Green Monster Games (Curt Schilling)

[Rotanee]

Originally Posted by Moorgard Mobhunter

Because we can.

That's a simplistic statement, but until you have worked in this industry you don't realize how often the opposite is true. The more entrenched an IP, the lower the odds that a company is willing to push the boundaries with it.

The biggest thing that's different about our approach is that we get to ask questions like "Why hasn't this been done in an MMO before?" If we know there's a valid reason why not, then fine; there are some things inherent to the medium that we don't have any control over. Experience is handy to have for those reasons, so that we don't have an answer every question that's been asked dozens of times before. But if there isn't a sound reason a good idea hasn't been pursued before, we have the freedom to figure out why not and the chance to make it work.

Is every single thing about what we do going to be different than what's come before? Of course not. There are plenty of things other games have done well, and changing simply for the sake of change can be foolish. Our goal is to make a great game, not to impress posters on message boards with our cleverness. But if we do our jobs right, at the end of the day we'll have something cool and fun that both those who post here and the multitudes who don't will enjoy.

Not that you need me to tell you this, but that's one of the most practicle things I have heard. More reality, less dreaming; it seems like a good thing.

Plus, if I read you right, I appreciate your honesty. Realistic expectations and straight forward discussions about what a game will bring is another good thing, imo. As opposed to the PR spin that is common with discussions about game designs, etc.

[Cadrid]

Originally Posted by Moorgard Mobhunter

Well I'm a Minnesota boy, so the weather hasn't been a huge readjustment for me.

Compared to Minnesota, this must be like the Bahamas; double-digit days, above-zero nights.

More on-topic, with the core team nearing full assembly (I see you're still looking for a Sr. Game Designer), how much longer do you expect it to be before GMG starts hiring the guys and gals for the trenches (programming, 3D artists, etc.)? 4 months? More? Less? And on that same note, is there a projected development time yet? Should we expect the average 4-5 years? More? Less?

[Cuppycake]

Originally Posted by Moorgard Mobhunter

Well I'm a Minnesota boy, so the weather hasn't been a huge readjustment for me.

OMG. I'm a St. Paul, MN girl...but I can't wait to get the hell out of here to someplace warmer. Moorgard: call me the next time you come to visit the family up here

[Ngruk]

Originally Posted by Ikertxus

Could you give us any example of anything that was brought up in your brainstorming sessions that sounded cool on paper but was scrapped due to it being realistically impossible to implement. Just a tidbit of an idea that will have to wait for future generations, I thought it would be nice to know whats impossible and possible to do for current developers.

By the way, didnt Curt post that we would be hearing about the game's progress really, really soon? It's been a couple of weeks now if I recall correctly.

No I didn't, nor would I. There won't be game insight and lead ins here because "I think it would be cool", that's a mistake of enormous proportions that I will allow others to make.

I'll get in enough trouble arguing about things I should shut up about to begin with. I'm fiercely loyal to people to people in my family and my friends and these forums will present situations where I'll need to bite my tongue.

I'll promise Danuser and Shwayder, here and now, that I will ALMOST never reply to them, but there is no 100% guarantee, it's not who I am.

As it pertains to game related posting, no one in this company will be posting a word about what it is we are doing unless it coincides with the multi-year PR/Marketing plan being laid out by someone with almost 3 decades of experience in branding and helping put an IP on the map.

We'll get one shot at that first impression and we plan on doing it right.

[Ngruk]

Originally Posted by Cadrid

Compared to Minnesota, this must be like the Bahamas; double-digit days, above-zero nights.

More on-topic, with the core team nearing full assembly (I see you're still looking for a Sr. Game Designer), how much longer do you expect it to be before GMG starts hiring the guys and gals for the trenches (programming, 3D artists, etc.)? 4 months? More? Less? And on that same note, is there a projected development time yet? Should we expect the average 4-5 years? More? Less?

Those programming and 3D artists guys, gals, are, for the most part, already here or on their way here. They ARE the core team. By core team I mean the key core people within the disciplines that make games, Art, Design and Engineering.

We hope to have the Sr Game Designer, Mechanics, postion, filled in short order.

The great thing about the flow here is that once the industry saw that we were an actual company, with an actual plan and real dollars in the bank, the resumes changed from "Hey, I have no experience but I have 21 lvl 70 l337 toonz and some kick ass map mods from Castle Wolfenstein, when can I start?" to some rather well credentialed and accomplished people who fit the profile of having a whole lot more than just talent.

The other cool part of this is that we've had an independant film maker here since pre-day 1 to get footage of just about everything we've done. From filing our tax ID papers to getting Munch tattoo's.

(Though Danuser's wife won't let him get one....)

[Faille]

I've always wanted to see a makings of documentary of an mmo, perhaps it could be included on the collectors edition of the game!

[Cadrid]

I was under the impression that "core" meant the big boys running everything. That's what I get for assuming. It's good to hear that I was wrong this time; things really are moving damn swift.

Originally Posted by Ngruk

(Though Danuser's wife won't let him get one....)

If there isn't a whip-wielding mob in the game named after her I will be severely disappointed.

[Ngruk]

That core is pretty much done as of today, the compilation of it anyway.
Now I get to head down to Florida and get ready for the grind that is the AL East 2007 style.
This could be a pretty incredible year in this division, given the competition and the schedule.

[dechire]

One suggestion, start building your design docs and processes with QA and CS in mind, this will include things like tools for CS which so often gets pushed out to the last second and don't quite meet up to your player base's expectation. The earlier you start on this the easier it will be to implement.

Good Luck.

[Ngruk]

CS will be something that will remain at the top of our priority list no matter where we are as a company.
If you don't guarantee your customers the service they expect when they invest financially and emotionally in your products, and company, you have an ex-customer waiting to happen.
It's another reason why naming the President we did was such an important event in this companies life, Brett gets it in ways that will matter to us, and to you.

[Tyen]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

As it pertains to game related posting, no one in this company will be posting a word about what it is we are doing unless it coincides with the multi-year PR/Marketing plan being laid out by someone with almost 3 decades of experience in branding and helping put an IP on the map.

Now I'm not one to be bitter, but when you choose to appoint someone with marketing experience, make VERY sure the person you are hiring is someone that doesn't blatatnly ignore their target market! Aswell as the marketing company you chose in the future.

You would think this is an obvious statement but it isn't and I can tell you from first hand experience that marketing companies and people within public relations that do nothing but ignore their demographic happens CONSTANTLY.

I would love to be more thorough with the problems I have encountered but this isn't the time for me to do so. Marketing and Advertising is one of the key elements for any given company or product and I am tired of dealing with Marketing and PR staff doing absolutely nothing passionatly or give limited service to their company/customers when it can only increase customer awareness or be a deal that will drastically increase sales and participation.

Customer Service is another branch that has recently been limited in this industry. Short example, Vanguard creates an affiliate network and choses to have server forums left to the public. Customer service, and Public relations staff are nearly non-existant on most all of the Vanguard affiliate sites, and everyone is pissed because there is no centralized forums because Sigil staff is NON EXISTANT and no one can find information as soon as it happens. This all should be fairly obvious but it is a big element to any industry in the world.

/rant off

[whaerf]

Originally Posted by Ngruk

CS will be something that will remain at the top of our priority list no matter where we are as a company.
If you don't guarantee your customers the service they expect when they invest financially and emotionally in your products, and company, you have an ex-customer waiting to happen.
It's another reason why naming the President we did was such an important event in this companies life, Brett gets it in ways that will matter to us, and to you.

So I dunno if this would count as game insight (which you said will not be introduced here) but I'll try anyway. If CS is a top priority, has the team discussed and/or agreed on an approach to the 3rd party market? I ask 'cause people like Smed say problems with item/account traiding account for a large part of the CS budget. I guess that's making a big assumption that there are plans for an economy at all.

If you can't comment on that, we'll settle for the low down on how Matsuzaka is looking and is he gonna be worth it.

[Faille]

Originally Posted by whaerf

So I dunno if this would count as game insight (which you said will not be introduced here) but I'll try anyway. If CS is a top priority, has the team discussed and/or agreed on an approach to the 3rd party market? I ask 'cause people like Smed say problems with item/account traiding account for a large part of the CS budget. I guess that's making a big assumption that there are plans for an economy at all.

If you can't comment on that, we'll settle for the low down on how Matsuzaka is looking and is he gonna be worth it.

I think the secondary market was brought up in this thread so you might want to skim through to see if it answers your question.

[Faille]

Also, can you make sure your game has enough hardware and coding to support 1,000 + player battles?

[whaerf]

Originally Posted by Faille

I think the secondary market was brought up in this thread so you might want to skim through to see if it answers your question.

My bad, search got me the answer.

Still I'll await the comments on Matsuzaka's camp performance

PS
If anyone else missed it, I'll save you the search. Ngruk himself is not in support of a game that allows players to use RL money to further their virtual life.