Report from the Hero Announcement #2

[Omegaplex]

Hmm... what if we downgrade you to having a merely good wife, two average kids, and a job as a carnival security guard?

I hadn't thought of that!

[Super Squirrel]

VIPER Raids! Woot!

Hopefully you can play a villain. I so want to unleash the evil that is known as Super Squirrel on the world.

Anyone want to create the first, official villain's clan before the game is released?

[JakSpade]

Don't forget... Steve used to be a lawyer (still is?). I don't think he's going to sign away a valuable piece of IP without a clause that will allow him to get it back again.

Plus, this is a versatile enough industry that DOJ could always just come up with another IP and go from there without little to do...

jak

[Enforcer84]

I wonder the scope? Will it be an entire Earth to play with? Or just a city I dream big.

[Peregrine]

Don't forget... Steve used to be a lawyer (still is?). I don't think he's going to sign away a valuable piece of IP without a clause that will allow him to get it back again.

Plus, this is a versatile enough industry that DOJ could always just come up with another IP and go from there without little to do...

jak

Such as, I don't know, a new universe for Hero 6th?

[Nolgroth]

Question...if Cryptic owns the IP for 'the Champions universe', what does that really mean? Just the modern day superhero stuff? Or since Hero's made it a point to shoehorn everything into one overall timeline, do they also own the IP for Turakian Age, Terran Empire, etc? I'm assuming what's covered was explicitly spelled out in the contracts (lists of characters, etc.) but thought I'd bring it up.

Good point. Isn't Takofanes mentioned in Turakian Age and Champions. I know that Terran Empire mentions a group of psychics that date back to the 20th century called the Champions. Interesting concepts. Still, if the HERO IP stays with DoJ, the worst that can happen is a change in window dressing.

[Silverbullet]

So...anyway... where is the Official, 2nd Big Announcement.... for this board, at least…

[Bazza]

Foxbat's been pimped out!!

This boggles my mind.

I still want in, though

So apparently has Zornwil (he was in Galactic Champions as PM of the GCA).

[incrdbil]

VIPER Raids! Woot!

Hopefully you can play a villain. I so want to unleash the evil that is known as Super Squirrel on the world.

Anyone want to create the first, official villain's clan before the game is released?

Sure. Shall we also make the CLOWN guild as well?

[Silverbullet]

Sure. Shall we also make the CLOWN guild as well?

Oh...yes...Absolutely!

[incrdbil]

Oh...yes...Absolutely!

Make a note, on this day, before the game was lauched, the infamous, horrific CLOWN Guild was planned. The as yet unsuspecting player base of CO, not to mentions devlopers will some day look back at their calendars and curse this day.

[First Hero]

The meat of the announcement is that Cryptic is indeed going to be coming out with a Champions MMORPG called Champions Online, probably due out in 2009, though that is a WAG on my part. In an interesting twist, rather than Cryptic licensing the Champions Universe from DoJ, they are buying the Champions and Dark Champions IP (except Harbinger of Justice ), and as part of the deal are licensing the rights to print RPG books for those IP back to DoJ in perpetuity (and DoJ doesn't have to pay for it).

DoJ and Cryptic will be working closely together to help insure that any changes to the CU for Champions Online get reflected in the CU books that DoJ will be publishing. Both content-wise and appearance-wise.
Important Note: Cryptic is NOT buying the Hero System IP, just the Champions and Dark Champions IP.

Another Important Note: Champions Online will not be a Hero System MMORPG. My understanding is that Hero is planning on releasing a guide to allow players of Champions Online to recreate their characters in the Hero System at some point after CO comes out, but that it will NOT be using the Hero System itself.

Cryptic has also licensed the Hero System from DoJ so that they can use HERO terminology to describe things. Cryptic has also said that their plan is that CO will have an unprecidented level of customizability in character creation. There is the chance that if Cryptic and DoJ agree that the level of customizability is up to the standards of the HERO System the game may also get hung with the title of HERO Online. Though DoJ retains the right to say "no" on that.

One of the design features that Darren mentioned that Cryptic is looking at implementing that would allow you during character creation to create your own nemesis.

There is also every chance that there will be DoJ produced books that have bits and peices that will be useful for the CO players. Behind the scenes type things.

Oh, and Important Thing: DoJ will be getting access to Cryptic Studios art for publishing in their books.

Important Note from Steve: HERO 6th will in no way be "dumbed down" to make it more appealing to MMO players. I'll note he says this as an MMO player himself.

Customizability is still one of the most discussed elements of CoX so anything that greatly improves upon that is always welcome, especially Power Customization

It's also good to hear that they'll have a version of the Arch-Nemesis System that was talked about as well, it's still one of the things I still want them to move ahead with on CoX, maybe this will finally give them the incentive to do it back over there.

[StGrimblefig]

Sure. Shall we also make the CLOWN guild as well?

If I understand the situation correctly, wouldn't that name be owned by Cryptic? If so, I doubt they would let you use it in-game, as it might limit their ability to re-create the group themselves.

Of course, DOJ didn't bring CLOWN into the 5Ed CU, So I do not know the status regarding CO.

[Bazza]

Also, if Cryptic is serious to buy the IP rather than license it, they must see CO as a long term successful enterprise. If they were after a "quick buck" they'd presumably license the IP.

Buying the IP indicates to me a level of commitment to CO.

[thepatriot]

Sorry but this blows IMO. I'm not that interested in the Champions Universe as we always ran our own campaigns anyway. I wanted an MMO with the Champions rules set. I love CoX and Champions, but a Cryptic MMO that just uses the Champions IP is not something I'm willing to play.