my hats off to the surviving 15. It is quite impressive since there were some awesome issues in 2007 and to have actually stuck through with CoH in that madness. I'm sure it wasn't easy and it makes me all that more dedicated to sticking you the devs and CoH. If i ever run into one of you, you got a nights of free drinks waiting for ya. Thank you.
Impressive.
Most impressive.
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/e JamesEarlJones "Impressive." /JamesEarlJones
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Fixed that for you 
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
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3. BAB's animation minion
4. BAB's animation minion
5. Castle's powers minion
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Sidekicks or Lackeys sound more appropriate.
Why Blasters? Empathy Sucks.
So, you want to be Mental?
What the hell? Let's buff defenders.
Tactics are for those who do not have a big enough hammer. Wisdom is knowing how big your hammer is.
Wow, color me impressed. I never would have imagined that there were so few people behind the scenes making it all happen.
Kudos to the FREEM Fifteen!
"Always remember that you're unique -- just like everybody else."
What is really amazing is how well you guys did with only 15. Many of us feel that the last year has been the best year of CoX, and all with only 15 people. Good stuff.
Types of Swords
My Portfolio
My hats off to you as well guys, been short staffed is always a "female dog" but you have carried yourselves well and handled us overly caffanated gamers pretty well to boot, kudos to you all....now back to work!!
Unit 609-1231 mk VII lvl 50 Stalker claws/EA
BlazingWing lvl 50 Blaster Fire/Fire/Fire
My hats off to the devs. They brought me back in I9 after taking a break in I5. You've got my yearly subscriptions going and reinvented my love for this game.
That....and I bought a computer that could play the game after my old one died >_>
@Mojo-
Proud Member of Fusion Force.
<QR>
This is really impressive. But I have one question -
Where's your QA guy? 
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3. BAB's animation minion
4. BAB's animation minion
5. Castle's powers minion
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Sidekicks or Lackeys sound more appropriate.
[/ QUOTE ]
I believe Castle has two new sidekicks then, not just one. I keep having to resist making jokes about them being there to rub his feet and make him coffee, but I'm sure they're actually also great guys. It'd be cool if this new hiring meant we got to hear from new people too. 
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<QR>
This is really impressive. But I have one question -
Where's your QA guy?
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90% sure QA is handled out of Austin.
"Trust me, it worked in the Simpsons." - Calash
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Lighthouse and Ex Libris are design support?
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No, the (Design Support) tag was only referencing Blue Steel. BaB didn't feel the need to qualify LH's and Ex's jobs since, well, we're pretty familiar with what they do. 
/em banstickreact
@Catwhoorg "Rule of Three - Finale" Arc# 1984
@Mr Falkland Islands"A Nation Goes Rogue" Arc# 2369 "Toasters and Pop Tarts" Arc#116617
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Always with CoH to the bitter end:
1. Positron
2. BAB
3. Castle
4. Ghost Widow
5. War Witch
6. JLove
7. Ken Morse (Art Lead)
8. Graham
9. Brian Clayton (Production, General Manager)
10. Mynx (Producer)
11. Ghost Falcon (Producer)
12. Lighthouse (Community Rep)
13. Ex Libris (Community Relations)
14. Blue Steel (design support)
15. Richard (AP/Build Engineer)
16. Ross (Marketing)
17. Mike Apolis (Mapolis, art dept.)
Moved Out Before the Bitter End, but Came Back to NorCal:
1. pohsyb
2. Garth
3. Manticore (part time story consultant at NC Austin)
Familiars Who Moved Out Before the Bitter End:
1. Ian
2. Ravenstorm
3. Nick Duguid
4. Captain Mako (Shane Hensley)
5. Old_Lord_Recluse (Zeb Cook)
6. Lord_Recluse (Serdar Corpur)
7. Constellation (Brian Gilmore)
8. Geko (Al Rivera)
9. Archon Voss (Thomas Foss)
10. Statesman (Jack Emmert)
11-41. Unfamilar programmers and artists listed in the CoV credits whom we never interacted with on the boards.
Also, on the NCSoft Community Rep side, we've lost a few familar names: CuppaJo, Alexa, Aura, Arctic_Sun, Awry (who is married to Manticore and played Sister Psyche at the Live Valentine Event!), Cricket, etc....
New Hires at NorCal
1. Jimmy the IT Guy
2. Hero 1 (story bible)
3. BAB's animation minion
4. BAB's animation minion
5. Castle's powers minion
6. Don Pham (environmental/3D artist)
7-8. Moderators 11 and 419?
BAB,
Confirmation on these please:
Ex Libris looked over my list of Devs and so I thought that Ravenstorm, Mike Apolis, SuperMartin (Martin Simpson), The Dark Watcher, and Vince D'Amelio, came over to NorCal with you, no? (Of course, The Dark Watcher and Ghost Widow have never revealed their RL identities, so, there could be some overlap in this list ).
And so, there is now both a Garth and a Graham at NorCal? (Neither appear in the CoV credits, so they both are pretty new-ish).
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Good summary, Zombie.
You know what I came away from this with? (Besides dangling prepositional phrases?) It's the fact that, even after being pared down from 60 to 15, I've enjoyed the CONTENT far more since CoV's release than before it. And last year's issue releases were (with some logistic exceptions on the Hami revision) superlative. STF/LRSFs, the RWZ in its entirety, the 2nd Rikti War, Ouroboros (and I was prepared to hate that issue)...
My hat's off to you guys. I dub you the Freemin' Fifteen. Your updated battle cry is "Zounds!" Please take the time to set this up on all of your toons.
@TURGENEV - Freedom Server / IRON / B.A.N.E / HORDE
Turg Fiction: Ghost in the Machine Acts III & IV coming 2012!
Turg Fiction: IX is now LIVE on Architect Entertainment!
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BAB was leading probably only one or two people in looking after animations (he'd need someone else to hold the camera while he swung his sword around - bow wow chicka chicka bow wow! ;-), SexyJay probably had costume design all to himself or as part of a small art team (two or three people).
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I've actually been the sole animator and FX artist since Issue 8. So glad to say that's no longer the case XD
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So who filmed you with the taped sticks? :P
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Tripod.
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Now I understand why you hesitate to show us said video. :P
I knew the CoX staff had been pretty small for a while, but I never would have guessed 15 as that magic number. What impresses me the most is that these few, very dedicated individuals came out with the best three issues since release (that being I9-I11), all the while having a very healthy interaction with the community. Their dedication is above and beyond any other dev team I have ever run across. So the real question boils down to this: If CoX can create such great content as quickly as they do with only 15 or so people, what's WoWs excuse?
Cyclone Jack
-= idspispopd =-
[size=1]Arc ID: 3155 - Project Prometheus (Seeking Feedback, now with less invalidation)[/size]
To think that 15 people have not only maintained but advanced such a stellar game is an accomplishment deserving of praise and recognition. I, for one, gladly bow to our old game masters. Or, to sum it up, your efforts have been...
Abso-smurfly Fan-Freemin'-Tastic
My mind wanders so often you've probably seen its picture on milk cartons. - Me... the first person version of the third person Steelclaw
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Holy... I knew the CoH team was small, but 15 people?! I never imagined it'd be that tiny. Good lord.
Hats off to you guys, you had me fooled. You guys have been packing so much into recent issues I thought there were more of you behind the scenes than that.
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Could be worse. the Auran staff on the Trainz franchise is 3 people. :-)
Well, I guess Jack was full of hot air when he insisted CoH was still going strong because LOOK! Cryptic is hiring. Ah, well. A Sam always forgives. But he never forgets.
Just the same, it's amazing how much cool stuff 15 people have been able to come up with. What perplexes me is what others have mentioned, as well - the content the Surviving 15 came up with was superior in every way to the all the content that came before. The last few Issues, even if I may not agree with all that was added, were easily the best thing that's happened to the game, by far. Well, after the addition of CoV, but that's a little more than "an Issue"
My hat's off to you, guys, for being able to do so much pretty much each on his or her own. Amazing work out there. While your team was being downsized, all I kept thinking was how this game was only getting better and better. Sure had me fooled!
I'd also like to address specific thanks to BaBs for taking SO much time out of his life to post on the forums and keep us all informed and involved. I'd also like to thank him for being so cool as to accept AND respond to PMs, and do so with surprising speed. Hell, I had one PM answered within something like 15 minutes of sending it. Plus, it takes a REAL man to be called BaBs and still keep going strong
And, of course, I have to thank Castle, as well, for braving the frustration of being the fall guy for every whine on the board and proudly wearing the bullseye with dignity and stoicism while still keeping us well informed of not just the bottom line, but also why it was decided on.
Yeah, doom or no doom, I think we may well have the best development team ever
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Pohsyb had also been moved off of CoH/CoV but we managed to sneak him out and take him with us.
[/ QUOTE ]
What'd you do? Have FedEx come in and cart off his box?
Be well, people of CoH.
[ QUOTE ]
Always with CoH to the bitter end:
1. Positron
2. BAB
3. Castle
4. Ghost Widow
5. War Witch
6. JLove
7. Ken Morse (Art Lead)
8. Graham
9. Brian Clayton (Production, General Manager)
10. Mynx (Producer)
11. Ghost Falcon (Producer)
12. Lighthouse (Community Rep)
13. Ex Libris (Community Relations)
14. Blue Steel (design support)
15. Richard (AP/Build Engineer)
16. Ross (Marketing)
17. Mike Apolis (Mapolis, art dept.)
Moved Out Before the Bitter End, but Came Back to NorCal:
1. pohsyb
2. Garth
3. Manticore (part time story consultant at NC Austin)
Familiars Who Moved Out Before the Bitter End:
1. Ian
2. Ravenstorm
3. Nick Duguid
4. Captain Mako (Shane Hensley)
5. Old_Lord_Recluse (Zeb Cook)
6. Lord_Recluse (Serdar Corpur)
7. Constellation (Brian Gilmore)
8. Geko (Al Rivera)
9. Archon Voss (Thomas Foss)
10. Statesman (Jack Emmert)
11-41. Unfamilar programmers and artists listed in the CoV credits whom we never interacted with on the boards.
Also, on the NCSoft Community Rep side, we've lost a few familar names: CuppaJo, Alexa, Aura, Arctic_Sun, Awry (who is married to Manticore and played Sister Psyche at the Live Valentine Event!), Cricket, etc....
New Hires at NorCal
1. Jimmy the IT Guy
2. Hero 1 (story bible)
3. BAB's animation minion
4. BAB's animation minion
5. Castle's powers minion
6. Don Pham (environmental/3D artist)
7-8. Moderators 11 and 419?
BAB,
Confirmation on these please:
Ex Libris looked over my list of Devs and so I thought that Ravenstorm, Mike Apolis, SuperMartin (Martin Simpson), The Dark Watcher, and Vince D'Amelio, came over to NorCal with you, no? (Of course, The Dark Watcher and Ghost Widow have never revealed their RL identities, so, there could be some overlap in this list ).
And so, there is now both a Garth and a Graham at NorCal? (Neither appear in the CoV credits, so they both are pretty new-ish).
[/ QUOTE ]
That's all production staff, but I imagine there's also some support staff? An office manager (so everyone gets their pens and paperclips), some kind of HR person and Bob from accounting (so everyone can get a paycheck), for example?
Gothika (Grav/Kin) Marionette (Ill/Rad) Terra Firma (Earth/Storm) Alana Dale (Arch/Nrg)
Iceblink (Ice/Dark) Fantasia (Mind/Fire) Shadow Minx (Claws/Nin)
--Virtue
Props, FREEM Fifteen!
Wait'a'second!
If they pulled off that all the great stuff we got after being downsized to 15.... just think what we could get if it was only 2 people!
SexyJay on costumes.
And someone to make sure the servers are running.
/endcrazy
In all seriousness though, you guys rock.
To right the countless wrongs of our day, we shine the light of true redemption, that this place may become as paradise. What a wonderful world such would be....
I'm sorry what was that, I couldn't hear you over my TRAGIC PAST!!
I will add my grats to everyone here as well.
Now knowing the staff was at only 15, it does explain quite a few things and the direction the game has taken.
The Devs literally did a lot with a little.
While I don't know how many it would take to normally run and produce content for a game such as this. Their contribution is well noted and much appreciated.
Thanks to all the Dev's for their work on a great game.
Member of Team Awesome���
Justice Server
I also give my salute to the awesome efforts of the Surviving 15!
You have my sincerest thanks for helping to support a game that has been my main hobby for about 5 years running now. (A record for me!)
I am so glad you are getting an oppurtunity to expand and hopefully realize visions of the game that before seemed next to impossible. I hope that also that the reinvestment pays itself off every penny for the incredible work that will be put into it.
I hope the new people come to understand the intense work ethic that guided you through those rough times, and see that even though there is more people to shoulder the load that this is certainly not a time to be taking it easier. That even though you have gained more than twice your numbers you may still be working twice as hard as before in order to make this the best game you can. A game you not only love to work on, but also love to play and be involved with all the way down to the most basic community level.
There is new challenges and competition ahead. Yet I have stayed firm in the support of the developement community that has seen us this far. I look forward to more to come, and with each issue to be just as incredibly awed by it as I was the one before... or more so. (You guys have done so before with me and others. I do hope you can do it again!)
Thank you so very much for sticking with us, and making this a great game.
I will stick with you and continue to be an avid player.
To the Surviving 15.
May the next generation of heroic developers find inspiration from your achievements!
x Jeremy M.
Global Handle: @JeremyM
City of Heroes LiveJournal Community