Executive Producer Rich Vogel Bails on TOR

[Goretzu]

This is Warhammer: Age of Reckoning all over again....

 

Both games could (and should) have easily been so much more.

 

 

The big difference with SWTOR is that if they start pumping development money into it, SWTOR could still be a 2,000,000+ sub game..... a Jump to Lightspeed space expansion for instance would likely bring in a couple of hundred thousand subs directly and many more indirectly.

[Folky]

gaming news websites are like national inquirers, take whatever they say with a grain of salt. They're only good for reviews and even that's iffy half the time.

[ikemenn]

gaming news websites are like national inquirers, take whatever they say with a grain of salt. They're only good for reviews and even that's iffy half the time.

 

here is a better link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/01/star-wars-old-republic-cost.html

 

even just doing the maths you will come to a higher figure than 200 mil.

 

800 people employed for 6 years.

ongoing development costs and maintenance

then royalties paid to mr Lucas for using the star wars franchise and royalties for the game engine

Edited July 19, 2012 by ikemenn

[DayneDrak]

Well, I think folks are forgetting a few things -

 

For starters, he may not have left willing. Executive Producers have creative differences with their corporate overlords. Sometimes those corporate overlords toss the Executive Producer out on their ***.

 

Secondly, this is the same kind of crap that people said about WoW when Roper left Blizzard. Seven years later....

 

Personally, I'm glad Vogel is gone. After the fiasco that was SWG, you could say I was slightly reluctant to indulge in another Star Wars title that had his name attached to it.

[Overtone]

At the end of the day who cares that money is gone...EA isn't going to shut the game down because they feel like they are out 150 million (which is the correct amount) The game will more than likely go F2P in the next six months and will probably see a huge increase in sales from the cash shop that every F2P game profits on.

 

Hell I have a friend who works for Turbine he got 25% more of a year end bonus because LOTRO did double their projected sales figures.

 

SWTOR can still be a huge financial success and it more than likely will be.

 

LOL!!!

 

Of course EA/BW cares and so will other big companies trying to come up with the next big MMO. They will not pour as much money in future big AAA MMOs seeing numbers like this.

 

Or then again maybe some company will... but not launch their game early the way SWTOR was launched early.

 

I have to wonder how a F2P model could benefit this game. Most F2P games make their cash on their micro-transactions. These guys have not been able to fix bugs and issues in anything like a timely manner. Are we now supposed to believe they will magically pull a micro store out of their sarlaccs? Again, as has been mentioned earlier, this game has a significantly higher production cost than these other games did. LOL If we discount inflation, and just look at dollar amounts, this game cost more to develop than it cost Lucas to do ANH, ESB, and ROTJ.

 

All they have to do is switch the way Legacy items are unlocked. Instead of credits and Legacy level you would need a code that you purchased from Origin.

 

Want the next chapter for a class story? Purchase it online and the next time you log into the game it downloads the chapter for you.

 

Seems pretty easy if you ask me with the way they have setup this game already.

[Eszi]

Shouldn't the captain go down with the ship?

[Crifa]

The last game I played that changed producers did not end well at all...

[Phenyr]

don't worry guys, gw2 will be our salvation.

 

Gl with that. Honest now GW2 seviour of what? Of the mmorpg genre? Come on flower take a grip of reality here and dont get yourself drunk into such hopes.

[Holden_Dissent]

Gl with that. Honest now GW2 seviour of what? Of the mmorpg genre? Come on flower take a grip of reality here and dont get yourself drunk into such hopes.

 

Yeah, no kidding. I don't understand why people are so convinced that a F2P pvp oriented game is the savior.

[JetAten]

He worked on Star Wars Galaxies? Gawd that game was aweful.

[Anishor]

He worked on Star Wars Galaxies? Gawd that game was aweful.

 

No, just it's ground combat was aweful the rest of the game was years ahead of it's time.

[islander]

Shouldn't the captain go down with the ship?

 

Only in Spaceballs.

[Insomnio]

Its pretty easy to understand what happened. When you are in charge of a project, you take responsibility for the end product.

 

Sure, the game is playable, and fun at times- that does not matter when the bean counters are looking at the profit margin, and the dwindling sub numbers. They think, whos responsible? The blame falls on the person in charge of the project.

 

Subs are on a downward trend, mass server shutdowns, and now free to play- and the coup de grace is cutting off the head of the project. It is not a great sign of the state of the game.

[ZirusZero]

Its pretty easy to understand what happened. When you are in charge of a project, you take responsibility for the end product.

 

Sure, the game is playable, and fun at times- that does not matter when the bean counters are looking at the profit margin, and the dwindling sub numbers. They think, whos responsible? The blame falls on the person in charge of the project.

 

Subs are on a downward trend, mass server shutdowns, and now free to play- and the coup de grace is cutting off the head of the project. It is not a great sign of the state of the game.

Subs are actually going upward, the mass server shutdown is needed considering since a game does not need a large amount of like, 40 servers, and finally it's only F2P up to level 15. Don't expect them to be joining you In Taris or Balmorra.

[Sammennn]

Subs are actually going upward

 

[CosmicKat]

No, just it's ground combat was aweful the rest of the game was years ahead of it's time.

 

The only flaw in your argument is that ground combat in SWG was the only thing in the game for what... 2 years? It was the most unfinished game in the history of games. It wouldn't have lasted 3 months without Star Wars fanboy/girls playing it just because it was Star Wars. Calling it awful is an insult to awful things.

 

Meridian 59 was also an awful game. You have to give it a break though as the state of internet gaming then was truly in its infancy.

 

Ultima Online was also a debacle at launch. The very best example ever of a truly egocentric developer completely ignoring everything learned by every game that came before it. UO's biggest claim to fame is probably that it was so incredibly bad, it made Everquest seem like the invention of the wheel. EQ probably owes much of its success to the awfulness of UO.

[TheRealCandyMan]

Subs are actually going upward, the mass server shutdown is needed considering since a game does not need a large amount of like, 40 servers, and finally it's only F2P up to level 15. Don't expect them to be joining you In Taris or Balmorra.

 

 

Citation needed

[Deewe]

All they have to do is switch the way Legacy items are unlocked. Instead of credits and Legacy level you would need a code that you purchased from Origin.

 

Want the next chapter for a class story? Purchase it online and the next time you log into the game it downloads the chapter for you.

 

Seems pretty easy if you ask me with the way they have setup this game already.

• The new humanoid head specie = $$$
  
• Play a Wookiee = $$$...$$$
  
• Rename your legacy = $$$
  
• Boost your CE speeder to tier 3 speed = $$$
  
• Change your character body features = $$$
  
• Change your companion body features = $$$
  
• Replace your companion name with a nickname = $$$
  
• New gear skins and meshes = $$$
  
• Dual specs = $$$
  
• Pazaak tournaments = $$$
  
• Pod Racing = $$$
  
• Multiplayer space sim = $$$
  
• Swimmable new planet = $$$
  
• Access to the GTN through your datapad = $$$
  
• Instant teleport to your space ship = $$$
  
• Choose to which WZ to queue = $$$
  
• Get a last name for your character = $$$
  
• Appearance tabs slots = $$$
  
• Gear dyes = $$$
  
• New crafting bonuses = $$$
  
• Lengthen GTN posting = $$$
  
• XP bonuses = $$$
  
• New quests = $$$
  
• New WZ, flashpoints, operations = $$$
  

 

They can make some big cash here.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Deewe

[Nakazia]

• The new humanoid head specie = $$$
  
• Play a a Wookiee = $$$...$$$
  
• Rename your legacy = $$$
  
• Boost your CE speeder to tier 3 speed = $$$
  
• Change your character body features = $$$
  
• Change your companion body features = $$$
  
• Replace your companion name with a nickname = $$$
  
• New gear skins and meshes = $$$
  
• Dual specs = $$$
  
• Pazaak tournaments = $$$
  
• Pod Racing = $$$
  
• Multiplayer space sim = $$$
  
• Swimmable new planet = $$$
  
• Access to the GTN through your datapad = $$$
  
• Instant teleport to your space ship = $$$
  
• Choose to which WZ to queue = $$$
  
• Get a last name for your character = $$$
  
• Appearance tabs slots = $$$
  
• Gear dyes = $$$
  
• New crafting bonuses = $$$
  
• Lengthen GTN posting = $$$
  
• XP bonuses = $$$
  
• New quests = $$$
  
• New WZ, flashpoints, operations = $$$
  

 

They can make some big cash here.

 

Not mine.

[Isaiahsdad]

• The new humanoid head specie = $$$
  
• Play a Wookiee = $$$...$$$
  
• Rename your legacy = $$$
  
• Boost your CE speeder to tier 3 speed = $$$
  
• Change your character body features = $$$
  
• Change your companion body features = $$$
  
• Replace your companion name with a nickname = $$$
  
• New gear skins and meshes = $$$
  
• Dual specs = $$$
  
• Pazaak tournaments = $$$
  
• Pod Racing = $$$
  
• Multiplayer space sim = $$$
  
• Swimmable new planet = $$$
  
• Access to the GTN through your datapad = $$$
  
• Instant teleport to your space ship = $$$
  
• Choose to which WZ to queue = $$$
  
• Get a last name for your character = $$$
  
• Appearance tabs slots = $$$
  
• Gear dyes = $$$
  
• New crafting bonuses = $$$
  
• Lengthen GTN posting = $$$
  
• XP bonuses = $$$
  
• New quests = $$$
  
• New WZ, flashpoints, operations = $$$
  

 

They can make some big cash here.

 

I would be out like peg legging your jeans!!

[Deewe]

Seems at least 3 writers were let go along Rich departure

 

 

• Joe Berry
  
• Cameron Harris
  
• Mark Douville
  

 

 

Best luck to you guys, writing is too often ungrateful...

[selleronethree]

• The new humanoid head specie = $$$
  
• Play a Wookiee = $$$...$$$
  
• Rename your legacy = $$$
  
• Boost your CE speeder to tier 3 speed = $$$
  
• Change your character body features = $$$
  
• Change your companion body features = $$$
  
• Replace your companion name with a nickname = $$$
  
• New gear skins and meshes = $$$
  
• Dual specs = $$$
  
• Pazaak tournaments = $$$
  
• Pod Racing = $$$
  
• Multiplayer space sim = $$$
  
• Swimmable new planet = $$$
  
• Access to the GTN through your datapad = $$$
  
• Instant teleport to your space ship = $$$
  
• Choose to which WZ to queue = $$$
  
• Get a last name for your character = $$$
  
• Appearance tabs slots = $$$
  
• Gear dyes = $$$
  
• New crafting bonuses = $$$
  
• Lengthen GTN posting = $$$
  
• XP bonuses = $$$
  
• New quests = $$$
  
• New WZ, flashpoints, operations = $$$
  

 

They can make some big cash here.

 

You know they can do all that while charging s sub fee right?

[Kynesis]

I can't believe anybody would leave such a reasonable and dedicated community.

MMO players are always so understanding and mature - especially when it comes to issues they have absolutely no facts or knowledge about.

 

Nobody wants to lose their job but I like to think that reading these kinds of threads reminds them that a great many gamers are whiny little *tches who'll never be happy with any effort or concession they make and will declare 'the sky is falling' and make any number of empty threats at the drop of a hat... and they do this with every game.

[ikemenn]

I can't believe anybody would leave such a reasonable and dedicated community.

MMO players are always so understanding and mature - especially when it comes to issues they have absolutely no facts or knowledge about.

 

Nobody wants to lose their job but I like to think that reading these kinds of threads reminds them that a great many gamers are whiny little *tches who'll never be happy with any effort or concession they make and will declare 'the sky is falling' and make any number of empty threats at the drop of a hat... and they do this with every game.

 

Waiting 7 months for them to sort their **** out while still paying monthly for a suppsedly 'top notch game of 2011/2012' warrants a voice of anger and frustration from people i dont think 6 months that is an extra $77 or $90 for the 1 monthly subscribers on top of the game purchase is nothing less than what you call patient and understanding. what do we get for the subscription we pay? Bugs, a game with outdated game system, a WOW carbon copy, slow as a slug content addition and lots of broken promises. when was the last major content addition? Denova? how long ago was that, everyone now at end game are bored of it and/or have nothing to gain from it anymore. face it , the game is basically below current standards / benchmark of mmos. in reality they released the game way too early and was not in finished form and still isn't even now. and they used the wrong game engine. they should have built one from the ground up especially with a pedigree title such as star wars.

 

for the defenders of subscription based games. one if their main arguments is that subscription for games "guarantees quality" HAHAHAH where is the quality on swtor?

 

i waited until now to voice my concerns and opinions about the game, I had been quiet the whole 7 months i played the game trying to keep on loving it and hoping for the best (as i do love star wars) and im sure most of the people here are the same apart from the few who are quick with the doomsday speech. also there are those people with 'beer goggles' fanboys here wont even admit that the game is broke and that is fine.

 

but i have given the game enough time for them to sort things out and they still have not. why should i keep paying top dollar for something broke and lacks content? i may come back but that wont be anytime soon with the rate they are adding content to the game and fixing bugs THAT for most part was caused by the patch update they did prior:/ fix some bugs, add new bugs to replace them :/

 

also i dont think that the people unsubbing now after all this time are the 'casual players'.

Edited July 20, 2012 by ikemenn

[thomasmeadows]

well its not like the directors had no idea what the players wanted in this game, all they had to do was read the forums and stop listening to role players. Just check my sig.