Jump to content

A Call for a little transparency, just a touch.


DR_Mechano

Recommended Posts

Just now, biostem said:

The code for CoH is "out in the wild", so to speak;  Get a hold of it, learn it, and implement a few of your proposed changes as part of your resume, then submit what you did to the devs here...

Few minor problems.

 

1) In order to test stuff I'd need to get my own server started, unfortunately the downloadable option for Issue 25 is sans any and all updates for it so I'd be working with an old version which may cause compatibility issues with the live one.

 

2) I have the artistic talent of a Pear, I'd need to outsource for any major reworkings, especially things like 3D model work (like say cropping parts off of NPCs, adding the four different layers needed so that they can be used for player customization in that they would be color customizable, rigging them to the right points on said player model, making sure they're in the right categories...seriously the amount of work needed for new costume items, let alone the ones currently ingame, is astounding).

 

The lacking in artistic talent is probably the major problem here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, DR_Mechano said:

Few minor problems.

 

1) In order to test stuff I'd need to get my own server started, unfortunately the downloadable option for Issue 25 is sans any and all updates for it so I'd be working with an old version which may cause compatibility issues with the live one.

 

2) I have the artistic talent of a Pear, I'd need to outsource for any major reworkings, especially things like 3D model work (like say cropping parts off of NPCs, adding the four different layers needed so that they can be used for player customization in that they would be color customizable, rigging them to the right points on said player model, making sure they're in the right categories...seriously the amount of work needed for new costume items, let alone the ones currently ingame, is astounding).

 

The lacking in artistic talent is probably the major problem here.

So then work with what you *do* have - demonstrate those areas in which you excel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, ZacKing said:

Seems like quite a few people posting here are missing the big picture.  The primary focus should be on becoming legit.  Without that, the rest is going to be pointless.

Homecoming doesn't seem to have any issues meeting their donation goals.  The game code is already out in the wild, so it's unlikely that CoH will be dead permanently.  Pretty much anyone who wants to play, can.  Would it be nice for Homecoming to "go legit"?  Sure!  But as long as we can play, I really can't fault the devs for, well, anything...

Edited by biostem
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest, I would have been more then happy with "exact state of the game at the time of the server shutdown" with no bug fixes, balance tweaks, or anything else. Just the ability to actually play the game.

 

Mind you, when I first heard of Homecoming I was both excited and wary. After all, this is an old game. Would it live up to my memories? Hell, even by the point of the server shutdown I wasn't playing CoH anywhere near as much as I had in the past. Maybe it's because the game had gone Free to Play. Maybe it was just me moving on to other things. I don't know. And if I'm honest with myself, I don't really play video games in general as much as I did even seven years ago. I spend most of my time reading these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Pixie_Knight said:

To be honest, I would have been more then happy with "exact state of the game at the time of the server shutdown" with no bug fixes, balance tweaks, or anything else. Just the ability to actually play the game.

 

Mind you, when I first heard of Homecoming I was both excited and wary. After all, this is an old game. Would it live up to my memories? Hell, even by the point of the server shutdown I wasn't playing CoH anywhere near as much as I had in the past. Maybe it's because the game had gone Free to Play. Maybe it was just me moving on to other things. I don't know. And if I'm honest with myself, I don't really play video games in general as much as I did even seven years ago. I spend most of my time reading these days.

Nothing wrong with that.  Things change, and so do we.  For myself, I love knowing it's here when I have the time/opportunity to play, and even better when friends who play, have the time as well.

  • Like 2

What was no more, is REBORN!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Pixie_Knight said:

It got to the point where I'd give up playing for a couple days when a major content patch came out due to it taking that long for the game to get back to a playable state.


I kinda giggle at this...  I first heard "never play on patch day" on Ultima Online, years before the City came to be.

Unofficial Homecoming Wiki - Paragon Wiki updated for Homecoming!  Your contributions are welcome!
(Not the owner/operator - just a fan who wants to spread the word.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Doc_Scorpion said:


I kinda giggle at this...  I first heard "never play on patch day" on Ultima Online, years before the City came to be.

Oh sure, you knew that. But CoH was my first MMO. Hell, it was really my first PC game in general. Before CoH I was accustomed to console games on the PS1 and PS2. Which were already in their final state.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Pixie_Knight said:

Oh sure, you knew that. But CoH was my first MMO. Hell, it was really my first PC game in general. Before CoH I was accustomed to console games on the PS1 and PS2. Which were already in their final state.

And even console games have bugs, flubs, catastrophic fuckups or worse.  Good example:  Final Fantasy series.  In something like half the games (including the beloved 7) Darkness status, for one reason or another, does exactly nothing.  In 6, Darkness worked - except that physical Evade percentages didn't work, defaulting to magic Evade instead, so Darkness did nothing.  All kinds of glitch tricks on old cartridge games, too.  Coding/programming have always been dodgy endeavors - look at Buggerfall....I mean Daggerfall, or most any other Bethesda game.  If that's 'normal', and Cities is legendarily "my god, WHY DID THEY DO IT THAT WAY???"-inducing, it's just another thing to love 😄

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, biostem said:

Homecoming doesn't seem to have any issues meeting their donation goals.  The game code is already out in the wild, so it's unlikely that CoH will be dead permanently.  Pretty much anyone who wants to play, can.  Would it be nice for Homecoming to "go legit"?  Sure!  But as long as we can play, I really can't fault the devs for, well, anything...

Meeting donation goals doesn't mean the game is legit.  Does the homecoming people have legal permission from NCSoft yet?  Nope.  that means not legit.  NCSoft can shut it down at any time and prosecute anyone using the code.  point is, focus on becoming legally legit.  then worry about complaining the part time volunteer staff aren't working fast enough on stuff you like.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, ZacKing said:

Meeting donation goals doesn't mean the game is legit.  Does the homecoming people have legal permission from NCSoft yet?  Nope.  that means not legit.  NCSoft can shut it down at any time and prosecute anyone using the code.  point is, focus on becoming legally legit.  then worry about complaining the part time volunteer staff aren't working fast enough on stuff you like.

The code is already out there.  Even if Homecoming gets a C&D, CoH will continue to be playable.  Do I want Homecoming to be shut down?  Absolutely not!  Let's not act like the lack of NCSoft's blessing means the sky is falling, though...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, yeah NCSoft deciding to shut down private servers would mean the "end of the world" for CoH. Because they would be in the right, and they could take legal action against all those private servers. The code being "in the wild" doesn't mean CoH is untouchable. I'm really hoping Homecoming manages to get the rights from NCSoft, or at least get made official by the company. But I'm under no illusions that the game isn't at risk until that happens.

 

People thought emulation of NES and SNES games was safe because the roms were "in the wild". But Nintendo managed to shut down every non-sketchy rom sharing site I'm aware of. Keep that in mind when you start thinking the code being "in the wild" means CoH is safe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Pixie_Knight said:

Actually, yeah NCSoft deciding to shut down private servers would mean the "end of the world" for CoH. Because they would be in the right, and they could take legal action against all those private servers. The code being "in the wild" doesn't mean CoH is untouchable. I'm really hoping Homecoming manages to get the rights from NCSoft, or at least get made official by the company. But I'm under no illusions that the game isn't at risk until that happens.

 

People thought emulation of NES and SNES games was safe because the roms were "in the wild". But Nintendo managed to shut down every non-sketchy rom sharing site I'm aware of. Keep that in mind when you start thinking the code being "in the wild" means CoH is safe.

Well, in all fairness, Sony is a LOT bigger than NCSoft, and their legal department likely a lot bigger too.  It's possible that NCSoft could, in that scenario, be more vigorous and manage to prevail in a game of legal "whack-a-mole", but their interest in the property prior to Homecoming bursting on the scene looked to be pretty minimal.  Anything is possible, but I'd still consider it less likely that NCSoft would be as aggressive as Sony.

Edited by Abraxus

What was no more, is REBORN!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Pixie_Knight said:

People thought emulation of NES and SNES games was safe because the roms were "in the wild". But Nintendo managed to shut down every non-sketchy rom sharing site I'm aware of. Keep that in mind when you start thinking the code being "in the wild" means CoH is safe.

I LOLed.

I'm out.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Pixie_Knight said:

Actually, yeah NCSoft deciding to shut down private servers would mean the "end of the world" for CoH. Because they would be in the right, and they could take legal action against all those private servers. The code being "in the wild" doesn't mean CoH is untouchable. I'm really hoping Homecoming manages to get the rights from NCSoft, or at least get made official by the company. But I'm under no illusions that the game isn't at risk until that happens.

 

People thought emulation of NES and SNES games was safe because the roms were "in the wild". But Nintendo managed to shut down every non-sketchy rom sharing site I'm aware of. Keep that in mind when you start thinking the code being "in the wild" means CoH is safe.

Nah, private servers really can't be stopped at this point. You try to shut one down another one will just pop up. Look at Star Wars Galaxies and WoW they've had private servers for years.

 

Oh and I literally googled SNES roms, clicked the first link and downloaded Donkey Kong Country in less than a minute.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Pixie_Knight said:

 

When did I mention Sony? NES stands for Nintendo Entertainment System, and SNES stands for Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The first two home consoles released by Nintendo.

Sorry.  I had "Sony" on the brain, when I knew it should be Nintendo.  But, the thought remains unchanged. 😉

 

What was no more, is REBORN!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, NNDeepdish said:

Oh and I literally googled SNES roms, clicked the first link and downloaded Donkey Kong Country in less than a minute.

 

I did specifically mention the "non-sketchy" ones. Sites that are still hosting NES and SNES roms (or roms in general) tend to be the ones I wouldn't trust to have downloads that don't include a virus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Pixie_Knight said:

 

I did specifically mention the "non-sketchy" ones. Sites that are still hosting NES and SNES roms (or roms in general) tend to be the ones I wouldn't trust to have downloads that don't include a virus.

You don't trust the Internet Archive?

  • Like 1
I'm out.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do I trust the person who uploaded that file? No, I don't. Especially when I've seen that exact same file on sketchy bit torrent sites and rom sites I know for a fact regularly dish up a side order of "try to heavily infect your computer".

 

Yes, I use to use a bit torrent client. Mostly I did so for fan subbed anime which at the time wasn't released here in the USA with the replacing of software I did buy, but couldn't find the install disk for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, NNDeepdish said:

Nah, private servers really can't be stopped at this point. You try to shut one down another one will just pop up.

Yes, BUT, a thousand servers running in people's basements is not a community.

If NCSoft decides to take action, there would be no more servers with thousands online.

Edited by Ironblade
  • Thanks 1

Originally on Infinity.  I have Ironblade on every shard.  -  My only AE arc:  The Origin of Mark IV  (ID 48002)

Link to the story of Toggle Man, since I keep having to track down my original post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...