We're in a perfect storm. We need an advertising campaign now, this week, today.

[JaguarX]

I agree with the questions being asked here. My thoughts on our message are such:

1. Boycott NCSoft until they respond to the community & return to the negotiating table. - While I hold no personal ill will to ArenaNet or Carbine Studios ... my thoughts are this: They know what they've gotten themselves into by aligning with NC$oft. In fact, they, themselves, have already been on the receiving end of NC corporate shake ups & layoffs. Yet they still remain aligned. They KNOW NC's track record. 5 games closed in 5 years ... I don't have ill will against them .. I really don't. But NC made this bed. And they're the ones dragging Carbine & Arena into it with them.

Well yeah possibly but I don't think they cant just jump ship. Besides knowing what they was getting into in a way could be said for all of us when ncsoft was busy shutting down games.


While I think it could be argued either way, I think the point should be less trying to "punish" and more "hey we really want to negotiate." Usually coming off as "negotiate with us or I'll bash you" don't make anyone keen on coming to the negotiating table. Same as if I told you right now that I want to negotiate with you in getting you to do what I want when I want or else I'll bash you everyday. You'll probably think who the hell this cat think he is? screw him. And rightfully so. Compared to if I said "hey let's negotiate and come to an agreement. I would like this and that? What is it you want so we both leave happy?"

But also we have to go to the table with something besides threats of bad publicity. We are not the Mafia and probably don't have the muscle to strong arm them and thus we have to finesse it.

Even in corporate world a company turns down the first offer to buy time to think about it and to see how the offerer responds. If the respond with hate the deal is left off and usually any future deals. If the offerer comes back with better deal or don't slam them in the press they call em back sometimes with a discount and a good handshake.

[Tanklet]

Well yeah possibly but I don't think they cant just jump ship. Besides knowing what they was getting into in a way could be said for all of us when ncsoft was busy shutting down games.


While I think it could be argued either way, I think the point should be less trying to "punish" and more "hey we really want to negotiate." Usually coming off as "negotiate with us or I'll bash you" don't make anyone keen on coming to the negotiating table. Same as if I told you right now that I want to negotiate with you in getting you to do what I want when I want or else I'll bash you everyday. You'll probably think who the hell this cat think he is? screw him. And rightfully so. Compared to if I said "hey let's negotiate and come to an agreement. I would like this and that? What is it you want so we both leave happy?"

But also we have to go to the table with something besides threats of bad publicity. We are not the Mafia and probably don't have the muscle to strong arm them and thus we have to finesse it.

Even in corporate world a company turns down the first offer to buy time to think about it and to see how the offerer responds. If the respond with hate the deal is left off and usually any future deals. If the offerer comes back with better deal or don't slam them in the press they call em back sometimes with a discount and a good handshake.

I understand all that you're saying. And, every bit of it would apply here -except-

1. In the 3 months from announcement to shut down the community begged & pleaded in the nicest ways possible to get NC$oft to either reconsider or sell.
2. We know for a fact that the studio did their darndest even to try and get NC$oft to sell to them
3. NC$oft has shown a -zero- desire to listen to pleas, niceties, honey, sugar, & chocolate.

So ... what else are we left with?

[Segev]

3. NC$oft has shown a -zero- desire to listen to pleas, niceties, honey, sugar, & chocolate.

So ... what else are we left with?

Mint?

[Tanklet]

Mint?

har
har

[Segev]

(Mint is my favorite ice cream.)

[Tanklet]

(Mint is my favorite ice cream.)

Cookies & cream ftw!

(now shhhh we're derailing o.o you totally got me off my tangent o.o)

[Segev]

The Wal*Mart near my apartment sells mint cookies and cream.

And I'll stop derailing now. *vanishes*

[DarkCurrent]

I understand all that you're saying. And, every bit of it would apply here -except-

1. In the 3 months from announcement to shut down the community begged & pleaded in the nicest ways possible to get NC$oft to either reconsider or sell.
2. We know for a fact that the studio did their darndest even to try and get NC$oft to sell to them
3. NC$oft has shown a -zero- desire to listen to pleas, niceties, honey, sugar, & chocolate.

So ... what else are we left with?

Exactly.  Blueside was given its chances to bring NCSoft to the table.  Now it's time for redside to take a crack at 'em.

[JaguarX]

I understand all that you're saying. And, every bit of it would apply here -except-

1. In the 3 months from announcement to shut down the community begged & pleaded in the nicest ways possible to get NC$oft to either reconsider or sell.
2. We know for a fact that the studio did their darndest even to try and get NC$oft to sell to them
3. NC$oft has shown a -zero- desire to listen to pleas, niceties, honey, sugar, & chocolate.

So ... what else are we left with?

Hmm must of missed the nice part. As soon as the announcement I saw ncsoft-mmo killer. Ncstupid. And even a call to boycott. Well outside those few that tried to negotiate. But that brings me to my point after I said they may turn down the first offer. After the negotiations fell through for sure the gloves came off and the community didn't hold back with the memes and stuff. Which if I was ncsoft it looks as if it wasn't genuine as without even knowing how or why the first studio led negotiations fell through it was automatically ncsoft fault.  And no telling what that kink is.

What I'm saying overall we can't have both trying to bring them down and at the same time expecting them to be willing to negotiate with those that declared them enemy whether it was justly so or not. Basically we try to open negotiation or forget negotiation and continue against them but can't have both. Because if the shoe was on the other foot I don't think we'd be itching to negotiate with someone who have been downing us at every turn for something we have. I'm not saying stop protest I'm just saying don't expect them to be more open to negotiations with people that are against them. If we been nice and going to abandon it and get dirty because being nice didn't work explain how being dirty will all a sudden change their mind? No snark. Might be a negotiation technique I never seen.

[Tanklet]

Hmm must of missed the nice part. As soon as the announcement I saw ncsoft-mmo killer. Ncstupid. And even a call to boycott. Well outside those few that tried to negotiate. But that brings me to my point after I said they may turn down the first offer. After the negotiations fell through for sure the gloves came off and the community didn't hold back with the memes and stuff. Which if I was ncsoft it looks as if it wasn't genuine as without even knowing how or why the first studio led negotiations fell through it was automatically ncsoft fault.  And no telling what that kink is.

What I'm saying overall we can't have both trying to bring them down and at the same time expecting them to be willing to negotiate with those that declared them enemy whether it was justly so or not. Basically we try to open negotiation or forget negotiation and continue against them but can't have both. Because if the shoe was on the other foot I don't think we'd be itching to negotiate with someone who have been downing us at every turn for something we have. I'm not saying stop protest I'm just saying don't expect them to be more open to negotiations with people that are against them. If we been nice and going to abandon it and get dirty because being nice didn't work explain how being dirty will all a sudden change their mind? No snark. Might be a negotiation technique I never seen.

I get what you're saying, and I both agree and disagree.

Honestly, if it were -me- in NC's shoes, I'd be wanting to rid myself of the IP. I'd be calling to negotiate, and make it seem this altruistic work that I heard the cries of the community, blah, blah, etc. I'd say that I was "partnering with the community" etc etc ... But that's me. If I were NC, I'd be communicating, and would have been more transparent than they're being. They're not doing themselves any favors by remaining silent.

[JaguarX]

*nod* *nod*

yup.

To be honest I think even if they did spoke, like they probably should of done in the first place, I dont think it would make much difference. The damage is done and what they say probably would be taken as tissue of lies anyways and or raise the question of "Well hell then, why didnt you say that in the first place?!"

Deep inside, I dont think they have any intentions nor want to give up the IP. Not trying to suggest trying to get them to sell is fruitless, but that right now is the elephant in the room. Do NCSoft even want to sell? In some ways I just want to call them and ask them in a direct no nonsense no lingo just straight "Hey, do you really want to sell that IP or not? If so, name your freaking terms so we can talk turkey"  . But the chances of me reaching that person with that power is about as small of a chance as one Fairy fly killing a blue whale with one beat of its wings.

[Tanklet]

*nod* *nod*

yup.

To be honest I think even if they did spoke, like they probably should of done in the first place, I dont think it would make much difference. The damage is done and what they say probably would be taken as tissue of lies anyways and or raise the question of "Well hell then, why didnt you say that in the first place?!"

As much as I would like to say there'd be a huge communal about face. I can see where there'd still be discontent & wondering why we had to go through all of this.

In the end, I think more ppl would be too busy burying themselves in their characters again (me included) o.o

Deep inside, I dont think they have any intentions nor want to give up the IP. Not trying to suggest trying to get them to sell is fruitless, but that right now is the elephant in the room. Do NCSoft even want to sell? In some ways I just want to call them and ask them in a direct no nonsense no lingo just straight "Hey, do you really want to sell that IP or not? If so, name your freaking terms so we can talk turkey"  . But the chances of me reaching that person with that power is about as small of a chance as one Fairy fly killing a blue whale with one beat of its wings.

Yup
Yup to all of it
Just ... yup...

[VyoletRose]

I'm still working on new art, but have also been thinking about the direction of the webpage these banners will link to.

In my opinion, the goal of the webpage should be the release of the CoH IP and to provide supportive reasoning. Sure, we can also give words of caution to other MMO players to think about their game's sunsetting plans, but lets keep our main goal focused on relaunching our game.

Goals:

1. Give other gamers a desire to play the game, to also want it back.
2. Give potential buyers more reasons to push for the IP - either to relaunch CoH or develop CoH2.
3. Show the popularity of Superheroes. List movies, media, art, etc.
4. Showcase the expansiveness of our Costume Creator with player screenshots. The game supported individuality and creativity.
5. List the achievements of City of Heroes - list all the awards it has won over the years.
6. Quote players on how the game has positively impacted their lives and families.
7. Quote sources about the games profitability (without speculating numbers - we can let that research be done by potential buyers).
8. Embed videos, links to fan art and fan sites.
9. Have polls asking visitors: Which toon would you build? Would you play if the game was relaunched?
10. Yes, cheesy as it is, we should have a visitor counter.

I figure the page should generate buzz for the game. It should make people WANT to play the game. There's still a lot of people who only heard of City of Heroes because it closed and because we are being heard. Those who want to know what the game was all about need just to visit our page to see why we are such loyal fans.

On this note, maybe our banners should read the more positive messages that have been suggested thus far:

Let our Heroes fly free.
There's a world that needs saving.
Time now for the people to save the Heroes.
All options are NOT exhausted.

[VyoletRose]

To celebrate the 9th Anniversary of City of Heroes, could we raise $900? or $999?

It could be the main feature on the banner link website! We could host a charity drive and donate the proceeds to the victims of the recent tragic events of the Boston Marathon bombing and the deadly fertilizer plant explosion.

[Lucretia MacEvil]

9. Have polls asking visitors: Which toon would you build? Would you play if the game was relaunched?

I wonder if there's any way to show off the character creator to visitors?  Probably not, at least not legally, but I can dream....

Can we at least list powersets and have a Costume Gallery or something?

[srmalloy]

Honestly, if it were -me- in NC's shoes, I'd be wanting to rid myself of the IP. I'd be calling to negotiate, and make it seem this altruistic work that I heard the cries of the community, blah, blah, etc. I'd say that I was "partnering with the community" etc etc ... But that's me. If I were NC, I'd be communicating, and would have been more transparent than they're being. They're not doing themselves any favors by remaining silent.

They're the publisher. They're the ones in the position of authority. We're just players. We're supposed to take their pronouncements as final and accept them, no matter how much we may privately disagree with them. Because we dared to protest the shutdown, we showed ourselves to be barbarians, utterly lacking any understanding of how you're supposed to behave in a superior/inferior relationship. NCSoft would be lowering itself to treat with us now -- and, likely, to pay any attention to our capering as long as there's nothing legally actionable in what we do.

[saipaman]

Always include the appropriate trademark notices regardless of what you doing with the material.

[Tanklet]

They're the publisher. They're the ones in the position of authority. We're just players. We're supposed to take their pronouncements as final and accept them, no matter how much we may privately disagree with them. Because we dared to protest the shutdown, we showed ourselves to be barbarians, utterly lacking any understanding of how you're supposed to behave in a superior/inferior relationship. NCSoft would be lowering itself to treat with us now -- and, likely, to pay any attention to our capering as long as there's nothing legally actionable in what we do.

I don't really get what you're trying to relay here. I'm well aware of who they were. I'm also aware that their stance is simply nonsensical to anyone else but them. Name game publishers who have done this before? Maybe I'm just not in the know.

Whatever NC$oft's 'reasoning' for treating their players, perhaps they don't understand the relationship between our money, and their success...

[JaguarX]

I don't really get what you're trying to relay here. I'm well aware of who they were. I'm also aware that their stance is simply nonsensical to anyone else but them. Name game publishers who have done this before? Maybe I'm just not in the know.

Whatever NC$oft's 'reasoning' for treating their players, perhaps they don't understand the relationship between our money, and their success...

sounds like sarcasm in what srmalloy is saying.

It sounds like what NCSoft expected and in their heads thought was supposed to happen.

[Twisted Toon]

sounds like sarcasm in what srmalloy is saying.

It sounds like what NCSoft expected and in their heads thought was supposed to happen.

I would agree with that assessment.