Devs, You have a Golden Opportunity!
By
Aliana Blue,
Posted on: 2010-01-27 15:26 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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The forums or the game? Or both? |
Originally Posted by Vega
Never mind. It's ugly over there.
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Pft, what does that marker jockey know? He drew his concept art for GR half a year ago and is now working on I18.|
Originally Posted by The_Killbot_5000
The timing of this is the coolest thing. David Nakayama has already posted that a 'ton' of more info on GR would be forthcoming in the near future, so...!
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You know nothing David! NOTHING!!
You think he'll fall for it?
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CO seems to be doing a fine job of driving people back to CoH without any help from NCSoft.
So much so I could almost convince myself that CO is actually an extremely ambitious viral marketing campaign for CoH. Right now it wouldn't surprise me that much if CO announced they were shutting down the same day NCSoft confirmed the release date for Going Rogue.
Seriously, I'm only half kidding.
I read the HGL boards a lot before the crash of the game, and the boards being taken down. It all started just like it is over on the CO boards.
The really sad thing, is I feel like those who left CoX for CO are also getting what they deserve. I know this is a consumer world, and there is no real brand loyalty to most, but many of us did stay loyal. It is going to be really interesting to see how some of those people come back.
Reading to CO boards today, I saw a lot of names that I knew.
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Weeping and ashamed would be my guess |
Originally Posted by Zyphoid
It is going to be really interesting to see how some of those people come back.
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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This may be a bit Pavlovian, but sometimes I wonder if this isn't, in some small part, the fault of those that "stayed loyal" (I didn't, I took a long break between issues 5 and 10, and another longish one later on). Let me explain:|
Originally Posted by Zyphoid
I know this is a consumer world, and there is no real brand loyalty to most, but many of us did stay loyal.
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I think Cryptic learned the wrong lessons from City of Heroes. If you look at it, it started with a very "standard" MMOG development cycle. Initial release, issues with extra content, probably a lot of work involved in them. After the initial peak of suscribers, the numbers went down noticeably, but afterwards were pretty stable.
Enter City of Villains. Again, a large spike in sales and extra income, then the suscriptions stabilized. They did a ROI analysis and decided to put CoH/V on life support for a while and move on to greener pastures. But, to their surprise... The numbers stayed. Little new "woah!" content and noticeably less effort to support the game, but the suscriptions stayed.
So the equation was simple: Box release + skeleton crew = (Big bucks, quick ROI). Why bother making free content and work hard to put improvements in the game? Their previous experience told them it wasn't that important, after all.
In CO they're testing just how much they can get away with THAT. Then, since they already have the initial box release money (plus those that got suckered into the long suscriptions), why not throw Microtransactions into the mix? After all, what happens to the suscriber numbers in between box releases isn't very important, when you're spending very little money on maintaining it and the main investment/return is all around the boxed sets. And everyone's doing it anyway. Faster expansions? Hardly surprising, it's all about getting those shiny new boxes and looking at the money roll in.
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fix'd|
Originally Posted by NightshadeLegree
CO seems to be doing a fine job of driving people back to CoH without any help from NCSoft.
So much so I could almost convince myself that CO is actually an extremely ambitious viral marketing campaign for CoH. Right now it wouldn't surprise me that much if CO announced they were merging their servers with STO and transferring accounts so they can claim a large STO subscription rate, the same day NCSoft confirmed the release date for Going Rogue. Seriously, I'm only half kidding. |
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If all those years in close proximity to the aroma of marker pens has anything to say about it...yes. |
Originally Posted by Zombie Man
You know nothing David! NOTHING!!
You think he'll fall for it? |
K5K - The Killbot 5000
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Cryptic has mentioned before that they want to be in the business of making MMOs. Notice the plurality of that statement. |
Originally Posted by Aliana Blue
This may be a bit Pavlovian, but sometimes I wonder if this isn't, in some small part, the fault of those that "stayed loyal" (I didn't, I took a long break between issues 5 and 10, and another longish one later on). Let me explain:
I think Cryptic learned the wrong lessons from City of Heroes. If you look at it, it started with a very "standard" MMOG development cycle. Initial release, issues with extra content, probably a lot of work involved in them. After the initial peak of suscribers, the numbers went down noticeably, but afterwards were pretty stable. Enter City of Villains. Again, a large spike in sales and extra income, then the suscriptions stabilized. They did a ROI analysis and decided to put CoH/V on life support for a while and move on to greener pastures. But, to their surprise... The numbers stayed. Little new "woah!" content and noticeably less effort to support the game, but the suscriptions stayed. So the equation was simple: Box release + skeleton crew = (Big bucks, quick ROI). Why bother making free content and work hard to put improvements in the game? Their previous experience told them it wasn't that important, after all. In CO they're testing just how much they can get away with THAT. Then, since they already have the initial box release money (plus those that got suckered into the long suscriptions), why not throw Microtransactions into the mix? After all, what happens to the suscriber numbers in between box releases isn't very important, when you're spending very little money on maintaining it and the main investment/return is all around the boxed sets. And everyone's doing it anyway. Faster expansions? Hardly surprising, it's all about getting those shiny new boxes and looking at the money roll in. |
This is how I see it:
CO was Cryptic pandering to its old fan base gullible enough to follow (when Cryptic didn't get the turnout they expected, they fished CoH forums). Cryptic never had any intention of dedicating themselves solely to CO, it was the skeletal framework for their failed marvel MMO and they figured that they'd use it in order to accumulate a cash flow for their next big project, STO.
I'm surprised anyone is willing to throw cash at any new cryptic project.
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Well if so far they've managed to get a substantial ROI i don't see why they wouldn't. If the investors make back their investment and get a healthy profit it doesn't matter if the game collapses 2-3 years later. By then Cryptic has moved on to their next MMOs and the money is still coming in. Eventually gamers may become leery of any game associated with Cryptic, but it's possible that could go on for many years. There have been other game publishers that continue churning out licensed games that are usually garbage for over a decade and continue to this day. Eventually Cryptic might get a bad enough reputation that new shiny syndrome won't be enough anymore, but by that point they've made their money and the investors move on...
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Originally Posted by Tokyo
I'm surprised anyone is willing to throw cash at any new cryptic project.
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Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...
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No, not carpe diem. We need to go farther than seizing the day.|
Originally Posted by The_Killbot_5000
Carpe Diem!
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Carpe Jugulum!
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt
There are some awesome Roper/Cryptic picture sigs turning up over there right now
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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You just won an interwebs :P
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Originally Posted by Fleeting Whisper
No, not carpe diem. We need to go farther than seizing the day.
Carpe Jugulum! |
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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I've played the STO beta and it is blatantly a mass-produced game built with an engine that was designed for CO rather than Star Trek. The reviews will be brutal and fandom can only get them so far.
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Originally Posted by NarfMann
After playing STO, I now understand CO. They put it out with so much promise so they could sell lifetime subs to have enough money to speed up the development of Star Trek, which they expect to be successful.
I think CO was just a fundraiser for STO, and I'm okay with that. |
A game is not supposed to be some kind of... place where people enjoy themselves!
I played STO once in CB and 2 or 3 times during open beta. I honestly dont understand why people like it. The only thing it has going for it is the music. The gameplay is choppy... and feels like a game made in the early 90's. None of Cryptics games are made with love... they lack heart, and that will be their biggest short coming.
:edit:
I also hate that CO and STO are on the same server, share the same chat channels, and have that stupid retarded Name@global: said crap.
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Well, there was one - but it took the heart of Cryptic with it |
Originally Posted by Perfect_Pain
None of Cryptics games are made with love... they lack heart
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Maybe they just want to run games long enough to make a bit of profit before selling it to someone else.
We know the content range and number of zones the CO pack is covering. NCSoft could just put out info on the number of zones and level range they have covered in the forthcoming GR. Even if it's just names of zones and such. Nothing that's really going to change before the expansion pack is out.
"Hey, we have an expansion pack coming out that's going to cover level 37-40 and adds a new zone!!!"
"Oh really. We got an expansion pack coming out with 2 new powersets, an alternate universe with 4 zones and covers 1-40. Levels 40-50 will be added in the next issue update just like we did for CoH and CoV. Oh, and the 40-50 update will be for free like the originals were."
"Yeah, but our expansion pack will be cheaper!!!"
"We've put out more content in a free patch than that so called expansion pack."
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Doesn't seem necessary. Looks as if their own player base is doing it for us. |
Originally Posted by DumpleBerry
We all know it's completely cool with Cryptic to pimp and shill on other hero MMO boards--I'm sure they won't mind if we just all start offering Trial and Returning Player codes on their boards.
I'd be happy to provide this service. |
Our news update was on Friday last week. Hopefully we will get another today.
Sermon
@sermon
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Unfortunately, this isn't true, from what we've been told. Praetoria may only cover 1-20 with some content for side-switching above that and some "end game" content. And the two new sets.
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Originally Posted by Amy_Amp
"Oh really. We got an expansion pack coming out with 2 new powersets, an alternate universe with 4 zones and covers 1-40. Levels 40-50 will be added in the next issue update just like we did for CoH and CoV. Oh, and the 40-50 update will be for free like the originals were."
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Agua Man lvl 48 Water/Electric Blaster
"To die hating NCSoft for shutting down City of Heroes, that was Freedom."
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Yup.|
Originally Posted by Perfect_Pain
None of Cryptics games are made with love... they lack heart, and that will be their biggest short coming.
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As soon as a game is made for profit, it will fail.
This is provable fact. Just look at movie tie in games. They are, without fail, all utter, utter [Warning Explicit Lyrics!]
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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It's kinda cool having a LT sub over there... I can always tell people over there how awesome this game is. >.> It's the only + I can think of.
So....news coming out today marketing/devs? 
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Carpe Diem!
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