thank the gms ?

[Rae]

So, something nice we could do.

Could I get official Titan permission to buy the CoH gms pizza/coffee/muffins/doughnuts  or something to thank them for looking after us and digging us out of scenary, locating madly spawned glowies and defeating bugged missions for the last 8 years, on behalf of the community?

There's only 4 of then, so it shouldn't cost much.

As I don't know Austin (or the US, come to think of it) well, if someone could point me in the direction of a place I could order it from, that would be ace.

Holding fire until I get an official yes.  Don't want to say its from the community if people don't think its cool.

[Sleepy Wonder]

It's a nice idea, but think bigger. I would hold your fire for a better target.

[Rae]

Just bumping this, before I  presume it's a community-wide 'meh' and a write-off :-p

[Knightslayer]

I think it's a good idea, just not clear what we're doing - is it the intention we donate something, somewhere? (on a much smaller scale than the dinner)

[Quinch]

Basically. Besides, where are the GMs employed? Where would they go? The Dev Dinner was relatively easy to organize because they mentioned previously there was a restaurant they liked to go, so the whole process was fairly straightforward.

[Rae]

The GMs work from the Austin office.

And yeah. I'm sorry, I'm not up with how much it'd cost to get..I dunno..coffee? Doughnuts? Pizza? For four people in the US, so I have no idea how much we'd potentially need to raise. Maybe $50? You guys probably know better than me.

But, yes, much the way we did the Devs dinner - donate whatever amount would be needed for a decent-ish spread, and delivery to 'em at the Austin office, if people are up for it.

[Vulpy]

Fifty quid is a pretty decent lunch for four people in most places in America. Coffee and doughnuts would be, like, $10.

Given TonyV's latest posts, I don't think he necessarily wants us to wait for permission, either. Getting a gaming news site to cover our philanthropy would be a bonus to the cause, but we know why we're doing this--and it isn't necessarily for press.

[Rae]

I'm kind of guessing that since none of the Titans have jumped on this and gone 'NOOOOOO kill it nowwwwww!' they're not opposed to it (or they just haven't noticed it )

So I'm happy to get the ball rolling on this one, if I can get...say..10 people who don't think it's a terrible idea and that $50 is about the right amount to set. I don't want to make out like I'm speaking on behalf of an entire community if I'm actually not

If anyone knows of a decent place in Austin that'd be a good place to order from/send 'em to, I'd appreciate a heads up, so I can get a better idea of costs.

[Kheprera]

Depends.

We have Mr. Gatti's, which is more of a chain.

Mangia's is decent.

Gumby's.

But, to see if they'd deliver... I need to know where the offices are.

Donuts... the Big Seller around here is Round Rock Donuts

Chipotle[url=http://and [url=http://freebirds.com/]Freebirds] and [url=http://freebirds.com/]Freebirds are popular.

It really depends, though.

[Korbian]

My personal Austin favorite for pizza:

www.austinspizza.com

I was also gonna suggest Freebirds, but Khep beat me to it.   

[Rae]

Here's the address I found:

NCsoft Austin
6801 N Capital of Texas Hwy.
Building 1, Suite # 102
Austin, TX 78731

[Kheprera]

Okay, I was afraid of that.

Loop 360/Capitol of Texas Hwy has built up, but is kind of out of the way of The Good Stuff.

Let me research and see what is in the area. There IS a Waterloo Ice House, so that could be an option.

If anyone is more familiar with the area than I am (I don't get out that way much), speak up. 

If I drove I'd deliver myself.

[dwturducken]

I was wondering about something like this after someone mentioned holding a vigil at the Austin offices. I agree that it doesn't need to be publicized, since, from what I'm reading so far, we'd just be saying, "Hey, Austin, sorry we missed you guys."

Any of these things are potentially subjective, due to varying tastes in pizza or donuts, though, so I'd suggest something more like what Tony did with the restaurant in California. Maybe one of those places would do a gift certificate for the GMs, so they could pick a day or whatnot. $50 is actually equivalent to the per-person breakdown of the dinner, so it should work out.

[eabrace]

I'm kind of guessing that since none of the Titans have jumped on this and gone 'NOOOOOO kill it nowwwwww!' they're not opposed to it (or they just haven't noticed it )

(Speaking personally, and not officially for Titan)  That. 

[Rae]

Gift certificate for some place would also be a good idea. I can't believe I didn't think of that. Doh.

[dwturducken]

I'm not using the term literally, just because I don't  know how to do something like what Tony did for the Devs. They must take lunch, though. I don't even have any idea who is there or how to find out, beyond Google-fu.

[KnightHawk Prime]

A thought: Contact Hitstreak, ask him to find out who's still there, and what their first names are, and see if he can contact them and *ask* them what they'd prefer, pizza, doughnuts, Strip O Gram (If they're all unattached ;] ) submarine sandwiches, etc, and more importantly, where *they* would want it from.

They live there, they know where they eat.

I can't see this being a problem with an NDA in the way, it's not proprietary info, and it's would make NCSoft look even worse if they tried to stop us doing something nice. ;]

And if it comes down to Hitstreak can't help us because of NDA's, give *him* the money and have *him* send it. then we don't know any info.


2cp. ;]

[Moonfyire101]

This can be a good idea. I agree with whoever said we should get the press involved. We want stuff like this covered.

[Zolgar]

This can be a good idea. I agree with whoever said we should get the press involved. We want stuff like this covered.

There's a couple issues.. If we try to get this covered by news media it'll really look like we're just doing it to get coverage.. and especially as small-scale as this is going to be? $50 seems kinda cheap when you're trying to do something "nice" to get media coverage. :p

[Moonfyire101]

There's a couple issues.. If we try to get this covered by news media it'll really look like we're just doing it to get coverage.. and especially as small-scale as this is going to be? $50 seems kinda cheap when you're trying to do something "nice" to get media coverage. :p

i could be completely off base here but at this point it seems that any coverage is good coverage. The more people are exposed to us with things either positive or negative the harder we are to ignore and the more people will hear about us.

[Victoria Victrix]

There's a couple issues.. If we try to get this covered by news media it'll really look like we're just doing it to get coverage.. and especially as small-scale as this is going to be? $50 seems kinda cheap when you're trying to do something "nice" to get media coverage. :p

But a big stack of pizza or donut boxes looks impressive!

[Zolgar]

Send pizza to everyone at NCAustin...

'cause then it's more than just OUR GMs we're being awesome to

[Victoria Victrix]

Send pizza to everyone at NCAustin...

'cause then it's more than just OUR GMs we're being awesome to

Not a bad notion.

[dwturducken]

I'm afraid I'm with Zolgar, Moony. For $50, it's just opportunistic. However, for the whole staff in Austin, we're realizing we missed some folks and wanna make it right, at least as far as the press is concerned. (And me, for that matter, since the last drive happened while I was in class and was over before I could participate... )

That means a little more digging, or getting HS to give us a number of people in Austin. My Google-sense tells me that was reported to be about 150 people, two years ago.

[Rae]

Don't see why we couldn't include all the staff at Austin.

..would we need to add Seattle, too?

[Zolgar]

Don't see why we couldn't include all the staff at Austin.

..would we need to add Seattle, too?

I dunno?

It seems that it would be fine to just do Austin.. 'cause we're really doing it for the CoH GMs, we just don't wanna be dicks and leave everyone else out.

[Victoria Victrix]

Weelllllll, if we somehow had a giant card or something that said, "Thanks to the CoH GMs, the 'za is on us," and had enough for everyone, that should set the right tone if we had enough delivered to cover everyone.  Say, what, would that be about 50 pies?

[Zolgar]

Weelllllll, if we somehow had a giant card or something that said, "Thanks to the CoH GMs, the 'za is on us," and had enough for everyone, that should set the right tone if we had enough delivered to cover everyone.  Say, what, would that be about 50 pies?

Holy shit someone used 'za'
*has a heart attack and dies*

VV, you are the first person I, or anyone I've talked to, has 'heard' use 'za' as a slang/abbreviation for pizza... which has been the subject of much argument with the 'Words with Friends' dictionary.

[Rae]

Er..is pie American for pizza? The transatlantic language barrier has me at a loss

[DrakeGrimm]

Holy shit someone used 'za'
*has a heart attack and dies*

VV, you are the first person I, or anyone I've talked to, has 'heard' use 'za' as a slang/abbreviation for pizza... which has been the subject of much argument with the 'Words with Friends' dictionary.

THE 'ZA LORD'S GUARD! <.<



(Those who get that reference receive a free hug from me.)

[Knightslayer]

THE 'ZA LORD'S GUARD! <.<



(Those who get that reference receive a free hug from me.)

+ 1 for Toot Toot tributing.

[Kaiser Tarantula]

There's a couple issues.. If we try to get this covered by news media it'll really look like we're just doing it to get coverage.. and especially as small-scale as this is going to be? $50 seems kinda cheap when you're trying to do something "nice" to get media coverage. :p

Guys... to be honest, does everything at this point really need to be about press coverage?  I mean, after all the service they've given us, just getting them a pizza or a nice dinner or whatever is just a good thing to give back, media be damned.

Don't get me wrong, if we got some media coverage of it, that would be great.  I'm not opposed to us being seen doing stuff like this.  But y'know... this is one of those things that's a great idea just from a "right thing to do" standpoint, and not strictly from a "will this Save CoH" standpoint.

Or at least, that's my 2 inf on the matter.

[Knightslayer]

Guys... to be honest, does everything at this point really need to be about press coverage?  I mean, after all the service they've given us, just getting them a pizza or a nice dinner or whatever is just a good thing to give back, media be damned.

Don't get me wrong, if we got some media coverage of it, that would be great.  I'm not opposed to us being seen doing stuff like this.  But y'know... this is one of those things that's a great idea just from a "right thing to do" standpoint, and not strictly from a "will this Save CoH" standpoint.

Or at least, that's my 2 inf on the matter.

I fully agree, Kaiser.
And I do believe that was the intent behind it. 

[Rae]

Yeah. I mean, I figured we thanked the Devs who were working on it full time (well, half of them were ) but ignored the GMs who were digging us out of bugged missions every day for eight years, and probably deserve a little love.

[Kaiser Tarantula]

Yeah. I mean, I figured we thanked the Devs who were working on it full time (well, half of them were ) but ignored the GMs who were digging us out of bugged missions every day for eight years, and probably deserve a little love.

Precisely.  Man, I still remember my first encounter with a GM.  Enemies spawned outside the map during a Council base mission to kill all enemies (Council bases are still terrible for that this day).  The GM was kind enough to verify that we had a mob outside the map, and yanked the mob out of limbo and into the map so me and a bud could properly murder it.

Polite, professional, personable, and ... dressed as a Tsoo crane enforcer, when not invisible.  That's our GMs.  They deserve some thanks, for their efforts if not their fashion sense.

[Codewalker]

+ 1 for Toot Toot tributing.

Noooooooo, don't talk about them!  Sssssh!

Well crap, who's going to clean my house now? 

[DrakeGrimm]

Noooooooo, don't talk about them!  Sssssh!

Well crap, who's going to clean my house now? 

Better get that milk and bread ready...

[emu265]

Weelllllll, if we somehow had a giant card or something that said, "Thanks to the CoH GMs, the 'za is on us," and had enough for everyone, that should set the right tone if we had enough delivered to cover everyone.  Say, what, would that be about 50 pies?

I have never heard "'za" before in my life.  It took me a second to even realize what you meant.  How does one say that, "zah"?  "Zuh?"  This is fun.

Anyway, I think this is a good idea.  Gogo team!

[eabrace]

I have never heard "'za" before in my life.  It took me a second to even realize what you meant.  How does one say that, "zah"?  "Zuh?"  This is fun.

Anyway, I think this is a good idea.  Gogo team!

"Zah".  I honestly couldn't guess where it originated, but it's been around since at least the 80s.  I think it's even in the Scrabble dictionary.

[emu265]

"Zah".  I honestly couldn't guess where it originated, but it's been around since at least the 80s.  I think it's even in the Scrabble dictionary.

Really?  I'll have to ask my parents on that one.  Those crazy Scrabble fiends. 

*is only 21*

[Corlagon]

"Zah".  I honestly couldn't guess where it originated, but it's been around since at least the 80s.  I think it's even in the Scrabble dictionary.

I happened to watch a Two and a Half Men episode this evening where Alan indeed said it was a proper Scrabble word.

[Victoria Victrix]

I believe that "pie" when used in conjunction with a pizza joint is Eastern (US) Seaboard.  I picked at up in college in the mid 60s.

I picked up 'za from my pothead friends in the late '60s or early '70s.  It probably derives from the fact that potheads are too wasted to form the entire word.

50 pizzas would give every person at the 150 person Austin facility 1/3 of a pizza, which I should think would be enough.  At that rate we could probably get a party discount.

[dwturducken]

I got "pie" from a friend growing up in Arkansas, but his mom was from Connecticut.  Little Caesar's, back in the late 80s, had square pizzas. The cook would write the symbol "pi-R-squared" (I can't make the symbols, here) on the box.

Anyway, Austin is a decent college town, so there should be plenty of pizza places that will deliver. I think we can get away with picking one from a list of, say, 5 recommendations from a local (or student, there), and, say, 10 each of five different pizzas for a good variety.  Not sure if we need to accommodate vegetarian/vegan diets, nevermind the dizzying array of food allergies that we've succumbed to here in the states...

[Victoria Victrix]

Is there such a thing as a vegetarian game company employee?     I was under the impression that for most of them the five food groups are caffeine, sugar, salt, fat, and cardboard.

[dwturducken]

Wait, you can't get gluten-free vegan versions of those? 

[Victoria Victrix]

Wait, you can't get gluten-free vegan versions of those? 

Not the cardboard.  They put all the gluten they take out of gluten free bread into the cardboard.

[Rae]

Buddy at NC Soft Austin says 'less than 100 people' work there, but he honestly isn't sure how many :-p

[Kheprera]

I got "pie" from a friend growing up in Arkansas, but his mom was from Connecticut.  Little Caesar's, back in the late 80s, had square pizzas. The cook would write the symbol "pi-R-squared" (I can't make the symbols, here) on the box.

Anyway, Austin is a decent college town, so there should be plenty of pizza places that will deliver. I think we can get away with picking one from a list of, say, 5 recommendations from a local (or student, there), and, say, 10 each of five different pizzas for a good variety.  Not sure if we need to accommodate vegetarian/vegan diets, nevermind the dizzying array of food allergies that we've succumbed to here in the states...

I *am* a local.  Most of the campuses and *good* places are closer to downtown and the NCSoft offices are outside their delivery areas.

It's a good 15 minute drive between those areas of town with average traffic.

An option is to contact a local BBQ place (Pok-E-Jo's, County Line, Ruby's, The Salt Lick) and see about catering.  That might get too pricey, though.

Or we can try gift certificates/cards to a place of their choosing.

I don't drive (long story, relates to my chronic pain) or I'd deliver personally.  I only know of a few others who are local, and as far as I know, they don't post here.

[Kheprera]

Okay, nearby eateries...

Waterloo Ice House (kind of like Chili's or Applebee's, but local)
The  County Line on the Lake (as opposed to the one on the Hill) (BBQ, good and messy beef ribs, kind of pricey)
Siena (unknown to me, internet says Italian, sienaaustin.com)
Bamboo Grill (unknown to me, internet says Chinese, bamboogrill.com)
My Place Sports Bar & Grill (unknown to me, internet says Italian, myplace-austin.com)
Suzi Q (unknown to me, no info)

Looking at the satellite view, the area is still not well built up except for office parks and overpriced subivisions.

[dwturducken]

My vote is "shop local," but my schedule kinda puts me on the "support if I catch it in time" list, rather than any list that can drive this.

[Victoria Victrix]

Kheprera, I do hesitate to suggest this, but the chain pizza places still generally produce "edible", probably will deliver, and are probably what most of those guys and gals are used to eating anyway.  I mean...I eat chain pizza...  

[Kheprera]

If there is one near.  I did a Google search.  That area of town has almost nothing near.  I'll check Mr. Gatti's, Dominos, and Papa John's and see if any deliver there.

The best pizza in town IMO is Mangia's, but it's too far.

[DrakeGrimm]

Kheprera, I do hesitate to suggest this, but the chain pizza places still generally produce "edible", probably will deliver, and are probably what most of those guys and gals are used to eating anyway.  I mean...I eat chain pizza...

Friends don't let friends eat chain pizza. /AnnouncerGuy

[Victoria Victrix]

Friends don't let friends eat chain pizza. /AnnouncerGuy

But all we have around here is chain pizza...and I kinda like some of it...

You guys have no idea how much I miss being up in Northern Indiana with local pizza joints and pilgrimages to Chicago for the hard core stuff.  There is literally almost nothing in this town that is not a franchise joint.

[KnightHawk Prime]

Domino's at least here in Seattle, has improved *immensely* in the last few years, and their Pasta Bowls are very, very tasty, as is their popcorn chicken.

Don't know about austin's version, but one could hope. they'd prob be willing to deliver outside their range for this if you talked to their local manager and explained why, and tipped the driver.

Or alternately, a Domino's gift certificate, and let the austin crowd figure out what to get, and arrange their own driver, and day when to hit the office with 'Za.

2cp ;]

[Victoria Victrix]

Domino's at least here in Seattle, has improved *immensely* in the last few years, and their Pasta Bowls are very, very tasty, as is their popcorn chicken.

Don't know about austin's version, but one could hope. they'd prob be willing to deliver outside their range for this if you talked to their local manager and explained why, and tipped the driver.

Or alternately, a Domino's gift certificate, and let the austin crowd figure out what to get, and arrange their own driver, and day when to hit the office with 'Za.

2cp ;]

Pizza Hut is always willing to deliver outside their range if you order 10 or more pies.  Domino's and Papa John are probably the same.

[Kheprera]

Or get Rae to ask their NCSoft Austin buddy what might be the best solution...

 

[Victoria Victrix]

Or get Rae to ask their NCSoft Austin buddy what might be the best solution...

 

*Puts up the Rae-signal*

[Rae]

*poses dramatically against a dark skyline, eyes on the sky.*

*eyes narrow as a white light pierces the gloom, projecting a message on the clouds*

I'm needed.

*Pulls out phone. Texts.*

My work here is done.

*Exit, stage left, dramatic cape swoosh*

[DrakeGrimm]

*poses dramatically against a dark skyline, eyes on the sky.*

*eyes narrow as a white light pierces the gloom, projecting a message on the clouds*

I'm needed.

*Pulls out phone. Texts.*

My work here is done.

*Exit, stage left, dramatic cape swoosh*

...we'll never know just who that masked rae really is...

[Arctic Force.]

...we'll never know just who that masked rae really is...

Hmmm...

[Rae]

Hokay.

A bit scared now. Apparently there are 160 people in the Austin office.

Favoured eating places amongst the staff are NXNW, or Z tejas. But now we're talking twice as many people as the Devs and I'm guessing around a 2k price?

Austin Pizza is the pizza joint of choice .

I'm not sure how people feel about chipping in for that many people, since I suspect between extra life,  humble, nycc and a potential crowd sourced ad in the near future?

[Kheprera]

 

That's... quite a few.

I guess we take a vote?

[Rae]

Yeah, he said that when he started adding in IT people, GMs, HR people and all the rest of it who'd been involved in one way or another with COH it started to get complicated.

But I appreciate that it's a lot of people and a lot of money, and with everyone else going on, people might not have the funds to crowdsource another lunch. Particularly as it went from around $50 to..what I'd imagine to be the $2000 mark. I'm not sure.

I used to be indecisive...

[Victoria Victrix]

Yeah, he said that when he started adding in IT people, GMs, HR people and all the rest of it who'd been involved in one way or another with COH it started to get complicated.

But I appreciate that it's a lot of people and a lot of money, and with everyone else going on, people might not have the funds to crowdsource another lunch. Particularly as it went from around $50 to..what I'd imagine to be the $2000 mark. I'm not sure.

I used to be indecisive...

It's STILL possible to do with donuts.  Everybody likes donuts.

[Rae]

Maybe doughnuts n' coffee? How much is a doughnut these days? :-p

[Victoria Victrix]

Maybe doughnuts n' coffee? How much is a doughnut these days? :-p

Unless your source at NCSoftcore suggests otherwise, most Southerners will swear that there is only ONE doughnut worth eating, the veritable Holy Grail of doughnuts, and that doughnut is Krispy Kreme.  They run about $6 a dozen (prices vary a little by area), and there are two stores in Austin.  12586 Research Blvd and 701 E Stassney Ln.  Also, at every location I have ever been to, when someone is picking up mass boxes, the clerk always throws at least one so-fresh-it's-hot doughnut for free for the driver/pickup person.

[Rae]

OK. That's more doable.

Sorry - the website keeps bouncing me back to the UK one whenever I try to look at ordering them online, and then tells me they don't deliver to my area. When did websites get so smart. Can someone tell me if they also do coffee, before I throw my computer out a window?

[eabrace]

Can someone tell me if they also do coffee, before I throw my computer out a window?

They do.

[Kheprera]

Unless your source at NCSoftcore suggests otherwise, most Southerners will swear that there is only ONE doughnut worth eating, the veritable Holy Grail of doughnuts, and that doughnut is Krispy Kreme.  They run about $6 a dozen (prices vary a little by area), and there are two stores in Austin.  12586 Research Blvd and 701 E Stassney Ln.  Also, at every location I have ever been to, when someone is picking up mass boxes, the clerk always throws at least one so-fresh-it's-hot doughnut for free for the driver/pickup person.

Around here it's Round Rock Donuts

Good news from their website:

"3. Do you ship your donuts?

Because our food products do not contain preservatives, we are unfortunately unable to provide shipping for our donuts. The good news is, we do work with an outside Courier Service to make deliveries for us to the Greater Austin area. Give us a call if you would like to have your order delivered. "

So, we can do this, support a local store, and show the Austin team we know a thing or two about good donuts!

Mmm... darn it, now *I* want some.

They're really good donuts.

[Rae]

Good call!

[zybron]

Those look really good.

I'm in for a dozen, just tell me where to send the money.

[Kheprera]

For 160 people, we're looking at 14 dozen donuts for everyone to get one. 

These donuts are about twice the size of a Krispy Kreme, for an idea.

I called for information.  Delivery is $25-$30 (let's assume the $30 in this case).

Here's the stickler.  They do not take preorders less than 40 dozen.  O.o

Still, this *is* doable.  Even with the delivery charge, if we ordered 28 dozen (two donuts per, because really..  one donut?) Then the cost is approximately $211.56 (I included the tax rate).

[Zolgar]

For 160 people, we're looking at 14 dozen donuts for everyone to get one. 

These donuts are about twice the size of a Krispy Kreme, for an idea.

I called for information.  Delivery is $25-$30 (let's assume the $30 in this case).

Here's the stickler.  They do not take preorders less than 40 dozen.  O.o

Still, this *is* doable.  Even with the delivery charge, if we ordered 28 dozen (two donuts per, because really..  one donut?) Then the cost is approximately $211.56 (I included the tax rate).

How much to throw a metric ton of coffee in there, too?

[Kheprera]

I cannot imagine *anyone* willing to deliver 160 cups of coffee...   

[Victoria Victrix]

I think that NCSoftcore has coffee makers in the offices.  Come on, it's IT.  Caffeine is one of the basic food groups.

I'm in.  Kheprera or Rae, want to start a Chip-In account?

[Zolgar]

I cannot imagine *anyone* willing to deliver 160 cups of coffee...   

Maybe a couple of vats though..

But just donuts would suffice though, ah s'pose.

Maybe shoot for $250, to account for anything over the estimate and the ChipIn cut (looks like around 3-5%), and whatever is left over use to tip the delivery driver (if that's possible)

I think that NCSoftcore has coffee makers in the offices.  Come on, it's IT.  Caffeine is one of the basic food groups.

I'm in.  Kheprera or Rae, want to start a Chip-In account?

I would say probably Khep or someone else in the US.
ChipIn uses PayPal.
PayPal charges fees for international transactions.. which would mean charges from SaveCoH people to Rae, and then charges from Rae to the Donut people.. on top of the cut that ChipIn takes.. which would probably mean about a 10-13% loss.

[NecrotechMaster]

i think it would be best to do it similar to the dev dinner and have tony host a paypal donation type of thing since that went over great last time

[Rae]

I'm happy to do it, but I suspect it'd just complicate things and cost us unnecessary money.

But if a US volunteer doesn't step in, I can set it up

[Kheprera]

Before jumping the gun and making any Chip-In or anything let me get more information.

We know they will deliver.  What we don't know is how they are willing to receive payment.

I'll call tomorrow and see what our payment options are.  IF they will accept an online payment or one over the phone without requiring a signature then we should be okay.

Otherwise I don't know how to pull this off.