I agree, Vanguard definitely is a great game. As someone said in my guild while I was playing it (and I agreed), it's what EQ2 should have been. Of course, SOE can't seem to figure out what the hell EQ2 is supposed to be, themselves.
It's theorized that SOE doesn't put more resources toward Vanguard because they don't want it to be a threat to their own "baby".. again, that being EQ2. There may be something to that. Though then you need only look at the other games on their Station Pass setup and you'll see a pattern. It seems their own in-house games are the only ones they actively support. The others are just "there"; my guess would be to add "more value" to make the increased price seem more worth it.
Personally, I think it might be rather unconvincing to SOE that so many people insist it's a great game, it's one of the only true "world based" MMOs left, it's the best PvE game out there, it's the best class-based MMO out there, and so on...
Yet, all their praise is always either started or concluded with "I'm not playing, though". And it's always because "there's not enough other people playing". At the same time, some of those people will say "If the game could get more people playing it..."
I'm sure the irony is obvious there. 'least I hope it is.
It's a self-perpetuating issue. No one will stick around because there aren't enough people, and there aren't enough people playing 'cause no one sticks around.
If people are waiting for some deluge of players to flood Vanguard, or for someone else to lead the charge and get a bunch of people back, at which time they'll hop on the bandwagon and follow suit... it ain't gonna happen, I don't think. Not with this game. It's gonna have to build slowly over time. Once the game reaches enough active players all agreeing it's a great game while playing it themselves... then it might start to gain some traction. It's an uphill battle either way.
A lot of people are still left with the impression of VG's development and launch. Even if they're going on 2nd or 3rd hand info by now, the fact is Vanguard still has a very negative overall image in the scene. And saying "it's a great game... but I'm not playing it" isn't exactly a sound testimonial. And let's face it, if even the people who say "it's a great game" aren't investing even $15 or whatever into it, why should SOE invest the thousands they would need to continue improving it and marketing it?
The only way to get more people to check the game out and to stay is by folks staying in the game themselves.
For myself, I stopped playing due to RL circumstances, and then didn't go back 'cause I was excited about XIV coming out. XIV wound up being a huge disappointment, and is seriously floundering right now, even with SE's efforts to right it. So, I sorta checked out a few other MMOs, but I think I've been burned out on MMOs overall lately. I'm considering re-subbing to VG for a month, though and give it another shot. I do really enjoy the game and the setting.
"If you just step away for a sec you will clearly see all the pot holes in the road, and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
Can anyone speak to the quality and number of active guilds there are on the NA server? Are there enough guilds to go around? Is the end game community in these guilds nice, welcoming, fun, and helpful? If so, then it sucks the population is low, but get in one of these guilds (if they exist) and I bet it will be enough to enjoy the game to its fullest.
I do miss this game. It's such a shame SOE has ignored it so badly. It's the best PVE game ever made...in concept. Playing Rift now, it's not as good as Vanguard " could" have been, but it has a more promising future.
It's sad and a bit ironic just how pitiful SOE is sometimes...
We all see these threads every few months, with dozens of differing ppl saying "i love the game" or "i would sub", very little negativity. Yet in their infinite wisdom they don't see this as a few thousand ppl at least worth shoving a small dev team toward giving the game content?
Someone should copy & paste names and comments of folks over the years saying the same thing, and email it to every public relation / pres / media / anyone they can find @ SOE and just be like "really guys? more money - want some?"
It's incompetence, coupled with old stigmas, bad management, crappy PR, the list goes on...as does the game (somehow) - it's really something that will be looked at in the annals of MMOs with a giant question mark.
SoE should offer some sort of game design internship. Hell bring Brad into be the "Vision" for the game and have young up and coming designers work on the game for College credit. Oh and make the game FTP. That would fix the two biggest issues the game has, no development and low population. Being FTP would increase the popultion by a large amount.
It's sad and a bit ironic just how pitiful SOE is sometimes...
We all see these threads every few months, with dozens of differing ppl saying "i love the game" or "i would sub", very little negativity. Yet in their infinite wisdom they don't see this as a few thousand ppl at least worth shoving a small dev team toward giving the game content?
Someone should copy & paste names and comments of folks over the years saying the same thing, and email it to every public relation / pres / media / anyone they can find @ SOE and just be like "really guys? more money - want some?"
It's incompetence, coupled with old stigmas, bad management, crappy PR, the list goes on...as does the game (somehow) - it's really something that will be looked at in the annals of MMOs with a giant question mark.
Can answer that in five words: "Talk is cheap", and "Money talks". It's especially so when we're talking about a company like SOE - where $$$ is the *only* thing they understand or care about.
Hundreds or thousands of people saying "we love the game and would come back to it if only SOE would invest some money to improve it" isn't bringing in subscription dollars.
I think, at best, what SOE could be expected to do is meet half way by, say, agreeing that if 'x' number of people subscribe and stick around for at least 2 payed months (ie. don't pay for one month then cancel again), they would then start to give the game more resources.
There has to be a tangible showing by the players, though. Intentions aren't enough, it seems. If they were, then as you mention, all the people making those statements would have had an effect by now.
"If you just step away for a sec you will clearly see all the pot holes in the road, and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
SOE should just say, hey, we gonna shut down Vanguard next month the 15th of X month. If X amount of subscriptions are met, we will be working on it again. IDNO
Comments
I agree, Vanguard definitely is a great game. As someone said in my guild while I was playing it (and I agreed), it's what EQ2 should have been. Of course, SOE can't seem to figure out what the hell EQ2 is supposed to be, themselves.
It's theorized that SOE doesn't put more resources toward Vanguard because they don't want it to be a threat to their own "baby".. again, that being EQ2. There may be something to that. Though then you need only look at the other games on their Station Pass setup and you'll see a pattern. It seems their own in-house games are the only ones they actively support. The others are just "there"; my guess would be to add "more value" to make the increased price seem more worth it.
Personally, I think it might be rather unconvincing to SOE that so many people insist it's a great game, it's one of the only true "world based" MMOs left, it's the best PvE game out there, it's the best class-based MMO out there, and so on...
Yet, all their praise is always either started or concluded with "I'm not playing, though". And it's always because "there's not enough other people playing". At the same time, some of those people will say "If the game could get more people playing it..."
I'm sure the irony is obvious there. 'least I hope it is.
It's a self-perpetuating issue. No one will stick around because there aren't enough people, and there aren't enough people playing 'cause no one sticks around.
If people are waiting for some deluge of players to flood Vanguard, or for someone else to lead the charge and get a bunch of people back, at which time they'll hop on the bandwagon and follow suit... it ain't gonna happen, I don't think. Not with this game. It's gonna have to build slowly over time. Once the game reaches enough active players all agreeing it's a great game while playing it themselves... then it might start to gain some traction. It's an uphill battle either way.
A lot of people are still left with the impression of VG's development and launch. Even if they're going on 2nd or 3rd hand info by now, the fact is Vanguard still has a very negative overall image in the scene. And saying "it's a great game... but I'm not playing it" isn't exactly a sound testimonial. And let's face it, if even the people who say "it's a great game" aren't investing even $15 or whatever into it, why should SOE invest the thousands they would need to continue improving it and marketing it?
The only way to get more people to check the game out and to stay is by folks staying in the game themselves.
For myself, I stopped playing due to RL circumstances, and then didn't go back 'cause I was excited about XIV coming out. XIV wound up being a huge disappointment, and is seriously floundering right now, even with SE's efforts to right it. So, I sorta checked out a few other MMOs, but I think I've been burned out on MMOs overall lately. I'm considering re-subbing to VG for a month, though and give it another shot. I do really enjoy the game and the setting.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
Can anyone speak to the quality and number of active guilds there are on the NA server? Are there enough guilds to go around? Is the end game community in these guilds nice, welcoming, fun, and helpful? If so, then it sucks the population is low, but get in one of these guilds (if they exist) and I bet it will be enough to enjoy the game to its fullest.
I've reached the subscription button multiple times over the years. What kept me so far away was the lack of development future for the game.
I do miss this game. It's such a shame SOE has ignored it so badly. It's the best PVE game ever made...in concept. Playing Rift now, it's not as good as Vanguard " could" have been, but it has a more promising future.
I agree with OP.
It's sad and a bit ironic just how pitiful SOE is sometimes...
We all see these threads every few months, with dozens of differing ppl saying "i love the game" or "i would sub", very little negativity. Yet in their infinite wisdom they don't see this as a few thousand ppl at least worth shoving a small dev team toward giving the game content?
Someone should copy & paste names and comments of folks over the years saying the same thing, and email it to every public relation / pres / media / anyone they can find @ SOE and just be like "really guys? more money - want some?"
It's incompetence, coupled with old stigmas, bad management, crappy PR, the list goes on...as does the game (somehow) - it's really something that will be looked at in the annals of MMOs with a giant question mark.
and have young up and coming designers work on the game for College credit. Oh and make the game FTP. That would fix the two biggest issues the game has, no development and low population. Being FTP would increase the popultion by a large amount.
Can answer that in five words: "Talk is cheap", and "Money talks". It's especially so when we're talking about a company like SOE - where $$$ is the *only* thing they understand or care about.
Hundreds or thousands of people saying "we love the game and would come back to it if only SOE would invest some money to improve it" isn't bringing in subscription dollars.
I think, at best, what SOE could be expected to do is meet half way by, say, agreeing that if 'x' number of people subscribe and stick around for at least 2 payed months (ie. don't pay for one month then cancel again), they would then start to give the game more resources.
There has to be a tangible showing by the players, though. Intentions aren't enough, it seems. If they were, then as you mention, all the people making those statements would have had an effect by now.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
SOE should just say, hey, we gonna shut down Vanguard next month the 15th of X month. If X amount of subscriptions are met, we will be working on it again. IDNO