Meanwhile, in the Halls of Titan...

[Manga]

There's another potential time limit problem too - it's possible that on December 1st, NSCoft will wipe the character database, because as far as they'd be concenred, there'd be no need to keep it.

IF we (or anyone) announce the intention to buy out CoH way before then, and they allow a purchase, they'll keep it around.

[Golden Girl]

The other huge time related problem is the dev team - they have themselves and their families to support, and it's not that long until Christmas - they quite rightly can't really just hang around not looking for a new job in the hope that we can organize some kind of miracle - so even of we did get something going, unless it was soon, then the dev team would have been dispersed.

[CoyoteSeven]

The other huge time related problem is the dev team - they have themselves and their families to support, and it's not that long until Christmas - they quite rightly can't really just hang around not looking for a new job in the hope that we can organize some kind of miracle - so even of we did get something going, unless it was soon, then the dev team would have been dispersed.

It's quite likely that, should Titan succeed in getting CoH in their own hands, that they would have to assemble an entirely new dev team. But hopefully some or most of that team would come from among us the players.

[Manga]

The other huge time related problem is the dev team - they have themselves and their families to support, and it's not that long until Christmas - they quite rightly can't really just hang around not looking for a new job in the hope that we can organize some kind of miracle - so even of we did get something going, unless it was soon, then the dev team would have been dispersed.

I agree completely.  If they're to find a miracle, it's us who will have to bring it to them.  Otherwise the realities of life work against us.

[JMeyer120]

I posted this on the COH board as well.  But wanted to just paste it here as well, so I know you get to see it.

I am just a web designer, but I will do anything I can to help. This game is very important to my son. To my whole family as a matter of fact. My husband and I play as well. However, my son has a social phobia and this game has LITERALLY helped him come out of his shell a bit. He has friends on here that he has actually met in person and hung out with. Which for a mom with a kid with a social phobia means a lot. So, when I say I will do anything I can to help....I mean it. I don't have a lot of money, but lets face it...I have thrown so much money at this game and all the COOOOOL things he thinks he has to have....quite frankly that just totally makes me mad at the moment. We had just bought him some Paragon points the other day. A bunch of them. He has spend birthday money on it and everything else. But, that really isn't the deal here...I am not really concerned about the money put into the game already by having three of my family members playing it for the past 4 years...I'm concerned about my son and others like him that see this game as more than just a game. Do you know what I mean?

Anyway, anything I can do to help.....let me know.

[eabrace]

I'd fully expect that by the time we get a full server up and running most of the developers (hopefully all of them) will once again be gainfully employed.  Given that, I'd be happy if they were able to even participate in an advisory role.

[ROBOKiTTY]

Let's not forget existing projects that might merit attention, if all else fails. IRRC, SEGS is the vestige of the original server emulator that got squashed way back then. While it's been moving at a comatose snail's pace, the single developer has remained active. For the past year or so, I've also been working at my separate project (codenamed KiTTYWorld) that progressed at a similar rate.

The current situation is likely to provide some impetus for our projects...

[TonyV]

Let's not forget existing projects that might merit attention, if all else fails. IRRC, SEGS is the vestige of the original server emulator that got squashed way back then. While it's been moving at a comatose snail's pace, the single developer has remained active.

When you get a chance, please PM information about this to Codewalker.

[Samuraiko]

If you manage to get this off the ground, my services as videographer to try and advertise are at your disposal.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[TonyV]

Oh, snap. Boy did you just step into it without knowing it! You are at the top of my list of people I want to talk to about a couple of little projects I have in mind. Are you by any chance on Skype or some other voice chat software? Or would you prefer to talk directly via phone?

[Peerless Girl]

Hey guys,

Never really posted over here, but have had a titan key for a while.

While I doubt there's much I can do to help (though I do have some Networking knowledge it's rusty a a few years out of date) I just wanted to throw my support behind the project as a player, and say that if it comes to it, I will "transfer" my NCSoft sub fee over your way if we make some progress, and will also donate what I can to help it happen if need be.

[Aggelakis]

I posted to the City of Heroes LJ group, which is watched by almost a thousand players (and some current and former dev/community folk), so maybe we'll get some nibbles from over there. I directed them all to post here and not there, so we don't spread ourselves so thin.

[ET3D]

I'd appreciate a locked thread about this which will be updated when there are updates about the effort. I'd pledge to a crowd funding project to save City of Heroes, so I'd love to know how this idea develops. Subscribing to a thread would be good for that, but not this thread, because I don't want to be alerted on every discussion post.

[Tsumiju Zero]

Myself and my fellow Strykers are at the ready to help, I can offer financial support to a limited sum as well as my time to try and get CoH saved!

[Zikzor]

I am not myself a CoX player (several free trials aside).
Got a link here from one of the comments on Rock Paper Shotgun, and I registered here just to say how awesome it is you are doing this. I will watch how your project is coming along and if it looks like you can really do something I may even donate just because the idea is so great.

 I've had games die on me before and it's a shame how this happens to people's passions because something is not profitable anymore. It's understandable for a company to shut something down if they think it costs money, but like you guys are doing, a way for the community to continue the service in a non-profit or even remodelled profitable way is a win-win for everyone. Especially if NCSOFT still gets some sort of licensing money.
(I must admit I think what they would ask you for this is more than anyone can afford. They will want to keep hold of their own IP. If anything you might get a yearly license for some ridiculous amounts of money.)
But I'm hopeful for you and as I said I fully support the idea.

[Doctor Spectre]

I just wanted to say that I wish you guys the best of luck with this effort, I really hope something good comes out of it.

[Gemfire]

Hi There

Long time member, just always too lazy to post, well I have experience in the business world, there is a reason for the announcement, a quick shutdown like this seems a little strange. I am sure if NCSoft are closing it down purely for financial reasons then an approach could probably be made to make it viable for both parties ( NCSoft and us the gamers ) I mean this by means of the gamers running the game to the same standard of VIP's and free gamers using the NCSoft engine and with money made paying NCSoft an annual fee for using the game coding. ( All businesses love free money ) It is a model that does appear to be working but maybe not well enough for NCSoft to keep it running. I am happy to help out in anyway possible in this approach, lending business views and also financial planning going forward.

[Jetpack]

That has to be the hope that NCSoft is willing to take a fee for license or sell.  I would hope more for a license agreement.

[Gemfire]

I agree, a licence is the way forward, they are unlikely to sell...

[sindyr]

Hi, my email is benn@4efix.com, and I very much want this project to succeed.  I have been playing CoX since beta over eight years ago, and if I had my way I would be playing for another eight years.

I am an all around geek and professionally a computer consultant, but I do not have many deep tech skills, being more of a jack-of-all-trades and small business consultant, so I am not sure I have a lot to offer skill wise.

However, I would be pleased to either donate a lump sum of cash ($500?) to a kickstarter-esque fund to make this happen, or pay a monthly subscription up to $30 to 50/month indefinitely, or both.  So if that becomes a helpful option, I would love a heads up.

IF this is going to happen - and I realize that this is a BIG if - could I **strongly** recommend that if given an option the codebase that gets used going forward is the one they had on the *beta* server with the issue 24 code already implemented?  As great as City was before Issue 24, they weren't kidding when they referred to it as the "fix everything" patch - blasters, pool powers, new sets, etc.

Could this be in the back (or better yet, front) of someone's mind - a preferential treatment towards getting and implementing the Issue 24 codebase?  I mean, if we are going to dream, why not dream big?  If there's any chance to get the codebase, I can't see how it would lessen our chances one iota to be going after the I24 codebase.

Right?

Thanks for doing this guys.  I feel to frightened to truly hope that it can happen - but on the other hand I am refreshing these pages often because I so NEED CoX to continue - just like we all do.  My greatest hope is that you get the whole kit and caboodle - every zone, power, resource, incarnate ability, and all 24 issues of code, as well as perhaps the store stuff too. 

And while it would be the icing on the cake to retain our previous characters, *please* know that I would be ecstatic even if I lost all my characters and had to start from scratch - ecstatic just to have City a place where I can continue to game.  I've raised dozens of characters to 50, I can do it again.

Thanks, and I dearly hope that this comes to fruition.  Contact me if you think there's *anything* I can do.