Comments on: Good Lessons Learned The MMO Heartbreak Way

By: Jomu

Jomu — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:49:31 +0000

i like your site; i think its better to be positive than ‘overly’ negative; maybe constructive criticisms for negative stuff

Its hard to read negative stuff each day.. but i like how Syn is nostalgic with UO (I <3 UO too)

By: Shadow War

Shadow War — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:32:42 +0000

Jaye, I don’t mean to be blunt or overly hostile, but do you have any idea of the base design choices that DarkFall and WAR have made that differentiates them to be completely different? Are you aware of the fundamental difference between a sandbox and a themepark game?

By: Shadow War

Shadow War — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:31:17 +0000

Mmmm…redheads.

http://liveforfilms.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/hendricks.jpg

By: Beyond flamebait, why Aion’s struggles benefit me. « Hardcore Casual

Beyond flamebait, why Aion’s struggles benefit me. « Hardcore Casual — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:51:47 +0000

[...] flame bait with my post about Aion, and while it was mostly posted to cure Friday boredom (and not because I was upset, my sickeningly happy friend:) ), there is a very real aspect behind the whole “your MMO is your [...]

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:11:57 +0000

Well, to be fair, that exodus took months, not a single month, to happen for both those games.

One thing you do have to hand to Aion is that they’re taking advantage of the extended time it takes right now to level. Those unable to put up with the grind are leaving, but those who hold out hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel keep playing. This guarantees months of subscription, at least.

I can’t say I necessarily fault the business strategy of that thinking.

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:09:22 +0000

You’re assuming disillusionment is the ultimate result. Getting over any MMO heartbreak involves some of this on some level, but my point was that like any actual relationship, the lessons can and should make you a better person for it.

People let themselves get so jaded about the gaming scene these days because of bad experiences. My thought is that at the heart of the matter, you’re learning something about your own preferences. It’d be nice if we didn’t have this happen, I agree. But wanting players not to feel let down by games at times is, well, even more positive than me, and that takes talent! Given that MMO heartbreak is inevitable, it should at least be seen as productive, when it does happen.

By: xXJayeDuBXx

xXJayeDuBXx — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:22:49 +0000

Syn is just upset that Dark Fall is a WAR clone that’s got more in common with Shadowbane, another really bad game.

I get the feeling that those who are most adamant that Aion is a WoW-clone are those whose first MMO was WoW.

By: ThatsSkarWithAK

ThatsSkarWithAK — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:32:20 +0000

It’s worth remembering that Aion isn’t a new game, it’s only new for a western audience. So the stability issues/performance issues that afflicted Warhammer so badly at the start and helped drive other people away, aren’t the same issues that are affecting Aion. Aion is purely being evaluated in game play terms. So if people are leaving, it’s because the game doesn’t suite their temperment.

If for instance we were comparing titles, it should be Warhammer now versus Aion now.

Unfortunately you only get one launch and if you blow it (Warhammer), you need to work really hard to have any chance of recovery. At worst Aion at QueueGate.

By: sid67

sid67 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:54:36 +0000

I disagree. The player exodus is the event — but the target is Aion. Anyone who made claims that the game was anything more than another blip on the MMO radar is just collateral damage.

And to your point, of what benefit is it to have more disillusioned players who have yet another MMO that failed to meet expectations. If anything, this just drives players away from trying new MMOs and/or reinforces the idea that Blizzard is the only worthwhile game in town.

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:14:55 +0000

Ah, my friend, but the devs aren’t really the targets of Syn’s supposed jabbery, the players are. While bloggery folks have come a long way, we are far from a voice of terribly significant influence on developer decisions and outlook. Even the most influential and comment-generating blogs, such as Tobold, Syncaine, and others, are single voices, hardly the clarion call of an entire MMO playerbase which clearly, Aion has part of a market for. Given that, such mockery is hardly going to make developers stand up and take notice, especially if it comes from one person.

The lessons learned by players from a game that hasn’t met expectations are harsh ones, but overall they are necessary and generally positive experiences to glean from, not a target of “haha you suck”. That’s generally the gist of my optimism today.