Issue 7: Destiny Manifest live on test server, 2nd anniversary stuff

[Creole Ned]

After approximately 10 million years, the pre-download for Issue 7 is now available on the test server. Current scuttlebutt is the issue will be unlocked on test sometime next week.

Note the download doesn't start until after you logon and then exit the test server.

File size is about 369MB.

Today also marks the official second anniversary of City of Heroes and characters that have the first anniversary badge will get another plus a 5th Column gladiator, for all your arena Nazi-fighting needs.

Silver age costume contests (and free costume tokens) are taking place in Pocket D tonight, with prizes I can't remember. Go me!

[Circuit]

Pre-downloading is almost as fun as playing! I missed the costume shenannigans due to movie watching, though.

[Creole Ned]

The costume contest was surprisingly popular. A lot of people wanted to see signature heroes or villains, it seems. There were five instances of Pocket D on Triumph at one point and I heard Virtue had seven. Mynx and CuppaJo stopped by and doled out a few titles to various people on Triumph, including Silver Age Champ to one of my teammates. Mynx observed that catgirls get an unhealthy amount of attention.

Someone had a Snaptooth (Pocket D) mission from February so five of us did that while there. Snaptooth is a really mean Red Cap boss who comes back bigger and stronger each time you defeat him. We got hurt a lot but managed to roast the happy little fellow.

The next day was one of those ultimate geek things - a virtual wedding. Catwhoorg and Magrat, who are getting married in real life, tied the knot in-game with a short ceremony in Founders' Falls (pic here (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catwedding9ey.jpg)). As The Vatican City said, Irish tradition dictates a short wedding to leave more time to drink at the reception. Amazingly, even though the ceremony was held on the broadcast channel, there was not a single interruption. The people unaware of the wedding but in the area did nothing to interfere with it.

CuppaJo attended as did one of Cryptic's devs, pohsyb. At the reception he gave the couple temporary "Just Married" titles and said he would have attached strings of cans to their butts if he could have. Cat then joined Angry Carrot, PU9 and five others to do the third Shadow Shard task force. We saved Faathim the Kind from the pesky Circle of Thorns in about two and a half hours. We pose with the big guy at the end here (http://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=taskforcedee8ug.jpg).

All in all, a couple of nutty days in the city.

[Creole Ned]

And Issue 7 is now live and running on the test server, with the usual assortment of bugs, crashes and new stuff.

People creating new characters will be happy to know that Vahzilok have been added to Atlas Park. :P

[Circuit]

It won't let me in. I've even tried yelling at it, but still nothing. :(

[Creole Ned]

The Issue 7 pre-download is on the live servers now. I'd figure a few more major patches on test and they'll push this puppy out the door (probably 2-3 weeks).