[Vanguard] F13's Interview with Brad McQuaid

[Tudana]

Originally Posted by The Slacker

The office romance thing is simply sad - how can the ex-wife come to the office every day and see her ex-husband with some new girl ? can she really work and be effective ? Dealing with problems like this is considered management by me.

If there were issues i bet there was some serious cat fights at times in that office

Unless it was a mutual split on husband and wife (separate as friends) - then the ex-wife would have had few if, any issues...nor any issues in the office environment.

[Oloh]

Originally Posted by Cad

Wasn't trying to call you out or anything Oloh.

I know bud, no worries.

Edited pic out so as to not hose up thread in response to below.

[Mixtilplix]

Didn't Microsoft have their hands in publishing AC1 and AC2?

[ZeckEQ]

Originally Posted by Dis

You are comparing the XBOX to Vanguard...

One game != One platform

It's not a direct comparison. It points out that many MS projects deal with dollar values significantly higher than what was invested in VG.

[Fury]

Originally Posted by Camerous

Why wouldn't we believe that? The game is GREAT for 30 million dollars and the scope it was going for. If you can't see that then either you are blinded by the Brad/SOE hate that seems rampant here or are just ignorant. If they had had another 30 million and another year of development I would be willing to bet almost any sum we would not be having these conversations today. The game would have been polished and ready for release.

Sorry Cam, I'm usually in agreement with what you say, but on this I disagree. MS had already wasted $30 million in 4 years and saw where the game was and where it looked like it was heading. Wasting another $30 million and (in their eyes) another 4 years would have been throwing good money after bad. Note that Sigil didn't start cranking it up until after MS gravy train dumped them. If anything it sounds like MS actually got the real ball rolling. Unfortunately, they had already wasted the 4 years and $30 million and weren't going to get more long term.

As far as Brad, what more can really be said. He knew the shit was bad long before release, kept it to himself, and feels bad. Reminds me of a slimey used car sales man. No wonder he stopped showing up. Probably afraid one of the people who might have figured it would do a major beat down on him in the offices. It was said on page 2 (I think). This is like a dot com company before and after the burst. A lot of smoke and mirrors that eventually caught up with him.

[Filthgrinder]

Originally Posted by Oloh

I know bud, no worries. I shall leave this thread with the respect it deserves. Here is a final pic of me and my wife back in college:

Self ownage incomming.
bye!

Get over yourself.

[Mkopec1]

Originally Posted by Mixtilplix

Didn't Microsoft have their hands in publishing AC1 and AC2?

And that one space game they had that they closed down. I forgot the name.

In fact I think Microsoft is the only company that closed its doors on mmorpgs. Shit, even Horizons and Shadowbane are still open.

[ZeckEQ]

Originally Posted by Mixtilplix

Didn't Microsoft have their hands in publishing AC1 and AC2?

Not in any way shape or form that benifited the game.

[Kazgrim]

Uh EA has Microsoft beat by a long shot on closed MMOs.

[Aradune Mithara]

Originally Posted by Draegan

This is an interesting segment. Don't you need a schedule for development? Is it me or is Brad saying that they need open ended freedom to just kinda create shit as it comes to them. If I'm managing a game, I would definitely need a time table in which shit needs to get done. Thats the business of it.

I'd have to say, I don't blame Microsoft for kicking them in the ass out the door.

I'd like to address something I've seen come up several times on different boards re: the interview: The original MS team DID require milestones and a schedule. By NO means did we ask for or expect free reigns. In fact, we met every milestone and even exceeded the expectations and requirements for many of them.

I am all for schedules. I am all for planning. I am al for Milestones.

It was the degree and detail level and how detailed they needed to be going way out into the future that changed and the assertion that MMOGs should be handled the same way as a single player game in terms of development and an apparent desire to not want to work collaboratively but rather dictate development (which was not part of the original spirit of the agreement, where we were hired on because of our experience) that became a problem. We tried very hard to work with the new team but their approach to game development simply wasn't compatible with Sigil's, did not adhere to how we had worked with them previously for several years, and IMHO not compatible with how one (or at least Sigil) in our experience working on a LOT of MMOGs, some failures, one a huge success, some cancelled, etc.

We were all for organization, scheduling, milestones, accountability, etc. Up until the change I described we excelled in this process and were praised for our performance and progress. When all of this changed, we tried to make things worked (as did the other side), but it simply turned out that the two teams were not compatible. Again, I have nothing against MSFT or those people, etc. They meant well and I'm sure were doing their best given how they were told to deal with an external developer. Changes like this happen fairly often I would think. Incompatibilities and disagreements on development (in this case MMOG development) happen.

Thus it was time to move on. I will also say that working with SOE later on worked out fairly well (not perfect, but perfection happens rarely). My point is that we worked very well with the first group at MSFT and then we worked very well with SOE after we broke things off.

That's it. Again, while I am disappointed, I understand how things happen and that they are not all that uncommon. A developer and a publisher must mesh and be able to work together as a solid team towards one solid goal (making a great game). When that does not occur, or something changes such that it is no longer occurring, something needs to change.

Microsoft agreed with this and allowed us to switch to SOE in a very amicable way. There are no hard feelings. All the MSFT people are in the Vanguard credits in fact. If anything my respect level for MSFT management for letting go of Vanguard to increase to the chance that it would become a great game increased greatly. They are truly a class act. They put Vanguard above politics and team issues and different development philosophies and did what was best for the game. That is huge and I'm not sure if very many other publishers would have done the same. So I remain eternally grateful for them allowing us to make the switch to SOE and getting the deal done so quickly so as to allow us to take advantage of E3 and to interrupt the development process of the game as minimally as possible.

I wish this part of the picture had been included in the interview and hope you all spread it around as it's an important piece that was missed.

thanks,

[spentmotiff]

Originally Posted by Jedite

Well if we take all that Brad has said at face value, and I have to give him props for comming out

Would it be childish to only add this single quote to a surely epic thread? I know that it's spelled with a "u" and not an "o" but considering the above post and recent events, I couldn't help it.

[Ravensign]

Brad, you should have been there when they got fired.

[egoslicer]

I can't stop hitting refresh...

[Twobit Whore]

Sounds like someone is just trying to cover their own ass so Bill Gates doesn't blacklist them from life.

[Froofy-D]

Thanks for the clarification Brad. As someone mentioned above, get a book deal. I bet a lot of people would buy it.

PS: Brad posted so this thread will be huge. Gonna go ahead and mention Hitler, just to get it out of the way early.