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Microsoft Enters MMOG Deal with Marvel Comics

Posted by Zonk on from the more-toys! dept.

Chris Gondek writes "Microsoft announced it will enter an exclusive deal with Marvel for to develop a Marvel based MMOG for the Xbox 360." From the article: "Although the games will not be released until 2008, according to news agency Reuters, Marvel worldwide president of Consumer Media Tim Rothwell has indicated that it will be the only such MMO deal the company will make - ensuring that no Marvel MMO can appear on the PlayStation 3 or Revolution." So we're going to have a DC supers MMOG, a Marvel supers MMOG, and CoH. May you live in interesting times, indeed.

77 comments

  1. Is the DC game... by samdu · · Score: 1

    ...exclusive to any particular system?

    1. Re:Is the DC game... by LoverOfJoy · · Score: 1
      the article says:

      Interestingly, Sony Online has recently announced that it will be creating a DC Comics-based MMO, targeting a fourth-quarter 2007 release for the PC and unnamed next generation consoles, which would likely not include a Microsoft platform release. Thus, although far away, the stage seems to be set for a Marvel versus DC massively multiplayer game showdown on rival next-gen consoles.
    2. Re:Is the DC game... by Meagermanx · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I wish they would stop with the petty deals and just let them come out with the games for whatever console they want. I don't know why consumers are putting up with this.
      Oh, yeah, because KOTOR and Halo are too great to wait for... *rolls eyes*

    3. Re:Is the DC game... by Kazzahdrane · · Score: 0

      KOTOR wasn't part of any exclusivity deal on Microsoft's part, the PC version just took longer to complete than the Xbox one. Halo you're right about of course.

    4. Re:Is the DC game... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Halo 2, however, has stayed X-Box exclusive and, to be frank, it's a much better game (and a much more compelling reason to purchase an X-Box) than the original. The KOTOR games have always been buggy on PC. I ended up giving away my PC copy of KOTOR2 and buying an X-Box version just so I could play it without the intermittent crashes, the occasional refusals to run the game full-screen and the annoying graphical glitches. Jade Empire, which is in many ways a spiritual successor to the KOTOR games, is X-Box only and likely to remain so.

  2. Uh, ok by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Talk about a niche potential market.

    But then again we are taling about a company that wasted millions buying Rare AFTER the company died...

  3. DC? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Haven't heard of a DC one yet. Will MS be funding further actions against NCSoft?

  4. May be troll, but I have to say it anyway... by Wampus+Aurelius · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "With this next generation of gaming, Marvel fans will finally have the ability to create choices with their favorite Super Heroes, villains and creatures in unbelievable detail, all with the power of Marvel's incredible vision and the Xbox platform."

    As opposed to what they can do now in COH?

    1. Re:May be troll, but I have to say it anyway... by Deathlizard · · Score: 1

      I can hear the Marvel guy with Big Teeth and a Plaid Suit now...

      Well Billy, with the marvel MMORPG, it's now legal to make marvel characters, unlike the evil underhanded villains at Cryptic that made a superhero infringement machine hell bent on destroying the comic industry!

      This is a great thing Billy, because when you play on the Marvel MMORPG, you wont get your Wolverine's name changed to GenericHero37! In fact, Your Wolverine looks a lot better than the last 93 Wolverines before you, but don't you dare make Superman, or we'll send The Punisher over to your house and "Punish" you if you know what I mean.

      --
      In Soviet Russia, Trojan exploits YOU!
    2. Re:May be troll, but I have to say it anyway... by zr-rifle · · Score: 1

      Well, that's why Marvel sued NCSOFT.

      I can't say I'm distressed over the Judge's decision to dismiss the case. Sorry Marvel, it seems you'll just have to deal with some competition.

      --
      Hack your mind out of its sandbox.
    3. Re:May be troll, but I have to say it anyway... by Drawkcab · · Score: 1

      I wonder if Marvel's will somehow do a better job of protecting other comic book franchises from copyright violations than CoH did. I can't really see how unless they simply have a very inflexible creation system, which would be a mistake since the character creation system is half the charm of CoH.

    4. Re:May be troll, but I have to say it anyway... by skreeech · · Score: 1

      from another message board I posted on

      I can see it now. A big crowd on the buggle roof.

      Spoder-Man says, "ISO guide to get pictures of Spider-Man"
      Wolferine says, "how do I get to 1667 Greymalken Lane?"
      The Pun isher says, "What key do I press to take screenshots?"
      Death says, "want to join my team? We have a cool hideout! PM for details."
      Jim says, "I can guide you to get pictures of spider-man"
      Fenix says, "Are any of you boys cute?"
      Halk says, "HALK SMASH!1"
      Batman says, "I've got to save gotham"
      PricePin says, "wrong game fagz0r"

      --
      [20:36] wwwdot/.dotorg
  5. Console MMO games by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    To be honest, I don't really have much faith in a console based MMO game. Having played 'the best' of the genre I can say that the keyboard is essential to play these games; I can't even imagine how impossible it would be to find a group using voice communication while dozens of 12 year olds call eachother gay in general chat.

    1. Re:Console MMO games by patio11 · · Score: 1
      Granted, I wouldn't enjoy playing to, but to answer your question: the interface would have a branching menu system -- hit one button to "talk", brings up a menu of 10-12 categories with drill-down responses, and some of them auto-populate the sentence with information from the client. For example, if FFXI you'd hit [Talk] [Adventuring] [Looking for group] and it would spam general with "Looking for group" (and, as a bonus, display it in Japanese or English as appropriate) -- no reason a better implementation couldn't say "Level 32 eye-beam specced ranged attacker LFG".

      On a tangent -- who else hates the idea of having to speak with people to play online games? I know, on an intellectual level, that one of the female Night Elf healers in my WoW guild is a male Australian currently in the sweaty teenager phase. He's a nice chap and all, but I'd prefer to not have that disconnect thrown at me every time I group with him/her/it/whatever.

      --
      Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.
    2. Re:Console MMO games by the+Man+in+Black · · Score: 1

      Dozens?

      Hundreds, my friend.

      Hundreds. /at least judging by CounterStrike //Wait, this isn't Fark

      --
      El riesgo vive siempre!
    3. Re:Console MMO games by jericho4.0 · · Score: 1

      You raise a very good point about communication potentially ruining the gamers suspension of disbelief. Voice chat is especially bad for this. I think a combination of the hotkey system + (keyboard) chat can work well, with the hotkey messages prominent and the chat messages off in a corner.

      --
      "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing" - Alan Perlis
    4. Re:Console MMO games by toad3k · · Score: 1

      I've been on a text mud for the last decade. It certainly wasn't the graphics that held me in, it was the communication with real people.

      I have never played a modern graphical mmog, but I'm willing to bet that without a serious communication aspect to tie you down to your fellow players, people will abandon ship much sooner, because they won't have that attachment to the community.

    5. Re:Console MMO games by th3space · · Score: 1

      This was my solution to the problem back when I was playing FFXI on the PS2. Now that I no longer play FFXI (I'm a CoH man, myself), the 'controller' gets little/no use and stands as a reminder to myself (along with the damnable PS2/HDD) that not everything Square does is a good thing...

      --
      "How like you to drag your keyboard to a gun fight." - Aaron Bedard (BANE)
    6. Re:Console MMO games by jericho4.0 · · Score: 1

      But text MUD players are in general much more consious of the roleplaying element of the game. You quite a bit less likely to come across a group of dwarves disscusing their homework assignment.

      --
      "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing" - Alan Perlis
  6. Great! New Marvel heroes coming by AtariAmarok · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Uncanny X-box-men
    Captain Bluescreen
    The Clipperine
    However, I forget the superhero name of the fat guy in the skintight butterfly suit.

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    1. Re:Great! New Marvel heroes coming by centauri · · Score: 1

      Your sigline is funny on so many levels.

      --
      Don't blame me, I voted for Durga.
    2. Re:Great! New Marvel heroes coming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      His name is Arthur and he is a moth, not a butterfly.

      SPOOOOOOON!

    3. Re:Great! New Marvel heroes coming by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1
      His name is Arthur and he is a moth, not a butterfly.

      He's talking about the MSN Butterfly Dude. But you do bring up a good point. I see the market is wide open for a Tick MMOG! I want to be The Carpeted Man!

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  7. I sure hope that... by thesandtiger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... Marvel and DC don't do what The Matrix Online and Star Wars: Galaxies did, and create sub-par games while hoping that the fans will be too excited to play in their universes to notice how lousy the game actually is.

    And, it'll be great to have more MMO's that are not elf-based fantasy stuff. I enjoy WoW, but sometimes a girl just wants to beat the crap out of things that aren't "Generic Fantasy Creature #180zillion."

    --
    Since I can't tell them apart, I treat all ACs as the same person.
  8. In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 3, Funny
    "But then again we are taling about a company that wasted millions buying Rare AFTER the company died..."

    Beating a dead horse is for the long-gone socialist world. In the capitalist world, you buy the dead horse.

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    1. Re:In a capitalist world by ElVaquero · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      long gone socialist world? what. the. fuck?

    2. Re:In a capitalist world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If only it were true...*sigh*.

    3. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
      "long gone socialist world? what. the. fuck?"

      Socialism took a big blow when the USSR fell. It is dying in China. Only a few tiny countries still keep it alive. It's on the ash heap of history now.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    4. Re:In a capitalist world by jimi+the+hippie · · Score: 1

      Many countries keep it alive and well (as well as such a morally atrocious system can be kept). Just to name a few: England, Canada, France, and the good ole' US of A.

    5. Re:In a capitalist world by jericho4.0 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Communism is changing. Marxism is long dead. Socialism is alive and well, thank you.

      --
      "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing" - Alan Perlis
    6. Re:In a capitalist world by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      That's communism, socialism is still alive though has seen some mergers with other ideologies resulting in current politics. Ideas like welfare, 40 hour weeks, unions and public medical insurance came from socialism. The US has probably the lowest adoption rate of socialist ideas perhaps because of that whole Communist scare. Socialism is not the opposite of Conservative or "Democrat" politics, it's one part. An absolutely free market, no protection for workers, aristocracy/despotism (as an extension of the classes system), that's the stuff that Socialism is against.

      Of course you could say that total Socialism is dead but I believe that total adherence to any ideology is ineffective. Total Communism doesn't work because humans are greedy, total Capitalism (i.e. unregulated markets, believing in self-regulation) doesn't work because that leads to price fixing and monopolies. The best way is never the extreme way. Or as they say, "everything in moderation".

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    7. Re:In a capitalist world by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Morally atrocious? What do you mean?

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    8. Re:In a capitalist world by jimi+the+hippie · · Score: 1

      atrocious
      adj.

      1. Extremely evil or cruel; monstrous: an atrocious crime.
      2. Exceptionally bad; abominable: atrocious decor; atrocious behavior.

    9. Re:In a capitalist world by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      I know what the word means but what are you talking about in this context? Because I don't see what's atrocious about Socialism. Or are you confusing that with Stalinism?

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    10. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
      " Ideas like welfare, 40 hour weeks, unions and public medical insurance came from socialism."

      It should also be pointed out that forced unionization removes "protection from workers". In the US, most union members do not have a choice: it is "join the union or be fired", even though union membership has nothing to do with job qualifications, and even though the union then forces members to give to political candidates after they are forced to join.

      Curiously, it is the socialists (not the capitalists) who end up banning unions outright. I'm referring to the strong socialists (communists). Hugo Chaves, the "leader of all the peoples" of Venezuela, has crossed this line: he has been working to ban independent (non-government controlled) unins in that country.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    11. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1

      It's nothing more than the idea that ruling elites should have control over personal matters which should be left to the people. Stalinism? That's just a rather pure form of socialism.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    12. Re:In a capitalist world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Listening to Americans talk about socialism is like listening to Ray Charles talk about rainbows.

    13. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1

      You talk as if it is a wonderful thing. Maybe it is more like listening to Ray Charles talk about the Goatse jpg than about a beautiful rainbow. P We do, however, have large numbers of citizens who have fled to the United States because socialism made their home countries into hellholes. They've seen it, and have had plenty to say about it.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    14. Re:In a capitalist world by Stargoat · · Score: 1

      Yeah. It's changing into Maoists murdering school children in Nepal. Oh wait, that's just run of the mill Communism. Nevermind.

      --
      Hoist Number One and Number Six.
    15. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
      "Communism is changing"

      How, are the bullets faster and more lethal?

      "Marxism is long dead. Socialism is alive and well"

      Socialism was a rather regressive idea cooked up by the imagination of Marx. If socialism lives, then Marxism lives. As long as you have greedy power-made elites robbing everyone while saying "I am doing this for the poor", socialism will live.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    16. Re:In a capitalist world by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Just because it's called socialism doesn't mean it's socialism. Do you think Democrats are representative of democracy? Liberals representative of liberty?

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    17. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
      "Just because it's called socialism doesn't mean it's socialism"

      So, it is only socialism if it is socialism you like? And, if it is a tool of bad guys, you don't like it and it is not socialism? Actually, it all does fit in with socialism, as it is a system where ruling elites own everything and the people own nothing.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    18. Re:In a capitalist world by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Okay then, how about we say democracy is an atrocious system because it led to the holocaust?

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    19. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
      "Okay then, how about we say democracy is an atrocious system because it led to the holocaust?"

      Assuming that Nazi Germany was democratic (which is debatable), the answer is yes. Democracy can be fascistic (which includes socialistic). Yes, you can have a horrific oppressive government that is supported by the majority of the people. The power of the "mob" must be checked by having something rock-solid to protect inviduals from government oppression (such as a constitution).

      By the way, I noticed your the other message about how Stalin corrupted things. Are you aware of how Lenin overthrew a democratic government and slaughtered hundreds of thousands, while invading and crushing many nations? Stalin is hardly worse than Lenin. He just ran with what Lenin set up for him. Lenin was a great inspiration to Mussolini, Mao, and Stalin and other men of that ilk.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    20. Re:In a capitalist world by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
      "Books have inspired more murders and suicides than all movies, videogames and Rock&Roll records together."

      The works of Karl Marx in all liklihood hold the record for this.

      --
      Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    21. Re:In a capitalist world by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Maybe. Mabye the "Mao bible", the Bible itself or the Qu'ran claimed more lives, noone knows. It's mostly an answer to Jackass Thompson's desire to ban videogames because they "make kids violent". The Qu'ran and the Bible obviously make people much more violent and I don't see anyone trying to ban those.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  9. Overheard by daeley · · Score: 1

    Overheard outside Bill Gates' office at the release party in 2008:

    "'Scuse me for interruptin' your little shindig here, but I got a bone to pick with your boss-man and a couple of his pals."

    SNIKT!!!

    --
    I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
  10. Not exclusive? by LoverOfJoy · · Score: 1
    SOE will also develop a DC Comics MMO for the PC and next generation consoles.
    found here:

    http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?st ory=5724

  11. Ill put on my superhero costume for you by hobotron · · Score: 1

    Its Captain Obvious.

    A) It wont be better than CoH
    B) Its going to be more expensive than CoH
    C) Hey look! We paid for real Marvel (TM)(R) characters! Doesn't that make the game TONS better already?

    --
    There is truth in humor.
    1. Re:Ill put on my superhero costume for you by chrish · · Score: 1

      Seriously, every single Marvel hero, villain, character, etc. will already be present in the game as an NPC.

      They'll probably offer events that tie-in with issues of the comics.

      --
      - chrish
  12. You homo sapiens and your games. by centauri · · Score: 0, Troll

    I thought you people lived at a school.

    --
    Don't blame me, I voted for Durga.
  13. We knew this was coming, right? by The+I+Shing · · Score: 1

    We knew this was coming ever since Marvel sued over COH players (that is, the ones who are wankers) were seen copying Marvel characters. Marvel was obviously hoping they'd sue COH out of existence, leaving a bit gaping hole for them to eventually fill with their own probably inferior product.

    Remember the official Marvel Superheroes roleplaying paper-and-dice game? I think that says it all.

    --
    You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
    1. Re:We knew this was coming, right? by NBarnes · · Score: 1

      Well, the first Marvel PnP RPG can probably be laid at the feet of TSR rather than Marvel itself.

    2. Re:We knew this was coming, right? by The+I+Shing · · Score: 1

      I had heard that Mayfair was lined up to do the Marvel game and Marvel pulled out at the last minute and went with TSR, and the far superior Mayfair game became the DC Heroes RPG.

      I never found confirmation of that; as far as I know, it was just a rumor.

      It never mattered to me very much, at any rate, since I was playing Champions back then.

      --
      You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
    3. Re:We knew this was coming, right? by shmigget · · Score: 1

      The original RPG had a clunky system, but that's not Marvel's fault (mutant character gen rules were cool, though). The updated version was better, and the new diceless version is great.

      I completely agree on the lawsuit, and with MS at the helm of this MMO I don't have any hopes for the final product.

    4. Re:We knew this was coming, right? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How do you completely agree with the lawsuit? Because there is a character creation tool that allowed players to make super heroes in a variety of ways. And then because one of the NPC super heroes has a helmet that resembles Magneto and a costume that resembles Capt America. So Marvel somehow owns the rights to old Medival helmets and American stars and stripes? It is just funny that Marvel is wasting soo much money on a lawsuit that they won't win.

  14. innovation is alive and well in Redmond, WA by dr_leviathan · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's great to see that MicroSoft is back on track with that "innovation" thing.

    How many hero-centric MMO's can the gaming market support? Certainly at least two good ones, especially if one were to capture some console-only marketshare.

    However, Sony could commision a port of COH to the PS3 console (I dunno if that is even possible... I haven't played COH). That would take a big chunk out of Marvel-COH's potential market, expecially since I would expect the PS3-COH implementation to be completed first.

    I think it's all good for the world of gaming.

    --
    Religion is poison to rationality, and we lose sight of that at our own peril. -- Lurker2288
    1. Re:innovation is alive and well in Redmond, WA by dr_leviathan · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, where did my end-sarcasm tag go? Hrm... "plain old text" formatting must strip anything that looks like an HTML tag. Oh well.

      --
      Religion is poison to rationality, and we lose sight of that at our own peril. -- Lurker2288
    2. Re:innovation is alive and well in Redmond, WA by EvilIdler · · Score: 1

      Well, I've mapped a gamepad to most melee-type functions in CoH,
      so I wouldn't be surprised if Sony+Cryptic could make it play well
      on the PS3, if ever such a deal happened.

    3. Re:innovation is alive and well in Redmond, WA by Babbster · · Score: 1
      Why would Sony want City of Heroes? The DC Comics MMOG has already had its development announced, it's being developed by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), and it's planned for PC/PS3/PSP.

      This current deal between Marvel and Microsoft is simply a response to the deal already made between DC and Sony.

    4. Re:innovation is alive and well in Redmond, WA by dr_leviathan · · Score: 1

      Oh ok. I didn't know that Sony already had a hero MMOG in the works. Yeah, looks like the Marvel game is the XBox equivalent in an attempt to grab a share of the potential market. It will be interesting to see how things turn out.

      --
      Religion is poison to rationality, and we lose sight of that at our own peril. -- Lurker2288
  15. lie in your bed, Marvel by MattW · · Score: 1

    So Marvel will be last to market, and coming on the heels of their spurious lawsuit against Cryptic over CoH? Well, it will take some superpowers to make that one work.

    1. Re:lie in your bed, Marvel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What should be intresting is that in the COH EULA that any characters made in the game are the property of COH.

      So if they are used then in the Marvel game COH can sue them! :D

  16. Irony doesn't just mean "sort of like iron" by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 3, Funny

    Assuming Marvel's character creation engine turns out worth a damn, will the COH folks be able to sue Marvel over the ability to creat Marvel-style copies of the copyrighted COH characters?

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  17. Who gets who? by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

    So, um, can anyone post a breakdown of which company has which characters? Because I know pretty much nothing about what hero belongs to what company.

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    1. Re:Who gets who? by jonwil · · Score: 1

      The entire Justice League and Justice Friends are all DC
      Superman is DC
      All of the various batman stuff is DC
      Wonder Woman is DC
      Green Lantern is DC
      Flash is DC

      Spiderman is marvel
      X-Men are marvel
      Fantastic 4 are marvel
      Hulk is marvel
      Dare Devil is marvel
      Captain America is marvel (I Think)
      I think Iron Man is also marvel

    2. Re:Who gets who? by faloi · · Score: 1

      The easy way to tell used to be that Marvel comics were generally "darker" and DC comics tended to be happier with the good guys always winning in the end. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, but in general if the hero is angst ridden with a tragic life story, or hunted by the law/society/big planet eating aliens, it's probably a Marvel comic.

      Or at least that's the way it was back when I read comics regularly.

      --
      "It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -Albert Einstein
    3. Re:Who gets who? by AzraelKans · · Score: 1

      Actually the main difference between Marvel/DC is that DC goes for the Superman / Batman superhuman "god like" type characters who deal with problems in a way everyone would like to. While marvel goes for the "spiderman, xmen" type characters who are super powered but at the same time human with common life problems. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. Imo Marvel is more ripe for an rpg than DC due to this.

      --
      Go ahead MOD my day!
      More opinions here
  18. Welfare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    ' Ideas like welfare '

    Charity predates Marx by many centuries. However, the socialist idea of welfare, in which a vast government bureaucracy enriches itself through extorted money (taxes) while saying it will help the poor is a post-Marx socialist idea.

    The "welfare state" exists to enrich and grow this bureacracy, while it tosses crumbs to the poor, and actually endeavors to keep the poor impoverished and dependent. They want to prevent having people being lifted out of poverty: this would cause the bureaucracy to shrink and would erode the power base of the bureaucracy and those they bribe.

    ' aristocracy/despotism (as an extension of the classes system), that's the stuff that Socialism is against. '

    Why, then, are most of the very worst despots in the modern era (Saddam Hussein, Mao, Stalin, Castro, Pol Pot, and Hitler) all socialists? In real world practice, it turns out that socialism is the best tool for despots to gain and maintain tyrannical power.

    1. Re:Welfare by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Not everyone who calls themself a socialist is one. Hitler for example was a Nationalist, the "socialist" moniker in the party name was just a bait to get more votes. Stalin perverted the ideas of Communism into despotism and went completely against the idea of "power to the people" with his faux democracy. Usually they'll just implement "Socialism" as far as saying "All corporations belong to me and have to obey me!". That's not really Socialism, just as the crusades or inquisition weren't really Christianity (where did Jesus say "kill the heathens!"?) but a perverted version created by the people in power.

      Besides, giving money to the poor means they can at least survive without stealing. They're not going to starve quietly in some corner and they're not likely to get out of their misery in any way. If those people were forced to get themselves what they need without money they'll do so, beating up rich looking people to get money for food, stealing what they need when nobody's looking, etc.

      Taxes are clearly not a Marxist idea, they existed as far back as ancient Rome and even further. The noble (count, knight, king, etc) says this is his land because he has his army and everyone has to pay him money if they don't want to be killed. In return he might protect the peasants with his army if he feels like it. Without taxes the government could not exist in any form. Would you be willing to rule a country for free? Would it be wise to have the president (or any other elected representative) at the mercy of some employer if he doesn't want to starve on the street? Or do you even want to force him to live on corporate donations? Who's gonna pay for that army? That police? Those firemen? Building roads? Do we demand everyone pay a fee to the police if they want their protection? Or will the policeman rape your daughter as payment for saving your ass?

      Sure, it could be privatized but would you feel safer if you knew that e.g. General Motors has a huge army capable of conquering the world? Or that the "judical system" is owned by Microsoft? At that point you'd really have to use your right to self defense and hope your neighbor doesn't think you're a potential threat because to the police saving you isn't profitable.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  19. Well I actually like the idea. by AzraelKans · · Score: 1

    No really, if theres one thing missing in Xbox live, is rpgs, not just mmorpgs but rpgs in general. Halo 2 is cool, but the medium is ripe for that type of game, mechassault 2 tried and mostly failed. Fable didnt even tried. gauntlet is coming but it focuses on action more than rpging.

    Anyway if you consider the other mmorpg for x360 is ff online, that means they've covered the fantasy, anime and comic fans (missign the sci fi fans though) thats quite a big part of the gaming spectrum actually. and they managed to do it without saturating the market. (I wouldnt mind at all if they ported WOW though)

    Yeah I know Coh is out there. But there doesnt seem to be any chance for it to be ported to consoles, so for those who dont have a PC or cant use their PC to play mmorpgs, these are great news.

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    Go ahead MOD my day!
    More opinions here
  20. I read that the other way. by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
    "DC....deal with problems in a way everyone would like to...marvel...common life problems. Imo Marvel is more ripe for an rpg than DC due to this."

    I read this the other way.

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    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    1. Re:I read that the other way. by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Well, playing an invincible superhuman is way too common in games nowadays and covered by CoH already, having actual characters with lives to care about might make a difference.

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      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  21. Curses! by AtariAmarok · · Score: 1
    "And then because one of the NPC super heroes has a helmet that resembles Magneto and a costume that resembles Capt America."

    Curses! There go my plans for Captain Amerimagnet and his mighty magnetic shield!

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    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
  22. It's an X-men reference by centauri · · Score: 1

    You know, X-men? A Marvel franchise?

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    Don't blame me, I voted for Durga.
    1. Re:It's an X-men reference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if you really want to attempt this kind of post and still care about your karma, then a hint: next time quote with " " since it helps the idiot downmods a bit.