The Jesus Feature Era

[Gravy]

<p>I was reading the notes from a meeting between developers of another game and their players and there was this quote that I think speaks volumes as to the current state of EQ2:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">the Jesus-feature era, where a magic feature for <game> will turn five loaves of bread into 50.000 new customers</p><p>I really think this is where EQ2 is right now. I see all these new features being introduced, pretty little wings and such, but so many things have been broken for so long. When all the hype around the five loaves are bread is gone, what do you have left?</p><p>Hungry people.</p><p>Don't try to perform miracles. Fix the underlying issues.</p>

[Raknid]

<p><cite>Double post.</cite></p>

[Raknid]

<p><cite>Gravy wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I was reading the notes from a meeting between developers of another game and their players and there was this quote that I think speaks volumes as to the current state of EQ2:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">the Jesus-feature era, where a magic feature for will turn five loaves of bread into 50.000 new customers</p><p>I really think this is where EQ2 is right now. I see all these new features being introduced, pretty little wings and such, but so many things have been broken for so long. When all the hype around the five loaves are bread is gone, what do you have left?</p><p>Hungry people.</p><p>Don't try to perform miracles. Fix the underlying issues.</p></blockquote><p>I love that.</p><p>The problem I think is that we as players are living in the past. Past game development strategies were based upon the notion of creating a content driven, feature rich, game that was engaging enough to provide revenue through initial purchases and subs. Continuing revenue was dependent upon happiness with GAME content.</p><p>People felt fulfilled and got their "endorphin rush" from PLAYING content.</p><p>Nowadays companies are resorting to the latest and greatest gimmicks to make a buck and neglecting GAME content in lieu of enticing customers to make spur of the moment purchases of fluff itmes. The "endorphin rush" is provided by simply shopping. SOE is banking on "virtual shopaholics" to make their money, not GAME PLAYING customers.</p><p>Catering to people with low self-control who get their endorphin rush from shopping is MUCH easier than creating content for people to play, and so the game will continue to suffer and in all likelihood will never get much better. About the time they have bled EQ2 as dry as they can, they will move on to the next gimmicky "game" to try to make a buck, aka as EQNext...</p>

[CoLD MeTaL]

<p><cite>Gravy wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I was reading the notes from a meeting between developers of another game and their players and there was this quote that I think speaks volumes as to the current state of EQ2:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">the Jesus-feature era, where a magic feature for will turn five loaves of bread into 50.000 new customers</p><p>I really think this is where EQ2 is right now. I see all these new features being introduced, pretty little wings and such, but so many things have been broken for so long. When all the hype around the five loaves are bread is gone, what do you have left?</p><p>Hungry people.</p><p>Don't try to perform miracles. Fix the underlying issues.</p></blockquote><p>Your boat sailed about 3 years ago, maybe longer.</p><p>The cash shop is the way of the future.  Look for easier content since the hardcore people will move on.  I'm not necessarily bummed about that.  I hope we get away from heroic content being mini raids myself.</p>

[Detor]

<p><cite>Raknid wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Gravy wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I was reading the notes from a meeting between developers of another game and their players and there was this quote that I think speaks volumes as to the current state of EQ2:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">the Jesus-feature era, where a magic feature for will turn five loaves of bread into 50.000 new customers</p><p>I really think this is where EQ2 is right now. I see all these new features being introduced, pretty little wings and such, but so many things have been broken for so long. When all the hype around the five loaves are bread is gone, what do you have left?</p><p>Hungry people.</p><p>Don't try to perform miracles. Fix the underlying issues.</p></blockquote><p>I love that.</p><p>The problem I think is that we as players are living in the past. Past game development strategies were based upon the notion of creating a content driven, feature rich, game that was engaging enough to provide revenue through initial purchases and subs. Continuing revenue was dependent upon happiness with GAME content.</p><p>People felt fulfilled and got their "endorphin rush" from PLAYING content.</p><p>Nowadays companies are resorting to the latest and greatest gimmicks to make a buck and neglecting GAME content in lieu of enticing customers to make spur of the moment purchases of fluff itmes. The "endorphin rush" is provided by simply shopping. SOE is banking on "virtual shopaholics" to make their money, not GAME PLAYING customers.</p><p>Catering to people with low self-control who get their endorphin rush from shopping is MUCH easier than creating content for people to play, and so the game will continue to suffer and in all likelihood will never get much better. About the time they have bled EQ2 as dry as they can, they will move on to the next gimmicky "game" to try to make a buck, aka as EQNext...</p></blockquote><p>I saw in one of the 'Here's your new SC items for the week' somebody posting about a problem with an item and they were upset because they'd bought 6 of them I think it was.  It's pretty obvious that if you can get 1 person to buy 6 $25 single items that's a heck of a lot easier than getting 8 people to pay $15 and make enough content to keep them busy. </p>

[SOE-MOD-08]

<p>Discussing religion violates forum guidelines.  Locking this down.  </p>