possible good news?

[Joshex]

ok, I just got done talking with what I presume to be confused persons at aeriagames. devs finally talked to me.

did I miss something? I was told that the only thing aeria needs to actually pick-up City of Heroes is the Code not the IP, they would pick it up with only the code no need for IP.

and apparently they said Paragon Studios owns the code entirely and refused to release it.

is thier information incorrect? or could CoH have been ressurected by now if we just knew this info?

Please VV, Tony, Aggel, someone, anyone correct this info.

[Aggelakis]

NCsoft owns the code, the IP, and all that entails. They need to deal with NCsoft for any of this. Paragon does not exist anymore to accept or refuse anything.

Yes, you can buy the code of a game and not buy the IP; but without the IP, the game's flavor changes entirely and I for one wouldn't want to play a game that behaved exactly like my favorite MMO but was not.

[Joshex]

NCsoft owns the code, the IP, and all that entails. They need to deal with NCsoft for any of this. Paragon does not exist anymore to accept or refuse anything.

Yes, you can buy the code of a game and not buy the IP; but without the IP, the game's flavor changes entirely and I for one wouldn't want to play a game that behaved exactly like my favorite MMO but was not.

thats what I thought thanks for clearing that up.

[Surelle]

ok, I just got done talking with what I presume to be confused persons at aeriagames. devs finally talked to me.

did I miss something? I was told that the only thing aeria needs to actually pick-up City of Heroes is the Code not the IP, they would pick it up with only the code no need for IP.

and apparently they said Paragon Studios owns the code entirely and refused to release it.

is thier information incorrect? or could CoH have been ressurected by now if we just knew this info?

Please VV, Tony, Aggel, someone, anyone correct this info.

Whoa, Joshex!  Er, that sounds like Aeria did indeed look into this in some fashion, and all because you touched base with them through their contact page?! 

Whoa!

I mean, it sounds like somebody(s) has their wires a little crossed because Paragon Studios is no more, so either Posi/Brian/Melissa owns code personally (doubt it) or Aeria is confusing NCSoft with PS, but still.... I can't believe you got a response that showed some sort of action on Aeria's part!

You know, Brian, Melissa and Matt all have LinkedIns.  Maybe it's time you touched base with some or all of them with a few polite questions, or had Aeria do same?

Aeria wouldn't have showed some forward motion unless they were indeed interested in acquiring CoH!!  Don't let the opportunity slip by I say!

[blacksly]

NCsoft owns the code, the IP, and all that entails. They need to deal with NCsoft for any of this. Paragon does not exist anymore to accept or refuse anything.

Yes, you can buy the code of a game and not buy the IP; but without the IP, the game's flavor changes entirely and I for one wouldn't want to play a game that behaved exactly like my favorite MMO but was not.

Was the game's flavor one of Statesman and Paragon City vs Recluse and the Rogue Isles, with assorted Rikti, Circle of Thorns, etcetera, thrown in?

Or was it the ability to fight 10 mobs at once and win, or to have an AV fight without needing a tank, or other ways that mobs and PCs interacted?

Of course, it's both, but if you had the option of playing in the CoH universe... with CO's system... or in CO's universe with CoH's system... which would you choose?

We want CoH brought back exactly as it was. But if you could only bring back the gameplay OR the game universe, which is more important?

[JaguarX]

Was the game's flavor one of Statesman and Paragon City vs Recluse and the Rogue Isles, with assorted Rikti, Circle of Thorns, etcetera, thrown in?

Or was it the ability to fight 10 mobs at once and win, or to have an AV fight without needing a tank, or other ways that mobs and PCs interacted?

Of course, it's both, but if you had the option of playing in the CoH universe... with CO's system... or in CO's universe with CoH's system... which would you choose?

We want CoH brought back exactly as it was. But if you could only bring back the gameplay OR the game universe, which is more important?

Well I'm mostly hoping it can be brought back in a form that it can still progress. While some stay for community, which actually can be done anywhere any game, one of the main things that compelled me to stick around COX so long was the evolution of the game. Some games, you play stop for 5 years go back and it's exactly the same which can be good or bad. While with COX when a person take a two year break, the game was different in many ways when they returned. Me personally I liked the COX lore and storyline, although the missions got repetative but love the CO system (would love it even more if they did a little clean up on the bugs but then again even COX had bugs.)

[Triplash]

We want CoH brought back exactly as it was. But if you could only bring back the gameplay OR the game universe, which is more important?

I liked the setting and the stories plenty; some of them were pretty darn good. But I can get a lot of that from the wiki even now. What I played the game for was the gameplay. If I had to sacrifice one to keep the other, for me it'd be keep the gameplay and lose the setting.

[Aggelakis]

Was the game's flavor one of Statesman and Paragon City vs Recluse and the Rogue Isles, with assorted Rikti, Circle of Thorns, etcetera, thrown in?

Or was it the ability to fight 10 mobs at once and win, or to have an AV fight without needing a tank, or other ways that mobs and PCs interacted?

Of course, it's both, but if you had the option of playing in the CoH universe... with CO's system... or in CO's universe with CoH's system... which would you choose?

We want CoH brought back exactly as it was. But if you could only bring back the gameplay OR the game universe, which is more important?

The game's FLAVOR was the lore and stories. The game's BEHAVIOR was the mechanics.

I separated those two pretty clearly in my previous post.

[Joshex]

Whoa, Joshex!  Er, that sounds like Aeria did indeed look into this in some fashion, and all because you touched base with them through their contact page?! 

Whoa!

I mean, it sounds like somebody(s) has their wires a little crossed because Paragon Studios is no more, so either Posi/Brian/Melissa owns code personally (doubt it) or Aeria is confusing NCSoft with PS, but still.... I can't believe you got a response that showed some sort of action on Aeria's part!

You know, Brian, Melissa and Matt all have LinkedIns.  Maybe it's time you touched base with some or all of them with a few polite questions, or had Aeria do same?

Aeria wouldn't have showed some forward motion unless they were indeed interested in acquiring CoH!!  Don't let the opportunity slip by I say!

indeed I'll see what I can do. from what it sounds like, the Aeria reps seemed certain if they could get the game code they can run it, they stressed they are just a publisher and have no capabilities to edit or change a game. I find it odd though that they wouldnt need the IP, only the code.

though, technically to my knowledge if someone was gutsy enough they could Run CoH with only the code and even if they got caught they could still run the game but they'd have to pay royalties. (which are usually exorbitant) but thats from my own understanding of the way copyrights work. I may be incorrect.

indeed I think for any publisher we should look into asking the PS devs if they legally own any (all) of the code.

though I only hope the PS team wont ignore me as the nobody I am lol..

cause I am only a game developer in the workings, I've never made an entire published game by myself. hhopeflly that will change this year but it may take longer..

[Victoria Victrix]

Paragon Studios was wholly and completely owned by NCSoft.  Anything they produced was wholly and completely owned by NCSoft.

NCSoft owns the code and the IP.

Paragon Studios was closed and all assets taken over by NCSoft as of Sept 1.  There is no longer a Paragon Studios for you to ask anything of.  There is no physical office anymore, all email addresses come back as "not found" and any mail would probably come back "no such address" or would be forwarded to NCSoft.

[Joshex]

Paragon Studios was wholly and completely owned by NCSoft.  Anything they produced was wholly and completely owned by NCSoft.

NCSoft owns the code and the IP.

Paragon Studios was closed and all assets taken over by NCSoft as of Sept 1.  There is no longer a Paragon Studios for you to ask anything of.  There is no physical office anymore, all email addresses come back as "not found" and any mail would probably come back "no such address" or would be forwarded to NCSoft.

ok indeed, I suspected as much, I guess the people at aeria didnt look into anything they just presumed paragon Studios owned the code and gave an answer off of that and the media they may have read.

ok well thats that news taken care of.

hopefully the next news will be from google.

[Surelle]

ok indeed, I suspected as much, I guess the people at aeria didnt look into anything they just presumed paragon Studios owned the code and gave an answer off of that and the media they may have read.

ok well thats that news taken care of.

hopefully the next news will be from google.

Has Aeria even tried to contact NCSoft about a possible purchase?  I'm just curious.  Although NC *has* made it quite obvious, at least publicly, that they don't want to sell, lol.... But nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say....  If Aeria really is that seriously interested, it couldn't hurt for them to draw up their own offer and make contact with the Korean mothership....

[Mister Bison]

Has Aeria even tried to contact NCSoft about a possible purchase?  I'm just curious.  Although NC *has* made it quite obvious, at least publicly, that they don't want to sell, lol.... But nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say....  If Aeria really is that seriously interested, it couldn't hurt for them to draw up their own offer and make contact with the Korean mothership....

Technically, I think the last thing they said was just that they had exhausted all options. I don't think Aeria had been one of those.

[Joshex]

Has Aeria even tried to contact NCSoft about a possible purchase?  I'm just curious.  Although NC *has* made it quite obvious, at least publicly, that they don't want to sell, lol.... But nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say....  If Aeria really is that seriously interested, it couldn't hurt for them to draw up their own offer and make contact with the Korean mothership....

from what we have deduced here in this thread based on aeria's response, they Did Not infact contact NCSoft regarding the issue, they responded based on thier own percepttion of the MMO industry and that is all.

there is still a chance aeria might consider the title, but indeed it seems they will need a propper pitch package to get them knocking on NCSoft's door.

we will see what happens with google first.

[Nebularian]

Yes, you can buy the code of a game and not buy the IP; but without the IP, the game's flavor changes entirely and I for one wouldn't want to play a game that behaved exactly like my favorite MMO but was not.

Okay.  Making sure I understand this one.  IP = Intellectual Property?

[Ampithere]

Okay.  Making sure I understand this one.  IP = Intellectual Property?

Yes.

Er..Independence Port 

[Joshex]

Aeria Related news incoming

ok this news is again somewhat old (gosh why do I always report it so much later than I get it) you may have noticed lots of advertisements featuring a skimpy scantily clad doll faced girl with the Aeriagames logo beneath it.

well time for the headline:

NCosft's Blade and Soul PWNed, Trumped and made to look like it's initials represent; B.S.
Sub header: Aeria counter's NCSoft's Move with Scarlet Blade

ok now to begin, niether of these games is for kids. at least to my knowledge the ESRB rated Scarlet Blade M 17+ for mature, due to; yes, Nudity.

you must provide a valid account with a valid brith year that matches it in order to download and install the game.

so, how exactly can it compare to NCSoft's Blade and Soul?

Blade and Soul is a PVP centric game, much like exteel, this was... Undesireable, scantily clad overly exajuratedly proportional ladies or not, a game that gets it's 'Soul' from a PVP system without much of a world to explore will flop.

Scarlet Blade, hey look at that they reversed the initials! although the game features 2 seperate factions and allows PvP content, this game features an actual PVE world with archetypes that are dare I say Close to CoH of coarse the costume designer is limited and you need to unlock your costume peice by peice. still SB is already beating B.S. in terms of market strength.

Why?

a valid question that comes with any real comparison, the conclusion is not based upon opinion, but rather marketing strategies.

B.S. chose the road of forced PvP, and lets face it; no one likes to be forced to PvP, especially as the only method of game play. the game also was debuted with a pay to play system much like CoH it requires subscriptions. - end result; pretty bodies, pay to be forced to get PWNed by hackers.

SB chose a different and proven marketing strategy (Aeria has yet in it's many years to actually close down a game) they use the same tactic with all titles they take on. this is, first and foremost, the game can be dowloaded and played for free without any restrictions,

 Being able to see marketing strategies at thier face value, I couldn't help by chuckle and give SB a well deserved Clap and a comment of 'well done', the stories in the game's initial phase are easy and short (However don't dare press the skip button on dialogue screens or you will be repremanded!!) The Dialogue; obviously the dialogue is pushed, because if you read it there are countless adult references being made between you and your character, yes the character talks to you calling you 'commander' and they are your 'Arkana', in the first few missions your relationship is referenced as 'like marriage but without the commitment' fist pounding laughter ensued as I read that. then I was won over by the playfully said comment of "this whole thing seems unfair, us Arkanas are out here risking our lives, while you're sitting in your comfy arm chair, and I know you're probably stairing at my butt."

the main world is PVE mainly however PVP does exist in sanctioned areas, there are also special Extreme hard zones as in all of aerias games these 'dungeons' are usually set to force players to enhance to the max, which brings them to the Aeriagames Shop where the low prices entice people to spend a few dollars each month for permanently enhanced gameplay at thier current level and above.

yeah, it may just be a money making plot, but the games have to make money to stay active (and to pull the weight of other titles) so that all games can remain active for generations to come and supply fnds for new titles, and with that marketing strategy, each generation brings new customers.

niether game shows a significantly option-filled costume designer, though scarlet blade (aeria) allows for more customization at the moment. SB (aeria) also boasts a purchase only 'langerie unlocker' to allow the removal of undergarments of 1 character. (however it you are lucky you can get it for free from the Loot Box in Aeria's 'Aeria Ignite' game launcher.) it is also a tradable item so if you save up the game cash you can buy it from another player.

so thats the difference, not just a switch of initials, not just two games marketed towards the large population of perverts and people of all genders that like to play as a volluptuous lady, but significat line is drawn in the interactions between character and player and in the presentation of the game world and Marketting strategy.

I must admitt, even I was tempted to spend the $20 to get the Starter Founder's pack to obtain the langerie unlocker from it. though I didn't end up doing so as I'm a bit smarter than the average bear. no offense but I hear russian bears are intentionally going to small remote airports and getting high off of the fumes from barrels of jet fuel these days and passing out in the grass with all limbs sprawled out staring at the sky..

So how is this related to CoH? it show's Aeria's fearlessness in the face of NCSoft, even going so far as to completely PWN them at thier own game.

[Mistress Urd]

<.<
>.>

/facepalm

Ok, I have to admit, I read the whole thing and had a very good laugh. TY Joshex, that was the funniest thing I read on Titan Network in the last 3 months.

[Joshex]

<.<
>.>

/facepalm

Ok, I have to admit, I read the whole thing and had a very good laugh. TY Joshex, that was the funniest thing I read on Titan Network in the last 3 months.

my pleasure, I'm glad someone can appreciate my humor

[Mistress Urd]

my pleasure, I'm glad someone can appreciate my humor

So when Aeria games releases "Heroine of City" I know who to blame. 

Actually, I would have a hard time deciding to pull out the torches and pitchforks or pulling out big $ to support a company that just thumbed its nose at NCSoft.