This is every MMO. Safe, smooth launches are rare in ALL mmo's. It's also expected even from "newbies". So using this strategy on every launch of "I'm not gonna promote until I can hide all my flaws from the playerbase" is just a great way to lose out on money and opportunity.
Thanks for bringing in new people to the game. Servers being down are a part of every MMO launch. That will never change unless some new tech is created that preps for login spam/initial loads (and they are better today then they were years ago). If you get someone invested early buy getting them into a guild with people who are there to tell them "this is normal" and not suffering alone, it's a lot more helpful then sitting at your computer for 2 days trying to log in and losing your mind. Having a discord chat channel to talk it out with other people just helps build the suspense. Also if they get invested into the game by purchasing all access, bags, new mouse, ect, even with some extended downtime they will still play because they PAID for it. Everyone agrees this game is great for this and that reason. The goal is to GET them into the game. Build up and hype can promote that. Waiting until all the kids grabbed the Easter eggs during a hunt before you go out to find yours isn't the best strategy. Only thing I am asking for is that DPG helps build that hype (with almost NO money). Be more then the person who opens the door to the business, try to be the person who lets people know where the door is located.
It’s easy to sit around when you have nothing better to do and come up with all the things you believe a company could/should do better. It’s much harder to actually manage and run said company successfully.
Yeah if only we had examples of companies that have been able to accomplish this over the course of history. This huge never thought of ideas that someone just sits around and thinks up. Just hired 6 new GM's, couldn't hire one that helped assist sending out emails or posting discord updates? These forums are always the same. A lot of veteran players that are so use to nothing changing that they give up on trying.
I agree the forums are always the same. Do this it’s easy, it doesn’t cost much, etc. Launch servers now, give XP bonus now, lower prices, SERVERS ARE NOT UP FIX THEM YOU MORONS, etc., etc. It’s 90% people posting about how the company should be run. It’s not even new. Go look at old Brad McQuaid interviews were he talks about how the fan base informs them they are complete idiots on everything they do. It’s not even just EverQuest, go to every forum of every video game and you can actively watch communities discuss how “the man” is idiots and does everything wrong or inadequate.
Difference is what you are posting is about this company when they DID events and DID do things to try to bring new players in. Same with other companies and games. People are going to complain (like I am), the difference is I am actively doing something to help(not just complaining) and there is zero effort on advertising anymore. So saying something they tried didn't work and then complaining"you should of done it this way" is much different then not trying at all and asking them to make an effort.
While there's some truth to this, it is also true that DPG is capable of making mistakes. Even horrendously bad mistakes. Miragul comes to mind. Just because players complain about everything doesn't mean that they aren't sometimes right.
Everyone is capable of mistakes. But like I said, it’s easier to sit around and say how you think things should be done, than actually doing them. There isn’t really much of a debate in that statement. Companies have the vested interest and the actual responsibility of running. Players have the joy of being able to ignore everything that is required to run the company and make demands about anything in a matter of seconds. Of which the “they never did anything”. For Mangler/Selo they got streamers (tin foil hat “priority” on launch day!!), sent e-mails, advertised on Facebook, etc etc. Maybe they decided it didn’t actually get them much. Or maybe they never planned on making servers this summer and only did it because players kept asking. Who knows. Company also just split before announcing the new servers and then lost their director (studio lead) after doing so.
I don't think the veterans are simply jaded or accepting the status quo - I think most understand that the company that owns EQ aren't really investing much into it, DPG is doing its best against a backdrop of a company that bought this studio with the intention of seeking a return on investment & little else. EQ is an earner, not a grower for them. I doubt it will ever bother looking to see the studio grow or invest in it developing further franchise titles or any new franchises, and I severely doubt they will invest in growing EverQuest much, the game requires an expansion each year and patches & fixes just to retain the subscriptions & purchases it gets, the TLP helped a lot in terms of growing that subscriber base, enough for a few extra hires, not enough to go dumping a few hundred thousand dollars (or more) into revamping it & getting it a new fresher & younger set of players. If there is any advertising budget left after the essential "keeping s**t running" costs I am sure it is very small indeed. I don't like it any more than Vicus does that the game doesn't really do much advertising - fact is it did do some at the game's peak but since then it has relied on community action, gaming media sites & player word of mouth to carry interest for this rather niche game. Sadly I doubt advertising a 21 year old MMORPG like this is would actually draw much interest if I am honest, even if it would be nice to see it happen. It would need so much done in the way of an overhaul that could justify a big advertising campaign for it that the cost to do that overhaul & then advertise it would run the risk of getting the studio closed down as the parent cuts their losses.
Vicus tell me about how DPG should've invested more effort in getting people to join Aradune at launch. We're all watching the server burn so we've got plenty of time for your free marketing tips.
We could have tried to launch 4 servers on the same day instead of 2! No matter how bad the original plan, there is always ways to sabotage further!
I was surprised about the lack of promotion of the new server - not even an email out to all registered accounts reminding them to come back and play from launch? Maybe they anticipated these login problems and were trying to keep the hype down until things settle and then do an email campaign and social media after a few days - that's the only think I can think of. I mean apart from having a staff member in place to do this, these things don't actually cost money to do, email shots, tweets, am I right?
Serious question: Do you believe there are GMs ready as of today to "police" these servers? My bet is they forgot to get people
Just because they fail at execution does not mean I was wrong. So heres a scenario for you. Lets say 3x 4x 5x the amount of people were trying to log in with launch. Would it change how long the downtime was? If the servers are going to crash...what does it matter how many people are trying to log in? But there would of been 3x 4x 5x the amount of accounts active and bags purchased. So from a sale standpoint my point still stands. Making the game more popular and profitable is a good thing. Not because I want to line DBG's pockets for money, it's so maybe an outside investor might decide this game is worth buying and doing the RIGHT thing with it. DBG literally gives the bare minimum to the staff at DPG's (I honestly don't blame them). I know they are doing a lot with a little but its just stupid at this point. DBG is a joke of a company and if I worked there I would be embarrassed to cash my paycheck. Especially knowing that every year they fire people during Christmas while they walk around earning money for doing the bare minimum.
The server was going to crap out the same because they have done nothing on the back-end to change the threshold. Same servers, no upgrades, no increased bandwidth, just same o same o...so the answer is no.
