Author Topic: The Bard is Back!  (Read 47707 times)

Fansy

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The Bard is Back!
« on: November 10, 2012, 01:35:54 PM »
Hail Heroes!

I bring news that may just be smoke blowing in the wind but I have been in contact with a certain Good Team supporter in Korea who has a connection that knows the most foul, and evil of all the Corporation in a dungeon sealed away deep in a twisted, dark Castle in the shadows keep!

What does this mean for us? For you? For me? For my goat?
..
Goat?

Belay that! I have news of importance! Yes, news, it is why you're reading still isn't it? No? You like me? Really? I did not prepare for this, I mean I'm blushing. No time to bewitch the Bard who sings now the praise that has come from this dark place. A source inside the source has spoken out yet asked to remain anonymous but fear not for I can give you my truth and word that this is quite credible but the decisions are not to fall on just NCSoft alone. Instead, the source explains that there truly ARE legal repercussions at the moment that are being dealt with behind the scenes and there is rumor that a possible ditch effort has been done so not to lose anymore money from quoted, '' current profitable projects currently in popular demand. '' This has also been backed by another source, a publisher, for a magazine I have inquired with. So what does this mean?

Well, now for the end yet meatiest morsel you can chew. There is, as the source says, a possibility that once CoH shuts down completely without further action by any Staff then the game IP can be sold at the lowest bid given that all legal ties are severed by its shut down. This also will take care of any >PARTNERS< who may have financial control or gain over the game to be severed as well for they will no longer receive or invest in a dead project. All contracts (unless elongated behind closed doors before the shut down occurred) will by law be no more and as the source explains NCsoft can freely move to do with the IP as they like. Without any attachments on the IP there is a high possibility, if it does sell, that the price will be reduced substantially for their interest in the game and title in and of itself is mostly depleted except by enthusiasts who are on their last leg in the company, sad to report, or are ready to retire. A lot of effort from next generation studios are now being bought into as the era of old games are being left as they were without any care for what is coming next, the source boasted, will more than likely sway customers in swaths as the new technology implemented will take gaming to and beyond the next level. What does this mean for us, Good Team? I haven't the slightest.

Finally we have come to the end of news for there is none left to sing. I have done the best I could from the moment I arrived and will do what I can until the last sun sets. You truly are all Heroes, and this is what you inspired me to do.

Forever a song,
Fansy The Famous Bard

Mister Bison

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2012, 01:51:48 PM »
Fancy, you sing a note of hope. I just wished you could back it up with proof we could hear with our own ears, that it is *not* a stinger just to get us to shut up before it's too late, at any rate, we shall continue the fight. Labor can only bear reward, if we harm NCSoft in this fight, we will soothe them later.

Thank you for the piece of partition, we'll play around it.
Yeeessss....

Atlantea

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2012, 01:59:01 PM »
(Posting the same response I left at the official boards for this)

O... kay?

Not sure I want to believe or get my hopes up.

But if I'm parsing this right, what you're saying is that City of Heroes was shutdown the way it was partially to keep it OUT of the hands of Nexon?

Someone in NCSoft WANTS the IP and server code to go "free" into the wild? Or to allow another company to buy it at firesale prices?

I find that kind of hard to believe that they would risk the bad press they've been getting just to allow that to happen.

On the other hand though - if there's some kind of factional infighting going on... and the company is NOT speaking with one voice... Well. That's something I suspected myself for some time. But I thought it no longer mattered even if it were true.

If there is a plausible answer to one simple question then I -might- get my hopes up.

That question is - who benefits from this? To expand on that idea - HOW do they benefit?

Like the old saying goes - "follow the money". So far I'm not sure I see the trail here...


Fansy

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2012, 02:03:06 PM »
You, Good Teamer!

You CAN have it before your eyes yourself, good lad as you are! You just have to do a little research and maybe have a helpful friend to sing you open a path.

Search out those in the Headquarters, knock on enough doors, send out too many emails, and beg for assistance long enough and you'll find that someone will of heard of the cause and will courteous to oblige in whatever manner they can. I cannot just give out the names of those who have offered it against their will but I would highly suggest sending out an email to every employee or former employee you can get your hands on. The closer to Korea or in Korean interests you go the nearer you become to your final treasure. I wouldn't come here to spread false rumor or to plague the ears with an ill wise tale. I can only phrase what was given to me and sing true to its words back to you.

It's up to you to do the rest, and see where and if what I am told, a conduit for their message, can be got some truth out of or not. I will not know for sure, just like you, until the time comes. But any rays of hope I can shed I will. To show that I have not been dodgy just because the situation looks bleak.

You have more power than you're executing or maybe you've just not had the time. It's up to you tho to really put action to words, and I wish you the best in this. I will do what I can on my end but even with a thousand letters sent all I have got is two replies, subtle as they write but stern is the message. In either case, do not give in.

To my song I go!

Quinch

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2012, 03:55:41 PM »
Okay, my high grade in Lyrical was C-, but if I'm reading this correctly -

There is some behind-the-scenes legal wrangling that keeps NCsoft from doing anything with CoH until the game shuts down. Assuming that's true, and if it turns out that they've kept silent for unavoidable reasons, that would mean that we'd owe them an apology afterwards. That's still a bit if, though.

There's also a faction conflict between elements who want to push forward technologically and ditch old franchises, and those who prefer to keep those franchises going. The latter are operating from a significantly weaker position, making the conflict more or less a curbstomp. That's fine with me, assuming CoH gets to keep living under a different owner. Also, my sympathy goes to the individuals within NCsoft who did stick up for us.

And finally, once the December 1st rolls over and the aforementioned legal ties are untied, NCsoft might, but also might not open the franchise for purchase.

So I have the basics right?

Oh, and by the way, thanks for the info, Fansy. Much appreciated.

dwturducken

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2012, 04:00:21 PM »
That was my read, as well. Also, this is why I prefer watching Shakespeare to reading him. :)
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."

Thunder Glove

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2012, 04:03:07 PM »
However, if I'm reading this right (which I admittedly may not be), it sounds like they're planning on selling the IP, not the game itself.

In any event, thanks for the info, Fansy.

Omega Mark V

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2012, 04:39:49 PM »
It kind of makes sense that once the game is 'closed,' that it would sell for cheaper, since it isn't in the market place after that point.

I just hope who ever picks up the IP, if anyone, will do something good with it.

And I hope to God that person isn't SOE or some crap company like EA. Or Perfect World... Or Gamers First... You know, stuff like that.

Best of luck to our efforts!
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Quinch

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2012, 04:44:43 PM »
Far as I'm concerned, everything other than EA is fine with me. SOE keeps their games running as long as they can, Perfect World hasn't wrecked Cryptic yet, never heard of Gamers First...

But yeah, selling to EA would essentially be a Pet Cemetary scenario.

Globetrotter

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2012, 05:08:27 PM »
Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing, Fansy, Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing to us :D

Thanks for your efforts!
Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo.

P51mus

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2012, 05:17:28 PM »
That question is - who benefits from this? To expand on that idea - HOW do they benefit?

Like the old saying goes - "follow the money". So far I'm not sure I see the trail here...

Well, we're dealing with people here, and money is not the only motivation people have.  If someone from the run old games factions wants to keep the game out of Nexon's hands so someone better can deal with it well.....that's their motivation.  They want someone who would care for the game.

Nexon acquires a lot of decent/interesting games somehow, but they run them not so great.  Their customer service is really shitty (it can take a week or two to get a ticket answered), as one example.  No idea how they treat their developers, but they seem to cut corners in other areas as much as they can.

JWBullfrog

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2012, 06:32:56 PM »
Not to doubt the bard, for who am I to doubt? But we really have heard this before.
 
If this turns out to be true, then all praise to those who made it happen and the bringer of the good news. If not...
 
My personality is a 50/50 split between optimism and pessimism. Right now, on this subject, its a bit more 30/70.
As long as somebody keeps making up stories for it, the City isn't gone.

Ammon

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2012, 07:06:00 PM »
A source inside the source has spoken out yet asked to remain anonymous but fear not for I can give you my truth and word that this is quite credible but the decisions are not to fall on just NCSoft alone.
An anonymous source that Fansy believes is credible says that NCsoft are not the sole decision makers in closing City of Heroes.  Or at least, the responsibility is not theirs alone, but may have been forced on them somehow.

Instead, the source explains that there truly ARE legal repercussions at the moment that are being dealt with behind the scenes and there is rumor that a possible ditch effort has been done so not to lose anymore money from quoted, '' current profitable projects currently in popular demand. '' This has also been backed by another source, a publisher, for a magazine I have inquired with. So what does this mean?
There are some legal wranglings ongoing that can't be spoken of whilst they are ongoing?  The source says there is a rumour that there is a possible effort to ditch something (Paragon, City of Heroes?) so as not to lose any further money.

This sounds rather like a possible appeal against an earlier ruling by Marvel, or some other lawsuit, might have resulted in NCsoft being found to have infringed someone's copyrights or otherwise now be in a position where they need to shut down to prevent further additions to damages/claims.  It certainly sounds as if the closure is to prevent further damages that NCsoft will be liable to pay for.  But bear in mind that this is my speculation on a rumour of a possible effort reported as hearsay by an anonymous source


There is, as the source says, a possibility that once CoH shuts down completely without further action by any Staff then the game IP can be sold at the lowest bid given that all legal ties are severed by its shut down. This also will take care of any >PARTNERS< who may have financial control or gain over the game to be severed as well for they will no longer receive or invest in a dead project. All contracts (unless elongated behind closed doors before the shut down occurred) will by law be no more and as the source explains NCsoft can freely move to do with the IP as they like.
Since contracts for a subsidiary company often die with that legally separated subdivision, and do not transfer upwards to a parent company, once Paragon Studios, or some higher level of individual sub-company, are gone and exist no more as legal entities, the IP could be sold cheaply.


Without any attachments on the IP there is a high possibility, if it does sell, that the price will be reduced substantially for their interest in the game and title in and of itself is mostly depleted except by enthusiasts who are on their last leg in the company, sad to report, or are ready to retire. A lot of effort from next generation studios are now being bought into as the era of old games are being left as they were without any care for what is coming next, the source boasted, will more than likely sway customers in swaths as the new technology implemented will take gaming to and beyond the next level. What does this mean for us, Good Team? I haven't the slightest.
The 'change/shift in focus' at NCsoft, as in many other studios at the moment is the fundamental shift hinted at across the industry. 


Subscription based MMOs are believed to have had their day, and the games companies are finally coming to believe, as we have always surmised, that the success of WoW is an anomaly that is a freak occurrence that none will equal, or even come close to.  Finally they see that WoW is the exception, not the rule, and that the rule for MMO games is a lot less sparkly, and the market a lot more competitive, once you eliminate the exception from the average expectations.  That does not mean they won't have high expectations for GW2 or Blade and Soul, but it would probably mean those are the last classic MMOs the company will invest in.  They believe GW2 and Blade and Soul can still do well today - just not in the future.

Current shifts in gaming are heavily leaning towards mobile gaming, especially when a tablet or iPad now has about as much connectivity as any gaming console, and we are increasingly closing on the point where the smartphones will be able to connect with smart TVs to display HD quality graphics on a large screen.

Given the strength and focus of Nexon in the mobile and java-game technology, and that so many of their recent moves have been strengthening that position, one can surmise that the shift in focus is in tht direction, as is not about how mobile gaming is today, but rather is a shift now to dominate the mobile gaming of tomorrow with 4G, smartphones with 1080p graphics, able to display to large screens.

DrakeGrimm

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2012, 07:24:00 PM »
Can't keep a good hero--or bard--down.

Keep fighting, heroes. Stand tall. We are titans. We have already done the impossible. All we have to do is keep doing it for a little longer. I know we can muster the strength, courage, and fortitude.

Pop a wakie, grab a breakie, and burn a green and a blue. Time to get back in this fight.
We are the crazy ones, the mavericks, the dreamers, the forgotten sons. We color outside the lines for fun. We are the crazy ones! - "The Crazy Ones," Stellar Revival

"We put ourselves in "the attitude of heroes"--and we all became a little more heroic." - VV

Colette

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2012, 07:37:20 PM »
"It's up to you to do the rest... You have more power than you're executing or maybe you've just not had the time. It's up to you though to really put action to words, and I wish you the best in this."

Oh, I'm not good at this at all... :: ahem! ::

Ooookay... surely not my forte. Your puzzle leads to perplexity.

From you, good bard, we need a course to set, a sail to sail, a sextant to raise, our ship to steer! Else our power shall outwear the time and our best lie executed.

Oh proud dream, oh noble Fansy, how may we verb our word?

Ammon

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2012, 08:24:07 PM »
Colette, the part you quoted was in answer specifically to Atlantea's post.  It is saying that while Fansy can't divulge sources, you can surely put in the same time and effort in mailing people to get to the same place.

In the original post there is no suggested action.  It is purely informational, though, of course, with anonymous sources, the information is only worth what weight you give it.  Not because Fansy is insincere or deceptive, but because whoever told Fansy this isn't prepared to put their name to it, and could be lying to Fansy.

The message itself says that things are happening, and that it all about a legal matter.

What I say is that while this may or may not be reason for hope, it does not change our course of action at all.  We will still benefit from ensuring there is pressure on NCsoft to release the IP of CoH.  However, if the legal wrangling is in any way about the code, then the IP alone may not include code, and thus be effectively worthless.

Until someone puts a name and facts to this, we stay our course, and keep the pressure on NCsoft.  Our example to other players of other MMOs will always be valid and helpful, regardless of whether we win or lose this particular battle.

Ironwolf

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2012, 08:52:52 PM »
So reading this in my limited ability to translate Bardic - i read Steam or Good Old games may be buying this.

A company who scarfs up older games is Steam. It may well be tied to the Marvel/Cryptic lawsuit that went through way back when and that since Marvel is due to release their game soon some sort of issue may have been tied to it that a complete shutdown/sell off would rectify.

Seems possible and as I posted a while back it may do us a favor in the long run having the game shutdown for a short while to lower the price. Many rumors swirl and happily so as the game is not going quietly into that long night.

ColTech

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2012, 09:41:47 PM »
Here's a bit of speculation:

What if the supposed legal wrangling has nothing to do with CoH?
What if the (unwitting) target of this action was in fact Paragon Studios, and CoH was a mere bystander?
We know that much of Paragon Studios was engaged in work on the 'Secrit Projekt'.
Perhaps the Sekrit Projekt ran into legal quagmire, and the only effective way out of that mess was to shut down the Studio?
If a Projekt had to be killed, but it had to be done in such a way that did not violate certain conracts, etc., it might have been most effective to kill the entire Studio, in an effort to distract from true motivations...

Granted, I'm theorizing on something here with little to no information, but it might actually explain something.

emu265

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2012, 09:44:51 PM »
This is extremely happy news.  I can only hope it is true.  Thanks Fansy, I'll be anxious to see what plays out.

Mister Bison

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Re: The Bard is Back!
« Reply #19 on: November 10, 2012, 11:09:36 PM »
Just hold on to your hopes of someone buying, Fansy just let out that it's possible new opportunities open after the game closes, as NCSoft is also working against by a third party, and has to close the game to close any contract with them and sell the IP more freely. There is no rumor of a buyer, just a potential future hypothetic selling willingness from NCSoft.

They are trying to sever contracts, so we should keep it a secret or else those contract will be tempted to try to modify it to keep their coins even if the game closes.

I think this is Plan B, where Plan A is to convince NCSoft to not close City or least keep it going somewhere along with the accounts. If they close, we enter in the B category, where we can still play City, just back from zero. We didn't save all we could. Especially not the studio, but that was too quick to do that, they already fled all over the place and managed to find a new job, so this quickly became a plan without letter (at least now).
Yeeessss....