lionsbane_EU

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As for the SG crack, you are absolutely correct as any leader of any successful Sg will tell you.

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I think you'll find Max was being sarcastic there...

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Yeah i got that. Hence the crack .. crack. I'm sure what I wrote preceding that warrented a sarcastic response but im buggered if i can be bothered to figure what it was.

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I should note that a suggestion discussed in detail on the French forums has already been passed along for consideration at NCNC (it was also suggested here on the English), and any other good ideas that crop up will likewise be sent over.

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While not ideas Per Se, I hope that much of the constructive critiscm as possible is fed back to red names.

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What has disturbed me about all this (and probably why i've gone over it so much) is that this really isnt something that they should need our advice about. Theyre supposed to be professionals backed by a corporation for heavens sake and this really really isnt rocket science.

They send out trials. They want people to take the trials and then buy the product. They dont want thhe trial accounts to be used by spammers and griefers. Ba boom.

And you know something else? I have to say, in my business life I had never given or taken a restricted trial. Everyone who gives me a trial gives me full use of the product for a limited time. Then they ask me if I want to keep it. And i do exactly the same.

I'm not actually sure that this limited trial business has anything going for it in the first place.

Rock, can you keep your sentences shorter please? I find your posts hard to read.
In this instance, while I understand what you've been saying, the fact that trial users impeded your game is hard to swallow. Im sure you got a load of emails and im sure you got tells too. But hey,i get tele canvassers calling me all day long. What to do?

Restricting trialists in a punative way, as now, means that less people that try the game will take it.

ide sooner delete a few emails and ignore a bit of spam than have that happen quite frankly. And besides, there are ways of achieving both. Its just a matter of looking at the issues and determining the outcome you want.

NC really have complicated a pretty straightforward issue here and I hope they resolve it soon.

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There is one. It takes about a 1.5 seconds longer to fire of energy transfer and the animations changed.
It actually doesnt do much harm or good to either the set or the game generally which kind of makes you wonder why they bothered to go to the trouble of doing it in the first place.

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Yeah, who cares about game balance, Castle should be fixing SG's or something.

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In what way does that change affect game balance in any shape or form? Especially given that the game is (including beta) 5 years old?) And that Energy Transfer (and the set itself) has a massive trade off?

As for the SG crack, you are absolutely correct as any leader of any successful Sg will tell you.

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"A lot higher on the pecking order"?? Just who do you think you are? If you're going to come out with that sort of self important claptrap, is it any wonder you get insulted on a public forum?

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At the risk of getting banned, bearing in mind you insulted me and not the other way round, and since you asked, I feel you are someone who has to insult me to get on my radar, unlike some other people here. Whats up? Don't like being insulted?

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The irony is that post of yours proves my point rather nicely.

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There are many ironies. but my dismissiveness of you isnt one of them.

You asked. I answered. Can we go back to topic now?

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because they make your arguments look ridiculous

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His arguments look ridiculous all on their own. They really don't need any help

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Really? Want a list of observations I made that have come true? It's really pretty big you know.

But thats rhetorical. I aint gonna pander to you. You have to be a lot higher on the pecking order to make me spend more than the time it takes me to write a post like this.
Dont insult me to someone else please.I'm on the same forms as you and I dont like it.

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There still seem to be just as many Tanks as other ATs running around, so that might mean that there is a good balance, and no AT is more popular than any other.

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Tio my knowledge Tanks have always been the least played AT on the heroes side apart from the kelds. And, to my mind strangely, blasters are the highest.

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I've only just realised what ET and TF mean...

And I've got an Energy Melee brute...

And I haven't noticed any changes...

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There is one. It takes about a 1.5 seconds longer to fire of energy transfer and the animations changed.
It actually doesnt do much harm or good to either the set or the game generally which kind of makes you wonder why they bothered to go to the trouble of doing it in the first place.

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Oh my god...
How dare he anti-nerf Invuln like that? It's an outrage and melee chars are now surely doomed!

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That particular one is a correction not nerf or anti nerf. The - on unyeilding was in place when invul was much more powerful.

Since then its been nerfed almost out of recognition and the - on unyeilding has long been identified as an overkill.

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As far as I can see people build dream teams and then moan how something isn't challenging anymore.

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Absolutely.

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So, contrary to history, you think SWG killed Anarchy Online? (Those games couldn't even kill themselves - and the Dev teams of both tried really hard ).

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First off, those two comparisons dont gell. But, for the millionth time, I dont think DC online will kill this game. I think that if the devs dont get their fingers out Dc Online will kill the game.
At the moment its still in our (NCs ) court. BUT, I've seen several alarming signals lately and wantto see something positive very soon.

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all that matters is if enough subscribers are left for the MMO to turn a profit and continue development.

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Which is exactly the point I've been making!

I want them to stop making stupid mistakes and start reactivating interest. We agree.

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Come on, you know you want to reply - stop dodging my rebuttals just because they make your arguments look ridiculous

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LOL. What time did you get up this morning?

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SWG.

It was just about half decent.

Star Wars has many many more fans than either Batman or Superman (and as for the rest, Green who?).

It flopped worse than FFM when his levitation device was hit by an EMP.

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Praf, what do you think would have happened if there was a game based around rhe Star wars universe but not exactly the same? Star battles? And it had a similar theme to star wars. And players played it because it was the nearest thing to Star wars they could get? And it had a sub of about 130,000.

And then someone announced they were bringing out a game of the actual Star Wars license?
And you could fight along side Luke and Hans and face the Darths etc...
And, as a kicker, the game turned out to be good....?

What was the first game called again?

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A silly attitude IMO. Even if DCO or CO completely swamp the market, CoH won't be going anywhere for a minimum of 18 months. And even if it DOES die, well... All games die eventually. Go play something else and quit getting so het up over a GAME!

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What a strange thing for someone who has ben playing since 05 and has posted on these forums some 14,000 times to say.

Ide class your CoH habits as a hobby rather than a game. Wouldnt you?
And its one youre pretty immersed in.

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ends up with a lumbering hulk that's overengineered, overpriced and only fit to meet a rumoured threat that never actually materialised.

CO and DCUO are not here yet. Yes, if either of them launch to great acclaim and huge success, then NCSoft needs to come out with all guns blazing. For now, though, they are only potential threats, somewhere on the horizon.

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They are not potential threats. They are going to happen. This games only saving grace is that its CO and DC not, as was originally the case, Marvel and DC.

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It's impossible to gauge how serious they will turn out to be, or what their actual weaknesses will be.

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We cant judge the quality of the games but its very possible to see how much impact the DC game in particulasr will have.

It is a super hero game. It is set in the iconic super hero universe where you can play along Superman and Batman. Think about that. Superman and Batman.
Its like playing a football game with made up teams and then suddenly a bright shiny new ganme comes out where you can play in the prem. along side Ronaldo. (or whoever your fav is.)

If its even half decent it will hit like a tornado.
To that end they have the money, resources and the hindsite of mistakes of games like CoH to potentially create a phenomenal game.
And worse, DC can advertise it, to the perfect audience in their own comics plus they probably have the financial muscle to advertise on TV too. Have I scared you enough?

The good news is that if , if this game raises its game in several ways, it will hold a loyalty factor and have its own usps to bring to the arena and should, overall, be fine.
Additionally, hopefully subs will be up and the game can take the hit that WILL come the month after DC arrives.

But my opinion is that the war starts now, with anticipation, whetting the publics appetite.

its the way people work . If someone thinks DC looks cool they may well hold off buying this one. Im not saying its logical. But people are (or can be) like that.

DC successfully made people drool a few weeks ago.

CO are doing the same right now.

And we should be doing the same.

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Setting ready for battle by "clearing the gundeck" -- setting aside funds and resources for battling both the initial media-hype and also for meeting the actual threats that the two other games will turn out to pose, and to take advantage of whatever weaknesses those games will, inevitably, turn out to have.

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CoH do not have a chance in a one on one battle with DC.
Waiting to react to DC will be the last thing this game ever does.

They have to play to theyre strengths and start now, not then after its too late.

Am I exegarrating the threat?

Not a chance. Dc will wipe us out if this game doesnt utilise its advantage and take preemptive action long before DC or CO enter beta. (Again GR has hinted strongly it will react in time.)

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Because of the latter part, NCSoft should, if anything, play with their cards closer to the chest now than they have in the past. Firing the full broadside now, while the other games have not even been berthed yet, would only serve as saluting the enemy and giving them a chance to ram.

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These games HAVE fired a broadside. I know a lot nore about their plans than I do about COH plans and so do the potential gaming audience out there waiting to spend their money.

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It was assumed that the release of World of Warcraft, Age of Conan and others in that genre would totally destroy Final Fantasy XI.

Funnily enough, it's still there after six years (Although having a strong userbase in Japan helps).

It takes a lot going wrong to kill a MMO stone dead. Fans are fans, CO and DC will not appeal to everyone.

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This is a totally different ballgame. And im not saying that DC will kill this game. I'm saying that if CoH doesnt get its act together (GR seems confident it will) THEN DC WILL kill this game.

I'm getting nervous because, at this moment DC and CO are firing warning shots across the bows and we dont seem to be reacting. And we're making mistakes. (the trial thread.)

So I'm fronting the battle cry on behalf of this game.

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Spot on Shadowe.

The devs know what's coming competition wise, and from what I've read they're not in the least bit worried about it because of the plans they have of their own.

As was rightly pointed out too, the time for information release is extremely important to maximise the impact of it. In relative terms, it's early days yet.

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It isn't early days anymore though, Steele. DC andCO have both thrown down the first baton. That's why I feel CoH should respond pretty darn quick. I dont think they have to give us specifics. If for example they tell us arch enemies are coming (this i'll bet any money on)they dont have to actually give details about the way theyll impact gameplay.
So they arent really helping the competition by throwing at a few hints.
Dont forget CO comes out in April. DC- who knows? But the betas are way before that.

And I think we out to be way in front for when that happens.

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They've got an absolutely doozy in the wings, and I really don't think all the speculation and rumour in the world is going to do it justice.

Maybe I'm setting myself up to be disappointed, but oddly I don't think I'm going to be.

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Here's hoping....

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So now looking at this thread most of the people that have posted on it that were in general agreement that the trial account restrictions are not the best way forward for the game or the community are now all argueing amongst themselves about how the points are being worded. Surely the most relevent point at the moment is that the points are being worded and we should be showing a united stand in getting things changed rather than a bickering rabble that goes off the subject into the obscure loses the whole thread and in the end achieves nothing more than people wasting there time.

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Is that another way of saying "I was wrong in accusing GR of reprimanding the OP for his views, but would rather change the subject than admit it"?

I'm sure our various views are being noted by GR, who clearly has his eye on the thread; if there's a majority view (as there seems to be, but not exactly unanimous IMHO) that will be picked up too.

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GR was right to reprimand me. I'm fine with it. I shouldnt have said that. I've done it before and will undoubtably do it again but it's wrong and I know it and have no issue with being pulled up over it.

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A question, FFM, you think this game would be significantly better off, as we play it on this very day, if they hadnt dropped the staff from (i think) 70ish to 15? And the subs were at, say 200,000 mark?


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Difficult to say. In the long run I would say no, I don't think it WOULD have been better off if they hadn't dropped the staff levels. Not because of the skill of the programmers, but because of who was making the decisions.

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Touche That is quoted for truth.

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I feel the need to say something, and i hope you take this the right way and not as a personal attack.

Having read the last of your posts and threads you write your posts with a very demeaning and agressive tone. Cause those who read it to get annoyed and probably angry at you. I know it's sometimes can be hard to infer a tone in a written post, but i would recommend you'd put some effort into it.

Now i agree with you that trial account might very well be too restrictive, but after reading your posts i more wanna disagree with you just because how you write. If you'd soften up your posts some and stop acting high and might and talk down to those who read your posts i think you might have alot better chance to get your point across.

And again, please don't take it as a personal attack, i'm just offering some criticism.

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I appreciate this and thank you Sapphic. I take your point.
I'm not a sufferer of fools and have seen this game suffer own goal after own goal over the years, mainly due to the sheer arrogence of Statesman who has now gone.

When NC came on board I became massively optimistic about the future, but just recently I have seen the warning signs again. And this is one of them.

And I guess something like this brought out the worst in me, not for the first time. I'm sorry.

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Aren't you? You think we were down to 15 devs because they were doin it right?

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They were down to 15 devs because Cryptic decided to focus on other projects.

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Right. Cause thats what you do when you have a winning project isn't it?

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Softening the words used doesn't make it any less of an insult.

Better, and likely FAR more accurate, to say that this was the work of a programmer who was merely following his instructions to implement a feature decided on by his manager or higher. For all you know, the developer in question might have disagreed with it.

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Hold on big fella. My grope is with the person(s) that thought this out. Not with the devs that implemented it. At what point did I imply I was shooting the messenger?

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It's a design choice that you disagree with, pure and simple.

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I know that. I think ive even stated it.

A question, FFM, you think this game would be significantly better off, as we play it on this very day, if they hadnt dropped the staff from (i think) 70ish to 15? And the subs were at, say 200,000 mark?

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Nice to see a red name posting on here its a shame its only to reprimand the OP for posting his views, oh and then doing it again too.

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Read GR's post again; it doesn't say the general subject of the OP was an issue at all, and GR explicitly welcomed constructive criticism.

Any reprimand was down to the wording used, which was damn close to an insult and bordering on a EULA infraction.

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In fairnes thats true. I never took it as a personal reprimand, but rather for my tone.

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Is the current system perfect? Probably not: it's rare that anything is perfect when first implemented.

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Is this the first time anyone at NC has implemented a trial then?/ Are they fresh out of college? Their first job?
Well thats fine then.
But I would recommend that for something as important as a trial account, NC assigns someone who is experienced and has a good record atr this sort of thing as well as an undertstanding of the mirrored CoH player in future.

Ghost. I shouldnt have said idiot. I'm sorry.I mean that. My point, however stands.

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If I say that the people who thought of the specific limitations of the trial are unfit for purpose, have cost this game thousands of ongoing pounds of revenue and should never be near a gaming enviroment again because they clearly don't get it, but I mean that in a nice way, would that be better?

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No thats just as bad.

Wording it something along the lines of: "I believe that the decision to prevent trial account from sending tells was faulty and should be overviewed again".
As a moderator i would look and read that post, rather than seeing "zomg, idjits dunno what they doing!!!111oneone" That wouldn't even make me read the post, i'd click, delete -> suspend.

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This is a multi million dollar operation. Big bucks are at stake here. In fact, with NC at the helm, its even bigger than that. You expect a certain degree of competency when you play at that level. This trial strategy is well short of the required level. Therefore, the people that proposed it and passed it are ...

Not my fault. I just call it as I see it.