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One Developer's Manifesto: Do you have critiques? Know your place in the food chain. |
Drafell Grand Admiral Mythica
Joined: May 30, 2003 Posts: 2449 From: United Kingdom
| Posted: 2005-12-05 15:48  
I was browsing a couple of other MMO fansites and I came across this post by an independent programmer about development, players rights and MMO's in general. Although it's slanted towards GuildWars and NCSoft, It has a lot of valid points that are applicable to DarkSpace as well.
http://forums.gwonline.net/showthread.php?t=378579
Enjoy your reading and feel free to discuss it here.
[ This Message was edited by: Drafell on 2005-12-05 16:10 ]
_________________ It's gone now, no longer here...Yet still I see, and still I fear.rnrn
rnrn
DarkSpace Developer - Retired
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-Smokey- Grand Admiral
Joined: October 22, 2004 Posts: 784 From: Florida
| Posted: 2005-12-05 15:53  
to long to read for me
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DOM700 [-IMO-] Fleet Admiral
Joined: July 26, 2001 Posts: 3175 From: Eckental, Germany, Sol-System
| Posted: 2005-12-05 16:14  
well I read it....although it's right on the basic sides, especially that developer cant make a game fitting all expectations
That opinion is pretty onesided....
I wouldnt buy for a bad game, because I am able to test it
Especially not for games which require a subscription
_________________ If the buildings on your planets disappear, guess who was there....
Never forget what you fight for
I have earned my betatester badge for being part of the open beta
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Drafell Grand Admiral Mythica
Joined: May 30, 2003 Posts: 2449 From: United Kingdom
| Posted: 2005-12-05 16:34  
There's another section on the 5th page well worth reading. Contains some more very valid views.
The way I(big emphasis) see the current state of DarkSpace is that there are those who will stick with the game, and those who ultimately will not be happy with anything that happens.
The developer (in our case Faustus) has his own view of what he wants the game to be and what his target audience is.
Because of the current size of the community, I would say the main priority of PaleStar is getting new players; the current community comes second to this objective. It may seem harsh, but in a real sense we don't count in the greater scheme of things and for the future of DarkSpace.
Those who are dedicated fans will stay until the end or until they get fed up or some other change occurs which they don't like. The ones who complain all the time and dream of the past game because they don't like the developers vision will probably eventually get fed up and leave, as many already have.
This is just my view, and it may seem very one sided to some, but then I could say the same about other peoples views too.
[ This Message was edited by: Drafell on 2005-12-05 16:38 ]
_________________ It's gone now, no longer here...Yet still I see, and still I fear.rnrn
rnrn
DarkSpace Developer - Retired
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Novacat Grand Admiral
Joined: October 30, 2001 Posts: 2337 From: Starleague Cache
| Posted: 2005-12-05 16:43  
There is no right, there is no wrong.
There is only opinions.
_________________ Ghostly Specter of an Ancient Past.
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Ramius Fleet Admiral Agents
Joined: January 12, 2002 Posts: 894 From: Ramius
| Posted: 2005-12-05 18:12  
I wrote a big post to respond to this. But I think I need to think about my thoughts more.
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Drow Fleet Admiral
Joined: June 06, 2003 Posts: 449 From: USA, WI
| Posted: 2005-12-05 18:50  
That is a must read for anyone who wants to complain. Including myself.
I think there are only a verry few of us that have even a clue as to Faus's grand sceme of things. As such how can we say what is better or worse? Besides obvious bugs/lag. How can I sugest a modification if I have no true idea of the whole plan?
So some ships seam over powered. If the game is being played as truly intended then the ship may be perfectly adjusted, were just doing it wrong (i.e. need more of a certain ship to counteract another ship, but no one wants to fly that ship so were screwing ourselvs).
_________________ Nindol tangi, dos zhal zah'har l' jiv'undus d'
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Novacat Grand Admiral
Joined: October 30, 2001 Posts: 2337 From: Starleague Cache
| Posted: 2005-12-05 18:52  
I could dispute some points of the article, especially since the guy talks as if Developers could do no wrong or make no mistakes.
_________________ Ghostly Specter of an Ancient Past.
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Diabo|ik Grand Admiral
Joined: August 16, 2002 Posts: 327 From: Quebec, Canada
| Posted: 2005-12-05 20:34  
BROKEN LINK, could someone put it up somewhere else or send it to me? Thanks.
_________________ Mostly Retired.
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Feralwulf Grand Admiral
Joined: January 24, 2004 Posts: 1729 From: sitting somewhere drinking beer
| Posted: 2005-12-05 20:41  
Quote:
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On 2005-12-05 18:52, RedXIII wrote:
I could dispute some points of the article, especially since the guy talks as if Developers could do no wrong or make no mistakes.
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From your point of view .......yes of course. From his? He IS a Developer, if you are developing YOUR OWN game according to YOUR own vision then ...Developers (in this case YOU) Quote:
| could do no wrong or make no mistakes |
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_________________ rnrn
Don't mess with old dudes...age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!
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kenetiks Admiral Galactic Navy
Joined: November 21, 2001 Posts: 1130 From: Bandcamp
| Posted: 2005-12-05 22:47  
And thus, this is where darkspace failed.
The guy has good valid points, and mostly all of it is accurate.
However, the entire reliance of his post is on game sales. And his post is applicable to that. Because the games are designed and thought out to include sales and a certain entertainment lifetime, the game will succeed rather than fail.
However, with games like DS, his views are not applicable in the slightest to DS.
And I'll tell you why. DS operates entirely on recurring income, as in it's subscription based and has no upfront sales. Thus the ability to attract and keep customers - not just attract - is the entire subject.
If you piss off all your customers and your subscription(recurring income) leaves, guess what, you failed. And this is what DS's survival DEPENDS on.
So what happens if you take the guys point of view for DS and apply it?
Look around DS, cause thats what happens.
Now on the other side of the fence I'll tell you this.
First DS was great, constant fun and even some in depth gameplay.
What happened? He listened to the customers. Then a few people started to get pissed off.
What'd he do then? Added stuff to try to balance his first mistake and then continue on with development.
What happened then? EVERYONE got pissed off, and thus is DS today.
Handfull of paying customers, a few vets who are trying desperately in vain to save whats left of the game, and a developer who doesn't have the time to fool with it.
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Novacat Grand Admiral
Joined: October 30, 2001 Posts: 2337 From: Starleague Cache
| Posted: 2005-12-06 06:51  
Its not that Faustus listened to some of the customers, its that he listened to the wrong customers. Sometimes I think he even listened to a bunch of unsubbed newbies.
[ This Message was edited by: RedXIII on 2005-12-06 06:55 ]
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DOM700 [-IMO-] Fleet Admiral
Joined: July 26, 2001 Posts: 3175 From: Eckental, Germany, Sol-System
| Posted: 2005-12-06 08:40  
I am just happy he hasnt listened to you
_________________ If the buildings on your planets disappear, guess who was there....
Never forget what you fight for
I have earned my betatester badge for being part of the open beta
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Shigernafy Admiral
Joined: May 29, 2001 Posts: 5726 From: The Land of Taxation without Representation
| Posted: 2005-12-06 14:37  
No, Red, he didn't listen to me at all.
_________________ * [S.W]AdmBito @55321 Sent \"I dunno; the French had a few missteps. But they're on the right track, one headbutt at a time.\"
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Novacat Grand Admiral
Joined: October 30, 2001 Posts: 2337 From: Starleague Cache
| Posted: 2005-12-06 14:44  
Quote:
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On 2005-12-06 08:40, DOM700 [-IMO-] wrote:
I am just happy he hasnt listened to you
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So you like the current state of Darkspace?
_________________ Ghostly Specter of an Ancient Past.
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