RITA'S CXLVI: What's a Sweetheart Like You Doin' in a Dump Like This?

[Vibranium]

I felt bad for the City Of Heroes folks....kinda

had a friend who was really into it and he got despondent for a while

[Paradox]

bipolar danger girl is an enabler:

If Dr. Strange was Irish.

Irish/Jewish, actually.

September 23, 1990, New Haven, Connecticut - Jacob Krantz hated all the young people in his neighborhood. Bunch of stuck-up rich kids, no use to anyone. This one in particular. Adam Bernbaum, 21-year-old trust fund baby. Country club tennis pro, making his money flattering dewy-eyed matrons at $100/hour on their husbands' dimes. What good did that do anybody? Well, guess that's I got called to stand here, waiting in this oak's shadow, waiting for the kid to come out...

A tall, handsome man with red hair in an Armani suit left the home and approached the new blue Acura NSX in the driveway. Jacob stepped out of the shadows.

"Hey, kid!"

Adam's head snapped around with a mocking grin.

"What is it now, old man? Someone leak oil on your side of the street again? Mess with your trash cans?"

"Punks!", Jacob muttered, "I still say this is a mistake... Look, kid, I got something for ya. I'm not so sure you're gonna like it, though."

"Talk sense old man," said Adam, looking at his Rolex, "I've got a party to get to."

"I wouldn't count on it," said Jacob, "Here's the deal. I work for these people...well, I don't know that you could really call them 'people', but anyway, they're my bosses. See, back in the day I used to be what you call a SUPER-HEERO. In the '40s and '50s they called me The Bewitching Bohemian! Even a punk like you has to remember...the beret...the striped shirt...the magic..."

Jacob shook his head, coming back to the story.

"The point is, they need someone again. And for whatever insane reason that I simply cannot comprehend, they chose you."

Adam glared at Jacob like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or grab his racket out of the back seat to protect himself from the crazy old coot.

"I don't have time for this," he said, and opened the car door.

"Sorry, kid," said Jacob, stepping forward and placing his thumb on Adam's forehead, "My bosses don't take no for an answer."

Adam Bernbaum disappeared that day. Not as if he'd gone missing, but as if he'd never been. No record or memory of him remained. The essence of Adam was taken on a mystical journey. It changed him greatly from the spoiled, idle man he had been before. He met the Powers of Balance, Krantz's "bosses" and was told of his destiny, to take the place of their former agent on Earth. He was taught to draw from both the powers of Chaos and Order to create his magic, to maintain the delicate balance that teetered back and forth. He was drawn through many astral realms, learning more and more at each. At his journey's end, The Efficacious Emerald of Erdon was placed on his brow and he was deemed skilled enough to assume his duties.

Eleven years had passed while Adam was being trained. Taking the name Adam Arcane he moved to a small Soho brownstone in New York and fought for the Balance there, accompanied by Jacob Krantz to continue his training. In 2006, he began a long war away from Earth against his most dangerous foe, Kurlolo, Wizard-King of the Warped Dimension. His previous arrogance reasserted itself, causing him to make many errors in judgment. If not for the lucky acquisition of the Blood-Red Bands of Borturazz and the self-sacrifice of Jacob Krantz, all would have been lost.

When he returned to the Powers of Balance, he was deemed culpable and stripped of much of his power in penance. He was sent to Millennium City with a new sanctum to relearn the Balance once more. Jacob Krantz has died, but is still available at times to advise Adam through The Mystic Mirror of Mirobol.

Does this game cost money?

Free-to-play, but on a very limited level, much more limited than CoX was as F2P. $15/month like CoX for the full deal.

Did we ever play COH together on the CBR team?

We did not. I assume you were there in the early days, like the crowd I read about in the Games section here? I didn't get there until '06 in the middle of Issue 6.

[Vibranium]

Im from Connecticut...I actually live near New Haven and take offense to whatever these scribblings are taking place near me (in make believe land)

[Paradox]

It's a good universe, because in the '90s, a super-villain blew up Detroit and they built the super-futuristic Millennium City on the rubble.

[thehod]

JACKIE TEEL FRISCO TEXAS! No excuses.

Done!

And now to terminally bore you to death with my dull, dull middle aged life.

BWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!

[thehod]

Never played City of Heroes, but played Champions and DCU online, and have to say it all got a little samey after a few hours.

[Charles RB]

It's a good universe, because in the '90s, a super-villain blew up Detroit and they built the super-futuristic Millennium City on the rubble.

That's one way to handle urban decay!

[bipolar danger girl]

Done!

And now to terminally bore you to death with my dull, dull middle aged life.

BWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!

Now I know why you're thehod! Yay! Dull middle aged life, GO!

[Donald M.]

Never played City of Heroes, but played Champions and DCU online, and have to say it all got a little samey after a few hours.

I think that's why MMOs never quite appealed to me. It's not that single players games are never repetitious, they often are. I find that I prefer repetition that leads towards an eventual end. It depends on the game, but around 60 - 100 hours is the most time I can give one game before I start getting restless, so you can see why MMOs, especially those that require monthly fees (Admittedly a dying breed as the genre moves more and more towards the free to play model.) just don't appeal.

[Donald M.]

Well, DCUOnline flipped me the bird and said "get outta here with that old ass graphics card, geezer!", so my only other option is Champions. I'm having fun there, but it's doomed and on life support. But, I haven't done any of the content, so the fact that it hasn't ever been updated much shouldn't bug me for a while, at least.

Lots of CoX refugees there, all of us going through the various Five Stages of Grief. It's almost pathetic.

Yeah, yeah...almost?

I guess then that playing the inferior Champions even though its days too are clearly numbered would be considered the Denial stage, then?

[Vibranium]

I guess then that playing the inferior Champions even though its days too are clearly numbered would be considered the Denial stage, then?

maybe Bargaining?

[Donald M.]

I believe his point is Canadian's are totally worth fucking.

Totally, just look at how many American guys have girlfriends in Canada! *ahem*

[snarkbunny]

Well, DCUOnline flipped me the bird and said "get outta here with that old ass graphics card, geezer!", so my only other option is Champions. I'm having fun there, but it's doomed and on life support. But, I haven't done any of the content, so the fact that it hasn't ever been updated much shouldn't bug me for a while, at least.

Lots of CoX refugees there, all of us going through the various Five Stages of Grief. It's almost pathetic.

I like the look of the Morrigan, 'Dox. Hey, we all need a distraction we enjoy and it is sad when we lose that distraction involuntarily. I suppose you could take up spinning.

[Donald M.]

maybe Bargaining?

Yeah. I seem to recall there was an organized attempt to keep CoH going that probably better represents Denial. So CoH veterans moving over to Champions Online is Bargaining as in, "This game isn't as good as CoH, but it's better than nothing so please keep it going in exchange for vague promises I probably won't keep."

[Donald M.]

I suppose you could take up spinning.

Not for very long though, that shit makes you dizzy.