Lore AMA: 15th anniversary edition?

[Felderburg]

Hello! As you can see in the last Lore AMA post (https://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php?topic=12509.msg216915#msg216915) the last two years did not have an AMA. This was pretty much due to waning interest from all parties (only 8 questions in the last official one that was held, and devs moving on / remembering less).

But it ****MIGHT**** be worth exploring a new one for the 15th anniversary, because 15 is one of those neat anniversary numbers, and there's been a big surge in CoH interest these last few days ( ).

There are two concerns that I have with anyone trying to reach out for a new AMA (I say "anyone" because I was never the person that contacted Posi, I only collected the results):

1. There may not be enough questions to make it worth the time. To see if that's a problem, go ahead and post lore questions here! You can see the previous AMAs here: https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Lore_AMA and a sorted version (unfinished) here: https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Lore_AMA/Sorted

2. This next point is my biggest problem. It would be easy to make the *wording* of the AMA something like "hey, 15th anniversary, that's a big date, let's get some questions answered." But the obvious undertone would be "hey, we can continue developing the game now, let us know what we should do." My concern is that asking devs to answer an AMA at this point in time might put them at risk of being associated with continued development of the game via private servers. Obviously that's something only the devs can address, since they're the ones potentially at risk, and who know what the contracts they signed say they can and can not do. Plus, the existing AMAs have a TON of good stuff to work from... PLUS there was always the caveat that the entirety of their content could be ruled null and void to ensure the future storyline continued to be surprising and suspenseful.

Anyways, if anyone has thoughts, let the forums know!

[emperorsteele]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to put any of them in an uncomfortable positon. Their careers probably dictate that they'd have to publicly condemn the actions of the community.

Though, maybe that would be the first question, asking if they'd be comfortable answering lore questions again this year (Again, ONLY lore questions, obvs!). If they act like they don't know what's going on.... mmm, I dunno, spill the beans or leave them in the dark? I dunno =/

[eabrace]

Eh.  Odd timing with recent events and all.  I think I would tread lightly.

[Zombie Hustler]

It has been a while since I last read over the prior AMAs (and thank you to everyone who made their collection and dissemination possible, esp. Felderburg).

The one thing I would note, based on my recollections, is that some of the same (or very similar) questions were being asked in different AMAs. I suspect it would be hard to try and catch this in a live AMA, but if we are just doing it in a big document that will then be answered offline, it might be possible to try and form an editing team to answer those questions (with hyperlinks) prior to submitting it to any devs to answer, so that we could have them focus on non-repetitive Lore questions.

[Captain Electric]

Anybody want me to try to get in touch with Positron?

[Captain Electric]

(Kidding.)

[Tahquitz]

Hopes somebody laughed at that. 

[Surelle]

Honestly, I'd skip it this year.

You're putting any devs from Paragon Studios in an extremely uncomfortable situation, NDAs are still ongoing (they never expire), and most of them probably still work in this industry in one form or another.

The whole CoX private server thing has really made a splash in the MMO-sphere, but other publishers and dev teams are going to look at it a whole lot differently than players do-- they will likely see it as bad.  A dev (that may be working for them now!) leaked code.  Many lawsuits have gone on over that.  Just ask NCsoft and Blue Hole Studios for starters.

Anyway, Just skip it.  It's been 15 years; this had really faded out before now anyway.  No one has even left any questions here to ask.  I'd just drop it.

CoH Titan in particular is, even as we speak, negotiating with NCsoft to try and get a sanctioned, legal CoX rogue server going.  Please don't shoot them in the head at point blank range here.