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Is this a classic case of under promise and over deliver?
Tensor25
Member Posts: 70
BioWare is releasing information in drips and drabs causing a lot of speculation (obviously) on what this game will have and what it won't have. We've seen some small glimpses of gameplay footage, we've seen the Dev's talk about the importance and focus on this "fourth pillar" called "story", and more recently we've been given a glimpse of space game play, and they've now also touched on the advanced classes.
We haven't seen anything on the real meat and potatoes of MMO's. That being instances, PvP, raids, endgame, in other words EVERYTHING EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT. We all know Endgame is what makes or breaks an MMO and keeps the subscription base high. With an estimated release of Spring 2011, you think some of this stuff would be touched on sometime soon.
So I'm curious, is BioWare playing "turtle"? Letting the masses come up with their own theories, banter back and fourth on what this game should be, could be, won't be, will be, and then blowing everyone away when they "over deliver" and the game has everything everyone has been looking for.
Or, is BioWare peeing in their little panties right now? Devs filling up puke buckets by the truck loads because they've just realized story isn't going to grab as many people as they thought and they're now $300 Million deep with a game that won't make it to Christmas.
It's either a great marketing tactic or they're trying let the hype die down because it's not going to be the blockbuster everyone wants it to be.
Will the hype kill this game or make this game?
Comments
I'm going to throw this in here just for fun.
First it was 150 million, a number that was never confirmed as I recall.
Now it's 300 million just because someone claiming to work for Mythic threw that number out.
As for the hype: I don't think BW is letting it die down. I think they are slowly feeding it and releasing just enough info right now to keep people interested. Will it work? Personally, I don't think the game could live up to anyone's expectations at this point. A ton of people may enjoy the game (and I hope to be one of them), but the hype level is way too high. For months after launch people are going to be going: "I thought they said......" "I thought I could......." "Could've swore this was supposed to be in game." ect. In other words, the hype isn't Bioware's fault; it's ours.
Also: "We haven't seen anything on the real meat and potatoes of MMO's. That being instances, PvP, raids, endgame, in other words EVERYTHING EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT." I don't care about any of those things. Just saying.
I want a mmorpg where people have gone through misery, have gone through school stuff and actually have had sex even. -sagil
Has the game launched somewhere? Can I try it now to find out the info I would like to know?
It hasn't? But everyone seems to be telling everyone else what the game has at launch. How can this be without a game to test?
I am confused.
How many people long for that "past, simpler, and better world," I wonder, without ever recognizing the truth that perhaps it was they who were simpler and better, and not the world about them?
R.A.Salvatore
Because Bioware made KOTOR and this guy at Mythic knows George Lucas personally and says George is pissed. You gotta read between the lies...err...lines.
Hey, if George is pissed, it's probably a good game after all! You've got to remember that the worst ever use of the star wars license was by Lucas himself with those 3 prequel things he made...
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
Currently Playing: ESO
...he he, that's very true.
Right now, who knows if the game is going to deliver on its promises or not?
All we know for sure is that there are some exceedingly high expectations of this game - most of them hopelessly inflated by this games suppoters. if Bioware doesn't take some kind of action to manage those expectations properly then there will be a hideous comedown at launch if this game is weak in any way.
Totally agree. Unrealistic, excessive, inflated, grandiose and impossible to achieve expectations. People better lower them a TON before this game is released. That's going to fall on Bioware, not fans, if they don't start quelling some of the expectations.
I've only been playing MMO's for about 1.5 years, so I have to ask, has there ever been as much pre-release drama as I've seen with this game (which I like to call SWeaTOR). I think it's funny to read the SWeaTOR (it's growing on you isn't it?) forums and see people taking breaks from the game/forum already because they're burned out.... Stress much?
It has to be good for the game right? All of this talk going on for so long before SWeaTOR even gets here... I hope it over delivers, because I'm banking on this being the first MMORPG that I'll be getting into at launch & plan on sticking with it as long as possible.
Gutlard Out!
What, me worry?
Classic? Not sure I can think of other examples that would make it classic.
Anyway, hype is hype, it will lead to a lot of initial purchases, and if the game is great, that will be a good thing. If the game is shit, the hype will make the negative reactions even louder.
I can't think of an MMO that had this much hype. It's deliver or die with this game now -- too many people paying attention to it.
Playing: Eve, LoL
Played: EQ, SWG, EQII, MxO,DDO CoX, WoW, & LoTRO
Awaiting: GW2, Rift, Earthrise, TOR
I'm getting a little worried about this game... i mean i read the EA louse blog and i really didn't buy it at the time. But today after seeing 2 videos on gamebreaker tv, the host and mikeB started to talk about things they listened during GDC online.
They said they know TOR seems to be in trouble right now, because the game is a mess and bioware is bringing in important people from other studios to revamp the whole game and make it good.
I really hope these are just rumors and nothing more than that... but im a little "scared" here, because i really want this game to succeed and be a great game, which is good for us, star wars fans and also for bioware.
I was really hyped about SWTOR...untill i read about the game and saw some footage.
The problem is not random comments on the internet or the lack of information...it's just that the available information is very underwhelming for a project that was marketed as the revival of the genre.
Exactly right.
Expectation may very well be the number one negative impact on TOR. If they don't start explaining the deeper workings of the game.
While what the OP says makes sense, "underwhelm them with your information and hit them hard with shock at release". As it could make what's there seem better than it actually is. However if they're attempting that, they may be making a huge mistake. The end result may be far different than such a plan, as it could lead to massive over-expectation instead.
I'm not exactly the kind of person who expects or even wants to hear everything before I experience it. There should be some element of surprise within a game. Still when your're targetting a specific market, you've got to cater to the aspects that make that market specfic to the genre it belongs to. In this case that's the MMO genre, they haven't exactly told us much in regard to the actual market this game is targeting.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Their endless pitching of CGI rendered trailers doesn't help. It only causes more unreal hype.
They - and the community and longevity of the game - would be better served if they offered people a true picture of what to expect with in-game MMO systems that will make the game strong and have longevity instead of being another case of "we thought it was going to be so cool because they hyped the hell out of it to sell the most boxes and we all felt like we were playing something lesser when we got in so FAIL bye bye server populations".
That's just about every other MMO production in the last few years has gone.
Stupid stupid stupid STUPID marketing departments kill these games before they even have a chance at having any long-lasting healthy community of players.
Your post made me think of something else entirely. What (IF),( ::cough:: that's a big if for an obvious reason :cough::.).
The entire plan here is to release the game half finished? The first portion would be the entirety of the story content both class specific and the world arc. While they finish the MMO elements, they'll patch in a few dungeons. The company expectation is that this will keep players happy, as well as alts and PVP. Until the later endgame content is fleshed out.
Say, the first phase would begin around 3 months after launch, with additional content added regularly through and well past winter?
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Absolutely true...What advertising and marketing does for these games, especially the AAA titles is...well...not much...An honest to goodness dialog with potential Customers would be preferred...To be honest all this holding back stuff when it comes to the simple things like Server-types, Crafting, PvP, etc, makes me think they are not as confident as they should be...Cause bragging about story and voice-overs is getting a bit old after 2 years...And that rail-shooter deal has me thinking this thing is already WAY oversold...
I'm guessing most of this is due to "Keep our mouths shut and our competition wondering". A well financed team can rip good ideas in short order. With plenty invested, I'm sure Bioware doesn't want leaks.
There is also the matter of suspense, although that may work for or against the game. Speculation is mighty high and that is bound to lead to an uncomfortable launch.
First off that is nothing if completely incorrect. If endgame progression made up the only reason people played MMos games such as WoW would not be such a huge success (.01% yes 1 tenth of 1 percent complete end game content in WoW) which makes it such an insignificant amount to even mention when talking about the monolith 12 million members currently subscribed. What makes it popular? Overall game play which is what Bioware is focusing on currently. PvP, Raids, Instances are all subjective and I can guarantee that they will address those when they feel like it or get spilled onto the blogosphere when the NDA is lifted. If they really want to get high subscriptions they want to make sure it is an overall fun and appealing game for those 4 years old to 144 years old such as Blizzard has done with WoW. I am not saying that WoW is an amazing, but lets face it you can't mention an MMo without talking about the 50 ton elephant in the living room. Blizzard has discovered the formula that works at the current point for a fantasy MMo. I am sure that Bioware is working hard on discovering the formula for a ground breaking scifi MMo.
You say that EVERYONE wants to know about, but what I really want to know about is the story line. I really wish they had more story coming out and shit I wish they even released a book that sets up the background for the present time of the game so that I can get a feel for the struggle that is being waged between the Republic and the Sith. When you make huge assumptions you will fall flat on your face as you have here as I am not someone who needs to know everything about everything right now. I am not the gimmie now instant gratification crowd like yourself which WoW has gotten ahold of and has ravenous fanbois all over. I want a well constructed fun to play game that delivers a great story and lots of replayability as I advance through different events.
If you want the instant gratification and gimmie gimmie gimmie then I would suggest that WoW is the game for you and that SW:TOR might not be it with what they have released thus far to the public.
Ok, the biggest mistake is the assuming role for "knowing" what everyone wants to know about. Credibility out the frigging window right there. Just like TOR your over selling your point. I get your interested in these things, but a good portion of the gaming crowd that is actually interested in this title are story driven. Not just I want to get to end content and pvp. The failed assumption that everyone wants the same thing is what has lead a lot of things down the wrong path of late. Just advice, you won't get flamed as hard when you take a stance for you and not pretending to be the mouth piece for a genre.
END OF LINE_
~V
I dont know if KOTOR will have a novel to go along side game, but Drew Krap-I-can-never-remember-his-last-name from ME 1/2 has been writing for TOR. He produced 2 novels based on the Mass Effect universe.
As a type of easter egg in ME2, you can purchse those novels in game, and they give ya an overview of the RL novels content.
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.
Yes, but they have already addressed this. Story will be in the game and it is going to be the most ground breaking story driven MMO ever released blah blah bah.
I guess what I should have said in the OP was "what everyone ELSE wants to knowt".
I really didn't think I got flamed that hard. This is just an open discussion on the marketing tactics or lack there of for BioWare and this game. I don't think flaming would really be warranted.
But let's face it, Blizzard wouldn't have been as successful withouth the endgame of WoW. If the game sucked once you reached max level, the masses would have been reaching for new games. But it didn't. The raids, the instancing, the PvP, etc. etc. continued to keep customers engaged and thus subscriptions renewing.
I don't expect BW to release every piece of information about the game. As someone mentioned earlier the element of suprise is a great aspect when playing a new game. However, I thinkg some basic information and little spoilers here and there would be nice on things like crafting, PvP, instancing, endgame, etc.
Thanks everyone for the great feedback so far.