Smuggler Archive

TH, bless his heart, mentioned that they didn't want to get into a "feature creep" problem with pie-in-the-sky discussions about combat systems. I assumed this meant they didn't want an "Oh, and add this too! Yeah, that'd be cool" type discussion. And so I called him and Tiggs on it. In my opinion the entire development history of SWG has been nothing BUT feature creep. New systems are constantly being added that dont' really add a ton to the game, but which divert development resources from fixing core issues. Now, a YEAR AND A HALF AFTER LAUNCH, they are finally getting around to fixing combat and the GCW -- the two core systems that SHOULD make this game a real Star Wars experience (and that doesn't even discuss the profession revamps). So I called 'em on it. Might make for entertaining reading if you're bored. It's one of my typical russian-novel-length posts.

...And in the three dev comments after the fact, my commentary was totally ignored. Not that I expected much different. One person at least picked up on it and called the devs on ignoring it, which was nice, but for the most part, it's sure looking to me like the same old story.

The devs will continue to blow sunshine up the collective a$$ of the community, the community will lap it up eagerly because, well, what else are they gonna do? Quit? And things will go on about the same.

I suppose you can't expect much different. The devs' style has always been to avoid confrontation entirely like it doesn't even exist. TH has specifically told people "If they start challenging you, ignore them. Or tell them they're not being constructive and you won't talk to them until they are."

By contrast, I've seen how the COH developers handle things. They WILL address direct negative criticism of their product. Not all the time, mind you, but where it counts and enough to make it seem like they actually care what you think about their game aside from "Gee, this is so peachy-keen and just the neatest game! Thank you ever so much for making it for us!" They answer questions on how the game works, they answer questions on how they design/develop things, they answer hard-to-answer questions when people take them to task. SOE, on the other hand, would rather dodge it and tell you that everything's going to be just rosy once we finish the next publish. And the next, and the next...and the next...........

So what your saying is that the SOE offices are actually located somewhere over the rainbow, just outside of dinglydangly dell with happy little fairy folk skipping merrily along with the munchkins and the umpa-lumpa's?

That must make Wes the Wicked Witch and us his army of flying monkey's.

I am no monkey. I am a horseman.

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"We're dedicating a designer (Green Marine) next week to looking into fixing some of the bigger issues of the smuggler. (Yes, we are also looking at issues with the other professions, the smuggler just seems to be the one needing the most love at this moment)." Q-3PO - September 16, 2003
Great Threads in Smuggler History, Vol. I / Vol. II / Vol. III - Collected Posts by the Devs Concerning Smugglers
***ELECTRICNOMAD RETIRED FROM SWG ON 7 MAY 2004***

I prefer the term, "evilly challenged".

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WesBelden the last Smuggler Correspondent.
Who's the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?