The Game Archaeologist chats with John Smedley about EQMac's salvation

Basically EQmac was going to be sunsetted but in the end was not, and made complete free to play - no sub fee and no marketplace - completely free.  In it mentions SWG and closure:

It was something that SOE could say "yes" to a couple of months after it had to say "no" to pleading Star Wars Galaxies fans. So why did EQMac get saved while SWG was not? It came down to licensing, and with LucasArts calling the shots with SWG, SOE didn't have the flexibility that it did with EQMac. SOE's reticent to shut anything down, Smedley said, although sometimes the higher-ups have to make the call to do so.

The decision to save Al'Kabor was attributed 100% to the fan response, especially the pleas from Mac gamers to a Mac-loving president. "We left it running because we cared about the fans," Smedley confessed. "I was so personally moved by 600 emails on the subjects by rabid fans on that server; it was really touching to me."

"We're not cold-hearted," he said. "We treat customers like we treat families." Those who want to make a conspiracy out of the issue or read into it miss the simple truth of the personal angle. SOE, Smedley assured me, is not a faceless bureaucracy but a group of like-minded gamers who care about the same things that its customers do.

Basically SOE cares about the players and its fans, but it is Lucasarts who do not. If they did they would have seen to keep SWG active. Any crap that SOE put out with SWG, was because of Lucasarts calling the shots.

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

Originally posted by TUX426

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

What is it with posters and over the top thread titles, lately?  They've always been kinda silly, but lately it's been batsh!t crazy hour...

This doesn't prove anything to me.  Any company on the planet would say they love their customers, treat them like family, yada, yada.

Sony has a rollercoaster history IMO - its been up or down since Sony threw its hat into the MMO grounds with Everquest 1.  I will say they tend to NOT shut games down so I kinda believe smedly (as much as I hate to) in regards to SWG.  Sony has shown a reluctancy to shut any game down (look at vanguard).

I think licensing got in the way with a lot of things concerning SWG.  It's too bad as the game even with it's terrible combat system had many other redeeming qualitites.

It would be nice to see SWG get the same treatment,but the licensing issue makes it very problematic.

Originally posted by TUX426

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

Really?

It was something that SOE could say "yes" to a couple of months after it had to say "no" to pleading Star Wars Galaxies fans. So why did EQMac get saved while SWG was not? It came down to licensing, and with LucasArts calling the shots with SWG, SOE didn't have the flexibility that it did with EQMac. SOE's reticent to shut anything down, Smedley said, although sometimes the higher-ups have to make the call to do so.

The decision to save Al'Kabor was attributed 100% to the fan response, especially the pleas from Mac gamers to a Mac-loving president. "We left it running because we cared about the fans," Smedley confessed. "I was so personally moved by 600 emails on the subjects by rabid fans on that server; it was really touching to me."

"We're not cold-hearted," he said. "We treat customers like we treat families." Those who want to make a conspiracy out of the issue or read into it miss the simple truth of the personal angle. SOE, Smedley assured me, is not a faceless bureaucracy but a group of like-minded gamers who care about the same things that its customers do.

You always like trying to deny the truth

Originally posted by crysent

This doesn't prove anything to me.  Any company on the planet would say they love their customers, treat them like family, yada, yada.

 

Sony has a rollercoaster history IMO - its been up or down since Sony threw its hat into the MMO grounds with Everquest 1.

Maybe. I only really "knew" SOE with SWG, but then when played their other games, and contacted support they were always much more assisting than with SWG.

He is probably only saying it because of the complaints and comments about SOE, all the time, and it must get depressing to him constantly reading them all the time. He has even apologised for the NGE, depite it being LA making SOE do it.

At the end of the day they are company, and only doing what they think is best for the company and their fans, and have to set rules, and if things do not work rethink it for the future, and are no doubt atm seeming to be doing anything to please their customers. At the rate they are going they will probably end up going bankrupt just please us all, but yet people still go "spit in their face"

The ironic thing is SOE cares more for their players than EA, who ignores them, but still like EA, because they are not SOE and living in the past! That is just messed up!

Originally posted by TUX426

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

Its misleading, but it was said in the interview.

When people read the title they think 'NGE", but it was really about the closing of SWG.

Although this is the first time I think that SoE has publicly blamed Lucas Arts for anything

Originally posted by teakbois

Originally posted by TUX426

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

Its misleading, but it was said in the interview.

 

When people read the title they think 'NGE", but it was really about the closing of SWG.

 

Although this is the first time I think that SoE has publicly blamed Lucas Arts for anything

The way it is written makes it sound like Lucasarts alway called the shots with SWG, not just with the closure. Which I have always believed to be the case anyway.

Here is Julio Torres of LA discussing the NGE in great delight, and Smedley / anyone from SOE, nowhere in sight.

There are no hard facts anywhere that show SOE wanted the NGE. They may have written and coded it, but from the request from LA, and SOE being behind it is a gross misconception.

Originally posted by superniceguy

Originally posted by teakbois

Originally posted by TUX426

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

Its misleading, but it was said in the interview.

 

When people read the title they think 'NGE", but it was really about the closing of SWG.

 

Although this is the first time I think that SoE has publicly blamed Lucas Arts for anything

The way it is written makes it sound like Lucasarts alway called the shots with SWG, not just with the closure. Which I have always believed to be the case anyway.

Here is Julio Torres of LA discussing the NGE in great delight, and Smedley / anyone from SOE, nowhere in sight.

There are no hard facts anywhere that show SOE wanted the NGE. They may have written and coded it, but from the request from LA, and SOE being behind it is a gross misconception.

None of us know for sure.  Maybe when the clone wars kids thing shuts down we will know for sure.

LA were the pubshers so they were in charge of marketing it, which is a possible reason Torres was so outspoken.  Id love to know the full story, as would everyone else.

One thing LA is certainly responsible for is the state the game launched in, if they had given SoE 6 more months SWG would have done much better.

Originally posted by teakbois

Originally posted by superniceguy

Originally posted by teakbois

Originally posted by TUX426

Your title is 100% misleading. That was NEVER said anywhere in the interview. Holy crap you like to make shit up.

Its misleading, but it was said in the interview.

 

When people read the title they think 'NGE", but it was really about the closing of SWG.

 

Although this is the first time I think that SoE has publicly blamed Lucas Arts for anything

The way it is written makes it sound like Lucasarts alway called the shots with SWG, not just with the closure. Which I have always believed to be the case anyway.

Here is Julio Torres of LA discussing the NGE in great delight, and Smedley / anyone from SOE, nowhere in sight.

There are no hard facts anywhere that show SOE wanted the NGE. They may have written and coded it, but from the request from LA, and SOE being behind it is a gross misconception.

None of us know for sure.  Maybe when the clone wars kids thing shuts down we will know for sure.

LA were the pubshers so they were in charge of marketing it, which is a possible reason Torres was so outspoken.  Id love to know the full story, as would everyone else.

 

One thing LA is certainly responsible for is the state the game launched in, if they had given SoE 6 more months SWG would have done much better.

Considering Lucas is quite protective of the Star Wars brand, and sues anyone who messes with it, I seriously doubt SOE would have been behind it. You have to tread carefully where Lucas is concerned. The only thing SOE could be guilty of is not using their iniitiative, and saying "No, this is not a good idea, this [whatever they think is better than LAs suggestion] would be"

Blaming SOE when there is no solid proof it was them, is stupid, especially if it is LA, and run to SWTOR where LA is responsible as well. Either way, I agree with Raph Koster here Even if it was LA and Julio Torres he was also behind KOTOR, so shows can do good

but wish LA did agree to keep SWG active, that is now where they are the bad guys again.

Originally posted by superniceguy

Basically SOE cares about the players and its fans, but it is Lucasarts who do not. If they did they would have seen to keep SWG active. Any crap that SOE put out with SWG, was because of Lucasarts calling the shots.

 

if they did they would have launched The Agency.

Originally posted by rojo6934

Originally posted by superniceguy

Basically SOE cares about the players and its fans, but it is Lucasarts who do not. If they did they would have seen to keep SWG active. Any crap that SOE put out with SWG, was because of Lucasarts calling the shots.

 

if they did they would have launched The Agency.

What was there to lose? Nobody played it, so nothing to lose. Not exactly the same thing. That goes with many cancelled games like Shenmue 3, Highlander etc. It can't be helped sometimes.

I am sure if SOE grows again, they will carry on with it.

Originally posted by rojo6934

Originally posted by superniceguy

Basically SOE cares about the players and its fans, but it is Lucasarts who do not. If they did they would have seen to keep SWG active. Any crap that SOE put out with SWG, was because of Lucasarts calling the shots.

 

if they did they would have launched The Agency.

Im sure SoE would love to have aunched the agency and would lvoe to have those 205 employees back.

I blame Lucas Arts 100% for everything. For NGE, shutting down SWG, releasing a terrible game in TOR and releasing three trash movies.

Edit: And I agree with the OP. SOE could have waited until a month or a week before to announce SWG will shut down. Instead they gave their fans 8 months. They did so knowing a large amount of people would quit before 8 months was up. I doubt most companies would have done that.

..

Of course LA called the shots with SWG. It was their IP and they set the standards by which the IP is used. That's the way it works for any company that controls such a popular IP. However, from what I 've seen, SOE was given complete control in the beginning in the development of the game and they blew it. They released a game that wasn't very popular with the fans and was completely boring. LA saw a sinking ship and tried to correct it, but they made the problem worse because unbelievably there was still people that liked the game the way it was and those people left after getting scewed over.

There's no doubt in my mind that LA was behind pulling the plug on SWG. While SOE has no problem keeping failed MMOs on life support for years and years, LA expects better from a game with the Star Wars brand. Now if SOE REALLY cares SO much about their fans, they will release a similiar game to SWG without the Star Wars trappings in it. It shouldn't be hard. In fact, why didn't they do that for the 300,000 pre-nge SWG fans ? They've only had six years to do that.

Originally posted by superniceguy
 "We're not cold-hearted," he said. "We treat customers like we treat families."

Anyone here want to join Smed's family?

"Dad, can I get some OJ like you said I could if I behaved?"

"Sure son"

*Gets OJ from fridge*

"Just leave your dollar on the side, and one more if you want a glass... you DO want a glass, right? It's optional, you can drink from cupped hands just fine. Oh and you owe me a dollar for fridge running costs already don't forget."

"Dad, your a ****"

Originally posted by superniceguy

Originally posted by rojo6934

Originally posted by superniceguy

Basically SOE cares about the players and its fans, but it is Lucasarts who do not. If they did they would have seen to keep SWG active. Any crap that SOE put out with SWG, was because of Lucasarts calling the shots.

 

if they did they would have launched The Agency.

What was there to lose? Nobody played it, so nothing to lose. Not exactly the same thing. That goes with many cancelled games like Shenmue 3, Highlander etc. It can't be helped sometimes.

I am sure if SOE grows again, they will carry on with it.

Why would anyone play Highlander "The Game"?  I love the franchise....but daymn I wouldn't waste my time on it as a game.

EQ and EQ2 are good proof that they do care about their player base...but since they own the IP they can develop it as they wish.

Originally posted by RefMinor
Can I just throw in this quote as it sums up all of the genres ills (and society's too). I want to keep this LucasArts quote alive.

 

 

"We really just needed to make the game a lot more accessible to a much broader player base," said Nancy MacIntyre, the game's senior director at LucasArts. "There was lots of reading, much too much, in the game. There was a lot of wandering around learning about different abilities. We really needed to give people the experience of being Han Solo or Luke Skywalker rather than being Uncle Owen, the moisture farmer. We wanted more instant gratification: kill, get treasure, repeat. We needed to give people more of an opportunity to be a part of what they have seen in the movies rather than something they had created themselves."

And lets not forget........that individual went on to work at Leapfrog after working for helping ruin SW:G with that attitude.