And the mask comes off.

[Vee]

"Was that over the top?  I can never tell..." - Joker, Batman Forever.

Jim Carrey was by far my least favorite Joker.

[RGladden]

Jim Carrey was by far my least favorite Joker.

He wasn't the Joker.  He was the Riddler.   

[Aggelakis]

Updated the first post of both main threads.

[Arcana]

EVEN IF there is no news, Nate should at least participate here and there to ensure that YES, things are still in order, there's still light for this current development, that it is NOT YET EXPIRED.

Would it help if I programmed a Nate-bot to post, once a day, that the current state of affairs today is identical to what it was yesterday?  Because that is the only thing its likely he could post, even if it made sense for him to post, which it does not.

Its easy to say that even if there is no news he should still participate, but I know exactly what would happen under those conditions.  Instead of people getting tired of hearing nothing, they would get tired of hearing Nate say there's nothing he can say, but with an extra heaping of badgering.

Everyone wants the backstage pass.  Everyone wants the nod-nod wink-wink hint.  When people say they just want him to participate even if he can't say anything, they aren't being genuinely truthful.  They want a target they can squeeze, and they'll just get more angry when their squeezing fails.

All we can do is flag a notify on the wake me thread and try to be patient, or watch the Avengers trailer and dream of Hulkbuster epic archetypes.

[MWRuger]

I don't want a backstage pass. I just want to play CoH again before I die.

As far as I can tell, everything that can be done is being done. I'm content. If it fails, I do want to hear it as it means that we have to start over. But until we know, one way or another, I am content to talk about CoH and other tangents with my fellows who loved the game as I did and hope for the best.

[Vee]

He wasn't the Joker.  He was the Riddler.   

Yeah, that was the joke.

[Ironwolf]

The problem is that 'no news is good news' has been the mantra for too long now, such that to me it's a crock of unfettered male cow's unused food that has been deposited in a field, to be forgotten unless stepped in, to have the foragers of that type of material to gather what they can, and then the rest left to slowly erode away as if it had never been there.
 
"Was that over the top?  I can never tell..." - Joker, Batman Forever.

EVEN IF there is no news, Nate should at least participate here and there to ensure that YES, things are still in order, there's still light for this current development, that it is NOT YET EXPIRED.

Waning interest is NOT GOOD for the effort.  There should be some interest, and not a couple of dang rambling threads that aren't anything to do with the original reason for their being there.

It's *cute*, sure... but it's just so unhelpful to those who WANT TO KNOW.

I'm sorry.  the 'flagging interest' angle got to me, and woke me up to the reality.  This site is getting less posts simply because of what I said just now, though, I'm sure of it.

Used to be there were 3-4 new pages of posts to go through.  Now there's less than one.  No wonder Tony's wondering what to do with the site now.

Nate, or whomever, NDA or not, you should probably at least stir the tanks a little.

/soapbox.
//profuse apologies for irrirtating, but hadda say it.
///C'mon NCSoft, sell it. Pretty please, with sugar and whip cream on top.  Or whatever you desire for toppings, really, if it's some sort of sweet korean BBQ or tangy mustard, I'm not partial to any particular one, whatever you want, I'll get it, just SELL already.  *curls up in a fetal position and softy whimpers*

I am sorry, I wish things were moving faster for everyone in the community.

An NDA is an NDA and that means that can't talk about it. In fact in many cases you can't even respond that you are under NDA. No news is not good news or bad news - it is what we face. We face an uncertain future but a crushing past. Hope is a difficult thing to wrestle with. When this whole thing started we were dead in the water and while some have criticized me for saying too much - if we didn't spread the information then - nothing would have happened.

I know Nate and the new Overlords would love to tell us what is happening. I would like to thank Nate because he is also sheltering who ever is running the game and taking the flack for them. It is not a fun position to be in and yet the players and the game are worth the effort. Hang in there folks, the night is not forever the dawn will come.

[JanessaVR]

Would it help if I programmed a Nate-bot to post, once a day, that the current state of affairs today is identical to what it was yesterday?  Because that is the only thing its likely he could post, even if it made sense for him to post, which it does not.

Its easy to say that even if there is no news he should still participate, but I know exactly what would happen under those conditions.  Instead of people getting tired of hearing nothing, they would get tired of hearing Nate say there's nothing he can say, but with an extra heaping of badgering.

Everyone wants the backstage pass.  Everyone wants the nod-nod wink-wink hint.  When people say they just want him to participate even if he can't say anything, they aren't being genuinely truthful.  They want a target they can squeeze, and they'll just get more angry when their squeezing fails.

All we can do is flag a notify on the wake me thread and try to be patient, or watch the Avengers trailer and dream of Hulkbuster epic archetypes.

Actually, I'm happy just to receive that "negotiations continue" mini-sort-of-update today.  Even one of those once per month is very welcome.  No backstage pass needed.

[Nyx Nought Nothing]

Actually, I'm happy just to receive that "negotiations continue" mini-sort-of-update today.  Even one of those once per month is very welcome.  No backstage pass needed.

i think we need someone to create the Nate-bot and have it post "Negotiations continue." once a week in the main threads until such time as the negotiations conclude one way or the other.

[artbunker]

I waited two years. i can wait a little longer. Been playing some FFXIV ARR lately. Its a fun game, but too dependent on making certain classes essential for something to be complete. I miss the "you can be anything and complete missions or TF feel of COH.

Now a question that gonna get me banned probably. What exactly was a trail in COH. I did TF's all the time so I knew those well. I knew Incarnate Trials well. But what were regular trials in COH and what were the good for besides EXP?

Finally if anyone ever talks to the old devs, I was wondering why was the Frostfire badge removed from the game?

[Vee]

The respecs were trials, eden, dfb, abandoned sewers, a couple more i think. but no major difference from a TF.

[Drauger9]

I know the silence is killing some people but you have to realize. That it's for our own good and that Nate isn't just Negotiating with NCSoft, he's also (most likely working a full time job), working on City of Titans, while helping with the Negotiating too. So I for one am understanding that he doesn't post here daily.

I actually prefer he don't because I know as well intentioned some may be. They'll try to pressure him into spilling details, details that could cost us the whole deal. Just because they couldn't help but be curious.

So thank you Nate for doing the Wise thing, although I know it must be hard for you. As I remember you was a regular poster here until the start of the negotiations?

[Arcana]

The respecs were trials, eden, dfb, abandoned sewers, a couple more i think. but no major difference from a TF.

I believe the original idea was that trials would be, in effect, singular missions possibly broken up into segments while task forces were intended to be a chain of missions intended to be completed in sequence.  That distinction was generally ambiguous and it was abandoned fairly quickly.  If they had kept it, they would have had to invent a term specifically for Doc Q, so there would be trials, task forces, and That Thing.

If you were a launch player, of course, at one point the difference was "task forces are the ones that are working, trials are the ones that are not working."

[Nyx Nought Nothing]

I believe the original idea was that trials would be, in effect, singular missions possibly broken up into segments while task forces were intended to be a chain of missions intended to be completed in sequence.  That distinction was generally ambiguous and it was abandoned fairly quickly.  If they had kept it, they would have had to invent a term specifically for Doc Q, so there would be trials, task forces, and That Thing.

If you were a launch player, of course, at one point the difference was "task forces are the ones that are working, trials are the ones that are not working."

Trials initially tended to have complex mechanics for the boss fight/climax and be slightly more difficult than task forces. The first trials i was familiar with were the Eden, Sewer, and Respec trials, all of which had special mechanics related to the climax whereas task forces were usually a series of themed missions ending in a fairly standard AV or boss fight. And as you say that distinction pretty much went away as new content was added.

[ryuplaneswalker]

I am sorry, I wish things were moving faster for everyone in the community.

An NDA is an NDA and that means that can't talk about it. In fact in many cases you can't even respond that you are under NDA. No news is not good news or bad news - it is what we face. We face an uncertain future but a crushing past. Hope is a difficult thing to wrestle with. When this whole thing started we were dead in the water and while some have criticized me for saying too much - if we didn't spread the information then - nothing would have happened.

I know Nate and the new Overlords would love to tell us what is happening. I would like to thank Nate because he is also sheltering who ever is running the game and taking the flack for them. It is not a fun position to be in and yet the players and the game are worth the effort. Hang in there folks, the night is not forever the dawn will come.

[Tim Robbins voice] Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies [/Tim Robbins voice]

[kiario]

Its like this, just be thankful that someone is trying to get CoH back.
In mean time, live life as usual. Play some other good games and have fun

[houtex]

Well... that worked, I suppose. :p

I don't feel particularly accomplished or proud or anything of that nature for having poked the fire a little and got some response, but... I think it needed saying.  These threads are a bit of a train wreck, so an update to the top posts is *highly* appreciated, even if it's just another date, another "yep, it's still cookin'."

I absolutely get that the people involved really can't say much of anything.  I mean... that's sort of the whole point of this, I suppose, trying to be 'in line' with NCSoft's wishes on how to negotiate or discuss.

But *surely* even NCSoft, as much as we 'know' about them, couldn't be THAT uptight about a teensy little update.  It's not like we didn't know that the negotiations are even a thing.  All that's needed is a "Update <whatever day it is>: It's still goin' on.  Really." 

A bot, though, would just be disingenuous, but thanks for the suggestion there...

Anyway, the ongoing efforts are appreciated, but man... I know enough about business, software coding, agreements, etc. and all that to be wondering what the REAL hang up is here... I ain't kidding, I can't even imagine why the drag on this...

Ok, standing by as directed... but let it not be so long next time", mmkay?  Thaaanks!" - Bill Lundbergh, Office Space

[Drauger9]

The problem is that 'no news is good news' has been the mantra for too long now, such that to me it's a crock of unfettered male cow's unused food that has been deposited in a field, to be forgotten unless stepped in, to have the foragers of that type of material to gather what they can, and then the rest left to slowly erode away as if it had never been there.
 
"Was that over the top?  I can never tell..." - Joker, Batman Forever.

EVEN IF there is no news, Nate should at least participate here and there to ensure that YES, things are still in order, there's still light for this current development, that it is NOT YET EXPIRED.

Waning interest is NOT GOOD for the effort.  There should be some interest, and not a couple of dang rambling threads that aren't anything to do with the original reason for their being there.

It's *cute*, sure... but it's just so unhelpful to those who WANT TO KNOW.

I'm sorry.  the 'flagging interest' angle got to me, and woke me up to the reality.  This site is getting less posts simply because of what I said just now, though, I'm sure of it.

Used to be there were 3-4 new pages of posts to go through.  Now there's less than one.  No wonder Tony's wondering what to do with the site now.

Nate, or whomever, NDA or not, you should probably at least stir the tanks a little.

/soapbox.
//profuse apologies for irrirtating, but hadda say it.
///C'mon NCSoft, sell it. Pretty please, with sugar and whip cream on top.  Or whatever you desire for toppings, really, if it's some sort of sweet korean BBQ or tangy mustard, I'm not partial to any particular one, whatever you want, I'll get it, just SELL already.  *curls up in a fetal position and softy whimpers*

I don't feel particularly accomplished or proud or anything of that nature for having poked the fire a little and got some response, but... I think it needed saying.

Sorry but that didn't seem the intention of your original post.

These threads are a bit of a train wreck, so an update to the top posts is *highly* appreciated, even if it's just another date, another "yep, it's still cookin'."

I also don't understand how this thread is a train wreck. When it's been stated OVER and OVER that if there was an update. It'd appear, exactly where this current update has appeared.

But *surely* even NCSoft, as much as we 'know' about them, couldn't be THAT uptight about a teensy little update.  It's not like we didn't know that the negotiations are even a thing.  All that's needed is a "Update <whatever day it is>: It's still goin' on.  Really."

I believe comments like this is exactly what others where talking about. Let's let Nate and crew decide what NCSoft is comfortable with them saying. Their the one's dealing with them, so they are the one that would know how "teensy" an update should be.

Anyway, the ongoing efforts are appreciated, but man... I know enough about business, software coding, agreements, etc. and all that to be wondering what the REAL hang up is here... I ain't kidding, I can't even imagine why the drag on this...

I don't know you so I don't know what kind of experience you have. But I do know what's been stated here. One dealing with a Korean corporation is a slow process, Two I do know that currently NCSoft is having a power struggle so yeah, I'd think that'd slow things down some. Three, everyone envolved I'm sure has other things their doing/envolved with. So I'd also assume that they may go a week or two without talking. Four, it's March we just got finished with the Holiday season and the Tax season. Those things for me personally take up a lot of my personal time. That would take away from a personal project (Even if it's trying to get the best game in the world back) that I'm working on.

So no I don't feel like it's a:

it's a crock of unfettered male cow's unused food that has been deposited in a field, to be forgotten unless stepped in, to have the foragers of that type of material to gather what they can, and then the rest left to slowly erode away as if it had never been there.

I know waiting is hard especially when there's a lot of silence (as I've said before) but it's something we'll have to deal with.

[Safehouse]

I waited two years. i can wait a little longer. Been playing some FFXIV ARR lately. Its a fun game, but too dependent on making certain classes essential for something to be complete. I miss the "you can be anything and complete missions or TF feel of COH.

Now a question that gonna get me banned probably. What exactly was a trail in COH. I did TF's all the time so I knew those well. I knew Incarnate Trials well. But what were regular trials in COH and what were the good for besides EXP?

Finally if anyone ever talks to the old devs, I was wondering why was the Frostfire badge removed from the game?

I love FFXIV ARR. I haven't been able to play in weeks because my gaming computer is shot, and it's the first MMO since COH that I go through withdrawal on when I can't play. Really excited for the expansion and hope it comes up soon.

I agree though, about the game being dependent on the other classes a bit too much. I've also generally been a solo-er in MMOs, except when I have friends on. I don't do PUGs. I've never been fond of the fact that ARR requires you to team up in order to advance the storyline.

One of the things I loved about CoH was that there was a way to advance both through teaming and through soloing. You were never stuck with one path or another. I teamed up when I wanted to, not because I HAD to in order to move onwards and upwards.

That said, I still love it.

[Tim Robbins voice] Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies [/Tim Robbins voice]

[HEATSTROKE]

 having been under NDA's with companies ( in a different industries) some companies take them VERY seriously.. If they have asked Nate to say NOTHING during negotiations.. then him saying even a LITTLE something is a violation of trust.. which can definitely short circuit a deal..