Squad Leader Archive

Ok... here's a theoretical situation:

Company releases anew, (and in the form of online entertainment) radically different game with no idea of how successful it is going to become. Little does this Company know, that they will eventually have one of the most popular games in Gaming History. Here is a journey of this hypothetical Company...

Early Years:Imagine the trials and tribulations of hiring hundreds of staff (developers, admins, recruiters, executives, etc.)inorder to keep up with the game's unexpectedhigh success and rising popularity among gaming consumers in its first years. This Company does not know how longthis "trend"is going to remain popular - due to historic proof that the majority of gamers play most games for a few months before trying something new. Butthisimaginary Companyknows that it cannot risk letting down its consumers - there is just too much money to be made. So this Company plays it safe by hedging its bets. It hires 3 / 4ths of the probable required amount of personnelto run the game efficiently. In turn the Company knows that it has to sacrifice the speed and accuracy of problematic fixes, game balancing issues, etc. Oh, and lets not forget - it has now been tasked to add an expansion pack or two.

LaterYears: Said game is growing so fast, that it is difficult to discover existant technology to patch older technology to keeppace with current ideas. In fact, the reccommended method would be to start over with new technology, hardware, software, etc. - rather than to revamp older technologies. However, this could adversely effectthe companies clientele base... Several expansion packs into thisimaginarygame, the developers are focused upon the same content that will always have to be addressed; game balancing issues, new ideas, and occaisional fixes. Money becomes a primary focus in the direction of the game. Problems within the players gaming community apparently go unaddressed by the Company, and many consumers therefore quit in exasperation. The reality is, is that the Company can't please everyone, and therefore can't realistically take one side over the other.Amazingly, after four years the game is still a huge success. Millions of dollars are made; yet other Companies are now starting to copythis Company'sideas in an effort to steal away those exasperated customers who quit usingits gaming service -not to mention the danger toits current gaming community. Whatshould the Company do?

These Days: So, imaginary Company decides to gamble on vision. Take a popular gaming model, alter it to avoid several technological and gaming community problems from the past, and pair it up with a proven entertaining environment. It has no real way of knowing what it's clientele base is going to be; this imaginary Company is having to go through the same process that it did before. And that is to be expected.

Q: Now... apply that to current game balancing issues, bug fixing problemsand frustrations among the SWG community and what do you come up with?

A: The need for patience. Not every classis going to be perfect at thesame time. Some issues are easier to fix than others. Some classes may take awhile longer to balancethan other classes. Does the fact that Johnny Bounty Hunter can take you down in a few shots prove that he is a better player than you? No. Not really. This may obviously seem unbalanced in the short term, but SOE has alot more to lose if they leave the game absolutely unbalanced with no desire to fix it. One day Johnny Bounty Huntermight notbe able to hold up to you once you as a Squad Leader become better balanced. But realistically,these things take time.Squad Leaders, we are the ones that other players look to in PvP and PvE for guidance and direction. And if that means that we need to take a temporaryhit so that SOE can continue to improve the overall game - then so be it. Let us show the other classes that we can act like Leaders, not just merely play at it.

Tevoo

Quiet reservation to ones lot in life is not a desirable leadership quality.

The squeaky whell gets the grease.

Grab the bull by the horns.

I understand what you are saying, but come on...set a leadership example by waiting longer? I'll set a leadership example by going out and making sure my group (SL) gets the best deal possible. Then my other group (My PA and my Squaddies) will know they can trust me even further. How can you trust someone who meekly steps aside?