Author Topic: There is Hope: Keep Fighting  (Read 8317 times)

Kheprera

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 278
There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« on: September 28, 2012, 03:39:54 PM »

Nafaustu

  • Boss
  • ****
  • Posts: 105
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2012, 03:45:14 PM »
That's positive, we hadn't heard that for a little bit.   Thanks for sharing this on the forums.

Olantern

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 282
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2012, 03:48:06 PM »
Fantastic.  Thanks to Thor's Assassin for posting it to his blog and to Kheprera for posting it here!

In addition to good news, it is also good advice.

dwturducken

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,152
  • Now available in stereo
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2012, 03:51:28 PM »
My favorite part was from the paragraph above: "There is a movement in the professional gaming world to save the game in some form or fashion but the process is complicated and involves several key elements to succeed."

While this may not have been news to everyone here, it was to me, and was as good as any news since Black Friday.
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."

steelrat70

  • Underling
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2012, 04:24:19 PM »
Just the words "requires several key elements to succeed" is the most encouraging news that I've heard so far.  There is a process by which success can happen rather than the vague "we're still talking" that we've heard till now.

Segev

  • Plan Z: Interim Producer
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,573
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2012, 04:40:40 PM »
Is there word on who might be a good person to contact to find out what those "key elements" are? I would be interested in taking as active a hand as I can in aiding any or all that I have any capacity to help out.

steelrat70

  • Underling
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2012, 04:46:11 PM »
The way i read that they cant give out any additional info and really all we can do is just what weve been doing thus far

DrakeGrimm

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 742
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2012, 04:47:14 PM »
/em holdtorch
We are the crazy ones, the mavericks, the dreamers, the forgotten sons. We color outside the lines for fun. We are the crazy ones! - "The Crazy Ones," Stellar Revival

"We put ourselves in "the attitude of heroes"--and we all became a little more heroic." - VV

Blacjac84

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 37
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2012, 06:17:12 PM »
If the negotiations are going our way, I'm sure what's going on is that they making sure all the "i"s are dotted and all the "t"s are crossed.

Heat Guard

  • Minion
  • **
  • Posts: 40
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2012, 06:23:37 PM »
Thank you for making this thread, if I didn't already get my fight back, I think this would have done it.  I will be directing players here that I think could really use seeing news like this with their own eyes.

The fight may be hard, but I think we just got word that the cavalry is arriving!

chaparralshrub

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,007
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2012, 06:25:38 PM »
Well, sorry to be the discouraging realist, but do keep in mind the following facts:

1. Thor's Assassin is not an official; he's a blogger. There is a move in the professional gaming community to save CoH, but as far as we know that could be just within Paragon, what's left of it. We already knew that Paragon is trying to scrape together something; we just don't know what.

2. We know what some of those key elements are going to be: first, this movement needs money to pay NCSoft for whatever NCSoft is willing to part with. Second, it will need cooperation on NCSoft's part - we still don't know what plans NCSoft had, or how CoH didn't fit into them. If NCSoft is planning on releasing another MMO or something and doesn't want CoH to compete with it, then they will do what they can to kill any attempt to revive it. Last, keeping CoH up and running, or raising it from the dead, will require staff to maintain it. I'm sure all of these things are currently on the negotiating table.

*

Nonetheless, this definitely is an encouraging blog, because it proves that Paragon itself is still trying - we aren't going down without a fight, and they aren't going down without one either. And we also know that our support is helping Paragon's cause, even if it's just moral support and encouragement.

And yes, I hope that there really is a widespread movement within the professional gaming community that is gaining support in an attempt to save CoH. And yes, I hope that NCSoft is getting anxious over the undesirable public image that they stand to acquire if they do not do something to allow CoH to continue.

Turjan

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 270
  • You cannot kill a dream
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #11 on: September 28, 2012, 06:37:23 PM »
He's a good bloke, that Thor's Assassin   8)

Two very important facts to take from his article -

Fact the First - The story's definitely not over yet, so we must keep on playing our part in it :)

Fact the Second - Carry on being the Good Guys, not the Bad Guys.
Yes, I know sometimes we feel like unloading an arsenal of whupass on NCSoft, but that's not the way to play this. Obviously there really are still things going on behind the scenes, and it serves no-one's purpose if we run around behaving like pouty kids or spiteful jackasses.

There may come a time when we can legitimately behave like pouty kids and spiteful jackasses...but that day is not today  :-X

Stay civil, and stay on target!  ;D

The White Rager

  • Lieutenant
  • ***
  • Posts: 75
    • The Wordpile
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #12 on: September 28, 2012, 06:40:30 PM »
At this point, we have one main goal: keep making noise, and if possible, ramp it up. Our efforts got the door open, and our efforts are what give the Paragon Studio staff bargaining power. They do the negotiating. We make sure NCSoft is paying attention. I need to make a thread on the subject of advertising - judging from the dinner campaign, we could have about five thousand dollars to put into some well placed ads in less than a day, and it still wouldn't be demanding very much from each individual. Community members have already produced plenty of high quality graphics to use. I wish I could volunteer my services for the ads themselves, I do have a degree in graphic design. But I'm having to get by with a lot less sleep just to keep up with my college as is (I changed careers).

Segev

  • Plan Z: Interim Producer
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,573
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #13 on: September 28, 2012, 06:42:31 PM »
One concern about using video stuff I've seen users here produce in an actual paid-for ad campaign: don't they use a lot of in-game footage? I'm concerned that this might step on what we're allowed to do with it, since NCSoft owns the graphic designs in-game from the costume pieces to the city buildings to the trees.

chaparralshrub

  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,007
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #14 on: September 28, 2012, 06:55:18 PM »
Well, on that note, Paragon Wiki is loaded with screenshots and text from the game. Yet, nobody has ever come after us for that.

I think we're probably safe in using game footage, as that is used for reviews, news, and whatnot and is allowed. But there are limits and I don't know where they are exactly.

The White Rager

  • Lieutenant
  • ***
  • Posts: 75
    • The Wordpile
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #15 on: September 28, 2012, 06:57:22 PM »
So your point is, we may not be able to legally create ads using CoH IP? A graphic using the Statesman, for instance, like nearly all of them do? (I wasn't talking about the videos really - you're thinking television advertising? I'm thinking web. Faster, simpler to implement. TV ads are probably arranged well in advance. I know print ones are, getting those out within our current time frame is flat out impossible). I suppose it's a possibility. Feedback from the informed, anyone?

The White Rager

  • Lieutenant
  • ***
  • Posts: 75
    • The Wordpile
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #16 on: September 28, 2012, 06:58:20 PM »
I admit I'm doubtful we'll get bit for it though. Especially if it's non-profit, we're not claiming any kind of credit, etc.

Segev

  • Plan Z: Interim Producer
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,573
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #17 on: September 28, 2012, 07:32:35 PM »
Well, I suppose one thing it would do is see just where NCSoft wants to stand, publicly. They wouldn't do a C&D on a wiki because it supports their game, rather than competing with it. It's basically free work the fans were doing for them. If they don't like the ads when the ads come up, though...

...it will be telling, but it also could, if it comes up bad, hurt our attempts to keep both carrot and stick out there.

So yes, get some legal advice, if at all possible. I think it not a bad idea, save for that risk. Just keep the ads positive, promoting good things worth saving about CoH. Keep all negativity about NCSoft out, if at all possible. (I think the stuff fans have produced mostly lives up to that standard, fortunately.) "We want NCSoft to sell the IP before the game dies" is okay. That's not painting them as villains, merely as "needing to be persuaded."

SithRose

  • Plan Z: Lore Lead
  • Elite Boss
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,981
  • The Phoenix is coming.
    • Missing Worlds Media - Plan Z: The Phoenix Project
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #18 on: September 28, 2012, 07:34:12 PM »
One more item to take away from this - Even if all NCSoft is doing with the capes and masks is sending them on to what's left of Paragon Studios, it is still giving them hope.

Every cape and every mask is a person or a family saying "We love you. We support you. We want our game back. We are backing you all the way. We are STILL HERE."

Keep up that momentum. Keep the support rolling in to the people on our side of the table. Keep giving them reasons to say "WE are heroes to our players. We CAN do this. We can save our game."

Letters. Masks. Capes. Photographs. Screenshots. Stories. Never send the same thing twice. But KEEP IT COMING. Polite and gentle pressure on NCSoft. Polite and firm reassurance to Paragon. Follow Victoria Victrix in her calls to action. ALL of us can do that much.

(I'm copying this to the Masks and Capes initiative thread too.)
Lore Lead for Plan Z: The Phoenix Project
Secretary of Missing Worlds Media, Inc.

Chaos Ex Machina

  • Lieutenant
  • ***
  • Posts: 79
Re: There is Hope: Keep Fighting
« Reply #19 on: September 28, 2012, 08:17:26 PM »
You are actually better to use a non-official character as advertising anyway, to demonstrate customizability.

Just use a lot of extremely attractive costumes.

I think Statesman has a terrible advertising motif, actually.