82 replies to this topic

[buttmonkey]

If PGI are starting on a new game does this mean that MWO is finished and done with? I ask because PGI are only a small company and they have been trying to hire for a while now. So how can they go on to make another game while developing MWO at the same pace they have been?
Progress has been slow to say the least, so how is taking on more work going to effect MWO? Maybe if the new IP makes a load of cash, some could be used to quicken the development of MWO much like how founders money was used to shore up MWT? Could this be the end of MWO or could it be the means to get the game feature complete?

[Joseph Mallan]

I know I don't consider it complete. We don't have a whole game, so we are not near complete.

[SpartanOfValor]

Just because PGI has another game, doesn't mean that they can't continue with MWO, but instead has the ability to grow as a company and expand both games faster if sufficient income comes from both games.

[Egomane]

Did they say it complete? Nope? I guess, then they don't consider it as such. It was already posted by Bryan:
http://mwomercs.com/...ost__p__3694176

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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).

and a few days before that in another thread:
http://mwomercs.com/...ost__p__3692599

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Ok.. this is definitely original.

No AI bots.

MWO is not dying and continues to grow, and PGI is dedicated to continuing to develop, add, and build upon what we have created so far. There is no end in sight for us!

With that unknown "different source" they are paying the development of the new game.

Edited by Egomane, 08 September 2014 - 09:13 AM.

[CDLord HHGD]

Diversification is a good thing.... To the people who complained (incorrectly) that Founders money got spent on another game, more games under PGI means more revenue stream and more people, more benefit for all the games to share the bank account.

[Mcgral18]

Perhaps one day, when collisions are more than just leghumping and rubberbanding.

[Joseph Mallan]

I would agree Lego, but I don't believe they have the reputation yet to sway buyers. One incomplete game and they want to swing at a second one?

Prove yourself capable first, then try again.

cdlord, on 08 September 2014 - 09:12 AM, said:

Diversification is a good thing.... To the people who complained (incorrectly) that Founders money got spent on another game, more games under PGI means more revenue stream and more people, more benefit for all the games to share the bank account.

True but a finished product would be better received than a 2/3 finished one with a fresh one in the pipe. To many Irons in the fire as the saying goes.

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 08 September 2014 - 09:15 AM.

[XphR]

Perhaps it will give them an outlet for ideas they just cant let go of but do not belong in MW:O.

[buttmonkey]

OK so I'm confused, a new game will bring in money to help this one, or not? Because otherwise, this game will just lose developers to the new one right?

cdlord, on 08 September 2014 - 09:12 AM, said:

Diversification is a good thing.... To the people who complained (incorrectly) that Founders money got spent on another game, more games under PGI means more revenue stream and more people, more benefit for all the games to share the bank account.

This confuses me further. Why is so hard to believe that money from MWO was used on other games when you say yourself the the money will get shared?

Then this please explain
[color=#959595]"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)."[/color]
So if it's funded from a diferent source, and devs have been moved over to the new team, how is that possible. That means resources (people being paid from MWO money) have been moved to the new project, so doesnt that prove that MWO will be getting less development resources now even if the income remains the same???

[Almond Brown]

Joseph Mallan, on 08 September 2014 - 09:17 AM, said:

I would agree Lego, but I don't believe they have the reputation yet to sway buyers. One incomplete game and they want to swing at a second one?

Prove yourself capable first, then try again.

True but a finished product would be better received than a 2/3 finished one with a fresh one in the pipe. To many Irons in the fire as the saying goes.

Word is a F2P game is always a work in progress. So they could never do a second game unless they could put it in a box, thus calling it complete...

Besides, the term finished just means no more resources being allocated. I have never met a game that I would consider truly complete... I have played games that had no further development though.

You ever play a fairly recent, PC based, totally Bug Free game, Joe? That I would consider a completed game...

Edited by Almond Brown, 08 September 2014 - 09:35 AM.

[Illegal Username]

http://mwomercs.com/...x/page__st__220

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MWO development is dependent only on it's own viability as a product and nothing else. As long as you the customer are supporting its development we will continue to develop it.

RIP MWO.

[ArchMage Sparrowhawk]

I hope it's never finished!!
Then I wouldn't have an excuse to hang out here with you fine folks. Because I'd be actually playing the game.

[Joseph Mallan]

Almond Brown, on 08 September 2014 - 09:34 AM, said:

Word is a F2P game is always a work in progress. So they could never do a second game unless they could put it in a box, thus calling it complete...

Besides, the term finished just means no more resources being allocated. I have never met a game that I would consider truly complete... You ever play a fairly recent, PC based, totally Bug Free game, Joe? That I would consider a completed game...

I would not say that, but opinions will vary Almond. And a F2P game has to at least have the basics finished and the meat and potatoes finished. Here we have an Appetizer and the the main dish is on the grill. For it to be "finished" it would need to have At least Lyrans playing against Capellans with Lone Wolves filling the gaps. Planets to be contested and a battlefront that changes hands according to who won how many matches on what planets. That would be a pretty well established game. We are still in a demo here.

[Roland]

Russ believes that MWO is currently a mature state, and that future development is just more of the same stuff they've already been doing int he past.

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at this point MWO is a mature product and even though we still have lots of work to do, its not the same type of work we have been doing these first three years.

[PANZERKAT]

Roland, on 08 September 2014 - 09:41 AM, said:

Russ believes that MWO is currently a mature state, and that future development is just more of the same stuff they've already been doing int he past.

haha oh man. Those guys obviously don't play their own game.

[Joseph Mallan]

Roland, on 08 September 2014 - 09:41 AM, said:

Russ believes that MWO is currently a mature state, and that future development is just more of the same stuff they've already been doing int he past.

Then, I think he is a fool. For this to be true we would have a working inter stellar map. Laid out factions WITH Canon units. Established and working Player made units that are able to WIN territory. Now we are likely a pre teen state.


I really thought pre teen was one word?

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 08 September 2014 - 09:48 AM.

[PANZERKAT]

cdlord, on 08 September 2014 - 09:12 AM, said:

Diversification is a good thing.... To the people who complained (incorrectly) that Founders money got spent on another game, more games under PGI means more revenue stream and more people, more benefit for all the games to share the bank account.

So you're claiming that a good chunk didn't go to tactics? Righhhhttt.

[POWR]

Most game companies that run online titles will at some point start to develop more titles, leaving the ones already running with a live-team to maintain the game and develop new content.
Income from the running games will pay for that live team and, in the case of F2P games like this, it makes sense to use external contractors, even though they might cost more pr. hour than a hiree, they only charge for the time they spend, or maybe a set price, and then they are out of the economy till the next time they're needed.

Of course, some of that income will be going to any other things related to the project, such as royalties to any license owners, publishers for offering support, QA, etc., and then at the end there may be some shareholders or owners who will want a pay-out.

And as there's a constant need for growth, that usualy one game cannot handle, the developer will branch out into multiple projects. This is when things start to get really dangerous. Many, many MMO developers have had their working, live games grind to a halt, and then basically die, because less focus is given to the titles already live, in favour of trying to sell the not-yet finished new game that's being worked on. And these days, the faster you announce you're developing a game the better.
In many cases it seems like it's possible to make a huge profit just by announcing a game, then selling alpha/beta access, releasing something that's more or less just a basic proof of concept/techdemo, patch that a couple times, announce huge features, spend 6 months to a year developing said features and then, ever so slowly, keep pushing back the major features untill in the end, only the very hardcore players who are basically insane, remain.

At this point, everyone who thought they might enjoy your game have bought it, played it, messed around a bunch and moved on. They thought it was cool, they thought it was buggy, maybe some of them demanded a refund, but overall, the only people who are angry are going to be the crazy minority that remain, the ones who thought the game was the second coming of christ or something. But who cares... end of the line is reached, a lot of money is in the bank and several new projects have been put on a schedule.

[ArchMage Sparrowhawk]

So. new maps, new weapons, new mechs, some form of community organized gameplay. I mean, I know MWO needs a lot more than that, but it sounds like that's all we're gonna get. Unless they're planning on surprising us.

And they're parsing it out over years and months to give, anyway. Really impossible to keep being optimistic about this.

[PANZERKAT]

This game isn't in maintenance or adding "some" new development stage. Main elements and features are missing. It's a lackluster title and even though people may be enjoying it, we all know it deep down.