Ok, so I just read a lengthy interview with Thornqvist, and in it I found this snippet (I bolded the important part); 

"...but to also have a game that's proven to work for a long time, to have a longer beta period, to make sure that we're very very confident about the RPG system, and to invest that extra time. I think that's our team's takeaway; to be absolutely sure that we have the content and the mechanics that will support people for a long time and not just for that initial launch month."

Perhaps they actually are learning from their mistakes? The biggest issue with the conan launch was that it was rushed out the door, and launched far too early. Only now, a year later, is the game coming into its own.

Do you believe that they will give TSW the development time it deserves before it is released? Do you believe that the third times a charm?

Source: http://www.massively.com/2009/04/07/gdc09-interview-with-the-secret-worlds-creator-ragnar-tornqui/

Te've been working properly in the game for 3 years, they had already worked in it for the 03 E3 (they had a trailer back then, but they moved into Dreamfall), they have been working in a way or another in the concept for longer... it seems they are willing to take their time (they presented this first glimpse, stated no dates for anything, not even beta nor further updates, and ragnar said they won't be talking about beta till they feel it's ready for beta test)

  Time is not what worries me this time, FC has enough cash reserves as to take their time on this, they know they can't rush it before it's ready, as it represent more long term loss than quick term gains.

  If they can accomplish all they are proposing... that's a concern, there are a lot of bold ideas, hard and costly to implement.  The main thing they need to avoid is the rampant hype, beyond possibilities, that's likely what hurt AoC the most, people came with some very unrealistic expectations, or some with ideas that were never part of the game, but part of the fan hype machine, that weren't properly stopped and addresed by FC.  DOn't let the Hype inflate the game like a bubble, it would only lead to the bubble bursting, even if the game is really good in the end.

Originally posted by Zzulu

Ok, so I just read a lengthy interview with Thornqvist, and in it I found this snippet (I bolded the important part); 

 

"...but to also have a game that's proven to work for a long time, to have a longer beta period, to make sure that we're very very confident about the RPG system, and to invest that extra time. I think that's our team's takeaway; to be absolutely sure that we have the content and the mechanics that will support people for a long time and not just for that initial launch month."

 

 

Perhaps they actually are learning from their mistakes? The biggest issue with the conan launch was that it was rushed out the door, and launched far too early. Only now, a year later, is the game coming into its own.

Do you believe that they will give TSW the development time it deserves before it is released? Do you believe that the third times a charm?

 

Source: http://www.massively.com/2009/04/07/gdc09-interview-with-the-secret-worlds-creator-ragnar-tornqui/

The only thing I would tell you is read some the interviews about AOC a year before it launched.  They were saying the same thing about all the things they learned about the AO disaster.

This is not Blizzard or Bioware, this is a company that releases unfinished products and try and hype it and make a quick buck.   Read the dev posts from AOC last summer.. all they talked about was how many boxes they sold, not about all the major problems with the launch.

Expect a lot of hype, a lot of deceit, a lot of screenshots and a game that gets released unfinished and unplayable.   Just like AOC and AO

I'm going to have to agree with Bryan1980 on this one about Funcom. To be completely honest, Funcom wasn't new to the MMO genre when they took on the AoC project. As for Anarchy Online, when it came out, was definately well known as THEE worst MMO launch ever. Granted, AoC was a huge leap forward in MMO concept and mechanics, Funcom still dropped the ball, ignored and even banned negative feedback despite it being completely true and/or accurate and released AoC way before it was ready.

Yes, I played AoC at launch and yes I jumped on the Fail Com bandwagon, but for good reason. What game am I playing now? AoC. Why? Cause it's a well thought out game with very interactive gameplay. AoC isn't like 99% of MMO's with your zombie button mashing approach to quests and combat. AoC incorporates a FPS style of mechanics and created an extremely beautiful world around it. Sure, the amount of instancing was probably a piss poor idea, but poor design decisions happen all the time, even after a game is launched. Take SWG for instance, which was by far a much better MMO before the idiots decided to take the WoW approach and F'd up the game with NGE and CU.

To go even a step further on how ridiculous gaming companies can be, lets take a look at one of my actual all time favorite companies Mythic Entertainment for example. Their first game, Dark Age of Camelot is by far one of the best PvE / PvP combo games on the market. Sure, the game is dying because Mythic is too ignorant or stupid to care. The point is, you have a company that hit MMO design on the head the very first time and then created a second MMO that was a complete pile of dung, better known as WAR.

Gaming companies, whether good or bad, have not proven one ounce that they pay attention to their past games. So to make a long story short, The Secret World could be another #1 MMO or it could be Funcom's 3rd worst MMO launch ever. It will have 0 bearing on their past experience because gaming companies have proven time and time again, it's nothing more than a hit or miss when it comes to making a sucessful MMO.

I disagree.

Name a unpolished or unfinished game produced by Bioware or Blizzard?

Name a polished or finished MMORPG released by Funcom?

History does matter.  I will buy every single game released by Bioware or Blizzard just because I know it will be worth the money.   You are right, AOC and AO are both worth playing 'now'... which is why people should wait 6 months after TSW launches before the spend money on it.

Originally posted by bryan1980

I disagree.

Name a unpolished or unfinished game produced by Bioware or Blizzard?

Name a polished or finished MMORPG released by Funcom?

History does matter.  I will buy every single game released by Bioware or Blizzard just because I know it will be worth the money.   You are right, AOC and AO are both worth playing 'now'... which is why people should wait 6 months after TSW launches before the spend money on it.

Or, we can just relax, avoid bold declarations on either side, and do the only thing we have the option of right now anyway:

Wait and see.

TSW's still a ways off from release. To paraphrase Ragnar, "we're not going into beta for a long time yet"

There Track Record says they will " Hype " and  " Lie "

Originally posted by Elsabolts

There Track Record says they will " Hype " and  " Lie "

  On which case i hope they do ! If the game is going to deliver what is promised to deliver, all the conspirational truths and lies, hypes and distasters are justified. But I am a fc fanboi *smiles* or i could be someone random . Either way lies and deceit for TSW is the way to go , the secretive as well the better. *sings*

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What game am I playing now? AoC. Why? Cause it's a well thought out game with very interactive gameplay

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Originally posted by bryan1980

I disagree.

Name a unpolished or unfinished game produced by Bioware or Blizzard?

Hmm, Bioware released Mass Effect for the 360.  That game had a pile of issues from massive texture pop in to freezing.  I don't play Blizzard games so sorry can't help you there.

Name a polished or finished MMORPG released by Funcom?

Funcom has released two MMOs in its lifespan and Blizzard has released one and well Bioware has none released so this is moot.  Name me two MMOs that were released without a hitch.

History does matter.  I will buy every single game released by Bioware or Blizzard just because I know it will be worth the money.   You are right, AOC and AO are both worth playing 'now'... which is why people should wait 6 months after TSW launches before the spend money on it.

More time?!?! THAT's ALL they're taking away from AOC?  AOC has been out for almost a year and it's still crap.  I just renewed a few weeks ago and some the flaws are as bad as they were at launch.