All Posts by tman5

Originally posted by miffywiffy

I was talking about one line...

"Also, I'm not sure who you're talking to, but nobody from LA comes here, so really, what's the point."

OH GAWD LA SUCK !!! LOL THEY NO THEY COM HERE AN READ BUT THEY JUS DONT WANT TO LISTEN VETS WHO TELL THEM HOW MAKLE LOTSA MONEY LOL!!  SHTUPID YOU KNOW A_HOLES CORSE SENSORSHIP NO CONSTITUSHUN RIGHTS FREEDUM OF PRESS RIGHT TO TALK FIRE IN CROWDED ROOM LOL THEY READ THIS LA FORUM LOL JUST DONT WANT CLASSIC AN MAKE TONS AND OODDLES OF MONEY A_HOLES LOL!!!

That's what you wanted someone to say, right? Okay, done

Next?

EvE is s agood game itself, but saying it is an alternative to SWG is like saying "Farscape" was an alternative to "Star Trek." 

EvE has a completely different mood, playstyle, and objective.

Originally posted by Korusus

 

That's a lie oft-repeated, but SWG's fate proves that for the lie it is.  World of Warcraft isn't a success because of the Warcraft IP which most people don't know from carter's liver pills.  Bioware's MMO would likely succeed even without the Star War's license.  Why?  Because it's BIOWARE.

 

Why would Bioware need to attract Star Wars fans?  They attract a potentially larger audience with KotOR because KotOR is well known in the gaming industry which is any MMO's largest target audience.  Keep in mind that the most hardcore Star Wars folks are probably already familiar with KotOR since it's part of the Extended Universe. 

Did having Darth Vader, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Obi Wan etc. help SWG succeed?  Absolutely not.  Even at its peak, SWG didn't attract the kind of audience that MMOs do now.  That's just one of the reaons SOE and LucasArts gave for basing the game in that time period.  They hoped it would attract a large casual audience.  But look at WoW...WoW has attracted a HUGE casual audience and they did it with an IP few people but gamers recognized.  Blizzard's pristine reputation (something SOE, EA, and even Turbine could never hope to have) helped build the player base, and that large player base attracted traditionally non-MMO players.  Bioware is like Blizzard in this regard...pristine reputation, well known in the gaming industry, and an already giant fanbase.

 

Actually, it's not a lie.  Not sure what you mean by that but I'll let it pass.

What I'm saying is, if we assume the LA/Boiware game will be a Star Wars games and if we assume it's a MMO, and if we assume the same marketing approach as SWG (i.e. attact not-neccessarily-gamers), it makes more sense to base the game off the periods of the movies rather than the KOTOR games, which have a relatively narrow audience when compared to the movies.

Nothing was said about Bioware's reputation or ability to do otherwise.

Originally posted by Ycochal-int

can i put 10 bucks down that it will be a tie in with the upcoming tv show lucas is working on?

Makes more sense to tie it into that timeline than the KOTOR period.

You know, I doubt the majority of Star Wars fan even know KOTOR.  Yes, it's a popular game, but most people who know SW probably don't know KOTOR from Carter's Liver Pills.

The movies have a much deeper penetration into global culture than KOTOR.  Even non fans know Darth Vader, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Obi Wan, Ewoks (eywww!)  So it only makes sense to base any future SW MMO off the movies in some way.  If you do KOTOR, you limit what is recognizable to the larger populous.

I base this assumption on SWG's (original) stated goal of bringing in SW fans who were not necessarily gamers.  I assume the same strategy would hold for any new MMO.

SWG could limp along for the next decade but when the plug is finally pulled, there will be those on this forum (the OP among them) posting in big bold letters "SEE!  WE TOLD YOU SO!"

SWG will be around a few more years.

Originally posted by miffywiffy

- SWG isn't doing well and never has done, a Star Wars mmorpg should have been well over a million subs.

SWG had very good numbers for an MMO at the time.  There was no reason to believe any game could hit the million mark - until WoW did it.  There was no reason to believe a million + Star Wars fans would also take the time to play an online game.  I don't know what figures LA/ SOE were expecting, but those of us who were there for preCU can tell you populations were very good.

Those populations were slipping by the time of the CUNGE debaucle, but this had much to do with the fact that the game was - inexplicably at the time - not being worked and enhanced as promised and expected.

Kaadara Bay, along the North Coast on Naboo.  Used to have my house right on the beach.  Beautiful sunsets.  And close to work.

Just for fun, I scouted a navigable waterway from the central lakes all the way to the North Coast.  I'm the Lewis and Clark of SWG.

With the LA/Bioware announcement, I am even more convinced something is up.  Coincidence?  Not when SOE is involved- everything has a cause.  This could not have been a surprise to SOE, so they would have the foreknowledge to time "whatever" to piggieback on the LA/Bioware buzz.

Most likely a server merge or character transfer, but I would not completely rule out classic servers.  Though highly unlikely.

I would give it a shot.  In my visits over the last year, I've found the game playable, but the lack of player interaction due to near zero populations kills it for me.  I'd be willing to try it out with a true MMO population.  On SOE's dime, of course.

No promises after that.

Originally posted by Linna

Alas, locked now. Looks like  it were indeed the internal test servers, according to this:

TSR-JasonC wrote:

Regarding bug #2 in LostRanger's list:

We have reproduced the issue experienced.  It seems that some internal servers (disabled, spare, test/staging environments, etc.) were inadvertently made visible.  It's not a big deal, but it causes some pretty amusing conspiracy theories to spawn as a result.

I've sent an updated list to the devs so they can display a properly filtered version, instead.  It's at a fairly low priority, but hopefully should be fixed before this gets out of Beta.

Still, fun while it lasted.

=)

Linna

SOE's track record suggests something is going on.  This "accidental" tipping of the hand is meant to generate buzz.  In ~ 4 years of farting around with the servers and game code, never has the internal servers become visable on Launch Pad.  Why suddenly now?

It is a given that a server merge or character transfer is essential for the game's long-term health.  I believe, despite dev denials, such is being prepared and will be implemented within 6 months.

Don't forums list by how active they are, meaning, Vet Refuge is more active than Current players?

Originally posted by mackdawg19

Its sad to hear that you think yet another Star Wars MMO will ruin a Star Trek MMO. DO you even realize how many trekkies are out there? This is not to say PE will make a good star trek mmo or to say there isnt alot of star wars fans, but seriously do you know how many trekkie fans are out there? Also note, nowadays more and more people are playing more than just one mmo. I dont see how Star Wars will have any impact on a Star Trek mmo since there really isnt a star trek moo out and Star Wars KOTOR will always have a comparison out there. I understand you hate towards PE with the recent debakle of GnH but since they did can a game before it came out, atleast you didnt have to pay 50 bucks for a half ass game like most companies make you do. And I hate to tell ya but in no way does STO.net try to back PE. They are just really optimistic and dont judge people based off one downfall. Its called second chances. Something everyone deserves atleast once. In no way was GnH a bad game, it had alot of potential, but ran short of cash flow and involvement. If you read some of the latest reveiws out by people who were IT testers then you can see it was not as bad as a game as some of the people who wrote if off as a WoW clone.

Understandbly though its your opinon. Now on the issue of Bioware. With the latest development of EA buying it, and EA's reputation, and the fact that GnH had ex-EA employess, one being Chris Mckibbin. I would go to say that KOTOR wont be all that and a bag of chips. Especially if they use the PEP Platform software which is IE certified garbage. Just to let ya know, i was an internal core tester for GnH and had many issues with there platform software and its bugs. But game-wise, they had a sound idea. As stated though, the development and cash fell short. So all in all, in my OWN opinon, star wars kotor will have no effect on star trek since is prodominatly different fan bases. Gj increasing your post count though. :)

There is no reason to believe that a Star Wars MMO would threaten a Star Trek MMO- assuming both products are of equal quality.  I'm a Star Trek fan - trekkie, not trekker! - and a Star Wars fan.  I could see myself playing both.

Originally posted by BlackWatch

I think you would have some folks that would go back and play it.  I don't believe you would be able to achieve 'wholesale' buy-in, though. 

The SWG-NGE servers would lose numbers for a few reasons:

1) Some (most?) remaining Vets would leave to play the game they enjoyed.

2) A lot of NGE players would leave just to try out something different and to see what all the fuss was about.

3) As players left to go play on the 'preCU' server, the one's left on the NGE servers would probably quit due to lack of population on already barren servers.

The preCU servers would in no way 'save the game'.  Too many previous SWG players have moved on to other games and/or given up any kind of faith in SOE whatsoever.

Realistically, the NGE servers would die and the preCU servers wouldn't bring enough of a following to really restore the game. 

What made SWG great was the community.  The community was torn apart 2-3 times by SOE.  It has never been restored.  So, even if the game itself were rolled back, without the old community... it wouldn't be the same.

I would enjoy playing in the old system (either CU or preCU) for a while.  I really would.  But then I would want new content, bugs to be worked out, and I'd want the game to be brought up to current technology.

...

I'll give SOE some credit for  attempting to make their current UI more like their preCU UI.  But it's just not there.  They tried to allow old players to play the new game the old way, and they still wanted new players to play the game the new way. 

I'm not sure if this was a sad attempt at making the game portable to console or not?  In the current state though, the game is clown-shoes at best.

 

 

 

I've been saying much the same thing.  The bottom line is preCU would not bring in enough players to be viable, despite fond wishes to the contrary.  That opportunity passed about a year ago.  The only workable option to keeping SWG alive - if there is one, and I'm not saying there is - is to continue chipping away at the NGE until a playable game emerges.

 But would I come back?  At least for a time.  Can't really say how long; depends on how well things go.  No, I would not sign up for any long-term commitment.  I doubt I would ever trust SOE enough for that.

Originally posted by superniceguy

 

A few days at a time makes an accurate assessment, not  This may be true.   21 days, with RL interruptions, only allows maybe 10 actual playing days.    But you can't really expect us to try the new game on our own dime, can you?  Ask SOE to offer vets 6 mos free trial. 

Playerbase is tiny because people have listened to people like you, on opinions of old rather than opinions of now, and not bother with it.   You may be right.  Does that mean the total negative toward the the game far exceeds the total positive?  Maybe those liking the game need to get busy selling?

The only thing wrong with the game right now is the lack of players.  There are other things wrong, but I'll agree lack of players is the big one.  If SOE addressed that, it would go a long way to solving the problems.  Server merges may not be possible, but server consolidation with character transfers are.  Soe should identify 3-4 servers to keep, mothball the rest, and offer free transfers to those servers.

If more players returned to the game, then they could see its greatness, post positive reviews and will be back on top.    Isn't this a chicken/ egg thing?  Shouldn't the game have good reviews first to attract players, not have players return to give good reveiws?

Anybodys opinion of SWG means squat if they no longer play the game.  DISAGREE.  It is incumbant on SOE- after all they pulled -to right things with potential customers.  Not the other way around.

On the SWG forums, I see more posts of players returning than leaving.  I think this is due to the populations stabilizing, so not as many are leaving anymore.  And likely returning players do stay or don't bother to post a goodbye when they leave, as in old times.  Either way, the low populations of most the servers are quite observable and cannot be masked by pointing to forum posts either way.

SWG sucked but not now, and will suck even less when Chapter 7 (and 8) are implemented.  I truly hope so, for you and others enjoying the game and for those of us still holding a slight hope the game might improve enough to return.

I notice the medic nerf is still a hot topic.  Blix gave some insight into the dev's development process.  Allow me to paraphrase:

"We think of an instance then develop how the players should approach it. Do, 'A', then 'B', then 'C.'  Then, players spawn in and do 'C', 'D', and 'E.'  Wow, we never thought of that.  So we need to change profession abilities to force players to do A, B, C as intended."

As one poster succintly put it: They are protecting their instance instead of protecting the playerbase.

I tend to give SOE the benefit of the doubt but this whole thing has me flabbergasted.

Originally posted by PRprince

i doubt there will be a another series for a while,

(which i talked about in a long post i made, i see no one bothered reading it !!!!)   

if u guys are alergic to 'reading' then forums might not be the right place for you

ST:enterprise's miserable failure cost paramount alot of money, i doubt there will be another series anytime soon , if any at all. Only 15% of 'trekies' actaully watched enterprise

 

Using the proven Freud Method of Scientific Analysis - to wit, I use myself as a baseline and draw all conclusions based on the way I view the world, formulating theories accordingly and poo-pooing anyone who disagrees - I believe Trekkies formerly put off by Enterprise will find the show very entertaining after having a few years away from it.

Or I could be wrong.  But I'll never admit it.

There are so many "flavors" of Trek, it's pointless to debate which series was "good" or which was "bad."   I despised Voyager.  i initially despised Enterprise, but came back years later to find it quite entertaining.  Maybe if I went back and watched old Voyager reruns, I would find that series better than I remember.

I really think I was burned out with Trek, given TNG, DS9, movies, Voyager and my TOS DVDs.

There was a lot of uproar over that episode.  I wasn't following Enterprise in its first run and even I felt the flames.  Very poorly handled.

I'm watching Enterprise on SF channel and really enjoying the series.   I dismissed it early in its first run because Voyager was so bad I felt Trek had probably run out of steam, a feeling reinforced by the first few Enterprise eps.  I didn't find the characters particualrily interesting (T'Pol seemed a stand-in for Seven of Nine and Archer struck me as too "golly gee") and the writers immediately began rewriting Trek history to fit their needs (Klingons only three days away from Earth? Come on!)

But I was wrong.  This series hit its stride quite quickly and I think it rivals the best of any Trek series - except Voyager, of which it far surpasses any of that show's "best."  God, Voyager sucked. 

Maybe I just needed time away from Trek to reignite my love of the lore.

Originally posted by Kontra

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33832

According to this article the new Star Trek movie will involve time travel (how original!!!) Romulans will get trapped in the past and Spock must stop them from killing Kirk's father. Because of these events, the timeline is changed and thus the new movies can follow a whole new canon well not destroying the old.

I say it's pretty lame to "reboot" a franchise with a temporal paradox especially since they are trying to get new people to watch the movies and not get confused by them.

What do you guys think?

My first reaction- being the rabid TOS fan I am - is "NO WAY! NO HOW! Don't reimagine MY series!"  But I got to thinking about Battlestar Galactica, which is far better than the original (just about have to be, eh?) and Bionic Woman, which is looking promising.  Even the first half of the "Lost in Space" movie - before they introduced the time travel story!  These are examples that "reimagining" can work if the reimagineer has a solid grasp of the core material.

I'm waiting to see if Abrams has that grasp.