I don't like it... its *too* quiet.

Please pause while I take an arrow to the head for that one.

OK really isn't it about time to start to wonder what on earth MA are up to. Kim went on the record (voice interview on Normandie radio) in ah... Spring was it? to say a few things. Most notably (from memory) that:

- The avatar system was released too early
- Taming only existed on paper
- One of the reworked on areas on Caly in the pipeline was rejected by MA due to being too different
- There would be a 64bit client (delivered)
- There would be a new chat update hopefully before summer.

We are now rapidly approaching spring again and MA have gone eerily silent since the chat preview in autumn. We didn't even get a Queen's speech this year.

I don't like to say "the sky is falling" but this is making me slightly nervous now. Its not like MA to go THIS quiet. There would normally be at least some vague acknowledgement that things are taking longer than expected.

What does everyone else think?

Wistrel

 

RT dropped cause of ND scaling back on costs to prevent handing RT over to MA. If Arcadia are doing the same, this is not a good sign. Probably an indication they are also having trouble making ends meet. As for Toulate? I'd give it a 60% chance of going the same way as Theryon Wars. I think that is generous to be honest.

And the idea that MA would stay quiet for a PP. Don't make me laugh.

Oh wait "map parts" not server areas, well that will relate to the map update we already saw previewed. Yeh we know it exists, much like the chat update but MA are not releasing. This makes me wonder if there is something going on, eg staff layoffs to save cash leaving them unable to complete half done work in a timely fashion.

If MA wait for Toulate before doing any more updates other than basic patches of things they broke in the last update (obvious stuff like turning while holding something for example) then we may as well take a nap through 2014 and see if anything shows up in Q4 2015.

Wistrel

 

Oh... er... hmm now you got me. I'd need to double check that. I thought it showed a more detailed map interface but yeh... maybe it was something else.... but I can't imagine MA would screen shot their design tools... that would be one of those things they would never do cause it would be interesting

Wistrel

 

Good point Steve! The issue is that back in the old days they did updates roughly every 4-6 weeks. I can see this turning into 4-6 years. Its already on 4-6 months... I suspect the map fragments will be either:

- we all loose the map (content) entirely (yes it will be awkward but I actually support this) and need to collect fragments to get bits of it back again. Or we can create them by exploring ourselves a bit like those games where the map is "dark" till you have been to each bit of it.

- the map is as is but if you buy fragments for certain areas you will be able to annotate those areas and sell the annotations to people.

Personally I think it will be the former. This would make sense with the analogy you can pay to do things faster or play cheaper and slower.

But to be honest I won't believe any of it till I see it now. I remain concerned MA have gone so quiet. When I say quiet too, I don't justmean that they are not chucking out hollow promises left right and center. I mean they just don't seem to be doing anything.

Wistrel

 

Yeh but you probably didn't. The map was always a given. Only the TP's were things you "got" from exploring. I doubt anyone has been "everywhere" I know for sure I haven't. I don't think MA should be factoring in play times of people who are too busy to play the game much when making decisions about how to effect people who do.

Anyhow this is all just speculation anyhow. They'll probably just go into receivership or something ;)

Wistrel