A Merry Christmas to All... but watch out for the Tannenbomb at the bottom.

It’s hard to believe that the festive season is in full swing right now, and it’s been a year of sadness - this time last year, we were still all processing the closure of City of Heroes and coming to terms with the fact that the plans to save it hadn’t worked out as we hoped.

But it’s also been a good year - despite the closure of the game, we’re all still here, one way or another. The good folks at the Titan Network are still home to many City of Heroes players, while others have reconnected across a myriad of different Facebook groups, Twitter and various other forms of social media.

We’re very lucky to be part of that still active community - our forums and social media sites are full of people reminiscing about City of Heroes, our Kickstarter felt less like a campaign and more like a reunion and we’re still having people getting in touch with us who have only just found out about City of Titans and want to know what they can do to get involved.

Talking of the Kickstarter - we wanted to lift the lid on some of the bits and pieces that were going on behind the scenes as we launched what we thought, so as a bit of Christmas fun, here’s a few things you might not have known about our 33-day-long campaign to help raise money to start making a crazy idea into reality:

1. PR lead Lauren “Rae” O’Neill got anxious whenever anyone suggested the Kickstarter could go into millions. Therefore, the word ‘million’ was referred to either as ‘the m word’, or, more frequently ‘Raellions’ by most people on the project.




2. Michele "QuantumHero" Alexander-Sichelle is hyphenated, because her first name and married name rhyme, badly. ;) She is brand new to twitter, having resisted all these years, until CoT became a real reason....but she sat down to learn hootsuite in a matter of days for this project. If you have not heard a ton from her during the Kickstarter, it is also because QH is reading all your tweets and comments looking for what our community wants in the future, working on setting up future convention appearances for MWM staff, keeping an eye on the gaming industry at large, and more....all while in the middle of moving.

3. The community hit the target amount so quickly that the PR team didn’t get the chance to implement the plans they thought they’d need to keep the community excited about the project. Lauren posted a picture of her Kickstarter plan ripped up on our Facebook account, just five days in.

4. Over 1,000 articles about City of Titans were published by the gaming media throughout the Kickstarter campaign. We’d initially hoped to share as many of them as possible with our community, but there were so many we were frightened of spamming. The campaign was covered by the biggest gaming sites in the US and UK, as well as gaming sites in Germany, Russia, China, Italy, Holland, Spain and Poland.

5. A number of City of Heroes developers pledged money to the Kickstarter, and we also had Twitter support from epic nerd-rockers, Kirby Krackle.

6. DC “Terwyn” James MacKay and Jonathan “Mentalshock” MacKay are twins respectively in charge of the business/marketing and human resources aspects of the project. There have been minor amusing glitches in communication specifically because they speak their own internal language, and have never *quite* mastered the english translation.

7. Everything about VDG is [redacted]. Everything. The reason why is [redacted]. FOIA filings have not yet been answered.

8. Lauren took an unexpected leave of absence about halfway through the Kickstarter because her father was involved in a serious traffic accident. The rest of the team stepped in to support her and take over her duties. He’s doing fine now, thankfully.

9. Screengrab of our internal chat room as the Kickstarter ticked down:




10. Nate “Doctor Tyche” Downes had to take several days off in the middle of the Kickstarter due to his wife having a planned-for surgery.

11. There are 74 active volunteers who put in more than 20 hours a week.

12. The Phoenix Statue used in the logo was originally created by VDG using a swallow for inspiration.

13. Warcabbit is neither a war nor a cabbit. Warc may, however, be some other form of lapinoid.

14. The girl in the video firing the laser beam is known as ‘Lucky’. She is a stock model from Mixamo which we used to validate animations against.

15. The video in the kickstarter was actually the fourth video produced for it. The first three were destroyed under mysterious circumstances. Well. Not so much mysterious as ‘don’t try to render 3D graphics in a Texas Summer with no AC’.

16. The UFO appearing in several Kickstarter updates is a historically accurate model. Anyone identify it yet?

17. At no point did anyone in the kickstarter spontaneously turn into a penguin.

18. Blockman has two PhDs and can speak eleven languages. Sadly, he has no mouth. It is yet unknown if he can scream.

19. There were 33 planned for easter eggs contained in the Kickstarter material. To date, only 12 have been publicly identified.

20. The Kickstarter video used was originally planned for inclusion on the day 20 update.


Heroes Halt Havoc.. on the Holidays!

21. Work on the Kickstarter began in May. 22. Nate “Doctor Tyche” Downes promised to shave off his beard and send it off for scientific research if we reached the goal within the first week. He has so far been postponing the event. Shame on him.

23. The invisibility shot for the Kickstarter happened by a complete accident. It was originally to be a test of the armor-aura system, but in the setup, the control system was connected to the opaque instead of the texture channel, resulting in the player model vanishing. The result looked so good, they kept it, and used the fixed aura setup for the screenshot of the IFRIT.

24. Blockman has multiple skins available. None of them are of Gumby.

Yes, we know it’s not quite the same as the winter chalet in Pocket D and rescuing Baby New Year, but with things progressing as we are - who knows what we’ll be doing this time next year? Speaking of events, I know a bunch of you miss the old Winter Event, so we found a way to give you XTREME early access to City of Titans gameplay.

WHENCE COMES... THE TANNENBOMB?

Right below this blurb, you'll find a picture that's a link to a JPG. Take it, print it out on any printer - don't worry, the creature's black and white, so any printer will do - grab some tape, stick it to a tree, and huck a snowball at it! Presto! Winter event. For X8 gameplay, print out multiple copies.

Want a Boss challenge? Use Legal and stretch it! For world boss scale, I'm afraid you'll either need a really expensive printer, or use action figures to attack it. No snow? Well, shaved ice will do, and if you get green, you can pretend to be a Radiation Guardian!

And hey, if you feel you've done something impressive, take pictures and share it on theforum.

He'll deck YOUR halls!

We may take the game seriously, but there's no reason we can't have fun along the way. Enjoy the holidays, everyone. Be safe, be healthy, and most of all, be heroic. Or villainous. Whatever fits best.

Fanterview: Ionia Titan

Stick ‘em up! This is an armed robbery!

I wasn’t there. I was in Switzerland.

No - wait - that’s a lie. I’m sorry, this actually isn’t a robbery, it’s an interview. 

Well, hello there! Thank you for you offering your time to be fanterviewed and being a fan and follower of Missing Worlds Media and our first project, City of Titans!

Thank you and to MWM for allowing fans to have these moments

So, enjoying the snow? You mentioned you were getting buried under it.

Not yet. But it is coming. :)

So what’s your name (or internet alias?)

 I am known to most as either Ionia Titan or Mad Vyking. But good friends know me as Tor.

Where in this great wide world do you hail from?

Born in Brooklyn, NY. Lived in the Florida Keys. Now living in the Catskills Mountains of New York.

What was your first experience with videogames or MMO’s?

In video games: Pong the coin op game (old man voice) I remember when using the dial on that game was a skill.

MMO’s City of Heroes. Case of they got it right the first time.

Which is harder - videogames or arcade games?

Nowadays video games - due to the ability to play the game with others who are not next to you to distract or taunt. Don’t say you don’t know someone who did the elbow jab or shouted JINX in middle of the game.

See, I would say arcade games because they eat your money.

Out of all the superhero themed movies out these last few years, any favorites? (The correct answer is: Man of Steel)

OOOH tough one due to I, like many comic book fans, am a stickler to the original story line.

I would have to give credit to Tim Burton’s Batman cause of Jack Nicholson as the Joker (Man of Steel) Avengers (Man of Steel) Thor (Man of Steel) and on a guilty pleasure note Fantastic Four getting the camaraderie right (Man of Steel)

Did I mention Man of Steel?

*nods head*

How did you first hear about City of Titans, Missing Worlds Media’s first project?

It was a little after the day City of Heroes was taken from us. Was reading several articles of various opinions of why it happened and then I saw about the spiritual successors which led to the Missing Worlds Wedia website. Saw the Youtube video and the sketches of what to expect and I saw not only hard work but a passion.

Was it hard losing that MMO? Have you been a part of other MMO’s that have shut down?

It was hard losing the game but more of the access of the people I knew and especially the people who were in Hero Dawn supergroup on Virtue. City of Heroes players are unique that even though there were roleplayers, number crunchers, mission grinders etc. they were also the most helpful and friendly by a landslide when you look at other games. In my group especially there was a bond that to this day is being carried.

As for other games, no this was the first game to close on me under questionable reasons let alone any reason.

Speaking of which - any other MMO’s you’ve been playing or any exciting games?

After COH, I tried DCUO, SWTOR, STO and Champions. At moment on Champions.

It’s been a little over a month since the Kickstarter ended, but what are your thoughts on how it went?

I knew the goal was obtainable in my mind due to the people who played the game are as passionate. I know several people willing to wait til the paycheck to put in $5 for CoT. I still talk to a few people of my group and gave reports on how the Kickstarter was doing and all were wondering if the million was going to hit.

Out of all the updates from the Kickstarter, which was your favorite?

Two out of all of them. Hitting the goal, dare I say in record time and the final one surpassing the naysayers skepticism. Which personally I took a hidden pleasure. For some reason, the videos of the naysayers seem to have disappeared. (sarcastic voice) I don’t know why….

If I was allowed to copy and paste the freak outs the MWM team when we hit our initial goal, I would. Right now they only serve as blackmail. Useless blackmail, really, since everyone on the team has a copy.

Which feature are you most looking forward to, from all the updates you’ve read?

Well all are of course waiting for the final product. I'm interested in the Avatar system for the Android and the Ipod/phone/pad/watch/shoe etc.

What would make the Avatar builder system really stand out for you? Any feature you’d like to see?

The ability to work on costumes when away from the game. I know a few people who would love to work on one if they are out about. They see a billboard, mannequin or somebody with something on and then inspiration hits.

Any other ‘on the fly’ tools you’d like to see available for phones and tablets and whatnot?

While in Hero Dawn on Virtue, we ran costume contests. We also did trivia which I was in charge of. I worried about making it home if the road was iced up. So I on that point would say maybe a way to chat with people on the game. At very least, friends can go “Save a spot for me on task force. I stopped to get donuts.”

*takes notes*
*steals genius ideas*

Do you stop to get donuts or do the donuts stop to get you?

Depending on the mood.

So what kind of system are you running - any nifty hardware to brag about?

Just a basic computer nothing souped up. I get picked on due to loading slow speeds at times but if i can enjoy the game with my friends i’ll take the barbs with a smile.

I’ve been there. I used to experience 5+ minute loading times. It was a running joke that by the time I loaded a mission they’d already be done with the entire arc.

(imitates a president) I feel your pain.

Do you mix social media with your gaming?

In more ways than one now. During the gameIi wrote stories of Hero Dawn using players who went above and beyond the call of duty. After the game, several people said I should start writing for real. I am writing episodic books and needless to say have to tell people. I use Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest

How would you integrate social media with an MMO?

If you mean while the game is on, I can see people wanting to post the triumphant moment when hitting the top level or beating a task force. Maybe the ability to instantly post a screenshot from the game and BANG on the the social media in question.

Of course, one of my favorite topics: PVP. Do you enjoy PVP in an MMO or do you routinely avoid it?

When I PVP’ed I was the guy who went “Hi” (faceplant from one shot johnny, reform) “Wait a sec…” (faceplant) “Let me…” (faceplant)

You see a pattern.

But it’s such a beautiful pattern!

What is your favorite superhero power and why?

At first and currently use the swords. But when I did a warshade with Ionia Titan, I stumbled on (don't ask me how i did it) the combo enhancements to make  Ionia immune to the voids and cysts attack. I always got a giggle when invited to a unknown group , went into task task force, they initially picked on me when they showed up just to fall silent when i plowed through. Even got the Crab form as tough as a tank.

Let’s turn the tables - what’s a question you have for me that I can hopefully answer for you?

What caught my attention is the fact you guys are making sure you are taking time to do this game correctly. I always believed in the old adage “You can either do it fast or do it right.” I know you guys get the HURRY UP shout. What do you want to say to your idea of proving that adage correct?

Soon™

Said out of practice I see!

Lastly: Any favorite quote you want to share?

For all my SG members, Hero Dawn: We don’t die, we diversify!

(I know some will say bad grammar but considering the idea came from the quote used in “BeBe’s Kids” it is faithful to the actual quote.)

Any chance I can plug Hero Dawn book?

Go for it :)

If interested look for Hero Dawn: Rise of the Powers on Amazon.com. I is an episodic chapter to chapter book so files will be small enough to fit on smartphones :) Chapter one is out now and two is coming soon.

And for everyone else look for City of Titans in 2015.

Fanterview: HamiJello

Well, hello there! First off, I’d like to thank you for being a supporter of Missing Worlds Media (MWM) and our first project, City of Titans!

<licks people>

So - what’s it like, being the typist of HamiJello?

Enjoyable, really. I usually don’t get to be funny in my day job, so being able to be creative and, I hope funny, is always fun for me.

Is it hard having to maintain some of the Twitter Feuds between The Goo, Jurassik, and Nemesis?

Since somebody else does the Nemesis feed, I find it fun throwing taunts back at them and having somebody else to play off of. As for Jurassik, well…. he’s an idiot, so it’s not hard to want to smack him all the time.

What would you like to see him smacked with?

Anything. Anything at all. But a jackhammer would be much better.

As I understand it, the universe HamiJello hails from was destroyed almost a year or so ago? How’s it been enjoying it’s time here?

Hami still lives in Paragon, so he’s been exploring the empty city. From what I heard, Jurassik got sick and threw up enough asphalt to repave Faultline… and also flooded Founder’s Fall when trying to take a swim. But mainly, I think he’s trying to keep busy, find friends, and stay away from Null the Gull.

What’s so fearful about Null the Gull?

Null the Gull is… well, I can’t really say. He’ll… he’ll find me.

So what about yourself - where on this great wide world are you from?

I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas, all my life.

Is it true that everything is bigger in Texas? Don’t lie to me.

I’d love to say yes, yes it is. But my wife will probably read this and call me out on it.

Oh my.

Which game are you most excited about for 2014? (The correct answer is: City of Titans in 2015-ish!)

<Nod nod> Nothing in 2014. I’ll have to keep playing Star Control or Doom until City of Titans comes out in 2015. <where’s my dolla?>

How did you first hear about Missing Worlds Media (MWM) and their first major project, City of Titans?

Most likely it was something through the Save City of Heroes Facebook page. Most of that time was spent with lack of sleep trying to cram in as much CoH as I could.

What was your reaction to the final tally for the City of Titans Kickstarter of $678k - and 5,000 backers?

Floored. I expected it to go over the goal, but nowhere near as quickly and nowhere near as much. I remember keeping the Kickstarter page loaded on my phone all the time, and refreshing it many times through the day. I also kept my uninterested coworkers up to date on the tally.

Of all the updates, which were your favorite and why?

I loved seeing the updates when a milestone was cracked. Those were my favorite ones, because they showed how strong our community was. 5000 backers, and $678k raised? Fantastic!

So, a favorite question of mine - how would you like to see PvP handled and what could City of Titans do to handle PvP differently than any other MMO?

I’m honestly not a big fan of PVP because I had some bad experiences with being name called in a few games. But I think some sort of cooperative PVP experience could be fun, some kind of team based mission could pique my interest in revisiting PVP.

So like Capture The Flag or PvP Soccer?

I’m thinking more like a Task Force or Mission where the bosses are actual other players.

What is it in a videogame that really sucks you in and gets you invested in it?

One of my favorite games of all time is Star Control 2. It was made in 1992. The graphics are dreadful today, but the thing that keeps me going back to playing it is the storyline, the open-ended missions, and the dialogue choices. I can go talk to the VUX and either call them ugly (which, let’s be honest, they are) or try and make peace with them. I think the idea that YOU control the story is the thing that keeps me sucked in. Even if it’s an illusion, it still keeps me fascinated.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge lying ahead for the City of Titans team?

You’ve got a fantastic, dedicated fanbase. But there are those people out there, a vocal group, who come around to every post about CoT and start the doomsaying. I think there will be a good chunk of those as you get closer to release, so those doomsayers (DOOM!) will be the biggest challenge.

For a game that has just begun development City of Titans seems to already have attracted quite an active community - do you that that is something that is unique to the superhero MMO genre?

Yes. Because the idea of a superhero is one that helps people out and fosters a sense of community. Those that want to be superheroes are ones that are most willing to help and join in on a community.

Speaking of superheroes, what is it attracts you to the Superhero MMO genre?

I’d just love to be able to fly, take down the bad guys, save the people from evil, and be like The Flash was in the Justice League TV Show.

Did you see any of the superhero films this year - Man of Steel, Ironman, Thor?

Oh yeah. All of them mentioned. I turned my wife into a big superhero fan, but she was especially keen to see Thor for some reason.

Was it because of the Jimmy Kimmel “Thor, Actually” trailer?

The only Jimmy Kimmel thing she saw was the parents steal kids’ Halloween candy, so I’m gonna have to go with Chris Hemsworth’s abs.

Did you know that Jimmy Kimmel is actually Chris Hemsworth’s ab’s alternate identity? (This is a lie.)

Well, now you’ve just made her want to record all of his episodes. Maybe even some of The Man Show.

Why do you think the superhero genre in the last decade has gained a lot of attention in the last decade as a medium for telling deep, rich stories?

Because of the rich history it has. They can pick and choose from any fantastic storyline, and alter it to fit events that will appeal to the greater mass. Also, I think with all of the evil in the world today, people like to see heroes save the day.

How do you feel about the whole “superhero tv show” trend these last few years? Well, decade, really, owing to Smallville.

Smallville went too long IMO, got corny near the end. But the trend, such as Arrow and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are turning out well. I’m all for those shows if they get based in a bit of reality like Christopher Nolan’s DC-Verse. Also, I still love watching the DC Animated Universe when I can catch them.

Any comic series or publishing house you follow in particular?

I get the “Star Trek reboot” series from IDW publishing regularly. That’s pretty much my comic book purchase these days, but I do have the entire collection of Batman comics that were given away by the “Batman cereal.” I had to eat boxes of that stuff to get it, it was nasty, but it was BATMAN!

Do you think webcomics are the future of comics?

I would be surprised if web anything wasn’t the future. For now, in our commercialized society, I think it will be a niche that will be for fun. Eventually, it’ll be what everybody does.

What do you think MMO’s are going to be like five years and ten years from now?

I’ve played two MMOs in my life: City of Heroes and Star Trek Online. The cash shop has been added since then, F2P is becoming a standard. The only thing I can think of at this time for any advancement is moving them to a mobile app, like the avatar creator for City of Titans. Perhaps some kind of side missions via mobile apps as well.

What do you think gaming communities are going to be like in the next few years?

I can’t see them being any different than they are now. Forums, in-game chat, and social media are the main ways they communicate now, and I really can’t think of anything other than Borg implants that will change that.

Do you think people are becoming more involved with their digital communities than their local Real-Life communities?

Emotionally, maybe. But I don’t think that there’s any way people can be more involved with such a large area in a physical, economical sense at the time we live in. It would take teleporters to be able to do more than emotional involvement.

Can gaming communities become forces for positive change in the world via charities and other services?

I think that our Real World Heroes showed we can, as well as the many other charity events we helped with. We’re a force for good, and will continue to do so.

This wraps it up at this time for our Fanterview - I want to thank you again for your time and I look forward to seeing you continuing helping Hami communicate with the outside world via Twitter!

I look forward to seeing the new world when it happens, and Hami has lots of stories to tell still! Thank you!

Follow HamiJello on Twitter... or else.: https://twitter.com/HamiJello

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

From: Our Technical Director...

Our original schedule for post-Kickstarter updates was thrown to the wind, quite literally, when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines. Our first update was, of course, on the Atlas Hurricane. We have since put that on hold, and have picked up with the next update, on the Firefighters memorial.

Sitting next to the headquarters of the Titan City Fire Department in Alexandria, is a small, unassuming memorial. Small when compared to the physical size of most memorials, the meaning of the Fallen Firefighters’ Memorial is titanic in size. This memorial bears the names of the members of the Titan City Fire Department that have fallen, either in the line of duty, or as a result of illness or injury secondary to their performance of that duty. 

The original memorial, which was completed in 1921, was constructed of a circular reflecting pool that had a small fountain in the middle. The exterior of the reflecting pool was covered by small dark-marble slabs, same as it is now, that bear the names of the fallen. During Hurricane Atlas in 1998, the fountain and some of the parts of the reflecting pool and fountain were damaged beyond repair; a few of the marble slabs were also broken, and needed to be replaced, which was seen to immediately. The chiefs of the fire department decided that, instead of just replacing the fountain and all of the associated components, they would like a statue to better honor those for whom the memorial was built. 

Rather than commissioning professional artists to draw up possible ideas, they would have the residents of the city (and surrounding locales) create their own ideas. Eighteen months were allotted for residents to submit their designs, after which it took nearly 6 months to choose the best statue, as there were a large number of excellent submissions. Another 6 months later, not wanting to work through winter, the construction of the statue finally began, beginning with a metal framework, over which the design was placed. Construction was finally completed another 2 years later, in the spring of 2002.

All of the marble slabs that encircle the base bear the names of the fallen, save two. The first features the logo of the Titan City Fire Department, along with a few simple words:

There is an unknown in every fire.
You do your job.  You follow the plan.  Yet still, something can go wrong.   

We honor here, those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

On the adjacent slab to the right, the inscription reads:

FIRE FIGHTER’S PRAYER

When I am called to duty, God
Wherever flames may rage
Give me strength to save a life
Whatever be its age.
Let me embrace a little child
Before it is too late
Or save an older person from
The horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert
And hear the weakest shout,
And quickly and efficiently
To put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling
To give the best in me,
To guard my friend and neighbor
And protect their property.
And, if, according to your will,
While on duty I must answer death’s call;
Bless with your protecting hand
My family, one and all.

Now, for more direct updates. To handle the add-ons, we are adapting the storefront system we plan on eventually using for the post-KS sales/cash store. Once we have validated that it works without issue, we will be opening this up for you all.

In addition, for the upcoming anniversary, we are coordinating with the Titan Network's #SaveCoH plans. For other anniversary activity, we are excited to see the arrival of Valiance Online's pre-alpha release. The Valiance crew have worked hard to get to this point, and we all should celebrate this milestone.

In the past few weeks we first took a vacation, to let our brains unwind, before we did anything. Since that ended, we have spent the time setting up our licenses, getting ourselves set up with Autodesk, Adobe, Epic, and more. We are unable to give the most exciting news just yet, but it will be forthcoming. And that is what I must leave us with tonight. If things go well, perhaps before the holiday, a mini-update might be going up.

Nate "Doctor Tyche" Downes

NameSake Radio Interviews Hellwreckage, City of Titans’ Composer - Saturday, November 16, 8:00 PM EST

DJ Mandrake of NameSake Radio will be interviewing the Music Lead of City of Titans, our very own Hellwreckage, on Saturday, November 16, at 8:00 PM EST / 5:00 PST (1:00 AM GMT, Sunday, November 17). Tune in at NameSake Radio.

Hellwreckage will be bringing some of his own music as well as music he has composed for City of Titans. There will be a live chat room going and the DJ will be taking questions for Hellwreckage.

Nicolas “Hellwreckage” Grandell is a composer of movie and game scores which are a strange and unique mix of distorted experimental sounds, hard hitting percussion, and soft swelling strings and horns. He’s a hard-working composer dedicated to giving City of Titans the soundtrack it deserves.

The mission of Namesake Radio is to to be a social outlet that promotes all things related to City of Heroes (including ‘spiritual successor’ projects, such as City of Titans) by providing news and entertainment related to those projects and the supers culture in general. Namesake Radio has created a radio stream with live DJs, regular shows, events, reporting, live and recorded interviews, live chat rooms, forums, and more, in a fun and easy to navigate website.

Heroes For Hope

The world needs our help, heroes.

Something terrifying has happened in the Philippines. We can’t sugarcoat it. 

Thousands are dead. More are left without shelter. Children have been orphaned. Parents have lost their families. It’s like a hurricane with winds the speed of a tornado ripped across a small island nation.

That’s not an analogy. But the English language lacks words to describe what happened. So all we have to give you is a bare description.

If we were up and running, if the game was functional, we’d give you all a unique costume T-shirt or something to urge you to help. We don’t have that ready yet. We were taking a week off.

So. No honey this time. Just an appeal to open your wallets one more time, for one dollar, or whatever you feel you can spare, to help people who were hit by a hurricane ten times worse than any we’ve seen in the USA.

These people are specifically helping where it’s needed:

• The Philippine Red Cross are already on the ground, with food, medicine, and disaster relief. (Select Campaign: Supertyphoon Yolanda. 100 Philippine Pesos is $2.30)

• Habitat for Humanity will rebuild what got flattened.

• UNICEF will help the children who have no one to help them anymore.

 Whatever you can do, we thank you.
 

- The People Behind City of Titans

Fanterview: Arclight Comics (Part Two)

Follow Arclight Comics on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArclightComics
Arclight Comics is represented in this Fanterview by Edward Williams

What led you and your guildmates to form your own comic book company?
The Peacekeepers. Look us up on deviantArt, YouTube, or Guild Launch. That’s where it started.

There are three quotes I’d like to use here. Otherwise, I’ll get garrulous because I can go on all day about Arclight. Some people ask, Why create more superheroes? Don’t we have enough? Well, the correct answer to that would be yes. We have an abundance of superheroes today. We’ve hit the mainstream---we no longer have to keep our geekdom behind closed doors. But this is now. What happens in 10 or 20 years? Are we making Iron Man 15? While this is a great time to be a superhero fan, this won’t last forever. Joss Whedon said it best: “There’s probably a dozen [properties I’ve always wanted to do]. It’s very important I don’t do that. It’s very important that we start creating new content again. We can only build on nostalgia so much before we have nothing left to build on. Before we’re rebooting Spider-Man—again. It’s dangerous to the culture, and it’s boring to me. I squeezed in between my Avengers movies a 400-year-old play. So I really need to create some new worlds.” It is this type of thinking we approached one of the reasons why we wanted to start our own indie company. He isn’t telling us to forget about our nostalgia, but put fresher material on the frontlines with it. You’ve got to have a mind capable of reaching into the future and grabbing ahold of what can be rather being content with what currently is. There’s more we can do with this genre. There are ways to make the business and working model of it all better. Geoff Johns says: “I love comics and I want to read them forever, but superheroes need them, because they’ll fossilize like Dick Tracey or The Phantom. If you stop publishing superheroes now, all the new ideas that will keep them relevant will stop. They’ll be frozen in amber like that mosquito in Jurassic Park. To keep those mythologies expanding, to keep those mythologies fresh, you need new voices.”

We’ve got to get comics back in the greater public eye. We’ve got to keep this medium in circulation---this genre. Books use to sell by the millions. Digital comics have made tremendous leaps and bounds and indie publishers are putting out amazing content----but less of it is superheroes. We’re taking our little 2 year old machine and putting it up against a 75 year old monster. How do you compete? Lol. What you don’t do is try to create “the next” Superman or Batman. Those characters carry mythological gravitas that are unmatched. That’s done and we don’t want ‘the next’ or ‘Arclight’s version of...’ something. But what you can do is described in the final quote: “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Google Jim Shooter’s The Dramatic Conclusion of the New Business Model Rant to get an idea around that. We’re geeks---fans even---who see that it’s time for yet another change the same way Siegel and Shuster, and Lee and Kirby did. We want to be a part of the construct that bridges the genre from today, to our tomorrow.

What have been some of the early challenges you’ve encountered?
For starters there’s only three of us: myself, Jason Quinn, and Jeffrey Roach (all of whom played City of Heroes). We started this venture with a bigger crew and it imploded (a ‘too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen’ thing). When that happened I thought it was over, but it was just the beginning. Our first major challenge was figuring out how to get from the universe we built in the guild to what we essentially have today. That’s scary stuff considering it was 3 years worth of building. 80% of our content was designed for DC Universe Online and The Peacekeepers guild; it was a collaborative effort of 40+ creatives and we could not claim it all as our own with a clear conscience. And we sure could not start this venture dependent on another intellectual property’s influence. We had to define ourselves and our universe. We had to find our voice, our story---then figure out the types of tales we wanted to create. We didn’t want to play into what is being done today either. We had to think ahead several years from now. How do we elevate the genre? It was quite the challenge, but we’re excited about what we have today.

I do think one of our most common challenges are the people who think we’re just...outrageous. Lol. We almost sound silly, you know? Believing we can do all of this. But you know what? We’re fine with that. We’ve got something big to strive for everyday we wake up. Its scary and intimidating at times, but it comes with the territory. And let me not forget to mention one of our Arcitects (the name we’ve given to co-founders; its a thematic thing) beating out cancer. Every step of the way that guy made us believe ordinary people can do extraordinary things. He never gave up and we’re thankful he’s here with us today.

How do you think the views on comics have changed over the last ten years?
They’re no longer kiddie-material, that’s for sure.

We’re at a point where we’re starting to see a shift in the ‘industry’ of comics. There’s a war being fought. People want to see equal representation in the books they read. Creators want to be treated with respect and want the freedoms to do what they do best (create). No more editorial dictatorship---that sort of thing. I think we’ve held certain segments of comics back from being progressive over these last several years and now they’re busting at the seams. People are yelling, “No more!,” when it comes to misogyny, rape, racism and other hot button topics. There’s no longer room for gimmicks and tricks to make a quick buck. The consumers are using social media as a weapon to set the records straight, and man are our voices being heard. And with all of this going on with the Big Two, indies are really taking off. Its a good time to be an indie publisher. We (the consumers) are allowing ourselves to be open to new material. I’ve done it myself and find the other genres fascinating (Saga is GREAT, by the way!).

So, how did you first hear about MWM and their first project, City of Titans?
When the ‘City of Heroes is shutting down’ buzz got started, it was one of the project names that popped up on the list. I didn’t think much of it though. I thought NCSoft would pull through and sell the property or at least change their mind. Once that didn’t happen and we all realized the game was gone, I took to MWM after one of our Architects pointed me to it again. My support has been with you guys since.

What’s been your reaction to the success of the Kickstarter campaign so far?
I am not surprised. I have this uncanny ability to detect authenticity and greatness in people. I see these things in Missing Worlds Media. I see a team of people who share a common love for videogames and superheroes, and are bringing their individual talents together to create something phenomenal. And you’re doing it not because of money, but because there’s a void that needs filled. A problem that needs fixed. None of the other SuperMMOs solve these. MWM has stepped up to the plate. It’s admirable, motivational and inspirational. And because of your authenticity and transparency, a community of over 4,000 supporters has come forth. This is the real thing. I see it and the community sees it. I predicted $500k before you all even launched the Kickstarter. We’re at $450k+ now, am I right? ;-)

$456k, as of this interview!

Of course, I have to ask - where do you think the KS is going to finish at and where would you like to see it finish at?
The Kickstarter will most likely reach $480k-$510k, and I would like to see it stop there and here’s why. More money is always great, but the more money it generates, the more work you are going to have to do to get those stretch goals in there. I want you guys to not feel obligated to do those. Are they nice? Hecks yes. But a fun, functioning game is even better. We live in this society where we want more, more, and more, and often, “more” doesn’t equate to “best” or “better”. I personally feel the less stuff you guys have to get in before 2015, the more time and energy can be spent on making the framework sustainable, functional, and ultimately, fun. That’s what’s most important (to me, anyway). But hey. If you all hit a million, I’ll be doing the same dance I’m doing now.

Any of the updates on the KS page catch your eye?
All of them. They’re so well written and give you so much to take away. You guys are really thinking outside of the box. I’m really looking forward to customization and these flexible classes/archetypes (I forget the name you guys are calling them).

What would you like to see done in City of Titans that hasn’t been done in an MMO before?
I always wanted signature characters to get more involved rather be these lifeless avatars you run to for missions or clues. I want to be flying over the Northeastern Research District and all of a sudden one of the signature heroes is flying next to me. Fangasm, right? Just make them feel more a part of the world. Give them that larger than life presence.

A lot of people either love or hate PvP - what are your thoughts and feelings on it?
I’m in that “hate PVP” category. I’ve just never been a fan. My experiences involve gamers who want to simply make someone else’s experience a negative one. That isn’t to say all PVPers are like that, but the few who are make it bad for the rest. But hey. I’ll give it another try in City of Titans!

A lot of people seem skeptical about a “fan made” MMO actually being done - what are your thoughts on that?
Ugh. Listen. Pixar was “fan made.” A bunch of animation and tech geeks who wanted to create movies---they had no idea what they were doing. Apple was a “fan made.” A computer nerd with a vision. Some people will disagree with me, but all of these big companies and celebrities started as fans of something----basketball, animation, movies, video games, etc. Their fandom became passion, and their passions became visions and dreams which ultimately became realities. You have to be the kind of person to see the potential in something big, look into the future, and grab it. You have to be crazy enough to believe you can monumentally change something, go out there, and do it. A lot of people who have done that were inexperienced to start. People are always going to be skeptical and that’s absolutely fine, but let them be skeptics while you continue pushing towards the finish line. Jobs didn’t have it all together, Oprah didn’t and neither did Larry Page. Just a bunch of crazy, passionate fans who loved what they did, but had a dream and goals. Now look at them. Not all are success stories, but we have examples of those that were. There’s proof in the pudding. Just make sure you’ve got the right one.

I’m going to wrap this up here and I want to thank you so much for taking the time to answer my myriad of questions! Any last shout outs or important news about Arclight Comics you want to share?
It was a pleasure! I don’t want to plug Arclight too much (this is about you guys!) but I will say that if you’d like to, please feel free to Like our page. We don’t have much to share at this time (we’re still knee-deep in development) but will be looking for people to join our team VERY soon. This is, of course, on a volunteer basis like MWM, but there’s so much room to learn, grow, have FUN and partake in this vast universe we’re building. Whatever your profession is, if you believe you can help, be on the look out! We would aspire to be this zany mashup of Pixar, Google, Mindvalley and Valve (a lot of name dropping, I know, but our work culture is inspired by each). If you love comics, superheroes, and if there’s something you’re insanely epic at (drawing, writing, graphic design, painting, business, marketing, legal, etc) we’d love for you to join the team as an Arcian. We’ll make announcements about this on our social media outlets come 2014.

Many blessings on Missing Worlds Media and City of Titans. You all have Team Arclight’s full support. If you need anything just knock on our door!