Vanguard is a fascinating case study to understanding this wacko gaming industry.  I think more lessons are to be learned from Vanguard than from the World of Warcraft title.

After two years, what do we have?

• Hitching Remains
• Quest Lines are Still Broken
• Classes are Imbalanced
• PvP is a Total Disaster
• World Largely Empty, Lifeless

Vanguard has many merits:

• Large World to Explore and Develop Upon
• Interesting Class System (though classes are missing and imbalanced)
• Group Gameplay that is Fun, Active, Challenging
• Dungeons that are Challenging, Immersive
• Stunning Visuals, Decent Audio

What do I want?

I would want Vanguard to be fixed. 

• Is this game beyond fixing?  I
• s it beyond finishing? 
• Can this game ever recover from its dismal release? 
• Is it worth the effort?

SOE seems to be answering no to all of the above questions.  The efforts seem half-hearted, progress is slow if not stagnant, and this is two years later.

I have all but given-up on this game, although it is sad and disappointing.  Vanguard could have been EQ 1 but better, in my view.  Now the end-game is raiding, customization is totally removed, and travel undermines world feel. 

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Originally posted by declaredemer
The efforts seem half-hearted, progress is slow if not stagnant, and this is two years later.

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To be honest, what were you expecting? That's what SOE does best.

The purpose for my post, believe it or not, was not to bash SOE but to express mine (and I am sure my others') disappointment with Vanguard after two years.

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Originally posted by declaredemer
The purpose for my post, believe it or not, was not to bash SOE but to express mine (and I am sure my others') disappointment with Vanguard after two years.

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Yeah I understand your disappointment, but the point of MY post was to point out that to be disappointed with Vanguard after two years is to be disappointed with SOE ultimately, because they have failed to fix the game's major issues after so long. I don't have any reason to bash Sony myself, but I don't kid myself either; they seem to take pride in buying messed up games and ruining them further.

Originally posted by Aethios

 

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Originally posted by declaredemer
The purpose for my post, believe it or not, was not to bash SOE but to express mine (and I am sure my others') disappointment with Vanguard after two years.

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Yeah I understand your disappointment, but the point of MY post was to point out that to be disappointed with Vanguard after two years is to be disappointed with SOE ultimately, because they have failed to fix the game's major issues after so long. I don't have any reason to bash Sony myself, but I don't kid myself either; they seem to take pride in buying messed up games and ruining them further.

I would go further and say that your dissappointment should of been mitigated by the expectation that the game had little chance of becoming anything else.

Originally posted by declaredemer

The purpose for my post, believe it or not, was not to bash SOE but to express mine (and I am sure my others') disappointment with Vanguard after two years.

 

 

two years its been out i think your i bit confused ,

I dont beleive that SOE made VG worse. They actually made it playable. Thats all. I dont think it is in their plans to throw any more money into it. Its playable, and profitable, even with the low population it has. End of story.

Just remember how bad it was prior to SOE ownership.Id say it will take more than 2 years worth of work to fix it completly.SOE didnt break it.It already was broken.SOE is FIXING IT slowly.

That being said remember it is an mmo not a standalone game.It is constantly evolvoving.

Originally posted by Opticaleye

SOE is FIXING IT slowly.

Exactly!

It is summer, I have some time, and I want to play Vanguard - but the game still is incomplete and has problems that prevent my returning.  It is, as we said, disappointing.

I would like to return!

I see your point but imho it is the most challenging mmo out atm.

As far as size depth and scope goes it is not for the casual player.It certainly isnt for the WoW player.

I beleive it gets a bar rap because of its launch and the time period inbetween it being acquired by SOE.

You mean SOE is dummying it down slowly. They have indeed made it worse.

Originally posted by Opticaleye

I see your point but imho it is the most challenging mmo out atm.

As far as size depth and scope goes it is not for the casual player.It certainly isnt for the WoW player.

I beleive it gets a bar rap because of its launch and the time period inbetween it being acquired by SOE.

Yes.  But challenging how?  It takes longer to level.  It takes longer to complete quests.  The dungeons are definitely more challenging, and I think more fun.  Moreoever, the challenging dungeons, and the long quests in them, help ensure you can get a group.

Yes.  I admire, appreciate, and enjoy the size of the game's world and scope.  The depth, however, is somewhat lacking because there are not many opportunities to feel a part of the world

• Everyone's houses are virtually the same
• Guild halls all look the same
• Everybody is really the same
• There are some different class paths, but that leans more towards class specialization than character customization
• Travel is now a click away, while the awesome boat travel is either too expensive to get a boat, useless, or does not function properly
• You have a lot of ideas, beginnings to create depth that are incomplete

Yes.  Most definitely has a bad rap due to its early release. The early release was made worse because the CEO of Sigil was telling us, "sure, it is laggy, but buy a new computer."  Ever lend a friend a car and have something wrong with it when it is returned?  You ask your friend about it, but he gives you the run around about it.  Same thing, sort-of. 

Vanguard is the type of game that I think could have been much more successful if properly developed, completed, polished, and functioning as intended. 

Edit:  I am definitely going to "return" to Vanguard (to check it out), but I am just sad and disappointed it remains largely incomplete and many "problems" still remain.  I miss the pick-up groups the most, very reminiscent of the "old days" in Everquest 1. 

I'm taking a break from Vanguard, but I plan to return hoping that they fill some of that great big wonderful world in with some more stuff. I'd like to see them add some more end game  activities. One thing I'd like is to add some pvp