Finally something to look forward to again!

Generol

Originally posted by Tibernicuspa

Wow, thats some hardcore conspiracy theorizing. False agenda?

He was absent for the last 6 months of development because Microsoft changed CEOs of their gaming division and the new one didn't want an MMO. So Brad spent 6 months shopping Vanguard around to investors, and SoE gave them the most time, which was way less time than they needed.

This isn't a mystery, it's a well documented fact. VG wouldn't have launched at all if he hadn't found 6 more months of funding.

 

I highly suggest you first learn the meanings of a conspiracy theory and a well documented fact and then looking into this issue a lot more as you are, obviously, way behind on many things and I am not going to rehash them all in this thread when they are so easily accessible. 

You have an opinion and you are entitled to it. However, don't pretend there are any "well documented facts" to support your position as you have now stated in several threads. For every Brad source you can provide I can provide several counter sources from people who worked under him and paint a very different picture. The fact that so many differing accounts all conclude at the same scenario would lead any logical and intelligent person to see a pattern of behavior. If you want to be on Brad's support train, fair enough, that's your choice but don't attempt to delude others that this is either a conspiracy theory against him or there is even one "well document fact" to substantiate anything he has stated. All we have seen are Brad's statements of the events against former employee's statements. The same employee's who were pulled into a parking lot and fired when he wasn't even there and later claimed it would have been too hard on him. Further, we have statements being made about misappropriated funds to which he admits he shouldn't have done as he did. That shows a clear pattern of poor decision making, bad management skills, and someone who doesn't have the ability to lead in any manner while not learning anything as he claims he did from the "mistakes" made with Vanguard. If you want to call that a conspiracy theory then I don't know what to tell you as nothing would get through to you anyhow if that is the case. 

You stated "I post because I can't stand misinformation and unsubstantiated rumors" and that is exactly what you are doing by claiming there is a "well documented fact" that exists to substantiate what Brad has claimed. I will play along though and call your bluff, please produce them so we all can see these "well documented facts".

Quesa

Originally posted by Keatlorien

Originally posted by Quesa

Originally posted by Keatlorien

This genre needs to get back to its roots. I hope Pantheon will get developed so that it can serve as an example of what is indeed possible when developers unshackle themselves from the demands of the mainstream audience.

 

Long live the independent mmorpg! Huzzzahhh!

It's a business decision.  Developers aren't shackled to the mainstream, they want to make money.  If the greatest potential for profit comes from the mainstream then they'll develop for it.

When the unmitigated desire for profit supersedes fidelity to artistic expression, a developer's reason for existence has certainly been compromised. How could this be anything other than bondage?

I'm not sure where this idea came from that profit supersedes fidelity to artistic expression.  At the very least, it's a gross over simplification and exaggeration and at worse, it's a complete fallacy.  While YOU and some others feel as though the gaming industry is moving in the 'wrong direction', it's moving that way because of market forces, in other words, they are producing what consumers are consuming.

You seem to have this naive notion that somehow greed overpowers creativity and that's just not true.  There are many people who release indie games and, as mentioned, some make it big, most do not.  More avenues for sales and marketing for indie developers have also been realized as we now have Steam Greenlight (and some other publisher that has the same type of thing but can't remember off hand).  Go search for 'indie games' in a search engine.  Hell, go to your appStore for your phone/tablet and see the astounding number of indie games/apps available for download.  We can even bring up the overused example of Minecraft as an indie developer who made his own game with his own artistic expression.  

Greed is good because it pushes innovation and encourages creative destruction and that's necessary for a healthy market.  Many people feel this innovation or creative destruction is working too slow but that's just a horrible perception on how long it takes to develop and release a finished product in this market.  MMO's typically take 3-5 years to release to market and that's a LONG time.  So even in the past decade we've only possibly seen two generations of MMOs out there.

Dihoru

Originally posted by Comaf

Originally posted by sirphobos
A game with no budget that is being developed by Brad McQuaid and a handful of amateur, volunteer developers. What could possibly go wrong?

Let's hope things work out.  There's so LITTLE on the horizon in regards to any attempt at anything other than the fluff we've been fed in the last decade of so called big titles.

Actually there are plenty: Repopulation, Gloria Victis, Albion Online, Trials of Ascension, etc. The first is at most a year away by now from some open beta testing, Gloria Victis is in paid alpha phase, actual alpha they are taking feedback and working on bettering the game, Albion is in deep closed beta territory, Trials is the only one still with an uncertain future but work is being done on it.

Uhwop

History repeats itself because people are generally incapable of learning from the past. 

The only thing Brad has shown an ability to do is play on people's desires.  He had all the resources he needed to make this game when it was called vanguard and he screwed that up. Now he's throwing around all the same pitch and tag lines for another game and people are buying it.  

He has a record of pissed of former employees, who keep pointing out the same ill behavior on his part, and some of you still think he's not the problem. 

Conmen prey on the naive.