Author Topic: Banners for ads  (Read 22660 times)

JaguarX

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #40 on: April 10, 2013, 07:23:04 PM »
Can we work the quotes from the PAX panel into one of the banners? Chris Roberts' "City of Heroes shouldn't have died, dammit! That was a great game!" lends itself to a very quotable soundbyte. If we can get something from Jack itself {doesn't even have to be on video, just sourcable}, that would be a huge asset too. On other fronts, working in the number of free expansions {"issues" wouldn't mean much to the proverbial uninitiated}, awards {how many MMOs can claim a single Guinness?} and even the revenue numbers into an animated banner {there may not be a need for anything fancy} as well as capping it with the fact that NCsoft still hasn't given a reason for the shutdown should work to catch the eye. CoH was the underdog that still had plenty of fight in it before it was pulled out of the race, I think we should leverage that for all it's worth.
In the public eye, let's not kill the credibility with exaggerations. By definition ncsoft did give a reason. A bootleg reason crappy reason stupid reason, how ever its viewed, but a reason nonetheless. Plus i think we can use their crappy reason in a bigger way for the point than saying there was no reason when they stated on. We may be enthused crazy zealous ex cox players but let it not let something like (liars) get added. Stick to facts. They are more than shocking enough
« Last Edit: April 11, 2013, 01:09:43 AM by JaguarX »

Tanklet

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #41 on: April 11, 2013, 12:37:55 AM »
Should we set up a website this links to? Most people won't watch a youtube video. The site could be a quick message along the lines of:

"On November 30, 2012 NCsoft closed City of Heroes, one of the most successful MMOs in history. Thousands of fans are still waiting for their city to return as NCsoft now holds the IP unused.

NCSoft has refused to listen to the fans, the developers, and even the gaming industry at large. They need to know that their unethical, and irrational business practices will no longer be tolerated.

Cryptic Studios, the creators of City of Heroes, want to talk about bringing City of Heroes home and back online.

For City of Heroes and for all our online games, please join our movement and send a message; These games, these worlds belong to the players and can't be stolen so easily."

Then link to various social media sites, petitions, and maybe some NCsoft contact stuff.

I love the message as a whole. Just some suggested edits...

The reason I took out the reference to Cryptic is that Jack wasn't really acting in an "official" Cryptic capacity when he made that remark. He was acting as Jack Emmert. So, in anything we'd quote, or post to the web, we need to be careful, and very precise.

Tanklet

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #42 on: April 11, 2013, 12:56:48 AM »
I'm a graphic designer by trade, maybe I could help. This is just the first batch to review to see if you like the theme. If this is a design we could work with, I can then create this as various other sizes.











Would it be possible to obtain the editable files? That way you don't have loads of us suggesting text edits o.o
Then I can look at buying an ad that links to the youtube.
PM me and I'll shoot you my email.

JaguarX

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #43 on: April 11, 2013, 01:10:33 AM »
I'm a graphic designer by trade, maybe I could help. This is just the first batch to review to see if you like the theme. If this is a design we could work with, I can then create this as various other sizes.











Wow.

OzonePrime

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #44 on: April 11, 2013, 12:24:02 PM »
Very good!

TonyV

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #45 on: April 11, 2013, 11:04:51 PM »
I'm a graphic designer by trade, maybe I could help. This is just the first batch to review to see if you like the theme. If this is a design we could work with, I can then create this as various other sizes.











I hate to say this, but any ad that contains IP from NCsoft such as the City of Heroes logo or a character from the game would probably be killed pretty quickly by a takedown notice from NCsoft.  And while these look great and I really appreciate the effort, most of them could easily be confused as being created by NCsoft itself, which I'm certain wouldn't pass muster.  Trust me, I'm not trying to criticize, just pointing out that this would open a legal can of worms.

Surelle

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #46 on: April 12, 2013, 02:25:53 AM »
These look good, but aren't they major copyright infringement first off?  And what is the intent behind them?  At a glance, they're way too vague, at least to me, insofar as they don't have a link to anything related to getting NCSoft to sell the IP, etc. Is there going to be a centralized site everyone is going to be directed to, that has contact info for trying to get NCSoft to sell CoH or something?  Sorry, just my two cents, but if I'm in here with you guys and it's vague to me, imagine what it's going to seem like to people who never/hardly ever even played CoH.

If they're linking to something concrete like a SaveCOH site or something, is that just not showing yet? 

I just don't think many people are going to understand a 9th anniversary banner.  Websites may even refuse to host it.  It makes CoH look like it's running when it's not or something.  I don't know.  Sorry.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2013, 02:33:28 AM by Surelle »

QuantumHero

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #47 on: April 12, 2013, 03:25:46 AM »
How about

"Let us fly free, release the IP"

City of heroes: Nov 30th was only a strategic retreat

The Community that refuses to die

Give us back our city

150,000 heroes...nowhere to go

The gamekiller strikes again...don't let it happen to you

Game Unplugged...Please help

Homeless Heroes

Could your game be next?

We are more then pixels

Gamer's bill of rights...what you need to know

Hero or Villian: its time for NCSoft to decide

Caught in the Crossfire: City No More

Are you prepared to lose everything?

Blink and your world is gone

Its time for reform

Release the IP

There is always another way

Buried Alive!!

Your graveyard is screaming

Dead but not forgotten

COH:Murdered

Killed without cause

They threw us away

Put down like a rabid dog

Gamekiller is a funny business strategy

Game Destroyer

He who dies with the most toys only takes the fun out of the world

Heroes in Chains

Eternal Prison

City of Heroes...send us home

I could probably keep going for several more pages...but see if any of those spark something useful for our artists

QuantumHero

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If given two roads that lead no where good...stop using roads and carve your own path.

MaidMercury

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #48 on: April 12, 2013, 03:33:45 AM »
I'd be willing to chip in my fair share on funding a banner to save CoH....Better than fading into obscurity by remaining silent.

Tanklet

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #49 on: April 12, 2013, 10:27:42 AM »
These look good, but aren't they major copyright infringement first off?  And what is the intent behind them?  At a glance, they're way too vague, at least to me, insofar as they don't have a link to anything related to getting NCSoft to sell the IP, etc. Is there going to be a centralized site everyone is going to be directed to, that has contact info for trying to get NCSoft to sell CoH or something?  Sorry, just my two cents, but if I'm in here with you guys and it's vague to me, imagine what it's going to seem like to people who never/hardly ever even played CoH.

If they're linking to something concrete like a SaveCOH site or something, is that just not showing yet? 

I just don't think many people are going to understand a 9th anniversary banner.  Websites may even refuse to host it.  It makes CoH look like it's running when it's not or something.  I don't know.  Sorry.

The intent is to link to one of the following:

The youtube documentary about CoH, NC$oft, & the closure, etc
A web page with #SaveCoH & videos
A standalone web site for #SaveCoH

Everything is earlier in the thread. :)

Tanklet

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #50 on: April 12, 2013, 10:35:15 AM »
I hate to say this, but any ad that contains IP from NCsoft such as the City of Heroes logo or a character from the game would probably be killed pretty quickly by a takedown notice from NCsoft.  And while these look great and I really appreciate the effort, most of them could easily be confused as being created by NCsoft itself, which I'm certain wouldn't pass muster.  Trust me, I'm not trying to criticize, just pointing out that this would open a legal can of worms.

I can see what you mean about the logo.

As for characters of the game ... well, pictures are already being used all over the internet. And youtube. Just saying that maybe chasing after them all, especially since NC$oft has decided to do this For Knox esque way of clamming up, would be more than they're willing to manage.

What about using some of the AP protest pics? Or the Statesman splash page that was doctored to say "We Will Never Forget." Also using #SaveCoH rather than the CoH logo.

Just throwing out some ideas...

Inasmuch as we'd want to avoid legal ramifications (for both us, and the site with the ads), we also want people to know what it is they're looking at.

Ironwolf

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #51 on: April 12, 2013, 04:09:01 PM »
I made a very simple banner saying: NCSoft gave us 8 wonderful years in the skies of Paragon City

Let us Fly Again!
Whoops - I linked it to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGcFC197rfQ

VyoletRose

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #52 on: April 12, 2013, 08:07:32 PM »
Good feedback. I'll come up with a new design to accommodate the new suggestions. Work just picked up for me, but I'll try to get something put together this weekend for you all to review.
Save City of Heroes | http://www.ourcityofheroes.com/

VyoletRose

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #53 on: April 14, 2013, 05:00:31 AM »
Save City of Heroes | http://www.ourcityofheroes.com/

Tubbius

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #54 on: April 15, 2013, 03:37:03 AM »
From the earlier post. . . .

150,000 heroes...nowhere to go

Game Unplugged...Please help

Could your game be next?


These look the most interesting and direct, perhaps.  Of these three, I feel that the first is probably the strongest, as it gives a number and an implication that we're not looking to just stop and play other games.  "150,000 heroes.  Nowhere to go." might be a better phrasing with more punch to it.  The "Game Unplugged" lingo (while I LOVE it, personally!) might get us in hot water with the makers of Wreck-It Ralph, given that's a major plot point of that film (unplugging arcade games leaves the characters in them stranded in a surge protector environment forever gameless).  The final of the three is thought-provoking and can encourage a random click, perhaps, but it would need a little more to it to get folks to go for it.

Actually, come to think of it, combining option 1 and 3 of these might work well.

Banner image 1 in sequence: 150,000 Heroes.  Nowhere to go.
Banner image 2 in sequence: Could your game be next?
If a third is possible. . .: Save City of Heroes.  #SaveCOH

Thinking maybe a simple red, white, and blue striped banner background (three lines, horizontal), reminiscent of Statesman's color scheme, though without using his distinctive red-blue-red setup.

MaidMercury

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #55 on: April 16, 2013, 03:09:36 AM »
Tubbius:
Most excellent idea yet! 150,000 players in limbo speaks business opportunity to any potential investor!
Ironwolf, VyoletRose -hope you both are reading this and put this data into the ads.
It's getting better and better, brainstorming our message  ;D
« Last Edit: April 17, 2013, 03:25:11 AM by MaidMercury »

VyoletRose

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #56 on: April 17, 2013, 06:38:21 PM »
I like this new version, "150,000 players can't be wrong".

I think the consensus on the "Could your game be next" message was it could be seen as fear-mongering - although we do want players to know that it could happen to their game too. Maybe we could think of new versions of this message..

Anyhoo, I'll try to work up some new pieces based off the new feedback within the next day or two. Stay tuned :)
Save City of Heroes | http://www.ourcityofheroes.com/

Ironwolf

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #57 on: April 17, 2013, 08:01:21 PM »
A new version of the message would be:

Does your game have a plan in place when they decide to close down? Once the City of Heroes servers shutdown - the game was gone. Does Digital Rights Management do the same to your favorite game? Once the servers that allow you to play are turned off is your favorite game gone forever?

DRM games and server based MMO's can be gone in the flicker of an eyelash, this is a list of closed games from just one publisher NCSoft:

MMO City of Heroes
MMO Auto Assault
MMO Tabula Rasa
MMO Dungeon Runners
MMO Dragonica
MMOExteel
FPS Point Blank

There have been many more and soon the requirement of a connection to a server will be more widespread. Unless you have huge numbers like WoW your game could be gone based on the whim of a business decision by a publisher.


I promise to sit down and work on the website, tonight! Any other suggestions?

FatherXmas

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #58 on: April 17, 2013, 08:35:33 PM »
They didn't close Dragonica or Point Break.  They simply ceased being the publisher of those two games in Korea.  Dragonica got picked up by another publisher, don't know about Point Break.
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Tubbius

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Re: Banners for ads
« Reply #59 on: April 17, 2013, 11:20:36 PM »
Tubbius:
Most excellent idea yet! 150,000 players in limbo speaks business opportunity to any potential investor!

I'm just reposting what someone else said; I really have NO clue how many players were in the game over time or at any given time.  :)

Thanks for the consideration, and I do understand the negative impact of "Could your game be next?".  Is there another way to phrase that concept without being so fear-mongery?

Heh. . . I teach English, not marketing.  All my marketing know-how comes from sitting next to an accounting tutor at the college where I work and reading the novels of Max Barry (Syrup, Jennifer Government, Company, Machine Man).  I've finished the first two and am about to start the third when I get time!  Great reads!