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There are five things you need to know about launch.
cyberwraith81
Member Posts: 9
This is a letter that we sent out to members of my guild. I thought it pertinent enough to share with the TSW Community as well as those looking to buy this game.
Alessa’s Handy-Dandy Guide to Not Messing Launch Up.
By Alessa Cirillo
By now, you’ve certainly heard the horror stories. Conan was supposedly crap, another game simply unplayable! These statements are shortly followed by people, with their sweaty cheeto dust covered fingers, poo-poohing all over the company that made the game in question. This is because gamers often don’t realize one very simple fact.
Launch sucks.
Every launch ever in the history of ever has sucked. The range of suck varies- from memory dumps to random hair color changes to entire servers biting the dust, repeatedly, for the first two weeks. I’m going to hit the highlights of launch, to better prepare the uninitiated into this time honored tradition.
Fact of Launch One: There will be bugs.
In engineering (and many other pursuits), there’s this thing called Murphy’s Law. In short, if it can go wrong, it will. In launch, this will often be taken a step further in that, if by going wrong it will cause several other things to go wrong, it will go wrong much sooner.
There are many reasons for this. Some of it is simply no amount of stress testing will truely prepare the servers for the masses. Others include faulty codes no one in beta caught, or exploits found that no one could foresee. Server crashes, disappearing items, falling into walls, getting stuck, memory dumps- all of it you should expect for at least two weeks, if not a little longer for all the kinks to be worked out. Normally, these will not be too disruptive to gameplay, hotfixes and relogging aside.
So, if you don’t think you can handle it, wait a couple of weeks before beginning play. The game will be running a lot smoother by then.
Fact of Launch Two: Mister Zippy and Mister Derp
One of the most common complaints for new MMOs is that there is a ‘lack of content’. This phrase is often bandied about as a result of two distinct but often intermingled mindsets: Mister Zippy and Mister Derp.
Mister Zippy is one of those gamers. Mister Zippy, in a traditional MMO, hits level cap within a few days of launch. Mister Zippy most often ignores the side quests, the hidden objects, the lore, the achievements, the collectibles games, and maybe even the PvP or PvE aspect to grind to cap. And then, Mister Zippy will be the first to cry foul because he is ‘omgsobored’. He will complain of a lack of content, pointing his finger at Funcom and huffing from the exertion laced with too much caffiene.
Mister Derp is a relative of Mister Zippy. Though he does not move quite so fast as his wayward cousin, Mister Derp also complains of a lack of content.However, this is due to his comparing the game in its infancy to older, better established games. Yes, like World of Warcraft. Chances are, Mister Derp has either forgotten the small amount of content WoW had at launch, or (more likely) was not in on the ground level of the game, so Mister Derp expects a brand new MMO to have the same content as an MMO that has been in development for years.
Now, before we bemoan and decry the exasperating antics of Mister Zippy and Mister Derp, let us pause to admit that, though they have stupid reasons for it, they ARE correct that there is a lack of content.
That’s right. There’s not going to be enough to do.
Most games do not start to have ‘enough to do’ until at least a year after launch. As RPer’s, we can counter this with our own stories and a little tavern RP.
If this does not sit well with you, you may want to wait until they start to do expansions/ content, which is often about a year.
Fact of Launch Three: Customer Service Baiting
Launch is a chaotic time, and if you think you’re frustrated you should be in the game’s customer service. So, let me lay down a law right here, right now.
BE. NICE.
These people have been getting screwed all day long. They’ve been verbal punching bags over the problems mentioned in Fact One and Fact Two. Maybe they can help you with your problem, maybe they can’t. Maybe they’re being rude, maybe they’re being sweet. Maybe your call for help got answered right away, maybe you had to wait for a few hours or days. I don’t care.
BE. NICE.
Because, children, when we aren’t nice, not only do they not really help us, but new rules to dick us over might be instated. I’ve watched it happen. Pretty, it ain’t. But those rules were often bent, at least a little, for those people and guilds who had maintained a certain level of non-dickery. Let’s be that guild. At least, OOC.
Fact of Launch Four: BE. NICE.
Hey! How weird that phrase keeps popping up, right? Well, this one is a little different. Long and short, we’re an RP guild. Yes, we also do everything else, but we’re all RPer’s. We’re pretty heavy on the RP. It’s there. It happens. And the thing about RP is it’s a social activity.
Social. You know. Needing people. No, your masturbation hand does not count as a person for this. The thing about social is, of course, that the community is still trying to sprout this early in the game. Many of you remember the community from CoX. Some of you may also recall that wasn’t pulled from anyone’s ass overnight. You know what happened to make it?
People were nice.
Sure, there was drama thrown in (a lot of it as the years went on), but mostly it was people being nice, and at the very least staying out of each other’s hair if being coldly cordial proved too hard. People communicated. People worked together. People jumped in on things they saw happening, maybe after sending a tell to make sure it was okay with those running the scene.
Now, this doesn’t mean your character has to be nice (Can you picture Alessa being nice?), but it does mean you, the player, have to act like a mature person. This means no public trash-talking, no anything covered by the NDP, and reaching out to other cabals to say hi.
If we want the same lovable cluster of RP that was CoX, we’re going to have to be civil and social. At least, at the beginning.
Fact of Launch Five: No One Knows You
Speaking of past RP, here’s a fun tip: no one knows you. No one outside of GH, maybe, knows about anything you’ve done as an individual or group in the past. A new game, especially at launch, is a new start. There’s a new pecking order to establish.
All those baddass things your character did back in CoX/CO/FE/WoD/Shadowrun/whathaveyou? As of right now, it’s only a fun story to share OOC during slow times. You will have to rebuild your reputation for the new community. Though GH provides at least a bit of a head start where others know you are a total BAMF, that will not extend outside of GH without effort.
So, try not to get bent out of shape when the community at large doesn’t seem to recognize your greatness. Tighten your belt and prove it to them, while doing your best to not forget fact number four
[mod edited: link removed]
Comments
As someone who was interested and waiting to make this game my "other" game. You have just made me go from a bit worried about this game to completly hesitant to even considering it.
Because of pointing out the obvious that launches are rocky. I ahve already purchased my lifetime sub because I beleive this game will be excellent. I am also a realist. New games never have smooth launches. The nature of this post is to bring that to light. TSW's setting is great and the development team is top notch but there will be issues with launch. Those are unavoidable.
Tagging Games For Role Players. RPGTag.com
Seriously, you're posting a Funcom apology thread for TSW and telling folks to accept it?
All launches don't suck, all customer service is not poor, and all MMO's don't start out horrifically short on content.
But you're right we are talking Funcom here.
They've screwed up twice in a row, they'd better get it right this time.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
What have they screwed up? Show your work. I am not appologising for anyone. I am simply stating a fact that launches tend to be rocky and should be given a chance to get all the bugs out when they go live.
Tagging Games For Role Players. RPGTag.com
I like your analogies of Zippy and Derp lol. Goodstuff!!!
I think this is a thinly veiled attempt to recruit to your guild, and based on the mature approach it will probably work.
Its refreshing to see some realism here.
All power to you.
Playing: Darkfall New Dawn (and planning to play Fallout 76)
Favourite games have included: UO, Lineage2, Darkfall, Lotro, Baldur's Gate, SSX, FF7 and yes the original Wizardry on an Apple IIe
Considering my guild is invite only? No I am honestly trying to put some realism into the community. Thank you for the vote of support though.
Tagging Games For Role Players. RPGTag.com
TSW have lifetime sub? NIce....
I agree on fact #1, there will be bugs. I took a course on Software Engineering a few years ago, and the very first thing they tought me was, "There will be bugs". Patch one, and another appears. People just dont understand this (or just ignorant).
Where have they screwed up? Are you serious right now?
Anarchy Online: I purchase the game. Me and my little brother are ecstatic. We were huge Ultima Online fans and AO was an scifi MMO. Pure win, right? Wrong! My CD-Key doesn't work. Upon contacting Funcom support, I received a reply about a week later. I have to fax them over a copy of my proof of purchase, a copy of my credit card and a copy of my government ID. I live in United States, Funcom is located in Norway. Back in 2001, I had to find a fax machine and fax over private information to a country on the other side of the world. Why? Not because I messed up but because Funcom's CD-Key did not work. Good enough for a screw up? Moving on.
Age of Conan: To make the long story short, I followed the game for a while. It had everything: great graphics, fun combat, interesting lore but most importantly: mounted combat! I get into the beta and the game runs almost flawlessly. No serious issues and I'm getting an average of 30 FPS. I'm good to go, right? Wrong! Right before the game launches, Funcom releases a "miracle patch" which drops my FPS to bellow 10. So, did I mess up or was it a Funcom screw up? Mind you, I'm just talking about my personal experience with the game. I'm not going to get into the fact that the game did a complete 180 after Tortage.
Why does your guild sent that letter out to it's members anyway? Are you guys indoctrinating them? I mean you're practically telling your members what to think.
Im sorry but regardless of if Funcom sucks or not the fact that you are shocked and angry that he hasnt personally heard of the sad story of you and your brother is extremely humorous to me.
How can you be taken seriously? You list five bulleted "Facts" none of which are actually facts in anyway shape or form. Nothing is verifiable, it's all opinion and comentary
Beyond that, there have been smooth launces. Just not Funcom. And you sound like you are prepping the comunity to bare with disappointment.
Soooo.....Your a realist....Yet, you purchased a lifetime sub without anything more than what developers feed you. Thats like three strangers asking you to come down a dark ally in a large city because they have something to show you
Add to the fact that YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT THE GAME WILL START OFF BORAKEN....Yet you purchased the lifetime sub, and your a realist.
Now I know why I love this site so much, I get to read funny stuff !
You sir are an excellent proof of ignorance and might be and excellent example of Mr Zippy/ Derp (Can't proove it, but it's just a feeling). The fact of realizing that the game will start of being broken just to get better with time defines him as a realist, you must have misunderstood the word.
This post sounds like a pep rally for a failed game.
When a game succeeds massively, it doesn't need to make excuses for its shortcomings. It also doesn't hide itself a couple months before its purported release..
No, people, this game will most probably be bad. That's why they're hiding information and keeping everything so quiet; every game that has had a modicum of success, hell even AoC, revealed itself in some capactiy to the masses, relying on word of mouth to get those initial subs up.
If the latter doesn't bother you, take a look at the lifetime subscription option and tell me that even this games developers don't have high expectations.
This is a sequence of characters intended to produce some profound mental effect, but it has failed.
The launches of AO and AOC were arguably of much lower quality than is generally acceptable to consumers today.
Sure, all software has bugs, but there's a world of difference between a title with minor issues versus a "smoking pile" which both of those were because they were shoved out the door well before their time.
Here's a fact, if TSW launches with the same level (or lack thereof) of quality as the other two then it is doomed to fail and never reach it's proper potential, regardless whether they fix it up later as was the case with AOC.
It will be F2P in less than 2 years and strugglling to keep 200K subs. You heard it here first.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Lies and slander. People have been posting that ever since they saw the gameplay footage.
This is a sequence of characters intended to produce some profound mental effect, but it has failed.
Buying a lifetime sub is like stating that he is expecting the game to start off lacking and will DEFINITELY get better in time.
Sure all mmo's get better. But at what level and speed....If it takes two years to improve and by the time everyone is gone and is ready to go F2P it is not really improving. Lets use a good example for my point....Hay, I got one !....Age of Conan, by Funcom !
I'm actually looking fwd to TSW, And if people are willing to take a chance and buy a life time sub with a lot of unknowns, well more power to them..........But to say your a realist and buy a lifetime sub in the same breath is ridicules !
Reading all these pages makes me laugh. I can pinpoint the SW and WoW fanbois. Trying to derail another MMO before it takes even more from their game.
The thing is, the OP is right on all accounts. You all can flame away, but it's not gonna help your mmo. And here's why. TSW is different. It's not based on some lame ass elves and hobbit crap that is being regurgitated everyday. Even SWTOR is a reskinning of the Elf/Troll/Hobbit/Dragon fantasy setting.
Get ready to quote me... TSW will start off smaller than SWTOR, but TSW will slowly overtake the sub numbers of TOR. And when both TSW and WoD get rolling, I promise you people will be all about these Dark MMO's. Because they are different.
Looking forward to joing the GH guild if this is the type of rational thinking they have.
Pretty much said what I was thinking. I hope it's a good game, would love for 3 or 4 good mmo's to come out this year and start some real competition between all the companies to try and keep us all entertained and work harder making games better for us. I know I'm dreaming but hey
It could happen some day. 
So far it's not looking good atm though. Bioware can't wipe their tush without smearing poo all over their bum cheeks atm.
What happens when you log off your characters????.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFQhfhnjYMk
Dark Age of Camelot
The guy comes with some rational thinking, and then, people bash with irrational comments, I'm glad many of you are staying out of this game.
If it was just launches then AOC would have picked up later on. it didn't. Unless by launch you mean 6 months. In that case then . . no most games aren't that bad for 6 months. Just my opinion. I was there for the launch of UO, Everyqest, DAoC, WAR and AoC and I think AoC suffered from more than some server issues, bugs and only having introductory content.
I should add I think the game will be decent and am considering purchasing it. I just don't think accepting crappy launches or unfinished products is a good idea and "the norm" is a good idea.
If a game is pushing the envelope and adding technology and features that have never been done before then, sure, those systems might have problems.. . server crashes and lag due to "unexpected numbers" or the "surprising success of the game" is just crap.
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!