EI's 3 Month Ownership Thoughts

[Imayo]

1. As to the billing issues: several members of my guild have had the SAME EXACT billing problems being reported now on the forums under Tulga. The buggy billing system has been there from the get-go and EI inherited a mess.

2. Smeglor seemed to imply (on the RR forums) that there never was any real design plan under DB, so honestly I don't mind EI taking a little time to actually some up with a true design doc and develop a plan from TG's mess.

3. As for events, the vast majority of TG's events were over any of my characters heads, so I really never got to participate in them to begin with.

4. Communication: TG may have talked to us a lot, but honestly I think a lot of it was straight B.S. meant to placate us and shut us up. Even EI's lesser communications are more than you get from SOE with SWG, where there are bugs that have been there since day one and Sony is keeps trying to pull the Jedi mind trick of "There is no bug" all the while throwing you a new toy to distract you.

5. I have been thru a MMO shut down before. I didn't like it and to this day I will not do business with the parent company of the game. Here I can still play a game I still enjoy, so I'm happy and am willing to wait and see what the future brings.

[MadDwarf]

It is more like MadDwarf is using logical and reasoning of the current situation and information at hand; more than just hoping his eyes and praying for the best outcome.

yes this is a lost art around here. Of course I base my observations because I am keenly aware of exactly what EII was given. I also know exactly what it takes to deal with such a project because I have been involved in just such projects in the IT world. It was difficult then and an MMO is infinitely more complicated than the projects I have worked on. So I can safely say that unless I see Smeglor, tango and a few others who actually did the coding on the game being hired I know exactly the path Horizons will take for the next year.

Im not saying these things to be negative. But be wholey realistic as to what you are going to have to deal with in Horizons for the next year at least.

Of course someone could win the powerball and donate a few million to EII to hire a crack shot dev team. Then things might start moving, not fast but they would.

Play the game have fun but know what you are dealing with. Nothing negative at all about that.

[Justa Mirage]

You folks from the Southwest / mid-western states will get this

I am driving down the desert road known as Horizons. I see a signpost ahead (no, not the twilight zone) it reads "Stuckeys 10 miles ahead"

Then 2 miles later, another one. "Great food, quiet restaurant, Stuckeys"

Then another 2 miles later, "Gas and lodging, Stuckeys"

Finally maybe 1 mile left, "Visit our world famous candy store, see a 2 headed snake! All at the next exit... Stuckeys"

When you finally get past the 10 miles, There is a badly broken down building that has weeds growing all over it with 2 poles that used to hold up a sign at one time. Not a soul is parked around it and the windows are all boarded up.

So you drive past the building that once was a Stuckeys.

20 miles later another billboard comes along, "Stuckeys, clean restrooms, general store, food... 30 miles"

You have driven 30 miles to possibly drive another 30 miles... hoping this "Stuckeys" exists, with food, shelter, gas, candy, etc... (and the 2 headed snake) and you wonder... after seeing the last building, you wonder if 30 miles ahead, is a similar building. You are left wondering if Stuckeys is still in buisness and should you believe what you read while driving down an unchanging road.

If you are told "this is what is coming" and later down the road you don't see the things you were told were coming, your "faith" diminishes. When you drive another 30 miles, and still don't see a place to refresh and renew your spirit, your "faith" diminishes a bit more.

Some people have a LOT of "faith", (sounds like religion doesn't it?) but the more things that don't "renew" your faith in what you believe in, will slowly eat away at it until you have apethy. EI needs to do something... even if it's putting the "candies" back in the loot table so some of us that didn't hoard them last year can re-activate our costumes, or maybe start putting them as bonuses when you harvest. Maybe if they even started with something simple, like adding static mob spawns in an area where it has been barren for years, would send a signal to the players that will renew their "faith" that something is forthcoming (start off little and then BAM with a big patch later on). This gives the players "hope" for the future.

And "no" this is not an attack on peaches, this is pointing out a fact that "Man cannot live on faith alone (or woman) (... or dragons)"

[Phillip]

1. As to the billing issues: several members of my guild have had the SAME EXACT billing problems being reported now on the forums under Tulga. The buggy billing system has been there from the get-go and EI inherited a mess.

2. Smeglor seemed to imply (on the RR forums) that there never was any real design plan under DB, so honestly I don't mind EI taking a little time to actually some up with a true design doc and develop a plan from TG's mess.

3. As for events, the vast majority of TG's events were over any of my characters heads, so I really never got to participate in them to begin with.

4. Communication: TG may have talked to us a lot, but honestly I think a lot of it was straight B.S. meant to placate us and shut us up. Even EI's lesser communications are more than you get from SOE with SWG, where there are bugs that have been there since day one and Sony is keeps trying to pull the Jedi mind trick of "There is no bug" all the while throwing you a new toy to distract you.

5. I have been thru a MMO shut down before. I didn't like it and to this day I will not do business with the parent company of the game. Here I can still play a game I still enjoy, so I'm happy and am willing to wait and see what the future brings.

I've been trying to get those same points accross but you see, a lot of folks rather pretend either they don't understand or those things are not true.

The whole billing fiasco took place weeks before EI's purchase. Then, *edited*Ophelea made an announcement said the issue has been resolved, then right after, made another announcement "those with same issues file a ticket blah blah".. Ok, does that sound resolved in anyway to you? It would only if you are really dumb.

Smeglor is a good guy. Too bad he was involved with coding mostly. It seems TG only got him as the only one with something under his belt (aside from DB). His level of honesty amaze me. From what he had to say I find very little to believe that TG was giving Horizons any solid direction. When the other devs talked about cowbells and fireworks for dragons, a lot of us had to stop and look for your jaw somewhere on the floor, again. The client was in the works supposedly. Now, at merge DB told us they will be working hard on the stability of the game including the client and world model. That was well over 2 years ago. A few months later TG said they will begin working on Conf school. That's now almost 2 years ago.

All that stuff I wrote above, confusing isn't it? I can't help it. That's TG though. I can't see a solid direction.

As for events, I think EI can swing it once they learn the stuff. They can add new content after 6 months as I believe it would take since the learning curve for HZ is steep. Will they be doing this? I don't know. I'm not Nostradamus' lefty. On the game client and engine codes, I have no idea if they can pull it off, but then again I don't have a PhD in microelectronics.

Communication: I don't know what Nagafen must do in order for people to recognize as such. Maybe Naf should start giving bs, you know. That's the reason why I left before, because of the bs. Is Nagafen BSing us right now? Beats me. Once I do know my reation may be similar.

There's a saying in Tennessee, uh, I'm sure it's in Texas too but pretty sure it's in Tennessee....fool me once, shame on....mm...shame...

.....fool me we won't be fool again!!!

[Fratricide]

I get where you are comming from Justa. I would continue along that thought and state that We as the player base Entrust our monthly entertainment dollar to this company called EII. With that Trust comes quite a bit of responsibility. Personally, I Trusted DB and TG with my entertainment dollar because they showed us that there was a future for this game. Shortly after my 6 month auto renewal the game purchase happened.

Reasons to Trust EII with any of my money after my 2 subs run out are yet forthcomming. Progress towards bringing Unity back into reality and way from GN's hand might happen, and soon, but that doesn't really help me (of course Im in this for me I cant be here for you), but Im sure it may help the community as a whole.

Trust by TG was earned by actually manipulating the code, giving us REAL events, and being visible. I have yet to see any evidence of those things being done by EII (not saying it hasnt, but I havnt seen it). In the gaming industry the truth lies in what you can actually produce, if you cant produce anything then the truth is the game you manage (because thats all your doing) will inevitably continue to loose players, until the hardcore few remain. If you can update code, produce better graphics, perhaps replace a client (that might be asking a little much this early), Anything like.. finally fix the billing issues...

Ill stop now.. dont want to get in trouble....

[lightning claw]

Are you Hearing this ei these are your Faithful customers hear. We are not asking for t 6 mobs. (Yet) there is a Supposed War on in haro that no one cares about any more (End it) .Your coming back in the Holiday season a Time where nobody really cars about work but seeing Friends and Family again. What I would do is this Reinstate the Festivals they where cool and gave Hz a friendly Touch. that will buy you more time to learn the system

I don’t say Much . I am starting to Wonder what you guys are Doing, But I Joke about it and play on but other players and my self need to know your doing something A.k.a Patch notes so far you appear to be free falling and have not righted your self yet and your losing Perishes Dollars in the possess .


Not a threat its a Fact


Tugla Encouraged us to tell them what we think they could take a small amount of flaming they Used it to Guide them self’s on what to do next they did not take it Personally aka Ripping post off these Free boards they Use these boards as a "Chuck board " dev gets a Idea and Not sure about it Chuck on the board community Responded and normally we talked it out

But on the other hand you’re new but Pls don’t lay there like after Umarry
Has a Encounter with me do Something any thing we see lights on and no one home



AGAIN NOT A threat A FACT

[MadDwarf]

Phillip before you go around using labels like " edited* Ophelea" thrown around by certain people you might wanna make sure the ones you are idolizing are totally in sync with whats really going on.

Some of the billing issues post EI were not left over mistakes by Tulga. Sure lets give EII a chance but that only lasts 6 months before patience runs out. How long has it been now ?

Hope for the best but be realistic as to what you can expect from the game at this time. If you were hoping for monumental changes to the game as promised by Tulga well that isn't going to happen for at least a year and I'm being overly optimistic there. What you have now plus whatever changes can be made through available tools is what the game will get. That had better be good enough.

[IndyMan]

The whole billing fiasco took place weeks before EI's purchase

the unsecured billing server was AE's fault ?