Lord of the Rings Online

Originally posted by openedge1

 

Originally posted by Yeebo

 

Originally posted by openedge1

 

Originally posted by Yeebo

Runescape is free to play, sub optional.  Even with that they have managed to get more subs than anything but WoW.  Pretty impressive if you ask me.  Not that you could get me to play Runescape without pointing a gun at my head . . .

LoTRO is number two in terms of MMOs developed in North America, or conventional sub only MMOs.  However you want to look at it.  If you notice, in recent interviews they have started just saying "LoTRO is number two in North America."  For example:

 

tentonhammer.com/node/31782

I also enjoy lines like

 

"We have grown 40%...in landmass"

Almost like...hey we have grown...but, uh...only our world...not our subscriptions, sales or anything...

But, all that good ole sales speak is fun...look at AoC (lol...some fubars there...hehe)

I will be interested how LOTRO does by the end of the year with AoC, WAR, WoTLK, The Agency, Spellborn, Aion...whew!

2008 is turning into an interesting year for MMO's...and we may actually see if MMO's will still be developed after this round..if failures keep coming...then the market may dwindle down...just like the Video Card market...after the smoke of everyone developing a card...we now have two major manufacturers (not including Intel Wannabe Graphics)

Later

 

Dude, the entire point of that part of his presentation was the all of the content that they have added.   That's why he pointed out the 30% increase in landmass.  Or did you not notice that the first half of that presentation was a review of all the free expansions? 

Your gift for myopia astounds me.

As for the games coming out this year,  rampant speculation follows . . . .

I don't think AoC is going to affect LoTRO much.  The marketing focuses on "blood, bewbies, and PvP", which are all pretty much the exact opposite of what an average LoTRO fan is looking for.  The system requirements are also a bit insane.  I'm not sure what proportion of LoTRO players could migrate, even it they wanted to.  I know my PC couldn't handle it.   It may end up with more subs, but I'm honestly skeptical that it will.

On the other hand, I think WAR will end up dethroning LoTRO as the number two MMO in North America.  I would bet money on it.  I don't think it will be from folks migrating so much as WAR getting a lot more subs than LoTRO ever will.   LoTRO is essentially a niche product.  Middle Earth is a very restrained "low fantasy" setting.  A lot of folks don't "get it" and never will.  WAR, on the other hand,  looks to me like it could be the next true mass market MMO.   WoW but with an end game that doesn't bite 'nads?  I think there are a lot of folks looking for that.

But really that's all speculation.  At the very least, it's an interesting time to be in to MMOs.  I can hardly wait for the fall.  WAR, Moria, Wrath of the Lich King, the Agency (finally a console MMO..please don't suck! please don't suck!).   Hell, I'm even excited about Home. 

 

But...it is in how the information is used to explain the "growth" that it could be misleading...

 

"As the name implies, the welcome back weekend is an event where they reactivate old accounts and allow former players to return to the game and see how the game has grown and changed since they last played. The game has grown considerably, 30% in terms of geography since launch,"

Bring back players...show them how the game has grown...but, only in landmass....not in overall subscriptions per se...as we do not really know...

As another example of the "sales" speak...read the Gamasutra article with Jeffrey Steefel

Here

As Steefel says: "We launched back in April of 2007, and we've grown the game [in size of world]. Once we have the stuff that we just showed you, the game will have grown in size over 20 percent. We're already the number two Western-developed MMO that's subscription-based -- basically number two to WoW".

By using the way the sentence is structured, pure and simple, Steefel wants to give the impression that the game has "grown" NOT just in landmass...(note how the reporter had to add the [bracketed comment] in size of world)

The overall sentence structure speaks volumes of how Steefel wishes you to believe the game has grown in "population"...as the sentence goes on to mention the "We are #2" sales pitch...within that same sentence...

But...like you said...these numbers do not matter...because if DDO can still be ongoing at this time, then the company must not need much to run these games...and as such, their output is minimal to run the servers...because for a normal "small" "privately owned" company...having two failures like AC2 and DDO...would have been the end of most major developers...

Here is hoping that by the end of 2008 ...they retain the "paying" subscribers and not just the lifetimers...

Later

All the MMO companies try to pick their words carefully.  And when chosing those words they try to portray the company they work for in the most positive light possible.  So if we want to point out that Turbine uses descriptions of a 30 percent increase of the in game land mass lets also point out how other companies do it.  Because if it is a crime for Turbine it is also a crime for the others.

Below is a recent article from one of the biggest train wreck for a company in the MMO genre, and for those that have played their games try and pick out the "positive light" spin he tries to place on his train wreck for a company:  www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/mmo-week-soe-president-john-smedley

Originally posted by DragonOak

All the MMO companies try to pick their words carefully.  And when chosing those words they try to portray the company they work for in the most positive light possible.  So if we want to point out that Turbine uses descriptions of a 30 percent increase of the in game land mass lets also point out how other companies do it.  Because if it is a crime for Turbine it is also a crime for the others.

Below is a recent article from one of the biggest train wreck for a company in the MMO genre, and for those that have played their games try and pick out the "positive light" spin he tries to place on his train wreck for a company:  www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/mmo-week-soe-president-john-smedley

Everyone does it.

And who says SOE is a train wreck...they have been going strong for quite a few years. they may not make everone happy over the many mistakes they make...but, then no one is 100% satisfied...well, except maybe Blizzards customers.

Maybe you shouldn't take offense to everything said about Turbine..

Originally posted by openedge1

 

Originally posted by DragonOak

All the MMO companies try to pick their words carefully.  And when chosing those words they try to portray the company they work for in the most positive light possible.  So if we want to point out that Turbine uses descriptions of a 30 percent increase of the in game land mass lets also point out how other companies do it.  Because if it is a crime for Turbine it is also a crime for the others.

Below is a recent article from one of the biggest train wreck for a company in the MMO genre, and for those that have played their games try and pick out the "positive light" spin he tries to place on his train wreck for a company:  www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/mmo-week-soe-president-john-smedley

I never said it was a crime. I was simply pointing out how the "sales" speak was used.

 

Everyone does it.

And who says SOE is a train wreck...they have been going strong for quite a few years. they may not make everone happy over the many mistakes they make...but, then no one is 100% satisfied...well, except maybe Blizzards customers.

Maybe you shouldn't take offense to everything said about Turbine..

Dude, if you are giving a presentation about the free content that you've added, it's not "sales speak" to point out that you've expanded the land area by 30%.  It's a relevant observation.  He says they've expanded the land area by 30%, and then goes on to describe books 9-14, in order and in detail. 

If his presentation was about subs, and all he says about subs is "we've expanded the land area by 30%"...then yes, it would be sales speak.  

He does in fact have a bit of what I consider sales speak in that presentation.  But it's not this random detail you're obsessing on.

Originally posted by openedge1

 

I never said it was a crime. I was simply pointing out how the "sales" speak was used.

 

No but you keep pointing out how Turbine uses "sales" speak on a continual basis.  I posted the article to point out that a company you utilize (it is obvious by your sig) uses "sales" speak frequently.

Everyone does it.

And my point was the SOE is the master of it.

And who says SOE is a train wreck...

Because they are NOT number 2 or number 3  in North America whichever you choose to pick.  Even Runescape beats any one of their games hands down.

they have been going strong for quite a few years.

Yup that is why they have been continually losing players....SWG revamp after revamp, Vanguard operating on a skeleton crew.....EQ revamp to copy WoW,,,,EQ2 many may be leaving for AoC to include even you......and the list goes on.

they may not make everone happy over the many mistakes they make

That is putting it very considerately, I think every other MMO learns from their mistakes (and they also learn from SOE mistakes), SOE on the other hand just keeps the mistakes trucking along.

...but, then no one is 100% satisfied...

That is always the crutch any poor corporation uses.  Have you seen the commercial, I think it is DirectTv (not sure), but it shows a board meeting and one board member says "the problem is our customers, we need better ones!"  Later he goes on to say the customers they "have now are horrible, they call in mad and complain all the time".  Every time I see that commercial I think of SOE and giggle.

well, except maybe Blizzards customers.

I come the closest I ever have to agreeing with you, and nearly fell out of my chair!  The reason is because customer service is very good, they used to add new content on a regular basis (until the last 9 months, I guess it was that 24.1 percent decrease in revenue), and their game works!!!!  SOE could learn a lot just by the simplest of things.

Maybe you shouldn't take offense to everything said about Turbine..

I didn't take offense.    I just countered you constant posting of how Turbine uses "sales" speak to show you they all do it.  And lets be fair and broaden the conversation to how it is common problem with MMO's rather than just a Turbine problem.

I also wanted to enjoy Lotro back then when I purchased it but this game is empty and empty = boring. Never played something so boring in my life.

Level 28, and I already HAD to take a break from it. Really pathetic way of filling the game up, just I noticed I have 3 identical quests at the moment.. just from a different npc, all kill 12 wargs....

There are a ton of fellowship quests in LOTRO, just not in the lower levels.  In fact one of the main gripes about the game has been a lack of high-end solo content, which pushed them to release the new Forochel region of solo quests for 40-50 level players. 

Originally posted by erandur

Level 28, and I already HAD to take a break from it. Really pathetic way of filling the game up, just I noticed I have 3 identical quests at the moment.. just from a different npc, all kill 12 wargs....

DB