vaporware

Boozek · August 2006

There is a limit to how much a company can disclose. There is also a limit where the fanbase begins to erode and if said product launches it will need to do alot to attract a playerbase.

Avoiding fanbase erosion might just include lettin us know a bit of info, or just even popping your heads out and saying wtf? it's dark out here.

regardless the game has dropped from very high on my list to almost non existant. Secrecy and public relations are two different things. A simple hello folks we know yur waiting would do a hell of alot to maintain a small playerbase to begin with.

Coronatus · August 2006

That's true, I agree. However, MMORPG.com got unusually little coverage on the game. If you check out other sites, and sum up the information you gather that way you can get quite a pile of facts, screenshots and news on Fallen Earth.

But, only time will tell.

superhero13 · August 2006

A great website can be a complete sham. Just look at the DAWN project or Dark & Light or Mourning. DnL wasnt vaporware, but the game wasnt anything like what the website promised.

Im really angry at the Darkfall devs for promising so much then doing no support of their game on the website. It's an insult.

Why start the hype engine if you dont have the assets or the will to back it up? Im not saying disclose critical information, but if you dont want info out there...dont create the expectation or the DESIRE for the info in the first place.

All this, "we'll release when we're ready" is an insult to fans who take the time and energy to get interested.

wolfmann · August 2006

"we'll release when ready"

is way better than:

"We'll release what we got and patch it all later"

How many games have lost much because of catastrophic launches and unfinished buggy gameplay?

superhero13 · August 2006

Well I agree with that, but a lot of software companies are using "we'll release when ready" as an excuse. Yes we all agree that we want a bug-free product...but dont announce your crap unless you're ready to promote it at least marginally.

Software sales are a give and take, ffs. You announce info...we get excited. You tell us more then we invest more of ourselves in your idea. Eventually we give you money for your code.

Dont start making us want info unless you're ready to give us at least a little bit. Otherwise your just messing with our heads. I dont like to be messed with.

maxanto · August 2006

Originally posted by Boozek

There is a limit to how much a company can disclose. There is also a limit where the fanbase begins to erode and if said product launches it will need to do alot to attract a playerbase.
Avoiding fanbase erosion might just include lettin us know a bit of info, or just even popping your heads out and saying wtf? it's dark out here.
regardless the game has dropped from very high on my list to almost non existant. Secrecy and public relations are two different things. A simple hello folks we know yur waiting would do a hell of alot to maintain a small playerbase to begin with.

I would agree if FE was anything like this. They are not. Thay produce great roleplaying information that they send out in e-mail (you have to sign up at their site to get it) Their website has tons of information from excellent screenshots as well as game information.

If you (I and I mean you in general not you the OP) do nothing to look into a game, I could see why a person would think this way. Its just not the case. Look at their website4, if you like I will forward you all the e-mails from these guys I have gotten (or you can read them in this forum too). Yes they are keeping quiet more so than any game I have ever played, but they are not avoiding their fan base. At least not IMHO.

Stowaway · August 2006

If you email them, they answer. I've emailed them a few times for various reasons.

Even if they can't answer your question, they will converse with you on the subject or just to say why they can't right now.

Interesting that you say there is no 'hello folks we know you're waiting', I seem to remember it was only recently at fallenearth.se something was posted to that effect, basically saying 'hello things are still going well, because we've given you mostly story information from incharacter recently here is an update in general on Fallen Earth and us' or something like that. They also post every now and then there and say they read it, and www.fallenearth.se seems to be where the 'base' is converging for the moment, so that's the place to be to check in I would say, most people who were here (And for a long time too), are now there.

Having followed the game for a long time I'm actually really impressed with the way the devs carry themselves, can understand the frustration of not having big previews and hype and information being pumped out but just have to be patient, there was a time when you'd wait months and months for any sort of word at all, it's generally 3 weeks or so now between at least a newsletter.

Smirch · August 2006

I feel your pain Boozek. This game looks like it could be very very cool, but the information is scant and the newsletters they send out don't provide much meat; unless you consider goofy RPing background updates on the in-game factions to be MEAT.

Hopefully they start opening the tap a little more on the information faucet. Even a drop would keep me interested now.

complexiator · August 2006

I have no problem with checking once in a while if there is news. Besides we'd get an email if theres new right? Maybe it is the difference between actively waiting and passively waiting. I tend to get real anoyed too when i do the first so I switch to the latter.

maxanto · August 2006

Originally posted by Smirch
I feel your pain Boozek. This game looks like it could be very very cool, but the information is scant and the newsletters they send out don't provide much meat; unless you consider goofy RPing background updates on the in-game factions to be MEAT.

Hopefully they start opening the tap a little more on the information faucet. Even a drop would keep me interested now.

Goofy? Excuse me but this is a roleplaying game. Those are wonderful stories of factions that you will be interacting with. If you bother to read them you might gleam useful information about what you can expect to get when dealing with them. I know I did.

darkaster · August 2006

It's not that they intentionally ignore the fanbase, that's just not true. If you go to fallenearth.se you can see a few FE_Dev posts, even in just some of the silly threads. There are also a few FE Dev posts here as well. They are hard at work, but are not dead. They still respond to e-mails, and still are sending out newsletters. It may not be on the top of your hype-list now, but I think they'd rather have that than be pressured to release a game unfinished.

green13 · August 2006

I was one of those people who saw the early stuff for D&L and was totally sold on it. But I was also one of those people who realised about 12 months before release that I'd been sold a dud. Very glad I bailed before I actually parted with any money.

I think an important distinction between the two is Icarus right from the start (which we have to acknowledge was years and years and years ago) have deliberately kept the hype down. I came across D&L and FE at around the same time. D&L were flogging themselves for all they were worth - no for more than they were worth. FE have given a few interviews.

All the signs point towards Icarus speeding towards the finish line with no less than they've promised from those developer interviews. Sure they'll probably have attracted and lost a few fans in the meantime, but that's why they haven't hyped yet. I expect to see them rev up the hype engine a few months before release, open their official forums and... away we go!

darkaster · August 2006

Originally posted by green13

I was one of those people who saw the early stuff for D&L and was totally sold on it. But I was also one of those people who realised about 12 months before release that I'd been sold a dud. Very glad I bailed before I actually parted with any money.
I think an important distinction between the two is Icarus right from the start (which we have to acknowledge was years and years and years ago) have deliberately kept the hype down. I came across D&L and FE at around the same time. D&L were flogging themselves for all they were worth - no for more than they were worth. FE have given a few interviews.
All the signs point towards Icarus speeding towards the finish line with no less than they've promised from those developer interviews. Sure they'll probably have attracted and lost a few fans in the meantime, but that's why they haven't hyped yet. I expect to see them rev up the hype engine a few months before release, open their official forums and... away we go!

QFT, Great post green13.

Tymora · September 2006

Originally posted by Stowaway
If you email them, they answer. I've emailed them a few times for various reasons.

Even if they can't answer your question, they will converse with you on the subject or just to say why they can't right now.

Interesting that you say there is no 'hello folks we know you're waiting', I seem to remember it was only recently at fallenearth.se something was posted to that effect, basically saying 'hello things are still going well, because we've given you mostly story information from incharacter recently here is an update in general on Fallen Earth and us' or something like that. They also post every now and then there and say they read it, and www.fallenearth.se seems to be where the 'base' is converging for the moment, so that's the place to be to check in I would say, most people who were here (And for a long time too), are now there.

Having followed the game for a long time I'm actually really impressed with the way the devs carry themselves, can understand the frustration of not having big previews and hype and information being pumped out but just have to be patient, there was a time when you'd wait months and months for any sort of word at all, it's generally 3 weeks or so now between at least a newsletter.

Yes, I've E-mailed them several times and got responses, and answers to certain questions I had. Of course Icarus didn't answer my questions about when the game would be released and things of that nature, but in terms of some general questions about gameplay and what to expect, I got some info.

Of course, this isn't the normal way a player gets info on a mmo, but I still have total confidence in Icarus and I think they are doing well not to let too much info out and hype of the game needlessly. On the other hand, I'd like to start seeing more public releases of info for Fallen Earth, or I may start to fear for the state of the game. It's been a long time in development.

green13 · September 2006

Originally posted by Tymora
Of course, this isn't the normal way a player gets info on a mmo, but I still have total confidence in Icarus and I think they are doing well not to let too much info out and hype of the game needlessly. On the other hand, I'd like to start seeing more public releases of info for Fallen Earth, or I may start to fear for the state of the game. It's been a long time in development.

I share your confidence. I'm impressed with the way Icarus have handled their publicity. They've done it quite intelligently and that makes me think they're doing lots of other things intelligently.

It's also really important to remember that they're not just developing Fallen Earth as a game. They're developing what looks to be a really impressive next generation game engine on which any mmo can be built.

That's a bigger undertaking than just developing Fallen Earth.

I wouldn't fear for the state of the game. Given their history of being so tight-lipped I see their releasing those newsletters with faction info as a sign they can see the finish line. I wouldn't care to predict exactly when they'll announce beta but I think the state of the game is healthy.

adrir · September 2006

If it turns out as great as I hope - all the people we lose, who stop following the game now, are most likely going to come across it after it's released and join in the fun anyway.

Cthulhuvong · September 2006

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm?loadNews=6108&bhcp=1

With them getting more and more things like this, I highly doubt this is vaporware. I may have gotten bored waiting, but I am sure this will be an awesome game. I am just waiting for Beta.

Connoisseur · September 2006

Do you even know what vaporware means? Vaporware means a game is only in concept stage. Fallen Earth is way past that stage. If you've seen footage of the game, then you can tell that they already has the groundwork, models, animations, and sound effects. Also, I'd rather get information from a developer about the game which they know for sure will be implemented, not a planned feature which will dissapoint us when they don't get around to actually implementing it.

Cthulhuvong · September 2006

They've already stated again and again that they won't show anything unless they're for sure its going to be in the game. This announcement, like the one about supporting the physX cards, means that this is going to be a part of the game.

ordeith · September 2006

TTT.. is this vaporware or not? they've had so many years to finish this now, and the game is really falling behind graphically, I know graphics isn't everything, but damn.. the game have been a no-show for ages!

My money is on vapor... poof!

Mo0k · September 2006

Falling behind graphically? Excuse me, but have you seen the screenshots?! Lip synching, over 6000 polygons per character...

This isn't behind, this is a giant leap forward, as far as MMO gaming goes.

A no show? Hop over to MOGArmy.com and take a ganders at that video. They are well on their way. Ignore fallenearth.com, it's obsolete. But this game will definitely get to beta stage, and I'll quickly gamble on it going to release.

suske · September 2006

this is the only sandbox type game commin down the pipe anytime soon, lets hope it makes it!

KaotiX · September 2006

I'm looking forward to FE. It's a shame we have so little info on it.

psykowhirl · October 2006

Yeah, for a no show, that guy sure was excited talking about the game. This game is going to top anything that has been made yet. From the very beginning they stated that they did not want to say what was and was not going to be in the game because they didn't want the normal type of hype that some games do (dnl) and just don't deliver. From those clips this game definately looks like it is going to deliver.

No vaporware here!

adrir · October 2006

They have now had a playable demo at the Austin Games Conference. It has been recieving great reviews from independent sources. Even though they still have no release date, or even a beta date, I think all this negative talk should be rendered redundent.

neuronomad · October 2006

I don't think it is vaporware. Just because the company isn't giving press releases everyday and putting out a bunch of misleading screenhots and staged videos doesn't mean they aren't hard at work making a cool mmo.

Howdy, Stranger!

vaporware

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Quick Links

vaporware

Comments