So no response from NC Soft?
Unless I've missed something on the interwebs NS Soft hasn't made any response to the fact that CoH is recv'ing more coverage on the mmo and gaming websites than it has in years as a result of the community's attempts to save the game. Anyone hear anything?
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It means they are clearly aware of the community's response but are taking their time to make a careful, measured response.
It seems likely the decision to sunset CoH was a knee-jerk reaction. A second similar reaction to the fans could really blow up in their face.
Add to that that if they are also in talks with anyone about the game's future, then they won't want to speak publicly.
In other words, no news is good news.
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Thelonious Monk
What I can tell you is that it is extremely unlikely for them to ever say 'derp! maybe we will reverse all decisions and hire everyone back just to show how weak and stupid we are' so realistically I don't see anything happening that will ever let us play the game beyond Nov 30 - and that includes anything the Titan Network comes up with. Maybe I'm pessimistic but I just don't see anything happening.
My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
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What I can tell you is that it is extremely unlikely for them to ever say 'derp! maybe we will reverse all decisions and hire everyone back just to show how weak and stupid we are' so realistically I don't see anything happening that will ever let us play the game beyond Nov 30 - and that includes anything the Titan Network comes up with. Maybe I'm pessimistic but I just don't see anything happening.
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I have a different view. Whatever happens, we'll find out soon enough.
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Thelonious Monk
I don't see anything happening that will ever let us play the game beyond Nov 30 - and that includes anything the Titan Network comes up with. Maybe I'm pessimistic but I just don't see anything happening.
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Personally I don't think NCSoft will reverse its decision to shut the game down and re-hire Paragon Studios, but maybe they can be convinced to sell the game in its current state, and the IP, to investors wanting to keep the game open. And perhaps that will allow Paragon's emloyees to come back together under a new banner.
What I can tell you is that it is extremely unlikely for them to ever say 'derp! maybe we will reverse all decisions and hire everyone back just to show how weak and stupid we are' so realistically I don't see anything happening that will ever let us play the game beyond Nov 30 |
What I can tell you is that it is extremely unlikely for them to ever say 'derp! maybe we will reverse all decisions and hire everyone back just to show how weak and stupid we are' so realistically I don't see anything happening that will ever let us play the game beyond Nov 30 - and that includes anything the Titan Network comes up with. Maybe I'm pessimistic but I just don't see anything happening.
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What I can tell you is that it is extremely unlikely for them to ever say 'derp! maybe we will reverse all decisions and hire everyone back just to show how weak and stupid we are' so realistically I don't see anything happening that will ever let us play the game beyond Nov 30 - and that includes anything the Titan Network comes up with. Maybe I'm pessimistic but I just don't see anything happening.
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On topic, its just been a week. Basically we are just at the start of this entire disaster. If we get up to a week or two before November 30th with nothing to show for our efforts, then yeah, its probably a bust. But its still way to early to be giving up now.
"I have something to say! It's better to burn out then to fade away!"
The idea isn't to get NCsoft to "take us back"... who would want the game to continue under them as a publisher, knowing they could (and will) pull the plug at any moment?
The idea is to blow the gaming industry's minds with our enthusiasm & devotion to the game. WE'RE one of those elusive Loyal Playerbases that the industry's been bellyaching about being so hard to find lately. Combine that with the fact that the game makes a profit... two patches (Issues 24 & 25, the "Fix Everything" & "Fix Everything Else" issues) full of game-changing adjustments, fixes, powers & content that ABSOLUTELY WOULD have lured back lapsed players & attracted a wave of new ones...
If some western publisher doesn't see the value (monetary & otherwise) in CoH, then this is an industry that truly deserves to go belly-up.
I've always said that CoH could be as big as WoW if it were promoted properly (note to NCsoft: Captain Sweatpants wearing a Statesman shirt on "Big Bang Theory" doesn't count as "advertising")... who's willing to STEP UP and test my theory? WHO WANTS MONEY?
- The Copper Cockroach
SAVE OUR CITY! Go to www.cohtitan.com
If NCSoft used PS staff to break the news to the playerbase, they have no considerations for the players, so I'm not surprised.
Who do I have to *&^% around here to get more Targeted AoE recipes added?
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If some western publisher doesn't see the value (monetary & otherwise) in CoH, then this is an industry that truly deserves to go belly-up
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Careful how quickly you condem Western Publishers for not picking up CoH. It's entirely possible NCSoft is unwilling to sell the IP or wants more money than others are willing to pay to acquire the IP.
If NCSoft used PS staff to break the news to the playerbase, they have no considerations for the players, so I'm not surprised.
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*shrugs* To be honest, there are no real proper ways to announce the shuttering of a studio/company. Everyone gets hurt, some people just dont read the email, others hear via word of mouth.
Hell, for all we know, Zwill/Posi/War Witch etc could have heard rumblings of it a few months ago, and yet 30th August was the actual confirmation date, and they were just hoping for it not to be happening (or it was actually due end of September/October for all we know).
*shrugs* We will never know...
Well, not unless we get a Delorian, hit 88mph and put spy camera's in all the necessary rooms that is.
It'll take time. The business world tends to move slowly - especially in large corporations. I wouldn't expect to hear anything, especially any good news, before late October at best.
It's entirely understandable to be realistic to the fact that as of the moment, NCSoft is shutting down the servers come November 30th.
It is not however excusable to approach the situation with a defeatist attitude if you want to see this game continue.
People have some hope for now, don't fault them for thinking that way.
No response from NC is good news, but I think the problem that we all face is their unwillingness to pass on IP rights to games that they cancel.
I just hope that this game has a larger following than games that NC have canceled in the past......
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Add to that that if they are also in talks with anyone about the game's future, then they won't want to speak publicly.
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Likewise, I'm actually happy that there hasn't been much word on refunds or transferals of points. I think if there was it would indicate that yes, they are still fully intending to shut the game down. What happens to points, paid game time, etc. would likely be details that would need to be addressed in any sale, and similarly wouldn't be divulged until completely nailed down (and even then, they might give the option of players transferring them to the new setup or applying them to other NCsoft games).
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That's a good thing.
It means they are clearly aware of the community's response but are taking their time to make a careful, measured response. It seems likely the decision to sunset CoH was a knee-jerk reaction. A second similar reaction to the fans could really blow up in their face. Add to that that if they are also in talks with anyone about the game's future, then they won't want to speak publicly. In other words, no news is good news. |
With all the people pouring their hearts out about personal stories, it's gonna be miiiighty awkward if the game is saved.
Doom.
Yep.
This is really doom.
It'll take time. The business world tends to move slowly - especially in large corporations. I wouldn't expect to hear anything, especially any good news, before late October at best.
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I agree that being patient is extremely difficult right now; the uncertainty is killing me. But we all have to just hold on.
Meanwhile, the dev team atrophies and goes to find other work, and the AMA will eliminate any suspense and surprise from future content that may be developed if/when the game is saved.
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On the contrary. I think it'll bring us closer together as a group; not counting the few jerks that are around.
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
As someone else said in another thread ...
The real surprise is that NCSoft announced the closing of Paragon without having drafted a plan for winding down CoH beyond giving us the date when the game goes dark. No plan for how to deal with subs pre-paid past the closing date. No plans for a grand farewell like TR had. Nothing.
Even if some angels swoop in and rescue CoH ... what happens if the devs split? Could a new dev team figure out CoH's engine? The powers system? The story bible? Would people put up with no updates (or updates that, horror of horrors, go against canon?), even bug fixes, while the new devs work on figuring stuff out?
I dunno.
As someone else said in another thread ...
The real surprise is that NCSoft announced the closing of Paragon without having drafted a plan for winding down CoH beyond giving us the date when the game goes dark. No plan for how to deal with subs pre-paid past the closing date. No plans for a grand farewell like TR had. Nothing. |
However, the details of that were *not* made public right away... and infact, up until the final day, there was no real information about how the game was going to end, apart from that it was going to be "big".
You cannot blame NCsoft for not saying anything about the TR closure, because it was *not* on their hands. Same with the event that CoX will do. That will be up to the CoX developers and *not* the NCsoft suits (unless of course it involves blowing up the NCsoft head offices.. .then i think they might try to stop that from happening
![Wink](images/smilies/wink.gif)
In terms of the subs winding down, it was easier for CoX to do... there were however *no* points (nor stipeds) to refund.
Personally I don't think NCSoft will reverse its decision to shut the game down and re-hire Paragon Studios, but maybe they can be convinced to sell the game in its current state, and the IP, to investors wanting to keep the game open. And perhaps that will allow Paragon's emloyees to come back together under a new banner.
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They made a decision, one that I feel like we're going to have to respect: that City of Heroes is not in their long term goals as a company. As far as I'm concerned, we're not asking them to change their mind about that; if I decide that skydiving isn't in my personal long term goals, I don't want people protesting and trying to make me feel like I've made the wrong decision.
My communications have focused on a way out of this in which we all win, which is NCsoft allowing the game to be sold to another company. That way, we get to celebrate winning the battle to save City of Heroes, and NCsoft gets to tell its customers and investors that even when a game isn't in the long term goals of its company, it still cares so deeply about the community that it is willing to do something that is very rare in the industry: let its property go to someone to whom City of Heroes is in their long term goals; that it works very hard to build incredible communities like ours, and even when it gets to the point where it can no longer support that community, it takes necessary steps to ensure that the community continues. That's a PR and marketing win, and in no way does it reflect badly on their decision to divest City of Heroes from NCsoft's portfolio of games.
Please remember our message, because it is very important: Our goal is not to sink NCsoft. It is to save City of Heroes. I know that some of you disagree with this and I understand completely, but to me personally, if NCsoft works to ensure that City of Heroes continues in the hands of someone who is interested, that really makes them a damn cool company in my eyes. No, I'm not happy about it deciding to shed itself of Paragon Studios and City of Heroes, but at least in the end, they will have done the right thing.
As for Paragon Studios, when you see me referring to the really short time window of opportunity in which we're working on our immediate goals, this is the time window I'm talking about. In my mind, IF Paragon Studios is interested in re-forming under its own banner, that would be the optimal solution. However, I'm keenly aware of three facts killing us on the clock: 1) These people have a proven track record of developing a profitable game, 2) they have a lot of friends and contacts within the industry who can get them in the door, and 3) they need to put food on their table. I am under no illusion whatsoever that 80+ people are pounding the pavement right now looking for jobs. I'm guessing that the total number waiting around to see how this all plays out before looking for other work is exactly zero.
IF Paragon Studios is interested in re-forming under its own banner, time is of the essence. It's only a matter of time before we start losing Matt Millers, Melissa Biancos, or other key members of the team that would be difficult (and frankly, a bit demoralizing to the community) to replace. That's why I've been so insistent on us keeping longer-term goals with larger time windows out beyond our laser-focused efforts so far in communicating with the press and NCsoft what our optimal goal is.
I haven't heard back yet from NCsoft, but I hope to. If not directly, then through the media or even through a third party. And yes, I also subscribe to the notion that at least for now, no news is good news. I'm optimistic that it means that they are putting their heads together within the halls of the company and asking, "How are we going to get out of this?" and that's a good thing. I want them thinking that.
We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.
(If you love this game as much as I do, please read that post.)
You cannot blame NCsoft for not saying anything about the TR closure, because it was *not* on their hands. Same with the event that CoX will do. That will be up to the CoX developers and *not* the NCsoft suits
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In terms of the subs winding down, it was easier for CoX to do... there were however *no* points (nor stipeds) to refund. |
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Unless I've missed something on the interwebs NS Soft hasn't made any response to the fact that CoH is recv'ing more coverage on the mmo and gaming websites than it has in years as a result of the community's attempts to save the game. Anyone hear anything?