New efforts!

[InOnePiece]

I was following this it is kind of like people talking in a waiting room..........

I'm heading to the vending machines. Anyone need anything?

[Reiraku]

If they have any Nutter Butters, I'll take one of those. I freakin love those things.

Not like we don't have enough nuts around here, but still...

[Biz]

Forming speed STF, pst for invite

[Lightslinger]

I hope that the buyers are ready to utilize the community, use us as a clear indicator that we are a very valuable asset and will provide them with whatever they need to buy CoH and get it back up and running. Look at City of Titans as definitive, concrete proof. After the closure the CoH community banded together and managed to form Missing Worlds Media, a legitimate corporation and development team. Then we rallied around MWM's long-shot, proposed game and raised almost $700,000 in 30 days because it has a chance to get us back something like CoH.

If we had the chance at CoH, you bet we'd do it again x10. If NCsoft had any doubts as to whether the buyers are capable of purchasing and developing CoH, look at what we've shown we're capable of and multiply it by at least 10 if you give us the chance to definitively get our home back.

[BadWolf]

Sorry folks we are at one of those places between stuff and so there is really nothing yet to add!

I was following this it is kind of like people talking in a waiting room..........

No need to apologize. You're just telling us what you can when you can; it's all any of us can ask for. (Or should ask for.) We'll try to keep things from being too derailed until there's news.

...but seriously? Holding up the Fourth World stuff as an example of how influential Kirby was post-Marvel? Name me one Fourth World series that's made it to issue #50, or one Fourth World character other than Darkseid who could actually be named by a non-comics reader, and we'll talk.

[AlienOne]

We'll try to keep things from being too derailed until there's news.

...but seriously? Holding up the Fourth World stuff as an example of how influential Kirby was post-Marvel? Name me one Fourth World series that's made it to issue #50, or one Fourth World character other than Darkseid who could actually be named by a non-comics reader, and we'll talk.

http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/board,163.0.html

[mrultimate]

I have to agree that while the Kirby vs Lee is a interesting discussion it needs to be moved to it's own thread.

[AnyMan]

Greetings,

I played the game for over 5 years when it started and left only after the moderators/devs let go, I know now this was during the internal problems they were having.  I made one of my best friends (who I haven't ever met in Person) in CoH and would jump back in gladly if there were to be a 'Reboot' (Please no JJ Abrams lens flares).

City was a very different play environment and the Moderators used to be very much on top of things (until they started to get cut and there were not enough to do the job).  I sent an exit message and never got a reply, if they had gotten back to me I might have come back just so Cass and I could hang in CoX.

So While after all this time it is a long shot, I know since there are still folks hoping, I will add to that hope that somehow this game can come back.  Just hope that some of the base building issues will get fixed, the twisted burrow took a long time getting everything in place as did my floating room in another base, but these are MINOR things compared to bringing the game back from the dead. 

How long does their patent on the game last anyway?  What ever, when it comes back (keeping optimistic), I will be there to sign up.  I want to get my cape on again.

[Ironwolf]

Well not related to this game directly, but still interesting is that I heard from some of the Earth and Beyond team that brought that game back.

It turns out they didn't contact EA at all. They just made the game and started it. EA said a grand total of nothing - they ignored everything that the reverse engineers had done. I would imagine that since they weren't charging for a game that EA had killed and there was no golden goose to sue - EA decided not to waste money suing.

[doc7924]

Well not related to this game directly, but still interesting is that I heard from some of the Earth and Beyond team that brought that game back.

It turns out they didn't contact EA at all. They just made the game and started it. EA said a grand total of nothing - they ignored everything that the reverse engineers had done. I would imagine that since they weren't charging for a game that EA had killed and there was no golden goose to sue - EA decided not to waste money suing.

Would be nice if that happened with COH but I would suspect if NCSoft did nothing, Marvel would somehow rain on our parade like in 2004.

[LaughingAlex]

Would be nice if that happened with COH but I would suspect if NCSoft did nothing, Marvel would somehow rain on our parade like in 2004.

Well I thought about NCSoft but yeah, Marvel would probably throw a fit on us, considering they seem to like using monopolistic tactics in regards to other comic series when they see the chance.  Pretty ruthless of them if you ask me.  Some companies are unfortunately like that in general, don't like to compete, even if there is competition that's keeping up with them.  Funniest thing though is that, I get a feeling they both got very big ego's.  I mean the Marvel MMO doesn't even let you make your own characters, while DCUO ensures your just a sidekick and doesn't even give you any options of real customization(nore does it even come close to out of the box thinking in mmorpg design).

[Felderburg]

It's my understanding that Marvel lost the case they brought against CoH. I kind of doubt that they would want to try again, unless a private server was actively making Marvel copycats.

Which, I guess could happen - if there are private CoH servers, someone managing one could definitely "mod" it so that it was the Marvel universe...

[LaughingAlex]

It's my understanding that Marvel lost the case they brought against CoH. I kind of doubt that they would want to try again, unless a private server was actively making Marvel copycats.

Which, I guess could happen - if there are private CoH servers, someone managing one could definitely "mod" it so that it was the Marvel universe...

Oh definently I even heard marvel deliberately had their own people MAKE those characters on the servers to try and frame NcSoft and cryptic.  That course quickly fell apart on them.  Course, private servers is another matter, but honestly it's no different then trying to sue a fanboy making a bad mary sue/marty stu fanfiction.  The kid is just making a bad story and isn't likely to get anywhere with it, the few fan fictions like that that do, often end up with infamy rather then fame.

And not the infamy you use to buy things with in the game, the kind that makes people hate you IRL.

[CG]

I'm heading to the vending machines. Anyone need anything?

I'll take some gum and a secret Shield usb drive, please!

[dwturducken]

I'll take some gum and a secret Shield usb drive, please!

Hee-hee! +1 :)

[SergeantKeroroK66]

Here's a thought I had. Being a non-profit game isn't as enticing to a potential game-reviving executive, but the real profit doesn't rely on dedicated gamers paying a subscription fee, no. What I was thinking, was that, the City of Heroes shut down made some SERIOUS buzz on the internet, right? Enough so, that, with the 90% that are dedicated, and would still return, there were many more people, who had never even heard of the game, taking notice.

So I thought, with all of that potential traffic, winding up, it might be a good, and profitable idea, for whoever ends up reviving this game, to utilize an idea the old devs had seriously considered, but had never actually brought to action.

I'm talking about in-game advertising. Actual advertisements, being shown on billboards, subways, tram lines, blimps, building sides, park benches, and so on! The old devs talked about it a lot, it's very easily doable, and City of Heroes has the buzz for it, especially now, so why not make that a major selling point?

[doc7924]

It's my understanding that Marvel lost the case they brought against CoH. I kind of doubt that they would want to try again, unless a private server was actively making Marvel copycats.

Which, I guess could happen - if there are private CoH servers, someone managing one could definitely "mod" it so that it was the Marvel universe...

They did lose. In fact I have someplace a PDF copy of the two complaints that were filed.

My favorite bit, in all disregard for DC Comics or Charles Darwin, Marvel claimed they invented Super Heroes and Mutants and on that basis the game was a violation since there was a "mutant" origin class and any super hero made would also be a violation.

What was interesting in as far as I know, DC comics didn't make a peep about COH, and there were many, many DC characters created in COH.

Then after they lost they went to the same company they tried and sue to work on their up and coming MMO, which eventually was cancelled.

[Tyger42]

It's my understanding that Marvel lost the case they brought against CoH.

I seem to recall that they didn't lose actually, they "settled out of court". Terms of the settlement are confidential, but I'd assume it was something along the lines of "Just make an effort to police the names and we won't tie you up in so much legal red tape you'll go bankrupt even if you win the actual case"

[HEATSTROKE]

 My hope is that something gets done this year.. my biggest question beyond will I get all my stuff back.. is will someone who has experience working on CoH be a part of the team? Issue 24 needs to happen.. there is stuff we have all seen in Icon like Wind Control, Radiation Armor and Melee that need finishing touches.. will we see that completed??

Im not expecting original CoH development but will there be any development? Will there be an issue a year possibly?? ... personally that doesnt concern me that much because there is so much content that I already havent experienced yet I can spend years doing that stuff.

[darkgob]

Here's a thought I had. Being a non-profit game isn't as enticing to a potential game-reviving executive, but the real profit doesn't rely on dedicated gamers paying a subscription fee, no. What I was thinking, was that, the City of Heroes shut down made some SERIOUS buzz on the internet, right? Enough so, that, with the 90% that are dedicated, and would still return, there were many more people, who had never even heard of the game, taking notice.

I hate to be Buzz Killington here, but most people have moved on.  90% is an absurd figure you're pulling out of literally nowhere.  (To be fair, I'm also pulling the phrase "most people" out of my ass, but I'd wager I'm closer to being correct than you are.)  I'm sure there are people who would return, I'd certainly be one of them, but ultimately we're talking about reviving a game that went live 10 years ago.  It's ancient and frankly, it shows.  That was no reason to shut it down, but even we do get new servers, the game won't be the same as it was 2 years ago, and it certainly won't ever be as big as it was pre-ED.  I think the best we can realistically hope for in the event of a return is servers of some sort running I24 Beta (and maybe also an I23 server for those who want a stable release) in maintenance mode.  Or maybe even just the ability to set up private servers without looking over our backs to make sure NCSoft isn't getting ready to spank us.

They did lose. In fact I have someplace a PDF copy of the two complaints that were filed.

I thought the case was settled, with one of the settlement terms being that CoH mods had to police copyright-infringing costumes (at least for Marvel characters, probably expanded as a general copyrighted character policy by Cryptic in the name of fairness and CYA).