Well, the leaving of such a controversial figure probably did good for Cryptic... though I don't know which of the two is more controversial so the point may be moot.
Roper can't rest on his accolades he recieved with Blizzard years ago. What he did with Mythos was awful and the whole time he worked for Cryptic was bad, too. Cryptic is a terrible company and he finally decided to bail. Maybe he's considering rejoining the guys who made Torchlight? Anyway, I'm glad he's gone and I honestly hope Cryptic doesn't get the rumored Forgotten Realms MMO. It will be crap just like all their others gamers.
Now they just need to get rid of Emmert and Needham and they might be able to pull the company up out of the stinkhole
Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT Playing: Skyrim Following: The Repopulation I want a Virtual World, not just a Game. ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)
I hope this means CO turns out better but my biggest complaint about the game was that it lacked the mmo feel to me. Too few zones, lack of content, most characters ended up with very similar powers by the end of the game.
STO i only played during beta but did not appeal to me at all. If the core of the game existed but had player crews it might have been worth while for a few months. But the current version is just another forgettable mmo.
Uh to the poeple bashing Roper not realize he was at the helm of Vibora bay, and possibly early concepts of Serpent Lantern. If your going to bash atleast bring facts to back your claims.
Fact: every game Roper has touched since Hellgate: London has taken a leap into the turdbowl.
True, but what's that two post HG: London? You know what they say, "third time's the charm". Never count anyone out in terms of picking themselves up and cleaning their slate.
There's to many factors to consider when deciphering what or who caused a game to fail. Just like a game, a dev team is a sum of all of its parts. Sometimes they just don't sinc, just as with any other failing "team".
Besides if we're going this far, we might as well just say all devs/dev teams must suck today, right? Not that I think in this manner, but what MMO team has hit one out of the park since Hellgate london was released?
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Good. Maybe in time, I can trust Cryptic again. Roper was a disease, and I honestly hope another company isn't stupid enough to hire him. This is the second company he's had a hand in ruining, and that should tell people something.
Needham and Emmert didn't need Roper's help in ruining Cryptic; they were well on their way before Roper ever joined them.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
This is the best news I've heard all day That guy became the Uwe Boll of the mmo industry.
Actually, I think Jack Emmert still has that title.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I've been following Ropers career since Blizzard and can say that he has some great ideas, but has terrible business sense. I wrote a blog years ago about how he needs to find that balance between the two and stay open minded. Maybe this was what he needed to get the experience so he can grow into the successful businessman he wants to be.
I would like to say I saw this coming from when he was demoted in favor of Posnewskie. I read the letter and it is ambiguous of why he really left. I don't think we will never know the truth here, but what does it matter anyway. Its none of our business really.
I hope this means CO turns out better but my biggest complaint about the game was that it lacked the mmo feel to me. Too few zones, lack of content, most characters ended up with very similar powers by the end of the game.
STO i only played during beta but did not appeal to me at all. If the core of the game existed but had player crews it might have been worth while for a few months. But the current version is just another forgettable mmo.
The problems with CO all stem from the time before Bill joined them, it really is unfair to blame that game's state on him...I really don't know what his real contribution was, but CO was conceived as a generic lifeless mmo by people who really didnt care or understand the subject matter they were supposedly representing and were more interested in generic tools that could be readily reskinned for another theme. Those left on the project today are certainly more invested and enlightened but the whole thing is cripled by the original lack of vision and ambition that stakes it through to the core.
Before becoming CEO if cryptic, John Needham worked as vice president for SOE under John Smedley for a number of years.
Bill Roper was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by Cryptic and left shortly after
Brad McQuaid was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by SOE and left shortly after
Raph Koster was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by SOE and left shortly after
I don't think anyone else has held those positions on a company wide level since then. It looks like these companies have a tendancy to promote people out of positions of authority before they force them out of the company.
Before becoming CEO if cryptic, John Needham worked as vice president for SOE under John Smedley for a number of years.
Bill Roper was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by Cryptic and left shortly after
Brad McQuaid was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by SOE and left shortly after
Raph Koster was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by SOE and left shortly after
I don't think anyone else has held those positions on a company wide level since then. It looks like these companies have a tendancy to promote people out of positions of authority before they force them out of the company.
If true, why is Jack Emmert still employed? He was the CCO at Cryptic before Roper took his place.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
If true, why is Jack Emmert still employed? He was the CCO at Cryptic before Roper took his place.
Good point.
Jack wasn't promoted out of a position of authority.
John Needham joined the company after Jack was in his position.
Jack is a co-founder in the company.
The three people I listed that were promoted to chief creative officer as a result of that promotion were removed from direct leadership of a game title and then left the company shortly after that.
Comments
Well, the leaving of such a controversial figure probably did good for Cryptic... though I don't know which of the two is more controversial so the point may be moot.
Bill Roper is like a video game making hooker with how many game studios he ends up at.
You know, I think you are right. Interesting.
This is the best news I've heard all day
That guy became the Uwe Boll of the mmo industry.
Roper can't rest on his accolades he recieved with Blizzard years ago. What he did with Mythos was awful and the whole time he worked for Cryptic was bad, too. Cryptic is a terrible company and he finally decided to bail. Maybe he's considering rejoining the guys who made Torchlight? Anyway, I'm glad he's gone and I honestly hope Cryptic doesn't get the rumored Forgotten Realms MMO. It will be crap just like all their others gamers.
Have never liked Bill ever since Hellgate: London.
I wish he would have quit earlier to reprise his role as Goliath and Vulture for Starcraft 2 :P
"I will not play it nor any other MMO until they make it possible to obtain the best gear without forcing people to group up to do so." SwampRob
Now they just need to get rid of Emmert and Needham and they might be able to pull the company up out of the stinkhole
Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR
Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT
Playing: Skyrim
Following: The Repopulation
I want a Virtual World, not just a Game.
ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)
I hope this means CO turns out better but my biggest complaint about the game was that it lacked the mmo feel to me. Too few zones, lack of content, most characters ended up with very similar powers by the end of the game.
STO i only played during beta but did not appeal to me at all. If the core of the game existed but had player crews it might have been worth while for a few months. But the current version is just another forgettable mmo.
True, but what's that two post HG: London? You know what they say, "third time's the charm". Never count anyone out in terms of picking themselves up and cleaning their slate.
There's to many factors to consider when deciphering what or who caused a game to fail. Just like a game, a dev team is a sum of all of its parts. Sometimes they just don't sinc, just as with any other failing "team".
Besides if we're going this far, we might as well just say all devs/dev teams must suck today, right? Not that I think in this manner, but what MMO team has hit one out of the park since Hellgate london was released?
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Needham and Emmert didn't need Roper's help in ruining Cryptic; they were well on their way before Roper ever joined them.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
Actually, I think Jack Emmert still has that title.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
Another game nearly got Flag Shipped! bye bye Bill. God help the next game studio that gets you.
oh god, Cryptic have let lose another useless dev partly responsible for two of the most spectacular failiers in gaming history.
I wonder which dev studio he is going on to polute now?
Ahem..let me clear my throat.
I've been following Ropers career since Blizzard and can say that he has some great ideas, but has terrible business sense. I wrote a blog years ago about how he needs to find that balance between the two and stay open minded. Maybe this was what he needed to get the experience so he can grow into the successful businessman he wants to be.
I would like to say I saw this coming from when he was demoted in favor of Posnewskie. I read the letter and it is ambiguous of why he really left. I don't think we will never know the truth here, but what does it matter anyway. Its none of our business really.
Best of luck on your future endeavors Mr. Roper.
~Inktomi
The problems with CO all stem from the time before Bill joined them, it really is unfair to blame that game's state on him...I really don't know what his real contribution was, but CO was conceived as a generic lifeless mmo by people who really didnt care or understand the subject matter they were supposedly representing and were more interested in generic tools that could be readily reskinned for another theme. Those left on the project today are certainly more invested and enlightened but the whole thing is cripled by the original lack of vision and ambition that stakes it through to the core.
Good riddance to terrible rubbish. He never should have been hired in the first place. Everything this guy touches turns to shit.
Before becoming CEO if cryptic, John Needham worked as vice president for SOE under John Smedley for a number of years.
Bill Roper was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by Cryptic and left shortly after
Brad McQuaid was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by SOE and left shortly after
Raph Koster was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer by SOE and left shortly after
I don't think anyone else has held those positions on a company wide level since then. It looks like these companies have a tendancy to promote people out of positions of authority before they force them out of the company.
If true, why is Jack Emmert still employed? He was the CCO at Cryptic before Roper took his place.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I like turtles
Good point.
Jack wasn't promoted out of a position of authority.
John Needham joined the company after Jack was in his position.
Jack is a co-founder in the company.
The three people I listed that were promoted to chief creative officer as a result of that promotion were removed from direct leadership of a game title and then left the company shortly after that.