A conversation with DANU

[Uther Blade]

Just logged off for the nite, and wanted to type a message to my fellow Istarians on Blight, Chaos and my home Order.

I may not always be the nicest person in the forums, I know I post a lot less than I type. .. But wanted to share somethings with you all.

If you look at your RL job? It is mostlikly you picked your current job, because you felt like you can make a difference on some level.

It is no different here, we play to be a part of a more diverse community, to contribute and make a difference, even if only to make others laugh and forget the RL.

EI purchased this game for the same reason. To join our community. To contibute to its lasting existance and insure we all stay together in Istaria.

I had a short conversation with DANU this eve. He is genuine and sincere and cares about the game. He is playing the game with his family, just like a lot of us.

I know a few things, one of those is that, being negative has a negative outcome. If we want this game to succeed? We all have to make the effort to put our best into an open dialog.

Write it down and share it with your guild, discuss it, then share it with EI

We all have something to both win and lose here. I vote for winning

[Vlisson]

i agree

lets win this thing

everyone can be the gainer

i hope we will see soon the poll EI mentioned

[Dhalin]

I agree as well.

Until EI actually does something that hurts the game (they have yet to hurt the game from what I've seen/heard), please stop with the negativity towards them. I know you are worried about the well-being of Horizons, but attacking the new owners and making them feel unwelcome is not going to help you or this game any.

Please, guys, just lay off the negativity. If you can't welcome them with a warm heart, at least stand aside and observe until something major happens and then form a judgement. So far they have not done anything for us to judge Pro or Con of their ability to run/develop the game so far. We have lots of speculation, and very little evidence to point in either direction.

--Dhalin

[Deth]

As I said in the question thread. I asked a Question of EIDark(something, the, I assume, new World Master of Order the other night. He quickly answered that they would have answers soon adn he hoped we would be happy. I also made a passing complaint/jab at TG and he replyed instantly with a Tell asking if everything was ok and if he could help in any way. So if all of EI respond like he did then we have no worry.

[Jasmeen]

How about we make a little deal here?

Those who think that this sale is a bad thing for the game will stop posting their negativity if you all stop posting your blinded by the glare of a bright light shined in your eyes support for them? I see more posts from people touting the glories of EII and how wonderful they are than of people expressing their concerns, and frankly it sickens me.

So far EII has done nothing since purchasing the game. So you are right, there is no reason to attack them. But there sure as heck is no reason to be all Pollyanna-esque either.

You have your opinions, I have mine. If you're allowed to continually come to the forums and glorify EII for doing nothing, then others are sure as heck allowed to come here and suggest that that very same silence concerns them. So when a select few people stop posting "EII is god", I'll stop posting that "EII is going to screw this up in ways you can't possibly fathom". How's that? We'll all give them time to prove themselves one way or another.

[Chioxin]

How about we make a little deal here?

Those who think that this sale is a bad thing for the game will stop posting their negativity if you all stop posting your blinded by the glare of a bright light shined in your eyes support for them? I see more posts from people touting the glories of EII and how wonderful they are than of people expressing their concerns, and frankly it sickens me.

So far EII has done nothing since purchasing the game. So you are right, there is no reason to attack them. But there sure as heck is no reason to be all Pollyanna-esque either.

You have your opinions, I have mine. If you're allowed to continually come to the forums and glorify EII for doing nothing, then others are sure as heck allowed to come here and suggest that that very same silence concerns them. So when a select few people stop posting "EII is god", I'll stop posting that "EII is going to screw this up in ways you can't possibly fathom". How's that? We'll all give them time to prove themselves one way or another.

Though I agree with you... that it should go both ways... the tons of positive post were sparred by the fact tons of people were laying down the hate.

Point being... These threads will stop, when the negativity stops as there will be no need to react. =) These kinds of threads would not have started, if not for the lashing outburst some people had when it was announced EI was buying.

Personally, I'm happy to SEE these threads. I was about to take an oath never to open general again because all I saw was "EI Hate this" "Open Letter to EI"<==good read though > "EI's a bad company" and there were TONS of them. "I'm quiting, and I want a refund." ..... It's hard to NOT stop by here when I've nothing to do at my job.

To both sides of the line - expect opposition toward your opinions.

[BKBanzai]

When assets get sold (Horizons), then it's usually because either the assets are no longer profitable, or they're not profitable enough to offset the debt.

The game could have just been shut down, and those of us that were here during the bankruptcy and the ensuing fears that the doors would close are happy to see the game continue on.

If nothing else, it appears as though the new owners have some cash to put into the game. If the servers can get upgraded and improvements be made, albeit slowly, it's a win-win.

[Anima]

<Waves!>


Mmmm... win win. Thats almost as good as getting more Cowbell.


<waves!>

[Devilduck]

DUDE!!!!... Cant we, like , get along and stop with all this like cowpie slinging? I mean, like , all the hostilities are really cramping the aura. And Dude,,, you dont want to cramp the Aura of the All Mighty Lightbulb!

Piss it off too much and the welcoming light at the end of the tunnel maybe turned off!.

So, like lets all, you know hold hands and take a deep breath... hold for, oh like till you count to ten or something,.... then let it out.


There! Now dude dont we all feel like totally awesome!? Now stare into the campfire and sing Kumbaya.

[Aamer Khan]

Bitter much DD?

[HappyFunBall]

I agree with that positive is better than negative, BUT, people have the right to flame, and many people have made very good points, even IF they were being "negative".

A great deal of the flames would have been eliminated, if EI just posted something immediately after the annoucement. They finally did, but it was too little too late.

I'm still not in a positive mood about the buyout, just because Danu is a player and likes/loves the game. My response to that is, "ok, that's nice, but so what?".

With no developers who know the code (and, such a small number of devs now), I still think the odds of getting a replacement engine are NOW next to nil in addition to the following problems.

I'm still not hearing any of the following issues being addressed:

1) New engine
2) X-Fi and Audigy 2 fix (a real fix, not 'install the oldest drivers you can find, and the game might work'
3) quest fixes/updates
4) comm fixes/updates - player drops/login problems/login time/high lag from only a few players in the same area/etc
5) (solved my new engine possibly) - MEMORY LEAK, can't see monsters until you are right on top of them, no FSAA, no recent vid card specific support, you can watch the screen render itself - like it's running a vb script, etc.
6) confectioner completion
7) T6 update
8) Dungeon additions
9) Soooo many other things
10) Where's tech support now, gone? I have 2 tickets that have been open without response for 1/2 a week or more.

I don't buy into "faith", BS, or being "nice" as a real solution to the problems above and neither should anyone else.

[Devilduck]

Bitter much DD?

Why would you say that?


If that post came off bitter it wasnt ment too. Sarcastic maybe... :P

I have no investment in what ever happens here. I have friends here I talk to on both sides of the issue and I think its freaking hilarious on the bickering and dung slinging that is going on by both sides.

Those that are looking into the shining light and saying everything is rosey cause the big bad Tulga devs are gone need to wake up and those harping doom and gloom need to chill.

The HZ of the past is dead, (for those with limited reading comprehension that doesnt mean its dead as in no more but as in dead and no longer available to us), no matter what happens from here on out HZ will be different, whether it will be a better HZ or a worse HZ remains to be seen and no amount of Flaming or Praising is going to change things.

[Deth]

With no developers who know the code (and, such a small number of Dev's now), I still think the odds of getting a replacement engine are NOW next to nil in addition to the following problems.

We do not know that yet. The supposed word we have heard is that EI did not know who to talk to till the the buy-out was done. So heres hoping they pick up all the Dev's that did get fired.

The one fear I have is the 3 other Dev's that did not get fired from TG are the Key Dev's that will be needed to move forward.

But I would assume IF EI decides to go forward with development they would have had some stipulation that the Dev's that are remaining with TG will have to offer some training/help till they get a hand on the code.

Honestly I would assume they are going to go in some direction which I have no clue but it is kind of stupid to be a game that is losing or just barely making money and not doing SOMETHING with it. I do not seem them saleing the pieces of Horizons as they would not recoup their cost, if they could have TG would have sold the parts long ago I am thinking.

I am sure everyones fear is where they will go with things. The silence to me from just all the hints and things around the board seem to be that EI did not know fully what they were getting into and now are taking the time that every one feels they should have done before the game was sold to figure out what they can do. I assume they know what they wanted to do but what they thought they were getting and what they really got may be two totally different things.

I see EI as someone who walked in to a Realtor looking for a fixer upper and once they moved in and started tearing down the wallpaper to put up new wall paper found the walls coming down with the wall paper. As the Realtor pulled a fast one on them.

Now I am not blaming TG for that, well not most of the Dev's anyway. But I still feel that upper management some where talk every one to keep quite on certain things.

AS I said If I do not hear anything from them by the end of next week then I will start to worry. But as I am stuck here till Jan 07 any way not a lot I can do even if I due cancel. My money is already long gone. Curse those attractive long term offers!

[Aamer Khan]

Thanks for the response DD, it clarifies your view for me, which I actually agree with.

Many did not like the current direction that TG was taking, and we sure don't know that EII will do to HZ what they appear to have done with SE.

All I do know, is that they pulled in who they needed to keep maint. smooth, and as far as I can tell things are still working as before.

Change is here. What was is not.

I am for change that keeps the game running and can draw new players. If fun is added in as well, then we are golden, regardless of any personal views we have. This game was not for everyone from the start, and that will remai the same.

[Khargu Wildeye]

The talk of Changing Engines here and elsewhere leaves me wondering , I have seen it done in EQ Live, and also in DAOC with the Graphic Engines, in both cases, those folks on the lower end of the technology scale were left out in the cold. Does changing the actual game engine offer the same risk?

[Uther Blade]

How about we make a little deal here?

Those who think that this sale is a bad thing for the game will stop posting their negativity if you all stop posting your blinded by the glare of a bright light shined in your eyes support for them? I see more posts from people touting the glories of EII and how wonderful they are than of people expressing their concerns, and frankly it sickens me.

So far EII has done nothing since purchasing the game. So you are right, there is no reason to attack them. But there sure as heck is no reason to be all Pollyanna-esque either.

You have your opinions, I have mine. If you're allowed to continually come to the forums and glorify EII for doing nothing, then others are sure as heck allowed to come here and suggest that that very same silence concerns them. So when a select few people stop posting "EII is god", I'll stop posting that "EII is going to screw this up in ways you can't possibly fathom". How's that? We'll all give them time to prove themselves one way or another.

Maybe you should re-read the original post?

First of all?.. I never said to shut up.. have your opinions.. I think I refered to "open dialog"... blah blah blah.. anyone can say what they want... I have reached a point that I feel saturated with the negative. Worried the game would end because some can't let well enough alone. Please, everyone, share your feelings. But remember, "feelings aren't always right.. they just are."

Second.. I don't think I suggested, touted or began a new Istarian religion devoted to the principles of EII and that they are "gods"... But!! I may start a new religion that does worship the backspace key

Third and lastly.. Let me qualify.. clarify and spell out what the "open dialog" should be IMO. "PRODUCTIVE".. if someone doesn't want to be productive? Then don't be. Folks have to chose for themselves their own path. I chose to not be consummed by negative things in the forums, irc chat or in the game. Play, have fun.. escape from the RL. That is one of the many reasons we are here.

[Peaches]

Well said. And you hit the nail right on the head!

[Thorgat]

Bitter much DD?

Nah, I poke him almost daily, he isn't of the bitter type.

[HappyFunBall]

The talk of Changing Engines here and elsewhere leaves me wondering , I have seen it done in EQ Live, and also in DAOC with the Graphic Engines, in both cases, those folks on the lower end of the technology scale were left out in the cold. Does changing the actual game engine offer the same risk?

I would hope that IF we ever see a new engine, it's completely scalable, and configurable, as far as the performance settings/graphics options go.

I've seen many recent games come out where you can churn down the settings and still play the game with acceptable frame-rates on older systems.

If they are smart, they would be seriously concerned about alienating even more players by upping the system requirements to a point where it makes their game-play worse or impossible.


My personal goals for a new engine are to improve performance, support new and OLD gfx card, support FSAA (and then some), FIX the memory leak, speed up rendering (by about 10-50x), etc.

Personally, I sit dumbfounded when I port in a new area, and watch the screen render, object my object, texture by texture, on my Athlon FX-55, x800 PE, with 3 GB of RAM. I do my taxes while the game loads and tries to log me in. I lose hope when 5-6 people enter the same area, and the game drags to a crawl, and 2-3 players get booted from the server. I can't even go to Kion, as without FSAA; the graphics seem like they are from an ibm xt/at (exaggerating of course).

yada yada yada, I could go on and on...