New efforts!

[Paragon Avenger]

Pfft. I'm British! I don't need telling about rain! ;)  Go out, get wet, jump in puddles, be a kid again! Revel in nature!

(Then catch cold and actually have a GOOD excuse for spending 2 weeks in bed! ;) )

What a brillant plan for getting all the bread pudding one could eat.

[LaughingAlex]

Pfft. I'm British! I don't need telling about rain! ;)  Go out, get wet, jump in puddles, be a kid again! Revel in nature!

(Then catch cold and actually have a GOOD excuse for spending 2 weeks in bed! ;) )

I have many reasons to not want a cold right now LOL.  Eh, it keeps the building cooled anyways.

[Joshex]

Traditional lightguns used the CRT scan beam to determine pointer direction: they don't work on modern flat panel displays.  Modern "light guns" are not really the same thing and typically use external positioning equipment like the Wii's infrared bar.  That's extra equipment you have to deploy unless you can convince the computer monitor industry to standardize on a technology and build them into all monitors.

Yeah, I didn't say it was perfect at this moment, I think a merge of old technology with new technology is the way forward, light guns need to be standardized.

I believe the Wiimote actually has a typical old style light gun, the bar above the TV is for the system to be able to see the internal electrodes to determine wiimote angle and position which may be used to help newer flatscreen TV's determine the angle of the pointer. It's not perfect but it gets the job done.

Light guns as UI device have the basic problem of aiming: the technology can be made arbitrarily precise but the average human being cannot be as accurate with a gun-style pointer as they can be with a mouse because experiments show most people's hands are simply not steady enough.  The mouse doesn't require the same degree of hand-steady because its resting on the tabletop.

yes indeed, but that's a matter of a design malfunction: gun, pointer; the shape and human interaction of the device is what needs to change.  Oh gosh I just got it lol...

the NDS had a thumb stylus it's strapped onto the thumb and was just a piece of plastic, it was aweful for playing precision games but great for 'swiping' games for changing camera angles ETC.. This relates to what I just figured out in design, what I'm suggesting is thumb buttons.

Light gun technology made micro would be on the screen side of the thumb stylus with a rubber pad beneath it for grip so it doesn't slip when pressing the button, this pad would have a hole for the light to emit from, naturally a screen protector would prevent damage from presses,  the thumb side will have a REAL BUTTON which when pressed changes the light from default white to a distinct different color, the white light is used for positioning (to find out where the thumb stylus is and what button or other thing it's over), the different color (maybe red or blue) would be used to activate key presses.

For gaming it's nigh perfect, for drawing it's ok but could be better. Definitely beats touch screens both in price and durability. Is more accurate, has a real button as the trigger so you don't get as many accidental miss presses, isn't effected by 'the fat finger' problem and doesn't require your fingers to hover and 'tap it just right so the system sees the tap on the screen'. And has the added advantage of being able to 'hold' the button down and have the system recognize how long it was held. Simulates mouse and keyboard in one unit, one on each thumb. and can be used on the same handheld screen as others multiple presses at a time are ok.

[Codewalker]

I believe the Wiimote actually has a typical old style light gun, the bar above the TV is for the system to be able to see the internal electrodes to determine wiimote angle and position which may be used to help newer flatscreen TV's determine the angle of the pointer. It's not perfect but it gets the job done.

No, it doesn't. The Wiimote "sensor bar" is just a few infrared LEDs that the Wiimode uses to get a rough estimate of where the TV is located. The fine positioning is handled by an internal accelerometer similar to what many smartphones have to determine their orientation (see also: iPhone 'tilt' games).

The Wiimote doesn't know or care what is being displayed on the TV unlike a traditional CRT light gun that needs to flash the screen in order to get an accurate position. It is not at all pixel accurate and its position will vary based on the size of the screen you're using.

It's also been extensively hacked, and there is plenty of documentation about exactly how it works, as well as drivers to be able to use it with a PC and get access to the raw data from it.

[Ironwolf]

...So I could very well be reading into this completely incorrectly - and please, let me know if I'm wrong.

But did anyone process Nate's comment here and gather that he may not be directly involved with the negotiations anymore? Granted, I'm sure he's still under an NDA of some kind (although, his willingness to make a post like this on a somewhat popular website in a particular 'hot topic' thread regarding City of Titans is an interesting move on his end, I must say...)  but the way we said 'There is a group negotiating with them for the rights to the IP...' and '...I've been led to understand' leads me to suspect that this isn't something he may have a lot of direct/constant info on at this time?

Perhaps that's why things have been so in the dark? *laughs* Here we are, banging down poor Nate's door...and he might be waiting on an update himself?

Yes? No? Huuuuuh? Also, I ate SOOOO many chips and guacamole for Cinco de Mayo I think I'm turning into an avocado.

I don't think Nate is part of the group working to get the server and IP back - remember CoT wanted to lease the IP from the beginning and was less interested in buying the old game. His part of the deal may be complete - all they needed was NCSoft to say ok - in his posts you see him also say NCSoft was ok with his group being inspired by CoH but not copying it.

That might have been all Nate needed. I have no information on the server group and don't want to know. An effort is still being made and the delay isn't on our end it is due to politics at NCSoft. Those politics at least aren't related to CoH - just the normal business practices of a buyout attempt.

[Joshex]

I don't think Nate is part of the group working to get the server and IP back - remember CoT wanted to lease the IP from the beginning and was less interested in buying the old game. His part of the deal may be complete - all they needed was NCSoft to say ok - in his posts you see him also say NCSoft was ok with his group being inspired by CoH but not copying it.

That might have been all Nate needed. I have no information on the server group and don't want to know. An effort is still being made and the delay isn't on our end it is due to politics at NCSoft. Those politics at least aren't related to CoH - just the normal business practices of a buyout attempt.

If I were NCsoft and the fans of a game we formerly run want it back and stick-up for us or help us in some capacity during a buy-out attempt by a rival, I'd be pretty generous.

then again that's just human logic, but corporate logic may be entirely different.

I suppose what I'm saying is, is there anything we can do?

[Apogee]

Right now NCSoft has much bigger issues to deal with than an 11 year old IP that a handful of fans want to resurrect.  Management of NCSoft are in a battle to retain control of their company, I doubt very much CoH even registers on their radar atm.  Once the dust settles from the Nexon troubles, and barring any new troubles from Netmarble (and it's investors), I am sure the team can get back on the calendar with someone at NCSoft.  Until then we can only wait.

[LaughingAlex]

I am from everything I read of Nexon hopeful that Nexon doesn't succeed.  They are the type that'd make a shoddy mobile/facebook game that milks everyone of thousands of dollars just to have a full endurance bar.  With poorer graphics than CoH even had and holy trinity boring  crap.  Cause to my knowledge they are a pay to win type of company like PWE.  Nah, it'd be more direct pay to win than lockboxes.

That or they'd only publish city of heroes in south korea or maybe Japan exclusively.  Which wouldn't be any good for about 95% of us or even 99% of us.

[Ironwolf]

Yes, wait and let the business transaction complete.

You will note not a single person in the know about what is happening said - its over they won't sell it. They all say it is proceeding but slowly. NCSoft has bigger fish to fry right now than the selling of a 12 year old game that was closed for 2 years now. It takes putting aside feelings for or against the company and look at reality. They might be taken over - the guy who is working to sell the game doesn't want to lose his job.

The folks trying to buy the game if they contact Nexon - might tick off NCSoft if they win the day. Think it through, the best bet is to proceed slowly and at NCSoft's end I would bet they are not doing this in secret but are making the sale open and obvious so Nexon can't say you had a fire sale when you knew we wanted your assets.

[Surelle]

Yes, wait and let the business transaction complete.

You will note not a single person in the know about what is happening said - its over they won't sell it. They all say it is proceeding but slowly. NCSoft has bigger fish to fry right now than the selling of a 12 year old game that was closed for 2 years now. It takes putting aside feelings for or against the company and look at reality. They might be taken over - the guy who is working to sell the game doesn't want to lose his job.

The folks trying to buy the game if they contact Nexon - might tick off NCSoft if they win the day. Think it through, the best bet is to proceed slowly and at NCSoft's end I would bet they are not doing this in secret but are making the sale open and obvious so Nexon can't say you had a fire sale when you knew we wanted your assets.

Either that, or they have halted all i23/IP negotiations for now and the immediate future so Nexon can't say you had a fire sale when you knew we wanted your assets.

[Inc42]

then again that's just human logic, but corporate logic may be entirely different.

As this entire ordeal has proved, there is corporate logic and then there is Korean corporate logic :P

[Felderburg]

Have you SEEN the average gamer?

Ah yes, South Park. The pinnacle of not using hyperbole.

There is no such environment for jetpacks or immortality robots.

I firmly believe that if immortality technology were feasible, the vast majority of people who could afford it would get it.

I'm reminded of a conversation I had with someone over the concept of a Star Trek-like transporter.

I just realized... the hugely practical nature of transporters would clearly override any objections to them. McCoy was a weirdo for disliking them, and that's a pretty reasonable vision of how real people would react too.

Jetpacks are dangerous, they are basically bombs strapped to your body as you float a lethal amount of feet away from the ground.

What about a solar or not-jet fuel powered "jet" pack? No bomb. What if regulations limited the height you could fly at to a non-lethal elevation? No falling deaths. There, I solved your problems. :P

See Arcana's picture above :).  It's been surprisingly rainy here in new mexico.

Oh hey. I am in New Mexico. I can confirm this.

It's also been extensively hacked, and there is plenty of documentation about exactly how it works, as well as drivers to be able to use it with a PC and get access to the raw data from it.

Whaaaat? I can use a Wiimote on my PC? That is....  um..... wait. Is that practical?

[Cailyn Alaynn]

I firmly believe that if immortality technology were feasible, the vast majority of people who could afford it would get it.

I'd certainly be all over it :P

[Joshex]

I am from everything I read of Nexon hopeful that Nexon doesn't succeed.  They are the type that'd make a shoddy mobile/facebook game that milks everyone of thousands of dollars just to have a full endurance bar.  With poorer graphics than CoH even had and holy trinity boring  crap.  Cause to my knowledge they are a pay to win type of company like PWE.  Nah, it'd be more direct pay to win than lockboxes.

That or they'd only publish city of heroes in south korea or maybe Japan exclusively.  Which wouldn't be any good for about 95% of us or even 99% of us.

http://www.nexon.net/?__rlp=1

Oh, these guys! I was offered a chance to beta for them back in my days on gamespy but back then I had linux so.. Incompatibility and the fact I didn't want to have to monkey with writing code for wine to run the games led to me not working for them. I recognize 2 of their titles even from back then, maplestory and mabinogi.

I'm doing some more research about them now, if what you say is true about pay to win, I'd like to find out why, most have some corporate philosophy to explain that. It could just be they are outdated market fad followers. if thats the case all it would take is a proposal of a different MMO marketing plan and some examples of games that already use it (and their profits) in a pitch to get them on the right course. Of course it would have to be in Japanese cause the real decision makers are not in the american branch.

of course if they are like aeria games I know their story quite well, the following is a summary from Aeria when I asked them why their games seem to be getting more like money grinders: "We are just a publisher, we don't make games, people pitch games to us and for the most part we accept and publish them. We have no control over the marketing aspects the teams have built into their titles and they typically set their own AeriaPoints rates. Most game pitches we get are like this, or far worse and we pass on them. To ask the developers to change their marketing strategy for some games might not be possible without having them rebuild the entire thing from scratch."

an even shorter summary of companies like aeria is "have = servers + money, don't have = any game dev ability"

I'm trying to figure out the back story of both sides, then find which side I support. point is, even we have some ability to push this thing one way or another. we could either get something bad in the news about nexon attempting a takeover (and thus tarnish their image to gamers and force them to back off), or we could stand behind nexon and encourage them.

the question is which is worse NCSoft or Nexon? or are they equal on the scale of corporate evil?

this is what I hope to find out.

[Inc42]

I can speak fairly well on one of their games - Mabinogi.

Mabinogi has been a guilty pleasure game over the years since it's release for me, even back in CoH days every few months to two years I will remember it and really want to go play it again. The main call to me is that one player, one character, can technically gain every skill and ability in the game, mix and match, raise stats to godlike abilities, and be amazing. The game is also regularly updated with new content, powers, zones, ect. That said it is SUPER grindy and the graphics didnt look good when it came out (though overall it is going for a cute look for characters so it kinda worked).

This was also my first freemium game, a free game with item shop, and it got me hard. The game is damn near unplayable without spending money, and unless you are willing to spend a decent amount of it you will suffer. You can totally play for free, but I probably dropped a few hundred dollars in the first few months of playing (back when I had money to just throw around like that). The game has gotten a BIT better now, but overall the money grab has not changed.

To my understanding for many of their other games that is very similar. That is something that I don't want to see thrown on CoH, when it went free to play they did it much better, and people had plenty of encouragement to spend a few bucks in the shop or keep a subscription. Mabinogi I had a subscription and was spending a ton more than CoH ever asked of me.

[Taceus Jiwede]

I firmly believe that if immortality technology were feasible, the vast majority of people who could afford it would get it.

You are probably right, the vast majority of the richest people in the world would get it.  Which is why the guy who is currently working on it recruited a handful of Forbes wealthiest people.

What about a solar or not-jet fuel powered "jet" pack? No bomb. What if regulations limited the height you could fly at to a non-lethal elevation? No falling deaths. There, I solved your problems. :P

Yep, because all those car regulations sure dealt with 100% of all motorized casualties

Whaaaat? I can use a Wiimote on my PC? That is....  um..... wait. Is that practical?

I prefer to use mine to control the people I have implanted chips in......err,um ya for computers.....

[Ironwolf]

Telemeres.

You know David Gemmell years ago wrote of Joinings - a mixture of man and beast that would rise and threaten humanity. Some wish to live forever to be with loved ones - some wish to live forever to conquest.

When you length the life to 1000 years has anyone considered how that would impact society? Look at the mess the inner cities are in now - would you have people doomed to live those lives for 1000 years? How about marriage? Would it become as Robert Heinlein pictured it - a contract between adults for procreation or enjoyment limited to a few decades? Then what happens to morality?

I see so many ways in which man grows beyond his ability to adapt now - what happens to people who murder someone do you jail them for 1000 years a huge drain on society?

[LaughingAlex]

You are probably right, the vast majority of the richest people in the world would get it.  Which is why the guy who is currently working on it recruited a handful of Forbes wealthiest people.

Yep, because all those car regulations sure dealt with 100% of all motorized casualties

I prefer to use mine to control the people I have implanted chips in......err,um ya for computers.....

I think immortality may not be the best idea.  But it'd be an even worst idea if only the top 1% get it, imagine just how much more corrupt they'd become if they were immortal?  They'd become like Doctor Manhattan, but alot worst.  Actually they'd end up like Bob Page, ahem "Let it spill over to the schools and churches", in response to Walton Simmons actually showing concern about the grey death killing far to many people.

[Arcana]

I firmly believe that if immortality technology were feasible, the vast majority of people who could afford it would get it.

That depends on your definition of "feasible."  If you mean in the purely technical sense, this presumes that technological immortality doesn't have serious drawbacks, like for example literally being illegal.  People would still do it of course, but its no longer likely the vast majority of people who could afford it would break the law to achieve it.  More realistically, its possible it isn't strictly illegal but places so much legal entanglements its not practical.  What if the law doesn't recognize your new form as being the same and gives all your stuff away to heirs.  What if your new form isn't legally recognized as having constitutionally protected rights? 

The original point was that game-changing technology rarely functions in a vacuum.  If you turn yourself into an immortal cyborg and the law now recognizes you as an appliance owned by your children because the law hasn't caught up with immortal cyborgs, the technology will be severely limited until the rest of the world adapts to the technology.

What about a solar or not-jet fuel powered "jet" pack? No bomb. What if regulations limited the height you could fly at to a non-lethal elevation? No falling deaths. There, I solved your problems. :P

If regulations required you to fly at a non-lethal altitude and at a non-lethal speed, you'd basically be operating a bicycle whose wheels happened to not quite touch the ground, only slower.

[JanessaVR]

I firmly believe that if immortality technology were feasible, the vast majority of people who could afford it would get it.

Exactly.  There's a reason I have a cryostasis contract.  I'm already 44 years old.  My chances aren't good of seeing it if I don't.  And I badly want out of the body I was stuck with.  Virtual reality, if and when it can reasonably match the perceptions of a physical body, will see me abandoning my physical body posthaste.

So...an upcoming LN2 nap for me - again, hopefully not for another 40+ years, but longevity seems to run in my family, like 95 years old or so on average.