Accessory Hardware Guide

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Overview

Past the System Requirements, as well as Homecoming Launcher installation steps, there are additional hardware considerations for playing Homecoming: City of Heroes on a modern system.

These aren't required to play City of Heroes. Hardware suggestions here are meant to improve the experience past getting the game to simply work.

Graphics (overall game performance)

City of Heroes (the game) requires Graphics. Most systems with entry-level or video-centric graphics performance will be able to play the game, but will have a hard time taking advantage of high frame rates or Ultra Mode features.

Type

As a generality:

Integrated Graphics > Discrete Graphics > Desktop Graphics Card

Integrated Graphics is becoming more frequent in computers due mostly to the desktop-to-laptop shift in the consumer market. Fewer and fewer households are regarding space for the computer as an appliance, over simply using a laptop instead. There are also desktop models with Integrated Graphics for the following reasons:

• Cost effective.
• Small Form Factor device where installing a full graphics card is not an option.
• Low voltage system where discrete graphics would draw too much heat and power.

The downside of Integrated Graphics is the RAM of the system is 'borrowed' for graphics processing. You can see this partitioned off in Windows when you open the Settings app, System, click on About, then in RAM, you'll see two values. The Actual RAM in the system, and how much is actually available to apps because of Integrated Graphics.

Discrete Graphics are laptop and limited desktop systems with a permanent graphics processor embedded in the motherboard. This differs from Integrated Graphics in two key ways:

• The processor is not handling the graphics processing, instead, it handles the results only.
• Discrete Graphics comes with its own RAM embedded, so system RAM isn't needed at all.

The downside of Discrete Graphics is the embedded part of the deal. You cannot upgrade, change or repair Discrete Graphics from most systems without either a motherboard swap (which is most of the time expensive enough to just start over with a new system), or a really difficult procedure called "BGA re-balling" that isn't advised for non-engineering types. (YouTube has 100's of videos on the topic.)

Desktop Graphics Cards are peripheral cards that are made to plug into a PCI-Express slot to process graphics for a computer system. Same upsides as Discrete Graphics, except the card itself is removable to enable upgrades in the future.

• Modern Graphics Cards come with power requirements that may also add to costs. If a card needs an 800 watt Power Supply Unit (PSU) and your system has a 400 watt one, the PSU also has to be changed with the graphics card. (This is more involved as PSUs have several wires to remove before it can be uninstalled.)
• A small number of systems are low-profile, or have internal space and power supply considerations before attempting to place a graphics card inside. Mini-ITX or SFF (Small Form Factor) systems that contain PCI-Express slots may need additional considerations.

Laptop Graphics

As straight-forward as possible, here's what to know about each offering:

Intel

Use Xe Graphics. Older integrated graphics such as Iris Pro, Iris, GMA and older HD Graphics sets will have a more difficult time with gameplay. ("Iris Xe" and Xe are synonymous more or less, the rename only took Iris off without any major change to it.) For Xe Graphics, lean on increasing framerate over using Ultra Mode features.

NVidia

NVidia is out of the integrated market for graphics.

Intel had a brief partnership in 2020 to include them as a laptop partner, but has since changed tack and developed their own GPU line. With few exceptions, any regular or gaming laptop advertising NVidia graphics is going to be a discrete chip, not integrated.

AMD

Ryzen Processors with a processor number ending in G have integrated graphics that are varying in strength depending on the processor. All of them can handle playing in 1080 High Definition with up to 60 FPS (with occasional decreases depending on various factors.) Same as Intel Xe systems, for more consistent framerates, consider turning Ultra Mode features down.

Integrated graphics will be difficult to compare. Usually, if you want better performance, speed bumps are done for higher numbered processors over lower ones:

• Intel graphics on a Core 3 will be lower performance than a Core 5 or Core 7 system.
• AMD graphics on a Ryzen 3 will be lower performance than a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 system.

The release date is unreliable: both manufacturers sell parts for new laptops with older chipsets present. You'd have to check the CPU release date as well; newer models will outperform older ones generally.

Across all Integrated Graphic products, results and outcomes degrade rapidly for resolutions higher than 1080. QHD (2560) and 4K (3840) displays may load the game, but will quickly become unplayable without a better graphics card.

Discrete Graphics or dedicated graphics laptops will have a specific GPU chip inside meant to perform similar to a video card in a desktop computer. Intel's Discrete Graphic line is called Arc. For Arc systems, aim for laptops with 500 or 700 model chipsets over 300. (Arc 330 will perform basically the same as Xe Graphics.) NVidia Geforce and AMD Radeon Laptops will have various versions and numbering.

Discrete Graphics are STRONGLY ADVISED on any laptop with QHD or 4K resolution included, or laptops above 60Hz refresh rate.

Graphic Card Model

The digit to pay the most attention to is the tens digit (NVidia) or the hundreds digit (AMD), which will put the laptop graphics in various classes:

• 9 - Maximum Performance - Most expensive, uses the most electricity. (Examples: GeForce 4090, Radeon RX 7900.)
• 7/8 - High Performance - Expensive, with cheaper models weighing more.
• 6 - Enthusiast Performance - Less costly, most models are lighter weight and more similar to "ultrabooks" (light weight, fewer ports, thinner in size) than gaming laptops. (Examples: GeForce 3060, Radeon RX 6600.)
• Any Gaming Laptop with a 5 in the tens/hundreds digit is the bare minimum for a Discrete Gaming laptop, with anything 4 and below intended for business use. (Prioritizing multiple monitor output and video playback over gaming usage.)

Any numbers ahead of the tens/hundreds digit will indicate release date: newer ones will usually always be higher numbered (unless the prior generation ran out of numbers and was a 8000 or a 9000. Both NVidia and AMD have done this, so they rearrange letters and names around every decade or so. But the above advice holds true for both manufacturers today.)

Most laptops will obscure this information in marketing materials and store placement. You may need to dig online to find models and specs that match and bring them to the retailer to ask informed questions.

The same applies to Graphics Cards for Desktop systems, but trading AC/Battery requirements for Power Supply Unit specs (minimum wattage class, amount of watts available on +12V rail, PCI-E Power Connector with sufficient pin-out, etc.)

Workstation Graphics Cards:There will be odd models which will break this expectation: Radeon Pro and Quadro graphics are laptops intended for workstation use and will have mixed performance playing City of Heroes. (It may work, but it may not be well-performing enough to consider regular use.) Certain expensive models of workstation cards will have ridiculous amounts of RAM and processing cores, and yet won't even get past HC Launcher to start the game because there's no OpenGL support in hardware.

OpenGL Support vs. OpenGL ES vs. Vulkan

City of Heroes is an OpenGL 2.0 and 3.0 title. The original game engine was OpenGL 2.0, where Ultra Mode forward used OpenGL 3.0 features that were mostly backward compatible.

Graphic Cards with OpenGL compatibility should be compared on compatibility on older OpenGL titles over OpenGL ES, Vulkan, and other newer standards that will not necessarily translate to improved performance.

This is important to pay attention to, as it proves that spending lots of money DOES NOT necessarily result in better outcomes with City of Heroes gameplay. It can seem counterintuitive but newer cards do not necessitate increased performance in every circumstance. (Buying the most expensive NVidia GeForce 4090 does not guarantee Ultra Mode with all sliders at max in 4K with 100+ FPS.)

Monitors

City of Heroes will play on any monitor available today with a few considerations.

Resolution (determines maximum visible details)

Resolutions are expressed in numbers (1920x1080), with options for the following:

• Borderless: The game is rendered as a Windowed client but without borders or OS "chrome" on the top, filling the entire screen. Otherwise, the game runs in the same resolution as the Operating System desktop.
• Windowed: The game operates in a Window that can resize. The UI will adjust down if the window is reduced, but not the other way if enlarged. Rearranging the UI will be needed when increasing the size.
• Fullscreen (only available on Windows clients) - use a fullscreen mode even if it overrides the Desktop Resolution. Fullscreen works best on single-monitor systems, as the mouse is 'trapped' in the window until you Alt-Tab out. Also, leaving the client when the resolution doesn't match the desktop will make Windows redraw the desktop.

The client was made in a time where CRTs were the primary method of display and LEDs were few and far between. Despite this, City of Heroes has no issue with any display resolution up to and including 4K, with a few caveats.

• 4K and beyond (8K, ultrawide resolutions, etc.) in fullscreen mode will have quirks with Base Editing. The easiest fix is going to Windowed mode and reducing the viewport, or dialling down the resolution to 2K (2560x1440 or less) instead.
• Borderless Windowed is recommended over fullscreen to retain task switching, multitasking, and streaming capabilities over running fullscreen and watching your displays reset on every Alt-Tab (or on mouseover and click on a 2nd monitor window.)

Resolution is dimension, not physical size. It is important to remember that resolution and screen size are not married: you can have a 4K display at 10" just as easily as a 1080 FHD display at 32". But a 4K display at 24" (smaller, but impossibly clear) will cost a bit less than a 4K display at 32" (big and a touch blurry if DPI isn't terribly high). Simply because there's lower power requirements and less physical materials involved. It isn't a gradient, but a bell curve. Get smaller than 16", and 4K displays will creep back up in price (esp. portable USB Monitors and small displays, because that's an LCD Panel that is being deprived of a good laptop to go with it.)

Refresh Rate (determines maximum frame rate)

Remember: Your refresh rate should be twice the desired frame rate of gameplay.

For example:

• If you want consistent 30FPS, you'll need to use a 60Hz display. (This isn't all that hard. They're everywhere. 98% of Televisions sold today can do this, too.)
• A 144Hz display will be able to permit up to 72fps of gameplay (which covers 60FPS with some headroom left).
• And a 240Hz display will support 120FPS gameplay (up to 120... it very well could be less).

When shopping for monitors, remember two things:

• Easier fix: Replacing a cord with a new higher throughput for $30 may be easier than you think.
  • Read your Monitor user manual or go to the manufacturer website and find the support area for info; if it states high refresh rates are only available using DisplayPort or USB-C connection, using another cable instead (or using an adapter) will not deliver the desired results.
  • DisplayPort and HDMI also have versions. If you are unable to realize higher performance, 90% of the time, it can be just your 6-year old HDMI or DisplayPort cord that has nothing wrong with it. (Older cords have lower bandwidth available, even if they're still functional.)
• Harder fix: Watch for Bottlenecks.
  • If the graphics card or integrated graphics has 4K but it is only available at 30Hz, you have to replace the Graphics Card to change that outcome for 4K. This is the more expensive outcome in a world where card prices are increasing to the higher end of $1,000 USD.
  • If your monitor only does 4K at 30Hz, the monitor would have to be replaced to change that outcome. This is a less expensive outcome than a graphic card replacement, but still not cheap. If you are after a high end monitor (32" 4K 240Hz), this can cost more than a Graphic Card which may make little sense for City of Heroes (vs. a genuine need for another use case.)

Non-issues:

1. Most graphics cards have a high-refresh rate feature (GSync, FreeSync, etc.) that doesn't really matter anymore. MOST gaming monitors sold today have a "AMD Freesync" feature, whether they're gaming monitors or not. Even if your card is NVidia, just turn AMD Freesync on for the display. It will most likely work even if you're on Intel or NVidia.
2. None of this will 'break your screen' as in the past. If your card doesn't support a desired mode, the LCD will just show "Out of Range" until your OS cycles back to a prior resolution/refresh combo. Both Windows and Mac have a countdown timer where it rolls back to a known working resolution if you can't visually click the "Confirm" button to keep the new settings. If it doesn't, that's what Safe Mode/Recovery is for.

Future Advances & ShowFPS Limitations

To repeat the statement in "resolution" above: due to the age of the graphics engine, City of Heroes is unlikely to recognize displays capable of higher than 240Hz as that was the technical limit of CRTs back in the 2000s. (Future displays with even higher refresh rates will likely not exceed 120FPS in the game engine.)

The ShowFPS command shows a maximum frame rate that is estimated based on current performance factors, so values well above your hardware spec are possible in the client even if they are not realized with your hardware setup.

Just because ShowFPS says 300FPS+ doesn't mean you are ACTUALLY seeing it. It just means the client thinks you are capable of that frame rate at that certain moment based on resources it has available to render graphics.

Shopping Chart

Combining Refresh Rate with Resolution, there is a matrix of expected pricing --

Monitor Pricing vs. Features Expected
(Screen Size is NOT shown, WILL also affect the price, and may vary.)

Monitors	FHD (1940x1080)	QHD (2560x1440)	4K (3840x2160)	5K/6K (Varies)	8K (7680 x 4320)
60Hz Refresh	Cheap	$	$$	$$$	$$$$
144Hz Refresh	$	$$	$$$$	Ridiculous	N/A
240Hz Refresh	$$	$$$	Ridiculous	N/A	N/A

(The $ doesn't mean anything, just a ratio of cost. Most displays put 4K and High Refresh at a premium. "Ridiculous" being tongue-in-cheek for "the most expensive option". N/A means this isn't a broadly available consumer option just yet.)

The above chart also impacts laptop sales: higher quality screens will only add to the sticker price of a laptop. Very few offerings allow a choice of display, so downgrading to a 60Hz or lower resolution screen isn't an option without considering a physically different model.

Hard Drive (impacts loading times between zones)

While most laptops are phasing out platter hard drives (magnetic disks), there are still pitfalls to be aware of.

Type

• eMMC - Slowest. eMMC are essentially flash chips embedded into a motherboard or daughterboard module. These will be used in laptops where cost and weight are a factor, and will perform roughly the same as a platter-based drive.
• SATA - Fair. SATA only M.2s are in use on cheaper models and will be limited by the SATA bus. These are considered more usable for gaming than eMMC, but will have similar write speeds to USB drives.
• NVMe - Fastest. NVMe drives also exist in M.2 form, but use the PCI Express bus instead of SATA. These come in a variety of speeds, but the cheapest can easily outperform SATA.

Most laptops sold will indicate what hard drive type is present on the box sticker. If it doesn't, ask.

Theoretical Speeds vs. Actual

• eMMC - Tops out at around 250Mbps, but are limited in write capacity and cannot handle multiple streams of data.
• SATA - SATA III tops out at 600Mbps.
• NVMe - Using PCIe 4.0, up to 4000Mbps. (Mac users with Apple Silicon are essentially in the same class as NVMe drives.)

In the real world, speeds will vary. eMMC will edge on the slow side, but SATA will be the only choice to improve older laptops and desktops without NVMe support. And NVMe has the same issue as RAM -- budget NVMe drives that cost less than their higher performing counterparts often from the same manufacturer.

Memory (client performance, multi-client)

Concerning quantity alone (memory speed is dictated by the Motherboard in use), the minimum requirements are 2GB for Windows systems before Windows 7 (especially 32-bit) and 4GB for most 64-bit computers sold today. While more memory will impact game client performance on raids, base building, and overall performance, the biggest "Pro" in adding memory is multi-client use:

• 4GB - Recommended for single-client play.
• 8GB - Recommended for dual-client play.
• 16GB - Recommended for triple-client play (and the limit of the Homecoming: COH Terms of Service.)

Systems with over 16GB exceed these recommendations, but also excel in supporting other apps while playing the game. (Audio/video playback, resource-intensive web browsing, etc.)

There is also a noticeable difference in loading times when using Gaming-Tuned Memory (offers CAS Timings to compare against other products: lower CAS Timings are generally better) over Value RAM which performs at acceptable capacity for the architecture involved. RAM Speed is less of a dramatic improvement on load times over Hard Drive type, however. (If you have 32GB RAM and your SSD needs upgraded that is a likely to make a bigger difference.)

Network Interface (decreases lag, improves reaction times)

Wi-Fi

Formerly the domain of the laptop, Wi-Fi being present in desktops opens up household placement of systems without running labor intensive wiring to each location.

Network Version

• 802.11g (what would be Wi-Fi 3) - No longer advised. Speed limitations and range make this impractical for most households with more than 10 devices present using Wi-Fi.
• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) - Theoretical 600Mbps. Uses MIMO. On the way out.
• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Theoretical 3.5Gbps. Uses MU-MIMO. Most networks in homes today use Wi-Fi 5.
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) - Theoretical 9.6Gbps. Uses OFDMA. Currently on store shelves everywhere.
• Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) - Less emphasis on Max Speed over adding tri-band (2.4, 5 and 6 GHz signalling.) Coming soon.

The most important thing to remember is matching the Wi-Fi type to devices: Wi-Fi devices can be OLDER than a router (Wi-Fi 4/5 devices on a Wi-Fi 6 router) but may slow down throughput for newer devices that can use the higher speed (a Wi-Fi 6 device on that same router will not be as fast as when those devices are upgraded or removed from the network.)

Wi-Fi devices can be NEWER than a router (Wi-Fi 6 devices on a Wi-Fi 5 router) but will not realize speed increases until the router is upgraded. This is irregardless of other devices being Wi-Fi 5 or 6 compatible, however Wi-Fi 4 devices can degrade performance for either of them.

The most affordable way to troubleshoot speed issues with multiple devices is disabling Wi-Fi on every device and turning them back on one at a time until the culprit is found. If an older device makes performance drop elsewhere, it may be time to upgrade it with a Wi-Fi adapter that is faster (if possible) or to let it go.

Wireless Network Type

Conventional Wi-Fi Network - Router and multiple end-user devices.

• Pros: Simple, best for an apartment or single user with multiple devices in a confined area. Affordable.
• Cons: Multi-room/multi-floor performance may be weak, outside use has a sharp drop off. Maximum number of devices possible is shy of 20-30 total.

For Mobile Broadband, Hotspots, and tethering from your phone, this is usually your only choice.

Mesh Wi-Fi Network - Router, multiple "mesh" devices, end user devices.

• Pros: Best for a multiple bedroom apartment, multi-floor household, or for a large family with frequent guests. Can manage up to 100 devices.
• Cons: Price, some have monthly fees, upgrades and outages become more difficult to troubleshoot. Stability is not speed - mesh networks do not speed up an otherwise slow connection, such as DSL (which usually comes with a Wi-Fi device from the telco) or Mobile Broadband (assuming you can work out how to get the data into a router first).

Notes:

1. These have nothing to do with Wi-Fi Version. Mesh Networking kits have been in existence since 802.11g in one form or another.
2. Wi-Fi Repeaters are not Mesh devices. Repeaters extend a signal reach but they do not boost it in any way.
3. Yes, network pros see Conventional and Mesh as the same network type, Infrastructure networks. For home users, "a single router near the plugs" and "mesh kit" are visibly different setups. (And the counterpart to Infrastructure networks, Ad-Hoc networks, are impractical for gaming.)

Cellular Hotspot. Requires a phone or hotspot device (resembles a puck or small pocket battery pack with a screen.)

• Pros: Works anywhere there is a mobile signal. Hotspots can accommodate multiple devices, and have their own battery input/power source so they can work independently of the user device.
• Cons: Works only where there is a mobile signal. If a phone has no service in a particular spot, the hotspot will have the same luck in the exact same location. Expensive compared to home internet, usually has a cap of usage that cannot be exceeded without overage fees, speed drops, or disconnection.

(and for completion sake...)

Wired Network

Router, most home Internet gateways accommodate 4-6 devices, permitting wired switches to add more.

• Pros: Most Stable. Ethernet wire is copper and can run anywhere a cord can go. Radio issues such as Microwaves, appliances and radio devices are less of an issue.
• Cons: Must do a cable run to the device. Susceptible to physical damage, not an option for rental properties that forbid tenant cabling work for semi-permanent placement or in-wall installation to cover it up.

The other case being a mixed medium network: using a Wired Network for devices close to the gateway (for example, if it is in the living room, a switch to connect the TV, any home server, game consoles, etc.) and plugging in a Wi-Fi Router to cover wireless networking (such as a 2nd router with DHCP and NAT turned off just to send Wi-Fi radio out) or a Mesh Wi-Fi Router with Mesh Devices in each room is also doable.

Keyboards & Mice (affect input and reaction)

Additional features such as key switch types, key caps, percentage sizing of keys, switches and controls attached, mouse size, tracking type, weight and weights included, etc. affect physical traits which have more to do with the user and less to do with the client itself, so that will be left to a reader's preferences.

MOST PLAYERS WILL BE FINE with conventional keyboards and mice, as MMO games are far less twitch-reaction dependent as FPS or action title counterparts. But for PvP players, folks who run raids, and other high demand users new to gaming equipment, here's a primer.

Keyboard Features to look for

Key Rollover. Key Rollover is how keyboards handle more than a few keypresses at a time for typography. In gaming, n-Key Rollover is desired (a keyboard accepts unlimited multiple key presses at once, up to all of them, and displays them in press sequence in real time.) However, most keyboards available commercially only implement Multi-Key Rollover, which 'zones' keypresses together to isolate several zones of keys as able to be independently struck at once with no issues, with key-ghosting or key-jamming occuring when these zones are overused. (In a three-key event where a fourth keypress that didn't happen is read, it's called ghosting. If only two of the keys are read and one is dropped, it's called jamming.)

Polling Rate. The polling rate is how frequently a keyboard reports activity to the computer. The higher the rate, the more frequent the report is made.

• 800Hz - 8ms (common with most consumer keyboards)
• 1000Hz - 1ms
• 8000Hz - .125ms

Higher polling rates won't necessarily impact a user's WPM scores in any meaningful way, but it will permit faster reaction times.

Connection Type. Wireless is attractive for modern desktops looking to reduce clutter, but greatly impacts polling rate capability. Wired keyboards are always going to have better polling rates and connectivity uptime. (This also affects mice as well.)

Mouse Features to look for

Sensory Medium. Mice will either use optical or laser tracking. Optical is a sensor resembling a low-light camera placed at the bottom facing a mousing surface to track movement changes. Laser uses a laser diode to send a beam to the surface and read surface refraction to report movement.

• Optical mice are lower cost and have a lower DPI detection radius than a laser mouse. They require a mouse pad or mousing surface to operate effectively on, with glass and highly reflective surfaces being unusable.
• Laser mice are higher cost, have a higher DPI detection radius (up to five times more sensitivity), and can work on any surface including glass.

The type used may be preferential. Professionals have sought both: optical mice are preferred for someone who has broader movements, whereas laser mice are desired for users who moved a mouse smaller but more precisely while gaming. Laser mice have been known to lose sync and drop broad movements as a 'pickup' reset when used too roughly, and optical mice have a lower DPI which may cause a laser mouse user to feel like having to drag and reset position more often in critical moments.

(Trackballs are no different. Modern Trackballs use optical or laser sensing of the ball movement. That's all to discuss unfortunately because "Gaming Trackballs" have yet to take off in demand.)

DPI. This is the amount of sensitivity a mouse offers in detecting movement with the sensor. Lower DPI devices may be harder to move for someone who is used to high sensitivity mice, where high DPI devices may move too fast for users who aren't use to smaller movements. DPI also affects energy use: turning up the DPI on an optical mouse uses more energy for a wireless mouse from battery over using a lower setting.

Wired vs. Wireless. Specific to mice, laser gaming mice tend to be wireless over wired, where as optical mice tend to be wired over wireless. While there are wireless optical mice that are close to or exceeding the polling rates of a wired optical mouse in the same class, another factor of wireless vs. wired is weight (battery weight on a wireless mouse cannot be mitigated for someone who prefers a lighter device; wired may be the better option.)

Side keys, programmability. MMO Gaming mice generally all have extra thumb-actuated keys on the side for a player to use in place of pressing keys with the left hand for movement or basic attacks. For those mice, support software is critical to expose the additional key inputs, which is generally not detected on plug-and-play install by Windows. (A mouse driver or support app is required to expose the extra keys to the game to be programmed.) Historically, City of Heroes has support built-in for the Razer Naga line of mice, although any mouse that takes key bindings and emulates a USB HID device should be fine.