Originally posted by Pasomatt Currently the poll is at: 31% agreeing that SoE has failed. 26% agreeing to a point. (We'll call this the middle ground). 14% saying no. 15% also saying no. 13% also saying no.so... 31% yes, 26% middle, and 42% no.Hmm... even if the middle was tallied as a solid yes, thats hardly an overwhelming majority of this opinionated community 'agreeing with you'. Anyone who remembers what... the few months ago before the games came out, could tell you that the community has always leaned towards World of Warcraft (arguably because of the age/maturity of the community), so its not suprising that people will hope on the bash-SoE bandwagon.
Actually it's more like..
31% Agreeing that they're glad that they're failing (in thier viewpoint) 26% Feeling that they are failing, but wishing that they would just change their business practices 14% Who simply say that they don't feel that way. They are the true middle ground. 15% saying no. 13% saying no.
So we have 57% of the population which agrees in one way, and that is this: That they don't like the way that Sony has operated how they have. Where their feelings are after that fact are in 2 different camps
Then we have 14% who just think that it's silly or dumb or asinine or whatever to be glad that they are failing
Finally, we have 28% who like SOE.
This seems, to me at least, to be the true way it's laid out.
Originally posted by Wickes Yeah, only 300k+ subscribers after 6 weeks ... bummer. Some of you people should try visiting earth one day .... reality isn't all that bad once you get used to it.
You seem to be getting a little too worked about about people's opinions over something like a game and the company who made it. You and a lot of others I would think, including and especially some of the WoW and Blizz fanboys who start breathing fire whenever someone "dares" to disrespected their precious game. They're just opinions though, opinions about games, and not to risk having a hernia over for. I think that's about as "real" as someone can get, IMHAO.
So you see "worked up" in those two lines eh
I think "amazed" and "bemused" are the apt words. Idiocy raised to the level of a science dumbfounds me. For people to root for companies to fail and people to lose jobs, etc., because they don't like a game or because some company didn't send a babysitter to explain a quest to them or unfreeze their toon is, I am afraid, either insane behavior or extremely immature. Frankly, I find it almost impossible to believe that any rational adult who has experienced the realities of the world would react this way. And I hate to generalize, but unfortunately it's always one group.
If Sony is doing something to keep you fools away from its games, kudos ... I will send them an extra check
Next evil bloodsuckers = EA. Wait, they produced Sims on line already
Don't disrespect the best selling game in the world The Sims
TSO aka The Sims Online is NOT the best selling game in the world. It just barely is not a failure. (It barely scrapped by re-couping all its investment money) It's currently hovering somewhere above 50,000 accounts.
You are confusing TSO with the Sims stand alone games. The Sims (stand alone games) are among the best selling games of all time. (I don't know if they are THE best selling games in the world. But they are in the top 10).
It is like confusing Ultima Online with the Ultima stand alone games - Ultima 0, Ultima 1, Ultima 2, Ultima 3, Ultima 4, Ultima 5, Ultima 6, Ultima 7, Ultima 8, Ultima 9..... which are THE best selling games of all time in the entire world.
For one - the misrepresentation on the 'J Boots' for the EQ2 game, it was a total SCAM. The boots are basically worthless in the game - but only they knew it which is why they sold it in the "special (ripoff) edition" There are so many things SOE did that i will not trust them again.
Customer Service?? what a bunch of crap. SWG is the worst game i have ever put money in - mostly due to the bad Customer Service in additon to the piss poor design for becoming a Jedi. Do not play SWG you will be sooo sorry.
EQ1 was there best game - but it was so big mostly because they did not have much competition. EQ1 was not that much better than the older games - they were just newer and they fugured out how to curb the cheaters. Same piss poor Customer Service and same piss poor game monitors.
I for one am sooo glad the SOE is going down. They dont have the player in mind - just the money, and how they can scam that next few dollars. It will be a long time before i try another SOE game.
In terms of where they thought they would be, and where they are now, they have failed, in my viewpoint.
That "argument" has been used as the last resort fallback by naysayers. "Yeah their product is making $$$$. Yeah that game I hate is still going, still out. BUT it's not making as much $$$ as they forcasted before they released it! So that means its really a failure! See! I'm really right!"
NO mmorpg has ever made as much $$$$ as a company would like in a capitalistic economy. Everyone, every company, would like 50 million players, 100 million players, 1 billion players. Once again, you need to go back to school, and have a talk to your economics teacher, buisness teacher, and math teacher. According to Mr. Reality, a buisness needs to first re-coup its investment money. Has SOE done this? YES. Then a buisness needs to start turning a true profit. Has SOE done this? YES.
Until you start listing sources that SOE is not re-couping investment money, that SOE is not turning a true profit, then your opinion is moot. Your opinion starts to become delusional. A waste of space here on the MMORPG.com forums. What is the point of it? You vehemetly dislike SOE? Then do not play their games - they will still continue being a success without you. Ahhh that's what is really eating you up.
IF you really want to do something try this:
1. Post on the gamer sites, fan sites, YOUR IDEAS on how to make the past games you have played better. Post your ideas on how to make future mmorpgs better. Stop whinning, start being part of the solution.
Until you do these two things (1. List your sources that SOE is failing financially, since SOE is a capitalistic buisness, and that is the bottom line... are they in the red, green, or black.) (2. List your ideas on how to make present mmorpgs better. How to make future mmorpgs better)......... then yes, you yourself are the one risking starting a flame war. Because your thread so far is pointless. Your poll is pointless. Your statements are pointless.
The letters which they have written to the fanbase, after SWG and EQ2, are both good signs of how they feel they are doing.
Is SWG and EQ2 the perfect mmorpgs? No. Has SWG re-couped the 25 million it cost to make it? YES. Is SWG right now turning a true profit? YES. Thus SWG ISa success. Is EQ2 on track to re-couping the 25 million it cost to make it? YES. If you do not like SWG, then do NOT play it! If you do not like EQ2, then do NOT play it!
If you have any SOURCES showing SWG is not a financial success then please post them. If you have any SOURCES showing EQ2 is not on track to making back its investment money (for example, that EQ really has 2k total players or something LOL!) then please post it.
Read between the lines of the overall picture and you can see how they're doing as compared to how they thought that they would do.
And? So? EQ is a success. PS made back its money and is still doing well enough to be still going. SWG is a success. EQ2 is on track to being a success. A movie costs 50 million to make. The studio hopes it makes 800 million. The movie ends up making 500 million. Is the movie a failure or a success? Come on, answer this if you dare! LOL! That is your current arguement.
I personally hate capitalism at its core, and SOE is the perfect example of how bad a company can be, in the context of a capitalist structure.
Aha! So you are a commie! You commie you! What is better than capitalism then? BTW part of capitalism is that when you dislike it, you do not buy it. So you better NOT be playing SWG, EQ, PS, or EQ2 right now! Also part of capitalism is that consumers are suppose to be concientious, and invovled. So you... yes, you! Post your ideas on what you dislike about EQ, PS, SWG, EQ2..... then post your ideas on the solutions.
Take a look at the poll results.
You're poll is meaningless. It is really a poll of how many other people here dislike SOE. Not further "proof" that SOE is failing. Let's see, so far roughly 100 people responded? SOE has over 600,000 accounts? Can you feel Mr. Reality giving you a wedgie?
Re-read your own thread topic:
"It's Nice to see SOE failing". You did not write "I think SOE is failing" or "Who here thinks SOE is failing". Thus you are lying when you say you made the poll, this thread, just to see how many others agree with you. You on purpose are pretending that SOE is failing because ... you the lord of reality say so.
If SOE were failing, it would not matter if one hated SOE, or loved SOE - both sides would be on the same side - IF SOE were failing. Just like when MCO (Motor City Online) closed down. Those who disliked it and those who liked it, both admitted it was about to close down.
Even though a few are screaming to close this topic, i did read some interesting points. Now i personally can't care less where SOE is going, it's like caring where Microsoft is going when you're using Linux. I do however know if Microsoft [to take an example] brings out a software tool, you can generally "smell" the quality, then Linux people tends to scramble a bit to get something similar going. Of course, this type of 'scrambling' is what currently keeps MS going, you can see they're threatened by open source/free/user defined renditions of their software. Result? They bring out something even better, they HAVE to justify us paying for it if there's a free version. Is Microsoft failing? Some my hope so, but they certainly know where to spend their money [and i find myself more and more enjoying some of their offerings i.e. MSN Desktop Search vs Google Desktop Search]
Now same thing i hope is happening with SOE [especially with Blizzard in the picture]. SOE imho, had a monopoly with Everquest, and now they got some competition. This is imho the great part of capitalism: competition.
Either way if anyone carefully looked at mmorpg.com's charts, there's one particular game that stands out, [even if i believe it's a crappy game] , it's called Runescape. Go look at it's graphs and market share. Now i don't know how it's counted and all that, but if i'm SOE or any other MMORPG who needs to reach a 50k subscriber limit to break-even .......i would be quite worried seeing a Free MMORPG pull it off. Heck i recently played another open-source/free MMORPG called Planeshift which is still in beta/alpha , and THAT pulled in 20k accounts in a week . Now really, think about it. If i'm SOE or Blizzard and not worried about stats like that, then they deserve to fail. Microsoft in comparison have clearly stated Linux/Open Source is a threat , so they ARE responding to it [which is good]. Will SOE do the same?
1. Korea leads the world in internet access for the masses. They have 24hour computer places called "PC Bangs" (what they are called when translated into English). Anyone, any age, no matter how poor they are, can play just about any game, anytime day or night. And they do not have to buy the game. Asia does not recignize copyright laws. PC Bangs will buy 1 copy of a game, then crack it. Allowing them to use the game on hundreds to thousands of computers at the same time. You can go play Lineage at a PC Bang in Korea without ever having to buy Lineage. Just pay roughly 5 bucks and you are in the game, playing for a few hours until your computer time runs out.
Someone can correct me on this, but as far as i know [and as mmorpg.com also states under the conclusions sections] , Lineage and Lineage II are not "cracked". The company actually CATER for the above PC Bang system. In other words, it's all legal and they simply sell 'play time' to an entire "PC Bang" or in more common english "Internet Cafe". Heck even games like Ragnarok Online caters for 'per hour' billing, and guess what their subscriber stats are..... This is something i'm surprised other companies have not picked up on. This simply alone should net ALOT more players than a monthly billing system, as you do not feel presured to play all the time [in other words casual gamers can also easily be accomodated with such a system]. So in all honesty, i would not be surprised if the statistics shown on mmorpg.com regarding Lineage/Lineage II are relatively accurate. (Now i can't say the same for other games like Diablo, i asusme those are "cracked" as most american games do not cater for korean systems)
Imagine this :
WoW : $80 for the box, $15 per month . Lineage II : No box payment [inet cafe buys it] , $8 for 30 hours [pay in advance/top up system].
Which one would you likely at least 'try'? Especially if you don't want to be 'locked' into a specific mmorpg. I don't know the profit margins , a monthly billing system might probably be more profitable but might not attract as many players, somewhere it balances out.
Yes it also might mean, you'll get people only playing 5 hours a month in a per hour billing system [which obviously have its effect on subscriber stats], but likewise EQ's stats might also be distorted with 'idle' accounts. I'm pretty sure if you played EQ up to now, you will be checking out EQ2 . You will not play both, and will probably idle one of your accounts until you 'migrated' . Likewise with SWG , there's alot of people who is just waiting for some sort of 'magic promised patch' which will fix all the unbalanced problems. They're no longer playing SWG, but they're not closing their accounts yet, so imagine the distortion you get with that. Btw all this is in mmorpg.com's conclusions, i suggest everyone read it, it's ALOT more interesting than the graphs actually.
PLUS someone did mention the multi-account system SOE offers. This is also influencing the graphs, as no one knows whether this is counted [by SOE] as 1 subscriber for each game you potentially have access to, or as a single account [even if you play Planetside + Everquest + SWG]
So SOE might actually be failing in terms of loosing active players, they're not neccessarily loosing money though.
And to quote Raph Koster :
Persistence means it never goes away Once you open your online world, expect to keep your team on it indefinitely. Some of these games have never closed. And closing one prematurely may result in losing the faith of your customers, damaging the prospects for other games in the same genre
In other words, we'll never know if SOE is failing, because they'll not close down a particular MMORPG easily [even if it's a ghost town]. Mainly as Koster says, if you close down then it leaves an unstability factor, would you invest another 6 months in SOE knowing SOE just closed down one of its games you may or may not have been playing?
I didnt read all the replys but SoE has proved to be problaby the richest and most greediest gaming companys out there they dont give a rats ass how they treat the players as long as they are gettin they pockets filled with cash they are good and set up soney is about money and profit too them.What makes a true online game fun is the passion and the dedication from the designers and what not.SoE started good but they got greedy and are losing players fast.
If you think Sony has bad customer service, you haven't experienced what Blizzard is passing off as customer service with WoW. Patching things without telling you what they are doing, etc. Really, really poor.
Originally posted by Wickes So you see "worked up" in those two lines eh I think "amazed" and "bemused" are the apt words. Idiocy raised to the level of a science dumbfounds me. For people to root for companies to fail and people to lose jobs, etc., because they don't like a game or because some company didn't send a babysitter to explain a quest to them or unfreeze their toon is, I am afraid, either insane behavior or extremely immature. Frankly, I find it almost impossible to believe that any rational adult who has experienced the realities of the world would react this way. And I hate to generalize, but unfortunately it's always one group. If Sony is doing something to keep you fools away from its games, kudos ... I will send them an extra check
Awwww... You've got a problem with people who want a game company to fail because you're thinking about them losing their jobs? How touching. 'scuse me, I have to go fetch me a violin and you a whine glass.
Honestly, get over it. People have their opinions, and you're being as rediculously immature as any WoW fanbot who freaks out over someone who trashes WoW. You, just like them, are taking the views of some 13 year old kid way too personally, and that just isn't healthy. Take a moment to laugh at them and move on to the next post. You feelin' me?
Ah been playin WoW for awhile now havnt had a problem yet with their cs.Plus they still the babys in the market so they have a little excuse.Sony on the other hand have far more experience in the online community they havnt any excuse.
Awwww... You've got a problem with people who want a game company to fail because you're thinking about them losing their jobs? How touching. 'scuse me, I have to go fetch me a violin and you a whine glass. Honestly, get over it. People have their opinions, and you're being as rediculously immature as any WoW fanbot who freaks out over someone who trashes WoW. You, just like them, are taking the views of some 13 year old kid way too personally, and that just isn't healthy. Take a moment to laugh at them and move on to the next post. You feelin' me? Cheers.
I said the thread is idiotic and immature. It is. explororor, being more patient than I am, explained why in great detail.
If you find it amusing to watch and support people rooting for others to lose their jobs over minor matters or simply not liking something, then I guess you've found your element
Originally posted by Wickes Originally posted by WillJones420 I said the thread is idiotic and immature. It is. explororor, being more patient than I am, explained why in great detail. If you find it amusing to watch and support people rooting for others to lose their jobs over minor matters or simply not liking something, then I guess you've found your element
When did I ever say I was ammused by it? That would imply I actually care one way or the other, which, as I've already stated, I don't. Let the company become the true dominance of the MMORPG market or go down in flames, it doesn't matter to me anymore. But if minor, idiotic, and immature posts seem to touch nerves with you like this... Well, I'll just say congrats, you've officially earned my pity.
Originally posted by darquenblade WillJones, If you honestly don't care one way or the other about this topic, why are you even bothering responding to it? By doing so, you are contradicting yourself.
Well, yeah, while I stand by what I said about not caring, it only applies to my view on SOE. What I want to know is why certain peeps get so uptight about the opinions of some netlost child who really isn't worth the time.
As much as I am enjoying watching the debate, you are wasting your breath xplororor. He is obviously another wow fanboy with no facts to back up his claims.
However I have reverted from discouraging people from playing wow, to encouraging them. The way I see it, the more that leave EQ2 the fewer of them I have to contend with. I play eq2, my wife plays wow. I played it during beta I have seen both games. The arguments that wow is not as newbified as eq2 is absurd, if anything it is more so, the arguments that it plays better is absurd they are both very much the same in alot of ways, its just a matter of preference. However the one difference I see every day, is the community. Honest to god I do not see how she puts up with it, I swear the average age on her server has got to be 12, its like watching a 12 year old aol chatroom with jerry springer as the moderator.
As much as I am enjoying watching the debate, you are wasting your breath xplororor. He is obviously another wow fanboy with no facts to back up his claims.
However I have reverted from discouraging people from playing wow, to encouraging them. The way I see it, the more that leave EQ2 the fewer of them I have to contend with. I play eq2, my wife plays wow. I played it during beta I have seen both games. The arguments that wow is not as newbified as eq2 is absurd, if anything it is more so, the arguments that it plays better is absurd they are both very much the same in alot of ways, its just a matter of preference. However the one difference I see every day, is the community. Honest to god I do not see how she puts up with it, I swear the average age on her server has got to be 12, its like watching a 12 year old aol chatroom with jerry springer as the moderator.
I currently play WoW, and a few days ago my wife also started it up. I play on one of the RP servers, and I find that the community on there is much more mature than those on the normal servers. Roleplaying is not hardcore mandatory, but I think that just because of the very nature of the server type, it has attracted those that are a lot more tolerable to deal with
I REALLY noticed the difference when my wife created her character, and started on a normal PvE realm (can't remember which one). Wow. When it comes to that, I'll agree with you there. All the more reason why I chose an RP realm
Originally posted by WillJones420 Well, yeah, while I stand by what I said about not caring, it only applies to my view on SOE. What I want to know is why certain peeps get so uptight about the opinions of some netlost child who really isn't worth the time.
Ah, yes, well we knew there was an agenda there somewhere didn't we
Incidentally,, I don't think anyone cares what your opinion of Sony is ... the criticism of the thread was for idiotically proclaiming that a thriving company with thriving games is "failing" simply because someone irrationally wants them too. A vote doesn't determine whether either is failing ... the numbers do.
I currently play WoW, and a few days ago my wife also started it up. I play on one of the RP servers, and I find that the community on there is much more mature than those on the normal servers. Roleplaying is not hardcore mandatory, but I think that just because of the very nature of the server type, it has attracted those that are a lot more tolerable to deal with I REALLY noticed the difference when my wife created her character, and started on a normal PvE realm (can't remember which one). Wow. When it comes to that, I'll agree with you there. All the more reason why I chose an RP realm
Hmm I will have to let her know and tell her to give one of the RP servers a spin. That is one of her major complaints is putting up with the childishness, though I have to admit sometimes at least from my perspective its pretty damn funny.
Ah, yes, well we knew there was an agenda there somewhere didn't we
Incidentally,, I don't think anyone cares what your opinion of Sony is ... the criticism of the thread was for idiotically proclaiming that a thriving company with thriving games is "failing" simply because someone irrationally wants them too. A vote doesn't determine whether either is failing ... the numbers do.
That we agree on, I have no delusions that SOE is failing, I see them to be successful at what they do. I just don't think they're very good at it, but that's just me, and you don't care. I'll say also that I agree that the post is immature and not worth my time, but you're fun to argue with.
Originally posted by xplororor Originally posted by Thinman Take a look at the poll results.
You're poll is meaningless. It is really a poll of how many other people here dislike SOE. Not further "proof" that SOE is failing. Let's see, so far roughly 100 people responded? SOE has over 600,000 accounts? Can you feel Mr. Reality giving you a wedgie? Re-read your own thread topic: "It's Nice to see SOE failing". You did not write "I think SOE is failing" or "Who here thinks SOE is failing". Thus you are lying when you say you made the poll, this thread, just to see how many others agree with you. You on purpose are pretending that SOE is failing because ... you the lord of reality say so. If SOE were failing, it would not matter if one hated SOE, or loved SOE - both sides would be on the same side - IF SOE were failing. Just like when MCO (Motor City Online) closed down. Those who disliked it and those who liked it, both admitted it was about to close down.
Actually, you're reading your own ideas of what I'm saying into it. All I wanted was to see who agreed with me that they didn't like SOE, and yes, in my eyes, they are failing, compared to what they hoped they could do.
I don't agree with your logic, and no, your logic is not the be all and end all. My logic is just as valid. So...... what are you arguing about here?
Comments
Actually it's more like..
31% Agreeing that they're glad that they're failing (in thier viewpoint)
26% Feeling that they are failing, but wishing that they would just change their business practices
14% Who simply say that they don't feel that way. They are the true middle ground.
15% saying no.
13% saying no.
So we have 57% of the population which agrees in one way, and that is this: That they don't like the way that Sony has operated how they have. Where their feelings are after that fact are in 2 different camps
Then we have 14% who just think that it's silly or dumb or asinine or whatever to be glad that they are failing
Finally, we have 28% who like SOE.
This seems, to me at least, to be the true way it's laid out.
_______________________________________________________________________
Looking forward (cautiously) to: Age of Conan, Dark Solstice, Armada Online.
Will soon try: Guild Wars
Overall: Amazed and bewhildered at the current sad state of the artform of gaming.
You seem to be getting a little too worked about about people's opinions over something like a game and the company who made it. You and a lot of others I would think, including and especially some of the WoW and Blizz fanboys who start breathing fire whenever someone "dares" to disrespected their precious game. They're just opinions though, opinions about games, and not to risk having a hernia over for. I think that's about as "real" as someone can get, IMHAO.
So you see "worked up" in those two lines eh
I think "amazed" and "bemused" are the apt words. Idiocy raised to the level of a science dumbfounds me. For people to root for companies to fail and people to lose jobs, etc., because they don't like a game or because some company didn't send a babysitter to explain a quest to them or unfreeze their toon is, I am afraid, either insane behavior or extremely immature. Frankly, I find it almost impossible to believe that any rational adult who has experienced the realities of the world would react this way. And I hate to generalize, but unfortunately it's always one group.
If Sony is doing something to keep you fools away from its games, kudos ... I will send them an extra check
Why does SOE deserve the down fall -
I hope they belly up for alot of reasons.
For one - the misrepresentation on the 'J Boots' for the EQ2 game, it was a total SCAM. The boots are basically worthless in the game - but only they knew it which is why they sold it in the "special (ripoff) edition" There are so many things SOE did that i will not trust them again.
Customer Service?? what a bunch of crap. SWG is the worst game i have ever put money in - mostly due to the bad Customer Service in additon to the piss poor design for becoming a Jedi. Do not play SWG you will be sooo sorry.
EQ1 was there best game - but it was so big mostly because they did not have much competition. EQ1 was not that much better than the older games - they were just newer and they fugured out how to curb the cheaters. Same piss poor Customer Service and same piss poor game monitors.
I for one am sooo glad the SOE is going down. They dont have the player in mind - just the money, and how they can scam that next few dollars. It will be a long time before i try another SOE game.
Who cares if its the best selling game in the world, its the biggest scam ever.
Also, I LOVE it when someone starts a retarded thread, get their ass handed to them, and then never post in it again.
LOL
-In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on Aug/13/08-
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RISING DRAGOON ~AION US ONLINE LEGION for Elyos
Even though a few are screaming to close this topic, i did read some interesting points. Now i personally
can't care less where SOE is going, it's like caring where Microsoft is going when you're using Linux. I do however know if Microsoft [to take an example] brings out a software tool, you can generally "smell" the quality, then Linux people tends to scramble a bit to get something similar going. Of course, this type of 'scrambling' is what currently keeps MS going, you can see they're threatened by open source/free/user defined renditions of their software. Result? They bring out something even better, they HAVE to justify us paying for it if there's a free version. Is Microsoft failing? Some my hope so, but they certainly know where to spend their money [and i find myself more and more enjoying some of their offerings i.e. MSN Desktop Search vs Google Desktop Search]
Now same thing i hope is happening with SOE [especially with Blizzard in the picture]. SOE imho, had a monopoly with Everquest, and now they got some competition. This is imho the great part of capitalism: competition.
Either way if anyone carefully looked at mmorpg.com's charts, there's one particular game that stands out, [even if i believe it's a crappy game] , it's called Runescape. Go look at it's graphs and market share. Now i don't know how it's counted and all that, but if i'm SOE or any other MMORPG who needs to reach a 50k subscriber limit to break-even .......i would be quite worried seeing a Free MMORPG pull it off. Heck i recently played another open-source/free MMORPG called Planeshift which is still in beta/alpha , and THAT pulled in 20k accounts in a week . Now really, think about it. If i'm SOE or Blizzard and not worried about stats like that, then they deserve to fail. Microsoft in comparison have clearly stated Linux/Open Source is a threat , so they ARE responding to it [which is good]. Will SOE do the same?
Someone can correct me on this, but as far as i know [and as mmorpg.com also states under the conclusions sections] , Lineage and Lineage II are not "cracked". The company actually CATER for the above PC Bang system. In other words, it's all legal and they simply sell 'play time' to an entire "PC Bang" or in more common english "Internet Cafe". Heck even games like Ragnarok Online caters for 'per hour' billing, and guess what their subscriber stats are..... This is something i'm surprised other companies have not picked up on. This simply alone should net ALOT more players than a monthly billing system, as you do not feel presured to play all the time [in other words casual gamers can also easily be accomodated with such a system]. So in all honesty, i would not be surprised if the statistics shown on mmorpg.com regarding Lineage/Lineage II are relatively accurate. (Now i can't say the same for other games like Diablo, i asusme those are "cracked" as most american games do not cater for korean systems)
Imagine this :
WoW : $80 for the box, $15 per month .
Lineage II : No box payment [inet cafe buys it] , $8 for 30 hours [pay in advance/top up system].
Which one would you likely at least 'try'? Especially if you don't want to be 'locked' into a specific mmorpg. I don't know the profit margins , a monthly billing system might probably be more profitable but might not attract as many players, somewhere it balances out.
Yes it also might mean, you'll get people only playing 5 hours a month in a per hour billing system [which obviously have its effect on subscriber stats], but likewise EQ's stats might also be distorted with 'idle' accounts. I'm pretty sure if you played EQ up to now, you will be checking out EQ2 . You will not play both, and will probably idle one of your accounts until you 'migrated' . Likewise with SWG , there's alot of people who is just waiting for some sort of 'magic promised patch' which will fix all the unbalanced problems. They're no longer playing SWG, but they're not closing their accounts yet, so imagine the distortion you get with that. Btw all this is in mmorpg.com's conclusions, i suggest everyone read it, it's ALOT more interesting than the graphs actually.
PLUS someone did mention the multi-account system SOE offers. This is also influencing the graphs, as no one knows whether this is counted [by SOE] as 1 subscriber for each game you potentially have access to, or as a single account [even if you play Planetside + Everquest + SWG]
So SOE might actually be failing in terms of loosing active players, they're not neccessarily loosing money though.
And to quote Raph Koster :
In other words, we'll never know if SOE is failing, because they'll not close down a particular MMORPG easily [even if it's a ghost town]. Mainly as Koster says, if you close down then it leaves an unstability factor, would you invest another 6 months in SOE knowing SOE just closed down one of its games you may or may not have been playing?
I didnt read all the replys but SoE has proved to be problaby the richest and most greediest gaming companys out there they dont give a rats ass how they treat the players as long as they are gettin they pockets filled with cash they are good and set up soney is about money and profit too them.What makes a true online game fun is the passion and the dedication from the designers and what not.SoE started good but they got greedy and are losing players fast.
If you think Sony has bad customer service, you haven't experienced what Blizzard is passing off as customer service with WoW. Patching things without telling you what they are doing, etc. Really, really poor.
Awwww... You've got a problem with people who want a game company to fail because you're thinking about them losing their jobs? How touching. 'scuse me, I have to go fetch me a violin and you a whine glass.
Honestly, get over it. People have their opinions, and you're being as rediculously immature as any WoW fanbot who freaks out over someone who trashes WoW. You, just like them, are taking the views of some 13 year old kid way too personally, and that just isn't healthy. Take a moment to laugh at them and move on to the next post. You feelin' me?
Cheers.
I said the thread is idiotic and immature. It is. explororor, being more patient than I am, explained why in great detail.
If you find it amusing to watch and support people rooting for others to lose their jobs over minor matters or simply not liking something, then I guess you've found your element
When did I ever say I was ammused by it? That would imply I actually care one way or the other, which, as I've already stated, I don't. Let the company become the true dominance of the MMORPG market or go down in flames, it doesn't matter to me anymore. But if minor, idiotic, and immature posts seem to touch nerves with you like this... Well, I'll just say congrats, you've officially earned my pity.
I would love to be termed a failure while I'm making between $5 million and $12 million per month. That would make me feel warm and fuzzy and special.
WillJones,
If you honestly don't care one way or the other about this topic, why are you even bothering responding to it?
By doing so, you are contradicting yourself.
What darquenblade said.
Well, yeah, while I stand by what I said about not caring, it only applies to my view on SOE. What I want to know is why certain peeps get so uptight about the opinions of some netlost child who really isn't worth the time.
I currently play WoW, and a few days ago my wife also started it up. I play on one of the RP servers, and I find that the community on there is much more mature than those on the normal servers. Roleplaying is not hardcore mandatory, but I think that just because of the very nature of the server type, it has attracted those that are a lot more tolerable to deal with
I REALLY noticed the difference when my wife created her character, and started on a normal PvE realm (can't remember which one). Wow. When it comes to that, I'll agree with you there. All the more reason why I chose an RP realm
Ah, yes, well we knew there was an agenda there somewhere didn't we
Incidentally,, I don't think anyone cares what your opinion of Sony is ... the criticism of the thread was for idiotically proclaiming that a thriving company with thriving games is "failing" simply because someone irrationally wants them too. A vote doesn't determine whether either is failing ... the numbers do.
Actually, you're reading your own ideas of what I'm saying into it. All I wanted was to see who agreed with me that they didn't like SOE, and yes, in my eyes, they are failing, compared to what they hoped they could do.
I don't agree with your logic, and no, your logic is not the be all and end all. My logic is just as valid. So...... what are you arguing about here?
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Looking forward (cautiously) to: Age of Conan, Dark Solstice, Armada Online.
Will soon try: Guild Wars
Overall: Amazed and bewhildered at the current sad state of the artform of gaming.