Hi Matt as a player of City of Heroes from the first day the game went live I miss the game and our devs equally as much. Would you and members of the old Paragon Studios consider moving to a new location? I know in Michigan 40% tax credits and 0% interest loans up to $15 million can be granted to game developers. Could Paragon Studios be moved to a city in Michigan?

Matt,

Assuming you had the funding to create an original MMO to replace CoH, what sort of time estimate would you say it would take to make the new game fully operational?

There's a lot of people out here that believe you can just wave a magic wand, and Poof! there it is.  I know it takes a lot of skill, hard work and time to get something like this made.

Matt, thank the gang for me,  I was a CoH player from Apr 2004 until it's shutdown, on nearly a daily basis.  The game was just so much fun on so many levels... from character creation options, the people who played on teams with me, and the many different ways a character or team could approach the varied assortment of missions.

Q: So far, NCsoft hasn't given the players any hints as to why they decided to close the game down. Has it, to your knowledge, given the developers one? {a yes or no answer would be fine, since I'm sure you'd tell us why if they did and you could}

Q: Were there any graphical or gameplay overhauls planned for NPC groups in the same vein of CoT and Skulls {coughnemesishaxcough}?

Q: During CoH's development, was there ever one decision that you looked back on and said to yourself, "what the HELL was I smoking back there?!"

Q: If you had a single-charge "Defy the odds" temp power you could use on CoH, how would you use it?

Q: A lot of #savecoh efforts are assuming that, if CoH was sold to another publisher, it would be possible to reassemble the core dev team. What's your take?

In my previous post when I mentioned "addressing issues in CoH that were present from the beginning", the following was what I was refering to.

Original City of Heroes Issues:
1. Travel methods and abilities [A. Character vehicles ~ (helicoptors, planes, cars, boats, motorcycles, flight packs/suits, jump boots, teleportation apparatus, submarines) B. Secret Identity travel ~ (subways, taxis, air travel, personal vehicles) C. Others ~ grappling hooks/grapplers, ziplines (installed or improvised) ...etc]
2. Individual Skill set/s that could be just as important as a character's primary power/s (Not everyone is skilled at computer hacking, demolitions, molecular biology, using and understanding the many different types of magic, shutting down a runaway nuclear reactor, bypassing security systems, repairing damaged/broken devices or vehicles ...etc.)
3. Secret Identity dayjobs that earn money, gain mission contacts and individual skill set/s development (Many superheroes and villains have regular identities. Interactions in normal clothing can inpact the world just like in-costume actions.)
4. Friendly Fire [Option for friendly fire for bonus rewards, challenge points/bragging rights, skill set/s ...etc]
5. Destructable environments [As an option for some missions if Friendly Fire were in effect; could be refered to as  "damage allowance" (It might not matter much if you caused damage to an already ruined building or a villain's lair but causing significant destruction in populated buildings would look bad on a heroic character.)
6. Expanded Terrorist activities [Attacks on infrastructure (bridges, subways, public transit, airports, electrical generating stations and transmission lines, railway stations and lines, water and natural gas supply lines), local media businesses (tv/radio/newspaper offices)]

And the one nearly everyone was curious about- 7. An actual shapeshifting powerset not granted by or related to a seperate entity entirely.

Over the years of play I've heard many fellow CoH players mention one or more of these issues at one time or another. Aside from the obvious game features, the things I have listed are things you'll find in actual comic books and movies. 'City of Heroes' was great for what it was but it could only allow so much with it's engine. The comic books we loved were about more than just fighting or beating the bad guys (solo or mob-style) with overwhelming strength, power or numbers.
CoH was a great trial run. It's time for a comic styled MMO that can go farther and provide more. I'm sure all of Paragon Studios former developers could make it happen and should you be interested in pursuing it I have faith you will find the way to "wow" everyone all over again.

Q: What are your thoughts on this?

Edit-  The rocketboard and flying carpet were nice additions for a flight ability, but I always felt they should have been customizable.

You created Positron while playing Champions the pen & paper game.

Do you still play? If so, which edition of the game do you consider the most viable?

How close is Positron the COH version to the original as far as powers goes?

With COH, what is the one thing you wish you could have brought into the game, but couldn't?

I just want to first say thank you for providing an on-line home in Paragon City.  I miss my friends and looking forward to the new content with each issue.

More of a statement then a question:  I would jump at the chance to send one of your projects $20 a month for 8 years.

Are you done with Hero themed MMOs?   Are you done with Mmorgs?

Since 2002 are there many more or new options to game engines?  If COH was starting today would you have more options compared to starting 10 years ago?

This was my game for 8 long years and I miss it. Is there any hope of some kind or ressurection? Matt please say there is hope. Actually you should get in touch me with, I have a blast of an idea for the best Super Hero MMO ever....

Hey Positron,

Thanks for staying connected.

1. City of heroes is now dead but can you talk about the final slots and what powers were planned?

2. Lots of MMO games need help out here. If you get to rejoin a gaming company, where would you like to go?

3. What was your salary at NCSOFT? I'm curious what they paid you.

4. What's WarWitch planning? She was the original original.

5. I played Tomb Raider: Guardian of Light through my browser and it played well. Have you thought about doing/working on a game like that? http://beta.coreonline.com/

They have openings too, http://eu.square-enix.com/en/jobs?all=

6. What are you looking for at your next job? Microsoft might be a good place for you.

http://www.microsoft-careers.com/go/Microsoft-Games-Studios-Jobs/44366/

Also, do want to stay in gaming or become a straight software engineer now?

7. What are you thoughts on F2P now? Do you think the sub will make a resurgence?

See you on the call tomorrow.

Hello Everyone & Thankyou MMORP for this oppertunity and Positron for taking the time to talk and answer questions. For its pretty obvious no NCsoft CEO's will be talking to us soon on this matter.

So the Hero I played "Frostyfrozen" had been in the sky's over Paragon City for 8yrs on Triumph the No Pants server.

I have to ask 2 Questions and please feel free to answer both if you wish. :)

1 - How do you feel about our (the Players) continued movement to save CoH at this time weeks after the closure of the game?

2-  CoH2 develpment was stopped years back I understand was that a red flag to NCsofts future plan for CoH?

From me and my SG Les Femmes Mystique and its brother SG the Les Femmes Hommies we say Thankyou for we loved wearing the capes & loved the friendships we made even more.

Frostyfrozen - a pure Ice Incarnate Blaster

I've got two questions:

1. Will we ever see a Statesman & Positron reunion?
2. If not, then what's next for Positron?

1. Did you ever want to revisit physics(or PhysX even) in the game? If so, why did it not happen?

2. Did you ever want to make AT or powerset specific missions to increase replayability?  fyi, I had disagreed with your approach that anything in the game needed to reach the widest audience.

3. We got Day Jobs so was your rumored skills-based gameplay just not an available realiity because of current tech, money and/or time?

4. Did you want to increase the palette of music and sound effects within the game?  I noticed more sound effects in later issues but still wanted more.

5. Due to popularity of missions and TFs(i.e. instancing), did you want to do anything to make zones a more interactive, more lively environment instead of something you just pass through to the next mission?

6. If you had all the funding you needed and CoH2 was a reality, besides the obvious graphical updates what is the single most desired feature you(yes, you, not players) would like to add to the game?

Thanks for 8 wonderful years!!!

City of Heroes' early move into the Asian market failed, seriously.   What was the final analysis on why the game did not mesh well with that regions' audience?

Who was the most unusual or interesting player that you remember teaming up with in CoH?   I know at various times I personaly teamed Warren and Caroline Spector, some  ex-TSR writers and employees, and the artist who did all the Ultima covers.

City of Heroes will not fade away.   Best wishes for the future.    

Hey guys!

Due to Pokket being under the weather, we're going to be rescheduling this interview.  Hang tight for an updated time!  Thanks for bearing with us.

Agreed! The world could end tomorrow and this is the first time I ever wanted to watch a live internet broadcast.

PLEEEEEEAAASE ?

"No offense intended Pokket. We would never forget about you on purpose. All the best for your speedy recovery."

Edit- WOO! We're still here and the interview is on. Thanks mmorpg and Matt.

Hello Positron,

I was once told, in the game files, there is a City Hazard Zone named "Elysium": were there any plans for this zone to one day make it into the game? What can you tell us about "Elysium"? If it was just a placeholder file, were there any other zone maps named, even as just "placeholders"?

Thank you very much for eight and half wonderful years!

And thank you for answering these questions!

Q:Are you going to do CoX2?

Q:Why not?

Q:What made CoX so unique an better than all the other superhero MMOs