Originally posted by firefly2003

They accquired Cryptic Studios which is making Champions Online and Star Trek Online dont know about Atari itself making a MMO just buying up properties..

Seems that way.  This seems to be more of an act of desparation than initiative.  Unless they plan to DO something with these games, it'll fall to the:

like RF Online did.  I liked RF Online... R.I.P.   -_-

Buy your way to power?  Why not?  Hey, I'm selling a senate seat if anyone wants it:

It comes with a certain position of power by a now president-elect, hm?  Let's start the bidding at $500,000

Originally posted by UNATCOII

 

 

Sony used to be a quality company (still have a working 15" color TV from the 70s). Today, you couldn't give me the junk they sell, as it falls apart so easily. 

I'm glad someone else saw the same trend as I did.  Currently I should be studying Korean since Samsung pretty much owns my electronic household.  If Samsung makes an MMORPG, guess who will be first in line.    Until then, I'll watch some Dae Jo Joyoung on KBS...

Originally posted by banthis

 You can't honestly tell me you'd boycott an entire company from TV's to dvd players over what a single Branch that runs Online Games does?  Thats extreme if not down right retarded.

Not at all retard.  Follow the logic please: I won't get Verizon FIOS because their contrators jacked up my yard and on a number of occasions accidently cut my cable line.  They also cracked 3 of my neighbor's driveways and the house two doors down caught fire from their poor outdoor wiring.  I called Verizon, they claim "well, we hire contractors so..."  Don't care who they hire, Verizon is the name on the bill and are responsible.  I don't care which area is better mananged than another.  Cancelled.

Now, saying that SOE doesn't 'talk to' or is managed by Sony...now that is absurd.

In the late 1980's Sony was the brand to beat.  I had a dual tapedeck recorder that was built solid and out-performed anything on the market. I held it for ten years.  Over the next years, I got two of their CD player products on different occasions.  Both crap.  I know exactly why.  They outsourced it and were looking to cut costs (to make more money).  In addition, they cut a customer.  I came back with Everquest, but they lost me again for much of the same reason.  Greed does ugly things to people and have no desire to support it at the expense of my wallet.

Originally posted by Oakdragon

Many will call me crazy but here is how it works.......

Sony Online Entertainment is an Eastern Company.......Japan.

Eastern companies do NOT understand Western MMO models of paying monthly.  Nearly every single eastern MMO is based on micro transactions.

Korea is blazing the path of MMO's with micro transactions, and China is establishing a foothold.  And Japan hates that with a frenzy.

Since eastern MMO's do NOT understand western MMO business models, and western customers prefer not to play in the micro market........................and here is the point.............SOE is trying to make the games more enticing to the eastern market, thinking they can gain a larger customer base there.  In other words Smed is listening to his Sony bosses and changing the games into Eastern models.

Basically saying a big "up yours" to the current customer base, typical of SOE. 

I have been SOE free since May of 2004.  I wont even buy a Playstation three because of their business tactics.  

Plenty of good games on the market, get out now and find a new home is my suggestion.

I don't think you're crazy at all and I DO think this is how it works.  The difference is the micro pay games that come from Korea/China have the following that Everquest does not:

1.) Free.  No subscription.

2.) Purchased items aren't typically 'uber weapons' and such that shift the gameplay balance. (none that I play anyway)

3.) People agree to the payment system when they first join the game.

4.) Free to play games are fun.  (okay, I admit it, this one is only my opinion )

Originally posted by UNATCOII

 

 

Won't support a game that allows a have and have not game play, period. Either folks level with their abilities, or I'm out of it. Don't want to play with level 80 paper tigers who's as clueless as a level 10 player right off of newbie isle, as they're leveling so fast to not even know a dang thing about the game mechanics, or their class.

This is really the crux of the issue beneath Sony's need for greed.  I appreciate your stand for fairness.  It'll turn in to a playground for the rich and bored to compete for virtual wealth for ego inflation.

Originally posted by Daffid011

SOE has proven time and time again they do not care what you think.  They have simply stopped asking what you and I think as they just push their plans forward.  SOE knows people will want to vent and shout so they slap together a special forum to do that and when everyone is done they will delete it, because they have herded all the negativity into one spot.  As long as you keep paying money they do not care what you think.

This is true, from my first complaint on Everquest 1 in 2000 to my last one in Everquest 2 in 2007, it has been very clear to me.  I have a list a mile long.  I put up with it because I had friends who wanted me in the game and tried desparately to 'make it work' for all of us.  I was ashamed and embarrassed to have to pay the subscription fees and EverExpanions during that time as well as retrospective regret.  Having been clean for a year, this announcement only makes me laugh because it further exposes their motives from the beginning.  See the beast for what it is:

What I find most funny about this situation is how SOE is still running like they're the only MMORPG provider in the industry like in 2000.  HELLO!  Wake'm up boys! 

SOE is not the only kid on the block.  Here's a set of "if / then" statements they can stick into their programs:

10 If micropay, then subscription fee =$0, goto 10

20 If micropay and subscription fee, End program

Run

Finally, on the Free-to-Play micropay games I DO play, the purchase stuff needs to be non-essential to the game play (costumes, titles, other non-advancement stuff) else I don't play out of unfairness.

Originally posted by Jeff44

$5 for 500 Station Cash
$10 for 1,000 Station Cash
$20 for 2,000 Station Cash
$50 for 5,000 Station Cash
$100 for 10,000 Station Cash

 

If you can't beat the goldsellers, join them?   (platinum same same)

Originally posted by nurgles

 

 

i did as well, but with a green screen.

before that i had a Vectrex

Wow!  Is that an oscilloscope with a gamepad?

I feel cheated with Atari having only one button on the joystick.  Anywho, I think that thing pwned my first - the Vic 20.

Hahahahahahahaha!  Now I'm DEFINATELY not coming back to either Everquest I or II.

Originally posted by Brenelael

Atari 2600

Ah yes, Atari ^_^.  Good emulator for it is Stella: stella.sourceforge.net/

Originally posted by plasticwaste

But again, it's Blizzard we are talking about here.  Name one game they've released since StarCraft that wasn't accompanied by a huge multimedia ad campaign.  It's just not their style to simple make a hushed announcement about these things.  God bless you, dude! :)

Thanks!  God bless you tooo.  No doubt they would advertise, just meaning there wouldn't be a need if it's wonderfully fabulous.  Case-in-point is how many games listed here on mmorpg.com that were based on SOHA (Sales on Hype Alone).  Can you imagine how many copies would sell by a bunch of people here posting that they've actually discovered a great game?

The primary issue with MMORPG creators are the big hopes and small deliveries.  Out of them all, World of Warcraft seems to be a gem because overall it hadn't made more noise than actual product for the most part.  If they were truly wise they'd offer their next product with, "Give this a try, see if you like it".  If it tanks, no big deal.  If it's great, there will be no need for them to advertise.

Originally posted by Sora2810

They are making a smart move. WoW is dominating-I agreee, But for how long will it last? blizzard knows no game can last forever. The heat of WoW will burn out eventually, so they need a new weapon.

In the industry, the rule of thumb is "change or die", evidenced by Everquest.  I think Blizzard picked up on their mistakes early on and have gone with the change strategy rather than banging out the expansion-a-month hook or "let's just replace the whole thing" line of thinking.  I don't know if their success is endless, but it has worked for more than four years with consistent and positive growth.  Waiting for the "death of WoW" is a fruitless endeavour.

Originally posted by Cabe2323

For me things like Alliance Death Knights and horde Paladins are so stupid. 

That would be like the Diablo teaming up with your character to fight some other bad guy in a Diablo game.  (I mean that level of lore changing)

I just can't stand how much Blizzard just changes things just to fit what the whiners want.  It seems like nothing is sacred at all. 

I agree, and you're right, it is a move away from the very definition of "sacred".  In pop culture, Relativism is becoming the rule rather than the quirky philosophy it was some hundreds of years ago.  Being a "Light-based" guild, we've had to continually battle it since warlocks, deathknights, and shadowpriests are not permitted.  Three years later, everyone has 'stuck to their guns' or left and the rule stands.

Originally posted by xaldraxius

 

---

Originally posted by Krogg

 
Wow you're a real 'glass is half-empty' kind of guy.

---

 

Yes, but I have a lovely singing voice.

Haha!  Classic! 

Originally posted by Deathstrike2

NERDS!!!!!!!!!

 X-D  Classic movie.  They should make World of NerdCraft.

No worries about being offended, I worked hard to reach "nerd" status.  Good grades and hard gaming took a lot of work for me.

Originally posted by Guillermo197

So I bet all you nerds are sweating like crazy now for the coming 3 hours .....and then probably be dissapointed when the announcement today turns out to be a hoax.

Nah, this nerd is skeptical because there's no substantiation to the original poster's claim.  If it comes out, it'll be a nice surprise however.  In the meanwhile, I'll post a picture of my friends and I on spring break:

It's kinda hard not to.  After all, I went to World of High School, graduated from World of CollegeCraft, then joined the Corporate World....er...World of Corporate.