[MUD-Dev2] [OFF-TOPIC] A rant against Vanguard reviews and rants

[John Buehler]

Mike Rozak writes:

[snippity]

> So, here's a question? Why do I perceive huge flaws that the reviewers
> ranters don't? And vice versa?
>
> 1) The fundamental game isn't right for me, causing me to nitpick at
> "flaws" that people targeted by the game won't see? Could be, but WoW
> and EQ2 are essentially the same game, and I didn't cringe at them
> nearly as much as I do at Vanguard. (WoW and EQ2 are both less hard-core
> than Vanguard though.)
>
> 2) I'm designing and programming my own game, which has made me more
> aware of Vanguard's flaws in ways that reviewers/ranters wouldn't be?
> But why the Vanguard team didn't do anything about the flaws is another
> discussion... "Frog in gradually-boiling water" design, and/or, one
> person's flaw is another person's feature.
>
> 3) Reviewers/ranters perceive the same flaws as I do, but on a
> subconscious level. Since they can't verbalize the problems, they
> complain about other issues, much the same as someone will say, "I don't
> like him because he laughs like a hyena," when the laugh really has
> nothing to do with their like/dislike, but is merely an obvious problem
> to point to.
>
> 4) Am I merely delusional?
>
> Any ideas?

My knee-jerk reaction is to assume the first - the game is not a match for
what you enjoy.  If you were to talk about some of the problems you see,
perhaps we could all speculate on the specifics.

The fact that you're designing your own game is only causing you to have
refined views on what you enjoy.  Everyone's expectations going into Ultima
Online were somewhat open.  We only found out that we liked 'this' and
didn't like 'that' as we encountered it.  Once we'd gone through the wringer
a few times in various games, we've discovered our preferences and know what
we want in games.

If Sony/Sigil marketed Vanguard exactly as Vanguard is and as it will play,
then they will attract the exact right players, and those players will be
happy.  This may explain the attitude of other reviewers.  Their desire for
entertainment is precisely matched by what Vanguard delivers.

JB