Ranger Archive
Thread: Maybe a bit dated, but proves...
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Rhyeal
Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:36 pm
#1
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=generalgame&message.id=85#M85
Quoth the President of SOE:
What would really help us is to give us ideas on how we can improve the new system and cool things you would like to see us do in the near term. We aren't going back to the old system, but with your help I'm confident in a few weeks you're going to feel this was the right call. Obviously you are our customers, and you pay the bills around here... we're trying to make changes that are going to make your experience better in the long run. Please bear with us while we make that effort, and give us a little time to respond and address your concerns.
Two things:
1) They want our ideas! Yay! However, they never said they would even listen to our ideas or even look at them 
2) They dont care that thousands left with the CU, they just care about the dollar. They dont care about the customers, they care about the $$$$$
So, like I said, its a bit dated (was posted right after the CU) but really explains the behavior of the Devs. If we can jsut get them to see that listening to customers is a good idea, well, this game will survive more than 2 years (or however long it takes to get LotR Online out)
Calculus_Entropy
Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:34 pm
#2
I really shouldn't get involved, but meh, I gotta be me.
SOE, as far as I can tell, is most interested in net Population. If you lose 1000 customers but gain 1001 customers, then you have netted one and you have succeeded.
Remember that 'the Devs' and 'SOE' are not always interchangeable terms. I have seen a lot of passion from the Devs on player ideas, but they don't get the final say. They aren't running the show. The suits at SOE plan the schedule.
Now, something that few people tend to realize (including myself, in the past) is that the suits are constanly reprioritizing. This is a business and you need to devote time to what will keep the customers happiest. This can change from day to day and on many different scales (as evidenced by some of the reactions to the Mask Scent fix). Some people (not pointing any fingers!) refuse to realize that SOE understands that pissing of a segment of their customer base is bad for business, and that. The biggest problem with SWG is that it is too big. SOE (probably) can't afford the staff that it would take to stay on top of every profession's issues. I think they are trying their best, as evidenced by the devotion of the next few publishes to bug fixes. Unfotunately, this cuases some professions to fall by the wayside.
SOE, as far as I can tell, is most interested in net Population. If you lose 1000 customers but gain 1001 customers, then you have netted one and you have succeeded.
Remember that 'the Devs' and 'SOE' are not always interchangeable terms. I have seen a lot of passion from the Devs on player ideas, but they don't get the final say. They aren't running the show. The suits at SOE plan the schedule.
Now, something that few people tend to realize (including myself, in the past) is that the suits are constanly reprioritizing. This is a business and you need to devote time to what will keep the customers happiest. This can change from day to day and on many different scales (as evidenced by some of the reactions to the Mask Scent fix). Some people (not pointing any fingers!) refuse to realize that SOE understands that pissing of a segment of their customer base is bad for business, and that. The biggest problem with SWG is that it is too big. SOE (probably) can't afford the staff that it would take to stay on top of every profession's issues. I think they are trying their best, as evidenced by the devotion of the next few publishes to bug fixes. Unfotunately, this cuases some professions to fall by the wayside.
Ranger_Nizzle
Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:10 pm
#3
Sorry to hijack the post, but I've got to know something. I've only played under the new system about a month now, but I think it's pretty decent. The thing is, ANYTHING is better than the way it was with unchecked armor caps and decadent doctor buffs. Why the heck did thousands of people leave when the CU went in? I wasn't around, so I don't really know the answer. This shocks me. I guess those thousands who fled were the ones who had the ol'itchy /headShot 2 trigger finger.
so what were the main reasons this happened, anyone know?
KaiRaene
Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:26 pm
#4
People dislike change as the main reason. I almost left. Mostly due to so many bugs unchecked. The changes I could stomach after a bit.
If I had to pick a reason to leave the game today its because I can barely level at all unless grouped. Unless you are apart of a large guild getting into random groups at a low level is very tough these days. I get ignored often as a level 34 in the Lok starport.
Leveling is slower. Players arent overpowered now. It was fun but not challenging. Of course I rarely got buffs and had more fun pushing what I could do with food, drinks, spice and tactics.
If I had to pick a reason to leave the game today its because I can barely level at all unless grouped. Unless you are apart of a large guild getting into random groups at a low level is very tough these days. I get ignored often as a level 34 in the Lok starport.
Leveling is slower. Players arent overpowered now. It was fun but not challenging. Of course I rarely got buffs and had more fun pushing what I could do with food, drinks, spice and tactics.
Rhyeal
Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:27 pm
#5
it happened because of rampant spamming of powerful attacks, unchecked comp armor wearing and really, really good doc buffs. It was an easy fix though. If they had raised player HAM to 2k, nerfed Doc buffs to 500 or so, and made a newer encumb system, it would have solved the problem. Well, most of the problem. What happened is that they over did the CU. A few basic things needed to change to bring the game back form having to be buffed to do anything. What they did instead was go overboard and realign everything (good move really, made carbineer worth something), but they forget a lot of the players, namely SL, Smugglers, Commados, Rangers, WS, Arch, AS, DE...the entertainer profs...the other crafting profs. Then, some idiot thought up the level system from EQ. Profession-based games do not work with levels! Of course, 2 weeks after the CU, it was announced that now, SWG and EQ players could send tells to each other! Gee, wonder why SWG had to change to EQ-style?
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