More about Brad;

http://www.thegrouchygamer.com/?p=39

Brad killed Vanguard and Sigil...

http://www.virginworlds.com/pg.php?n=7026

Why not have the free to play and the fluff shop. then people who are more hardcore allow a monthly sub to have access to the entire game?

From the way it reads you will have to pay to access certain areas of the game. so it would be ok if they allowed people who love the game to pay the monthly and those that don't have the money toi pay a sub can still enjoy the game?

It's outright greeed when a MMO does this one extreme and never offers the other monthly option.

Originally posted by finnmacool1

You do realize there are other ftp games that have little to no restrictions that profit simply from fluff/cosmetic items from the cash shop right? 

I dont know of any that arent targeted to people above the age of 15.  And if you mean Aion and L2, they dont profit from flull/cosmetic items, they profit from the korean playerbase.

 All game developers and publishers are going beyond greed.  It is all about the short term money for them now. They surpassed the movie industry in profit what 12 to 15 years ago? 

 Not just MMO's either, it's any game look at Call of Duty franchise a new game every year, each one only being slightly better then the previous and the not much changing. Then they charge you some more for the extra maps and such, most of which are usually not worth the price since half of them are just remodeled maps from the release. 

 Then you have all of the EA games coming out that want to kill the used game market by adding the need for "online passes" so they can charge people another $10 bucks to play a game online they bought from craigslist. 

 Then you have DRM's coming for all digital games. 

 A used copy of Battlefield 3 oncraigslist $30, then $10 for a new online pass, then another $50 for the DLC that you have to download to play online with friends that have it.  So $90 for a used game?

Originally posted by lordtwisted

 How many of you were there for the Hype and release of Vanguard?  If you were then you know why Brad left, and you know why him coming back to anything is bad. 

Brad is a used car salesman, politician, and everything negative the represent with none of the good qualities. 

 If Brad McQuaid says some good changes are in store, I can assure you they are good for SOE, or Brad, and not for you. 

 Brad promised us the world and everything in it when he started working on this game, and assured us it was all that and so much more even up to the week before release. 

 Then when they released a bug ridden pile of poo on us with only half the content he promised, he ran for the hills and hid out. 

 

 This guy deserves nothing.

I'm suprised this isn't well understood. He's no John Carmack, what he does thousands of keen youngsters could do. I believe in giving people second chances in life though, so I'm not against him getting another go.

Originally posted by lordtwisted

Brad killed Vanguard and Sigil...

http://www.virginworlds.com/pg.php?n=7026

You really have a vendetta against this guy.

Here's the deal:

Brad McQuaid sucks at business.

At game development, he is a creative genious.

SOE didn't hire Brad back to run the accounts, I assure you - but having him in a creative role rather than a business role is a smart idea.

Vanguard almost died because of the business decisions he made.

Vanguard is still alive because of the remarkable game he created.

And besides that, you know, forgiveness is a virtue - to kick a man while he's down is a sin.

And before you cry out for all those employees who lost their jobs - guess what, it is a contract profession. Getting laid off in the industry without warning is the rule, not the exception.

Originally posted by Zorgo

Originally posted by lordtwisted

Brad killed Vanguard and Sigil...

http://www.virginworlds.com/pg.php?n=7026

You really have a vendetta against this guy.

Here's the deal:

Brad McQuaid sucks at business.

At game development, he is a creative genious.

SOE didn't hire Brad back to run the accounts, I assure you - but having him in a creative role rather than a business role is a smart idea.

Vanguard almost died because of the business decisions he made.

Vanguard is still alive because of the remarkable game he created.

And besides that, you know, forgiveness is a virtue - to kick a man while he's down is a sin.

And before you cry out for all those employees who lost their jobs - guess what, it is a contract profession. Getting laid off in the industry without warning is the rule, not the exception.

I will give you part of this. 

 Most of what kill the company and Vanguards release was Brad McQuaids poor business decisions. 

On the other hand, for him to see his failures, then to go on and publicly claim he never made those promises to the fans, really ticked me off. I was in on several chat based interviews with him and various game sites, and he was an ass in almost everyone of them. 

 The guy is a politcian and a lot of people see him the way he wants them to see him, but he is fake as heck. 

 He is not a nice guy, he is a pompous ass, he is not a genius in the game design field, he had a great idea one time <EQ>, and feed on it for year. He took credit for numerous expansions that he did not come up with but employees from SOE did. 

 You are right, I personally hate the guy, but I had very high hopes for him and a couple of his game projects, and was disappointed. 

 I assumed he was a "Game god" as many portrayed him, but then I saw the way he talked to people in various forums, and chat rooms and my faith in him was utterly destroyed. 

 If Brad is a "game god" then his place is Hades. 

 Coming back to Vanguard is not a second chance for him or for Vanguard. The only thing getting a second chance is the Vanguard community and I honestly hope they get something for sticking with that game for as long as they have.

 If Brad McQuaid proved me wrong and came back into the field and designed another break through MMORPG like he had promised us long ago, I would forget every bad thing the man has ever done. 

 As for forgiving him? I don't think you can forgive someone that does not own up to their mistakes, the man made some mistake, the man hid, then came back and acted like an ass to his fan base and pointed the blame at Microsoft, Sony, Sigil, and anyone else he could point the finger at then he disappeared for a few years.

I don't really hold a grudge towards him, just answering the questiones posted above of "What did Brad do?, and correcting the statements of "Brad is God". 

 Prove me wrong Brad McQuaid. 

Originally posted by Sovrath

Brad was a bad manager but his ideas were sound.

Vanguard is the only MMO that comes closest to what I thought mmo's were going to be.

At least from the mmo's I've played.

In any case, reinstalling now. All I have to do is balance Vanguard, Tera, TSW, Skyrim and Morrowind.

And have a life.

sigh.

*gives Sovrath a couple of balls to jugle too*

Originally posted by dotdotdash

Originally posted by Comaf

Why anyone supports the F2P model is beyond me.  Unless you can accept not being competitive, the F2P model is not for you.  In the end the F2P costs more than a monthly sub - that's the whole point of it.  Making you pay to win...

 

Folks can roll their eyes all they want, but if you want to be in the upper crust of the game you are F2P'ing in, you had better believe you will need your credit card, just like in a facebook game.  Anyone who denies this is either working for the company that is making the F2P choice, any company that has done this, or just plain doesn't get it because they so desperately enjoy playing something that introduces them to the game without actually getting to truly be a part of it.

 

If THAT ^^ doesn't make sense, then ask yourself this:  Why in God's name would a corporation (i.e., mmorpg) choose F2P if it didn't potentially bring in more money - and a lot more money.  They weigh out the difference of how many subs vs how much free 2 play money they can get and they realize that every mmorpg has a % of folks that are willing to pay ridiculous amounts to stay at the top, like those folks that spend hundreds on in game gold. 

 

Think about it folks.

That wasn't weighted at all ;s

 

i also dont like SOE's f2p set up. but ill probably give this game another go. being that it was the only SOE game ive bought.

clearly many of the individuals b1tching here:

1. don't realize that the F2P model is the one that worked so successfully with EQ2 and is SOEs idea, not McQuaid's

2. don't currently play the game nor have in recent months and don't have a clue as to anything important about it.

3. are rehashing old whines about SOE, im guessing old preNGE folks.

Brad McQuaid, Vanguard... is this April fools?

---

Originally posted by Garvon3

---

Originally posted by hundejahre Ah, good old Brad McQuaid... maybe the only person in gaming I've ever wanted to punch in the head.

---

For essentially inventing the genre, and being the only one to attempt to make a AAA MMORPG with any soul or innovation in it?

 

Well, one of the big 4 to invent the genre anyway.

---

LOL, no, for pussing out and selling out. Let's remember, he started as a team of 3 working on John Smedley's concept. He only did there (SOE) what he was paid to do, and he did a fine job. Sigil on the other hand was a joke, and not only did he back-stab the people who trusted him (meeting in the parking lot... might want to bring your coats), but he ensured Vanguard would stay a 3rd rate game by selling out to SOE who had far more interest in ensuring EQ2 stayed on top.

Remind me why I should be awed by this dirtbag?

Originally posted by chelan

clearly many of the individuals b1tching here:

1. don't realize that the F2P model is the one that worked so successfully with EQ2 and is SOEs idea, not McQuaid's

2. don't currently play the game nor have in recent months and don't have a clue as to anything important about it.

3. are rehashing old whines about SOE, im guessing old preNGE folks.

This pretty much sums up 90% of all the comments on this thread.

ONe thing i never liked in any game is easy handouts.I don't like the way i was playing EQ2 and getting the best drops pretty much 1/2 tries,that is NOT a rare system and just makes that gear ho hum because everyone esle that can use it has it.

This sounds to me like so many other devs are doing the same and that is just hand out great rewards to keep them coming back.

I would rather see developers use their brains a bit and think of CREATIVE ideas for games,you really do not need to hire a 100k salary guy to just give free handouts.

I can use one example without even trying to think too much.How about have drops that require constant upgrading,parts that require players to go all over a game world to fully update them to a RARE status.Then you can go even further,you want to imbue your weapon?Great have secret trainers throughout the game world that can offer imbue ideas.

Even better if you can have the npc's and drops and upgrades move around the game world ,so they are not static locations that soon any player can look up on the internet.This not only enhances the exploration part of a game but gives players a long road to improving their player.

Originally posted by sirphobos

I just hope Brad isn't allowed anywhere near EQ3.

I hope he IS. SOE stated that they wanted to EQ3 to be more like EQ1... he's the guy that could pull it off!

Originally posted by Wizardry

ONe thing i never liked in any game is easy handouts.I don't like the way i was playing EQ2 and getting the best drops pretty much 1/2 tries,that is NOT a rare system and just makes that gear ho hum because everyone esle that can use it has it.

 

This sounds to me like so many other devs are doing the same and that is just hand out great rewards to keep them coming back.

I would rather see developers use their brains a bit and think of CREATIVE ideas for games,you really do not need to hire a 100k salary guy to just give free handouts.

I can use one example without even trying to think too much.How about have drops that require constant upgrading,parts that require players to go all over a game world to fully update them to a RARE status.Then you can go even further,you want to imbue your weapon?Great have secret trainers throughout the game world that can offer imbue ideas.

 

Even better if you can have the npc's and drops and upgrades move around the game world ,so they are not static locations that soon any player can look up on the internet.This not only enhances the exploration part of a game but gives players a long road to improving their player.

 

 

I remember hearing all the hype about vanguard being the hardcore old school MMO, so I gave the free trial a go. within the first 5 minutes of doing nothing I'm rewarded with what looks like a full set of epic endgame armor/weapons 

that just screams desperation to me