterday. I really wanted the spaces, and well, they weren't getting play time. I wanted to try the new Shield Defence on a few scrapper designs. Unfortunately on scrappers it only works with Fire Melee, Dark Melee, Broadsword and Martial Artist. A M/A Shield player would be TOO Captain America for my tastes. Fire Melee kind of implies a fire elemental shield -- and that eliminates a lot of fun designs. Of course you could always go tanker, but I have so LITTLE luck playing tanks. I know I could get another character into Hero Dawn, but WHAT do I want to go for? Since Crusading Cavalier is ALREADY a sword weilder, do I really want to go with another scrapper design?
I also noticed a few new groups here and there. Bionic Brood caught my eye this weekend (Virtue --> See Cold-Defiance or a Dr. Cronk). Especially since they are running a unique membership drive (First to recruit 10 members gets 5 million influence.)
Of course I'm still getting used to the new frame rate on the PC-- there really is no way of comparing it to the old machine. AND I might get some games I've avoided on the machine. Especially since I've had to ignore several that required far more horsepower than my old machine could muster.
Till next time.
21 Dec, 2008
I'm Baaa-aack....
I finally got the new computer up and running with City of Heroes tonight. I've logged into several characters and even tried out a new one or two. Mostly the new shield scrappers. Remember my computer DIED before the latest issue release AND the Holiday release.
I've been involved on several Winter Lords so far, and even one Rikti Invasion. To say the new computer is an improvement is an understatement. With the exception of water effects, I've been able to run at the highest settings with no slowdown. The Rikti invasion was a marvel compared to the slideshows that I'm used to. Lots of people - lots of Riktis, Lots of effects, but no slow down. My old machine was very intolerant of Rikti invasions as frame rate would drop below 1 per second -- getting 1 frame every 3 or 4 seconds was common on the old machine.
I was running an old XP machine 2.4 ghz, with 2gb ram, a 256k Nvideo GeoForce 6200 series card -- No SE graphics, no DirectX 10. The new machine has 8 gb Vista, with a Radeon ATI card HD 3650 card -- with a half gig of video ram. I've seen no drop of the frame rate for the most part since I started giving it a try. It is SO much better super-jumping when the frame rate isn't dropping in an out like I'm used to. I'm also wondering about getting and trying that video saving service again. On the old machine it had problem. On this one? I doubt it. I'm able to run with the settings nearly maxed out. Water effects was making a weird mirroring effect that was insanely inacurate. Turning off the water effects has been the only negative.
After a month away from game, I'm forgetting ALL my old shortcuts. Which is annoying. So far I got lucky -- All of the characters I was interested in playing have NOT been kicked from their respective Supergroups. At least the ones I've checked in on. That is a relief.
I'm loving the changes. The badges now have "awarded" dates on them. That is helpful on finding out which Winter badges are from previous years . Defeating a Winter lord gets you merit rewards (?). Something that I need to look into. I've not been able to before now, and I didn't want to torture myself.
I'm still trying to get things reinstalled on my computer. I'm making progress - slow as it is. So far -- no problems.
20 Dec, 2008
On my way back.
I ended up most unexpectedly finding a replacement computer at a closing Circuit City today. I'm trying to get my COH software updated and running as I speak. Now If I can just get it all running and re-authorized and all that. Where did I put that serial code .... I only purchased the Collector's edition 2 and a half years ago or so..... :)
I doubt I'll have MUCH time online today -- I've a mountain of stuff to reinstall and test to see if it will work. I had to get a VISTA machine which means new territory across the board.
