Original source: FoH boards (I guess Fires of Heaven isn't just a book by Robert Jordan).
Vanguards beta is filled to the brim with fanbois. Any objective player pretty much bailed months ago.
So, actually blaming the fans, for once, is right on. Who woulda thunk it?
When all your left with is the sycophantic 'kool-aid' kids, the results are going to reflect that. Even worse, they're setting themselves up for a colossal failure by relying almost entirely on that part of the playerbase. (which by the by, will be the first to flee come release time). Then what are you left with? The game itself, judged on it's own merits.
It's not rocket science.
A) Make the game fun
B) Move on to the things you want to personally see accomplished.
Instead Brad has that reversed. He's almost like a guy saying: If I build it, they will come! Fuck it. I don't care if the game succeeds as long as it has "Teh Vision".
There's too many options nowadays. Utnayan hit the nail on the head for once with that observation. Another thing that has not been pointed out, or said nearly enough, is that EQ *MISSED* much of it's demographic. Many people in their mid to late 20s and early 30s would have loved to play EQ. But it was far too time consuming for them. Much of the growth in MMOs have been the kids growing from console to PC yes. But another part of it was older players waiting for a more casual game to play. 10 million people did not pop out of the woodwork one day and say "We Love Blizzard."
Blizzard simply met the challenge perfectly, and dominated by hitting every demographic they could and rejecting the belief that casual isn't fun or lasting. This was a mistake to many hard-core people. Yes, a mistake to the tune of roughly 120 million dollars a month in revenue. Vanguard biggest mistake seems to be catering to an even smaller demographic than EQ1 did, and that's bad news from a guy who claims the MMO market doesn't need anymore 30 million dollar failures. So damn true, and yet oddly ironic.
The biggest thing I'm looking forward to now with Vanguard is the enormous amount of spin that is yet to come. - Jait
Update: 2 May 2009, Edited post and applied labels.
I can respond to that.
ReplyDeleteMy experience was that I saw it months ago too. I left and only came back recently.
I'm sorry but after reading tons of idiotic posts and ridiculous banter, I am turning right back around and going back where I came from.... with pleasure, too! Whatever is there is certainly NOT worth getting involved in. It's not gold. It's not even copper.
This is a sickness to me. While I commend those trying to instill some form of order in that place (VOH Forums), I see no one in authority telling them to STFU!
It's just a bunch of out-of-control people having a free-for-all, hating on those who are trying to help them.
I'm afraid the OP is correct. It will be the fans who kill off that game.
I won't be a part of it. It's just nauseating to read and certainly not a good community to want to be involved with if and when that game comes out.
Poor Heartless. I saw your posts too, but I'm afraid you're not going to get anywhere with those folks. They're on a feeding frenzy. Someone needs to yank their leashes, but it doesn't appear to be happening.
Sad! Just OH! Pathetic!!!
All this over one person's beta experience and because he/she pointed squarely at the fanbois (among other things).
Even worse, he/she stepped out of their domain to post it. How horrid? Oh please, spare me! Get a grip over there already!
Yet the person who it was written for, hasn't said one word.
Bye Vanguard! I wish you a lot of luck! You're going to need it.
Michelle
I agree with Jait that it was surprising to see someone come out and blame the fans for a lot of Vanguard's problems.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably conceivable that the fans drove many beta testers away.
But there were many who came out and said the game just sucks too and never returned.
So probably, it's a combination of both.
Time will tell but I agree that these rabid fanbois will probably be the first to leave Vanguard and go pick a fight somewhere else when they're done sucking the last drop of blood out of this one.
Matrix
12 pages and counting over at FoH. 6 pages and going strong over at V:SOH. 50+ responses over at Heartless.
ReplyDeleteThere were beta leaks before and never did I see anything like this.
Amazing and unprecedented IMO. Phenomenal even for an unveiling under 24 hours old.
-- Vertigo
So all in all, "legit" beta tester find V:SOH too much time consuming ? Interesting... they probably never played SWG...
ReplyDeleteCan we get an amen! What hardcores are failing to see is that a game can't survive in the current market without casual players. There must always be the rank-and-file players in a virtual universe. We that don't mind farming and crafting to maintain the economy beyond the phat loot. The days when and MMO can miss large portions of player populations is over. EQ1 was during a unique time and thus lasted without masses. I don't think that is possible again unless your EVE Online with an extremely unique game.
ReplyDeleteI'm just surprised it took this long for someone to come out and say something. But I guess that's just the way. Wait until people get fed up, post on a blog and all hell breaks loose. The domino effect is definitely "working as intended".
ReplyDelete