And the mask comes off.

[Arcana]

I'm going to bow out of this line of discussion after this as to not risk poking bears, but a little bird hinted that mapservers were not virtualized (after all, what would be the point since all shards dynamically balance maps across them), but dbservers were along with some of the global stuff. Which makes sense as you need a dbserver per shard, so virtualizing allows them to pool resources and not need as many physical machines for them.

It could also explain certain odd behaviors I could attribute to dbservers getting variable performance on an unoptimized consolidated server.  But yeah, this is probably one of those talks about the birds and the bears.

[Arcana]

2008R2. Why they didn't just call it SQL2010 is beyond me to this day, at least the client components are sane and just call it 10.50.

Probably because of Windows 2008R2.  The bigger question is why they used that naming convention, because that was horrible for everyone involved given the changes in 2k8R2.

[jendragon]

Personally, I think the original CoH base system is one thing you should NOT try to replicate. It was ugly as sin and made it a right chore to get anything decent looking.

You can do better, loads better. :p  Personally.. I kinda like how they do it in DCUO.  Just a collection of big empty rooms you can decorate how you like. Just don't gate the furnishings behind drops and let the users buy additional rooms to add on to it (including multiple levels).

This is much along the lines CoT is planning.

No, don't give me rooms to just decorate.  I like being able to take a huge room and giving it three levels of living space.  It was clunky, but people pulled out based editing miracles which looked like weight rooms, auto mechanic shops, the inside of a space ship/satellite, some people even turned their bases into small towns where you were walking the streets.  I like the freedom to turn the inside of the bases into what you need for that particular room.  I was editing various bases during the last year, and learning a ton from base editors who were willing to teach me.  I even borrowed ideas I saw and figured out how they were done.  Before CoH was turned off, I was wowing myself with what I was pulling off in the editor.  I want to be able to make a base that suits the people in it.  Be they vampires, mutants, dimensional beings from other places. I don't want a cookie cutter room that I just decorate.

[Cailyn Alaynn]

Yeah, I've found the "we're almost there" 'signature' to be annoying, because it is not true at all, and may give false hope to people that something will actually happen soon.

I think people are just trying to be optimistic. Those of us running a project (APR, the purchase, CoT, etc) have asked the community to do the hardest thing possible: Sit and wait.
I can understand some eagerness for that to be over.

[Cailyn Alaynn]

Speaking personally, my preferences (which should, of course, be given accommodation because I am the Most Important Person in the World) would be to at least see the gameplay changes incorporated into APR--the things everyone was looking forward to like the Blaster changes, the new powersets (already had ideas for a Dual Pistols/Martial Combat and a Spines/Bio-Armor character) and the Rogue/Vigilante-specific storyarcs (as I thought it added a lot to the flavor of the alignment system if those alignments went down different story paths). I care substantially less about the specific story content.

And I don't so much mind not being able to import my Sentinel files, but I'd be a trifle upset if the APR migration didn't allow you to import active characters from the re-released game. Starting over once is frustrating, starting over twice is doubly frustrating.

It's entirely possible, and likely that the i24 gameplay changes will make it in. I haven't had a chance to go do my homework on i24 quite yet, but I figure the changes being made were for the best...especially since everyone seems so keen on getting them!

As for character importing... I literally cannot say yay or nay at this time. It's not a matter of me choosing one way or the other. Given the choice, I'd choose being able to import people's characters! However, there are technical hurdles that I have little experience in. (Databases and the like: Not my area of expertise. Never had to work with them really.
Also, whoever is running Legacy has to be willing to play ball, which since nobody's been given that task yet...I can't just PM them and be like "Sup. So, how about stuff? What about things?"

[Harpospoke]

I would suggest something similar to STO - global handles. There's a certain amount of uniqueness needed in a superhero game, to be sure, but I think it's better to make more people happy.

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

[ivanhedgehog]

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

Hi! I'm Darryl. and this is my brother Darryl.

[downix]

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

On Liberty my sister ran an SG "The Power Of One"

Every member had a variation of "One" or "1" in their name.

Was always fun running down the street to see "Noone saved us!" "Someone is awesome" and "Anyone will save me!"

[BadWolf]

It's entirely possible, and likely that the i24 gameplay changes will make it in. I haven't had a chance to go do my homework on i24 quite yet, but I figure the changes being made were for the best...especially since everyone seems so keen on getting them!

As for character importing... I literally cannot say yay or nay at this time. It's not a matter of me choosing one way or the other. Given the choice, I'd choose being able to import people's characters! However, there are technical hurdles that I have little experience in. (Databases and the like: Not my area of expertise. Never had to work with them really.
Also, whoever is running Legacy has to be willing to play ball, which since nobody's been given that task yet...I can't just PM them and be like "Sup. So, how about stuff? What about things?"

Don't worry--I think I speak for everyone when I say that we understand that you're not able to give us answers yet. This is the pre-tentative-stage-of-negotiations-not-yet-completed-which-may-lead-to-a-series-of-discussions-which-could-be-implemented-in-some-form-leading-to-a-sequence-of-decisions-which-could-then-possibly-be-worked-on-pending-technical-hurdles-not-yet-known-which-will-eventually-lead-to-some-form-of-game-which-will-go-through-an-alpha-leading-to-a-beta. so things are bound to change before the game goes live. But it never hurts to get ideas out there early while everything is still fluid, and you're being a great listener right now.

[-Psi-]

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

Green Lantern called. He wants his idea back! You stole it! 

[opprime2828]

I am going by the numbers given to me only. I have no reason to doubt the word of my contacts in Bioware, Cryptic or Trion, and they all gave similar numbers.

I hate to bow back into this discussion, but again, that seems a bit odd. After all, what do you think your contacts at Bioware, Cryptic, or Trion would have told you about the costs of implementing an entire MMO?  Within the budget you're currently working? Of course not, since they're working with triple A titles and companies that likely use greatly inflated costs.
 
I'm fine if you don't decide to include Voice work.  Honestly. I think it's a strike against your game that will hurt you, if only slightly, and I GREATLY want your game to succeed, but if you all decide its fine, cool.
 
But I'm a little surprised at a)the numbers you giving not matching what I know from the industry first hand, and what others in here know as well, and even what the SAG union rates are, and b)that your mindset for this seems to be so opposed to the mindset of the entire rest of MWMs entire concept.
 
*shrug* 
 
Like I said, I meant no disrespect to you, and didn't even start this thread, but do feel that all of us should be able to voice our opinions/challenge ideas and decisions, etc. without feeling like we suddenly get shunned or treated as if we're a nuisance.  Sadly, that's exactly how I felt like I was treated in the end by some people in the discussion, when all I, Tony V, and others are trying to do is state our opinions and our knowledge. 

[KennonGL]

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

I remember a couple of smallish groups on Guardian who took advantage of the font that character names
were shown in to use lower L's, upper I's, and 1's to make multiple toons with the same displayed "name"

Always a hoot to see them running together, same names, same costumes, etc.

[MM3squints]

Hi! I'm Darryl. and this is my brother Darryl.

I think it would we "Hi I'm Darryl, and this is my brother, Durrel" Also could be worse, you can be one of George Foreman's son xD

[MM3squints]

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

Actually there was a PvP Match where the entire 8 man team changed their names to have different variations of IIIIIIIIII. That was interesting to see people call out targets.

[JanessaVR]

Actually there was a PvP Match where the entire 8 man team changed their names to have different variations of IIIIIIIIII. That was interesting to see people call out targets.

Glorious chaos, I'm sure. 

On a similar note, a friend of mine with an Illusion Controller spent some time working up a cleverly-crafted costume that looked like the phantoms in Phantom Army.  He would throw them out and then "hide in the crowd," so to speak.  Rather surprised me the first time I saw it - I said "Where'd you get a 4th phantom?  And where are you?"

[AlienOne]

On Liberty my sister ran an SG "The Power Of One"

Every member had a variation of "One" or "1" in their name.

Was always fun running down the street to see "Noone saved us!" "Someone is awesome" and "Anyone will save me!"

O.o

Heyyyyyy..... That's what I did! Even the SG's name was "CorpsOne"....lol

I had a neat backstory and everything!

[opprime2828]

Glorious chaos, I'm sure. 

On a similar note, a friend of mine with an Illusion Controller spent some time working up a cleverly-crafted costume that looked like the phantoms in Phantom Army.  He would throw them out and then "hide in the crowd," so to speak.  Rather surprised me the first time I saw it - I said "Where'd you get a 4th phantom?  And where are you?"

 
I did the same thing!  I loved it. :-)

[downix]

Like I said, I meant no disrespect to you, and didn't even start this thread, but do feel that all of us should be able to voice our opinions/challenge ideas and decisions, etc. without feeling like we suddenly get shunned or treated as if we're a nuisance.  Sadly, that's exactly how I felt like I was treated in the end by some people in the discussion, when all I, Tony V, and others are trying to do is state our opinions and our knowledge.

I understand where you are coming from. From studio costs, to localization, to the need to redesign the entire character rig yet again, to even the sheer volume of content we are discussing here, it is beyond what is practicable for MWM to consider at this point. (I cannot speak for APR) I used worst-case scenario costs, which is how I baseline most budgeting work. That is one of the reasons why MWM is under budget at this point. Voice acting's worst-case scenario however is far greater a spread.

Now, what has been ignored in all of these discussions is that both CoT and APR are running on the Unreal Engine. It is easy to conceive of someone adding a semi-official "Voice Actor" module, using fan made vocal talent, which could be used in either game.

In other words, if you want voice acting, you guys have the power to make it happen.

[Scendera]

I just pictured a SG where every character has the same name.   That would crack me up...the creative potential of this community would take that and run with it, I'm betting.

We have 3 Inaris in my SG in CO....only one is a white fox, go fig.

[opprime2828]

I understand where you are coming from. From studio costs, to localization, to the need to redesign the entire character rig yet again, to even the sheer volume of content we are discussing here, it is beyond what is practicable for MWM to consider at this point. (I cannot speak for APR) I used worst-case scenario costs, which is how I baseline most budgeting work. That is one of the reasons why MWM is under budget at this point. Voice acting's worst-case scenario however is far greater a spread.

Now, what has been ignored in all of these discussions is that both CoT and APR are running on the Unreal Engine. It is easy to conceive of someone adding a semi-official "Voice Actor" module, using fan made vocal talent, which could be used in either game.

In other words, if you want voice acting, you guys have the power to make it happen.

 
Thanks for the response. 
 
This last comment makes me excited. One of the best aspects I've found in The Secret World is the ability built in to the game to add mods by players that tweak the user experience in valuable ways. 
 
Will CoT be trying to allow the same sort of modding?  It is AWESOME to be able to make your UI, etc. customizable.  The ability to create autosorting of loot, autoselling at vendors, etc. is such great QoL material, and outsourcing it to players is brilliant. I'd be STOKED if I found out that CoT, at least, was planning on that being at least a possibility.