Questions and Considerations

[BDS]

lwpd said:

I fully understand the inherent drawbacks and concerns with bootlegs...but I also think that online bootleg card creation and 'real time' play can offer one of the strongest appeals for people to use the system. One only needs to look at this board to see the appeal the genre has...including players who run and post Feds that are entirely player created. It's a very real way that many people play the game and ideally the system should accommodate that segment.

Perhaps a more conservatively run part of the Game Area could be set up strictly for bootlegs...one where there is a content 'approval' system set up going in (where a moderator approves/disapproves new submissions before they are playable in the system). While not perfect this could alleviate some of the potential problems while also making the system more broadly appealing. I'm sure one could get people from the community to 'volunteer' x amount of time a week to moderate the process free of charge (or in exchange for use of COTG Online). Just something worth considering.

Agreed. However, our major concerns at launch time right now are replicating the "official" COTG experience that you would get from the box and the contents therein. In time, there are many, many old and NEW facets of COTG that should and will be implemented. Creating characters is a feature that has the possiblity to improve the game, but also has some drawbacks. It's not something we've ruled out entirely, and we'll definitely take feedback from our loyal promoters before making a final decision, it's just not something that will be available at launch because of the resources, both developmental and operational, that we'd have to divert from other areas for its inclusion.

One thing to consider is that since COTGonline will be exposing our beloved game to a new audience, we want to protect the integrity of the existing characters. Introducing bootlegs into the equation has the potential to "devalue" the official characters. Take Monolith for example - Monolith is balanced, and therefore beatable just like any other GWF character. In the balance of the greater COTG universe, though, he's on top of the pile and needs to be presented in a way as to be recognized as such. I'd hate to see thousands of thousands of new people exposed to Monolith by seeing him go 0-27 against a fan creation. This isn't a problem when people are sharing their results in the limited capacity that promoters have now - but with the potential for data sharing that there is in the COTGonline Stat Tracker, it's something we have to be aware of.

If and when bootlegs do become part of COTGonline, it certainly seems that having a seperate area for these created characters might be the best method. Perhaps even a feature that imports official characters into the bootleg area and vice versa would also be available. With all of the questions regarding how to implement bootlegs in a manner that protects COTG, both from an intellectual property standpoint as well as a character/branding standpoint, along with the resources we'd have to devote to adding them in, there really isn't any way to have them in at launch time. Perhaps as a future addition? Possibly, but our focus right now is getting the project completed and launched. We'll look at other features once everything's been rolling along smoothly for a while.

[GOODZILLA]

Agree 100% with everything you just said BDS. I enjoy creating and collecting bootlegs, but never have time to play anything other than my GWF fed. I was hoping that this would allow me to run a bootleg fed, but I understand all the drawbacks and risks involved.

Thanks again!

[GOODZILLA]

bigdaddyswank said:

One thing to consider is that since COTGonline will be exposing our beloved game to a new audience, we want to protect the integrity of the existing characters. Introducing bootlegs into the equation has the potential to "devalue" the official characters. Take Monolith for example - Monolith is balanced, and therefore beatable just like any other GWF character. In the balance of the greater COTG universe, though, he's on top of the pile and needs to be presented in a way as to be recognized as such. I'd hate to see thousands of thousands of new people exposed to Monolith by seeing him go 0-27 against a fan creation. This isn't a problem when people are sharing their results in the limited capacity that promoters have now - but with the potential for data sharing that there is in the COTGonline Stat Tracker, it's something we have to be aware of.

If and when bootlegs do become part of COTGonline, it certainly seems that having a seperate area for these created characters might be the best method. Perhaps even a feature that imports official characters into the bootleg area and vice versa would also be available. With all of the questions regarding how to implement bootlegs in a manner that protects COTG, both from an intellectual property standpoint as well as a character/branding standpoint, along with the resources we'd have to devote to adding them in, there really isn't any way to have them in at launch time. Perhaps as a future addition? Possibly, but our focus right now is getting the project completed and launched. We'll look at other features once everything's been rolling along smoothly for a while.

I like this idea a lot. If, and hopefully when, bootlegs become usable in COTGonline, I think they should be kept separate from the official guys. Maybe you could come up with a way to have "exhibition matches" where bootlegs can be imported into the GWF and vice versa, but I don't think it should count in the wrestlers win/loss totals for the exact reasons you specified.

[stephenvegas]

I think I will still do most of my official matches for my feds by using the traditional dice and cards. That's also been my preference when it comes to gambling. Unless I am heavily intoxicated, in casinos I prefer to play something like blackjack with the actual cards in my hand at the tables rather than play video blackjack or video poker at the bar.

But I think this is cool because I think it will help market COTG. And, because I can have exhibition matches from here in Sin City against other promoters online, I am looking really forward to getting this.

[GOODZILLA]

I think that if and when all the COTG sets are available, it will help me get caught up for sure. One thing that I've always wanted to do is be able to run house shows, televised shows and PPV's. I usually get bored with the house shows and don't make it to the bigger cards. It seems, with COTGonline, I would be able to sim all my house shows and therefore still have a recorded history that I want to have, and then use the cards and dice for the bigger, more exciting shows.

[JMello]

My only question currently and you may have covered it and I just missed it, is will we be able to put our past history in? I know for some this would be impossible, since they have years and years, but my EC Fed and aCe Fed are relatively new and I'd love to have the past records on there as well, is this possible?

[BDS]

jmello said:

My only question currently and you may have covered it and I just missed it, is will we be able to put our past history in? I know for some this would be impossible, since they have years and years, but my EC Fed and aCe Fed are relatively new and I'd love to have the past records on there as well, is this possible?

You will when those feds are available. So you'll be able to put all of your aCe history in as soon as COTGonline launches. Your EC fed will have to wait until when and if EC is released for COTGonline.

[Wildfire]

I'm not so sure its a good idea to be able to enter in your old records...

I think that sorta compromises the global stats that we're all excited about. What's to stop someone who's a big Flatliner fan to list that his 17-0 to make is rating look better?

A silly thing to do? sure, but so is cheating to have a good rating for online games, and we all know how rampant that is.

Now, if you have a way to make this difficult, or make it obvious that its been done so you can get rid of it, then it could be ok.

[BDS]

wildfire said:

I'm not so sure its a good idea to be able to enter in your old records...

I think that sorta compromises the global stats that we're all excited about. What's to stop someone who's a big Flatliner fan to list that his 17-0 to make is rating look better?

A silly thing to do? sure, but so is cheating to have a good rating for online games, and we all know how rampant that is.

Now, if you have a way to make this difficult, or make it obvious that its been done so you can get rid of it, then it could be ok.

Yeah, people do dumb things. That's why programmers create filters to counteract said dumb things. I'm going to do everything possible to preserve the purity of the stats.

As far as entering in old records, because of the way the Stat Tracker works, that being independently of the dice-rolling simulator, that has to be allowed. Plus, with all of the history that's scattered around the world in the notebooks and spreadsheets of Promoters, I just think it would be an absolute shame to not have some sort of way to tap into that resource.

[GalactiKing]

One of my worries is that it won't allow the dumb luck some people have had. For instance, Wraith holding the heavyweight title for a year (not my fed), Bloodline(in my fed) going winless one year, or another example from mine...the odd year when Vault of Horror went undefeated on a limited schedule. Still, it will be interesting to see.

[swarm]

You're back!

[Tournament Master]

troy said:

One of my worries is that it won't allow the dumb luck some people have had. For instance, Wraith holding the heavyweight title for a year (not my fed), Bloodline(in my fed) going winless one year, or another example from mine...the odd year when Vault of Horror went undefeated on a limited schedule. Still, it will be interesting to see.

I'm not sure about the level of stats you will be able to see from other people's feds, but I could see atleast BDS having the ability to see all sosrts of statistical anomolies like these and giving a year end recap. Just because the rolls are being don by a random number generator rather than dice, doesn't mean these same things won't happen.

But if the Ninja Assassins go undefeated for 2 years in someone's fed I will be very surprised.

[BDS]

tournamentmaster said:

I'm not sure about the level of stats you will be able to see from other people's feds, but I could see atleast BDS having the ability to see all sosrts of statistical anomolies like these and giving a year end recap.

Everything TM has said here is correct and will happen. The team will have access to all of the global stats "behind the scenes," and Osk's already got big plans for these monstrous "Year in Review" things complete with awards and everything.

As to letting other people see your stuff, that's entirely up to you. Users will have the option of keeping their feds private, making them visible to select friends, or public for the whole world to see.

tournamentmaster said:

Just because the rolls are being don by a random number generator rather than dice, doesn't mean these same things won't happen.

I won't get into a philosophical discussion of the standard PC random number table vs. the one contained within the Earth here. I will say that I've been programming since before I hit puberty and I've seen the Random Number Generator do some pretty wacky stuff. I don't think that COTGonline will be exempt from this phenomenon.

[JMello]

I've used a random number generator the whole time I've played and I still have similar results just like everyone else. You still have your upsets and nothing is ever a sure thing. I promise you that...

[dbfnq]

Sorry, quick question from back at the start of the thread:

bigdaddyswank said:

The aCe Trilogy (2119-2121) will be available at launch time

Will the Trilogy pack contain just the 2119-2121 characters, or will the LEs and the guys from the Collector's Pack also be available?

[Pete Beck]

dbfnq said:

Sorry, quick question from back at the start of the thread:

bigdaddyswank said:

The aCe Trilogy (2119-2121) will be available at launch time

Will the Trilogy pack contain just the 2119-2121 characters, or will the LEs and the guys from the Collector's Pack also be available?

That is a very good question...Well Mr Osk or BDS? I am betting that the "Progression" feature has something to do with this...

[BDS]

petebeck said:

That is a very good question...Well Mr Osk or BDS? I am betting that the "Progression" feature has something to do with this...

To my knowledge, you'll have everything you need to start playing aCe 2119 when COTGonline launches.

[Eliath]

So if I was planning on making the Storm the Ace purchase I should wait until after CotGonline gets going or should I go ahead and make the purchase now and get the cardstock cards?

[swarm]

I would buy the cards. Then you have both if for when you want them. I think you have to buy the cards to play them online anyways?

[Eliath]

swarm said:

I would buy the cards. Then you have both if for when you want them. I think you have to buy the cards to play them online anyways?

That is exactly why I am asking..I was planning on Storming the Ace and purchasing all the cards from Fed HQ...but if all the aCe versions will be online then should I wait to make that purchase and print them out myself?