Scarlet Shocker
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Posts
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Joined
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I've always loved the superhero comic as a genre from when I first discovered 3 colour reprints of Marvel comics as a kid. I would have been about 8 or 9 - so the very early 70s.
Marvel set up in the UK with several weekly comics that were black and white with a colour wash - green for the Hulk, blue for the FF, red for Spidey... and I loved them. Before that I'd really gotten into the mythologies, Gilgamesh, Thor, Beowulf. There was little difference to me - these guys were the same in an urban setting (that went double for Thor of course) and from then on I was hooked.
I'd put comicbooks away from my teens - I was too busy teararsing around with outlaw bikers and avoiding trouble - then mortgages and horribly boring mundane stuff got in the way. But I found myself finally able to reboot my life and almost at that exact time I discovered I had a) disposable income and b) an independent comicbook retailer on my doorstep.
I was something of a kid in a sweetshop and spent several thousand £££ on trades and figurines - and I often read about CoH in adverts in the comics I bought. But I'd never encountered a pay to play MMO - the closest I'd come was Mech Warrior years previously - and I was mistrustful of handing over my bank details.
So I waited a couple of years then thought "Buggerit" and bought CoH from a retailer (remember back in the day when you actually could buy it from a shop, in England? I know right!)
From that moment I was hooked. I loaded it up made a toon and even in Atlas Park, beating Hellions I was like "wow this works" - all those nostalgic feelings came back.
Then the breakdown hit me and without going into details (because you're not interested and I don't want to recount it even if you are) I was in a pretty rough place and it was pretty tough to cope. I ended up losing my job and feeling pretty bad but through all of that, I was able to escape to Paragon City (and occasionally Grandville) and forget about reality and the rocks in my head.
And for that, I will be eternally grateful because it proved to be the best painkiller ever and kept me going in the bleakest time of my life. -
The thing is... in GW2 they have a big hit. Their stock peaked just after the GW2 launch - despite the announcement of the closure of CoH
But since AP33 the price has gone down. Blade & Soul (BS for short) is not being well received in the West, and their financials for Q3 show they are a company that is out of touch with its marketplace.
It's not a single event, but a conflation of several distinct issues, all very poorly managed by an aloof corporation with questionable competence. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Gangrel_EU
Well I'm buggered then... seeing as it appears I am the resident Englishman on the forums right now.
WTFAMI?
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from what I remember they said they weren't really firm on them but I'm open to correction.
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Quote:Originally Posted by Brillig
Actually, it's very unlikely that any deal would include the physical servers.
If the purchasers were willing to use cloud servers, setting up the game servers could happen quite quickly (as in a week or so).
Setting up a new billing infrastructure would take some time though. But in theory, they could get the game running as a 'free beta test' for CoH 1.5 before they get billing going.
They'd just swap the data to a new centre is what I meant. But they'd want it to be right, they'd want to go live with I24 as their opening point when they officially open.
They may well offer an open beta but not long if they could help it. -
Quote:I think it could be a great marketing opportunity if the new owners really took the initialive:Originally Posted by JKedan
Just one of the reasons some believe that it's too late to resurrect CoX as we know it. 4-6 months seems to be the optimistic estimate on the time it would take to get the game back up and running, and, realistically, how many of the non-diehard general population are going to reserve that slot in their entertainment time budget for that length of time? Particularly for an 8+ year old game where, depending on the terms of sale, they may have to start completely from scratch?
Some might hypothesize that the bleed in customers over the last three months will have been significant enough to make the game unsellable, at least for the purposes of setting it back up as a revenue generating venture. The IP might be worth something as a setting, and the code might be worth buying to study for long term sequel or other game planning, but it is entirely possible that even if NCSoft were to manage to sell it, we still might never see CoX again.
Personally, I'm in the fence. I'd like to believe a buyer could get CoX back up in 6 months or less, but in my mind there are a whole lot of things that have to already be in process and that have to go just right for it to happen. A lot of 'ifs', so to speak.
CoH Resurgence: Issue 24 live - it's back and better than ever!
The interest generated in the wider community with the whole Save CoH may well mean a big impact - especially if pricing plans are clever. For somebody good at marketing this could be a real opportunity. -
Quote:Originally Posted by EU_Damz
If somebody was to buy out the game after it had closed down, how long does everybody think the game would remain offline before they re-launched it?
Just wondering what kind of timeframe people were thinking of here.
I wouldn't think we'd get much back in action before spring 2013 - the transaction has to happen, then relocate the servers, run everything up, test it... -
I'm in a river in Egypt
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I'd love to see that list! Got a reference?
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Carly Simon springs to mind!
I bet you think this thread is about you! -
Quote:Originally Posted by JKedan
Mercy is not a commodity in abundance on the internet.
And yet this game has a whole island of it! -
Quote:Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter
I can't see how PvP could ever really be feasible in CoH.
#1, if PvP balance were a serious issue, there's probably no way the current system of powers would ever survive. SWG had an equally complex system for choosing skills, and it got scrapped for something much simpler because it would have been impossible to balance otherwise.
#2, PvP always seemed to be all about inspirations, which is pretty silly.
#3, If PvP in CoH was good enough, that it started drawing crowds, it would have probably shredded the existing community to pieces as trolling, ego-drama, and "lolrp" became the norm instead of the exception. Remember that one of the commonly-held beliefs of vocal PvP'ers is that roleplay has no place in online role playing games.
Well it's been feasible for 20 issues or so but I admit it did take a big hit post I13. I don't have an issue saying that the Devs got it badly wrong with I13 and if Positron had been brave he'd have rolled it back but he didn't. -
you think that's bad wait til you need help in TSW!
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Quote:Originally Posted by Another_Fan
Oh I have ?
You know every case where I have asked for them to back up their claims they haven't. Not once.
Anytime somebody asks me for things I don't attribute because I believe they should be common knowledge I manage it.
"Now: Positron: we would have liked to fix PvP but it was too big an effort"
"I13: Positron: We will be updating pvp regularly and as needed"
Just one example heres another.
base building. "Well we didn't lie to you. We just never told you that we were never going to address your issues."
Two examples - and both have been discussed ad nauseum by the Devs - but the general consensus seems to be that the issues with both would have taken a lot more time to fix than any game benefit.
I seem to recall that being openly admitted by the Devs and so it's hard to call constant BS.
We also know that PVP was due to get some love in the not too distant but that's rather changed now I suspect - so I stand by my assertion. -
It can often be very very difficult to turn something that was one proprietary into Open Source.
Invariably, proprietary software tends by its nature to have bits and bobs bolted on that have licences or patents attached. Something like a game engine strikes me as being very difficult to acheive OS on
With the added complication of the Cryptic engine - which I am pretty sure is only licenced, but in perpetuity from Cryptic - it would be almost impossible to do.
Generally, Open Source projects tend to start life as OS, and once released under the GPL it's probably harder to turn them closed source (but there's less imperative too)
Even if NCSoft wanted to do this, I cannot see them being able to - and in fact it probably would be a wrong move at this stage. If they did, there could well be a lot of mini-CoH projects fire up (Hamlet of Heroes?) which would weaken the game community and structure and hold no hope for Paragon Studios and those who lost their job.
Far better from a practical POV to reboot Paragon Studios as a single entity and let them republish teh game. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Knight_of_Armor
Some guesses - to be sure that all assets are liquidated? Clear all outstanding customer subscriptions, account balances, and credits?
I want to say thank you for any/all efforts to those that are trying. And thank you even to those who reject, why? Because you reject due to emotion for this game, and deep down don't want to see it go, but out of frustration you're doubtful at this point. Well most of you, anyhow.
I enjoy this thread. Because it kinda epitomises the community. It's always been an outstanding community, and at some points fervently disagrees with eachother, but only out of love for the game and wanted it to succeed..Quote:Originally Posted by Gangrel_EU
I have a feeling that there might have been some contractual/legal issues which would have prevented a sudden shutdown/sell on though. What they are, I don't know, but I have a feeling that they decided to take the "safe" route for them (not the player point of view).
Possible in both cases.
Thinking about it further, I guess they may have decided to can the game, got caught out by AP33 and that brought about their new thinking.
The problem is we won't likely know until we know. If ever.
But if in 6 months time, somebody comes to me and says "you can play CoH now" I wont' really give a flying [pankcake] that the underlying cause was because I'll be too busy playing the game. -
Quote:That's interesting. You've insisted on a higher standard of proof for the assertion of others than you've provided here.Originally Posted by Another_Fan
Julius Ceasar "Men willingly believe what they wish"
For 8 years this community has swallowed every developer lie hook line and sinker. You even had volunteer liars like Golden Girl step in to amplify. Even nowm when the devs have admitted they were throwing B.S. at you, the community isn't internalizing the implications.
Think on this, the people who are promoting plan Z are the same people who can't admit that a dead game wasn't healthy, encouraged people to waste money on points, condoned preying on people with a weakness for gambling.
Now they are seeking funding this B.S. ?
Cite your sources. (Bold for emphasis.) -
Quote:Originally Posted by Gangrel_EU
I will just add this though, might as well get a complete story for those out there:
I will personally be taking this with a pinch of salt and all that stuff, but at least this does make sense (and to be honest, far more sense than what VV has said in the past in my mind).
Is it true or not?
*shrugs* that is for you to decide on, I am not saying its true, and I am definitely not going to pushing this full board out there, but at least it *can* give a couple of believable reasons as to why stuff has happened as it has...
It might also be a reason as to why NCsoft were not talking about selling the game, or even the astronomical price that they might have been asking.
*shrugs* Anyways, back to your regularly scheduled thread.
Trying to keep open minded about this, it does rather tie in with the Oct 2nd Statement from NCSoft.
However my gut reaction would be - if they had that in mind as an initial strategy; close the game down, sell the IP (and I'm still very unclear why that needs to happen) - then why give it such a long sunset? Surely if that was their preferred course of action, then the best would be to arrange the sale in secret previously, shut the game down VERY quickly, sell, and allow the new owners to do what they will. -
Quote:Take your ridiculous gobbledygook and go away. You clearly have no inside knowledge and you're simply offering a false hope to those who love this game - which is either exeptionally ignorant on your party or at worse maliciously cruel.Originally Posted by Fansy
Hail Villain!
If I am an Asian Female, I am having a very hard time staring in the mirror only to see a white complexion! Perhaps I am a very pale asian!
Fred Gallagher did indeed speak to with me, AFTER the fake had been brought to light which he and I discussed on several Twitter and personal emails. He is a great person, and is doing what he can on his side for helping as many as he can. Thus, the ''bogus'' claim is rather harsh from your tongue but as sharp as it is I am here to dull it and bring truth and perspective as opposed to blatant lies from a crusty friend.
Matthew Inman and I have indeed discussed City Of Heroes through ways of the mystical email exchange and proof otherwise would be rather cumbersome for there is none on your side of claims. Perhaps something is to be said about me being troubled of a false prophet in the beginning however the second claim is entirely true.
Asian? You've been debunked, Villain!
MG of MT? Half true I was fooled, but the Bard sings truest through your thicket.
MI on CoH? Haha! Quite the truth thus silencing your attempt to quell my personal attempts.
Bravo on getting quite a few responses from me, being one of expert Sand Giants I am quite adapt to ignoring any issues that are hearsay and leave it be but your tone would suggest something against my character which has been, continues to be, and will forever more to have done; be ''debunked.''
Please, continue your charade and allow me to enlighten those continuing to read on the truth so they can raise further brows and shake their head at your attempts to rise from the shadows and call out against me. For neither will work, my good friend.
Clearing Voice,
Fansy the Famous Bard -
Quote:Originally Posted by SteelRat
Elite was fronty.
Elite 2 was Fronty-er
I see what you did there! -
Really good to see how relatively quickly the Devs are finding new jobs in the industry even in straightened times. It's a testament to this game
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Quote:Originally Posted by JohnRobey
What sounds like bollocks to you, Scarlet Shocker? My post (above) or Fansy's original post?
Fansy's post. I didn't read yours -
sounds like bollocks to me.
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Quote:Originally Posted by deusinterfector
So I'm running some costume contests soon & among the prizes will be some gift +50% xp boosters of various durations. Does anyone know if the gift temp power can be transferred more than once? Ideally I'd like to pass them to a friend so they can give them all to my toon whos judging rather than relogging a bunch of times to hand them out is all.
If I understand, you claim them, they are yours and not transferable -
Just wondering....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20258175
A South-Korean toilet theme park.
Maybe that's why the game got canned