Status Update (October 2)

Started by TonyV, October 02, 2012, 10:47:34 PM

Bohmfalk

Quick question, cause I'm not aware of the full legalities of this whole thing.....is it perfectly legal for a private party to take a game that's been cancelled like NCSoft is planning and open it up to the public to play, so long as no one makes a profit from it?  Or are there possible legal ramifications for using the game with all the NCSoft-owned characters and stories after they shut it down?

downix

Quote from: Bohmfalk on October 03, 2012, 05:08:23 AM
Quick question, cause I'm not aware of the full legalities of this whole thing.....is it perfectly legal for a private party to take a game that's been cancelled like NCSoft is planning and open it up to the public to play, so long as no one makes a profit from it?  Or are there possible legal ramifications for using the game with all the NCSoft-owned characters and stories after they shut it down?
You enter into a not-nice-place legally. While fair-use laws do exist, they have been weakened over the years.

Sunlover

#142
...I was ok when I read this.  But my face locked into a stony frown and stayed there.  I talked about it with some teammates, on Virtue, looking pret-ty empty tonight.  We ran a MoKahn run (got uber-decked the 1st part of mish in City Hall; played 10% more conservatively and won 2nd try.).  During that time...I began to feel more and more disturbed, to the point where I was vibrating...and then, the fugitive tears started leaking. I told a few people, thinking they'd admit the same...but they were pretty quiet and just offered hugs.  I got off the game.  And held out for another 30 seconds, and then it was like someone ripped streams of acid from my eyes, and a terrible screech from my soul.  I wept for a good 5-10 minutes, very intensely, and bemoaned the fact of their post...ending with "How could you...how could you...", shaking and sobbing.  And then, I forced myself to put on my glasses, and read the rest of this thread.

How *strong* you all are.  I...I sincerely hope you're all right.  I've been a very firm, unbreakable boulder in my belief that this game will pass onto stewards that will cherish it far more than the current owners do.  I've been very active on Save COH wall on FB (before this week I would have said "extremely active", but real life and exhaustion tends to intrude on all of us sooner or later).  I've made friends there, shared laughs, amazing pictures, even my local museum in Denver is putting on (in a VERY timely manner I might add), a "Superheroes Assemble" night [http://bit.ly/T0sjYj for those who wanna take a peek].  I feel like I was set on fire tonight, and I raged and wept and suffered horribly...for about 20-30 mins total.  I was slowly, inexorably crumbled.

And that's what you wanted...wasn't it? (shakes head faintly)  I am such a fool.

Now all that is left is the smoldering, steaming core.  I am reconstituting my will.  I am clenching my teeth a little more.  And...I...am...*angry*...that NCSoft would either a) REALLY mean all this, and bury us to save face/keep their pride, or b) try and snow all of us in "business speak defeatist talk" [Run along back to your homes now, we mean it, it really is martial law.]

I am *PISSED OFF*.  >:(  And I can dream about sending my SuperClone out to NCSoft corporate HQ to tear out the key foundation stones one by one in their building, and then hear them plead to spare their building and their lives, and put on a stony vigilante face and say "...Nope.  I, uh, "exhausted all my options" with you guys. *yanks out final keystone and listens to the aftermath*"...but that isn't going to happen.  I do feel a few things, though.

I feel very fortunate to be blessed, in my weakened, vulnerable moment tonight, by the presence of people who are still having the bullets bounce off them.  Who feel immovable about their positivity and their "we see right through you, NCSoft" X-ray eyes.  Who have, a personal blessing, kept this thread mostly free of their own possible (probable?) tears, pain, suffering, and rage at the announcement; after all the work and sweat and toil and love and kindness and joy and suffused soul collective we have poured into this.  I finally buckled after a few weeks (about 2) of staying tear-free.  You all did not.  (Perhaps you are all killer cyborgs from the future -- that might make for an excellent action film  8) ) I want to thank you all, for all these qualities, and more...especially in this thread to date.  Thank *you*.

...All that being said...I said I was going to stay until the final power switch was flipped, the server connection lost, Marauder throws me pinwheeling out the front of the saloon door (in which case, he better run when I get my footing back ;) ).  And I still am.  Now...reading all this...I don't know whether it's all foolhardy blustering to soften what just happened and deflect us from viewing it all square on, or whether things *really are* going on behind the scenes (I pray they are.) -- but I am more immovable and intractible than before about refusing to budge. 

You might slap me across the face with your words, NCSoft.
You might punch me with an adamantium fist in the ribcage.
You might uppercut me until I fall back onto the cement with a concussion and *wish* I was dead from daring to stand against you.

But I am not dead.
I am still human.  And I still grieve from your words, and suffer -- and weep.  I am still...at least partially human. (faint smile)
But you have packed my stubbornness into neutron star density now.  Who knows where it will go from here?  I guess that's up to you.
I. Am Not. Budging.
(sudden thought, time to invoke the Captain America quote and wall print that has been circulating around the Save COH wall on FB as of late.)
*YOU* Move.

~~ @Sunlover (also Stephen K on "Save COH" wall on FB)

downix

*logs in his fire/invul Brute*

I have not played redside as much as I have lately.....

emu265

Sunlover, please tell me your favorite powerset is Willpower ;)

We all break at one point or another.  I couldn't even play CoH in the days after the announcement.  But we can get right back into the action with a simple trip to the hospital or a wakie/break free combo.  We will have an impact.

Sunlover

Quote from: emu265 on October 03, 2012, 05:21:44 AM
Sunlover, please tell me your favorite powerset is Willpower ;)

I wish I could say it's Invulnerability.  I am frankly marveling at you Titans striding the Earth with nary a scratch.  How is that *possible*?  :o  That message hit me...and like napalm or plasma, sizzled and boiled and burned all over me (without me knowing it), until my shields finally buckled and it made its way in.  I've got less Willpower than I did a decade or 15 years ago...but I bolster that with Resolve.  Passion burns fiercely, but it's very hard to maintain for a lengthy period.  Resolve, though...that's like Granite Armor, if you get it right. [Minus the -90% speed drop. ;) ]

Quote
We all break at one point or another.  I couldn't even play CoH in the days after the announcement.  But we can get right back into the action with a simple trip to the hospital or a wakie/break free combo.  We will have an impact.

...I'd dare say we HAVE made one.  (Although...I still like to dream....you say Impact, I think island-sized [Hurl]...right into the upper 10 floors of...well, you see where I'm going, I'm sure.  :roll: )

Blacjac84

A little inspiration song by Alan Parsons.

"It's no good believing in somebody else
If you can't believe in yourself
You give them the reason to take all the power and wealth
It's no good you trying to sit on the fence
And hope that the trouble will pass
'Cause sitting on fenses can make you a pain in the ass

If there's something you find to believe in
Then the message must get through
So don't just sit in silence
When you know what to do

Turn it up. Turn it up, make it louder
Turn it up. Turn it up, make it louder

There's no conversation if nobody speaks
And nothing gets done in the end
There's no confrontation when fantasy makes you its friend
So much injustice, too many lies
We don't have to look very far
But nothing will change if we leave things the way that they are

If there's something you find to believe in
Then the message must get through
So don't just sit in silence
When you know what to do

Turn it up. Turn it up, make it louder
Turn it up. Turn it up, make it louder"

In the words of the late, great Yogi Berra:  "It ain't over 'til it's over!"

We still got two more months.

Victoria Victrix

@Sunlover.....

You know that stuff I posted from Larry?

That was what HE wrote to ME from his studio right after I crumbled at the announcement and said, "That's it, it's over."  Never, ever think this doesn't affect us all, but we are a league, and I bet every one of us has dropped down in a heap of misery at some point.  But there are still others who have had their bad moment and gotten up already, and are standing over us, so we can pop Return to Battle or Rise of the Phoenix.

I'm lucky, I have my own little team right here.  I might be the public face here, but I'm just the squishy fender.  He's the WP tank keeping me up. 
I will go down with this ship.  I won't put my hands up in surrender.  There will be no white flag above my door.  I'm in love, and always will be.  Dido

downix

Quote from: Sunlover on October 03, 2012, 05:27:41 AM
I wish I could say it's Invulnerability.  I am frankly marveling at you Titans striding the Earth with nary a scratch.  How is that *possible*?  :o  That message hit me...and like napalm or plasma, sizzled and boiled and burned all over me (without me knowing it), until my shields finally buckled and it made its way in.  I've got less Willpower than I did a decade or 15 years ago...but I bolster that with Resolve.  Passion burns fiercely, but it's very hard to maintain for a lengthy period.  Resolve, though...that's like Granite Armor, if you get it right. [Minus the -90% speed drop. ;) ]
We all felt that whallop, each and every one of us. We all collapsed. But we are heroes, we do not give up. We shook it off, and no matter how much it hurt, we stood right back up. That is the difference, a hero is not someone invulnerable or willful, or someone made of iron and capable of withstanding anything. A rock can do that, and noone calls them a hero. No, a hero is the guy who, no matter how many times they are beaten down, shaken up, or thrown around, keeps standing up again, refusing to surrender.

TimtheEnchanter

https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.fragglerockforever.com%2FCoX%2Fap33Resolve.jpg

Dr Shadow

For 30 seconds, I crumbled. Then my son, who has not given into one single negative thought that we would lose, walked into the room. His confidence is what is keeping me in this fight. (Along with the flyers I handed out tonight at a political rally :D. You want to be my Senator, here take this and I refused to move until it was read!)
For a moment I forgot who we were dealing with and the shady practices they employ. For a moment I let them win. For a moment.
But then they don't know who they are dealing with. But they are learning.
Dr Shadow- Champion Server @Leila_L twitter

JeremyM

My choice of song for NCSoft regarding this business...
Perhaps a good video can be made to this toon with COH scenes in it.

"Headstrong" by Trapt

Circling your, circling your, circling your head,
Contemplating everything you ever said
Now I see the truth, I got doubt
A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out
See you later
I see your fantasy, you want to make it a reality paved in gold
See inside, inside of our heads (yeah)
Well now that's over
I see your motives inside, decisions to hide

[Chorus:]
(Fuck!)
Back off I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
Headstrong we're headstrong
Back off I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong and this is not where you belong
I can't give everything away
I won't give everything away

[Verse 2:]
Conclusions manifest, your first impressions got to be your very best
I see you're full of shit, and that's alright
That's how you play, I guess you'll get through every night
Well now that's over
I see your fantasy, you want to make it a reality paved in gold
See inside, inside of our heads (yeah)
Well now that's over
I see your motives inside, decisions to hide

[Chorus]

[Verse 3:]
I know, I know all about [x3]
I know, I know all about your motives inside, and your decision to hide

[Chorus]

Sunlover

Quote from: Victoria Victrix on October 03, 2012, 05:34:45 AM
@Sunlover.....

You know that stuff I posted from Larry?

That was what HE wrote to ME from his studio right after I crumbled at the announcement and said, "That's it, it's over."  Never, ever think this doesn't affect us all, but we are a league, and I bet every one of us has dropped down in a heap of misery at some point.  But there are still others who have had their bad moment and gotten up already, and are standing over us, so we can pop Return to Battle or Rise of the Phoenix.

(pssssssssst....I *love* those powers.  ;D )

Quote
I'm lucky, I have my own little team right here.  I might be the public face here, but I'm just the squishy fender.  He's the WP tank keeping me up.

Victoria, I never thought I would get to say this -- I have seen you here and there, I am *fairly* certain, in game over the last year.  I may have even teamed with you once or twice.  But I do remember this: when the "33 instances" rally was held, I was in Atlas Park 8.  And I saw you.  And I saw your text pop up, in local and word balloons.  And I thought, "Wow.  This person's a mover and a shaker."  And then a few hours later, someone told me who you were.  I was flabbergasted I'd been standing next to you, for over an hour, and hadn't a clue as to whom you were.  I didn't think I was going to send a message in-game...and now? I don't have to.

(applauds your support, and /fancybows till my knees buckle...some /praise, too ;) ) I just wanted to let you know I was honored to be standing next to you on that day, VV.  Just like I am honored to be posting next to you here. *Thank YOU*, so much, for being a catalyst for so many of us and for attracting attention and support to our home.  I guess it's your home too, isn't it?  ;D

[I will admit, every time I see a message from NCSoft...it hurts a little more.  I think I'm getting pretty sore from eating too many punches.  I *SHOULD* be getting angrier and just shrug it off...but I think emu265 had it right...I'm Willpower: Invulnerability's weaker cousin. *faint smile*  I haven't made it onto COHTitan in weeks; all my spare energy towards this game, if not spent 1-3 hrs a night on Virtue, has been on the Save COH wall on FB; I just haven't had the time to keep up with COHTitan too.  Well, keep up and not get fired.  :P I'm glad I made it on tonight.  And I wasn't going to post my thoughts and feelings...but everyone's "was that a mosquito sting? Er...still marching on" tone brought it out in me.  Thanks...to you, and to everyone.]

I sure can ramble when it's WAY past when I wanted to be asleep tonight.  Gnight, all. (/e praetoriansalute, because it's not a temporary salute...it is a lasting one, a lot like the Pledge of Allegiance...and I guess that's how I feel towards you all.

Especially TonyV...housemate of Taxibot Belle, my SG leader on the only non-Virtue toon I play...and my friend.)

Greg Lloyd

https://images.weserv.nl/?url=sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ash3%2F523274_531602600190464_1049297634_n.jpg

SnowJackal

I really haven't posted to this forum because I've just always felt sort of 'there' in the crowd and never felt I had anything important to say.

I felt the need to speak up, though. I am in the same boat as @Sunlover. When I heard this, yeah, I crumbled and pretty much felt like we'd lost, too. It pretty much broke me into tears. I am not made of stone and awesome will and I admire the strength the rest of you have, too.

It isn't easy when people are harsh at us for losing hope. That doesn't help. I got a bit of that over on Tumblr to 'suck it up, don't be sad, DO SOMETHING instead of moping (Which I have) etc...  There's still hope'. Thing is? I'm a pretty weak little human and I fall.

However, thanks to Victoria's post and others, I've managed to pick myself back up and press on. I'm not giving up on playing, I'm not going to give up without a fight but I do stumble.

In the end, I guess it boils down to the fact, we have to support the ones who do fall. Sort of like Batman. "Why do we Fall? So we can get back up again." Thanks to the rest of you guys, it's helped me get back up and keep going.

NecrotechMaster

after first reading the initial post about it, i too thought it was disapointing, but i knew there had to be some sort of word play going on so i havent taken it really seriously, and it seems that everyone here feels basically the same way

emu265

Quote from: SnowJackal on October 03, 2012, 06:07:06 AM
I really haven't posted to this forum because I've just always felt sort of 'there' in the crowd and never felt I had anything important to say.

I felt the need to speak up, though. I am in the same boat as @Sunlover. When I heard this, yeah, I crumbled and pretty much felt like we'd lost, too. It pretty much broke me into tears. I am not made of stone and awesome will and I admire the strength the rest of you have, too.

It isn't easy when people are harsh at us for losing hope. That doesn't help. I got a bit of that over on Tumblr to suck it up, don't be sad, etc...  There's still hope. Thing is? I'm a pretty weak little human and I fall.

However, thanks to Victoria's post and others, I've managed to pick myself back up and press on. I'm not giving up on playing, I'm not going to give up without a fight but I do stumble.

In the end, I guess it boils down to the fact, we have to support the ones who do fall. Sort of like Batman. "Why do we Fall? So we can get back up again." Thanks to the rest of you guys, it's helped me get back up and keep going.

That's what a community does, right?  We protect each other.  So please don't be ashamed of crumbling.  Too many times have I needed Tony or VV's words to keep my resolve from crumbling entirely.  Sometimes logic and clear thinking do the trick, other times its seeing the resolve of others.  Either way, no one here is going to tell you to quit if you're having an emotional reaction.  We -all- experienced that on Black Friday, and that's why we're here.

Shortly after I stopped crying my eyes out after the first announcement, I stumbled across this board.  I think I followed the link on the announcement on Paragon Wiki.  But after coming here, I felt so refreshed and energized... it was probably the most uplifted I've ever felt.  I can't explain why, but this effort alone has a charge capable of getting people moving.  It just... gets the party started, you know?  So check back often, post your thoughts (no matter how repetitive or trivial they may be), because there will be a time when someone else needs your strength. 

Victoria Victrix

If it hadn't been for Tony V and the original Titan posters, I would currently be a puddle of tears, misery and (probably) Pomegranate Schapps on the floor.

Tony made us a league, gave us not Plan A, but B, C....and Z.
I will go down with this ship.  I won't put my hands up in surrender.  There will be no white flag above my door.  I'm in love, and always will be.  Dido

SnowJackal

Quote from: emu265 on October 03, 2012, 06:15:13 AM
That's what a community does, right?  We protect each other.  So please don't be ashamed of crumbling.  Too many times have I needed Tony or VV's words to keep my resolve from crumbling entirely.  Sometimes logic and clear thinking do the trick, other times its seeing the resolve of others.  Either way, no one here is going to tell you to quit if you're having an emotional reaction.  We -all- experienced that on Black Friday, and that's why we're here.

Shortly after I stopped crying my eyes out after the first announcement, I stumbled across this board.  I think I followed the link on the announcement on Paragon Wiki.  But after coming here, I felt so refreshed and energized... it was probably the most uplifted I've ever felt.  I can't explain why, but this effort alone has a charge capable of getting people moving.  It just... gets the party started, you know?  So check back often, post your thoughts (no matter how repetitive or trivial they may be), because there will be a time when someone else needs your strength.
It is inspiring. I have a friend who doesn't even play the game and she's expressed how inspiring the efforts are, even to her.

I find it amusing, my characters that I've RPed are all intensely iron wills or filled with hope. One of my two mains pretty much epitomized the entire point of the Mot story arc in DA because of how much he personifies hope and yet he stumbled. His friends helped keep him on his feet to survive and finish that arc. It inspired me.

RP imitates life in some ways. Now this community and over at FB and elsewhere is doing the same.  I do take a lot of inspiration in the stories I've seen in game on top of the players that run in it! This is a wonderful community.

SnowJackal

Quote from: Victoria Victrix on October 03, 2012, 06:21:59 AM
If it hadn't been for Tony V and the original Titan posters, I would currently be a puddle of tears, misery and (probably) Pomegranate Schapps on the floor.

Tony made us a league, gave us not Plan A, but B, C....and Z.
This is the sort of stuff that helps a lot to know we're all not alone in this!