NCSoft fires a bunch of people.

[Trippy]

You need to learn how to quote properly.

(they count the 7 days and 30 days together as long as the 7 days played within 30 days, if that makes sense)

= if you use one 7 days gaming card you are accounted in the same way than a player paying a 30 days one?

Yes both are paying players so both are counted as "customers" as long as the 7 day player played within 30 days of "census day".

[Trippy]

I'm just wondering how people in China can afford to play a MMO....by the hour...

Well for one thing it's pretty cheap by US standards -- at launch the cost was 0.45 Yuan an hour which is roughly US$0.056 an hour. So somebody playing 20 hours a week would pay the rough US equivalent of $4.85 a month. You'd have to be playing 60 hours or so a week to match the standard $14.95 a month that we pay over here.

[Strazos]

Well damn, that's not fair.

[schild]

Well damn, that's not fair.

Dude, it's China.

That's like saying it's not fair that people in Ethiopia get free food.

Do you want to move to China because WoW is cheaper?

[Strazos]

No, of course not...but it would be nice if I could pay peanuts per hour for an MMO if I was so inclined.

[Righ]

No, of course not...but it would be nice if I could pay peanuts per hour for an MMO if I was so inclined.

You can, play RuneScape.

[shiznitz]

I mean, there's a couple of people here on f13 who work in financial services and securities -- I am off base here?

Nope. License to launder.

[caboose82]

NCsoft has other troubles right now in SKorea.  They are in legal trouble on both the civil and criminal fronts -- an executive in Seoul has been arrested in regards to the allegations of "identity theft"--apparently in SKorea some things we consider torts are also crimes.  Rumor says this executive is rather highly placed.  NcSoft has already faced one civil judgement from a class-action 8000-strong, but hasn't come to terms with the hundreds of thousands (perhaps even a million) of potential other thefts.

NcSoft is probably in trouble for faciliating identity theft and profiting from theft rather than actual stealing of identities.  Most of these thefts are Chinese "farmers" who work for objects to sell for real money.  The unknown thing, to me, is why did the Chinese bother stealing SKorean identity numbers (#'s roughly corresponding to our SSecurity #'s)...couldn't they play under their own identities?  When I find the answer to this question, it will answer a lot of others.

Anyway, if I was a NCSoft exec in the US, I might be a little afraid of visiting Seoul.  The CEO should have taken a lesson in multiculturalism, and learned how to be sensitive to other races...a lot of the disaster of early development of Tabula Rasa had to do with sheer Hollywood-esque self-infatuation.  In point, how they drove Jake Song away from NcSoft entirely.

[caboose82]

To Hutch on #34--in re Marvel/NcSoft suit

I've read lots of comment on this lawsuit, and it's usually the "what, are they going to copyright pens and pencils next, and not let me draw my picture of Spiderman?"  I was surprised that nobody checked out the Vivendi/Blizzard/Marvel connection.  The Marvel heroes are largely licensed to Vivendi (for the blockbuster movies) and to Blizzard (for the offshoot games for these movies)--

If Marvel does not protect their characters and copyright, then their licenses are worthless, and Vivendi/Blizzard will have a serious and actionable grievance for paying huge bucks for unprotected intellectual property.  In other words, if Marvel didn't sue NcSoft, then Vivendi/Blizzard may well have hung Marvel out to dry.

The lawsuit was protective covering--it works a little like "adverse possession" in property law.  If you let a squatter live and use your land long enough, the court may well decide that you don't really own it.  To keep that from happening, even when you don't care if the squatter squats...you have to file suit.   Who was the real plaintiff, Blizzard or Marvel? 

[schild]

... if Marvel didn't sue NcSoft, then Vivendi/Blizzard may well have hung Marvel out to dry...

Blizzard, afaik, has positively nothing to do with Marvel characters. The vast majority of the Marvel games are put out by the Activisions and THQ's of the world. Blizzard probably couldn't give two shits less about what happens to Marvel characters. They have no stake in them, have never published a game with them in it, and have no plans to whatsoever since their own properties are bigger in gaming than Marvel EVER will be. I've never heard mention of the licenses from VU and none of their subsidaries make Marvel games.

Are you crossing streams here Caboose? Are you sure you don't mean Activision? Or even EA?

Edit: Didn't mean THQ.

[caboose82]

in re reply--"Vivendi ain't Marvel"            Here is a site...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03E2D61130F933A1575AC0A9649C8B63


 that refs Vivendi's involvement with Marvel.  Granted, they've not done much with it.

[Righ]

NcSoft is probably in trouble for faciliating identity theft and profiting from theft rather than actual stealing of identities.  Most of these thefts are Chinese "farmers" who work for objects to sell for real money.  The unknown thing, to me, is why did the Chinese bother stealing SKorean identity numbers (#'s roughly corresponding to our SSecurity #'s)...couldn't they play under their own identities?  When I find the answer to this question, it will answer a lot of others.

You can't create an account on the Korean servers without a valid Korean identity number.

[caboose82]

Righ--

I did not know that.  I assumed that playing was available to the Chinese because Americans also play the games, but I guess it has to do with server access? 

[Righ]

The Americans who play the games have Korean identity cards. There are a lot of Koreans in America, some with dual nationality.

[Signe]

You can find Korean ID generators but they move from place to place as they're ever so slightly naughty.  There are programs that help you find where they are, though.

[schild]

in re reply--"Vivendi ain't Marvel" Here is a site...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03E2D61130F933A1575AC0A9649C8B63


 that refs Vivendi's involvement with Marvel. Granted, they've not done much with it.

That was from 2002 and VUG isn't developing the Marvel MMOG stuff any more. The only mmog shit they have stake in now is Blizzard stuff. It will generate more dollars than any other license IN. THE. WORLD. I'm fairly sure the VU thing fell apart anyway since Microsoft got the license to make the Marvel MMOG and they're marking it for the 360.

[caboose82]

re: Schild

The ten-year license was indeed begun in 2002, but it's been a year or three since the ncsoft/marvel lawsuit started, too.  A lot has transpired in the online gaming market in four years.

 At one point, Vivendi cared enough to buy the licenses,  thought they'd do the online superhero game, and considered the option one worth defending.  Since Blizzard is so mega-successful at online gaming, I do admit to making an  assumption that they'd have an involvement with *any*  VU online game.  But that's nothing more than plausible.  Vivendi owns Blizzard, after all.

The lawsuit was roughly at the same time that WOW was planned and released.  WOW's biggest Asian/US competitor was NcSoft's Lineage--now WOW is eating NcSoft's lunch in Asia as well as the US.  I think the whole progression of events is related, but I could certainly be mistaken. 

[shiznitz]

Not to derail the orginal intent of the thread, but Marvel is going the movie route alone now.

http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2006/mft06070504.htm?source=eptyholnk303100&logvisit=y&npu=y

[caboose82]

Not to derail the orginal intent of the thread, but Marvel is going the movie route alone now.

http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2006/mft06070504.htm?source=eptyholnk303100&logvisit=y&npu=y

  ))))

I think it's quite relevant.  Destination games supposedly consisted of a good team, both managerial and artistic , when the hapless Koreans signed on.

Very interesting.  Thanks for the link.  Arad was/is a bonafide genius--and a hugely productive one.   I'm not up with Marvel recently, but I remember he also had a financial genius as sidekick--Isak, Isaac?  Forgot his name, but he was somewhat reclusive so he wouldn't mind.  Is he still around?  They were a dazzling team--artistic and intellectual business powerhouses.

  And they were also disciplined workhorses rather than lazy, self-infatuated and self-indulgent.

[Chinchilla]

I quit CoH when they made me recreate my character Hellboy.  He looked similar to the Hellboy we know, but was still different enough.  Mine had that ponytail look, no shirt on, and both arms were regular (there was no stone arm option).  He wasn't exactly like him, but semi-similar.  Similar to all the Aquamans, Wonder Womans, and others out there.  Actually... those other ones were practically exact duplicates.

Shoulda kept that one in Chin.  I makes you sound like the morons who get bent b/c they named their character Heywood Jablomey and get tagged by the CS group after playing it for 3 months.
You made a character close enough to a well known one intentionally, knowing you werent supposed to, and they tagged you for it.

Xilren

I know you are right, but I just had to get it out.  A friend of mine who still plays actually messaged a few of those ppl and somehow those lucky fuckers haven't been "tagged" yet.  I just find it annoying, that is all.  Its not like my character was some exact replica.  Hell... all he looked like was some red big dude with no shirt on and pants on and w/ horns.  I don't think that really distinguishes him as Hellboy.  No stone arm, no tattoo's (or whatever they are called), no shaved off horns, hell... the hair wasn't even CLOSE to the same. 

I would have totally understood changing his name, but it wasn't that they were having issues with.  It was his look.  I even emailed them and they said it was his look.

I'll just drop it there because maybe its just me that sees no real similarities except for the ones the individual fills in themselves.  I guess that's enough to say "You can't do that".  No matter, I guess its just going to be the same old adage of... "why should you get away with it?  He was speeding too... blahblahblah" stuff.

[jpark]

CoH is a great game by many accounts - a great experience.

Two things annoy me:

1.  Barrier to Returning.  They introduced that rule sometime ago that unless your character had been logged in the last few months OR was level 34 or above - you would lose your name.  Needless to say, if you don't play for a few months at all - you lose everthing unless your characters are above level 34.  I applaud the intent here - but the implementation was too harsh.

2.  City of Villians.  I have not been compelled to try it since, barring recent changes, it sounded exactly like City of Heroes with regard to mission objectives and behavior.  Recently I gather that has changed - but by how much?

[Llava]

1.  Barrier to Returning.  They introduced that rule sometime ago that unless your character had been logged in the last few months OR was level 34 or above - you would lose your name.  Needless to say, if you don't play for a few months at all - you lose everthing unless your characters are above level 34.  I applaud the intent here - but the implementation was too harsh.

This policy was changed some time ago.  Names are no longer erased, regardless of inactivity.  99% chance you come back and your names are still there.

[Glazius]

2.  City of Villians.  I have not been compelled to try it since, barring recent changes, it sounded exactly like City of Heroes with regard to mission objectives and behavior.  Recently I gather that has changed - but by how much?

The archetypes' inherents make them very different to play, regardless of whatever "parallels" you might want to draw between them and anything on the CoH side.

Missions tend to not send you running all over creation. Also, to unlock a new contact you get to go to Paragon City, burn down buildings, rob jewelry stores, kidnap people, and generally smash the living daylights out of everything that moves and everything that doesn't.

Also, contacts have a lot of personality to them. Operative Vargus and Mr. Bocor are among the real hoots, at least for me.

--GF

[jpark]

Thanks for those answers guys.  I might just install this game again.

[Nevermore]

Also, contacts have a lot of personality to them. Operative Vargus and Mr. Bocor are among the real hoots, at least for me.

The Radio and the Slot Machine are awesome contacts.  I've heard the Television is great too, but I haven't gotten high enough to do those missions yet.

[shiznitz]

Thanks for those answers guys.  I might just install this game again.

On the names, I thought you only lost your name if a new player wanted to use it and your character was under level 34 and dormant for X months. You did not lose your name/character just due to time lapse.

[Lantyssa]

On the names, I thought you only lost your name if a new player wanted to use it and your character was under level 34 and dormant for X months. You did not lose your name/character just due to time lapse.

Correct.  I still had all of my character's names when I signed up again in April.

[Stormwaltz]

Somewhat back on topic: Auto Assault is merging all of its servers, including those in Europe.

[Strazos]

Wow, that was fast.

[HaemishM]

Auto Assault lives its life one mile at a time.

[Llava]

On the names, I thought you only lost your name if a new player wanted to use it and your character was under level 34 and dormant for X months. You did not lose your name/character just due to time lapse.

Correct.  I still had all of my character's names when I signed up again in April.

That's right.  For how it used to work.

Now you keep your name, inactive or not, whether or not a new player tries to use it.  They've left the door open saying they might start this policy up again sometime in the future, but I'm not betting any time within the next year at least.

[Lantyssa]

I think it was mainly for the purposes of freeing names for CoV.  If they re-implement it, it will probably for the big expansions or something they believe will draw a lot of new players.

[JoeTF]

Somewhat back on topic: Auto Assault is merging all of its servers, including those in Europe.

Just check their European forums. Half of posts are whines about loneness.

[Yoru]

Somewhat back on topic: Auto Assault is merging all of its servers, including those in Europe.

Shortly after the numbers for AutoAssault were released, Lum got an urgent message:

[schild]

That's awesome.