You're game director: how to split devs?
While I understand the purpose of this thought experiment, there are far too many unknowns for us to answer this. What are these 5 teams? What are their short-term projects and long-term objectives? Are there any immediate deadlines? How many people are needed, under normal circumstances, to reasonably perform each task? There’s a lot of things that are going on that we aren’t necessarily aware of, so this just becomes speculation and educated guesses, and then personal preference/priority from there…
Or maybe here is an idea.
Don’t try to act like you’re a Game Director of a huge franchise, who has to make impossible decisions probably daily. I’m not happy about the decision either, but he is the freaking FOUNDER of ArenaNet – one of three, so I think you need to pipe down and let them keep on keeping on.
Instead of making ~yet another~ thread about Legendary Weapons being scrapped, go post in one of the 745326463690 threads already here. Please. We get you’re upset. I’m upset too, but try to take a deep breath and move past this.
It’s easy to play pretend and ~what if~ but you’re not. You will probably never ever have to make a decision that will affect thousands of people who bought something from you. Remember that from the other side of your keyboard.
1) Cute back packs and minis
2) Kitty ears, Panda ears, Dog ears (you get the picture)
3) Outfits to go along with said ears
4) Swim wear
5) underwater content to go with swim wear
In all seriousness StAllerdyce is right. There are WAY to many unkown issues and variables.
And people need to remember when making their “teams or decisions” You must have some form of profit/money maker. Gem store/gold sinks reasons for people to spend money have to be in the plans if you want to have any sort of sustainable model.
(edited by Miku.6297)
K, so we just launched a disappointing expansion. People want content. I cancel all work on a future expansion. I make sure we buy back our good will with the playerbase. I reroute future plans to fixing the foundation. We get back to basics, we get a team going to fixing WvW,
-WvW This gamemode is in dire need of help and has problems dating back nearly to launch. They get a solid 25% of devs because this gamemode is the big moneymaker and it was a big selling point of the original game.
-PvP clearly we’re never going to be a big esport that ship has sailed. Make it a fun gamemode instead, stop trying to be an esport and get back to basics with pvp designed to be fun. 10% of the devs will be allocated to this department to work on balancing and some new fun maps/gamemodes. PvP skills and PvE skills are split and balanced independently.
- PvE This gets a big lions share of the action. We need to build up a lot of stuff, I am giving this department a solid 50% of devs. We need to really work on defining what we want from open world vs instanced content. We need to incentivize dungeons, and to fix fractals. The first step is to release the abandon fractal. Also we’re retooling the instabilities to provide fun challenges and not just tedious time wasters. Dailies will be reworked to encourage running more diverse fractal scales including a 90+ daily tier with better rewards and ascended chances.
Raids will also be included in PvE we’re pretty happy with raids, but to create a level of inclusion we will release a lower tiered version of the raid once the next raid wing is released to make it more accessible for lower skilled players/people with less time to invest.
-Holiday/Gem store skins We realize that most of the games skins are released as part of the gem store, we want to apologize and will only be allocating the remaining 10% to this as a joint effort of designing fun gem store items and holiday events. We know that happy customers will pay for our products and that we should focus on engaging content rather than pushing out overpriced items on a weekly basis with nothing to use it for.
Once we get the foundation to a level where we can be proud of what we’ve done we will be discussing our plans and accepting input of what the playerbase would like to see in the next expansion.
K, so we just launched a disappointing expansion. People want content. I cancel all work on a future expansion. I make sure we buy back our good will with the playerbase. I reroute future plans to fixing the foundation. We get back to basics, we get a team going to fixing WvW,
-WvW This gamemode is in dire need of help and has problems dating back nearly to launch. They get a solid 25% of devs because this gamemode is the big moneymaker and it was a big selling point of the original game.
-PvP clearly we’re never going to be a big esport that ship has sailed. Make it a fun gamemode instead, stop trying to be an esport and get back to basics with pvp designed to be fun. 10% of the devs will be allocated to this department to work on balancing and some new fun maps/gamemodes. PvP skills and PvE skills are split and balanced independently.
- PvE This gets a big lions share of the action. We need to build up a lot of stuff, I am giving this department a solid 50% of devs. We need to really work on defining what we want from open world vs instanced content. We need to incentivize dungeons, and to fix fractals. The first step is to release the abandon fractal. Also we’re retooling the instabilities to provide fun challenges and not just tedious time wasters. Dailies will be reworked to encourage running more diverse fractal scales including a 90+ daily tier with better rewards and ascended chances.
Raids will also be included in PvE we’re pretty happy with raids, but to create a level of inclusion we will release a lower tiered version of the raid once the next raid wing is released to make it more accessible for lower skilled players/people with less time to invest.
-Holiday/Gem store skins We realize that most of the games skins are released as part of the gem store, we want to apologize and will only be allocating the remaining 10% to this as a joint effort of designing fun gem store items and holiday events. We know that happy customers will pay for our products and that we should focus on engaging content rather than pushing out overpriced items on a weekly basis with nothing to use it for.
Once we get the foundation to a level where we can be proud of what we’ve done we will be discussing our plans and accepting input of what the playerbase would like to see in the next expansion.
Congratulations, you have just destroyed your income. Now you have to choose who you will lay off. Realize, it’s not the employees fault that they are being laid off, it’s yours for deciding to kill income.
Have fun with that.
K, so we just launched a disappointing expansion. People want content. I cancel all work on a future expansion. I make sure we buy back our good will with the playerbase. I reroute future plans to fixing the foundation. We get back to basics, we get a team going to fixing WvW,
-WvW This gamemode is in dire need of help and has problems dating back nearly to launch. They get a solid 25% of devs because this gamemode is the big moneymaker and it was a big selling point of the original game.
-PvP clearly we’re never going to be a big esport that ship has sailed. Make it a fun gamemode instead, stop trying to be an esport and get back to basics with pvp designed to be fun. 10% of the devs will be allocated to this department to work on balancing and some new fun maps/gamemodes. PvP skills and PvE skills are split and balanced independently.
- PvE This gets a big lions share of the action. We need to build up a lot of stuff, I am giving this department a solid 50% of devs. We need to really work on defining what we want from open world vs instanced content. We need to incentivize dungeons, and to fix fractals. The first step is to release the abandon fractal. Also we’re retooling the instabilities to provide fun challenges and not just tedious time wasters. Dailies will be reworked to encourage running more diverse fractal scales including a 90+ daily tier with better rewards and ascended chances.
Raids will also be included in PvE we’re pretty happy with raids, but to create a level of inclusion we will release a lower tiered version of the raid once the next raid wing is released to make it more accessible for lower skilled players/people with less time to invest.
-Holiday/Gem store skins We realize that most of the games skins are released as part of the gem store, we want to apologize and will only be allocating the remaining 10% to this as a joint effort of designing fun gem store items and holiday events. We know that happy customers will pay for our products and that we should focus on engaging content rather than pushing out overpriced items on a weekly basis with nothing to use it for.
Once we get the foundation to a level where we can be proud of what we’ve done we will be discussing our plans and accepting input of what the playerbase would like to see in the next expansion.
Congratulations, you have just destroyed your income. Now you have to choose who you will lay off. Realize, it’s not the employees fault that they are being laid off, it’s yours for deciding to kill income.
Have fun with that.
Wrong, I just bought good will and faith from my customer base. We will still sell copies of the expansion, we will still sell gems, and we will still have a playerbase to buy the next expansion when the game is in a state to support it. If the team I had dedicated to a certain thing doesn’t deliver anything after a whole 6 months? I replace them, I don’t push the punishment onto the customers.
first thing i’d do is offer an optional subscription model that offers preferred amenities, – so I don’t have to worry as much about constantly driving myself nuts with figuring out what to sell next….- I’d make it clear that this option is available to those who love guild wars and want to help support the team – in return they get air ship tickets unique sponsorship titles, significant discounts in things like cultural armor, an insider news letter, all things that have zero impact on pvp – and pve games, but more political about title and cultural status in gw2 – a shareholder! maybe make one area a little more posh for easier farming, preferred status in black lions, a place where they can do all those mini adventures, a sponsors unique home instance if you will!
then I’d focus on making a poll of things everyone wants fixed the most, and address each item by it’s poll ratings – in the end it all has to get fixed, but at least i’m addressing this to what the client needs, which is good free pr, and building an organized team strategy between community and developers.
(edited by Ricky.4706)
first thing i’d do is offer an optional subscription model that offers preferred amenities, – so I don’t have to worry as much about constantly driving myself nuts with figuring out what to sell next….- I’d make it clear that this option is available to those who love guild wars and want to help support the team – in return they get air ship tickets unique sponsorship titles, an insider news letter, all things that have zero impact on pvp – and pve games, but more political about title and cultural status in gw2 – a shareholder! maybe make one area a little more posh for easier farming, and a place where they can do all those mini adventures,
then I’d focus on making a poll of things everyone wants fixed the most, and address each item by it’s poll ratings – in the end it all has to get fixed, but at least i’m addressing this to what the client needs, which is good free pr, and building an organized team strategy between community and developers.
I was thinking of something like this as well, set up even like a gem subscription. So you subscribe for like a monthly gem allotment and you can get price breaks on the gems depending on the subscription length.
i’d just be transparent about it, no hype with larger than life marketing, as that will just encourage the whole haters rhetoric. Hot was a great package considering all it added to the game, hot was not a good release because marketing didn’t match expectation generated by marketing.
hot is a pretty darn cool addition to gw2 though, but the gating and the rules are a result of the expectation created by the marketing. – thus we have to make this last longer because we haven’t done everything they said we would have finished by then.
it was marketed for what it could be, and not what it is, which is cool in its own right.
K, so we just launched a disappointing expansion. People want content. I cancel all work on a future expansion. I make sure we buy back our good will with the playerbase. I reroute future plans to fixing the foundation. We get back to basics, we get a team going to fixing WvW,
-WvW This gamemode is in dire need of help and has problems dating back nearly to launch. They get a solid 25% of devs because this gamemode is the big moneymaker and it was a big selling point of the original game.
-PvP clearly we’re never going to be a big esport that ship has sailed. Make it a fun gamemode instead, stop trying to be an esport and get back to basics with pvp designed to be fun. 10% of the devs will be allocated to this department to work on balancing and some new fun maps/gamemodes. PvP skills and PvE skills are split and balanced independently.
- PvE This gets a big lions share of the action. We need to build up a lot of stuff, I am giving this department a solid 50% of devs. We need to really work on defining what we want from open world vs instanced content. We need to incentivize dungeons, and to fix fractals. The first step is to release the abandon fractal. Also we’re retooling the instabilities to provide fun challenges and not just tedious time wasters. Dailies will be reworked to encourage running more diverse fractal scales including a 90+ daily tier with better rewards and ascended chances.
Raids will also be included in PvE we’re pretty happy with raids, but to create a level of inclusion we will release a lower tiered version of the raid once the next raid wing is released to make it more accessible for lower skilled players/people with less time to invest.
-Holiday/Gem store skins We realize that most of the games skins are released as part of the gem store, we want to apologize and will only be allocating the remaining 10% to this as a joint effort of designing fun gem store items and holiday events. We know that happy customers will pay for our products and that we should focus on engaging content rather than pushing out overpriced items on a weekly basis with nothing to use it for.
Once we get the foundation to a level where we can be proud of what we’ve done we will be discussing our plans and accepting input of what the playerbase would like to see in the next expansion.
Congratulations, you have just destroyed your income. Now you have to choose who you will lay off. Realize, it’s not the employees fault that they are being laid off, it’s yours for deciding to kill income.
Have fun with that.
Wrong, I just bought good will and faith from my customer base. We will still sell copies of the expansion, we will still sell gems, and we will still have a playerbase to buy the next expansion when the game is in a state to support it. If the team I had dedicated to a certain thing doesn’t deliver anything after a whole 6 months? I replace them, I don’t push the punishment onto the customers.
You don’t have much experience hiring skilled programmers do you? Also, why would people buy gems, if there’s nothing new to buy?
I see where this is going:
My game company could totally beat up your game company! And Anet’s game company!
Oh, wait, I don’t have a game company. Hrm.
Or maybe here is an idea.
Don’t try to act like you’re a Game Director of a huge franchise, who has to make impossible decisions probably daily. I’m not happy about the decision either, but he is the freaking FOUNDER of ArenaNet – one of three, so I think you need to pipe down and let them keep on keeping on.
Instead of making ~yet another~ thread about Legendary Weapons being scrapped, go post in one of the 745326463690 threads already here. Please. We get you’re upset. I’m upset too, but try to take a deep breath and move past this.
It’s easy to play pretend and ~what if~ but you’re not. You will probably never ever have to make a decision that will affect thousands of people who bought something from you. Remember that from the other side of your keyboard.
Preach! ~fistbump~
| Claara
Your skin will wrinkle and your youth will fade, but your soul is endless.
To comment on what was said during the AMA, the division between live and expansion is reasonable in my mind. The game needs expansions sooner but NOT at the cost of a complete content drought on Live which is what we had last year. Those are the only numbers we got.
Now the numbers that ANet sees from their live metrics should guide them to areas that need attention because those areas are seeing fewer players than pre HoT or even the start of the year.
As a software developer who work in an environment where you sell and support your software product to customers, I can totally understand where MO is coming from. He/ANet has a diverse set of customers, all clamoring for attention on what is important to them, exaggerating the importance of some features that they really have no interest in and threatening to walk if their issue is resolved ASAP. That’s why they fall back to objective metrics however metrics can’t tell them the whys behind the numbers they are seeing.
TL;DR – The rough 2 to 1 split between live and expansion seems fine to me. Software development is hard and software customers love to threaten.
RIP City of Heroes
first thing i’d do is offer an optional subscription model that offers preferred amenities, – so I don’t have to worry as much about constantly driving myself nuts with figuring out what to sell next….- I’d make it clear that this option is available to those who love guild wars and want to help support the team – in return they get air ship tickets unique sponsorship titles, an insider news letter, all things that have zero impact on pvp – and pve games, but more political about title and cultural status in gw2 – a shareholder! maybe make one area a little more posh for easier farming, and a place where they can do all those mini adventures,
then I’d focus on making a poll of things everyone wants fixed the most, and address each item by it’s poll ratings – in the end it all has to get fixed, but at least i’m addressing this to what the client needs, which is good free pr, and building an organized team strategy between community and developers.
I was thinking of something like this as well, set up even like a gem subscription. So you subscribe for like a monthly gem allotment and you can get price breaks on the gems depending on the subscription length.
Yeah. I was thinking about something similar recently. I’m kind of surprised to see others thinking along the same lines. I sort of figured there must be some reason they aren’t already doing this! But if I’m not the only one who would seriously consider a monthly commitment package (don’t use that dirty word “subscription” right?) if the price is right…
I put all but one on legendaries. I put the last one on polish. After legendaries are done I put them all on LS. After that it’s balance.
I don’t diversify.
I have no idea how they structure their operations and even less of an idea on how to develop or even come up with a development plan for a game like this. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one in this thread that fits that description. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to ask other players what their personal priorities are? What would you like to see more of?
I’m too new to go in-depth. I haven’t experienced everything this game has to offer yet and I lack the historical perspective of established players. But so far I am having a blast, and I particularly enjoy the HoT maps. I’ve spent hardly any time outside of them since I reached level 80 – I haven’t even leveled a second character yet!
There are some things I dislike about them. Obviously, I would prefer it if I could simply enter the zone and begin running events, but it becomes a bit of a wasted effort if there aren’t enough players running the events. If they could fix that, my personal preference is to see more of that kind of design. The jungle maps are simply incredible to explore and adventure in (except for the “adventures” – ugh!).
I love post like this because all the post stating their ideas are really just saying “I have no experience running a game company or working as the game director for a huge game such as Guild Wars 2 and can offer no insight other than knowledge-less speculation BUT here’s how you should run your game.”
I’m not a game director but….I don’t know that it really works that way. You don’t just have a bunch of people, you have people with different skill sets and a passions and different group dynamics. Throwing more people at problem doesn’t necessarily help. Too many people can be almost as much a problem as too few.
That said I don’t think they should be putting too much into the next expansion just yet because though I’ve defended it I would be wary of dropping $50 on the next expansion based on HoT.
All I know is, whatever it is they are doing, it definitely isn’t working. They need a new plan. But too many companies continue using a lousy plan simply because it’s cheaper and easier rather than doing the work of coming up with a working one.
can i stop all current projects and just move 100% of them to the BLC weapon team? i mean im sure the players wont mind
first thing i’d do is offer an optional subscription model that offers preferred amenities, – so I don’t have to worry as much about constantly driving myself nuts with figuring out what to sell next….- I’d make it clear that this option is available to those who love guild wars and want to help support the team – in return they get air ship tickets unique sponsorship titles, an insider news letter, all things that have zero impact on pvp – and pve games, but more political about title and cultural status in gw2 – a shareholder! maybe make one area a little more posh for easier farming, and a place where they can do all those mini adventures,
then I’d focus on making a poll of things everyone wants fixed the most, and address each item by it’s poll ratings – in the end it all has to get fixed, but at least i’m addressing this to what the client needs, which is good free pr, and building an organized team strategy between community and developers.
I was thinking of something like this as well, set up even like a gem subscription. So you subscribe for like a monthly gem allotment and you can get price breaks on the gems depending on the subscription length.
Yeah. I was thinking about something similar recently. I’m kind of surprised to see others thinking along the same lines. I sort of figured there must be some reason they aren’t already doing this! But if I’m not the only one who would seriously consider a monthly commitment package (don’t use that dirty word “subscription” right?) if the price is right…
as long as it’s not pay to win, it shouldn’t be bad, it could be good for those people who want to play, but don’t have time to go deep into the game to play an adventure, or they get monthly vouchers for the black lion shop – mainly for cosmetic stuff. I don’t think giving them a montly gem allowance would work, not if you plan to charge them gems.
paying for stats is paying to win, which is also similar to grinding to win as in special stats that you can only get from things like raids or something that requires an excessive amount of grinding in an area that isn’t your preferred mode of gaming – this doesn’t affect pve as much as it does in pvp…..being that you have to stop pvp just to spend months grinding pve to get it. anything related to giving you a stat advantage should be off limits to any monthly fees. But i really don’t care if someone comes in with the fanciest sword skin or a sparkling mini because they paid for it through a subscription. I’m sure there is an rpg fanbase for that, that would enjoy it.
(edited by Ricky.4706)
The question was loose, but the answers were honest and legitimate, and I appreciate that. It gets interesting when you realize not everyone is pulling their hair because of legendary weapons suspension. This means that hopefully it’s just an uproar blinding more sound opinions, and while I share a lot of the sentiments WoodenPotatoes displayed it also means me and some other people are still hoping Mo will turn the tide because we know that’s completely feasible. Hopefully.
Mo will turn the tide
What?
I want him to part it like the red sea!
There isn’t a tide, there is no turning it. No matter what is decided if it comes down to having to choose which part of the playerbase to cheer up first, somebody else will take it the wrong way and say they’re leaving the game.
If they suddenly hired a bunch of people at great cost and we got legendaries and pvp balances and wvw maps and hot got easier/harder/smaller (who knows what people really want, right..) and raids got lfr and we got new dungeons and more fractals.. there would STILL be someone saying
“yeah but it’s too late for me, anet didn’t deliver it on time”
and someone agreeing with them.
pve, raid, pvp, fractal, dungeon, world clearing, legendary questing.. Zapped!