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Movie Based MMO Updates
Neo writes "The handover of The Matrix Online to SOE has finally begun with users given 45 days to convert their accounts over to SOE's Station system." Star Wars Galaxies, TMO's sister game, has been having its own troubles. A recent patch had to be removed from the live game because of overwhelming, crushing player protest. Another "Star" MMOG has new help this week, with none other than Michael Okuda signing on to work on the Star Trek Online Massive game. From the article: " A technical designer and all-around Star Trek guru, Okuda has worked as a technical consultant to the writers of The Next Generation, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine television series, as well as seven Star Trek films. He will primarily design the game's interface, along with serving as a more general Star Trek universe consultant."
If it has voice over IP, it will just degenerate into a ham contest, and endless stream of Shatnerian pauses-for-effect, "Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor", and horrible Scottish brogues
Play Command HQ online
for anyone still playing SWG. Masochists really deserve what they get. It was clear literally years ago what SOE's strategy was. Its still carrying bugs from Beta, presumably because they are understaffed or underresourced or something, but they keep pumping those (purchasable) expansion packs out somehow. People waited for over a year for the promised combat fix/rebalance/revamp or whatever it ended up being called. And even then, its rubbish and not much better than the original system. From friends who foolishly stayed on I have heard some interesting stories. In particular, their CSRs have notably become steadily ruder, more isolated from management (they seem to know nothing more than the players 9 times out 10) and somewhat less able as time has gone by. Not surprised really, on a personal level it must be a nightmare to play the role of a steward on the deck of a virtual Titanic. Nerves are well and truly frayed in that quarter.
SWG has long since transcended gaming; I hear they are up for a Tony award under the heading "Longest running farce".
This is honestly not meant to be flame bait, if you're having a fine old time thats cool for you. But don't complain, SOE know for an absolute fact at this point their player base are essentially mugs who will put up with any old nonsense. If that wasn't true you'd have cancelled your account years ago.
Really, the writing is not so much on the wall about that game as carved into your eyeballs at this point.
Plays violent online games as: Nerfherder76
TIKCFWAIIIAIITLTFOWTHATAMTIDTJTTWAIMYSCUTPWAA"GO"A YAUOTLVTEQUABLSBFTTACOHTCE*
* = The internet keyboard cowboys' fetish with acronyms is irritating, irrational, and immature. It takes longer to figure out what the hell all the acronyms mean than it does to just type the words. Also, it makes your speech completely unintelligible to people who aren't as "geeked out" as you and up on the latest verbal trends. Everyone who uses acronyms beyong "lol" should be forced to take a class on how to communicate effectively.
Attention moderator: given I'm agreeing with the story as posted how can it be flamebait? John Smedley, if thats you, stop jerking around on Slashdot and get back to sorting some of your games out huh.
Plays violent online games as: Nerfherder76
Okuda's got imagination. The ability to think up a bucketfull of technobullshit at the drop of a hat that not only sounds cool, but somehow plausible. With him involved, there's a very good chance Trek Online might actually have a measure of depth and challenge that would make it worth playing. Just keep the braindead regurgitators like Rick Berman the hell away from it, and all will be good.
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
-Hoban Washburn
hehe, as long as they don't let Berman and Braga near it, Star Trek Online should be good stuff. I read some of the articles about its basic design on one of the fansites and with Okuda designing the interface, it will be much like the real thing. I just hope they take the time to make it work well, rather than rushing it out the door if it's taking longer than expected.
Windows isn't the answer... it's the question. NO is the answer!
You will start as a Star Fleet Cadet (Year 1). You will be tasked with cleaning out an Infestation of Tribbles from the Jefferies tube on the USS Treadmill. You will be given a bent pipe (poor quality) and sent on your way.
You will then spend the next 10 hours beating Tribbles with this pipe to make it to Cadet (Year 2).
Perhaps by the time you graduate the Academy you will actually get to use ranged weapons. Which you will then use to shoot that annoying Ferengi kid from DS9.
-EvilMagnus