First, I’ll try and do some more of these answers at a later time. I saw this stuff dragging so I posted what I had already written.
I’ll try to get more of this done, but until things settle down a bit, this is what I’ve got.
Additionally, ot seems that some of you might be disappointed that I’m not going into gory details, or casting newfound light on events.
I will talk about how I perceive things, but in a general sense. I will talk about my feelings about some aspects of history.
Those of you wanting names, specifics, laser focused blame or exacting details.. Well.. I’ve got nothing for you. Not only do I not remember a lot of stuff to the level of detail that you guys expect, in a lot of ways, it’s not appropriate for me to post here.
I will talk about how I felt about things and my perspective. Under no circumstances will I point fingers or pillory anyone.
If this is unacceptable, I apologize for the inconvenience and suggest that maybe, somehow, it might be time to move on.
Well, everyone loves a good mystery, so that’s why it’s hard to move on. For me, the mystery remains this: If the game was as successful as all the reported numbers seemed to indicate pre-NGE, why on earth would a profit-minded business mess with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage? If it wasn’t as successful as pictured, how does the game manage to stay alive with such an amputated population? If you can’t give specifics, I’d appreciate some vague…ics.
I’ve moved on long ago (apart from a mild disgruntlement about seeing a franchise I’ve enjoyed since 1977 get mishandled so). Heck, I left the game way before the CU. I’m just curious why this all happened.
I used to be part of the “Correspondents” program on the forums back in SWG days, I remember your posts in public and private forums. You really loved that game just as much as anyone who helped make that game what it was, great. I think it’s amazing I was able to randomly stumble on this site just to see how much you really did care to come back so many years later to answer questions and etc about something everyone knew was driven by “the man” and marketing and the whole big push of Episode 3.
I’m not saying it wasn’t a fuck up. The NGE is what finally made me stop playing shortly after, Was I upset the game I also spent years helping make a better place go away? Of course. Do I think or blame 1 person? especially one who is willing and always was willing to talk to the community as you were, No.
The SWG Development team is the reason I have been in the video game industry for 3 years now. Not due to anyone getting me a job from the company, but because of how I wanted to be involved with the process of trying to make a video game a better experience for someone.
If people want to be mad or point fingers, point them at the desk of SOE’s offices IMO. If anyone has ever had to deal with any part of this industry they know there is 1 driving factor in all games, good or not and that is $$$.
I guess I only have 1 or 2 questions.
Seeing as the company I work for (as of today) just merged to make the biggest/greatest Video Game Company Ever, as the higher up’s in the company like to call it. What was the mood/morale like in the offices 1-2 months after the NGE had been released and major problems and bad feedback was hitting hard?
Are any of the original dev’s still on the SWG team to this day?
Was there an unspoken, or maybe even public attitude at the studio to start looking for new work after the NGE was not the success marketing had hoped for?
Was there any one putting their neck on the line saying no this is not ready to ship? If so were they let go for this type of attitude, I’m not asking for names just curious if anyone was just that upset.
Thanks for all your time over the years that everyone takes for granted. Thank you for having a blog that I randomly found years later and making me rethink my whole view on the industry after being in it for a few years now. It’s also great to see there was life for all the SWG DEV’s after the NGE and just SWG in general. Shoot me an e-mail sometime if you ever get a chance Dan, have a few other things to ask/comment on that I’ll leave out of this blog.
Thank you for your answers, couple of final questions generally if I may. Do you think that SOE or companies like them have learnt lessons from NGE? And are developers generally more wary about re-engineering existing games because of the backlash of NGE… you yourself for example, would you want to take the risk again on changing the basic structure of an existing game to the extent of NGE? Thanks again for your honest answers, whilst some see them as general I personally find it really interesting to get into the mind of a developer, who for a long time I considered the “enemy”
“If this is unacceptable, I apologize for the inconvenience and suggest that maybe, somehow, it might be time to move on.”
I think most people have already moved on.
I do wonder why you talk so much about it. Seems like you want forgiveness or something?
I’ve played a tremendous amount of mmo-games in my life (so far :p), and as a gamer you have to accept one thing. Games change and you can’t do a damn thing about it. The only way to respond is through the accountpage.
I think most people have already moved on.
I do wonder why you talk so much about it. Seems like you want forgiveness or something?
Um no they haven’t moved on. This whole post is because the “in which I talk about the past blahblah” thread has over 140 comments full of screaming people. The “ask me” thread has over 40. A more normal number of comments on this blog is less than 10.
A number of those comments are complaining that he hasn’t answered any of the questions in said comments. So he is answering by request, here.
You may want to, I don’t know, actually read the blog before forming opinions on his motivations.
Sure, keep deleting my posts. Guess hearing the truth hurts your small little world you built up in your head about how proud you can be of the NGE.
Fact is, what you did made matters worse. Especially the in-game economy, where 1 million is worth nothing anymore.
over 140 comments full of screaming people.
Well, I was going to write something witty here, but after consideration, I’m not.
If you don’t want to move on, then fine, don’t.
But like you and everyone else here, I’m entitled to my OWN opinion.
And now that we’re talking about reading posts, please read mine again. I said most people have moved on.
Meaning that there is a minority that will never ever come to terms with what has happened. yea a minority, like 140+ screaming people …
As since this posts is called “Question time add.” I asked him a question. Are you looking for some kind of forgiveness?
You may want to, I don’t know, actually try to think before you press the speak! button?
Just read your mail, a bit too late I guess. So forget about my post above. Still pissed you deleted it though
I’ve on a long time ago. I first played around publish 5 when I was kid. I really wanted it but I figured there were more important things in life. I never got SWG back until the NGE. I was at first quite plesantly suprised, then during the naboo part I just got bored. Corelia was great but when you had to grind solo….that was the worst.
so I just stopped playing my dad canceled the supscription.
There is no reason to be angry at anyone. it blows but let’s face it, pre-cu had loads of problems, so did the CU, and even more the NGE. Am I supposed to hate Shigeru Miyamoto because I hated Pikmin with a passion? no. he’s done better before. I just don’t play his game and find a new hobby.
in fact Pre-cu was changed to teh cU BECAUSE peopel were laways complaining on how stuff was unbalneced and everyone wore composite. they fixed it, but peopel didn’t like the change. Xenophobia at it’s finest. people got used to it and things were smooth no? it was still good in people’s eyes and peopel flocked back after pouting.
the NGE was in responce to the fact the game never grew. the complexity was not market frinedly (why is halo so popular? simple FPS, same with Wow except ala mmo) and I remember SWG being made fun of or disliked because of teh lame grinding situation where you ran around killing butterflies and frogs rather tahn imperial stormtroopers. SWG was average then and always was before. a 7.0 game. they wanted WoW AAA status, 9.0. popularity etc
I personally understand the risk they took and why but the gamble just wasn’t worth it. that guy just got too greedy or the company or whatever. they were making a good sum, not a shitload but a good sum. (a guy on my forum did the math). rather than making a little less than he could, he got everyone making a lot less.
if such a radical change was needed why didn’t they give you more time? Kojima did it and look at MGS4. now it would have still been like without the several pushes but because they spent so much time refineing it, the game was well liked even by former haters of the series. look at every rushed movie game for teh release date and rushed game period. Kotor 2 wasn’t as good becuase it was rushed for the holiday season. The big wigs and PR need to learn like fine wine, a game needs time.
basicaly SOE learned you can’t make such a radical change. they learned. hopefully the agency is good and does well
I don’t forgive you but I’m not angry at you so there is no need for forgiveness. you gave your 2 cents and I understood everything. I am going to respect it. there was maybe something I disagreed with veiwpoint wsie but oh well. it’s a shame others have to be so childish. (this is coming from a child BTW, not that you’ll beleve some faceless kid on the internet.)
this is my 2 cents
good luck mr. Rubenfeld, keep on truckn’
Dude- your answers have been nerfed!
No, it shouldn’t be for anyone to get that easy away with we moved on and games change.
See if i buy a RPG single player it is on me if i mess up with my belongings and save games. If my belongings is on someone else’s machine (server) then he has to take care, especially if i pay him to do just that job.
IT is a crucial point to MMO in general. The whole MMO idea is a joke if some people take the money to destroy my online property.
In that case we don’t need a MMO, no one is safe if he login the other day and find his property and his skills broken.
The NGE did just this , destroyed the property for 300k players with the idea behind to replace them.
It is really funny that because it was so bad executed the subscriptions broke without without replacement. Maybe it was higher justice to punish this unmoral and unethical movements behind the NGE.
Someone should really admit just that to come clean with the playerbase. Other statements are just excuse s and cover the truth with more lies.
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Thank you for your answers to these questions, as well as the larger article, “In Which I try to speak honestly about history.”
Having played SWG and greatly maligned the NGE, I found your perspective to be very interesting. (I did enjoy the NGE, after things started to shape up a bit, and especially enjoyed the Entertainer changes.) Thank you for a unique perspective and honest answers, and for working so hard on a game I loved so much.