The Players' Guide to the Cities/User Interface/Support Window
< [[../../|Main Table of Contents]] | [[../|User Interface]]
The Support Window may be opened by selecting "Support" from the [[../Menu Window|Menu Window]].
From the Support Window, you can report suspected bugs, violations of terms of service (either through exploits or cheats, or through harassment), or call for help from a game master or game manager (GM) to deal with real emergency situations.
Petition Window
When you open the Support Window, you start in the petition interface. Petitions are generally filed whenever intervention from a GM is required to resolve an issue. Begin filing a petition by first selecting the category which best describes the issue you are experiencing:
- Stuck
- Your character is in a location where they are unable to move normally. Say, for example, you have fallen off of a map. You might be able to see buildings and the sky far, far above your head, but you're located far, far below the street. If you've already tried the /stuck command and tried logging out and logging back in and still can't get back onto the map, a petition may be your only recourse.
- You are in a timed mission and the hostage you are escorting has fallen off the map. Or maybe you're on a "defeat all" mission and one of the mobs on the map was knocked into a ceiling where you can see their feet, but can't target or attack them. Maybe you've reset the mission once already for the same reason and had it happen again. Maybe the mission is timed and there's no chance you'll be able to start from scratch and finish the mission again before the timer can expire. Your only recourse may be to summon a GM to have them fix the situation for you.
- Exploits and Cheating
- If something in the game is broken or "working as intended" but allows for players to circumvent the normal game mechanics for profit, this is known as an exploit. For example, if a bug were introduced to the game that somehow allowed any player who was stealthed to defeat Hamidon with one shot, using this method to farm Hamidon Origin Enhancements would probably be considered an exploit. Use of exploits is a violation of the terms of agreement and is a potentially bannable offense.
- Any method of directly manipulating the underlying functionality of the game (whether simply for entertainment purposes or to gain an unfair advantage) is cheating. (Being repeatedly beaten by the same player in a PvP zone is not cheating.)
- Feedback and Suggestions
- Any suggestion you may have for improving the game which is not related to a bug should be filed under this category.
- Harrassment and Conduct
- Any violations of the City of Heroes Rules of Conduct or EULA that don't fall under a more specific category should be filed under this category.
- Technical Issues
- Any technical issue that does not fall under a more specific category that you need help resolving should be filed under this category. If the issue does not actually require help to resolve or is just a minor nuisance, it should probably be reported using the Bug Report Window instead.
After selecting a category, fill in a brief description of your issue in the "Summary" field. This field is limited to check number characters.
Then describe your issue in the "Full Description" field. Although you are limited to check number characters in this field, getting as much of the following information (if it applies to your current situation) into your petition will help to speed the process of resolving your issue:
- The Map or Zone you are in. If you're not sure, you can find this information using the /whereami command.
- The name of the contact you received the mission from.
- The name or primary objective of the mission.
- The amount of time remaining in your mission. (You may want to note that in the "Summary".)
- Exactly what is preventing you from finishing your mission.
- The nature of the exploit or cheat.
- Names of any characters involved.
- The exact text of any harassment-related chat.
If you do not have enough room to fully detail your issue, get the main points into the Petition Window. You will be able to add more information through the "My Stuff" tab at the PlayNC Support Center.
In general, petitions filed for help with an issue you are having with your character or a mission will be tracked and recorded in your account at the PlayNC Support Center and may be viewed from the "My Stuff" tab. Any details regarding petitions filed against another player will be discussed exclusively between NCSoft's Player Relations Department and the registered account owner. If NCSoft determines that any rules are broken or subsequent action should be taken, they will not be able to relay any information about the incident or the account involved.
Visit PlayNC.com for more information on the City of Heroes User Agreement or City of Heroes Rules of Conduct.
When you have completed filling in the information in the Petition Window, click the "Send Petition" button to submit your petition.
Bug Report Window
The Bug Window may be reached by clicking on the "File Bug Report" button in the Petition Window.
Bug reports should be filed whenever you encounter an anomaly or error in the game that does not require the immediate intervention of a GM. As with filing a petition, the first step in reporting a bug is to select the category which best describes the issue you have uncovered:
- Art/Graphics - Any issue directly related to graphics or in-game art. This includes things like the visual effects on powers, textures on objects, deformed polygons, and clipping on costume pieces.
- Mission/Contact - Any issue directly related to missions or contacts. For example, a mission with an object you need to protect three floors above you being attacked as soon as you enter the mission door would fit under this category. A contact who's indicating an open story arc in your Contacts Window who will not offer missions to you (assuming you do not already have three active tasks) would be another example.
- Powers - Any issue related to the mechanics of a power. If a power does not fuction correctly (i.e. something that should drain Endurance does not do so or knocks a target back instead) your bug report would fall under this category.
- Team/Super Group - Any issue related directly to the mechanics of functions specific to Teams or Super Groups. This category includes issues like setting Super Group permissions and inviting other players to your Team.
- Invention - Any issue related directly to the Invention system or Invention Tables. (Issues with Consignment Houses or the Black Market probably don't count.)
- Text Error - Any spelling or grammar error encountered in the game's text.
- Suggestion - Any suggestion for functionality changes that aren't actually bugs.
- Other - All other issues that are not covered by any other category.
After selecting a category, fill in a brief description of your bug in the "Summary" field. This field is limited to check number characters.
Describe your bug in detail in the "Full Description" field. Although you are limited to check number characters in this field, getting as much of the following information (if it applies to your current situation) into your bug report will help developers to disposition the issue and locate the problem in the game's code:
- How to recreate the bug.
- Location where you encountered the bug. (If you do not move from the location where the bug ocurred, you do not need to add this. The bug report interface automatically adds your current location to the report when you submit it.)
- The name of the contact and/or mission you found the problem in.
If you do not have enough room to fully detail your issue, get the main points into the Petition Window. You will be able to add more information through the "My Stuff" tab at the PlayNC Support Center.
When you have completed filling out the fields in the Bug Report Window, click the "Send Bug Report" button to submit your bug report.