It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on... BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie... LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE. If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why? Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way. As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
Taking that long to do publishes also is the surest external sign that what you are saying about the game being financially healthy and subscribers being up over last year is in fact, yet more lies and spin from a company, SOE, that has been less than honest with us in the past.
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on...
BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie...
LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE.
If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why?
Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on...
BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie...
LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE.
If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why?
Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I agree. Changing things back now is like closing the barn door after the horses ran out. Too little too late.
Is a man not entitled to the herp of his derp?
Remember, I live in a world where juggalos and yugioh players are real things.
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on...
BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie...
LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE.
If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why?
Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I agree. Changing things back now is like closing the barn door after the horses ran out. Too little too late.
Just an idea . what if closing NGE and take it out of service let say for a month and launch then with a fresh for all Pre CU version ?
All would have starter toons trying to get Marksman , Medic, Scout etc. Would't that be great fun for all ?
-----MY-TERMS-OF-USE-------------------------------------------------- $OE - eternal enemy of online gaming -We finally WON !!!! 2011 $OE accepted that they have been fired 2005 by the playerbase and closed down ridiculous NGE !!
"There was suppression of speech and all kinds of things between disturbing and fascistic." Raph Koster (parted $OE)
Originally posted by flakes Originally posted by Wildcat84
Originally posted by GreyPawn
Originally posted by AveBethos
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on... BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie... LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE. If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why? Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way. As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions? Are Jedi still a starter profession? Is combat still Benny Hill on crack? If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE. It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig. If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get. What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done. That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I know of few "pure NGE only" players in the game. And even those that I do know, once they hear about what the game used to have and be, wish they could play it.
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on...
BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie...
LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE.
If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why?
Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I know of few "pure NGE only" players in the game. And even those that I do know, once they hear about what the game used to have and be, wish they could play it.
Even if it's only a handfull of players..it's still people who do enjoy the game and you state to change their game again for your pleasure.Not trying to "point" at you , just trying to show you that what you are asking is the same as what happened to you.
Someone on the planetside forum also mentioned pulling the plug on that game because it had low subscribers.I asked him the same question...why would you ask for something that tears down peoples fun in a game.For me that's being plain selfish and i don't like that sort of behaviour.His comment offcourse was slightly different to yours since he asked to pull the plug and you are asking for a revamp but still....try and think of those who do like it and then ask yourself how much you hated , and still hate , SWG being revamped completely while you still did play the game.
There's no lack of people on the swg server I am on (bria). But if you chose a low population server to play on thats not really SWG's fault. .... As for sub numbers.. wow's 8 mil is certainly not a good benchmark to use to compare.. those numbers are unrealistic for most mmo's to aim for, especially mmo's that aren't crazy simple to play (like a lot of use prefer not to play)
Strange words from a SWG player, considering the NGE was designed to eliminate complexity so that "more star wars fans" can get into the game. What was it that they said about the NGE at launch? They wanted people to be able to kill, get treasure and continue? There was to much "reading" in the game? Yadda yadda yadda.
Sorry, I just find your words very funny considering the NGE was born entirely to combat WoWs benchmark numbers. I wold have to say your opening lines are incorrect. The lack of players on the servers in not a new subscribers fault, but absolutely SWGs fault (SOE that is).
Obraik, it's because the SWG dev team has a consistent and documented history of telling lies, that dates back to launch. The classic SWG dev lie is that something is "working as intended" and then within a couple of weeks that same something would be stealth fixed, without an announcement.
Do I need to outline the endless series of "that will be addressed in the CU" responses to some problem with combat that was seen for over a year whenever someone pointed out some serious glitch in combat?
These guys have no crediblity to play with. None. When they pulled the blatant bait and switch of ToOW they screwed the pooch in a way that caused the ears of lawyers nationwide to prick up...which is why they took the unprecedented move to offer a full refund of an expansion.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Ah, but I ask merely for the opportunity that you might reconsider. Opinion is subjective, and even though the NGE did happen 2 years ago, I realize that for many it feels like just yesterday. Again though, log in, check it out SWG the way it is today for yourself. S'all I ask. I'm sure the new Host Senator would even be willing to show you around on your old server! I'm here to extend a bridge back to empassioned veterans like yourselves, and let you know that the virtual world you once loved is still alive and churning.
And really, this isn't bull about folks coming back and giving it another go. A quick glance at the the "Coming back" threads in this forum shows that much.
Also, if you've got questions, concerns, or just want to rant at someone at SOE that will listen to you, feel free to pm me on the SWG boards or here, hit me up in-game (I play on Bria, I know, I'm an RP/carebear n00b), or ask a Senator to flag me down for you.
Are you a retard? I'm sorry but I just have to ask you cause your post really raises the question. Sarcasm. Look it up and then read the left hand side once more, champ.
SWG pre cu was too complex for the average gamer........Any game can be if people want it to be complex...... so SWG is no different, but in some small minds this must be it ...champ
Now play the game currently before you can make any statment about how the game is doing now. Like i said i couldn't get into SWG for many years mainly cause i myself was ignorant and didn't realy care about others then myself. And like i said that luckely changed, shame it didn't for some of you, you might even be missing out on some fun but then again with such a additude i see some wanna-be gamers have i wonder if they even capable of having fun, other then bring old crap up all the time cause that must be their type of fun i geusse, fact they don't like they mainly focussed on spreading lies, and lol some of them even say SOE is all about lie (well i wont deny SOE did his share of that) but recently the only ones i keep seeing lieyng is well.........we all know and see who they are now...
Nuff said
Do you work for SoE or something? Stop defending what they did to the game. Yes pre-CU had it's problems, all games have problems, however, at least people played it then. The game before you now is just a broken and lifeless shell of what it was or could have been. This game would have been one of the best MMORPG's ever made if they had concentrated their time and energy into making it better instead of attempting to make it like WoW. So just stop trying to defend what they did to the game. Consumer's do not and should not forget when a company burns them because once that happens it's liable to happen again. Go log in to SWG during any peak time and let me know if you run into more than 20 people outside of AFK's in a cantina or something. We have not forgotten about CU and NGE and SWG's subscrition numbers are showing it. Nuff said....
Okay
Bria 21.00 hours
You must see the ridiculous prices on the Bazaars no wonder it isn't busy here but sometimes there still some nice stuff to buy, but player run shops are still better
Jedi's, nah there arn't any
Then we have Farstar, less populated then Bria, but its my "ingame home"
Ah, but I ask merely for the opportunity that you might reconsider. Opinion is subjective, and even though the NGE did happen 2 years ago, I realize that for many it feels like just yesterday. Again though, log in, check it out SWG the way it is today for yourself. S'all I ask. I'm sure the new Host Senator would even be willing to show you around on your old server! I'm here to extend a bridge back to empassioned veterans like yourselves, and let you know that the virtual world you once loved is still alive and churning. And really, this isn't bull about folks coming back and giving it another go. A quick glance at the the "Coming back" threads in this forum shows that much. Also, if you've got questions, concerns, or just want to rant at someone at SOE that will listen to you, feel free to pm me on the SWG boards or here, hit me up in-game (I play on Bria, I know, I'm an RP/carebear n00b), or ask a Senator to flag me down for you.
I did log in and the MAJORITY opinion no matter how bad it may be is the same. The current game engine be it NGE or SWG 1.2 or whatever doesnt change the fact its not as GOOD or populated as it was pre Nov 2005. I loved this game before the constant changes each publish. Funny thing is ive been in this game since prelaunch and as recently as 2 weeks ago. So how is that not checking it out and pointing out the faults? Just because my subjective opinion is shared by many more than the current player base doesnt make it wrong.
I came back gave it another go for all of 4 hours. I tried my best to put behind all the things i hated about the changes. But it still has the same benny hill crack combat. Lack of profession CHOICE and deversity. The problem with SWG has been the same issue from prelaunch. It has allways been bugged undeveloped and never handled properly.
Most of us wouldnt have a issue with SWG if the game would revert back to a time when it actually had depth. See the issues for me is the combat engine,the copied wow talent systems. The old profession system was my main content. I enjoyed mix and matching and testing profession combos. That now gone i was bored allmost instantly, were the first two years i was too busy enjoying the game to be bored. The game changes constantly its never had stability ever. Unlike some i do attempt to try the so called new changes.
SoE keeps attempting to bring back old gameplay elements to win us back( thats a fact beast master anyone?) But the problem isnt what you add back its what you leave in. Remove the NGE parts and put back in the ones the NGE took out polish it up then watch the sub base increase. Cause ATM no amount of rehashed mini rollbacks is enough. Really the combat engine is one of the worst things about the current game. You cant keep building on the NGE engine when it was more broke than the last two.
I understand nothing i say will matter to SoE or you. But i do give an honest opinion based on my experiences with SWG since before launch. TBH id rather have the crashed bugged out beta back than the current game. It's so boring and feels the same as every other game out there but less polished. Bring back the systems we told you not to remove and then ill believe the increase. So far ive seen attempts to change the NGE. Why not go one step more and remove it and start all over with a 3rd revamp?
Cant hurt the game now to revamp one last time. Ive been trough every revamp and stayed until the NGE. Its a game that needs to be rethought out. If the past was more sucessfull then why not build upon that instead of one that isnt? I understand some like the NGE so in order not to remove that player base like you guys did the old either put the cu stuff back or start everyone over. Id resub all 4 of my accounts in a heart beat to start all over in the old game(even if it was the horrid cu).
Best of luck there Greypawn you have a uphill battle you cant win. But i do think the game could be really improved if things removed were just brought back in the way they once were. Skill points, combat and the professions would be a good start...
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on... BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie... LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE. If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why? Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Again I'm going to post this since you decided to avoid my questions. LA had talks with Bioware and SWG. Bioware pushed idea of KOTOR era and SWG pushed idea of post ROTJ. LA gave rights for Bioware to produce a KOTOR mmorpg,but decided it wasn't going the direction they wanted.They then made plans to go back to discussing with SOE a post ROTJ mmorpg. I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. How? Maybe I work for one of the companies mentioned. If I know these details- which you know to be a definite fact,being that you work for SOE, then you also know that these statements are absolutely true. AT THIS PRESENT TIME THE LEAD DESIGNER HATES NGE AND CONCENTRATES HIS TIME PVP GRINDING HIS WOW HUNTER EVEN IN THE WORKPLACE ON COMPANY TIME-ALSO MANY SWG DEVS HATE THE NGE AND REFUSE TO PLAY NGE EVEN THOUGH THEY GET FREE ACCOUNTS. Yes the NGE came about 2 years ago,but funny that even those that work for the producing company still hate the NGE after that time as well. HOW ABOUT THE EXPANSION THAT"S PRETTY MUCH FINISHED THAT HAS NO DEFINATE RELEASE SINCE THE INGAME NUMBERS AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH? Time to actually show some real honesty and please explain to people how they are supposed to enjoy a game that's viewed as nothing more than a joke by the people that actually work on it.
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on... BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie... LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE. If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why? Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way. As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
The fact of the matter is, no matter what you do to the NGE, there is a significant portion of the former player base that will never consider it. It's not the game we bought and played for 2.5 years. It's a completely different game with the same skin basically.
Beyond that, there are serious ethical questions about SOE and it's management (along with LEC, I blame both equally). Simply put, the NGE not only permanently harmed SWG, it will have a long term effect on SOE and LEC.
If you guys were really serious about bringing people back and making them happy, you'd at least have some pre NGE servers. I am not advocating taking the NGE as it is down, but give those who want it their game back. At least TRY it. The code is already there on a tape somewhere, so it won't cost you much.
Until that happens, I still think of SOE as the company that stole my game and won't give it back, run by a president who lied through his teeth directly to the player base on at least one occasion ("The CU is here to stay").
Whether or not you were there to be part of it, you are now the frontman for them with respect to representing them to the community, so you DO inherit some of the taint by association. There are plenty of other MMO companies out there and other MMOs, all of whom are desperate for experienced personnel. You didn't HAVE to go work for SOE and SWG, you chose to. So going in you should have known what you were getting yourself in for.
Frankly, I am surprised it ONLY took them 3 months to fill that position. My sources tell me that they basically offered it to everyone on their community staff and got "HELL NO!" in response to the offer. Further, I am surprised that at least as a community manager, your resume is such that I believe that except in experience with our game (I feel your position should be filled by a veteran player) you are qualified for the job.
But you got your work cut out for you. I wish you good luck and hope that you make the right decisions. So far, you're not doing very well, I think your decision to NOT have every server community represented by at least one "senator", especially LARGE, very heavily populated ones (which represent a significant portion of your paying subscriber base) is a huge mistake that could sink you. Indeed, if I were you I'd not go anywhere NEAR the Bloodfin forum without an asbestos fire suit.
How do we even know its really him? And to tell you the truth I am really glad he took the job. Yes SOE screwed all of us and I bet he knew that. So far hes a stand up guy. I would of taken the position if I could telecommute from Phx, AZ.
To the post above me- your right- they should add a pre nge server.
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on... BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie... LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE. If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why? Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
SOE used to give ballpark numbers too when swg first came out. Nothing specific but they did give rough numbers, something they haven't done in quite awhile tbh, even before nge. However, I would like to know how many subs swg has on its own and how many are tied up with Station Pass. Station Pass is a good deal if you like the games soe has. But it is like a life support system for soe's "weaker" titles like Matrix Online and Planetside and arguably Vanguard and swg.
As for referencing swg as the nge, from my experience on the vet trial a few months ago, which was fairly recent, swg has not changed a whole lot from when I left in Dec 2005. You may THINK a lot has changed but since you even admit to not even palying or having much knowledge about swg until recently theres no way you can know how similar or different swg is now compared to when the nge 1st came out. Besides, the history of swg is divided into pre-cu, cu and nge because each version was a very different game from the previous version.
As for swg being fun, I'll have to say I tried the nge swg and its not fun. Even Smedley has admitted to the nge being a failure. Care to put your PR spin on your own bosses claim of failure?
You say you tryed the NGE well that was some time ago. Try the new stuff like beastmaster and the new upgrades anf fixes comeing out. SOE is trying their hardest to give us what we want and return a lot that was removed but progress can only go so fast or you will end up with another NGE. They know they screwed the pooch with NGE and admited it finaly last year. However you must remember NGE was almost 2 years ago and there is no way to give a pre-cu or even a cu server . Pissing & moaning will not change anything. You want to whine to somebody contact Lucas Arts they have final say on SWG as we all know.
How do we even know its really him? And to tell you the truth I am really glad he took the job. Yes SOE screwed all of us and I bet he knew that. So far hes a stand up guy. I would of taken the position if I could telecommute from Phx, AZ.
To the post above me- your right- they should add a pre nge server.
Yes that is the real GreyPawn. He is a nice guy and he has only been with SOE & SWG a few weeks. So you should be honored he has taken the time to come here and face the heat. We would all love a pre-nge server but as stated there is no way to do that and even if there was LA would shoot down any proposal to do so.
A few little notes on this particular topic that I've been dying to share with you-
When I learned the truth of how well Star Wars Galaxies was doing, I was stunned. I can't give you numbers, but the charts I had seen before (and likely you've seen) were dead wrong. SWG is currently very healthy, and is getting better. The playerbase is growing, with both new players and returning veterans. There is a lot on the horizon for this game.
that topic was started only yesterday and already 5 pages lon'.. how many of those folks do ya think would still be playin' NGE if there was a classic server?
alas, they don't have much choice right now...
I like you. You post a link to that post saying what we all already knew. That is just discussing what people didnt like about the nge and game since. However look at how many times a single person may have posted in that thread. The fact is no matter what version of the game people are going to find a reason to piss & moan about it. Look at you for instance and thats the point. You dont like certain parts of the game so you cry about it yet even if they put in a pre-nge server somehow you or someone else would still have some reason to bawl.
So in the end it comes down to either play the game and submit feedback on SWG forums or move along & cry some more.
When I learned the truth of how well Star Wars Galaxies was doing, I was stunned. I can't give you numbers, but the charts I had seen before (and likely you've seen) were dead wrong.
Hahaha. Yes, statistically speaking, the game is doing amazing. I mean, when you only have three users and the next month you have eighteen from a promo, that's a gain of 600%!!! Wow, sorry, no, the population is still dead. One server with 200-300 active players at all times, while all the rest have 50-75, does not mean your game is successful and "doing well."
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on... BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie... LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE. If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why? Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
SOE used to give ballpark numbers too when swg first came out. Nothing specific but they did give rough numbers, something they haven't done in quite awhile tbh, even before nge. However, I would like to know how many subs swg has on its own and how many are tied up with Station Pass. Station Pass is a good deal if you like the games soe has. But it is like a life support system for soe's "weaker" titles like Matrix Online and Planetside and arguably Vanguard and swg.
As for referencing swg as the nge, from my experience on the vet trial a few months ago, which was fairly recent, swg has not changed a whole lot from when I left in Dec 2005. You may THINK a lot has changed but since you even admit to not even palying or having much knowledge about swg until recently theres no way you can know how similar or different swg is now compared to when the nge 1st came out. Besides, the history of swg is divided into pre-cu, cu and nge because each version was a very different game from the previous version.
As for swg being fun, I'll have to say I tried the nge swg and its not fun. Even Smedley has admitted to the nge being a failure. Care to put your PR spin on your own bosses claim of failure?
You say you tryed the NGE well that was some time ago. Try the new stuff like beastmaster and the new upgrades anf fixes comeing out. SOE is trying their hardest to give us what we want and return a lot that was removed but progress can only go so fast or you will end up with another NGE. They know they screwed the pooch with NGE and admited it finaly last year. However you must remember NGE was almost 2 years ago and there is no way to give a pre-cu or even a cu server . Pissing & moaning will not change anything. You want to whine to somebody contact Lucas Arts they have final say on SWG as we all know.
Maybe I should have mentioned this before but the only reasons I went back to swg during the vet trial offer was to see what the server population was like and to see if there had been any significant changes to the game that might have been a saving grace for the nge. What I saw on my old server, Intrepid, was a virtual ghostown. There were a few people on Mustafar, a few people on Tat and some pvp types in Restuss but other than that I saw almost no one. Even considering the old line "the world is too big to find everyone"(something used by players of failed games like swg and Vanguard to account for low numbers) not everyone could have been hiding from me in some super secret location. MMO's always have hubs where people meet and can be seen in larger numbers. As for the gameplay, other than the talent....errr expertise system not much was new. It still had the same super sonic, Benny Hill combat, the same clunky and unintuitive interface and the reduced number of professions that you are pretty much locked into. So unless those things have changed a great deal in say 4 or 5 months, then swg is pretty much the same as when I left it in Dec 2005. Oh, and I also ran across numerous bugs during my 2 weeks back. So working as intended there.
Now all that being said, if they ever brought back some form of pre-nge I would still not go back. I've pretty much moved on and am enjoying myself in another game. Even if I wasn't playing another game, I still wouldn't go back. Even if playing swg could cure cancer and make peace in the middle east I still wouldn't go back. Why? Because soe has a proven track record of lying to and disrespecting its customers. The money I spend on entertainment is part of my disposable income, so choosing not to give it to companies like soe is an easy decision. I don't NEED to play games therefore I'll spend (or save) the money I would spend on an soe product on something else like another mmo, a single player game or some other form of entertainment like movies or a vacation. Soe tried to pull the old double switch with the nge and the Mustafar expansion. Promise one thing, deliver another. Its one of the oldest scams in the book. Soe's shady business practices, combined with other factors like their horrible customer service, made it an easy decision to leave. If your mechanic or hardware store tries to rip you off would you continue to do business with them? I know I wouldn't. I guess playing a game and having your shiny happy fun time is more important than sticking to your values and holding people you do business with accountable. With most other type of business's its sometimes hard to do that because of the service or product they provide (like fuel for your home or car) and the price you can afford to pay. Games and entertainment are completely different. You don't need to spend money on it like you do rent, food or fuel. So the decision to hold them accountable for their actions should be easier. For some people (a lot of people actually) I guess it isn't.
People that continue to support soe and companies like it hurt all gamers. Basically your telling them that they can screw their customers over time and again and they'll do nothing about it except continue to play and pay. THAT effects me and others that want to play games but not have to worry about whether or not the company we're giving money to is going to try and rip us off again. Basically, people that continue to play swg even after they know what soe has done are part of the problem, not the solution.
Edit: Good lord that was a lot longer than I thought it would be. If I rambled a bit please forgive me, its almost 3:30 am. I go sleep now.
Is a man not entitled to the herp of his derp?
Remember, I live in a world where juggalos and yugioh players are real things.
When I learned the truth of how well Star Wars Galaxies was doing, I was stunned. I can't give you numbers, but the charts I had seen before (and likely you've seen) were dead wrong.
Hahaha. Yes, statistically speaking, the game is doing amazing. I mean, when you only have three users and the next month you have eighteen from a promo, that's a gain of 600%!!! Wow, sorry, no, the population is still dead. One server with 200-300 active players at all times, while all the rest have 50-75, does not mean your game is successful and "doing well."
He can't give numbers because it's faulty math.
There's a reason his name is "Pawn."
Since you ignored or missed the following screenshots taken last evening between 21:00/ 23:00: I mean how can someone even respond like you , it does mean you have no idea about the game currently and all people seem to care about is that fantasy world they live in where the only game that is good is that of none excisting or not released games. Now step right into reality maybe you will understand YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIKE SWG but stop lying and pretending things that are not !!!
Bria 21.00 hours
You must see the ridiculous prices on the Bazaars no wonder it isn't busy here but sometimes there still some nice stuff to buy, but player run shops are still better
Jedi's, nah there arn't any
Then we have Farstar, less populated then Bria, but its my "ingame home"
It's funny how every so often a post like this comes from SOE and it tells everyone how good the NGE is doing, that an expansion is due out in 6 months (Smedley himself said that over a year and a half ago) and so on...
BUT, they won't give you subscription numbers... They just ask you to take THEIR word for it. The same SOE that spent 3 years telling its customers lie after lie...
LMAO, if anyone believes a second of this CM's post then they are a glutton and deserve to hand over their time AND money to SOE.
If SOE wants to PROVE something to people smart enough to know better, SHOW US THE NUMBERS. Other MMOs gladly show their subscription numbers, even if they aren't WoW-like. SOE used to show their numbers for this very game. All that changed as soon as the NGE hit... Hmmmm, wonder why?
Sorry Community Manager, without sub numbers your post is a joke.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
The fact of the matter is, no matter what you do to the NGE, there is a significant portion of the former player base that will never consider it. It's not the game we bought and played for 2.5 years. It's a completely different game with the same skin basically.
Beyond that, there are serious ethical questions about SOE and it's management (along with LEC, I blame both equally). Simply put, the NGE not only permanently harmed SWG, it will have a long term effect on SOE and LEC.
If you guys were really serious about bringing people back and making them happy, you'd at least have some pre NGE servers. I am not advocating taking the NGE as it is down, but give those who want it their game back. At least TRY it. The code is already there on a tape somewhere, so it won't cost you much.
Until that happens, I still think of SOE as the company that stole my game and won't give it back, run by a president who lied through his teeth directly to the player base on at least one occasion ("The CU is here to stay").
Whether or not you were there to be part of it, you are now the frontman for them with respect to representing them to the community, so you DO inherit some of the taint by association. There are plenty of other MMO companies out there and other MMOs, all of whom are desperate for experienced personnel. You didn't HAVE to go work for SOE and SWG, you chose to. So going in you should have known what you were getting yourself in for.
Frankly, I am surprised it ONLY took them 3 months to fill that position. My sources tell me that they basically offered it to everyone on their community staff and got "HELL NO!" in response to the offer. Further, I am surprised that at least as a community manager, your resume is such that I believe that except in experience with our game (I feel your position should be filled by a veteran player) you are qualified for the job.
But you got your work cut out for you. I wish you good luck and hope that you make the right decisions. So far, you're not doing very well, I think your decision to NOT have every server community represented by at least one "senator", especially LARGE, very heavily populated ones (which represent a significant portion of your paying subscriber base) is a huge mistake that could sink you. Indeed, if I were you I'd not go anywhere NEAR the Bloodfin forum without an asbestos fire suit.
Don't you still have and have had for the majority of time, at least 2 accounts running on SWG? You're all bark and no bite
As for Senators representing each server, why? What is there to provide feedback to the Devs about? There's no systems or styles of play that are specific to individual servers that would warrant having a senator for each server.
Originally posted by Reklaw Since you ignored or missed the following screenshots taken last evening between 21:00/ 23:00: I mean how can someone even respond like you , it does mean you have no idea about the game currently and all people seem to care about is that fantasy world they live in where the only game that is good is that of none excisting or not released games. Now step right into reality maybe you will understand YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIKE SWG but stop lying and pretending things that are not !!! Bria 21.00 hoursYou must see the ridiculous prices on the Bazaars no wonder it isn't busy here but sometimes there still some nice stuff to buy, but player run shops are still better Jedi's, nah there arn't any Then we have Farstar, less populated then Bria, but its my "ingame home" Nuff shown AGAIN !
Ah, yes, Bria. I believe I did say that one populated server does not a game make. I played on Starsider, I played on Bria, I played on Azahi, Flurry, and one or two others over the years. Bria, if you were unaware, was one of the first servers and was open during the Beta phase. It's one of the oldest and most populated servers. Having lost well over (I'm guessing) 80% of it's peak population, it's still one of the "biggest." But that's like saying a nickel is bigger than a dime. They're both small change.
Call me when I can be an Entertainer on Flurry and manage to gather a crowd of 25 people in a player cantina out in the wilds of Dantooine again...without paying them off.
The game is dead. It's on the table, and it went code blue over a year ago, yet the doctors continue to try and shock the patient back to life.
A rollback or conversion from NGE to pre-cu/CU is obviously not an option because they'll lose a lot of folk who like the NGE, well 9-10 maybe.
But a classic server is an option and they shouid do it now rather than later, 2 years have passed and we are still angry, but I think a lot would come back for classic servers, be it with $OE or not.
So new community guy, go to your boss, say I think we need classic servers because the community want it and then feel happy about your days work. The worsed thing they can say to you is no.
Sounds to me like the NGE is still doing crap and $OE need to try and build up some reassurance for current players to stick around. Why make a statement like that with zero proof at all to back it up? I can easily say the game is in a worse state than even when NGE launched and have as much proof as he just gave. I can say only 10 people play on a certain server and have as much proof as he just gave to how great things are. People can say whatever they want but with no figures or facts to back it up, why say it? My guess would be to try to retain the current poor subscriber levels and not let it drop further.
Cool idea , best would be if $OE don't involved but many would take this downside if they offer classic server. After that we can compare numbers , but i bet most NGE 's would migrate to PRE CU either
-----MY-TERMS-OF-USE-------------------------------------------------- $OE - eternal enemy of online gaming -We finally WON !!!! 2011 $OE accepted that they have been fired 2005 by the playerbase and closed down ridiculous NGE !!
"There was suppression of speech and all kinds of things between disturbing and fascistic." Raph Koster (parted $OE)
Comments
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
Taking that long to do publishes also is the surest external sign that what you are saying about the game being financially healthy and subscribers being up over last year is in fact, yet more lies and spin from a company, SOE, that has been less than honest with us in the past.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I agree. Changing things back now is like closing the barn door after the horses ran out. Too little too late.
Is a man not entitled to the herp of his derp?
Remember, I live in a world where juggalos and yugioh players are real things.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I agree. Changing things back now is like closing the barn door after the horses ran out. Too little too late.
Just an idea . what if closing NGE and take it out of service let say for a month and launch then with a fresh for all Pre CU version ?
All would have starter toons trying to get Marksman , Medic, Scout etc. Would't that be great fun for all ?
-----MY-TERMS-OF-USE--------------------------------------------------
$OE - eternal enemy of online gaming
-We finally WON !!!! 2011 $OE accepted that they have been fired 2005 by the playerbase and closed down ridiculous NGE !!
"There was suppression of speech and all kinds of things between disturbing and fascistic." Raph Koster (parted $OE)
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I know of few "pure NGE only" players in the game. And even those that I do know, once they hear about what the game used to have and be, wish they could play it.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Does it still have only 9 professions?
Are Jedi still a starter profession?
Is combat still Benny Hill on crack?
If the answer to ANY of those questions is yes, then it's still the NGE.
It's the NGE with some superficial alterations and a fresh coat of lipstick, but it's the same pig.
If your pat answer to our continued dislike of the NGE is "it was 2 years ago, get over it" you aren't going to get much further as community manager (especially since you weren't there with us) than a 1987 Yugo with water in the gas tank is likely to get.
What SOE needs to do is put more people on the Dev team and work as RAPIDLY as possible to De-NGE the game if they want to retain the subs they have gotten back. Unless you guys do, you will find you're heading back down before winter. Subcribers can leave as quickly as they come back you know, and making people wait 4 months between publishes and cranking out only 3 a year isn't going to get it done.
That would be kinda unfair to the people playing now and liking the game as it is.You are asking them to change the game all the way back not thinking about those who do like the game in it's current state.How can you then complain all the time about how they changed your game while you want to let them do the same thing to others purely for your pleasure?I don't understand such comments tbh.
I know of few "pure NGE only" players in the game. And even those that I do know, once they hear about what the game used to have and be, wish they could play it.
Even if it's only a handfull of players..it's still people who do enjoy the game and you state to change their game again for your pleasure.Not trying to "point" at you , just trying to show you that what you are asking is the same as what happened to you.Someone on the planetside forum also mentioned pulling the plug on that game because it had low subscribers.I asked him the same question...why would you ask for something that tears down peoples fun in a game.For me that's being plain selfish and i don't like that sort of behaviour.His comment offcourse was slightly different to yours since he asked to pull the plug and you are asking for a revamp but still....try and think of those who do like it and then ask yourself how much you hated , and still hate , SWG being revamped completely while you still did play the game.
Sorry, I just find your words very funny considering the NGE was born entirely to combat WoWs benchmark numbers. I wold have to say your opening lines are incorrect. The lack of players on the servers in not a new subscribers fault, but absolutely SWGs fault (SOE that is).
Obraik, it's because the SWG dev team has a consistent and documented history of telling lies, that dates back to launch. The classic SWG dev lie is that something is "working as intended" and then within a couple of weeks that same something would be stealth fixed, without an announcement.
Do I need to outline the endless series of "that will be addressed in the CU" responses to some problem with combat that was seen for over a year whenever someone pointed out some serious glitch in combat?
These guys have no crediblity to play with. None. When they pulled the blatant bait and switch of ToOW they screwed the pooch in a way that caused the ears of lawyers nationwide to prick up...which is why they took the unprecedented move to offer a full refund of an expansion.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
Ah, but I ask merely for the opportunity that you might reconsider. Opinion is subjective, and even though the NGE did happen 2 years ago, I realize that for many it feels like just yesterday. Again though, log in, check it out SWG the way it is today for yourself. S'all I ask. I'm sure the new Host Senator would even be willing to show you around on your old server! I'm here to extend a bridge back to empassioned veterans like yourselves, and let you know that the virtual world you once loved is still alive and churning.
And really, this isn't bull about folks coming back and giving it another go. A quick glance at the the "Coming back" threads in this forum shows that much.
Also, if you've got questions, concerns, or just want to rant at someone at SOE that will listen to you, feel free to pm me on the SWG boards or here, hit me up in-game (I play on Bria, I know, I'm an RP/carebear n00b), or ask a Senator to flag me down for you.
GreyP- that is soooooo not you.
SWG pre cu was too complex for the average gamer........Any game can be if people want it to be complex...... so SWG is no different, but in some small minds this must be it ...champ
Now play the game currently before you can make any statment about how the game is doing now. Like i said i couldn't get into SWG for many years mainly cause i myself was ignorant and didn't realy care about others then myself. And like i said that luckely changed, shame it didn't for some of you, you might even be missing out on some fun but then again with such a additude i see some wanna-be gamers have i wonder if they even capable of having fun, other then bring old crap up all the time cause that must be their type of fun i geusse, fact they don't like they mainly focussed on spreading lies, and lol some of them even say SOE is all about lie (well i wont deny SOE did his share of that) but recently the only ones i keep seeing lieyng is well.........we all know and see who they are now...
Nuff said
Do you work for SoE or something? Stop defending what they did to the game. Yes pre-CU had it's problems, all games have problems, however, at least people played it then. The game before you now is just a broken and lifeless shell of what it was or could have been. This game would have been one of the best MMORPG's ever made if they had concentrated their time and energy into making it better instead of attempting to make it like WoW. So just stop trying to defend what they did to the game. Consumer's do not and should not forget when a company burns them because once that happens it's liable to happen again. Go log in to SWG during any peak time and let me know if you run into more than 20 people outside of AFK's in a cantina or something. We have not forgotten about CU and NGE and SWG's subscrition numbers are showing it. Nuff said....
Okay
Bria 21.00 hours
You must see the ridiculous prices on the Bazaars no wonder it isn't busy here but sometimes there still some nice stuff to buy, but player run shops are still better
Jedi's, nah there arn't any
Then we have Farstar, less populated then Bria, but its my "ingame home"
1
Nuff shown
Mod Edit - Removed one of the screenshots as it contained webaddresses for a goldselling site.
I did log in and the MAJORITY opinion no matter how bad it may be is the same. The current game engine be it NGE or SWG 1.2 or whatever doesnt change the fact its not as GOOD or populated as it was pre Nov 2005. I loved this game before the constant changes each publish. Funny thing is ive been in this game since prelaunch and as recently as 2 weeks ago. So how is that not checking it out and pointing out the faults? Just because my subjective opinion is shared by many more than the current player base doesnt make it wrong.
I came back gave it another go for all of 4 hours. I tried my best to put behind all the things i hated about the changes. But it still has the same benny hill crack combat. Lack of profession CHOICE and deversity. The problem with SWG has been the same issue from prelaunch. It has allways been bugged undeveloped and never handled properly.
Most of us wouldnt have a issue with SWG if the game would revert back to a time when it actually had depth. See the issues for me is the combat engine,the copied wow talent systems. The old profession system was my main content. I enjoyed mix and matching and testing profession combos. That now gone i was bored allmost instantly, were the first two years i was too busy enjoying the game to be bored. The game changes constantly its never had stability ever. Unlike some i do attempt to try the so called new changes.
SoE keeps attempting to bring back old gameplay elements to win us back( thats a fact beast master anyone?) But the problem isnt what you add back its what you leave in. Remove the NGE parts and put back in the ones the NGE took out polish it up then watch the sub base increase. Cause ATM no amount of rehashed mini rollbacks is enough. Really the combat engine is one of the worst things about the current game. You cant keep building on the NGE engine when it was more broke than the last two.
I understand nothing i say will matter to SoE or you. But i do give an honest opinion based on my experiences with SWG since before launch. TBH id rather have the crashed bugged out beta back than the current game. It's so boring and feels the same as every other game out there but less polished. Bring back the systems we told you not to remove and then ill believe the increase. So far ive seen attempts to change the NGE. Why not go one step more and remove it and start all over with a 3rd revamp?
Cant hurt the game now to revamp one last time. Ive been trough every revamp and stayed until the NGE. Its a game that needs to be rethought out. If the past was more sucessfull then why not build upon that instead of one that isnt? I understand some like the NGE so in order not to remove that player base like you guys did the old either put the cu stuff back or start everyone over. Id resub all 4 of my accounts in a heart beat to start all over in the old game(even if it was the horrid cu).
Best of luck there Greypawn you have a uphill battle you cant win. But i do think the game could be really improved if things removed were just brought back in the way they once were. Skill points, combat and the professions would be a good start...
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
Again I'm going to post this since you decided to avoid my questions. LA had talks with Bioware and SWG. Bioware pushed idea of KOTOR era and SWG pushed idea of post ROTJ. LA gave rights for Bioware to produce a KOTOR mmorpg,but decided it wasn't going the direction they wanted.They then made plans to go back to discussing with SOE a post ROTJ mmorpg. I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. How? Maybe I work for one of the companies mentioned. If I know these details- which you know to be a definite fact,being that you work for SOE, then you also know that these statements are absolutely true. AT THIS PRESENT TIME THE LEAD DESIGNER HATES NGE AND CONCENTRATES HIS TIME PVP GRINDING HIS WOW HUNTER EVEN IN THE WORKPLACE ON COMPANY TIME-ALSO MANY SWG DEVS HATE THE NGE AND REFUSE TO PLAY NGE EVEN THOUGH THEY GET FREE ACCOUNTS. Yes the NGE came about 2 years ago,but funny that even those that work for the producing company still hate the NGE after that time as well. HOW ABOUT THE EXPANSION THAT"S PRETTY MUCH FINISHED THAT HAS NO DEFINATE RELEASE SINCE THE INGAME NUMBERS AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH? Time to actually show some real honesty and please explain to people how they are supposed to enjoy a game that's viewed as nothing more than a joke by the people that actually work on it.
The fact of the matter is, no matter what you do to the NGE, there is a significant portion of the former player base that will never consider it. It's not the game we bought and played for 2.5 years. It's a completely different game with the same skin basically.
Beyond that, there are serious ethical questions about SOE and it's management (along with LEC, I blame both equally). Simply put, the NGE not only permanently harmed SWG, it will have a long term effect on SOE and LEC.
If you guys were really serious about bringing people back and making them happy, you'd at least have some pre NGE servers. I am not advocating taking the NGE as it is down, but give those who want it their game back. At least TRY it. The code is already there on a tape somewhere, so it won't cost you much.
Until that happens, I still think of SOE as the company that stole my game and won't give it back, run by a president who lied through his teeth directly to the player base on at least one occasion ("The CU is here to stay").
Whether or not you were there to be part of it, you are now the frontman for them with respect to representing them to the community, so you DO inherit some of the taint by association. There are plenty of other MMO companies out there and other MMOs, all of whom are desperate for experienced personnel. You didn't HAVE to go work for SOE and SWG, you chose to. So going in you should have known what you were getting yourself in for.
Frankly, I am surprised it ONLY took them 3 months to fill that position. My sources tell me that they basically offered it to everyone on their community staff and got "HELL NO!" in response to the offer. Further, I am surprised that at least as a community manager, your resume is such that I believe that except in experience with our game (I feel your position should be filled by a veteran player) you are qualified for the job.
But you got your work cut out for you. I wish you good luck and hope that you make the right decisions. So far, you're not doing very well, I think your decision to NOT have every server community represented by at least one "senator", especially LARGE, very heavily populated ones (which represent a significant portion of your paying subscriber base) is a huge mistake that could sink you. Indeed, if I were you I'd not go anywhere NEAR the Bloodfin forum without an asbestos fire suit.
How do we even know its really him? And to tell you the truth I am really glad he took the job. Yes SOE screwed all of us and I bet he knew that. So far hes a stand up guy. I would of taken the position if I could telecommute from Phx, AZ.
To the post above me- your right- they should add a pre nge server.
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
SOE used to give ballpark numbers too when swg first came out. Nothing specific but they did give rough numbers, something they haven't done in quite awhile tbh, even before nge. However, I would like to know how many subs swg has on its own and how many are tied up with Station Pass. Station Pass is a good deal if you like the games soe has. But it is like a life support system for soe's "weaker" titles like Matrix Online and Planetside and arguably Vanguard and swg.
As for referencing swg as the nge, from my experience on the vet trial a few months ago, which was fairly recent, swg has not changed a whole lot from when I left in Dec 2005. You may THINK a lot has changed but since you even admit to not even palying or having much knowledge about swg until recently theres no way you can know how similar or different swg is now compared to when the nge 1st came out. Besides, the history of swg is divided into pre-cu, cu and nge because each version was a very different game from the previous version.
As for swg being fun, I'll have to say I tried the nge swg and its not fun. Even Smedley has admitted to the nge being a failure. Care to put your PR spin on your own bosses claim of failure?
You say you tryed the NGE well that was some time ago. Try the new stuff like beastmaster and the new upgrades anf fixes comeing out. SOE is trying their hardest to give us what we want and return a lot that was removed but progress can only go so fast or you will end up with another NGE. They know they screwed the pooch with NGE and admited it finaly last year. However you must remember NGE was almost 2 years ago and there is no way to give a pre-cu or even a cu server . Pissing & moaning will not change anything. You want to whine to somebody contact Lucas Arts they have final say on SWG as we all know.
Yes that is the real GreyPawn. He is a nice guy and he has only been with SOE & SWG a few weeks. So you should be honored he has taken the time to come here and face the heat. We would all love a pre-nge server but as stated there is no way to do that and even if there was LA would shoot down any proposal to do so.
lets see what the players have to say: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/posts/list.m?topic_id=409905
that topic was started only yesterday and already 5 pages lon'.. how many of those folks do ya think would still be playin' NGE if there was a classic server?
alas, they don't have much choice right now...
I like you. You post a link to that post saying what we all already knew. That is just discussing what people didnt like about the nge and game since. However look at how many times a single person may have posted in that thread. The fact is no matter what version of the game people are going to find a reason to piss & moan about it. Look at you for instance and thats the point. You dont like certain parts of the game so you cry about it yet even if they put in a pre-nge server somehow you or someone else would still have some reason to bawl.So in the end it comes down to either play the game and submit feedback on SWG forums or move along & cry some more.
Hahaha. Yes, statistically speaking, the game is doing amazing. I mean, when you only have three users and the next month you have eighteen from a promo, that's a gain of 600%!!! Wow, sorry, no, the population is still dead. One server with 200-300 active players at all times, while all the rest have 50-75, does not mean your game is successful and "doing well."
He can't give numbers because it's faulty math.
There's a reason his name is "Pawn."
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
SOE used to give ballpark numbers too when swg first came out. Nothing specific but they did give rough numbers, something they haven't done in quite awhile tbh, even before nge. However, I would like to know how many subs swg has on its own and how many are tied up with Station Pass. Station Pass is a good deal if you like the games soe has. But it is like a life support system for soe's "weaker" titles like Matrix Online and Planetside and arguably Vanguard and swg.
As for referencing swg as the nge, from my experience on the vet trial a few months ago, which was fairly recent, swg has not changed a whole lot from when I left in Dec 2005. You may THINK a lot has changed but since you even admit to not even palying or having much knowledge about swg until recently theres no way you can know how similar or different swg is now compared to when the nge 1st came out. Besides, the history of swg is divided into pre-cu, cu and nge because each version was a very different game from the previous version.
As for swg being fun, I'll have to say I tried the nge swg and its not fun. Even Smedley has admitted to the nge being a failure. Care to put your PR spin on your own bosses claim of failure?
You say you tryed the NGE well that was some time ago. Try the new stuff like beastmaster and the new upgrades anf fixes comeing out. SOE is trying their hardest to give us what we want and return a lot that was removed but progress can only go so fast or you will end up with another NGE. They know they screwed the pooch with NGE and admited it finaly last year. However you must remember NGE was almost 2 years ago and there is no way to give a pre-cu or even a cu server . Pissing & moaning will not change anything. You want to whine to somebody contact Lucas Arts they have final say on SWG as we all know.
Maybe I should have mentioned this before but the only reasons I went back to swg during the vet trial offer was to see what the server population was like and to see if there had been any significant changes to the game that might have been a saving grace for the nge. What I saw on my old server, Intrepid, was a virtual ghostown. There were a few people on Mustafar, a few people on Tat and some pvp types in Restuss but other than that I saw almost no one. Even considering the old line "the world is too big to find everyone"(something used by players of failed games like swg and Vanguard to account for low numbers) not everyone could have been hiding from me in some super secret location. MMO's always have hubs where people meet and can be seen in larger numbers. As for the gameplay, other than the talent....errr expertise system not much was new. It still had the same super sonic, Benny Hill combat, the same clunky and unintuitive interface and the reduced number of professions that you are pretty much locked into. So unless those things have changed a great deal in say 4 or 5 months, then swg is pretty much the same as when I left it in Dec 2005. Oh, and I also ran across numerous bugs during my 2 weeks back. So working as intended there.
Now all that being said, if they ever brought back some form of pre-nge I would still not go back. I've pretty much moved on and am enjoying myself in another game. Even if I wasn't playing another game, I still wouldn't go back. Even if playing swg could cure cancer and make peace in the middle east I still wouldn't go back. Why? Because soe has a proven track record of lying to and disrespecting its customers. The money I spend on entertainment is part of my disposable income, so choosing not to give it to companies like soe is an easy decision. I don't NEED to play games therefore I'll spend (or save) the money I would spend on an soe product on something else like another mmo, a single player game or some other form of entertainment like movies or a vacation. Soe tried to pull the old double switch with the nge and the Mustafar expansion. Promise one thing, deliver another. Its one of the oldest scams in the book. Soe's shady business practices, combined with other factors like their horrible customer service, made it an easy decision to leave. If your mechanic or hardware store tries to rip you off would you continue to do business with them? I know I wouldn't. I guess playing a game and having your shiny happy fun time is more important than sticking to your values and holding people you do business with accountable. With most other type of business's its sometimes hard to do that because of the service or product they provide (like fuel for your home or car) and the price you can afford to pay. Games and entertainment are completely different. You don't need to spend money on it like you do rent, food or fuel. So the decision to hold them accountable for their actions should be easier. For some people (a lot of people actually) I guess it isn't.
People that continue to support soe and companies like it hurt all gamers. Basically your telling them that they can screw their customers over time and again and they'll do nothing about it except continue to play and pay. THAT effects me and others that want to play games but not have to worry about whether or not the company we're giving money to is going to try and rip us off again. Basically, people that continue to play swg even after they know what soe has done are part of the problem, not the solution.
Edit: Good lord that was a lot longer than I thought it would be. If I rambled a bit please forgive me, its almost 3:30 am. I go sleep now.
Is a man not entitled to the herp of his derp?
Remember, I live in a world where juggalos and yugioh players are real things.
Hahaha. Yes, statistically speaking, the game is doing amazing. I mean, when you only have three users and the next month you have eighteen from a promo, that's a gain of 600%!!! Wow, sorry, no, the population is still dead. One server with 200-300 active players at all times, while all the rest have 50-75, does not mean your game is successful and "doing well."
He can't give numbers because it's faulty math.
There's a reason his name is "Pawn."
Since you ignored or missed the following screenshots taken last evening between 21:00/ 23:00: I mean how can someone even respond like you , it does mean you have no idea about the game currently and all people seem to care about is that fantasy world they live in where the only game that is good is that of none excisting or not released games. Now step right into reality maybe you will understand YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIKE SWG but stop lying and pretending things that are not !!!Bria 21.00 hours
You must see the ridiculous prices on the Bazaars no wonder it isn't busy here but sometimes there still some nice stuff to buy, but player run shops are still better
Jedi's, nah there arn't any
Then we have Farstar, less populated then Bria, but its my "ingame home"
1
Nuff shown AGAIN !
As I mentioned, very few folks (apart from WoW) release actual subscriber numbers. The numbers you do see are usually ballpark estimates, like from mmochart.com and other places. I would absolutely love to prove my point about SWG doing alright with numbers, but that's a decision for the uppers. I do put the challenge again to you to log in and see, though. That's generally the best way to prove me right or wrong, either way.
As an aside, I've seen a lot of posts referencing SWG as "the NGE". You do know that NGE happened 2 years ago, right? There have actually been a few changes since then... I'm not saying I don't respect your passion or willingness to beat a dead horse (which is always fun!), but it was two years ago. Quite a bit has happened in two years. And again, really, don't take my word for it. I'm merely the messenger boy. Check it out for yourself and give it a go. You might actually have fun.
The fact of the matter is, no matter what you do to the NGE, there is a significant portion of the former player base that will never consider it. It's not the game we bought and played for 2.5 years. It's a completely different game with the same skin basically.
Beyond that, there are serious ethical questions about SOE and it's management (along with LEC, I blame both equally). Simply put, the NGE not only permanently harmed SWG, it will have a long term effect on SOE and LEC.
If you guys were really serious about bringing people back and making them happy, you'd at least have some pre NGE servers. I am not advocating taking the NGE as it is down, but give those who want it their game back. At least TRY it. The code is already there on a tape somewhere, so it won't cost you much.
Until that happens, I still think of SOE as the company that stole my game and won't give it back, run by a president who lied through his teeth directly to the player base on at least one occasion ("The CU is here to stay").
Whether or not you were there to be part of it, you are now the frontman for them with respect to representing them to the community, so you DO inherit some of the taint by association. There are plenty of other MMO companies out there and other MMOs, all of whom are desperate for experienced personnel. You didn't HAVE to go work for SOE and SWG, you chose to. So going in you should have known what you were getting yourself in for.
Frankly, I am surprised it ONLY took them 3 months to fill that position. My sources tell me that they basically offered it to everyone on their community staff and got "HELL NO!" in response to the offer. Further, I am surprised that at least as a community manager, your resume is such that I believe that except in experience with our game (I feel your position should be filled by a veteran player) you are qualified for the job.
But you got your work cut out for you. I wish you good luck and hope that you make the right decisions. So far, you're not doing very well, I think your decision to NOT have every server community represented by at least one "senator", especially LARGE, very heavily populated ones (which represent a significant portion of your paying subscriber base) is a huge mistake that could sink you. Indeed, if I were you I'd not go anywhere NEAR the Bloodfin forum without an asbestos fire suit.
Don't you still have and have had for the majority of time, at least 2 accounts running on SWG? You're all bark and no bite
As for Senators representing each server, why? What is there to provide feedback to the Devs about? There's no systems or styles of play that are specific to individual servers that would warrant having a senator for each server.
Ah, yes, Bria. I believe I did say that one populated server does not a game make. I played on Starsider, I played on Bria, I played on Azahi, Flurry, and one or two others over the years. Bria, if you were unaware, was one of the first servers and was open during the Beta phase. It's one of the oldest and most populated servers. Having lost well over (I'm guessing) 80% of it's peak population, it's still one of the "biggest." But that's like saying a nickel is bigger than a dime. They're both small change.
Call me when I can be an Entertainer on Flurry and manage to gather a crowd of 25 people in a player cantina out in the wilds of Dantooine again...without paying them off.
The game is dead. It's on the table, and it went code blue over a year ago, yet the doctors continue to try and shock the patient back to life.
As Shayde's so elegant IMG says: It's dead, Jim.
A rollback or conversion from NGE to pre-cu/CU is obviously not an option because they'll lose a lot of folk who like the NGE, well 9-10 maybe.
But a classic server is an option and they shouid do it now rather than later, 2 years have passed and we are still angry, but I think a lot would come back for classic servers, be it with $OE or not.
So new community guy, go to your boss, say I think we need classic servers because the community want it and then feel happy about your days work.
The worsed thing they can say to you is no.
Cool idea , best would be if $OE don't involved but many would take this downside if they offer classic server. After that we can compare numbers , but i bet most NGE 's would migrate to PRE CU either
-----MY-TERMS-OF-USE--------------------------------------------------
$OE - eternal enemy of online gaming
-We finally WON !!!! 2011 $OE accepted that they have been fired 2005 by the playerbase and closed down ridiculous NGE !!
"There was suppression of speech and all kinds of things between disturbing and fascistic." Raph Koster (parted $OE)