Quote Originally Posted by Ingolf View Post
Oh yeah, because it was so fun having years and years of no information with FFXI.

Look at Duke Nukem Forever. It's a current example of why being left in the dark for years on end is a bad thing, Stine.
Yet I purchased FF(VI)III with no information at all and it wound up being the best buy I ever made. Funny that.

Your argument is a red herring. The information you receive or do not receive on a game before release is irrelevant to the game's actual quality, unless the company actually LISTENS to feedback. And only THEN if the feedback is good (And it most often isn't.)

The problem is, by the time they usually have the game in a state to display, it is usually too late to change complaints people will have with fundamental mechanics.

Quote Originally Posted by Ingolf View Post
I agree. But it's impossible to go back now. If we had the technology back in the day, we would have used it.
To the determent of both the games and the community.

Face it. Risks were easier to take back in those days. We diddn't end up with "Generic-Army-Shooter 20, Wisps of minor improvement 3, DLC pack part 2 of 5!" Then either.

Games were pictured as a complete package, difficulties of budget and technology were overcome through creating interesting mechanics and allowed the player's imagination to fill in the gaps.

These days if the information isn't provided for you, that minor plothole, or breach in realisim is "OMG I LOST MY IMMERSION!!!!! YOUSUCKWHYDIDYOUDOTHISYOUHADONEJOBALE:KNRA:LKRA!~"

I do not envy game developers these days.