SWTOR: Random Complaint thread. F2P means P2Win

**Ambrosia** · 2012-07-17 20:11

@Ohemgee: I think they are going to push that F2P model much sooner than most of us thought.

Executive Producer Rich Vogel leaves BioWare; New layoffs are rumored

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/1...ff_reports.php

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07...yoffs-rumored/

Star Wars: The Old Republic's Rich Vogel is no longer with BioWare, according to a report at Gamasutra. Vogel served as SWTOR's executive producer and is an MMO industry veteran of 20 years on various titles, including Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, and Meridian 59.

The article also mentions emerging reports that BioWare's Austin campus is laying off workers as of this morning, though Vogel's departure apparently precedes these new developments. It's unclear whether the cuts are a continuation of the restructuring begun last May or a new round of layoffs.

Vogel signed on with BioWare in 2005 and most recently made headlines for a GDC 2012 presentation that highlighted SWTOR's project management apparatus.

[Update: EA BioWare has issued a statement confirming restructuring within its Austin studio, attributed it to ongoing staff reductions started this past May. The full statement is below the break.]

From EA BioWare:

"As we announced in May and detailed at E3, the BioWare Austin team is refining Star Wars: The Old Republic to continue to grow the game and the service.

As with the launch of any MMO, the size and skillset of the teams needed to maintain the game is different than the ones that built it. Starting in May, there have been staff reductions in the BioWare Austin studio. Some people have been platooned to other projects at BioWare Austin and EA SPORTS/Austin. Others have been released – qualifying personnel receive severance and outplacement assistance.

BioWare Austin is currently staffed to ensure the continued delivery of new, high quality game content for The Old Republic, and at a more frequent cadence. In the weeks ahead, we will announce plans for growing The Old Republic with new content, new players and new ways to play."

I think that last sentence solidifies the introduction of the F2P model.

**Lucavi** · 2012-07-18 12:34

Oh it coming very, very soon; as in, probably "within the next month or so" soon. There's no reason to delay it any longer; the ship is sinking and they're going to be left with the nothing but the old staple of MMOs - MMO Genre Fanboys - alone soon enough.

There's no shame in that; the old days of the MMO and the old model of revenue is dying out; these companies are going to have to find other ways to make that money to keep content rolling in, because paying $15 a month for another clone dressed in the lore and colors of a specific franchise isn't gonna make the trillions it used to for some.

**Kisamoo** · 2012-07-18 13:05

You mean EA tried to clone another franchises formula and failed miserably?! I logged on during the free play event and there were literally 0 people in Taris. Well, actually, I was in Taris but being the only person in a zone is a bit sad for a game as old as SWTOR.

It isn't just SWTOR anyways, MMOs as a genre has been beaten to death. The formula is stagnate and no one is going to pay 15 dollars a month to kill X number of monsters or grind end game dungeons for 1% drops when there are so many other alternatives, even outside of the MMO space: LoL, F2P Shooters, other F2P MMOs, Steam sale games, browser games. WoW came out when there were fairly few other (cheaper/free) online games to play but things have come a long way since then.

**vrumpt** · 2012-07-18 13:49

Shit should have never gone with sub model to launch with. The world was changing when the game was in development and they refused to acknowledge it. F2P is what everybody wants, and they ignored or were just too stupid to hear what people wanted.

Now the game is in a downward spiral with no clear direction on where its going. You have leading positions quitting who weren't laid off because its that apparent. Biowares ignorance/arrogance is the reason SWTOR is in the state its in.

Even if they are able to switch to a F2P model, that isn't gonna fix the fact the the game doesn't have a direction at all. Its just crap mixed with shit with some garbage sprinkled on top. They rush every patch, flat out ignore glaring and obvious bugs because they don't give a flying fuck at this point. The ship is taking in more water than the crew can throw out and they don't have time to plug each hole completely.

Its fucking done. Bioware is retarded. We're getting a new companion? Oh fucking great because the ones we have now weren't already a waste of time and are completely useless other than the fact that were forced to use them to craft.

This game is a fucking joke and Bioware Austin is a joke. They don't know how heir own game works and when you try and tell them they just scoff at you and and go "its not us, its you." Its pathetic and makes me want to punch babies.

Sink the fucking ship already Bioware, the joke is over. /endrant

**Ohemgee** · 2012-07-18 14:31

What really upsets me (or at least if I was put in that position) is this:

As with the launch of any MMO, the size and skillset of the teams needed to maintain the game is different than the ones that built it.

"Thanks for the help bitches!"

Now I understand that the cost and manpower needed to build the game outweighs the cost/power to maintain it post launch, but there's a lot of vitriol passed down from EA to Bioware Austin. Its possible that these moves are for the better (anything at this point seems to be positive) because I've always doubted EA's guiding hand in the past 5-6 years and they haven't really impressed the current subscribed users at this point.*1

I really wish there were more new MMO's that were as engaging and a time sink as a FFXI. A lot of the new games are just clusterfucks of uninteresting lore and really messy UI's.

*1

If anyone still plays, are you fully satisfied with the game 8 months after release? I could understand that the first 3 months can be seen as the drop off time, but a game that gradually loses subs after 4-5 months is an indicator that something is wrong. 9/10 its a content to price problem, am I paying for worth while content? There's a dry spell of games from now until next Spring. It sucks that I'm playing a game I really dont want to play. And yes I know I can stop, but eh.

**Ohemgee** · 2012-07-18 14:42

On a side note:

SWTOR should of been a single player with a great LFG drop in/out experience like Dark Souls.

**Insanecyclone** · 2012-07-18 16:24

Should have just been KOTOR3

**Alderaan** · 2012-07-18 17:37

I don't blame EA, i put all the blame on Bioware. It's my understanding that they were pretty hands off until a year before launch when they realized just how bad the game was. The game was just mismanaged from it's inception and the core of the game is just plain poor. I'm sure they looked around and thought that a lobby MMO with instances everywhere was the future back in '07. They happened to release the most expensive MMO ever at a point when everyone is just tired of that model. It's almost like the perfect storm if you will.

**Lucavi** · 2012-07-19 13:57

I love it; another instance of the pride before the fall. They got what was coming, and everyone with a few braincells in their heads and the ability to resist giving into a compulsive urge to play the "next" MMO knew what was coming. I know there are a lot of people that got a lot out of the game, and that's a good thing; if you played the game for 300 hours or so, you got your money's worth, but for those of us sitting on the fence and watching the fireworks, its kinda fun seeing the explosions and meltdown.

**Arelian** · 2012-07-19 14:03

I personally find it hilarious that when the KoA dev went under, the game industry came together to get those people new jobs. When Bioware lays people off, nobody says a single goddamn thing in public to assist with those people's new job search. Nobody is going out of their way to hire or help those people, and it's both really funny and sad. It sounds like Bioware really didn't have talented people.

**nekura** · 2012-07-19 14:47

Originally Posted by Arelian

I personally find it hilarious that when the KoA dev went under, the game industry came together to get those people new jobs. When Bioware lays people off, nobody says a single goddamn thing in public to assist with those people's new job search. Nobody is going out of their way to hire or help those people, and it's both really funny and sad. It sounds like Bioware really didn't have talented people.

Eh, there is a lot of talent at Bioware Austin I'm sure. The reason you saw such a publicized outreach for KoA was because of how fucked up the entire situation was (granted, people losing their jobs is generally always a shitty situation).

**The Blackrose** · 2012-07-19 17:05

Originally Posted by Arelian

I personally find it hilarious that when the KoA dev went under, the game industry came together to get those people new jobs. When Bioware lays people off, nobody says a single goddamn thing in public to assist with those people's new job search. Nobody is going out of their way to hire or help those people, and it's both really funny and sad. It sounds like Bioware really didn't have talented people.

Because a studio whose executives (retardedly) played political hardball is in the same league as a studio laying off staff because their client base realized the game said studio released is shit. Completely comparable.

Shit sucks for those who are being forced out from Bioware Austin (unless you're upper management. Then you can rot). But to compare the situation to 38 Studios? Seriously?

**Arelian** · 2012-07-19 17:09

Eh, I've seen people do outreach to other companies in the past as well. I'm just amused at how silent everyone is over people leaving Bioware.

Edit: Now don't get me wrong, it does suck that people are getting laid off. It's never a good day when things go so badly that people start getting let go. It's not like these guys really had much creative control over the game anyways. Upper management surely can go suck a big one, though.

**Ohemgee** · 2012-07-19 22:02

The reason why you've made that comment is due to the publicity KoA's studio received (government funding gone completely wrong), other than that I've never really seen a more public and ongoing issue as 38? studios has had in the last year.

I think EA really fucked up with the Mass Effect team. However they're making it up elsewhere...

**Kuishen** · 2012-07-20 18:19

Originally Posted by Ohemgee

However they're making it up elsewhere...

Where would that be? Not even being sarcastic, cause EA has made some good games in the past, it's just that lately they have either been backing shit games or making shit games.

**Ohemgee** · 2012-07-21 09:58

They're laying off people from Bioware Austin, or just the people in charge of the mess

**Kuishen** · 2012-07-21 16:46

Originally Posted by Ohemgee

They're laying off people from Bioware Austin, or just the people in charge of the mess

Oh I thought you meant they were coming out with a good game at some point in the future. lol

**Lucavi** · 2012-07-21 17:13

Originally Posted by Kuishen

Oh I thought you meant they were coming out with a good game at some point in the future. lol

Madden 13, duh.

**Ohemgee** · 2012-07-25 01:04

Time to formally say good bye to my guild.

I'm way beyond this shit and letting my guilds raid time affecting my work schedule.

I just hope this shit will be F2P in the next 2 months (not 3). If not, fuck you EA.

**Eldelphia** · 2012-07-25 04:19

I doubt very much it will go F2P yet. Hope you find a better guild.

Thread: SWTOR: Random Complaint thread. F2P means P2Win

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