Now that some truth has come out, I at least feel I can put this behind me knowing Brad is a spineless wimp and those in upper management were incompetent idiots. I still say the artists and developers are the best in the business and Brad should make a public apology, be fined and banned from operating a business for no less than 10 years, and to those who were thrown out, give them all severance from his own ill gotten gains.
Get off Brad's case. He is an artist and they are often misunderstood.
He just explained some key things that make a lot of sense.
Focus on your hate and your little desires to belittle others. Kick him while he's down, it's easy. Negative creeps.
Something to consider: Who are YOU (any of you)? McQuaid has made some big splashes and taken some big balled risks. What have YOU ever done that will ever make a difference on world culture?
Money is evil. Paint it any way you want but it's PURE EVIL.
There is no focus on creating ART in our society anymore. You can't put a time frame on creating art. The creative impulse simply does not work that way. These companies are after your money - they want a great game ONLY because it will make them money.
Once again, the pursuit of MONEY destroys something that could have been GREAT. EPIC. A real work of PASSION that is behind all great works of art.
If money is all people understand or care about, they should go get some culture (and some SOUL).
In the end of all this unfolding mess one thing will be clear:
Brad McQuaid IS a true Visionary. An misunderstood artist and a flawed genius.
Perhaps even not fully recognized in his own time.
/peace & respect
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
Get off Brad's case. He is an artist and they are often misunderstood. He just explained some key things that make a lot of sense. Focus on your hate and your little desires to belittle others. Kick him while he's down, it's easy. Negative creeps. Something to consider: Who are YOU (any of you)? McQuaid has made some big splashes and taken some big balled risks. What have YOU ever done that will ever make a difference on world culture? Money is evil. Paint it any way you want but it's PURE EVIL. There is no focus on creating ART in our society anymore. You can't put a time frame on creating art. The creative impulse simply does not work that way. These companies are after your money - they want a great game ONLY because it will make them money. Once again, the pursuit of MONEY destroys something that could have been GREAT. EPIC. A real work of PASSION that is behind all great works of art. If money is all people understand or care about, they should go get some culture (and some SOUL). In the end of all this unfolding mess one thing will be clear: Brad McQuaid IS a true Visionary. An misunderstood artist and a flawed genius. Perhaps even not fully recognized in his own time. /peace & respect
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags.
If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person.
A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
wow..I love f13 they utterly and completely spanked Brad. No sugar coating that interview. Brad was home and he was afraid he'll cry...that's why he got someone that no one basically knew to fire them in the parking lot. What a piece of sh*t
Yes I agree. He was the boss and it was his company, so what if he had cried and cried all day long. That is as it should be and would only have proved to the employees that he actually cared, very poor excuse for not being there.
Every person I have ever fired, I have looked them in the eye when I did it.
It's called respect.
If anyone thinks Brad should head another company, they should look at this as a prime example of mismanagement, spinelessness, and cowardly behavior.
Shayde - SWG (dead) Proud member of the Cabal.
It sounds great, so great in fact, I pitty those who canceled - Some deluded SWG fanboi who pities me. I don't like it when you say things. - A Vanguard fan who does too. 09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0
Get off Brad's case. He is an artist and they are often misunderstood. He just explained some key things that make a lot of sense. Focus on your hate and your little desires to belittle others. Kick him while he's down, it's easy. Negative creeps. Something to consider: Who are YOU (any of you)? McQuaid has made some big splashes and taken some big balled risks. What have YOU ever done that will ever make a difference on world culture? Money is evil. Paint it any way you want but it's PURE EVIL. There is no focus on creating ART in our society anymore. You can't put a time frame on creating art. The creative impulse simply does not work that way. These companies are after your money - they want a great game ONLY because it will make them money. Once again, the pursuit of MONEY destroys something that could have been GREAT. EPIC. A real work of PASSION that is behind all great works of art. If money is all people understand or care about, they should go get some culture (and some SOUL). In the end of all this unfolding mess one thing will be clear: Brad McQuaid IS a true Visionary. An misunderstood artist and a flawed genius. Perhaps even not fully recognized in his own time. /peace & respect
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags.
If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person.
A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
Oh it's gotta be a joke. It's the funniest thing I've read all month.
Genius? Really? Really Really? If he's a genius, the term has lost all meaning.
Visionary? Nearsighted-visionary maybe.
Oh my GAWD that post was funny.
Shayde - SWG (dead) Proud member of the Cabal.
It sounds great, so great in fact, I pitty those who canceled - Some deluded SWG fanboi who pities me. I don't like it when you say things. - A Vanguard fan who does too. 09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0
wow..I love f13 they utterly and completely spanked Brad. No sugar coating that interview. Brad was home and he was afraid he'll cry...that's why he got someone that no one basically knew to fire them in the parking lot. What a piece of sh*t
Yes I agree. He was the boss and it was his company, so what if he had cried and cried all day long. That is as it should be and would only have proved to the employees that he actually cared, very poor excuse for not being there.
Every person I have ever fired, I have looked them in the eye when I did it.
It's called respect.
If anyone thinks Brad should head another company, they should look at this as a prime example of mismanagement, spinelessness, and cowardly behavior.
I'm surprised that the firing didn't go something like this "Your all fire... Can i hav ur stuf plzxXX? ^_^_^" LOL. Thats it! the devs probaly distracted everyone with the firing so that in the mean time, brad could log onto their accounts and steal their stuff :O. Would be one way to avoid an EVE experience.. hmmm
Get off Brad's case. He is an artist and they are often misunderstood. He just explained some key things that make a lot of sense. Focus on your hate and your little desires to belittle others. Kick him while he's down, it's easy. Negative creeps. Something to consider: Who are YOU (any of you)? McQuaid has made some big splashes and taken some big balled risks. What have YOU ever done that will ever make a difference on world culture? Money is evil. Paint it any way you want but it's PURE EVIL. There is no focus on creating ART in our society anymore. You can't put a time frame on creating art. The creative impulse simply does not work that way. These companies are after your money - they want a great game ONLY because it will make them money. Once again, the pursuit of MONEY destroys something that could have been GREAT. EPIC. A real work of PASSION that is behind all great works of art. If money is all people understand or care about, they should go get some culture (and some SOUL). In the end of all this unfolding mess one thing will be clear: Brad McQuaid IS a true Visionary. An misunderstood artist and a flawed genius. Perhaps even not fully recognized in his own time. /peace & respect
Perhaps he should have taken up writing fantasy novels instead. That doesn't cost boatloads of money to do, so you don't have to go farming venture capital from people who are going to want it back with a profit. It's hard to keep art free of the money aspect when you need a dumptruck full of it to produce your work.
Many of my friends are bona fide artists, btw. Those who aren't willing to work the business angle get day jobs.
(EDIT: I figure it is a joke, but there have been a lot of posts over the years in the vein of "money ruins the spirit of gaming", "games should be made for love, not profit", etc, which completely ignore this inconvenient detail called reality.)
... This is where I draw the line: __________________.
I think in all my time as both a games fan and working in the industry i NEVER thought id see something as controversial as the StarWars Galaxies NGE Announcements and the mass exodus of players from SOE's Servers, those many years ago.
However the events of the last week i think have bought to us the story of one of the largest failures (when compared with cost and budget) the industry will hopefully ever see and a tradgedy at that for creative minds and emplyees at Sigil whom are not necessarily to blame for these events and have payed the price with their employment in 50% of the cases.
Truly one of the biggest stories for a long time and ultimately the accountability for such a large failure of Sigil as a business and the inability for their only product Vanguard: Saga of Heroes to keep them afloat operationally can only be acredited to poor decision making and inability to bring focus, direction and action of the senior management team there.
Jeff Butler, Brad McQuiad, Elam, et al should all carry this failure of a business and the subsequent price paid by its employees to their new positions within, and "externally for" SOE for many many years to come.
From all ive read the blame firmly rests at the senior level across the board at Sigil. And despite spin and PR present at all levels if Vanguard: Saga of Heroes was performing well as sole product and source of income for Sigil Online Games despite its current niche subcribers "fun levels", Sigil simply wouldnt be in the state it is in now. With the assets aqquired by SOE the company still exists as an entity so it is highly likely that they will shortly as a remaining entity with no product nor IP, file for bankrupcy, unless of course SOE effectively owns them. However from the releases i do not believe a total company buy-out was the case.
The Irony is nothing which has transpired here is effectively SOE's fault in any way.
1. They provided the role of a publisher for Sigil and possibly provided minimal financial aid and dev support to extend the release date of the product even further to January 2007. By this point a working fully polished product should have been released. It wasnt....there really are no amount of excuses for this.
2. SOE Aqquires the Assets of Sigil Games Online after Vanguards release is extremely poor for a game of its budgets and Sigil cannot continue to operate as an independent company. SOE even hires back half of the Sigil Development and design team of one hundred when in an announcement by their own division they pushed even their own operational budgets further than they would like in doing so. So they are very genuine i would think in making something of the product and best of luck to them.
I suppose as a last case in point and in response to recent postings a good friend of mind turned his nose away from Vanguard long before i myself was burned like so many others by its premature release and that was "Anything Microsoft have washed there hands of i will not touch to be honest".
To be fair i really do believe that, those events that transpired almost over twelve months ago were indeed the writing on the wall for this MMORPG and many should have maybe realised that. Even though the Split was supposedly ammicable and negotiated well, according to reports, it is simply (love them or hate them) one of the most savvy businesses and business models on the face of the planet. If Microsoft feels it can make money from a product ultimately then im sure it will. And any business that can afford to operate in a loss and deficite in its original Xbox division for four years running could afford to bankroll Sigil Games online for another 6 months to January 2007 if it saw true money making making potential and growth for a product. There is more to the Microsoft, Sigil split than meets the eye and now it appears microsoft made a solid business decision.
SOE for all of their past wrongs regarding the StarWars: Galaxies franchise, have picked up the remnants of a failed business, picked up its broken product with an attempt to give it a future and given to half of the employees of the failed business as many internal jobs as they can operationally allow. Id say good luck to SOE in shaping vanguards future and i hope they manage to make it a successful Niche title in the same scope as their efforts with the Everquest 2 product.
Being the boss is in his situation is not about being someone's buddy. It's not about sitting back and avoiding everyone when you feel a little uncomfortable about something. It's about having integrity and doing the job that YOU created for yourself. Integrity is doing the right thing, even when noone else is looking. This time a ton of people are watching and he wants to hide in a corner and "en-vision" how things could've been.
I could not agree more. Of course, it's only human to have emotions and experience stress. However, this man's job was to provide leadership for his company. If you allow your emotions/stress to get in the way of doing your job, that's just plain unprofessional.
I still can't get over his reasoning for why he skipped the launch party and the firings. It just irked me so much. Instead of facing his problems, he chose to hide behind his emotional state. What cowardice! Maybe he's actually a swell guy, but he is a terrible leader.
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags. If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person. A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
I will admit that I was a bit emotional in writing this. It makes me sick how so many people can be so heartless.
So some don't think the game is fun and were disappointed. That gives people the sense that they have a right to say all the extreme and ugly things about a person they don't even know?
Just love how so many people in these forums think they are MMO 'experts' or something.
These forums are like a ghetto full of the most negative assholes ever assembled in one place.
Why is it so hard to believe that a huge corporation like Microsoft screwed him over? And they did! After all they did to him he still has the decency to try and speak well of them. Thats what I call professional.
I know of greed and I know the power money has over people. It's a religion of capital. It's all most people know or even consider.
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists. Laugh all you want. You say I'm "scary" because you are so 'shocked' that someone disagrees with something you believe to be a given fact.
Both these visionaries have had major failings. Koster with SWG and McQuaid with VG. Both failing because of huge corporate greed. Neither getting to fully realize their vision. Both projects destroyed due to the pursuit of more money faster.
Whats scary is the level of hate and ignorance in this thread.
Some people lost their jobs and that is terrible - almost as terrible as McQuaid losing his entire company and dream due to corporate greed. I feel sad for all at Sigil.
To McQuaid I would remind him of something Nietzsche wrote - "what can not destroy you can only make you stronger!"
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags. If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person. A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
I will admit that I was a bit emotional in writing this. It makes me sick how so many people can be so heartless.
So some don't think the game is fun and were disappointed. That gives people the sense that they have a right to say all the extreme and ugly things about a person they don't even know?
Just love how so many people in these forums think they are MMO 'experts' or something.
These forums are like a ghetto full of the most negative assholes ever assembled in one place.
Why is it so hard to believe that a huge corporation like Microsoft screwed him over? And they did! After all they did to him he still has the decency to try and speak well of them. Thats what I call professional.
I know of greed and I know the power money has over people. It's a religion of capital. It's all most people know or even consider.
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists. Laugh all you want. You say I'm "scary" because you are so 'shocked' that someone disagrees with something you believe to be a given fact.
Both these visionaries have had major failings. Koster with SWG and McQuaid with VG. Both failing because of huge corporate greed. Neither getting to fully realize their vision. Both projects destroyed due to the pursuit of more money faster.
Whats scary is the level of hate and ignorance in this thread.
Some people lost their jobs and that is terrible - almost as terrible as McQuaid losing his entire company and dream due to corporate greed. I feel sad for all at Sigil.
To McQuaid I would remind him of something Nietzsche wrote - "what can not destroy you can only make you stronger!"
Come on, you aren't equating hate to heartlessness here, are you? Fifty people losing their job is only "almost" as terrible as McQuaid's dream not coming true?
I won't even touch the Microsoft bit if 4+ years of development and tens of millions of dollars invested don't already mean anything to you. You're a bit beyond reasoning with, as you seem to be entirely concerned with Brad's feelings more so than anyone else's, or greater aspects of reality.
Just realize your viewpoint is difficult to swallow. It might be because you're a misunderstood artist yourself.
Come on, you aren't equating hate to heartlessness here, are you? Fifty people losing their job is only "almost" as terrible as McQuaid's dream not coming true?
I won't even touch the Microsoft bit if 4+ years of development and tens of millions of dollars invested don't already mean anything to you. You're a bit beyond reasoning with, as you seem to be entirely concerned with Brad's feelings more so than anyone else's, or greater aspects of reality.
Just realize your viewpoint is difficult to swallow. It might be because you're a misunderstood artist yourself.
I think Sigil got screwed over by Microsoft. It's not the most popular belief but when are popular beliefs normally correct?
Yes, I do think it's worst for McQuaid. A personal having to search for a new job is unfortunate, and one man losing their entire company is tragic.
Microsoft wanted a MMO to compete with WoW and EQ2. This is the course they set.
WoW cost 80+ million dollars to produce. Microsoft has a turn over. And only 30 million into the project these new guys (with no experience with MMO development) demand a finished project.
Microsoft, in effect, fired those people at Sigil. They have caused massive layoffs in and outside of their corporation. That is a fact.
The reality of corporate business is its cut throat. That by it's very nature destroys creative pursuits.
I'd rater my tax money go toward the creation of art instead of trillions going to weapons and machines that are designed to kill people
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
Originally posted by Nikoz78 I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists.
The "poor, tortured artiste" excuse doesn't fly when you're given millions of dollars and the backing of a massive corporation to bring your dream to reality. The same goes for Raph Koster.
You know what? Some of the most famous artists and composers in history were sponsored artists. They weren't, however, just given free reign and blank checks to do what they wanted at their leisure. Most of them were expected to show some progress over time, and to justify the money and stipends they were being paid, as they were generally employed by the church, or a royal court, or some other wealthy benefactor.
Do you think, for example, that when the Vatican commissioned Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, they just let him sit around with his buddies for four years just daydreaming and coming up with ideas while sending them fakes of his progress to throw them off his trail? Hell no! They wanted to see him in the Chapel, brush in hand, working on the very art they were paying him for.
That's how it has always worked. Art is art, and there's a lot of room for creativity in this world, but if there's money or sponsorship involved, you can be damn sure that the people paying want to see results. Anything less would be foolish.
Honestly, the idea of Brad as some poor, maligned artist who got screwed by big mean old Microsoft really doesn't fly here. He's the one who started Sigil. He's the one who pitched the game, and had his team built, and who promised the world. He's ultimately the one to blame for any and all failures, since he chose to be the CEO.
Get off Brad's case. He is an artist and they are often misunderstood. He just explained some key things that make a lot of sense. Focus on your hate and your little desires to belittle others. Kick him while he's down, it's easy. Negative creeps. Something to consider: Who are YOU (any of you)? McQuaid has made some big splashes and taken some big balled risks. What have YOU ever done that will ever make a difference on world culture? Money is evil. Paint it any way you want but it's PURE EVIL. There is no focus on creating ART in our society anymore. You can't put a time frame on creating art. The creative impulse simply does not work that way. These companies are after your money - they want a great game ONLY because it will make them money. Once again, the pursuit of MONEY destroys something that could have been GREAT. EPIC. A real work of PASSION that is behind all great works of art. If money is all people understand or care about, they should go get some culture (and some SOUL). In the end of all this unfolding mess one thing will be clear: Brad McQuaid IS a true Visionary. An misunderstood artist and a flawed genius. Perhaps even not fully recognized in his own time. /peace & respect
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags.
If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person.
A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
Oh it's gotta be a joke. It's the funniest thing I've read all month.
Genius? Really? Really Really? If he's a genius, the term has lost all meaning.
Visionary? Nearsighted-visionary maybe.
Oh my GAWD that post was funny.
So Shayde,
Any chance you might re-do your avatar and sig now? I'm sure Smed is the devil but thru his brilliance he has given us a sacrificial lamb that tops any of Smed's evilness, at least on the surface?
How about a picture of Firona Vie holding a sign up that says "You're in our Welfare line now!" and an avatar of McQuaid with a "Terrence and Phillip" mouth constantly spewing out BS?
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists.
The "poor, tortured artiste" excuse doesn't fly when you're given millions of dollars and the backing of a massive corporation to bring your dream to reality. The same goes for Raph Koster.
You know what? Some of the most famous artists and composers in history were sponsored artists. They weren't, however, just given free reign and blank checks to do what they wanted at their leisure. Most of them were expected to show some progress over time, and to justify the money and stipends they were being paid, as they were generally employed by the church, or a royal court, or some other wealthy benefactor.
Do you think, for example, that when the Vatican commissioned Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, they just let him sit around with his buddies for four years just daydreaming and coming up with ideas while sending them fakes of his progress to throw them off his trail? Hell no! They wanted to see him in the Chapel, brush in hand, working on the very art they were paying him for.
That's how it has always worked. Art is art, and there's a lot of room for creativity in this world, but if there's money or sponsorship involved, you can be damn sure that the people paying want to see results. Anything less would be foolish.
Honestly, the idea of Brad as some poor, maligned artist who got screwed by big mean old Microsoft really doesn't fly here. He's the one who started Sigil. He's the one who pitched the game, and had his team built, and who promised the world. He's ultimately the one to blame for any and all failures, since he chose to be the CEO.
And to back Lidanes points in which she is totally correct in my opinion ill reiterate my own...
From all ive read the blame firmly rests at the senior level across the board at Sigil. And despite spin and PR present at all levels if Vanguard: Saga of Heroes was performing well as sole product and source of income for Sigil Online Games despite its current niche subcribers "fun levels", Sigil simply wouldnt be in the state it is in now. With the assets aqquired by SOE the company still exists as an entity so it is highly likely that they will shortly as a remaining entity with no product nor IP, file for bankrupcy, unless of course SOE effectively owns them. However from the releases i do not believe a total company buy-out was the case.
No flawed Artist, Visionary crushed by the corporate about it at all im sorry. Sigil Released a product. Due to total mismanagement at an entire Senior level (Not Just Brad McQuiad). That product was totally subpar in the eyes of a majority of the games playing public and therefore could not in four months turn the much needed revenue to keep Sigil as a company afloat. A good product sells itself. The company due to bad senior management decisions in the entire Development process folds and half of the emplyees at Sigil Games lose their jobs. One man loses a dream a product and a vision that didnt sell, the other fifty people or more pay with their employment.
I suppose as a last case in point and in response to recent postings a good friend of mind turned his nose away from Vanguard long before i myself was burned like so many others by its premature release and that was "Anything Microsoft have washed there hands of i will not touch to be honest".
To be fair in this case i really do believe that, those events that transpired almost over twelve months ago were indeed the writing on the wall for this MMORPG and many should have maybe realised that. Even though the Split was supposedly ammicable and negotiated well, according to reports, microsoft is simply (love them or hate them) one of the most savvy businesses and business models on the face of the planet. If Microsoft feels it can make money from a product ultimately then im sure it will. And any business that can afford to operate in a loss and deficite in its original Xbox division for four years running could afford to bankroll Sigil Games online for another 6 months to January 2007 if it saw true money making making potential and growth for a product. There is more to the Microsoft, Sigil split than meets the eye and now it appears microsoft made a solid business decision.
If Microsoft felt Vanguard as a marketable product was worthwhile they would have invested what it took to get it live. It obvious now to the games playing public that their decision was right.
The best part of the whole interview is the fact that he, as founder, and CEO of Sigil, had ZERO FUCKING CLUE how his company was being run. Hiring practices? Durrr, I dunno. I could see with a fortune 500 company CEO claiming ignorance of what HR was doing. But a company of 100 people, with NO HR? And the CEO claims zero clue as to how the fucking company he was supposedly running was being run????????????????
Seriously. Who really cares if Brad speaks or not?
SOE has released nothing but utter shit for the past couple years and ruined their own games for many players...
Paint me a bridge and get over it already.
I respect your slight frustration at the endless conversation on this subject i really do. It is the high point of many gaming forums at present as its the culmination of months of speculation regarding a product that has disappointed a wide body of gamers and fans alike.
To be fair though mate we're not really discussing SOE in here, nothing to do with them really other than they are the new owner of the vanguard IP.
What and Whom we are discussing is Sigil Games Online and their senior management. (Or lack thereof)
If it bugs you that much my friend then just click on your Web Browser session and ALT-F4.
I think Microsoft wanted a profitable MMO in their PC games line up.
Neither WoW nor EQ2 were released when Microsoft signed Sigil to make their game correct? If so, it doesn't make sense to say they wanted a WoW killer because no one knew what WoW would become two years before it released.
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags. If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person. A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
I will admit that I was a bit emotional in writing this. It makes me sick how so many people can be so heartless.
So some don't think the game is fun and were disappointed. That gives people the sense that they have a right to say all the extreme and ugly things about a person they don't even know?
Just love how so many people in these forums think they are MMO 'experts' or something.
These forums are like a ghetto full of the most negative assholes ever assembled in one place.
Why is it so hard to believe that a huge corporation like Microsoft screwed him over? And they did! After all they did to him he still has the decency to try and speak well of them. Thats what I call professional.
I know of greed and I know the power money has over people. It's a religion of capital. It's all most people know or even consider.
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists. Laugh all you want. You say I'm "scary" because you are so 'shocked' that someone disagrees with something you believe to be a given fact.
Both these visionaries have had major failings. Koster with SWG and McQuaid with VG. Both failing because of huge corporate greed. Neither getting to fully realize their vision. Both projects destroyed due to the pursuit of more money faster.
Whats scary is the level of hate and ignorance in this thread.
Some people lost their jobs and that is terrible - almost as terrible as McQuaid losing his entire company and dream due to corporate greed. I feel sad for all at Sigil.
To McQuaid I would remind him of something Nietzsche wrote - "what can not destroy you can only make you stronger!"
I might go along with you except for the fact that at E32005 and E32006 the game was supposedly moving along but each year we we're promised video footage of VG. We would get severely cut up quick shots and screens and that was it. Wait! isn't this game in beta? Does it have animations? Are you scared to show the public your game on into Beta 2? Anyone remember that choppy low res video that ran in the circle in the main site? For years that was the footage the fans we're seeing.
Of other note is that shortly before MS dumped the game, a group of MS testers ran thru the VG beta and were supposedly appaled at the state of the game and posted such in the beta forums. Microsoft made a business decision based off of a buggy incomplete game. It's as simple as that. No matter how much attention they were dumping on Xbox 360, it doesn't change the fact that they gave 30 million to Brad and gave him five years to produce something of quality and they were not happy with what they saw.
I know as a fan I was praising VG and getting all giddy but year after year they were all talk and weren't showing anything. I even got into Beta 3 but tried to be upbeat even though the content seemed sparse and the engine buggy. I even overlooked the whole SOE publisher change and thought oh well it still will be awesome. Then I bought the game on day one and it finally hit me. Something was horribly wrong and maybe just maybe some of these "trolls" were telling the truth. Maybe they're a little heartless and tasteless in their quest for the truth but sometimes the uproar is for a reason.
With criticism flying at him for all of this interview, want to know what he decided to defend, that portrayed him poorly?
I'm sure not intentionally, but people are getting the wrong impression about an important part of the interview so I am posting to clarify the topic/issue that needs it:
--------
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 collaberatively 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 exceled 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 simiply 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 occuring, 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 interupt 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.
I respect your slight frustration at the endless conversation on this subject i really do. It is the high point of many gaming forums at present as its the culmination of months of speculation regarding a product that has disappointed a wide body of gamers and fans alike.
To be fair though mate we're not really discussing SOE in here, nothing to do with them really other than they are the new owner of the vanguard IP.
What and Whom we are discussing is Sigil Games Online and their senior management. (Or lack thereof)
If it bugs you that much my friend then just click on your Web Browser session and ALT-F4.
Thanks and regards.
Mag
Ouch!
I understand exactly what you are speaking of and agree with your statements full heartedly.
Unfortunately I seriously doubt the situation with Sigils management will change in the future.
Couple points here. I think Microsoft wanted a profitable MMO in their PC games line up. Neither WoW nor EQ2 were released when Microsoft signed Sigil to make their game correct? If so, it doesn't make sense to say they wanted a WoW killer because no one knew what WoW would become two years before it released.
Are you calling Brad a liar?
i think even though we will never know the whole truth of what really happened,Brad did not fail.Brad was the boss and the boss really doesn't do anything.Yes the CEO is 'spose to lead but he really is relying on everyone else working for him.And those same people are the REAL reason i believe Sigil fell apart.
i think simply put Brad didn't get enough $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.I truly believe for Brad's vision to be realized that he needed at least $75 million. He didn't get half of that.
And when his employees continueosly failed him he was doomed.Why,cause there wasn't enough cash.
I really hope Brad will get a new crew.And get at least $100 million to make a real smash hit.
I really honestly believe Brad didn't fail .....his team failed him.
I have already pointed my finger at who i think is to blame.
Comments
Now that some truth has come out, I at least feel I can put this behind me knowing Brad is a spineless wimp and those in upper management were incompetent idiots. I still say the artists and developers are the best in the business and Brad should make a public apology, be fined and banned from operating a business for no less than 10 years, and to those who were thrown out, give them all severance from his own ill gotten gains.
Get off Brad's case. He is an artist and they are often misunderstood.
He just explained some key things that make a lot of sense.
Focus on your hate and your little desires to belittle others. Kick him while he's down, it's easy. Negative creeps.
Something to consider: Who are YOU (any of you)? McQuaid has made some big splashes and taken some big balled risks. What have YOU ever done that will ever make a difference on world culture?
Money is evil. Paint it any way you want but it's PURE EVIL.
There is no focus on creating ART in our society anymore. You can't put a time frame on creating art. The creative impulse simply does not work that way. These companies are after your money - they want a great game ONLY because it will make them money.
Once again, the pursuit of MONEY destroys something that could have been GREAT. EPIC. A real work of PASSION that is behind all great works of art.
If money is all people understand or care about, they should go get some culture (and some SOUL).
In the end of all this unfolding mess one thing will be clear:
Brad McQuaid IS a true Visionary. An misunderstood artist and a flawed genius.
Perhaps even not fully recognized in his own time.
/peace & respect
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags.
If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person.
A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
Every person I have ever fired, I have looked them in the eye when I did it.
It's called respect.
If anyone thinks Brad should head another company, they should look at this as a prime example of mismanagement, spinelessness, and cowardly behavior.
Shayde - SWG (dead)
Proud member of the Cabal.
It sounds great, so great in fact, I pitty those who canceled
I don't like it when you say things. - A Vanguard fan who does too.
09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags.
If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person.
A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
Oh it's gotta be a joke. It's the funniest thing I've read all month.
Genius? Really? Really Really? If he's a genius, the term has lost all meaning.
Visionary? Nearsighted-visionary maybe.
Oh my GAWD that post was funny.
Shayde - SWG (dead)
Proud member of the Cabal.
It sounds great, so great in fact, I pitty those who canceled
I don't like it when you say things. - A Vanguard fan who does too.
09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0
Every person I have ever fired, I have looked them in the eye when I did it.
It's called respect.
If anyone thinks Brad should head another company, they should look at this as a prime example of mismanagement, spinelessness, and cowardly behavior.
I'm surprised that the firing didn't go something like this "Your all fire... Can i hav ur stuf plzxXX? ^_^_^" LOL. Thats it! the devs probaly distracted everyone with the firing so that in the mean time, brad could log onto their accounts and steal their stuff :O. Would be one way to avoid an EVE experience.. hmmm
I don't know, cant think straight atm lol
Perhaps he should have taken up writing fantasy novels instead. That doesn't cost boatloads of money to do, so you don't have to go farming venture capital from people who are going to want it back with a profit. It's hard to keep art free of the money aspect when you need a dumptruck full of it to produce your work.
Many of my friends are bona fide artists, btw. Those who aren't willing to work the business angle get day jobs.
(EDIT: I figure it is a joke, but there have been a lot of posts over the years in the vein of "money ruins the spirit of gaming", "games should be made for love, not profit", etc, which completely ignore this inconvenient detail called reality.)
...
This is where I draw the line: __________________.
I think in all my time as both a games fan and working in the industry i NEVER thought id see something as controversial as the StarWars Galaxies NGE Announcements and the mass exodus of players from SOE's Servers, those many years ago.
However the events of the last week i think have bought to us the story of one of the largest failures (when compared with cost and budget) the industry will hopefully ever see and a tradgedy at that for creative minds and emplyees at Sigil whom are not necessarily to blame for these events and have payed the price with their employment in 50% of the cases.
Truly one of the biggest stories for a long time and ultimately the accountability for such a large failure of Sigil as a business and the inability for their only product Vanguard: Saga of Heroes to keep them afloat operationally can only be acredited to poor decision making and inability to bring focus, direction and action of the senior management team there.
Jeff Butler, Brad McQuiad, Elam, et al should all carry this failure of a business and the subsequent price paid by its employees to their new positions within, and "externally for" SOE for many many years to come.
From all ive read the blame firmly rests at the senior level across the board at Sigil. And despite spin and PR present at all levels if Vanguard: Saga of Heroes was performing well as sole product and source of income for Sigil Online Games despite its current niche subcribers "fun levels", Sigil simply wouldnt be in the state it is in now. With the assets aqquired by SOE the company still exists as an entity so it is highly likely that they will shortly as a remaining entity with no product nor IP, file for bankrupcy, unless of course SOE effectively owns them. However from the releases i do not believe a total company buy-out was the case.
The Irony is nothing which has transpired here is effectively SOE's fault in any way.
1. They provided the role of a publisher for Sigil and possibly provided minimal financial aid and dev support to extend the release date of the product even further to January 2007. By this point a working fully polished product should have been released. It wasnt....there really are no amount of excuses for this.
2. SOE Aqquires the Assets of Sigil Games Online after Vanguards release is extremely poor for a game of its budgets and Sigil cannot continue to operate as an independent company. SOE even hires back half of the Sigil Development and design team of one hundred when in an announcement by their own division they pushed even their own operational budgets further than they would like in doing so. So they are very genuine i would think in making something of the product and best of luck to them.
I suppose as a last case in point and in response to recent postings a good friend of mind turned his nose away from Vanguard long before i myself was burned like so many others by its premature release and that was "Anything Microsoft have washed there hands of i will not touch to be honest".
To be fair i really do believe that, those events that transpired almost over twelve months ago were indeed the writing on the wall for this MMORPG and many should have maybe realised that. Even though the Split was supposedly ammicable and negotiated well, according to reports, it is simply (love them or hate them) one of the most savvy businesses and business models on the face of the planet. If Microsoft feels it can make money from a product ultimately then im sure it will. And any business that can afford to operate in a loss and deficite in its original Xbox division for four years running could afford to bankroll Sigil Games online for another 6 months to January 2007 if it saw true money making making potential and growth for a product. There is more to the Microsoft, Sigil split than meets the eye and now it appears microsoft made a solid business decision.
SOE for all of their past wrongs regarding the StarWars: Galaxies franchise, have picked up the remnants of a failed business, picked up its broken product with an attempt to give it a future and given to half of the employees of the failed business as many internal jobs as they can operationally allow. Id say good luck to SOE in shaping vanguards future and i hope they manage to make it a successful Niche title in the same scope as their efforts with the Everquest 2 product.
Regards
Mag
I still can't get over his reasoning for why he skipped the launch party and the firings. It just irked me so much. Instead of facing his problems, he chose to hide behind his emotional state. What cowardice! Maybe he's actually a swell guy, but he is a terrible leader.
what...the...hell...
Suck it up and be there for the people that were there for you, you wuss. Jesus, how did this guy turn into the UberGod of MMOs?
I think finally to most, that's finally been put to rest. He is not a God of MMOs.
Hope he gets stuck making games for cell phones from now on.
So some don't think the game is fun and were disappointed. That gives people the sense that they have a right to say all the extreme and ugly things about a person they don't even know?
Just love how so many people in these forums think they are MMO 'experts' or something.
These forums are like a ghetto full of the most negative assholes ever assembled in one place.
Why is it so hard to believe that a huge corporation like Microsoft screwed him over? And they did! After all they did to him he still has the decency to try and speak well of them. Thats what I call professional.
I know of greed and I know the power money has over people. It's a religion of capital. It's all most people know or even consider.
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists. Laugh all you want. You say I'm "scary" because you are so 'shocked' that someone disagrees with something you believe to be a given fact.
Both these visionaries have had major failings. Koster with SWG and McQuaid with VG. Both failing because of huge corporate greed. Neither getting to fully realize their vision. Both projects destroyed due to the pursuit of more money faster.
Whats scary is the level of hate and ignorance in this thread.
Some people lost their jobs and that is terrible - almost as terrible as McQuaid losing his entire company and dream due to corporate greed. I feel sad for all at Sigil.
To McQuaid I would remind him of something Nietzsche wrote - "what can not destroy you can only make you stronger!"
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
So some don't think the game is fun and were disappointed. That gives people the sense that they have a right to say all the extreme and ugly things about a person they don't even know?
Just love how so many people in these forums think they are MMO 'experts' or something.
These forums are like a ghetto full of the most negative assholes ever assembled in one place.
Why is it so hard to believe that a huge corporation like Microsoft screwed him over? And they did! After all they did to him he still has the decency to try and speak well of them. Thats what I call professional.
I know of greed and I know the power money has over people. It's a religion of capital. It's all most people know or even consider.
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists. Laugh all you want. You say I'm "scary" because you are so 'shocked' that someone disagrees with something you believe to be a given fact.
Both these visionaries have had major failings. Koster with SWG and McQuaid with VG. Both failing because of huge corporate greed. Neither getting to fully realize their vision. Both projects destroyed due to the pursuit of more money faster.
Whats scary is the level of hate and ignorance in this thread.
Some people lost their jobs and that is terrible - almost as terrible as McQuaid losing his entire company and dream due to corporate greed. I feel sad for all at Sigil.
To McQuaid I would remind him of something Nietzsche wrote - "what can not destroy you can only make you stronger!"
Come on, you aren't equating hate to heartlessness here, are you? Fifty people losing their job is only "almost" as terrible as McQuaid's dream not coming true?
I won't even touch the Microsoft bit if 4+ years of development and tens of millions of dollars invested don't already mean anything to you. You're a bit beyond reasoning with, as you seem to be entirely concerned with Brad's feelings more so than anyone else's, or greater aspects of reality.
Just realize your viewpoint is difficult to swallow. It might be because you're a misunderstood artist yourself.
Yes, I do think it's worst for McQuaid. A personal having to search for a new job is unfortunate, and one man losing their entire company is tragic.
Microsoft wanted a MMO to compete with WoW and EQ2. This is the course they set.
WoW cost 80+ million dollars to produce. Microsoft has a turn over. And only 30 million into the project these new guys (with no experience with MMO development) demand a finished project.
Microsoft, in effect, fired those people at Sigil. They have caused massive layoffs in and outside of their corporation. That is a fact.
The reality of corporate business is its cut throat. That by it's very nature destroys creative pursuits.
I'd rater my tax money go toward the creation of art instead of trillions going to weapons and machines that are designed to kill people
I miss the good ol' days when nerds were actually intelligent.
The "poor, tortured artiste" excuse doesn't fly when you're given millions of dollars and the backing of a massive corporation to bring your dream to reality. The same goes for Raph Koster.
You know what? Some of the most famous artists and composers in history were sponsored artists. They weren't, however, just given free reign and blank checks to do what they wanted at their leisure. Most of them were expected to show some progress over time, and to justify the money and stipends they were being paid, as they were generally employed by the church, or a royal court, or some other wealthy benefactor.
Do you think, for example, that when the Vatican commissioned Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, they just let him sit around with his buddies for four years just daydreaming and coming up with ideas while sending them fakes of his progress to throw them off his trail? Hell no! They wanted to see him in the Chapel, brush in hand, working on the very art they were paying him for.
That's how it has always worked. Art is art, and there's a lot of room for creativity in this world, but if there's money or sponsorship involved, you can be damn sure that the people paying want to see results. Anything less would be foolish.
Honestly, the idea of Brad as some poor, maligned artist who got screwed by big mean old Microsoft really doesn't fly here. He's the one who started Sigil. He's the one who pitched the game, and had his team built, and who promised the world. He's ultimately the one to blame for any and all failures, since he chose to be the CEO.
This has got to be a joke, right? Forgot the smileys and /sacasm tags.
If it's not a joke, then you are a scary person.
A person with balls would have been at the firings, standing up in front of the people who he was supposed to be leading.
Oh it's gotta be a joke. It's the funniest thing I've read all month.
Genius? Really? Really Really? If he's a genius, the term has lost all meaning.
Visionary? Nearsighted-visionary maybe.
Oh my GAWD that post was funny.
So Shayde,
Any chance you might re-do your avatar and sig now? I'm sure Smed is the devil but thru his brilliance he has given us a sacrificial lamb that tops any of Smed's evilness, at least on the surface?
How about a picture of Firona Vie holding a sign up that says "You're in our Welfare line now!" and an avatar of McQuaid with a "Terrence and Phillip" mouth constantly spewing out BS?
The "poor, tortured artiste" excuse doesn't fly when you're given millions of dollars and the backing of a massive corporation to bring your dream to reality. The same goes for Raph Koster.
You know what? Some of the most famous artists and composers in history were sponsored artists. They weren't, however, just given free reign and blank checks to do what they wanted at their leisure. Most of them were expected to show some progress over time, and to justify the money and stipends they were being paid, as they were generally employed by the church, or a royal court, or some other wealthy benefactor.
Do you think, for example, that when the Vatican commissioned Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, they just let him sit around with his buddies for four years just daydreaming and coming up with ideas while sending them fakes of his progress to throw them off his trail? Hell no! They wanted to see him in the Chapel, brush in hand, working on the very art they were paying him for.
That's how it has always worked. Art is art, and there's a lot of room for creativity in this world, but if there's money or sponsorship involved, you can be damn sure that the people paying want to see results. Anything less would be foolish.
Honestly, the idea of Brad as some poor, maligned artist who got screwed by big mean old Microsoft really doesn't fly here. He's the one who started Sigil. He's the one who pitched the game, and had his team built, and who promised the world. He's ultimately the one to blame for any and all failures, since he chose to be the CEO.
And to back Lidanes points in which she is totally correct in my opinion ill reiterate my own...
From all ive read the blame firmly rests at the senior level across the board at Sigil. And despite spin and PR present at all levels if Vanguard: Saga of Heroes was performing well as sole product and source of income for Sigil Online Games despite its current niche subcribers "fun levels", Sigil simply wouldnt be in the state it is in now. With the assets aqquired by SOE the company still exists as an entity so it is highly likely that they will shortly as a remaining entity with no product nor IP, file for bankrupcy, unless of course SOE effectively owns them. However from the releases i do not believe a total company buy-out was the case.
No flawed Artist, Visionary crushed by the corporate about it at all im sorry. Sigil Released a product. Due to total mismanagement at an entire Senior level (Not Just Brad McQuiad). That product was totally subpar in the eyes of a majority of the games playing public and therefore could not in four months turn the much needed revenue to keep Sigil as a company afloat. A good product sells itself. The company due to bad senior management decisions in the entire Development process folds and half of the emplyees at Sigil Games lose their jobs. One man loses a dream a product and a vision that didnt sell, the other fifty people or more pay with their employment.
I suppose as a last case in point and in response to recent postings a good friend of mind turned his nose away from Vanguard long before i myself was burned like so many others by its premature release and that was "Anything Microsoft have washed there hands of i will not touch to be honest".
To be fair in this case i really do believe that, those events that transpired almost over twelve months ago were indeed the writing on the wall for this MMORPG and many should have maybe realised that. Even though the Split was supposedly ammicable and negotiated well, according to reports, microsoft is simply (love them or hate them) one of the most savvy businesses and business models on the face of the planet. If Microsoft feels it can make money from a product ultimately then im sure it will. And any business that can afford to operate in a loss and deficite in its original Xbox division for four years running could afford to bankroll Sigil Games online for another 6 months to January 2007 if it saw true money making making potential and growth for a product. There is more to the Microsoft, Sigil split than meets the eye and now it appears microsoft made a solid business decision.
If Microsoft felt Vanguard as a marketable product was worthwhile they would have invested what it took to get it live. It obvious now to the games playing public that their decision was right.
The best part of the whole interview is the fact that he, as founder, and CEO of Sigil, had ZERO FUCKING CLUE how his company was being run. Hiring practices? Durrr, I dunno. I could see with a fortune 500 company CEO claiming ignorance of what HR was doing. But a company of 100 people, with NO HR? And the CEO claims zero clue as to how the fucking company he was supposedly running was being run????????????????
Color me stupi-fucking-fied.
Seriously. Who really cares if Brad speaks or not?
SOE has released nothing but utter shit for the past couple years and ruined their own games for many players...
Paint me a bridge and get over it already.
To be fair though mate we're not really discussing SOE in here, nothing to do with them really other than they are the new owner of the vanguard IP.
What and Whom we are discussing is Sigil Games Online and their senior management. (Or lack thereof)
If it bugs you that much my friend then just click on your Web Browser session and ALT-F4.
Thanks and regards.
Mag
Couple points here.
I think Microsoft wanted a profitable MMO in their PC games line up.
Neither WoW nor EQ2 were released when Microsoft signed Sigil to make their game correct? If so, it doesn't make sense to say they wanted a WoW killer because no one knew what WoW would become two years before it released.
So some don't think the game is fun and were disappointed. That gives people the sense that they have a right to say all the extreme and ugly things about a person they don't even know?
Just love how so many people in these forums think they are MMO 'experts' or something.
These forums are like a ghetto full of the most negative assholes ever assembled in one place.
Why is it so hard to believe that a huge corporation like Microsoft screwed him over? And they did! After all they did to him he still has the decency to try and speak well of them. Thats what I call professional.
I know of greed and I know the power money has over people. It's a religion of capital. It's all most people know or even consider.
I have always thought people like Raph Koster and Brad McQuaid are misunderstood and flawed artists. Laugh all you want. You say I'm "scary" because you are so 'shocked' that someone disagrees with something you believe to be a given fact.
Both these visionaries have had major failings. Koster with SWG and McQuaid with VG. Both failing because of huge corporate greed. Neither getting to fully realize their vision. Both projects destroyed due to the pursuit of more money faster.
Whats scary is the level of hate and ignorance in this thread.
Some people lost their jobs and that is terrible - almost as terrible as McQuaid losing his entire company and dream due to corporate greed. I feel sad for all at Sigil.
To McQuaid I would remind him of something Nietzsche wrote - "what can not destroy you can only make you stronger!"
I might go along with you except for the fact that at E32005 and E32006 the game was supposedly moving along but each year we we're promised video footage of VG. We would get severely cut up quick shots and screens and that was it. Wait! isn't this game in beta? Does it have animations? Are you scared to show the public your game on into Beta 2? Anyone remember that choppy low res video that ran in the circle in the main site? For years that was the footage the fans we're seeing.
Of other note is that shortly before MS dumped the game, a group of MS testers ran thru the VG beta and were supposedly appaled at the state of the game and posted such in the beta forums. Microsoft made a business decision based off of a buggy incomplete game. It's as simple as that. No matter how much attention they were dumping on Xbox 360, it doesn't change the fact that they gave 30 million to Brad and gave him five years to produce something of quality and they were not happy with what they saw.
I know as a fan I was praising VG and getting all giddy but year after year they were all talk and weren't showing anything. I even got into Beta 3 but tried to be upbeat even though the content seemed sparse and the engine buggy. I even overlooked the whole SOE publisher change and thought oh well it still will be awesome. Then I bought the game on day one and it finally hit me. Something was horribly wrong and maybe just maybe some of these "trolls" were telling the truth. Maybe they're a little heartless and tasteless in their quest for the truth but sometimes the uproar is for a reason.
With criticism flying at him for all of this interview, want to know what he decided to defend, that portrayed him poorly?
--------
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 collaberatively 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 exceled 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 simiply 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 occuring, 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 interupt 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,
--------------------------------------------------------------
Brad McQuaid
Chairman & CEO, Sigil Games Online, Inc.
Executive Producer, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
www.vanguardsoh.com / www.sigil.com
I understand exactly what you are speaking of and agree with your statements full heartedly.
Unfortunately I seriously doubt the situation with Sigils management will change in the future.
Petty outlook atm, but such is life.
Cheers
i think even though we will never know the whole truth of what really happened,Brad did not fail.Brad was the boss and the boss really doesn't do anything.Yes the CEO is 'spose to lead but he really is relying on everyone else working for him.And those same people are the REAL reason i believe Sigil fell apart.
i think simply put Brad didn't get enough $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.I truly believe for Brad's vision to be realized that he needed at least $75 million. He didn't get half of that.
And when his employees continueosly failed him he was doomed.Why,cause there wasn't enough cash.
I really hope Brad will get a new crew.And get at least $100 million to make a real smash hit.
I really honestly believe Brad didn't fail .....his team failed him.
I have already pointed my finger at who i think is to blame.
But like i said none of us will really know.