http://www.mmogamer.com/10/15/2009/lorien-gremore-the-agency

A quick interview with the lead producer.

Things are still kicking last I heard (which was recently). They are just not talking it up until they are closer to release... I'd wish they would at least let people know they're still alive, but from all that I've been reading and asking, The Agency is still in works. It's hard to sit here and wait, but there is light.

Commando is really easy to solo with.

Granted you'll need to invest a lot of credits to get the right gear, but once you have everything you need, you're the best tank and damage dealer you can be.

I feel like the developers are dropping like flies... I'm sure there are more than 5 devs on SWG, but there's still a lot of empty holes. They are not looking to fill those holes either from what I see. They did bring up a dev to take care of the Build and Release aspect of things, but beyond that, I see no new hires at Austin... Heck they even cut down the CR team! They used to ALWAYS have 2 people, now it's just Draakull with no anticipation of having another rep.

If I said it didn't worry me I'd be lying, but I know that Fiasco, TT, and AdeptStrain are good developers and can get the job done. The only question I have is how long until they're burned out or move on as well? I hate saying this but I feel like it's moving closer and closer to MxO where the devs start falling off one by one until no one is left.

Yeah, with all the buff stacking people can do, every profession can take out another profession fairly well. DOOM Medic is surprisingly dangerous :)

Pretty much all I've been seeing is another grind, another reason for people to AFK camp spawn areas... The rewards are no trade of course so people are grinding to master for the rewards and they'll be done with it. There are quite a few people that actually are enjoying this update (like I am) and actually taking time to make quests for the sake of doing it... Or using it to level a new toon :P

It's another update that will fall away... I have never seen storyteller used... Maybe that's because I don't go to events, but I do admire screenshots people take of the things they create using them. It's just not for me or from the looks of things a majority of the population.

Now that it's out though, they can focus on the future updates and hopefully come out of hiding. Zombies are on their way...

I really enjoy the soccer game so far. I am older than the target audience, so I find the Player vs NPC game too easy... My first game I won 2-1, now I'm winning games close to 7-0. I have not played against people yet, but I am looking forward to it.

I would like to see more additions in the future to include player controlled goal tending, but that is not necessary right now.

It's very similar to other soccer games I have played on various systems, and it really opens up a lot of potential for Free Realms to include other games such as Hockey. The future looks good for Free Realms

There is confirmation that there will be information or at least a showing of The Agency at DragonCon

Originally posted by FikusOfAhazi

 You guys have the ability to create your own senate in game. Thats whats great about swg...you don't really need the devs help or permission . You could make your own website, elect your own senators, and have the almighty /cancel at your disposal. If you guys are really serious, screw SOE...do it without them. I know some of you remember how. Soe will not 'save' anything. But, risking of a new type of player organization taking off would be risky.  A player union within a game. may not work, but it could light a spark for the future. Use zombies as your first cause. Or be polite and contructive with SOE..yes sir and thank you and what not.

SWG is a freak experiment...so experiment. Mix some shit together and see what happens.

Hmm... Anxiety, have you been talking to Fikus? lol

In my eyes, the devs are very lucky to have such a dedicated bunch that sacrifice a lot of time to make up the senate. The community supported the senate on the grounds that the senate would be an influencial part of the community. Well it has yet to be used as such and it was doomed from the start as a lot of us saw. Tragic really. The talent and dedication is there. They had the opportunity to gain back a lot of the hatred that has developed by taking player contributions and ideas and runnign with them. Instead, most were outright denied and nothing was ever said.

I'm not saying SOE is obligated to listen to the senate, but the tools were there to bring in player feedback in a way that I've never seen in other games and really take it home. The game could've seen some great ideas and great content added... I don;t know the politics behind it all, but if the senate was able to drive the community respones to bring content to the game, we wouldn't have some of these really sad looking updates involving valentines day cards... We'd have Star Wars.

Do I find it shady that the horror master Dotanuki pushed for zombies and bailed? absolutely... The justification that it is EU material doesn't make sense to me, as only 5% of the playerbase will probably read that book, but 100% of us have seen the movies...

obviously I can't prove those numbers, but just think about it... The community wants Star Wars, The senate listens to the community and wants to bring Star Wars, so what's the problem?

Meh, I get depressed thinking about it lol

No, more along the lines of it's better to get out of the senate now instead of later... Things weren't going well as it was, i could only imagine how bad things would get closer to the GCW if they didn't match their expectations. Plus the Senate has really started to decay lately in my eyes... There are a few great people in there, but it's really not what it could be.

I didn't mean it was awesome tux was banned...

They better get on the ball so we can learn more and interact... They really should have an official forum out... like yesterday... so we can talk and get hyped up for this but nooooo... I worry after some of the rumors I've heard.

Originally posted by TUX426

Originally posted by j1flaw 

And ayelin, you know as well as I do that TUX was getting burned out, so you can't say this was a good experience for him to be going through

 

Whoa whoa whoa...wait a minute Cos. I may have been getting bored silly and quite frustrated at things moving in reverse since Hoth's development, but I was not burned out mate. Every time I logged in, I knew what I was facing and I accepted it fully. Some nights I did need ME time, but I made that clear to most people. I didn't quit because I disliked the game OR I felt "burned out". I PvP'd, I PvE'd, I flew, I helped, I decorated, I chatted...I ALWAYS had something "I" could do...I left because my $ was the best weapon to combat what SoE did. Removing me from the Senate was/is a non-issue...lying and rumor mongering WAS!

If I went back, how long before you think they'd perma ban me? I'm willing to bet they'd do it within 3-days...my name is taboo on their forums and they have no problem silencing EVERY post about me (minus Draakull's). Just not worth it. I work for my $ and I value my time. I won't be made a scapegoat for their floundering game and continual mistakes. I also wouldn't ever pretend that they're moving in a positive direction with the current plans...they aren't. They're killing the game at a time when they NEED to be moving at a pace they haven't moved at since launch. They have FAR too many gamebreaking issues right now and they continue to ignore them.

So again...I was NOT "burned out". I was busy as hell in-game, but that was the role I accepted and I dealt with proudly every time I logged in. In fact, you have no idea how therapeutic it was to log in for me :P 

I hope you know that I don't feel what they did was right. I'm totally against what happened, but every inquiry I made to finding out about the situation, I was ignored. I think Draak took the easy road... I'll always feel that way.

If you say you weren't burned out I'll believe you, but you really seemed to be bogged down with more drama than anything.

I know you enjoyed playing... You probably still would... But I agree, the best weapon is your $ and the community to not shut up about the issue. and they're doing a pretty good job of that...

Thanks for telling me what you really felt about playing. I'm sorry that SOE took that away from you. I just perceived your feelings about logging in differently i guess. my mistake.

I said it's for the best for HIM. He needed to get out of there. In the end it was causing too much stress and hardship, that he needed to get out. Yes it sucks he left the game, that's not what I wanted, but things have a way of working themselves out.

I played this game every day for a looooong time. Once I started not playing that much, they never went out of their way to get me in their groups. I told them many times don't bother since I don't get in often and I don't want to screw up their cycle of groups. TUX and others insisted. I never said I deserve anything special, but TUX being a friend of mine insisted on me running an instance or being in their group. You know how many times I've run ISD, Hoth, and Exar? 4,1,2 respectively. That's it. So saying they take me along just because it's me is a false statement.

I was extremely active in the senate and not a kiss @ss fan boi. I pushed for changes and was very active in the Commando update. I was against some of the changes, let them know it and let the community know it but that didn't change anything.

I know a lot of people are pissed off that TUX isn't playing right now, but IMO (see what I did there, it's my opinion) He needed a break from the game as I felt like it was becoming so much of a job for him that he couldn't enjoy himself anymore. Bombarded with emails, tells, guild duties, it became a job... Much of the reason I stopped play as much.

Maybe all TUX needed was a break. I'll let him speak for himself there, but taking a break from a game that is supposed to be to take you out of the stresses of life, but instead brings more to you is a good thing.

I never said I was going to save PVP. I'm only switching because Anx has been bugging me to for about 2 years and I need some change in environment.

Feel how you will about me, that's fine. I know what I've done, what I've done for others, and that's all I care about.

EDIT: And ayelin, you know as well as I do that TUX was getting burned out, so you can't say this was a good experience for him to be going through

Well, this thread is very enlightening.

After all the hate, arguing, QQ'ing, logic, reason, and a dash of crazy, we're still no where :P

I admit I was stunned to see TUX and Anx removed. I'm honestly not sure how much people would value my opinion on this since I call them both my friend.

After everything has happened though, I kinda feel like it was best that it happened. I feel bad that all the work they put into this was for not. I feel terrible that the Commando Senate seat is being battled over by a bunch of people that don't know a thing about commando (except a few people that really know what their doing). I feel terrible that the leader of the GCW reform was smacked around right before the GCW was supposed to see some light.

But what I do feel good about is that they are out of the senate before things got worse. As crazy as the SWG community is, it does lead the Community Relations team to be changed a LOT. It's a tough job, and I have not met anyone that could handle the position quite like TH did a few years ago... Greypawn was terrible. He meant a lot of good, and I think he got over excited being he's a huge star wars fan, but the implementation of the senate turned bad fast...

Valara was a sweetie. She's so calm and light hearted, I feel many people just walked over her. She was the best since TH IMO.

Elias... Wow what a joke. I'm glad he didn't last. He didn't have the time of day for the players.

Now Draak... I had high hopes and expectations for this guy. I should have known from the start it was going to be a very awkward experience after I read his intro post and got to see that he seems a bit troubled. I don't think he's handled any of this right. I think he was right to turn to upper management for a problem he couldn't solve, but Braase just started when he went to her and she doesn't know anything about our community, so what was she to do other than solve the problem her own way?

TUX and Anx are great people and mean well. They have/had a dedication for SWG and really wanted it to be the best for the players. But I am glad that they are out now instead of stuck in the system surrounded by walls.

I talked to Draak awhile back inquiring about the vacant CR position as I was interested in stepping in since I've been a part of the community for so long and he told me simply "It's not available at this time"... Which confused me as it was on the website still.. Oh well.

So what can you do? Move forward or take another path? I'd say take the path less traveled but it seems to be traveled by more players than not.

That is exactly what SOE is shooting for. The MT and FTP aspects are their game plan right now and I see that continuing.

I'm curious if DCUO will be this way or not.

I just hope they release more info on The Agency at Fan Faire

The Art, Friends in the company, the Light Heartedness, and the chance for me to just jump in and play a game instead of analyzing it to pieces :)

I just want to be able to jump in and have fun from the start

Originally posted by Varking

Is there an NDA for this game?

Like most Closed Beta, you're not supposed to talk about it.

It is going to be Massively Multiplayer.

It's going to be Online.

It has persistent world locations.

It is full of instances.

It allows you to build your own avatar how you want and "level" them up.

What does it need to be an MMO, elves and dwarves? Sorry, we have enough games like that.

I hope the guys are at the SOE Fan Faire this Summer so I can ask them 100000 questions :P