Discussion: NCsoft Acquires City of Heroes!
By
AaronH,
Posted on: 2007-11-06 13:55 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
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Does this mean that there will be a bigger development team working on COX or a smaller one? The presants are cool and all but are we losing anything in this deal?
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Everything Ex and LH have said lead me to believe that they're planning to expand the team. It looks like NCSoft is renewing it's commitment to this game, and planning to nurture it's further growth.
Edit: Plus, just look at NCsoft's job page, and how many programming openings they have at the Mountain View location. (CoX's new home) Definately a good sign, as far as I'm concerned.
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That is them either expanding the team or filling the positions of the people who do not want to move to NorCal?!?! Unless their current studio is already around that area...
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I'd really like to see them at least give those of us who bought both games, (Like myself, I bought both of the DVD Collectors Editions) all the Goodies from the Good Vs. Evil Box =
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No. I paid for a collectors edition box in addition to my original box to get the prestige slide and I paid $10 extra for the GVE goodies.
People can pay for these if they want them.
But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius
List of Invention Guides
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Some of you are looking at it as just a free month, well a month of play time is $15 then the other $35 went to development cost of the game. Essentially we paid the developement cost of a game they eventually gave away for free. Think about how that looks for a second? Yeah I know the game depreciated in value but that is besides the point, those who paid more than $15 for the other game did not just pay for a free month.
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Again, I say the real test is this: if, when you bought the game, there was a big red sticker on it that said "Warning: this game will be given away for free in November of 2007!" would you have still plunked down your $35?
I would have, because I wanted to play it then, when I bought it. It's the same reason I paid $50 for The Orange Box, instead of waiting 2 or 3 years to pick it up in the bargain bin; there are some games that I don't want to wait for.
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Does this mean that there will be a bigger development team working on COX or a smaller one? The presants are cool and all but are we losing anything in this deal?
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Everything Ex and LH have said lead me to believe that they're planning to expand the team. It looks like NCSoft is renewing it's commitment to this game, and planning to nurture it's further growth.
Edit: Plus, just look at NCsoft's job page, and how many programming openings they have at the Mountain View location. (CoX's new home) Definately a good sign, as far as I'm concerned.
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That is them either expanding the team or filling the positions of the people who do not want to move to NorCal?!?! Unless their current studio is already around that area...
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Ex said (somewhere) that the new studio's only a few miles from the old one. There's definately evidence, both in the job postings and the press releases, that NCSoft wants to expand the dev team for the game.
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Often publishers taking over games can lead to vaste sweeping changes they feel is what we want and often is not.
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Yes but usually in this case the publisher buying the IP has not been previously involved in the running of the product. In this case the publisher [NCSoft] has been involved in the development of the IP [COX] since the alpha stage of the game.
From what I can see it appears that NCSoft is keeping the same management team that they have had for some time. They are just now having full authority over the game instead of strong suggestion authority.
But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius
List of Invention Guides
Alright, after taking a nap and having a nightmare about star destroyers then going to work, I have returned with a clear head and less Nyquill o.o
Now, here's my voice o.o
I've lived a great while of my adult life with technology, MMO's, starting from EQ to COH to TR. I've fought in both Sony Wars in SWG, I've retreated when we were in danger of occupation and the gates fell in Vanguard and King McQuid sold us to Sony after launch. I've seen DDO's failed attempts at a game, and then how the game devs decided that pvp was a good idea to fix things o.- How SWG became BH Vs Jedi. Watched as my profession of three and a half years was nerfed into a simple munition dealer, from Master Armorsmith (I was good too :P).
What have I learned from this? Game companies lie. They lie to get your money and they don't care one IOTA about you, your emotions, how much time you invested, your friends, ANYONE. Because they are a business and businessmen get PAID 
However....
In all my experiances with online games, this is by far the best, playwise, community wise, support wise and that hometown feeling wise. Never would a dev talk to me in a PM or in game in my other games. Positron actually gives me the time of day, War Witch laughed at me when i asked her out, Manticore actually read what I had to say....perhaps I'm offtrack..
ahem.
My point being is that TRUST is a hard thing for me to give anyone. I, however, trust this company with my money. I tend to pop smoke and leave when i see soe/bad things coming, or even the hint of it.
Not now. I've worked too hard and too long to let my character dissolve AGAIN into the protoplasm that is a database server.
So, Lighthouse, Ex, Posi, BAB, Jay( who is smexy apparently), everyone, Count on this Captain Amazing, despite not having the proper name, on being there each month with his accounts up and running > I'll be here until the bitter end. <nods>
<salute>
-Captain Amazing
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Often publishers taking over games can lead to vaste sweeping changes they feel is what we want and often is not.
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Yes but usually in this case the publisher buying the IP has not been previously involved in the running of the product. In this case the publisher [NCSoft] has been involved in the development of the IP [COX] since the alpha stage of the game.
From what I can see it appears that NCSoft is keeping the same management team that they have had for some time. They are just now having full authority over the game instead of strong suggestion authority.
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Besides: the Garriott brothers have personal experience with publishers screwing up a game through meddling. (*cough*Ultima9*cough*) If it were another company, I'd be worried, but I think we're safe with NCSoft.
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Some of you are looking at it as just a free month, well a month of play time is $15 then the other $35 went to development cost of the game. Essentially we paid the developement cost of a game they eventually gave away for free. Think about how that looks for a second? Yeah I know the game depreciated in value but that is besides the point, those who paid more than $15 for the other game did not just pay for a free month.
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I'm not looking at it as just a free month. I'm looking at it as I got to have access to both sides for over TWO YEARS for my 35 bucks.
Less than 50cents a day got me base access, all the costumes and the joy of bruting for the last two years.
50cents a day. I spend 5 freaking bucks on a 5shot latte plus tax.
Be well, people of CoH.
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Some of you are looking at it as just a free month, well a month of play time is $15 then the other $35 went to development cost of the game. Essentially we paid the developement cost of a game they eventually gave away for free. Think about how that looks for a second? Yeah I know the game depreciated in value but that is besides the point, those who paid more than $15 for the other game did not just pay for a free month.
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Again, I say the real test is this: if, when you bought the game, there was a big red sticker on it that said "Warning: this game will be given away for free in November of 2007!" would you have still plunked down your $35?
I would have, because I wanted to play it then, when I bought it. It's the same reason I paid $50 for The Orange Box, instead of waiting 2 or 3 years to pick it up in the bargain bin; there are some games that I don't want to wait for.
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I am not sure what I would have done in that situation, but either way it is the principle of the whole thing, some folks bought the game for base access, and extra character slots. Seriously this would be like them giving away all the collectors edition and good vs evil stuff that people paid for. It is the same thing no matter how you try to down play this. I am not asking for money at all on this, just some form of compensation either free time to play or an accolade power or a new prestige power that sets us apart from the people who did not buy both games. The debt wipe, free prestige for SG are not going to do much for me as I hardly ever die with my toons and the SGs I am in are already well off right now.
Bump and Grind Bane/SoA
Kenja No Ishi Earth/Empathy Controller
Legendary Sannin Ninja/Pain Mastermind
Entoxicated Ninja/PSN Mastermind
Ninja Ryukenden Kat/WP Scrapper
Hellish Thoughts Fire/PSI Dominator
Thank You Devs for Merits!!!!
Does this mean the "Nerfs O' Doom" will get rolled back (i.e. tank nerfs, ED, limiting the number of pets, etc...)? You could attract back a lot of players that left because of them.
I know it will never happen, but I gotta ask.
Proud member of the LEGION, and Sisterhood
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Seriously this would be like them giving away all the collectors edition and good vs evil stuff that people paid for.
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See vet rewards. They already did.
Be well, people of CoH.
NC Soft, want to really, really impress your customer base during the transition?
All people who had CoV before it was given away get a Patronage Reward!
Patronage Reward: Thanks for being a part of City of Heroes and City of Villains! Enjoy a big red ball and a pony! Players get to choose from one of two pet powers!
Big Red Ball - Bouncing red rubber ball follows wherever you go.
Pony - A pony follows you around, cuteness ensues.
And for all customers, to celebrate our new overlords we present: Carp Melee! Carp models have been added for the following weapons:
War Mace
Dual Blades
Axe
Broadsword
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Does this mean the "Nerfs O' Doom" will get rolled back (i.e. tank nerfs, ED, limiting the number of pets, etc...)?
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No.
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To comment on the "Thank you" changes, the granting of CoH or CoV to those accounts who don't have it was done with the intent of giving players more people to play with.
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Lighthouse,
What is the current percent breakdown of players who own CoH, CoV, & CoX accounts?
Just a wild guess:
CoH 45% ???
CoV 20% ???
CoX 25% ???
Just hoping the influx will lead to more demand for red side content.
Poison Pill
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(QR)
I wonder if all those people crying about being owed money return their clothes to the store when they see a shirt that they bought at full price on sale.
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There it goes again. Have to be nasty just becuase someone is expressing an opinion contrary to your own. Your analogy isn;t the same thing. The shirt vendor doesn't want to thank me for being a long time buyer but the game does. This thank you though does nothing for me personally, despite them giving something for free that I've had to buy 4 times on 4 accounts to get. There is a difference.
Also I'm not trying to get you to change your opinion. But please no reason to denigrate mine. I do have a problem, I am expressing my problem and that is all. Do I expect to really be heard by the company and its representatives. NO. But if I voice my views do I really need the people who I play with in this game and who share my mutual enoyment of it to put me down. Be fair, you don't like it or don't agree with me say so, saying that I'm crying though is just you being insulting where its unecessary.
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I wasn't talking to you specifically and wasn't trying to "insult" anyone. That was a quick reply. You're name just happened to be the one that got stuck to it. I was making a general analogy of the (appearant) thought process at the time and it is very similar. No the person selling the clothes is trying to thank you, but it's kinda the same concept. And now that you've made yourself a bit clearer in a later post I understand what you're saying, but that doesn't mean that anyone should be penalized so that you can feel better about your situation.
If they're going to unlock the game for those who have one side, then they should do just that. Although I didn't buy multiple copies of CoH/V I did buy both games. It doesn't really make much of a difference if I get anything really special or not. They really didn't have to do anything. However, I wouldn't mind getting the stuff from the CoV collectors edition as a "thank you", but if I don't I'm not gonna have a heart attack.
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NC Soft, want to really, really impress your customer base during the transition?
All people who had CoV before it was given away get a Patronage Reward!
Patronage Reward: Thanks for being a part of City of Heroes and City of Villains! Enjoy a big red ball and a pony! Players get to choose from one of two pet powers!
Big Red Ball - Bouncing red rubber ball follows wherever you go.
Pony - A pony follows you around, cuteness ensues.
And for all customers, to celebrate our new overlords we present: Carp Melee! Carp models have been added for the following weapons:
War Mace
Dual Blades
Axe
Broadsword
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...
I support these quality of life changes.
Be well, people of CoH.
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Receiving the TR updates filled with language like "let's go soldiers! on your feet marines! attennnnnnSHUN!" just made me cringe and drift off. I didn't wanna be a soldier 
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Heh, this I can agree with. I already did 6 years in the US Navy, and while I'm proud to have served... I don't wanna go through that again.
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Ditto. Army.
Not feeling so bad now about never getting around to cashing in that beta invite to TR.
This post brought to you by the Thunderfire Campaign to Out-Weird the Internet.
Score so far: Thunderfire-0, Internet-157893678
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To comment on the "Thank you" changes, the granting of CoH or CoV to those accounts who don't have it was done with the intent of giving players more people to play with.
...
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Lighthouse,
What is the current percent breakdown of players who own CoH, CoV, & CoX accounts?
Just a wild guess:
CoH 45% ???
CoV 20% ???
CoX 25% ???
Just hoping the influx will lead to more demand for red side content.
Poison Pill
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The amount of people with both has got to be more than that.
They just don't play it.
I, for one, welcome our NCSoft overlords
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CoH 45% ???
CoV 20% ???
CoX 25% ???
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You think the split is like that? Really, I'd have thought at least 80-90% would have both games. This is a minor thing which allows them to know that everyone has both games - which they already know if anyone buys them at retail now.
Personally, I love this news. Bodes very well for the future, I think.
@JohnP - Victory
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Does this mean the "Nerfs O' Doom" will get rolled back (i.e. tank nerfs, ED, limiting the number of pets, etc...)? You could attract back a lot of players that left because of them.
I know it will never happen, but I gotta ask.
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Thankfully no. I would quit the game if they rolled them back. The nerfs of doom saved the game.
But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius
List of Invention Guides
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CoH 45% ???
CoV 20% ???
CoX 25% ???
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You think the split is like that? Really, I'd have thought at least 80-90% would have both games. This is a minor thing which allows them to know that everyone has both games - which they already know if anyone buys them at retail now.
Personally, I love this news. Bodes very well for the future, I think.
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Yeah it is strongly implied by an answer of Lighthouses that the number that don't have both is very low. Probably in the 10% - 20% range would be my guess.
But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius
List of Invention Guides
Happy birthday Terra
Thank you.
But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius
List of Invention Guides
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Receiving the TR updates filled with language like "let's go soldiers! on your feet marines! attennnnnnSHUN!" just made me cringe and drift off. I didn't wanna be a soldier
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Heh, this I can agree with. I already did 6 years in the US Navy, and while I'm proud to have served... I don't wanna go through that again.
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Haha ditto 
I just got out last year though.
I also hated that I couldn't use my controller. I had to take the time to map every (useful) action to my controller through the controllers profiler. I had to do that for Guild Wars too, but it wasn't nearly as bad...
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For me, I've had the feeling that since Statesman left "the powers that be" have been treating CoH and CoV as 1 game. The press release just confirms that the suit wearing bean counters think that way.
For the record: IMO What is good for CoH, isn't necessarily good for CoV. The games should be thought of separately, and should have fully staffed teams assigned to each.
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They're one game codebase and one overarching game world. I, for one, want them handled by one team. I think the separations they have were a fairly serious flaw and still need to be addressed.
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PS: So MUO gets Statesman, Synapse and Manticore, and CoH gets Back Ally Brawler and Positron? And you call that a even deal?
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Manticore does not work for Cryptic these days and hasn't for a long time. Given where this game has gone without Statesman's hands on the steering wheel (just directing from the back seat) yes, I'm fantastically satisfied with getting Positron, BaB and Posi (let alone our other rednames and the staff who lack a forum presence). IMO, since Statesman and at least one other redname we know stopped being involved in CoH/CoV day-to-day progress the game has done nothing but improve. Correlation is not causation and all, but I find that compelling.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA