Thoughts on Hail Mary, one year later

[Reaper]

Don't worry about it, Rae. It's a few people who like to write walls of text that are complaining and going on and on about it. Most of us know that you're doing / have done everything humanly possible.

This.

[Kyriani]

Our reverse-engineering team - the Secret Cabal of Reverse Engineers.  I came up with the name, TonyV turned it into an acronym and made it the official title of the team.  They're the ones slowly re-creating CoH from scratch, with an end-goal of giving us private servers for a re-made CoH.

Can I just say I will build a shrine to you and your team and worship it daily the moment you bring back out beloved COH?

[Iron-Emerald]

I very rarely post here and hardly ever did back on the official forums either, but I've read these forums almost every day since the game ended. It's been inspiring to see all the people working at various ways to try and save the in whichever way they can. Seeing all of the people working so hard and not prepared to give up our little city of superheroes has been great.

I certainly hasn't believed that any of the options have been a guarantee of success, most are somewhere on the spectrum of being a real long shot. But things like TFHM may be a long shot, but they wouldn't be any kind of shot at all without Rae, Quinch & co working to try. Whether it gets the game back or not I think the work of the team has been great.

[OzonePrime]

Most of us understand what a daunting task you guys have taken upon yourselves and really do appreciate the effort! We also realize corporate decisions are never made overnight. At least, none of the ones I've worked for ever have. They work on the 5yr+ plan. There is always a great deal of waiting. The fact that you were willing to try says volumes!

Keep it up! I'm behind you all the way!

Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

[MakoMako]

All any of us wanted to do was to find a new home for City of Heroes, so you guys could go home again.  I'm sorry you felt the whole thing is an ego trip. And honestly, if that's how it's being perceived there's not really much point, is there?

I personally never lost faith in Task Force Hail Mary (Though I confess that I lost some desire to post here some time ago) but there's actually an example I'd like to point out in your post.

I don't think the problem is so much a matter of people simply not unloading all this information and updates and such. I think it's a matter of how people perceive work being done when there's silence for a long time. Mercedes Lackey, as mentioned in your post, stopped working on things, and stopped posting here, unannounced. As a result the perspective was that people go from "Yeah, she's helping!"  to "I... Think she's helping?" to "There's been no word on anything for months. She's walked away." This isn't to say what -really- happened, just how it's perceived. The vast majority of the time when people abandon projects, they do so without a single word, so it gets demoralizing when you don't hear from someone.

In the beginning, everything was abuzz. "Yeah! We're working!" Posts were made by Mercedes, Tony, etc. It's not the fact that there's people telling everyone that there's so much work, also detailing -all- the work they do. It was just the mere presence of folks they know are spearheading these efforts.

You ever work a job where you have a boss that sits in his office two or three floors above you that you never see? You have no business criticizing his work, but it does affect morale negatively when you never see him around. What about the boss that you see all the time that just says "Hey, what's up!?" and goes to do his job, still without showing you anything that's none of your business? The latter often feels more pleasant, that the big wigs making all the decisions acknowledge you, and you can acknowledge them. That's kinda how it is. You may not be making decisions for NCSoft, but you're definitely our leaders in trying to get the game IP sold, to which I'm 100% behind you.

And I think that's what some people see. TFHM was a noble effort, is a noble effort. So I can't help but look at the people involved as sort of 'leaders' in that aspect. I've sent my letters, I've gone to people -not even on this forum- and gave them the information posted here. So I'm not going to bash on that effort. I'm just saying 'presence' could help. And one big hit to the morale of this forum was that Mercedes just... Got up and left. Without a word. Which, as I described before, is -exactly- how most projects internet borne come to an end. (Once again, not bashing Mercedes. She's got a lot on her plate, and I applaud her for the sacrifices made even up to now. I know we would be nowhere near where we were, and are, without her.)

Now on the flip side...

Actually you havent been forth coming with even that information or much information besides you know people and how hard you worked on it and climb mountains both ways between real ife and usual mumbo jumble.

This has been happening from day 1. From many different sides. And while I'll be the first one to say that... Yeah. I don't believe it. Ever. When someone says "I have an inside source!" I really have no reason to believe but faith in that what I'm being told is true.

What I do believe is that none of this "inside source" crap matters. Think about it. Even if it's completely false, these are grown adults with real jobs, and life they've sacrificed to do this. Don't you think they've weighed the odds enough to believe their efforts are worth it?

It was enough 1 year ago to get people to rally up and announce "Fuck yeah!". I understand how it can lose steam when there's no results a year later, but the point and purpose still stands. It really doesn't matter to me nor should it to anyone else, if there are inside sources or not. If they exist, they can't reveal them, lest the advantage is lost. If they don't, it at least serves the purpose of driving people towards a goal they feel is worthy of the effort. This information that they chose to release is completely irrelevant in whether or not it's true.



I do have one thing for Rae before I go back to lurking, though. Rae, I got in touch with both you and Mercedes earlier this year in an attempt to reach a few Internet personalities in an attempt to spread some awareness. If there's anything this internet fool whose experience is largely just writing can help, please send me a PM. If I can't help, I might be able to drag in someone that can, who doesn't come to this forum.

[JaguarX]

I personally never lost faith in Task Force Hail Mary (Though I confess that I lost some desire to post here some time ago) but there's actually an example I'd like to point out in your post.

I don't think the problem is so much a matter of people simply not unloading all this information and updates and such. I think it's a matter of how people perceive work being done when there's silence for a long time. Mercedes Lackey, as mentioned in your post, stopped working on things, and stopped posting here, unannounced. As a result the perspective was that people go from "Yeah, she's helping!"  to "I... Think she's helping?" to "There's been no word on anything for months. She's walked away." This isn't to say what -really- happened, just how it's perceived. The vast majority of the time when people abandon projects, they do so without a single word, so it gets demoralizing when you don't hear from someone.

In the beginning, everything was abuzz. "Yeah! We're working!" Posts were made by Mercedes, Tony, etc. It's not the fact that there's people telling everyone that there's so much work, also detailing -all- the work they do. It was just the mere presence of folks they know are spearheading these efforts.

You ever work a job where you have a boss that sits in his office two or three floors above you that you never see? You have no business criticizing his work, but it does affect morale negatively when you never see him around. What about the boss that you see all the time that just says "Hey, what's up!?" and goes to do his job, still without showing you anything that's none of your business? The latter often feels more pleasant, that the big wigs making all the decisions acknowledge you, and you can acknowledge them. That's kinda how it is. You may not be making decisions for NCSoft, but you're definitely our leaders in trying to get the game IP sold, to which I'm 100% behind you.

And I think that's what some people see. TFHM was a noble effort, is a noble effort. So I can't help but look at the people involved as sort of 'leaders' in that aspect. I've sent my letters, I've gone to people -not even on this forum- and gave them the information posted here. So I'm not going to bash on that effort. I'm just saying 'presence' could help. And one big hit to the morale of this forum was that Mercedes just... Got up and left. Without a word. Which, as I described before, is -exactly- how most projects internet borne come to an end. (Once again, not bashing Mercedes. She's got a lot on her plate, and I applaud her for the sacrifices made even up to now. I know we would be nowhere near where we were, and are, without her.)

Exactly.

[JanessaVR]

Can I just say I will build a shrine to you and your team and worship it daily the moment you bring back out beloved COH?

Um, I'm not on the team.  I am a programmer/DBA, but not a games programmer.

[Kyriani]

Um, I'm not on the team.  I am a programmer/DBA, but not a games programmer.

Ah I see... well the shrine will go up for those who bring back coh regardless!

[healix]

*pictures thousands of grateful hearts holding torches around that shrine*

[Ironwolf]

I don't know Mercedes and I certainly won't try to speak for her, however I have lost close members of my family and loss hits us all differently.

Look at this from a different veiwpoint: You just lost a lot of friends and a community you had been with for 8 years. Then your mother dies and your world is once again destroyed. When she logs in here it is a reminder of the loss and it is hard for some people to take multiple hits and keep going.

In the middle of all of that you are contracted to write a book. It must be done you have a deadline. So yes, Mercedes gets a pass from me (not that she needs it) for all of the past work she has done.

Personally, I have spent over $20,000 on legal fees for my daughter on a custody case. I am moving soon to be closer to my grand kids and help with them. I also have been swamped at work for the last 3 months with a huge project which is finished in 2 weeks. However i did contact all of the game developers I could find in Michigan - including the U of M to float the idea of them trying to get the game.

I have seriously considered trying to get a college to seek out NCSoft to open the game as a developmental exercise to teach new game programmers and developers. They may not SELL the game but they may DONATE/Lease it to a school. I know I have less time to work on it but I still have a huge hole where the game used to sit.

[OzonePrime]

I don't know Mercedes and I certainly won't try to speak for her, however I have lost close members of my family and loss hits us all differently.

Look at this from a different veiwpoint: You just lost a lot of friends and a community you had been with for 8 years. Then your mother dies and your world is once again destroyed. When she logs in here it is a reminder of the loss and it is hard for some people to take multiple hits and keep going.

In the middle of all of that you are contracted to write a book. It must be done you have a deadline. So yes, Mercedes gets a pass from me (not that she needs it) for all of the past work she has done.

Personally, I have spent over $20,000 on legal fees for my daughter on a custody case. I am moving soon to be closer to my grand kids and help with them. I also have been swamped at work for the last 3 months with a huge project which is finished in 2 weeks. However i did contact all of the game developers I could find in Michigan - including the U of M to float the idea of them trying to get the game.

I have seriously considered trying to get a college to seek out NCSoft to open the game as a developmental exercise to teach new game programmers and developers. They may not SELL the game but they may DONATE/Lease it to a school. I know I have less time to work on it but I still have a huge hole where the game used to sit.

You never know what might work. Thanks for the effort! :)

[Taceus Jiwede]

How dare you volunteer's spending your free time to help get our game back not spend more time updating us or sending out pitches!.  Huge companies tend to make huge million dollar investments rather quickly with little to no discussion so I find it hard to believe your direct phone lines to Disney and Google haven't rang sense you sent the emails.  Seriously though.  TFHM doesn't owe anyone anything.  They have done more then enough for the game and are continuing to do so.  Their private info is theirs and theirs alone.  If you don't like the way they are doing things.  Write your own pitches to Microsoft or Valve or whomever is next on the list.  But these guys are not your employees, they are not your henchmen, and they are not on trial.  So ease off of them.  Perhaps even.......thank them!

[CoyoteSeven]

I'm working on seeing if we can all coordinate to release everything on the exact same day.  It would heretofore be known as The Best Day Ever™.

My gods, what would happen if City of Titans turned out to be a stellar, smashing success? And at virtually the same time, we find out we got our CoH back and in our hands?

What would we do?

[downix]

My gods, what would happen if City of Titans turned out to be a stellar, smashing success? And at virtually the same time, we find out we got our CoH back and in our hands?

What would we do?

Celebrate.

[Arcana]

All any of us wanted to do was to find a new home for City of Heroes, so you guys could go home again.  I'm sorry you felt the whole thing is an ego trip. And honestly, if that's how it's being perceived there's not really much point, is there?

I don't know you, certainly can't speak for you, and for that matter I was not ever really directly involved with TFHM's efforts.  However, I can say this: the point to helping a community isn't the accolades some but not all who do so earn, its not the recognition most who do so never receive, its the knowledge you have that at the end of the day you did what you could to help something you love.

Everyone who has contributed long enough to the City of Heroes community, or any community for that matter, eventually finds their efforts underappreciated, misunderstood, ignored, or even reviled by some in that very community.  Everyone.  You have to value what you contribute, not how that contribution is perceived.

If it helps: those of us who have been there, we know.  You have nothing to prove to us.  I can't directly speak for anyone but myself, and I'm not nearly as active as I've been in the past, but I've spoken to a lot of community contributors over the years, and I cannot think of a single one who would disagree with me on this point.  We all do what we can, and we all appreciate what gets done.  The rest is the rest.

[dwturducken]

My gods, what would happen if City of Titans turned out to be a stellar, smashing success? And at virtually the same time, we find out we got our CoH back and in our hands?

What would we do?

I will sing a Katy Perry song. And not the cool one!

[OzonePrime]

My gods, what would happen if City of Titans turned out to be a stellar, smashing success? And at virtually the same time, we find out we got our CoH back and in our hands?

What would we do?

Dance! We'd be in super hero heaven!

[Tacitala]

What would we do?

Put coffee in IV drip lines to get the caffeine directly in to our bloodstream?

[Ironwolf]

A Hail Mary is the last possible play you have left at the end of the game. No time on the clock - everyone is scrambling to get open in the end zone and off goes a 45 yard pass from the quarterback.

What happens next?

You may win the game or lose the game. In the end you tried and that is what counts - people tried.

In Waylander - a David Gemmel book:
My favourite scene, that I've never forgotten is the scene where the heroine asks Waylander how he can put aside his emotions and fight the way he does when so much is riding on the outcome of the fight. So he teaches her a lesson. She wants to go with Waylander into danger and he tells her she can, if she can catch a pebble he throws to her in the moonlight.
When she catches it, he asks her why she's so happy and she tells him she's won. He pushes her to explain what she's done and finally she understands that she simply caught a pebble in the moonlight.

We are simply trying to find someone who can catch a pebble in the moonlight.

[johnrobey]

I don't know Mercedes and I certainly won't try to speak for her, however I have lost close members of my family and loss hits us all differently.

Look at this from a different veiwpoint: You just lost a lot of friends and a community you had been with for 8 years. Then your mother dies and your world is once again destroyed. When she logs in here it is a reminder of the loss and it is hard for some people to take multiple hits and keep going.

In the middle of all of that you are contracted to write a book. It must be done you have a deadline. So yes, Mercedes gets a pass from me (not that she needs it) for all of the past work she has done.

Personally, I have spent over $20,000 on legal fees for my daughter on a custody case. I am moving soon to be closer to my grand kids and help with them. I also have been swamped at work for the last 3 months with a huge project which is finished in 2 weeks. However i did contact all of the game developers I could find in Michigan - including the U of M to float the idea of them trying to get the game.

I have seriously considered trying to get a college to seek out NCSoft to open the game as a developmental exercise to teach new game programmers and developers. They may not SELL the game but they may DONATE/Lease it to a school. I know I have less time to work on it but I still have a huge hole where the game used to sit.

I think that is very creative thinking (re: colleges and CoH).   I also agree with your observations on loss.
Wishing you and our community the best and having increasing hopes for City of Titans.  I hope you are each having an excellent day!