AGC conference interview with Dave Bowman

[Lascivious Goat]

Dave Bowman talks about the HZ sale to EI, here:

http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/893

[Lasivar]

awesome, thank you for posting it

[Hal`cyon Sskyler]

Can't wait 'til part 2. Sounds like they're both more free to talk now.

[Luthen]

Doesn't give me a very good feeling reading all that.

[Dhalin]

*wouldn't be surprised to see it deleted by EI....* No offense meant, its just that EI... does not appear to like giving us detailed information about things we should know.

--Dhalin

[Luthen]

*wouldn't be surprised to see it deleted by EI....* No offense meant, its just that EI... does not appear to like giving us detailed information about things we should know.

--Dhalin

lol I wouldn't be surprised, either.

[Sonea]

'Some licenses to operate the software that manages the data are non-transferable and belong to GIN,� said Heckman. EI Interactive will have to purchase copies of these licenses for their own use."

Gosh I hope EI has already done this.

[Peaches]

is basically what we all already knew. Why can't the hatchet be thrown away, and we move forward instead of backwards? *sighs* Rehashing old news is soo counter productive.

[Deth]

'Some licenses to operate the software that manages the data are non-transferable and belong to GIN,� said Heckman. EI Interactive will have to purchase copies of these licenses for their own use."

Gosh I hope EI has already done this.

This has been done/fixed. Heckman has taken the steps to see this fixed as she did not wish to cause us the community problems trying to deal with EI.

[Phillip]

nothing to see here...

oh except I wouldn't play anything which Bowman is involved. Ever.

[Sigi]

'Some licenses to operate the software that manages the data are non-transferable and belong to GIN,� said Heckman. EI Interactive will have to purchase copies of these licenses for their own use."

Gosh I hope EI has already done this.

Not very surprising. Software licenses are very rarely transferable so what's the point in stating the obvious.

More general. I still don't get the blame the buyer sentiments .

[MadDwarf]

Not very surprising. Software licenses are very rarely transferable so what's the point in stating the obvious.

More general. I still don't get the blame the buyer sentiments .

you think Bowman agreed to the sale ? He had no choice. Horizons was being developed on Baker money since the Bankruptcy of AE. In fact the game never has made a single penny in profit. Baker was tired of floating the payroll each month to see only a small increase in subs. So he started shopping the game around.

You think the announcements of DWO and the expansion were coincidental ? This was when they were really worried and were trying to get the HZ name out there. Hoping to see a dramatic increase in subscribers.

So no doubt the game was increasing sub wise. Just wasn't projecting fast enough for Baker to continue to lose money with little chance of a return. He offloaded it.

The interview itself looks like a poo poo on your EI for the sale. I doubt part 2 will be any better.

Yes I as well will not touch anything again that David Bowman develops. I doubt he will find investor money anyway.

[Dhalin]

I don't mean to be offensive towards anyone in particular, or anything, but...

I find it.... I dunno, strange? Appalling, even, that you guys claim to love Horizons so much, and the cool things that it has, that no other MMORPG does, but yet you are so quick to trash the guy who made it all possible? From what I have read, and heard, he played a Large role in launching his "baby" in 2001, so I gather that this game is largely of his conception.

If you guys hate David Bowman so much, why do you continue to play the game that he made? I think Horizons is an awesome game, we just need a larger staff who can iron out all of the bugs, and make some little tweaks here and there. If they do that, and increase the subs, then EI will own one of the greatest MMOs the internet has ever known.

I just find it a little strange you guys are so quick to trash Mr. Bowman, after all he did to try to keep this game running for you guys. I assume you guys still play... if you play, I assume you play becuase you enjoy it. If you enjoy it, that means the game has at least a few things you like, right?

Meh, I'm running around in circles...the game has its bugs, and such, but I think prior to the EI sale, and the T6 nerfs, they were doing very good with Horizons. Releasing ARoP, Lairs, Lairshaping, keeping Events running, adding a new Spirit Isle for newbies, fixing things up, improving the Client, these were very good things that they did. I wouldn't be so quick to blame Mr. Bowman for all of the game's current woes...

--Dhalin

[mixism]

It sounds like to me E! bought a program without playing,test driving, undewrstanding, or training. The story sound like they want to run.own it but plan to learn the system the hard way.

2 cents
Mixism

[Dhalin]

Actually, Mixism, from what I heard, EI and some of its staff were Horizons players for 4-5 months before the Sale. They actually had characters, and played the game and knew what it was like. I've heard stories of DANU having a Lv50somethingrather on Chaos, prior to the sale.

As far as administration-side training, I can only speculate... it is under my understanding, that the sale happened rather quickly, and that there was little time to prepare, and EI were handed the keys right off the bat and they said 'here you go, enjoy!' with a minimum/barebones amount of training. You cannot blame EI for that, I don't think... sounds like Baker/Tulga wanted to drop Horizons like a cold potato and move on ASAP. That's the way I see it in my eyes, anyways. If I am wrong, I welcome anyone to enlighten me.

--Dhalin

[CallakDW]

As far as administration-side training, I can only speculate... it is under my understanding, that the sale happened rather quickly, and that there was little time to prepare, and EI were handed the keys right off the bat and they said 'here you go, enjoy!' with a minimum/barebones amount of training. You cannot blame EI for that, I don't think... sounds like Baker/Tulga wanted to drop Horizons like a cold potato and move on ASAP. That's the way I see it in my eyes, anyways. If I am wrong, I welcome anyone to enlighten me.

--Dhalin

According to the article...

“Due to the terms of the sale, I was not allowed to make any official statement to the community,� Heckman told me. GiN’s contract ended the moment the deal was inked and although she offered EI a 30 day transitional contract, the offer was not accepted.

Doesn't sound like EI even made an attempt to get transition time, though IMO, 30 days is still a very short period of time to tranfer somthing like this.

[Peaches]

an ei versus tulga, focus on the interview itself, any bashing, insults will result in the thread being locked.

[LaughingOtter]

an ei versus tulga, focus on the interview itself, any bashing, insults will result in the thread being locked.

I hope that standard applies to posts, both new and existing, which are bashing or insulting towards David, Ophelea, or the former Tulga team?

[Peaches]

There is no need to bash or insult. If you find a thread that I have missed, please send me a link, via pm, and I will address it. I cannot read every single post, and the other moderator is very ill, so I am short handed.

[Deth]

I don't mean to be offensive toward anyone in particular, or anything, but...

I find it.... I dunno, strange? Appalling, even, that you guys claim to love Horizons so much, and the cool things that it has, that no other MMORPG does, but yet you are so quick to trash the guy who made it all possible? From what I have read, and heard, he played a Large role in launching his "baby" in 2001, so I gather that this game is largely of his conception.

If you guys hate David Bowman so much, why do you continue to play the game that he made? I think Horizons is an awesome game, we just need a larger staff who can iron out all of the bugs, and make some little tweaks here and there. If they do that, and increase the subs, then EI will own one of the greatest MMOs the internet has ever known.

I just find it a little strange you guys are so quick to trash Mr. Bowman, after all he did to try to keep this game running for you guys. I assume you guys still play... if you play, I assume you play because you enjoy it. If you enjoy it, that means the game has at least a few things you like, right?

Meh, I'm running around in circles...the game has its bugs, and such, but I think prior to the EI sale, and the T6 nerfs, they were doing very good with Horizons. Releasing ARoP, Lairs, Lairshaping, keeping Events running, adding a new Spirit Isle for newbies, fixing things up, improving the Client, these were very good things that they did. I wouldn't be so quick to blame Mr. Bowman for all of the game's current woes...

--Dhalin

Dhalin liking the man and liking what he makes is 2 completely different things. I can like a table but if I meet the Carpenter that made it and he is a complete As_hat, does that stop me from loving my table I have? No. Will I stop buying other tables? No as long as I do not have to deal with him, I will deal with his sales person who I like much better, but I will still dislike him.

The problem people had with DB is his mouth is bigger then his ability. He took a long time and never learned fully that you do not promise a MMO community any more then you know for sure you can deliver. He made many many promised that just fell by the wayside or he later glossed over with new promises.

an ei versus tulga, focus on the interview itself, any bashing, insults will result in the thread being locked.

Question Peaches or any mod really. Can you not mod post? Or does this software only let you lock full threads? I myself would rather see post modded rather then full threads locked so that good info is lost just because some can not stay on topic.