Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Korea Times quotes Mercedes Lackey calling City of Heroes closure 'unethical']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/04/korea-times-quotes-mercedes-lackey-calling-city-of-heroes-closur/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/04/korea-times-quotes-mercedes-lackey-calling-city-of-heroes-closur/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/04/korea-times-quotes-mercedes-lackey-calling-city-of-heroes-closur/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hard to believe that it's possible to miss Statesman, but here we are.
NCsoft's recent closure of City of Heroes didn't win the company any fans in the US market, but it looks like the effects are being felt even over in the company's home of Korea. A new article in the Korea Times quotes fantasy author Mercedes Lackey regarding the game's shutdown. Her words on the matter were unambiguous: "I think canceling a game that is making a profit, along with destroying jobs and an online community, is entirely unethical."

The article covers several of the pieces of confusion regarding NCsoft's management of the shutdown and the perceived ambiguity about the financial side of the decision. Lackey also emphasizes in her quotes that she and other City of Heroes fans will not stop until they have exhausted every option to resurrect the game. NCsoft is clearly feeling the pinch considering the news of recent layoffs, but it looks as if the company is losing the image war on several fronts as well.

MassivelyKorea Times quotes Mercedes Lackey calling City of Heroes closure 'unethical' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessbusiness-decisionscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcommunitycovcoxcultureethicsf2pfree-to-playfreedomkorea-timesmercedes-lackeyncsoftparagonparagon-studiospublic-receptionsuperherosuperheroesTue, 04 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fans show spectacular support for City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/fans-continue-to-show-spectacular-support-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/fans-continue-to-show-spectacular-support-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/fans-continue-to-show-spectacular-support-for-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

You may take our game, but you will never take our WILL TO COLLECTIVE ACTIOOOOON
Years and years of acting out a super-human ideal in-game have apparently worn off on the players of City of Heroes. Faced with the news that their beloved game is due to sunset before the end of the year, CoH fans have been putting on a tremendous show of support for the game and Paragon Studios. Saturday saw a massive rally on the in-game steps of City Hall in Atlas Park as players gathered to show their support and love for Paragon Studios and its employees. The support campaign continues, however: Intrepid CoH fans have organized a call to action to bombard NCsoft with capes and masks through the mail.

Fans are also rising up to share their feelings via letters to Taek Jin Kim, NCsoft's CEO, which has caught the attention of fantasy writer and CoH guest author Mercedes Lackey. In response to the original call to letter-writing action, Lackey said said she was extending an offer to NCsoft to endorse, uncompensated, any and all NCsoft products if the company can only find a way for CoH to live on.

Skip below the cut for a short clip showing a composite of the 3,000-odd heroes spread across 32 instances of Atlas Park on the Virtue server, or hit up the official boards for some screenshots from the unity rally.

Continue reading Fans show spectacular support for City of Heroes

MassivelyFans show spectacular support for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcall-to-actioncity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclosingcohcommunitycovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedommercedes-lackeyncsoftparagonparagon-studiosrallysunsetsuperherosuperheroesunity-rallyvirtue-serveSun, 09 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview sheds more light on latest City of Heroes guest authors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/interview-sheds-more-light-on-latest-city-of-heroes-guest-author/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/interview-sheds-more-light-on-latest-city-of-heroes-guest-author/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/interview-sheds-more-light-on-latest-city-of-heroes-guest-author/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

With the recent introduction of three new arcs in the guest author series, City of Heroes gets to enjoy a bit more time in the limelight thanks to the Mission Architect system. The arcs are currently available on the live servers, and while they won't provide weeks of enjoyment, they'll certainly pass a fair bit of time and be a fun ride in the process. Gamepro recently had the opportunity to talk to the newest guest authors about their experience working on the arcs and playing the game.

If there's one unifying strand to all of the author comments, it's that working on Mission Architect doesn't just help create content, it forces creators to train themselves to write better. With limitations on how much speech can appear and when, all three authors mention that it forces the story down to its essentials. But it's not a limiting factor in making things weaker -- rather, it forces you to craft something that's entertaining even without a lot of flowery dialogue.

The full interview also covers each author's experiences in balancing the arcs, as well as Ms. Lackey's discussion of her history as a player. Whether you've already experienced the new City of Heroes arcs or have yet to take them for a spin, it's clear that a great deal of thought and effort went into them.

MassivelyInterview sheds more light on latest City of Heroes guest authors originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austin-grossmancity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxguest-authorguest-author-programmercedes-lackeymission-architectncsofttroy-hickmanThu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes announces next guest authors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/city-of-heroes-announces-next-guest-authors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/city-of-heroes-announces-next-guest-authors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/city-of-heroes-announces-next-guest-authors/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Back in October, City of Heroes players got a treat in the form of three arcs created by high-profile creative minds. The Guest Author program used the Mission Architect system and gave players the enjoyment of working through missions scripted by authors known outside of the realm of Paragon City. We haven't heard much about the program since then, and so it might have seemed as if the feature had been forgotten, but it turns out it was simply in brief hibernation, as the official site has announced the next group of writers.

Mercedes Lackey (known for her series of fantasy novels set in Valdemar), Troy Hickman (known for the meta-superhero series Common Grounds), and Austin Grossman (longtime writer of video games and author of Soon I Will Be Invincible) make up the next batch of guest writers crafting their own arcs in City of Heroes. Two of the arcs should be live today (assuming you're reading this on January 26th), according to a small supplementary piece which includes a few words from Sean McCann. It's good to see the game continuing to emphasize and enhance the experience of user-created content, and players should look forward to some high-profile names continuing to take their swing at it.

MassivelyCity of Heroes announces next guest authors originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austin-grossmancity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdr-aeonguest-authormercedes-lackeymission-architectparagon-studiossean-dr-aeon-mccannsean-mccanntroy-hickmanTue, 26 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST