Author Topic: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes  (Read 30788 times)

Tahquitz

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12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« on: April 02, 2016, 09:03:22 PM »
So, Thursday, April 28th, 2016.

We have this awesome Paragon Chat tool thingy now.  For those unable or unwilling to install it (work firewalls, etc.) there's phone apps to plug in to PChat (AstraChat for Android and Monal for iOS come to mind).  I am active on Champions Online, so when I'm home from work (4pm-10pm PDT) I'm willing to be a go-between to get people from that City Hall to our City Hall that day (if Tequila/Island Rum is overloaded, then at least on mobile).

The question: we're all well versed on post-shutdown malaise, so a massive gathering isn't likely, but a gathering is still possible. What work needs to be done to get feet on the floor?

Ideas:
  • Costume Contest organizers: themes, rules, etc?
  • Hide and Seek hosts (A team of players hide throughout the city, offering clues in lore to test what you remember or how well you can search Paragon Wiki while playing :P, winners and winning times get recognized in these forums), we did this on Triumph, it was a pain in the neck to script out and to get people to stay put if they're a "cluegiver", but there's enough lead time to make this work
  • Some personalities (I wouldn't call them celebrities, but "people of abnormal interest", i.e. ex-Paragon Studios appearances, Victoria Victrix... okay, fine, she's a celebrity, etc.),
  • SaveCOHRadio: Livestream possible (Twitch.TV)?  It doesn't have to be all night, a couple of hours is fine.
  • RP events (I'm not too big into RP, so I imagine Virtueverse/Union people have better ideas than I do.)

We have the shutdown anniversary later this year to get all sad and rememberancy.  How about something fun?

Edit: Corrected the date from the April 27th date I got from Wikipedia. Thanks Felderburg!
« Last Edit: May 02, 2016, 03:25:26 AM by Tahquitz »
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Steelhelm

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2016, 12:20:28 AM »
Hide and Seek hosts (A team of players hide throughout the city, offering clues in lore to test what you remember or how well you can search Paragon Wiki while playing :P, winners and winning times get recognized in these forums), we did this on Triumph, it was a pain in the neck to script out and to get people to stay put if they're a "cluegiver", but there's enough lead time to make this work

I'd be down to help make this throughout this week.

Nyghtshade

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2016, 12:47:54 AM »
It does sound like fun.  If you need help with player activities, I'd be glad to give a hand.   :)

Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2016, 06:51:28 PM »
Steelhelm: Sent a PM.  (It is a Scavenger Hunt, after all. :D)

Nyghtshade: Sounds good.  What would you like to do?  (Or do you have an idea you want to be in charge of that's not on this list?)

I want to wage interest in pulling this off, and if there is sufficient support to run it, we'll announce next week of the event being official with an event schedule accompanying it.  I can commit to being here 12pm noon until 8pm PDT, I'll find a break sometime for food in-between.  If European players want to extend the schedule and run an event while us Yankees are asleep, I'm open to that.

If there's only a handful of people, we can scale it down to be smaller if needed, as I'm sure people will be there that night anyway, whether it's less than or close to 100 or halfway to/closer to 1,000 is what is unknown.  (Being realistic, we're not going to get huge numbers like the participation we had the year after the shutdown.  1,000 may be too optimistic on my part.)

Other event ideas:

  • For an RP kind of one-time event, I was thinking -- a Pocket D Open House.  RP groups seeking players can recruit people at Pocket D (no schedule: recruit anytime, come and go as you need), plus players curious about RP or interested in starting up a group can ask questions on how it works (there's some distance between new players and experienced ones: explain jargon like OOC, ICly, etc., etiquette questions, online resources for RP lore or groups that may be available).
  • At the end of the night, Atlas Park meetup/torch lighting/weenie roast (whatever you want to call it.)  I want this to be a fun day, but players come as they are, and we're still minus one great superhero game to call home.  Plus, the time from 5pm-10pm is when most people show up from work/afterschool anyway.
  • Not really an event, per se, but nominating a Grand Marshall for the Anniversary.  Before I go any further, Titan Net staff (otherwise, it'd be a contest between Paragon Chat programmers), Paragon Studios alums and NCSoft staff past and present should not be considered.  This should be for someone in the Titan Network who is outside of those areas who has contributed to the community the most in the last year.  It doesn't have to be technical, it could be artistic, creatively, or spiritual (I don't know, someone with the fortitude to breaks up forum arguments leaving both antagonists feeling good?) Nominations can be made in the coming week or two. As a Grand Marshall, they get to see us put this shindig together over the final days, have input in what is being planned, and can contribute or advise as they see fit, and we'll recognize them as a "founder of the feast" during the weenie roast. Yes, there's no real work involved, being a Grand Marshall, it's mostly a honorific title. I'm not a Titan Network staffer, so I can't say "custom forum title" or anything... (nudge, roguish grin.)

For volunteers, I'll put out the call for people interested in helping us later this week (in specific quantities needed).  We need an idea of what we're going to do with the Hide & Seek/Scavenger Hunt first, Costume Contest ideas for themes, and RP Groups interested in recruiting on that day, so if any of that sounds like your cup of tea feel free to reply. I'll be here all week.

(Image Removed - Mistake fixed below.)

Whipped this up this afternoon... AP33R3S? Atlas Park 33 Revelry, Remembrance, and Reunion Society.  (And I like weird acronyms.)
« Last Edit: April 06, 2016, 11:34:51 PM by Tahquitz »
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Felderburg

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2016, 07:19:01 PM »
The anniversary has generally been regarded as the 28th: http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Issue_0 http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/State_of_the_Game http://www.crypticstudios.com/city-of-heroes

Edit: Atlas Park 33 Revelry, Remembrance, and Reunion Society Committee.

It is a nice graphic.
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Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2016, 11:24:07 PM »
The anniversary has generally been regarded as the 28th: http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Issue_0 http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/State_of_the_Game http://www.crypticstudios.com/city-of-heroes

Edit: Atlas Park 33 Revelry, Remembrance, and Reunion Society Committee.

It is a nice graphic.

A good thing I didn't call off of work yet!  And fix'd.

(Edit: Photobucket sank all of the direct image links.  Image removed.)





« Last Edit: April 26, 2016, 06:12:48 AM by Tahquitz »
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Nyghtshade

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2016, 02:51:42 AM »
Nyghtshade: Sounds good.  What would you like to do?  (Or do you have an idea you want to be in charge of that's not on this list?)

I'd be fine with being one of the stationary characters to give clues during the hide-and-seek scavanger hunt.  When our SG's used to run those, we wore our SG colors (distinctive from the general crowd) to make it easier for the participants to tell us from the rest of the crowd.  Is there anything we'd like to do that would make us identifiable that way - even if it's just to stand there holding a torch?

Also, for a few years our SG would hold City of Heroes Trivia contests during our annual server-wide Autumn event, ECHO.  I still have the scripts for those, both questions and answers.  Running the contest in 10-15 minute rounds through the evening, with participants sending tells to the judges for the answers seemed to work pretty well, and then announcing the answers with a winner for each round.   If the questions/answers scripts would be of any use to you, send me a message with your email address, and I'll forward them to you.

Do you plan to ask Cape Radio to cover this event with music and talk about the activities as the evening proceeds?  If so, you might want to contact TheCapeRadio pretty soon, as they do have a lead-time for scheduling events.   http://www.thecaperadio.com/

I love the artwork you came up with for the event, by the way! 

Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2016, 03:27:04 AM »
The Cape Radio: I sent them a PM in here, which probably wasn't bright on my behalf.

I'll hit up their website now, and in a moment I'll send you a PM about the details of the "Player Mission" (yeah, uh, Hide and Seek and Scavenger Hunt doesn't quite tell what it actually is... us simulating a FedEx Mission where lore clues are all you get.)

(EDIT: I've written up a proposal at The Cape Radio (nothing that hasn't been discussed here, just more narrative and less brainstorming.)  Peruse if you wish.)

I could use some help with volunteers for RP groups or RP ideas: does anyone want to recruit during the Anniversary Celebration?  Do you have any ideas on events involving RP short of running a session during the Anniversary only to be slowed down by "ZOMG, what is this?" types of tells?  Do you want to do "Theatre in the round" in Perez Park's ampitheater? Short of an open house, I don't know what else would be beneficial to them.

« Last Edit: April 07, 2016, 06:09:58 AM by Tahquitz »
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taracen

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2016, 04:45:38 AM »
This sounds so awesome... Just finished listening to the City of Heroes music compilations (https://soundcloud.com/statesman-coh/sets/city-of-heroes) 35 tracks 2 hours theme of every city within CoH. Do listen if you're ever on Soundcloud... The memories...

https://youtu.be/dBTWXcAsMHo
« Last Edit: April 07, 2016, 04:53:36 AM by taracen »

Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2016, 05:11:52 AM »
I love the Freedom Theme, but at the risk of sounding like a luddite, they got to have the original song in that list...

You remember it, right?  BOOM-BOOM! .... BOOM-BOOM! BOOM-BOOM! Duh duh duh, dunnnn dunnnn, Duh duh duh, dunnnn dunnnn.

Okay, fine, monosyllabic aping of music doesn't quite work on forums. This one. :P
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Nyghtshade

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2016, 06:25:02 PM »
I could use some help with volunteers for RP groups or RP ideas: does anyone want to recruit during the Anniversary Celebration?  Do you have any ideas on events involving RP short of running a session during the Anniversary only to be slowed down by "ZOMG, what is this?" types of tells?  Do you want to do "Theatre in the round" in Perez Park's ampitheater? Short of an open house, I don't know what else would be beneficial to them.
Might be hard to do a one-off RP session with so many other activities going on.  Just a suggestion: what do folks think about setting up a location for 'virtual open bar' and reminiscing in character about best memories of Paragon / Rogue Isles?  Maybe missions, maybe side-story RP, etc?

Cobalt Azurean

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2016, 09:13:42 PM »
I'll go.

saipaman

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2016, 09:45:32 PM »
This is where being able to spawn NPCs would come in handy.

storyman11

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2016, 12:22:37 AM »
I miss COH/COV!!!! I would love to just fly around with my old Characters one last time on my Mac. I got a lifetime sub for champions, but it would be so much easier if they made it Mac compatible

Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2016, 01:11:05 AM »
I have a poll active above to steer what themes we'll be choosing for the Anniversary costume contests.  If you don't like the options, feel free to suggest in a post.  Results will be available next Thursday.
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Botzo

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #15 on: April 08, 2016, 01:14:55 AM »
While I unfortunately gotta work the 27th, I may try to stream on Twitch later in the day. I'm not really a streamer type but I'd certainly do it (or at least watch someone else) for City of Heroes. I just gotta get everything installed for Paragon chat which I haven't done yet.

As a side note, is there any way I could get myself or worse, Paragon Chat, into trouble by streaming it on Twitch?

Edit just noticed the 28th! DOH! still gotta work sadly

Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #16 on: April 08, 2016, 01:43:24 AM »
While I unfortunately gotta work the 27th, I may try to stream on Twitch later in the day. I'm not really a streamer type but I'd certainly do it (or at least watch someone else) for City of Heroes. I just gotta get everything installed for Paragon chat which I haven't done yet.

As a side note, is there any way I could get myself or worse, Paragon Chat, into trouble by streaming it on Twitch?

Edit just noticed the 28th! DOH! still gotta work sadly

Don't feel bad!  I did the same thing announcing all of this on Wednesday April 27th (until Felderberg corrected me) and I'm the organizer! :D What does that say about me?

I don't have a decent broadband connection, so I didn't mention livestreaming: I can grab video and edit later to reupload, but I can't stream anything out of my uplink (I'm rural, so I'm on an asymmetrical 10MB download/2MB upload microwave link.  And if my ISP catches me doing "server" stuff like streaming video out, I could get cancelled.)  It still beats Satellite and Dial-Up. 

My favorite streaming app when I did live in a city and could do it was FFSplit.  It's open source, free (there's no paid tier or "trialware" junk baked into it) and it hooks into Twitch.TV or other Adobe Streaming Media style servers just fine.  At home, I direct it to save to my hard drive so I can make tutorial videos for programs (if you have multiple displays, it works really well: you can run it in a non-recorded window and keep all of your controls offscreen.)  But eight hours of video is a tall order for my hard drives (all under 1TB: I'm on SSDs) so I'm not going to use it for this event.

As for the legal ramifications, I can't speak to that.  If Paragon Chat's popularity is the sole factor that causes NCSoft/Nexon to deliver notice to Cease and Desist, then it's just a matter of time, not method.  It's been in the news for other gaming companies, (albeit their rationale was different: Blizzard shut down pirate WoW servers not from lost revenue and damages due to their popularity, but to protect their IP) so it's not past their ability to do so.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2016, 02:09:43 AM by Tahquitz »
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Codewalker

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2016, 02:16:25 AM »
Stream all you want. I have good reason to believe that several people within NCSoft are at least aware of Paragon Chat's existence, so I'm not worried about somebody finding out who wouldn't otherwise know. There were numerous streams that covered the launch last July, and AFAIK none of them heard so much as a peep about it.

They probably don't see it as something big enough to spend time on (user population is in the low double digits many nights). Either that or one of their lawyers gave it a once over and saw the lengths we've gone to in order to avoid or at least minimize any potential infringement, and are not fully confident that they would prevail if it came down to a battle. Or both.

Tahquitz

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #18 on: April 08, 2016, 02:20:21 AM »
No kidding, you guys even shucked the old logo (I liked the XMPP Logo in the background of the original CoH Logo cityscape, I kept it on my PC as an .ico) for a mask in a chat bubble. 

Does that work for you Botzo?
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LionOfAlbion

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Re: 12th Anniversary of City of Heroes
« Reply #19 on: April 08, 2016, 06:11:28 AM »
I just hope the two of us can be there!