October 14, 2009 - Change of Plans

[Zeras]

Every time I have wanted to make changes to EverWars in the past so that it can expand and grow into something a lot bigger and more in depth than it is, I have presented the ideas to the players and the response is usually quite positive.

However, when it comes time to start making changes and they are presented to the players, the vast majority do not want the changes made. That is understandable as most people, including myself, hate change even when it is possible I may like the new game even more when the changes have been completed. There is a sense that if the changes make the game worse, you would rather have the game as it was before than what it has become. I know this because I have played many online games and have gone through this internal debate many times myself.

After reviewing the player answers and comments to the questions I posted recently, it seems that the best solution for a more indepth game world is to start with a new game and idea, rather than redevelop and change EverWars as we know it.

Now, before any of you get concerned, this will have no effect on the continued development and expansion of EverWars. I still have a lot of plans for it and there are still a lot of new features and improvements that can be added. In fact, the changes and improvements can happen more quickly now that I don't have to factor in a much larger game concept. The only difference is that it will be done within the current structure of the EverWars game engine rather than implementing a massive makeover that the other plan would have caused.

I had planned to go live with the new game engine when the next Battle Age started, but I delayed the current Battle Age because I did not want to switch to the new game engine on EverWars unless I was moving forward with the redevelopment of the game.

So, the next step is opening up discussions on how to improve the existing EverWars game engine. I will be creating a new thread to discuss that so we, yes I said "we" since I will need your help, can get started on improving EverWars.

-Z

[Karmagasm]

...
I can't even...I

No. :|

[Karmagasm]

I'd be less ticked off if you up and decided to implement several or all of the features you've put up to discussion while completely disregarding our oppinions than I am now from the constant flip flopping.
You said it yourself some of these changes the players would not like but it was in order to make a better EW but now we're going in the other direction without even trying?

I'm about as livid as I can be over something on the internet.

[Zeras]

...
I can't even...I

No. :|

Karma, you have been the biggest voice against just about every single change. The only things you have really supported are adding things yet the redevelopment that was being planned required a lot of changes to the main game concept to make that happen. I explained that in great detail, but the bottom line is that you and others do not want changes, you only want new things and unfortunately, most of the new things that I had planned required changes.

For example, the new game was going to center around factions, but there is no way to integrate factions without replacing races with factions or otherwise completely rewriting the game. You don't like layout changes yet many of the new ajax features will not work with the current layout.

I honestly have had no preference between starting from scratch to develop a more in depth game world or redeveloping EverWars into that game world. However, you and many others have said you do not want many of the changes necessary to make those things happen and the thing is, these are the simple changes. There are some other necessary changes that will be a lot more controversial than these.

That is why I think the best thing to do is continue growing EverWars as a PvP game and focusing on injecting more strategy, personalization of characters and their development, etc. into the existing game while also beginning work on a new game.

-Z

[twodumb]

Quite frankly from the lack of discussion and not really seeing a negative reaction other than a few I'd say the majority of players had a wait and see attitude

[Zeras]

I'd be less ticked off if you up and decided to implement several or all of the features you've put up to discussion while completely disregarding our oppinions than I am now from the constant flip flopping.
You said it yourself some of these changes the players would not like but it was in order to make a better EW but now we're going in the other direction without even trying?

I'm about as livid as I can be over something on the internet.

Unfortunately, Karma I am not rich nor do I have enough wealth to sit around developing something for months just to see if it is something people will like. Believe me, I would absolutely love that. I enjoy development immensely!

Right now, I am at a point where I need to make a decision on what I am going to spend my time doing and really it comes down to three options. 1) I can redevelop EverWars making a lot of changes that seem to go against the player's wishes and hope that they do not leave in the meantime and that the end result makes them happy 2) I can focus on expanding and growing EverWars as a PvP game adding more strategy and features to it but no major changes or 3) I can drop everything and find something else to do though this is not something I want to do at all.

I have tried my best to explain everything I have done and plan to do. I have been more upfront about everything than I have any time in the past. Yet, you get mad if I make changes or you get mad if I don't make changes.

-Z

[Zeras]

Quite frankly from the lack of discussion and not really seeing a negative reaction other than a few I'd say the majority of players had a wait and see attitude

The responses to the questions I asked were for the simple changes and questions. I was hoping that there would be more support for those changes because it would make it easier to move into the more controversial and sure to be debated changes. However, as it seems always happens, most people don't want changes made.

Believe me, I understand that. I have quit games in the past over sweeping changes made by the developers well after the game was established. That is why I am very reluctant to implement changes that I know will upset a majority of the player base.

-Z

[FBGOnetime]

My biggest concern is, and I may have missed it, what happens to all of the dollars that people poured into it. I know you say that you will maintain everywars but there is no doubt that when the other game runs live, there will be a LOT less active players in a game that already only has maybe 10-15 dedicated players and 100 active players.

[Zeras]

My biggest concern is, and I may have missed it, what happens to all of the dollars that people poured into it. I know you say that you will maintain everywars but there is no doubt that when the other game runs live, there will be a LOT less active players in a game that already only has maybe 10-15 dedicated players and 100 active players.

I don't plan to "maintain" EverWars .. quite the opposite. I want to expand it and add a lot more features and strategy to it.

I have yet to even decide where to start with the new gameworld because my focus has been on switching from building the new game using EverWars as the foundation to instead trying to figure out what I need to add first to EverWars.

I know one thing I really would like to do with EverWars is replace the battle credit system with a stat recovery system. I will go into more detail on that in another thread so please save your questions and comments on that for the other thread.

I would also like to see a tradeskill system implemented in EverWars and the ability to imbue items with gems that offer bonus stats and possible abilities. Again, let's save those discussions for the other thread.

-Z

[Karmagasm]

...
You ask a bunch of questions in search of oppinions and neglect to mention that they're not optional paths but things that were necessary for continued developement or even mentioning what they'll provide? Are you insane?
No, that's it I'm done trying to understand this ****, I abdicate of my voice in any such matters because for the life of me I can't understand how in bloody hell anyone could work with such a chimera of genius and idiot.
Still going to play, not voice any oppinion.

[Zeras]

...
You ask a bunch of questions in search of oppinions and neglect to mention that they're not optional paths but things that were necessary for continued developement or even mentioning what they'll provide?
Everything is optional .. which is why the focus has changed .. I am shifting my focus toward what everyone wants.

Are you insane?
No, that's it I'm done trying to understand this ****, I abdicate of my voice in any such matters because for the life of me I can't understand how in bloody hell anyone could work with such a chimera of genius and idiot.
You know, you have always been rude toward me when you disagree with anything (which is usually everything) I say and I am not sure why that is. I have communicated more .. I have been very forthcoming with everything and even wrote a long post on the fact that a lot of changes would have to take place if the new gameworld was to be developed around EverWars. When the players say they prefer the current game to the changed game, I say, "Okay, I will go with that then." and yet you insult me over and over again.

-Z

[twodumb]

Zeras I'm still at a loss to see where a majority of those who bothered to answer your questions were against your changes . now granted some of them got side tracked when they answered your questions by opining something to do with a suggestion added to the question but still dont see where this supposed overwhelming opposition is coming from

[Markwas]

Props to you, Z.

I highly doubt the majority of the Everwars community even realizes the thought you have and continue to put into each update. With that said, I am often reluctant to voice an opinion on the dev forum because it is the work you have ultimately produced that I keep revisiting daily for some fun.

Just because we read the proposed changes and are reluctant to accept them DOES NOT mean they are bad . . . . we are simply uncertain of the result and thus choose the safe option.

Z, if you ask me, I'd say implement the changes you see fit in creating the Everwars community that YOU have created. YOU are the brains behind this creation, not Karma or anyone else for that matter. The majority of the community will continue to back you, and if changes are implemented that we deem problematic, I bet after a week they completely dissolve . . .

. . . with the exception of maybe Karma :p



Again, mad pr0ps.

Markwas

[KUR]

...
I can't even...I

No. :|


What speechless!!!! I guess someplace did freeze over. But in all fairness to Karmagasm, if I had known that some of the changes that you wanted to make were dependent on major changes to the programing, my answers to some of the questions would have been different.
And not to digress too much, but, is our current BA over today?:cool:

[Udo von Krieg]

Z, I would like to clarify that I am not personally and I cannot infer from our answers that we as players are against changes. We may be against what we perceive as changes that do not bring improvements with them. I mean no offense, but what you have done looks more like picking our brains than open discussion. You, as developer, have a broader picture of all issues about the game. We have to take your word on Development issues. However, it is not fair to lay on us the responsibility of abandoning your plan because we cannot grasp its benefits. That is beyond our relationship between player/developer.

"If only you could understand" is a very poor excuse. To understand, me must know where we are now, and where do you intend to be in the near future.

Do not get me wrong. I find your efforts outstanding. Your expectations for the development of EW sound very interesting, but on what strategy will it be founded? Budget? Workers? Volunteers?

If you share a bit more of your dream, we may help in making it true. After all we are living and fighting in your dream, Z.

[malaka]

As I see the list of questions, I feel like some of the changes will make any character growth a waiste of time and money.

In your post Z, you said about your ideea about factions <that would mean erasing all the races and start over>. What about the $ people spend on the game over the last few expansions, wouldnt that go to waiste as we would start fresh ?

This is my view on why you got a negative feedback...but that just me, others may have seen things different.


Ohhh...and Z, i dont understand why you kick up about it, people may disagree with some changes....so what..pick up and go on.
I expected a more grown-up answers back, from you.

Respect,
malaka

P.S. while i was away for a few months from the game, i went to play battleknight. I liked the ideea of beeing able to merge artifacts to items, and make them "different".

[Karmagasm]

You know, you have always been rude toward me when you disagree with anything (which is usually everything) I say and I am not sure why that is. I have communicated more .. I have been very forthcoming with everything and even wrote a long post on the fact that a lot of changes would have to take place if the new gameworld was to be developed around EverWars. When the players say they prefer the current game to the changed game, I say, "Okay, I will go with that then." and yet you insult me over and over again.

-Z

Consider it my own personal flaw as a human being, you're just the type of person that I can't get along with, your very personality traits irk me to no end, which would be fine if they didn't translate into how you develop the game and communicate with the players (not that you're being as rude or crass or even insulting as me) but unfortunately it does and for all my liking this game and even what you come up with in the end, I just can't stand engaging in any sort of conversation with you without feeling my nerves screaming at me to clock you due to your seeming own lack of basic understanding. I do appologize for being at times too hotheaded and insulting but I have personally reached my wits end after 6 and more years.
So for the sake of my nerves, the rest of the community and yourself I'm quieting my voice in terms of oppinions towards developement...though given my own defects I doubt I'll be able to hold my tongue for too long.

Most likely I will keep playing whatever it is you're going to build upon everwars regardless of all this.