as someone who was with SWG from launch.. my memory seems to recall John Smedley as being the driving force behind such game-destroying changes as the CU (combat Update) and the NGE (New Game Ehancements - which literally took a game where there were hundreds of combinations of the 32 character classes and distilled the game down to 8 on-rails classes / 9 if you count politician lol).
both the CU and later the NGE took the greatest sandbox game of all time and turned it into a one-button easy click brainless, funless piece of complete garbage; the NGE having the added kick in the groin of waiting until 4 days after game expansion and the subscribers all paying for the expansion, to institute the NGE and completely blow up the entire game play mechanics.
Smedley is the destroyer of great sandbox games from his history.. he is not an innovator or creater of sandbox content.
so all those holding their breath for EQ Next... don't turn blue or pass out, because it just ain't gonna happen.
I dunno Bill. On one hand SoE appears to be trying to do things right. On the other, after my horrible beta experience with Dragon's Prophet, I still see the same old SoE casual disregard for their customers when it comes to squeezing a few extra dollars out of their wallets. For example look at the recent $50 1 day pony fiasco that the EQ2 team put out or the fact that right before the Dragon's Prophet open beta they dropped the pre-order pack prices by 25% to get more sales thereby basically pooing all over their early supporters.
I'm watching EQ:N but through a very skeptical lens. SoE has done some monumentally stupid things and I don't think they've entirely learned their lesson. Proceed with caution.
I bought a TV at Wal-Mart the first day they carried it. Then two months later those bastards had a sale and sold it 25% cheaper!
How dare they crap all over us "early adopters" by offering sales!
That isn't what happened though is it? This isn't a TV and shallow thoughtless analogies don't really do it justice.
What happened is they offered a pre-order for a game for early adopters and either didn't sell enough or just wanted more money (which is more like SoE behavior) so before the game launched they dropped the pre-order price to entice more sales.
In your TV analogy it would be like going to WalMart and pre-ordering a new flat screen TV for $500 two weeks early and coming in the following week to see that the pre-orders are now $375, but WalMart won't honor the price reduction. In your analogy world if I purchased this from WalMart or Amazon I would be able to either be refunded the difference or return my original pre-order and buy it at the new price. SoE offered neither of these.
The scenario you describe is more like Rift's approach with their box fees. If you buy early you pay full price. If you buy 3 months down the road you get to purchase it at a cheaper price. That is completely different from this situation.
They did totally shit on their early adopters and in more than one way because they weren't forthcoming about how their item packs with regard to housing worked either.
It was worth the risk to me because I get 9k SC out of it so it's not a total loss, but it totally reinforced why I typically don't do preorders and why I especially don't trust SoE to screw me over for a buck. They are totally within their right to do what they did. I'm not disputing that, but now I could give two shits about their game and I have no loyalty to them or their game.
This is why I'm an opportunist. Even though I get burnt on taking the risk sometimes (like this one) I always use game publishers and developers to my advantage with no remorse.
I'm with Torvald on this one. To a degree.
I totally get the TV sale analogy and think it is a good arguement other than the fact these packs were a preorder deal. SOE should have honored the new lower price.
I wouldn't go so far as to label them the devil though.
I think there is little bit of denial going on here.
World of Warcraft was a phenomenon that will never happen again.
I am not saying EQnext doesn't have interesting innovations but if you remotely think that this battle of titans (pun intended) will result in "The MMO" coming out of the closet...its just not going to happen.
The genre/market is saturated with way to many MMO's. Also players attentions spans have gotten shorter! We go through these games like underwear! We are far too spread and lets not forget the ferocious appetite that MMO players have evolved. Locusts mentality anyone?
I think its slightly shameful that again we as MMO players are spouting "This is the WoW killer!" or in this case "This is the WoW 2.0 killer." Which is what this article is in a nutshell with your "SOE to retake the throne as the King of the MMO."
I am not against someone being excited for an MMO...I have many I look forward to as well but people need to accept that there will never be another WoW. Not with our current technology anyways.
So stop with this WoW comparison....its so ridiculous. On another note though EQNext looks like a fun game and I look forward to playing it.
Originally posted by monarc333 Bill, when will we see an EQNext forum go up? Or is there one already and I'm just blind (it's happened before)!!
there aint a forum, but there is a EQnext sub forum in the EQ1 page - would certainly expect them to have a EQN forum on Aug ~2nd, when they make their big reveal, since Id expect an official name then as well....iirc that were the excuse for not having it, next to nothing offical shown, and no official name,just the production code name.
My first comment to MMOrpg(org).com ., * . My profile rank is 40 or so at time of comment . . , . . [+] . EQnext . Alot . of . flaq . about EQ as DemoGraph . rl not violate etc . irl ., uhm . :profileEQau2 give manna thots to human acodt in terms of ideal games not bother with foreign theorys on problem natural planet Earth 02 we live at {irl} ., Norrath ./. Ok the Pantheon of Norrath . , . The * D and D Next equivalent of new producers SOE and Blizzard Entertainment ([ Unreal Engine ]) ., etcetera . What happened to the lackluster pre DemoGraph {(rl)} low grid scrolling forever[T]au * edition.s of Ever,.([for]) casting DM client prob lem Dragon's Housing home office playing and~ s.moking the {mana} on basis of "foreign" effect to . . . scrolling forever ., . or~ finding Everes [!!] .and winning the game ., getting the Next demo .,*. etcetera . First Post on MMOrpg. Maybe the newer design theory on webpage access will load it . Maybe or~ mebi na., qua . etc. THX!! Enjoy playing the Blizzard entertaining forever ({starchild)} loot and ethic . . . unethical ./. so's dishonest gaming . Bye .
Only salvation for us really. All i can say that since WoW and its clone wars for the last 8 years i have a sliver of hope for the mmo future. I only hope that EqNext will be a sandbox for PvE people as much as EvE or World of Darkness will be for pvp players.
i dont care whether EQN takes advantage of the "titan gap" or whatever. if it's a good game then i'll play it, support it with cash and consider myself lucky.
actually i can say the exact same thing about wildstar, repop, camelot, etc.... tho i admit as an OG norrathian i do have a *bit* of extra hope for EQ3 (grins)
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
I missed the Everquest boat the first go around. It's just too outdated for my taste to go and play the first two. I am excited to play one of the most popular mmo's ever. I hope it lives up to expectations.
"Smed’s own touting of what EQNext will be, and of course Dave’s own design philosophy behind the title have us all getting our expectations rather high"
Who, exactly, is "Us"? I've been playing EQ and EQ2 for appx 12 years and I've heard a lot of interesting things come out of their mouths: spin, hype and a whole lot of half-truths. Dave's design philosophy makes my skin crawl. He used to be Mr. Free Realms, and was brought to EQ2 to convert it and develop cheesy gimmicks that fall flat on their faces.
Which brings me to:
" We know better, of course. There’s also the SOEmote technology that could allow players to truly bring their characters to life, and I’d be surprised if it wasn’t involved somehow in EQN"
I can't believe you brought up SOEmote like it was a feature the players would look forward to. Seriously. It was a ridiculously over-hyped failure brought forward by Dave as "The Saviour Technology for Roleplaying". The sad reality is that even before launch the community was laughing at it, and after launch it was apparent how much of a joke it was. Dave is like a snake oil salesman. He's charismatic, and spins tall tales. Take whatever he says with a grain of salt.
All that said, I love the EQ franchise. I despise Dave and distrust Smed, but I am looking to see what this next incarnation of EQ ends up being at the reveal in Aug. I honestly hope its great, but knowing that Dave has had his hands in it for the last 3 years makes me very wary.
I can't believe you brought up SOEmote like it was a feature the players would look forward to. Seriously. It was a ridiculously over-hyped failure brought forward by Dave as "The Saviour Technology for Roleplaying". The sad reality is that even before launch the community was laughing at it, and after launch it was apparent how much of a joke it was. Dave is like a snake oil salesman. He's charismatic, and spins tall tales. Take whatever he says with a grain of salt.
Out of curiosity, how is an optional feature an "over-hyped failure" lol. I don't know if people use it, but I think it's actually a pretty awesome idea. I don't play EQ2 or have a webcam, but I would consider checking it out personally. I don't think it can be classified as a failure though. No one else has anything like it and the idea of it is pretty neat.
Originally posted by Skullagrim I missed the Everquest boat the first go around. It's just too outdated for my taste to go and play the first two. I am excited to play one of the most popular mmo's ever. I hope it lives up to expectations.
Likewise. Definitely looking forward to this game.
I can't believe you brought up SOEmote like it was a feature the players would look forward to. Seriously. It was a ridiculously over-hyped failure brought forward by Dave as "The Saviour Technology for Roleplaying". The sad reality is that even before launch the community was laughing at it, and after launch it was apparent how much of a joke it was. Dave is like a snake oil salesman. He's charismatic, and spins tall tales. Take whatever he says with a grain of salt.
Out of curiosity, how is an optional feature an "over-hyped failure" lol. I don't know if people use it, but I think it's actually a pretty awesome idea. I don't play EQ2 or have a webcam, but I would consider checking it out personally. I don't think it can be classified as a failure though. No one else has anything like it and the idea of it is pretty neat.
Well, if you played EQ2 (and you don't) you'd know what I was talking about. There is a whole history to Dave and his features that you just weren't there for. I'm not here to educate you on a long history.
Thing is, on paper it sounds awesome, hence your comment "the idea of it is pretty neat". Idea is the keyword. The implementation of his "features" are another matter altogether. Universally, they were either half-baked, altogether broken, rejected due to their sheer stupidity by the community, or abandoned altogether and scrapped.
World of Warcraft was the first MMO and therefore the most difficult. Discuss. Just kidding.
I have seen a lot of MMOs arrive that were supposed to be the WoW killer or the next coming of the MMO savior and so far they have all come up short in one way or another. It is difficult to get quite as hopeful as Bill, based on this track record. I will be watching with interest, though, because this one has been in development forever and it is supposed to be a sandbox, which could make it different than a lot of the other MMOs out there.
Currently playing: Rift Played: SWToR, Aion,EQ, Dark Age of Camelot World of Warcraft, AoC
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as someone who was with SWG from launch.. my memory seems to recall John Smedley as being the driving force behind such game-destroying changes as the CU (combat Update) and the NGE (New Game Ehancements - which literally took a game where there were hundreds of combinations of the 32 character classes and distilled the game down to 8 on-rails classes / 9 if you count politician lol).
both the CU and later the NGE took the greatest sandbox game of all time and turned it into a one-button easy click brainless, funless piece of complete garbage; the NGE having the added kick in the groin of waiting until 4 days after game expansion and the subscribers all paying for the expansion, to institute the NGE and completely blow up the entire game play mechanics.
Smedley is the destroyer of great sandbox games from his history.. he is not an innovator or creater of sandbox content.
so all those holding their breath for EQ Next... don't turn blue or pass out, because it just ain't gonna happen.
I'm with Torvald on this one. To a degree.
I totally get the TV sale analogy and think it is a good arguement other than the fact these packs were a preorder deal. SOE should have honored the new lower price.
I wouldn't go so far as to label them the devil though.
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I go to www.EQNexus.com for all my EQnext news updates, podcasts, and discussions.
I think there is little bit of denial going on here.
World of Warcraft was a phenomenon that will never happen again.
I am not saying EQnext doesn't have interesting innovations but if you remotely think that this battle of titans (pun intended) will result in "The MMO" coming out of the closet...its just not going to happen.
The genre/market is saturated with way to many MMO's. Also players attentions spans have gotten shorter! We go through these games like underwear! We are far too spread and lets not forget the ferocious appetite that MMO players have evolved. Locusts mentality anyone?
I think its slightly shameful that again we as MMO players are spouting "This is the WoW killer!" or in this case "This is the WoW 2.0 killer." Which is what this article is in a nutshell with your "SOE to retake the throne as the King of the MMO."
I am not against someone being excited for an MMO...I have many I look forward to as well but people need to accept that there will never be another WoW. Not with our current technology anyways.
So stop with this WoW comparison....its so ridiculous. On another note though EQNext looks like a fun game and I look forward to playing it.
MMORPG Gamers/Developers need a reality check!
there aint a forum, but there is a EQnext sub forum in the EQ1 page - would certainly expect them to have a EQN forum on Aug ~2nd, when they make their big reveal, since Id expect an official name then as well....iirc that were the excuse for not having it, next to nothing offical shown, and no official name,just the production code name.
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Pretty sure it has a F2P option.
i dont care whether EQN takes advantage of the "titan gap" or whatever. if it's a good game then i'll play it, support it with cash and consider myself lucky.
actually i can say the exact same thing about wildstar, repop, camelot, etc.... tho i admit as an OG norrathian i do have a *bit* of extra hope for EQ3 (grins)
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
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....Being Banned from MMORPG's forums since 2010, for Trolling the Trolls!!!
"Smed’s own touting of what EQNext will be, and of course Dave’s own design philosophy behind the title have us all getting our expectations rather high"
Who, exactly, is "Us"? I've been playing EQ and EQ2 for appx 12 years and I've heard a lot of interesting things come out of their mouths: spin, hype and a whole lot of half-truths. Dave's design philosophy makes my skin crawl. He used to be Mr. Free Realms, and was brought to EQ2 to convert it and develop cheesy gimmicks that fall flat on their faces.
Which brings me to:
" We know better, of course. There’s also the SOEmote technology that could allow players to truly bring their characters to life, and I’d be surprised if it wasn’t involved somehow in EQN"
I can't believe you brought up SOEmote like it was a feature the players would look forward to. Seriously. It was a ridiculously over-hyped failure brought forward by Dave as "The Saviour Technology for Roleplaying". The sad reality is that even before launch the community was laughing at it, and after launch it was apparent how much of a joke it was. Dave is like a snake oil salesman. He's charismatic, and spins tall tales. Take whatever he says with a grain of salt.
All that said, I love the EQ franchise. I despise Dave and distrust Smed, but I am looking to see what this next incarnation of EQ ends up being at the reveal in Aug. I honestly hope its great, but knowing that Dave has had his hands in it for the last 3 years makes me very wary.
"..along with Smed's touting..."
Should be enough to put fear into any vet gamer's consideration of this.
We shall see.
Out of curiosity, how is an optional feature an "over-hyped failure" lol. I don't know if people use it, but I think it's actually a pretty awesome idea. I don't play EQ2 or have a webcam, but I would consider checking it out personally. I don't think it can be classified as a failure though. No one else has anything like it and the idea of it is pretty neat.
I have no doubt it will be hybrid.
No way SOE is just doing pure subs these days.
Likewise. Definitely looking forward to this game.
Well, if you played EQ2 (and you don't) you'd know what I was talking about. There is a whole history to Dave and his features that you just weren't there for. I'm not here to educate you on a long history.
Thing is, on paper it sounds awesome, hence your comment "the idea of it is pretty neat". Idea is the keyword. The implementation of his "features" are another matter altogether. Universally, they were either half-baked, altogether broken, rejected due to their sheer stupidity by the community, or abandoned altogether and scrapped.
World of Warcraft was the first MMO and therefore the most difficult. Discuss. Just kidding.
I have seen a lot of MMOs arrive that were supposed to be the WoW killer or the next coming of the MMO savior and so far they have all come up short in one way or another. It is difficult to get quite as hopeful as Bill, based on this track record. I will be watching with interest, though, because this one has been in development forever and it is supposed to be a sandbox, which could make it different than a lot of the other MMOs out there.
Currently playing:
Rift
Played:
SWToR, Aion,EQ, Dark Age of Camelot
World of Warcraft, AoC
Somebody, somewhere has better skills as you have, more experience as you have, is smarter than you, has more friends as you do and can stay online longer. Just pray he's not out to get you.