New efforts!

[brothermutant]

I remember beating FF on a scrapper toon with two pugs, they kept dying and I was still in the various rooms fighting while they came back. He was a Claws/Inv that I still plan on rerolling when they release the game to us. Loved that guy and he did so much damage it was sick.

[Joshex]

companies never ask for anything unless they think it could be profitable.

a test to prove competency, I can think of a few hard ones. Like;

1: ok you call yourself a developer? prove it, make us a simple online game without using pre-made models.

2: heres the CoX client, find a way to make it into a smartphone compatible client.

3: no deal unless you eat NCSoft's special kimchi *opens door to a huge room the size of the east bronx filed with kimchi* get eating.

to be honest, it could just be a matter of the profit proposal, NCSoft is probably willing to lease the game or even sell off certain parts entirely but for their benefit and the teams benefit the need a profit model that works. and thar probably lies dragons with lions in their mouths and every time the blow fire flaming lions come out, and then the lions spit flaming bees.

we must remember NCSoft is certain that CoX's last profit scheme wasn't going to work out, and I can see why they'd think that, current MMO profit scheme standards were not being met; there was no micropay option, there were no game or progress dependent store consumables, there was no lottery or 'Super lottery points', it was too easy to get Purples and could be done without anyone spending real money, VIP store points were given too generously, Auto FREE VIP was obtained after a certain veteran badge, and it couldn't be played on phones.

All these things might be the 'unreasonable terms of sale' that the paragon team ran into during the first buy attempt.

Nate and crew probably have to come up with a new profit scheme to insure they can make the game profitable regardless of fan-base.

it's like the study I did this semester in my product development sub-course; in high speed rail, investors/collaborators will want to see some social benefit to the user-base other than just speed. And it can't just be word of mouth, there needs to be documented demographics that prove it. there also must be a user-base over a certain amount to be considered profitable. this is among a long list of things they will look for.

for CoX this means Nate and crew have to prove that whatever profit scheme they use will generate enough users and provide some social benefit other than just bringing the game back for a fan-base.

if they need help, I've got some ideas. feel free to contact me.

[FloatingFatMan]

if they need help, I've got some ideas. feel free to contact me.

Nate's an experienced business man and has various financial backers. I suspect they have a wee bit more business savvy than a student still in college.

[Joshex]

Nate's an experienced business man and has various financial backers. I suspect they have a wee bit more business savvy than a student still in college.

yeah probably.

[Arcana]

companies never ask for anything unless they think it could be profitable.

I see you haven't met many companies.

[Joshex]

I see you haven't met many companies.

or maybe I've only met the wrong companies.

[silvers1]

Nate and crew probably have to come up with a new profit scheme to insure they can make the game profitable regardless of fan-base.

This statement gives me pause ... 
I've seen the profit scheme in games like Neverwinter, and it makes me want to upchuck.  If we end up with a game that forces you to spend
additional money just to slot out your heroes, or tries to force lockboxes down your throat - I will look elsewhere.  As much as I love CoH, that would be a deal breaker for me.  I hate PAY2WIN schemes, and that seems to be what so-called free2play MMOs are increasingly moving towards.

[JanessaVR]

This statement gives me pause ... 
I've seen the profit scheme in games like Neverwinter, and it makes me want to upchuck.  If we end up with a game that forces you to spend
additional money just to slot out your heroes, or tries to force lockboxes down your throat - I will look elsewhere.  As much as I love CoH, that would be a deal breaker for me.  I hate PAY2WIN schemes, and that seems to be what so-called free2play MMOs are increasingly moving towards.

Truthfully, if they just offer to sell you anything you can already earn in-game (essentially just giving you the option to have it NOW for some cash), I think they'll do just fine.  Throw in the Super Packs, costumes, etc. and I think the cash shop will produce a profit even if the monthly subscription was reduced down to like $5 a month for a "dead" game like CoH.  I am, naturally, willing to pay even $50 a month for restored access to CoH, but still, even a modest subscription fee and a fairly equitable cash shop should ensure basic profitability.

[Mooties]

I just had a funny thought a little while ago. If NCSoft decides against selling rights to CoX, I wonder how "profitable" it will be if and when the reverse-engineered CoX project is completed.
I really don't see why they are still holding onto it so tightly if they had the nerve to just shut it down the way they did. Has NCSoft even said a word about having any future plans for the game at all?
The way I see it, the value of the actual game would only keep going down as time passes, due to spiritual successors, gradual loss of interest, and  technology improvements.

[Arcana]

Truthfully, if they just offer to sell you anything you can already earn in-game (essentially just giving you the option to have it NOW for some cash), I think they'll do just fine.  Throw in the Super Packs, costumes, etc. and I think the cash shop will produce a profit even if the monthly subscription was reduced down to like $5 a month for a "dead" game like CoH.  I am, naturally, willing to pay even $50 a month for restored access to CoH, but still, even a modest subscription fee and a fairly equitable cash shop should ensure basic profitability.

On the one hand, I have to believe its unlikely a restarted CoH would have even half the players that were around at shutdown.  On the other hand, the actual fixed costs for operating an MMO like CoH are far smaller than they once were, and even smaller if, ironically, NCSoft doesn't license the source code or dev tools and they are forced to operate without the ability to develop new content - which would mean an even smaller fixed costs because there's no developer costs.

[Surelle]

On the one hand, I have to believe its unlikely a restarted CoH would have even half the players that were around at shutdown.  On the other hand, the actual fixed costs for operating an MMO like CoH are far smaller than they once were, and even smaller if, ironically, NCSoft doesn't license the source code or dev tools and they are forced to operate without the ability to develop new content - which would mean an even smaller fixed costs because there's no developer costs.

Well, yeah, there's that.  Good point!

[Biz]

On the one hand, I have to believe its unlikely a restarted CoH would have even half the players that were around at shutdown.  On the other hand, the actual fixed costs for operating an MMO like CoH are far smaller than they once were, and even smaller if, ironically, NCSoft doesn't license the source code or dev tools and they are forced to operate without the ability to develop new content - which would mean an even smaller fixed costs because there's no developer costs.

Pfft, like you would know. Who are you anyway?

(sorry, it's been a couple pages since someone questioned you, thought it was overdue)

[JanessaVR]

On the one hand, I have to believe its unlikely a restarted CoH would have even half the players that were around at shutdown.  On the other hand, the actual fixed costs for operating an MMO like CoH are far smaller than they once were, and even smaller if, ironically, NCSoft doesn't license the source code or dev tools and they are forced to operate without the ability to develop new content - which would mean an even smaller fixed costs because there's no developer costs.

Exactly.  If there's no new development going on (for the I23 "zombie edition" we're presumably looking to get from NCSoft), then they're really just looking at "keeping the lights on" costs and hiring some mods to police the game and deal with player issues as best they can with the "zombie edition" of the game running.  Then there's whoever's programming/running the cash shop component(s), but that's definitely an area that ought to be paying for itself (the more you can offer, the more money players give you).

[Cailyn Alaynn]

I've had several conversations about how Legacy CoH might be monetized...and you guys don't have too much to worry about.
That might already be saying too much, so I won't go into any more details on it.

For Revival however... I *HATE* hate hate hate hate hate hate hate and very much dislike Lockboxes. It would take a incredibly powerful cosmic force for me to even consider them. We're talking "Oh, btw Galactus is going to eat the planet unless you put Lockboxes in Revival." "Oh, Hrm. Tell him I'll get back to him in an hour on that... Hrm."
>.>
I'm also against P2W!
We've talked a little bit about how Revival could be monetized, but since it's a moot point until the deal goes through... Nothing's really been set in stone.

[BraveStar]

Personally, I think all of the alternative income schemes have seriously hurt the MMO industry. Let me pay my $15/month and enjoy a good game.

[FloatingFatMan]

I've had several conversations about how Legacy CoH might be monetized...and you guys don't have too much to worry about.
That might already be saying too much, so I won't go into any more details on it.

For Revival however... I *HATE* hate hate hate hate hate hate hate and very much dislike Lockboxes. It would take a incredibly powerful cosmic force for me to even consider them. We're talking "Oh, btw Galactus is going to eat the planet unless you put Lockboxes in Revival." "Oh, Hrm. Tell him I'll get back to him in an hour on that... Hrm."
>.>
I'm also against P2W!
We've talked a little bit about how Revival could be monetized, but since it's a moot point until the deal goes through... Nothing's really been set in stone.

Lockboxes CAN work, as long as it's the box itself in the shop, it doesn't need a key, it doesn't contain anything you can't also earn in the game (so it's just a shortcut), and isn't RNG'd.

[MM3squints]

Lockboxes CAN work, as long as it's the box itself in the shop, it doesn't need a key, it doesn't contain anything you can't also earn in the game (so it's just a shortcut), and isn't RNG'd.

This reminds me of how DoTA 2 Boxes are setup. Each box can be bought for $1.99-$3.99, the drop are complete set of a costume piece (so the set is given in full ratter than a random chance after a match of getting a piece of the set) The only thing RNG about these boxes will be 4-6 type of sets in each box. The plus side I guess of the RNG is if you buy the same box twice, it won't give you the same set again because it will black out the set you already collected.

[Cailyn Alaynn]

Lockboxes CAN work, as long as it's the box itself in the shop, it doesn't need a key, it doesn't contain anything you can't also earn in the game (so it's just a shortcut), and isn't RNG'd.

Yeah, That's more like along the lines of a "pack" and not what most people think when they hear "Lockbox" though. Packs are fine...Lockboxes are the devil.

[Arcana]

Lockboxes CAN work, as long as it's the box itself in the shop, it doesn't need a key, it doesn't contain anything you can't also earn in the game (so it's just a shortcut), and isn't RNG'd.

Technically, at that point most players would be grumbling that the items in question were contained in a useless null wrapper, and thus the devs must be morons ("... and thus the devs must be morons" is usually implied, but I'm just adding for completeness).

[Arcana]

Pfft, like you would know. Who are you anyway?

I'm in the middle of being rebooted into a darker, grittier version of myself with a gravelier voice.