Update: Lining Up Next Target

[blackjak]

This is actually a terrific idea!  And yes, I'd think Google and Apple would be arch-enemies by this point, being that Google made Android.

This makes me (hopefully needlessly) depressed. No OSX = no COH for me if it goes down like that. I have an Android phone, though....

[Victoria Victrix]

This makes me (hopefully needlessly) depressed. No OSX = no COH for me if it goes down like that. I have an Android phone, though....

Needlessly I should think.  I very much doubt Google would shoot itself in the foot by neglecting to support CoH for OSx.  We're just talking about phone apps.

[TonyV]

Well, Google wouldn't really care so much about monetizing apps.  Getting into the gaming market would be quite a departure for Google.  To my knowledge, they haven't developed any first-party games for Android devices.  Most likely what they would do is what I kinda sorta wished that Paragon Studios had done a long time ago--provide hooks into their back-end system, and API that would allow third parties to develop apps.  The third parties release their apps on the Google Play store, and Google gets a cut.  Third parties can also include Google ads in their apps, in which case Google would again get a cut.

To be honest, I think that Google is a bit of a stretch because again, to my knowledge, Google has never expressed any desire to be in a gaming market.  Also, to my knowledge, Google has very rarely done something like maintain third-party studios to do their work for them; if this were to happen, they almost certainly would bring all development in-house.  Microsoft is with the Xbox and all, but Google has always focused on expanding the reach of their advertising and data mining business.  If this were to be successful for Google, I think that's where any pitch for them would have to be targeted.

One thing I could easily see Google being interested in is developing a competitor to GuildPortal that is integrated into their existing services such as Gmail, Google Talk, YouTube, etc.  I'm not sure they'd be interested in acquiring the IP for a game to do so; they're more likely work with existing publisher and/or studios to develop that kind of functionality, but it might be worth a shot pitching City of Heroes as an opportunity to move into that space.

One really interesting possibility is that Google has been experimenting a lot lately with pushing the envelope in browser technology, including integrating 3D APIs directly into the browser.  This tech is very new, but has tantalizing possibilities in that anything developed for that platform would run pretty much anywhere, including Windows, MacOS, Chromebooks, etc., without so much as modifying one line or code or recompiling anything.  The same exact code would literally run on any platform and would have identical functionality everywhere.  Could Chrome be a viable platform as a client?  If so, I could imagine CoH being a flagship product to demonstrate the capabilities of Chrome as a development platform, which could be used in pitching the idea.

[Lightslinger]

Is there any movement towards approaching small to medium sized gaming developers/publishers yet?

I fully support these "wildcard" companies like Disney or Google in that, while they don't make sense, hey if they got CoH back it doesn't matter.

However, I think it would be prudent to at least on the side, be approaching some studios that actually deal in MMOs, specifically studios running older MMOs, collections of different MMOs and the ultimate, a studio interested in cultivating older/ previously shut down MMOs.

I don't know a lot about the gaming industry so I can't name those studios off-hand. The Save CoH movement is time limited in that the longer it stays shut down the more the community will dwindle. The more momentum that is lost per each "pitch" to Disney, then to Google, etc etc could make a pitch to a company on down the line harder.

I'm all for these big name hail marys but lets start some smaller, side endeavors to get something going.

[Quinch]

Like it's been mentioned before, the angle with Google isn't that the company itself takes over the game. Google's forte tends to be facilitation - so while it's unlikely that Google itself would do anything the game, there's a pretty good case that Google would be interested in ways to profit by arranging for things to be done with the game by a third party.

[Arctic Force.]

To be honest, I think that Google is a bit of a stretch because again, to my knowledge, Google has never expressed any desire to be in a gaming market.  Also, to my knowledge, Google has very rarely done something like maintain third-party studios to do their work for them.

Actually Google (NianticLabs@Google) is behind an Android based MMOG called Ingress it is currently in Beta. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingress_(game)

So it is feasible that Google could be interested in another MMO.

[FaelenLou]

Arctic Force's link wasn't fully functional. For the sake of convenience:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingress_%28game%29

Also, returning to Apple v. Google, they're both companies and act in a method to generate profit. Consider their shared attempt to purchase Kodak patents.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-12-07/apple-joins-google-in-500-million-plus-bid-for-kodak-patents

[Tannim222]

Don't forget there's the possibility to run ads within the CoH game. Sure, the devs wanted to stick to ads that kind of worked for the game world, but the hook to Google could be to have google-run ads pop up in various billboards within the game. Now if there were the ability to click-through those ads as well, then you have something I don't think has been done in gaming as of yet, and could be something of an incentive for Google to look into as that's right up their alley so to speak.

[OzonePrime]

You guys are working so hard and have come up with a fantastic gameplan! Not about to second guess anything you are doing. From what I've read and seen, the fate of our game is in trustworthy, beyond capable, hands. I trust their motives and actions completely. I will continue to do my small part in mailing, posting, and basically annoying everyone with my Save City of Heroes rant. Seriously, everyone I know gets daily updates whether they want them or not.

[EbonHawk]

This is all sounding very positive and it's great to see the commitment that's still going strong

On the iOS App front, I have a work associate who has already jumped through the App Store registration hoops and got an App up on the Apple App Store (shameless plug... for anybody who's into a bit of foraging, check out his App Berry Hunters). I'm sure he could be persuaded (with a beer or two, which I'd happily provide) to distribute iOS apps if somebody else had coded them but didn't want to go through the Dev registration process (and fee paying).

Just putting it out there.

[pewlagon]

Did anyone think about approaching Activision. The PR coup would be grand. They would then have both 8 year games at their disposal and would be able to hype as much. Sad thing, though, they recently released a press statement that new IPs are the future not rehash. They may see a relaunch more viable than a contiuation of the current game.

[Void Huntress]

Did anyone think about approaching Activision. The PR coup would be grand. They would then have both 8 year games at their disposal and would be able to hype as much. Sad thing, though, they recently released a press statement that new IPs are the future not rehash. They may see a relaunch more viable than a contiuation of the current game.

That would be terrible, because then my principles would require me to not play City.

Activision/Blizzard is known to be very user-hostile, including publicized homophobia incidents, the 'real name' fiascos, and other issues.

[Victoria Victrix]

Darren has gotten back to me early with not-negative results.

Evidently he has tracked down a guy named "John" who knows another guy named "John" who we need to talk to.  And even if the second "John" turns out not to be interested, there is a third "John" that the second "John" knows who may well be.

I am not making this up, and neither is he.  All three guys are named "John."

RL needs a "That name is reserved.  Would you consider 'Djohn'?"

[Quinch]

John, John., and xJohnx?

[Triplash]

Well that's a good sign VV. Or I guess more to the point, it's not a bad sign. At least he thinks enough of the concept that he's willing to put some time into it without further prompting. That's a decent first step, I'll take it.

But about this part...

I am not making this up, and neither is he.  All three guys are named "John."

RL needs a "That name is reserved.  Would you consider 'Djohn'?"

I think they should just be grateful the GMs don't John-Eric them.



<.<
>.>

... What?

[dwturducken]

You sure you're spelling it right?

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/J%27onn_J%27onzz_%28New_Earth%29

[Lucretia MacEvil]

Darren has gotten back to me early with not-negative results.

Must... contain... impatience....

[OzonePrime]

Must... contain... impatience....
[/quote
Yes!]

[Knightslayer]

Darren has gotten back to me early with not-negative results.

Evidently he has tracked down a guy named "John" who knows another guy named "John" who we need to talk to.  And even if the second "John" turns out not to be interested, there is a third "John" that the second "John" knows who may well be.

I am not making this up, and neither is he.  All three guys are named "John."

RL needs a "That name is reserved.  Would you consider 'Djohn'?"

Thanks for being the Herald of good news, VV!

[Joshex]

can we hold off on this a little while? at least until disney gives us a response?