The "glacial pace" ... which is actually not actually slow at all...
There are many factors going in to this deal. One of those main factors is "testing" the product before the new devs agree to a final deal. You see this isn't a simple transaction... code never is. So here is how the process goes in situations like this:
1. Initial talks... usually taking a month to 3 months.
2. Initial proposals... usually 2 to 3 months.
3. Intermediate proposals..usually 1-2 months.
4. Validation of product...this can take 2-3 months depending on the state of the disk image provided as well as the resources of the buyers.
5. Final negotiations... another 1-2 months...
Roughly... a year.
We are currently at the 9 month mark in this process. I'm not saying coming mid February 2015 there will be an announcement. What I am saying is that I do not expect any type of real announcement until at least mid February 2015. The steps I listed above are a mere guideline...that can be accomplished faster...and just as easily take longer if there is any type of significant snafu.
So while you...and others... may feel this process is moving at "glacial" speeds... I recognize that deals like this in order to be thorough and fruitful...require time and patience. Rushing any part of the process can cause a complete meltdown in negotiations...so while I am sorry you feel it is moving too slow... I would rather they take their time to ensure we get the best result out of these negotiations...our city back.
People who have waited 2 years...are not going to give up over a few months more of waiting. CoH has a very dedicated core fan base who will come back to the game tomorrow...or December 2015... and those fans will do everything in their power to ensure the continued success of CoH Legacy once it does come back.
I have been following both of the the pertinent threads for a few months now, but I have not posted anything until now.
First, a little background. I played CoH starting about 10 days after it went live, and stayed until just a few months before it shut down. It was my first MMO, and even though I tried a few others during the time it was online, I always came back because there was just no substitute! My son started playing when he was 8, and by the end, I was asking him questions about all the new features! I think I can honestly say that we both miss the game, and WILL be back as soon as it becomes available again!
If I have a gripe about the efforts to make that happen, it is this. While I realize that NCSoft has the right to do this however they wish, up to, and including not doing it all; I have to wonder about the wisdom of their slow, methodical approach in this particular endeavor. The phrase "Strike while the iron is hot" comes to mind. In this case, the time they are taking to finalize an agreement, and the lack of any encouraging news adds up to a daily diminishing value for the property. Because, let's face it - that value is now directly tied to remaining interest in the game. That interest will continue to wane as the months go by if there is not more than "no news is good news", and "have faith" to offer. It is human nature.
Bottom line: NCSoft has the right to handle this any damned way they please, and they have demonstrated that is exactly what they intend to do. I personally think that this approach is counter intuitive, and counter productive when dealing with a game that has been out of the mainstream for over two years. I can only hope that WHEN this does finally get off the ground, that the community has not diminished to the point where long term viability will be questionable. In the end, it matters little what I, or anyone else thinks about the state of this process, but since this is a discussion forum, and this is the topic at hand.....I am jumping into the discussion! Now that I am all caught up to everyone else, in so much as bitching about the glacial pace of things, I will continue to check back periodically in the hopes of seeing good news.
BTW, I apologize for the lousy avatar. It was all I could find on short notice that was CoH related. I know it is way too small to see, but it is a screen shot of one of my many characters (Mastermind) at the exact moment when he hit level 50. I will be looking around for something more fitting.