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On "private servers"

Started by TonyV, June 19, 2015, 01:28:55 PM

TonyV

Hi all, I can't believe I'm actually posting about this because I kinda hate to dignify rumors with a response--undoubtedly, there will be a contingent of people out there of the opinion that since I'm denying stuff, it must be true.  Nevertheless, people have been posting messages with screenshots of the forums here, so we're getting directly entangled in this mess and I wanted to at least post one message so that sane folks will stop listening to the conspiracy theories flying around.  There have been several posts lately in the CoH Survivors group on Facebook and even here alleging that there are some private servers up and running.  This is the same CoH Survivors group in which shenanigans have happened before, and those shenanigans are why I left the group last August in preference for the City of Heroes group on which I'm an active participant today.

Last night, a user posted on the forums here the following:
QuoteWhen are the private servers going to be made open information for all to play on? Not just a select few of the chosen people that certain individuals feel "deserve" to continue to play in a world we all love?
Really now, this has gone on for almost 2 years now. It was going to become public knowledge at some point. Let's do the right thing and let everyone back in please.

The post was deleted in pretty short order.  I'd like to explain why.

The short version is that we do our best here to provide a welcoming place for former players of City of Heroes to congregate and interact, as well as get news and information that's relevant to the game.  I feel that posting such rumors and baseless allegations are harmful to the community, in that it fosters the notion that there is an "in" crowd that has some special secret access to something that the "out" crowd really wants badly.  Next thing you know, there are accusations flying around, hurt feelings going on, and it's all based on something that is unsubstantiated.

And make no mistake, it is unsubstantiated.  What few screenshots and "proof" I've seen of such a private server is at best flimsy, stuff that could easily be accomplished through using the Icon utility, skillful demoediting, and/or basic Photoshopping skills.  Nevertheless, several community members have come to me saying that they have been threatened via PMs and even personal email that someone is going to go all scorched earth and post private communication if "the truth" isn't revealed, and these folks have consistently been confused over what exactly it is they're supposed to be revealing. These are people who are working hard on successor projects as well as people who have been involved in the Save CoH efforts whose time is being wasted having to deal with this crap. Why would someone post messages with the intention of making people think that there is a private server and wasting the time of our community leaders if it's not real?  C'mon, it's the Internet, folks.  There are a lot of people out there who get their jollies working folks up just for the hell of it.  I beg you, please don't feed the trolls.

In reality, if you're here, as far as I'm concerned, you're part of the "in" crowd, period, end of story.

Now, having said all of that, I have consistently said that there is a possibility that one of the devs might have managed to get their hands on the code before the shutdown.  I'll even concede that there might be a private server out there.  If so, then more power to them, and I hope that eventually whoever has access to the code will see fit to release it.  I have also repeatedly acknowledged that there is a team out there I've been referring to SCoRE who has been working on reverse engineering a server, and while I know that it's been a long time and some folks have lost faith that they're making any progress, they ARE still working on it, and they ARE still making progress to the point where I've seen some simple interactions happening.  If you're wondering why they won't release their work, it's mainly because it is at a VERY early stage, it's VERY difficult to get it configured correctly, and they would much rather spend their time working on coding than having to worry about releasing stuff, supporting it, getting an inevitable flood of questions about "how do I set this up?" (only to be disappointed to find out that it takes expensive development software), and getting an inevitable flood of complaints that it's not working right and how much their progress sucks so far.  (Which was yet another thread posted a few days ago that we deleted, but I digress...)  And not to put too fine a point on it, the reason that team is highly encouraged to maintain radio silence on their efforts is precisely because of what is going on over on Facebook right now, baseless rumors and allegations that are completely unconstructive based on what some people think (but who don't actually know) what is going on.

So in short, is there a private server?  Not that I know of, although it is still being worked on.  Even if there is, it is totally irrelevant, because whoever is running it obviously doesn't want it released to the community-at-large for what is hopefully a really damn good obvious reason.  I know that if I were running such a server, seeing the noise that is being made over these allegations, along with the threats that are being made and the unbridled sense of entitlement that is being conveyed, along with the legal threat of what would happen if it got out into the wild, would certainly turn me off of the prospect of releasing the software.  In short, if there is such a thing, what's going on over on Facebook is likely driving those people deeper underground, not encouraging them to release it to the community.

To the folks who are spreading this crap around on Facebook, if you want something constructive to do instead, support the community instead of trying to tear it apart.  Express support for SCoRE, or participate in one of the successor projects, or even snag a copy of Icon and make some videos to entertain the community without the pretense of there being a private server.

But if you must troll folks, then at the very least, leave us the hell out of it.  I do try to be nice here and stay hands-off as far as moderation goes as much as I can, but be forewarned that troll posts here will continue to be deleted and those posters' accounts will continue to be banned.  Not because we're afraid that what you're saying is the truth, but because we don't like people coming here and stirring up trouble just for the hell of it.

To the folks who have kept a level head these past few years, thanks a ton for your continued support and your assistance in keeping the community together and tight-knit.  Trust me, your patience will eventually be rewarded, and there are things in the works to help satiate the desire for progress as we continue working towards the goal of having our city back!  Please feel free to join us over on the City of Heroes page on Facebook, and tune into Save CoH Radio on Friday nights at 8:30pm Eastern if you want to hear Rich "Pogoman" Banks and me talk about stuff going on in the community and in geek culture in general.

Ironwolf

Thanks Tony.

If there is a private server - good! I would rather have a public server, but I like the idea someone is playing the game somewhere.

To those who only want a free ride a private server that would completely waste the time and money of the people trying to legally buy the game and continue to run it above board - go to hell.

I want the IP and the game back and in a legal way that can't be snatched away from us. Do you want to play the merry-go-round of building constantly on the next server that NCSoft hasn't shutdown with a C&D letter yet? The short sightedness and entitlement mentality continues to amaze me.

saipaman

I hope a Dev did walk off with the code and if a deal with NCSoft can be reached, that said Dev would supply the code to the appropriate party.

Angel Phoenix77

Quote from: Ironwolf on June 19, 2015, 04:20:22 PM
Thanks Tony.

If there is a private server - good! I would rather have a public server, but I like the idea someone is playing the game somewhere.

To those who only want a free ride a private server that would completely waste the time and money of the people trying to legally buy the game and continue to run it above board - go to hell.

I want the IP and the game back and in a legal way that can't be snatched away from us. Do you want to play the merry-go-round of building constantly on the next server that NCSoft hasn't shutdown with a C&D letter yet? The short sightedness and entitlement mentality continues to amaze me.
I totally agree with you IW and Tony, I got angry last night when someone posted #privateserver and it came from the same person who caused problems last year.
I want to go home, however, I am willing to wait. I am very happy that IW got the ball rolling again last year in attempt on getting our home back and I am grateful of Nate and the rest for trying to get our home back. I think some people see City of. as long gone, but I do not see it that way. I see it as an update that just takes more time. :)
One day the Phoenix will rise again.

Ironwolf

Quote from: saipaman on June 19, 2015, 05:39:54 PM
I hope a Dev did walk off with the code and if a deal with NCSoft can be reached, that said Dev would supply the code to the appropriate party.

This is exactly what I want.

I want a Dev who has worked out all the bugs from an image. I want said Dev to hand over his hard work when the deal is reached in exchange for some cash and a thank you from the new overlords.

I want them to run this private server quietly and make sure everything works and is stable. Then once the game is returned to the public, for the private server code to be worked on until a stand-alone model is built - just in case.

Kyriani

#5
I read some of those Facebook comments... stuff like:

QuoteAll or none.... we feel ALL should have access to this private server.... OR NO ONE

and

QuoteWatching it burn sounds fun

And I was like... what a bunch of selfish, self-entitled jerks! Don't get me wrong. If there really is a working private server out there, yea I sure as hell would want in on it. We all would. But if its real and its being kept secret, maybe its for a damn good reason! Of course I wanna play again, but even if I can't, what kind of bullshit is saying infantile crap like "if I can't play no one should be able to play!"? I wanna play coh again and I have faith that the SCORE team will make that happen someday. I'm not about to crap all over other people who might be playing on some private server just cause I miss the game. That's not the kind of person I am and I sure as hell wouldn't want to play with people like that.

So to those out there in that mythical private server I say good on ya! Keep COH alive however you can... and invite me pls! LOL! To the douchenozzles on facebook. Piss off. Your bullshit attitude is exactly why you don't deserve to be a part of the COH community and when SCORE finally finishes their server stuff I hope you feel guilty about this crap you're pulling with getting our hopes up with fake rumors about private servers. And let me know who you are when we have a server again so I can put you on ignore and never team with you.

Leandro

Kyri, pretty sure nobody there is going to read your message. They are very comfortable in their echo chamber and deleting all dissenting posts so RDG can keep spouting his "everybody agrees with me" nonsense. Honestly I wouldn't have dignified it with a response. Trolls want attention, don't waste your time giving it to them. The hilarious thing is that by getting banned from Titan, he's locking himself out of the new project that is coming Soon™. So in a sense, he's right -- everybody will be playing on a server and not letting him in.

Kyriani

#7
Quote from: Leandro on June 19, 2015, 07:45:10 PM
Kyri, pretty sure nobody there is going to read your message. They are very comfortable in their echo chamber and deleting all dissenting posts so RDG can keep spouting his "everybody agrees with me" nonsense. Honestly I wouldn't have dignified it with a response. Trolls want attention, don't waste your time giving it to them. The hilarious thing is that by getting banned from Titan, he's locking himself out of the new project that is coming Soon™. So in a sense, he's right -- everybody will be playing on a server and not letting him in.

Well I dont wanna get caught up in their crap over on facebook. I'll happily stay here in my own echo chamber with people I like ^_^   Oh and I can't wait to see what this Soon thing is! I'm excited!

FourSpeed

So, what's the info on this private server that everyone is playing on now???

;D ;D ;D

I kid, I kid...    ;)


Cheers,
4


PS> On a serious note, if the wherewithal to actually host a private server ever comes to pass, lmk - as I have a 6 Core 10GB Windows server (that I host a couple of other games on) that might be able to host a re-released COH.

TonyV

Oh hells no, I'd be buying a server and hosting that puppy myself, and you'd all be starting in Tony Park.  :P

And yeah, your trainer there would be Taxibot Belle.  8)

FourSpeed

lol - fair enough...    Anyway, once you *expand* yours, you know where another one is...

So, in addition to "Tony's Park", we could have "Four's Fairgrounds"      ;D



Cheers,
4

Brightfires

'Sounds like fun. XD
As long as I can take my screenshots, I'll gleefully bounce around both.
Taker of screenshots. Player of bird-things.

Ohioknight

Quote from: Ironwolf on June 19, 2015, 04:20:22 PM
Do you want to play the merry-go-round of building constantly on the next server...?

YES!


Please send me an invite...

KIDDING

;D
"Wow, a fat, sarcastic, Star Trek fan, you must be a devil with the ladies"

Leandro

Re-reading the original post, something I missed:

Quote from: TonyV on June 19, 2015, 01:28:55 PM
Now, having said all of that, I have consistently said that there is a possibility that one of the devs might have managed to get their hands on the code before the shutdown.  I'll even concede that there might be a private server out there.  If so, then more power to them, and I hope that eventually whoever has access to the code will see fit to release it.

Tony, that would be a terrible idea. It puts all of SCORE's efforts into question. Look at open source projects like ReactOS that were accused of copying code from the original Windows codebase: they had to shut everything down and spend a year auditing the source to prove it wasn't "tainted", and sack all contributors who touched it.

Reverse engineering the protocol and working on a server implementation could already call very unwanted attention from NC's lawyers, so we need to make sure that we can prove everything has been done "cleanly". If a former dev releases the source code out there, then NC's lawyers would have plenty of ammo to shut down any future projects by claiming they use their stolen code, regardless of whether anyone even looked at it. I know Titan's project uses a magnificent loophole to avoid any accusations of hosting a server (seriously, it's genius, wait for it) but still, let's not tempt fate.

Any devs who have original server binaries or code: keep them to yourselves! Titan got this. At this point in time, after 2+ years of work into cleanly reverse engineering the protocol, it'd do more harm than good.

Eoraptor

People wonder why I just stay out of zuckerberg's playground? This is why... entitled trolls and psychotics with no touchstone to reality. If this kind of thing happened in the physical world, at best you'd get a punch in the mouth, and more likely you'd be hauled off to the local cop shop for questioning and possible psychiatric exam. But places like facebook thrive on it, it's figured into their profit margin as "discussion driving" and brings in advertising traffic.

Meh. Why I am happy to stay here, and to  lesser extent, G+ (which I still treat like a pretty but poisonous snake)
"Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it's a simple adventure story, while others can read the back of a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe!"
-Lex Luthor

ukaserex

Well, that's certainly one of the more interesting threads since the closure.
The things I miss by just waiting for Codewalker's wake-up call via e-mail.

If I had my own private server...I'd probably break it. But, I'd probably wonder how I could keep it running. As for making it open, for everyone? I'd start small and expand as the server could handle it. But if I started lagging because of my DVD edition cape...well, I think I'd cut off the invites until something could be figured out.

But, that's just me. But, if I had that kind of ability to keep a server running, I'd probably rebug the PB to put 30+ slots in the nova form. (or whatever it's called for the PB)
Those who have no idea what they are doing genuinely have no idea that they don't know what they're doing. - John Cleese

Manga

Mythical private server indeed, no doubt paid for with a mythical pile of money falling from the sky.  Someone with tons of money risking losing it all to NCsoft's wrath would have to be completely crazy!

Keep squishing the trolls, Tony, until they're willing to come up with a realistic scenario.  Meanwhile, you'll have an actual surprise for them.

healix

I hate Facebook....for all the reasons stated above and more. I must say, I am SOOOO excited about the SOON project I can hardly see straight!

https://i.imgur.com/1lnGGktl.png
Listen to the 'mustn'ts'. Listen to the 'don'ts'. Listen to the 'shouldn'ts', the 'impossibles', the 'won'ts'. Listen to the 'you'll never haves', then listen close to me... Anything can happen . Anything can be.

The Fifth Horseman

Quote from: Eoraptor on June 20, 2015, 01:10:29 AMentitled trolls and psychotics with no touchstone to reality.
The net is full of them. Trust me on that.
This "EVERYONE MUST HAVE IT OR IT SHOULD BURN" garbage is just entitled tinfoil hats acting out their butthurt at not being part of something they are ABSOLUTELY SURE has to exist. 
I've dealt with this sort of people myself, including a few who decided that since the name of a project I was working on was announced, then they must have immediate access to it and threatening me is the way to get it.
At the time when the project was not even in alpha yet, just a nebulously defined goal and a registered domain name.
We were heroes. We were villains. At the end of the world we all fought as one. It's what we did that defines us.
The end occurred pretty much as we predicted: all servers redlining until midnight... and then no servers to go around.

Somewhere beyond time and space, if you look hard you might find a flash of silver trailing crimson: a lone lost Spartan on his way home.

downix

Quote from: The Fifth Horseman on June 24, 2015, 10:18:16 AM
The net is full of them. Trust me on that.
This "EVERYONE MUST HAVE IT OR IT SHOULD BURN" garbage is just entitled tinfoil hats acting out their butthurt at not being part of something they are ABSOLUTELY SURE has to exist. 
I've dealt with this sort of people myself, including a few who decided that since the name of a project I was working on was announced, then they must have immediate access to it and threatening me is the way to get it.
At the time when the project was not even in alpha yet, just a nebulously defined goal and a registered domain name.
I know what you mean. I have people who still believe that either CoT is nearly done and we are holding back access to people, or that no work has been done and it's just a scam. There is no middle ground.