244 replies to this topic

[Malleus011]

Bryan Ekman, on 05 September 2014 - 06:57 PM, said:

Concerns about where the money goes is absolutely founded, and the short answer is net MWO proceeds after taxes, royalties to Microsoft etc... - go directly into the development of MWO. The speed of development is largely relative to the amount of money coming in from sales. Those sales keep a team of around 35-40 people (we have external contractors) working full time on MWO development and live operations.

Our new game development is funded from a different source and we have been recruiting new talent exclusively for this project. We did move some staff around internally as needed to accommodate two productions, and their will be some shared resources (marketing, customer service, QA).

While I appreciate Mr. Ekman's direct addressing of community concerns, PGI's track record with MWO does not inspire confidence for their future titles. MWO's development has been frustratingly slow and the game still lacks core features far after 'launch'. Hearing that PGI is attempting to develop another title does not fill me with excitement or anticipation. If MWO was in better shape, or improving faster, perhaps I might have some interest, but as things stand, I can only advise 'caveat emptor' (let the buyer beware).

[Chronojam]

Mal, on 05 September 2014 - 07:01 PM, said:

Yup, but, in all reality...this new game isn't going to change that. Development studios work on multiple games all the time. I see no reason why PGI can't. I'm willing to wait till we have more information to decide anything though. There becomes a point where throwing more bodies at a project, stops getting you any significant increase in productivity.

Official statements have explained that many delays have been due to over-allocating development staff on server maintenance or patch deployment duty, and we've often heard about stop-work scenarios where -- for example -- PGI shifted the bulk of the art division away from map work and directly to the highly monetized Clan mech rollout.

I do not think that PGI has reached the point where they're experiencing diminishing returns on staffing if it requires them to actually stop work on features due to a lack of employees capable of performing development duties.

[CheebaMech]

https://www.youtube....e&v=FwI0u9L4R8U

[color=#00FFFF]negative attitudes will not be welcomed here[/color]

Edited by CheebaMech, 05 September 2014 - 07:23 PM.

[Rebas Kradd]

Nikolai Lubkiewicz, on 05 September 2014 - 07:17 PM, said:

If you have no desire to share in the excitement or curiosity of this event, we wish you the best and hope you continue to enjoy MechWarrior Online.

The reason we're here is because those two pursuits seem mutually exclusive.

[Nekki Basara]

This company is like some amazing fractal of terrible decisions. From far away it looks like one big one, but the closer you look the more you realise it's the same dumbass stuff over and over again. Forever.

[SirDubDub]

Nikolai Lubkiewicz, on 05 September 2014 - 07:17 PM, said:

Hi everyone,

I know some individuals here have some pretty strong concerns about both this project and MWO. I just want to make it clear that vulgarity or excessively negative attitudes will not be welcomed here. We are more than willing to hear out your burning questions if they are presented constructively. If you have no desire to share in the excitement or curiosity of this event, we wish you the best and hope you continue to enjoy MechWarrior Online.

Agreed. We are allowed to be pissed, guys. Just don't be buttholes about it.

Edited by SirDubDub, 05 September 2014 - 07:25 PM.

[Fut]

CheebaMech, on 05 September 2014 - 07:19 PM, said:

https://www.youtube....e&v=FwI0u9L4R8U

Honestly, PGI did a decent job with the F2P model. MWO is completely fine for the free users. I've been playing this game for 2 years now, I've spent $30 on it - and I still have 1865MC in my account.

[Wolfways]

Well at least it doesn't look like an IP i recognize that PGI can run into the ground.

[Chronojam]

Chronojam, on 05 September 2014 - 07:14 PM, said:

Bryan,

When Russ bragged in May 2014 that PGI was rapidly expanding and projecting a 25% overall staffing growth to reassure fans who were directly concerned about MWO's apparent staffing allocation problems, were those new hires actually being assigned to MechWarrior Online development or were they being funneled to this new project?

Bryan, you stated in this thread that at present, a staff of "around 35-40" are currently responsible for MechWarrior Online's development.

At the time of the 2013 State of the Inner Sphere, it was explained that there was a staff of 45 working on MechWarrior Online. This appears to be a staffing decline, which is at odds with Russ trying to assuage fan concerns over staffing by bragging about team growth.

Can you please clarify this matter?

[Roadbeer]

Sandpit, on 05 September 2014 - 07:17 PM, said:

you mean the same company that couldn't manage to hire and fill open positions for MWO over 2 years?

Sorry not buying it. PGI is a small unknown in the industry that's produced ONE title with a HORRIBLE development cycle. This isn't a major company with dozens of AAA titles under their belt. Their one and only title is lucky to hit 6 on metacritic. Yet I'm expected tp believe that IGP (who apparently can't even keep MWT going) gave them capitol to start another IP? Or even that some other publisher decided PGI was a top notch company with a great track record and picked them to develop a new game?

I don't buy it at this point. Times like these I miss roadbeer

Banning Sandpit for posting this?

You really are a collection of cockbiting ****tards.

[Nacon]

Is PGI trying to dig their own grave so soon?

Who thought this was a good idea?

[Mal]

Fut, on 05 September 2014 - 07:08 PM, said:

Read as: Yes sir, Mr. Ekman. I'll defend PGI real good.

Lol.. No. I'm a volunteer, I have my own opinions, and have no problems stating when I think PGI has done wrong. I also think that 2014 has shown PGI has improved from where they were at open beta. Are they perfect? Nope..but neither are any of us, and I'm interested in seeing what the new game is.

Fooby, on 05 September 2014 - 07:14 PM, said:

I had no idea you were in this field Mal. I guess my four year BFA, Animation major (rigging/simulation focused) means nothing but most studios which are the size of PGI don't work on more than 1 project of this scale at a time. If it's a 2D top down, turn based tile board control game than I could see a team of 15-25 working that, but anything else (especially a multiplayer focused/only game) you don't have two teams of 50.

Which goes right back to "waiting till we have more info". For all we know, this could be a hearthstone-esque game that doesn't require the same type of 3D artists, map makers, etc... That MWO does.

Mickey Knoxx, on 05 September 2014 - 07:18 PM, said:

One reason I can think of...

MAPS

See above comment about the new game not necessarily needing the same type of talent as MWO.

Chronojam, on 05 September 2014 - 07:18 PM, said:

Official statements have explained that many delays have been due to over-allocating development staff on server maintenance or patch deployment duty, and we've often heard about stop-work scenarios where -- for example -- PGI shifted the bulk of the art division away from map work and directly to the highly monetized Clan mech rollout.

I do not think that PGI has reached the point where they're experiencing diminishing returns on staffing if it requires them to actually stop work on features due to a lack of employees capable of performing development duties.

Id agree that MWO has had resource challenges, and they may not be at the point of diminishing returns currently. My statement was more intended to point out that there is a point where more bodies don't help.

[Redshift2k5]

All I care about is

• what kind of game it's going to be
  
• what code that little box is expecting me to type in

Haters gonna hate

[FoXabre]

On the topic of bad decisions... Destiny is released 09/09/14

Quote

[color=#333333]It’s been called the biggest video game of this year, the most expensive video game of all time and a new challenger to established franchises, not just in games but entertainment as a whole.[/color]

Will anyone even notice "A Universe to Explore?" Those that do, would they spend any money on it considering it's ties to MWO? Furthermore, if it is a space sim game of some sort, does it stand a chance against the upcoming Star Citizen considering the scope its aiming for?

I just don't know. Seems like it may be a very rocky start. I guess as others have mentioned, we need to wait to find out more.

[Carrie Harder]

Redshift2k5, on 05 September 2014 - 07:39 PM, said:

All I care about is

• what kind of game it's going to be
  
• what code that little box is expecting me to type in

Haters gonna hate

The code is "I Am Groot Human".

It's probably going to be a spaceship driving game, sort of like a Star Cit/EvE spinoff.

[Saint Scarlett Johan]

Hopefully Paul goes to work on that game exclusively and never touches this one again.

[Rick Rawlings]

Huh. Well, fortunately, I happened to be able to FRAPS my response when I read this, lucky that...

[Loc Nar]

[7c Nickel]

Please run yourselves into the ground as quickly as possible and get this **** over with. Maybe someone can try and salvage something from the ashes.

[Ristle]

I'm curious to see where this will go, honestly. Will it tie into MWO? Will it be on an engine that actually works well for most machines, like Unreal? Would stuff like MC become a universal PGI currency that works between these two games, or is it still gonna be static to MWO, since not gonna lie, I've been sitting on some Founder MC for awhile now for just the right reason to spend it.

Are questions like these going to be answered when the 9th comes around?