So it didn't work.

[dwturducken]

NCSoft has blinked.  They have given us a dedicated email address to send our comments and concerns to.

Of all the discussions today, this one should make us all sit up and take notice.  I know that using the word "sunset" in relation to the end of a game, or anything else, really, is nothing new, but the fact that it's the exact way that we've used it on this forum that ended up being the username they chose should get our attention.

[Vulpy]

I keep reading the title of this thread and thinking, "It didn't not work..."

[MishaFox]

One thought does come to mind. Things in CoH as we know them now WILL change. That much is certain. It's a matter of how.

Whatever happens I will NEVER give up fighting to save the game!

 Blast. I'm preaching again!

[Victoria Victrix]

Of all the discussions today, this one should make us all sit up and take notice.  I know that using the word "sunset" in relation to the end of a game, or anything else, really, is nothing new, but the fact that it's the exact way that we've used it on this forum that ended up being the username they chose should get our attention.

Oh, their PR firm is reading this forum.  Believe it.  And every time we post and get our spirits and enthusiasm back up, they have hysterics.

Every time we can get a negative mention of NCSoft's tactics posted anywhere else, they have MORE hysterics.  The wider we diversify these posts, the more hysterics they will have.

Post on Parents-and-children forums: people think "Why would I invest money in a game when these morons will shut it down and leave him crying?"

Post on a Teens-With-Problems forum and teens will think "Why should I buy a game from THESE loser-dweebs when they'll pull it out from under me before I get a level 50?"

Post on a Consumer Complaint/Protection forum and people will think "THIS is what is wrong with letting companies outside the US produce and distribute products FOR the US! RAWR!  WRITE MY CONGRESSMAN!"

And NCSoft's PR firm sends them an increasingly hysterical report.

[Terwyn]

So the idea is to go all-out with the psychological warfare and propaganda?

[uninventive]

Of all the discussions today, this one should make us all sit up and take notice.  I know that using the word "sunset" in relation to the end of a game, or anything else, really, is nothing new, but the fact that it's the exact way that we've used it on this forum that ended up being the username they chose should get our attention.

Zwillinger most likely wrote the announcement (If he wasn't still being paid by NCSoft, I'm sure he wouldn't be here right now).  I wouldn't bust out the tinfoil hats just yet.

[Segev]

I'm not sure why their PR firm should be upset if fans get their spirits up. There is nothing harmful to NCSoft about trying to buy the property they're planning to ditch due to their recentering on the East from them. We need, above all else, to get that across to them. To be their ally in this, not their enemy, so we can reach a mutually agreeable solution.

Because if we do this adversarially, they're going to just want to wash their hands of it all the sooner. And they can, because it is theirs.

[Victoria Victrix]

So the idea is to go all-out with the psychological warfare and propaganda?

HELLO!  I AM the Commissar of the Coallition of Communist Crusaders for the Proletariat on Pinnacle!

[Terwyn]

Yes, I know. We are both denizens of that server.

[Daimyoshi]

So the idea is to go all-out with the psychological warfare and propaganda?

In the end yes, because we want change, Change is messy always ask the French.

[Hyperstrike]

As of Friday, Brian Clayton told me he had hoped to have news this week but that negotiations were still going strong.  As of a few minutes ago, there was no further word.  I assume this means nothing has changed.

Thanks for the update on this Misty (or do you prefer Vicky here?).  These little asides help ease a lot of the tension people are experiencing because they feel "shut out" of the information loop.

It's only Tuesday.  And we're only in week 3 of a 13 week process (yeah, there's 13 weeks between these three months).  Even if the negotiations take another couple weeks, there's still LOTS of time left.

And hey!  NCSoft is giving you money to spend on CoH once we rescue it!  How'bout DEM apples?

[Victoria Victrix]

I'm not sure why their PR firm should be upset if fans get their spirits up. There is nothing harmful to NCSoft about trying to buy the property they're planning to ditch due to their recentering on the East from them. We need, above all else, to get that across to them. To be their ally in this, not their enemy, so we can reach a mutually agreeable solution.

Because if we do this adversarially, they're going to just want to wash their hands of it all the sooner. And they can, because it is theirs.

It is a PR firm's job to get hysterical about anything that is said about their company that is not good and/or not marching in line with the company statements.

That said, NCSoft is well aware that they can make all of this go away if they sit down and negotiate nicely and let someone else buy/maintain CoH.

They assumed we would go away when they said "End of game", take their credit-on-another-game and go away quietly.

We did not.

They assumed we would go away when a week had passed.  We made more noise.

They assumed we would go away when two weeks had passed.  We are still making noise. 

They assume we will go away if they give us real money back.  Some people want to do that.  But this is a game of Stare Down and they just blinked. 

We need to start showing them that we are just more than a bunch of game-dweebs who don't know how to do anything but whine.

[Terwyn]

I shall attempt to explore my contacts in the Marketing and PR fields. Failing that, I am intending to expand my explorations through my school - after all, there aren't many schools where both Dream Works *and* Pixar regularly send staff to visit the campus. You never know until you ask. ^_^

[dwturducken]

We have their notice, if not their attention.  Why not start a little propaganda.  I've reached out to the gaming and computer clubs at school. My older son has been asked to mention it to his gaming club at his school. Hearts and minds, folks.  Hearts and minds.

[emu265]

C'mon guys!  Whether you agree with the ins and outs of Miss Lackey's posts, she's got the basic idea absolutely correct.  NCSOFT IS PAYING ATTENTION.  They feel the pressure and they're reacting accordingly.  Do not let petty arguments over who wrote the announcement or what exactly it means consume our effort.  KEEP GOING.

"Screw calm, make noise and #SaveCoH"

[Flamazing Sally]

VV you are my HERO!  Your incite regarding this mess gives me new hope.  I will resume my letter writing campaign in the morning with the hope that NCsoft will see the light and sell the franchise to a more worthy entity.  Thank you, VV.

[Scott Jackson]

Good news.

NCSoft is apparently going to do something unexpectedly ethical.  A refund of paid game time starting at Sept 1, when the service was fundamentally changed.  Hope the complaints regarding time cards and points can be resolved so everybody gets a fair deal.  Really should have been announced alongside the shutdown plan back in August, but nobody's perfect.

Also:  We will soon have more money.

NCSoft is letting go.  Will they release the IP, in part or completely?  Who can say...  But this had to happen first.  It's a positive step - now we can take another.

[Burnt Toast]

Zwill's announcement made me feel hopeful...
Tony's announcement about the newly created email address made me feel hopeful...
The lore document...well blah...I asked one lore question in 8 years and it didn't make the list of answers: go figure LOL!


Work has been keeping me so busy that I haven't really been able to log in....but can't wait for this weekend!

[Atlantea]

So the idea is to go all-out with the psychological warfare and propaganda?

What do you think we've BEEN doing? Playing hopscotch? 

(And hi all! Recent immigrant from the old forums! Just registered today!)

[Atlantea]

And VV? You are awesome. You are absolutely right! They BLINKED.

I had doubts that was even possible. But it happened! Thanks for pointing that out!

And could you post these exact same thoughts on the old forums? Some people there REALLY NEED to hear you say it like you did here! I suggest this thread here first:

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=297475

and this possibly this one: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=297431