Neocron - 10Tacle filed for insolvency

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Neocron - 10Tacle filed for insolvency

PostPosted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:54 pm

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M.Steiner
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Anny, BD & myself were discussing this on IRC last night and since we still have quite a few ex NC players amongst us, i thought the rest of you guys should see this too.
As many of you probably already know from the ad-hoc news, our parent company, the 10Tacle Studios AG, filed for insolvency on August 6. As the Reakktor Media GmbH is a 100% daughter of the 10Tacle Studios AG, I also had to file for insolvency in my position as CEO of Reakktor Media. Within the next days, the insolvency process will start and an administrator will be appointed.

For Neocron and you as players, this does not affect the server availability, at least for now. Only the support availability will be limited at the moment.

We have worked out several promising solutions to keep the company running, which will be presented to the insolvency administrator. In the best case, these solutions will be accepted and the company will keep running as usual. In the worst case, Reakktor Media will be dissolved, which would likely result in the closure of the Neocron service.

Weve gone through thick and thin with you during the last six years and it is thanks to your loyalty and dedication that Neocron is still alive today and can still fascinate many players.

I would have liked to address you earlier, but the workload in the last weeks and months since my appointment have made this simply impossible. I did however read your comments and as a direct result, work on a new patch has been started and as you already know, the subscription fees have been lowered. I hope to be able to talk to you again soon, with more positive news. Until then I hope you enjoy your time in the game and with the community.

Whatever may happen in the coming weeks, Id like to thank you for everything in the name of the staff.

As soon as we have new information, we will let you know.

Regards,

Kirk Lenke
CEO, Reakktor Media
[http://forum.neocron.com/showthread.php ... ge=1&pp=15]

It really is quite sad imo, hopefully this administrator will either accept their planned solutions or come up with an alternative for them to keep going. Fingers crossed this won't lead to the end of NC, wouldn't like to see that.

btw, who's got some of their old screenshots still that they'd like to share? Would be nice to reminisce, some good times. I've uploaded a selection of mine too that i dug out earlier, though not all of them since there were quite a lot. Still, i wish i'd taken more screenshots now looking back.. Would have posted up some of my NC2 screenshots too but i don't appear to have backed those up :( (Edit; Just found aload of screenshots we still have on the ssx screenshot pages, so some of those will be mine!)

NC1 Screenshots
NC2 Beta Screenshots
Mixture of screenshots still on SSX server!

(Does anyone still have a copy of the "VotR SE #2" magazine by any chance? I've just been looking for the editions with our SSC & SSX adverts in them and i think it's the SE #2 one that has the SSX ad in. I've just found the edition with the SSC one in, would be nice to have them both.)
Last edited by M.Steiner on Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:32 am, edited 2 times in total.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:45 pm

Phrank T Phish
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a damn shame if it marke the end for NC. i allways held a hope of RKK turning it around, crazy as that may be...

c'est la vie
No one loves you.
They're just pretending to be nice. But they talk bad about you after you leave the room.
You're gonna die alone.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:53 pm

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Anubis
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Irritatingly all I have are those screenshots I took during my trek round the world to tag GRs. Not exactly the most exciting unfortunately. Really wish I had taken more now!

http://www.cleversheep.co.uk/anubis/NC2Trek/

Your screenshots are great MS, really show the difference between NC2 and NC1 for me. I loved NC2 to bits, but with such low pops I could never really get into the PVP/Op Wars as much - and events were all but nonexistant. Really wish I had got the chance to play NC1, looks like it was a much better experience really from those screenshots.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:16 am

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Kon
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This is a shame. Though to be honest, I expected it much sooner. I guess this means the new game is vaporware now.
"We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution."

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:34 pm

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BlackDove
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<censored> them. <censored> them in their stupid asses.

There are two words missing in the sentence above. The censor removes them. I'll let you figure out what they were.

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:11 pm

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All I gotta say is, if they do end up closing the NC service, release the damn source code to the game so the fans can keep running it (or the server code)!

I don't suppose any of you still have those screenies I posted (with chat bubble editing) of when we got access to uh... Shoot, that griefer's apt (forgot his name) and camped there for an hour (all while Notorious BIG was LOMing)? :D

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:23 pm

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M.Steiner
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Futile Resistance wrote:I don't suppose any of you still have those screenies I posted (with chat bubble editing) of when we got access to uh... Shoot, that griefer's apt (forgot his name) and camped there for an hour (all while Notorious BIG was LOMing)? :D
Ginger Magician :D
I don't have any of those i'm afraid, think it happened either just before i joined or when i wasn't around but i do remember hearing the stories of it lol. If someone else has them still would be funny to see them ^^

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:13 pm

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SSX-MS wrote:Ginger Magician :D
Good memory MS :D

A shame I never really spent much time in other MMOs taking snapshots and creating a story around em... Used to love doing that :blank: Wonder where that passion went :(

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:27 am

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SL33PY
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this means that a several friends of mine lost their job or at least have their job jeopardized :(

I still have all the original nema's and I think that I have the first VotR's too. And the original artwork that was used in them.

I'll have to check my HD's when I get home

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:17 pm

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M.Steiner
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SL33PY wrote:this means that a several friends of mine lost their job or at least have their job jeopardized :(
Not good :(

Was just looking through some of the NeMa's the other day (had all of those backed up thankfully, don't know why i didn't back the votr mags up too..), they really were a good read. Enjoyed those far more than the news websites personally.

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:23 pm

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SL33PY
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Thanks MS,

I put in a lot of effort in every issue that I published. Never forget Holger and the other graph guys for all the nice touch ups on the screenshots that I made.

Did you know that the first issues were made in my free time and in both german and english?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:47 pm

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M.Steiner
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Didn't realize that nope ^^, that's dedication for ya :)

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:54 pm

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Anubis
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Have to agree re: the NeMas. I have a copy of all of them, and the VotR's too, printed off in a file that I read every once in a while. They were a lot more immersive than the news websites ever were, and were a lot more pleasant to read what with the graphics/adverts and articles that would never see the light of day on the news websites (such as the dedicated articles for each individual server, and Ratman's Corner etc) that made it come alive that much more.

Took me a long time to realise it was you behind them SL33PY. I think MS pointed out to me at the time that was how the messages to and from you and the SSC got in there :)

As for KK, as I didn't mention it in my previous post, I do feel sorry for them despite all the knocking we give them over NC's bugs. NC is still the best MMO I have played, and the MMO with the most potential - wasted or no. That says a lot about KK too, that they were able to make a game on such a premise that, whilst no means perfect, has provided such good memories for so many. I really hope they manage to come through this.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:20 am

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M.Steiner
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Finally some positive news for KK, NC & BP.
Kirk Lenke wrote:With regards to the announcement of 10Tacle Studios AG business activity's discontinuation, Reakktor Media, subsidiary of 10Tacle Studios AG, declares that this does not affect the business activity of Reakktor Media GmbH, despite the insolvency, especially with regards to the operation of the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) "Neocron 2" and the development of the MMO (Massively Online Game) "Black Prophecy".
Going by that is seems KK are in the clear.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:31 pm

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General EEK! all round. I was considering firing up for a bit to level that psimonk I started but then ignored. Anyone fancy switching on for old times sake?
ESO - EU - Ebonheart
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:54 pm

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Anubis
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Gryphon wrote:General EEK! all round. I was considering firing up for a bit to level that psimonk I started but then ignored. Anyone fancy switching on for old times sake?
I think the game may be free atm, since it seems payment providers started cancelling all manner of accounts due to (we suspect) not wanting to deal with insolvent companies. So make the most of it, you can't actually re-activate till that's cleared up.

As for KK being in the clear, I am not so sure. Sounds to me like they just aren't so badly in debt that the Administrator is terminating all services to prevent them losing even more money. I highly doubt the insolvency situation has been resolved that quickly. But it IS large step in the right direction, and I am glad to hear it.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:59 pm

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M.Steiner
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Anubis wrote:I highly doubt the insolvency situation has been resolved that quickly.
It won't have been resolved yet i'm sure. I took the post as meaning that what ever's gonna happen to 10Tacle next, isn't going to affect KK in any way. So as far as this particular case goes, KK are in the clear.

All accounts including inactive ones (and except banned ones ofc) have been activated for free play for the time being so you won't need to re-active like anny says. :)


Also about the payment issue they posted about btw. Thinking about it, the post doesn't say whether it's paybycash, paypal, click2pay or all 3 companies that people have been receiving cancellation emails from. Just a guess, i'm betting its just click2pay.

C2P are (or were, rather) investors in 10T which is why they became a payment provider at the beginning of NC2 just after KK & 10T had merged. Even though countless amounts of players have had problems with c2p over the years (and they were ultimately the reason i left back then) i don't think KK had any other choice but to stick with them and start to offer alternative options rather than a replacement. So now that 10Tacle filed for bankruptcy, that's surely gonna have affected click2pays dealings with them, maybe their agreenment no longer stands and not necessarily Paypal or Paybycash being the problem. If a ton of players have been getting cancellation mails from click2pay and not being able to play because of it, KK probably made all accounts free regardless of whether paypal & pbc paying customers were having the same issue, as they're prolly not sure how long it may last and just to be fair and avoid any backlash.

[Edit: Didn't notice before that the post actually says providers, but still..]

I could be completely wrong with all that but that's my guess anyway. :)

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:12 pm

Lee
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I think it is a technicality that they cannot charge for services during the administration.
Normally when someone comes in they try to keep things running and assess viable trading (which 5 euro a month per sub should cover)..
It was sad too here though.

If you do feel like installing for nostalgia (while it is free) - skill points have been reset at 2.2 and a lot of armour and implants have changed so there could be some borking.
Gryphon wrote:General EEK! all round. I was considering firing up for a bit to level that psimonk I started but then ignored. Anyone fancy switching on for old times sake?
Never a general, just seemed like it.
Eeks.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:36 pm

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Anubis
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Eeks! Good to see you :)

Are you planning to make use of the free time? I might be tempted if a few of the old crew went back for it. I miss the good times when we played together :) I am hoping Bigs pays us another visit and possibly notices this thread too.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:51 pm

Lee
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I heard the free time thing and just tried my login, which worked...

So I can get ingame and have a tinker.

unfortunately with some chips and armour changing you will probably find pistol/rifle, apu/ppu and heavy/melee all mixed up.

Another problem is with everybody moving back to NC and DOY becoming a high level stomping ground the clan app seems to have gone walkabouts.

It all seems the same though. Which is both good and bad. I am currently just trying to put points back on the chars (which will be awful knowing there have been changes I dont know) so I can go shoot stuff.

I have already got 4/5 techs and a good royal spanking in PP2 (had no armour and seemed to forget all about the subway) - yes, its all the same

TBH at 5 euro (4.86 or something in proper money after exchange) it is decent value for a couple of hours a week. (15 mars bars a month which is pretty light for me). I could do it if people wanted to.
Unfortunately, while its good its the same - its also bad its the same, we will do the same stuff and struggle to have the same fun after a while... its very much community based isnt it.
Eeks.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:11 pm

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Anubis
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Yes, yes it is. The problem is always the people - it's just no fun if you don't have a group around you (which is incidentally what drove me away in the first place, when a combination of C2P and people leaving whittled down the clan to next to nothing).

Myself, MS and BD went back for a little while for the free time just after 2.2 was released and managed to find the clan apt - but I can't recall which elevator in the new OZ Apartments Complex it is in anymore. Should not be too hard to find though. And I should mention that FA HQ is back in the TH Core again if you hadn't found it already.
The imps/armour etc were more of an issue, which have all been rather mixed up as you say. I remember having to sell most of the imps I had stored for my APU, as they had become dedicated PPU chips and as such worthless to me. If a couple of us got back in and got going again though we should be able to cobble something together.

I may have to download the client again and join you this weekend :)
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:06 pm

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M.Steiner
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Nice to see you guys btw ;) (Gryphy, Eeks)

I got frustrated the last time i played with everything that had changed, my characters having hardly any cash etc. I wanted to jump right in and start playing rather than spending most of my time trying to spec my characters, find the right equipment, asking for help all the time just to get my existing characters off the ground again. I found it easier just to start lvling up a new character rather than play an old one. That way i could get used to the game again all over again and eventually go back to them.

That said, does anyone know of any good ways of making money in the game nowadays? (If anyone has some spare punisher drones already built up i could probably go to the graves with my dude, i used to be able to make some nice money there from what i remember. Was a long time ago though. :) Would have done that last time i played but i didn't really have enough money to tip anyone to ress or const em let alone buy the parts to make a batch of em lol)

If some of you guys are gonna start playing again though i'd consider it too, whilst it's free that is. I wouldn't be able to subscribe though if i wanted to, need to buy some other things first before i could consider doing that, but if i found myself enjoying the game again with you guys, like the old days then i'd probably consider that too when i could.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:05 pm

Lee
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it is almost like getting sucked back in....just by seeing it again.

my researcher has a bunch of Mosquito's (they were pretty handy in nc1 so i thought i would make load in nc 2. -yes they are pants) no aoe though. Was considering putting drone imps in him and go do crp/tg caves get some soldier/lt runs for cash.
i think a second clan was made as my ssx has retirement home in it. (i realise may be a bit older but still...)
my constructor dude has a couple of million left, see if i am around or send an ingame mail when to get you.

thanks for remembering guys. i have been popping in to read up but am just quiet, dont have the gene to post wildly.
Eeks.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:15 pm

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Anubis
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Ah, yes I forgot about the second clan. You are right that we created a second one when a few of us went back for the first resuscitation effort. Seemed awkward to have a 100 member clan with only 5 who were ever on when we were trying to bring things back to life.

If I download the client, it will be tomorrow morning as I'm not staying up much longer tonight. If and when I get back ingame I can sort you out with an invite to the new clan easily enough :)

Don't think we have any clan funds atm though, since iirc someone stole all that we had left then left the clan - we found out when we last went back but couldn't find out who. My tradeskiller may be able to make some back for us Ressing though, as that's why I made him, but it may take a few days to get him profitable.

Also, posting or no it's good to have you around. Nice just to know you're around - I miss those of you I used to play with back in the day. Me, you, Bigs, Riccko, Delzel, Gryph. We had some good times :)
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:16 am

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M.Steiner
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If we can get you a tl 150 ress tool anny, and one of our characters can become a barter (higher the better), then we could do some batches of stuff to make money too (as well as be able to make up punishers etc. (My conster/droner should have a punisher to blueprint i think, just hope he doesn't need none of that hacknet stuff too..).

I used to do that a lot when i used to play. Make big batches of spells/weapons - using the barter to save money on buying the parts, build em, mod em, then sell em back to the shop with the barter. Could earn a fortune doing that (depending on how much you built and how good your barter was). Another plus side was you can keep all the nice slotters for anyone that needs too. :)

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