We've talked about this in our guild a couple of times over the past year. The main thoughts from us are that the game in terms of PvE content is better than its ever been, but our problem is that we've been playing it for 6+ years now. After that length of time, things start to get old no matter what happens.
At the moment the main thing keeping us together is the raiding - Firelands is brilliant. We're a small group of friends from Uni with a few others that have joined over the years. We meet up reguarly and we have relaxed raids where we have a laugh and everyone knows each other. It's good fun and we've not found another game that can match it, let alone the effort in getting everyone to rerole etc.
I don't think this will be of any major concern for Blizzard. Their subscriptions could half and they'd still be the largest MMO in the world and the game would still be worth developing for. Even if subscribers drop, they can probably just cut back on some hardware and merge servers with no loss to players. Several times a year for the past 2 years I've heard of "WoW Killers" (Age of Conan anyone?) and how WoW is at the end of its life and won't last another expansion. That's rubbish. The game will last as long as its profitable, maybe even another 3 expansions. Eventually a game will come along that will deal it a big blow, but thats not happened yet, and even when it does, it probably won't kill it.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Ultima Online still going and didn't it get another expansion last year? As long as the game brings in money Blizzard will support it and maybe even a bit beyond that point as long as people play.
I use BCC quite frequently at work, mostly when I reply to a client regarding something important that my ops manager would quite likely want to know about, but wouldn't want the client to know he was aware of (since some are the kind that would then want to deal with him directly on it which he doesn't have the time for). BCC lets me respond and makes me the main contract, but quietly lets my manager know whats going on (and gives him a copy of the email if he needs it).
Ofc, he knows he gets bcc'd into these so there's not much issue.
The difference between this and Blizzard's RealID is that RealID is a service on tp of the normal friends system in WoW - you can friend someone without giving your name, you just don't get as much info (see what char/server they're on at any time etc). Blizzard marketed it as something to use with people you actually know, not that Death Knight you thought was hot that one evening in Gundrak". That to me made it a lot less objectionable since there was no obligation to use it with all my friends.
Apple on the other hand seem to be going with this by default.
Slashdot Mirror
We've talked about this in our guild a couple of times over the past year. The main thoughts from us are that the game in terms of PvE content is better than its ever been, but our problem is that we've been playing it for 6+ years now. After that length of time, things start to get old no matter what happens. At the moment the main thing keeping us together is the raiding - Firelands is brilliant. We're a small group of friends from Uni with a few others that have joined over the years. We meet up reguarly and we have relaxed raids where we have a laugh and everyone knows each other. It's good fun and we've not found another game that can match it, let alone the effort in getting everyone to rerole etc. I don't think this will be of any major concern for Blizzard. Their subscriptions could half and they'd still be the largest MMO in the world and the game would still be worth developing for. Even if subscribers drop, they can probably just cut back on some hardware and merge servers with no loss to players. Several times a year for the past 2 years I've heard of "WoW Killers" (Age of Conan anyone?) and how WoW is at the end of its life and won't last another expansion. That's rubbish. The game will last as long as its profitable, maybe even another 3 expansions. Eventually a game will come along that will deal it a big blow, but thats not happened yet, and even when it does, it probably won't kill it. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Ultima Online still going and didn't it get another expansion last year? As long as the game brings in money Blizzard will support it and maybe even a bit beyond that point as long as people play.
Keep an eye out in pubs!
I use BCC quite frequently at work, mostly when I reply to a client regarding something important that my ops manager would quite likely want to know about, but wouldn't want the client to know he was aware of (since some are the kind that would then want to deal with him directly on it which he doesn't have the time for). BCC lets me respond and makes me the main contract, but quietly lets my manager know whats going on (and gives him a copy of the email if he needs it). Ofc, he knows he gets bcc'd into these so there's not much issue.
The difference between this and Blizzard's RealID is that RealID is a service on tp of the normal friends system in WoW - you can friend someone without giving your name, you just don't get as much info (see what char/server they're on at any time etc). Blizzard marketed it as something to use with people you actually know, not that Death Knight you thought was hot that one evening in Gundrak". That to me made it a lot less objectionable since there was no obligation to use it with all my friends. Apple on the other hand seem to be going with this by default.
You need one of those old cabinets with tape reels ticking around. Adds to the atmosphere and will remind clients of Thunderbirds etc,
For a second I thought my childhood dreams had come true and International Rescue was becoming a reality. Thanks a lot Slashdot.
An Ion Cannon you say?