What is going on with all these patches and NW?

[Eyelusion]

1. I have major lag in AO since the last patch.
2. The next patch is on Friday? 14.7.2? Can someone clear that up for me?
3. I can't get NW till 12/3, Tuesday, cause of some problems with UPS shipping and that Babbages (gamestop) is blaming the manufacturer for not getting the product out in time. What is up with that?

I'm just plain worried that this is just a big mess. I can't get hardly any answers about NW, other than delays. AO is as laggy as it's been in a very long time. Things are being delayed. What is going on here? This reminds me of the initial AO launch, but actually more confusing.

Some already have NW, some might have it for the weekend, and some will not have it until next week or later. Yet, a patch will be out to let NW run on the servers in 2 days? On a Friday? Again?!?

This is becoming a huge mess....again!

edited for ps - I live in WA, USA if that makes a difference.

[engelstein]

Hmm. I'm getting zero lag. Hmm.

[________________Cado]

Offcourse it's a mess ... expansions are pretty much by definition a big mess !


I think the only company in the MMORPG industry that can even make something that has a semblance of not making a mess with an Expansion, is Verant Interactive .. and that only because they have made so many expansions.

*shrugs*

As long as it's worth it in the long run.

[Eyelusion]

You're probably right, Cado. I guess I'm just trying to find out information and got pretty frustrated in the process. I really don't get the philosophy of the company on this one. Oh well...

I suppose the best thing to do is just sit back, check out the bug reports, and well...wait.

Obviously, I feel slighted by not getting my booster for a week after the initial release date. Call me eager, but I would have liked an even playing field on the NW release. However, that's beyond my control and there doesn't seem to be any reasonable updates or concerns from Funcom regarding the problems that I've been absorbed into.

I feel like I'm camping for the NW booster. I paid $21.61 for that loot.......it better be good loot.

[________________Cado]

He he he - I can relate to that.

When Shadows of Luclin came for EverQuest, Verant made a big deal about having teamed up with UbiSoft so that they could make a worldwide release on the same day .....

... It wook UbiSoft 3 weeks to recover over the shock that about 90% of the EQ playerbase wanted it NOW and the simple fact that UbiSoft had not anticipated that.

After all, an expansion for a regular game normally only have about a 10-20% coverage.

Expansions for MMOG's is a different beast alltogether and probably a huge challenge to get over.



So yes, it will be a mess.
And yes, the loot is good.
Mudflation baby, there will be gooood stuffs in it.

[_____________Absinth]

NW should have just been downloable. Then I wouldn't have to call local stores and ask if they got it in every day until they get it. Also would not have to pre-order or go pick it up. If I had it ordered to my house I would not have to be there when UPS arrives. Hell even if I had a 56k modem I would rather download it. I'm sure someone is going to post something like they can't because of contracts. Well they got away with doing it when AO came out. I bet something could have been done.

[Blackwing]

some slight lifting of the nda.

some bits thrown to the birds now so we know wtf is happening here?

i am not getting nw but some guildies are. how will this affect me?

is it possible for a small guild to own and defend a tower at all?

what is the stuff some engineers hint at? blah blah.

[Aqua]

Originally posted by Chopit
You're probably right, Cado. I guess I'm just trying to find out information and got pretty frustrated in the process. I really don't get the philosophy of the company on this one. Oh well...

Philosophy?? thats easy its to be a vague as possible about how things work, so funcom can always fall back on the "it was never our intention for xxxxxx to work like that."

I would rather believe that instead of the more probably option which is they are still designing the game.

~aqua

[______________Myrkon]

Originally posted by Chopit
3. I can't get NW till 12/3, Tuesday, cause of some problems with UPS shipping and that Babbages (gamestop) is blaming the manufacturer for not getting the product out in time. What is up with that?

...

Some already have NW, some might have it for the weekend, and some will not have it until next week or later. Yet, a patch will be out to let NW run on the servers in 2 days?

I think Cado hit the nail on the head about this, mostly.

I just wanted to add that isn't it weird, if the manufacturer didn't get the product out in time, that some stores have it and others not? I don't think it is likely that FC has copies of NW (which is totally excellent btw) lying around in a warehouse or whatever instead of shipping them out. I think it's the stores/store chains that are not ordering in a timely manner.

Bug your local dealer I remember total nightmares getting expansions in time for EQ for example, when I played it. They came 2 or 3 weeks late. Unfortunately, it's pretty standard.

The stores don't seem realize that it's not the same thing to get a MMORPG expansions in the house long after it is available as to have a normal PC game in too late.

[________________Cado]

I think Cado hit the nail on the head about this, mostly.

Thank you.

But you are also right that an expansion for a MMOG is far more time critical than a regular game, since there are inherent advantages in being the "first to the mill" in an MMOG.

I reckon that would hold true for the real world too, if there was such a thing as an expansion for the real world.

Hey, someone make a Nano-Age expansion for the real world please ... with Pleasure Dolls™ androids for free !