News: Smed State of the Game

[Crator]

^ That sounds like a good idea but I've heard stuff like they have to launch in 2012 due to what they've signed and it's bound by law. I'd assume that means they must start collecting money at that time due to contract.

[Morsong]

Knew they'd be launching this year, and I'm guessing just a couple weeks before x-mas. Also as another player mentioned, when is the PS2 app coming out?

[Drakkonan]

I'd really like TTK increased, experience points balanced, and sanctuaries, or equivalents addressed, but I'll take what I'm given. I was surprised he brought up the critics of the class system. It was obvious that they couldn't overhaul something that major this late in development, but the fact that they listened to complaints, and addressed them gives me hope that they're at least considering sanctuaries in onwith 'instant-action'.

[Hmr85]

I was really hoping to see something from smed about Base design and redoing it. :/

[Frotang]

I cant believe they realistically think they can release the game in 2012. PS2 is trying to do way more than PS1 did at launch and PS1 beta (closed + open) lasted nearly a year. If this game releases before 2013 and succeeds it will be a amazing feat for SOE, but it is simply a scenario I cannot fathom at this point.

[bodypopper]

yeah,and theyre not even copying a tried and tested formula..

ahh well thats the end of that! chinese planetside copy anyone?

[Morsong]

all of you are making me nervous about buying new upgrades to play ps2. is it worth it or not?

[Frotang]

Originally Posted by Morsong

all of you are making me nervous about buying new upgrades to play ps2. is it worth it or not?

Only a die hard fan should upgrade their system in order to play a beta (which I did). If you fall in that category then go for it, if not I'd advise you to save money and wait a bit.

[Tatwi]

Originally Posted by Frotang

Only a die hard fan should upgrade their system in order to play a beta (which I did). If you fall in that category then go for it, if not I'd advise you to save money and wait a bit.

And if you do upgrade your computer, by purchasing a whole new one or buying parts, remember my sage advice: don't look at the price of computer parts for at least 1 year after you buy them and especially do not look at them the day after your retailer stops price matching your purchase. Prices and products change so quickly it can feel like a real kick in balls some times.

[bodypopper]

you are quite right sir

[SpottyGekko]

Best piece of news in Smed's post is that we'll have 3 continents at launch !

Launch will be at most 8 weeks from now. The dev team will be utterly exhausted by then.

I'll not be overly surprised if some of the lesser features are held-over for post launch. They have a laundry list of things to fix, add and tune. I'd be utterly amazed if it's all implemented and working by the 20th of December...

But, that said, Funcom achieved an amazing amount of work in the 3 weeks before "The Secret World" launched, so miracles are possible.

[Tatwi]

Originally Posted by SpottyGekko

Best piece of news in Smed's post is that we'll have 3 continents at launch !

Launch will be at most 8 weeks from now. The dev team will be utterly exhausted by then.

I'll not be overly surprised if some of the lesser features are held-over for post launch. They have a laundry list of things to fix, add and tune. I'd be utterly amazed if it's all implemented and working by the 20th of December...

But, that said, Funcom achieved an amazing amount of work in the 3 weeks before "The Secret World" launched, so miracles are possible.

If SOE lays off as many people as Funcom did after TSW launched, I'm walking away from SOE and never looking back. I have no respect for companies that chew employees up and spit them out. Also, if SOE is going to deliver on their five year plan, they're going to need a lot of people to make it happen, so it would not exactly instill a lot of confidence in me that they'll actually deliver on said plan if they're laying off the folks who designed and built the game.

That said, I don't get the impression that's how SOE operates. They did pair down their studios last year, but the reality is that they also moved a lot of folks around and simply ended work on the majority of projects those studios handled (like the SWG Trading Card Game). And there seem to be a lot of people at SOE who have been there a long time and who have worked on several projects. So, I have hope that there won't be any post launch "thanks for coming out" pink slips given out at SOE.

[Fenrys]

It's disappointing that there is no mention of improving Base Design by Martha Stewart to make fortresses defensible rather than the current let as many people in as quickly as possible design.

[Tooterfish]

Mid December launch would be awesome, any sooner seems like a wasted opportunity to polish the game, especially when the Beta is yielding so much good criticism and a lot of mature input, as well as being a fun way to participate in the development.

[berzerkerking]

/bump