Fires of Heaven Guild Message Board - View Single Post

Cadrid · 09-29-2006, 02:44 AM

Despite the undying faith my parents and I have in you on the mound, Curt, there are a few issues that appear to have become epidemics within the MMO genre. I understand that this early on in development you can't possibly give much more than a cursory nod to these problems, acknowledging their presence, but nonetheless I have to get it off my chest.

First and foremost, it seems to me that developers are abhorrent to change. Everyone here knows about "The Vision(tm)", and many have sour memories of it; The Vision was FUBAR, but the EQ team decided to stay the course anyways, shrugging off players' complaints with infamous phrases like "Working as intended." Even WoW has seen its fair share of stubborn developer syndrome, where broken mechanics would go unchanged, despite hordes of fans giving mountains of proof and dozens of ideas for fixes.

I realize that your experience with MMOs has originated from a player's point of view, and that alone reassures me that GMG won't give customers the complete shaft. However, are you ready to look to your playerbase for ideas to fix and balance your game, should the time arise? Are you willing to say "We blew it with this mechanic." if the fans bring it up? Or should we all expect another "We're the ones with the professional experience, so we're right and you're wrong" attitude when people complain that Class_A turns out to be a Priest in plate, instead of the as-advertised melee support character?

Secondly, as has been mentioned before, public relations are of massive importance in the gaming industry. I'm hardly into my twenties and already I am highly cynical and jaded, mostly thanks to unfulfilled promises, poor communication, and general disconcern for fans by game developers. Pleasing everyone 100% of the time is impossible; it's a fact of life. It is possible, however, to keep most people satisfied with what you have to offer.

While being upfront and honest is a big part of the PR equation, you also have to remember that those of us on these boards are not suceptible to hype camaigns like Brad's Vanguard crusade. Yes, the general masses will gobble up screenshots and in-game clips like candy, but it's insulting to me (and others that frequent these forums) when someone comes along trying to sell their game via a travelling salesman routine. "It's slices, it dices, it has high-tech graphics! Lookit that sky! Not satisfied? Here's a teeny clip of gameplay!" While you're more than welcome here, you'll need substantive information to come around and promote your game without riling up the masses.

Lastly, you've shown you have a passion for MMO gaming, and you're no stranger to the various playstyles of MMO'ers. From casual to hardcore, different games tend to cater to different levels of gamers. Some, like WoW, attempt to please all the sects. With its success, WoW has investors licking their chops in anticipation of huge cashflows, looking to new games that will rake in the big bucks. While it's a good thing for the industry as a whole, the proof that MMOs are profitable can (and has) lead to developers looking for a way to make highly-accessible games in hopes of mimicking Blizzard's goldmine.

I'd like to know: Is your plan to make a game that is easily accessible (and thus highly profitable), even if it means dumbing down the gameplay? If so, how do you plan on satisfying the desires of hardcore players alongside the more casual and core gamers? Even WoW, despite its success, has been more of a seesaw of contentment between the gaming levels: at launch, there wasn't enough to keep hardcore players happy; as time has gone on, hardcore players have recieved more attention while the core/casual gamers have been bereft of stuff to do for quite some time.

If you aren't seeking to please everyone, what kind of audience are you currently planning to design the game towards? The more casual gamer (7-14 hour weekly playtime), the core gamer (15-24 hours weekly playtime), the hardcore gamer (25+ hours weekly playtime), or a combination of the above?

I apologize if I came off as a bit of an ass; it tends to happen when I speak my mind. I am just genuinely interested in how someone who has been on the same side of poor service as I have will deal with some of these glaring issues that have arisen.

But hey, even if you can't deal with any of those problems, thanks for helping let me witness a Red Sox World Series win in my lifetime.

09-29-2006, 02:44 AM	#211 (permalink)
Cadrid Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Acton, Massachusetts Posts: 1,832	Despite the undying faith my parents and I have in you on the mound, Curt, there are a few issues that appear to have become epidemics within the MMO genre. I understand that this early on in development you can't possibly give much more than a cursory nod to these problems, acknowledging their presence, but nonetheless I have to get it off my chest. First and foremost, it seems to me that developers are abhorrent to change. Everyone here knows about "The Vision(tm)", and many have sour memories of it; The Vision was FUBAR, but the EQ team decided to stay the course anyways, shrugging off players' complaints with infamous phrases like "Working as intended." Even WoW has seen its fair share of stubborn developer syndrome, where broken mechanics would go unchanged, despite hordes of fans giving mountains of proof and dozens of ideas for fixes. I realize that your experience with MMOs has originated from a player's point of view, and that alone reassures me that GMG won't give customers the complete shaft. However, are you ready to look to your playerbase for ideas to fix and balance your game, should the time arise? Are you willing to say "We blew it with this mechanic." if the fans bring it up? Or should we all expect another "We're the ones with the professional experience, so we're right and you're wrong" attitude when people complain that Class_A turns out to be a Priest in plate, instead of the as-advertised melee support character? Secondly, as has been mentioned before, public relations are of *massive* importance in the gaming industry. I'm hardly into my twenties and already I am highly cynical and jaded, mostly thanks to unfulfilled promises, poor communication, and general disconcern for fans by game developers. Pleasing everyone 100% of the time is impossible; it's a fact of life. It is possible, however, to keep most people satisfied with what you have to offer. While being upfront and honest is a big part of the PR equation, you also have to remember that those of us on these boards are not suceptible to hype camaigns like Brad's Vanguard crusade. Yes, the general masses will gobble up screenshots and in-game clips like candy, but it's insulting to me (and others that frequent these forums) when someone comes along trying to sell their game via a travelling salesman routine. "It's slices, it dices, it has high-tech graphics! Lookit that sky! Not satisfied? Here's a teeny clip of gameplay!" While you're more than welcome here, you'll need substantive information to come around and promote your game without riling up the masses. Lastly, you've shown you have a passion for MMO gaming, and you're no stranger to the various playstyles of MMO'ers. From casual to hardcore, different games tend to cater to different levels of gamers. Some, like WoW, attempt to please all the sects. With its success, WoW has investors licking their chops in anticipation of huge cashflows, looking to new games that will rake in the big bucks. While it's a good thing for the industry as a whole, the proof that MMOs are profitable can (and has) lead to developers looking for a way to make highly-accessible games in hopes of mimicking Blizzard's goldmine. I'd like to know: Is your plan to make a game that is easily accessible (and thus highly profitable), even if it means dumbing down the gameplay? If so, how do you plan on satisfying the desires of hardcore players alongside the more casual and core gamers? Even WoW, despite its success, has been more of a seesaw of contentment between the gaming levels: at launch, there wasn't enough to keep hardcore players happy; as time has gone on, hardcore players have recieved more attention while the core/casual gamers have been bereft of stuff to do for quite some time. If you aren't seeking to please everyone, what kind of audience are you currently planning to design the game towards? The more casual gamer (7-14 hour weekly playtime), the core gamer (15-24 hours weekly playtime), the hardcore gamer (25+ hours weekly playtime), or a combination of the above? I apologize if I came off as a bit of an ass; it tends to happen when I speak my mind. I am just genuinely interested in how someone who has been on the same side of poor service as I have will deal with some of these glaring issues that have arisen. But hey, even if you can't deal with any of those problems, thanks for helping let me witness a Red Sox World Series win in my lifetime. __________________ Fuck Cancer! Last edited by Cadrid; 09-29-2006 at 03:00 AM..