The Shot Heard Around Paragon City - SCORE Public Release

[Ironwolf]

Yes, please let Leandro go about his business in peace.

He is taking steps to clean things up and pass them on so an open server can be attempted. Once it is out to the public NCSoft - may - take steps to stop it. This won't be easy and it won't be fast - better to be right the first time than a complete mess.

You have seen first hand how understanding a customer can be about lag or crashes in the video from the leaker. He was playing in secret, for free  and still complained.........

[Zombie Man]

So, no surprise, Leandro is, after all, one of the guys who's most been helping and supporting CoH players and community for years both before and after the shutdown. 

What we know now. 

This IS the original I24 Beta server code leaked anonymously over a period of several days before the shutdown.  The code as he received it is full of timestamps that would allow ID-ing the person who leaked who specifically requested he not publish without scrubbing.  He has been trying to scrub/rewrite but it's very slow going. The player character database was separately sent him anonymously but also contains time information that would allow id-ing the source.  The last time anybody but him saved a change was 10 months ago.

The game is every bit as much a mess as we've always heard. The "server" is a set of custom boxes running old software versions and talking to each other in specific timing sequences.  The ExCel spreadsheets that the Devs used have been reworked into something more usable.  He has a loose team of roughly 5 who have been able to get the thing running and keep it functional while they work to improve it.

At least one other person has a DIFFERENT copy of the source code, not from the same leak.

Thanks!

But yeah, the server code is spaghetti. All the CoH devs are agreed on that. So spaghetti, that for a while, no dev there knew how Taunt and aggro determination really worked!

Having the mission scripts written in Excel was crazy. And they built a mission designer overlay just to automate that process. And there are overlays on overlays: sidekicking, alignment changes, world events, etc...

It was understandable they wanted to do a CoH2 just to start fresh with clean code.

[Mister Hassenpheffer]

To everyone working behind the scenes, Thank you!

[nicoliy]

Anyone else kind of want a notice from the "wake me up when there is news" thread lol?

[Noyjitat]

Yes, please let Leandro go.........

Other than the most crazy people that sent death threats and exposed his personal information, I think most people will completely forget about the lie and this entire ordeal once we are playing again.

When you get down to it people just wanna play again.

[Taliseian]

Been a *long* time lurker here, reading and following along hoping for news about CoH.

Haven't thought for a long time that the City would see the light of day.  Been glad about Paragon Chat and SEGS and I've been online a few times, but never really expecting the real City to come back.  Always hoping for success, but never expecting it.  While PC and SEGS have made me feel good, there was always a bit part missing that made it hurt.  It's like I was in a dream - partially where I wanted to be, but everything was just out of reach.  It was always bittersweet and hurt a little.

When I started hearing and reading about Leandro and the saga of the Private Server I was upset - all I wanted to do was play a game I enjoyed and fight alongside a community I was a part of again and I felt that I was betrayed by those in whom I had not really a "trust" of, but at least people who I thought were working toward the same things I wanted. 

I haven't heard the Discord MP3 that was just posted, but I've been following the posts here, on FB, and in the Reddit groups with much more interest in the past few days.  Right now, I'm conflicted as to how to feel.  This could mean I can play a game that I've missed and be part of a community again that I've wanted for years, but there is a level of deceit that must be worked through. 

I agree 100% with with IronWolf posted -- this is not the moment to be "/em pitchfork".  That time, if necessary, will be a little further down the road.  Right now, Leandro seems to be willing to come clean and release the server code which can mean that there may be a time in the not too distant future that I can play and be a part of the community again.

**IF** this is true (and until it happens I will say IF) I have two plans...

One, I will download and attempt to setup my own server with a maximum number of accounts set to one - me.  This way, I can always play.  I can go get lost deep within Perez Park...I can always "Go Hunt. Kill Skuls."...I can always fly to the top of the statue in Atlas Park and protect MY city.  Yes, I can do those right now in PC and SEGS, but as I said it feels hollow...just doesn't feel the same.

Then, once other servers hopefully form and shake out the bugs, I'll be there fighting along side of other heroes...sweeping the sewers...Task Forces...RWZ Raids...and yes, Costume Contests, Pocket D danceoffs, and hanging around the Ski Chalet.

I've wanted to go home for years....I just want to go home...


T

[Garble]

God speed to anyone that can bring the game back to as many people ad possible.

[nicoliy]

**IF** this is true (and until it happens I will say IF) I have two plans...

One, I will download and attempt to setup my own server with a maximum number of accounts set to one - me.  This way, I can always play.  I can go get lost deep within Perez Park...I can always "Go Hunt. Kill Skuls."...I can always fly to the top of the statue in Atlas Park and protect MY city.  Yes, I can do those right now in PC and SEGS, but as I said it feels hollow...just doesn't feel the same.

Then, once other servers hopefully form and shake out the bugs, I'll be there fighting along side of other heroes...sweeping the sewers...Task Forces...RWZ Raids...and yes, Costume Contests, Pocket D danceoffs, and hanging around the Ski Chalet.

I've wanted to go home for years....I just want to go home...


T

I have always wanted to have a home single player version or small version to share with my brother across town, with some form of dev control to be able to do things like set myself to god mode and play all taskforce missions etc. That said, it sounds like setting it up is like that is not so easy.

I'd likely play 99% on whatever server is out there, but knowing I would always have it would be amazing.

[Radionuclide]

People kept a secret and it gets called "gaslighting." Yeah, people keeping a secret will lie about it. It's called keeping a secret. "Gaslighting" is intentionally fooling someone to drive them crazy. Calling what SCoRE did 'gaslighting' is despicable in imputing such malign intentions.

The gaslighting was not keeping the secret. It was calling previous leakers crazy, making fun of them and and other such actions which I saw at least on Reddit. Their intent may not have been malicious but, malicious means were used to keep the secret.

[Thunder Glove]

I'm more excited than I have been in years.  I don't care about my characters (well, I do, but I still have all my costume files - and more, thanks to Icon - so I can recreate them) as much as I just want to play again.  And possibly being able to play I24, with all the improvements that was going to bring to the table (I'm STILL excited about Sorcery) is just the cherry on top.

I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but it's starting to sound like the "someday" in my last post may be closer than I could have dreamed.

(Oh, and I just realized - this computer is new.  Well, not new-new, but I got it a couple of years after the game closed down. If this all works out I can finally play the game in Ultra mode!  ... oh my god, I am getting my hopes up too much.  Calm.  Caaaaaaaaalm)

I'm babbling in my excitement.

My biggest fear is that I've built the game up too much in my head and actually playing it again (after playing more recent MMOs) will be a disappointment, but that's a chance I'm willing to take :D

Of course all this goes down when I'm about to go on a trip for two weeks and be mostly cut off from the Internet.  Time to e-mail myself a link to this topic. :D

Thank you, so much, everyone who's working on this.  I honestly think I'm actually going to cry.

[nicoliy]

I'm excited too, Thunder Glove, but I'm being realistic and thinking it's 6 months to a year before a new private server is up and ready (which I'm fine with). I don't think you will miss anything in two weeks lol.

[Ironwolf]

The news:

A search for rental servers and the best data center to choose is about to begin (think Denver/Dallas).
Rental servers will be initially used because if we get a C&D letter getting stuck with selling $30k of servers would suck.

If you work in such an environment and would like us to consider you - let me know. I will be the fall guy for now and I am also looking for website hosting and development. Once that happens we can take the work away from TonyV's site and let him also be in peace. He has been of incredible value to us and our hopes still exist because of him.

This won't be a 1 day or 2 day fix - my goal is to try and have beta testing by 1 September 2019. It is the goal, but a lot of work needs to be done.


What do I aspire to? I would love to find a partner to hand all this over to and purchase rights to the game along with having the folks who worked on the updated graphics to see if they can merge that with the existing game. I hope if we can have the world ready an investor will make the effort to buy it from NCSoft.

I have no intention of making a profit from this and will post all banking details weekly or as expenses are occurred. Obviously at first I will be paying for it - I opened my mouth - I take the risk. Once it is running the costs will be known and can be budgeted for.

This is not a joke and is completely serious.

[Zombie Man]

The news:

A search for rental servers and the best data center to choose is about to begin (think Denver/Dallas).
Rental servers will be initially used because if we get a C&D letter getting stuck with selling $30k of servers would suck.

If you work in such an environment and would like us to consider you - let me know. I will be the fall guy for now and I am also looking for website hosting and development. Once that happens we can take the work away from TonyV's site and let him also be in peace. He has been of incredible value to us and our hopes still exist because of him.

This won't be a 1 day or 2 day fix - my goal is to try and have beta testing by 1 September 2019. It is the goal, but a lot of work needs to be done.


What do I aspire to? I would love to find a partner to hand all this over to and purchase rights to the game along with having the folks who worked on the updated graphics to see if they can merge that with the existing game. I hope if we can have the world ready an investor will make the effort to buy it from NCSoft.

I have no intention of making a profit from this and will post all banking details weekly or as expenses are occurred. Obviously at first I will be paying for it - I opened my mouth - I take the risk. Once it is running the costs will be known and can be budgeted for.

This is not a joke and is completely serious.

Again, thank-you!

[hamstrdam]

This is not a joke and is completely serious.

Thank you.  Thanks to ALL of you.  I could cry with happiness.  Now back to lurking quietly in the corner, reading the chat and looking forward to the day I can when I can proudly wear my cape again.

[undeadsuits]

All in all this is a time for absolute transparency going forward.

[Radionuclide]

I know the community is hurt and it's my fault. I am moving as fast as I can to try to make things better, but I can't make instantly get everything ready. I have not slept since my phone was published on Monday at 2am and notifications haven't stopped ringing since then.

First and foremost, I am truly sorry you are being harassed. This community should be better than this. I expected better of this group of lovable assholes (yeah the lot of you). This is not ever acceptable. I am more pissed at those that have done that to you than anything else about this days.

Please. Have patience. I am only human. And I am trying really hard to keep almost 3539 people from being harrassed and threatened as I have been for the last 4 days.

Yes, almost 3539 people. Because many of them are not around anymore. And every single one of them is a reminder of my failure to make this work.

I can't say that I'm not hurt to not have been among that number. I am. Though truth I can't say I would have played once I found out that old characters were available. It would be professionally unethical for me to have done so.

I really only have one question. Why did you (SCORE) not anonymously release the code years ago? I understand wanting to deliver for the community as a whole but, that could still have happened with such a release.

[Tahquitz]

Anyone else kind of want a notice from the "wake me up when there is news" thread lol?

I'll talk to management because that's their baby, and NOBODY wants that to go off with a 'false alarm, sorry'.  But I think that might be equivalent in purpose.

[Ironwolf]

All in all this is a time for absolute transparency going forward.

I agree - within reason - I won't debate data center choices for 7 pages or what the header page on the website will be at first. Some things have to be done at first just to get it moving. We can make changes later.

I hope it makes sense - get a server up - load test it and see where we are.

Get a website up so we can start to unwind character data with as much of an eye to privacy as we can.

Understand no one has account payment data - is was not needed to run the game - so start remembering some of the names of your characters because that may be how we can return them to you.

This is without a doubt the largest challenge of my life outside of raising kids. I cannot and will not be doing it alone. I will need help and so many things I am too ignorant to even ask the questions about let alone have the answers for.

It will be as above board as possible without risking people who don't want to be identified as having helped.

Oh yes, one more thing - all work will be done in such a way as to protect NCSoft's investment - it is THEIR GAME. Currently they don't have a working server they could sell. If this is done correctly we will be their willing steward to protect THEM. If this hurts your feelings towards NCSoft - I am sorry but this is non-negotiable.

[bugzee]

There is still the legal question. I wouldn't be even thinking of setting up a public facing server at this time. If its true that the source was illegally handed off, that is a very serious problem. Its something I would want to distance myself from. Stolen IP is not something we really want to touch. I want to play the game, but I'm not willing to be fined or jailed over it.

[Noyjitat]

Anyone else kind of want a notice from the "wake me up when there is news" thread lol?

It really should be if anything. To notify everyone with an account here and clear up everything. To let people know the code is now being scrubbed and to wait for that proof or whatever they plan to do. Maybe link a short part of that recording where it is being handed off for Scrubbing.