Development Cycle Archive
Thread: Great Expectations, Major Schedule Changes and making SWG the finest MMORPG ever
silent_wanderer
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:06 am
#1067
I normally do not even tread the message boards, much less post on them. SWG was my first MMORPG.I was there when the servers opened on Day 1 and this new world was something to behold. There was a thriving online community, new friendships were established ingame and the choices were many to wander and explore. Sure, I was on Lowca and had a lot of issues getting on and staying on sometime, but it was still fun. Then came the dark times....
Holocrons
This completly ruined the game for me. Most everyone I knew and talked to were grinding away and trying to unlock that mystical slot to become a Jedi. The economy was in shambles and the fun that was being had was no longer to be found.
I stopped playing for a while and then decided to come back on and setup a more permanent figure in the world by creating a player with crafting professions to make quality over quantity. It became increasingly difficult to find help in retrieving all of the components needed for the better armor. Player cities had cropped up and the main cities became nothing but a spammers retreat and the population was thinning.
I decided to drop all the crafting professions and become a "warrior" type once again and see what all the heavier combat professions held. I then started running into the Combat Imblanace and noticed that the majority of players were now CM/TK/RM.. Since this template appeared to be the most powerful and would easily take down just about anything.
I know find out that combat will remain unbalanced until after even more publishes and the expansion arrive. I do not blame TH for this and do not wish to blast him for the royal screw job that I feel has been applied to the community by this schedule change. Priorities on this game have become a joke and I no longer wish to Beta Test something for a monthly charge. I feel that a year is suffiecient time to play a game and see results in the quality. Apparently, myself and others are not satisfied with the way that SOE is handling our concerns and taking the right actions.
NCSoft and Blizzard are watching SOE. They are more than happy to take every last one of your customers and leave you with empty pockets. I for one am happy to join their ranks. Most everyone that I know that plays SWG is either leaving now or has left already. Fix your servers, fix your code and quit compounding on all the issues you currently have and ignoring your subscription base.
Kaessa
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:06 am
#1068
Kylania wrote:
Kaessa wrote:
Tell yourself... "It's a video game. I'm having a fit.. over a video game." See how silly that makes you feel?
I spend more in amonth on coffee than I do on this game, and I have 3 accounts. Honestly. It's not like I'm spending a fortune on the game.
And I certainly won't rant about it for months on end before I go.
Ok Kaessa,
Lets assume for a moment that you love coffee, which you apparently do. You like to drink coffee every day. You hear about a great new coffee store with your FAVORITE type of coffee available. So you go and buy it and yum it's good. But.. there's some icky foam stuff in it that tastes bad. It's still good, and you still buy it but it's got this nasty foam in it.
So you sit there and sip your coffee with scum while the guy behind the counter says "Oh no problem, we'll have that scum taken care of next week." So you buy another week ofcoffee, your favoriate flavor, but it's still got scum in it? You ask and are told "oh, yeah we have a new machine coming in next week, have some more coffee, it'll be great!"
So you drink more coffee, still with this scum that seems to be getting worse. It's still the same scum from before when you started drinking your favorite flavor coffee, but now the cups are always dirty too. But still, you know they want to give you good coffee to you keep drinking coz you love coffee.
Eventually, a year later, you're drinking out of a crumbled paper cup since people who purchased the special Jeebee Cups get their coffee first. The scum is just as bad, but now there's a long line you have to wait in because the 3 people with Jeebee cups infront of you keep complaining that thier coffee isn't hot enough, or doesn't have enough cream in it yours is white (with scum..) why isn't their coffee whiter since they have Jeebee cups! During all this your scum keeps getting worse, your coffee keeps getting colder and the guy behind the counter keeps saying "Have more coffee, we have a NEW flavor coming with your favoriate topping soon, and we promise we'll get rid of the scum real soon now, why don't you buy a Jeebee cup! All our customers want Jeebee cups!"
Then the store mananger says they only have enough people to make one type of coffee, a flavor you don't like but those with Jeebee cups seem to like. You look down at your cold, hard, scummy, leakey paper cup, then up at the sign advertising the great new flavors in the special Jeebee cup and you wonder.. and you complain. You scream at the manager that you've been drinking coffee here for a year, but it's still scummy WHY! Them some cute little girl next to you says, "hey, if you don't like the coffee, go across the street and try some other brand" as she sips from her crusty mug of scum smiling at you. You really want this coffee though, not across the street but THIS coffee you've been drinking for a year and want more of, you just want it to taste better.
Would you still think there's no point in telling the manager what you want?
Good points.. and I would agree with you if I had seen the game getting progressively worse over the past year. But it hasn't. It's gotten better. At least in my opinion, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who disagree with me. And will tell me, complete withinsults. 
I think the point I was trying to make is that people are literally going insane over this. Not that it was "a good thing". I'm not defending what the devs are doing. I'm trying to point out that people are just taking it a *tad* too seriously. I've seen posts in this thread that are just mind-boggling in their fury. This is entertainment, folks.. if it ain't entertaining.. why are you doing it? It's certainly not something to burst a blood vessel over.
Sure, I'd love to see the combat revamp now. But I'd MORE like to see it done right. Everyone whines and complains that the game was rushed out too soon, and how they should havewaited until they got it right; but when the devs say "y'know, I think we're rushing this out too soon, so we're gonna wait until we got it right".. everyone wants to crucify them. People need to make up their minds what they want.
Again, just my 2 credits.
twiafu
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:07 am
#1069
Great Expectations you say?
Great Let Down is more like it!
This delay is the worse decision ever!
Couldn't hit Cancel fast enough.
Krayvex
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:07 am
#1070
Galiger wrote:
Well been here from week one... and I've enjoyed the game... I've PvP'ed, I've crafted, I've done combat lately... Is it perfect, no... did I say anywhere in my post that it was perfect?!? All I said was, "I just want to express my enjoyment in the game that you have created" You show me the prefect game and I'll be amazed... in fact I'll even recommend that you head over to that game...
I knew this would happen... all you haters can't let anyone enjoy the game... if anyone enjoys the game you have to make fun of them or try to discredit them by calling them Fanboys or crap like that. I'm truely sorry you aren't enjoying the game, I hope someday you will find the game that fulfills your dreams and gameplay style.
I'm sure someone will make the comment... "Well I hope you enjoy playing by your self, blah, blah, blah." I've heard that before and yet I still have to fight through the crowds at Coronet.... Well I wish you all luck, and hope you have fun doing something in your life. Good day.
Been here from week one and you've got 3 posts.....
BEGONE TROLL! I ABJURE YOU!
Antonhs
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:08 am
#1071
Iarian wrote:
Thunderheart wrote:
Great Expectations
There are great expectations in the community for the upcoming Combat Balance and the Galactic Civil War revamp. These announced upcoming major features are pivotal to making the Galaxies experience more of a Star Wars experience. To deliver on these major features, we will need the full development team and re-assembling the team isn’t going to happen until after the upcoming Jump to Lightspeed expansion is shipped.
Delaying these critical features was not something we are doing for our convenience, but only to ensure they are done well. The team leadership has been discussing these changes, the future of SWG and the feedback from the community. Clearly the community wants us to do a better job at delivering the game service and this reinforced our decision to make sure we have adequate resources on each update to the game.
At the core of the discussions are our team goals. The team’s goals are to increase the quality of the service, make the game more fun and accessible and finally to make a much more intense Star Wars experience. In this, we agree with the community that our design and implementation process should continue to be improved and we want to assure our customers that it is our goal to exceed their expectations and make SWG the finest MMORPG ever.
Rather than continue to split the team’s forces and try to accomplish too many goals, we’re going to do a few things and do them right. Once the Jump To Lightspeed is complete, the team as a whole will be re-grouped. Then the combined team will accomplish the Combat Balance, the GCW and all the other improvements to the game.
What’s Ahead
To offset this very big announcement that will affect all of you, I will be immediately working with the correspondents and the community to develop a list of pre-combat balance fixes to get combat into a more enjoyable state. This will encompass many items planned for the Combat Balance, and will happen in a steady stream between now and JTL. The Combat Medic and Bounty Hunter changes that are coming in Publish 9.1 are the first of these efforts.
Between now and JTL is where I come in. Right out of the gate, I’ll be working with the community to develop plans for the Combat Balance and post them on the site; we’ll do a few features and I will continue to post updates. Later we will do the same for the GCW, the Squad Leader Revamp and all of the community issues on the table. In this, we can marry community expectations and development goals in a way that has never been done before with online games.
Our next major update, Publish 10 will bring us “The Jedi Trials”. Finishing the revamp of the Jedi profession is a big task. Being a Jedi is a big part of the Star Wars experience and it is a big game system. To become a Jedi, there needs to be a known path with mysterious quests, new NPC’s, new NPC behaviors, new places and all the little things that will make The Jedi Trials a publish to be excited about. To accomplish this, the team has expanded the scope of publish 10 so there is more design time and more testing time (hence the big changes).
Not long after The Jedi Trials, we’ll be focused on the JTL Beta and integrating Space with the ground game. Meshing the live service with JTL is a big challenge since it means it will be the first time anyone has ever integrated a complete RPG and action Space game before.
The Jump to Lightspeed is currently on track for a later October launch, which is a relatively short time away. Prior to that, we’ll be finishing up the Jedi Trials (Publish 10) and right after that, we will begin integrating the ground game with Space, start the JTL Beta Test and get on with making the game we all want to play. The good news is that the Jump to Lightspeed beta registration site is opening later this week
We appreciate your continued participation in the SWG community. Please continue to give us constructive feedback on our message boards as it helps us keep focused on your needs and priorities.
I actually don't mind waiting - so long as these quotes ring true.. I really do hope that the DEV's - especially TH does work with us - and listens to us on how things should work. After all we are the ones who play the game on a day to day basis and know what does and doesn't work.
I also hope that the DEV's listen to the people who play the professions first - instead of say a Rifleman who complains that a Fencer is too strong because and vice versa. This is what happened to the CH profession - the DEV's were to quick to listen to everyone else complain and not the CH's themselves and have all but killed the profession.
I think if they truly do do this - and then fix it correctly. The wait will be worth it...
how many times have the devs promised us stuff? 100's
deleivered things on time without having to do another quick patch after? never
if you dont mind waiting your goner be waiting a long time - and on your own.
Emperador
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:09 am
#1072
Just a siimple and unbelievable WOW I can not believe I just read this post. I am completely let down and very close to canceling my accounts. TH's post was almost a we have been doing nothing but jedi and only now are we starting to work on this game.
personally this game has been in development Alpha since release. SAD SAD SAD. Soe and devs have just robbed us all of money.
TheHomicidalVerpine
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:10 am
#1073
THV writes,
I'm deffinately in line with the opinions of some of my fellow gamers and fans; being a Jedi was not part of the Star Wars experience during the timeframe you've selected for the game. And that is a pretty big content issue you've blatantly ignored to make the game more... fun? Your talking in circles at this point if your saying you want to give us a true and more entense Star Wars Experience. Unless the title and era of the game in which we are playing are changed (even bumping it up to New Republic times would work) then your not giving the established content for this game the credit it deserves. I know at this point we represent only a small percentage of the players that want to see the game reflect a little more closely to what we really saw in Episodes 4-6; but our opinions count as well.Alas, I think my gamer friends on here with this shared belief about content will just be taking our money and breath elsewear; but we had to to try and voice our opinion at least. Content does matter; And changing from "Last of the Jedi will you be..." to everyone can have one is a pretty major change to the timeline.
THV
~I'd formerly have no problems with this game if the team would be more ridgid about the content from the Episode 4-6 timeframe. You've got a great game; if you wouldn't ignore content.
Ewoksean
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:11 am
#1074
NL-Sneeuw wrote:
Well been here from week one... and I've enjoyed the game... I've PvP'ed, I've crafted, I've done combat lately... Is it perfect, no... did I say anywhere in my post that it was perfect?!? All I said was, "I just want to express my enjoyment in the game that you have created" You show me the prefect game and I'll be amazed... in fact I'll even recommend that you head over to that game...
Ever played: Age of Empires II ?
Personally i think its the most balanced game i have ever played
Im playing X2-the threat, right now, its a space sim, my god, its perfect, huge massive worlds, first player game, no online (yet), and the guys are STILL adding content! Right now the AI sucks, but the game has been out 3 months maybe and they have had almost 3 updates, and the fourth is coming out with a new type of AI, that patrols the galaxy shooting down random ships and will stop everyone who they dont like not to mention that it has over 50 "galaxies" 6 species. A creative story line (not as good as free lancer) and its complicated to boot. Plus the visuals are grand.
NinjaPizzaBoy
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:15 am
#1075
TH,
You stopped asking for the Top 5 Concerns of each professions because you could not do anything about them.
Yous stopped answering the 19 Questions because you gave the same answer (CB) to every question and the posters flamed you to all hell the last time you did it.
Your love for the core of this game is gone. Some of us don't want to be Jedi. Some of us don't want a TIE Fighter. Some of us are cancelling.
Krayvex
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:16 am
#1077
Kaessa wrote:
This is entertainment, folks.. if it ain't entertaining.. why are you doing it? It's certainly not something to burst a blood vessel over.
No insults. It's more than entertainment. It's a service.A PAID FOR service. When someone is giving you something for free and they completely screw it up, you cut them slack. When you're paying for it there's a responsibility for them to provide what was agreed upon. Alot of us have been paying our monthly fee because we were under the impression that it was going in part to fund the development of the combat balance. That's what we were told. By being told that, it became the service agreement.
Now that we found out they weren't working on it, we are sort of feeling used and ripped off. We paid for something that wasn't delivered. That's what's got people upset. It's not fun to be lied to and strung on this long anyway, but when it's over something you've paid for, and by someone you've hired to provide it, it's worse.
Korbyn
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:16 am
#1078
I started playing SWG during the beta, and played up until about two weeks after the original Jedi system went Live. I then cancelled both of my accounts in frustration.
A little over a month ago, when I heard about the Jedi revamp, I decided it was time to try the game again. I found the game to be much more fun than I remembered it being, but it still needs a few things.
After reading this thread, I must say that I believe SWG is on the right track and is indeed going to become one of the most entertaining MMOs on the market. The devs are doing a hell of a job, and the schedule you have given us, TH, is one that looks more than reasonable. My hats off to you guys. You listened to your community, something that most MMOs do not do, and you responded by admitting toall of the major issues and putting into place a schedule to address them.
Well done. I look forward to these changes. 
~Torbyn Impalla
Master Armorsmith, Starsider
Sesik
Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:17 am
#1079
ACIDKOOL wrote:
WoW > SWG
That about sums up my feelings at this point.