How to beat Atari/cryptic at thier own game

[steeldocparker]

Ok, I will say I really like DDO, needs work but overall, it is fun.

Now that Cryptic is done with their quick and dirty treatment of Star Trek, they are already
starting NWN MMO...not good, not that I think it will be successful in the long run but it could
hurt this game.

I don't want that, so here is some advice.

Cryptic will need at least a year to slop something together, and you need to stay in the Eberron set.
Ok, how to beat them even before they launch, fig out their 'hot button' items and do it better or sooner.

What Cryptic will pitch

Character creator
Graphics
PvP
music
and they will try and tie it to the success of NWN+NWN2

How to beat them to the punch?
1. Shift some developers in from your other projects.
2. Don't bother trying to out-do thier character creator...take too long, not worth it.
3. Graphics..Brighten up the colors a bit, spell FX a priority.
4. Your music is fine

PvP - ok, this will be the battle ground item...you don't have it, and they will...and they will harp on it.
take it away from them!

ok, I know this will cost some money and will require extra developers

Create a second city "within the Eberron canon" that is at odds with Stormreach.
about the same size...thier own factions ect..
introduce Evil Alignments "also, get half orcs, half elves, druids ect.. out and going...yesterday"
make this new city similar in content to stormreach...but much darker.

EDIT - almost forgot, add city recruiters to Korthos so prospective players can choose
which city to start at, once they choose...that is it, they can go there or Korthos only.

then, add adventures featuring this city vs city animosity, and lore.
add OPEN, level restricted open PvP areas for city vs city battles...include objectives that
can be held to the benefit of the holding side (similar to DAOC)
Have pvp battle fronts for lvl 10 and lower, 11-15th lvl, 16-20 lvl ect.

battle locations should reflect the lvl of the players...ie lvl 20s should be fighting in the planes.

also, add some of the little things as you have time, visible cloaks, familiars and such.

You have about a year or so to play with.

Move the DDO MMO in a direction that closes off any easy entrance into this market...because
to be honest..you can't aford to share it.

Cryptic games look good day one, but are thin in content and generally have poorly written
adventures...you don't have to beat them long term, beat them short term and they will fold.

Good luck, and please.......clean thier clocks.

lmao yeah rite!! thy do something customers would enjoy . huh ill take a seat and watch. all they want is money and will put ppl through the chinese mind torture till thy get it any game tht doesnt have a direct link to the ppl who play it is lost in the long run ppl get burnt out at the **** to go through for the simpliest things .eww we wanna make money just not customer loyalty. thts the asian way

[fatherpirate]

You are assuming ATARI is even going to be allowed to create anything based off of the D&D license. With the current lawsuit in play and IIRC the impending lawsuit going into play with Hasbro and ATARI all of that may be in jeopardy for ATARI.

So very very true...I HOPE they lose that law suit and are barred from making it.
cryptic butchers just about every ip they touch.

[Visty]

let them have their pvp

it ill kill them faster then it took to introduce the f2p model

[DoctorWhofan]

I just did the latest Cryptic/Atari game: Star Trek Online.

They will fail if we did nothing. Talk about the worse game I hav ever played, barring FFXI.

Though, to inspire Turbine to speed up Druids, quests, etc. Let's do it.

Except PvP. We don't need it here, even LotRO style PvP (but that will be only PvP I could accept in this game)

[SableShadow]

I just did the latest Cryptic/Atari game: Star Trek Online.

They will fail if we did nothing. Talk about the worse game I hav ever played, barring FFXI.

What's wrong with it, exactly? No endgame?

[DoctorWhofan]

What's wrong with it, exactly? No endgame?

I almost removed my eyes out ofthe sheer boredom.

SHip combat was nicely done BUT, it was like doing WW over and over again, only the enemies and their abilities changed.

Character creater was nice...too badthe ground combat was HORRID. let me say that again...WAS THE HORRID PAINFUL THING IN THE GAME!!!!

[SableShadow]

I almost removed my eyes out ofthe sheer boredom.

Travel time can get a little annoying...

SHip combat was nicely done BUT, it was like doing WW over and over again, only the enemies and their abilities changed.

Meh. Least ways they aren't effectively doubling or tripling their subscriber fees and telling you it's a "bonus".

Character creater was nice...too badthe ground combat was HORRID. let me say that again...WAS THE HORRID PAINFUL THING IN THE GAME!!!!

? Tumble moar!

[Hendrik]

What's wrong with it, exactly? No endgame?

It's Pirates of the Burning Sea with a Star Trek skin. "OK" Space combat, if you can call it that, and horridly boring and uninspiring ground combat.

CharGen, like many Cryptic games, is some of the best - beyond that VERY lacking and dull.

Just happy that Gene is not here to see this abomination.

[SeqenenreTao]

lmao yeah rite!! thy do something customers would enjoy . huh ill take a seat and watch. all they want is money and will put ppl through the chinese mind torture till thy get it any game tht doesnt have a direct link to the ppl who play it is lost in the long run ppl get burnt out at the **** to go through for the simpliest things .eww we wanna make money just not customer loyalty. thts the asian way

Huh? What? English?

-SEQ.

P.S. Say what?

[SableShadow]

Just happy that Gene is not here to see this abomination.

Meh. Inventing the transporter because you don't have budget for shuttle sequences...I think Gene would quite understand.