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There'd be more than 9 let go then |
Originally Posted by Pebblebrook
Or sales have been lackluster even with packs and GR so they're trimming their cost to keep maintaining the game.
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Only 9 means the team is still around 60 - which still seems like a lot of people to be working on just one title
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
My best wishes go out to the folks laid off. It's not a great time to be without a job.
I hope BaBs wasn't part of their number. He's always been one of the few devs that interacts frequently with players on the forums--not an easy task when so many people's flamethrowers have a hair trigger.
I fully expected layoffs after GR; glad they're not larger. My guess is that they're going to fund development until the Incarnate system is fully rolled out, then scale back further and just ride the revenue curve down.
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As much as I'd love a COH2, I just can't see it. Sequel games always split the player base, and there aren't enough players here to support that. Imagine the cost of developing a new top-tier sequel to COH, then funding that with the revenue from 40K players. Doesn't add up. It's just a different competitive environment out there now. With the high profile failures of Tabula Rasa and APB ($106M and $100M down the toilet, respectively), can you imagine how difficult it'd be raising money to fund a new competitor? You'd have to promise you could get 100-200K subscribers, something that COH hasn't managed to do for a long time.
| I think if Going Rogue turns out to be a sales disappointment, NCSoft will play the CoH2 card, and risk a bit more money now. |
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Some of them need to learn what ease-in, ease-out means. Of the new animations, some are simply A-to-B translations, and that kills me on the inside.
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Originally Posted by je_saist
There are other animators, and some of them are pretty good. They need a bit more polish, but there's the question of how much of that is the animators talent, and how much of that is the toolkit the animators actually have available.
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Playstation 3 - XBox 360 - Wii - PSP
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Probably too early for us yes, since we won't see their 3Q sales for another month. But 3Q already closed so i would think NCSoft would have a good estimate if they will make their 2010 target of 19,000 mnKRW. Which also, is the lowest target they've set for CoX, so at some point they were already anticipating lower performance from CoX this year.|
Originally Posted by je_saist
Ergo, at this stage in the sales, it is too early to say whether or not Going Rogue has met sales expectations.
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First half of the year, the sales have been half of the same period the year before. If 4Q with the reactivation promo doesn't show a large spike, that leaves 3Q with GR needing to maybe triple that quarter's sales to meet the goal.
But yes, there's a delay for us to have a better idea.
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It isn't just PR spin, Marcian. There are privacy act(s) (state and federal) that employers have to adhere to, and being imprecise as to the reasons and the numbers helps with that. Singling out one person that didn't fit into what the acts consider a "public figure" would be a violation that could really affect things. Identifying why the cuts were made similarly affects it. As much as we want to see them speak more directly and respectfully wish their outbound teammates well, praising their accomplishments, this isn't the venue- THAT should be done in person, face to face, among friends that worked in the trenches with them.|
Originally Posted by Marcian Tobay
You had me until this. If I worked with your company for a while, I wouldn't want the PR spin to be "impacted a small number of people". I understand that there has to be a PR spin and am at peace with that. This just sounds to minimize the contributions the people made while here.
Still, I'm not exactly arguing the point, am I? The point is that some people were let go. I wish them the best, thank them sincerely for their efforts, and hope that their time at Paragon Studios makes for a tasty resume when they move onto other career opportunities. |
Here-- this is a place for the community to wish those leaving well and thank them for whatever role they played in crafting the game we love. This is where we let them know we hope the best for them in what's still a tough economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I do salute you all and hope nothing but the best for you.
Finally, it's a place for us to let the remaining Paragon Studios team know our feelings about this. Mine is as follows:
I accept this is a business. I know that you need to remain profitable and must make changes to meet the realities of the business climate and the needs of your customers. I know that will sometimes mean having to let people go. I expect you to do so in a way that preserves the dignity of all those involved, shows due respect for the sacrifices they made while with you, and shows consideration for the hostile economic climate you're sending those former teammates out into. I HOPE you did so in this instance.
You make a superhero MMO-- I know you aren't superheroes yourselves. I don't care. I hold you to a higher standard. I hope you meet it.
Good luck and best wishes to all who had to go
Business sure can give you the business sometimes 
There is no such thing as an "innocent bystander"
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What kills me is the way the character models are rigged. I'm guessing that they're just not high enough poly to work right, but it's disturbing to watch a female toon ninja run. With how much the leg is bent upwards, it makes the butt come to a point at the bend. I see it a bit with Rest too even. The rigging issues are painful to see in some of the other newer animations too.|
Originally Posted by bAss_ackwards
Some of them need to learn what ease-in, ease-out means. Of the new animations, some are simply A-to-B translations, and that kills me on the inside.
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Most of the animations from when BAB was more active (not gonna say he's gone) did a good job of hiding the rigging/skinning issues, although a few more polys wouldn't hurt the models.
Well, that was a bit of a threadjack, but yeah, I wish everyone who was laid off the best of luck and hope that BAB wasn't amongst their lot.
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Chase, you've got a way with words sometimes. Couldn't have ever said it better. Thanks.
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Originally Posted by Chase_Arcanum
Finally, it's a place for us to let the remaining Paragon Studios team know our feelings about this. Mine is as follows:
I accept this is a business. I know that you need to remain profitable and must make changes to meet the realities of the business climate and the needs of your customers. I know that will sometimes mean having to let people go. I expect you to do so in a way that preserves the dignity of all those involved, shows due respect for the sacrifices they made while with you, and shows consideration for the hostile economic climate you're sending those former teammates out into. I HOPE you did so in this instance. You make a superhero MMO-- I know you aren't superheroes yourselves. I don't care. I hold you to a higher standard. I hope you meet it. |
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He posted in the comments section on MMORPG and didn't confirm that he was let go but he didn't deny it either rather saying he wanted to make clear that he wasn't the leak. I think it's safe to say that if he was still employed by Paragon Studios, he'd have said so.
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Originally Posted by Sardan
I hope BaBs wasn't part of their number. He's always been one of the few devs that interacts frequently with players on the forums--not an easy task when so many people's flamethrowers have a hair trigger.
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Best wishes for the laid off staff! Been laid off twice myself, so I know the feeling.
That being said - the current staff is how many times larger than before NCSoft bought out Cryptic's share? Certainly, for myself, I've never seen the game this busy on a regular basis (anecdotal cat is anecdotal), and we've received server upgrades since I started (so a "yellow" today isn't the same as a "yellow" back in 2005).
Here's to the health of the game!
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Someone called CBruce posted, with just one post to their name and an account creation of today.|
Originally Posted by Jophiel
He posted in the comments section on MMORPG and didn't confirm that he was let go but he didn't deny it either rather saying he wanted to make clear that he wasn't the leak. I think it's safe to say that if he was still employed by Paragon Studios, he'd have said so.
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The internet has made me skeptical of such things as fact.
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It was 15 at the buy-out, about 70 for GR, and now it's at about 60.
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Originally Posted by Psyte
Best wishes for the laid off staff! Been laid off twice myself, so I know the feeling.
That being said - the current staff is how many times larger than before NCSoft bought out Cryptic's share? |
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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His LinkedIn status has changed and I've heard from another source.|
Originally Posted by Zortel
Someone called CBruce posted, with just one post to their name and an account creation of today.
The internet has made me skeptical of such things as fact. |
Christopher Bruce is no longer employed by Paragon Studios.
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It's a sad day, but these things happen for perfectly un-doomlike reasons.
I wish BaB and all of them the very best, with a heartfelt Thank You.
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Obviously, I don't care about NCSoft's forum rules, now.
To those that have left Paragon Studios, you have my best wishes for your careers.
For those still at Paragon Studios, you have my best wishes for continued employment on this great game. I hope things don't get as bad as they did after Issue 6.
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That statement is incorrect. I've worked in the games industry for almost 13 yrs. now and I've never seen that happen. Some or many studios may do this but not all of them.
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
All games downsize their team after their release or after an expansion
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I wonder if there was plans for a second project, aside from City of Heroes proper, which fell through and that staff aimed at that project were eliminated.
Sermon
@sermon
One of Six, Cannibal 6
I'm sorry for everyone who was laid off, and I really hate to see BaB go. He was one of the nicest, most responsive devs here. He'll be missed.
"Home is where, when you have to go there, they have to let you in."
My thoughts are with everyone affected by the layoffs.
So, this means no new animations for the game, right?
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Not in the least, most of the animations for Dual Pistols and Kinetic Melee were done by Nelson if I remember correctly. And the new animations for I19 were done by Colin Brown. My guess is whatever portion of the player base that doesn't visit the forums won't even notice a difference.
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Originally Posted by Ang_Rui_Shen
So, this means no new animations for the game, right?
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I hope for only the best for BABs and anyone else who was laid off today. My husband and I have been there (both laid off in February 2009, within two weeks of each other) and we both understand what it is you're about to go through... there is a light at the end of the tunnel though. Just hang in there. You guys will get picked up in no time!
HUGS!!! I feel so sad!!!!
Did BaBs go to...Cryptic?
His linkedin lists him as Senior Animator/VFX at Cryptic Studios (and doesn't appear to be a reference to his previous employment there.)
@Texarkana
@Thexder
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Yes - I think he had it lined up, as it's a pretty fast switch.|
Originally Posted by Texarkana
Did BaBs go to...Cryptic?
His linkedin lists him as Senior Animator/VFX at Cryptic Studios (and doesn't appear to be a reference to his previous employment there.) |
Perhaps the one corner of Jack's mind that still remembers the real world realized that he'd be an huge asset to them?
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Going Rogue will be selling through the Christmas Season, and that holiday shopping spree hasn't started yet. There also is at least one issue expansion between now and the shopping season, and if Issue 19 arrives on time, NCSoft marketing will be able to offer both a new player experience and a new veteran player experience in one retail package.
Ergo, at this stage in the sales, it is too early to say whether or not Going Rogue has met sales expectations.