Talked to Statesman on Sunday about the future
By
2Negative,
Posted on: 2005-06-09 11:37 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Cool, thanks for the info.
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Question 7: Missions sort of like in Spider-man 2 where you rescue people off of buildings? - Yes in that there will be more dynamic missions, maybe not exactly as described but at least more diverse.
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Hopefully this will be in Issue 6. *crosses-fingers*
I've never met him, but States sounds like a pretty nice fellow. He's probably just heard the same questions about 180 times so the answers seem trite to him.
If anything, he's acting harried because it's con season right now, so there's a lot of pressure on the MMOG industry in general. E3, Wizardworld, SOE Fanfaire in vegas, etc...
Cool Beans... [ QUOTE ]
Question 9: Jetpacks made available in general for everyday use? - (Please stop asking him this question as he rolled his eyes when I asked that) NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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hehe... maybe he got that question a lot already during the convention - which could explain the 'mood'.
CatMan - some form on every server
Always here, there, and there again.
Yes. that's all nice.
But will there be jetpacks?
j/k 
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I've never met him, but States sounds like a pretty nice fellow. He's probably just heard the same questions about 180 times so the answers seem trite to him.
If anything, he's acting harried because it's con season right now, so there's a lot of pressure on the MMOG industry in general. E3, Wizardworld, SOE Fanfaire in vegas, etc...
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Yeh. I got to talk with him briefly at Wizardworld Los Angeles. (only several blocks
from my apartment in Long Beach :-) But it's moving to the L.A. Convention Center
next year :-( )
He was very cool. WWLA was a decent-size con, but lacked activities other than
the dealer's room and some comics-related panels for the most part. (I had taken
my movie-fiend wife there, expecting at least one 24-hr anime room or something,
and we were disappointed that the con really only had stuff for me. (comics and
CoH))
The smaller size contributed to the relaxed atmosphere in the CoH panel, and
Jack being in a good mood as we walked from the panel back to the dealers' room.
I suggested a future expansion should do for cyber/robot/tech heroes what I4
would do for anime/asian characters, such as "TV-camera eyes" which he seemed
pleasantly surprised to hear. (The particular TV-camera eyes I was thinking of,
and described to him, were from the graphic novel adaptation of William Gibson's
Neuromancer; I forget her name, but there's a female mercenary with pop-out
razorblades in her fingers, and her eyes are roughly rectangular (but still fitting in
the normal eye sockets) lenses.)
So, is there word on making jetpacks more readily and permanently available?
OK, this may seem like I'm being a smart-alec, but it's a serious question - Did you ask about Jetpacks *as a temp power* or *as a costume element*?
"Trust me, it worked in the Simpsons." - Calash
Jetpacks as in like Prestige Power Slide, you can now use a jetpack while flying instead of the generic regular fly.
So not necessarily temp power but rather permanent power, I did not ask for it as a costume element.
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I suggested a future expansion should do for cyber/robot/tech heroes what I4
would do for anime/asian characters, such as "TV-camera eyes" which he seemed
pleasantly surprised to hear. (The particular TV-camera eyes I was thinking of,
and described to him, were from the graphic novel adaptation of William Gibson's
Neuromancer; I forget her name, but there's a female mercenary with pop-out
razorblades in her fingers, and her eyes are roughly rectangular (but still fitting in
the normal eye sockets) lenses.)
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I'm all for that!! for obvious reasons. 
Destroyable buildings in instanced missions?
Definitely the biggest thing I'm looking forward to. WOW. I mean, I'd accepted that we won't see this in the game because it just wouldn't work in the MMO setting but...
Wow I'm excited for this to be announced as being 'under way', let alone coming. With the AEGIS physics thing coming, that really looks possible.
Destroyable Buildings?!
AEGIS phy ... what? 
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Destroyable Buildings?!
AEGIS phy ... what?
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Cryptic is currently working to add in improved graphics and physics with CoV (to also be added into CoH at some point in the future, but probably not at the same time CoV releases)
The AEGIS Physics Processor basically takes away the processing load of anything to do with physics off of your graphics card, considerably smoothing out the lag in games which employ this a lot (Think Half-Life 2).
The reason this wasn't worked on in CoH is because everyone uses the city, and with 140 000 people, you won't have a city very long if everything's destroyable. Within instanced missions however, this becomes possible since it affects no one else but you. Train missions I think came with Issue 1, and so now we have the scale, the instances...
Basically, CoV looks to have some limited form of physics implemented. CoH probably will in the undetermined future. With this, we'll have destroyable environments within instanced missions.
You know....more and more people have stated that Statesman is in a bad mood or "pissy" mood when they talk to him at these conventions. I've met Statesman and I would bet even when he's in a good mood, you wouldn't describe him as charming. I am assuming that Statesman is there to represent the game, answer questions, and act in a public relations fashion.
Is the attitude he gives off good public relations (and this is not an isolated incident)? Look, I'm sure the guy gets asked the same questions over and over and over and over, etc. - but hey, that's what these conventions are all about - promoting the game. To be honest, it would probably be better if he not showed up at all, then to consistently be in a pissy mood and treat fans with contempt or disrespect. Hell, hire some PR people to represent the game, to answer questions, hand out prizes, etc.
This is not a direct criticism on Statesman....hell, I would HATE having to go to these conventions all the time and answering the same dumb questions over and over...or being hounded about nerfs to this and that. But that's what is going to happen if he works these shows, so either put on Mr. Smiley face and work the PR or don't go to these things.
And to be honest, he never "really" answers a friggin' question anyway! So, really, what the hell is he doing at these things?? It's fairly obvious he HATES doing them and answering the same questions over and over....are people really going out and buying COH after a charming conversation with Statesman?? LOL My guess is no. He also is always tight lipped about new happenings in the game - so he isn't much of a PR/Salesman AND he doesn't answer a great majority of the questions people want answers for, so what's the point? LOL
Just one guy's observation....... 
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I suggested a future expansion should do for cyber/robot/tech heroes what I4
would do for anime/asian characters, such as "TV-camera eyes" which he seemed
pleasantly surprised to hear. (The particular TV-camera eyes I was thinking of,
and described to him, were from the graphic novel adaptation of William Gibson's
Neuromancer; I forget her name, but there's a female mercenary with pop-out
razorblades in her fingers, and her eyes are roughly rectangular (but still fitting in
the normal eye sockets) lenses.)
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I'm all for that!! for obvious reasons.
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Molly, she was the character who had lenses over her eyes.
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You know....more and more people have stated that Statesman is in a bad mood or "pissy" mood when they talk to him at these conventions. I've met Statesman and I would bet even when he's in a good mood, you wouldn't describe him as charming. I am assuming that Statesman is there to represent the game, answer questions, and act in a public relations fashion.
Is the attitude he gives off good public relations (and this is not an isolated incident)? Look, I'm sure the guy gets asked the same questions over and over and over and over, etc. - but hey, that's what these conventions are all about - promoting the game. To be honest, it would probably be better if he not showed up at all, then to consistently be in a pissy mood and treat fans with contempt or disrespect. Hell, hire some PR people to represent the game, to answer questions, hand out prizes, etc.
This is not a direct criticism on Statesman....hell, I would HATE having to go to these conventions all the time and answering the same dumb questions over and over...or being hounded about nerfs to this and that. But that's what is going to happen if he works these shows, so either put on Mr. Smiley face and work the PR or don't go to these things.
And to be honest, he never "really" answers a friggin' question anyway! So, really, what the hell is he doing at these things?? It's fairly obvious he HATES doing them and answering the same questions over and over....are people really going out and buying COH after a charming conversation with Statesman?? LOL My guess is no. He also is always tight lipped about new happenings in the game - so he isn't much of a PR/Salesman AND he doesn't answer a great majority of the questions people want answers for, so what's the point? LOL
Just one guy's observation.......
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Actually when I met Statesman for the first time at last years Wizard's convention he was enthusiastic and extremely energetic about City of Heroes, talking about all the cool things we could expect come Issue 1. This was back when the game was less popular, when I showed up this year there were tons of people checking out the booth.
Anyway Statesman is actually a very cool and energetic guy, I really think I just caught him on a bad day.
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And to be honest, he never "really" answers a friggin' question anyway! So, really, what the hell is he doing at these things?? It's fairly obvious he HATES doing them and answering the same questions over and over....are people really going out and buying COH after a charming conversation with Statesman?? LOL My guess is no. He also is always tight lipped about new happenings in the game - so he isn't much of a PR/Salesman AND he doesn't answer a great majority of the questions people want answers for, so what's the point? LOL
Just one guy's observation.......
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Yup, you are .
Read my post earlier, for how he was at WWLA.
I tried to apologize to him for all the extra questions I was asking, but he said
this:
"You guys are my customers. It's part of my job to interact with you. I have no
problem with answering questions. You deserve it."
That said, Jack is still human... and also is the writer, trying to keep some suspense.
For example, remember "no respec with issue 4" ?
And then the Anniversary respec hit?
The rednames were completely truthful on saying no respec with issue 4. Jack
probably got them to hold back so he could play a prank, and keep some suspense.
Everyone has good days and bad days.
I got to meet and talk with Jack at WWLA, beginning of the con season. The man
ran a TRIVIA CONTEST at the NCSoft booth, comics trivia only of course, and
was giving away t-shirts and even the occasional CoH DVD edition. (And that's
how I got my Prestige Power Slide :-) )
He seemed well-rested and no worse than polite, even after I ambushed him with
questions on the way back to the NCSoft booth.
Now it's a couple months later, 3000 miles away, and they just put out ish 4,
are working hard on ish 5, and have ramped up for CoV?
Yeh, I can understand.
I'm not a "homer" for CoH/CoV, but I've seen the man when rested, you've seen
him when exhausted, and for all that:
I've yet to hear of Jack cussing out a fan or losing his temper and having a
meltdown, etc.
So, he ain't perfect, and he ain't Attila the Hun.
He's like the Editor of a newspaper. Some days you hate the Editor's Page, and
some days you're ecstatic. But you CONTINUE TO SUBSCRIBE because, overall,
you feel the product is worth the money.
In the meantime, please note the newspaper has about 200+ other pages besides
the Editor's Page, and go have fun. (read: go play CoH and remind yourself why
you're here reading these forums :-) )
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Question 2: Vehicles - Separate Expansion as in no Issue 5-10
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Well at least that means they plan on vehicles being more involved than an issue of work. City of Spy Hunter Twisted Metal Jump To Lightspeed.
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Question 7: Missions sort of like in Spider-man 2 where you rescue people off of buildings? - Yes in that there will be more dynamic missions, maybe not exactly as described but at least more diverse.
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No putting citizens over your shoulder and carrying them. 
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Question 8: Destroyable buildings? - Instanced Missions so Yes!
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Thank you AGEIA!
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And to be honest, he never "really" answers a friggin' question anyway!
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And what the hell do you expect? *EVERY* time he says something, people treat it as if Jesus Christ himself suddendly descended from heaven and start treating it as gospel. So the *second* anything changes or is different from what he said (No matter how vague or non-promise it is) then people start calling him a liar and acting like he just rammed a knife in their back and started kicking their pregnant sister.
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And to be honest, he never "really" answers a friggin' question anyway!
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And what the hell do you expect? *EVERY* time he says something, people treat it as if Jesus Christ himself suddendly descended from heaven and start treating it as gospel. So the *second* anything changes or is different from what he said (No matter how vague or non-promise it is) then people start calling him a liar and acting like he just rammed a knife in their back and started kicking their pregnant sister.
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::Comes back from giving a surmon. Puts up her Statesman Bible::
.....What do you mean? He ISN'T our lord and savior?!
EVERYTHING I BELIEVE IS A LIE!
::Jumps off the tallest object she can find::
Good bye cruel world!
::Which happens to be a footstool::
....Hmm.. This isn't going to work.
Even if you found something higher than a footstool you're only going to lose 99% of your health.
That won't be much of a problem, so long as she lands next to a group of baddies. They'll fix that 1% pretty quick.
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That won't be much of a problem, so long as she lands next to a group of baddies. They'll fix that 1% pretty quick.
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Funny, that happened to me within an hour of getting Hover on my first character...
To be honest, this is the second time someone has mentioned that I seemed like in a bad mood. Sorry about that - I really wasn't. In fact, it was my birthday that week and Philly is my hometown. My only stress was family related!
The worse thing about the show (if there was anything to call "worse") was that people were more interested in the NCSoft bag than City of Heroes!
Well, happy belated birthday Jack!
Phantom Rose: Ill / Kin / Psi
Soleau: Ice / Icy / Ice / Core: Ice / Fire / Pyre / Wind / Eclipse / Flare / Corona
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Solo Space
Of COH and COV of course. This was Sunday at the Wizard World Convention and I had pre prepped a few questions to ask him as I went there.
Unfortunately, I seemed to have caught him in a very pissy mood as he wasn't as much enthusiastic as he was last year. I was originally going to post this on Sunday the day I got back from Wizard World but my internet went down so I'm posting it now.
Question 1: Customizable Weapons - Possibly after COV
Question 2: Vehicles - Separate Expansion as in no Issue 5-10
Question 3: COV or COH having weather patterns like snow, rain, etc. - NO
Question 4: *Idea I thought of* Doubling up AT's so that you can have a MA scrapper with a few Katana powers or a Fire blaster with a few Ice powers, hence doubling up into dual powersets. It's an idea they hadn't thought up of so whether they will think about it remains to be seen.
Question 5: Sound Effects like voices or monologues - No due to localization issues when games go to Germany, Korea, etc.
Question 6: Possible AT to turn into a supernatural being I.E. Hulk, Werewolf, etc. - No, at least until certain powersets are fixed or added.
Question 7: Missions sort of like in Spider-man 2 where you rescue people off of buildings? - Yes in that there will be more dynamic missions, maybe not exactly as described but at least more diverse.
Question 8: Destroyable buildings? - Instanced Missions so Yes!
Question 9: Jetpacks made available in general for everyday use? - (Please stop asking him this question as he rolled his eyes when I asked that) NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Question 10: What cool things can we expect from skills? - Not designed yet, having a lot of trouble making skills fun. (Recommend getting suggestions from the fans.)
Question 11: A chance to enter a hero hall of fame? - Yes, not soon but someday.
Question 12: Website feature to finally be incorporated into the game? -Not anytime in the near future.
Question 13: (Asked this one by accident) Plans to shrink down task forces and make cooler ones like Ernesto Hess? - Yes
So there you have it folks! My own personal conclusion from all this?
- Issue 5 will be our last big patch before COV
- COV is the main entree for the day and a lot of design is being focused on COV at the moment.
- More focus on adding other powersets like the much vaunted Scrapper street fighting etc.
- A lot of focus on tweaking things so they are a bit more balanced.
- Expect to see the cool features AFTER COV is released.
Chew on that and enjoy! (P.S. Sorry States if you were having a bad day or something, thanks for answering my questions though.)