Tabula Rasa

NCSoft's 2007 Fiscal Report - http://www.plaync.com/us/news/2008/02/ncsoft_announce_27.html

Report on cost of TR - http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/02/123_19134.html

Originally posted by buddhabead

Further i would even go as far as to say the game was rushed. The game had a very 'mis-managed' beta-phase. The beta-signups went up pretty early but nothing really came out, then the game went into a sort of paid CB, you  paid $5 to NCSoft for a chance to participate in the CB, and many people did pay up. Then few weeks later they had a OB which lasted another few weeks before pushing into full retail release.

1) The preorders for the game (where you either ordered off the NCsoft website for $5 and the price was then taken off your retail order from them) or picked up the pre order box from a store (price set by the store but i know i paid £1.99 for mine, which works out at about $4) came with Beta access (it didnt say Closed or Open beta, and that was where the mess up came into play). They decided to give EVERYONE who had the preorder code closed beta access... hell if you worked in a game retailer you could even pick up the pre order box cheaper (i know a few people who did this)

2) Fileplanet and Gamespot were given an allocation of time limited beta access passes. You didnt have to pay to sign up via those.

3) You could also sign up on Tabula Rasa site to gain access to the beta (i had signed up in 2006 for it), you werent guarenteed access BUT i do know people who signed up in July 2007 and were accepted that way (after the closed had started)

So infact the only time where you "paid to get into the beta" was if you preordered the game. But then again i would assume that most people here would expect that pre ordering a game nowadays would come with someform of "beta access".

If you are against that, then dont take advantage of any pre orders where you have to pay to get it, even if they do come with beta access.

Just my take though

Originally posted by Thomas2006

Maybe instead of posting just what you want people to read from the article you should post the full thing and also the fact that the article is full of biased opinion and inaccuracies.

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9184&Itemid=2

NCsoft has shot down a "sloppy and sensational" article that called Tabula Rasa a "financial disaster," but admitted potential layoffs may be in the works following the game’s lackluster performance.

“We still have problems with this guy,” said NCsoft’s communications director David Swofford in an email to Next-Gen, referring to the reporter who wrote the article. NCsoft says it isn’t the first time the reporter has penned sloppy articles about the publisher. Most recently, a Korea Times report suggested that the disastrous financial performance of Tabula Rasa was driving NCsoft to implement layoffs at its Austin, US-based studio. While Swofford acknowledged that the game “could have done a little better” and that “there’s a possibility that there could be downsizing with the TR team”, he was keen to counter a number of the claims made. “The Korea Times English edition story is full of inaccuracies,” he said. “No one at NCsoft said the product is a financial disaster. That came from the writer and is his opinion. “The TR development did not cost $100 million. I don’t know where that came from. The price tag for the product was much less…a fraction of that cost. Tabula Rasa was not restarted more than twice. It had one overhaul and that came after 2-3 years of development. “The article made it sound like the TR launch led to some sort of falling out with Robert Garriott. That is so far from the truth. In fact Robert has been promoted to work more with CEO TJ Kim on business development. Yes Robert is out of the day-to-day operations, but he’s still in the office and now travels much more for the company than he did before. “Yes there’s a possibility that there could be downsizing with the TR team. Some of that is due to the cyclical nature of game development (product is out and the team downsizes). Some is due to the fact that the product could have done a little better. But there is a lot going on with the TR team. They are working on more updates. We are planning a Japan launch later in the year. And the company is planning on investing millions into the product, so it’s not going away and in fact we have plans to grow it. “The Korea Times story was very inflammatory. The writer is notorious for writing sloppy and sensational articles about NCsoft. Also the Korea Times English edition is not the same as the Korea Times printed in Korean. It’s (the English edition) very low on the totem pole and is not any sort of high standard for journalism in Korea.”

Ya' know... It never fails to amaze me on these boards how 'selective' people are on these boards in these conversations. If it dosent fit their point, they just ignore it and steam ahead regardless... Never let the truth or objective reason get in the way of a point your trying to make eh?

I'm no fan of TR, but, hell, if your gonna attack it  at least attack it fairly and take on board both sides of the debate.

I am getting really bored of discussing these things with children and fanbois not able to acknowledge and conceed valid points.

Originally posted by vesavius

 

Originally posted by Thomas2006

Maybe instead of posting just what you want people to read from the article you should post the full thing and also the fact that the article is full of biased opinion and inaccuracies.

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9184&Itemid=2

NCsoft has shot down a "sloppy and sensational" article that called Tabula Rasa a "financial disaster," but admitted potential layoffs may be in the works following the game’s lackluster performance.

“We still have problems with this guy,” said NCsoft’s communications director David Swofford in an email to Next-Gen, referring to the reporter who wrote the article. NCsoft says it isn’t the first time the reporter has penned sloppy articles about the publisher. Most recently, a Korea Times report suggested that the disastrous financial performance of Tabula Rasa was driving NCsoft to implement layoffs at its Austin, US-based studio. While Swofford acknowledged that the game “could have done a little better” and that “there’s a possibility that there could be downsizing with the TR team”, he was keen to counter a number of the claims made. “The Korea Times English edition story is full of inaccuracies,” he said. “No one at NCsoft said the product is a financial disaster. That came from the writer and is his opinion. “The TR development did not cost $100 million. I don’t know where that came from. The price tag for the product was much less…a fraction of that cost. Tabula Rasa was not restarted more than twice. It had one overhaul and that came after 2-3 years of development. “The article made it sound like the TR launch led to some sort of falling out with Robert Garriott. That is so far from the truth. In fact Robert has been promoted to work more with CEO TJ Kim on business development. Yes Robert is out of the day-to-day operations, but he’s still in the office and now travels much more for the company than he did before. “Yes there’s a possibility that there could be downsizing with the TR team. Some of that is due to the cyclical nature of game development (product is out and the team downsizes). Some is due to the fact that the product could have done a little better. But there is a lot going on with the TR team. They are working on more updates. We are planning a Japan launch later in the year. And the company is planning on investing millions into the product, so it’s not going away and in fact we have plans to grow it. “The Korea Times story was very inflammatory. The writer is notorious for writing sloppy and sensational articles about NCsoft. Also the Korea Times English edition is not the same as the Korea Times printed in Korean. It’s (the English edition) very low on the totem pole and is not any sort of high standard for journalism in Korea.”

Quoted to maybe drive this point home to more more.... 'resistant'... amongst us.

 

Ya' know... It never fails to amaze me on these boards how 'selective' people are on these boards in these conversations. If it dosent fit their point, they just ignore it and steam ahead regardless... Never let the truth or objective reason get in the way of a point your trying to make eh?

I'm no fan of TR, but, hell, if your gonna attack it  at least attack it fairly and take on board both sides of the debate.

I am getting really bored of discussing these things with children and fanbois not able to acknowledge and conceed valid points.

You are actually no different than the others you know.  They chose to quote the Korea Times article and believe it to be gospel, and you take the NCSoft press release and do the same.  Quite honestly, neither source is more credible than the other so what does it matter which side folks chose to trust?

Insulting the posters on this forum by calling them children and fanbois does nothing to make you look more intelligent and informed btw.

I'm pretty sure that no matter what the real numbers were, TR can safely be considered a financial disaster for all concerned (check out those NCSoft stock prices) and have to hope AION can pull them out of their recent rut.

Originally posted by _Shadowmage

 

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In 2001, NcSoft bought TR for $33.4 million

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Is that not the cost of buying Destination Games - and the money paid to the Garriott brothers?

Personally I wouldnt count that as a TR development cost as the game had barely begun development in 2001.

now i know why development companys are so lazy, they purchase broken code for millions!!!

There is a lot of hate thrown at TR but I really do wonder if many of these people have played it.

It isn't a game for everyone but it is terrifically playable, involving and above all fun.

In it's first few months it has garnered around 150,000 subscribers which is on a par with City Of Heroes which took around 6 months to hit 180,000. LOTRO which has had almost a year to grow, has only 200,000 or thereabouts. TR may not be the new WOW but it is performing on a par with the majority of it's rivals.

With a Japanese release later in the year and NCSoft hinting at a game-pass subscription allowing access to their whole raft of games, it seems pretty unlikely that TR will be canned any time soon.

The only reason it's future is in question is that NCSoft killed off AutoAssault when it was still pulling in tens of thousands of subscribers. Having played both there really is no comparison between the two.

I liked Auto Assault but it was a game which literally came to a dead end as you levelled. TR on the other hand seems ripe for new world expansions and an ever-broadening storyline. It is also a much more finessed and higher quality product than AA.

I believe that whilst it's birth has been a relatively low-key affair, it's core gameplay is of such high quality that  like EVE it will be a slow burner which grows and grows. Certainly having spent a few months in it's free flowing and changing world, I could never envisage going back to a cookie-cutter mmo again. Provided NCSoft keep the faith, TR may still become a long-term hit.

Core game play high quality?

You are kidding right, i think TR's gameplay is its primary failing. I mean come on, hold down/click mouse for 4 mins, rinse/repeat..... This is not a solid core. You can say all you want that ZOMG there is no auto attack, ITS TRUE THERE ISNT but there is hold down the button attack or click 342590827435984735957 times attack.

You can like the game all you want but dont lie and say its got some awesome revolutionary combat mechanic when its not even 1/2 as in depth as WOW and certainly not even 1/1000th as in depth as EVE.

Originally posted by eris0023

Core game play high quality?

You are kidding right, i think TR's gameplay is its primary failing. I mean come on, hold down/click mouse for 4 mins, rinse/repeat..... This is not a solid core. You can say all you want that ZOMG there is no auto attack, ITS TRUE THERE ISNT but there is hold down the button attack or click 342590827435984735957 times attack.

You can like the game all you want but dont lie and say its got some awesome revolutionary combat mechanic when its not even 1/2 as in depth as WOW and certainly not even 1/1000th as in depth as EVE.