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Author Topic: Vanguard Round 2 - Post Mortem  (Read 284428 times)
stray
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has an iMac.


Reply #280 on: April 13, 2007, 02:07:31 AM

Edit: Stray. She's a producer. Watch Grandma's Boy if you need more information. Some games they make design decisions. Others, not so much. Given the studio behind Assassin's Creed, I highly doubt she does as much. That said, it's not to slight her, but rather that the studio is made up of piles and piles of awesome.

Ah yes, you're right.

She supposedly has a CS degree though. I doubt Williams had even that.
Simond
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Reply #281 on: April 13, 2007, 06:20:27 AM

Did they announce server consolidations yet?
The playerbase is starting to ask for server mergers now. Unfortunately, there's a significant obstacle in the way - Brad McQuaid's ego.

Server mergers would mean that he was wrong about, well, pretty much everything therefore don't expect to see them until SOE buys Sigil out and fires Brad (again).

"You're really a good person, aren't you? So, there's no path for you to take here. Go home. This isn't a place for someone like you."
Falconeer
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a polyamorous pansexual genderqueer born and living in the wrong country


WWW
Reply #282 on: April 13, 2007, 06:30:47 AM

He was never fired if I remeber correctly. Although I am starting to think he should be, this time.

WayAbvPar
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Reply #283 on: April 13, 2007, 10:29:07 AM

Quote
Did I mention that CGW gave Vanguard a 3/10?

Well, McQuaid did say they were out of money, so I am guessing the check to CGW bounced.

When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM

Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood

Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
LK
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Reply #284 on: April 13, 2007, 12:07:04 PM

Not to mention that I can't recall a single game (massive or not) with a female lead designer. Not that this stuff matters or is on topic, but it got me thinking.
http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,1374/

There ya go.  But I'm not sure I can think of any female Lead Designers on a triple-A, major title.

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,60/

Zing!

"Then there's the double-barreled shotgun from Doom 2 - no-one within your entire household could be of any doubt that it's been fired because it sounds like God slamming a door on his fingers." - Yahtzee Croshaw
Engels
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inflicts shingles.


Reply #285 on: April 13, 2007, 12:29:35 PM

Dude, like, that doesn't count, cuz she's like, someone's mom I bet. No hawtness, just free-floating feelings of guilt during innappropriate sexual arousal.

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
Lantyssa
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Reply #286 on: April 13, 2007, 12:34:52 PM

As for female designers, lets not forget her:
Wasn't she and another female lead dev at E3 last year?  I'm recalling some pictures of them in camo now that you've brought them up.

Hahahaha!  I'm really good at this!
raydeen
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Reply #287 on: April 13, 2007, 12:49:50 PM

Not to mention that I can't recall a single game (massive or not) with a female lead designer. Not that this stuff matters or is on topic, but it got me thinking.
http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,1374/

There ya go.  But I'm not sure I can think of any female Lead Designers on a triple-A, major title.

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,60/

Zing!

My fav:

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,2199/

I was drinking when I wrote this, so sue me if it goes astray.
Trippy
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Reply #288 on: April 13, 2007, 01:15:15 PM

He was never fired if I remeber correctly. Although I am starting to think he should be, this time.
No he wasn't fired. He was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer before eventually leaving to form Sigil, which by the way was the same position Raph held after Brad left, so the cynical minded might think that's where SOE puts its best known designers out to pasture.
Simond
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Reply #289 on: April 13, 2007, 01:28:37 PM

He was never fired if I remeber correctly. Although I am starting to think he should be, this time.
No he wasn't fired. He was "promoted" to Chief Creative Officer before eventually leaving to form Sigil, which by the way was the same position Raph held after Brad left, so the cynical minded might think that's where SOE puts its best known designers out to pasture.
Exactly. Being moved away from hands-on development to a token general management role means that Smed doesn't want you fucking up the game designs any more, kthx. Please feel free to resign any time you like.

"You're really a good person, aren't you? So, there's no path for you to take here. Go home. This isn't a place for someone like you."
Margalis
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Reply #290 on: April 14, 2007, 03:26:40 AM

This game is still around?

Lollers. This is what happens when your battle cry is "oh yeah! Go back to WOW!" That's what everybody did. Oops.

vampirehipi23: I would enjoy a book written by a monkey and turned into a movie rather than this.
Falconeer
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Reply #291 on: April 14, 2007, 03:57:11 PM

Look what I just found about female Lead Designers. Warcry on Hero's Journey.
Boo to SimuKaren for not even telling us this. (/jk)

By the way, here's her (old) bio from her site, and her wikipedia entry.

We are all losing our touch if we missed this so far.

HaemishM
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the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #292 on: April 16, 2007, 01:25:30 PM

Restraining orders incoming in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

Azazel
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Reply #293 on: April 17, 2007, 02:09:59 AM

We are all losing our touch if we missed this so far.

I have a different spin on it.

I don't actually give a fuck.


http://azazelx.wordpress.com/ - My Miniatures and Hobby Blog.
shiznitz
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the plural of mangina


Reply #294 on: April 17, 2007, 08:16:02 AM

Latest hubbub: Sigil UI dev quit a few weeks ago and the UI mod community is annoyed that no one is helping them any more. While reading the rants, I discovered my issue with having to click on spell icons twice to actually fire the spell was not my issue but a long known bug. Wonderful.

Devs, your UI is the first and last thing your customers see when they log in and log out. It should work and not suck. Looking like WoW's isn't enough.

I have never played WoW.
Engels
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inflicts shingles.


Reply #295 on: April 17, 2007, 08:48:47 AM

A friend of mine uses a custom UI (DuskUI) for Vanguard and he swears his frames per second jumped from 20 to 40. I've seen no such improvement for my game when using DuskUI, but then again, I'm using a 7950 card, which isn't a very good card for Vanguard. To be honest, the Vanguard UI isn't that bad. I mean, it is a Sony product, not a Blizzard or NC Soft product, so you sorta know what to expect.

Ya, I'm still playing Vanguard. Probably the sole F13 poster that's doing so. I can kvetch and moan with the best of them, but at this stage, I can't help but simply feel sorry for the project (calling it a game at this stage is still a bit premature). Its obvious that some people put in a lot of work into the game. Some of the art is really good. My favorite so far are all the varieties of weapons players can craft. Many are taken from RL (the upgraded iron short sword from Qalia is a faithful rendition of a South East Asian Kris sword, for example) and reproduced with a level of detail that I don't think most MMOs have. Its clear that in patches, the game was a labor of love for some developers and designers at Sigil. Other places are plauged by what can only be called shoddy work.

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
Kageru
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Reply #296 on: April 17, 2007, 10:30:25 PM


I'm playing as well, because some of my RL but in another state friends are.

From the game it is obvious that the art team invested a lot of time. The maps tend to be huge and full of "insert content here" spaces. Someone had a lot of fun, the major cities are stupidly immense, but it was an insane waste to build these huge continents and cities without actually considering what gameplay they would bring. And the scale has made the minimal content, and player population, look very sparse.

Meanwhile I have no idea what happened with the game coding. The code seems to already have reached an unmaintainable state where bugs just can't be fixed. I can't imagine how else the act of forming a group, or not falling through the world, can still be so flawed. Meanwhile the rate of introduction for new bugs is scarily high.

I honestly can't see the game holding enough subscriptions to fund the development it needs to be decent.

Is a man not entitled to the hurf of his durf?
- Simond
shiznitz
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Reply #297 on: April 18, 2007, 06:14:37 AM

I am also still playing but I have gon back to EQ2 lately. Our small VG guild has lost some of the few 40-hour a week players. Also, even though I will never ever get a character to 50 in VG, the changes they are still making to classes keeps me guessing as to which character I want to actually invest some time in.

I have never played WoW.
shiznitz
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the plural of mangina


Reply #298 on: April 20, 2007, 08:24:51 AM

Logged in last night. It has been about 2 weeks. My main has 15 people on his friends list. These are mostly people I grouped with as little as once, but who seemed capable and friendly. They range from 11-25th level. My main is 17th. The "last played" dates ranged from 03/03/07 to 04/11/07. Not a healthy anecdote.

Also, Nino seems to have left Sigil as well as Zowch, the UI dev. I smell survival mode layoffs.

I have never played WoW.
Engels
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Reply #299 on: April 20, 2007, 08:34:55 AM

Wow, Nino left? Or was fired? He did cross the line with that, "I'll tell you inside info if you promise not to post it" fiasco.

I should get back to nature, too.  You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer.  Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached.  Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe

I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa

Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
shiznitz
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the plural of mangina


Reply #300 on: April 23, 2007, 10:38:35 AM

Continental teleporters on test server:

Quote
GAMEPLAY NOTES
- Riftway Stones have appeared at several altars throughout Telon and will allow faster transit through their magic. Scholars believe that these stones have simply been “out of phase” with the rest of Telon since the time of the cataclysm. In order to use a Riftway Stone to teleport you must acquire a Riftway Shard – now available at general goods vendors.
- Travelers must attune at each Riftway Stone in order to return to said stone via another Riftway Stone on the same network.
- There are currently three known Riftway Networks – each stone in the world belongs to one of these three networks.
- The Riftway Stones at New Targonor, Ahgram, and Tawar Galan are only destinations – and may be reached via any Riftway Network.

Those cities in the last bullet are the major port cities so I guess you will be able to teleport to any port from any Riftway Stone. The next question is how much the money sink will be. My level 17 druid, twinked a bit by guildies, only has 50s to his name.

edit: Warriors getting some much needed love, too.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2007, 11:05:24 AM by shiznitz »

I have never played WoW.
Nebu
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Reply #301 on: April 23, 2007, 01:19:03 PM

Quote
GAMEPLAY NOTES
- Riftway Stones have appeared at several altars throughout Telon and will allow faster transit through their magic. Scholars believe that these stones have simply been “out of phase” with the rest of Telon since the time of the cataclysm. In order to use a Riftway Stone to teleport you must acquire a Riftway Shard – now available at general goods vendors.
- Travelers must attune at each Riftway Stone in order to return to said stone via another Riftway Stone on the same network.
- There are currently three known Riftway Networks – each stone in the world belongs to one of these three networks.
- The Riftway Stones at New Targonor, Ahgram, and Tawar Galan are only destinations – and may be reached via any Riftway Network.

In other words "Oops... forcing people to play certain classes and races in order to play together from creation may have been a design blunder."

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

-  Mark Twain
Rithrin
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Reply #302 on: April 23, 2007, 02:44:16 PM

Continental teleporters on test server:

Quote
GAMEPLAY NOTES
- Riftway Stones have appeared at several altars throughout Telon and will allow faster transit through their magic. Scholars believe that these stones have simply been “out of phase” with the rest of Telon since the time of the cataclysm. In order to use a Riftway Stone to teleport you must acquire a Riftway Shard – now available at general goods vendors.
- Travelers must attune at each Riftway Stone in order to return to said stone via another Riftway Stone on the same network.
- There are currently three known Riftway Networks – each stone in the world belongs to one of these three networks.
- The Riftway Stones at New Targonor, Ahgram, and Tawar Galan are only destinations – and may be reached via any Riftway Network.

Those cities in the last bullet are the major port cities so I guess you will be able to teleport to any port from any Riftway Stone. The next question is how much the money sink will be. My level 17 druid, twinked a bit by guildies, only has 50s to his name.

edit: Warriors getting some much needed love, too.

Its something like 60 copper per stone usage. I'd compare that to buying Runes of Teleportation in WoW for Mage ports. Basically, cheap as hell.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2007, 02:45:47 PM by Rithrin »

The sweetest wine comes from the grapes of victory.
Azazel
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Posts: 7735


Reply #303 on: April 23, 2007, 03:32:25 PM

LOL EZMODE GO BACK TO WOW N00B!!1!

Just saying, is all. The various boards must be alight with the h4rdc0r3 catasses...


http://azazelx.wordpress.com/ - My Miniatures and Hobby Blog.
Nija
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Reply #304 on: April 23, 2007, 03:40:02 PM

A couple years worth of trickling patches and Vanguard might be worth playing on free shards.
Venkman
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Reply #305 on: April 23, 2007, 05:19:19 PM

Quote
I honestly can't see the game holding enough subscriptions to fund the development it needs to be decent.
There was some theory that the rush to launch was so that the dev team could be moved onto other projects, in typical SOE fashion of switching devs with a lighter Live team to bang out content in predictable fashion. I'm beginning to wonder if that has been what happened.
Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23611


Reply #306 on: April 23, 2007, 08:01:25 PM

Quote
I honestly can't see the game holding enough subscriptions to fund the development it needs to be decent.
There was some theory that the rush to launch was so that the dev team could be moved onto other projects, in typical SOE fashion of switching devs with a lighter Live team to bang out content in predictable fashion. I'm beginning to wonder if that has been what happened.
What else could Sigil be working on though? They aren't owned by SOE so it's not like they would be working on SOE projects and they aren't working on the Marvel project as they were rumored to have been back when they were still being published by Microsoft.
Merusk
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Reply #307 on: April 23, 2007, 08:37:32 PM

X-packs!


The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
Lantyssa
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Reply #308 on: April 23, 2007, 08:49:51 PM

Treading Water.

Hahahaha!  I'm really good at this!
Azazel
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Posts: 7735


Reply #309 on: April 24, 2007, 12:12:35 AM

I imagine any devs there with much of a brain would be looking for new jobs before the ship totally sinks.


http://azazelx.wordpress.com/ - My Miniatures and Hobby Blog.
Falconeer
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a polyamorous pansexual genderqueer born and living in the wrong country


WWW
Reply #310 on: April 24, 2007, 01:33:24 AM

Jean-Guy Drouin: Yeah. Yeah, I want to echanger. Bernard, call Detroit, tell them bullshit. Yeah. Yeah, something. Wait. Ned, what's echanger in English?
Ned Braden: Trade me right fucking now.
Jean-Guy Drouin: Trade me right fucking now!
Ned Braden: Now hang up.
Jean-Guy Drouin: Hello?


Sigil looks so much like the Charlestown Chiefs. Too bad Brad McQuaid is no Reggie Dunlop (or Paul Newman).


« Last Edit: April 24, 2007, 05:36:11 AM by Falconeer »

Johny Cee
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Reply #311 on: April 24, 2007, 06:11:04 AM


"Who hones the Chiefs?"
shiznitz
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the plural of mangina


Reply #312 on: April 24, 2007, 09:58:34 AM

X-packs!



That was probably meant as a joke but is probably accurate. Yeah. Telon needs more landmass. Definitely.

I have never played WoW.
Merusk
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Badge Whore


Reply #313 on: April 24, 2007, 10:11:45 AM

X-packs!



That was probably meant as a joke but is probably accurate. Yeah. Telon needs more landmass. Definitely.

Actually, I was serious.  Brad & SOE are the crew who developed the "x-pac every 9-months" schedule. If VS is supposed to be the true EQ sequel, I can't imagine them not following the same model. 

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
trias_e
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Posts: 1296


Reply #314 on: April 24, 2007, 12:47:43 PM

The expansions, if they aren't raging idiots (cue the laughter), should include filling in the empty landmass they already have.

The base for the game is pretty good, as they have very good combat mechanics (unlike say, EQ2), alongside a very big world which I think could be a good thing for expansion and content.

I'll almost certainly play this game again at some point.  Just to see if it's any better performance and bugwise, if nothing else.  It's too bad they went the WoW with more grind model though (add the worst part of EQ to stuff derivitive of WoW, brilliant), instead of bigger-better EQ mode (which would be big world, diverse group centric  gameplay, without the shitty combat).
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