Statesman's and Positron's 2nd Anniversary Address
By
8_Ball,
Posted on: 2006-04-28 08:03 in Developers' Corner
Well, here's hoping that the expansion will let us take our heroes and villains beyond level 50 - epic levels, perhaps? Of course, I have to get one of my many alts to 50 first, but that's besides the point. 
Grats on another year Cryptic & NC Soft. Here's hoping to many more. I've said many times, after being completely hooked on DAOC I gave this game a shot in beta, quickly quit my account with Mythic and haven't looked back.
Now I have to go dig up Miss Abyss's Thank You video again!
Zapping, 50 storm/elec
Rain King, 50 ice/storm
Ard, 50 NB/SR
The rest of my lineup
Justice, Freedom and Virtue Servers
www.repeat-offenders.net
Avatar by Altoholic_Monkey!
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That's what I was complaining about. You'll just have to plop down $35 (you'll get a "month free" inside the box that costs $50 on the shelf) to avoid being put in the "have nots" category in the game. That's lame.
I'd much prefer just tacking an additional $3 on each month's fee and make _all_ expansions free. It's about the same money either way (except spread out more with the no-box-expansion route) but it avoids segmenting the playerbase. I find very little value in buying the cardboard from the store. Heck, even the disks are useless since you'll have pre-downloaded all of the content on it before it's available in stores anyway.
If it's just a matter of putting something new on the shelves (so they don't get shoved to the back), why not re-release the original box (with updated content on the CD so people don't have to download it all when they buy the game) with new art featuring whatever new stuff is in the expansion with each issue? That would keep the CoH box in the "new releases" shelf fairly regularly while keeping the playerbase from segmenting.
Heck, it's annoying enough when you're teamed with someone who can't use your base's teleporters because they don't own CoV. Imagine if you had to ask the team if they all had Box #3 before you selected a mission in one of the new zones? At least bases are mostly useless so it hasn't been a big problem yet.
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You have some points, but perhaps they are for another thread, as to not jack this one...
Happy 2nd Anniversary! 
And it's nice to see the expansion pack will deepen my addiction. Like it couldn't get any worse... 
<sigh> <;.;> You all realize what this means right? <;.;> I'm gonna be here for a long long time <x.x>; oh wait... that's a good thing <,< <dance>
Happy Anniversary CoH/CoV! 
Started playing just 3 weeks after CoH came out and have enjoyed it ever since. Plan to be here until the ride is over and hopefully that won't be for a very long time to come. oh and Grats Positron! 
Levels 50s...(31 and counting)
Blasters(5), Controllers(5), Defenders(1), Scrappers(9), Tankers(3),
Peacebringers(1), Brutes(2), Masterminds(2), Stalkers(1), Widows(1) &
Corruptors(1)
Eat, Drink, and Be merry!!!
Thanks Cryptic. Enjoyed every minute of it!
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Then there is talk of another retail box. Which brings it's own set of questions. Will it feature SG items that members can only access with the new box ala bases? That was the worst idea ever and lead to many players I know quitting because they didn't want to be a villain. And speaking of bases, another poster was correct, they are next to useless. The teleporters are nice, but we STILL haven't got the IoPs and all the other stuff that was promised with them when they first came out.
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Yes, City of is the first MMO ever to release expansions which must be purchased in order to access additional content. Content which other members of your SG/VG (aka "guild") cannot access themselves if they have not purchased said expansion. Even if they didn't want to play any of the new races or classes, but simply wanted access to the new zones. How dare Cryptic do this unheard of thing, which no other game community has ever been forced to endure.
/setmode_sarcasm 0
Congrats, Pos! Glad to see all your hard work is being rewarded! Hope you love the new responsiblities. :-)
Thanks to you and States for cluing us in on developments.
This is all very exciting to me, I feel like a lot of the questions that have been asked over and over again, ad nauseum, on the forums have been answered. (Don't start....I didn't say "all" questions, just "a lot".)
My first impression, and I'm going to throw it out just because it is a possibility that no one has mentioned yet, is that the next expansion 1. might not be just a way to get us to pay for an update, and 2. it might not be a way to avoid a humongous download (althought that might be part of it).
My first thought was that a "retail box" was a device of advertising, i.e., it is a "hook" for bringing in new folks. A "retail box" sits on a shelf looking pretty at the local gaming store. Its whole purpose is to attract attention. The people who don't have CoH or CoV would have to buy it to find out what it is all about, and get that first massive install, then they are hooked for life like the rest of us, and their subscriptions help to keep the game going.
It makes sense, from every point of view. You buy a box not to pay for the game, but to pay for the cardboard and the color printing, which is the biggest expense in a retail box. The DVD and its pressing are cheap by comparison.
I'm not saying that is the way it is, I'm just saying that the purpose of the retail expansion *might* be a win-win situation for us.
So, unless and until we find out different, keep the DOOOOOMMMMMMsaying to a minimum. You'll sleep better at night.
I'll [i]almost certainly[/i] be happy with I7....."SOON(tm)"
Too bad "Maturity" isn't an Enhanceable power.
Anybody with a bow is okay in my book. ;-)
@Linuial
Starfire/Hellfire
Liberty, Infinity & Protector
Congrats to two fine years of City of Heroin
Now, c'mon, five o'clock, so I can go home...I needs my fix, I needs it...
So, does this mean that Statesman is no longer associated with the game on a major scale? Because those messages sort of read like a baton passing.
And is that the "State of the Game" that I lobbied for, and that we were promised? - I hope not.
Happy second anniversary to City of Heroes and best wishes to the nutballs at Cryptic and NCsoft.
I never would have guessed I'd be here two years later - or even at all, having never played an MMO before, but here I am.
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It will NOT be a stand alone.
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So it's part of a papier mache diorama?
CITY OF THIRD GRADE BOOK REPORTS!
Well, then...
I have concerns over the seemingly changed business model that Cryptic's using for CoX. Seems like they're moving away from the free updates for content towards a constant rollout of boxed expansions. I just hope Issues 8 and 9 bring CoH up to CoV's level as far as attention and new features go.
I also hope this new box they're going to try to pawn off on everyone is a Rikti Invasion type of thing or something that's an equal threat to both Paragon and the Rogue Isles. I'd really need to be sold on a 'City of Spies' idea. I just don't see how it fits.
I'm honestly not too pleased with the tone of this address, but I feel Positron will be a better Lead Designer than Statesman was, just for experience's sake. Other than that all I got was "continue to play the waiting game and look forward to another paid expansion".
Congrats to Positron!
He's contributed a lot both in his work and in building the feel of the community. With two sets of eyes watching I personally think that fewer problems will make it to the live servers.
Definately a win/win for the community and the game.
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It will NOT be a stand alone.
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While I'm willing to take a wait and see stance to this, I reserve the right to not like result.
~Liberty~
The LEGION (CoH) - The Fallen LEGION (CoV)
Forget your fears and want no more
50's - Renkoro, Remorseless
~Virtue~
Angry Angels / Jaded Angels
Global - @Puretone
Tons of new content and probably not a single fix or addtion to PvP.
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So, does this mean that Statesman is no longer associated with the game on a major scale? Because those messages sort of read like a baton passing.
And is that the "State of the Game" that I lobbied for, and that we were promised? - I hope not.
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Positron has been in this new position for at least a month. Statesman explained it a while ago:
Statesman
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Just to be clear...
I assumed the title "Creative Director" to reflect the fact that we had two games in development - City of Heroes and City of Villains...Typically, that's what a "Creative Director" does - it monitor the game design of several projects at once.
However, there's a lot more to game design than the planning...there's the implmentation side, too. In other words, the making sure stuff gets done. The writing. The missions. The rewards. Etc.
Matt Miller is the Lead Designer on the City franchise. On a day to day basis, he makes sure that we're on schedule in the Design dept. He and I together draw up the plans for the future (as we've been doing lately) and jointly assume the design duties. After the docs have been written, Matt coordinates with the designers to make sure that they hit schedules, see the big picture, etc.
In short, you can still PM Positron or myself on issues relating to the game. _Castle_ is one of the Powers team - and a fanatical player, too. I've tasked him with communicating more with the forums on issues specific to his area of expertise. Expect him to keep it up.
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Also, apparently one expansion every two years is making us 'pay extra for everything' and is a "constant stream" of expansions. EQ released an expansion every few months. Positron said in this very adress that they'd redo the CoH zones to match CoV (which obviously can't be part of a box set...) and that they would bring out some new endgame stuff for both sides in Issue 8. Some people are really over reacting.
Also note that since it is not stand alone, it will probably be $25-30.
I would imagine it's just gonna be full of QoLs.
Things we don't necessarily need in the game, but would be awesome to have.
That would include many new zones unrelated to the game's history, Epic ATs, costume pieces, etc., and I'm excited..
And they said 2 more issues until the third expansion? Sounds awesome.
I just want to know which Epic AT they're talking about.
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Tons of new content and probably not a single fix or addtion to PvP.
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Not that this would be a bad thing, but you wanna bet? Each issue since I4 has been keenly focused on PvP/CoV and the balance it necessitated. I don't see this changing for several issues, although the retail expansion will fool everyone into believing this is not the case.
Gratz on the Big Ding!
I still want I8 to be City of Couch Burners, so all True Heroes/Villains can dance on the grave of Pitt Football.
Let's Goooo Mountaineers!
Moggie's big forum-brother.
"I'm a tech. I tell it how it is. I'm incapable of the sunshine blowing necessary in their field." - BillZBubba
I bet the new AT will be the Aviians. Or maybe the Incarnates. But i'm hoping for the Incarnates.
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So, does this mean that Statesman is no longer associated with the game on a major scale? Because those messages sort of read like a baton passing.
And is that the "State of the Game" that I lobbied for, and that we were promised? - I hope not.
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In answer to your first question, I'm still involved with CoH/CoV.
As to your second, I don't remember a promise about a "state of the game", though I do remember saying it was a good idea. But yeah, I think this does classify as a state of the game address - where we're at, what we're doing in the future.
*phew!*
Was afraid we were gonna lose ya, States! :P
Grats to Posi, and thanks to everyone at Cryptic/NCSoft for another great year!
Happy 2nd birthday and may there be many more to come!
Best,
J.
Congratulations Cryptic Studios! You've created a fun and unique MMO that's a blast to play! The future looks great! Keep up the good work!
@Demobot
Also on Steam
Happy 2nd anniversary "congrads" and many more!!