Report from the Hero Announcement #2

[Blue]

Well, no surprise that they can't please everyone.

I hope I can get into the beta!

[thepatriot]

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.

That's actually backwards. If they licensed and DoJ went bankrupt or sold the IP then Cryptic would be out in the cold. By buying the IP Cryptic is in charge of it now and they don't have to worry what happens to DoJ. This actually shows a lack of faith in the future of DoJ. I hope DoJ got a boat load of money for it.

[gojira]

Well according to Archermoo DOJ got at least a boat load of art resources. That would be something. If DOJ got money too then they are officially in heaven I think.

[First Hero]

There was some stuff and some nice looking screenshots from the Game Informer article:

# The game has classes, but every class has access to every power. Class defines how many points each power costs for your character.

# Graphics are a 3D/cell shading hybrid that Cryptic calls "comic shading".

# The underground arena circuit allows PvP.

# Only heroes at launch. Dark Champions as an expansion later.

# Fully customizable characters AND powers AND movement types(floating,running on four legs).

# Secret identities.

# Customizable arch-nemesis. If you ever decide to kill off or incarcerate your AN, you get to create a new one.

# The game will take place world wide, not in just one city.

# Planned zones: underground cities, dinosaur-infested island, secret desert military base.

# The game has been created with Cryptic's proprietary game engine called "Game Tech".

# The game will also include voice dialogue and cutscenes.

# Scheduled for a 2009 release.

[archermoo]

Wow! Thats pretty cool. So does DoJ/Hero Games have a deal to be part of the development of the Champions Universe?

The continued "Champions ongoing story" is what I'm getting at....

My understanding is thatthey will be consulted at the very least.

[archermoo]

Right...but before CoH, there wasn't a CoH. I think most of the folks that were interested in a superhero MMO already play CoH. CO has to convince people that it's better than CoH, whereas CoH just had to convince people that it was better than nothing.

Yeah, but CO is being written 4 years later by the same people who wrote CoH to begin with. With 4 years of tech improvements to build upon.

[archermoo]

But just remember... us 'old guard' were playing HERO while these snappy MMO kids were still peeking at the Sears catalog. Don't discard us TOO fast now

Keep in mind that some of us MMO players are also old guard HERO players as well. I've been playing HERO since 1981.

[archermoo]

Where can you find the official announcement for this?

You won't find it here until Wednesday. Cryptic isn't making their official announcement until then, and HERO has agreed to not release anything officially outside of the seminar at Dundracon until then as well.

[archermoo]

That's actually backwards. If they licensed and DoJ went bankrupt or sold the IP then Cryptic would be out in the cold. By buying the IP Cryptic is in charge of it now and they don't have to worry what happens to DoJ. This actually shows a lack of faith in the future of DoJ. I hope DoJ got a boat load of money for it.

It isn't a matter of Cryptic not having faith in DoJ. Cryptic just didn't have any interest in working on another license that they did not own, so the idea of simply licensing Champions was never a discussion, according to Darren.

[James Gillen]

I'm still leery about this. Yeah, you can always just start over with another Hero Universe or superhero setting, but "Champions" is still Hero's gateway title- maybe even moreso now, to judge from the redesign of this site's homepage. If somebody else has it then you're giving up a very valuable intellectual property. I'm sure it'll pan out for Cryptic, not as sure about the long-term future of Hero.

JG

[Balok]

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

"Cryptic Studios, how may I direct your call?"
"This is Steve Long."
"Yes, Mr. Long. I'll put you right through."
"Hi, Steve, what I can do for you?"
"I need to discuss some things you can't ever allow in the game. Ever..."

[archermoo]

I'm still leery about this. Yeah, you can always just start over with another Hero Universe or superhero setting, but "Champions" is still Hero's gateway title- maybe even moreso now, to judge from the redesign of this site's homepage. If somebody else has it then you're giving up a very valuable intellectual property. I'm sure it'll pan out for Cryptic, not as sure about the long-term future of Hero.

JG

Well since part of the contract selling the IP covers the relicensing of Champions and Dark Champions back to DoJ in perpetuity at no cost to DoJ, I don't see that it is much of an issue. Plus the fact that the contract also covers a wide variety of other possible situations, I feel confident that DoJ has covered themselves pretty well on this one.

[Steve Long]

Where can you find the official announcement for this?

You'll be able to find it on the official MMO website, the Cryptic site, and here... on Wednesday the 20th, when it's being officially launched at GDC. We were able to make an early announcement at DunDraCon, but other than that we're not going to be saying anything online, either, until Wednesday.

[voodoo54]

You'll be able to find it on the official MMO website, the Cryptic site, and here... on Wednesday the 20th, when it's being officially launched at GDC. We were able to make an early announcement at DunDraCon, but other than that we're not going to be saying anything online, either, until Wednesday.

Excellent

[StGrimblefig]

You'll be able to find it on the official MMO website, the Cryptic site, and here... on Wednesday the 20th, when it's being officially launched at GDC. We were able to make an early announcement at DunDraCon, but other than that we're not going to be saying anything online, either, until Wednesday.

You're enjoying stringing us along way too much, Steve.