Originally posted by Celestian

 

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Originally posted by Deathstiny

Also, WAR just recently got a major funding boost that gave Mythic a few extra months of development time to "get it right" You know the exact opposite of SOE forcing VG out the door.
WAR will have an outstanding launch. Why? Because games that don't have good launches these days fail (see VG). Blizzard knew that, Turbine knew it and Mythic knows it too. Just because SOE doesn't have a clue doesn't mean noone else does.

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While I agree on the Mystic/War release theories you have the whole "It's SoE's fault for pushing VG out the door" is crap. Sigil pushed that button NOT SoE. Brad is the sole reason that game is what it is today and trying to put the blame on someone that pulled their ass out of the fire is just BS.

I really find it funny how people like to blame the big bad SoE for the MMO problems. SWG... that was LA and VG was crap way before SoE had anything to do with it.

Actually the whole "Its SoE's Fault for pushing VG out the door" isn't really crap.  Yes Brad and Sigil mismanaged the development of the game, screwed up badly, but it "WAS" SoE that told VG staff they had to lauch when they did, simply, SoE wanted to recoup some of the money they put into the project and they weren't going to wait any longer to do it.  Win, lose or draw, SoE set the launch date and would not allow Sigil to keep working on the game ( and yes its brad and his management teams fault the game was NO where near ready when it should have been).  I'm sure you have read the "Ex-Sigil" employees interview, its been all over almost ever generic game site forums since it came out.  In the interview he or she clearly states that "SoE didn't want to wait any longer and made them launch when they did".  You can't blame them in a business sense for wanting to get some cash back for their investment, but you can blame them for not taking the condition of the game seriously enough to realize that they really hosed the consumers that purchased the game by doing this.  You also have to know that SoE is notorious for launching EVERYTHING early.  They did it with EQ II, and all of their expansions, the whole SWG debacle, and more.  Its in their business startegy to "get it out the door no matter what, and use subscription revenue to finish whats not done".  This shouldn't be excused because if it is, more and more developers will do it.  I mean not only does SoE do it, they lie and hide the fact they are doing it (Can anyone remember the whole "Froglok" fiasco in EQ II?).  So don't make it like SoE is the innocent entity they want you to think they are, because if you do, you're exactly the type of customer they want.

here is a snipett from the interview:

f13.net: Who set the release date?

Ex-Sigil: The release date was set as a result of SOE not wanting to fund the project any deeper without SOME revenue coming in...

f13.net: Surely no one thought this was ready for primetime. And what about the giant patches that appeared nearly daily?

Ex-Sigil: We couldn't control that. From what I was told by some on the design team, the sweeping changes were par for the course.

and here is the link to the whole article and it does state that mistakes were made ALL over the place:

http://www.f13.net/index.php?itemid=561#more

The real reason the game blew up was Brad McQuaid and his lack of attention to the game (despite the efforts of the people actually trying to make the game).  I think we all read the "Ex-Sigil" employee's interview and saw how he was never there to direct the way the game was going, he just got the money and went out to play.  He only wanted to make a WoW killer and had no real plans on how to do it.  That interview really opens your eyes to how bad he actually was and how bad he hated WoW for being a success and was in denial that he could make that WoW killer.  So if anyone is really responsible for the implosion of the "Hardcore" gameplay its Brad.  He BS'd everyone into believing what he said and his "Vision" but never delivered on it.  We all should have known when Microsoft dropped him and SoE picked him up.  I mean he is "Skipper" Smedly's little buddy, so who else would he run to, to bail him out?  He should never be allowed to even suggest anything related to game, much the same way, if a mother abuses her children they get taken away and she not allowed to have more.  Also, before this event, the hardcore gameplay style was slowly dying anyway (wasn't dead but on life support).  The reason WoW did so well was because it was easy to get into, you could go far in small game sessions (people don't have as much time to just sit for hours in front of the PC all the time), if you had larger amounts of times you could get much further, and the game is very forgiving of mistakes.  Thats why it did so well, and why hardcore playing has died off. 

Also as far as Turbine goes, didn't they have a hand in Dungeons and Dragons online?  I don't think that was a huge success, but maybe they learned with LoTRO?  I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like they changed some ideas to a much more forgiving game play ideal.  Another thing, why does LoTRO have no trial (at least one that I can find anyway)?  I don't trust games anymore with no trial, i've been burnt once too often, having to shell out 50 bucks only to get a game I really can't stand.

Originally posted by wormywyrm
Its good to hear they are merging the servers.  I've played games that need a server merge much more than vanguard yet the devs refuse to accept it   *cough* swg, planetside *cough*

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Ironman2000

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

This is the first time i think, that a TOS have ever been tested in a court.

Im glad however, as most TOS remove all responsibility from companies to provide any form of service for the money.

Not even your cable company uses such removal of responsibility in there user agreements.

It is about time that MMO companies are required to ensure a quality of services to its customers, instead of no responsibility at all.

 

Currently, they can discontinue the game, turn off the worlds, and still bill you.

Did I miss something in the text? Who is challenging the TOS agreement?  If this is the case a link would be appreciated.  Also, to all the people that said the servers were healthy and the load was heavy on peak hours, "SO WHY ARE THEY MERGING SERVERS"?  Thats probably the best thing they can do with the game.  Is it just me, or do all SoE games merge servers?  It was done in EQ II, getting ready to happen in SWG and now VG.  Did they do it in Matrix or Planetside yet?  I guess that goes to show, what happens when you mismanage games.  It should be a lesson in what NOT to do at all schools where a lesson plan of game development  is required to graduate.

Yes, you did miss somthing, i posted what you quoted in the Second life new thread, somehow it ended up here.

Originally posted by chryses

I for one appreciate any communication. Having some frank information on a semi regular basis is essential for any game. I do get tired of all the moaning and for players like myself who actually really enjoy VG and personally have hardly or no issues with it, get sick of people complaining even when a developer or whoever writes an article saying they are improving performance etc.  

I am in a guild on Varking and we have a pretty hardcore following and devoted players.  As long as we get news coming through and still hear that the game is getting improved then we will be around for the long haul.  I wonder if the main culprits for moaning about the game are LOTR fans or just haven't played enough mpog's.  Come on people, if you have played any other game from launch there are always problems!  Its the usual hype that builds up a game way beyond reality that sets in people's mind that the next big game is going to save us all.  Well age of conan, pirates etc. are all going to be buggy to hell and have the same mob moaning about the same old things. So quit bagging the game and support the fact that someone from the company actually wants to send out some communication.  All these articles are placed on our guild website and read by all. So please keep them coming.   For the rest of ya who have to moan, go to LOTR and play with hobbits or upgrade your damn rig!

BTW merging servers is probably a good idea.  It does get busy and I have seen some decent size battles but it doesnt look too good when a group is shouting for lfm for 20 min.  Maybe merge a USA and EU server? I am in the EU and play on a USA server.  My choice. However it would ensure 24/7 crowds.  There are a small group of EU players running around looking for groups during downtime's in the states. 

Thanks for the comms. much appreciated

 

 

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

This is the first time i think, that a TOS have ever been tested in a court.

Im glad however, as most TOS remove all responsibility from companies to provide any form of service for the money.

Not even your cable company uses such removal of responsibility in there user agreements.

It is about time that MMO companies are required to ensure a quality of services to its customers, instead of no responsibility at all.

 

Currently, they can discontinue the game, turn off the worlds, and still bill you.

Originally posted by Publish6246
The game needs a full revmp, if it doesn't get one then it's dead and SOE will just Planetside it.

Originally posted by Nikoz78

Originally posted by dirtyd77

Sounds good, doesn't it?

Indeed it does.

By the end of the year Star Wars will be a popular MMO again.

Originally posted by SignusM
You can't get off the tutorial without a subscription, I'm pretty sure. Same as the EQ2 starter island.

They need to go after <Mod edit> too, I hate those bastards, on our server you can't go 10 minutes without one of them spamming you . One of them actually managed to spam trade channel on the horde side on our server...go figure. I think part of the problem is when they are not located on US shores, there isn't a lot legally they can do to them, other than try to kick them out of game, but then again most of them are level 1 new trial characters....so its kinda pointless to kick them out. They need something in the systems to allow regular paying users to block trial players from private tells, because most trial players (not all mind you) have a friend who already plays, so you could put the friend on some sort of exception list, much like the ignore list. I mean new players would be able to use regular /say to ask questions, and if someone started to spam gold there just walk away from them LOL.

Originally posted by JestorRodo

Originally posted by Ironman2000
Ok, time for a poll, please bare in mind, this post in for people who are not currently paying for Star Wars Galaxies.

     Come back to SWG just because beast master was readded?

The little baby steps by the DEVS is proving that the customer is always right  but the only way to have a hundred of thousands return to this game is provide pre-cu servers.  When I was banned 2.5 years ago that was bad only for me but what was done to the game in the meantime with 2 major revisions (CU and the NGE) showed a total disreguard for the paying customers when the complains started rolling in. 

 SOE did not care then and they are starting to listen now . Since we have their ear , lets reminder them every chance we have or Chapter 7 will be what Chapter 7 is to the legal profession....Bankruptcy.

 

Originally posted by Obraik

Originally posted by Ciredric

The entire point was it was quite a challenge to find a baby and then successfully tame it, some of the rarer creatures were quite an achievement to acquire.

This new method has zero challenge to it.  Why even bother?  Just another example of how dumbed down the game is now.  My subscription runs out in a week and I will not renew it. 

Likewise with this system.  There are many rare creatures that you can only get through mutations which people are still trying to figure out how to achieve.

Seriously, Obraik, it just seems that all they did was mash creature handler and bio-engineer together into a skill tree to make both sets of people that played the original classes happy and they should have added another 15 skill points for everyone, because 45 just plain is not enough for three skill trees.  I also don't think it goes far enough to satisfy bio-engineers and I do think its too complex and takes too long for people that were creature handlers.  So I don't think they did it well enough, but thats just my feeling about it. 

Also about your comment regarding the worlds not being so empty, I have been playing the trial on Ahazi where my main SWG characters are in an indefinant limbo state since about 3 months after the NGE, but the only populated spots at any hour i'm logging in is the cantina at Mos Eisley and Theed, other than that, I can travel for long long long periods of time without seeing another soul.  I created an entertainer and took 2 days to macro up to level 90 so I could check EVERYTHING out and thats the way I found Ahazi.  Its nothing but a sea of buildings all labled "Abandoned" now.