MMOGChart does an E3 roundup

[Anyen]

Ok Hearless, here's the scoop. No, I'm not going to break the NDA and go into specifics about what the game has, shouldn't have or needs.

But I will tell you what's primarily wrong with beta right now. You may find it's not what the typical critics would think.

These are from my own personal notes that I keep, yet refuse to post Itbecause of the assholes in that beta.

This is one excerpt:

======================

The forums take peaks of highs and lows. You can literally sense people trying to like this game. People trying suspiciously hard to find something to write about on the forums that's positive. Unfortunately, these recounts are absent of any detail and hardly convince me that there is something more I haven't gotten to see that will change my perspective drastically.

I often wondered why that is. I have drawn the conclusion that people are afraid to speak constructively based on the firing squad that sits there refreshing the screen every minute to see who would dare speak when not spoken to.

They default to debating about MMOG's in general as a result. This indicates strongly that people do see a barren and shapeless world before them, even though they dare not admit it publically. I get the sense they are thrilled for an opportunity to mold this game into what they want it to be. Egos run rampant in this regard and several of the more vocal beta players are insistent upon getting their ideas burned into the blueprint. Especially when these people notice that the ink isn't even dry on that blueprint.

I dare say, the imagined wonderful Vanguard they testify about on the forums, is a contrived line of bullshit used as a means to suck up to developers in order to get their own ideas written into the design. If the design was there, they would just be testing. But considering it's not, this leaves an opportunity for the wannabe-game-designer, to gain a captive audience.

And captives we are. Many an unhappy tester has been silenced regularly by these fanatics who put any and every comment under their own jaded microscopes. Unfortunately this activity goes unchecked by any form of moderation. Subsequently, what you get is nothing but chastisement by the regular fanbois who seek to mold this game the way they see fit. Anyone pointing out the existing flaws, is summarily lynched, tarred and feathered, despite the validity of their concerns.

Even a developer was called on the carpet by beta players as recent as two weeks ago. The disrespect and rudeness of the regular, vocal dissenters of MMOG-today, ruthlessly bit into this poor guy like a pack of wolves. Just as the animals they are, at the first smell of blood, they all wanted a piece of him. The crime? The mere suggestion that corpse runs were not a fun factor and should be removed to a lesser penalty then what currently exists in Vanguard right now. What did Brad do? He basically apologized for his staff's outburst.

There is also a curious hatred for World of Warcraft, specifically. Curious, because much of what World of Warcraft has done was based on the original Everquest design and expounded from there. It's certainly ironic how these fanbois will rip apart anything WoW, yet praise, anything Everquest.

To the detriment of Vanguard, they will protest any implementation that even remotely resembles a mechanic within World of Warcraft. Good or bad, it doesn't matter. If it's something within WoW, they want it O-U-T. Likewise, if you are from WoW, they want YOU out, too. They've already succeeded in driving out many of those testers. They're long gone and I can't say I blame them.

I can't help, considering all that, but feel pity for Brad McQuaid. Here's a man who started out with a "vision" and held an open forum for years before beta, allowing others to share his space and ideas.

Yet something happened between then and now. Something worth pitying the man over. His leniency and viewpoints were thrown back in his face from disgruntled game-junkies from all over the virtual world spectrum. Vanguard is where many of the disgruntled and disbanded landed to bum a free meal. In the process, they are now trying to steal the keys to his house and his car and have already taken over his computer. The only thing left is to just hand over the code because they've already gotten into his game.

How can you not feel sorry for a man who now sits out on his own front steps, wondering if he should call the police or the psycho ward to rid them off of his property?

The game may very well be lifeless due to the fact that he doesn't know himself anymore, what it is he should do.

The void in his game speaks volumes towards the fact that he fears developing it the way it needs to be done.

Let's face it, this is a very capable man. He's demonstrated that with his history. A man who created Everquest, wrote the design for the lands, the characters, the events, etc. He's not stupid by any means. Yet his new world reflects a man who fears even adding the simplest mapping feature, for instance. A feature, so subetly done this past week, but was met with OUTRAGE by touted old-school gamers. How can a man function under that kind of idiotic pressure?

Vanguard's progress is evidence that he can't. His FAQ is constantly thrown in his face. An FAQ that was written years ago and probably has been totally reconsidered based on the fact that under 100 people are logging into his beta daily. It's not because the game doesn't have potential. It's more probably because normal people don't have time, nor energy, to put up with the nuts in that place and that's the truth!

Note to the clueless FAQ-touter: That page was taken down last week. Without fanfare or notice, it was quietly swept off the internet and replaced by the infamous "page not found" message. You have to get the impression that MAYBE this guy has finally realized SOMETHING?

While realization is the first step and is a good thing, he still has yet to rid himself of the crackpot company he has allowed in there.

My suggestion is to close beta entirely. Shut it down and use the excuse that time is now needed due to the change of publishers from Microsoft to Sony Online Entertainment. Say that hardware restructuring needs to be done and don't hold Vanguard to any reappearance date. Shut down the forums with a simple message that you will be back up after the transition is complete.

Dump all your beta testers to date and start fresh after you're back online and have something done to offer them.

Put in the ideas you have wanted to add and improve without having to get "permission" from your existing, suicidal fan-base.

Maybe then you can go back to enjoying what you do best - designing games.

I'm in the beta. The write up is not an accurate assessment of the forums. Most of it's content is absolutely ridiculous and is in no way true (Players sucking up to developers to get their ideas implimented??? What?) The rest is overly dramatic and blown out of proportion. If the poster is who I think it is their just one of those people who just screams and shouts to get attention. Their are problems with the beta (Which are brought up by devs before most players really acknowledge them) but that poster is just full of shit.

[Hachima]

Originally Posted by Araxen

I know I've read somewhere were MS prohibts the use of kb/mouse being enable for games. I just can't pin it down where.

But let's hear it for the camera they can enable for the game! Like in UNO online.

[xilsharn]

Originally Posted by Anyen

I'm in the beta. The write up is not an accurate assessment of the forums. Most of it's content is absolutely ridiculous and is in no way true (Players sucking up to developers to get their ideas implimented??? What?) The rest is overly dramatic and blown out of proportion. If the poster is who I think it is their just one of those people who just screams and shouts to get attention. Their are problems with the beta (Which are brought up by devs before most players really acknowledge them) but that poster is just full of shit.

Seems like he has a starting point of "The game is barren and boring." Then sees the forums and the beta community through that lens.

I realize the standard response here is "it's just beta" but I'm not buying that line of horse manure anymore.

[Kaxmax]

Originally Posted by Anyen

I'm in the beta. The write up is not an accurate assessment of the forums. Most of it's content is absolutely ridiculous and is in no way true (Players sucking up to developers to get their ideas implimented??? What?) The rest is overly dramatic and blown out of proportion. If the poster is who I think it is their just one of those people who just screams and shouts to get attention. Their are problems with the beta (Which are brought up by devs before most players really acknowledge them) but that poster is just full of shit.

Lol, are you serious with this? That post was 100% accurate, the beta boards are a fucking cesspool.

[Anyen]

Have you tried looking at the forums Kaxmax? While they arn't perfect and no forums are, they are leaps and bounds ahead of other forums. It's the closest thing to the 2002 FoH forums that exists right now.

Sure, you get a lot of posts by people who have no business in even attempting to think about game design, but in a single week there you get more constructive criticism about Vanguard than this forum has given about World of Warcraft in the past year and a half.

[BirgittePovar]

Originally Posted by Anyen

Have you tried looking at the forums Kaxmax? While they arn't perfect and no forums are, they are leaps and bounds ahead of other forums. It's the closest thing to the 2002 FoH forums that exists right now.

Wow. Just...wow.

[Kaxmax]

Originally Posted by Anyen

Have you tried looking at the forums Kaxmax? While they arn't perfect and no forums are, they are leaps and bounds ahead of other forums. It's the closest thing to the 2002 FoH forums that exists right now.

Sure, you get a lot of posts by people who have no business in even attempting to think about game design, but in a single week there you get more constructive criticism about Vanguard than this forum has given about World of Warcraft in the past year and a half.

I'm really just not sure how to respond to this. If you honestly think those forums are "leaps and bounds" ahead of other forums, there's no point in arguing with you. Honestly, I put the beta boards (and the official VG forums) on par with WoW general. They're that bad.

[Anyen]

There's no way in HELL you could confuse the Beta forums with the WoW forums. This is the WoW suggestion forum. That's NOTHING like the beta forums. If you can't differentiate between the two then there is something severely wrong with you. That's rabid anti-fanboyism to an insane degree.

The gameplay feedback section isn't a great indicator, but the crafting subforum and the adventuring feedback section are. And I reiterate, they leaps and bounds above any forum out there today. That includes FoH and it's 700 threads in the retard rickshaw and half the threads in the screenshots forum that belong there too.

[Hachima]

Originally Posted by Anyen

Have you tried looking at the forums Kaxmax? While they arn't perfect and no forums are, they are leaps and bounds ahead of other forums. It's the closest thing to the 2002 FoH forums that exists right now.

Sure, you get a lot of posts by people who have no business in even attempting to think about game design, but in a single week there you get more constructive criticism about Vanguard than this forum has given about World of Warcraft in the past year and a half.

Yeah because your posts there are so full of great information. Such as your post in it's entirity

Originally Posted by Anyen

Hells no.

When at least some people actully go into detail on the topic.
So many posts there that are a waste of space. So much lack of substance. I would have to agree with the write up.

And another one of your many brilliant thought provoking posts

Originally Posted by Anyen

I can't log on! Brad killed my puppy!

Please... I don't think you are one to be one to be making the shots on what is a good forum. Almost every single one of your posts is a quick 1 liner with no information at all in it.

[Skars]

What the fuck, a suggestion forum hahaha that's fucking brilliant. Seriously you get every 2 bit retard who thinks he knows what he's talking about in the same spot that the devs can all ignore. Props to Blizz.

[Anyen]

Please... I don't think you are one to be one to be making the shots on what is a good forum.

Please, I think you're an idiot for not having a sense of humor. The first was an extremely brief retort to an extremely stupid idea and the second was a reference to a joke on THIS forum. Dumbshit.

Why don't you go look for my other posts Hachima? I'm sure it wouldn't be hard for you to do. Cherrypicking two posts like that is a bullshit thing to do and you know it.

[Vorph]

Originally Posted by Kaxmax

I'm really just not sure how to respond to this. If you honestly think those forums are "leaps and bounds" ahead of other forums, there's no point in arguing with you. Honestly, I put the beta boards (and the official VG forums) on par with WoW general. They're that bad.

"On par with" is being too generous.

[Anyen]

Heh, I think the only way you could confuse the two is if you've forgotten what the WoW forums are like. You guys are just being too cruel. Maybe you've avoided the WoW forums and actually have forgotten how bad they are, but that's the only way.

[Blazemore]

The only way to solve this dilemna is to give me beta access and let me decide on the forums quality.

[BirgittePovar]

Originally Posted by Anyen

There's no way in HELL you could confuse the Beta forums with the WoW forums. This is the WoW suggestion forum. That's NOTHING like the beta forums. If you can't differentiate between the two then there is something severely wrong with you. That's rabid anti-fanboyism to an insane degree.

If you think that the Vanguard forums are leaps and bounds ahead of all other boards, you are the one with "something severely wrong with you. That's rabid fanboyism to an insane degree". When one person is frantically standing on a hill defending his position from lots of others, with no one supporting him, including several people from his own community...guess who tends to be wrong? Or are you the one sane voice in an insane world? Whatever, at least you are amusing.