Wow Players Guide to CO...

[Mangala]

http://www.massively.com/2009/09/07/a-wow-players-guide-to-champions-online/

We're sure many of you have noticed that Champions Online coverage has increased lately, primarily because the game just launched. Since many of you are current or former World of Warcraft players with another year before Cataclysm launches, we've constructed a handy guide to help you figure out if this game is something you'd be interested in playing.

So is the game for you or not? Well, we hope you'll have a better understanding of that answer to that question at the end of this feature.

Play together, right now

So let's say you've just bought, installed and updated Champions Online. You click the executable, it opens the launcher that asks you to sign in and you do. The first thing you'll be greeted with after the game loads is your character creation screen. After you create your character, you simply jump into the tutorial.

Are you wondering where the server selection comes into play? Well, it never does. Everyone can play with everyone else. No more musical server chairs. This does mean that the zones are instanced. Yes, there are instanced zones. However, the size of these things is nothing short of massive. There are small zones within the big instanced one, actually. Loading is infrequent enough that the game maintains a persistent feel. The population cap for a regular zone is something around 100 right now, but could change in time.

As for how they deal with character naming: it's actually tied to your account name. This is know as the @name system, to most Champions Online players. So if your login name is "Bob" and you create a character named "Red Stripe" you could be reached in-game via Red Stripe@Bob and subsequently only need to /friend or /ignore someone exactly once.

Let me repeat that, because it bears repeating. You only need to /ignore someone once, and then their past, present and future characters will never bother you again.

And in case you're wondering, yes when people see your name above your character it is without the @name attached.

Quests not kills

You'll be happy to know that Champions Online has a leveling progression that's very focused on doing quests. There's a very good variety, and thankfully only a small percentage of them ask you to travel into an instance. It's safe to say about 85% of the quests take place in the actual zones.


An important tip: When you've got your quest window open there's a button titled Crime Computer. You want to press that button occasionally, because it will toss up a list of NPCs around the game world in need of help (IE quests) and allow you to find them via waypoint.

For the love of travel

Travel powers are given at the end of the tutorial in Champions, which is good because you'll need them. Without powers like superspeed, getting across those massive zones would be a huge, huge pain. In fact, it's very obvious the size of the zones are direct result of Cryptic allowing travel powers super early in the game. The only penalization for using a travel power in combat is a small increase in the energy cost of your other powers. It's fairly miniscule, though.

Oh, there are something like eight or ten travel powers in the game, too. Some of them are variants on another, like the flight powers: Flight, Fire Flight, Ice Flight, Earth Flight and Jet Boots. But in a game where customization is so very huge, this is important. So while the distinction between Superjump and Jet Jump is mostly cosmetic, having the choice is great.

Obligatory super-deep customization

It's insanity is on a level beyond anything seen up until now. The only potentially challenger is All Points Bulletin in terms of character costume customization.

However, the fact that the Nemesis system allow you to create, well, your nemesis at level 25... is awesome. Creating the look of this villain is just like creating your character, except that you decide what type of nemesis you want to create, plus their minion type. An evil maniacal scientist whose minions are mutant freaks? Sounds good!

Oh and yes, you can customize the color of all your powers. So if you want green fire or red ice, you very well can have it.

Crafting 'contrivance'

Equipment and crafting play a part in Champions, but to what extent is the big question. The hunting and gathering of resources required by a particular blueprint, which then requires you to be near a crafting station before clicking the 'build' button -- it's all there just as you would expect it.

Powers that use objects in combat -- such as Dual Swords or Claws -- can find equipment that alters both stats and the actual weaponry in their hands. However, the innate problem here that this does go a little against the grain of the game's customization feature. It almost seems like a better choice would be to allow player to have a 'vanity' slot where they can equip a weapon sans stats and keep the stats of another uglier piece of equipment.

Still, the fact that equipment -- a driving factor for many MMO players -- is in the game at launch is heartening. There's time to tweak, improve and generally alter the way it works until both developers and players are happy with the outcome.

Kill it with fire, ice, lightning... a robotic death-teddy bear?

So you're used to swords and sorcery, we all are really, there's no shame in it. Champions Online actually does have plenty of swords and sorcery, although you can be a magic flinging alien or raptor if you want. That's kind of what makes the game awesome.

So does its selection of powersets: Fire, Ice, Lightning, Force, Dual Blades, Single Blade, Claws, Martial Arts, Power Suit, Gadgeteering, Archery, Munitions, Darkness, Sorcery, Supernatural, Might, Telekinesis and Telepathy. Oh yes, and October adds the Celestial powerset.

All of this wouldn't be nearly as impressive without the ability to cherry pick your powers from various sets. Although it's best to stick with one of these for your first character, just to keep things simple as you learn the ins and outs.


Faster, not slower

If there's one was to describe combat and the death penalty in Champions Online it's definitely faster, not slower. Or, at least that must've been what the people at Cryptic have been using as their mantra during development. Take for instance, the death penalty. Oh wait, there really isn't one. Sorry, sorry -- you do lose a gold star.

No, I'm not kidding. Although your five gold stars -- which, incidentally, can be build back up by defeating enemies -- do improve your combat performance. So they're not entirely useless. But ultimately, you pay very little for dying in this game, aside from time and those stars.

Your abilities are still displayed in a hot bar, so nothing's changed there. However, the game's tutorial will immediately introduce you to the blocking mechanic. Simply put: If you see an enemy charging an attack -- usually depicted by a large icon appearing over their head -- press and hold the shift key for all you're worth. There are various blocking defensive powers in all the earlier mentioned sets. Plus there are passive defensive powers, which are essential for tanks but useful for all.

So, basically, combat is a lot of moving-while-attacking and blocking. There's also some dodging involved, especially with all the different types of attacks. There's your standard Area of Effect stuff, but also powers that hit in a cone or cylinder. In the case of the latter, if you see your tank being targeted with a cylinder attack, do not stand in front or behind of him... or near him either, just in case. Something like a big laser beam is about to nail your meatshield, and you really don't want to be involved in that death ray in any way.

Then there's charging powers. Some of your attacks can be tapped or toggled, others can be charged up for bigger damage and longer lasting effects. Channeled powers also exist, as do pets, but ultimately it's how you make use of the various area attacks that your powers have as well. An incredibly strong cylinder attack is best used when your foes are literally lined up and ready for the shot to the head.

Friendly, familiar, different

Both games are friendly to the solo player, assuming you plan on creating a balanced character. The thematic differences between Champions Online and World of Warcraft are obvious, but the real differences come from the companies that made them. Cryptic's strong points are their attention for insane customization and fulfilling the power fantasy of being a superhero. Combat here is a whole lot of fun, although it's made moreso by the fact that your character looks pretty much how you'd like it to look.

The game has many of the MMO staples: Guilds, crafting, PvP, ect. It does a lot of what you expect it to do, and a little of what you don't. Whether that's a good or bad thing ultimately depends on your expectations. Champions thankfully doesn't try to revolutionize the entire concept of an MMO. Instead of reinventing the wheel, the game's focus is on figuring out what compliments the wheel. An axel? A cart of some kind? Spokes? Maybe some spinners -- okay maybe not. You get the idea

Good read