Celestial_Nova
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Posts
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Joined
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Disney buys out LucasFilms and plans on making the last 3 Star Wars movies.
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/...uys-lucasfilm/
Well, so long to the Star Wars movies. 4-6 were great, but Georgie screwed the pooch on 1-3.
However, Disney will completely annihilate the last 3... -
Quote:This is exactly how SWGEmu has been dodging legal issues.Originally Posted by Quin
iirc, this is how a few server emulator projects have flown under their respective radars as far as C&Ds are concerned.
If you can argue via DMCA exception that you have the data needed to run a client, say for example, the data contained on your HDD from a valid City of Heroes installation (Or the original installation disks), if a server is written to interface with this client data from scratch, then you might have a case for avoiding legal heat.
According to what they have said, there are 3 things that need to happen in order for the creators of an emulator to avoid legal ramifications:
1. The code MUST be COMPLETELY written by you. No code from the original game can be in your code.
2. You CANNOT charge for access to your server. Period (that is how Blizzard won their suit against that emulator server. Read the first paragraph of the article that was linked).
3. Players on your server MUST have a legally owned copy of the game client.
Now, as far as #2 goes, the money to keep the server(s) operational can come from donations or a "donation shop". It's shaky legal ground to want RL currency for in-game items directly. However, it's a lot less shaky to make your own virtual currency and have the virtual currency used to purchase virtual items (since, once purchased, the virtual currency has no standing monetary value). While not ethically sound, it's better legally than a RL money transaction model.
For #3, since (I hope) we all own legal copies of the game client, that hurdle has been cleared already.
The big one is #1. It takes the most time, it takes the most work, and it's the most legally unstable. It's taken SWGEmu over 6 years to get the code to where they are today (and, they are still in alpha-phase. They could have gotten further if their first set of devs weren't total douches). If an emulator comes out in the next year for CoX, then it's more than suspicious of being something that may have original source code in it.
Case-in-point: While an emulator may not be ethically sound, should it follow the three rules, it should be within legal rights to operate. (Of course, this is dependent on whether the game becomes abandonware or not, which it will be on the speedy path to abandonware come Nov. 30) -
Or, it could just be that NCSoft is done supporting US and/or EU based games so they can shove their grind-fest POS's down our throats.
Honestly, if I wanted to play another Asian grind-fest MMO, I would head over to AeriaGames. They have plenty...And most (if not, all) of them are still in operation now here in the states and over in the EU. -
There may be multiple buyers, but that is irrelevant.
What is pertinent is the fact that NCSoft already admitted they "gave up" as they said they have "exhausted all options." If they themselves are already saying they are out of options, then there is not much point in other buyers trying to acquire the IP and all other components.
However, if they are parlaying the game in hopes that they can get more money out of it from said potential buyers than they are offering, then it is a big gamble, since said buyers may not think that the game is worth the money they might end up paying if NCSoft's parlay tactic works out (which it probably won't).
In other words, with the closing only 41 days away, it's very unlikely some kind of deal with come of all of this. When the seller already admits defeat, it's extremely difficult to change their mind. -
Quote:My Master Dancer/Master Musician/Master Entertainer from SWG.Originally Posted by DarkBlaster_NA
Name one other MMO where you felt as badass as a ss/fire brute? NAME IT NOW!
There wasn't a dance or song I couldn't do! -
I would, in a heartbeat.
I've been following one emulator project since the announcement was made. While their progress has not been impressive over the past few years, it is safe to assume that they will more than likely speed up (even slightly) when the game shuts down on Nov. 30.
Then of course, there is what the boys over at Titan have been working on in their spare time. Though, they seem to be keeping the progress of their endeavors behind closed doors.
In any case, I would jump on board and play an emulator. I am already playing SWGEmu (my first love), so if I ever got bored of that, I would jump on the CoX emulator. -
I an effort to get more people aware and involved in this situation, I have sent a message to Dodger from the Youtube channel, PressHeartToContinue, and DexterityBonus. I am doing so in hopes that she will see our plight and reach out to her subscriber-base in an effort to bring awareness and possibly rally more gamers to our cause.
The letter was written as follows:
Quote:I just pray that this will be enough.Hello Dodger.
I know that you do not know me, and I completely understand that. I also understand if you are willing to simply toss this private message out the window before you even look at it. However, if you have opened it, please hear me out.
I am a player from the Super-Hero MMORPG City of Heroes. While I cannot determine whether you have heard of it or not, I am here to ask for your help.
On August 31, NCSoft abruptly announced that it would be shutting down Paragon Studios and, with Paragon Studios closed, City of Heroes would be shut down as well. A tentative date for the "sunset" of the game has been set for November 30, 2012. As you might imagine, this came as a complete shock to the CoH community, as well as the development team for the game, as they expected to come into work on August 31 and continue their passion. Instead, more than 80 developers were handed pink slips and laid-off.
While a lot of speculation has been going around about why NCSoft decided to shutdown Paragon Studios, one thing is perfectly clear: the CoH community is not ready to let this game die just yet.
In just a week, an online petition to NCSoft has been created and collected more than 15,000 signatures. Multiple online gamer-news related sites have reported and continue to monitor the ongoing fight to save the game. Coordination efforts on both the Titan Network and the City of Heroes forums have been underway.
We are heroes. Saving what we love is what we do.
We are villains. What is ours, is ours, and none shall take it.
We do not ask an entire video be devoted to our fight (if you feel for our plight). All we ask is that awareness for our fight be made.
Anything that you can do to help a close-knit community of gamers keep what they love would be greatly appreciated.
I have included a few helpful links, should you decide that you would be willing to help us in our fight against an unjust shutdown.
Petition:
https://www.change.org/petitions/ncs...city-of-heroes
Coordination Efforts (via the Titan Network):
http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php?board=134.0
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=295867
All we ask is that you, at the very least, consider reaching out to your subscriber-base and simply spreading awareness. Should you choose to decline, we also completely understand this, as well.
With much appreciation,
Genesis Soldier of the Freedom Server.