tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post5038702402062231272..comments2023-06-19T10:45:56.724-04:00Comments on Player Versus Developer: Trust and Living in the MMOmentGreen Armadillohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15564045048380177626noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-69608968433552177762010-03-10T23:05:10.335-05:002010-03-10T23:05:10.335-05:00The problem is that companies have unrealistic exp...The problem is that companies have unrealistic expectations - they budget for less dev time than they need, and expect far more subs than they get. The end result is that people are disappointed in the game, and the budget guys at the publisher's office are disappointed that they aren't beating WoW yet, and so are reluctant to "throw good money after bad", and focus on how to wring more blood from the stone or on their next attempt.<br /><br />What the publishers and developers need to realize is that MMOs aren't like other AAA games - they don't top the charts their first week. Instead, they grow gradually. Blizzard didn't hit 11 million subscribers overnight, but that seems to be what publishers are expecting for their MMOs. Developers and publishers need to get more realistic business plans - ones which plan for a slow first year, and a gradual polishing and improvement into the game that'll bring in millions of subscribers.ZachPruckowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15952603904161496266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-87648998876876300432010-03-10T22:37:03.577-05:002010-03-10T22:37:03.577-05:00The follow-up question, though, is whether we are ...The follow-up question, though, is whether we are prepared to do without worlds on the scale of a Norrath, Azeroth, Vanadiel, or Middle Earth. If half the players make a habit of canceling between content patches, while the other half don't pick up the game at all until the one year mark to wait out the launch bugs, there isn't going to be enough of a dev team left to finish the game. <br /><br />Perhaps the size of the world no longer matters if you believe that developers aren't using their worlds effectively, but I'd like to think there's still some value in having a game world that's larger than a couple of DOTA maps cobbled together.Green Armadillohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15564045048380177626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-826986957606858027.post-59122696957323165972010-03-10T11:41:23.541-05:002010-03-10T11:41:23.541-05:00I am working on the principles you outlined here. ...I am working on the principles you outlined here. I haven't touched an actual MMO (Global Agenda doesn't qualify because I don't play it as an MMO) in months now because I don't find them fun. I will not pay for arbitrary timesinks. I won't pay to support a business model that is out to screw me and eat up thousands of hours of my time. I'd rather play shorter skill-based games that I find more fun all the time and that don't require a significant time investment.evizaerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09836136474835816824noreply@blogger.com