All Posts by Torak

Originally posted by ArcAngel3

My points about sync bug are accurate.  I'm not sure where you were, or why you would even think to say the bug lasted only 3 days.  Also, read the hundreds of posts on the official boards where people are completely unable to interact with the map.  They couldn't move or do anything.  This is just the way it was for many people.  It was in fact players that discovered a work around for the sync bug.  If you had teleport self, it would get you back in sync with the map--but only temporarily.  It took a couple of weeks for the devs to get something like that on test.  If you'd remember correctly, it was called the "/sync" command.  This then went live after it was tested successfully, and the code was further modified to make the use of /sync less necessary.  This was a long drawn out process, that I helped troubleshoot, along with many of my friends who were affected by it. 

In fact it was so serious that the friends of mine who were directly affected received a month's worth of subscription time reimbursed.  Why would they get a month of time refunded if the bug only lasted 3 days?  The refund was a nice idea, I'll give them that, but it came too late for some players.  Also, those that had multiple accounts affected for the full month, only got one account refunded, which was not so helpful.

So, you can say it's inaccurate if you like, but you're simply wrong.  It was a serious bug that rendered people out of "sync" with the map server, and it lasted a month's time.  These are all just statements of fact.  I'm sorry if you're not aware of them, but that doesn't change their reality.

The rest of my analysis is equally factual.  If you don't believe that, check the forums now again regarding the pvp revamp, and check the server populations.  Friday night and all of them light, exept for one on medium.  That's the first time I've ever seen that on a Friday night.  If you don't believe that, check the damage control interviews being done by Miller to try to stop the exodus.

The first step to correcting a problem is admitting it exists.  Unfortuntely, it's this first step that seems to prove most difficult for some.

Dunno arc,

I looked at the CoX forums and I don't see anyone talking about this stuff at all, at least not to the extent you are making it out to be, I might have missed something.

boards.cityofheroes.com/ubbthreads.php

I also looked at NCSofts Q3 report and CoX is down slightly in subs but its been sorta dropping for the last 2 years. Q3 124k vs Q2 137k. (peak of 172k in Sept 2006) Concurrency of users is down slightly. (17k down to 13k) but last quarter (Q2) they had a bunch of "open weekends"

ncsoft.net/global/ir/quarterly.aspx

They publish everything. I don't see any "mass exodus" post, I don't see anyone complaining about the PvP changes just business as usual.

Originally posted by kinglee

 http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/11/133_34283.html

 

This tells you where most of that $100 Million went...into the pockets of the Garriott brothers when they first started doing business with NcSoft.    There's no telling what was actually spent in development.  Buying the Garriott "brand" was  a lot more expensive than hiring programmers and managers.

 

 Of course, NcSoft also expected talent and hard work.

Hmmm, it says 74 million went into it....still an unbelievable amount.

They shoulda hired me. It would cost them half the price, they woulda got a better game and I would be rich

"Garriott was the creative mind behind ``Tabula Rasa,'' a role-playing action game featuring shooting aliens, which took the company seven years and an estimated 100 billion won (about $74 million) to put on the market. "

Some people have this utopian illusion that MMO's were better without them?

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

 

Didnt someone post a link to the Q3 report. I think they said it brought in 1.7 million for the quarter while costs were like 3 million for the same time frame.

TR costs close to 60 million to produce and they are on pace to bring in 6 million a year from sub fees. Even if they had no monthly costs it would be 10 years before break even. I would think they need to triple subs to get to the point where turning a profit is a reality.

Maybe NCSoft tried to sell of TR cheaply to someone who will run it buyt develop it slower? Who knows really. Until NCSoft says something it is all guessing.

Here is the Q3 report, no TR listed. (unless I'm blind which has been known to happen)

ncsoft.net/global/ir/quarterly.aspx

No idea how much this game cost. I find 60 million difficult to believe but stranger things have happened.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

 

With all that said thought the PvP part of PS was fun. Nothing in TR today was as much fun or as tactical as PS was. Maybe it is because the only enemy was other people, maybe it was just set up better. Ps has seen its day and was never big enough to warrant the sequel that was planned. Thats ok at least they tried something no other MMO really had.

TR has an enemy, have you played a spy with polymorph? I honestly think it would take more work to make the bane playable than it would to make factions work together towards victory or loss by letting players join the Retreads or the Foreans or the AFS or any group not named Bane.

I agree with CPs being a strength, I think the basic missions were weak and were only there to lead you along the story line and get you places. Too many times you did Fedex style quests in a game screaming for special OPs type stuff.

In order for TR PVP to be meaningfull it has to become the focus, at least for a few months to come up with a story that makes sense and then the content to go with it. Maybe Earth is that chance, maybe the people left behind resent the AFS and fight them and the bane at the same time. Maybe this is TRs chance to add meaningfull PvP. But really they need help and need it now. When the head of NCSoft in Korea says a meeting is planned to talk about TRs money loser status you can bet your rent check that meeting is not a happy sounding one.

Be nice if they added something to CPs these control points should have meaning when they are taken by either side, Think PS and what certain bases meant if your side held them. Right now the main reason to fight CPs is they are fun for a while. But like anything else doing it over and over tends to become boring when there is no real reason.

Bigger world where vehicles play a part would be nice, maybe some small 1 and 2 man tanks that can help MECHS when they are fully in. Yes I am disappointed they ruined PAUs, but if they can really make MECHs awesome it might help bandage that wound.  Vehicles that have some attack function add a whole new level to combat tactics. The more options the more fun and deeper any fight can become.

The key to PvP though is making it important to the game while making it so people who are borderline on PVP in general willingly take part. I know that is hard to do almost impossible but in a game like TR with limited resources they need to get it right to hold on to their current population and possibly bring in new and people who left and still pay attention.

Well I dunno the financal situation of the game as it is not listed in the Q3 report but I'm sure if the CEO says he want to "rescue it" thats a good sign. They never said that about AA.
 

I'm guessing that the game is skirting the edge of bringing in a profit and they want to see what it would take to energize it. Maybe they will come to some of the same conclusions we are.

What is going to work against TR is the fact that they only run it in NA/EU. Korea opted out remember? They didn't like big Riches art direction and said it would not appeal to Asian gamers. He said he would go without the Korean market. 

One thing to keep in mind is NC is more or less abandoning the western market and refocusing on their main bread winner, the Korean and Asian markets.

I guess we will see where they go with this.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by Torak

 

No I raqd it but you are talking about a different approach. PvP from the ground up. I'm not. I'm talking PvM type play.

You could still add in all th PvE content you like, NP.

PS was designed as a persistant FPS game, thats why it failed. It also could not compete with new FPS over time. Look at PS and look at CoD4 or BF2142. No contest. PS is like a fossil compared.

 

That is why I do not see TR making it big going with big time PVP. If a game designed for it "failed" and PVP servers usually the smallest on MMOs why would TR become a hit using it?
 

Ps really did not fail. It was not a huge hit but it made money and lasted a few years. They just consolidated servers again, but it was 10X the game TR is now.It was in much better shape starting year two than TR is. TR could have done a good job having both PVE and PVP adding it now is going to be tough. If they make bane playable the game needs huge changes.

I'm not talking about "big time" either bro. I'm talking about salvaging the game. PvP is NOT a core feature BUT it is a wanted feature. You seem to think I am advocating some sort of swing from PvE focus to PvP focus and I am not and have not said that. It does need a meaningful PvP portion however not a half ass one like what they are trying with this nonsense wargame thing. They have an enemy, they should use it.

The PvE missions are this games strength along with its control point battles. They need to build on these aspects and ADD new things to make the game more like a "living" universe. A true Social center, mail system (as the above poster pointed out) a meaningful guild (call it Unit) system, a rank system, vehicles, space and a better crafting / technical system.

I'm not going to compare PS because its apples and oranges. Totally different games, totally different playstyles, totally different core design. The game is dead anyway and is far to aged to really care. If any gamer with half a wit wants good sci-fi FPS action the LAST thing they will be looking at is PS and its 14.99 monthly fee for an empty, massively dated game.

Originally posted by dalevi1

They don't even have an in game mail system at this point. Long term for me, this is going to be a killer since they only way to communicate with clan members is to open a third party website, or get lucky on ventrillo, which sucks.

You want an upgrade to TR - start with basic communication FFS...

True.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by Torak

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by Sevenwind

I think the people who play TR are looking forward to the pvp map. It got a lot of comments the other night when the dev popped in general chat for a few minutes.

I look at the pvp that is going into the game as a type of wargames. If the militaries around the world compete in wargames as training exercises why can't that be done in TR?

I don't care much for pvp but the clans I run into in the game a lot are PVP clans.

 

It is done in TR, the PVP now is basicly wargames. It serves no purpose stprywise right now other than as a wargame.  Makes sense except what military runs its wargames in the middle of the actual warzones? If PVP was all instanced and not done in the middle of warzones it would make a little more sense game lore wise.

TR could have had good PVP had the game been designed for it from the start, but everyone knows it was an after thought.  Having mankind supposedly fight for its own survival and have PVP that is not RvR makes the games story seem a little less credible. Had the Bane been playable from the start or maybe even the Foreans and other races and groups you come across, the AFS that all went into hiding and the Cormans had been playable as factions you could have brought in a real social aspect to PVP. Groups could choose to work together to drive out the bane or allow inner turmoil to cause fights that the bane might exploit. There could have been real solid game depth added with PVP if used properly. TR missed that boat so far.

 

Here is where I disagree. IMHO a PvM (PvP) type set up would re-spark the game. Here is why...you can't "win" Earth, if you do the game is over. So it becomes a perpetual battlefield. I agree with sevenwind, I did see a lot of PvP chatter when I was playing. A perpetual PvE battlefield will wear thin in a very short time. PS didn't do well because it challenged FPS games and it's no contest, FPS stomped PS guts, they look, play better and they are free.

Add in the social station

Add in a bootcamp

Revamp weak areas over time (crafting) which I tried and it wasn't that bad....add in more content starting at level cap but re-work your way down. Add in personal vehicles, runnings for chumps

Add in a Fleet branch with ships. This would be the only "difficult" portion to do.

The game still has a lot of players in the early levels, trial accounts are marked and I saw a lot. There is still a good amount of interest in the game.

 

 

How does PVP in this game not get stomped on by FPS yet PS did? I see TR as not all that different. Playing the Bane if they got a huge revamp would be cool for a little bit, but in the end like PS interest would dwindle. If someone could make an discussion of why TR PVP would succedd where a game like PS was decently successful I would love to read it. But all I hear is how TR PVP would be great. Well tell me and the doubters why.
 

How does PVP respark a game that was neverng P known for PVP and now fit the lore of the game? How does PVP save this disaster? I think my stated idea of playing the different factions and allowing them to through social skills and working together or apart decide the fate of mankind is a good one for bringing PVP to a prominant position in TR.

I am guessing you quoted my post without reading it as the entire last paragraph was ideas on how to do this.

No I raqd it but you are talking about a different approach. PvP from the ground up. I'm not. I'm talking PvM type play.

You could still add in all th PvE content you like, NP.

PS was designed as a persistant FPS game, thats why it failed. It also could not compete with new FPS over time. Look at PS and look at CoD4 or BF2142. No contest. PS is like a fossil compared.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by Sevenwind

I think the people who play TR are looking forward to the pvp map. It got a lot of comments the other night when the dev popped in general chat for a few minutes.

I look at the pvp that is going into the game as a type of wargames. If the militaries around the world compete in wargames as training exercises why can't that be done in TR?

I don't care much for pvp but the clans I run into in the game a lot are PVP clans.

 

It is done in TR, the PVP now is basicly wargames. It serves no purpose stprywise right now other than as a wargame.  Makes sense except what military runs its wargames in the middle of the actual warzones? If PVP was all instanced and not done in the middle of warzones it would make a little more sense game lore wise.

TR could have had good PVP had the game been designed for it from the start, but everyone knows it was an after thought.  Having mankind supposedly fight for its own survival and have PVP that is not RvR makes the games story seem a little less credible. Had the Bane been playable from the start or maybe even the Foreans and other races and groups you come across, the AFS that all went into hiding and the Cormans had been playable as factions you could have brought in a real social aspect to PVP. Groups could choose to work together to drive out the bane or allow inner turmoil to cause fights that the bane might exploit. There could have been real solid game depth added with PVP if used properly. TR missed that boat so far.

Here is where I disagree. IMHO a PvM (PvP) type set up would re-spark the game. Here is why...you can't "win" Earth, if you do the game is over. So it becomes a perpetual battlefield. I agree with sevenwind, I did see a lot of PvP chatter when I was playing. A perpetual PvE battlefield will wear thin in a very short time. PS didn't do well because it challenged FPS games and it's no contest, FPS stomped PS guts, they look, play better and they are free.

Add in the social station

Add in a bootcamp

Revamp weak areas over time (crafting) which I tried and it wasn't that bad....add in more content starting at level cap but re-work your way down. Add in personal vehicles, runnings for chumps

Add in a Fleet branch with ships. This would be the only "difficult" portion to do.

The game still has a lot of players in the early levels, trial accounts are marked and I saw a lot. There is still a good amount of interest in the game.

Originally posted by BaronJuJu

 You are a jackass...lol.
 

I never understood that about SWG. They originally eluded to some super secret way to become a jed then it turns out its just  tons of pointless grinding that some how makes it "unlock" Jedi...what a joke. I see Bioware makng the journey and more important your own story the point of the MMO, not grind as fast as you can to end content where the "real game begins" like most do.

I know, I'm a dreamer.

LoL,

I'm sure Bioware has something good up its sleeve. I'm pretty interested to see.

Maybe this time I can be a smuggler who...actually has something to do with smuggling and not a wildlife Bol hunter with a pistol.

If you really wanted to put Tabula Rasa back on the map relatively easily heres what you do.

Earth - full PvP area with playable Bane like LotRs PvM

It would be fast, all the resources are already there. That would buy the time needed to revamp the things that need attention.

Later

Add Space with a complete ship system similar to SWG (but fun and interesting to play) and a Fleet character system.

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by Torak

Remember the days when people helped noobs out...because the games were damn hard? You were usually naked with a stick, didn't have a clue what to do next, you had no idea where anything was and some rat was biting you on the arse.

 

 

 

Sounds like a typical sunday morning...

oh, I kid

lmao...yeah now that you mention it....

Remember the days when people helped noobs out...because the games were damn hard? You were usually naked with a stick, didn't have a clue what to do next, you had no idea where anything was and some rat was biting you on the arse.

Originally posted by SeventhLight

Originally posted by tillamook

I'm not interested in this even a little bit

 

Just wondering... which mmo interests you?

JEDI...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It must have Jedi