So Brad McQuaid is making a new game.
Here's an article from PC Gamer. (http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/01/13/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen-preview/)
Kickstarter project Link (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1588672538/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen)
He's still making games, huh?
I hope this doesn't have the management issues of Vanguard...
They're saying all the right things for me (e.g., when they said they grouping in vital and they were bringing back specialty classes, like EQ1 enchanters)... but I am worried about the business end of this game.
Some of these independent shops have epic leadership/business meltdowns... Firefall's Red5 being the most recent.
I'll be following Pantheon, and hope it turns out to be what they say it will be.
Visions of Vanguard ... It sounds like what he was saying about Vanguard. While I liked that game a lot, the problems it encountered would tend to make me leery of a repeat.
I like some things - the kickstarter goal that allows folks to host their own server? If that gets implemented , I would buy the game in a heartbeat and host my own server for people.
However, I am leery of mmo kickstarters - I backed star citizen because it has a single player option that I can download and play even if the servers get taken down.
This seems like it has a sub as well which Im not certain on how it will work if you have your own server. City of titans had a similar goal of allowing you to host your own server as well.
Random thoughts while I ponder this - I like what they are offering and I may back it for 45 bucks. But this is a looooong term fruit so to speak and I wont see the product for at least 2 to 3 years . I may just buy it then fresh which is what I decided with city of titans.
We shall see how much I cave
I saw this on his twitter feed a few days ago and yawned.
I'm scared. He said all the right things, the same things he said for Vanguard. If he hasn't learned his lesson (I honestly do hope experience has granted him wisdom & humility), then a 2-3 year wait is generous. It could always turn into a 5-6 year wait, have a distribution shakeup (such as when VG made the surprise switch of allegiances from Microsoft to SOE) and undergo a repeat of Sigil Games Online's own epic leadership/business meltdown (anyone remember reading about pink slips in the parking lot less than 5 months after launch? Legendary.).
I'll give him another 2-3 years to earn my attention. Maybe by then I'll be ready to doff my Tinfoil Hat of Cynicism. Otherwise, I might still be playing Vanguard today.
Hmm I did some more reading and the fact that he was behind Vanguard was a bit surprising. Vanguard was something I really looked forward to because like Jasyn said, it hit all the right notes and things I was interested in. Unfortunately it had its own share of issues which made it not what I was looking for.
Honestly, when this comes out, I will probably play it and see what its like! But Im not going to back it at this point - this is a wait and see ( As much as I really want to back it ! ).
Its funny but Im still waiting for my first few kickstarter games to come out - maybe after they come through Ill be less timid :p
As soured as I might sound, the ideas are still great! How many times have we collectively brought up some of the finer points that have been laid out in the vision? I'd almost feel better if McQuaid weren't attached to the project, though. While his name will certainly attract attention (free marketing!), case in point right here, the negative is sure to come with the positive.
I also mourned for Vilidius (and just about everyone else) when I read McQuaid is leaning toward not wanting a global marketplace. While the Eastern Commanlands tunnel had its charm, some things I'd rather not re-live when there's a proven better way to do it.
Wow. McQuaid and the shadow of Vanguard is a pretty big liability for any game. I think I'd be more excited if so much of this didn't sound so much like what was being said about Vanguard.
One thought I had was that I don't even know where I'll be in 3 years.
That's a long wait for minor investors.
I was all in on Vanguard. And that game was close to being the holy grail. But it really was unfinished.
The sound of this? Mostly a big yes from me. But, as Jasyn, Mixxi and Askari noted...the shadow of VG's failure looms large with Brad the lead force. This is one problem with success in a way. it might be that brad would be a great #2 founder of a MMO design company. But he may not be the right guy to be a #1 running the the entire show. His talents for vision and design may really need an organizational/operational skill set to guide it. One that will get the vision and allow the time needed to develop it properly, but also one that can help focus the resources in a way that allows for actual success of the game.
So yeah. I would LOVE this to become what it could be....but not so sure the odds are so good as 50-50 it will actually come to pass in any fully realized way.