Hello everyone. I started playing SWG the weekend that it came out. It was my first mmorpg, and i was in love with it. Pre-cu was amazing. The amount of freedom that players had to do anything within the world of SWG was unprecedented. Then NGE came along and took a lot of what the players loved away from the game, and as we all know this caused a mass exodus away from the game. I personally hated the changes, but I still loved the game. I chose to leave once so many of my friends had gone. A couple years later i came back for a little stint in the game that lasted 2 or 3 months. Once again I left. The game lacked content at the time. The only thing to do really was to farm comms in Restuss. Two weeks ago I came back to the game for a second time... And this time I'm amazed. I've been having a blast in the game, and I've never had this much fun since i first started playing back in 2003. SOE has added a lot of great content to the game since i last played. They added heroics to the game which are the new group instances. These instances are relatively easy, but they're all quite fun, and are very rewarding to complete. Furthermore SOE also added battlefields to the game recently. Battlefields have some flaws, but they make getting into the action of PvP much easier, and there are also some really cool rewards that you can earn from battlefields. The trading card game was also added since I left. I have mixed feelings on this subject. I personally really enjoy the trading card game, and i'm one of the few players who actually play it. On the other hand I dislike how SOE added SO MUCH awesome content to the game, but they put it all through the card game instead of giving it to crafters... but that is business... The trading card game is actually quite well done though, and if you like that kind of thing you should definitely try it out. I believe this month every account gets a free month of SWG including those that haven't been active in years, so this is a great oppurtunity for you vets to try the game again . I was skeptical when I came back 2 weeks ago, but I've been having a blast and there is no way I regret it. Unfortunately a lot of servers are dead now, but there is a free character transfer service in effect until september, so I highly recommend transfering over to Starsider or Bria if you start playing. I transfered to Starsider and there are tons of players here. All you vets should really try the game again. It really is a lot better than it was before. Maybe not quite as good as Pre-cu, but it is very good, and better than all of the other trash themepark mmos that keep coming out every year and always disappoint.
Have fun, that is what is important...although the "Vets" will type and type, all about how you suck...
How many years now?
I have been PC-less for 3 months, good to see the "Vets" are still cryin it up...
That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!
I think SWG is doing fine too, but you have to be a little more understanding of the people who were not able to recover after the NGE. I went through a similar experience with UO many years ago when the game moved to loot based items from crafter based, I left the game and have not been able to pick it up since, despite returning on a veteran trial it just wasn't the game I remembered. The NGE was the most traumatic experience in gamer history that I can think of, I certainly don't blame anyone for still harbouring a grudge. I don't think I ever got over it myself, the anger I had from that day still drives me on to make sure it never happens again.
IMO Badger this is completely wrong - at least from my perspective.
It's not a matter of recovery after the NGE. It's the core systems of the NGE that I find abysmal and completely unfun. It simply feels the same as ever other MMO around, and I don't play any other MMO's either because I don't like the gameplay they offer.
In my opinion SWG is just another generic MMO in a market of medicrity. How does one recover from that?
Before NGE only about 3-4 skill specs/templates were any good, you pretty much HAD to take them to be any use in pvp. They have taken those specs and made them in to a class, then added expertise for extra customization. You can still change class and spec any time you want.
There is still as much freedom as there ever was within the game, it's just layed out in a different way. The NGE did suck hard at first, but they have honestly made a good come back from it. What we have now isn't really the NGE as old vets who left know it. If you got the free month offer like I did it is worth a try, it's a nice break from all the wow clones
The thing that does annoy me though, is they have completely lost it with the starwars story and continuity. Some of the content is a bit lame and doesn't belong
Can I still be a master dancer/master artisan on my "one" character - no? Then where is this freedom you talk about?
i just noticed this thread after i started another one saying similar things. there is a lot good about this game even now and playoing other stuff for the past 2 years has made me realise that. I do miss the skill system though being able to master 2 profs or hybrid was great for freedom and didnt go too far in that everyoine was doing everything. I loved having a master rifleman and master chef so i could hunt my own meat. layter i dropped some rifleman and had a master chef and rifleman/ranger hybrid that was great fun .
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
SOE can laugh all they want. For my part, I've done most of what I've intended - given SOE and SWG as bad a reputation as they've earned, limiting the number of people who would ever take this game seriously, and doing my best to spread the news that SOE does not like/respect its customers. SWG's subscription numbers were supposed to eventually go through the roof with the NGE, surpassing previous highs and hitting at least Lineage levels. The most optimistic guesses I've heard put subscriptions at just under 100,000, which is a third of SWG's previous high, but that's still a very biased guess based on wishful thinking, much like the other extreme of 5000-10000 subs at the most. The truth lies in the middle somewhere, which means the actions of vets such as myself were a moderate success. After almost 4 years of NGE, it succeeded in getting rid of the people they were trying to get rid of - myself and 200,000 others like me - but did not attract the mythical audience it was designed to attract.
So you go ahead and enjoy SWG. Sounds like you have enough friends to play with, meaning you're on one of the populated servers (they used to ALL be populated). You may or may not have your own issues with the gameplay (doesn't sound like it, you seem willing to swallow whatever SOE deigns to give you). So you'll have fun and play in your own vacuum. Good for you! But there is nothing "screwball" about demanding accountability when you are a paying customer. The only vets who may fit that description are the ones who still pay SOE in the hopes that they'll see the error of their ways and revert to pre-CU, or open a separate server. The fact is, SOE used to piss on us and tell us it was raining. We figured it out, and left. SWG is down to the players that SOE doesn't have to lie to anymore - they will flat-out tell you they are pissing on you, and they know you won't leave no matter what.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Your friend sounds like they are playing funny with numbers. I don't doubt that soe is making money mainly especially with the RMT card shop, because the fanbase has boiled down to the die hard fans who will put up with anything. I know, I was there once myself.
However, to think that soe is as profitable now as it was in 2004 would require more faith than anyone looking at the condition of things should logically leap.
SOE had over 1 million subscriptions combined between all their games around the end of 2004/beginning of 2005. How do you think that is going now? Maybe a few hundred thousand tops. Do you they are laughing all the way to the bank compared to a few years ago? Especially considering how heavy their titles push players to multiple accounts (per game and/or station pass).
I don't doubt they are making more $ per subscriber now than they were a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure they were doing much much better when their games were all filled with paying subscribers. Short term gains for long term losses.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Well SOE must be doing worse than everyone thinks if SWG is as profitable as their other games.
NGE causes them to LOSE more subs than they ever had with it, and they are laughing at us? It must be hard to be lugging around those giant brains.
The fact that so many people are upset with SOE over NGE is a testament to what a GREAT game SWG was before they destroyed it. With all the WoW clones we keep getting, why can't someone make a SWG clone?
Unless they bring back the old proffession system, then this game will always be a hollow shell of it's former glory. Put as much lipstick on this pig as you want, it's still a pig.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Your friend sounds like they are playing funny with numbers. I don't doubt that soe is making money mainly especially with the RMT card shop, because the fanbase has boiled down to the die hard fans who will put up with anything. I know, I was there once myself.
However, to think that soe is as profitable now as it was in 2004 would require more faith than anyone looking at the condition of things should logically leap.
SOE had over 1 million subscriptions combined between all their games around the end of 2004/beginning of 2005. How do you think that is going now? Maybe a few hundred thousand tops. Do you they are laughing all the way to the bank compared to a few years ago? Especially considering how heavy their titles push players to multiple accounts (per game and/or station pass).
I don't doubt they are making more $ per subscriber now than they were a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure they were doing much much better when their games were all filled with paying subscribers. Short term gains for long term losses.
No one said they are more profitable now than in 2004. He merely said that all of SOE's games are profitable.
hmmm I think your wrong about the subscriptions going down. I see new people every day logging in. I hate to say it guys but this game is a success, its not going anywhere. they keep making money off of it.
Just because you hate it and quit along with the other 200k people that did doesn't make it a failure.
I can say with out a doubt Sony and Lucas arts would have droped this like a bad date if it was failing. how long ago did the NGE patch drop? how long has it been going? 6 years? and still going? think about it......
I think SWG is doing fine too, but you have to be a little more understanding of the people who were not able to recover after the NGE.
I went through a similar experience with UO many years ago when the game moved to loot based items from crafter based, I left the game and have not been able to pick it up since, despite returning on a veteran trial it just wasn't the game I remembered.
The NGE was the most traumatic experience in gamer history that I can think of, I certainly don't blame anyone for still harbouring a grudge. I don't think I ever got over it myself, the anger I had from that day still drives me on to make sure it never happens again.
Anyone who is still bitter and harbors hatred for SOE after all these years has some serious issues. This is only a game. Why are people so emotionally involved with it that they let it affect their whole outlook on life. To me, that is completely unreasonable.
It's normal for someone to harbor a grudge against any business that fails provide proper or poor service. You probably wouldn't hire them again and warn other people about your experiance. Some of you seem to imply that the people who are unhappy with SOE should be locked up in a padded room.
Sure it's just a game, but poor service should not be rewarded no matter who the company or what product is. SOE and LA made the s**t sandwich, now they can eat it.
I decided years ago to not support SOE & its games after seeing so many guilds and friendships fall apart after the NGE. I don't see a point in playing any of their games because they're more than likely to do something monumentally stupid that will drive the community away. And these MMOs are nothing without a community.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
First of all, how is it possible to "hate" a video game? Anyone who feels emotion towards an online game strong enough to love or hate has some issues controlling themselves.
Secondly, you come on here and post NOTHING but positive spins towards a game that is 6 years old, most likely has less subscriptions than almost any other major MMO on the market, and goes through more development turnover than probably any other game on the market.
I could care less how much money SWG is making. I can tell you just out of logic that it isn't making much. If it were a profitable venture you would see advertising, larger development allocations, and a lot more work going into fixing the mechanical problems that plague this game.
Pre-CU was a decent game, it offered freedom, but it had a LOT of holes in it. The current version of SWG has a lot of holes and offers far less freedom. SWG has been mismanaged from the start and has only gotten worse over time.
You keep coming here and posting your spin-control, that's fine. But don't tell me I am wrong or that I "hate" a game simply because I use logic to make my evaluations. The servers are a fraction of what they used to be. That tells me that FAR fewer people play this game than used to. That also tells me that the game isn't a highly profitable cash-cow for either SOE or LEC. NO game is 100% positive, especially this one. This game is so poorly coded and maintained that it can't compete with games like WoW, WAR, or EVE.
I'm not sure if you get compensated by SOE for your internet viral efforts nor do I care, but some of the things you claim on these boards are just non-sense. It's a shame there aren't laws to prevent people from false advertising on message boards.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
SOE can laugh all they want. For my part, I've done most of what I've intended - given SOE and SWG as bad a reputation as they've earned, limiting the number of people who would ever take this game seriously, and doing my best to spread the news that SOE does not like/respect its customers. SWG's subscription numbers were supposed to eventually go through the roof with the NGE, surpassing previous highs and hitting at least Lineage levels. The most optimistic guesses I've heard put subscriptions at just under 100,000, which is a third of SWG's previous high, but that's still a very biased guess based on wishful thinking, much like the other extreme of 5000-10000 subs at the most. The truth lies in the middle somewhere, which means the actions of vets such as myself were a moderate success. After almost 4 years of NGE, it succeeded in getting rid of the people they were trying to get rid of - myself and 200,000 others like me - but did not attract the mythical audience it was designed to attract.
So you go ahead and enjoy SWG. Sounds like you have enough friends to play with, meaning you're on one of the populated servers (they used to ALL be populated). You may or may not have your own issues with the gameplay (doesn't sound like it, you seem willing to swallow whatever SOE deigns to give you). So you'll have fun and play in your own vacuum. Good for you! But there is nothing "screwball" about demanding accountability when you are a paying customer. The only vets who may fit that description are the ones who still pay SOE in the hopes that they'll see the error of their ways and revert to pre-CU, or open a separate server. The fact is, SOE used to piss on us and tell us it was raining. We figured it out, and left. SWG is down to the players that SOE doesn't have to lie to anymore - they will flat-out tell you they are pissing on you, and they know you won't leave no matter what.
What? what are you saying? cause all I hear from Badger's post all the way down to yours is:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! MY DIAPER NEEDS CHANGING!!!!
Although I dont necessarily agree with how this is being dealt with since its happened I had a similar thought awhile back when I found out that Sony corporation's largest money maker is in fact SOE and that when I spoke to someone about it when doing my bonds stuff at the bank they are apparently responsible for sony stocks retaining their high value at the moment. I then came to this forum awhile later and about the same thoughs came into my head about "disguntled vets" and how upset they must be.
Weird that you say its better then ever, I just went back for the free 30 days and guess what not a soul in sight. This game is dead, let it die and get over yourself.
mmorpg's flop faster then mcdonalds cheese burgers these days.
Weird that you say its better then ever, I just went back for the free 30 days and guess what not a soul in sight. This game is dead, let it die and get over yourself.
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
Weird that you say its better then ever, I just went back for the free 30 days and guess what not a soul in sight. This game is dead, let it die and get over yourself.
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
You're joking, right? You do know that Bioware is making a Star Wars MMO as we speak...? You do know that compared to most other MMO games the SWG servers are considered dead...?
I'll give SOE credit for the TCG, they found a way to milk money off of a dead game. It was a pretty smart idea and a good model to make money off of a game that few people play.
Weird that you say its better then ever, I just went back for the free 30 days and guess what not a soul in sight. This game is dead, let it die and get over yourself.
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
I just started playing again last week with the free vet trial thing and I will tell you that the population on my old server is dead. I roamed around actively looking for people and I came across a grand total of 1. Granted, my old server, Intrepid, is one of the transfer from servers but its a far cry as to what it was back before the nge. Anyone who says theres more people playing today "than ever before" is either clueless or being dishonest.
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.
Weird that you say its better then ever, I just went back for the free 30 days and guess what not a soul in sight. This game is dead, let it die and get over yourself.
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
It doesn't matter. The fact is, you will never, ever be able to brag about how huge the playerbase is. You'll never be able to call SWG a game that "everyone's playing". You'll never be able to call SOE a "trustworthy company". More people will hesitate before paying SOE any money than not. You go back to your game, such as it is, and you enjoy yourself with your friends, such as they are. Eventually, SOE will do something that will cause some of them to leave, and you will mock them too. And they will wonder, as do I, just exactly how much punishment you can take.
Oh, and ummax - that is music to my ears, if it's even true. If a division as poorly run as SOE is the most profitable division in Sony, they are due for a bankruptcy soon. I will sleep well tonight.
There is turnover in WoW. Players quit, new ones begin. In Star Wars Galaxies players quit and very few take their place. The game offers no staying power to retain subscriptions. SOE and LucasArts put almost no resources or effort into this game and it shows. There CAN'T be more than 5,000 to 8,000 active players.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
SOE can laugh all they want. For my part, I've done most of what I've intended - given SOE and SWG as bad a reputation as they've earned, limiting the number of people who would ever take this game seriously, and doing my best to spread the news that SOE does not like/respect its customers. SWG's subscription numbers were supposed to eventually go through the roof with the NGE, surpassing previous highs and hitting at least Lineage levels. The most optimistic guesses I've heard put subscriptions at just under 100,000, which is a third of SWG's previous high, but that's still a very biased guess based on wishful thinking, much like the other extreme of 5000-10000 subs at the most. The truth lies in the middle somewhere, which means the actions of vets such as myself were a moderate success. After almost 4 years of NGE, it succeeded in getting rid of the people they were trying to get rid of - myself and 200,000 others like me - but did not attract the mythical audience it was designed to attract.
So you go ahead and enjoy SWG. Sounds like you have enough friends to play with, meaning you're on one of the populated servers (they used to ALL be populated). You may or may not have your own issues with the gameplay (doesn't sound like it, you seem willing to swallow whatever SOE deigns to give you). So you'll have fun and play in your own vacuum. Good for you! But there is nothing "screwball" about demanding accountability when you are a paying customer. The only vets who may fit that description are the ones who still pay SOE in the hopes that they'll see the error of their ways and revert to pre-CU, or open a separate server. The fact is, SOE used to piss on us and tell us it was raining. We figured it out, and left. SWG is down to the players that SOE doesn't have to lie to anymore - they will flat-out tell you they are pissing on you, and they know you won't leave no matter what.
What? what are you saying? cause all I hear from Badger's post all the way down to yours is:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! MY DIAPER NEEDS CHANGING!!!!
Although I dont necessarily agree with how this is being dealt with since its happened I had a similar thought awhile back when I found out that Sony corporation's largest money maker is in fact SOE and that when I spoke to someone about it when doing my bonds stuff at the bank they are apparently responsible for sony stocks retaining their high value at the moment. I then came to this forum awhile later and about the same thoughs came into my head about "disguntled vets" and how upset they must be.
Oh well such is life.
LoL... So you were at your bank, in England, doing stuff with your "bonds" and you happened to be speaking to someone at said bank about SOE and John Smedley (LoL), and they informed you that SOE is the reason the Sony stock has remained high...
LoL... Whatever.
Common stock, which I ASSUME you are referring to for Sony Japan is down 48% on the 1-year return rate... There is nothing good about that.
Sony USA, is trading for $24. On the 1st of January, 2008, it was trading for $54. There is nothing good about that either...
So, once again, tell us how you were discussing the intricacies of the Sony financials with a banker in England, while taking care of your "bond" stuff... Shall we question credibility? Afterall, us "disgruntled vets" sure like to make stuff up... RIGHT???
Originally posted by todeswulf Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Your friend sounds like they are playing funny with numbers. I don't doubt that soe is making money mainly especially with the RMT card shop, because the fanbase has boiled down to the die hard fans who will put up with anything. I know, I was there once myself.
However, to think that soe is as profitable now as it was in 2004 would require more faith than anyone looking at the condition of things should logically leap.
SOE had over 1 million subscriptions combined between all their games around the end of 2004/beginning of 2005. How do you think that is going now? Maybe a few hundred thousand tops. Do you they are laughing all the way to the bank compared to a few years ago? Especially considering how heavy their titles push players to multiple accounts (per game and/or station pass).
I don't doubt they are making more $ per subscriber now than they were a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure they were doing much much better when their games were all filled with paying subscribers. Short term gains for long term losses.
No one said they are more profitable now than in 2004. He merely said that all of SOE's games are profitable.
Actually what he was saying is that SOE is laughing all the way to the bank at how profitable their games are in reference to the people who no longer pay soe money.
Sure the games may be profitable after cutting development/services and cramming RMT down the throat of the remaining population. Do you really think soe is laughing all the way to the bank at their condition now compared to 2004/2005.
Originally posted by ummax Although I dont necessarily agree with how this is being dealt with since its happened I had a similar thought awhile back when I found out that Sony corporation's largest money maker is in fact SOE and that when I spoke to someone about it when doing my bonds stuff at the bank they are apparently responsible for sony stocks retaining their high value at the moment. I then came to this forum awhile later and about the same thoughs came into my head about "disguntled vets" and how upset they must be. Oh well such is life.
Yeah, most people are still operating under the flase belief that Sony makes money on Playstations, Bluray and Electronics like televisions and such. Most people just don't know that SOE is the money tree that keeps the entire company floating.
Only those savy enough to be involved in "bond stuff" have access to this type of information.
Hello everyone. I started playing SWG the weekend that it came out. It was my first mmorpg, and i was in love with it. Pre-cu was amazing. The amount of freedom that players had to do anything within the world of SWG was unprecedented. Then NGE came along and took a lot of what the players loved away from the game, and as we all know this caused a mass exodus away from the game. I personally hated the changes, but I still loved the game. I chose to leave once so many of my friends had gone. A couple years later i came back for a little stint in the game that lasted 2 or 3 months. Once again I left. The game lacked content at the time. The only thing to do really was to farm comms in Restuss. Two weeks ago I came back to the game for a second time... And this time I'm amazed. I've been having a blast in the game, and I've never had this much fun since i first started playing back in 2003. SOE has added a lot of great content to the game since i last played. They added heroics to the game which are the new group instances. These instances are relatively easy, but they're all quite fun, and are very rewarding to complete. Furthermore SOE also added battlefields to the game recently. Battlefields have some flaws, but they make getting into the action of PvP much easier, and there are also some really cool rewards that you can earn from battlefields. The trading card game was also added since I left. I have mixed feelings on this subject. I personally really enjoy the trading card game, and i'm one of the few players who actually play it. On the other hand I dislike how SOE added SO MUCH awesome content to the game, but they put it all through the card game instead of giving it to crafters... but that is business... The trading card game is actually quite well done though, and if you like that kind of thing you should definitely try it out. I believe this month every account gets a free month of SWG including those that haven't been active in years, so this is a great oppurtunity for you vets to try the game again . I was skeptical when I came back 2 weeks ago, but I've been having a blast and there is no way I regret it. Unfortunately a lot of servers are dead now, but there is a free character transfer service in effect until september, so I highly recommend transfering over to Starsider or Bria if you start playing. I transfered to Starsider and there are tons of players here. All you vets should really try the game again. It really is a lot better than it was before. Maybe not quite as good as Pre-cu, but it is very good, and better than all of the other trash themepark mmos that keep coming out every year and always disappoint.
In blue - the setup. "I was just like you. I can identify with everything that you felt about the game. So this way, you can trust me."
In red - the pitch, with justifications. "Things have changed from my perspective, and since we already established that we feel the same way, they will have changed from your perspective too."
In green - the buzzwords. "great content", "very rewarding", "getting into the action (my personal favorite, as it was considered a justification for the NGE)", "really cool rewards (a Smedley exclusive)", "SOE added SO MUCH awesome content to the game (regardless of the next part of the sentence)... but that is business... (it's ok, SOE, it's perfectly understandable)", "actually quite well done though (because there is SO MUCH awesome content)", "free character transfer service in effect (it was the 'in effect' that caught my eye)".
If I were you, I'd call SOE right now and ask to be put on their payroll for this post. You certainly earned it.
HAHA spot on. I didn't get to the second line of the original post before I thought "SOE is doing this crap again?". Been a while since we have seen it.
I used to log back into the game for the vet trials, but I don't anymore. Logging back into that game was the absolute most depressing gaming experience I've ever had. Walking around the completely empty cities that used to be crowded and active. Walking through my guild's city, seeing all the houses with names I had almost forgotten, people I had spent countless hours in Team Speak with that I haven't talked to in years. So many memories come back of all the good times I had that were stripped away from us by the NGE, and I haven't been able to find in another game yet.
The game isn't worth it. It doesn't matter how much you dress up and polish a turd, it's still a turd in the end. I won't be back until I can play my Master Carbineer, Master Rifleman, 4XXX Combat Medic again.
Tried: LotR, CoH, AoC, WAR, Jumpgate Classic Played: SWG, Guild Wars, WoW Playing: Eve Online, Counter-strike Loved: Star Wars Galaxies Waiting for: Earthrise, Guild Wars 2, anything sandbox.
Comments
Have fun, that is what is important...although the "Vets" will type and type, all about how you suck...
How many years now?
I have been PC-less for 3 months, good to see the "Vets" are still cryin it up...
That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!
Imagine that!
It's weird, that almost never happens. :O
IMO Badger this is completely wrong - at least from my perspective.
It's not a matter of recovery after the NGE. It's the core systems of the NGE that I find abysmal and completely unfun. It simply feels the same as ever other MMO around, and I don't play any other MMO's either because I don't like the gameplay they offer.
In my opinion SWG is just another generic MMO in a market of medicrity. How does one recover from that?
We are all so happy that its much better
Now let us get back to the mmo´s we like to play insted
Can I still be a master dancer/master artisan on my "one" character - no? Then where is this freedom you talk about?
i just noticed this thread after i started another one saying similar things. there is a lot good about this game even now and playoing other stuff for the past 2 years has made me realise that. I do miss the skill system though being able to master 2 profs or hybrid was great for freedom and didnt go too far in that everyoine was doing everything. I loved having a master rifleman and master chef so i could hunt my own meat. layter i dropped some rifleman and had a master chef and rifleman/ranger hybrid that was great fun .
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
SOE can laugh all they want. For my part, I've done most of what I've intended - given SOE and SWG as bad a reputation as they've earned, limiting the number of people who would ever take this game seriously, and doing my best to spread the news that SOE does not like/respect its customers. SWG's subscription numbers were supposed to eventually go through the roof with the NGE, surpassing previous highs and hitting at least Lineage levels. The most optimistic guesses I've heard put subscriptions at just under 100,000, which is a third of SWG's previous high, but that's still a very biased guess based on wishful thinking, much like the other extreme of 5000-10000 subs at the most. The truth lies in the middle somewhere, which means the actions of vets such as myself were a moderate success. After almost 4 years of NGE, it succeeded in getting rid of the people they were trying to get rid of - myself and 200,000 others like me - but did not attract the mythical audience it was designed to attract.
So you go ahead and enjoy SWG. Sounds like you have enough friends to play with, meaning you're on one of the populated servers (they used to ALL be populated). You may or may not have your own issues with the gameplay (doesn't sound like it, you seem willing to swallow whatever SOE deigns to give you). So you'll have fun and play in your own vacuum. Good for you! But there is nothing "screwball" about demanding accountability when you are a paying customer. The only vets who may fit that description are the ones who still pay SOE in the hopes that they'll see the error of their ways and revert to pre-CU, or open a separate server. The fact is, SOE used to piss on us and tell us it was raining. We figured it out, and left. SWG is down to the players that SOE doesn't have to lie to anymore - they will flat-out tell you they are pissing on you, and they know you won't leave no matter what.
There's a sucker born every minute. - P.T. Barnum
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Your friend sounds like they are playing funny with numbers. I don't doubt that soe is making money mainly especially with the RMT card shop, because the fanbase has boiled down to the die hard fans who will put up with anything. I know, I was there once myself.
However, to think that soe is as profitable now as it was in 2004 would require more faith than anyone looking at the condition of things should logically leap.
SOE had over 1 million subscriptions combined between all their games around the end of 2004/beginning of 2005. How do you think that is going now? Maybe a few hundred thousand tops. Do you they are laughing all the way to the bank compared to a few years ago? Especially considering how heavy their titles push players to multiple accounts (per game and/or station pass).
I don't doubt they are making more $ per subscriber now than they were a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure they were doing much much better when their games were all filled with paying subscribers. Short term gains for long term losses.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Well SOE must be doing worse than everyone thinks if SWG is as profitable as their other games.
NGE causes them to LOSE more subs than they ever had with it, and they are laughing at us? It must be hard to be lugging around those giant brains.
The fact that so many people are upset with SOE over NGE is a testament to what a GREAT game SWG was before they destroyed it. With all the WoW clones we keep getting, why can't someone make a SWG clone?
Unless they bring back the old proffession system, then this game will always be a hollow shell of it's former glory. Put as much lipstick on this pig as you want, it's still a pig.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
Your friend sounds like they are playing funny with numbers. I don't doubt that soe is making money mainly especially with the RMT card shop, because the fanbase has boiled down to the die hard fans who will put up with anything. I know, I was there once myself.
However, to think that soe is as profitable now as it was in 2004 would require more faith than anyone looking at the condition of things should logically leap.
SOE had over 1 million subscriptions combined between all their games around the end of 2004/beginning of 2005. How do you think that is going now? Maybe a few hundred thousand tops. Do you they are laughing all the way to the bank compared to a few years ago? Especially considering how heavy their titles push players to multiple accounts (per game and/or station pass).
I don't doubt they are making more $ per subscriber now than they were a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure they were doing much much better when their games were all filled with paying subscribers. Short term gains for long term losses.
No one said they are more profitable now than in 2004. He merely said that all of SOE's games are profitable.
I think SWG is doing fine too, but you have to be a little more understanding of the people who were not able to recover after the NGE.
I went through a similar experience with UO many years ago when the game moved to loot based items from crafter based, I left the game and have not been able to pick it up since, despite returning on a veteran trial it just wasn't the game I remembered.
The NGE was the most traumatic experience in gamer history that I can think of, I certainly don't blame anyone for still harbouring a grudge. I don't think I ever got over it myself, the anger I had from that day still drives me on to make sure it never happens again.
Anyone who is still bitter and harbors hatred for SOE after all these years has some serious issues. This is only a game. Why are people so emotionally involved with it that they let it affect their whole outlook on life. To me, that is completely unreasonable.
It's normal for someone to harbor a grudge against any business that fails provide proper or poor service. You probably wouldn't hire them again and warn other people about your experiance. Some of you seem to imply that the people who are unhappy with SOE should be locked up in a padded room.
Sure it's just a game, but poor service should not be rewarded no matter who the company or what product is. SOE and LA made the s**t sandwich, now they can eat it.
I decided years ago to not support SOE & its games after seeing so many guilds and friendships fall apart after the NGE. I don't see a point in playing any of their games because they're more than likely to do something monumentally stupid that will drive the community away. And these MMOs are nothing without a community.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
First of all, how is it possible to "hate" a video game? Anyone who feels emotion towards an online game strong enough to love or hate has some issues controlling themselves.
Secondly, you come on here and post NOTHING but positive spins towards a game that is 6 years old, most likely has less subscriptions than almost any other major MMO on the market, and goes through more development turnover than probably any other game on the market.
I could care less how much money SWG is making. I can tell you just out of logic that it isn't making much. If it were a profitable venture you would see advertising, larger development allocations, and a lot more work going into fixing the mechanical problems that plague this game.
Pre-CU was a decent game, it offered freedom, but it had a LOT of holes in it. The current version of SWG has a lot of holes and offers far less freedom. SWG has been mismanaged from the start and has only gotten worse over time.
You keep coming here and posting your spin-control, that's fine. But don't tell me I am wrong or that I "hate" a game simply because I use logic to make my evaluations. The servers are a fraction of what they used to be. That tells me that FAR fewer people play this game than used to. That also tells me that the game isn't a highly profitable cash-cow for either SOE or LEC. NO game is 100% positive, especially this one. This game is so poorly coded and maintained that it can't compete with games like WoW, WAR, or EVE.
I'm not sure if you get compensated by SOE for your internet viral efforts nor do I care, but some of the things you claim on these boards are just non-sense. It's a shame there aren't laws to prevent people from false advertising on message boards.
Tecmo Bowl.
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
SOE can laugh all they want. For my part, I've done most of what I've intended - given SOE and SWG as bad a reputation as they've earned, limiting the number of people who would ever take this game seriously, and doing my best to spread the news that SOE does not like/respect its customers. SWG's subscription numbers were supposed to eventually go through the roof with the NGE, surpassing previous highs and hitting at least Lineage levels. The most optimistic guesses I've heard put subscriptions at just under 100,000, which is a third of SWG's previous high, but that's still a very biased guess based on wishful thinking, much like the other extreme of 5000-10000 subs at the most. The truth lies in the middle somewhere, which means the actions of vets such as myself were a moderate success. After almost 4 years of NGE, it succeeded in getting rid of the people they were trying to get rid of - myself and 200,000 others like me - but did not attract the mythical audience it was designed to attract.
So you go ahead and enjoy SWG. Sounds like you have enough friends to play with, meaning you're on one of the populated servers (they used to ALL be populated). You may or may not have your own issues with the gameplay (doesn't sound like it, you seem willing to swallow whatever SOE deigns to give you). So you'll have fun and play in your own vacuum. Good for you! But there is nothing "screwball" about demanding accountability when you are a paying customer. The only vets who may fit that description are the ones who still pay SOE in the hopes that they'll see the error of their ways and revert to pre-CU, or open a separate server. The fact is, SOE used to piss on us and tell us it was raining. We figured it out, and left. SWG is down to the players that SOE doesn't have to lie to anymore - they will flat-out tell you they are pissing on you, and they know you won't leave no matter what.
What? what are you saying? cause all I hear from Badger's post all the way down to yours is:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! MY DIAPER NEEDS CHANGING!!!!
Although I dont necessarily agree with how this is being dealt with since its happened I had a similar thought awhile back when I found out that Sony corporation's largest money maker is in fact SOE and that when I spoke to someone about it when doing my bonds stuff at the bank they are apparently responsible for sony stocks retaining their high value at the moment. I then came to this forum awhile later and about the same thoughs came into my head about "disguntled vets" and how upset they must be.
Oh well such is life.
Weird that you say its better then ever, I just went back for the free 30 days and guess what not a soul in sight. This game is dead, let it die and get over yourself.
mmorpg's flop faster then mcdonalds cheese burgers these days.
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
You're joking, right? You do know that Bioware is making a Star Wars MMO as we speak...? You do know that compared to most other MMO games the SWG servers are considered dead...?
I'll give SOE credit for the TCG, they found a way to milk money off of a dead game. It was a pretty smart idea and a good model to make money off of a game that few people play.
Tecmo Bowl.
It helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
I just started playing again last week with the free vet trial thing and I will tell you that the population on my old server is dead. I roamed around actively looking for people and I came across a grand total of 1. Granted, my old server, Intrepid, is one of the transfer from servers but its a far cry as to what it was back before the nge. Anyone who says theres more people playing today "than ever before" is either clueless or being dishonest.
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 helps if you open your eyes when you play. you would see other players! I think your the one that needs to "get over" your self. and get over the fact that this game is not going anywhere
It doesn't matter. The fact is, you will never, ever be able to brag about how huge the playerbase is. You'll never be able to call SWG a game that "everyone's playing". You'll never be able to call SOE a "trustworthy company". More people will hesitate before paying SOE any money than not. You go back to your game, such as it is, and you enjoy yourself with your friends, such as they are. Eventually, SOE will do something that will cause some of them to leave, and you will mock them too. And they will wonder, as do I, just exactly how much punishment you can take.
Oh, and ummax - that is music to my ears, if it's even true. If a division as poorly run as SOE is the most profitable division in Sony, they are due for a bankruptcy soon. I will sleep well tonight.
There's a sucker born every minute. - P.T. Barnum
I'm afriad that no matter how much you want this to be true due to your obvious hatred of all thing SoE, more and more new and returning players are filling out the ranks of SWG players every day.
I get the chance to speak to many of them in game and there is a recurring trend of SWG seeing an influx of WoW burnouts looking for a more engaging game world to play in, and SWG delivers that.
There is also plenty of sandbox gameplay in SWG, a number of my friends have put together awesome creations via the story teller system and run fun events.
Yep one of my very good friends works for SOE...she told me that SWG is every bit as profitable as their other games more so in some cases and all of their games are currently turning a profit....I undertsntd that the Vets will howl and deny this, she has no reason to lie. SOE is laughing at the "Vets" all the way to the bank. The only thing these screwballs have managed to do is get a negitive reputation in the MMO community, so much so that Bioware dosen't wnat them on thei forums and will perma ban them the moment they start their shit. One mabye they will get the therapy or closure the need.
SOE can laugh all they want. For my part, I've done most of what I've intended - given SOE and SWG as bad a reputation as they've earned, limiting the number of people who would ever take this game seriously, and doing my best to spread the news that SOE does not like/respect its customers. SWG's subscription numbers were supposed to eventually go through the roof with the NGE, surpassing previous highs and hitting at least Lineage levels. The most optimistic guesses I've heard put subscriptions at just under 100,000, which is a third of SWG's previous high, but that's still a very biased guess based on wishful thinking, much like the other extreme of 5000-10000 subs at the most. The truth lies in the middle somewhere, which means the actions of vets such as myself were a moderate success. After almost 4 years of NGE, it succeeded in getting rid of the people they were trying to get rid of - myself and 200,000 others like me - but did not attract the mythical audience it was designed to attract.
So you go ahead and enjoy SWG. Sounds like you have enough friends to play with, meaning you're on one of the populated servers (they used to ALL be populated). You may or may not have your own issues with the gameplay (doesn't sound like it, you seem willing to swallow whatever SOE deigns to give you). So you'll have fun and play in your own vacuum. Good for you! But there is nothing "screwball" about demanding accountability when you are a paying customer. The only vets who may fit that description are the ones who still pay SOE in the hopes that they'll see the error of their ways and revert to pre-CU, or open a separate server. The fact is, SOE used to piss on us and tell us it was raining. We figured it out, and left. SWG is down to the players that SOE doesn't have to lie to anymore - they will flat-out tell you they are pissing on you, and they know you won't leave no matter what.
What? what are you saying? cause all I hear from Badger's post all the way down to yours is:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! MY DIAPER NEEDS CHANGING!!!!
Although I dont necessarily agree with how this is being dealt with since its happened I had a similar thought awhile back when I found out that Sony corporation's largest money maker is in fact SOE and that when I spoke to someone about it when doing my bonds stuff at the bank they are apparently responsible for sony stocks retaining their high value at the moment. I then came to this forum awhile later and about the same thoughs came into my head about "disguntled vets" and how upset they must be.
Oh well such is life.
LoL... So you were at your bank, in England, doing stuff with your "bonds" and you happened to be speaking to someone at said bank about SOE and John Smedley (LoL), and they informed you that SOE is the reason the Sony stock has remained high...
LoL... Whatever.
Common stock, which I ASSUME you are referring to for Sony Japan is down 48% on the 1-year return rate... There is nothing good about that.
Sony USA, is trading for $24. On the 1st of January, 2008, it was trading for $54. There is nothing good about that either...
So, once again, tell us how you were discussing the intricacies of the Sony financials with a banker in England, while taking care of your "bond" stuff... Shall we question credibility? Afterall, us "disgruntled vets" sure like to make stuff up... RIGHT???
Tecmo Bowl.
Your friend sounds like they are playing funny with numbers. I don't doubt that soe is making money mainly especially with the RMT card shop, because the fanbase has boiled down to the die hard fans who will put up with anything. I know, I was there once myself.
However, to think that soe is as profitable now as it was in 2004 would require more faith than anyone looking at the condition of things should logically leap.
SOE had over 1 million subscriptions combined between all their games around the end of 2004/beginning of 2005. How do you think that is going now? Maybe a few hundred thousand tops. Do you they are laughing all the way to the bank compared to a few years ago? Especially considering how heavy their titles push players to multiple accounts (per game and/or station pass).
I don't doubt they are making more $ per subscriber now than they were a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure they were doing much much better when their games were all filled with paying subscribers. Short term gains for long term losses.
No one said they are more profitable now than in 2004. He merely said that all of SOE's games are profitable.
Actually what he was saying is that SOE is laughing all the way to the bank at how profitable their games are in reference to the people who no longer pay soe money.
Sure the games may be profitable after cutting development/services and cramming RMT down the throat of the remaining population. Do you really think soe is laughing all the way to the bank at their condition now compared to 2004/2005.
Yeah, most people are still operating under the flase belief that Sony makes money on Playstations, Bluray and Electronics like televisions and such. Most people just don't know that SOE is the money tree that keeps the entire company floating.
Only those savy enough to be involved in "bond stuff" have access to this type of information.
In blue - the setup. "I was just like you. I can identify with everything that you felt about the game. So this way, you can trust me."
In red - the pitch, with justifications. "Things have changed from my perspective, and since we already established that we feel the same way, they will have changed from your perspective too."
In green - the buzzwords. "great content", "very rewarding", "getting into the action (my personal favorite, as it was considered a justification for the NGE)", "really cool rewards (a Smedley exclusive)", "SOE added SO MUCH awesome content to the game (regardless of the next part of the sentence)... but that is business... (it's ok, SOE, it's perfectly understandable)", "actually quite well done though (because there is SO MUCH awesome content)", "free character transfer service in effect (it was the 'in effect' that caught my eye)".
If I were you, I'd call SOE right now and ask to be put on their payroll for this post. You certainly earned it.
HAHA spot on. I didn't get to the second line of the original post before I thought "SOE is doing this crap again?". Been a while since we have seen it.
I used to log back into the game for the vet trials, but I don't anymore. Logging back into that game was the absolute most depressing gaming experience I've ever had. Walking around the completely empty cities that used to be crowded and active. Walking through my guild's city, seeing all the houses with names I had almost forgotten, people I had spent countless hours in Team Speak with that I haven't talked to in years. So many memories come back of all the good times I had that were stripped away from us by the NGE, and I haven't been able to find in another game yet.
The game isn't worth it. It doesn't matter how much you dress up and polish a turd, it's still a turd in the end. I won't be back until I can play my Master Carbineer, Master Rifleman, 4XXX Combat Medic again.
Tried: LotR, CoH, AoC, WAR, Jumpgate Classic
Played: SWG, Guild Wars, WoW
Playing: Eve Online, Counter-strike
Loved: Star Wars Galaxies
Waiting for: Earthrise, Guild Wars 2, anything sandbox.