A plea

[DaveyCrockett]

This is a heartfelt plea to my friends of Argonnessen.

I ask that you have a little more patience with the game that we love to play.

So many good players, and more importantly good friends, are leaving out of frustration. I hate to see that.

Mod 8 WILL bring more players. The new character sequence is one of the best that I have seen. It is engrossing, and will snag players at their core. More population is coming.

The lag will be dealt with. Turbine cannot push a button to solve the problem, but on Monday they are upgrading their equipment, and they are working on any network problems 18 hours/day.

Mod 8 is not just an NPE. There are 4 high-level explorer areas, the coolest 'town' so far, I think at least 5 new high-level quests, and a new raid. Not to mention a new 'grind' for armor/shields.

Then we get into Festivus, Mod 9, and much more.

Perhaps I'm just optimistic, but I really think that we are almost over this hump, and if you just hang in there a little bit longer, your passion will be relit.

I certainly don't mean to come off as a Defender of Turbine, I only seek to show some reasons why you shouldn't go anywhere. Not to mention all the friends that will miss you.

With all the sincerity I have,

DfC

[KoboldKiller]

I'm with Davey. It's not like we've had months of lag it's been what a week at most? Come on guys if you really love this game like you say then stick it out otherwise if enough of you leave it won't be here to come back to.

I too am very encouraged by what I saw on Risia.

[Lorichie]

I concur. Well spoken.

R

[SableShadow]

Well said.

[Muirtach]

As was announced at GenCon.

That's not to say that the game's current player base isn't going to get some love in Module 8. The game will boast four new outdoor landscapes and four new dungeons to accompany them. Players will also be meeting an old enemy -- the Reaver -- who's apparently back for a return engagement.

From here as well as other sources at Gen Con.

[kinar]

Mod 8 WILL bring more players. The new character sequence is one of the best that I have seen. It is engrossing, and will snag players at their core. More population is coming.

This I disagree with. DDO is in the down stages of it's lifecycle. The best we can hope for is that it will bring back some old players. Turbine understands this (the lifecycle of games) and they are in the "milk it for everything we can" stage. This is the real reason behind getting rid of the WDA. They don't want thier existing playerbase to figure out that they aren't actually working on the game. The development team is at an all time low. There are probably very few (if any) developers left that are strictly DDO at this point.

We are seeing the final group of rats to jump ship before the slow dying of the game. Those of us who stick it out are here to see the final hours.

There won't be a mod 10 for DDO. They are finishing lvls 1-20 in mod 9. There isn't anything left from a business standpoint. They aren't going to go epic level (ignoring the fact that much of our equipment already is) with this game and they really don't get more money for strictly content updates so it would be stupid to keep trying. We might get a couple more patches after mod 9 and maybe even a new dungeon or two but there won't be any real new content.

The game is dying and if Turbine is smart (which they aren't), they would be releasing a whole new game at this point and offering existing subscribers a 50% discount to jump ship so those people aren't soured by the lack of commitment by turbine for the game they love (there is no way to actually please the people who can't be convinced to jump ship from a business point of view).

[Giantsbane]

While I've been on Argo since pre-release, I've only run with some of those who are leaving a handful of times. This is due to my on Pugaphobia more than anything else.
However, you are all well known in game as well as on the forums. Your absence will be felt by all, even if we don't normally run in your circle.

By all means take a break if you need too. Take care of the real life issues. But, please don't write the game off just yet.
If you must go, the I bid you a warm farewell. May your blade always be sharp, your armor free of rust, and your ale cold. Return when you can, we promise to save some loot for ya.

Excellent post Davey. tyvm

[Kistilan]

The game is dying and if Turbine is smart (which they aren't), they would be releasing a whole new game at this point and offering existing subscribers a 50% discount to jump ship so those people aren't soured by the lack of commitment by turbine for the game they love (there is no way to actually please the people who can't be convinced to jump ship from a business point of view).

You're an ****'n *****. I can't in any way come up with a nicer descriptor. Our server forum doesn't need this apathy, nor this kind of logic. Are you from Argo? You're entitled to your opinion, but the post which you intruded upon was about us keeping our friends together, and you're not helping AT ALL. Is this your server? Do you have friends? Would you want us to tell you that your club house is on the demolition team's list next week?

Turbine's history makes them probably the most viable company in knowing the exact folly of your proposed "business plan," and also the fact that they can't make another Dungeons & Dragons without Hasbro (did I get the copyright owner correct?) granting permission. Rowanheal stated on DDO Cast that she asked (I believe it was Rowan that gave this story) the devs face-to-face and the two companies can't agree on anything, which forces problems upon the development & advertising departments as well as expansions.

Also, I run the harbor and meet NEW PLAYERS on a constant basis. If you would actually go meet new people, you may know this awesome fact. Either I'm completely wrong in my assessment & assumption of your post and you somehow don't meet these players while in the Harbor, or this is something you don't do and you don't run in PUGs in the Harbor to meet new people and help them out. I met 5 new players this week on my server. FIVE -- and that's just me, on a limited basis of play currently, and only when I was running around in the Harbor. This is not a cash cow game, regardless of its current doldrums. This is a period and it will pass.

And level 20 is not the end of D&D. Cripes, there are hundreds of races, prestige lines, feats & enhancements that they have planned. Do you not read the forums other than to naysay? Do you listen to DDOCast? Do you ask players for their own personal opinions, or does only yours matter? I think your scope is thin and narrow without any hope, and I would congratulate you on your level 70 in WoW, level 80 in AoC & level XX in Game X. Levels do not make new content -- theymake more grinding and powers, that's it! You aren't supposed to be playing Voltron in Dungeons & Dragons - the more you hook up isn't necessarily the better it gets. Dungeons & Dragons is about exploration, magic, items, fantastic journies into the unknown and most importanly DDO shows it's about unique quests unlike any other game I've played currently. Now, if you don't like mucking through traps, finding alternative routes or determining just how far you can push a certain tactic or trick, then you probably should find a new game because from level 20 on it's really not about the fact that you levelled, but about the fact that you were able to survive the encounter.

This is an encounter at the Turbine level - these doldrums. If they can get past that hurdle, a lot of awesome gateways open.

And now, I concur with what Davey wrote. I sincerely don't want to see another Argo (or Khyberian) jump ship permenantly. Take a break if you must because there's no happiness in beating your head against a door, but don't write off one of the most unique MMORPGs currently in the market.

I really enjoy gaming with you guys. The doldrums will pass and eventually a new dragon will need your keen attention.

[Naash]

While noone likes to see friends & guildmates leave I cant help but see the upside to the server population being down.

Its a perfect opportunity to get to know each other better.

With the combination of the chat channels and population being low there is a much larger coordination between guilds to get groups to run quests and raids.
Personally that has led to me running with great people I've never met before and running with great people I havent seen in a long time.

[cam0940]

Nice post DfC. Well thought out and, frankly, persuasive.

[KoboldKiller]

What I find amusing is Kinar makes statements like they are facts. Unless you in fact work for Turbine on DDO how could you possibly know how many developers are working on this game or whether or not their attention is being diverted elsewhere? Move along Troll there is nothing further to see here. If anything IMHO it's posters like you that bring this game down not Turbine, not the lag, not the supossed lack of content, no, it's negative people like you who post tripe for new players to read and be turned off. Do you honestly want the game to live? If your answer is yes then try being a positive influence instead of a negative doomsayer spouting unfounded "facts".

[DaveyCrockett]

Nice post DfC. Well thought out and, frankly, persuasive.

PM Sent

[Mhykke]

Good post Davey...

[bandyman1]

Good post Davey...

Yeah, it is.

I'ma say this then. My account doesn't run out for another week or so anyways. So, yeah I'll stick around.

But if I'm going to have to continue to put up with Mhykke, Nick, Phynus, and the rest , MoD 8 better F'n rock!!!!!!!!!.

Otherwise, I just can't justify my sub money supporting development of mod 9.

[akla_thornfist]

i played around on risia last night and like i said if turbine can get mod 8 out before the 26 i will reactivate for another month i can only afford 1 game at a time so its ddo or something else. ran around in the new high level exployer areas they were fun but my lev 16 characters wont even break a sweat in there, but im interested in the new quest. good post davey got my finges crossed for the 26th

[ICU]

well put my friend well put

[alchilito]

... We are seeing the final group of rats to jump ship before the slow dying of the game. Those of us who stick it out are here to see the final hours...

PM me your toons if you have some in Argo. Sucka.

Ill make sure I destroy that sup pot VI kama when I get back, all in your name.

Davey: Solid post. Makes me want to come back and play again (as soon as new content is up and patched)

Kist: I share your views and recognize your efforts to introduce new players to the game.

[Aerniel]

wonderfully thought davey.. it amazes me how people care about friends in game, and im sure quite a few people have actually met in person. It pains me to see alot of people leave the game as well as their friends but its nice to know that most of em keep in touch.

[Barron]

Way to go Davey. I am sticking around. Its the only game I play and it has saved me much money on Dvds and other video games in the last 2.5 years or so.

[totmacher]

this thread makes me proud of Argo, the fact that people who have never met in real life or even know each other's first names, stand up for the friends they have only met playing a video game