CoX: Issue 19 goes into Open Beta

I actually got an invite to the Closed Beta (I presume the NDA on that is over), but only had limited time to play with it.  Now that the beta is open, some highlights to look forward to (below abridged from the official I19 page):

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The Alpha Slot

Issue 19 unveils the long-awaited Alpha Slot*, the first part of the new Incarnate* system that gives high-level characters access to new powers and challenges. Unlocking the Alpha Slot is no easy task. Players must first learn what it means to exceed the definition of Hero or Villain to become an Incarnate. Mender Ramiel in Ouroboros guides players on this journey.

Note: you gotta have Ouroboros access.  If you don’t, you need to get it.

We did some of these missions (Psi-clone and Amorpha ride again!). They were fun enough, though it took me a while to get back into the Level 50 power set for him.

Two New Task Forces

Challenges already await new Incarnates. The Praetorians have begun their invasion of Primal Earth. Protecting Paragon City™ and the Rogue Isles™ from such overwhelming forces requires the greatest Heroes and Villains (as well as Rogues and Vigilantes) to work together. Two familiar faces will help in stopping the invasion: Apex and Tin Mage.

Didn’t play these, but they looked fun.

Praetoria Zone Events*

Live events in Praetoria in which your Resistance or Loyalist character can participate:

Good to add more content to Praetoria.

Fitness Pool Powers are Inherent

Fitness Pool powers are now inherent powers granted to all new and existing characters starting from Level 2. All characters will be granted Swift, Hurdle, Health, and Stamina. These powers can be slotted and will accept the appropriate Enhancements.

Existing characters with these powers selected via Pool Powers will be able to gain the powers they have not previously taken via the normal leveling process.  They will not gain access to any of the Inherent fitness powers until they Respec.

Upon using a Respec, the Fitness pool will not be selectable by the character and all 4 powers will be granted as Inherent Powers at level 2.  This prevents issues with lost enhancements or slot allocation errors.

I didn’t roll up any new toons under the Beta, so I don’t have a sense yet as to how much difference these inherents make.  I suspect they will scale down significantly, which will must mean a faster improvement curve up to where they were previously available.  Which is fine — convenient without being game-breaking.

Alternate Power Animations

Now players can customize the animation for some characters’ powers. Shoot a Psychic Blast or even launch a Fire Breath from your character’s hands. Hurl an attack from one or both hands. Select the animations and customize how a character fires off its powers at any Tailor.

The following powers have alternate animation choices:

Primary Sets: Dark Blast, Electric Blast, Energy Blast, Fire Blast, Radiation Blast, Ice Blast, Psychic Blast, Sonic Attack, Mind Control.

Secondary Sets or Powers: Psionic Assault, Sonic Resonance, Icy Assault, Fiery Assault, Mental Manipulation, Energy Assault, Electricity Manipulation, Integration.

I’d love to see some alternatives to the Fire and Ice blades, personally, but these are all nice features.  I’ve never liked Fire Breath — except for the one toon (Torchielle) that used it a lot and for whom it made some sense.

Merged Monorails and Ferries: The Transit Authorities in Paragon City and the Rogue Isles have made major improvements to the monorail and ferry system by merging their respective routes. All monorails can now travel to every monorail station on the Green and Yellow Line, while all ferries can now travel to every ferry station in the Rogue Isles.

This is very nice.  Being able to get to either end of Steel, regardless of where you are, or even to Atlas, even if you’ve already fired off one of the teleport powers (or if you’re not near a base) is all good.

One thing I really like about CoX (at least as a vet — I might feel different as a newbie) is that over time they have really gotten rid of the movement problem.  I remember the old days of jogging everywhere, at least until sometime in Steel.  Now, between jet packs and veteran teleports and auction house teleports and earlier access to travel powers and the enhanced trains and base teleports and Ouroborous … you can get to anywhere pretty darned quickly, pretty darned soon.

(Except the back corners of IP.  Lordy, I hate that zone.)

The other thing not mentioned here is that the trains all give you a zone level for each of the stops.  Looking for action in your level, or not sure if it’s safe yet to bop around in Talos? The trains are your guide.

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A few other patch note items not included above:

Taking a cue from Praetoria, Nurses have been brought in to hospitals across Paragon City and the Rogue Isles to provide low-level inspiration to recently defeated players

Yes! Stock up on rezzes (or heals, or  break-frees, or whatever) after that darned defeat without having to find a contact to run back to. Huzzah!

Mobile hospital areas (similar the Hollows) have been added to Hazard and Trial zones across Paragon City and the Rogue Isles so that defeated players will respawn within the same zone

Task Force players will be infinitely grateful.

Players may now log out to character select.

• Menu -> Quit will now give the option to quit to Login Screen, Character Select, or Desktop.

Yes!  Having to login all the time to swap between toons was always silly.

Further on the monorails, etc.:

• Paragon City
  • Green and Yellow Line are now one monorail line. Players can access any zone with a monorail station from any other station. Steel Canyon and Skyway City have two stops.
  • Container ships to Striga Isle will now also connect between Talos Island and Independence Port.

A minor convenience on the container ship, but still nice.

The monorail window will now provide a notification next to a stop name if you have an available missions in that zone

The monorail line will now place missions that require players to board a train at the top of the window and sets these mission destinations off from all other stops

Both handy.

Overall, good stuff here.  I’m accumulating some stuff I want to play, esp. once NaNoWriMo is over.  I19 isn’t as huge a deal as some issues, but it’s a worthwhile enhancement to the game.

Info on the Test server here.