|
5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 5:35PM
#71
|
Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2010
|
DDI promised much and failed to deliver. Software development costs millions and problems can sink a project. WoTC wasn't the first and won't be the last company to fall victim to this. Its more or less the way it goes.
Nope, actually that's not the reason, the reason was a tragedy, software and service development is alot cheaper than what you think in case of a service such as DDI...after "that" happened, DDI was left without a direction, and whoever who took the lead really mess things up...then november 2010 happened... I want to know who thought that using silverlight was a good idea...and the interface...it's "pretty" but not functional at all, it's like a lame mobile app or facebook app, not a tool/application like the offline tool was.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 6:15PM
#72
|
Date Joined:
Apr 15, 2001
|
Bad tings happen and even something like that tragedy shouldn't derail a project unless it is a one man team.
Reducing a character to a list of dice rolls and modifiers is not role playing*
*pg 30, AD&D 2nd Ed DMG, 1989.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 6:47PM
#73
|
Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2010
|
Bad tings happen and even something like that tragedy shouldn't derail a project unless it is a one man team.
The role of the leading man is alot more important than you think, let's put an example on videogames, because i like to talk about videogame development:
Metroid Prime, Retro Studios had a record of aborted projects by Nintendo themselves for being very bad, until Metroid franchise was assigned to them (Nintendo didn't care for Metroid franchise to be fair), and they put Miyamoto to supervice the project, he as a leading man created one of the finest game of that generation (and also creating a huge envy out of japanese dev team that made the previous metroid games toward Retro Studios), it was thanks to Miyamoto lead that Metroid Prime turned into what it was, it was a bold move by him, Miyamoto was the one pushing for first person view, Retro Studios was against it...
Let's put another example, Castlevania Lords of Shadow, that was a great castlevania game, the development studio was MercuryStream who had very little experience and their last game before Castlevania was Jericho...a terrible horror themed first person shoter, Kojima was put in charge as producer and superviser...and because of his supervision even when he wasn't the director lead to the first 3d castlevania game that was extremly good, when the franchise had alot of problems going into 3d in the past (with the terrible castlevania 64 and the mediocre PS2 3d castlevania games).
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 7:12PM
#74
|
Date Joined:
Jul 23, 2008
|
Bad tings happen and even something like that tragedy shouldn't derail a project unless it is a one man team.
Uh, recovering from a murder suicide can derail a project for quite some time. Several months to get someone qualified in place of the project manager. Funding from Hasbro most likely was cut due to the loss of profits from a KEY delayed digital project (4th was designed around a darn digital table- read Ryan Dancey from Enworld for proof).
Regardless- we will never know for sure why it derailed 4th but I'll not downplay the significance of a murder-suicide involving a key project manager on a key digital project 4th was built on.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 07, 2013 - 7:48PM
#75
|
Date Joined:
Apr 21, 2003
|
Nope, actually that's not the reason, the reason was a tragedy, software and service development is alot cheaper than what you think in case of a service such as DDI...after "that" happened, DDI was left without a direction, and whoever who took the lead really mess things up...then november 2010 happened... I want to know who thought that using silverlight was a good idea...and the interface...it's "pretty" but not functional at all, it's like a lame mobile app or facebook app, not a tool/application like the offline tool was.
That tragedy occured very late in the DDI development process. While it was a terrible event, the outsourced development had already failed to produce any of the intended programs in working form.
And as far as software and service development costs, in this case it was years worth of outsourced work and from the comments of people involved at the time, it seems to have been exceedingly high.
Shemeska the Marauder, Freelancer 5 / Yugoloth 10
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 4:10AM
#76
|
Date Joined:
Oct 16, 2011
|
The sad part is that Mearls and Co are claiming that D&D Next will be around to stay for a very, very long time
Claiming that he wants D&D Next to stay very long is not only right but claiming the opposite would hurt sales and wouldn't be smart. You think 4E would have sell as much if they'd said right after 3.5 that 4E would run 4 years only ? Personally i don't.
That's not the point. It's not even a question of "right," as you frame it. (Whatever that's supposed to mean, anyhow.) The point is that he has zero credibility in making the claim. Who could believe him?
I'm at the point that I simply have no interest in any product or game associated with Mearls. He can't be trusted and he IS the bus driver that drove the 4E bus right off a cliff. I mean, let's be honest; if there is anyone whose feet we can lay the blame for the current situation of D&D, Mearls is that guy.
I say this as someone who has religiously played and bought the hell out of all editions of D&D since 1980. Sadly, I'm feeling sure that 4E is my last, at least as things appear now. Mearls and Co. have just jerked us all around too much. No thanks.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 2:33PM
#77
|
Date Joined:
Apr 15, 2001
|
Mike could just be the fall guy. He came along late in the 4th ed cycle so he can't really be blamed for alot of the problems 4th ed had. He was more or less the front page man though and even if he was in charge of essentials it may not have been his idea as he would have to follow the orders of whoever was above him. I would be looking at some of the decsions made in 2005-2008, and whoever came up with a paniced response to the edition wars as more likely culprits.
Reducing a character to a list of dice rolls and modifiers is not role playing*
*pg 30, AD&D 2nd Ed DMG, 1989.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 4:31PM
#78
|
Date Joined:
Oct 17, 2007
|
Mike could just be the fall guy. He came along late in the 4th ed cycle so he can't really be blamed for alot of the problems 4th ed had. He was more or less the front page man though and even if he was in charge of essentials it may not have been his idea as he would have to follow the orders of whoever was above him. I would be looking at some of the decsions made in 2005-2008, and whoever came up with a paniced response to the edition wars as more likely culprits.
Ok, let's turn back the clock to 2008. Let's imagine WotC doesn't 'overreact' and makes a 4e which is less radical, less controversial and doesn't split the community (let's assume PF never existed too).
So now we would have a 'successful' and continuing edition which we would all be playing.
Nice and cozy.
Unless, I'm actually glad they overreacted, upset the status quo, pushed the envelope and 4e happened in the form we know it today.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 4:33PM
#79
|
Date Joined:
Oct 16, 2011
|
He came along late in the 4th ed cycle so he can't really be blamed for alot of the problems 4th ed had.
Not true. Mike was hired in 2005 as a designer and later led R&D for 4th Edition. Around the time of Divine Power's release (if memory serves me right), he was made the head of creative development -- he even stated in a podcast that he was effectively in charge of the direction D&D would take in the future, leaving behind his traditional design roles.
He was more or less the front page man though and even if he was in charge of essentials it may not have been his idea as he would have to follow the orders of whoever was above him.
I'll have to look up the podcast, but he stated himself that he was at least 25% of the business side of things regarding the direction of 4E. In all, he's been heavily involved in 4E from the start.
|
|
|
|
5 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 4:44PM
#80
|
Date Joined:
Apr 15, 2001
|
He came along late in the 4th ed cycle so he can't really be blamed for alot of the problems 4th ed had.
Not true. Mike was hired in 2005 as a designer and later led R&D for 4th Edition. Around the time of Divine Power's release (if memory serves me right), he was made the head of creative development -- he even stated in a podcast that he was effectively in charge of the direction D&D would take in the future, leaving behind his traditional design roles.
He was more or less the front page man though and even if he was in charge of essentials it may not have been his idea as he would have to follow the orders of whoever was above him.
I'll have to look up the podcast, but he stated himself that he was at least 25% of the business side of things regarding the direction of 4E. In all, he's been heavily involved in 4E from the start.
The main point being he wasn't the boss and do we know 100% for certain essentials was his idea, did he push for it or was it someone elses decision/idea that he had to do because it was his job? WoTC fired alot of the 4th ed designers? Were they the ones who pushed it and took the fall, were they part of the annual layoff procedure at WoTC. How much can you blame on him personally and due to the backlash against 4th ed would it have mattered who was in charge?
I'm neutral on Mike (IDK enough about him one way or another). My main problem with him is he doesn't seem to have a large publishing resume behind him to back up his position. Maybe he is a great organiser IDK.
Reducing a character to a list of dice rolls and modifiers is not role playing*
*pg 30, AD&D 2nd Ed DMG, 1989.
|
|
|
