Anthem: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back - MMORPG.com

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Anthem: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back - MMORPG.com

Anthem is having a bad week. The game got a surprise injection of new content in a patch rolled out this week, but the news that followed was the bigger story. BioWare announced that the team is essentially delaying most of the Act 1 content roadmap to focus on dealing with the game’s critical issues. With things moving at such a glacial pace as it is, I don’t see this ending well. And frankly, this week’s patch didn’t do nearly enough to soften such a blow.

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achmede

No surprise here, they showed us how incompetent they really are since first month.
Maybe Anhtem will be a decent game, a game worth paying and playing in a year or so ...

Albatroes

I can't wait for this game to get out of Early Access.

Aeander

What they need to do is sit down, shut up, and silently work on No Man's Sky style mega patches that could actually get people to return. 

MadFrenchie

Best compromise on the loot is having seamlessly integrated camps throughout the world that both serve as fast travel points as well as outfitting areas where one can equip new loot with no loading screens. Just FT there when you wanna swap gear out, then go on about your way.

jgDuffay

I think they are hard at work on fixing the loot system, probably not an easy task since it affects so many systems in the game and might not be developed to simply revamp, because they basically have to redo the whole system it's probably going to take them over a year to fix it.

then again, there are probably small fixes they could have added to make it feel better than it is now, I decided to wait on anthem after trying the beta and I am glad i did, so i lack the knowledge to talk to much shit about it.

To bad EA probably will pull the plug on it before it get's fixed, even if they probably made it profitable just on the day 1 sales.
*edit* New firm name for EA is Early Access, we just don't know it yet because they just use their initials

nastilon

This article is absolutely hilarious.

When you are comparing the game to Mass Effect: Andromeda and using ME:A as a POSITIVE role-model, you know you have issues with your game...

Ungood

I kinda wanna feel bad for them, but I am wondering if they knew what kind of mess they were putting out, and just put it out anyway?

kosaboy

dont worry it will all be fixed when you buy the DLC for 50bux.

MadFrenchie

Ungood said:

I kinda wanna feel bad for them, but I am wondering if they knew what kind of mess they were putting out, and just put it out anyway?

Bioware had to know, and likely tried to communicate it to EA in some way..  At least, one would expect such communication between the two entities.  But EA wasn't required to listen, and apparently didn't.

cmacq

The solution for me and many others is just to move on for now and play other games. They released it in unfinished fashion. They have fessed up to this and say they are going to finish it. I can only hope this will turn out to be true. The combat and the flying are still a lot of fun but once you're done the story etc. there really is no endgame. Why butt your head against the wall? They will fix it or they won't. Endless bitching about it like folks are doing on their official forums accomplishes nothing from what I can see.

TheDarkrayne

Aeander said:

What they need to do is sit down, shut up, and silently work on No Man's Sky style mega patches that could actually get people to return. 

Yep, drip feeding these changes isn't going to impress anyone. They need to focus, forget player retention for now and relaunch with something massive and game changing.

3dom

Nonetheless I wonder - how soon the game is going for 50% sale? I'm quite interesting in the gameplay but paying full price to become a beta-tester doesn't look like a good idea.

JeffSpicoli

Anthem, Fallout Out 76 & Division 2 all did me hugeeeeee favors by not releasing on Steam. THANK YOU for saving me the money, No really, Thank you! Now if only Mortal Kombat 11 did the same....sigh

MadFrenchie

JeffSpicoli said:

Anthem, Fallout Out 76 & Division 2 all did me hugeeeeee favors by not releasing on Steam. THANK YOU for saving me the money, No really, Thank you! Now if only Mortal Kombat 11 did the same....sigh

The first two for sure, but Div2 was universally acclaimed.

The favor part also implies you wouldn't be able to constrain yourself had they released on Steam...  Not a prudent consumer practice.

Aeander

TheDarkrayne said:

Aeander said:

What they need to do is sit down, shut up, and silently work on No Man's Sky style mega patches that could actually get people to return. 

Yep, drip feeding these changes isn't going to impress anyone. They need to focus, forget player retention for now and relaunch with something massive and game changing.

I do think that they need to deliver everything on their roadmap as intended, because those are commitments publicly made.

After that, get to work on Anthem Reforged (or some other catchy name for a mega patch).

jonp200

MadFrenchie said:

JeffSpicoli said:

Anthem, Fallout Out 76 & Division 2 all did me hugeeeeee favors by not releasing on Steam. THANK YOU for saving me the money, No really, Thank you!

Now if only Mortal Kombat 11 did the same....sigh

The first two for sure, but Div2 was universally acclaimed.

The favor part also implies you wouldn't be able to constrain yourself had they released on Steam...  Not a prudent consumer practice.

and purchasing on Steam would allow you to play the game, decide it wasn't ready for prime time and get it refunded......

Mr.Gutsy

https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/12/the-divisions-free-18-update-is-better-than-its-paid-expansions/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2018/01/04/almost-two-years-later-the-division-might-finally-be-perfect/#7faeb7253fd8

The Division took 2 years to fix.

https://www.engadget.com/2018/08/01/no-mans-sky-next-editorial/

No Man's Sky took 2 years to fix.

Expect the same for Anthem.

Octagon7711

MadFrenchie said:

Ungood said:

I kinda wanna feel bad for them, but I am wondering if they knew what kind of mess they were putting out, and just put it out anyway?

Bioware had to know, and likely tried to communicate it to EA in some way..  At least, one would expect such communication between the two entities.  But EA wasn't required to listen, and apparently didn't.

I still remember reading an article that read about an EA exec who demoed the game, told Bioware it wasn't the game that was promised, and to put flying back into the game. Sounds like EA just let Bioware do their own thing but BW don't have the leadership and vision they once did.

I knew it sounded strange when during the demo they were saying a lot of the number values were just place holders at that point, or saying it was an older version of the game.

MadFrenchie

jonp200 said:

MadFrenchie said:

JeffSpicoli said:

Anthem, Fallout Out 76 & Division 2 all did me hugeeeeee favors by not releasing on Steam. THANK YOU for saving me the money, No really, Thank you!

Now if only Mortal Kombat 11 did the same....sigh

The first two for sure, but Div2 was universally acclaimed.

The favor part also implies you wouldn't be able to constrain yourself had they released on Steam...  Not a prudent consumer practice.

and purchasing on Steam would allow you to play the game, decide it wasn't ready for prime time and get it refunded......

A person could also have literally a smidgen of restraint if they're unsure it's worth it, and just read the reviews.

But that would require gamers take some responsibility for themselves, and we all know that idea will just set off another review bombing tantrum.  Gamers like to be labeled as childish, it seems.

lahnmir

MisterZebub said:

MadFrenchie said:

Ungood said:

I kinda wanna feel bad for them, but I am wondering if they knew what kind of mess they were putting out, and just put it out anyway?

Bioware had to know, and likely tried to communicate it to EA in some way..  At least, one would expect such communication between the two entities.  But EA wasn't required to listen, and apparently didn't.

This seems to sum up the way Bioware handles their production process.

Deadlines and budgets, you have got to meet them. They are what count and you as a developer know this before you start on your game. Once time and money are up, out of the door with your product.

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

Ungood

MadFrenchie said:

Ungood said:

I kinda wanna feel bad for them, but I am wondering if they knew what kind of mess they were putting out, and just put it out anyway?

Bioware had to know, and likely tried to communicate it to EA in some way..  At least, one would expect such communication between the two entities.  But EA wasn't required to listen, and apparently didn't.

Ya know, I have to agree with you, and I think someone else said that others have tried to help them, and they are all like "This is our dumpster fire, thank you very much, now piss off"

I am really struggling if I should feel bad for them or not.. ya know?

WarWitch

Simply can't find any reason to log in anymore. Full legendaries minus the support slot that not in the game and only 4 dungeons makes it so repetitive.

aRtFuLThinG

3dom said:

Nonetheless I wonder - how soon the game is going for 50% sale? I'm quite interesting in the gameplay but paying full price to become a beta-tester doesn't look like a good idea.

In some physical stores in Australia and on Amazon.com, it is already going for half price or less:

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/playstation-4/anthem/457685/

JeroKane

nastilon said:

This article is absolutely hilarious.



When you are comparing the game to Mass Effect: Andromeda and using ME:A as a POSITIVE role-model, you know you have issues with your game...

Yeah lol! EA put that dumpster fire out of its misery even faster than they will with this one.

Has he already forgotten they canceled all planned DLC for ME:A and put the entire franchise in a freezer! lol /shrug

Thane

cancled my (origin) sub for a reason, had it to play anthem, anthem didn't have ANY meaningfull replayability, and it does not look like they'd be able to fix that any time soon.

seriously, with 4 years in it's design phase... they made a mistake there.
maybe next time you develop something, have designers work on it from the beginning ^^