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Podcast

Episode 56 – Client Mods

This time Chooch and Viv talk about options to modify the game client including annotated maps, alternate sounds, alternate graphics, and the CoHModder tool that makes it all a breeze!

Our next episode will be live streamed on Twitch on February 5th, starting at 6pm eastern.

Find us on Twitch and Discord:
https://twitch.tv/choochandviv (the live CoH Podcast)
https://twitch.tv/vividmuse (CoH Gameplay)
https://twitch.tv/choochus (music composition, variety gameplay)
https://discord.gg/c2j9CMjj8E (Our Discord Server)

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Podcast

Episode 55 – Quick Travel Options

We talk about all of the different options to quick travel in the game. From monorails to teleporters to cornucopia .. um .. wormholes?

We kick off with the Homecoming patch notes from January 4th, and share that Mid’s Reborn will have a new version soon that brings back “level up” mode!

Here are the lists of travel destinations based on travel method that we cover on the show:

LFG Queue
Brickstown (Manticore)
Cap au Diable (Dr. Aeon, Virgil Tarikos)
Cascade Archipelago (Sara Moore)
Cimerora (Imperious)
Croatoa (Katie Hannon)
Firebase Zulu (Dr. Quaterfield)
Founders’ Falls (Dr Kahn, Numina)
Grandville (Barracuda, Lord Recluse)
Independence Port (Admiral Sutter, Ms. Liberty, Penelopy Yin)
Rikti War Zone (Apex, Lady Grey, Tin Mage)
Sharkhead Isle (Silver Mantis, Mortimer Kal, Operative Renault)
Skyway City (Synapse)
St. Martial (Ice Mistral)
Steel Canyon (Positron)
Striga Isle (Ernesto Hess, Moonfire)
Talos Island (Citadel)
The Chantry (Faathim the Kind, Justin Augustine)

Ouroboros Destinations
Paragon City
Atlas Park
Founders’ Falls
Independence Port
Peregrine Island
Talos Island
Rogue Isles
Cap au Diable
Sharkhead Isle
Nerva Archipelago
St. Martial
Grandville

Tunnel System

  • Paragon Routes
    • Atlas Park
    • Imperial City
    • Underground Imperial
    • Talos Island
    • First Ward
    • Night Ward
    • Founders’ Falls
    • Peregrine Island
    • Firebase Zulu
    • Dark Astoria
  • Rogue Isles Routes
    • Mercy Island
    • Imperial City
    • Underground Imperial
    • Cap Au Diable
    • First Ward
    • Night Ward
    • Nerva Archipelago
    • Grandville
    • Dark Astoria

“Public” Transit

  • Paragon City Monorail
    • Atlas Park
    • Kings Row
    • Steel Canyon
    • Skyway City
    • Talos Island
    • Independence Port
    • Croatoa
    • Brickstown
    • Founders’ Falls
    • Paragon City Ferry
    • Talos Island
    • Peregrin Island
  • Black Helicopter
    • Mercy Island
    • Port Oakes
    • Cap au Diable
    • Sharkhead Isle
    • Nerva Archipelago
    • St. Martial
    • Grandville
  • Rogue Isles Ferry
    • Mercy Island
    • Port Oakes (East and West)
    • Cap au Diable (North and South)
    • Sharkhead Isle
    • Nerva Archipelago
    • St. Martial
    • Grandville

Our next episode will be live streamed on Twitch on January 24th, starting at 6pm eastern. We will most likely be discussing City of Hero mods.

Find us on Twitch and Discord:
https://twitch.tv/choochandviv (the live CoH Podcast)
https://twitch.tv/vividmuse (CoH Gameplay)
https://twitch.tv/choochus (music composition, variety gameplay)
https://discord.gg/c2j9CMjj8E (Our Discord Server)

Categories
Podcast

Episode 54 – Recent Travel Power Changes

We discuss the major travel power revamps that went live on Homecoming in April 2021. As well as discuss all of the travel power pools.

We announce the Winter Holiday Dev’s Choice Contest Winner for great Architect Entertainment stories.

These include:

  • The WINNER: Murder on 34th Street by @@Charlie
    • Arc ID: 45294
    • Created by: @@Charlie
    • Number of Missions: 3
    • Description: “Santa Claus has been framed for a crime he did not commit. If you don’t help prove his innocence, he’ll be spending Christmas behind bars.”
  • Honorable Mention: The Dance-Off That Saved Christmas
    • Arc ID: 44962
    • Created by: @Clave Dark 5
    • Number of Missions: 3
    • Description: “Lame Christmas schlock ruins TV every year, so why should the AE be any different? Help Santa save Christmas through a series of weak character motivations and underdeveloped plot holes that Harold Angel of the Paragon Times hearkened to as ‘an asinine affront to the holiday spirit!'”
  • Honorable Mention: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
    • Arc ID: 45220
    • Created by: @Defeat All Snakes
    • Number of Missions: 3
    • Description: “Grandville is in the middle of an anti-Christmas crackdown. Trees are torn down, gifts confiscated, carolers hit with riot hoses, and none dare resist. None, that is, but a rumor-shadowed figure who seeks those willing to defy Recluses edict — one the villains of the isles call only ‘The Sandman.'”
  • Honorable Mention: I Hate Christmas Music
    • Arc ID: 44913
    • Created by: @Police Woman
    • Number of Missions: 3
    • Description: “‘Tis the season for Christmas music – but that’s simply the worst when you’re a Troll Raver like the Boogie Man. Help the Boogie Man put an end to the scourge that is Christmas music and replace it with something with a more danceable beat.”

We will be streaming the next episode on January 8, 2022 starting at 6pm eastern! The main topic will be an overview of all of the fast travel options now available in the game. From teleports to Tunnels, and mods like Vidiotmaps.

Special thanks to everyone who joined us for the live show. Many of them also stream City of Heroes – check them out!

asharara
Dythok
evolve209
ferek_xorn
Greblaja
JademPrime
LobstarLive
mr_milliondollar
Tax_E
The_DawL_House
TimbrrWolfe
TraumaTrainRich
therealsmoof
ZeroOneZero101

Categories
Podcast

Episode 53 – Sunset to SCoRE

In this episode we discuss the changes that were made to the game from the time NCSoft shut down the servers (Sunset) to when the secret private servers were revealed to the masses (SCoRE)

You can catch the video archive of this episode on YouTube!

We also discuss:

  • A new Marvel MMORPG is in the works
  • How to transfer your Mid’s build into the beta server
  • Homecoming patch notes from November 30, 2021
  • The Homecoming monthly Dev’s choice awards for exceptional AE missions

Special announcement and call for players;

On Dec 18 Viv will be co-hosting an “Introduction to Incarnate Trials” session, Part 1 w/ drumroll plz our good friend and fellow streamer Dythok! Viv will be reading the text to give context and the full story, and Dythok will lead the trials, share the strategy and show how to successfully complete them.

There are 8 trials total, and Dythok has chosen three to start – Behavior Adjustment Facility, Lambda Sector, and Keyes Island Reactor Trial.

You have to be level 50 to join, be ready to start at 7pm eastern SHARP on December 18th on Homecoming Server, Excelsior shard. For these 3 trials, there is no other requirement. You can join us on Chooch and Viv’s Game Night Discord for more info as plans develop and to sign up in advance.

The goal of these runs is to remove some of the mystery involved and get more folks doing them. Cuz look, I know it’s intimidating. Ppl advertise spots for speedy trials, and there’s baaaaaarely any explanation. They speed on without you knowing WTF is going on and suddenly you’re standing there with (hopefully) a few new badges but no clue why you have them. And I’m not knocking the folks that do that, they should run it in a way that makes them feel sure they’ll be successful. But it can be massively disappointing to feel like end game content is out of your reach.

The main topic for our next episode will be an overview of all of the fast travel options now available in the game. From recent travel power changes, to teleports, Tunnels, and mods like Vidiotmaps.

Special thanks to everyone who joined us for the live show. Many of them also stream City of Heroes – check them out!

GameTimeWithKyle
Greblaja
Tax_E
The_DawL_House
Tiger_Beans
TimbrrWolfe
TraumaTrainRich
therealsmoof

Categories
Podcast

Episode 52 – Homecoming Patch Notes

In this episode we discuss Homecoming’s release of Issue 27, Page 3.

In Chooch and Viv news: all of our directory listings have been validated, so now in addition to subscribing directly from the website, or iTunes – all episodes are available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, and iHeart Radio.

Direct links have been added to our Subscribe page.

Giving a subscribe, thumbs up, star, or review on whichever service you use will go a long way to helping people fund us, and discover the game!

For feedback you can always email us at cohpodcast@gmail.com and now you can reach out on our Discord server!

If you haven’t used Discord, it is a service for text and audio/video group chats which is great for discussions, sharing tips/tricks, and teaming up in the game.

Patch topics covered include

  • Dr. Aeon Strike Force
  • New Difficulty/Challenge Options
  • Challenge Modes
  • New Powersets: Seismic Blast, and Earth Manipulation
  • Power proliferations for Scrappers and Stalkers
  • Revamps to Stone Armor, Electrical Blast, and Dual Blades
  • New IO Sets: Slow Movement and Travel
  • D-Sync Origin Enhancements
  • Taunt enhancement categories are being renamed “Threat Duration Enhancements”
  • New Emotes: Innertubes!!
  • Supergroup Base Changes
  • New Costume Parts
  • Architect Entertainment Incarnate Thread to Ticket conversion
  • …and much more!

Shout outs and mentions from the chat:

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Podcast

Episode 51 – We’re Back

You asked, and we (finally) listened! Chooch and Viv have re-launched the podcast! And updated a bit for the times. We will now be streaming the show live on Twitch!

We have expanded where you can hear/view the show with direct links on our Subscribe page for YouTube, Twitch, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and Stitcher.

This episode we:

  • Re-introduce ourselves
  • Tell you what we’ve been up to the last couple years
  • Discuss our plans for the future of the podcast
    • Current schedule is to stream fortnightly / bi-weekly / every two weeks, Saturdays starting at 4:00pm eastern on Twitch
    • You can watch after broadcast on our Twitch or YouTube channels
  • Read the latest patch notes for Homecoming
  • Show you how to download and play the game on Homecoming
  • Read very belated feedback…
  • …and gush about how excited we are to be back and really want you to start playing again too!

During the episode we mention these awesome City of Heroes streamers and communities:

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Podcast

Special Episode 13 – A Private Server!

City of Heroes Splash Screen

There is something absolutely crazy happening — for the last seven years, a small group of people have been playing City of Heroes as the server were before they shut down. Actually better than that – it included the unreleased Issue 24 content as well as a brand new zone, new archetype, and new powersets!One intrepid hero refused to keep the secret – and now we can all come back back up (with some big caveats)!Chooch and Viv discuss what’s happened in the last week, and give their impressions after playing on the new server.

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Podcast

P.G. Holyfield Trubutes

Information on the Tributes:

Wednesday, 10/8 at 9pm – Online Vid Tribute from The Beyond the Wall crew:

On Wednesday, October 8th, 2014 at 9pm Eastern, the Beyond the Wall crew will be recording a live podcast show in which we will bid farewell to our good friend, P.G. Holyfield.

There is also an in-person gathering and a Memorial Service occurring on Oct 11th and 12th, respectively.

If you would like to attend one or both of those events, please check the links on this post at SpecFicMedia.com.

Of course, we understand that not everyone will be able to attend in person.

For so many, these podcasts are how they knew him.

So, the show on Wednesday the 8th will be a way for us, and for you, to express your feelings about this man, who brought so many people together.

We on the crew will be sharing our feelings and memories, but, we would also like to hear from you. If you have words, audio or video that you would like to share, please email it to us at BTW@SpecFicMedia.com.

Even if you have already sent something, please re-send it if you would like it to appear on this show. If you would like to send something that is just for family or any other private audience, please indicate this in your email.

And of course, if you are reading this too late or are just unable to put your feelings together before we record, please send anyways.

Also, please help us boost the signal, both for this announcement and the show event links that will follow, so that everyone that would like to can participate.

P.G. Holyfield founded a great community at SpecFicMedia, but now his watch has ended.

Our watch continues and so we will carry on our sacred duty, which is to talk about things we love – and people that we love – with all of you.

Thank you, from your friends at SpecFicMedia.com.

 

Saturday: A Casual Gathering and A Celebration of Life in Honor of Patrick G. Holyfield

October 11th from 6 pm – 10 pm – Come and go as you are available

Flying Saucer in Charlotte, NC
9605 N Tryon St Suite A, Charlotte, North Carolina 28262

Chooch and I will be hosting an informal gathering in Charlotte on Saturday, October 11th, at The Flying Saucer. It’s a craft brew honoring restaurant, that we’ve enjoyed with P.G. in the past.

The official time is from 6 – 8 pm, when we are guaranteed use of the private room. If our numbers dwindle, we may move to a large table or we may be allowed to stay in the private room. They have been wonderfully accommodating and will do their best for us.

There will be self-pay dining and libation offerings in mid-price range

A brief video of memories from Chooch and I including some favorite Con(vention) Family will be available for viewing at any time. Otherwise, come as you are able as you arrive from other destinations or to spend the time together. We hope to highlight P.G., our friendship, and shared world with him in the podcasting and convention realms.

This will be a celebration of life, his life, and our con family experiences with him, but also a place for those that wish for grieving and remembrance, as well.

If you have ideas for this celebration of his life, please make pledges of time or assistance, please send to BTW@SpecFicMedia.com.

If you have pix or vid clips you love of PG, please send to BTW@SpecFicMedia.com, for possible inclusion in the video we are hoping to complete. (Time constraints.)

Also, if you are local and available to assist, please let me know at the above email to coordinate with needs for this unexpected gathering/weekend.

 

Sunday: The Memorial Service in honor of Patrick G. Holyfield

Sunday, at 12pm – Embassy Suites Banquet Room located at 4800 S. Tryon St (near Charlotte Douglas Airport–they will have shuttle service).

Please forward any written sentiments, photos, audio or video you would like to make a part of my tribute to me (Kim AKA The Trustee) at kim@pghct.org.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and contributions. I truly look forward to seeing or hearing from all of you, either next week or in the future.

Kim

Categories
Podcast

Special Episode 12 – Talk with Positron

We were lucky enough to make it out to the first PAX East and while we missed the City of Heroes Panel, we were able to go to the meet & greet and get the highlights from Matt “Positron” Miller.

There isn’t a lot of detail, but here is an overview of what was presented at the CoH Panel:

  • The panel was centered around how to keep an MMO fresh and new
  • History of Paragon Studios
  • List of many things that went into the game since launch
  • Issue 17 release in April- open beta “very soon”
  • Ultra mode graphics
  • New story arcs
  • Revamp of Positron task force
    • split into two TFs (as was always intended)
    • fight at the dam
    • spruced up missions to give them a new feel
  • Going Rogue
    • New level 1-20 experience
    • The GR system itself
    • Praetoria
      • 4 Zones, showed some concept art
  • New power sets
    • Dual pistols
      • if you pre-purchase Going Rogue now, then you immediately get dual pistols
    • Demon summoning will be launched with i17
      • again if you pre-purchase you get it as soon as it hits servers
      • Demons are elemental based
        • Each Fire, Ice, and ?? will be launched in sequence, kind of like the medic coming out for mercenaries.
      • All new graphic models – they’re not just rehashed CoT stuff
  • Powersets debuted at PAX East 2010:
    • Electric Control (controllers and dominators)
    • Kinetic Melee (scrappers, tankers, brutes, stalkers)
  • The future
    • Issue 19 tentatively called “Incarnates”
      • End-game system that Matt has been working on for several months.
      • 10 Incarnate levels past 50 – first level will be in Going Rogue
      • Hopefully all will be released with i19 (perhaps not all at the same time, but as close as possible)
  • Matt was glad to finally make it to the east coast (woot!)

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Announcement Other Podcast Production

The Boom Effect

Just a quick plug for a web event happening next week called The Boom Effect. The event will start on Saturday, February 27th at 10AM Eastern time via UStream.

This charity drive is a live, online auction to raise money for the trust fund of Tee Morris’ daughter who lost her mother on January 5, 2010. There will be at least 5 hours of entertainment hosted by Podcasting’s Rich Sigfrit. We’ll be in the live audience cheering everybody on, and likely on camera on the main feed as well. It’s shaping up to be a really fun time. You’ll be able to bid from the chat room, through e-mail, proxy-bid on the website, and I think via video or audio on Skype or UStream.

And with over 70 items up for auction (so far!!) there is something for everyone to get excited about and bid for! Everything from jewelry, to pictures, paintings by celebrities, custom music, book dedications, food, clothes, signed DVDs and books, knitwear, and even Mozart’s Balls!! Seriously, go check out everything up for auction!

Hope to see you there!

City of Heroes Podcast