Well...here we are. Green lantern movie is out and it was the great stumbling block / marketing piece to get these powers in game. How long do you think it will take to get it in game?
Whenever $OE gives a timeframe on anything, double it and you will be close.
They said monthly content updates-- they are running around 8 weeks apart.
They said the test server would be up on the 11th of this month (about a week's notice)-- I imagine it to be up on the 18th.
They gave DCUO players Valentines events in March and St. Patricks stuff in late April/May.
They said this DLC will go live in summer of this year, I'm betting not till mid October to put it out, another 2-3 months so that it is playable to a reasonable standard. So, around December. That maybe generious considering the hard light stuff has 48 powers and many of the 6 original powers (5 years in development) had issues well beyond beta and into live release (can anyone say psychic empowerment still broken a month after going live).
Only Smedley can look the players in the face and tell them SOE is charging them money so they can do more things for free. This guy never stops trying to peddle his brand of snake oil. If he would ever possibly consider being honest and up front with his customers they might not have such a poor reputation of his company.
It is just in this companies nature to try to lie and decieve their way through ever issue they have. Being truthful just isn't part of their company culture.
Huh...so...what happened to the monthly free content to justify a sub fee?
I know they're behind and we tease them about it, but I thought they were still working on acheiving that goal? Am I mistaken? I know it turned out to be more difficult, but...shouldn't that goal take a priority over an expansion?
Didn't they already cave in on that and officially declared monthly content is unachievable? I thought I read an official announcement where they basically gave up on that idea.
Huh...so...what happened to the monthly free content to justify a sub fee?
I know they're behind and we tease them about it, but I thought they were still working on acheiving that goal? Am I mistaken? I know it turned out to be more difficult, but...shouldn't that goal take a priority over an expansion?
Didn't they already cave in on that and officially declared monthly content is unachievable? I thought I read an official announcement where they basically gave up on that idea.
Yes SOE says they don't have enough time to create content to fullfill their promises and obligations.
Then they turn around and create extra content that would go a long way towards filling the glaring content holes and upholding their promises.
SOE just doesn't care about customers. They feel obligated to receive money from their customers for everything they do. Even if it is something they have already sold to players, promised would be given free or something that would fix a massive problem they created. If there is a way to try to stick their hands in their customers wallets then SOE has no shame in trying to do it.
I'm not saying what Smed said isn't slimy - but what I read between the lines is:
We need revenue and we need it now, so for us to keep paying our staff, we need an income boost, so let's put our expansion out on the 'lay-a-way' program because our game is failing and we have to find some way of keeping the payroll.
Honestly, I think it is an interesting idea, but imo, they should be taking the Rift approach and saturating the market to give players access to the game, if a wider pool had access, they may create a stable population. So I think the trickle down pricing they are doing may give them short term revenue from their current player base, but what they really need is revenue from new players.
I'm also very surprised at their inability to hitch their star to the DC movie madness that seems to be a totally seperated entity. A missed opportunity if there ever was one.
Specifically from a marketing standpoint for the GL DLC, they missed the boat -- it should have been released the same weekend as the opening of Green Lantern. It's not as bad as LotRO opening years after the movies were released, but there's really an optimal window for these sorts of things.
From a marketing standpoint in regards to "everyone else", it looks bad. It looks like they haven't bothered with free content updates (no longer monthly, but still promised periodically) and bug fixes. Still too little, now really late.
Comments
[Deleted by poster]
*) Release game thin on content
*) Release updates thin on content, few and far inbetween, don't fix real issues
*) People leave
*) Start charging for "expansions", disregard updates
*) More people leave, hardcore fanboys stay
*) And now Champions Online has gone free to play.
Wait, what game were we talking about?
In all seriousness though, I'm glad I got out of there in time. This is just hilarious.
Whenever $OE gives a timeframe on anything, double it and you will be close.
They said monthly content updates-- they are running around 8 weeks apart.
They said the test server would be up on the 11th of this month (about a week's notice)-- I imagine it to be up on the 18th.
They gave DCUO players Valentines events in March and St. Patricks stuff in late April/May.
They said this DLC will go live in summer of this year, I'm betting not till mid October to put it out, another 2-3 months so that it is playable to a reasonable standard. So, around December. That maybe generious considering the hard light stuff has 48 powers and many of the 6 original powers (5 years in development) had issues well beyond beta and into live release (can anyone say psychic empowerment still broken a month after going live).
Only Smedley can look the players in the face and tell them SOE is charging them money so they can do more things for free. This guy never stops trying to peddle his brand of snake oil. If he would ever possibly consider being honest and up front with his customers they might not have such a poor reputation of his company.
It is just in this companies nature to try to lie and decieve their way through ever issue they have. Being truthful just isn't part of their company culture.
Didn't they already cave in on that and officially declared monthly content is unachievable? I thought I read an official announcement where they basically gave up on that idea.
Yes SOE says they don't have enough time to create content to fullfill their promises and obligations.
Then they turn around and create extra content that would go a long way towards filling the glaring content holes and upholding their promises.
SOE just doesn't care about customers. They feel obligated to receive money from their customers for everything they do. Even if it is something they have already sold to players, promised would be given free or something that would fix a massive problem they created. If there is a way to try to stick their hands in their customers wallets then SOE has no shame in trying to do it.
I'm not saying what Smed said isn't slimy - but what I read between the lines is:
We need revenue and we need it now, so for us to keep paying our staff, we need an income boost, so let's put our expansion out on the 'lay-a-way' program because our game is failing and we have to find some way of keeping the payroll.
Honestly, I think it is an interesting idea, but imo, they should be taking the Rift approach and saturating the market to give players access to the game, if a wider pool had access, they may create a stable population. So I think the trickle down pricing they are doing may give them short term revenue from their current player base, but what they really need is revenue from new players.
I'm also very surprised at their inability to hitch their star to the DC movie madness that seems to be a totally seperated entity. A missed opportunity if there ever was one.
Specifically from a marketing standpoint for the GL DLC, they missed the boat -- it should have been released the same weekend as the opening of Green Lantern. It's not as bad as LotRO opening years after the movies were released, but there's really an optimal window for these sorts of things.
From a marketing standpoint in regards to "everyone else", it looks bad. It looks like they haven't bothered with free content updates (no longer monthly, but still promised periodically) and bug fixes. Still too little, now really late.
[Deleted by poster]
Don't like how they promise monthly updates, couldn't hold that promise, and start charging for DLC.
The only thing I see this justified is because they haven't charged sub for 45 days, I still have 4 days left :P
How much WoW could a WoWhater hate, if a WoWhater could hate WoW?
As much WoW as a WoWhater would, if a WoWhater could hate WoW.
They make it so hard to support them, they need to take a big step back .. something akin to what Hardee's did.
I did enjoy the game though ... does that count?
Interesting -- This pack will now be free for active subscribers.
http://www.dcuniverseonline.com/en/news/archive.vm?id=62&month=current
I was going to post the same thing
-- went live as a free expansion today
EQ2 fan sites