RIFT: Year Two State of the Game (part Two of Two)

[KaldorIW]

I must admit, I was extremely let down by this "state of game" address. I don't feel like I was told anything I didn't already know from following the Dev tracker in the forums.

For an outlook of the coming new year, I would hope it would outlay more than 2.2 and 2.3 content. No, sorry this is not what I personally expected.

[Methadras]

Daglar, is this the summation of the your two year state of the game assessment? Heavy on style, very light on substance. What your post tells me is, is that you really don't have a cogent roadmap past 2.3, that's not saying you don't have one at all, but considering there was no 'future vision' for the game or its content, this implies that you have nothing to offer. Am I wrong? I'd like to be. Please tell me I am.

[Methadras]

I thought the state of the game was short and concise. It would have been nice to hear more detail beyond 2.3, but like he said, those updates aren't solid ideas yet, and I think providing details would be a disservice. He talked about what he could, that doesn't mean he can't do another state of the game when more details are solid and more members are working on those patches.

The best news of the address is the lack of the words "free to play".

This game will never be F2P. I don't even know why people continually bring this up.

[xombii]

With a part 1 and a part 2 I thought I was going to be reading for a while.
I'm not surprised at how little information we got, I've been trying to gain some understanding (from the devs) why they took fall damage away without first trying different approaches and never got a real answer.

It's my understanding that Rift went F2P up to lvl 49 in Korea last year. This is just worrisome to me because if the Koreans are not playing anymore, maybe it's a symptom that p2p rift in america is coming to an end.
Another reason that sucks, I went ahead and paid for a year, so hopefully if there is any f2p plans they wait for all those year subs to run out or people might feel cheated.

And Rift is a product we pay for, it's not outrageous for us to expect more information. What about dimensions, should those of us who like dimensions be ready for some cool changes? what about PVP? Anything going to change for that now that fall damage is gone? Or questing, maybe we'll get new quest mechanics, or new dungeons or SOMETHING.
As far as I can tell the only thing they've got planned this year is a carnival... whoopee.

[niochua]

WHAT ELSE CAN THEY SAY? THEY SAID T3PA IN 2.2. DENDROME IN 2.3 That is literally in the letter. That is THE most explicit detail they can give about the release of T3 PA and the Dendrome. What other details do you want?

The 'Details' you're defending so much have been posted for MONTHS. Do you understand that? This is all information we already have access too.

Other details we could want would be something like:
"We’re also coming up with new ways to"
"We will be expanding the ways you can choose"
"We’re also looking into the introduction"
"We’re looking to maintain the popular feel of the core system itself, while making it more fun to use and keeping the advanced play intact for those who love experimenting and playing with the numbers."
"Expect a progression path that’s more fun and more frequently rewarding."
"There’s even more excitement in store for 20xx than what we’ve talked about here, and we’re really looking forward to talking about all of it in much greater detail over the coming months."

All quotes from Hartsmans 1 year later post.
Things like that. The FUTURE of the game.

[Nasty Piggy]

As a new player to Rift, the lack of content for State of the Game is quite concerning. I expected that if the subscription numbers weren't of a concern that would have been addressed with something like... we expect another great year for Rift. Boldly step into 2013 doesn't exactly make me feel like they're excited since boldly means... in a fearless manner, what exactly is there to fear if everything is fine?

[intrinsc]

This game will never be F2P. I don't even know why people continually bring this up.

Because it has been brought up by others, so I want them to feel the egg on their face.

[intrinsc]

People had big expectations for this, but that stemmed from an address in an era where a lot of the future of Rift wasn't yet defined and a lot was up in the air. Rift had so much ahead of it, and right now, since the layoffs, you can't expect them to keep up the blazing development they had before and this bites into the inability to talk about things further into the future. I have no idea how people can't understand that. It's like Scott Hartsman had his first State of the Game when you had an expansion in the works and every patch leading to that on a whiteboard somewhere. He had the world to play with. Daglar is given 40 less employees with most members having JUST returned from a looong vacation, and you want him to deliver gold? C'mon! No wonder you are all upset. You had unreasonable expectations. I am not concerned by this at all because I had reasonable expectations of just a roadmap to what they've been working on.

Scott seemed a lot more cheery and willing to take big chances on predictions. Those millions of times you were told T3PA was coming? Scott was in charge and you were let down, so blame him if you want. We still don't know how Daglar will be as a leader of the game, but my money is on a more realistic guy with an optimist view, but a guy who won't jerk you around and won't get your hopes up just to let you down. I can get behind a guy like that.

[Calliso]

This game will never be F2P. I don't even know why people continually bring this up.

Some of them are just trolls trying to stir people up. Some I think are just really really hoping it goes f2p I think and perhaps hope that if they keep mentioning it it will happen.. I admit though while in general I have been one of those that have believed the game will never go f2p with recent happenings *layoffs, Scott leaving* I did have a fairly strong fear we would hear the words "going free to play" in this letter. But the free to play claims have been around since Rift released and I donlt htink they will ever go away lol.

[DarkFalls]

People had big expectations for this, but that stemmed from an address in an era where a lot of the future of Rift wasn't yet defined and a lot was up in the air. Rift had so much ahead of it, and right now, since the layoffs, you can't expect them to keep up the blazing development they had before and this bites into the inability to talk about things further into the future. I have no idea how people can't understand that. It's like Scott Hartsman had his first State of the Game when you had an expansion in the works and every patch leading to that on a whiteboard somewhere. He had the world to play with. Daglar is given 40 less employees with most members having JUST returned from a looong vacation, and you want him to deliver gold? C'mon! No wonder you are all upset. You had unreasonable expectations. I am not concerned by this at all because I had reasonable expectations of just a roadmap to what they've been working on.

Scott seemed a lot more cheery and willing to take big chances on predictions. Those millions of times you were told T3PA was coming? Scott was in charge and you were let down, so blame him if you want. We still don't know how Daglar will be as a leader of the game, but my money is on a more realistic guy with an optimist view, but a guy who won't jerk you around and won't get your hopes up just to let you down. I can get behind a guy like that.

So much of this. The mention of PvP has me somewhat intrigued though on topic.

[Calliso]

People had big expectations for this, but that stemmed from an address in an era where a lot of the future of Rift wasn't yet defined and a lot was up in the air. Rift had so much ahead of it, and right now, since the layoffs, you can't expect them to keep up the blazing development they had before and this bites into the inability to talk about things further into the future. I have no idea how people can't understand that. It's like Scott Hartsman had his first State of the Game when you had an expansion in the works and every patch leading to that on a whiteboard somewhere. He had the world to play with. Daglar is given 40 less employees with most members having JUST returned from a looong vacation, and you want him to deliver gold? C'mon! No wonder you are all upset. You had unreasonable expectations. I am not concerned by this at all because I had reasonable expectations of just a roadmap to what they've been working on.

Scott seemed a lot more cheery and willing to take big chances on predictions. Those millions of times you were told T3PA was coming? Scott was in charge and you were let down, so blame him if you want. We still don't know how Daglar will be as a leader of the game, but my money is on a more realistic guy with an optimist view, but a guy who won't jerk you around and won't get your hopes up just to let you down. I can get behind a guy like that.

Yeah good points I have had mixed feelings about this letter and a degree of disappointment was one. But your right Daglar is working with a lot less then Scott was. It is probably best to keep to things they know for sure are going to happen. Rather then talk about vague future possiblities which if they donlt happen will just lead to people being upset. I am hoping Daglar will be a more realistic guy like you said above. Really in general from what communication I have seen from him on these boards I have been very impressed with him so I am not worried.

[Maeloda]

What your post tells me is, is that you really don't have a cogent roadmap past 2.3, that's not saying you don't have one at all, but considering there was no 'future vision' for the game or its content, this implies that you have nothing to offer. Am I wrong? I'd like to be. Please tell me I am.

That's where I'm standing. All this State says is:

1)We appreciate you (the players)
2)Regular hotfixes
3)2.2 is Carnival, new Zone Events, PA Tier 3 (way overdue), Hard Mode T4 raids, unknown PvP stuff
4)2.3 is Dendrome but no news on that, sorry guys!

So basically we have the PTS notes for 2.2, plus a date for 2.3.

So basically basically we have the plan until March-April. Less than half the year.

Unless he plans to make monthly or bi-monthly State of the Game addresses, I'm a bit worried. This tells us that Trion doesn't want to talk about anything past this Winter/Early-Spring.

[terry101]

Yeah good points I have had mixed feelings about this letter and a degree of disappointment was one. But your right Daglar is working with a lot less then Scott was. It is probably best to keep to things they know for sure are going to happen. Rather then talk about vague future possiblities which if they donlt happen will just lead to people being upset. I am hoping Daglar will be a more realistic guy like you said above. Really in general from what communication I have seen from him on these boards I have been very impressed with him so I am not worried.

man i do hope you are right

and best of luck Daglar

[the_real_seebs]

It's also possible, depending on when Scott's departure was determined, that Daglar had less time to prepare the letter than would usually have been intended.

[Maeloda]

Some of them are just trolls trying to stir people up. Some I think are just really really hoping it goes f2p I think and perhaps hope that if they keep mentioning it it will happen.. I admit though while in general I have been one of those that have believed the game will never go f2p with recent happenings *layoffs, Scott leaving* I did have a fairly strong fear we would hear the words "going free to play" in this letter. But the free to play claims have been around since Rift released and I donlt htink they will ever go away lol.

I actually do think they'll introduce a new model for Lv 1-49 or Lv 1-50, but it won't be in the short term. Maybe by end of the year, once they outright know that the vast majority of players are Lv 55-60 anyway, so may as well freshen up Mathosia with the 'freeloaders', right?

(*and maybe make use of the vendors in Meridian and Sanctum - maybe even have a F2P raid group? Haha)