EI Interactive Acquires Horizins

[Dracana]

I think I will take a wait and see attitude toward EI as well.

I must confess I am a bit nervous about what the future holds for my favorite MMORPG in the hands of these new people.

What direction will the game be going in now? Will the new guys be as attentive and present in our community as the old Tulga dev team? Will they even update it as regularly?

I think it's time for some research wouldn't you all say?

[Khosadan]

I dunno, I looked at their website, and the poor quality and unprofessional design frankly scares me.

"Hey dude, we want to publish your game!" ...do these people not know anything about real gamers? It sounds like something some 50-something who is trying really hard to pretend he's 'cool' would say. What a ridiculous slogan. Do they think we're 12-yr old surfer boys or something? If thats the demographic they're aiming for with their games, I fear for HZ's future. *shudder*

Bah, I'm gonna go to sleep, maybe tomorrow will hold some news that will make me feel more hopeful.

[Takora Drakan]

Well, now i know what was happening all the time, tulga has arsed all of us. With that "come to us mail" they simply wantet to get customers to raise the price for Hz, and that's the reason why Tulga and GN was all the time so quiet, AND thats the reasen why unity got no patches.. well i hope unity doesn't get nuked...

And this E I company doesn't looka a bit professional to me, hmm do they have a forum?

[Ivy]

I almost felt neurotic when I decided not to restart on the NA shards after unity died, because I was unable to trust TG not to do the same to their shards.

I was so right. All this "come join us we are still here and rocking" was nothing but a foul trick. I feel sorry for all those who decided to risk it again and restarted, I very much hope that it turns out all good and that and that our lovely HZ community will be allowed to grow for many years to come.

Looking at their homepage I dont think it will happen though

[awdz]

wowsers, i had no clue HZ was even for sale. silly me, guess i live too much in istaria...

if they keep the staff, then i look for the game to improve. new ownership does not mean the game will be gutted; i'll give it time to tell. for me it's always been about the interactive fun anyway (love the community!).

on the other hand, i guess we know now the 'why' behind jayne saying she was unsure she'd be able to stay. *sighs* i need klava...

[Mearis]

I will give EI a chance. However if they do not participate in IRC, or are as caring to the HZ community as Tulga I am gone. Also what is the word on the Settlements? I was really looking forward to this, but it it is scraped I may well be gone.

[Deth]

My understanding right now from what I read is that they brought just Horizons and if the Poster from IGN is correct 4 Dev's to include DB stayed with TG. SO that kind of tells me that TG might still be going forward with DWO with DB at the head.

But that means for Horizons that it is going forward with the rest of the Development team?

That Horizons will now not get the DWO engine that is being designed?

I guess we will find out more info later today.

I also add my vote that the EI site is horrible looking. If nothing else I hope they get a real web designer to give it a once over. As a lot here know a good web design goes a long way.

[Ijs]

After DB learned that Chris Baker was going to sell HZ, DB personally put together a counter-offer and attempted to save the game. He was obviously unsuccessful.

Save the game? No, if David Bowman put together a counter offer, it would have been to save his job, or dev jobs (who probably will continue working for EI anyways).

Look at what EI has done for Savage Eden. Tell me how ANY of that would or could be a bad thing for Horizons.


Has no one here worked for a company that was sold? The paper I work for has been sold five times in the past 15 years. You know what? We're still putting out papers, still have pretty much the same editorial staff for the past 8-9 years.

Someone who buys a company does not do it to flush it down the toilet.

I expect to see A) player growth b) in-game improvements C) player guides D) all of the above.

Reading some of the posts in this thread, you'd think the sky really is falling...

[Ijs]

I also add my vote that the EI site is horrible looking. If nothing else I hope they get a real web designer to give it a once over. As a lot here know a good web design goes a long way.

Sorry, don't mean to tease you about this, but have you seen Tulga's web design? Same could be said...

[Deth]

Sorry, don't mean to tease you about this, but have you seen Tulga's web design? Same could be said...

No worry. TG may not be the best but at least it does not hurt to look at. I mean i looks like I designed it or something.

[Varangaard]

AND thats the reasen why unity got no patches.. well i hope unity doesn't get nuked...

If we're going to believe a person who opened his mouth too early on IRC, the reason is GN hasn't paid TG since May. However, considering the source, THAT should be considered pure rumor for now.

[Daeanor]

With all the worst-case speculations already out there, I would like to suggest a different view. People seem to want to believe the worst, and at best it's misguided. The only response that is at all reasonable is to wait and see.

But my alternate view is that perhaps the lack of patches and forward movement by Tulga comes down to a financial struggle that they were losing. Along comes EI, and makes an offer that will infuse the developement of the game with new money, and new resources to promote it. So they take the offer.

Very likely, the same development staff would stay on; possibly the entire HZ team. It just wouldn't make sense for them to invest in re-training personel when there are existing people who already know the game intimately. EI didn't buy HZ with anything in mind but to make money on the deal, so they must think that it has a potential worth their investment. More resources can't help but make the game better.

In today's corporate climate, the name of the owner has very little to do with the day-to-day operations of a branch. It's very likely the HZ team will not undergo any major changes.

In short, I suspect this was a survival move for HZ, and all the speculations of nefarious intent don't really make sense.

[Ijs]

No worry. TG may not be the best but at least it does not hurt to look at.

This is true. That topless pixie on the front page does NOT hurt to look at. Just wish I didn't have to go to an offsite page to find a complete list of Horizon 'schools' and their stats/functions, etc.

Seriously though, the most important thing people need to realize is that they are not going to overhaul the game overnight. That list of 500 things people want fixed? Give it time....

In the words of a wise man, "Patience, grasshopper."

[spajdr_fatleg]

so what now? should i send ticket again for charging me for starting playing a trial?

[Ijs]

GN heard a rumor that HZ was going to be sold, so they decided it was unwise to continue giving money to TG. TG then stopped providing patches for GN because they were no longer being paid to do so.

Breach of contract on GN's part. I'd take them to court.

I mean, just because they heard a rumour TG was selling HZ, that's no reason to stop paying TG.

[Theolaerynn]

They have seven employees!?!?!?!?!

http://www.eiinteractive.com/team.htm

Dosn't look they they even have that maney that do game stuff. I don't see any mmorpg experience outside their weird korean game

Six, the last is just an advisor.

And this might be a bad time, but I just want to point out that I told you all that AE would never be able to save the game. They had two and a half years of paid beta and still couldn't make the game profitable. The most tragic thing about it is, it wasn't for lack of a good idea. It was lack of direction and follow through.

And this sale? My personal opinion is that Settlements and all the hype these last few months has just been another DB shell game, and I think you all fell for it. Hell, I think some of you are still falling for it.

Horizons had tremendous potential, it is too bad it wasn't in the hands of competent developers. It just goes to show that good ideas aren't guaranteed to be succesful, and even great ideas like Horizons can be trashed.

I thought about changing my avatar to the 'Dude, we want to buy your game' graphic, but it wasn't worth the trouble. Best of luck to all who stay with the new company, and I suggest you watch your credit card statements. Everytime I go to EI's site I half-expect to get spammed by never-ending ******** pop-ups.

[Helcat]

*looks at watch*

k.. who had "12 hours" in the "When will the VN Board Trolls
Arrive to Say I told Ya So" pool?

[Seranthor]

Um Helcat, I think that would be me... I had 12hr 5 min.

[Helcat]

we have a winner!

[lightning claw]

cachey toon unforchently its the sad sad Truth Ei will most likly bork the Game Set it a Blaze and leave it Un Reserectibell like i Did Ummarry Last night

Continues to sing that song