Author Topic: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly  (Read 63371 times)

Omega Mark V

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #100 on: September 16, 2012, 08:27:46 PM »
... Earlier I thought this method was rude. Now I forgot about the spam filters.

I'm sending a message hoping that it gets through.

Disregard my last post on this thread, I was having a crap day that day anyway.

... Other than that Deja Vu soon-to-be-dream I had. I WILL POST ABOUT IT when it happens.

Hopefully it will be good rather than bad Deja Vu.

Omega Mark V, hoping for success.

Out.
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Riff

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #101 on: September 16, 2012, 09:26:55 PM »
I don't want to put too much of a downer on this but I think it's a bit premature. I know it seems like ages to us. But the reality is it's only been just over two weeks. 9 working days in fact, given that one of those was a holiday in the USA.

I'm pretty sure NCSoft are aware of the fans and players positions - and they could be doing anything from pointing and laughing to saying to themselves "oh crap we've dropped a bollock here, how can we turn this around without losing face?" to "meh, it's just westerners" to "oh lord, how'd we manage to do that?"

There's also conversations they need to have with Paragon, other shareholders and other divisions of NCSoft, all of which takes time. Well crafted, reasonable letters shouldn't hurt our cause, so long as they are respectful and not containng accusations of malpractice, questioning the CEO's parentage etc but at this stage it's hard to see how it can change.

Granted some of the Devs may get snapped up by other studios - but I'm sure for many of them if NCSoft said "ok you can have your job back" they'll jump at it. And if not, then that's an opportunity for somebody else to fill those boots.


dwturducken

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #102 on: September 16, 2012, 10:33:59 PM »
I don't want to put too much of a downer on this but I think it's a bit premature. I know it seems like ages to us. But the reality is it's only been just over two weeks. 9 working days in fact, given that one of those was a holiday in the USA.

I'm pretty sure NCSoft are aware of the fans and players positions - and they could be doing anything from pointing and laughing to saying to themselves "oh crap we've dropped a bollock here, how can we turn this around without losing face?" to "meh, it's just westerners" to "oh lord, how'd we manage to do that?"

There's also conversations they need to have with Paragon, other shareholders and other divisions of NCSoft, all of which takes time. Well crafted, reasonable letters shouldn't hurt our cause, so long as they are respectful and not containng accusations of malpractice, questioning the CEO's parentage etc but at this stage it's hard to see how it can change.

Granted some of the Devs may get snapped up by other studios - but I'm sure for many of them if NCSoft said "ok you can have your job back" they'll jump at it. And if not, then that's an opportunity for somebody else to fill those boots.

My fervent hope is that the devs are already being courted with tantalizing job offers, and I hope that they take them, when they come.  As much as we became a community, so did they.  While one person can make a large difference, it's is also my hope that, should the lights get turned back on at Paragon, enough of that community spirit remains.  It would be sad if this work, and what returned was not what we knew.  The question is: is Paragon defined by Posi and War Witch and whomever else you hold dear, or is there an underlying something that will remain to bind them together, and us as well?
I wouldn't use the word "replace," but there's no word for "take over for you and make everything better almost immediately," so we just say "replace."

kgiesing

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #103 on: September 16, 2012, 11:25:24 PM »
My fervent hope is that the devs are already being courted with tantalizing job offers, and I hope that they take them, when they come.

They had a job fair the Thursday after the announcement (so just under a week).  I went for a bit to hand out business cards and get resumes.  There were about 8-10 other companies there soliciting resumes from Paragon folks.

I think they'll be OK.

Dark-Eve

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #104 on: September 17, 2012, 01:31:26 AM »
This is great ....but we also need to contact the CEO of NcSoft West as well....so when everyone is sending out letters might want to include this as well when addressing them!

Jaeho Lee CEO NcSoft West (or just NcSoft should work as well)
1501 4th Avenue, Suite 2050, Seattle, Washington 98101

From what I have read Jaeho Lee's appointment at NC West was made with the intention of improving the subsidiary's communication with home base in Korea.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/ncsoft-west-gets-a-new-ceo/

Dr Shadow

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #105 on: September 17, 2012, 01:37:44 AM »
It mentioned the PR Department. Should we send all the links to the articles to that person?
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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #106 on: September 17, 2012, 03:15:50 AM »
I'll definately start writing up draft letters to review and edit as needed later.
"Heroes may die, but heroism never shall." ~Cyrus "Breakneck" Thompson

dwturducken

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #107 on: September 17, 2012, 03:28:25 AM »
I feel obliged to point out that it's afternoon on Monday, there.  Does anyone know if the email addresses even work, anymore?
I wouldn't use the word "replace," but there's no word for "take over for you and make everything better almost immediately," so we just say "replace."

ThorsAssassin

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #108 on: September 17, 2012, 03:59:45 AM »
I went ahead and sent mine in, a bit different than my written letter but I sent this to all 3 emails. Hopefully they get through...


Quote
Mr. Taek-Jin Kim,

First off, please know that I deeply respect and cherish my relationship with NCSoft over the past 9 years. I do not believe I have ever had one issue account or billing wise and have thoroughly enjoyed your product. That product being City of Heroes. Though directly developed and managed by Paragon Studios, the experience I have had reflects positively on the parent company. In that spirit I can promise you that I would still happily subscribe to the game if it were a choice I could make. As well as purchase the Paragon Points for the extra content that was created for the game.

I would like to tell you a story of how much this community, it's developers and the game itself has meant to me. In 2004 I initially purchased the game in order to be able to spend time with my mother and my brother. It let us experience interaction and sharing in a way that would have been impossible otherwise. At that time I took a job in Georgia,USA and they lived in Florida which was over 600 miles away from me. I was alone in my apartment and missed my family and the game helped me bridge that gap.

As time went by, my relatives moved on to other games or life itself took them away though I remained. I had started to accrue quite a bit of close friends on the Justice server and I had immersed myself in the overall experience of the game itself. I absolutely LOVED the first time I was able to fly in the game, truly one of my favorite moments in the game as I had always dreamed of flying. During this time I really adopted my main character as my mirror self, my imaginative 2nd life in this world that you and the developers over at Paragon had created for me. I also started posting on the official forums and came to see how direct and involved the developers and the community managers were to which I was elated. So much so that I would later start a career in Community Management myself. It was around this time that I started collecting art of my character as well. To which I currently have just under 1000 pieces of art. Over the years I have spent just over $13,000 for just this purpose.

I started chatting with my now fiance' in early 2005. General discussions about life and the issues of the world but we both knew there was something more. Then on November 22nd of 2005 I was told I had cancer. I was still alone in Georgia with no family around. This was the day before the American Holiday Thanksgiving which is about family gatherings. I was devastated and really see that now as the darkest time of my life. I was told that I had Hodgkin Disease which is cancer of the lungs. It was a 3 month period that also covered Christmas where I would be in the hospital receiving advice on what to do next.  I had no choice but to turn to the City of Heroes community and was honored that they all supported me completely. Even the Community Manager at the time (Jo Burba) was supportive, sending me personal messages on the forums and encouraging me to 'hang in there'. I honestly do not think I would have made it through this time without the game, the community and the management of the game. It was a transformation in my thinking towards online communities and still holds true today.

After months of doctors and specialists and dark times, I was finally given the news that I was misdiagnosed for cancer and that it was a severe viral infection that had caused all the issues that I was having.  I was, as you can imagine, elated and overjoyed. I had a second chance at life and was left with an impression of support and adulation from everyone involved with the game. This turn of events led me to be more daring in my life, to take a chance, so I did. My fiance' lived in California at the time which meant I would have to drop everything I had going on in Georgia to be with her. A promising job and a career that spanned 20 years at that time. But I took the chance for happiness, packed everything up, left it in storage and made the move 2800 miles away not knowing what would happen. Upon arriving I discovered that my expertise and knowledge was not needed or required within a 200 mile radius. I spent over a year trying to find a job in my profession with no luck. Jill Henderson was the community manager at the time and along with Christopher Bruce and a few other developers, encouraged me to start anew. So I bravely decided to start a new path, a new career and began moderating for a local company. I am now a community manager myself, in the gaming industry all due to my experiences with Paragon Studios over the years.

For my personal life and my fiance as well as my chosen family, the game has only brought us closer, her 2 girls have played the game since they were 8 and 12 and absolutely loved it. As we all were, they were heartbroken to hear that the game will be closed down on November the 30th of this year. Our girls are now 16 and 20 and have spent most of their lives engrossed in this world you created for us. For me at 40 years of age, I have spent over 1/5th of my life here in the game and as you can see, the game, community and the developers themselves are entrenched in my last 8 years of life. Both professionally and personally.

This world that you have built for us, the sights, the sounds, the feel of flying through the air. the stories, the ease of game play, the teen rating, all of it is irreplaceable and we as a community do not want to lose this foundation you have given us, this trampoline called City of Heroes that lifts us up in our day to day lives. Please help us save it. I have known children besides my own who started playing and are now in college. Professionals in the world who still call City of Heroes their 2nd home. I have heard so many inspiring tales from people with disabilities who were able to play with anonymity without persecution or disparaging looks. I have seen the real world affects of heroism that has sprung from this community such as Real World Hero and Charity events put on in the game itself. So many real life changing movements have started due to this game.

So I implore you to whatever end, please do not end this game. Don't end the relationships that have emerged, the childhoods attached, or the spirit of community itself that has been encouraged by and flourished under Paragon Studios. Selling the IP to a 3rd party may be an option, letting Paragon Studios continue on with their vision for the game is preferred. We as a community, with the developers and the game are a family of heroes, this is what we do, please do not take this away from us!

Respectfully,
Michael Poe (AKA Thor's Assassin)

houtex

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #109 on: September 17, 2012, 04:40:46 AM »
Thor, aka Michael, that is a fantastic letter.  I was *elated* when I read "misdiagnosed".  I had no idea you'd been through that.  Guess I missed it in the forums...  Thanks for lettin' us see your letter.

Goodness me.  Freakin' dust...

Mike

TonyV

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #110 on: September 17, 2012, 06:27:52 AM »
Wow, count me among the people that didn't know you had gone through all of that. What an amazing story!

ThorsAssassin

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #111 on: September 17, 2012, 06:56:55 AM »
Yeah this game has really been woven into my life in almost every way.

The bout with cancer (through the forums) was played out through the Justice server forums. I have been trying to find that thread but it only goes back to 2006. I tried Google cache but I am not savvy enough I guess. I started that thread but cannot remember the name of it. The waybackmachine only got me so far as well. Any advice in this? Would love to save that particular thread as it was life changing for me.

But anyways, I'll never forget that moment when the cancer specialist sat by my hospital bed and literally said to me "I'm the guy you don't ever want to see" and then went on to tell me I had Hodgkin Disease and only had a year or less to live. During that 3 months 2 of my uncles were diagnosed with Hodgkin as well. One died during that 3 months and one fought it for a year before falling to it. My mom was a wreck as you can imagine, her son and 2 of her brothers were all given a terminal sentence.

My mother was flown up by my company to be with me for a week during Christmas, I was on a leave of absence and they continued to pay me which was awesome. But for that 3 months all I did was play and post and the Justice community got me through. Then everything that came afterwards. I remember feeling better when I got in game and played as my main Thor's Assassin, I made the character a demigod and near untouchable because I needed that strength, Pretty much where the story of TA started as far as his bio. I wrote it during that time. http://peacekeepers.wikia.com/wiki/Thor%27s_Assassin


Soundtrack

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #112 on: September 17, 2012, 12:14:28 PM »
Michael, thank you for sharing your story with us.

I, too, am very grateful that you were misdiagnosed. What a blessing!

CapaDevans

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #113 on: September 17, 2012, 01:15:41 PM »
Got three emails off today. Each one unique, so hopefully if they all get together, it'll look good!

ducklorange

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #114 on: September 17, 2012, 01:22:20 PM »
Michael, your story just brought me to tears... that seems to be happening a lot lately.  For what it's worth, I'm glad I got to add a few drops to that lake of artwork :)
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Moonfyire101

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #115 on: September 17, 2012, 03:13:49 PM »
I wrote one last night about my dad and what this game means to him.

CMKook

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #116 on: September 17, 2012, 04:15:04 PM »
this is a dangerous thing to do Tony, for one while you may not wish to harm NCsoft, some of us do. I for one want NCsoft's reputation to suffer over what they have done, and I would mind seeing there profits take enough of hit from this for them to feel it.

Yes, these things do take a back seat to the goal of Saving CoH and my (and i am sure0 others unwillingness to buy other NCsoft games in the future simply for the fact that we don't want to repeat the experience of what has happened with CoH again (IE the 0 warning shut down).


That said when to email them, I wouldn't be so crass as to Level threats ( a)cause that would reflect badly ad hurt our goal b) I really can't back them up so no point to doing so) or send any thing Defamatory or inflammatory, but some people might. How do I know this? you might ask. Well cause simply put I pondered hate mail for a few moments (and I'd be lying if I said I didn't contemplate it)

Something that I will likely put in my email is the simple fact that due to the way this has gone down I will not be buying NCsoft games in the foreseeable future and the reasons why. (IE that I am not willing to deal with another Repeat of the Paragon closure). While not a fan of threats these are businessmen and I am afraid an emotional plea may not work so great. They care about profits and loss.

All that said, IF NCsoft's reputation and profits suffer from this, I don't want it to be as a result of mud slinging. I want it to be due to the way they have handled this situation.

Edit below it my email to NCsoft (I just hope they read it and not just delete it):

Quote
Greetings Dear Executives,


My Name is Chad Michael Kook, I have been a customer of yours for at least eight years and have played many of your games including Guild Wars, Aion, and City of Heroes. The impending closure of the latter is the reason for my letter today. I am with an organized group of people who have formed on the forums of the Titan Network (http://www.cohtitan.com) in an effort to save City of Heroes from being shut down. First off I would like to thank you for backing such a wonderful game for so many years. We understand that nothing lasts forever and that games like this some times get shut down. What we don't understand and are upset about is the nature of this shut down. Every one felt rather blind sided when what seemed to be a rather populated and profitable game was suddenly announced to be shut down and the staff behind it fired/ let go.

We sort of understand the line "It does not fit with our company's current direction", however to be honest that doesn't feel like the whole story and it has left things wide open for speculation in the wake of other random facts; this of course leading to wild speculation and reasoning that sounds like a conspiracy theory.All this said, we need you to know what it is you are doing.


In this case you are not only tearing down a game that has been going for eight years, you are also tearing apart a tightly knit community of people and disposing of what has been an ever evolving work of art. This is game has fostered a community of both Devs and players who have worked closely together to bring many, many constructs from our inner most imaginations to life. In many case these where ideas that would have otherwise remained trapped in our heads for lack of ability to create them ourselves. The imagination fueled the community and the community fueled imagination and we created this world we play in. That said it isn't just a place we play, we have created friendships some of us have gotten married to people we met in game, I have seen generosity in City of Heroes I have not seen in any other game, both in the sharing of in game funds through various contests, but also from the Devs and the sharing of there time to talk to us play with us and make us feel like we mattered. This is what you are taking away from us an world we created. You may own the Game, but we made it what it is and this is why if feels so cruddy that it is being balled up and tossed away in this manner. We understand nothing we can say or do will make you suddenly want to keep City of Heroes and rehire the Dev team, what we are asking is that you don't toss it in the trash, but rather sell it to another company or group that would like to keep it alive. We would prefer the game continue to get developed by what ever entity it ends up with but we would be at least some what content with keeping the game as is.

I would now like to talk about how this effects me personally. As stated above I have made friends in City of Heroes have seen my imagination come to life in ways I couldn't other wise express in any other way much less any other game. I have come back to City of Heroes time and time again, my lapses in playing being for financial reasons, but I always came back because i love it (yes I love a game). The closure of City of Heroes is depressing and sad all on its own. It is the nature of how it was closed that added anger, resentment and distrust to those feelings. It is because of the distrust that I find my self  telling you I will not be buying any more NCsoft products in the foreseeable future. To be blunt I am not willing to pick up a game fearing that when ever the company paradigm shifts that the game I play and community I have become attached to will simply be ripped away with  a moments notice, no reasons, no recourse and no hope of proper closure such as on last patch with proper story and send off for the game.

Sincerely,
Chad M. Kook
Virtue Server City of Heroes
Global @Xen0phage
Member of Razors Edge
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 05:02:41 PM by Xenophage »

Electric-Knight

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #117 on: September 17, 2012, 05:07:17 PM »
Perhaps I did not get personal enough, but I decided to just go with my simple, polite, short and sincere opinions on the matter (can always send more):
Subject Title: Legacy
Quote
Greetings,

 I wish to truly thank you, as I appreciate the wonderful heights that NCSoft has allowed Paragon Studios to reach through the purchasing and continued support of their American Super Hero mmorpg.
 It has remained a product that is recognized within the industry for its innovations, its integrity and the loyalty it has always displayed towards its customer-base. It is a high quality product that receives critical awards for its innovations. A product that already had so much development work put into further releases and additions that were highly anticipated by the customer-base. A product that is well recognized and loved for blazing its own path successfully, instead of following the repeated formulas of so many other titles within the industry. It is a product that has an extremely loyal following and seems entirely profitable on a smaller business scale.
  That quality product, that quality development studio and the astonishing community that surrounds it, all deserve to continue building upon this legacy.
 I completely respect your company's decision to move in a different direction. However, if there are any options to prevent a complete shut down of this game, this tremendous legacy should continue on. And NCSoft will continue to have a positive aspect within this great legacy.
The game, the studio and the community still have much more life within it all. It all should truly continue. The financial, emotional, artistic and personal investments that have been put into this project are still far too great to be brought to such an abrupt end.

Thank you for your time, your consideration and for all that you and your company can do about this situation.

- Paul Damon Thomas

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Khelben

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #118 on: September 17, 2012, 11:50:24 PM »
I just wanted to post this for you Tony. I just recieved word that my local newspaper is going to do the story.  So i have high hopes of getting some of our goals into print as well. Hopefully mainstream media will inspire ncsoft to break their silence.

TonyV

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Re: Call to Action: Contact NCsoft Directly
« Reply #119 on: September 17, 2012, 11:55:13 PM »
I just wanted to post this for you Tony. I just recieved word that my local newspaper is going to do the story.  So i have high hopes of getting some of our goals into print as well. Hopefully mainstream media will inspire ncsoft to break their silence.

That's awesome!  Let me know if I can help!

Also, everyone please note the update in the top post.  I have voluntarily removed the e-mail addresses.  I think this project has been successful in its goal, and at this point, I don't think any further e-mails will get read.  Also, I want to minimize the possibility of trolls getting the addresses at some future point and using the addresses to grind an ax.