Originally posted by Wicoa

Now I havent played aoc yet I plan to in maybe 6 months to a year. I also understand some of the flaws and the reason why someone would be upset with funcom.

But likening them to a Tobacco company is a bit far chap.

True, at least cigarettes are addictive.

LOL @ his one-handed typing.

Perhaps one might also look at who the game directors were for the four games mentioned:

"The Longest Journey" - Ragnar Tørnquist

"Dreamfall" - Ragnar Tørnquist

"Anarchy Online" - Gaute Godager (story by Ragnar Tørnquist)

"Age of Conan" - Gaute Godager

and also for the upcoming MMO:

"The Secret World" - Ragnar Tørnquist

Originally posted by myleigh7

Originally posted by Aegiris

Originally posted by Neverknow

Let's see, Funcom stocks dropped over 20% today (just one day! ) after the financial reports came out. The C.E.O. of the company dumped almost 19% of his personal Funcom stocks just before the financial reports came out. So, don't worry about us forum posting "vocal minorities" ruining your game, Funcom is taking care of that nicely on their own.
 

I'd start looking for a back-up game.

 

This post = win.

All other arguments are considered null and void.

 

actually from my understanding it was the CFO (chief financial officer) that dumped his stocks.  that to me is even worse.  who would know the numbers more than him.  i hope this company dies, and that smug ass pr guy has to work the mcdonalds drive thru.

"Arminius AS, has on 15 August 2008 sold 400,000 shares in Funcom N.V. at NOK 17.2824 per share. Arminius AS, is wholly owned by Mr. Trond Aas, the CEO and Managing Director of Funcom N.V."

http://www.newsweb.no/newsweb/index.jsp?messageId=216487&lang=1

Originally posted by hobo9766

At 10:11AM : 17.50 Down 3.00 (14.63%)

Wowsers, yeah... this is the lowest FC's stock has been, in at least 12 months (if not forever). Before today, the lowest the stock had been in 12 months was 17.60.

Originally posted by Malickiebloo

That data was then used as a reference to guide the development of new products or business models.It's a fairly simple procedure and common practice everywhere .

This is one reason why (far too many) MMOs being released follow a fairly straight-and-narrow, safe and common formula.

Now, there's this ...thing... with all of this: people oft times don't know what they truly want, but they will follow what is popular. And, just because something is popular (i.e.: WoW, Britney Spears, McDonalds), does not mean its "good" (however one should choose to define that ultimately). Following the information gleaned from mass marketing research ensures that the mass marketed herd is catered to, most surely.

Once the Corporate Big Boys get wind of what is popular with Other Games, then you've lost a fighting chance to truly develop Something Different--the potential for making new creative games based on (mass) market research is, sadly, about slim-to-none. 

"We'll do that in beta."

"Funcom: At Least We're Consistent"

"Pretend Happy"

"Funcom: We Put the F.U. in Fun"   (This one harkens back to the days of the AO launch.)

Originally posted by Imjin

 Has anybody else here followed the path from fanboy, to helper, to hater?

*nods quietly* Yes, I suppose that about sums it up right there--albeit, it happened for me well before the game was released.

Today, 06:38 AM	#62
LordOrion vbmenu_register("postmenu_1842813", true); Funcom Product Manager	Quote: Originally Posted by noggy1980 So it isn't true that the developer team are working on an expansion and 360 version? It is. We are, of course, also staffing up. We're also moving people around.

Ahhh, yes. That.

We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. Presumably the plans for our employment were being changed. I was to learn later in life that, perhaps because we are so good at organizing, we tend as a nation to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

- Charlton Ogburn, "Merrill's Marauders", Harpers Magazine, January 1957

And now for an addition to this hot-topic by GU Comics.

Originally posted by ghettobooste

This game IS awesome...

Ahh, it comes full circle.