Status Update (October 2)

[TimtheEnchanter]

I'm going to have to do a lot of reading down there to determine what I even think of Plan Z at the moment, and whether or not I feel it's heading in the right direction.

But I've been hesitant to even peek in there because I don't want it to take away my focus from saving the game that actually exists right now. And at the moment, feel like I still have no idea what the "next move" should be.

And VV, I highly doubt that anyone would accuse you of doing any of this just to be opportunistic.

[Victoria Victrix]

A shame, since your input in the lore would be invaluable. That said, I can understand your reasons, and don't think less of you for it.

Checked out the threads four weeks ago, offered my assistance, no one seemed interested and there were already a couple people with some fixed ideas and plans that seemed chiseled in stone.  I don't butt into the middle of someone else's book and presume to tell them how to write it, unless they come and ask me for help.

[Urbanknight]

I'm pretty sure I haven't posted on here before. Mainly because, like others have said, I didn't really have the words to say what other people have already said better. I've been a player of CoH for almost 6 years, and I honestly didn't expect it to ever end this way. I was demoralized like a lot of people. I wrote the following to my blog shortly after the shutdown announcement to sum up how I felt.

http://deck72.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/death-of-a-hero/

I signed the petition, wrote my letters, sent my email, spread the word, have tried to keep the spirits up of my friends who also play , and assure them that not all hope was lost. I was at the Unity Rally (AP8, with a bunch of my sg) and tried to keep getting the word out since. I'm not rich or famous, so I cant help that way. I'm not a programmer, so I can't help that way, So I've shown my support as best as I could. I've known in my heart from the start, that NCsoft would most likely never reverse their decision to keep the game open, but I've held out hope that it could be sold to someone else.

Then I read yesterdays announcement, and the only thing that was going through my mind was.. "Do you REALLY think we're all this ff'ing stupid?" Really NCsoft? Your face-saving isn't working. Save your false platitudes for someone who might believe them, because this guy doesn't. I've had a bit of anger over all this simmering since the initial shutdown announcement, but I've kept it in check, but after reading this.... I'm PISSED.

NCsoft, you haven't calmed my spirit, made me feel better about your decision, nor are you getting me to back off. All you have done, is ensure that I'm going to fight with all I have even harder now. Congratulations, you are my new mission in life.

And let me just say also, to TonyV, Mercedes, and all the others who have given so much to the effort, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU, for everything you have done. You are MY Heroes.

[eeek]

Here are my thoughts on negotiations to sell CoH were exhausted:

Potential Buyer:  Can we buy CoH from you?

NCSoft:  No

Other Potential Buyer:  Hey, I'd like to buy CoH!

NCSoft:  No

Still Other Potential Buyer:  We would like to bu...

NCSoft:  No

NCSoft:  Man, this stupid phone keeps ringing.  I'm exhausted!

[Gothica]

I have immense respect for TonyV and all the other people who have put so much effort into the plan to in some way save City of Heroes. But (you could hear that coming I guess) I for one have given up, I don't see either the IP or the game being saved.

I guess you missed my earlier post.  But in case you didn't, I'll add another quotation: Churchill, deciding on whether to negotiate with Hitler in the summer of 1940.

"It was idle to think that, if we tried to make peace now, we should get better terms than if we fought it out. . . .  We should become a slave state . . . . And where should we be at the end of all that? . . .  If this long island story of ours is to end at last, let it end only when each one of us lies choking in his own blood upon the ground."

His answer is my answer.

[HEATSTROKE]

Really really would like to hear from the devs on this one.. whether directly or through " channels ". Its a lot to expect the community to keep fighting and fighting with little input from TSFKAP.

[Segev]

Shooting in the pure dark here but would anyone happen to know any of these investor groups?

If anybody did, it is not unlikely that they would be not at liberty to say.

[Blacjac84]

Really really would like to hear from the devs on this one.. whether directly or through " channels ". Its a lot to expect the community to keep fighting and fighting with little input from TSFKAP.

Kinda hard to do since they are under contract obligations not to say anything now.

[Victoria Victrix]

Really really would like to hear from the devs on this one.. whether directly or through " channels ". Its a lot to expect the community to keep fighting and fighting with little input from TSFKAP.

You won't, because they can't respond.

I don't know if you have ever seen or been asked to sign an NDA.  In the case of game-designers and the programmers who work on games, I can short form it to this: "you will not, ever, on pain of being sued, divulge anything about the projects you are working on, the details of what you are working on, or anything you know about the workings of this company." 

In the short run, everyone at Paragon risks every bit of his or her severance package, and probably his or her unemployment check, not to mention future employment at another corporation, by saying anything other than what NCSoft wants him or her to say.  And I firmly believe that Zwill was figuratively shot in front of the remaining employees for encouraging us as much as he did, just to drive that home.

Would you risk that, with a mortgage to pay, family to feed, bills to cover?

[HEATSTROKE]

Kinda hard to do since they are under contract obligations not to say anything now.

yeah and information NEVER gets leaked out through sources" ever ??

[omegaultima]

Great, now we have sites reporting that CoH is dead in the water now from just that announcement. 
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119921-NCSoft-City-of-Heroes-Cant-Be-Saved

And I can't even try to correct anything due to Facebook not cooperating with the log in process. 

[HEATSTROKE]

You won't, because they can't respond.

I don't know if you have ever seen or been asked to sign an NDA.  In the case of game-designers and the programmers who work on games, I can short form it to this: "you will not, ever, on pain of being sued, divulge anything about the projects you are working on, the details of what you are working on, or anything you know about the workings of this company." 

In the short run, everyone at Paragon risks every bit of his or her severance package, and probably his or her unemployment check, not to mention future employment at another corporation, by saying anything other than what NCSoft wants him or her to say.  And I firmly believe that Zwill was figuratively shot in front of the remaining employees for encouraging us as much as he did, just to drive that home.

Would you risk that, with a mortgage to pay, family to feed, bills to cover?

Yes I have had to sign NDA's. The industry I am in and the position I am in I often see some stuff 6-10 months before it comes to market and I have to sign NDA's before I even get into the room.. and STILL information gets out.....

[Victoria Victrix]

Yes I have had to sign NDA's. The industry I am in and the position I am in I often see some stuff 6-10 months before it comes to market and I have to sign NDA's before I even get into the room.. and STILL information gets out.....

I'll just repeat what I said.  Would you, could you, look your family in the face and risk losing your severance package and unemployment to "leak" information about this?

Maybe I am a coward, so be it.  I wouldn't.

[chaparralshrub]

Checked out the threads four weeks ago, offered my assistance, no one seemed interested and there were already a couple people with some fixed ideas and plans that seemed chiseled in stone.  I don't butt into the middle of someone else's book and presume to tell them how to write it, unless they come and ask me for help.

I also fully respect this decision.


EDIT: On the subject of NDAs, can Paragon employees (who have already been fired) refuse to say anything, even if NCSoft tells them to say something, or are they required to be sell their PR-related selves into, well, slavery?

[HEATSTROKE]

 And again I will say that information gets leaked all the time through " sources ".. thats all Im saying..

[TimtheEnchanter]

And again I will say that information gets leaked all the time through " sources ".. thats all Im saying..

Yes, but then without confirmation, all we can do is theorize on whether or not the info is valid, or if some jerk just decided it'd be funny to spread a rumor.

[Manga]

I'll just repeat what I said.  Would you, could you, look your family in the face and risk losing your severance package and unemployment to "leak" information about this?

Maybe I am a coward, so be it.  I wouldn't.

Extending what VV said, here's the thing about NDA's:  If you violate one, you put EVERYTHING on the line.  Not just your job, or your salary.  The company who asked you to sign it can sue you, and take all your savings, and your HOUSE.  That's how much damages they've been given the right to ask for in court.

Not only that, but once you've broken an NDA, no other company who makes employees sign one will ever hire you.  Work in the software, computer, or game industry?  Well, not anymore.  So one of the Paragon people leaking information to us could be devastating to their future career.

The kind of bright side though is that if you're really careful, and you ask for something specific that wouldn't be covered by the NDA, they might be ok with telling you.  But they wouldn't tell a wider audience, because that too would put their job at risk, NDA aside.

[HEATSTROKE]

Yes, but then without confirmation, all we can do is theorize on whether or not the info is valid, or if some jerk just decided it'd be funny to spread a rumor.

This I can understand completely..

[Kerowyn]

So I have spent a lot of time reading about City of Heroes getting shut down and while I dont play the game anymore I am probably willing to help if I can.

I don't know if Tony can talk about it, but honestly what kind of monetary amount are we talking about raising to try and buy the game? If you guys start some kind of fund raising you definitely have my support. I mean if we have 20,000~ supporters and everyone throws in ~$200 that's $4 million USD right there. With that kind of money we could possibly find an investor that could back us. I can only guess that we are going to need 5 million plus to buy the game tech and IP rights. I also work in the IT field so maybe I could work something out with some of the datacenters I work with for hosting the game servers?

Also, (and this is going on a little off topic side rant...) while reading through this thread I couldn't help but notice you guys mention that Victoria Victrix is Mercedes Lackey? OMG. Seriously?

I just have to say that your books kept me sane through 2 deployments in Iraq. Not to be a gushing fan or anything but I have named a character in every MMO I have ever played "Kerowyn". Wow, I just think it's incredible to know that we have someone like you supporting this movement.

Thank you for making 2 years of hell not seem so bad when I could go back to my rack and escape to a fantasy world.

[Gothica]

The kind of bright side though is that if you're really careful, and you ask for something specific that wouldn't be covered by the NDA, they might be ok with telling you.  But they wouldn't tell a wider audience, because that too would put their job at risk, NDA aside.

I wouldn't risk it unless it was crystal clear, and perhaps not even then. Even if you're correct that the info you divulge isn't covered, if there's even a question about it you could get sued. And even if you win the suit, the attorneys' fees and the cloud over your head could be very damaging to your finances and career.