NCsoft President Speaks on Publisher's Future

NCsoft's new President Chris Chung was recently interviewed by Philip Kollar at 1up.com.

Chris discusses some of the recent announcements of 2008 plus some hints at future product development.
Read the full article here!


Use this thread to discuss!

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Your link to 1up.com (the first one, not the article) is broken.

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*Crosses Fingers to no PS3 CoH*

Edit: Also, DANGIT! So close to getting the first after a redname. One of these days. . . ohhh one of these days.

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Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

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Doom.

Yep.

This is really doom.

While I am admittedly hesitant about the idea of a PS3 port of Co*... it may be a good idea to incorporate a stable platform for gaming and a mass of people that haven't played it yet, infusing the game with more people (and maybe new servers? One could hope) and more money to give everyone even more awesomeness... Like perhaps grappling/wire/web/etc-you-get-the-idea slinging power set...

please note the "may" portion of this post, of course.

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August 31, 2012. A Day that will Live in Infamy. Or Information. Possibly Influence. Well, Inf, anyway. Thank you, Paragon Studios, for what you did, and the enjoyment and camaraderie you brought.
This is houtex, aka Mike, signing off the forums. G'night all. - 10/26/2012
Well... perhaps I was premature about that whole 'signing off' thing... - 11-9-2012

From the article:

[ QUOTE ]

1UP: We've heard that NCSoft's newest studio in California is dedicated both to maintaining the City of Heroes franchise and to working on PS3 development. So would it be a great leap to expect City of Heroes-related content on the PS3?
Chung: [laughs] I can't tell you specifically, but yes, we are reviewing all our titles. In my opinion, there are a number of titles in our portfolio that are really suitable for consoles, and City of Heroes is one of them. But we're looking at all of our products.


[/ QUOTE ]

So. My question at this juncture is this: All those new hires? How many of them are working on THIS game, right here? Half, all, none? And how many of the pre-NC^2 team are still workign on THIS game?

NOTE .... by "this game", I mean the current PC-based City of Heroes ... not a console 'port, not Co*2, not anything else except the game I could play if I fired up my CoH client on a PC.

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[ QUOTE ]
From the article:

[ QUOTE ]

1UP: We've heard that NCSoft's newest studio in California is dedicated both to maintaining the City of Heroes franchise and to working on PS3 development. So would it be a great leap to expect City of Heroes-related content on the PS3?
Chung: [laughs] I can't tell you specifically, but yes, we are reviewing all our titles. In my opinion, there are a number of titles in our portfolio that are really suitable for consoles, and City of Heroes is one of them. But we're looking at all of our products.


[/ QUOTE ]

So. My question at this juncture is this: All those new hires? How many of them are working on THIS game, right here? Half, all, none? And how many of the pre-NC^2 team are still workign on THIS game?

NOTE .... by "this game", I mean the current PC-based City of Heroes ... not a console 'port, not Co*2, not anything else except the game I could play if I fired up my CoH client on a PC.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everyone in the NCNC offices are currently working on City of Heroes, there have been no announcements regarding console development. This includes our latest new hire in the art department.

Regards,

Ex

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Thank you very much for the answer, Ex; I was fully prepared for either total silence or "we can't reveal that just now". The fact that the answer is also an extremely reassuring one, is just pure gravy. ^_^

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[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe he's talking about a non-MMO version of CoH? Think of something like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, or a full out action game like Jedi Knight, or a RTS of the Rikti War!
Maybe a normal turn based RPG in the vein of Final Fantasy or side scrolling beat-em-up al-a Final Fight.
Heck, maybe a vs fighting game like Street Fighter! I'd even take a side scrolling action game on the Nintendo DS (I know someone on the fourms has an avatar of the Freedom Phalanx in 8-bit graphics, and that avatar is pure win).

A console version of CoH doesn't have to be an MMO.

After seeing the teaser stuff on Halo Wars for the XBox 360, I'd kill to have something like that of the Rikti War, or Brass Monday, or heck, even the Longbow/Arachnos battles in Siren's Call.

Edit: Well, dang. Seeing Ex's post, there go my dreams of a Rikti War RTS.

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I sit in my zen of not being able to do anything right while simultaniously not being able to do anything wrong. Om. -CuppaJo
It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning. It is by caffeine alone that I set my mind in motion.

[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually ...

... my Xbox 360 could do a passable job of running Co* (relatie RAM shortage aside). Control-wise, I mean. This product covers the Keyboard needs; the panoply of other buttons on any '360 controller gives you a wide range of options for activating powers ... and that's all without altering the UI at all, just putting an interpreter between the controller and the current UI.

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe he's talking about a non-MMO version of CoH? Think of something like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, or a full out action game like Jedi Knight, or a RTS of the Rikti War!
Maybe a normal turn based RPG in the vein of Final Fantasy or side scrolling beat-em-up al-a Final Fight.
Heck, maybe a vs fighting game like Street Fighter! I'd even take a side scrolling action game on the Nintendo DS (I know someone on the fourms has an avatar of the Freedom Phalanx in 8-bit graphics, and that avatar is pure win).

A console version of CoH doesn't have to be an MMO.

After seeing the teaser stuff on Halo Wars for the XBox 360, I'd kill to have something like that of the Rikti War, or Brass Monday, or heck, even the Longbow/Arachnos battles in Siren's Call.

Edit: Well, dang. Seeing Ex's post, there go my dreams of a Rikti War RTS.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's weird, cause I've always seen the Rikti as a perfect blend of Zerg and Protoss, and Heroes circa the first Rikti War as Terrans.

The Rikti have two sources of cheap, swarmable offenses (that we know about) in the monkeys and the drones, and the actual soldiers have the eliteness (and psionic) stats I've always associated with the 'Toss.

Calling Heroes Terrans is a very simple simplifcation (Though AR Blasters, Fire Blasters, EM/Inv for Siege Tanks, etc etc...) but still.

Hmm, the more and more I think about this, the more and more I like a CoH RTS....

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Arc #345863 - When The Bough Breaks
"Curse you Perry the Plata...wait, is that Love Handel?" - Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Phineas and Ferb

Or a console could be on it's own server, or be CoH/V2, or be World of Heroes... it wouldn't have to be commingled with the PC gamers... but it might... but nothing's happened.... yet... soon... maybe never.... soon....

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually ...

... my Xbox 360 could do a passable job of running Co* (relatie RAM shortage aside). Control-wise, I mean. This product covers the Keyboard needs; the panoply of other buttons on any '360 controller gives you a wide range of options for activating powers ... and that's all without altering the UI at all, just putting an interpreter between the controller and the current UI.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I'm sure. I'm just hesitant. If any resources are diverted from the real CoH to power this abomination, it would be a tragedy. Things seem so very good now that NCSoft has taken over. I'd hate to see it go to waste.

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Doom.

Yep.

This is really doom.

Actually, every now and then whip out my 360 controlelr and use it with CoH. With Street Wolf, at least, it worked pretty well.

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[ QUOTE ]
If any resources are diverted from the real CoH to power this abomination, it would be a tragedy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Consider this:

If it was a full on console port enabling PS3 players to join in on current servers, the following "resources" are already in place:

Art
Story
Missions
The servers themselves
Powers
Enemies
Zones

The "only" thing that would need to be done is to make it "work on the PS3" (which I know is not trivial), and design a UI that works with a console.

The kinds of resources that would be diverted aren't likely to be the kinds that we benefit from, in a "give us more cool stuff" sense. You don't need to rebalance AT's on a new platform. You don't need to rebuild atlas park. You don't need to redraw all the textures. you don't need to add any new missions, powers, AT's, or mobs.

You just need to lay the (very signifigant) groundwork and get the users logged in.

At that point, it prints money. Money that gets you more...

Art
Story
Missions
Powers
Enemies
Zones

Also, I wonder why you adamantly use the term abomination? What is "bad" in and of itself about a PS3 port of COH, besides it's possible impact on the development of regular COH? Would you feel the same way about a Mac port? Or a Linux Port?

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Mission Arc: Metatronic Mayhem (Id 1750): A tale of robots gone wrong, rogue robots gone right, and madmen gone every which way but loose.

I am excited for Chris Chung and his lead role for NCSoft. I admire that he shares a common view of his predecessors and wants to take Co* even further. I however do not want to see our current gaming experience lessened by developments that take away from our current way of playing this game.

If a port to PS3 were opened sucessfully, I agree that it would blow the game wide open to many people who aren't currently exposed via PC conventions. It would increase the MMO part of the MMORPG and open new opportunities for meeting new gamers.

Unfortunately I have to ask a question about the psychological makeup of an individual who plays solo on a console. Would they adapt to playing with others or would the Co* Soloists (read antisocial) increase.

In short, as long as I can still play the game on my PC, have fun, and maybe meet some new friends, then Great!

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I really hope that CoH isn't transitioned to a console friendly format, or if it is, that the PC side of it isn't changed to compensate.

The last time I saw that happen was with Star Wars Galaxies. They tried to "streamline" the game for a console release to make it simpler to play with a controller and it was a terrible train wreck.

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually ...

... my Xbox 360 could do a passable job of running Co* (relatie RAM shortage aside). Control-wise, I mean. This product covers the Keyboard needs; the panoply of other buttons on any '360 controller gives you a wide range of options for activating powers ... and that's all without altering the UI at all, just putting an interpreter between the controller and the current UI.

[/ QUOTE ]

I play CoH with my 360 game pad and have used a game pad since I started playing in '04. At this point my PC is getting long in the tooth and the game doesn't run all the great anymore. If a port came out for the PS3 that played on the same servers I would buy a PS3 in a heart beat to get the game.

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@Sunstroke
The Pillars of Might: http://pillarsofmight.guildportal.com

funny that i should come to this thread to find a discussion focused on this one part of the article.. not about the future of games or new titles or anything else. (for the most part anyhoo)

granted.. it's the same thing i was coming here to talk about, but first...

congratulations to Chris Chung! have fun in the new role!! and i like the part about focusing on customer awareness/satisfaction!


but as far as a console port goes.. sure it would be cool, but the PS3? really? i understand it's technically better than the 360, but the online community/service is undoubtedly better on 360. granted, it may be because the Marvel MMO is supposed to be (maybe?) coming out for 360, so maybe a conflict of properties thing?

either way.. in order to have a console version, i would imagine there would have to be a whole new team to take care of that side of things. so, while we wouldn't see any negative impact.. it would be awhile before it would be feasible to do, i would think.

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[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, CoH on a console. What an abomination.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm curious to how it would work...given the amount of powers you acquire...though my friend uses his 360 controller when playing FF11

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Heh, we just had a chat about doing this on the PS3 over in the Tech forums....

[ QUOTE ]
I really hope that CoH isn't transitioned to a console friendly format, or if it is, that the PC side of it isn't changed to compensate.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ditto - though I feel pretty safe that it won't. I think they could keep a lot of what makes this game great (sidekicking, massive costume choices, sidekicking, exciting combat, sidekicking, and maybe even demo recording). They'll have to make some major changes, though. Zones and even many missions will have to be shrunk way down or a load-as-you-go scheme (like Oblivion's) will have to be put in. Also, the powers are going to have to be chopped down heavily or many of them will have to be conveted to always-on powers. 26 powers plus accolades plus temp powers is going to be too much, IMHO.

And it's not all limits, either. PS3 controllers have the movement sensor thing we haven't got. If a use can be found for that, great! (Just don't force it in.)

The keyboard is nice but how many people have one? How many would be willing to buy one? Does it work very well sitting at a couch or in a recliner chair?

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[ QUOTE ]
While I am admittedly hesitant about the idea of a PS3 port of Co*... it may be a good idea to incorporate a stable platform for gaming and a mass of people that haven't played it yet, infusing the game with more people (and maybe new servers? One could hope) and more money to give everyone even more awesomeness... Like perhaps grappling/wire/web/etc-you-get-the-idea slinging power set...

please note the "may" portion of this post, of course.

[/ QUOTE ]I think this could be very sweet for Coh! Plus the old timers can talk about the good old days. Remember the days before they flattened the leveling curve? Leveling was tough!

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<QR> : My thoughts are directed at the ideas presented, not so much the players posting.

[ QUOTE ]
Unfortunately I have to ask a question about the psychological makeup of an individual who plays solo on a console. Would they adapt to playing with others or would the Co* Soloists (read antisocial) increase.

[/ QUOTE ]

I own a Nintendo DS, a Playstation 2, a Gamecube, a Nintendo 64, and an NES. I play many games on these, mostly alone.

As a solo console player who has PUG'd 2 characters to 50, and "SG teamed" another, I suspect that pigeonholing console purchasers of the game as soloists might be a bit of an overkill.

After all, the PC is home to a vertable bevy of Solo-play software, often with "online multiplayer" tagged on not as a core feature, but as a bonus.

After all, what kind of player buys an MMO to solo? I imagine that on a console this answer is probably about the same as on a PC.

[ QUOTE ]
I really hope that CoH isn't transitioned to a console friendly format, or if it is, that the PC side of it isn't changed to compensate.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with the second half of this quote. COHs current UI should remain an option for ALL players.

However, I wouldn't mind seeing a more streamlined UI made optionally available, again, to all players.

Honestly, the UI work on this game is, in my estimate, above par. There are elements I would do differently, but all in all, it gets an excellent grade from me.

As far as the core game mechanics are concerned, I don't think you even need to worry. For them to "gut" the gameplay of this game for the sake of "new console players" would throw away literally YEARS of balance work, powers work, and design work on the ancilliary game systems. I'm almost sure that the introduction of a console version would NEVER mean PC users "losing" anything.

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Mission Arc: Metatronic Mayhem (Id 1750): A tale of robots gone wrong, rogue robots gone right, and madmen gone every which way but loose.

<AR>

I wouldn't mind seeing COH on the PS3 if it rquired them to rewrite the games core engine to do it. Particularly if they put a new team to doing that rewrite. So many things it needs an upgrade for.

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But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius

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You know, it's really a shame NCSoft canned Auto Assault. I always felt the combat in that game would've worked much better on a console. Of course, Tabula Rasa has very similar combat, so maybe this goal to port games over to the PS3 will really be in that title's favor.

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