Star Wars Galaxies

The NGE created two divides as I see it.  The first was between SOE and the players.  SOE wanted a different, broader playerbase, and was willing to chuck out the 2 year accomplishments of a few hundred thousand people in a desperate gamble to get it.  This created a divide.

The second was a divide between the different target audiences.  The game of the original audience was dismantled.  Parts of it were discarded, and pieces of it were reassembled in a new form and then given to another target audience.   This move by SOE management (yes with the cooperation and partnership of LA) created a divide between subsections of the playerbase.

From a logistical point of view, schisms that are this extensive would require a small miracle to heal.  Frankly, that's why many people are just waiting for a StarWars MMO to be offered by a company they hope they can trust. 

Although I don't have high expectations for this to ever happen, and I really am skeptical that the rift can be healed after so much damage has been done, here's a suggestion that might make a difference, if you believe in miracles.

First of all, both SOE and LA would officially apologize for their disrespectful treatment of their playerbase, particularly, but not exclusively regarding the events surrounding the NGE.

Then they would do what they said they would regarding fixing long-term bugs and issues that are still in the current game. 

With the current game in a polished state, they would then make good on their apology to the playerbase by taking steps to make amends for the wrongs done.  One suggestion for this step would be the offer of a classic server alongside a polished version of the current game.  The classic server would be offered to honour the original playerbase that put up with oh so much b.s. from SOE and LA's actions over the life of this MMO.  The most bug-free, most complete version of the pre-cu game code would be made available for vets to revisit their "golden-age."  It would also be available for current players that are curious about the game's origins.  Because it is a "this is what the game looked like in its original form" server, it need not be developed or debugged any further.  This eliminates the need for a "second development team" that SOE continues to say is the roadblock to a classic server.

Would I try out this commemorative classic server under these conditions?  Yes, in fact I would.  For those that want a sandbox game, this commemorative server would provide that also.

Just thinking out loud here.  To me this would be a meaningful gesture of good faith on the part of SOE, and to be honest, I think their reputation could use that.  I also think that these official apologies along with the kind of classic server option I'm talking about, might (with a small miracle) heal some of the rifts that the NGE created.

NGE fans could continue to play the current game, enjoy their new, more linear content etc.  Pre-cu fans could enjoy their sandbox.  Neither side of the player divide would have to worry that they were going to lose their virtual world because of someone else's competing interest.  They could each enjoy what the prefer, and live and let live.  Who knows, maybe this would do some good.

Never going to happen.  There are people at SOE/Lucas Arts that are never going admit defeat.  Creating a classic server would be doing so.

2nd problem.  There have been a lot of code changes/bug fixes to the game that  resolved problems that Pre-CU had.  None of those have been applied to the Pre-CU code (if a copy of it even exists anymore) so it would be hard for SOE to implement said server.

People will still be talking about how $oe screwed over there player base even long after $wg has been shut down over 200,000 people that invested time and money in swg were deliberately and deceptively lied to by Smed and crew and one of the main things that fuels the fires to this day is john smedlys arrogance in refusing to admit that he treated the vets of this game wrong and made a mistake in what he did and refusing to offer classic servers so until $med puts his tail between his legs and apologizes and does the right thing there can be no "healing"

At this point, after TRYING to compromise with them and getting nothing but grief, lies, and forum bans, I am not willing to do ANYTHING to make peace with them. 

The way I see it they need me a lot more than I need them at this point, so the first concessions will have to be made by SOE, and if they are enough, maybe I'll call.  Maybe others will call too.

Here are some hints:

1. Smed has to go.  Non negotiable.  SOE cannot possibly ever be trustworthy again with him at the helm.

2. Cao has to go.  Same reasons.

3. Everyone forum permabanned not due to some form of criminal harassment (no, criticizing the NGE is not criminal) gets blanket amnesty.

4.  Classic servers are open.  Not promised.  Open.

Then we can talk of peace.

Wars are not ended by peace treaties that came from negotiation.  In history, every conflict that ended with negotiation never actually ends.  They are ended when the side in the wrong is defeated and forced into a condition of unconditional surrender.  This is the state that SOE must be in before it can be reformed and redeemed.

When SOE does those 4 things which is tantamount to unconditionally surrendering to those it launched the horrible, unprovoked, sneak attack on back in November of 2005, we can talk.

They fear this server would become the most popular letting the other ones looking like a joke, not that  they don't look like it right now .... they fear  the steps that they have to take after the success of the classic server ...

Originally posted by Kyleran

Never going to happen.  There are people at SOE/Lucas Arts that are never going admit defeat.  Creating a classic server would be doing so.

2nd problem.  There have been a lot of code changes/bug fixes to the game that  resolved problems that Pre-CU had.  None of those have been applied to the Pre-CU code (if a copy of it even exists anymore) so it would be hard for SOE to implement said server.

 

Healing this kind of rift generally does require great humility and honesty on the part of the offending party or parties.  It also requires more than an apology.  It needs to be followed by steps to make amends.  The idea I put on the table requires decisions to be made that I think people would find very challenging.  However, at this point, what have they got to lose?

Originally posted by salvaje

At this point, after TRYING to compromise with them and getting nothing but grief, lies, and forum bans, I am not willing to do ANYTHING to make peace with them.

The way I see it they need me a lot more than I need them at this point, so the first concessions will have to be made by SOE, and if they are enough, maybe I'll call.

Here are some hints:

1. Smed has to go.  Non negotiable.  SOE cannot possibly ever be trustworthy again with him at the helm.

2. Cao has to go.  Same reasons.

3. Everyone forum permabanned not due to some form of criminal harassment (no, criticizing the NGE is not criminal) gets blanket amnesty.

4.  Classic servers are open.  Not promised.  Open.

Then we can talk of forgiveness.

 

 

 

If Cao and Smedley made the same kind of apology that I've read from Jeff Freeman on another site, that would mean something to me personally.  Having said that, however, it's not hard to see why trust is so difficult with certain management personnel still at the helm.  Also, as I've said that apology would have to be followed by real action to make amends.

SOE and LA would also have to take concrete steps re. policies and procedures to ensure that no further injury be done to the playerbase via misleading communication or massive changes to game mechanics or player progress.

Originally posted by ArcAngel3

Originally posted by salvaje

At this point, after TRYING to compromise with them and getting nothing but grief, lies, and forum bans, I am not willing to do ANYTHING to make peace with them.

The way I see it they need me a lot more than I need them at this point, so the first concessions will have to be made by SOE, and if they are enough, maybe I'll call.

Here are some hints:

1. Smed has to go.  Non negotiable.  SOE cannot possibly ever be trustworthy again with him at the helm.

2. Cao has to go.  Same reasons.

3. Everyone forum permabanned not due to some form of criminal harassment (no, criticizing the NGE is not criminal) gets blanket amnesty.

4.  Classic servers are open.  Not promised.  Open.

Then we can talk of forgiveness.

 

 

 

If Cao and Smedley made the same kind of apology that I've read from Jeff Freeman on another site, that would mean something to me personally.  Having said that, however, it's not hard to see why trust is so difficult with certain management personnel still at the helm.  Also, as I've said that apology would have to be followed by real action to make amends.

SOE and LA would also have to take concrete steps re. policies and procedures to ensure that no further injury be done to the playerbase via misleading communication or massive changes to game mechanics or player progress.

I don't see Smed or Cao making the kind of apology Freeman did.

Cao, maybe.  But Smed was the "Fuhrer".  You don't allow the man who started the world war to surrender and still be in power.  No, he goes to the bunker.

At this point I don't know that they could heal or repair their reputation. 

First off, and I am not bashing the development team for SWG, I don't believe they are capable of creating a polished game.  There is a problem somewhere with SWG, whether it is a lack of ability, desire, talent or perhaps organizational ineptitude that makes a polished swg unlikely.

Second, they would have to demonstrate that the game has a future.  They could do this making some necessary changes to SWG as a whole, primarily shutting down all but 4 nge servers.  This would help to consolidate SWG's resources and attention instead of spreading it over 26 servers, most of which are barren of players and nearly deserted anyway. 

Third, open up 4 new state of the art precu servers.  Running it with no support is unacceptable.  As great as precu was there were some serious balance issues.  Most of these could have been dealt with by just capping resistences, buffs and dots.  That alone would be HUGE in terms of fixing some of the balance issues.  And if they can't do it themselves, pull some people from EQ2 to help. 

Fourth, three free months on the precu servers for all past players.

Fifth, a heartfelt appology explaining FOR REAL what happened, corporate politics be damned.

None of this will ever happen though.  But nice to dream.