Call to Action! Team Wildcard needs YOU! TF Hail Mary LFM

Started by Victoria Victrix, November 26, 2012, 06:30:02 AM

blackjak

Kinda gets lost if people aren't from the US I imagine. Never thought of it doing that...
Virtue: Moonsun, Dynamo Jr., Crimson Fury, Sabre Kat, Double Sixxes, Quantum Stranger, Mystic Kirin, Pink.Eye Champion: Blackjak, Redwing Blackbird Justice: Shield Marshal Guardian: White Talon Triumph: Gosuto Union: Stellar Girl

Victoria Victrix

#321
Quote from: Riff on December 03, 2012, 12:54:36 AM
no, actually I don't trust you. No offence, but I don't know you from jack, and we have exactly one thing in common - we want to see CoH live again. But other than that I don't know anything about you, or the (non)team that put this effort together.

If you had been paying attention, I not only stated numerous times that I am author Mercedes Lackey, I actually PROVED it back when I first signed on to Save Paragon three months ago by quoting from one of my books not yet published (was published last month).  Clearly you have not been paying attention.

Quote- and that's not to mention the whole Hail Mary bollocks! Why are we giving this some religious mumbo jumbo cloak? That in itself is entirely objectionable!

I see, forgive me for assuming that a Brit might possibly have some understanding of an American football term.  Oh, Wait, Ammon, Quinch and Rae are all Brits and they knew what I was talking about....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass  "A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half.

The expression goes back at least to the 1930s, being used publicly in that decade by two former members of Notre Dame's Four Horsemen, Elmer Layden and Jim Crowley. Originally meaning any sort of desperation play, a "Hail Mary" gradually came to denote a long, low-probability pass."

QuoteHere's a challenge: You want me to buy in to this - then post a redacted version of this 31 page document that excludes confidential information. Let me make an informed decision about how I proceed. If you don't, I call bullshit. Sorry but that's how I see it.

No.

For two reasons.

One, I am not willing to take the chance that somehow, NCSoft will manage to connect something we wrote to our sources and proceed to sue them.  They don't deserve that.

Two, Disney is traditionally extremely secretive about all aspects of negotiation.  Even though we have made it clear that we are only four players pitching the idea of buying the game, and not those with whom they can negotiate anything, nevertheless, I am not willing to risk getting the whole pitch on their wrong side by making it public.

Now what I don't understand is, if you are really, truly, interested in seeing the game find a new home,  why are you having enormous tantrum ragefits over all this?  Are we asking you for money?  No.  Are we asking you to endorse the pitch itself?  Actually, no, not really. 

I'm sorry, but I call bullshit here.  You could very easily have quietly not written letters instead of demanding things you have no right to and having tantrums because we said no.
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

Vasarto

Quote from: Victoria Victrix on December 03, 2012, 03:46:24 AM
If you had been paying attention, I not only stated numerous times that I am author Mercedes Lackey, I actually PROVED it back when I first signed on to Save Paragon three months ago by quoting from one of my books not yet published (was published last month).  Clearly you have not been paying attention.

I see, forgive me for assuming that a Brit might possibly have some understanding of an American football term.  Oh, Wait, Ammon, Quinch and Rae are all Brits and they knew what I was talking about....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass  "A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half.

The expression goes back at least to the 1930s, being used publicly in that decade by two former members of Notre Dame's Four Horsemen, Elmer Layden and Jim Crowley. Originally meaning any sort of desperation play, a "Hail Mary" gradually came to denote a long, low-probability pass."

No.

For two reasons.

One, I am not willing to take the chance that somehow, NCSoft will manage to connect something we wrote to our sources and proceed to sue them.  They don't deserve that.

Two, Disney is traditionally extremely secretive about all aspects of negotiation.  Even though we have made it clear that we are only four players pitching the idea of buying the game, and not those with whom they can negotiate anything, nevertheless, I am not willing to risk getting the whole pitch on their wrong side by making it public.

Now what I don't understand is, if you are really, truly, interested in seeing the game find a new home, you are having enormous tantrum ragefits over all this.  Are we asking you for money?  No.  Are we asking you to endorse the pitch itself?  Actually, no, not really. 

I'm sorry, but I call bullshit here.  You could very easily have quietly not written letters instead of demanding things you have no right to and having tantrums because we said no.

I say +1 to all of this lol!

Agreed in full.

Surelle

Quote from: Roughtrade on December 03, 2012, 02:39:38 AM
I've been watching this debate for a couple days now and I am still boggled.

What part of "Dear Disney, I like City of Heroes and I think it would be a profitable venture for you" is life threatening?

They are asking for a letter, not a blood sacrifice.  Your good name is not being attached to a plot to sell embryos to Chinese slavers.  We're just asking for a letter or four stating you enjoyed playing a game and would enjoy playing it again.

The presentation document is not legally binding.  It's an attempt to explain what in City of Heroes might be in Disney's interest to purchase.  If the sale goes through, the legal stuff is all between NC Soft and Disney.

OMG, classic.  This is the Best.  Post.  Ever.

Vasarto

Quote from: Surelle on December 03, 2012, 04:20:22 AM
OMG, classic.  This is the Best.  Post.  Ever.

Yeah I quite enjoyed that one too!

Do we have a +1 for posts here? lol

faith.grins

Quote from: Victoria Victrix on December 03, 2012, 03:46:24 AM
If you had been paying attention, I not only stated numerous times that I am author Mercedes Lackey, I actually PROVED it back when I first signed on to Save Paragon three months ago by quoting from one of my books not yet published (was published last month).  Clearly you have not been paying attention.

Also, to anyone who doubts Vicky's motives, I've played with her and her husband a few times, and they are the coolest "celebrities" I've ever encountered.  I say celebrities in quotation marks not because I don't consider them famous, but because they never plugged their work or played themselves off as a big deal; they were just players who happened to have fans outside of the context of the game.  (I think I remember her husband talking about doing some work on the set of the Peter Jackson Hobbit movie, since he's a falconer, but that was really him more geeking out about getting to do LOTR movie stuff.)  Her only stake in this is that she loves this game and doesn't want to lose it forever.  We're all in that boat, and if you don't believe that, then you are a cynical, petty person.
Aram:  "Man, just look at all this.  Sometimes it's hard to believe that we get to live surrounded by such wonder."
Gamal:  "We don't live over there." Aram:  "We don't?"
Gamal:  "No.  We live over there." Aram:  "... But it's all on fire."
Gamal:  "Yes it is, Aram.  Yes it is."

Terwyn

CEO I used to work with taught me that important lesson:

Doesn't matter who a person is in terms of public visibility or financial resources, they're still one individual amongst billions.
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction.
- Albert Einstein

http://missingworlds.wordpress.com

johnrobey

Quote from: Riff on December 03, 2012, 12:54:36 AM
Ok the first point I can kind of agree to. The second, no chance. The "trust me, it's for your own good" thing is exactly a red line I won't cross. Believe me, I want to support this effort, and I do understand issues of confidentiality, but no, actually I don't trust you. No offence, but I don't know you from jack, and we have exactly one thing in common - we want to see CoH live again. But other than that I don't know anything about you, or the (non)team that put this effort together. Your take on this is not dissimilar to the Catholic Church's whole point about "don't let the peasants have a bible they can read, they might find us out" thing - and that's not to mention the whole Hail Mary bollocks! Why are we giving this some religious mumbo jumbo cloak? That in itself is entirely objectionable!

Here's a challenge: You want me to buy in to this - then post a redacted version of this 31 page document that excludes confidential information. Let me make an informed decision about how I proceed. If you don't, I call bullshit. Sorry but that's how I see it.

I understand where you're coming from, even though I have a different opinion and do  trust Victoria Victrix implicitly.  I don't think it's fair to call them a (non)team, especially since they worked their tails off and took time away from game etc., got 2 senior devs to review their presentation, etc.  I also didn't think "Hail Mary" had anything to do with Catholicism, but rather referred to the Hail Mary pass from U.S. football:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi         "In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it." -- Boris Pasternak
"Where They Have Burned Books They Will End In Burning Human Beings" -- Heinrich Heine

johnrobey

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi         "In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it." -- Boris Pasternak
"Where They Have Burned Books They Will End In Burning Human Beings" -- Heinrich Heine

Vasarto

Quote from: johnrobey on December 03, 2012, 05:33:07 AM
I understand where you're coming from, even though I have a different opinion and do  trust Victoria Victrix implicitly.  I don't think it's fair to call them a (non)team, especially since they worked their tails off and took time away from game etc., got 2 senior devs to review their presentation, etc.  I also didn't think "Hail Mary" had anything to do with Catholicism, but rather referred to the Hail Mary pass from U.S. football:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass

Yes...Hail Mary from American Football...I should know because I am an American.

Is a Specific Football maneuver where it is a Desperate shot to gain a touchdown when the game is about to end and you are behind on points.
Its a specific position in where the quarterback attempts to from a long distance away from the goal to get the ball into the hands of someone from far away.

Its a weak, and pathetic move that almost never succeeds but it HAS done so in the past many times even though the odds are stacked against them.

so lets see here

1. NCSOFT has stated it refuses to sell the title and shut down the game already
2. NCSOFT Will NEVER go out of business in a million years and has enough financial power to buy out and merge with other companies in the west to save itself and permenantly secure its hold on the worlds MMO Market and gaming industry.
3. They will forever ignore us no matter what we do.
4.No one is listening and if they are they do not care until we MAKE them care and we are starting to do so at a very fast pace


so lets see here...its  a far stretch....Its Highly unlikely but not unheard of and possible if we try our hardest!

Sounds like the perfect definition of a Hail Mary to me!

Dynastys Sweeper

i really hope this Hail Mary works out for real, it would be awesome to see City up again its only been 2 days but it felt like its been years honestly i miss everything about that game, the awesome devs showing up randomly, also all the awesome people. All the friends i made playing 7 years of my life all my money and time invested into that game it would be awesome to see Disney owning the IP. just thinking about being able to buy pieces of marvel like iron man or anything like that it would be awesome. i am going to write them letters only because we all been fighting got this since the first announcement of the "sunset" bull crap i thought disney did awesome with "the avengers worlds mightiest heroes series"  not much people agree but go big or go home!

johnrobey

Quote from: faith.grins on December 03, 2012, 04:35:58 AM
Also, to anyone who doubts Vicky's motives, I've played with her and her husband a few times, and they are the coolest "celebrities" I've ever encountered.  I say celebrities in quotation marks not because I don't consider them famous, but because they never plugged their work or played themselves off as a big deal; they were just players who happened to have fans outside of the context of the game.  (I think I remember her husband talking about doing some work on the set of the Peter Jackson Hobbit movie, since he's a falconer, but that was really him more geeking out about getting to do LOTR movie stuff.)  Her only stake in this is that she loves this game and doesn't want to lose it forever.  We're all in that boat, and if you don't believe that, then you are a cynical, petty person.

I got to meet Ms. Lackey and her husband Larry a couple of times at conventions where one or both were Guests of Honor.  They were fabulous GoH's.  Apart from accomplishments and other merits they are also fellow fans and relate to members of the fannish community as such (meaning peers, not "better than you" celebs.)  They are indeed awesome!  I'd forgotten about Larry's interest in raptors (wish I still had the autographed T-shirt he'd signed that had hawks flying).

Digression:  I came to really appreciate Titan Network forums over the past few weeks for being seriously constructive and hope desperately to avoid the name calling, ax grinding and petty flame wars that the official forums devolved into.  We're all grieving our loss.  For some that means anger but PLEASE let's comport ourselves better this time around.  I'm A-Okay with differences of opinion and realize that personality conflicts can arise, but we can each do our best.  Thank you!
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi         "In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it." -- Boris Pasternak
"Where They Have Burned Books They Will End In Burning Human Beings" -- Heinrich Heine

Roughtrade


Victoria Victrix

I'll tell you what, Riff.  Since you are such an expert on pitch packages and you don't trust our expertise in business practices, how about if you write your own and send it to Disney?

Oh, but you had better have the addresses, emails and phone numbers of senior Paragon Studios members to put in as your official contacts for actual negotiations.  Because if someone DOES come knocking, you are going to look really stupid saying "gee....I don't know who you could go to."

And you had better make it crystalline clear that YOU are not in any way able to sell the game.  Anything else is fraud.

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a flying frick if you do that.  It will still be one more "please buy the game, Mr. Pleasants" missive.  And if it should happen that the game does get bought and you want to claim all the credit for it, with your superior pitch, be my guest.  That and $5 will get you an overpriced latte at Starbucks.
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

dwturducken

Quote from: Victoria Victrix on December 03, 2012, 06:06:44 AM
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a flying frick if you do that.  It will still be one more "please buy the game, Mr. Pleasants" missive.  And if it should happen that the game does get bought and you want to claim all the credit for it, with your superior pitch, be my guest.  That and $5 will get you an overpriced latte at Starbucks.

I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just in a mood, tonight, but:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr6quR0v9JY
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."

johnrobey

Here's a bit of awesome I came across earlier today.  This ought to re-kindle everyone's interest in seeing City of Heroes brought back.  gawds, it was good to see this, for me the next best thing to being able to log in and play.  Note: while I find the music entirely appropriate you may want to listen with speakers off.  I started crying within seconds.  Enjoy! and thanks for the memories.  This was one hell of a way to go out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdNaLitjgJs
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi         "In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it." -- Boris Pasternak
"Where They Have Burned Books They Will End In Burning Human Beings" -- Heinrich Heine

epawtows

Wife and I sent out a set of letters.  Hopefully we're getting close to a tipping point.

I guess it's still way to early to have expected to hear anything back from The Mouse?  Is the fact that we HAVEN'T heard anything at least evidence that they are at least thinking about it?



johnrobey

I don't have any idea whether Disney would reply to Team Wildcard's 31 page presentation.  Plus I expect it takes weeks to months for such negotiations to happen (not that I have any experience in this area), with Disney or any prospective buyer doing their own analysis, provided they think it's worthwhile even to do that.  It would be great if V.V. could tell us if they got any reply at all.  Maybe all they got was return receipt or other verification that the presentation package was delivered.

In looking at some of the other threads, one proposal is to see whether Stephen Colbert might take up our cause.  If so, his legions of fans at Colbert Nation would give us far greater numbers.  If memory serves Colbert Nations got NASA to name a satelite after Colbert.

Additionally, while there may be reasons not to make similar presentation pitches to other prospective buyers, such as Valve, I don't know what they are.  (Okay, thought of one, the time it takes to customize a presentation.)  I'm thinking strike while the iron is hot.  What do you all think about the idea of a concerted letter writing campaign simultaneously to a number of potential purchases, companies we (and the devs) think might be good custodians for City of Heroes?  Ditto for the proposals on related Titan forums about contacting not only Colbert but also Ellen and Oprah?  Here are the links:

Other Options
http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,6638.msg82526.html#msg82526   

Stephen Colbert
http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,6606.msg81979.html#msg81979

Ellen Degeneres
http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,6633.0.html

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi         "In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it." -- Boris Pasternak
"Where They Have Burned Books They Will End In Burning Human Beings" -- Heinrich Heine

Victoria Victrix

tracking numbers for Pleasants

EO 924 452 225 US

EO 924 452 027 US

tracking number for Iger

EO 924 452 282 US

all three are USPS Express Mail
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

johnrobey

Quote from: Victoria Victrix on December 03, 2012, 08:17:17 AM
tracking numbers for Pleasants

EO 924 452 225 US

EO 924 452 027 US

tracking number for Iger

EO 924 452 282 US

all three are USPS Express Mail

Thanks!  I had no doubt Team Wildcard's presentation package was sent with delivery notification.  Can you share with us if Disney sent any reply, even just a form letter saying they'd gotten it?   While I know you can't share the content, I'm certain it's a beautiful presentation with everything a prospective buyer might want to know.  Thank you again for Team Wildcard.   :)
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi         "In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it." -- Boris Pasternak
"Where They Have Burned Books They Will End In Burning Human Beings" -- Heinrich Heine