The letter I wish I could send to NCsoft

[Samuraiko]

"To the executives of NCsoft:

You don't know me, but I have been a customer of yours for over five years (along with my husband and several of our friends). I have been a player and ardent supporter of CITY OF HEROES for those five-plus years. It is more than 'just a game' to me - it is a group of people whose company I enjoy. It is a team of developers whose work I respect. It is the single greatest source of my creative inspiration for the past five years.

As a business owner myself, I am quite familiar with the ideas of 'return on investment,' 'alignment with company focus,' and several of the other terms that have been given for why you have made the corporate decision to sunset CITY OF HEROES. From a financial standpoint, it may very well be a sound business decision. But from a public relations standpoint, the manner in which it is being conducted is a PR nightmare the likes of which I can only hope I never make in terms of my own business.

No matter how I look at it, from what small amount of actual verifiable information has been doled out to me and the rest of the player community, I cannot see how the way you are doing this makes any kind of corporate sense. I feel almost like a child who, when something I enjoy is taken from me for no discernible reason, is told, "Because I said so. Now sit in the corner and be quiet."

(However, as my parents would ruefully attest, I have never been the kind of child to just sit in the corner and be quiet 'just because you say so.')

I love this game, as do many, many other players, from all walks of life. We are not just 'the North American market.' We are players from around the world, brought together in common cause - our love of this game. With CITY OF HEROES, you have brought together people from disparate demographics, and now you are tearing us apart. We may not be your 'target audience,' but I suppose you should have thought of that when you first developed the game, because now you are, quite frankly, stuck with us. Twenty thousand people, in the grand scheme of things, may not be that much. But we are twenty thousand people whose lives have been touched and enriched by CITY OF HEROES, and your casual dismissal of our game and our community is, regardless of any business criteria, WRONG.

It's something of a standing joke, I gather, in the CITY OF HEROES community that I did more advertising for this game than you ever did. With no budget, on my own time (what there was of it), no resources, and more often than not, no official recognition of any kind, I made thirty-six different videos for CITY OF HEROES. Over ninety minutes - a feature-length film worth of free advertising. If you read the YouTube comments of these videos, you will find comments from people I have brought into the game, kept in the game, and even brought BACK to the game. If I had a way of tallying just how many of each there were, I'd be telling you now, just so you would know how much money I have brought or kept in your game.

If I had been charging you for these, you would have owed me at least a hundred thousand dollars by now, just for the sheer time I've put in, recording and editing and compiling these videos - never mind the hosting of them, the bandwidth, the music licensing... and yet I did it all for free.

Was it a 'sound business decision' on my part? Not in a million years. Was it a worthwhile 'return on investment'? In terms of dollars and return business and the like, no.

But there is no dollar value I can place on the knowledge that the players appreciate it - the ones I've introduced to CITY OF HEROES, the ones I've kept in the game, and the ones I've brought back, plus the players who have been here long before I ever arrived and are still faithfully pursuing their dreams in Paragon City, the Rogue Isles, and Praetoria.

Nor can you put a dollar value on the community that you are rending with this decision to sunset our game.

I implore you, please reconsider the options available to try and find a way of saving CITY OF HEROES and its community. You made us - please don't set an example that not even the villains among us would follow.

Yours sincerely,
Michelle Travis, unofficial videographer of CITY OF HEROES"

[DrakeGrimm]

...and you can't send it because...? >.>

[emu265]

...and you can't send it because...? >.>

Indeed.  Care to share?
It is very well done.

[Moonfyire101]

Its great, so yeah...why can't you?

[Samuraiko]

When you compare this to some of the letters the community has sent, about their children and their health and how this game has affected their lives... mine seems almost shallow by comparison.

(Besides, if rumour is to be believed, I gather that NCsoft is not as unaware of me as one might think... and my active support might almost be detrimental.)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[P51mus]

Do you need their physical addresses? E-mail addresses (I still have those, and others do too)? 

Why would your support be detrimental? o_O

[emu265]

When you compare this to some of the letters the community has sent, about their children and their health and how this game has affected their lives... mine seems almost shallow by comparison.

(Besides, if rumour is to be believed, I gather that NCsoft is not as unaware of me as one might think... and my active support might almost be detrimental.)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Most of us already sent letters that aren't even as good as yours.  And I'm not following why your support would be detrimental.

[Quinch]

Honestly? I say go for it. In fact, it might be a good idea to coordinate our letter-mailings - it would make them much less likely to slip through the cracks.

[Samuraiko]

It's not really something I'm comfortable talking about, and let's just please leave it at that.

As for where to mail it, I live in Seattle, I think I know the address for NCsoft. :)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[downix]

Almost reminds me of how I want to go to the NCSoft office with my son to have him hand deliver the letter. If I was a sadistic SOB, which I am, I'd then ask the highest ranked person there to explain why they wanted to destroy his hard work, to him in person.

I am staying away from their office for a reason, because I know how mean that would be, and it is not their fault.

Now if I find that their CEO will be there... all bets are off.

[Zolgar]

Send it, and include a DVD with some of the videos you've done. >.>

[Taceus Jiwede]

The way you make it sound NCSoft has a bit of a grudge against you and what ever those reasons are is personal to you alone.  However have you considered sending it in as anonymous?  Or using different name, or perhaps having someone else sending it for you.  That is a very good letter and they should read it.

[Globetrotter]

I fully agree with the comments given. You composed a great letter (as others before you) and NCSoft should also made aware of the existence of this one!

"To the executives of NCsoft:

You don't know me, but I have been a customer of yours for over five years (along with my husband and several of our friends). I have been a player and ardent supporter of CITY OF HEROES for those five-plus years. It is more than 'just a game' to me - it is a group of people whose company I enjoy. It is a team of developers whose work I respect. It is the single greatest source of my creative inspiration for the past five years.

As a business owner myself, I am quite familiar with the ideas of 'return on investment,' 'alignment with company focus,' and several of the other terms that have been given for why you have made the corporate decision to sunset CITY OF HEROES. From a financial standpoint, it may very well be a sound business decision. But from a public relations standpoint, the manner in which it is being conducted is a PR nightmare the likes of which I can only hope I never make in terms of my own business.

No matter how I look at it, from what small amount of actual verifiable information has been doled out to me and the rest of the player community, I cannot see how the way you are doing this makes any kind of corporate sense. I feel almost like a child who, when something I enjoy is taken from me for no discernible reason, is told, "Because I said so. Now sit in the corner and be quiet."

(However, as my parents would ruefully attest, I have never been the kind of child to just sit in the corner and be quiet 'just because you say so.')

I love this game, as do many, many other players, from all walks of life. We are not just 'the North American market.' We are players from around the world, brought together in common cause - our love of this game. With CITY OF HEROES, you have brought together people from disparate demographics, and now you are tearing us apart. We may not be your 'target audience,' but I suppose you should have thought of that when you first developed the game, because now you are, quite frankly, stuck with us. Twenty thousand people, in the grand scheme of things, may not be that much. But we are twenty thousand people whose lives have been touched and enriched by CITY OF HEROES, and your casual dismissal of our game and our community is, regardless of any business criteria, WRONG.

It's something of a standing joke, I gather, in the CITY OF HEROES community that I did more advertising for this game than you ever did. With no budget, on my own time (what there was of it), no resources, and more often than not, no official recognition of any kind, I made thirty-six different videos for CITY OF HEROES. Over ninety minutes - a feature-length film worth of free advertising. If you read the YouTube comments of these videos, you will find comments from people I have brought into the game, kept in the game, and even brought BACK to the game. If I had a way of tallying just how many of each there were, I'd be telling you now, just so you would know how much money I have brought or kept in your game.

If I had been charging you for these, you would have owed me at least a hundred thousand dollars by now, just for the sheer time I've put in, recording and editing and compiling these videos - never mind the hosting of them, the bandwidth, the music licensing... and yet I did it all for free.

Was it a 'sound business decision' on my part? Not in a million years. Was it a worthwhile 'return on investment'? In terms of dollars and return business and the like, no.

But there is no dollar value I can place on the knowledge that the players appreciate it - the ones I've introduced to CITY OF HEROES, the ones I've kept in the game, and the ones I've brought back, plus the players who have been here long before I ever arrived and are still faithfully pursuing their dreams in Paragon City, the Rogue Isles, and Praetoria.

Nor can you put a dollar value on the community that you are rending with this decision to sunset our game.

I implore you, please reconsider the options available to try and find a way of saving CITY OF HEROES and its community. You made us - please don't set an example that not even the villains among us would follow.

Yours sincerely,
Michelle Travis, unofficial videographer of CITY OF HEROES"

[Turjan]

It's not really something I'm comfortable talking about, and let's just please leave it at that.

Then we must respect your wishes :)

Talking of respect, I've watched your CoH videos and see nothing but respect for our great game there. If you judge that NCSoft's awareness of you might 'be detrimental', then I'd reckon that says more about what their attitude has become than it does about your impressive work and reputation.

[Soundtrack]

I think it's an awesome letter, Michelle. :)

Since you live in Seattle, I suggest even hand-delivering it! :) Perhaps bring a box of pastries for the office staff who receives it... increase the chance of it getting into the hands.

"Such a nice young lady who brought us those treats...we'll make sure this gets to where it has to go." :)

[TheBeatnik]

That's a fantastic letter, and I'm sorry that you can't send it.

Reading it has helped me to keep my hope up, though, and I'd imagine has/will inspire others besides myself. So thank you!

[Samuraiko]

I think it's an awesome letter, Michelle. :)

Since you live in Seattle, I suggest even hand-delivering it! :) Perhaps bring a box of pastries for the office staff who receives it... increase the chance of it getting into the hands.

"Such a nice young lady who brought us those treats...we'll make sure this gets to where it has to go." :)

I should make brownies. Individually wrapped in green saran wrap with the symbol for Speed Boost on them. The havoc it would wreak when a) the sugar rush hits, then b) when it wears off - the entertainment factor alone might make it worth it.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[eabrace]

I should make brownies. Individually wrapped in green saran wrap with the symbol for Speed Boost on them. The havoc it would wreak when a) the sugar rush hits, then b) when it wears off - the entertainment factor alone might make it worth it.

Speed Boost would be far better than the implications of using Elixir of Life.  ;)

[downix]

Michelle, if you want to be a bit more coy, my wife makes logo'd cupcakes for her business:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151033831083027.425732.568753026&type=3

[Soundtrack]

I should make brownies. Individually wrapped in green saran wrap with the symbol for Speed Boost on them. The havoc it would wreak when a) the sugar rush hits, then b) when it wears off - the entertainment factor alone might make it worth it.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

That's the spirit! :)

(And send one my way. ;) After all, I AM a kineticist. ;) )