| Really though, the one huge standout point of interest about VG has always been that Brad was in charge. People, justified or not, have expected that this means that the game would fill an MMO niche of being unforgiving like EQ was for the first few expansions. I can't say that they were imagining things either, from the way the FAQ read back pre-alpha/beta when I still cared to read it and also based on Brad's posting history. Anyone else remember the early critiques of WoW by Brad? Calling it a beer and pretzels game and saying they intended to make VG:SoH more in depth, more a home than a themepark? I do. People came to expect the hardcore design philosophy.
If that is gone, then why play VG? For diplomacy and crafting? Sure people like those things, and so do I to a degree, but the meat of these games for the majority of people is still advancement, adventure, and combat. So far they seem hard pressed to show us what they bring to the table that we can't find elsewhere. Or for cutting edge graphics? We already have EQ2, which by all accounts is a game with a couple years of polish and content now and a stable population of players. I'm sure 15 vanbois will have reasons why this is just something not to be missed, but quite frankly without Zee Visone I no longer understand what niche it is VG is supposed to fill. | 