Clearing Confusion - MMORPG differentiation

[Reaujien]

If FFXIV wants to survive it has a simple choice to make, it either -
1: Makes the game easy-mode, which FFXI players and many other people will hate, but will draw in other MMO gamers or...
2: Make the game hard-mode, which FFXI players and others will enjoy, but will deter other MMO gamers.

Option #2, {Yes please.}

[Konachibi]

Option #2, {Yes please.}

Indeed, EVE Online went down the route of being hard-mode and it flushes out all the players most people don't want to associate with (The beginner corp players start in is infested with WoW players complaining about how hard the game is XD).

It's the best choice to go with, because although the game may not get millions of players like other MMO's, the tens of thousands of players that play it will thoroughly enjoy it, and it tends to make the game have a better community, as everyone playing it knows that everyone else playing it has been able to climb over the learning-curve and accept the challenge.

[Zorvan]

Indeed, EVE Online went down the route of being hard-mode and it flushes out all the players most people don't want to associate with (The beginner corp players start in is infested with WoW players complaining about how hard the game is XD).

It's the best choice to go with, because although the game may not get millions of players like other MMO's, the tens of thousands of players that play it will thoroughly enjoy it, and it tends to make the game have a better community, as everyone playing it knows that everyone else playing it has been able to climb over the learning-curve and accept the challenge.

Sorry, ain't gonna happen. If they wanted to go the "hardcore" route, they needed to do it from the beginning.

They've lost millions on this game already and they lose money every day that it's in development with no sub fees coming in. They took a big club to the face due to Tanaka's screwing around and Wada's incompetence.

Investors want their money, S-E corporate wants its money. Your niche crowd of "hardcore" players ain't gonna provide that money.

[Konachibi]

Sorry, ain't gonna happen. If they wanted to go the "hardcore" route, they needed to do it from the beginning.

They've lost millions on this game already and they lose money every day that it's in development with no sub fees coming in. They took a big club to the face due to Tanaka's screwing around and Wada's incompetence.

Investors want their money, S-E corporate wants its money. Your niche crowd of "hardcore" players ain't gonna provide that money.

Never said I was part of the 'hardcore' niche crowd. I play my own way, sometimes I play it for a little bit just to do leves, sometimes I spend hours and hours on it trying to do difficult things, sometimes I just spend some time crafting, I'm not 'hardcore' or 'casual'. I just play it to enjoy it's content, to be with friends in the linkshell, and see the storyline as it unfolds.

And besides, in the 'hardcore is not a dirty word' thread, it would appear that FFXI catered for hardcore players and that game lasted 8 years, so surely it must provide the money if it can keep a game running for that long.

[Zorvan]

And besides, in the 'hardcore is not a dirty word' thread, it would appear that FFXI catered for hardcore players and that game lasted 8 years, so surely it must provide the money if it can keep a game running for that long.

lol

If that's the best argument you have, I don't know what to tell you. FFXI didn't waste millions of dollars, drive their financials into the mud, make laughing stocks out of their company, shake investor faith, and have to be completely rebuilt all the while never collecting a single sub fee during that whole time.

FFXI actually had people willing to pay to play FFXI right from the beginning, whereas FFXIV can't get people to play FOR FREE.


So if you seriously think "Oh, FFXI was niche and it did fine so FFXIV will too", especially considering the fact we're in 2011 now, not 2002 when the mmo market, and more importantly mmo players, were a hell of a lot more forgiving, then all I can say is good luck with that.

[Konachibi]

lol

If that's the best argument you have, I don't know what to tell you. FFXI didn't waste millions of dollars, drive their financials into the mud, make laughing stocks out of their company, shake investor faith, and have to be completely rebuilt all the while never collecting a single sub fee during that whole time.

FFXI actually had people willing to pay to play FFXI right from the beginning, whereas FFXIV can't get people to play FOR FREE.


So if you seriously think "Oh, FFXI was niche and it did fine so FFXIV will too", especially considering the fact we're in 2011 now, not 2002 when the mmo market, and more importantly mmo players, were a hell of a lot more forgiving, then all I can say is good luck with that.

I was being sarcastic.

[Steggun]

Investors want their money, S-E corporate wants its money. Your niche crowd of "hardcore" players ain't gonna provide that money.

This game wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for that "niche crowd". If FFXI was not making them money they would have shut it down years ago, and they most likely would have decided that MMO's are not their forte.

[Konachibi]

This game wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for that "niche crowd". If FFXI was not making them money they would have shut it down years ago, and they most likely would have decided that MMO's are not their forte.

To be honest, at the moment, MMO's aren't their forte. If I were the owner of S.E I'd have a development team made specifically for creating MMO's then have them use a different name for the game instead of one of the most popular game franchises they own. If they did well with that, then I'd consider letting them make a final fantasy MMO.

Bit too late for that now though :3

[Mudd]

Sorry, ain't gonna happen. If they wanted to go the "hardcore" route, they needed to do it from the beginning.

They've lost millions on this game already and they lose money every day that it's in development with no sub fees coming in. They took a big club to the face due to Tanaka's screwing around and Wada's incompetence.

Investors want their money, S-E corporate wants its money. Your niche crowd of "hardcore" players ain't gonna provide that money.

How do you consider yourself losing money on something that would have been in development anyways had it not been released?
Potential revenue sure, I'll give you that.

Also, the 'hardcore' players CAN provide that, just over years, and not through immediate satisfaction.