John Smedley is doing an IAMA on reddit (You can ask him anything)

[Houdiny]

Originally Posted by Adrieth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So true. Vanguard had that same feeling of mystery and adventure that EQ classic did. Beta was so good, and then...

Well they rushed through launch which everyone knows. And I can honestly see why they did that. You pay a bunch of dollars for a project you want it to start making you money. But it isn't going to do you any good if you wont have any subs after the first two months. I can forgive them for this.

But to have the game so close, and so good to just up and stop developing on it for years at a time when there was obvious interest in the game even in it's riddled stages is what got me. All we ever heard was "hang in there, we are working on making this better" I spent years playing that game, even with the bugs, I managed because I still found the game that enjoyable. Then to take the only 2 guys that were involved with the game off of it to develop hello kitty online adventures? No thanks SoE

Despite all their short comings they managed to clean the game up a lot. There is small amounts of bugs fractional in comparison to what it was. Much better and still no future. And when I play the game it's vast world, it's intense graphics, it's amazing gameplay and functionality, crafting, diplomacy, every aspect was unbelievable. All they have to do is finish polishing it up, start over and release it again. But they were too bust shoveling the remaining player base over to EQ2.

I can't stress how seriously disappointed I am that SoE let the one game I felt had the potential to compete with any other one out there fall to shambles and do basically nothing about it.

[Raddra]

I can't trust Smed anymore. Not after the selling the EU's down the river fiasco. I mean, it mayvery well be a very good game.. but how long will it remain so in SoE's hands? I loved classic EQ. I loved classic SWG. I loved classic EQ2.. I don't even need to mention what happened to these games contrary to everything he said. Then he came out after SWG and said that they learned their lesson after the SWG debacle.. and then they proceeded to carry on doing the exact same things.

[Raddra]

I was really looking forward to planetside 2, but even if I do end up playing it, I am going to have to make a new account with proseiben becaus eno way in HELL am I going to convert/give my old SoE account to some dodgy german company I had never heard of.

I don't want to give any money to that company either to make them think buying the euro playerbase from SoE was worth it (can't believe that happened) but I have been wating for PS2 since the end of planetside... sigh

[SirAlvarex]

I played Vanguard in beta and I loved everything about it...except the combat. It was so watered down and the animations were lackluster. Killing stuff felt anti-climatic. I can't put my finger on it, but I never felt like I wanted to kill something. EQ and EQ2 (original) made me actually want to fight something, and not just for loot. The creatures seemed to have a purpose in an area. Hell, the areas had a purpose.

That's something that's lost on all the failing MMOs. Just throwing crap around isn't enough. Have to put some soul/personality in the hunting areas.

I don't understand the hate with SOE and Vanguard. Sure they lost vision in EQ, EQ2, and SWG, but Vanguard was DOA. You can say what you want about SOE "sweeping it under the carpet", but I actually saw advertisements. It was cursed because it was a game that needed a lot of players to feel special, and it lacked players. Unless SOE actually *payed* people to play, I don't think it had any chance of revival.