Just want to point out two tiny little things. OK, not so tiny.
One: This entire board is entitled SAVE COH. Not "Be defeatist about CoH." "Sit around and tell sad stories about CoH." And certainly not "Tell everyone on this board what idiots they are for daring to attempt to try to save CoH." It's out there, open and above board. Don't like it? Don't post here. Complaining that it is a "company line you have to toe" makes just about as much sense as going over to a "Save The Whales" site and complaining you have to toe the line about trying to actually save whales instead of writing eulogies for them.
Two: This board is owned and operated and funded by Tony Velasquez and the Titan Network. Privately owned, operated, and funded. It is analogous to a privately owned and operated lecture hall, where the owners are completely within their rights to have only the speakers they care to have speak. "Free speech" does not apply here, except as Tony and the Titan mods decide it does. Just as "Free Speech" does not apply on a privately owned and operated Fundamentalist Christian board, or a Save the Whales board, or a Left Wing Liberal board, or a Right Wing Libertarian board. Don't like it? Go fund your own board, where you can air your own opinions as freely as you like.
All of this is more than obvious, as the biggest thing that I've seen has been people being so enamored by your so-called fame that they fall all over themselves letting you spew whatever misnomers you choose to. Someone disagrees with you? They're automatically a "verbal abuser" whether it is said out in the open, such as with Frank, or in private, such as with others. At least when Segev so horribly offended the person with that tactless comparison, he had the maturity to step up and apologize when he found out about the offense. I say that you have offended me with your willy nilly use of a serious accusation because I know full well what true abuse is. Your response was, essentially, too bad that I don't share your opinion and sounding as if you are more of an expert on verbal abuse than someone who has lived through it.
Just like void hunter, I joined this forum with the hopes of being part of something positive, something that would be rational and reasonable. I have watched as people have begun flinging mud at anyone who tries to say, "Well, maybe by this point, the route ya'll are going may not be the best approach." Whether it is from their own, personal experiences in business or from a viewpoint of one with less emotion connected to the game. God forbid they try to speak out with their own opinions and have it be different from the pack's (or Mercedes Lackey's) views!
I began playing CoH with someone very special to me, as I went through some pretty serious health issues. Being a superhero, playing my various characters helped me feel strong when physically I was incredibly weak and broken. I don't want to see it go any more than the next guy, but sheesh, I'm also not going to halt my life trying to clutch at straws and cling to hope that chances are pretty strong will end up letting me down. I spend far more time in game than on forums and obviously from my post count, I don't often speak out. However, when I see something that is so glaringly wrong on so many levels, I just can't, in good conscious remain quiet.
For the record, I will not ever buy another product from NCsoft. While I feel that they could have gone about all of this in a better way, my opinion is an American one, which is far different from an Asian way of looking at things. Too, I will boycott Mercedes Lackey, simply because I feel that she is nothing more than a bully who cries wolf in the form of unfounded accusations.
I wish you all most well, this is not the place for me, so I will bow out. I refuse to be a victim ever again.
