Community Relations Archive
Thread: John Smedley's Letter to the Community: April 7th, 2005
DaedalAho
Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:11 am
#235
[section deleted where I missed the part about the merger letter being an april fools joke.. ?]
afterthoughts: I heard rumored previously, that WOW was going to get a "heroes class" expansion, so that people who reached level 60 still have some reason to play the game. My questions are: Are WOW "heroes" going to get lightsabers too? When I become a level [instert level cap here] Jedi, are you going to keep pumping out expansions to barely keep *me* playing? Is this CU your idea of fixing the jedi overpopulation that you caused with the "Jedi Path Revamp" from patch 10 (e.g.: chasing off swg veterans) ? Lastly, why couldn't you have just made a "thrown weapons experience" type, instead of nurfing grenades?
end of line.
afterthoughts: I heard rumored previously, that WOW was going to get a "heroes class" expansion, so that people who reached level 60 still have some reason to play the game. My questions are: Are WOW "heroes" going to get lightsabers too? When I become a level [instert level cap here] Jedi, are you going to keep pumping out expansions to barely keep *me* playing? Is this CU your idea of fixing the jedi overpopulation that you caused with the "Jedi Path Revamp" from patch 10 (e.g.: chasing off swg veterans) ? Lastly, why couldn't you have just made a "thrown weapons experience" type, instead of nurfing grenades?
end of line.
Message Edited by DaedalAho on 04-14-2005 05:14 PM
OkawieThorn
Thu Apr 14, 2005 8:14 am
#236
Since my last post, we launched our first Adventure Pack for EverQuest II "The Bloodline Chronicles"and over half our player base is already playing it! We are committed to releasing new content between Expansion Packs that goes beyond our live updates, and so we'll continue to release these Adventure Packs on a regular basis -- a first for our industry.
The EQII team is still hard at work on the existing game, and I think that all of the new content the team has added since launch is pretty amazing. In the past few weeks alone, we've added several new high level raids, an in-game mail system, Mentoring (something we're really excited about), two additional character slots for all subscribers, and we just added the new merchant system, which will allow players to sell items in game without having to leave their computer running. That's on top of the usual game additions -- dozens of new quests, spells, items, tradeskill recipes, etc. You can expect us to keep up this pace for a long time to come. Another part of the EQII team is hard at work on our first Expansion Pack, coming out later this year. We've taken a lot of your recent ideas and feedback into account, and we're working on some innovative ways characters can move and interact with the environment. Also, we're taking the first step towards introducing PvP competition with the introduction of a new type of combat!
There's also a lot of action on EverQuest. We're consolidating many of the servers to keep the game an exciting place to be, and we are investing a lot of time and effort in making this game an even better experience for its many fans. EverQuest just had its 6th anniversary on March 16th. It's very gratifying to see such a strong demand for this game, but when you look at how much of an impact EverQuest has had on so many people's lives not to mention the entire industry it's not very surprising. We continue to hear remarkable stories of how people are touched by the game. In fact, we just had a player name her daughter Firiona!
Isnt this a swg site?
i dont play eq, have never liked eq i dont want swg to be a clone of eq
the new combat leveling, hmmm sounds like ya are making swg into another eq
maybe ya better pull your head outta whatever it's in and leave the swg game alone
only positive thing i have seen with the new curb is the smuggler revamp
YoullNeverKnowWhoIAM
Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:20 am
#237
I beleive this was a letter to EQ2 players, but had a few mentions about the CU to make the EQ2 players interested in SWG.
Bisbaine
Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:40 am
#238
I was bitching about the changes in the CU last night and how this has essentially become a new game, with new rules, new gampeplay and the same basic appearance of the SWG that I have grown to love....looks the same (essentially) but very little works the same.
At this point I had an epiphany......we (the naysayers) have all been accused of ebing resistent to change......well NO S***.....you think?
OF COURSE we are....or we would have left this game ages ago to play EQ2 or WOW or heck...one of the many games that is free online....
But why is that bad? I have been loyal to SWG for almost 2 years now....why is this suddenly becoming a bad thing? I love my game....loved it enough to NOT change to a different one because....in spite of everything...some unbalanced areas, some bugs, some unilateral decisions I wasn't thrilled with.....
Yet now we're being told that that loyalty that kept us here through it all....is bad...it's a resistence to change and we need to sit down, stop whining and shut up....no not everyone has said it but I've read the forums and that is the definite message from some of our correspondents and fellow players.
If I hear "stop whining or leave the game" one more time I'm going to throw something. Fact is...whether you've invested 40+ hours a week (like some gamers) or 1100 dollars a year (like others who have 6 accounts) or whther it's 1 acount and only 2 hours a week....we should count in this decision...We've invested time, money and emotion into a game we mostly love.....Why should we have to shut up and take it or leave? I don't get this mentality.
I'm not even going to LIST the problems I have with the CU....to be honest there's just too many. The problems of this game could have been addressed without changing it this extremely....I'm lost as to what's happening...and why we are being ignored.
I've gotten the very definite opinion (from the forums, the slanted CU exit polls, even responses from the people at SOE) that we DON'T count...and they are more than willing to shunt the veterans aside in favor of MAYBE luring in the EQ2 gamers and WOW people who are ALREADY bored with their games....cause lets face it...noone leaves a game they're happy in for one they weren't.
Loyalty? apparently it's not worthmuch to SOE.
Ro'gue Huntress
(yes it's a dual post *wicked grin* I'd like to pretend I'm getting heard *shrugs* I'm into self-delusion)
jrscott
Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:27 am
#239
YoullNeverKnowWhoIAM wrote:
I beleive this was a letter to EQ2 players, but had a few mentions about the CU to make the EQ2 players interested in SWG.
I believe you are incorrect. This was posted in the Star Wars Galaxies section on the Sony website. It appears he could have written one letter for all thecommunities and it may have been posted on all the separate community sites, but that is tacky and FUTHER supports the idea people are trying to get through.
http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/content.jsp?page=Smedley%20Community%20Letter
If you are talking to different groups it would be POLITE to address them with separate letters. Make them feel like they are worthy of your time, which we obviously are not. In reading this letter it is so between the lines that SWG is the red-headed stepchild.
I call upon LucasArts to somehow pull this game away from SOE, run it yourselves. These people are not just poor at understanding the Star Wars community, but they are poor communicators too. SWG WILL die with this upgrade, and so will part of LucasArts reputation for having their name tied to this.
TheBlacknight15
Thu Apr 14, 2005 4:59 pm
#240
Lucas's reputation will be fine. The downfall of this game rests solely on the shoulders of SOE.
LordScotticus
Thu Apr 14, 2005 5:20 pm
#241
What angers me so much about this "combat" upgrade is that it goes much further than combat. Our current game is not so broken as to require an entirely new one; what are they thinking??
The current game boasts nearly two years of live play and associated bug fixes and player feedback. All of that is being shelved in favor of a completely new game, fresh out of the box and rich with bugs, inbalances as yet undiscovered, and exploits as yet unused. Who the hell made the decision that an alpha-test scratch rewrite should replace a veteran product? Let alone a veteran product with *lots* of fans that like it just fine the way it is.*
Completely boneheaded, this whole CU. It's like an entire company of executives, managers, developers, and CSRs just held hands and jumped off the cliff together. It's just baffling.
*EDIT: ...while recognizing that yes, it's in need of help. But not replacement.
The current game boasts nearly two years of live play and associated bug fixes and player feedback. All of that is being shelved in favor of a completely new game, fresh out of the box and rich with bugs, inbalances as yet undiscovered, and exploits as yet unused. Who the hell made the decision that an alpha-test scratch rewrite should replace a veteran product? Let alone a veteran product with *lots* of fans that like it just fine the way it is.*
Completely boneheaded, this whole CU. It's like an entire company of executives, managers, developers, and CSRs just held hands and jumped off the cliff together. It's just baffling.
*EDIT: ...while recognizing that yes, it's in need of help. But not replacement.
Message Edited by LordScotticus on 04-14-2005 08:22 PM
RedDestinyCC
Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:30 pm
#242
Cancel accounts, cancel pre-orders, sit back, eat popcorn, play some FPS, watch the game continue to sink, let your family and friends see your facesaround more for a while, do everyone good, and then when the mismanaging, deceptive, manipulating, lacking leadership, miscreants at SOE SWG are fired, we can watch LucasArts try to resurrect the only SW MMORPG in existance, and then we can reactivate our accounts.
*emperors voice* Fire them. Fire them all.
TheBlacknight15
Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:38 pm
#243
I got rid of my alt account after the HoC Chat. My primary is set to die on May 25th, because I want to at least test the CU on live before I make my final decision.
LordScotticus
Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:43 pm
#244
A common song these days, Dark. Perhaps we should put together a thread for everyone cancelling their account in response to / protest of the CU.
...here in the community relations forum, of course.
...here in the community relations forum, of course.
LordScotticus
Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:48 pm
#245
DaedalAho wrote:
Lastly, why couldn't you have just made a "thrown weapons experience" type, instead of nurfing grenades?
end of line.
Dude. QFE. What the heck is with a specific weapon type giving *only* general combat experience?? And people wonder where this Jedi flood came from: put grenades like thermals in the game, then give them a 10:1 advantage over ANY OTHER WEAPON for earning combat xp, and you've got yourself a string of Jedi "master exploiters" running the FRS on every server.
Just another of those holding-hands-off-the-cliff deals. This could have been fixed so easily it about makes a person sick, but no -- they allowed the nade grinders to continue to shortcut their way to a glowstick, and the ship sunk deeper...deeper....
LordScotticus
Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:53 pm
#246
Not surprisingly, the thread linked to by my signature has been deleted. It used to contain instructions on how to add the ribbon and text "I support keeping and rebalancing the current game" to your signature.
Apparently you're not longer allowed to support keeping and rebalancing the current game. If you do, your posts will be systematically deleted in an effort to keep you from organizing SOE's remaining customers against them.
Look around you. You are being censored, divided, conquored. You're having a game pushed on you that you don't want, then reading letters from the president telling you how much you love it.
Ethics? Gone. Nowhere in sight. This is corporate profit-milking policy at work. You are being manipulated. You are being lied to. You are having the wool pulled over your eyes, all of you.
Me too, apparently.
Enjoy this posts while it lasts. It'll probably be deleted tomorrow for being too honest and accurately reflecting the far-and-away majority of the player community's opinion. No "very positive feedback" here, boy-howdy.
I'll fix the link soon.
Apparently you're not longer allowed to support keeping and rebalancing the current game. If you do, your posts will be systematically deleted in an effort to keep you from organizing SOE's remaining customers against them.
Look around you. You are being censored, divided, conquored. You're having a game pushed on you that you don't want, then reading letters from the president telling you how much you love it.
Ethics? Gone. Nowhere in sight. This is corporate profit-milking policy at work. You are being manipulated. You are being lied to. You are having the wool pulled over your eyes, all of you.
Me too, apparently.
Enjoy this posts while it lasts. It'll probably be deleted tomorrow for being too honest and accurately reflecting the far-and-away majority of the player community's opinion. No "very positive feedback" here, boy-howdy.
I'll fix the link soon.
Message Edited by LordScotticus on 04-14-2005 09:55 PM
La-grange
Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:37 pm
#247
Hey Smedley. Read up on Bruce Sterlings work in his analyisis of MMOG's.
I was supprised to see that the number of subscriptions for EQ,EQ2, and SWG have been steadily falling for a while. Another thing that supprised me was to see that the total number of active subscribers to SWG is currently below 50,000 as of jan 05.
I would gander that you wouldn't want to lose more subscriptions to something that could be avoided. But judging from your actions I could be wrong.
Looks like the SWG dev team will be hitting the unemployment lines sooner than anticipated huh?
Oh I pulled this information off the stratics message forums. Then I spent the next half an hour or so to verify that the numbers were correct. I regret to inform everyone that they are. The message is named WoW>SWG. After that surf the web for further info. You'll be rather supprised at what you find.
*errie X-files music*The truth is out there.
Message Edited by La-grange on 04-15-2005 10:35 AM