I have a copy too - it has promise, but I found the experience generally frustrating (the login screen in particular where it checks files against the server). I might revisit in a few months to see if it has improved! It's not about graphics and features - it's about usability. Such a simple concept so often left by the wayside.
 

I Laugh at SOE pathetic attempt to take a piece of the MMO pie. They should of realized any genre of game that comes out after their competitors, they most go above and beyond, or at the very least atleast on par with that of the competitors product. Now that WoW has set the bar for all MMO's, all MMO's must be atleast as casual, user friendly, complete, etc...intruducing a game that isn't complete is SOE's first mistake. I'm going to guess that was SOE's call too, I don't see why any game developer would rush out an incompelte product knowing it will ruin their rep, unless they are getting pressure from corperate. Furture more, any suit that would of OK'd a subpar game either made a huge error in judgement, or was hopeing to sell 200,000, keep about 50,000 customer for a year or so and then call it quits.

All in the all did the game make money? I have no clue, but isn't anything that someone would be proud of, from a sales, production, art or suit standpoint. Turbine atleast took the time to release a complete, on par product.
 

Or you can spend $450mil to buy an already functional game. Got to be a hard choice, build crap for 50mil or buy something that works for ten times the price?

(Club Penguin)
 

/plays taps for Sigil
 

Or you can spend $450mil to buy an already functional game. Got to be a hard choice, build crap for 50mil or buy something that works for ten times the price?

What source are you using to suggest SOE purchased the Sigil assets for $450 million? I would go back and recheck those facts. More than likly, SOE purchased Sigil's debt and possibly a small priemium on top of that, but given the totakl flop the game was, and how much money it will cost to ressurect it, I'm guessing they got a yard sale bargin on Vanguard.
 

As it currently stands vanguard is playable and fun. You need a very good computer to run it. If have one the world is beautiful, the classes are fairly balanced and there is a ton to do.

Tobolt why are you using your blog spread negativity on a game you havnt played? Kicking a wounded animal is pretty low..I dont know how the Sigil merger is going to change the game but you arnt doing any service to the people who play it and enjoy it by spread your ignorance and scarying new people away..

At least play the thing before you comment.
 

Here is a link to SS-blog from someone who actually plays the game...

http://www.journeyswithjaye.com/
 

Evrett, he did play it in beta. He posted about it. He mentions that in this post. We all understand that being a rabid Vanguard fanboy is lonelier business than it was 6 months ago, but let's just stick to the facts if we can.
 

Tobolt why are you using your blog spread negativity on a game you havnt played?

As I said, I did play Vanguard. It wasn't very good, very buggy, and had a very unfinished feel to it. The fact that there are a few fanbois doesn't change that. Or are you telling me that sacking half of Sigil was because they made such a great game? Vanguard certainly doesn't need me to bring it down, it did that quite capably by itself.
 

In case you haven't, hit up f13 for a couple interesting interviews with ex Sigil staff and brad himself.

Scary in house stuff, reads like a soap oprah, and a bad one at that.

As for commenting about Vanguard sucking, even people who don't play can say that, hell, the executive producer himself constantly spews forth forum posts that comment on why it sucks.
 

Tobold, if you don't know Kranky Kraut started blogging again and he is still playing vanguard.
 

Brad did an interview with F13 and attempted to spin/explain his side of the disaster.

He did not come off well in that interview.

VG sucked because Brad had no idea exactly why EQ was a success. He misjudged every step of the way and VG is proof of that.

As a beta tester put it - the problem with VG isn't the things that are broke - the problem with VG are the things that are working.
 

playing in a beta (who knows what level) does not equal playing the game..and I'm not a fanboi..I canceled my account a few weeks ago..

I started reading this blog because it had journalistic/news value. Now it doesnt. Its a soapbox for a person who has very set opinions. Opinions are overwelming the news and its a big put off.
 

After reading that interview ... I can't believe someone put Brad in charge of a single project, let alone a company. Of course, from reading other interviews, it sounds like none of the management there had a clue about ... management.

"you can't put deadlines on an artistic project" what? That's the one that really blows me away
 

No what really blows me away is that Brad was producing a mmorpg and yet supposedly never bothered playing WoW, to experience first hand why it was the most successful computer game - of all time.
 

"I started reading this blog because it had journalistic/news value. Now it doesnt. Its a soapbox for a person who has very set opinions. Opinions are overwelming the news and its a big put off."

a) It's a blog, therefore it's edtorial content subject to the authour's opinion
b) One post turns it from "journalism/news" into "opinion"?
 

Its a soapbox for a person who has very set opinions.

Congratulations, you just found out what a blog is. Can I use this as a signature? :)

I play games, I write about whether I like them or not. I don't even claim that is journalism. It's blogging. And every time I write anything, good or bad, about any game, somebody complains. Some people complain I like LotRO, others complain I don't like Vanguard. Where are my first amendment rights to voice my opinion?
 

I played vanguard and it sucked big time. Luckily, I didn't waste any money on it as I was in a couple of the betas. Very boring to all but a few sad fanboi types that wanted to tough it out because they promoted how good it was supposed to be lol. oh well, live & learn. I'm retired from all MMOs right now until Conan & Warhammer get closer.
 

I'm just saying the tone of the blog has changed from "inform the public" to "preach to the public"..take that as you will

The right to speak comes with the stipulation that you are responsible with what you say...and
"1st amendment rights" only apply to Americans..I thought you were in Europe somewhere..
 

A two paragraph post with three supporting links hardly seems preachy to me. Take that as you will.
 

SOE tried to fix SWG, and we all know how much of a fiasco that turned into. I have no confidence in SOE to do anything right.
 

evrett said...

I'm just saying the tone of the blog has changed from "inform the public" to "preach to the public"..take that as you will

The right to speak comes with the stipulation that you are responsible with what you say...and
"1st amendment rights" only apply to Americans..I thought you were in Europe somewhere..


You post a lot on Battlenet dont you.
 

I fail to see how blame accords to SOE here. I think they are nuts for buying Vanguard, as poorly as it performed out the gate, but hey, more power to them if they think they can fix it.

As to buying a hardcore game over another easy one -- I think that is WHY they are willing to stick with it. Smedley described as the most hardcore game they have -- I think they figure that hardcore is a niche, albeit a small one, and I would wager their goal is to encourage All Access Pass subscriptions by filling as many niches as they can.
 

Without SOE there would be no game. Without SOE the game would have released at the end of Beta 2.5 - a landmass with a bunch of mobs and dysfunctional game mechanics.

Anyway, Vanguard's problems go far beyong bugs and performance issues. There are severe design flaws and huge accessibility barriers.

Most people I know who played the game and quit did so because at a certain point they were unable to find groups, didn't know where to go and couldn't progress.

A huge world with content scattered all over the place, a lack of true social hubs and content that is often longwindedly linear (i.e. huge sequential quest lines) make the game virtually unplayable for people who have to rely on pick-up groups.
 

Vanguard is a good game besides the fact that it requires heavy cpu/ram requirements and there are not enough people playing it.

I did enjoy my subscripion of vanguard and to despite the "WoW" grind/quest scenario, vanguard is a nice step away from carebear and individual lvling. The classes are also designed unique from their typical cookie cutter skills/roles(just take a look at a paladin skill tree).

The game has potential and it doesnt take a fanboi to recongnize that. Vanguard wont be a WoW-Killer, but it still can be a success.