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City of Heroes/Villains or Champions Online?
Hexmage-PA
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I played City of Heroes a few years back, and it was really the only MMO I have every played. The last time I played I joined the Villain side and created a Mastermind named Doctor Deathrattle.
I've been thinking of playing again, but since Champions Online came out recently I've been thinking that maybe I should try that game out.
So, here's a few questions I have:
1) What new features have been added to City of Heroes/Villains in the past couple of years or so?
2) Is the Champions Online experience significantly different?
3) I know that City of Heroes/Villains is class-based and that Champions Online is point-buy based. Can I make characters in Champions Online that feel as varied as the various classes in City of Heroes/Villains?
I've been thinking of playing again, but since Champions Online came out recently I've been thinking that maybe I should try that game out.
So, here's a few questions I have:
1) What new features have been added to City of Heroes/Villains in the past couple of years or so?
2) Is the Champions Online experience significantly different?
3) I know that City of Heroes/Villains is class-based and that Champions Online is point-buy based. Can I make characters in Champions Online that feel as varied as the various classes in City of Heroes/Villains?
Hexmage-PA on
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Now for PvP, it's certainly easy to wind up with builds that flat out won't work, or work so well they wind up being nerfed into uselessness (though at least if that happens you will get a respec).
I'd say the only thing I am weary of is the constantly swinging balance pendulum. And what really, really irks me about it is the balance changes are largely driven by the PvP side which is a very minor aspect of the game. CO would be a better game without PvP.
Personally, i'd try both, and see which one you like more.
What exactly do you mean by this?
CoH's in trouble because the last 2-3 issues have had lots of system updates but almost no new content. System updates are fine for new players but old players have already gone through the system and now just need things to do. So activity's really low right now, and probably will be until the Going Rogue expansion comes out. To answer your question, the biggest change in CoH lately is the Mission Architect, where you can make your own story arcs.
CHO's gameplay has many more unique features to it, and is much better balanced, overall, compared to CoX.
Take PVP for example. I managed to get an account for CoX awhile back since I was tired of waiting for CHO, and in CoX, people just roll stalkers so they can literally faceroll their way to victory, and winning a fight is more dependent on having the right power-set that makes you immune to damage, or makes you two-shot an enemy, then it is actual skill.
PVP in CO, by contrast is alot more balanced. There are some builds that make you go "what the fuck just happened", after you're suddenly splattered across the landscape, but they actively get patched out.
Plus, if you have an Xbox controller, CHO plays more like a brawler then an MMO with a melee character.
CO's big weakness is that it has to compete with CoX in terms of content. CoX has had years to put out content, and CHO is just getting started, with a visible content gap in leveling toward's the end-game.
While CoH tends to play like a more traditional MMORPG (read: it's based on EverQuest), Champions (if you are using a gamepad and a slightly altered targeting system) plays more like Marvel Ultimate Alliance.
Champions, in general, is more "actiony", while CoH emphasizes more careful tactical choices and group strategy.
Champions barely requires teaming and much of the game can be played solo, whereas a large portion of the more interesting content in CoH requires teaming and the game is all around more fun in a team.
A huge difference between the two games that contributes to this is the fact that CoH has classes and Champions does not
Whether that is a plus or minus in favor of either game is your own personal preference, but CoH is a class-based game and as a result grouping is key. The reality is many of the CoH classes, especially at low levels, have a very hard time soloing and require teaming to play and level effectively (Blaster, I'm looking at you).
Champions, on the other hand, has teaming as something of an afterthought in most cases and because of it's lack of a class-based structure, you can make a "jack of all trades" type character who is more than capable of just going on his own and doing what he wants.
CoH/V has playable villains.
Champions does not. Both games have (laughably broken) PVP but only CoH/V allows you to play super-villains.
I'd like to point that what CoV considers "Villainy" is sorta laughable. For the most part, City of Villains is more accurately described as "City of Amoral Mercenaries".
99% of your missions in CoV involve you beating up other villains and foiling their plans and breaking/stealing their stuff. Very, very rarely do you actually commit crimes against good people or actually fight heroes. The closest you get on a consistent basis is fighting the organization Longbow, which is sorta sketchy and of dubious "goodness" if you delve further into the game's lore.
Of course, you could always use Mission Architect to create your own story arcs where you are far more sinister and villainous, and I'm sure the MA already has a huge amount of such arcs already on it.
So, there is that.
Champions does not have playable villains, and the devs have pretty much said it's not in the cards for the foreseeable future and it's not something they are interested in doing. So, if you want super-villainy, CoV is sorta the only game in town.
Plus, CoH/V has the "Going Rogue" expansion on the horizon, which will allow you to switch sides or play morally dubious characters who skirt the line between villain and hero. Again, if you're into that sort of thing, you won't find it in Champions.
CHO is in a post launch lull where people are leaving who have done all the content or just realized they don't like the game. BUT there is only ONE game world, so as long as someone is playing there will always be someone to play with, without having to re-roll on another server. PA activity has been up and down, though a number of us have lifetime subscriptions so we'll be around for the long haul.
Like me!
and me, but I havent played in over a month.
CoX- Years to polish and balance and fix complaints
CO- pretty awesome fight system and interesting power selection system.