Announcing Our European Community Coordinator
By
2wierd,
Posted on: 2004-11-12 11:04 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
i agree with the general thread here. I play in the UK on a import version, and alot of friends are waiting for the UK release, now I'm being told we won't be able to play together? weird.
The only reason i can think for this is that it's going to be a different city to Paragon, but I doubt the Devs would do this.
So whats going on? why not just introduce a few new servers, instead of introducing segregation to the game.
This is the net dammit!
We'ew used to it by now. What really <insert more offensive term here> me is that we generally have to wait for 6 months to get the updates from the US versions simply because there are more languages and policies in europe. That REALLY is NOT acceptable to me. Lord of the rings and the matrix were released worldwide in every language simultaneously. there probably isn't much of a different in the number of translations needed tbh. If they can do it so can everyone else, they just choose not to. and it bites the big one.
I for one will not be buying a uk version. There is no reason for me to. delayed updates. initially the EU community will be far behind what i'm used to. the game will be full of dullards for months just like the US one till everyone catches up to the lvl us early subscribers are at. If we can transfer our characters to the EU servers it wont make much difference because not enough people will transfer to make the upper lvl community worthwhile. it'll be empty for weeks till the decent people get up to our lvl.
if you ask me any game that is not released worldwide is in for an uphill struggle with it's EU import customers. because no matter how it's handled the introduction of EU servers is only good for those people that are new starters. It's too much of a bakcwards step for us to switch to a new server and even more of a backtrack to start again.
I would welcome paying in Euros tbh, i was paying 12 euros to play Daoc which is the same as me paying US$15. £8. yes thats right it costs me the same to play CoH is it does to play Daoc. so bring on the Euros or any other currency for that matter, as long as brittain doesn't switch to the Euro anytime soon we'll be laughin to the bank =)
deffo agree with majority of posts-i'm UK based and been playing for a couplke months now-its been fab but welcome the Euro launch...except not if i have to buy the game all over again
and it will be a shame to say good bye to all the US and Canadian cousins i been playing with (but the time differential is a [censored]-lol)
Whens the launch-i heard from PC Gamer Nov 17th 04?
OK, it looks like we need some rumour control here...
1. The only definite policy we know of is that we will currently have to buy a European version of the game if we want to play on European servers. This is 100% official policy, although hopefully the players will be listened to and it will either be changed or an alternative worked out.
2. Yes we have a European Community Moderator, but that doesn't neccesarily mean we will be 'segregated' into having different boards. Just as CuppaJo looks after the server specific forums now, I imagine Bridger will be the one looking after the English-speaking European forums. Doesn't mean we won't be sharing the General forum with the international community just as we do now. Of course, this may happen, but no-one in the know has said it will.
3. No-one official has said we will be getting a 'different' game. The chances are, the game will be identical but for technical details such as what to display in the server list. There may be some minor storyline changes. I would be surprised by any major alterations.
4. No-one official has said there will be anything like the 6-month delay with patches that is being bandied about right now. I would expect English language patches to be available very soon, if not immediately, after the US release, with maybe a few days to a week delay for translations into other languages. Just because other companies are slack with internationalisation doesn't mean NCSoft will be!
5. No-one official has said the 5th Column are being removed because they are illegal in Germany. This rumour is based partly on the recent Paragon Times article about a possible takeover, but is mostly based on a loose knowledge of German law which prohibits the use of Nazi symbols such as the swastika. There are no swastikas in the game currently. NCSoft always planned a European release and have legal people who would have pointed this stuff out. It was pointed out by players during beta. They know what they are doing, guys!
6. And lastly...
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Whens the launch-i heard from PC Gamer Nov 17th 04?
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PC Gamer obviously do not know jack. The same official post that informed us of their 'gotta-buy-again' policy (see above) says that the European release will be in 2005.
Remember, everything you read here apart from point 1 is simply opinion, just like every any other player's forum post. Unless an official NCSoft source can be quoted and referenced, anything you read is by no means set in stone. (And btw, if I've debunked something here that has been stated as fact by a dev, please correct me, but AFAIK they are all rumours). Indeed, many things you will read in these boards could not be further removed from reality.
Take it with a pinch of salt, people. Let's stick to what we know until we hear otherwise from a red name or other official source.
Re: Having two different versions of the game
Assuming this is done because Cryptic/NC Soft need to keep the code base for the European version of the game "officially" seperate from the North American version, it makes a certain amount of sense, really.
I know the UK at least has extremely protective privacy laws. Might require a different login system to meet the regulations there.
And if the Germany/Nazi thing is true, then it might be required that the offending content be absent from the software entirely, not just turned off in the game. The only way to make it so a client side hack can't easily turn that content back on is for it not to be there.
If there's complaints about the NA version being in European countries that ban it, NC Soft can then say, "Hey, we never approved the NA version to be sold in Europe, don't blame us."
Just some thoughts...
-np
I see myself as witty, urbane, highly talented, hugely successful with a keen sense of style. Plus of course my own special brand of modesty.
Virtue: Automatic Lenin | The Pink Guy | Superpowered | Guardia | Guardia Prime | Ultrapowered
Even then, they could at least let the existing players start from scratch again on the Euro servers for free. You may need to download the Europe localised client for the game, but the account details held by NCSoft can be shared accross the pond and allow them to be used in the Euro servers. You could have a button in the Upgrade link for an account saying "Switch to Europe" and this transfers the account from North American Access to European Access and lets you download it again. If the player has dial-up, they could order a CD to be sent to them for a fiver maybe with the updated Euro client. Still have to pay but it beats rip off Britains thirty or forty quid for a new game! At the end of the day it ius perfectly possible to circumvent a software compatability problem like this, especially if the publisher for CoH will still be NCSoft in Europe and there is no reason why they can't let European players swap accounts, even to a regional version of the game.
Perhaps our new Community Co-Ordinator can give us some feedback on the reasons for whats going on here? I for one will keep pressing and do what I can to help negotiate a better deal for Euro players, only no-one can help come up with ideas for how to fix it as no-one has given us any information yet on what the problem is. You have a large fanbase and community here who can and will help (it's not like the Steam forums where the devs get flamed/abused/death threats against them/so on, but a community thats very tight and has respect for the people working on the software and staff who run the game and red tape in the background. Please just give us some more information and the community can help in deciding what to do, even if you think it will do bugger all. 
Frankie says it best.
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Even then, they could at least let the existing players start from scratch again on the Euro servers for free. You may need to download the Europe localised client for the game, but the account details held by NCSoft can be shared accross the pond and allow them to be used in the Euro servers.
[/ QUOTE ] Not for sure. I know of a magizine that had extreme problems when it changed hands and the laws in Europe made it a long and difficult to get the subscriber info and such transfered, people where even having trouble getting their money back when they wanted to cancel.
Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net
Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.
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I know the UK at least has extremely protective privacy laws. Might require a different login system to meet the regulations there.
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Don't think so. I know this law (the Data Protection Act 1998) better than most and I can say without a doubt that nothing in the current system breaks these laws as long as the data we provide is not exported outside the EU without permission. If Cryptic/NCSoft wanted to export it, this permission could be easily given via the ToS agreement. Most banks here in the UK do exactly this so they can offshore their call centres.
Welcome Bridger! Ummm, there are a lot of good questions posted here. Any chance of a response, formal or otherwise? An "I cannot comment at this time" would suffice if necessary, just kinda want to see these cliffhangers tied up before anyone (else) gets overzealous over false/ misled consceptions. ^_^
A big welcome Bridger.
Too bad that I dont have a work permit otherwise i could apply for the job with german skills. Doesnt get better than born in germany and lived and worked there for 25 years 
. But with a toddler at home i rather take care of her for now but if there are any translation problems I am here to help 
Welcome, but....
I like most UK players are shocked at the news that transferring will be an expensive proposition.
Is it the companys view that they want everybody to be starting from scratch on the new servers? Basically they want the whole place empty of players apart from the start zones? If there was a more reasoned and less expensive approach they would have a readymade community of players, which is what sells this type of game.
What do you/others think?
Anyway good luck positive spinning this one......
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Welcome Bridger! Ummm, there are a lot of good questions posted here. Any chance of a response, formal or otherwise?
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From Cuppa's original post:
"If you have questions about the European launch, feel free to start asking them, as Bridger will be following this thread over the weekend and will begin responding to questions Monday."
It is the weekend after all...
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1. The only definite policy we know of is that we will currently have to buy a European version of the game if we want to play on European servers. This is 100% official policy, although hopefully the players will be listened to and it will either be changed or an alternative worked out.
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If only these damn servers didn't purge every fortnight, I could easily link you to a response from Gaffer which said:
"We are currenty working on the char transfer system, for everyone not just euros, and we are aiming to make it free"
*this was not word-for-word but a damn good approximation
He replied to a thread I started about char transfer for Euro players, and it was definitely after the 11/09/04 date that you're policy quote was written.
Perhaps Bridger will enlighten us to the real facts when Jack rips the tape off his mouth.
To Bridger - Are you M. Southerns?
Welcome Bridger!
i think the phrases: baptism by fire, in at the deep end, sink or swim etc etc pretty much sum up your sittuation. i hope youve got your atmospherically controlled asbestos buoyancy suit on!
good luck mate.
Magmaman
The law forbidding you to display Nazi symbols in Germany basically says that you can't show it for kicks, or 'for entertainment purposes only'. Admittedly, this has in the past hit -for example- US comic books which had WW2 flashback scenes (issues of John Byrne's Namor run, issues of Michael Moorcock's Multiverse on DC's failed Helix imprint).
Basically, the law is in place so that noone can legally 'venerate' Nazi symbols and to assure that everything that touches on the whole Nazi issue in the context of entertainment gets checked on whether it might be hidden Nazi hype. As long as the Nazis are shown as bad guys, though, it's not really much of an issue. For example, they did show the Indiana Jones movies in German theatres, Nazis or not.
But really, lack of swastikas aside, the 5th column has about as much in common with Nazis as the varying Nazi remnants in various Marvel and DC comics (like HYDRA, Baron Strucker, Baron Zemo, The Baron -- why the hell are they always barons anyways?).
I'd presume if NCSoft made sure and approached the German authorities, there shouldn't be an issue with that. After all, you fight the 5th, you don't join them in the game. And there are no big Swastikas on the COH retail box, are there?
On the server issue. I actually don't mind playing the Yankee servers. More space for me when I have time to play.
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
PS.
I really wish I could just up and relocate to England (though the abundance of British people in Britain does concern me a bit). I'd like to think I'd have the appropriate resume for several of the COH-related job openings. But alas, I got my Landlocked Badge flagged.
Bloody women.
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
PPS.
On the server issue, again. Why not just allow every player to access X COH servers they can pick themselves, from among any cluster of servers in the world? Just slow server credits like Enhancements.
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
I know it's been said by a lot of people, but given that more people with the same opinion tends to lend weight....
I live in the UK, I got fed up waiting for the EU Release of CoH so I brought the american one, two copies one for me and one for my house mate. I paid insured carrige for them, got hit for import duty on both of them so each copy ended up costing me nearly £50, yes that is pounds not dollars.
There is no way on earth I'm paying an additional £40 (average price of a pc game in the UK) for another copy.
Sorry guys, I love the game but in my opinion no game is worth £90 outlay + monthly subscription, I'll just stick with the copy I've got now and play in the US timezone.
Welcome, Bridger.
I'd apply for the German Localisation (my Spanish isn't good enough anymore), but I won't move to Brighton, sorry. Make those jobs remote!
Oh, and please put more effort into the localised versions. The German WoW is a bad joke (as have been most Blizzard and Bioware translations), you get the feeling they used the Yahoo translator. Be wise and hire someone who's a little creative and is experienced with RPGs and comics (like me 
)
PS. Separated forums, okay. Separated server? Nope. No good. What kind of new trend is this with the localised servers? The wonderful thing about the internet and mmogs is that you meet people from all over the world. Why do you need to take that freedom from us?
I have my US CoH and I will stay on Virtue. No chance in hell that I'm switching after spending my time there since 3 day headstart.
Poison � Sabbath
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"We are currenty working on the char transfer system, for everyone not just euros, and we are aiming to make it free"
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That sounds good to me, and I hope that is definitely the case. But remember, giving us free character transfers to Euro servers doesn't preclude them from charging us to access the servers in the first place...
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Perhaps Bridger will enlighten us to the real facts when Jack rips the tape off his mouth.
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Surely it was Gaffer that put the tape there?
I'd add to the voices on this one (although I am usually quiet on places like this).
IMHO, a separate set of Euro servers accessible only by Euro clients is a very bad idea. There are plenty of European people playing across the current stack of servers, if player load is an issue why not just add a few more servers in that are accessible to anyone.
From a software development point of view, why would you want two sets of code to maintain for what should be the same product, code can be regionalised without having to resort to a separate client for those people in Europe.
It would be interesting to see what the current localisation split is across the current live stack.
Simple answer for me
I'll keep playing on the american servers. I have no intention of paying an additional usage fee to purchase a copy of software i already have, to play a game i can already play.
Welcome Bridger!!!
I find it somewhat hard to believe that you seem to be removing the nazi influenced 5th Column form the game simply to sell it over seas. I was wondering if you (this is not meant to sound hostile by the way) could try and justify the compromise of the current game dynamic in the supposed favor of sales. I am genuinely curious what your take is on this.
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In my opinion, this is really sad. Not only are they going to be playing a different game, they're going to have different boards.
Well, there go all those cool European people that I like.
I'm going to miss the whole global community we had. Now there will only be like 3 other people on when I usually play.
*sigh* Such is life...
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*...static filter...*
I have to agree with you on that one. And though it's probably impossible - or simply not a cost worthy project - I would rather see the addition of some servers for our UK bretheren then have them playing a completely different game.
*...FTB...*