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Community => City of Heroes => Topic started by: TonyV on June 20, 2013, 05:33:25 AM

Title: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 20, 2013, 05:33:25 AM
Hey everyone, it's with a very heavy heart that I'm posting this.  I found out just a few minutes ago that we've lost an amazing member of our community, Tre Chipman, aka "Ascendant (http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Ascendant-O%27s)" (with an 'A'. D-A-N-T).  All of my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this really difficult time, and I cannot empahsize enough how he represented the heroic spirit that binds our community (even the villains!) together.

One of my fondest memories was finally getting to meet Ascendant in virtual person during the Unity Rally, and reading the script (http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,6314.msg77371.html) that he prepared for the event.  It was amazing, as was chatting with him, and I'm going to miss him dearly from our ranks.

Godspeed Ascendant, you have been permanently etched into our history, just as you were etched into the very fabric of the game itself.

A few more details

Donations:  According to his obituary (http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pensacolanewsjournal/obituary.aspx?pid=165465906), in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, 5041 N. 12th Ave., Pensacola, FL 32504 or Holy Cross Episcopal Church, 7979 N 9th Ave., Pensacola, FL 32514.

Since I originally posted this, we've found out a few more details.  Tre suffered from sudden liver and kidney failure that happened around the first of June.

His memorial service will be held at Holy Cross Episcopal Church (http://www.holycrosspensacola.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=69) in Pensacola, FL.  The service starts at 6:00pm Central.  There are a few players coordinating a group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/37412512560/permalink/10151537125967561/) to attend.  I wish I could go, but I checked my work schedule and we don't have coverage for our datacenter if I'm out of town.  :(

If you're in the Pensacola area (it's on the Florida panhandle) and want to attend, please do, I really want his family and friends to know how much he meant to our community.  If you're not close but want further justification for making the trip, the church is literally 15 minutes from the Gulf Coast, and right now is the best season to be there.  Some of the best beaches in the country and seafood that's out of this world are there.  (I spent a lot of time down there when I was younger.)  Renting a condo room and staying a few days to enjoy the food and weather is certainly an option.

I normally wouldn't do this because of privacy concerns, but since he's gone and the information is slowly getting out anyway, here are a few important links.

I wanted to throw in a few links of people's reactions also.  I know I've probably missed some, and for that I apologize; as much as I try to keep up to speed, sometimes things slip through the cracks.  Still, I think it's a pretty good representation of how esteemed and appreciated Tre was to our community.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Samuraiko on June 20, 2013, 05:37:12 AM
Oh, my God. Do we have any idea what happened? Both John and Chris (Bloodspeaker and Jade Crush) are in just as much shock as I am.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 20, 2013, 05:41:23 AM
I don't know.  So far, all I know is that he's been having some sort of health problems the past few weeks.  I don't know if it was something that he's had all along or something that happened suddenly.  At any rate, I am also floored by this news.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Perfidus on June 20, 2013, 05:43:27 AM
I'm so sorry to hear this. I was a Virtuite like him, so I had more than several run ins with him over the years. I was proud when he made it into the game's canon, even if it was just in random NPC dialogue.

Do we know old he was? Not that it matters, he was a jewel to the community, and whether 20 or 80, a loss is a loss, and it was too soon.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: FatherXmas on June 20, 2013, 05:56:59 AM
Ah crap.

His clever use of macro's to do his one sided telephone conversations as well as the script was pure genius.  His twitter feed was equally hilarious.

Those working on replacement games, you have your first memorial statue.  I'm sure a few people have his character model available as reference.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Perfidus on June 20, 2013, 05:59:45 AM
Leandro does at least. And he's the guy you'd want to have it anyhow.

https://twitter.com/leandrotlz/status/347588140724277248/photo/1
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Samuraiko on June 20, 2013, 06:03:42 AM
I've got it as well.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: sturm375 on June 20, 2013, 06:05:36 AM
He, and all those many similar to him are what make this community the one that I continue to gravitate to.  He will be missed.  My prayers are with his family and friends at this time.  :(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: SithRose on June 20, 2013, 06:08:51 AM
One of the saddest names I've added to the Memorial List for The Phoenix Project.

He will be deeply missed, as a stellar hero, roleplayer, and person. I always enjoyed teaming with him, and had enormous fun the few times I got to roleplay with him.

*goes off to cry for a while*
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: therain93 on June 20, 2013, 06:15:30 AM
*sigh*  Just re-read Ascendant's paragonwiki entry -- makes me tear up with laughter. every time. *sigh*
 
Rest in peace, yet live on in Dreamspace.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Pheonyx on June 20, 2013, 06:15:49 AM
I still have the Save CoH ad that, while not voiced by Tre, its script was taken directly from his chat logs of Ascendant calling NC Soft after finding about about the city's closure. On Saturday, during my show on The Cape Radio from 5-8PM Eastern, I will be honoring him in the way that I think he'd want us to: by having a grand party for him and remembering all the good times. At the end of my show (approximately 7:45PM), during the ending of my show where I always honor those we have lost past, present and unfortunately future, I will be playing this after my last talk break (that I know that I will be fighting through a ton of emotion to get through) leading into my standard closing of my favorite soundbite/speech from Babylon 5, said by Andreas Katsulas (his "Part of us goes with us and part of us remains" speech) and the last song, "Show Me The Way" by Styx.

If you feel so inclined, please tune in and if you have Icon, load up a character and do the /e holdtorch emote during the show ending in honor of him.

Ashes to ashes,
Pheonyx
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: downix on June 20, 2013, 06:23:01 AM
Ah crap.

His clever use of macro's to do his one sided telephone conversations as well as the script was pure genius.  His twitter feed was equally hilarious.

Those working on replacement games, you have your first memorial statue.  I'm sure a few people have his character model available as reference.
When we began TPP, we made the decision for a Memorial, the one monument in the city we never wanted to add to.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Triplash on June 20, 2013, 06:32:19 AM
I didn't know him, but I did get to say hi once. He seemed really nice. His phone routine told me all I needed to know about what kind of guy he must have been... clever, funny, and really enjoyed a bit of tongue-in-cheek RP. Sounds like someone I'd be proud to call a friend.

Well maybe I wasn't a friend, but I sure was a fan. Thanks for your autograph, Mr. Ascendant, sir!

/e holdtorch
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Atlantea on June 20, 2013, 06:32:28 AM
Something I posted in a chat with others commiserating -


I wish I'd interacted with him more. But... and this is going to sound utterly silly... I actually was in awe of him. I knew he was a great guy. But I was... intimidated is NOT the right word... but... I'm like... how do I put it...?

If you met Superman in real life, would YOU know what to say?

That was Ascendant to me.

I will miss him so much.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 20, 2013, 06:34:57 AM
I actually was in awe of him. I knew he was a great guy. But I was... intimidated is NOT the right word... but... I'm like... how do I put it...?

If you met Superman in real life, would YOU know what to say?

You and me both.  When I met him leading up to the Unity Rally, I was giddy as a schoolboy.  I was like, "Wait, for real?  You're THE Ascendant!!?  As in, the original Ascendant-Os on the phone guy?"  Now I'm going to have to see if I can dig up the game logs to see what exactly we said to each other.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Moggie on June 20, 2013, 06:38:32 AM
My heart hurts.
He came to CAPECon one year and did Dance 6 in the middle of the bar. He was shy, sweet, funny, and always seemed a little baffled by the encouraging attention he got. He was a real person on the other end of a keyboard who really touched me.
The Last Night, I had the honor of being on a team with him for a little while and it was absolutely perfect.
Fly Home Safe Tre!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Samuraiko on June 20, 2013, 06:44:39 AM
You and me both.  When I met him leading up to the Unity Rally, I was giddy as a schoolboy.  I was like, "Wait, for real?  You're THE Ascendant!!?  As in, the original Ascendant-Os on the phone guy?"  Now I'm going to have to see if I can dig up the game logs to see what exactly we said to each other.
The first time I was filming on Virtue and we ran into each other there, the conversation went like:

Me: "OMG - you're Ascendant! Can I film you?!"
Ascendant: "OMG, you're DR! I get to be in one of your videos?! AWESOME!"

I still have his autographed picture. :D

And so EVERY time after that, when we ran into each other in-game (either on Virtue or the test or beta servers), whoever spotted the other first would IMMEDIATELY run over and shoehorn our way into whatever was going on at the time. If he spotted me (unless it was very obvious I was in the middle of filming and didn't want to be bothered), he'd run right in front of me, flex, then whip out his phone to tell Saul to call me so we could set up his next commercial spot. If I spotted him, I'd run over to him, pull out the camera, and shove a microphone in his face asking for his opinion on the latest gossip in-game, at which point Saul would call him to remind him not to say anything too stupid on-camera.

Great times...

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: JanessaVR on June 20, 2013, 06:57:15 AM
No...no...no...    :'(

I had the honor of speaking with him on the day of the shutdown announcement.  It was only a couple of hours after the announcement and I was on top of Atlas City Hall with the current DJ from The Cape and a crowd of people.  I got to see that speech for what I think was the very first time and was snapping screenshots like crazy (I hadn't yet selected BandiCam for final filming and gotten it configured, or I would have video of it as well).  I couldn't believe that I was standing next to THE Ascendant.

If we ever get the game back...he'll never see it.

As if things weren't sad enough.  I'm still at the office, working late as usual, and now it's hard to concentrate on database development when I'm crying...
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Twi on June 20, 2013, 06:59:05 AM
That'll teach me to post a link without at least clicking it first... but, Archive.org to the rescue.

http://web.archive.org/web/20100326164150/http://www.virtueverse.com/images/Ascendant.costume (http://web.archive.org/web/20100326164150/http://www.virtueverse.com/images/Ascendant.costume)

Will probably require some tweaking to make match the modern system since it's an older crawl, but, a good starting base, at least.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Scrier on June 20, 2013, 07:08:18 AM
His Virtueverse never failed to make me laugh. I came across his antics a few times and even got to interact with him a few times, as in awe as I was of him. I (and not for the first time since shutdown) am pining for the ability to play through the Saul Rubenstein Discount Task Force. Such a pinnacle of our community and sorely missed already.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: pewlagon on June 20, 2013, 07:09:08 AM
One of Virtue's Finest. I never grouped with, or met him, but my partner in Vidding did. My condolences to the family and friends. Awesome "K" I'm sure feels the same way.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Sin Stalker on June 20, 2013, 07:11:47 AM
This was a shock.

Something else he did was make a comic out of CoH, titled Quiver. It was really good. I was always kinda hoping he would continue it. Just in case anyone wants it:

http://cohcomicindex.com/comics/quiver/Quiver-01.pdf

He was talented and intelligent.
He will be missed.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Leandro on June 20, 2013, 07:37:55 AM
For those who are looking for the costume, this is the version that works with the i24 beta client:

Code: [Select]
{
Scale 5.402
BoneScale 1
ShoulderScale 0.5066
ChestScale 1
WaistScale 0.3364
HeadScales  0,  0,  0
BrowScales  0.13,  0.51,  0
CheekScales  0,  0,  0
ChinScales  0,  0,  0
CraniumScales  0,  0,  0
JawScales  0,  0,  0
NoseScales  0,  0,  0
SkinColor  255,  195,  155
NumParts 28
CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Tight
Texture1 !Hips_V_Olympian_02
Texture2 !Hips_Stripe_3
DisplayName P887196332
RegionName "Lower Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  255,  255
Color2  0,  1,  204
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Tight
Texture1 !Chest_V_OlympianGuard_01
Texture2 !Chest_Stripe_2
DisplayName P566009771
RegionName "Upper Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  255,  255
Color2  0,  1,  204
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry V_MALE_HEAD.GEO/GEO_Head_V_Asym_Standard
Texture1 !v_face_skin_head_01
Texture2 none
DisplayName P687117166
RegionName Head
BodySetName standard
Color1  255,  255,  255
Color2  0,  1,  204
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Smooth
Texture1 banded_01
Texture2 none
DisplayName P3937616722
RegionName "Upper Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  190,  63
Color2  170,  112,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Smooth
Texture1 banded_01
Texture2 none
DisplayName P2104750136
RegionName "Lower Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  190,  63
Color2  127,  84,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Jewel
Texture1 Jewel_01a
Texture2 Jewel_01b
DisplayName P177456852
RegionName "Upper Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  190,  63
Color2  255,  0,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Style_02
Texture1 Style_01a
Texture2 Style_01b
DisplayName P2681220175
RegionName Head
BodySetName standard
Color1  255,  190,  63
Color2  152,  153,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
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CostumePart ""
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Geometry none
Texture1 none
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Texture1 none
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DisplayName P2793026233
RegionName Head
BodySetName standard
Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry Tight
Texture1 Base
Texture2 star_6
DisplayName P2281134661
RegionName "Upper Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  190,  63
Color2  255,  0,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Geometry SMALL
Texture1 spiked_01a
Texture2 spiked_01b
DisplayName P772741860
RegionName "Upper Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  255,  190,  63
Color2  170,  112,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
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Fx none
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Texture1 none
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Fx none
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Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Geometry none
Texture1 none
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DisplayName P2371314042
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Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Color1  31,  31,  31
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Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Color4  227,  227,  227
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Color4  227,  227,  227
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Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
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CostumePart ""
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
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Color4  227,  227,  227
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DisplayName P1848153390
RegionName Head
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Color1  31,  31,  31
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Color3  31,  31,  31
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CostumePart ""
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Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Geometry none
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
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CostumePart ""
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Fx none
Geometry none
Texture1 none
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Fx none
Geometry none
Texture1 none
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Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
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CostumePart ""
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Geometry none
Texture1 none
Texture2 none
DisplayName P546439883
RegionName "Lower Body"
BodySetName Tight
Color1  31,  31,  31
Color2  227,  227,  227
Color3  31,  31,  31
Color4  227,  227,  227
}


CostumePart ""
{
Color1  0,  0,  0
Color2  0,  0,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


CostumePart ""
{
Color1  0,  0,  0
Color2  0,  0,  0
Color3  0,  0,  0
Color4  0,  0,  0
}


}
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: JanessaVR on June 20, 2013, 07:45:19 AM
I (and not for the first time since shutdown) am pining for the ability to play through the Saul Rubenstein Discount Task Force. Such a pinnacle of our community and sorely missed already.
I have a video of one of my characters playing the Saul Rubenstein's Discount Task Force in AE, from start to finish, pausing at every dialog screen so that it can be read, recorded in the best resolution my (brand new at the time) custom-made gaming PC could handle.  It's among 2TB worth of video I haven't yet sorted and uploaded to YouTube for the CoH community.  Hopefully next year I will finally have some time to find it and upload it.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Sin Stalker on June 20, 2013, 07:53:40 AM
I have a video of one of my characters playing the Saul Rubenstein's Discount Task Force in AE, from start to finish, pausing at every dialog screen so that it can be read, recorded in the best resolution my (brand new at the time) custom-made gaming PC could handle.  It's among 2TB worth of video I haven't yet sorted and uploaded to YouTube for the CoH community.  Hopefully next year I will finally have some time to find it and upload it.

I would love to see that. Never heard of it before, otherwise I would have tried it before shut down.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Captain Electric on June 20, 2013, 07:56:46 AM
In CoH's last few months, I made it a point to try to meet and spend time (and RP) with a few people I'd always heard so much about (kind of a super hero bucket list thing); sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't, but Ascendant was more than obliging. We befriended each other and the first few times we hung out, he played Ascendant and I played Captain-Electric and the super hero improv comedy that ensued really seemed to entertain people. I thought it was funny that both our characters had a long-established end-goal in mind, to solve the problem of entropy and the eventual heat death of the universe. You don't meet other people with that goal every day!

Later, he let me meet a few of his other characters, and vice versa. As it turned out, Ascendant was an excellent RPer, and a versatile one. If you wanted to play super heroes like straight out of the comic books, super heroic or villainous, he had a character for it.

One night I showed up in Pocket D; Ascendant was upstairs at the bar and everyone was being goofy, when he started sending me tells, just chatting about movies and TV shows and stuff. Normal stuff. We chatted for a few hours, and I had that kind of thing that Tony mentioned above, feeling stupidly giddy about an MMO celebrity, and just trying to play it normal. "OK, I'm chatting with Ascendant about stuff. Totally normal."

Over the following weeks, I got to know him a little bit, on a superficial level at least. I often wondered who this guy really was (I never knew his real name until reading Tony's post). It became apparent that Ascendant had an encyclopedia for a brain and an uncanny knack for seeing straight through plot lines and plot devices. I wouldn't have been surprised if he turned out to be some famous writer. You know, the way he stood out so well, and was so entertaining with his character? That wasn't just because he'd luckily hit on some iconic nerve with that character and Saul and the phone call macros. No matter what character he used, he was really darn good at drawing people in, making them feel good, and sharing stories with them.

In the course of going through my super bucket list, I'll tell ya, I met quite a few personalities who seemed to have gained some manner of celebrity through the size and sheer determination of their egos. But the thing I discovered that made Ascendant "worth all the press" was that he didn't put himself in the center of the room--we did; but for his part, he spent a lot of time shining the spotlight on the people around him, lifting them up as much as he could, and displaying as much embarrassment as he could when people groveled.

As much as it's generally accepted to exaggerate someone's kinder qualities in the wake of their passing, there's simply no need to in Ascendant's case. He was one of the nicest, most humble people I ever met in Paragon City.

Well, except in the case of his main villain, Doctor Crom--you needed to watch yourself around him.  ;)

I wasn't going to mention this, but the last time I hung out with Ascendant, he was playing Doctor Crom. He was very fond of that character. A truly evil villain, you can read about him on Ascendant's Virtueverse page. I was playing Bane-Spider, my Arachnos agent. It was very close to CoH's closing date. Slowly, the group we had been RPing with had tapered off for bedtime, and at the end, tired and bleary-eyed, Doctor Crom and Bane Spider bid their farewell for the evening too--by hurling villainous commentary at one another, of course. And of course, I had no idea that it would be our last conversation. Two villains, parting ways in an empty interdimensional night club. Much like this whole shutdown situation with City of Heroes, it doesn't feel like the right ending note to our short-lived friendship. I'm sure that if Ascendant were here, he'd lighten things up, with a friendly remark or a well-timed joke. But I echo the sentiment that he was part of the city; and just like the city, I'll always feel like we shouldn't have lost him in the first place.

/em holdtorch

I hope Ascendant gets his memorial. Doctor Crom, too.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Leandro on June 20, 2013, 08:03:35 AM
(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.halfwaydecent.com%2Fimg%2Fcoh%2Faphoto.jpg)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Peregrine Falcon on June 20, 2013, 08:04:10 AM
I never knew Ascendant, nor even spoke to him. I used to "overhear" these conversations of his on a fairly regular basis, but I never managed to catch them completely from beginning to end. That is until he finally started a thread on the forums and published his scripts.

For me, Ascendant was every bit as much a part of City of Heroes as Longbow or the contacts that I talked to. What he did really brought Paragon City alive for me.

Godspeed Ascendant. May you find a better manager in that Paragon City in the sky.

/e Holdtorch
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Rae on June 20, 2013, 09:21:03 AM
I'm just so, so sorry to hear this. I achieved one of my COH dreams in AP33, and was present for an Ascendant phone call - the one to NC Soft. I was pretty much like a giddy schoolgirl the whole time.

It's so sad. My thoughts are with everyone who knew him.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Shaz on June 20, 2013, 10:06:08 AM
Oh... oh, this makes my heart hurt all over again.

I can still remember the first time I caught one of his phone calls. I couldn't stop talking to my husband about how hilarious it was! So long ago, this was, goodness, so very long ago, right at the very beginning of his rise to fame - around the time people were noticing it and right before the first post about it on the forums. I think I even posted in that thread, with an "OMG I saw that too! It was great!" or some such fangirly nonsense.

In all the months my husband played, he never managed to bump into Ascendant's act, but I kept catching tail ends of the legendary phone calls, and they made me grin every time.

You will always be a bright memory for me, Tre. You were honestly and truly super.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Electric-Knight on June 20, 2013, 10:22:06 AM
 :'(
I just got in from a long day (it's 6Am here)...
Just learned of this sad news.

I only got to meet him a few times, in-game, and only exchanged a few words with him, unfortunately.
We spent a tiny amount of time together after the shutdown announcement, but nothing personal. I was just thrilled to have my main meet his, in character... and to chat briefly out of character. We were both very much in shock about the news.

After the shutdown, I actually had a chance to talk in a group of people, with him included... and I really got to see (more so) that he was a very friendly, intelligent and considerate person.
I was hopeful that we might hit it off a tiny bit and I'd possibly have more interactions with him.

The first time I heard of Ascendant, one of my SG members was screaming in our global chat that ASCENDANT IS IN ATLAS PARK!! TALKING ON THE PHONE!!!! NOW WAY!!! COME QUICK!!


Hahaha... I later learned who he was and all the history involved.


When I ran into him after the shutdown announcement... I caught his phonecall performance to NCSoft... It hit me so hard.


So, yes, he was a true CoH celebrity, no question there... even to the Developers and the game itself. :)
That really only matters because of one thing... he became a celebrity by entertaining us. Not by being paid and all that, like most entertainment celebrities.
He absolutely sought to give us even more enjoyment from our CoH experience.

Anyway, I don't have much else to say or much to speak from.

As much as he meant to us and our community, I can only imagine who he was amongst his friends and his family.
My heart goes out to all those affected, save but a tiny piece for my own sadness in his passing.

Thank you, Tre.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: JanessaVR on June 20, 2013, 10:33:32 AM
I believe I found a picture of him here:

http://www.meetup.com/TheGamers/members/77412372/
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Rust on June 20, 2013, 10:42:30 AM
I feel bad for being so ignorant of the game I love so much.

I always assumed the NPCs asking about Ascendant were talking about that Council enemy, not a player.

Still, a terrible loss. 2013 is not a good year for these sorts of things.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Lightslinger on June 20, 2013, 11:22:01 AM
Ran into Ascendant a few times on Virtue, and in every case he was great fun to talk to and hang out with. Just an all around great, likable guy.

When we get our home back in whatever fashion, I expect something there for Ascendant, he should always be in CoH in some way.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: UruzSix on June 20, 2013, 11:43:37 AM
I remember him showing up at my first Golden Age Festival on Virtue, and Chernobyl Cheerleader walked up to him in awe (much like myself). I even got the autographed picture. He had a talent everyone could recognize, and I could only wish I could be half as good as.

I'm still having a hard time believing this.  :(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Randomvector on June 20, 2013, 12:34:15 PM
Aw man, it was people like him that made the game come alive.
Such sad news.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: OzonePrime on June 20, 2013, 01:21:09 PM
Any member of our great community passing is a tremendous loss.
Always, friend!

/em holdtorch
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: lapucelle on June 20, 2013, 01:33:54 PM
I met him as the Rikti invaded. It was the last day of CoH Beta, and the Motherships came down. And one guy stood up and gave a speech. I thought he was a dev at first. And we stuck together the whole evening. And we fought them from the tram, and we fought them on the sides of Steel Canyon, and we fell back, block by block, to the hospital, fighting them in the lobby and the medical room. And we pushed them back together, and made it back to the tram, and moved on to clear King's Row.

He was always able... well. You know who he was. He was Ascendant, and he was a friend, and I miss him very much.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Candarie on June 20, 2013, 01:42:29 PM
/e HoldTorch for our honored dead.

Someday I hope to play under that "Ascendant Ancestor" statue, and a story will be told to all who would listen. 
Bonus points if it somehow has blockier textures than the rest of the game around it.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Novapulse on June 20, 2013, 02:02:11 PM
It's the flipside of the coin that having such a wonderful and long standing community that we will also have to endure the grief when one of us is lost. They will of course live on in our fondest memories.

I think it was my fourth day in Paragon city when I was headed to KR via the Atlas Tram and there he was, already into his "phone call" to Uncle Saul. It took a little while to realize he was another player and not some bit of comedic genius on behalf of the devs. We spoke a few words when he was done and I don't need to repeat what a genuine and nice guy he truly was.

I added him to my friends list and for years it would always make me smile to see his name popup in my list. We never got to interact much but I did stop and encourage others to listen in every time I caught his "phone call".

Rest in peace.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: wei yau on June 20, 2013, 02:46:49 PM
City was my first MMO.  In fact, I knew little about MMOs at all until I started playing. 

When I first read about Ascendant, I wasn't sure if he was an NPC or a dev-character.  I was utterly floored to have discovered that Ascendant was a player.  I had no idea that players interacted with games in this way.  I mean, I knew about RPG, but nothing along the lines of what Ascendant was doing.  Ascendant was probably the first City of Heroes celebrity player I learned about.

I had a few chance encounters with him (the character and the player), as he was a member of The Dauntless Reverie, an SG I was honored to call home.  By the time I joined, he wasn't as active, but he was still so very beloved.

City of Heroes was a unique game, its community even more so and players like Ascendant are the best of us all.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: MMODesigner on June 20, 2013, 03:10:20 PM
I won't lie. I am devastated at this news.

I did my best to eulogize him, and tried to get it the most exposure I could. It will go up on Tuesday in my column on MMORPG.com.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Chipman.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 20, 2013, 03:32:33 PM
Tre... :( I'm crying hard here, I count Tre as one of my close friends on CoH. :(I remember meeting him in person for GenCon 2006, and it was awesome to spend the day with him and Kelp. We talked on the phone many times after, including the famous phone call to tell him in character that Ghost Widow was looking for him in the D while he was offline. Tre was a wonderful person, and I hope he left this world happy. It's good to see that final day phone call remembered fondly by so many people and I was happy to be among those urging him to do it. Tre taught me so much, about playing the game, enjoying life, and making others happy.

Rest in Peace, Tre. *HUG* You will always be loved and missed.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Mazz vs The World on June 20, 2013, 03:49:58 PM
I never had the pleasure of meeting or hearing about Ascendant. However a loss is always sad to hear and his friends and family will be in my prayers.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: GuyPerfect on June 20, 2013, 03:55:44 PM
I'm gonna /e dance6 instead. He wouldn't want us to frown. (-:
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Wulfen on June 20, 2013, 03:59:46 PM
Great guy to chat with, great player to run with.  Ascendant was a real pillar to the community.   Said it once on FB, if he favored any charities or his family has some in mind then its time, I think, to be a Hero in his name.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: CoyoteSeven on June 20, 2013, 04:17:50 PM
I just found out about this. This bites. :(

EDIT: If the game comes back online, Ascendant needs to become a TF contact. Saul also needs to become a contact, so we can bring his "discount task force" out of the AE building and into the game proper.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: matt5150 on June 20, 2013, 04:20:29 PM
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: AltaholicX on June 20, 2013, 04:57:49 PM
 :'( What a great guy. Always so funny and cool. He will be missed and never forgotten as long as people remember CoH. Thanks for everyone posting messages here. It really helps to be reminded of all the good times on this sad day. /e HoldTorch
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 20, 2013, 05:15:22 PM
Just wanted to share this, it's an e-mail I got from Ascendant following working with him on getting his phone script to NCsoft recorded by a DJ at The Cape and publicized at the Unity Rally:

Quote from: Ascendant
I remember when you said you wanted to get 10 instances of Atlas Park.  You got 33, shut down access to Virtue, and dominated another 8 on Freedom.  I'd hate to think what would happen if you turned your talents to evil.  By the way, Nexus and the Cape knocked the Ascendant script out of the park (pun not intended), and I understand it's now part of their regular ad rotation. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to help save the City, and keep up the good fight.

I hope I adequately conveyed to him that I thoroughly enjoyed our interaction, and that what he did really helped to lift my spirits at a time when they were pretty low.

I've been thinking, did anyone here know Tre in person?  I don't want to pry into the guy's personal life right now, but I'm wondering if there's an opportunity to maybe get some of the files from his computer such as the source files for his task force.  I remember running it once, and it was awesome.

Edit:  I think we may have managed to get the source for Ascendant's AE arc.  Or not.  Still hazy on details, but I hope it works out.
Edit:  I validated that we do have the source for Ascendant's AE arc.  8)  I don't know what we'll do with it yet, but I'm extremely happy that it's not just gone.  We'll figure something out.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Ellscry on June 20, 2013, 05:31:08 PM
I was at work when I first read this, and there was only one page of replies. It took me until now to even be able to type mine. I only met Ascendant a couple times, and I was never able to see one of his skits in person, but when I did meet him he was the best of us.

Add my torch to the bonfire.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: wei yau on June 20, 2013, 06:16:02 PM
Man, I just realized that Ascendant was one of the heroes I was looking forward to seeing again in The Phoenix Project or any of the other Plan Z projects.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 20, 2013, 06:35:09 PM
This thread is just the embodiment of what I love about you guys. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ascendant, nor was I able to catch one of his phone calls, but hearing the stories and reading about him makes me realize what a great guy he was. He will be missed.

And, Posi, if you're still following this, thanks. That's also a huge part of what is so great, here.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Zekiran on June 20, 2013, 06:37:30 PM
Since I was on Protector I didn't really cross paths with him in game much if ever, but during the Atlas vigil I was honored to be in AP 8 where he had landed. Starstruck, I got his glossy autographed photo.

I'm not sure that he came to the proto-con meet and greet in San Jose or one of the San Diego cons, but if it turns out he had I will scour the photos I took to see whether he's in them.

When a Protector native, Malibu Sally, passed away I made a memorial troll in a game called troll Island. I did the same last night for Tre's character Ascendant (with an A... A - n - t) and nailed it. When the troll's old enough I'll be putting the distinct star marking on him and getting him leveled up so he can wear the golden 'gloves and boots' to match his outfit from the game. WAIT it modifies the word for little horse. That's. ... you people here need to grow the hell up on that please.

(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=im3.ponyisland.net%2F%3Ftype%3Dpet%26amp%3Bpet%3D17281078%26amp%3Bsize%3D250%26amp%3Bquality%3D95%26amp%3Bbirthday%26amp%3Bmodified%3D1371709918)

I'm hoping that he would think that's fitting and funny.

His 'wrong number' routine has been part of my subconscious for years, every time someone in the real world is on the phone, or misdials me, you bet I think "Ascendant who?" And I certainly believe that I always will get a smirk and a fond memory from it.

He will be dearly missed, but dearly remembered.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Arachnion on June 20, 2013, 06:47:01 PM
He was a magnificent person.

He will be missed.

:(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Epelesker on June 20, 2013, 06:57:27 PM
A friend from my old SG broke the news to me last night, and it was quite a shock to me. I'd only got to chat with him a couple of times: he was as friendly and humorous in character as he was out of. Quite an amazing player. (I actually had him in one of my SG global channels despite the fact he wasn't a member of either of its incarnations.)

After the game shut down I managed to find an old from a screen I took of Ascendant from one of the Palladium Sentry's Winter Gala events, and from it I made my own version of the signed photo (http://robenix.deviantart.com/art/Smash-Evil-379296296). I would have posted it to dA sooner, but the reason why I waited until now was because I was hoping to at least show it to him first, see if he liked it.

He appeared a couple of times on Champions Online, and I even sent him a friends request, but he never logged on again. Honestly, just this week I was going to post a thread asking if anyone had heard from him. ... Now we know.

*posts before starting to tear up*
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 20, 2013, 07:08:49 PM
Some of you know I own a signed copy of the World's Largest Dungeon. Signed by many good friends and industry legends at GenCon 2006.

Ascendant was one of those friends and legends.

This signature has always been a reminder of a weekend spent with some of the best people I've ever known.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/cygnata/Worlds%20Largest%20Dungeon%20Signatures/th_photo_zps3da2e937.jpg) (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/cygnata/media/Worlds%20Largest%20Dungeon%20Signatures/photo_zps3da2e937.jpg.html)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 20, 2013, 07:13:38 PM
Some of you know I own a signed copy of the World's Largest Dungeon. Signed by many good friends and industry legends at GenCon 2006.

Ascendant was one of those friends and legends.

That's awesome.  What's the World's Largest Dungeon?
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 20, 2013, 07:21:10 PM
Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 module published by AEG in 2005. 800 pages, 1600 rooms, 5lb tome. It had just come out, so I took it to GenCon and got as many signatures as I could. Posi, Arctic Sun, Cricket, States, Dr. Vahz, and many players signed it, in addition to a ton of other friends, including the staff of Bioware, Catalyst Game Labs, artists, pirates, everyone I could find that I knew. :) People have since called it the Gaming Necronomicon and denied it exists, heh. Tre hung out with me, Kelp Plankton, and Pouncetta all week.

I will also note that GenCon is when I got his number, so we could keep in touch. That later lead to the (in)famous real life phone call in character to get him online when Ghost Widow logged in before CoV's release, asking for him. I was the character trying to get them to go out on a date.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Zekiran on June 20, 2013, 07:29:54 PM
What would be awesome would be to combine that real-world signature with the glossies. :D That is superb, what a great memory!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Colette on June 20, 2013, 07:31:03 PM
:: Hugs Cygnata. ::

Got blindsided by this perhaps two hours ago. Still a bit fragile.

Tre was one of the most wonderful RPers in the game. In the last months, "Sister Colette" practically became his sidekick, and "Dale" hit on him shamelessly. I have so many wonderful memories to share, later.

May I ask... my e-mail listings are incomplete, and aside from CoH, I am a cyber-hermit. May I trouble the Virtue RP community to please contact each other? The shock I received when I stumbled on this sad news was dreadful, and it would be much better if everyone found out about this properly.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 20, 2013, 07:31:08 PM
You have my permission to use that signature for such a purpose!

@Colette - already underway. Those of us in the unofficial "phone tree" are contacting everyone we can, and asking them to spread the word. Please continue spreading it yourself!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Colette on June 20, 2013, 07:33:04 PM
Thank you, Cyggy. Miss you. I've already exhausted my contacts, but I'm sure now that I've brought it up, everyone will be notified in an easier manner.

Oh! Here. A memento for everyone's copy of ICON. In the game's last months, I helped Ascendant "modernize" his costume. I'm sure he wouldn't mind at all.

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EDIT: Converting this to a code block -Guy

Edit: Thank you, Guy.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: eabrace on June 20, 2013, 07:38:36 PM
WAIT it modifies the word for little horse.
Apparently the censored words list was modified (relatively) recently to convert from uni-corn, po-ny, and bro-ny back to troll.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: blackjak on June 20, 2013, 07:43:37 PM
I only met the legendary Ascendant at the first Unity Rally on Virtue and then again several times after at the other rally's and vigils. Stood right by him as he did his thing and talked a bit in local. Actually, he took the time to talk to anyone around him and I got the sense that was the way he was always. First impression was that he was a great human being behind that toon.

Ascendant was, like many others, on my "bucket list" right up there with seeing as many devs as I could. I rank him right up there with chatting with War Witch on the globe on the last day.

I am officially bucking for a full statue in TPP's memorial park. Or at least a bust.
 :'(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Codewalker on June 20, 2013, 07:47:07 PM
Very sad news for all of us. Ascendant will always be remembered as a pivotal figure in the COH community. Best wishes to his family and friends.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Samuraiko on June 20, 2013, 07:53:31 PM
And of course, his memorial statue absolutely MUST feature him on the phone. Better yet, there should be a payphone at the foot of the statue.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 20, 2013, 07:55:00 PM
And an in-game ad for Ascendant-Os!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Colette on June 20, 2013, 08:07:49 PM
(https://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s556/JackNolan1/Torch2_zpsf294be84.jpg)
                                                                      Ascendant at the rally.

"Actually, he took the time to talk to anyone around him and I got the sense that was the way he was always."

Oh yeah, that's how he always was.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Vangelus on June 20, 2013, 08:15:07 PM
This really blindsided me last night, and I'm still trying to parse it.  :(

One of the greatest people of our community, it stings so much more that I so rarely got to chat with him.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: JollyJongleur on June 20, 2013, 08:18:42 PM
Only spoke to A a couple of times, but I remember that all of them were good times. He will be missed.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Solaris on June 20, 2013, 08:24:10 PM
Condolences to his family and his friends. The contributions he made to our game was noteworthy and his presence no less to those that crossed his path. He will be missed.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Captain Electric on June 20, 2013, 08:26:30 PM
Tre "Ascendant" Chipman, I salute you, and I hold my torch up high in your honor, as you always have in the city's honor, and always will in our memories. You rallied the city's heroes when the Rikti came in the beginning, and you rallied them till the end. May Coyote meet you at the next mission door, and show you the way; and may your memory stand as tall in other worlds as Atlas stood in ours.

Heroes may die, but heroism never shall. Rest assured, rest in peace.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Joshex on June 20, 2013, 08:38:11 PM
yikes, I missed something.

I never can say I met him unless he was on protector or freedom from time to time.

not the first influential CoX person to pass away in the past 3 years though.. it still gets to me a bit, I mean it's like our leaders are dieing..

[[Removed unnecessary conspiracy theory crapping on the MEMORIAL thread... ~Agge]]

Ascendant - it wasn't your time man.. I know they have internet in heaven so, I suspect you can read this but not reply. Relax man, thanks for taking the lead all these years, if something is fishy here, now it's personal.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Yoru-hime on June 20, 2013, 08:49:45 PM
I never got a chance to meet him in game (at least that I knew of), but I was well aware of his various escapades. Saul Rubenstein's Discount Task Force was easily one of the best AE arcs out there.

Spent most of lunch reading through his stuff in the various wikis, struggling not to crack up or tear up. Didn't do too well avoiding either.

Rest in peace.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Heroid on June 20, 2013, 08:51:35 PM

The times I played and rp'd with him were some of the most best times I had in City of Heroes.  He helped make the "Gemini Park" days so special that some players still look at it as the Golden Age of the game.  His stories on the forums were so good that people thought he must be some famous novelist or something and "Ascendant's Phone Calls" were so funny and memorable that the devs incorporated them into the game itself.  If City of Heroes ever finds new life, it will not be the same without him. 

The last time I heard from Tre was back in March when we exchanged an email touching base with each other. We discussed the end of CoH and he said, "to paraphrase Dr. Seuss, I won't cry because it's over, I'll smile because it happened." That was him. That was his way.

Fly on, brother.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Aggelakis on June 20, 2013, 09:20:45 PM
Apparently the censored words list was modified (relatively) recently to convert from uni-corn, po-ny, and bro-ny back to troll.
And because he didn't say anything, it no longer does. pony pony brony pony.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: rowrcoh on June 20, 2013, 09:42:08 PM
Rest in peace, Ascendant! I will miss you!


-Rowr
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: downix on June 20, 2013, 10:07:58 PM
And of course, his memorial statue absolutely MUST feature him on the phone. Better yet, there should be a payphone at the foot of the statue.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Already agreed upon.

"This memorial statue and phonebooth was dedicated by Saul Rubenstein in memory of Tre Chipman."
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: UruzSix on June 20, 2013, 10:27:55 PM
The times I played and rp'd with him were some of the most best times I had in City of Heroes.  He helped make the "Gemini Park" days so special that some players still look at it as the Golden Age of the game.  His stories on the forums were so good that people thought he must be some famous novelist or something and "Ascendant's Phone Calls" were so funny and memorable that the devs incorporated them into the game itself.  If City of Heroes ever finds new life, it will not be the same without him.

Up until this morning, I believed he was Jim Butcher's covert alt.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 20, 2013, 10:35:44 PM
I don't know if anyone ever got ahold of Butcher, at the end. VV was going to try, but I think she said they don't travel in the same circles.

I've been doing a little digging (cyber-stalking?), and have come up with nothing more than we already know. A's social media activity dropped off about a month ago, but that isn't really proof of anything, except that something suddenly took up his time. The local paper has no mention of him, even a notice of his passing.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: downix on June 20, 2013, 11:00:18 PM
Already agreed upon.

"This memorial statue and phonebooth was dedicated by Saul Rubenstein in memory of Tre Chipman."
The full statue description, now that I'm not on the smartphone:

Made out of pure Xenonite, this statue depicts Tre riding on a dinosaur with a leprechaun sidekick, outfitted with a phone booth in one of the dinosaur legs. Upon the base of the statue, advertisements for breakfast cereal and something called the Hole....
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: FourSpeed on June 20, 2013, 11:02:57 PM
Just saw this thread.   :'(

I hadn't chatted with Ascendant but once or twice, though I did manage
to occasionally catch snippets from some of his various and hilarious
phone calls.

He was one of the truly iconic players / characters in the game.

Very sad news, indeed.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: AltaholicX on June 20, 2013, 11:12:17 PM
The full statue description, now that I'm not on the smartphone:

Made out of pure Xenonite, this statue depicts Tre riding on a dinosaur with a leprechaun sidekick, outfitted with a phone booth in one of the dinosaur legs. Upon the base of the statue, advertisements for breakfast cereal and something called the Hole....

Don't forget the laser sword.  ;)

Something more reserved though maybe with just him talking into or holding his cell phone open in one hand would be all you'd need to bring on the laughter and the tears.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: downix on June 20, 2013, 11:27:47 PM
Could have that written up as the "original proposal by his agent" which then was scaled back after budget and safety concerns....
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Turjan on June 20, 2013, 11:47:54 PM
As a UK player with most of my toons on Union and Defiant, I only really knew the great Ascendant by reputation, and never did get to meet him ingame. He's an impossible act to follow and will be greatly missed by our community.

I'm feeling doubly gut-punched now because as I mentioned in this post (http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,8550.msg120705.html#msg120705) I just lost a great friend and fellow CoH player less than a fortnight ago.

That's two heroes who sadly won't get the chance to see Paragon City reborn. But while they won't see it in person, we shall, and we will carry their memories with us into that new world.

/e holdtorch
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Zekiran on June 20, 2013, 11:59:15 PM
Don't forget the laser sword.  ;)

Something more reserved though maybe with just him talking into or holding his cell phone open in one hand would be all you'd need to bring on the laughter and the tears.

And the burning halo :D hahahahah... man. THIS? This is the kind of legacy people should leave.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Black Pebble on June 21, 2013, 12:14:59 AM
When I first started playing the game, I looked up to Ascendant. He was a player who managed to make the game even more fun for everyone. I actually thought he was a dev, at first, because how else could he be so clever, influential and so well respected? It meant that any one of us could be important in our favorite game. When I started working at Paragon, I thought he had left the game, but lo and behold, he was still around.

Melissa "War Witch" Bianco had a box of Ascendant-o's on her desk, and I always wanted one for myself. It was a beautiful, hand-crafted piece of work which I know she still has prominently displayed somewhere.

When everyone got together for the Unity Rally, I was incredibly moved by the show of support, but what topped it off was seeing THE Ascendant holding up the torch along with everyone else! He was the first bona fide hero in the game for me, and it was an honor seeing him standing so proudly.

I truly wish there was a way to honor him the way he deserves in COH. The loss is even worse because aside from us, folks out there will never get a chance to understand why Ascendant meant so much to all gamers.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Lenya on June 21, 2013, 12:18:20 AM
I just was lucky for one time to meet him in AP at the train station, doing one of his awesome phone calls.
There goes another major part of our beloved city.

RIP
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Omega Force 1990 on June 21, 2013, 12:38:17 AM
Maybe a new ATIO for tankers, Ascendant O's.   :'(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: IrelandLove on June 21, 2013, 12:47:32 AM
My heart hurts.
I feel so blessed to have known him and gotten close to him, both IC and OOC.
There will never be another like him.
 :'(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Taceus Jiwede on June 21, 2013, 01:30:07 AM
I didn't have the pleasure of knowing him so I don't have much to say.  But he meant something to this community and our game and I feel I should pay my respects.  RIP Ascendant. my heart goes out to him and his loved ones.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Wulfen on June 21, 2013, 02:14:42 AM
Tre/Ascendant: On the phone with the Almighty.

Would love to hear that one!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Wulfen on June 21, 2013, 02:16:48 AM
When I first started playing the game, I looked up to Ascendant. He was a player who managed to make the game even more fun for everyone. I actually thought he was a dev, at first, because how else could he be so clever, influential and so well respected? It meant that any one of us could be important in our favorite game. When I started working at Paragon, I thought he had left the game, but lo and behold, he was still around.

Melissa "War Witch" Bianco had a box of Ascendant-o's on her desk, and I always wanted one for myself. It was a beautiful, hand-crafted piece of work which I know she still has prominently displayed somewhere.

When everyone got together for the Unity Rally, I was incredibly moved by the show of support, but what topped it off was seeing THE Ascendant holding up the torch along with everyone else! He was the first bona fide hero in the game for me, and it was an honor seeing him standing so proudly.

I truly wish there was a way to honor him the way he deserves in COH. The loss is even worse because aside from us, folks out there will never get a chance to understand why Ascendant meant so much to all gamers.

very well said.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Wulfen on June 21, 2013, 02:17:56 AM
My heart hurts.
I feel so blessed to have known him and gotten close to him, both IC and OOC.
There will never be another like him.
 :'(

hug
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: houtex on June 21, 2013, 04:04:18 AM
I had to quote this, because it just about says what I wanted to say:
This thread is just the embodiment of what I love about you guys. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ascendant, nor was I able to catch one of his phone calls, but hearing the stories and reading about him makes me realize what a great guy he was. He will be missed.

And, Posi, if you're still following this, thanks. That's also a huge part of what is so great, here.

When I saw the name, I knew instantly 'who' he was from reputation.  We've lost a good one in Ascendant, with an 'A'....'D-A-N-T'.

Rest in peace, Tre.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Reiraku on June 21, 2013, 05:08:28 AM
I knew of his legacy long before I ever got to meet him in game. When I first ran into him in the D, I was kind of star struck. We were RP'ing and it was one of the most enjoyable times I ever got to spend in game. Before he left, he asked me "Wait a sec, why don't I have you on my global list?" Truly, he was one of the nicest people anyone could ever hope to know.

Don't worry, Tre. We'll take it from here. I promise.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: LadyImmolatasia on June 21, 2013, 05:41:23 AM
This is just awful to hear. Best wishes to his family. I didn't know him all that well, personally, but I can tell just from the sentiments here and his actions for the community that he was truly a wonderful person. I can only hope his family remains strong in this time and that he is in a better place.

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Victoria Victrix on June 21, 2013, 06:55:14 AM
I've only just started to get over my mother's death, and now this....

I refrained from posting until I could speak on the phone to Duel Christian, the long time friend (since 9th grade) that was with him until the end.

Tre succumbed to complete liver and kidney failure resulting from an undiagnosed problem that he successfully hid from everyone, including his doctors.  Around the first of June weekend he was sent to the emergency room completely jaundiced.  He was told to see his doctor as soon as the office was open to have gall bladder surgery scheduled and sent home.  A few days after that, he was found by his mother in a state of confusion; he was rushed to the hospital where it was finally found that his liver and kidneys were completely shut down.  An effort was made to restart them, which was unsuccessful.  As he continued to crash, he was sent to a hospice, where he finally lapsed into a coma, and left us.

Tre and I were not close friends, but since the closing of CoH we were becoming so.  I RP'd with him several times on live, and was so impressed with his arc writing that I wrote letters of recommendation for him to game companies (alas, nothing ever came of them).

He spent huge amounts of time with me in chat when my mother died, merely offering comfort, a chance to vent without making any judgments, and being unbelievably compassionate and kind.  Regardless of everything else, there is no doubt that Tre was one of the kindest, most compassionate, and caring individuals I have ever met in this game.  He also had a knack and a gift for comedic writing that was at a professional level.

So, after consulting with my fellow writers, and pending approval of his parents, Ascendant will be written into the Secret World Chronicles superhero series from Baen starting with Book 4, as a steady character in the bar called Normality, and we will be using his one-sided conversations with Saul verbatim as comic relief.  We are also dedicating the book to him, so as long as those books are in print, Ascendant will be making people laugh.

It's not much, but it's what I can do.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Captain Electric on June 21, 2013, 08:43:18 AM
Ms. Lackey, I've read your post six or seven times now. Not because it doesn't make sense. Just kind of in disbelief.

Regarding you and your family, and Tre and his, I didn't want to click away without saying something. But there's nothing I could say that could fix this. If I could, I would. When my sister died, there wasn't anything anyone could say. But they still said things, gave me platitudes, awkward emails, with quotes and pictures. They did it because they loved me, and it was all they could do, and it was better than doing nothing. It didn't make me feel better then, but it makes me feel better now. So here I ramble.

If anyone from Tre's family sees this, I hope you click around, do some Googling, and look for the wide trail of respect and admiration that Ascendant left behind. He is being saluted and mourned across this community and many others, in forums, YouTube videos, and will be memorialized in books, articles, and virtual worlds. We're a strange lot sometimes, but we are people with lives; and Tre improved our lives wherever and whenever he crossed our paths. I cannot recall a single moment involving Tre "Ascendant" Chipman when things didn't improve instantly upon his arrival.

VV, I was recently reading the Wikipedia entry about your Valdemar universe. I would love to see Valdemar or your Secret World Chronicles turned into a virtual universe some day. Captain Electric would fly to defend your super hero universe in a heartbeat.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Atlantea on June 21, 2013, 10:30:28 AM
My heart aches all the more. At least for now. Because I am struck hard between the eyes by a comparison that only comes with the kind of clarity that you literally wake up with.

VV told us last night the details of Tre's death as described above. Around a little after midnight after some mutual comfort with friends, (which, perhaps, amusingly enough, consisted of doing quests in another game and mutual geeking out, joking, and incessant punning where we helped each other laugh. - just as Ascendant would've liked, I imagine) I went to bed.

A little before 5AM I woke up, and the comparison hit me. And it is this:

Tre Chipman's passing reminds me of Jim Henson's.

Both had hearts and creativity as big as the world. And both cared so much about their friends and loved ones over and above themselves that they kept the extent of an illness from them until it was too late to do anything about it.

Is it possible to have a heart so big and so caring that that in itself can destroy you? If it is, then perhaps both Jim and Tre are examples of that.

Quote
The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.

- Ernest Hemingway

Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Perfidus on June 21, 2013, 11:01:57 AM
I don't mean to make light of the causes of Tre's death, but one of my characters on Virtue almost died the same way. She successfully hid her issues even as her liver and kidneys failed. She just so happened in a world of superpowers, so she lived.

I just wish I could know why he chose to hide that illness. And especially, why he would hide it until it was too late, and it cost him his life. The reason I even bring up my character, is the fact this character was an alcoholic. Was Tre an alcoholic? Why else would he have hidden his illness until it was too late?

Again, please don't take this as me making light of a man's death or comparing a human life to an RP life. I guess I'm just trying to make sense of things. Tre was so young. I just don't get it why he'd leave us. I just... want things to make sense.

But I guess life doesn't always make sense and the good ones are often taken all too soon.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Baseload on June 21, 2013, 01:02:13 PM
I saw this news on my old SG friend's forums and I tried scouring the internet looking to confirm this.  A shame I did finding this. :(

I'll admit I never met the man, in game or out.  But I still feel like he was as much a part of CoH as any of the main characters were.  He will be missed.

If folks do not mind, i borrowed Leandro's picture and posted it on the City of Heroes Remembered Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/CityOfHeroesRemembered?fref=ts
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Wulfen on June 21, 2013, 01:51:49 PM
  Regardless of everything else, there is no doubt that Tre was one of the kindest, most compassionate, and caring individuals I have ever met in this game.  He also had a knack and a gift for comedic writing that was at a professional level.

So, after consulting with my fellow writers, and pending approval of his parents, Ascendant will be written into the Secret World Chronicles superhero series from Baen starting with Book 4, as a steady character in the bar called Normality, and we will be using his one-sided conversations with Saul verbatim as comic relief.  We are also dedicating the book to him, so as long as those books are in print, Ascendant will be making people laugh.

It's not much, but it's what I can do.

very cool
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Sailboat on June 21, 2013, 02:18:23 PM
Dammit.  If any of us deserved to get the chance to stand in Phoenix City, he was one.

After seeing this thread, I re-read the Virtuverse page.  Man, that's good stuff.  I noticed the description of Ascendant's personality seemed to match what some have posted in this thread:

He was shy, sweet, funny, and always seemed a little baffled by the encouraging attention he got. He was a real person on the other end of a keyboard who really touched me.

Quote from: Ascendant
Personality

Eric tends to be shy and unassuming, but quick with a joke once he's been coaxed out of his shell or around friends. He often pretends to be world-weary and descends into gallows humor, but in truth, he's genuinely optimistic and truly believes that people are basically good.

As Ascendant, he's more self confident, but still suffers from shyness, especially around very attractive women. He's uncomfortable with his status as a celebrity, and tends to be surprisingly down-to-earth when approached in person.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 21, 2013, 02:24:52 PM
In looking through the thread on the Virtue Facebook page, possibly where it was originally announced, one of the members mentioned him asking her out IRL, and it was such a sweet story, talking about how shy he was. It really struck a cord, for some reason, and I'm one of those Midwestern stoic Lutheran types. :)

Thanks for the insight, VV. It's good to see you back. Over the past couple of months, I've been standing either in a book store or library with Invasion in my hand, at least half a dozen times, and I keep putting it back because I don't have time for personal reading, right now. Looks like I'd better make time. I want to be up to speed for the 4th book. :)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 21, 2013, 03:14:39 PM
I've updated the original post with the details about his memorial service.  It is going to be held on Thursday, June 27, in Pensacola, Florida.  I really want to go, and almost any other time I'd be able to, but it's kind of a weird time at work.  Two of our night shift crew in Manila left our team a week ago, so my coworker and I are having to fill in extra shifts until they hire two more people.  As a result, we're stretched really thin and have times when we can't be out because it would leave a big gap in coverage.  :(

We are going to be represented, however.  There's a Facebook post (https://www.facebook.com/groups/37412512560/permalink/10151537125967561/) in the Virtue Server group of people who are planning on meeting up down there.  Right now, there are two folks, but the more the merrier.  If you're in the area, or you just want to get away from whatever area you are in for a few days of vacation (the church is literally around 15 minutes from the Gulf Coast, one of the best beaches in the country), by all means please go.  I'd love for his family and friends to know how much he meant to our community, that through this goofy hobby of his, he really did make a difference to people.

Thanks a ton for the story VV, it just goes to show you how a lot of times, all of those little things aren't so little, and how although Tre is gone, he'll never be forgotten.  As a quick P.S., it's really great to see you posting again, even if it's not under the best of circumstances.  We're still thinking about you.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Morvani on June 21, 2013, 03:57:57 PM
I just wish I could know why he chose to hide that illness. And especially, why he would hide it until it was too late, and it cost him his life. The reason I even bring up my character, is the fact this character was an alcoholic. Was Tre an alcoholic? Why else would he have hidden his illness until it was too late?

Speaking from personal experience, it is -very very disturbingly- easy to do this kind of thing, even without an addiction as a motivation. It's even possible to do this without realizing you are doing it.

I have no words for this. A terrible, terrible loss.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 21, 2013, 04:12:17 PM
...resulting from an undiagnosed problem that he successfully hid from everyone, including his doctors.

I think you are misreading VV's post.  What she's saying is that no one knew about his illness until it suddenly hit in June.  He wasn't literally hiding it from anyone, especially his doctors, or he would have undoubtedly sought treatment much earlier.  It's just one of those crazy things that, in hindsight, turns tragic.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Pheonyx on June 21, 2013, 04:34:41 PM
I wanted to share a little something. During my shows in City, in honor of those we have lost past, present and unfortunately future, I and the audience would do the /e holdtorch emote during my show ending. I always took a screenshot of that, every week. I went through my screenshots folder and saw this one:

(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/BNetPheonyx/City%20of%20Heroes/AscendantShowEnd_zpsc3aaf14e.jpg)

You can see who is there.

It just hurts so much that he has to now be the one we pay reverence to at the end of this week's show, which I have decided to make a show dedicated to him in that all the music would be upbeat and stuff that Ascendant would have done /e dance6 or the Monkey Dance (which when on Ascendant, he would call the "Spazz Dance") while hearing.

Ashes to ashes,
Pheonyx
aka DJ Pheonyx of The Cape Radio
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Captain Electric on June 21, 2013, 04:43:30 PM
(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=imageshack.us%2Fa%2Fimg11%2F1292%2F6rsx.jpg)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Derdriu on June 21, 2013, 05:00:39 PM
I remain in shock and denial about this horrible news.

I will have to dig around to find some pictures as I'm be willing to put my own embarrassment on display to illustrate how wonderful this man was.

Like many, I had heard much about Ascendant through the Cape Radio, but didn't have a chance to run into him in game. Then I attended my first Meet & Greet with my Cape Radio friends in Chicago and that was when I met Ascendant at Alice's Bar on karaoke night.

He was quiet and unassuming, but what caught me was his smile, bright eyes and an adorable laugh. He was very humble, especially in contrast with my crazy antics. Well, way led onto way and he was stuck with the attentions of not just myself, but a few other ladies who will remain nameless. (You know who you are! lol) We ended up at the pancake house after a night of drinking and singing (and leaving red lipstick marks all over him), I fell asleep on his shoulder. DJ Wyld told me later that he didn't eat his toast because he didn't want to get crumbs in my hair.

A perfect gentleman, quick witted and with a gorgeous smile, he was the quintessential hero to my character's (Derdriu) chaotic villain. Teamed up with Wisecracker, we had a great rivalry brewing on top of what he already had going with Wisecracker. And when we didn't get to RP, we did chat via tell, checking up on each other, having a few laughs - things friends do.

It's with much regret that I fell behind in keeping in touch with him when CoH ended. I'm getting teary here at work writing this. lol I will truly miss Tre and am glad to have fond memories in-game and out-of-game to hold onto.

It is always amazing to me the bonds we make through the mutual love of something. It's times like these when the internet shines in bringing people across the globe together. It's sad that through a mournful event, we are all finding ourselves comforting each other, as the last time we felt this way was CoH's sunset hour, but it also is a testament to how lovely Tre IS. I think he would be humbly embarrassed at the emotions here, but that's was only part of what made him lovable.

My friend, I'll see you again one day and I'll be bringing the red lipstick. ;)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Kriiden on June 21, 2013, 07:54:38 PM
I was a virtueite, and I didn't know him personally...but I believe I ran into him once or twice. Nice guy. A huge loss for the entire community.

Rest in peace.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: BobMc on June 21, 2013, 08:58:20 PM
A very sad loss ...
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: JKPhage on June 21, 2013, 09:10:53 PM
So, after consulting with my fellow writers, and pending approval of his parents, Ascendant will be written into the Secret World Chronicles superhero series from Baen starting with Book 4, as a steady character in the bar called Normality, and we will be using his one-sided conversations with Saul verbatim as comic relief.  We are also dedicating the book to him, so as long as those books are in print, Ascendant will be making people laugh.

It's not much, but it's what I can do.

How can you say it's not much? This is a beautiful tribute, and sentiment, and it will mean so much to those of us who had the honor of sharing the city with him. I'll definitely be buying these books and urging all of my friends to as well, and explaining to them just exactly why it's so important to me that they do. Ascendant was an amazing part of our community, and now he'll live on forever thanks to you. That is SO much, and if it's even possible, Mrs. Lackey, I have even more respect for you now than I ever have before.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Johnny Joy Bringer on June 21, 2013, 10:21:48 PM
Ascendant was the humble humanity in an inhuman world. So was Tre Chipman.

I never really played on the Virtue server, the home to Ascendant. I had a one serious character there, which I had neglected years before. A week before the Unity Rally I created a character there, Save City of Heroes. I vowed to keep that character at the steps with torch in hand 24x7 until the game closed or save, except to of the occasional mission to take the character to 50th lvl, for luck. I also allowed the kids to use my account, from time to time. Other than that I had a dedicated computer in my office on my desk, a comforting windows into Paragon city with the birds chirping away, and the soft sound of NPC footsteps, broken only by the occasional power sound effect. Ascendant and I chatted now and again. He, and everyone else, made the vigil on the steps something special. He always had a kind word, and apologized for not being able to have a character on the steps full time.

We teamed a few times, and then chatted again on the finally day, and exchanged email addresses.

Beyond that I did not know him. But he was something special. Because he created a human hero. All the primary heroes of the game were the kind that grit their teeth and faced death, etc. All that super drama and other such stuff. He had a character who had to face LIFE! And he made it seem like a battle. He character a character WITH character, and mainly because(if you talked to him), Tre was a character. He was the organic hero of the game. He was the star of the game. Sure, a dev can create a iconic character, and they are great, but Tre created an iconic character of the game, not for the game. That's about as common as being struck by lightening while winning every lottery in the world at the same time.

Ascendant was not some god which walked among man, he was a man who could walk among the god and remain a man, very much a reflection of Tre I would imagine.

Hardly knew him, I guess. I was looking forward to seeing him back in the game one day. I hope he will be with us in spirit when we do get back. And I hope we can see a statue of him on the phone.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: pogoman on June 21, 2013, 10:27:19 PM
VV, that is awesome what you are doing. I am still in total shock over this. I met him a few times throughout my years of playing and after the announcement we got to play a lot more together. 
I have always pictured CoH coming back and seeing Ascendant there to help welcome people back...And now :(.
I said this on my fb page:
 RIP TRE CHIPMAN, aka ASCENDANT from City of Heroes. You were taken from us way before your time. We will always look to the skies above, for in our hearts you shall eternally fly high above the City of Tomorrow keeping us safe. A torchlight shall forever be kept lit in your memory. God must have needed a superhero, because he took the very best of us to be with him. /e holdtorch.

On tonight's Save CoH Radio I will be doing a memorial service for him.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: DrakeGrimm on June 22, 2013, 12:09:39 AM
...I got nothin'. This is a complete sucker punch for me and I've been running through my normal grieving cycle of pain, anger, depression, more pain, repeat.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Rocket-Cat on June 22, 2013, 12:37:07 AM
I'm so sorry that we've lost Tre in this way.  He was creative and naturally funny and I think we're all at a loss now with his passing. 
I hope that we can keep the spirit of his humor alive in our hearts and memories.
I really loved Ascendant's one-sided telephone conversations.  In a game where finding groups to roleplay with sometimes was rough, the setup of a phone conversation is just being creative and entertaining.  He made it fun for the listeners and added to the breadth of a living, breathing world of heroes.  It made me think of the game world beyond the city and the graphics.  He added content just by taking the time to entertain us with his scenes, his demos, and his writing.

There's a person behind every character that steps up to roleplay a scene, to tell a story, or to perform for our entertainment.  As we remember Ascendant, we should also think of those players that take the time to make us smile.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Perfidus on June 22, 2013, 12:50:17 AM
There's a person behind every character that steps up to roleplay a scene, to tell a story, or to perform for our entertainment.  As we remember Ascendant, we should also think of those players that take the time to make us smile.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Also, good to see you again Dagger. We rp'd some back before, glad to know you're still with us.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Megajoule on June 22, 2013, 06:45:21 AM
Just found out.
I'm crying.
God damnit.


EDIT:  Here's something he wrote.  I've no better words.

Season of Hope (http://www.cohguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3348)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: AltaholicX on June 22, 2013, 07:02:42 AM
Speaking from personal experience, it is -very very disturbingly- easy to do this kind of thing, even without an addiction as a motivation. It's even possible to do this without realizing you are doing it.

I have no words for this. A terrible, terrible loss.

Being jaundiced would very likely impair your judgment too. Does make you wonder why they released him from the emergency room without contacting his family or friends. Such a tragedy. I still can't believe it.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Taceus Jiwede on June 22, 2013, 07:31:35 AM
I just have to reply again.  Like I sad before I didn't have the pleasure of meeting him.  And after reading these posts.  I truly mean the pleasure of meeting him.  He sounds like a kind, caring, fantastic person.  The kind of person who is there for any and all alike.  Reading VV's post about  how he was there for her after the passing of her mother was beautiful.  It takes a very special, great person to do that.  And the world needs more people like it.  He sounds like a true and honest Hero both in game and in real life.

I am not a religious man, but I hope there is something greater out there for great men like him.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Kyuuen on June 22, 2013, 02:50:51 PM
This is like a sledgehammer to the chest, just like the one I saw when I read the first words of the COH closure on Facebook.

I've always looked up to Ascendant, and wanted to be a positive asset to the roleplaying community like he did. He was a big inspiration and motivation to stick with the game, and as far as I remember - he was right there from Issue 1, to the very last day - which he spent with his SG mates on the Liberty League*. Dedication, talent, personability.

On the very last day, I gushed to him on a tell (I just.. wonder how many of those he got..) - telling him that I wouldn't be surprised if he was actually a professional writer.

His response was short and sweet: He was just in it to have fun.

It was an honor and a pleasure to interact with him, and there are lots of lessons to be learned from Tre, and the embodiment of his qualities who fought, walked and talked with us for eight years.

I'm sure that Ascendant and Belle are laughing over some Namor's submarine sandwiches, somewhere in Paragon City.

*http://kyuuen.deviantart.com/art/Ascendant-Final-Raid-351227150

EDIT: Also, "Saul Rubenstien's Discount Task Force" was another shining example of his creative muscle. I'm glad I got to run it with him towards the end of the game.

Second EDIT: If you haven't already, give his Virtueverse entry a read.

http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/Ascendant
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Attache on June 22, 2013, 03:27:27 PM
I've played MMO's for awhile now and before City of Heroes, my experiences with players who had a degree of fame in their game of choice was either negative or extremely underwhelming. In a way, CoH was even more disappointing in that regard as a number of player characters seemed to get this attention for no other reason than they could afford to have copious amounts of artwork produced of said character. I got into art collecting myself at one point and was chatted up here and there by people who'd seen and liked a piece but I always felt like it was a really silly way to be known, even more so considering I was both a pretty mediocre player and role-player.

When I first stated hearing about Ascendant, I have to admit that I made some of these assumptions about him. Eventually, though, I got to read his phone call scripts and saw that he had a true gift for comedy. I encountered him a few times in game and while I unfortunately don't recall anything particularly astounding in those interactions, it was clear that he was just a guy trying to make our little corner of the MMO marketplace a little brighter. I have nothing but profound respect for that.

I can say now that having read his last status update on his Facebook page and having heard so many wonderful stories about the guy, I wish I had gotten to know him. There were so many things I never got to do in City of Heroes and getting to know Tre is unfortunately one of them. To those of you who knew him best, I can't express how profoundly sorry I am. If we do all end up together somewhere in a MMO someday, I know that I'll do my utmost to honor his memory by being a nicer guy. As much as I want to see a statue or a memorial to Ascendant in a game someday, it is Tre's legacy that we'd all do well to emulate.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Arachnion on June 22, 2013, 03:27:57 PM
One of the links on his virtueverse page gave a 404, so I put it in the Wayback Machine.

http://wayback.archive.org/web/20100325170922/http://www.halfwaydecent.com/html/main.isx?sitesec=40.0.0.0

:D
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Kyuuen on June 22, 2013, 03:44:57 PM
One of the links on his virtueverse page gave a 404, so I put it in the Wayback Machine.

http://wayback.archive.org/web/20100325170922/http://www.halfwaydecent.com/html/main.isx?sitesec=40.0.0.0

:D

Awww yeah! I was looking for this!!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Megajoule on June 22, 2013, 03:45:04 PM
Nice.

(For those not up on their video game history, the fun little flash game in that link is a homage to (among other things) Superman for the Atari 2600.  One more example of how Tre, in addition to being funny and creative and kind and so on, really knew his superhero lore.)

EDIT:  From his Twitter account, I learned that he'd gotten into Kerbal Space Program (http://www.kerbalspaceprogram.com/), as I have.  I wish I'd known sooner.  I will soon (finally) be mounting my first mission to the Mars-like planet in that game.  Tre Kerman has been selected to command that mission, and will, in my own history, be the first Kerbal on Duna.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 22, 2013, 04:51:21 PM
That's epic!
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: firelightx on June 22, 2013, 06:27:26 PM
Registered just for this.  Judging by the timestamp of this photo, it was taken July 15th, 2007.  About 9 PM my time, which was eastern at the time.  Yay for screenshot timestamp systems...  I still remember the moment well.  Don't much remember what the occasion is that brought the Chalet open in July, but... there you have it.

Cygnata sent me a tell, insisting that I join her and others in the Chalet, right away.  Don't remember much what I was doing, but she Cygnata didn't get this excited for just anything.  So I go to check it out.  Ghost Widow.  Hanging out in team with us, posing for pictures, chatting it up.  And she wasn't the only big name there.  It was the first time I think I ever really hung out with Ascendant.  Sure... saw him around.  We ran in similar crowds, so there was a lot of passing hellos.  I was always too star struck to really let it be more than that, though.  Until this night.  Really got to see what a genuine person he was.  I remember thinking "how can this guy hold the image he does in this game and still be so... so personal?"

It was the first and last real conversation I ever had with him.  With a few of the people in this picture, honestly.  I should have made an effort to befriend these people.  Now, for him... I'll never get that chance.  And that... well, it sucks.

/e holdtorch indeed.  You will be missed, Ascendant.  People like you are what made CoH not just great... but truly unique.

(https://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy40/firelightx/screenshot_2007-07-15-21-08-35_zps7c479538.jpg)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Kyuuen on June 22, 2013, 06:37:29 PM
I decided to.. get something drawn. I changed a previous commission into something special - so if anyone is reading this right now and wants to take a gander.

Basically a live drawing of Ascendant and my OC eating lunch.

http://www.livestream.com/funarisart

I'll post the result on myDevart.

EDIT: The livestream has closed, but it might be back at about Midnight - 1AM PST. A recording of the current progress has been saved, just skip to about 15 minutes in.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 22, 2013, 08:49:56 PM
That night was one of my favorite memories, too. I got to call Tre in character to tell him Ghost Widow wanted to see him in game. He later said he saved that voicemail as a momento. :)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: UruzSix on June 22, 2013, 09:25:07 PM
I was looking for photos from the Golden Age Festival, and I re-discovered this instead from November 30th:

(https://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c104/SpyralPegacyon/screenshot_121130-19-03-41.jpg)

I'd like to remember we even exchanged a bit of witty hero-widow banter.

(And don't ask me how badly I teared up going through the screenshots.)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 22, 2013, 11:38:07 PM
Who's planning to go? I have the funds secured to get there, but I need a place to stay for a couple nights, and a ride to the service. It costs the same to go down Tuesday night as it does Wednesday, so I was looking at a late Tuesday flight down, and a late Thursday back. I have just enough to cover the ticket and my bills, but even a fleabag motel's out of the question.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: therain93 on June 23, 2013, 01:00:59 AM

So, after consulting with my fellow writers, and pending approval of his parents, Ascendant will be written into the Secret World Chronicles superhero series from Baen starting with Book 4, as a steady character in the bar called Normality, and we will be using his one-sided conversations with Saul verbatim as comic relief.  We are also dedicating the book to him, so as long as those books are in print, Ascendant will be making people laugh.

It's not much, but it's what I can do.
Perhaps I'm reading this far more defensively than I should but....
 
As generous as that seems, that really doesn't come across....quite right.  Fresh from the emotional loss of friend/community member and you're talking about co-opting his creativity and original ideas for your next book? When asking for permission, I hope you suggested throwing some proceeds back to the family too or donating a percentage of proceeds to a charity in Tre's name?
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 23, 2013, 02:05:49 AM
You're reading too much into things.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: JWBullfrog on June 23, 2013, 02:47:31 AM
Ascendant's exploits inspired me to try my hand at a bit of in game performance. Without him, my wise cracking street magician/ juggling gypsy, might not have existed.
 
Godspeed Tre.
 
/em holdtorch.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Victoria Victrix on June 23, 2013, 03:44:38 AM
Perhaps I'm reading this far more defensively than I should but....
 
As generous as that seems, that really doesn't come across....quite right.  Fresh from the emotional loss of friend/community member and you're talking about co-opting his creativity and original ideas for your next book? When asking for permission, I hope you suggested throwing some proceeds back to the family too or donating a percentage of proceeds to a charity in Tre's name?

First, the point is for people to be able to see how creative he was.  Eventually his posts will be lost as people lose interest in a dead game and sites go down.  And we can reach a much wider audience than VirtueVerse ever could. 

Second, I already have to fight tooth and nail with my editors over every word over 150k that we write.  I may have to cut someone's else's plot in order to fit this in.  We're not lacking in creativity and original ideas; we have more of that than we can fit into the books as it is.

Third, you are greatly overestimating what we get for those books.  It's a common misconception that authors get hundreds of thousands of dollars for books.  It's a fraction of that, and the editor gave us a BIG pass by buying them at all since it's outside my genre (so we took a BIG cut in what I could get for a solo book).  Using Tre's script would net the family exactly $49.20.  That's at the same pay rate as the rest of us.  I get just the same as all my writers, with no extra for the hours and hours of editing.  Five cents a word.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 23, 2013, 05:23:02 AM
So, since emotions are high and nerves are on edge, now would be a great time to pipe up and say that I did a little tribute performance in Champions Online, this evening?  ;D
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Joshex on June 23, 2013, 05:33:56 AM
So, since emotions are high and nerves are on edge, now would be a great time to pipe up and say that I did a little tribute performance in Champions Online, this evening?  ;D

I was online but didn't see it, was trying to get a friend to play it, they have uninstalled it out of furiousness with the auto swivel camera. they told (demanded) me to uninstall it as well. meh I was only Lv 16 anyways I gave up on it long before CoH closed.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 23, 2013, 05:37:43 AM
This is really a discussion for somewhere else, but I guess I don't know what your friend means. CoH had a much more vertiginous autoswivel, but you got used to it.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: blackjak on June 23, 2013, 01:15:38 PM
So, since emotions are high and nerves are on edge, now would be a great time to pipe up and say that I did a little tribute performance in Champions Online, this evening?  ;D
Did you do something in chat? I was in a mission and missed something in zone. When i got out one person was complaining until someone explained it and then everyone was surprisingly supportive. Amazing in a game that seems increasingly full of trolls and children.
Btw, if you are the little street magician who did tricks and "messed up" a lot, Ascendant taught you well. Very imaginative and entertaining.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Nyx Nought Nothing on June 23, 2013, 02:13:20 PM
i first heard about Tre's passing on the Save City of Heroes Facebook page several days ago and was greatly saddened. While i never met him in real life i had the good fortune to witness several of his performances in game and they always cracked me up. His writing and timing was always spot on and the accounts of who he was as a person i've read since his death have confirmed the impression he'd made in game of being a witty, good-natured, caring person.
His dying was a great loss and i wish he'd could've had more time.
My condolences to his friends and family.
 :'(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 23, 2013, 03:05:08 PM
I'm like a bad Kevin Smith: I can write dialogue, but I suck at writing action. My "main" is a States "tribute," so it was a call to find out why his mail wasn't forwarding from Paragon City.

And, interestingly, it was pretty well received. I fully expected to not be able to get through it before I was chat-banned. There was one moron who tried to turn it into an allegory for everything that is "wrong with liberalism," but even other self-professed conservatives turned on him/her.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: cygnata on June 23, 2013, 11:32:11 PM
No luck on the couch front, and after today, the price goes up way beyond what I can afford. :( Anyone who is going, please say goodbye to him from me as well.  :'(
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Thunder Glove on June 24, 2013, 12:11:15 AM
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Victoria Victrix on June 24, 2013, 02:19:23 AM
http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/pensacolanewsjournal/guestbook.aspx?n=tre--jewett&pid=165465906&cid=full (http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/pensacolanewsjournal/guestbook.aspx?n=tre--jewett&pid=165465906&cid=full)

Guest book for the RL memorial service.  If you want his parents and family to know how much he meant to you, this is the place.  It'll be online for a year.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Todogut on June 24, 2013, 07:32:15 AM
Images of Ascendant on deviantArt.com:

Quote
Ascendant: Final Raid (http://cityofheroes.deviantart.com/art/Ascendant-Final-Raid-351227150)
by ~Kyuuen

Taken on the shutdown day of City of Heroes.

(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=fc00.deviantart.net%2Ffs71%2Fi%2F2013%2F028%2Fc%2Ff%2Fascendant__final_raid_by_kyuuen-d5t40lq.jpg)


Quote
Celebrities of the Time (http://cityofheroes.deviantart.com/art/Celebrities-of-the-Time-338359479)
by ~Kyuuen

(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=fc09.deviantart.net%2Ffs71%2Fi%2F2012%2F323%2F8%2Ff%2Fcelebrities_of_the_time_by_kyuuen-d5lg7uf.jpg)

Quote
Ascendant (http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Ascendant-271557637)
by ~pascal-verhoef

carlogarde (http://carlogarde.deviantart.com/) made this great drawing of Ascedant for novaburst (http://novaburst.deviantart.com/) and I thought that it was time for some colors!

(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=th06.deviantart.net%2Ffs70%2FPRE%2Fi%2F2011%2F333%2F5%2F7%2Fascendant_by_pascal_verhoef-d4hof7p.jpg)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Randomvector on June 24, 2013, 05:03:58 PM
http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/pensacolanewsjournal/guestbook.aspx?n=tre--jewett&pid=165465906&cid=full (http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/pensacolanewsjournal/guestbook.aspx?n=tre--jewett&pid=165465906&cid=full)

Guest book for the RL memorial service.  If you want his parents and family to know how much he meant to you, this is the place.  It'll be online for a year.

Also you can read his obituary there. Shows how he was a hero in real life too, giving out sandwiches to homeless people for 15 years.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: MMODesigner on June 25, 2013, 09:07:16 PM
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html (http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html)

I did my best to eulogize him. Feel free to add your own stories to the comments. He will truly be missed.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Samuraiko on June 25, 2013, 09:22:51 PM
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html (http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html)

I did my best to eulogize him. Feel free to add your own stories to the comments. He will truly be missed.

You did just fine, man.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 25, 2013, 09:36:13 PM
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html (http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html)

I did my best to eulogize him. Feel free to add your own stories to the comments. He will truly be missed.

Thumbs up, man.  I've added it (as well as a bunch of other links to various tweets, Facebook posts, etc.) from folks to the OP in this thread.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: AreEss on June 25, 2013, 09:59:18 PM
I don't know how I missed this. I honestly don't and I'm ashamed I did.

Those of you who don't know me and my characters - well, VirtueVerse is the place (http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/User:AreEss). Ascendant, believe it or not, was part of the inspiration for Internet Prawn. He was also a dear friend to Red from an in-character perspective, dating back to before there was a Pocket D. How's that for a flashback sequence?

One thing that will always stick in my mind, is a very long and thoughtful conversation Red and Ascendant, or more accurately Eric West, had on matters of heroing-life balance - among other things - in Steel Canyon, back around 2006 I believe. It really has been ages. People always obsessed over the phone calls with Saul, but Ascendant was much deeper than that as a character and as a person. I always felt blessed to get to see and interact with that side of Ascendant.

I also remember well with a heavy heart how Tundra (all of you from Virtue probably remember Tundra) used to mock Doctor Crom - particularly for his drink of choice. Spring water from a specific region of France, chilled over glacial ice. Those interactions were always my favorite because it was an opportunity for two classic villain stereotypes to, for want of a better term, let it all hang out. The brilliant scientist hellbent on global domination and the amoral 'alien' psychopath who wanted to see it burn.

In fact, I was lucky enough to interact with many of his characters. Sometimes just on chance, not realizing it was Tre behind the keyboard. More often than not, I didn't know it was an alt of his. We were just two characters, having an every day conversation - or at least what passed for one in Paragon.

Tre truly was a brilliant writer, and he brought more to the CoH world than anyone else I have ever known. More than once I commented that Cryptic/Paragon should just hire him - especially after Manticore left - because he really had a gift for it. His writing was amazing, and no matter whether it was something silly and full of puns or deadly serious, it just clicked. Every time.

Tre, you will be missed more than I can explain with words. You inspired me to put more effort into my fiction - all of it - and you always brought a smile to my face. You were a breed of person who has become painfully rare in this world, one that is all too often taken from us far too soon.

Safe journeys, my friend.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: dwturducken on June 25, 2013, 10:47:55 PM
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html (http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html)

I did my best to eulogize him. Feel free to add your own stories to the comments. He will truly be missed.

Especially love the little shoutout in the title.  :)

Good stuff. Added my brain droppings to the comments.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Heroid on June 26, 2013, 02:30:45 AM
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html (http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/7531/A-Death-in-the-Family.html)

I did my best to eulogize him. Feel free to add your own stories to the comments. He will truly be missed.

That was beautiful.  Thanks, Matt. 
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Rainspirit on June 26, 2013, 09:55:04 AM
Colette Valiant let me know about this in an email and I've been reeling from it ever since.

The first time I saw Ascendant in-game, I treated it like it was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. It was really like meeting a celebrity, just meeting someone who was considered to be THE greatest superhero on Virtue, by popular consensus. And then he stuck around, in that last year we had together. I saw him at Pocket D and he not only played a smartly written character, but he was a character himself... just someone I felt comfortable riffing off and bantering with.

It tears me up that he's gone.

We've lost our great superhero.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Hyperstrike on June 26, 2013, 11:41:20 PM
Used part of the Mint Condition/CoH Stories podcast for an Ascendant video.

http://youtu.be/u64_ZldxbEQ
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Wulfen on June 27, 2013, 04:56:02 PM
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=112841081 (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=112841081)

Someone already added an entry for Tre into the database of Find A Grave
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Power Play on June 28, 2013, 07:59:52 AM

Like most folks, I only wish I had more interaction and more RP time with Tre/Ascendant.  The first time Liberty Eagle (my main) met Ascendant, he was sure he had found Mr. Virtuous' twin brother.  Mr. Virtuous (V) was the Paragon (leader) of the Gods of the Golden Age, Eagle's SG.  V's costume was almost identical to Ascendant's and they both had blond hair.  They were both clones of the Big Bang Comics character, Mighty Man.


(https://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j269/Thandrus/Mr-V-for-web.jpg)
Mr. Virtuous


(https://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/sharkstooth76/Gods%20of%20the%20Golden%20Age/GroupPICGGA2-1.jpg)
Mr.Virtuous with some of the Gods of the Golden Age


(https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.comicbookreligion.com%2Fimg%2Fm%2Fi%2FMighty_Man_Image.jpg)
Mighty Man


It was a running joke which ended up with V reversing the colors of his costume to solve the issue of continually being mistaken for Ascendant.


(https://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/sharkstooth76/AVMr.VirtuousFinal.gif)
The New and Improved Mr. Virtuous

Even though we didn't run in the same RP circles, we'd cross paths from time to time and share a smile, a nod, and a few words.  Like everyone, I guess I always felt we'd pick up where we left off, when the new game came online.  Not being able to do that leaves an empty feeling about the game and a renewed sense of my own mortality.  When I gave my sons hugs tonight when I put them to bed, I gave thanks in my own way for still being around to be able to do it.

R.I.P. Tre.  You will be missed, hero.




Pat/@Power Play/Liberty Eagle
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: TonyV on June 28, 2013, 09:11:08 PM
I'm unstickying this since it's been over a week and his memorial service was yesterday.  Hopefully word has spread pretty widely in the community and everyone is aware now.  Thanks, everyone for your memories, kinds words, and support to comfort the family and friends of one of our own.  I know it means a lot.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Takeda on July 01, 2013, 02:48:00 AM
Not much to say that hasn't already been said.  I played on Virtue and always smiled when I bumped into him.  I have fun memories of running around the outside of the Zig arresting prisoners for the badge with him, while I was on my Kheldian.  Or the time, years later, when I ran into him on the first night they opened up the VIP Server.  Too soon, but hopefully he knew how many smiles he brought to so many different people. 
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Megajoule on December 27, 2013, 06:57:26 PM
(bump for a belated tribute)

Long-Distance Call

(https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/cmdrzoom/KSP/tre-duna1_zps83a0bd81.jpg)  (https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/cmdrzoom/KSP/tre-duna2_zps355784e7.jpg)

Tre Kerman, brave kerbonaut, steps off the ladder and onto the dusty orange-red soil of Duna.  Letting go of the last rung, he turns to face the alien vista.  Though he is not alone, he has the honor of being first to make the descent - standing, as it were, in the footsteps of greats like the legendary Jeb Kerman.  He opens his mouth to say something appropriate for the occasion... and his phone rings.

"Hello?
Yeah, it's Tre. 
Yeah. 
Yeah.
No.
Look, I'm kind of busy right now.  I'm on Duna. 
Duna.  Next planet out from Kerbin, the red one?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm command pilot for the First Duna Expedition.  That's what I've been doing for the last two months.  That's why I haven't been by to see you.
Right.
I sound funny 'cause I've got my phone up against my space helmet.
No, I can't take it off.  There's no air here.
Yeah.
No... no, I can't pick up your dry-cleaning.  'Cause I'm a couple of million miles away right now.  I won't be back for almost a year.
That's right.
Because that's just how transfer windows work.
No, not power windows, transfer...
No.
Look, I'll get someone at the Space Center to take care of that for you, all right?  I have to get back to the mission now.
Yes.
Yes, I promise.
I will.
Okay.
I'm hanging up now.
Goodbye, Saul."

With a sigh, he puts the phone away and looks around again, the historic moment now past.

"... I guess that's it, then."


***
Tre's writing, both humorous and dramatic, and his overall attitude were an inspiration to me during my years playing CoH.  I regret that I didn't know him longer or better.  I especially regret not learning until after he was gone that he had started playing Kerbal Space Program (http://www.kerbalspaceprogram.com/).  This personal tribute began taking shape within weeks of the announcement.  It's taken six months and a couple of versions ("issues") to get all the pieces in place, to do it right, but I was determined to get it done by year's end.

And so, late yesterday (Boxing Day), in my own space program... Tre Kerman finally and officially became the first kerbal on Duna.

(https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/cmdrzoom/KSP/tre-duna3_zps3713c824.jpg) (https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/cmdrzoom/KSP/tre-duna4_zps6bf7f7e9.jpg)

/e salute
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Captain Electric on December 27, 2013, 10:51:22 PM
/e salute to Tre and to Megajoule.

I know a lot of COHers are crazy about Kerbal Space Program. And that sounded a lot like an Ascendant phone call to me. ;D

And I'm still calling us COHers because that's not just what we were, but what we are. Ascendant kept the hope in those final days of the game and I trust that guy's judgement. There is still a wonderful community here, and in other places, and I believe this will be the first time that such a large group of MMOers stuck together despite their game closing. Here we are over a year later and a WHOLE LOT of people are still communicating. That is fantastic and I don't think I'm assuming too much to suggest that Tre would have enjoyed seeing that.

So in honor of folks like Tre and of such an established community, please keep sticking your heads in those places where you know you'll find us. I believe the biggest part of the reason we're sticking together is because we know that all of our best days aren't necessarily behind us.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: MaidMercury on December 28, 2013, 03:49:39 AM
I did not know him either. To me, anyone affiliated with City of Heroes, whether a Dev, Coffee Talk commentator, or a fellow player is family to me. Bad week in general, my neighbor left for a retirement home. It's all reminders that we are mortal and need to enjoy what we have while we have it. Hours spent playing, chatting with good friends was worth it to me. I hope Ascendant is in 'Paragon' in the sky having an even better experience. God Bless.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Little David on December 30, 2013, 04:53:47 AM
... holy crap. I had no idea this had happened. That's what I get for being out of contact with the community for as long as I have, I guess.

Man, 2013 has sucked hard ... I posted my condolences in the guestbook linked in the obituary, belated though it is. I never got to meet him in person but man, I loved his humor.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Megajoule on May 31, 2014, 02:17:12 AM
An update:

As of today, Tre Kerman has now visited (and planted flags at) both poles of Duna.

He's also driven (at least) halfway around Duna, been face to face with the Face, reached the summit of an impressive mountain (which I then named in his honor), stood directly "under" Ike, and BASE-jumped off the north polar peak to land right at the ladder of the rover parked almost a kilometer below.

Godspeed, brave explorer.

EDIT: images trimmed - see below for link to thread.
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Megajoule on March 26, 2015, 03:59:13 PM
Bump.

I've finally finished my mission to Duna, and returned Tre Kerman and his fellow kerbonauts safely home to a hero's welcome, ready for more adventures.

The whole thread, on the Kerbal Space Program forums, can be found here:

Long-Distance Call (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63756)
Title: Re: /e HoldTorch for one of our own: Ascendant
Post by: Atlantea on March 26, 2015, 04:56:17 PM
Love the detailed account of the Duna mission with Tre Kerman. And the phone calls!

Awesome all around. And yet another fine tribute.