Preliminary Thoughts about RL Get-Togethers Possible Rallies

[Electric-Knight]

So, ever since the word came down, I was planning to start arranging some, in person, get togethers.
I'm in the New York city area and posted a quick feeler thread in the official forums. http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=296817

However, I was wondering if it might be a good idea to arrange a single date for CoH Community get togethers all around the country (and globe), and maybe we could link up and skype/google/ustream for fun and further unity.
Obviously our time spent on contacting potential buyers, backers, press and so on is of the utmost importance and I do not wish for our energies and efforts to be distracted by nonsense... However, as I pondered on the idea, I wondered if it wasn't possibly a helpful enough publicity and rallying tool to go ahead with.
So, I am just bringing it up for mention and discussion with you all.
Obviously, I am willing and available to help arrange and coordinate these things, should we go ahead with them.

Let me know what you all think!

Love you all!

- Paul

[Soundtrack]

Hi Paul!

I don't think that's completely out of the question, although it may be a bit harder to schedule synchronized rallies to fall on the same date/time.

I probably live a rock's throw from the folks here in California... just 20 minutes south of Mt. View, CA (do they still have offices here?)

So I would think there are many CoH fans in my neck of the woods.

[Ampithere]

I'm in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I don't think there are many CoHers around 

Sounds like a great idea for those more conveniently located folk though!

[Cannonfodder]

How about "Save Our City of HeroCon 2012" in late October in San Jose, CA?

Nowhere does it say the devs are the only ones who can stage a large national gathering lasting a whole weekend.  I've been a ConChair and some other positions within several geek conventions (Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Gaming/Etc.).  Some part of me always wondered why the fan-base didn't throw their own con and invite devs and community people as Guests of Honor, etc.

[Electric-Knight]

I'm in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I don't think there are many CoHers around 

Sounds like a great idea for those more conveniently located folk though!

Hey, I've driven out to Pittsburgh a few times. It's not TOO far!
C'mon out, haha.
Honestly, there might be more people in that area than you realize. We'll see. I know of, at least, one person in the western Pennsylvania area offhand.

How about "Save Our City of HeroCon 2012" in late October in San Jose, CA?

Nowhere does it say the devs are the only ones who can stage a large national gathering lasting a whole weekend.  I've been a ConChair and some other positions within several geek conventions (Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Gaming/Etc.).  Some part of me always wondered why the fan-base didn't throw their own con and invite devs and community people as Guests of Honor, etc.

This is another thing that I actually mentioned in my post on the CoH forums: I would LOVE to come out west for such a thing and could very well be able to manage it right now, with good enough warning ahead of time.
I was just out on the west coast at the beginning of August and loved it. I want to head back west and I would absolutely love to time it with such an event.
Especially if I can swing a paying gig while I am out there!
Regardless, yeah, I'd love to put together a big thing over there, hopefully with Red Names attending. I was always so bummed that I couldn't make any of the official ones over the past few years.

So, if we do make one happen like that in southern California, I'd like it to be a different date than the NY one, haha. Whatever works, in the end, of course!

[SithRose]

Keep possible IP issues in mind for any rally names - It's a good idea, but don't give NCSoft a reason to shut it down.

Also, for something like that, you REALLY want to find someone with con planning experience. It's a lot more complicated than it looks.

I'd tend to recommend a virtual rally to start with, it's much cheaper and easier to coordinate. Skype would be better than Google, G+ Hangouts only allow 10 people at a time.

(It would be out of the question for my family unless it's in Arizona somewhere. We don't fly.)

[eabrace]

So, ever since the word came down, I was planning to start arranging some, in person, get togethers.

I started thinking this morning on the way to work that if we don't manage to find a solution and the game actually does shut down, I might have to see if there's any interest in a simple little get-together for lunch or something somewhere in the Akron/Cleveland area.  I'm sure I can't be the only one in this area that plays.

[Tazhyngarth]

Well if there's anyone near the New Jersey state, I'll try to meet up lol.

Cannot travel very far as my free time is limited so going out for a day is usually all I can muster.

[Electric-Knight]

Well if there's anyone near the New Jersey state, I'll try to meet up lol.

Cannot travel very far as my free time is limited so going out for a day is usually all I can muster.

Where abouts in Jersey? My hometown is in Bergen County and I still have plenty of friends and my parents living there,so I tend to be around a good amount. Very close to the city there.

Keep possible IP issues in mind for any rally names - It's a good idea, but don't give NCSoft a reason to shut it down.

Also, for something like that, you REALLY want to find someone with con planning experience. It's a lot more complicated than it looks.

I'd tend to recommend a virtual rally to start with, it's much cheaper and easier to coordinate. Skype would be better than Google, G+ Hangouts only allow 10 people at a time.

(It would be out of the question for my family unless it's in Arizona somewhere. We don't fly.)

Paragon Unity or some such combination, if necessary/advisable.

Of course it is not simple, nor cheap and all that, but I think it'd be great to be in-person... plus, it could be good press coverage if we need to go that far with it.

[Tazhyngarth]

Where abouts in Jersey? My hometown is in Bergen County and I still have plenty of friends and my parents living there,so I tend to be around a good amount. Very close to the city there.
Paragon Unity or some such combination, if necessary/advisable.

Burlington County specifically, most people seem to be familiar with the Fort Dix / McGuire AFB military bases, that's about in Central Burlington County.  That's where I am.  Which appears to be about 2 hours away from Bergen, I didn't realize Bergen was right at the NE tip of Jersey lol.

[bmorrison]

I started thinking this morning on the way to work that if we don't manage to find a solution and the game actually does shut down, I might have to see if there's any interest in a simple little get-together for lunch or something somewhere in the Akron/Cleveland area.  I'm sure I can't be the only one in this area that plays.

I know of at least Two others in the Northeastern Ohio area, myself @desi nova from justice and @crill Dunbe also from justce

[emu265]

Physical get-togethers could be fun and effective, but may be a little unrealistic.  Even if there are enough people in a given area, we'd have to work around work/class/RL schedules.  Still, I'd be happy to go if one comes up in SoCal.  I'm in Orange (OC) and would be willing to go as far as LA or San Diego, given I don't have work or class.

[ducklorange]

Anyone have much experience using Meetup.com ? Wondering if we can spearhead some RL gatherings through it, at least in the more populated areas.

Rather than a meeting at HeroCon 20120, I wonder if it's possible to even put a booth together?  This is outside the realm of my expertise, but I have to imagine that would have some damn good impact.  Set up a few PCs to sign the petition, maybe collect actual signatures on a *real* petition... </daydream>

[The-Hunter-JLJ]

Thought about this a little, and I have a suggestion, which hopefully somebody is way ahead of me on. Don't reinvent the wheel, involve people who already do this sorta thing for fun. Maybe you already talked about this upthread, need to run off and do some work so I didn't take time to read all as carefully as I should. But someone mentioned the Brownshirts in one of these threads. Fan groups like that who already do cosplay are also quite likely to have at least some members who played COH.

Another fine fan group that is worth contacting is the 501st Legion. Lord Vader's finest include a lot of gamers, would not be surprised if some of them would be more than happy to help. They are easy to track down, too.

http://www.501st.com/

I'd be amazed if there are not some 501st troopers playing CoH, and I'm sure if we offered to concede the Rogue Isles to the Empire they'd be eager to help. (grin) A detachment of Stormtroopers supporting any live events which get organized will draw attention, and they already have experience in both generating press and organization that could be quite helpful. I'm sure there are other similar groups I am not aware of, been a long time since I was involved in organized fandom like that.

[dwturducken]

Just spit-balling, but how about a coordinated day to volunteer in the name of of Real World Heroes. (I hope I got that right; I'm between classes) It would have more impact if were all the same, national thing, like Habitat for Humanity or a Red Cross blood drive, or something. Even if it werem't national, enough medim market nuews outlets seeing the common thread might boost it to national interest.

Sorry for the typos; my Android phone has decided to randomly choose where the cursor goes.