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Mark Jacobs blog on the GOA issues....
doromur
Member Posts: 152
Source: http://onlinegamesareanichemarket.wordpress.com/
Oh what a night, late on Sunday back in 008
Posted on September 8, 2008 by Mark Jacobs
Well, today was an interesting day. Brett Favre starts for the J-E-T-S and Chad Pennington (who I still think is a great leader I just wish he could throw a football further than me) almost leads the Fins to a come-from-behind (no jokes please) victory. Oh yea, on a minor side-note, we launched Open Beta for WAR today in the US and Oceania and we had a semi-launch in Europe.
Semi-launch is a good phrase because at times it felt like I was being run over by a gaggle of semis. The US/O launch was fantastic, nary a hiccup and almost 50K (about what Freddy Mac is worth today) concurrent players. Not too shabby for an Open Beta’s first day. Unfortunately, Europe had more than its share of problems. So, I spent about 10 hours today dealing with the situation and reading some of the type of stuff that gives humanity a black eye.
Why do some people feel it is okay to threaten, curse, abuse and be downright hostile to other people over a game, especially in this case when it is only over access to a game that is still in testing (Open Beta Test = Not Yet Ready For Prime Time Players)? While I’ve become quite cynical over the decades, I still find myself amazed at times at certain people’s reactions to stuff like this. I don’t mind when people get upset but to treat other people in such a callous, mean and immature manner is really a bit much. Again, it’s not the complaints I mind and nor am I excusing GOA or Mythic when we mess up but to apparently take things like this so personally is just hard for me to understand even though I know that most of the very hateful things are being said just for effect. However, I’ve worked with online communities for a long time and I do know that some of what was being said around the ‘Net was really coming from people’s hearts. I won’t quote any of it here, since doing so would simply encourage more of it, but I would ask anyone who said those kinds of things and who reads this blog to look at yourself in the mirror and ask how you would like it if you were treated this way in the real world? Are you really the kind of person who thinks it’s socially acceptable to threaten people just because you are having problems with a game? Are you and your life so perfect that you don’t have your own issues or make your own mistakes?
Like I said earlier, this is not an excuse for GOA. We had a number of conversations with them today about everything that happened. GOA messed up and their CEO has apologized and promised to do better going forward. While this isn’t enough to mollify everyone it’s still a good start. It’s just a shame that we had to wade through hours and hours of anger, frustration and bile to get where we are now. None of the actors in this little play came out of this unscathed and only those people who took these problems for what they were or who were able to register their disappointment/unhappiness/complaints without resorting to foul language, threats, etc. can hold their heads up high.
Oh what a night…
Mark
Currently Playing Nothing...
Comments
B U L L S H I T
Don't see how.
The man is telling it as it is. He could have played 'possum and acted like nothing's happening (as some certain other companies are in the habit of doing). If he's pissed off at some people being over-the-top rude than I completely agree with him. You might have valid grievances but this is not the excuse to start behaving like a rabid animal... and it is counterproductive to boot.
Thanks for the update MBJ but I still hope you sack the lot of 'em.
Surely a death threat or whatever should be deferred to the police? Not the subject of a blog post FAO 1/2 a million people. Nice dodge Mr.Jacobs. When is something going to be done about GOA? Apologies do not = Beta Access.
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Note: PlayNC will refuse to allow you access to your account if you forget your password and can't provide a scanned image of the product key for the first product you purchased..... LOL
He's right, noone gave people the right to be as abusive as they were. I'm talking about threats to spit, hurt, abuse verbally etc. any GOA employee those people meet ever. While such threats are obviously false as they'd never leave their parents basement for a real world - it still is foul and disgusting to see how far people will go to inflate their online egos...
Why? It sounds like you missed his entire point. All he is saying is that the vitriol displayed by numerous people for something that isn't even ready to go live yet was uncalled for. Quite frankly, I agree. Yes it sucks that Europeans haven't been able to get into the WAR Open Beta. It isn't the end of the world. You aren't paying for Open Beta. Yes, I realize a large number of people put money down for a pre-order. That isn't paying for Open Beta. That is putting money down to reserve a copy of the game. The Open Beta key, the Head Start key, the free items, those are all bonuses for reserving a copy of the game at release.
If we as gamers continue to go down this path of vomiting up condescending vitriol, we may not have these same kinds of opportunities because developers won't want to put up with it. If anyone ever wonders why developers stop posting on official forums after a couple of months post-release of a game, just look at what kind of things are being said by the players. Next, put yourself in place of the developer. What if those posts were directed at you? How would you feel? I'm not really a huge fan of Mark Jacobs, but the point he makes in that blog post is no less valid as such. Just because you don't like what someone is saying doesn't mean it isn't factual or correct.
first, its not a mistake, its a huge concatenation of mistakes, second instead of offering solutions he comes here trying to teach us a moral lesson about manners, ha!
He didn't come here. That is posted on his Wordpress Blog. The OP just copied and pasted his latest blog entry. If it wasn't copied and pasted, you never would have seen it.
Why? It sounds like you missed his entire point. All he is saying is that the vitriol displayed by numerous people for something that isn't even ready to go live yet was uncalled for. Quite frankly, I agree. Yes it sucks that Europeans haven't been able to get into the WAR Open Beta. It isn't the end of the world. You aren't paying for Open Beta. Yes, I realize a large number of people put money down for a pre-order. That isn't paying for Open Beta. That is putting money down to reserve a copy of the game. The Open Beta key, the Head Start key, the free items, those are all bonuses for reserving a copy of the game at release.
If we as gamers continue to go down this path of vomiting up condescending vitriol, we may not have these same kinds of opportunities because developers won't want to put up with it. If anyone ever wonders why developers stop posting on official forums after a couple of months post-release of a game, just look at what kind of things are being said by the players. Next, put yourself in place of the developer. What if those posts were directed at you? How would you feel? I'm not really a huge fan of Mark Jacobs, but the point he makes in that blog post is no less valid as such. Just because you don't like what someone is saying doesn't mean it isn't factual or correct.
Dude you gotta be kiddin this is not about feelings or romantic entrepreneurs, this is about money and about bussiness, so cut all that crap
its a game!! dont be spoiled brats and asshats!!
Do me a favor. Go into a classy restaurant with that attitude. Go in an insult the chef and his staff. Threaten them. Do the same thing to any other company. See what happens. Then come back and tell me what happens. People sure do get bold when they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet.
This is, again, Open Beta. This is for testing all the systems needed to run the game. GOA's account system is broken. Now they can fix it to be prepared for the live game launch. If this happened after September 18th, you'd actually have some validity behind your arguments. So tell me, how much did you pay to play in the Open Beta? Your pre-order? Sorry, that isn't paying for Open Beta. That money went to reserve you a copy of the game when it hits the street date of September 18th.
jeez, when i say "he comes here" i mean he address the community...
I have to agree with Jacobs.
I think there is no problem in expressing your feelings of frustration about the eu beta as long as it's in a polite way.
Again, that is his blog on Wordpress. Can you show me a link to said blog anywhere on any of the Warhammer Online websites?
He is right that the people turn into asshats on the internet.
I dont like the way he shifts the blame though. Mythic is responsible for the open beta mess in Europe no need to shift it to the subcontracter wich they hired in the first place. Besides I find it hard to believe its all GOA's fault.
Correct me if Im wrong but It seems that the open beta in the US went smoother cause they only had like 50K open beta players while Europe seems to have many more open beta players. 100K or more?
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Opinions are like assholes - everyone has one and they all stink
The reason alot of people are angry at GOA is the fact they left everything to the last minute, theres no excuse for that whatsoever.
Their Failing Flash based website which breaks disiblity laws is also another factor for anger against GOA they will not listen to their paying customers. We have complained about this since their site was setup along time ago. They will not discuss this. Look how nice US website compaired to GOA rubbish.
No official forums for communication between paying customer-Goa or Mythic , pretty sad this day and age we have to go through 3rd party sites that lock threads when you directly ask Mythic/Goa a question even tho they basically told us to use fansites to contact them.
Goa have been adament they servers could handle the load, telling us they have had alot more traffic than what they were expecting to get on open beta release.
All day sunday maybe till late in afternoon GOA hid away and didnt keep communtiy properly informed to what was going on. This is in excuseable too. Mythic are gr8 at keeping people in loop. GOA fail
WE might be in their Open beta but they are also in our Beta. Mythic/Goa told us they had moved on from Daoc and give them a chance.
Do me a favor. Go into a classy restaurant with that attitude. Go in an insult the chef and his staff. Threaten them. Do the same thing to any other company. See what happens. Then come back and tell me what happens. People sure do get bold when they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet.
This is, again, Open Beta. This is for testing all the systems needed to run the game. GOA's account system is broken. Now they can fix it to be prepared for the live game launch. If this happened after September 18th, you'd actually have some validity behind your arguments. So tell me, how much did you pay to play in the Open Beta? Your pre-order? Sorry, that isn't paying for Open Beta. That money went to reserve you a copy of the game when it hits the street date of September 18th.
You are not getting it. They screwed thousand of paying consumers and whats his solution? Complain about the foul language of some of them? That only is a lousy attempt to hide incompetence.
What paying customers? Putting money down on a pre-order doesn't make you a paying customer. Until you've purchased the box and started paying monthly fees, you aren't a paying customer.
That also isn't his solution. He is venting at the idiocy shown on the Internet today. That wordpress site is his...personal...blog. What is hard to understand about that? If it wasn't linked here, would you have ever seen that post?
who is he addressing to then if not the comunity?
Again, that is his blog on Wordpress. Can you show me a link to said blog anywhere on any of the Warhammer Online websites?
who is he addressing to then if not the comunity?
Geez way to read way too much into things - it is his personal blog he is NOT addressing anyone - just like any other blogger he is expressing his opinion and feelings as a person - not as CEO of Mythic but as Mark Jacobs
Threatening anyone personally is never correct in my book. Complaining that a company cannot deliver what they say is another issue totally in my book. I cannot do much about GOA personally except take my playing to the US servers as I am currently working on.
The blogg is about threats and the like and I agree, need to differ from person and their job. But this don't open any holy doors for me, threats are never okay but it does not change anything about how poorly GOA have handled this and their disrespect for the european WAR community with silence as an answer and poor planning that even my 7 year old kid had this comment.
"Why do they let everyone buy tickets at the door and then have to show ticket to guards many times? It will make the line go all around the town if it was a football game. And game would be over before everyone got in".
Maybe I should let my kid become a consultant at GOA?
Think some places in UK sold the CE boxes with open beta for £10 if im not mistaken.
get your facts straight before talking, i paid full price for a package containing open beta, head start and the game
Do you know what it means to vent? Mark was frustrated today. GOA screwed up huge. No one is denying that. He even clearly states in his venting that he was up at 8:30am working with GOA to try and come to a resolution. He is stating he doesn't think most of the vitriol that Mythic and GOA got today was warranted.
As for who he was addressing? The people that read his blog. It consists of some people that are also part of the Warhammer Online community, but it wasn't to the community itself. If it was, it would have been linked on warhammeronline.com, warherald.com, war-europe.com or some other official form of communication.
personal blog, not private blog, this is internet guys, it was more than obvious that the message would reach us immediately, so he is addressing the community thru his personal blog
No, you didn't. You paid for the game itself. The head start, open beta and the items are a bonus for your willingness to reserve a copy of the game when it releases on the 18th of September.