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Could a second delay be construed as anything except incompetence?
Ok, so you announce a release date, then a week or two before the release date you miss it. Well, shit happens.
The official excuse was they thought they'd have the billing and distribution system worked out, but the guys handling that went on vaction, and they didn't go on vacation, it was a big misunderstanding, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Well, you might not want to announce a release date till you have that stuff worked out, but hey you live you learn, and these guys have never released a game before.
One problem with this whole scenario, however, is the NDA. If the big problem with missing your release date was miscommunication with the billing and distribution guys, then what does that have to do with keeping the NDA in place? Not much.
But ok, you figure out what you're going to do for billing and distribution, and then you announce another release date. Now this time around, wouldn't you learn from your very recent previous mistake? Wouldn't you go, ok, we screwed the pooch on that last release date announcement, we've GOT to get it right this time. LEt's make sure everything is in place, before we announce another date.
I've seen this sort of post a LOT: Well I hope they postpone because I wand DF to be the best game evar! and if they need more time they should hold off on release, etc., etc.
That doesn't really apply. I'm not saying geez, these guys have been in development long enough already, release the dang game you stupid dingleberries! No, I"m saying take whatever time you need but after yoru recent debacle of a missed release date, wouldn't you make SURE you get it right hte second time around, and give yourself plenty of time to release, and make sure you have whatever you need before you announce another date?
I would think that anything else would be pure incompetence. Wouldn't you say that either they meet this second release date, or these guys are incompetent boobs?
Comments
People are going to start getting a little disgruntled but as always the die-hards will come on here posting their gospel and all will continue as it has been.
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You wouldn't understand
I think the general consensus seems to be to push back the release date, especially after certain whispers from unmentionable camps. I'm past the point of caring about DF now, but the forums and the whole drama surrounding it sure are entertaining.
Tasos will probably spin one of his ill-advised soundbites about how they're adding some additional polish for all their loyal fans. But we'll all know it's because the game isn't ready.
He hasn't got much to lose at the moment so he might as well delay the game a little longer to ensure it doesn't get completely torn apart should he release on the 25th.
(All views expressed in the above post have no basis in fact ... yadda yadda... just my opinion).
The thing is that if and when the NDA is lifted won't mean all is set in stone.
Another delay could be good or bad,good if there determined to resolve any issues that could hurt them at release date,bad if there funding starts running low and the game gets canceled like some others have in the past or the need to push it out as is because of same issue with funding,like what happened to DnL.
I see no issues with pushing the release date back if the game still needs work, many game before DF have had multiple push backs before the actual release. It is a hard thing to estimate with as complicated as an MMO can be (including game, billing, marketing, infrastructure, servers).
Now having said that, where they have shown incompetance is through the mouth of Tasos. Making claims that AV will be completely different and only announce a date when they are 100% sure they can meet it was naive. The lack of any concrete release information a week out from release is /facepalm. Keeping Tasos as the only PR person alienating potential players in the latest interview is moronic.
The game given any rational approach to PR would be plugging along... some would be dissappointed, but the community would be healthy. What we have right now is the villagers at the gate with torches ready to burn the whole thing down. This is the real incompetence which has nothing at all to do with DF and everything to do with basic business practices.
-Atziluth-
- Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
The point is not is the game ready, or should they work on it more and push back release.
Teh point is, after you just screwed up a release date, wouln't you make damn sure you had it right the second time around before announcing another date?
If you screwed that up too, is there any legitimate excuse, or don't you just have to throw in the towel and say these guys are incompetent?
Is there really a legitimate excuse, not for delaying the game, but for announcing ANOTHER release date when you weren't ready to release?
If they announce a delay, but don't lift the NDA, don't open the game up to a larger open beta, don't give any more detailed info (system specs, pre-order details, etc.) and give the same type of flimsy excuses for the next delay as they did the last one, maybe. I could easily see folks throw their hands up in frustration and write Darkfall off for good, calling AV incompetent idiots as they walk out the door.
If, on the other hand, people get a real post from Tasos detailing real issues with the state of the game and him saying look, we've got X, Y and Z issues which popped up in testing and dealing with those things is keeping us from releasing the game so we're pushing release back to May or whatever so we can fix them, I think folks would understand and be fine with it.
It's all in how they choose to handle things.
honestly, I don't think so. These guys have some major pride and by announcing in january the game will be delayed 1 more month showed me that perhaps things are on track and the game is pretty much ready for release. I literally thought this delay had nothing to do with the game not being ready. But, knowing the preorder, billing info, etc still hasn't been listed kinda makes me raise an eyebrow. Maybe they're waiting for the last second, I don't know. But a few guildies that are in beta are orgasmic about the game and have been writing up pro's and cons regarding all thats in the game and stuff that won't be in for launch which they're fine with right now. BUT all 5 of them rambled on saying the game will definitely without a shadow of a doubt go live on the 25th.. I jokingly replied, 25th of what month? LOL but according to them, the NDA will be lifted in a day or two and preorders will be set up for the weekend, and all the info we want till be available in the next half week.
Personally it sounds like a rush job just to honor their release date announcement this time around, *shrug* but we'll see
Rallithon Oakthornn
(Retired Heirophant of the 60th season)
If the game is not ready or needs a bit more polish say so and delay it again. Just make sure this time you DON'T announce another release date till you are ready. I don't mind another delay, if the game needs it. What I do mind is the PR incompetence of Tacos, or whatever the fuck his name is.
EXACTLY! That's exactly what I Was thinking. Look they can afford to push it back again, but not long. I think darkfall staff are unaware of the fact that there is serious competition down the road, Mortal online, and if they wait long enough I really think Mortal will smash them.
Mortal online is looking to be better then DF, the company making it seems a lot more customer friendly and they seem to have there crap together. IF I were working on DF I woulden't push release back to far.
Also yes one would think they would get there 2nd release date right, espcially since Tasos has claimed the game is "Ready to be played in its current state" and there have been NO major issues. Then again I think just about everyone following the game, fanboy or hater is somewhat skeptical of what Tasos says at this point, he hasn't proven to be the most reliable or beliveable person.
I hope it comes out the 25th, but I'm not holding my breath, and then there is still the issue of "limited" release which is all the info they have given. It just seems like more crap piled on more crap the closer we get to actual release.
They have totally underestimate the whole release thing plus now beta with much more players they have suddenly problems they did not have with a couple of hundred and all those years with pro testers and bots.
I think they delay again they can't launch now or game will fail not becouse its so bad but becouse people will leave after a month.
Games played:AC1-Darktide'99-2000-AC2-Darktide/dawnsong2003-2005,Lineage2-2005-2006 and now Darkfall-2009.....
In between WoW few months AoC few months and some f2p also all very short few weeks.
LOL, btw I find it funny that part of Tasos's comment about why they delayed in January was that they didn't anticipate the number of responses they would get.
DF is probably one the most (if not most) talked about games in years (for both good and bad reasons) yet they didn't anticipate that folks would want to try it out?
*boggles*
I think this would be a little more than a second delay. Try 14th or more. I guess all that preaching Tasos did about feature full and ready are also coming up as lies and they are now watering down the hardcore elements as the beta is moving along.
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
I agree, there is nothing more frustrating than having a new game in your hands and not being able to play due to server instability. This situation could have been easily avoided if they had only started a consumer beta earlier. It's all good to have professionals test your game but you can not hire enough professionals to stress a server, especially coming from an Indie company.
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You wouldn't understand
The funniest thing about this game and all mmo's is the secrecy that these dev company's impose. It's just a video game for christ sake, not a top secret military weapon or whatever. So please don't tell me that DF has some new and never heard of before systems that they don't want other devs to find out about.
There's nothing that a game can come out with that hasn't been done to death before in pretty much every other game on the market. DF is no differant and should have been in an open beta stage for weeks now. As long as it has taken them to get to this point, you would have thought they would have had their shit togeither when it came to billing , distribution and servers being massively tested.
From what i have been viewing from leaks and such, i have seen and been in alpha's that were in better shape and more feature ready.
This is starting to sound more and more like Pirates of the Burning Sea. A new company that thinks they have a handle on everything, or acts like it, but really has no idea what is going to happen when they release it, but will probably have massive lag issues, imbalances, exploits, etc., and will suddenly resort to thrashing about changing things willy-nilly with no plan and pissing off most of their fanbase, leading to a lot less revenue than they need and further retrenchment.
I think the fanbots will still spin it a s a positive thing. I certainly wouldn't advocate launching a game before it is read... but that isn't what we are discussing. We are talking about their inability to get it ready by their own predetermined date. I personally can't wait for it to launch so people will just quit talking about it. It's a product of it's own hype.. at this point it could never live up to it. This will be a below average attempt, nothing to write home about... and the idiots at the helm have presented it as the greatest game ever made. I guess they don't follow the philosophy of under-promise, over-deliver.
-----Zero Punctuation Eve Online Review-----
Does this surprise you at any level?
Here is Darkfall in the eyes of a Fanboy
In the eyes of a Troll
and in the eyes of everyone else
Iiii-iiiiiit's.... me!!! *Hooray*
Does this surprise you at any level?
Here is Darkfall in the eyes of a Fanboy
In the eyes of a Troll
and in the eyes of everyone else
A jar of PP? I don't want a jar of PP.
Please keep your full and half full jars of PP to yourself. TMI.
Agreed.
The problem I see is the game needs to stay in beta but at the same time they need to start bring in funds (at least enough to pay bills and keep the game up and running)
So how does one do both of these things at the same time ?
Velika: City of Wheels: Among the mortal races, the humans were the only one that never built cities or great empires; a curse laid upon them by their creator, Gidd, forced them to wander as nomads for twenty centuries...
Agreed.
The problem I see is the game needs to stay in beta but at the same time they need to start bring in funds (at least enough to pay bills and keep the game up and running)
So how does one do both of these things at the same time ?
Pre-orders?
My guess is that they're borderline running out of funds, so they just couldn't afford to delay the game from the missed 22nd january date for around 3-6 months without the risk of having no money to launch the game. Then postponing for a single month was more viable, gives AV less time to patch and polish, but no risk of critical problems. I hope I'm wrong though, that's a bad situation for the game.
A jar of PP? I don't want a jar of PP.
Please keep your full and half full jars of PP to yourself. TMI.
I'm pretty sure it's apple juice or some other similar colored drinkable liquid, but thnx for the lolz
Iiii-iiiiiit's.... me!!! *Hooray*
The first delay AND the cited reasons was enough for me to shout incompetance from the jury box but this trial has barely begun. However, a second delay will be really amazingly and laughably incompetant. Why ?
Because the game by the way.. according to Tasos and a few crazy fanbois "in beta" ... is ready to go. It was ready to go... oh a long, long time ago. Apparently.
I don't believe this for one second, its justifiable if the game needs more work (money permiting) HOWEVER the incompetance at managing expectations of this game is the big problem. Personally, this doesn't bode well if aventuines PR is a good as its product. Also the lack of expectation management and amazing claims still makes the word "scam" float around DF.
But hey.. there indie developers right.. ? They can be total morons and were happy with it ? Afriad not...
Tasos has already demonstrated his incompetence, probably more so than Gaute did. Anything said or done now, short of releasing flawlessly on the 25th, will only exacerbate the problem with him. The only way AV can possibly save face at that point, is to let Tasos go. Then the market might restore some respect to AV, and treat them a little more fair. Only then will investors jump on board again. Otherwise... look for Dark and Light 2: The Saga Continues.
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Tried- L2, Ryzom, WAR, DDO, PWI, Tab Rasa, Requiem, Champs, AA, JD, PWI, SUN, Dawntide
Played- SWG (pre-cu), AoC, VG, WoW, LoTRO,CoX, EQ2, DAOC, GW, PotBS, Aion, MO,APB, NASA, Fallen Earth, DCUO, Rift
Playing- EVE, Black Prophecy, TOR
Waiting for- Tera, Jumpgate Evo, WH40K, WWE, WOD, TSW
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"Hey, if Activision liked it, then they should have put a ring on it," Double Fine President Tim Schafer said. "Oh great, now Beyonce is going to sue me too."
You should always be wary of any game that releases without a full blown Open Beta and the NDA lifted. Specially if they butter the toast with Pre-Orders getting early access to the game. All of which is done in order to maximize quick sales and limit the amount of bad press that could potentially happen. Simply put, an NDA is to stop bad press before the game is ready. It might suck now, but in 6 Months it will not. This close to release the NDA is in effect for the same reason, but there is simply no time to fix it. So you keep the NDA in place to limit the bad press to a dull roar, offer early entry in the game to pre-orders then deal with the up-roar after the release when the NDA is lifted and the shit hits the fan.
I mean really guys. If the game is good and ready for release there is seriouly NO REASON to have the NDA in effect as you want people talking about your game and how great it is. Use a couple of the brain cells God gave you and think about it.
To the OP, Yes to announce a 2ND date after you missed the first date and then miss it as well shows what type of management there is behind the company and their total lack of common sense. Incompetent? I would think so