Bioware Does Not Understand MMO Players

[Zannis]

BTW to the OP official launch isn't until Dec 20th!

 

http://www.swtor.com/blog/welcome-star-wars-old-republic

 

This is a big day for us; we are launching Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, BioWare’s largest and most ambitious project to date, and we’re very proud that you’ve been able to join us. It’s an honor to be able to share this game with you.

 

It's the first item on their community blog. Apply all the semantics you'd like, the game has launched.

[Yfelsung]

One thing I've learned about MMO players.

 

They will tell you a game is terrible while they dump over 1000 hours into that game that they say is terrible.

 

MMO players are all bark and no bite.

[BrimstoneAshe]

So you have that little faith in the SWTOR servers? Aion, Rift, Warhammer, all more recent mmos, they had a million preorders each and they did just fine, yeah there was some long queues for some servers but at least everyone got a chance to play.

 

And when the game officially launches on the 20th, everyone will get a chance to play.

[badalchemist]

If you want to be the "first" to do something on your server, roll on one of the new servers that are being continually added.

[Zelrik]

So you have that little faith in the SWTOR servers? Aion, Rift, Warhammer, all more recent mmos, they had a million preorders each and they did just fine, yeah there was some long queues for some servers but at least everyone got a chance to play.

 

Exactly, I haven't seen a real bad launch since the early days of MMOs. And WoW's is much much better than this IMO. At least with queues you feel like you have about as much chance as everyone else to get in.

[Drivex]

Im just happy that i know I will still get my name :

 

"WorstLauchEver" Jedi Inquis

 

Wooohooo!

[Rahl_Windsong]

I am pretty sure this "early access" and not "launch" is going completely as planned, they have almost all of the servers they had up full and those people are not on the forums posting because they are playing...

 

This sounds like a first day success to me!

[GutPunch]

Do I detect a Blizzard employee perhaps?

[Vilanix]

I love Bioware and SWTOR but their lack of MMO experience and unwillingness to look at other MMOs as examples on how to do things (like launch) will possibly ruin them.

 

Here's what I know from over a decade of play.

 

- Tons of people want to be the First to do something on their server. This is the whole game to them. So it's already ruined for many people. Luckily I'm not like that but many are.

 

- MMO Players are some of the meanest, whiniest most fickle customers you can ever have. Do not underestimate their negativity. A few bad decisions will destroy your game.

 

- Negativity breads more negativity which seriously brings down MMORPGs - all by itself. If you underestimate the negativity feedback loop then you've already lost.

 

- No company is too big to fail with MMOs.

 

- Just like in the stock market, it doesn't matter if you're a stable player who likes the stock/game, droves of pissed off negative people leaving your stock/game WILL HURT YOU. It hurts the game, which hurts you. So "Go back to WoW" is not a fix.

 

- Bioware has already started removing/closing posts to control the complaints. This sort of thing usually backfires.

 

I'm a whine drinking vampire. What a delicious day this is going to be!

[Navystylz]

The rules of early access have been known since july. So if its ruined for them, they only have themselves to blame for not preordering early enough.

 

Just imagine how much worse things would be if even more people ordered in July. July preorder spread over 3 days alone would cause people to freak because how random their day could be.

 

I preordered in July and I'm not in.

[Shadezilla]

This launch will be talked about for years, as an epic fail, where most people could not play.

 

Yes because the staggered early access just blindsided everyone, its day 1 of 7 if everyone is not in by like the 17th than I think people have the right to be annoyed since they extended the early access by 2 days although I know some will even argue against that.

 

Its a little early to write the whole launch off right now.

[Aedn]

fail at launch?

 

Let me ask you this fair question - what is a bigger disappointment: staggered launch or burning, lagging and crashing servers with everyone zerging in at once?

 

what makes you think a staggered launch will magically prevent these issues?

[gbburn]

yeah, it is crystal clear that Bioware has no clue.

[Zelrik]

One thing I've learned about MMO players.

 

They will tell you a game is terrible while they dump over 1000 hours into that game that they say is terrible.

 

MMO players are all bark and no bite.

 

I guess you havent played any game but WoW in the last 7 yrs. How many MMOs launched since then are still successful?

[Mithykyl]

The rules of early access have been known since july. So if its ruined for them, they only have themselves to blame for not preordering early enough.

 

You act as though everyone knew about this game in July--LOLOL

[BrimstoneAshe]

One thing I've learned about MMO players.

 

They will tell you a game is terrible while they dump over 1000 hours into that game that they say is terrible.

 

MMO players are all bark and no bite.

 

Nailed it. MMO players love hyperbolic language and often make themselves look pretty foolish in the process. The ones I chuckle at are the ones you mentioned... claim a game stinks and then claim they played it for years. Hahaha.

[Fentz]

fail at launch?

 

Let me ask you this fair question - what is a bigger disappointment: staggered launch or burning, lagging and crashing servers with everyone zerging in at once?

 

rift launch wasnt burning, lagging, crashing.

 

bioware know how many preorders thay have gotten, they have enough servers for it

[Gaidax]

So you have that little faith in the SWTOR servers? Aion, Rift, Warhammer, all more recent mmos, they had a million preorders each and they did just fine, yeah there was some long queues for some servers but at least everyone got a chance to play.

 

Yes, after this whole Grace Period fiasco, my faith in Eaware was hit rather hard...

 

But this is this and that is that... I think that overall better safe than sorry, I am sure they did this whole 2 days extension to let everyone have 5 days of EGA, which is fine by me. Worst case scenario, you will be in-game the day after tomorrow... the woe is upon thee, just think of all those level 50s running around.

[Tsillah]

I love Bioware and SWTOR but their lack of MMO experience and unwillingness to look at other MMOs as examples on how to do things (like launch) will possibly ruin them.

 

Here's what I know from over a decade of play.

 

- Tons of people want to be the First to do something on their server. This is the whole game to them. So it's already ruined for many people. Luckily I'm not like that but many are.

 

Make that some people. Tons is an unfounded exaggeration.

 

- MMO Players are some of the meanest, whiniest most fickle customers you can ever have. Do not underestimate their negativity. A few bad decisions will destroy your game.

 

Some MMO players, mostly the ones on the forums. Most MMO players are busy playing the game.

 

- Negativity breads more negativity which seriously brings down MMORPGs - all by itself. If you underestimate the negativity feedback loop then you've already lost.

 

Yep, or you can look on the bright side and create a positive spiral. Your choice. I am thinking most people will be happy, especially once they are in.

 

- No company is too big to fail with MMOs.

 

The world ending in 2012 still? I mean c'mon, everything is possible in life. This is a pointless statement.

 

- Just like in the stock market, it doesn't matter if you're a stable player who likes the stock/game, droves of pissed off negative people leaving your stock/game WILL HURT YOU. It hurts the game, which hurts you. So "Go back to WoW" is not a fix.

 

The stock market reacts instantly to emotions. MMO players generally still have a few weeks to reconsider because of the sub they are paying. MMO players aren't nearly as fickle as the stock market.

 

 

- Bioware has already started removing/closing posts to control the complaints. This sort of thing usually backfires.

 

Now, this comment is plain qq mongering. They did this on the beta forum and they actually explain why. Either the discussion goes out of hand and becomes a flaming match or it's thread number 30 about the same thing, so they close them and redirect people to the main thread. Perfectly valid reasons.

[Absolvus]

- Bioware has already started removing/closing posts to control the complaints. This sort of thing usually backfires.

 

If people keep spamming stupid threads they should be closed. There's plenty of threads to discuss the early access program already. In most forums you'd be banned for spamming threads.

 

Honestly, the general forum is absolute cesspool right now, they should start wielding banhammer in wide arcs so it doesn't degenerate to even worse state.

[Delolith]

- Tons of people want to be the First to do something on their server. This is the whole game to them. So it's already ruined for many people. Luckily I'm not like that but many are.

 

If they actually cared so much as you say about completing first on servers then obviously they should have preordered earlier than they did. Common sense?

 

P.S. I am not invited and not gonna be today or tomorrow since I am a 7/9 registered. However, I bang my head on the wall for not preordering earlier since it was well known the staggered early start....not blaming Bioware.

[Yfelsung]

I guess you havent played any game but WoW in the last 7 yrs. How many MMOs launched since then are still successful?

 

Define successful.

 

Of all MMOs launched in the last 7 years, all are still profitable to the companies that made them.

 

Even APB, which died and then came back to life and is now profitable.

 

So ALL the MMOs are still successful.

 

Hell, people are still playing UO and EQ 1.

[Zinadu]

Exactly as i've been thinking. This is a highly negative start to the game for a lot of people, and that won't go down well for Bioware.

 

This launch will be talked about for years, as an epic fail, where most people could not play. Yeah, there's a chance that some people would be stuck in queues and perhaps even some server crashes and lag if they had just let everyone in, but it would have been hugely better than the current situation.

 

Bioware tried to play it too safe, but the plan has backfired and angered many customers. For me, this is the worst mmo launch i've been a part off. I'm sure the people who already in game would disagree, or those people who are not ready to play yet, they arn't going to care one bit.

 

How many MMO's have u actually been at launch for?

 

I would trade not playing today for 200,000 people being able to play on stable servers, and doubling that amount every day. If the servers remain stable rather then people sitting in 6 hour queues that keep getting reset because the server crashed every 35 minutes, and entire planets go down for hours at a time.

 

THIS IS A SMOOTH LAUNCH SO FAR.

[Asuka]

RAAAAAAAAAAGE, really, it'll be ok. Official launch is the 20th. There was never any guarantee as to when anyone would get in before that. Just go with the flow and be happy when you get in.

[TripleBooyah]

No matter what happens by the time the 20th hits and actual launch occurs, the small amount of people that bailed will not be missed and the rest will be so enthralled, that the week long period of early access will be as remembered in our minds as our first step