Author Topic: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)  (Read 20229 times)

Rust

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Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« on: July 05, 2013, 10:14:56 PM »
With access to Icon, I can finally revive/update all my old CoH toons.

...this is gonna take awhile.

Regardless, my own fictional stable (Found in the story BURNISH) is finally "alive" again.

First up, we have my ode to the Golden and Silver Age, the Electric Marvel MISTER ASTONISHING:





Now the Metallic Mentalist THOUGHTFORCE:





And finally, the tragedy of the batch.



High School student and unwilling host to a Demonic Army, Brandon Calloway aka THE DEMON DIGGER:



And seen here in his first demonic Incarnation. The "Flight Form" Mahararat



Taking Flight







All that I'm after is a life filled with laughter

batqueen

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2013, 08:05:16 PM »
Very nice, I noticed your shiny brand new avatar!  ;)

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2013, 08:43:06 PM »
Heh. I was going to recreate Thoughtforce directly as he was when the servers went down, but then I saw the Tech Knight stuff and yeah...

Coincidentally, this is what Thoughtforce looked like when the servers went down:





Coincidentally, now that I know Praetoria loads fine (Also different zone depending on faction chosen), most of my screens will come from there. I'm big on Praetoria's look even though of all my characters only Demon Digger originated from there. Atlas Park is...well. Let's put it this way. To a horrendous Altaholic like myself, I'm not exactly MISSING Atlas Park. :D
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Arachnion

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2013, 09:04:00 PM »
Great pics, man.

I especially like the redesign for Thoughtforce.

Coincidentally, now that I know Praetoria loads fine (Also different zone depending on faction chosen)

By the way, if you haven't already seen... you can change maps in Icon to practically all of them!

http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Titan_Icon#Load_a_Map

:)
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Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2013, 11:30:14 PM »
Nice! Much obliged!

Though I do have to ask: What's the trick to taking Screenshots in the Character Creation screen? Every time I try, the Screenshot isn't saved and trying to Copy it to the likes of MSPaint just brings up a big black mass. It'd make this catalog a lot faster if I didn't *have to* load up into the world.

Regardless, on a Thoughtforce kick (He was my "main" at the time of shut down), so I decided to revisit a concept for him that never really got off the ground - his Praetorian Counterpart, Mindcrack



Basic gist of Thoughtforce is it's a piece of military hardware originally - all the perks of a powered combat skin (Flight, Energy Manipulation, Enhanced Strength/Stamina, etc) combined with what's called the "Mental Harness" - allowing someone who is already registered a psi-sensitive to unlock their potential and thus become psychic in their own right. The reason this had to be a psi-sensitive and not just stick a psychic in the suit is because the Harness was tied in with the suit itself, meaning it caused interference for a regular psychic's abilities and never showed the amplification effect that mere sensitives get (Causing more then a few ruffled feathers during testing phase - as barely registered psychics are overshadowed by "mundanes" in a metal suit).

Mindcrack - on the other hand - wasn't a volunteer for a military testbed. He was the unfortunate "recruit" by Anti-Matter to serve as a trump card against Praetor Tilman in the event the others turned on him. Anti-Matter created a device - a "Mental Collar" - that would awaken the psychic potential of a sensitive individual without alerting the Seers. He then proceeded to bolt the device into Mindcrack's head.



Originally just a full on Olympian Guard Costume without the shoulders or the mask, I decided to change it up a bit by giving him chainmail. I think it looks good - evoking that "armored warrior" look. He was a Dual Pistol/Mind Blaster.

Since the closing of CoH and the development of BURNISH (My own comic universe), Mindcrack occupies that sad region of being a City of Heroes creation that I can't fold over into BURNISH (Like I can with Mister Astonishing, Thoughtforce, and Demon Digger). He never even really got off the ground in-game, as most of my Praetorian efforts went into Demon Digger the last few months.

Still, I do like the design and he probably was my best "Alternate Universe" take on one of my characters.
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Arachnion

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2013, 11:49:26 PM »
Though I do have to ask: What's the trick to taking Screenshots in the Character Creation screen? Every time I try, the Screenshot isn't saved and trying to Copy it to the likes of MSPaint just brings up a big black mass. It'd make this catalog a lot faster if I didn't *have to* load up into the world.

Use windowed mode.

I use it all the time, it works for character creator screenshots.

Then you just need to crop the screengrabs.

If that doesn't work, the only other thing I can think of is using a program to get screens for you.

You can back out to the old login screen and change your game options there, for use within Icon.
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daveyfiacre

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2013, 12:57:07 PM »
i just posted this in the other thread with ideas for group shots, but it might fit here better. :)

'Months after the cataclysm, so earth shaking and world altering that it woke the long dead Merulina from her eternal Slumber. Revived by the pleas and prayers of her people, at the last instant she enveloped them in her power at the bottom of the ocean. Shielded from the apocalypse, some few did survive, protected by the Leviathan herself. Today is the day that they rise again to the surface, to begin building anew, searching for survivors, and understanding the new world... after the end.

All hail Merulina, Goddess of the Sea. Even Hequat and Lilitu bow to the superior glory of a real God for salvation.'

long live C.o.X.



[again, sorry for the low res quality xD]

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2013, 01:45:13 AM »
Merulina looks great!

Did some tinkering on Mister Astonishing tonight (Mostly he was too scrawny), and thanks to the tip by Arachnion I can now show these guys actually doing some stuff.





Tinkering on Mister Astonishing inevitable brought his alternate universe version to the fore. I created this guy long before "Going Rogue" - indeed, he was my second villain ever made. Mister Atrocity:




Why a Rad/Rad Corruptor? Because I always loved the Radiation power sets and wanted an excuse. Seriously, that's the reason Avery Aston's Praetorian counterpart was inexplicably radioactive. Thankfully years later when I revisited the concept, I decided to not be so cut and dry about it.




This version of the character wasn't a alternate universe double - it was a Crey attempt at creating a "copy" of Mister Astonishing utilizing technology. Instead of a Lightning Elemental, what they got was a sapient vapor that was none too happy. It believed it was Avery Aston, and somehow the Lightning Elemental had "stolen" his identity. Crey did utilize trace particles of Aston's atomized physical form in the creation, so who knows how much of the creature's story was genuine. When Crey started experimenting with the clockwork from Praetoria, the creature lept at the chance for freedom - managing to escape its containment facility, and infiltrate a clockwork body for its own use. Determined to "get his life back", this monstrous version of Aston fails to grasp that whatever he is - whatever legitimacy he might have to Avery Aston the Man - poisoning people is the wrong way to go about reobtaining your humanity.


Finally, I did some tweaking of my trademark, signature character. Believe it or not, this guy has been rattling around inside my head since I was 7 years old. He's the first Super Hero I ever created. I give you, The Leopard:




This is Leopard's "Golden Age" costume. More appropriate to the actual "Silver Age", but in BURNISH this is the suit he wore when he helped form the Security Legion with his brother. After the death of his brother, Leopard had a mental breakdown and made some very questionable life choices, ultimately culminating in several clashes with his old Super Group as a Mercenary and Killer for Hire. The blood he spilled lead to a new name for him (And the one I used in City of Villains, where he eventually resurfaced): Killer Leopard



(A Ninja Blade/Ninjitsu Stalker)

Now that the Catastrophe has occurred and the Legion is dead and scattered, Leopard returns to the "good guys" in order to rebuild the Legion and get revenge for his fallen former friends. This is his "modern" suit:




And that's all for me tonight. Tomorrow I think I'll make the rest of the "Classic" Security Legion.
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DJMoose

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2013, 03:28:28 AM »
Void Summoner has returned home to Kings Row. (Spent a lot of time there trying out the new stuff in the Beta.  Go Hunt.  Kill Skuls.)

:'( Is it wrong that I feel like crying?  To be able to put my character ingame and perform emotes is beyond amazing!



Serkana The Wise
Primal Praetorian

batqueen

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2013, 08:03:49 PM »

:'( Is it wrong that I feel like crying?  To be able to put my character ingame and perform emotes is beyond amazing!


No, I feel the same way myself.  These are some great pics from you guys, it's wonderful not only to get my own toons back into their favorite haunts, but also to see other people's  toons returning to the city.

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2013, 12:21:36 AM »
Digging Void Summoner. It's hard to pull off the "Dark Hero" look without going full on villain. Void Summoner walks that line with ease.

Anyways, I promised the Original Security Legion and here they are. Honestly, I'm a bit nervous to share these, because they are my childhood. These are the characters I doodled into the edge of notebooks or drew poorly drawn comics of. These are the genesis of my own Hero universe.

In addition to Leopard and Mister Astonishing (Who was a honorary inductee as he was the first "Original Character" from City of Heroes that stuck), we have:



Fang, Leopard's brother and for the longest time my "primary" hero of my childhood. I outgrew him and just wandered away from the character. In the BURNISH narrative, Fang was killed in action years before the Catastrophe that claimed the rest.



Magnus the Mystic, Karl Magnus was my Spellcaster character. His look has evolved the most over the years, with this being a re-imagining of his old look. In BURNISH, Karl technically survives the Catastrophe. I say technically because his mind is gutted in a final confrontation between him and his nemesis, leaving Karl a invalid and his legacy falls to his wayward apprentice.



Dynasty, the armored marvel. A pretty blatant rip off of Iron Man in all his incarnations. With the development of Thoughtforce, he became both redundant and unoriginal. It's not an easy process - I remember on drives with my parents looking out the window and imagining myself in the Dynasty armor, flying over the landscape - but ultimately Dynasty was replaceable. He did not survive the Catastrophe.




Plant Gal - yes, Plant Gal. Master of Gaia, and one time fiance' of Fang. Like everyone here, she got her time to run around Paragon (And amazingly, the name "Plant Gal" wasn't taken - unlike Fang and Dynasty, who ran around as Savage Fang and Dynasty XVII respectively). She survived Fang's death, but she sadly did not survive the Catastrophe.




This...this is the big one. This is Night Raider. Not only was he the biggest Hero I had (Outlasting all the others in terms of development time), but he's also my first and only 50 within City of Heroes (A Dark Melee/Super Reflexes Scrapper).

Removing him from the narrative was very, very hard. But City of Heroes showed me that Night Raider just wasn't "viable". He's pretty much a Batman clone, and ultimately...he's not all that interesting. It's kind of ironic but the hero whom Night Raider replaced (Leopard), who I repurposed as a villain simply to do something different with, ultimately ended up the more interesting character as a result.

And so, I closed a chapter in my life when I decided to start BURNISH. Prior to that, I'd always left Night Raider's ultimate fate during the Catastrophe up in the air. But now - he is a confirmed causality. But it is his death that galvanized Leopard to return to the side of right. So in that sense, Night Raider still has a presence in the narrative.
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DJMoose

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2013, 10:18:24 PM »
Digging Void Summoner. It's hard to pull off the "Dark Hero" look without going full on villain. Void Summoner walks that line with ease.
Thanks!  That was the intent.  Tends to be on the ruthless side of the spectrum, but tries her hardest to work for the good of Paragon City.
Dark Control/Martial Assault Dominator.

Thought to be a villain by many, as her major source of nutrition is the life energy from other beings;  she does not require sleep or food or drink as a result of her diet.  Often seen on the prowl late at night in Kings Row were gang activity is at an all time high, and many a gang member has gone missing in the night, never to be seen again.

Quote
Anyways, I promised the Original Security Legion and here they are. Honestly, I'm a bit nervous to share these, because they are my childhood. These are the characters I doodled into the edge of notebooks or drew poorly drawn comics of. These are the genesis of my own Hero universe.
And a wonderful childhood you must have had, with characters such as these. ;D  Fang and Magnus the Mystic remind me of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon.

My first (and only) lvl 50: Serkana.  Katana/Willpower Scrapper, originally rolled as a Praetorian.
Her background evolved quite a bit as I played through the game, but to summarize Serkana was a soldier in from an Alternate Earth where all beings were robust and red-skinned from the radiation given off by the planet's red sun.  The Roman Empire never fell on this Earth, and has spanned most of the globe for millennia.  Due to the meddling of a powerful Sorceror, Serkana found herself thrust into Praetoria, an outsider in a strange new world.  Eventually after the discovery of the insanity of Emperor Cole, Serkana traveled to Paragon City.  There she became heavily involved in the Midnighters, thwarting the Circle of Thorns and other magical foes whenever possible.

Here is Serkana at her true home:


Then in Praetoria:


And then in Paragon City:
Serkana The Wise
Primal Praetorian

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #12 on: July 10, 2013, 11:10:10 PM »
Very Cool!

Experimenting more with Icon has resulted in this:



A photo of happier times. (Night Raider isn't present because he's a fuddy duddy)



A back glance at Magnus because I like to look at him. :P


And now, for a Post-Catastrophe Arrival.



Jumpstart, Niece to Dynasty and a born Mutant. She's got a hyper-active metabolism that allows her to move at super speed (250 MPH is her current "Top Speed").



Her Gloves and Boots aren't just ornamentation. The gel layers and padding in both (Designed by her late Uncle) help keep her from breaking bones when stopping her forward momentum or smashing a fist going 60+ MPH into a baddie's face.

I started her up many times over the years (She's actually a carry over from an old Marvel RPG I did back in High School), as a Martial Arts/Super Reflex Scrapper, but she never got out of Atlas Park. But after that haunting video tribute done, I decided to take her into Skyway City...to Run.


"Running in the Shadow of those that came before"


"Intersection"


"The Lonely Road"


"The Road Ahead"


And a special treat:


"The (Not So) Lonely Road"
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therain93

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #13 on: July 11, 2013, 02:50:18 AM »
Pretty cool.  Jumpstart in particular reminds me of a staff/electric Brute I had started up towards the end.  Her name was Drastic Fantastic:
 

 

 
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Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2013, 03:06:33 AM »
And now for something...a bit different. I've been very busy in the Character Creator, and while this is by no means the definitive list...have a gander at some of my alter egos all in one place:



It has to be Galaxy City. That was my starting city. Needless to say, when it was destroyed...I was devastated.



Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest, Put our magic to the test...



The (Complete) Security Legion



Those who Came After (aka those "born" in City of Heroes)



State Machine, Radial, Thoughtforce, Mister Astonishing, and a bit of Jumpstart in this picture



Broadband, Gladiator, and Lightstyle



Demon Digger (New Look), Bankshot, and another of Thoughtforce



Crystal Dragon and Lightstyle



Dead Mann's Hand in the foreground here, along with Crystal Dragon, two Leopards, Broadband, Demon Digger and in the background...Mrs. Astonishing? (Gag character)
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Sin Stalker

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #15 on: July 13, 2013, 03:20:03 AM »
Mahararat looks like he is spitting radioactive chewing tobaccos.

They all look like nicely designed characters. Would have been a pleasure to team with them.

OzonePrime

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #16 on: July 13, 2013, 08:41:52 AM »
Great alts! Love seeing characters people have created. Miss the costume contests. Loved just seeing everyones imagination at work! Damn I miss playing soooo much!

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2013, 06:43:15 PM »
Thanks guys!

I actually feel like a doofus, as two were missing from the Hero Group Shot!



Medical Man and Guardian of the Dawn, respectively. Medical Man was the very first Defender I ever made (Empathy/Psi) and Guardian was a on-again-off-again Hero Mastermind I tried (Ninja/Storm Summoning) who may or may not end up in BURNISH. Basic backstory is he's a Vietnam Veteran who in his youth inadvertently ended up binding himself in service of a Guardian Spirit (At the time he'd thought it was just a local good luck ritual). Now, decades later, and much to the aggravation of both the Order that serves the spirit and the man in question, the spirit has chosen him as the vessel of its return to the physical world. The downside is a out of shape retiree is now home to a highly desired mystical entity and charged with using the powers entrusted to him wisely and fairly. On the upside, he's now got local control over the weather and a small army of (mostly) loyal ninja followers.



And of course, I can't help myself from making Evil Duplicates.



Guardian of the Dusk arose the same time Guardian of the Dawn did. It's not so much that Dusk is "evil" to Dawn's "good" - it's just that you can't have one without the other. Normally, the Order of the Dawn and Order of the Dusk are largely apathetic towards each other, but with the Guardian Spirits of Dawn and Dusk both re-manifesting in the physical world, conflict inevitably is going to happen.


And speaking of Conflict...



Meet the big bads of BURNISH, and the masterminds (heh) behind The Catastrophe - The Organization.



The Rank and File of the Organization is made up by Armsmen. Their uniform is deliberately tailored to make them appear unisex and of identical build.



Shazta, once a Mercenary for Hire, now forcibly co-opted into the Organization. His unique tech has allowed him some leniency in uniform. For all intents and purposes, he is the second in command of the group.



The Mastermind himself - The Zellenleiter. No one knows who he is or where he came from, or how he amassed an army like the Organization to start with. All that is know is he had intimate knowledge of how the heroes of the Security Legion operated and he used that against them ruthlessly.
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batqueen

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2013, 05:44:53 AM »
...I wouldn't want to meet an Armsman in a dark alley... I think it's the masks...

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2013, 06:57:51 AM »
Would you like to hear a sad story?



Meet Juan Vasquez, known throughout the Super community as The Artisan. He crafted the arms and armor of numerous heroes and Police Departments worldwide. He had a loving wife and a beautiful daughter.

And then, in one terrible incident...he lost everything. His wife. His daughter. His eye. His arm. His mind.

Unable to cope with the grief - nor reconcile the fact for all his contributions to the Hero community, when he was the one in need none gave him aid - Vasquez turned his tremendous talents upon himself. He reasoned that strip enough of the flesh away, and there would never be any pain again. But such a undertaking was not one to be done rashly. There were experiments to run...trial versions to prototype. And of course, you need money for all of this. So Juan began catering his services to..."the other side", shall we say. In return he got the funding he needed...and the subjects he required.



Hounds, as they are called, are the all too common end result of Vasquez's mad tinkering. They could not take the strain demanded of their bodies or minds and simply...snapped. Their vitals all read zero, the only thing keeping them upright is a power reactor and fiber optic "puppet strings" running along the spine. Cybernetic Zombies, Vasquez keeps them as guards and cannon fodder.



As with any great person of renown or skill, there will always be loyal retainers. Vasquez is no different - his work is lauded such in the halls of Engineering Schools and Mechanic Courses that to this day there are those that seek him out to learn from the master craftsman. All too often, those that come to learn end up as a Hound.

Those that don't however become his Servants. Benefiting from Vasquez's research and thus are more machine then man, entrusted by Vasquez to oversee the Hounds - indeed, every Servant comes equipped with command codes and overrides to the Hounds so that they obey the Servants every command.


And as the Servant grows in knowledge and practical experience, they inevitably start tinkering on themselves. The unfortunate ones, more eager then smart, often end up as Hounds in the end. But for those who are patient and apply the lessons taught, they...ascend.




The Ascendant are at the right hand of Vasquez himself. They have taken his lessons to heart and thus conducted their own improvements and modifications to their frames. They are the Artisan's overseers, often given command of entire manufacturing complexes with Servants of their own.

And what of Vasquez himself? His boons have been great, but at the cost of his humanity.




The Public Face of Juan Vasquez now. And yet...only a mask. You see, this is a False Artisan - a mechanoid copy (Fully robotic, a departure from Vasquez's usual work) of the man himself (or what is left of him).





The ultimate fate of Juan Vasquez, the Artisan. Now a Dark Artisan, a mirror of what he once was. It is worth noting he has succeeded in his goals. He's cut out enough of his Humanity that he doesn't feel the pain any longer. He doesn't feel anything any longer. The only thing left for him is the building. Always the building.



Some in the hero community insist Vasquez can still be saved. They fall into one of four categories:

- Those that insist
- Hounds
- Servants
- The Dead


Juan Vasquez aka The Dark Artisan was a Robotics/Traps Mastermind I was running just before CoH's shut down. He was also going to have a natural "progression" of replacing more and more body parts with technology as he leveled. "Juan" was his starting persona (Though with a Eye Patch rather then a Cosmic Corsair Monocle) and the Dark Artisan was going to be his Level 50 Persona - which never happened.
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Arachnion

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2013, 08:18:27 PM »
Juan Vasquez is brilliant.

As a villain through and through (I joined the game at CoV launch, never touched a hero toon at all), I highly approve and applaud your writing.

You have a real authentic enemy group feel going on there.

Which isn't to say your heroes are bad, after all... villains gotta have someone to fight.

:D
I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go
Walkin' with a dead man over my shoulder

Waiting for an invitation to arrive
Goin' to a party where no one's still alive

Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #21 on: July 20, 2013, 01:24:19 PM »
Heh, thanks!

The Dark Artisan was one of those concepts that just kind of came to life on its own. I developed the end "look" before anything else (Tinkering in the Costume Creator was my hobby) and the tragic backstory (Initially it was the destruction of Galaxy City, but it can be any <Insert Tragic Event Here> kind of thing) and the group around him kind of sprung up afterwards.

If you like Villains, here's a few (but by no means all) more:



First off we've got the two leaders of the Chetti Crime Family - Vincent "Vinny" Chetti, also known as The Monochrome Mobster and his second in command and top drug supplier Pandora. Both were Masterminds in the game - The Mobster was a Thug/Dark Mastermind and Pandora (Known as Pandoric - a merger of Pandora and Pandemic - in game) was Zombie/Poison.

Chetti was born with a severe case of Albanism, and he decided to run with the look. He also has a "trademark" of dousing his adversaries and anyone who gets in his way in black paint. Pandora is a drug queen and always has a loyal retinue of long time users at her beck and call, eager for that next fix. She wears a porcelain half-mask to disguise a disfigurement she received during her early days as a drug chemist (An event she claims was "opening the box").



The Professor of Panic, Professor Charles Bannister, is an Old concept for me. He predates City of Villains even (Well, the costume does anyway, for the most part. He had a Fedora initially), as a RP character that would hang out at the sewer entrance and warn away those seeking to enter. He's been a lot of different concepts, but the one at the end was a Illusion/Darkness Controller, which I feel was his best "fit" Powerwise.



A latent psychic, Professor Bannister was big into the S&M Scene and inflicting pain for pleasure. It never marred his work, nor affected his personality until he began taking the drug compound known as "Key" (Designed and developed by Pandora). Key acts as a powerful pain manager (Hence why he was taking it) and general relaxant, but has the side effect that granted it its street name - occasionally, the compound "unlocks" your super potential if you happen to have the potential for it.

Unfortunately for the dear Doctor, when his psychic abilities "unlocked" he was at work - as head psychologist at a asylum for the Criminally Insane. The Voices in his head quite literally drove him mad. Now he has a new name - the Professor of Panic - and he lives to experience that thrill when a person experiences pain...and he'll expose them to the most horrific things he can imagine to get that experience.




Grinmace started out as a serious attempt of mine to do CoV Content, and he started as a Jester Themed Dual Blades/Willpower Brute. His backstory was he was the son of Carnies and was a mute. Nothing seemed wrong with the boy until people started turning up dead in gruesome spectacles. Turns out Grinmace was mentally disturbed - believing he was putting on a show at some circus in his head that always demanded more and more blood. Shuffled around from institution to institution he kept escaping the grounds (hence why he kept being shuffled around) until he eventually wound up escaping to the Rogue Isles.



That was his initial backstory. Before the game went down though, I'd accomplished the "Demonic" Accolade with access to the Demonic Aura power (Coincidentally, awesome on a Brute). So his story (and look from Jester themed) changed to reflect the fact he now housed a demon within him. And in the process got a more "Joker-fied" look.




Jackhammer is a villain from my childhood and another character that I kept rerolling over and over again. At the end he was a Invunerable/Titan Weapon Tanker. His "deal" is he was a dock worker, hauling freight from cargo containers to trucks, when one of the crates he was hauling tipped over, revealing a prototype military combat skin (my own term for Power Armor Suits). Seeing his chance at fortune and glory, he stole the suit and proceeded to make a name for himself as Jackhammer.

I'd hasten to add, that name for himself? Not a good one. This is a man knocking over Gas Stations and Comic Shops wearing one of the most technologically advanced suits on the planet. Yes, it's sad to say but Jackhammer is little more then a petty criminal in a shiny suit.



His activities inevitably lead to conflict with the Super Hero Community. The biggest mystery for the Heroes is how he keeps getting the suit back after he's defeated and sent to prison. It's actually the suit itself - it has a limited AI and is programmed to seek out its pilot in the event of capture. So the heroes beat Jackhammer, throw him in prison, ship the suit halfway around the world...the suit will activate, fly itself back around the world, and bust Jackhammer out of jail to start the cycle all over again.
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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #22 on: July 23, 2013, 07:09:28 AM »
Would you like to hear a sad story?



-SNIP-

All I have to say is:

Damn that's good.

My first villain character was relatively boring, and was basically an excuse to play a Brute with the War Mace power set.

Shektara (shown here with Icon costume goodness) was basically the antithesis of my hero character Serkana.  One of the numerous barbarians that roamed the frozen regions of her homeworld, Shektara arrived in the Rogue Isles due to a traitorous sorcerer drawing her through a portal.  Unfortunately, not all was smooth sailing for Shektara; the trip through the unstable portal had amputated her right arm and her lower legs.  Although gravely wounded, Shektara was far from helpless; she killed her way through Cap Au Diable using any means at her disposal, including her cauterized stumps.  She found her way to a woman named "The Facemaker" who apparently had the means to restore Shektara's crippled form.  The cybernetic arm used as a replacement for her right arm was fairly standard, but The Facemaker had to improvise when it came to the legs due to Shektara's particular physiology.  When asked if she had any preference to their design, Shektara replied simply,

"Make them good for crushing skulls."
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Ashen Fury

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #23 on: July 23, 2013, 01:07:15 PM »
Wow. I'm floored by your concepts and your screenshots. Seriously. You're inspiring me to do something similar with my cadre of characters and the mythology ive created around them. Good work.
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Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #24 on: July 23, 2013, 10:25:21 PM »
Daw, thanks guys. And Shektara looks good!

Since so many enjoyed Vasquez's backstory, I figured I'd give you guys a treat and showcase what his costume progression would have looked like (Restored Vasquez to pre-Icon look):



Levels 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50

Close Ups:




I had a similar plan for my Praetorian Demon Digger. Possibly show that off later, if anyone's interested.
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Arachnion

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #25 on: July 23, 2013, 11:50:02 PM »
Great stuff, man.

Thanks for sharing!
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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2013, 02:03:25 PM »
Would you like to hear a sad story?



Meet Juan Vasquez, known throughout the Super community as The Artisan. He crafted the arms and armor of numerous heroes and Police Departments worldwide. He had a loving wife and a beautiful daughter.

And then, in one terrible incident...he lost everything. His wife. His daughter. His eye. His arm. His mind.

Unable to cope with the grief - nor reconcile the fact for all his contributions to the Hero community, when he was the one in need none gave him aid - Vasquez turned his tremendous talents upon himself. He reasoned that strip enough of the flesh away, and there would never be any pain again. But such a undertaking was not one to be done rashly. There were experiments to run...trial versions to prototype. And of course, you need money for all of this. So Juan began catering his services to..."the other side", shall we say. In return he got the funding he needed...and the subjects he required.



Hounds, as they are called, are the all too common end result of Vasquez's mad tinkering. They could not take the strain demanded of their bodies or minds and simply...snapped. Their vitals all read zero, the only thing keeping them upright is a power reactor and fiber optic "puppet strings" running along the spine. Cybernetic Zombies, Vasquez keeps them as guards and cannon fodder.



As with any great person of renown or skill, there will always be loyal retainers. Vasquez is no different - his work is lauded such in the halls of Engineering Schools and Mechanic Courses that to this day there are those that seek him out to learn from the master craftsman. All too often, those that come to learn end up as a Hound.

Those that don't however become his Servants. Benefiting from Vasquez's research and thus are more machine then man, entrusted by Vasquez to oversee the Hounds - indeed, every Servant comes equipped with command codes and overrides to the Hounds so that they obey the Servants every command.


And as the Servant grows in knowledge and practical experience, they inevitably start tinkering on themselves. The unfortunate ones, more eager then smart, often end up as Hounds in the end. But for those who are patient and apply the lessons taught, they...ascend.




The Ascendant are at the right hand of Vasquez himself. They have taken his lessons to heart and thus conducted their own improvements and modifications to their frames. They are the Artisan's overseers, often given command of entire manufacturing complexes with Servants of their own.

And what of Vasquez himself? His boons have been great, but at the cost of his humanity.




The Public Face of Juan Vasquez now. And yet...only a mask. You see, this is a False Artisan - a mechanoid copy (Fully robotic, a departure from Vasquez's usual work) of the man himself (or what is left of him).





The ultimate fate of Juan Vasquez, the Artisan. Now a Dark Artisan, a mirror of what he once was. It is worth noting he has succeeded in his goals. He's cut out enough of his Humanity that he doesn't feel the pain any longer. He doesn't feel anything any longer. The only thing left for him is the building. Always the building.



Some in the hero community insist Vasquez can still be saved. They fall into one of four categories:

- Those that insist
- Hounds
- Servants
- The Dead


Juan Vasquez aka The Dark Artisan was a Robotics/Traps Mastermind I was running just before CoH's shut down. He was also going to have a natural "progression" of replacing more and more body parts with technology as he leveled. "Juan" was his starting persona (Though with a Eye Patch rather then a Cosmic Corsair Monocle) and the Dark Artisan was going to be his Level 50 Persona - which never happened.

This is why we need like buttons ( ' :
 
Pretty phenomenal.  Proves yet again that the secret of CoH was empowering its players to create their own stories, not play through someone else's.  Thanks for continuing to share!
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Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2013, 08:18:08 PM »
Can't remember if I mentioned, but the Artisan's initial backstory was he was caught up in the destruction of Galaxy City - which is what killed his wife and daughter, and cost him an arm and an eye. But really, that can be replaced with any terrible event, which is why I think Juan works so well.

Had a bit of a inspiration driving home from work - a group of Heroes from World War II who were taken against their will to fight in a extraterrestrial conflict. Those who had abducted them eventually lost the conflict, with the displaced heroes being put into cryogenic stasis as punishment for their part in the conflict.

Now, seventy years later (I figure they got abducted in 1943), their sentences are served and they are returned to a planet they barely recognize.

Probably in response to my little rant in the Man of Steel thread, the big "push" behind this team would be not recognizing the modern trend of moody, grim, emotionally crippled "heroes"  and attempting to adjust to modern society (Which has changed...a lot) while at the same time re-affirm the classic Golden Age Heroic ideal in a modern setting.

Groundwork for these guys has just started (These characters are literally hours old), but I already think I might transfer over my Teen Hero Lightstyle to their squad as kind of a "Generational" character - have him be the grandson of one of the team's kid sidekick or the like, as well as link to the modern world.

Again, groundwork is only just starting here. No idea how many heroes were taken (Coincidentally, I could always jump that number and have many of the returning heroes eventually become Villains - unable to reconcile with the modern world or from a host of other reasons), what the group name will be (or even if they were a group prior to their abduction), or the overall design of them.

I've got a Sandman-esque (From Sandman Mystery Theater) design in mind as kind of a "Dark Avenger" kind of character - who finds he's rather tame compared to modern Dark Avengers. A early Armored hero I think will end up named "Sherman" (For the tank), and the big Patriot hero, whose name I'm waffling between Major Victory or General Triumph.

Of course, I just now had the thought that maybe the leader of this group should be a GERMAN National Hero.


Probably end up throwing up concepts here.  ;D
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Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #28 on: July 28, 2013, 11:11:08 PM »
And here's the first "Golden-to-Modern" Age hero concept:




Sherman, the Humanoid Tank. Developed using highly advanced technology and science smuggled out from a dark castle in Eastern Europe, this mechanical metal marvel is a true Wonder Weapon. Designed by a Herr Docktor Heinberg Clarke and developed by our proud boys in Red, White, and Blue the Sherman was intended to be the first wonder weapon produced out of Clarke and intended for mass development. Unfortunately, Heinberg Clarke was murdered by enemy agents shortly after finishing this hand crafted prototype, and thus it remains a one of a kind piece - as the brass didn't want to waste time tearing it apart to figure out how it worked, only so long as it worked.

Stronger then your average Human Being, the Sherman also boasts an immunity to all but the most oppressive artillery fire, and is compact enough to take to the trenches if needs be. A self-contained air supply means the Sherman is totally immune to chemical agents and the rocket on the back gives the suit a limited flight capacity as well as a explosive weapon to be used against fortified targets.

The suit's pilot is Cadet William Cho - a Chinese American who was selected more because no one would miss him if something went wrong then any real qualification. The truth of the matter is Clarke was being indulged and it was shocking to see he produced anything other then exaggerated boasts and proclamations about German technology being so far advanced. After Clarke's assassination, the Military started to take notice of the vast technological gulf that was opening between themselves as the Axis.

For Cho's part, the suit was sized for him so he was allowed to operate it, though the Military probably would have replaced him with someone more "reliable" (read: White) had he not been abducted to fight on the losing side of a intergalactic conflict. Returning to the present, Cho is flabbergasted at the changes the nation and world has undergone...especially in the "armored hero" department.

The Sherman armor is interesting in that it is both woefully antiquated and still surprisingly effective in a lot of situations. While not tested against energy or eldrich weaponry, the armor still shrugs off a surprising number of small arms ammunition - including those certified for "armor penetration". The lack of reliance on any sort of electronics save the most rudimentary water-based engine to help power the "muscles" of the suit means the suit is essentially unaffected by EMP or electronic disruption. The sealed filtration system is still up to par, meaning chemical weaponry is also utterly useless. The armor's unique chemical composition also makes it marginally disruptive of psionic based attacks. Potent psychics can push past the interference, but for the run of the mill psi goon the armor offers adequate levels of shielding.

The biggest drawbacks of the suit, however, is it is designed to fight an older conflict. Modern warfare munitions will rip this suit apart (Though it does still test well against hand grenades so long as it is not at the blast epicenter), and it's lack of any kind of electronics HUD means Cho is reliant on the Mark I Eyeball - with all the boons and disadvantages that brings to the table. There is no built in radar or ranged armament of any kind, save the rocket strapped to his back and that is a "dumb" explosive in the classic sense of the word - if it can move, he's not hitting it and by using it, he's deprived himself of his limited flight capabilities (Though fighting in the air in the armor is a laughable affair to begin with).

The suit's lauded filtration system is also a major weakness. The suit only has enough air reserves for an hour of combat operations, and lacks any internal "hose" - meaning the only way to get oxygen is by cracking open the helmet completely. This means Sherman is only viable in one hour increments, as the filtration system needs a 30 minute "recharge" before the filtration system can be kicked back on again.
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Rust

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #29 on: August 06, 2013, 11:23:02 AM »
For fun, I decided to re-create my Champions character in Icon.

Here he is in Champions:




And now in Icon:



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batqueen

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #30 on: August 07, 2013, 02:26:19 AM »
I, too, appreciate more the Golden age heroes, without whining and moping. For gosh sakes, he's Superman! What does he really have to complain about! This may be because my Superman was George Reeves- and he played it like an adult. I've said I am old. that proves it.

I always love your names, and your stories- Sherman the Humanoid Tank! That cracks me up. That's the kind of name I expect to see in Atlas.  ;D

Eoraptor

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #31 on: August 14, 2013, 08:21:11 PM »
So here is Ferretina as she appeared in the game when it was live.

Spoiler for Hidden:
Ferret Girl II (Ferretina)
Retro Ferret Girl
  Ferret Girl 2099

all are alt costume slots on the same toon "Ferretina"

And here she is in Icon, updated with i24 costume components, still 5'3" of claw stalker redheaded fury



Ill work on Fug Li soon but sadly I lack any of his old i04 pics, or indeed any.

Originally he just wore chitin with an enforcer chest plate, mangler gear shoulders, and demon tail, but the ever-increasing costume options over the years allowed me to add more fugging uckly details to him
« Last Edit: August 14, 2013, 08:44:44 PM by Eoraptor »
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corvus1970

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #32 on: August 28, 2013, 01:22:08 PM »
:'( Is it wrong that I feel like crying?  To be able to put my character ingame and perform emotes is beyond amazing!
Not wrong at all. When I fired up the new version of icon for the first time and was able to actually run and FLY around in Atlas Park again, you better believe I shed some tears.
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corvus1970

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #33 on: August 28, 2013, 03:10:14 PM »
Those group shots are awesome Rust. I'm gonna have to do that myself with my original characters and then one for all my Buffyverse characters. Possibly in the Ski Chalet :D
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DJMoose

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #34 on: August 31, 2013, 07:03:56 AM »

From L to R:
Heroes
Guardian of the Pit: Titan Weapon/Willpower Scrapper
Blood Magick: Blood (Water) Blast/Martial Combat Blaster
Thunder Hooves: Martial Arts/Regeneration Scrapper
Senka Nithra: Warshade
Serkana: Katana/Willpower Scrapper
Void Summoner: Dark Control/Martial Assault Dominator
Villains
Agent Yvonne: Dual Pistols/Devices Corruptor
Bloody Justice: Arachnos Crab Soldier
Shektara: Warmace/Shield Defense Brute
Serkana The Wise
Primal Praetorian

rojah

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #35 on: September 08, 2013, 09:39:30 AM »
Hi all, old to COH , but new to Titan, Love you guys backstories, sadly I suck at them but I can share my costumes with you all , and allow you to fill in the backstory lol

Mass Acur
URL=http://s820.photobucket.com/user/rojahnique/media/COMPLETE.jpg.html][/URL]

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #36 on: September 08, 2013, 09:43:37 AM »
Roh Lion   Claws Stalker

URL=http://s820.photobucket.com/user/rojahnique/media/screenshot_ROHLION.jpg.html][/URL]

healix

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #37 on: September 09, 2013, 10:15:31 AM »
Wow...Mass Acur (I love the play on words) is stupendous looking. Good job!
Listen to the 'mustn'ts'. Listen to the 'don'ts'. Listen to the 'shouldn'ts', the 'impossibles', the 'won'ts'. Listen to the 'you'll never haves', then listen close to me... Anything can happen . Anything can be.

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #38 on: September 09, 2013, 05:09:22 PM »
Thank you very much , and now my best design and my favorite character
 
Arch Haven  Electric Controller

rojah

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #39 on: September 09, 2013, 05:23:22 PM »
Dual Pistols
Trick Arrow Corruptor

Weapon Of Choice

URL=http://s820.photobucket.com/user/rojahnique/media/screenshot_WEAPON.jpg.html][/URL]

Arachnion

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #40 on: September 09, 2013, 08:44:46 PM »
Arch Haven looks amazing.

Great work man, your others are cool also!

:D
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Walkin' with a dead man over my shoulder

Waiting for an invitation to arrive
Goin' to a party where no one's still alive

DJMoose

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #41 on: September 10, 2013, 01:30:01 PM »
Wow!  Those are some fantastic costume designs Rojah! 8)
Weapon Of Choice
Of course I now can only think of this
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navyrayne

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Re: Heroes Arise (Screenshots Inside)
« Reply #42 on: September 13, 2013, 12:06:04 AM »
Looks like this isn't dead yet, so hope no one minds me tossing some screens in, though they're old...

The below are all the screens I've got left of CoH and my main character, a fire/fire/fire blaster....(I like fire ok? lol)





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