http://www.change.org/petitions/ncsoft-keep-ncsoft-from-shutting-down-city-of-heroes
We have 20k signatures and nothing came out of it?? What good is it to petition something if no one cares anyway! This is one reason why people don't vote, it's like we have no voice. Yes, I know all the efforts and positive things going on, on this site. However, and I hate being "negative" as some say, COH is not back! It's still gone, and I honestly don't care for making a character's costume and flying around the city with nothing to do. That is not what I enjoyed about the game, glad they got that up and running but it's not my cup of tea! So what is the point, fight until we finally get the game back? I really would love to play the game but as time goes on I grow more bitter and really want to say screw everything! There's not one game out that I can spend hours and hours on, which I guess is a good thing cause I have time to do other things but I really enjoyed playing this game it was damn fun! So if companies can just snatch up games and not allow you to play them then what is the use of petitoning and begging for the game to come back? Might as well chop it up as a loss and just stop playing games, well computer games anyway because the games I purchase on my console will forever be playable unless of course I mess up my game disc or console! *Rant over* "Whew I feel better...kinda"
It's only 20,000 signatures (and hoping there wasnt that many double triple ten time signatures like some people do on petitions to pad the number). Overall that is not much of the player base not even half of the numbers that been thrown around that the population was at shut down (60,000-80,000) and way less than half if including ex-players and or peak population (190,000) and probably less than ten percent of everyone who ever played the game. Although thankful for those 20,000 that signed to show support, given the overall number and if that petition alone was a measuremet of support, its not good. It would show that majority of the players just dont give a crap.
I think it did it's job letting people know there is a group that isnt going to let it go but it couldnt be used as "look at the support. The players want it game back!" It would have been quickly countered with and dismissed as that 20,000 is actually a minority, which is was.
And the problem with that petition, it was to keep ncsoft from shutting down a property they rightfully own from a legal standpoint. Now was this property actually a property that is doing well for the community? Like Walmart bought some property and wanted to build a walmart on said property but petition of majority of the townfolks blocked it, because that lot was used as a park and had some of the few native trees.
Unfortunately most people on the outside dont take virtual communities and the cause of a game ending as serious as say, a developer wanting to raze a community to build a shopping mall and something the developer wins even in those cases. And that is probably one of the reasons the petition got relatively little response. many people just shrugged and moved on.
Thirdly even walmart got compensated for the land they bought to build the walmart and got petitioned. Was anyone of those petition signers or all of them was able to compensate NCSoft for keeping the game running, the staff, the server space, the updates, and etc? Or was we expecting a petition to force NCSoft to spend money that is no longer wished to spend because of 20,000 people wanted them too. . Hell most of you didnt even keep a sub up from 04-12 the entire time. When money got tight, the sub lapsed, when ya wanted to break for some the sub lapsed. And i doubt anyone would have liked it if someone like Nexxon telling you that you must spend that $15 a month whether you want to or not because want that money. Many would flip out. So again the petition, who was goign to pay. It was a fail from the start as one, it wasnt detrimental to an actual community. And look, we are still here so we by being here together and claiming this is the community nullifies the fact that it destroyed the community when you have people goign aroudn the net at the same time saying Titan is the community of ex-COX players. We lost a game, yes, we paid 15 a month they delivered when they decided not to, we didnt pay. Sooo that could be viewed as just another product being discontinued. But still the most damning thing about that petition was the number. Only 20,000? Really? Yeah that is showing them we really want our game back. :p.
And that is why petitions fail. It looks good on paper but it stays on paper because it's not backed up with teeth and FACTS. Fact-they took the game. They affected the community online community, but community nonetheless. We know that but how do we get people on the outside to know that? Sure aint helping with certain people from here antagonizing everyone they view as an outsider. Then when they know, we get them on our side and again, it dont help when certain people is putting in lot of work to antagonize anyone they view as outsiders. Then we invite them to show support, again, it doesnt help when certain people make sure that any outsiders feel they are not welcomed. Then we go from there. Even with groups like Vegans, LBGT communities and others, many are not vegan and many are not LBGT but those groups had an idea, had a motive and had a movement and welcomes people to their cause LBGT or not. ANd that is how movements work. It's ok being angry but misplaced anger at anything and everything besides the inner circle is bound to fail and look like a relative few people just merely causing a fuss that will go away when they are tired or get angry at something else. Nothing to take serious. We have the power, we have the knowledge but many dont have the right attitude. Too much anger. Use that anger to promote the movement and stop running people off. Even people that dont seem like immediate help or know Tony V on personal basis or know how to build a game from scratch, can still be a help. No telling the people that got turned off, and no telling who people know. SOmeone who played COX for two days might just happen to know the son of a Senator that knows another senator that is looking to push a bill through on customers right in virtual media. But run them off, and then that is another relationship unknown.
Really next time there is a chance to come out for support we have to come out in force with no mercy. Thus far it seems that only support that get attention is fighting off people who disagree with us and say move on. Someone say move on all eyes and ears open and people go there in force to tell them how wrong they are, but quiet on things that is designed to show the support of the actual movement. That is why we are viewed as merely angry gamers whining because our game was taken away. We talk about action, but have weak showing. We talk about petition and talk about but not even half and not even a quarter of all players.
Many here like to say "How everyone want the game back and how everyone is hurt and how everyone is this and that and how everyone is behind this movement. That is why never use the words that over generalize because no everyone is not hurt, not everyone cares, and not everyoen is behind this movement or a NCSoft paid shrill as many people claim. Sad but true. But when people keep one with the everyone and only 20,000 show support that kills credibility. Where is this everyone many people here keep speaking of?
We are the minority but that doesnt mean we are weak. We just have to choose are words carefully, be more warmer to outside and stop coming off as pure nerd raging nutcases. And if you see others from here doing that and dragging this movement in the mud as quick as you are to jump on people cases for disagreeing jump on their case for painting this community in bad light and remind them that not all people here in fact probably not majority people here are raging nerd raging at at anythign that moves and dont align with their vision to the teeth. But when and I seen it out there, instead people ignore them then dog pile on the person that just so happen to not agree. One that only make them not agree and want nothign to do with us even more two it makes the average person that could go this way or that way think, Hell naw, I'm not mixing with those people." or "They are taking this toooooo far and serious. I think the author is right. It is time for them to move on as they are foaming at the mouth there." But of course, we can keep what we are doing out there and end up with a mere 20,000 signatures on petitions, low showing of support outside here, and talk among ourselves how we are goign to get back at "the man" and stick it to them with our vast and suporior righteous powers that is unquestionable and anyone that questions it will be cast out and be labeled ncsoft paid shrill. Either way I dont care. I'm here until it sinks or swim. I'll go down with it, or I'll float with it. The choice is this community on what directio nto take. If we want to swim, be warmer to outsiders, stop foaming at the mouth at everyoen who disagree or appears to. Just spit them the knowledge in a respectful non condencing tone and leave the snark and never know, they might just go "hm, maybe I'll check them out." but being snarky mean insulting and looking down ya nose at them definately wont win any friends. And it also kill the moral here as it makes this fight harder than it needs to be, real talk. SOme days when I see that stuff on other sites, I think to myself. "Man, is that the group I'm associating with and vouching for? What does that make me look like? WHat am I doing this for? I'm trading a cold calulating corporation for a self righteous cold to anyone on the outside basically a dicatorship." Then I dismiss it. "nope, that is just a relative raving few that can be found in any community. But why are people quick to jump on people they dont disagree with but ignore them. Since they are not jumping on them that mae this movement look bad they must agree with their tactics of insulting anyone and everyone that dont agree with the movement and agree that they are all either with us or paid NCSoft shrills. Or else they would have dog piled on them too like they the poor chap that said he's moving on."
With TPP kickstarter coming soon, this is second chance to show support. I think if they cant reach their goal, with all this hoopla and hollering about wanting a game and then when the chips are down, even our own cant make it, and not many donators, then that is another straw to the all talk no bite image.
