Your Next: About People

In times like these it's easy to lose perspective; it's not always about you.

I suppose there’s only one thing to talk about this week.

Sony Online Entertainment broke away from its parent company to become Daybreak Game Company, thanks to investment from Columbus Nova.

As is the all too common and incredibly unfortunate nature of deals like these, the company had to let some people go. When costs are too high for projected revenue, tough decisions have to be made. The important thing to remember in times like these is that it’s people making these decisions, and these decisions affect people.

For all that we care about the games (which is less than the current and former employees of Daybreak, by the way), what this means to us as players is insignificant compared to what it means to the people whose lives were affected.

I want to take a moment to state that I am in full support of the talented, passionate people still at Daybreak, their amazing work continues to inspire me, and I have complete faith they will continue to blow us away.

I will also share my sympathies with the people who were let go; it’s a horrible thing to go through and it’s totally unfair. I want to thank them for everything they’ve done. I look forward to finding out which companies were lucky enough to bag their awesome talent and I wish them the best of luck on their next adventures.

So now we, as the game community, feel a little lost, upset and maybe even let down. This is normal; we’ve invested a lot in these games (though again, barely a fraction compared to the developers) and this announcement is awful news.

We talk endlessly about how we want our choices to matter in games, now we have a choice in how we react to something real.

Change is hard, and for some people it just won’t feel the same. They’ll leave, and the rest of us will miss them. Hopefully they’ll be back.

For those that choose to stick around and see it through, we can choose to continue to support each other the way we have been. We can choose to show respect to all the people that have worked on these games by continuing to celebrate their achievements.

If my word means anything to you, I can guarantee that they are serious when they say they want making these games to be a collaborative process. They took a big gamble when they decided this, and we haven’t let them down so far.

Some members of the community, a very small number whom I won’t name despite the sadistic tickle in my stomach, have chosen to express their feelings by lashing out at the people who these events actually affected.

One Daybreak developer showed enormous strength of character by offering some words of comfort to the players, on the day people were being laid off, and was immediately jumped on by people who decided that a slight on their own feelings about a game they theoretically like meant they were owed some manner of assurance or contrition. Usually I put some kind of lame joke after I make a comment about players acting horribly to take the edge off, but in this case you can just read it again.

Imagine being that kind of person. You don’t have to be, it’s a choice, and since I like this column to have a little takeaway value, here is a handy guide on how not to make this mistake.

I want to be clear—I’m not saying we need to swear blind allegiance and accept any decision without question. What I am saying is that it’s time to remember it’s people who are affected by this, and we have a chance to give a little back to the people who have given us so much.

Since this isn’t about me, I’ll leave the final words to the former Director of Development for the EverQuest franchise, a man who made it so easy to believe in the crazy dream and was instrumental in making it a reality, Dave Georgeson:

“Don't stop loving the games folks. These are your homes and worlds. Make 'em real. I want to play too.”


LockSixTime

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EQ's new corperate identity
# Feb 18 2015 at 2:08 AM Rating: Good
I do wish that the changes do not adversely effect my game play in EQ. I am not a high end raider, I'm not a big contributor to the boards, either here or at EQ Players, however, I do care enough to still be playing since 2001. I know the syntax of this comment is a bit muddled, but for me with is an emotional issue. I'm still smarting over the murder of City of Heroes, another game I was heavily invested in. It disappeared, killed by an indifferent company that felt saving face was more important than keeping it's customers playing a game they greatly enjoyed and was still making a profit.

I hope that I won't be subjected to a similar trauma with Everquest. This is the only other game I've ever been able to get excited about. Let it live a long life. I'll be a happier camper if you do.

By the way.... I care about Everquest. I don't have much interest in Next or EQ2. I might try Next. I did try EQ2. If you capture my loyalty with Next I'll be surprised but highly thankful.
#REDACTED, Posted: Feb 17 2015 at 9:54 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) .
Strike 1
# Feb 16 2015 at 11:02 PM Rating: Default
2 posts
So to support or protest the people and companies involved in the layoffs has ZAM decided to turn itself into news and opinion blog? Since the layoffs you've missed update days in favor of articles and sometime over the weekend your site became so slow I was hardly able to use it and gave up several times. I don't mind the articles. Some are quite interesting. But I'm not a paid subscriber to read the editor's opinion page. I pay for the resources. If you're going to change your business model let me know and some of us will lay you off. Get with it.
Strike 1
# Feb 17 2015 at 3:23 AM Rating: Good
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Allakhazams Everquest site doens't usually do updates on the weekends and monday was presidents day in the USA thus the last update being on a friday as per the usual.
wonderful article
# Feb 16 2015 at 12:42 PM Rating: Good
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654 posts
thanks so much for writing it. i linked it to the forums. good job and i totally agree with you.
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Hogs get slaughtered
# Feb 16 2015 at 11:21 AM Rating: Good
23 posts
I think the fact that SOE, for years, has "nickel and dimed" people with its restrictive "no drop" crap, currency only obtained thru raids, once in a blue moon possibility of getting good equipment after a raid, prohibitive AA purchase requirements & slow level advancement has caused the "death spiral" of membership. I base this argument on the fact that suddenly you could get thousands of AA's FREE and you could suddenly get one or more characters promoted to lev 85. A normal risk/reward game would have awarded all these allegedly "free promotions" over the course of continual participation in the game, not doled out at the end of up to 10 years because SOE was ******** people all along and belatedly realized what was happening to membership numbers. SOE has succumbed to the ole adage: "Pigs get fat and Hogs get slaughtered". SOE has bailed and hopefully the new management will correct all these restrictive policies and revert to the risk/reward game that fared so well before SOE got its hands on Everquest
Hogs get slaughtered
# Feb 16 2015 at 4:19 PM Rating: Good
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94 posts
golfertwo wrote:
I think the fact that SOE, for years, has "nickel and dimed" people with its restrictive "no drop" crap, currency only obtained thru raids, once in a blue moon possibility of getting good equipment after a raid, prohibitive AA purchase requirements & slow level advancement has caused the "death spiral" of membership. I base this argument on the fact that suddenly you could get thousands of AA's FREE and you could suddenly get one or more characters promoted to lev 85. A normal risk/reward game would have awarded all these allegedly "free promotions" over the course of continual participation in the game, not doled out at the end of up to 10 years because SOE was ******** people all along and belatedly realized what was happening to membership numbers. SOE has succumbed to the ole adage: "Pigs get fat and Hogs get slaughtered". SOE has bailed and hopefully the new management will correct all these restrictive policies and revert to the risk/reward game that fared so well before SOE got its hands on Everquest


Maybe...just maybe the other reason is because Everquest went ultra ******** People who want to play an easy wow type game....play wow. There is a huge difference between removing huge PITA timesinks and removing any distinction from the game. Everquest turned into one huge Ever-fooking-body gets a trophy game. And when there is nothing in the gameplay that separates it from other games...one look at the graphics and no wonder people keep moving on.
Hogs get slaughtered
# Feb 16 2015 at 6:13 PM Rating: Default
23 posts
Maybe...just maybe the other reason is because Everquest went ultra ******** People who want to play an easy wow type game....play wow. There is a huge difference between removing huge PITA timesinks and removing any distinction from the game. Everquest turned into one huge Ever-fooking-body gets a trophy game. And when there is nothing in the gameplay that separates it from other games...one look at the graphics and no wonder people keep moving on. [/quote]

Apparent the shrinking membership did not recognize your alleged "distinction ....that separates it from other games" since SOE bailed after trying "thousands of free AA's and instant advance to lev 85" neither of which is relevant in your purported "easy wow type game
Hogs get slaughtered
# Feb 19 2015 at 1:10 PM Rating: Good
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94 posts
I really have no idea what you are trying to say then.
Everquest was hard, complex, challenging, and ugly.
Wow (and wow type games) was easy and cartoony.
Most people don't care about ugly, because it was everything else.
Everquest over the years kept getting stupid easy. In addition to stupid easy, they also removed any sort of distinction from the game, removed "badges of honor and/or effort".
The last ditch effort of giving away thousands of AA's and lvl 85...was not only those, but removing LAA's, the class specific weapon that was obsolete less than 2 months later. The Shawl Aug that became....just eh...nice. Instead of removing mass killing (PL'ing) the did a 180 and upped the ability to current. I just came back 'ftp' and noticed even tadeskilling is "too hard" so they have a "combine all" button. Oh, and most raids were awful (aka stupid easy). Oh then they dole out real rewards for picking up **** off the ground and clicking it. "Collections" is the very essence of what EQ has become. That is a big reason very few people play...

So...the point remains.

Remove hard, remove complex, remove challenging and all you're left with is....ugly.

Why play ugly when you can play with 100 times more people on good looking games that are just as simple?
Hogs get slaughtered
# Feb 16 2015 at 1:16 PM Rating: Decent
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golfertwo wrote:
I think the fact that SOE, for years, has "nickel and dimed" people with its restrictive "no drop" crap, currency only obtained thru raids, once in a blue moon possibility of getting good equipment after a raid, prohibitive AA purchase requirements & slow level advancement has caused the "death spiral" of membership. I base this argument on the fact that suddenly you could get thousands of AA's FREE and you could suddenly get one or more characters promoted to lev 85. A normal risk/reward game would have awarded all these allegedly "free promotions" over the course of continual participation in the game, not doled out at the end of up to 10 years because SOE was ******** people all along and belatedly realized what was happening to membership numbers. SOE has succumbed to the ole adage: "Pigs get fat and Hogs get slaughtered". SOE has bailed and hopefully the new management will correct all these restrictive policies and revert to the risk/reward game that fared so well before SOE got its hands on Everquest


I agree with your point, but not your specifics. If you don't like the No Trade crap (And I certainly do not), they offered free transfers to Firiona Vie. FV actually eliminates a few of those "problems" you outlined. Instead, I think the declining numbers had to do with cookie cutter xpacs, failed new ideas (such as locking AA behind progression, xpac drips), numerous XP nerfs, class nerfs, more nerfs, more nerfs, policy changes (no xpacs with Station Cash)... I think it was more of these concepts that caused a decrease in memberships.

I've stated it a few times before, I'm optimistic about new management. There's so much potential there now.
Hogs get slaughtered
# Feb 16 2015 at 6:05 PM Rating: Good
23 posts
I rest my case on the specifics identified and documented. "Thousands of free AA's & immediate advance to lev 85"
immortalize the people that gave so much to EQ
# Feb 16 2015 at 12:39 AM Rating: Excellent
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58 posts
I think a set of statues/NPCs be placed in the game somewhere to immortalized the Devs and personal that made this game what it is. This way they become part of the history and lore of Norrath.
immortalize the people that gave so much to EQ
# Feb 17 2015 at 3:33 AM Rating: Decent
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The credits showing who worked on each expansion can be viewed from the server select screen. I guess its not the same thing though.
immortalize the people that gave so much to EQ
# Feb 16 2015 at 10:02 AM Rating: Decent
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Nitig wrote:
I think a set of statues/NPCs be placed in the game somewhere to immortalized the Devs and personal that made this game what it is. This way they become part of the history and lore of Norrath.


I could say "Well, CotF and TDS has certainly accomplished that goal" but I shalln't, even though I just did. Statues and NPC's? Fine, cool. Just please not in the Plane of Knowledge, it's getting crowded and cluttered there. What was David's EQ main character's name, anyway?
immortalize the people that gave so much to EQ
# Feb 17 2015 at 7:33 PM Rating: Decent
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87 posts
I thought it was Smokejumper, but maybe that was just a nickname. Not sure.
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# Feb 15 2015 at 10:55 PM Rating: Default
36 posts
Ok, so this is totally unrelated to the topic, but what the hell is up with that random Friday trivia question? Does somebody have a fetish?
Thanks for this
# Feb 15 2015 at 8:11 PM Rating: Excellent
Zubei already said it well, when the news broke my first reaction was anger based on fear. Despite my initial feelings, I am going to continue to invest my time and fees into enjoying the game. I will maintain hope that the new direction will allow for a quality experience for myself and others.
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Well said.
# Feb 15 2015 at 10:09 AM Rating: Decent
The day of the lay offs, I was nervously reading tweets. So many loved Devs and Community people let go. I felt angry and scared. Had no idea what would become of the company that I had been following for the past 15 years. After letting it settle for the day, I realized that although I(we) will miss those that are no longer with Daybreak, we should not condemn the rest of the company. Those that are still with the company have worked just as hard as the others, they just may not be as known, or known at all behind the scenes. There are some awesome and talented people still there. I look forward to any and all info in regards to Daybreak and EverQuest Next.

Zubei

Edited, Feb 15th 2015 11:52am by Ernicus
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