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Community feedback - Calm down, everybody

/linuX/gitano

Grizzled Veteran
Nov 22, 2005
316
3
germany
Hi all!

Well, i'm used to read between the lines in any messageboards and internet communication... and what i've read here so far, is that the RO devs might seem to feel within a range from disappointed to really pissed off by the negative feedback of some of the community members.

Thats something i really dont like, i think we should try to wipe out some possible misunderstandings:

To the RO devs:

Dont get all the criticism about steam and probably missing multi-platform support wrong. Be sure we all are really proud of u guys, really glad that u made this important step in going retail and will earn that money and honour for this awesome game now.
The screenshots of the upcoming realease look f*cking AWSOME, you have been, still are and ever will be my absolutely heroes in graphical artwork!

This game is and will be the best ww2 FPS out there... i never have seen a realistic shooter before with such an amazing athmosphere...actually, this is the only online-game i know providing athmosphere at all...
The new homepage...what do i have to add, quality job guys, looks really essential RO :)

So, please dont misunderstand such posts that deal with criticism on the way of distribution your game, i think lotsa ppl here feel that way described above.
They dont critizise YOU for getting retail, its more about valve and theyre steam thing, i guess. Be aware that lotsa non-U.S. people dont have a credit card or have access to one, so probably an additional way of distributing your baby would cover these folks as well. Probably a shipped cd, it doesnt have to be a polished one with coverinlay etc, i know of the quality of the software it contains, tell me whatever price u want :).



Regarding the probably missing Unix (Mac & Linux) support:

Well...that was a shock indeed, at least for not so few community members, as you might guess. Be aware that there arent so many games out there for these operating systems and from those which are available, RO is the absolutely kickass one...believe me, you devs have quite a huge amount of big fans of your work out there ;).
I am a bit afraid now, that u'll get these first disappointed reactions by unix-players the wrong way, kinda "f*ck these damn Unix whiners, they only want everything for free".

Thats ABSOLUTELY NOT how it is, we all have been totally thankful to you providing us such a great mod in the past, we can see the great work you did and we're willing to provide u with everything u need.
Keep in mind that lotsa Unix users have an idea about programming software and therefore have an idea about what hard and quality work you guys did.



To all those who have been a bit disappointed in the first moment:

Calm down a bit..and stay polite in your postings. There will be other solutions of distributing the game as well as solutions to port the game to other systems, i guess.
It is still the unreal engine, runs smooth under OpenGL and there are still some skilled coders such as Ryan Gordon at icculus ;).
Just give the developers the feedback they need and also give them a reason to keep us in mind... i hardly doubt this goal can be achieved with an angry and disappointed tone...

Well, thats what i needed to say.

Congrats to the RO team, good luck and keep up the good work u did in the past!

greetz,
gitano
 
Gitano,

Thanks for a considered post. unsurprisingly, we thought long and hard about all of the above - and expected some inevitable negative reaction. We've always been on the recieving end of negativity for stuff (such as giving Fileplanet an 24-hour exclusive in return for huge pimpage from them). On the Mac/Linux platform issue - we've talked with Valve about it and they are well aware of it. If I was a betting man (but I'm not), I'd reckon on them doing something about it in the future.

As for people disliking Steam - well, even more people hate loads of Big Box Publishers, so there ya go. Valve are also (inevitably) thinking about how to deal with the issue of having to use credit cards - more "futures".

And, right now, there is already far more positive than negative (inclduing the initial articles in the various magazines that are coming out soon) - so we are happy!
 
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I actually like everything about the new version. Steam. Vehicles. At least one unidentified mystery weapon :)D). Owning CS noobs :)D:D)

For everyone who wants a hard copy, Nero and 5 minutes of work will get you a good backup. the devs out did themselves this time, can't wait.

Linux and mac people shouldn't worry either. If valve is smart (and they are) they realize there are people on other OSs that want to buy games. Kind of an iTunes situation.
 
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i think every developer knows that there is a lot of complainig players that just say whats wrong and not say what is good... but that is called feedback... when player think game is good he doesnt need to write it -> he just plays it ... so i belive it is OK :)

btw to add something positive... i am realy realy looking forward ur 8-direction animation system... if i need something to have good feeling from game it is this... i will lower my textures below highest anyway so this is most importnat :))

keep ur work going u rock (i have never beliwed i will play something else than CS ...now i cant belive that CS was fun for me :p
 
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The benefits outweigh the negatives of using the Steam platform for on-line distribution as far as I am concerned. Not to mention it will appeal to a broader on-line player base than ever before, and hopefully provide more gamers to compete against. I predicted a great deal of griping regarding this decision; it's almost at the maturity level of the Fileplanet exclusives.

At any rate, as said before, avoid knee jerk reactions and actually take the time to understand our situation.
 
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Polygon said:
The benefits outweigh the negatives of using the Steam platform for on-line distribution as far as I am concerned. Not to mention it will appeal to a broader on-line player base than ever before, and hopefully provide more gamers to compete against. I predicted a great deal of griping regarding this decision; it's almost at the maturity level of the Fileplanet exclusives.

At any rate, as said before, avoid knee jerk reactions and actually take the time to understand our situation.
I understand your situation. You guys need to make money, you're a business and a small one at that. But understand our situation. If you want us to give you our money, lots of us either can't (linux/macosx) or won't (object to steam's adware/malware). You assume that everyone is fine turning over control of their computer to Valve? What a lot of people don't consider is that under this model they are only renting a license to play a game. I know that normal EULAs state that you're only purchasing a license to the software and that license can be revoked at any time, but using Steam means that there is now a practical way to actually enforce that EULA. Fine, it's your product and that's your right. You're asking people to not only trust some third party to automagically update and install software on their machines, you're also asking them to let some third party company determine when and if they can even use the software. What if Valve goes out of business? What does everyone do then? Don't say it's unlikely, the US automotive industry looked completely indestructable just a few years ago.

Let's be perfectly clear here: The benefits of which you speak are almost entirely YOURS. They're NOT the customer's. Your comment about the maturity level of the criticism is understandable from someone so renowned for handling criticism gracefully.
 
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Steam does have it's benefits for the user. For instance, If the developers fix a bug they can immedialty upload a new version of the product on steam. All users will thus download that small fix, and be bug free. The next benefit can be a positive, and a negative. Steam gives players a primary download source so that they may be able to find the file easily, and download it right away. I personally like steam, and I see why you may find fault with it, but you can not blame the developers for using something that will truly aid in business. Money does not grow from trees, and steam helps you save a good deal of it.
 
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Hey guys,

Glad to hear u didnt get these first reactions by us Unix-folks wrong. I just wanted to make sure, that u guys dont keep us in mind as whining bitches :D.

I have kept back my personal feelings yet, coz' i didnt wantto disturb the common joy about the upcoming things.
For those members who havent get it yet: quite a few dedicated gamers out there wont be able to play this game anymore, if there are no Mac and Linux clients going to be released. And after playing this great mod over years under their favorite operating system, its hard to understand why they wont be able anymore in the near future. Thats why they might be a bit disappointed, understandable, or not?

Well, a few suggestions:

Dont u guys already have the ported code for OpenGL, sound and the converted Unix binaries running in RO? If not, is it really so hard to convert 'em to Unix? I really believe, there'll be some helping hands to get 'em ported ;)

Wouldnt it be possible to provide these binaries via steam, then? I mean, i could ask a friend of mine to purchase those binaries then, and send him the money, if its only a one-time download. Wouldnt it be possible to provide different ways of getting updates, once you have a subscription, then?

What about the way of varification/ authentication, if u wanna play online? I think the guys from epic did choose a cool way to do so, providing a key server where u have to authenticate yourself, each time u logg in.
Lets say, this server is the valve server, now, couldnt u build the authentication system into the RO client itself?

Well..please dont take these suggestions above as an offend or something, i just dont wanna give up hope ;)

I know we have to beg now ...and hope ... and wait.

Anyway, it was a great time playing your game, thank you guys very much for the fun you gave us!

greetz,
gitano
 
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This concerns me because the realism in gameplay is in danger when the devs are trying to "get enough money" from the sales of RO. Has anyone ever browsed the DoD forums? Are you ready for the watery input and endless beeatch threads from pre/teenagers about how RO sucks? And what makes anyone think once the "paying customer" complains enough, dumps enough text into the forums, that RO will remain as on track as it is now? This move is for money, and you dont sell copies if you dont cater to the largest pool of "paying customers". Steam is known for it's arcadey titles, and therefore attracts that type of player. Realism based simulations dont attract huge followings, lets admit that much. So it makes me wonder if the need for money and the once prevalent dream to make a highly realistic WWII simulation havent flip-flopped in the developers minds. The fact that the significant Linux user base, that has been here giving feedback, populating the servers, participating in organised events, for years... has been so easily dropped concerns me. They are quite a large part of the hardcore base. Going with Steam as well, even though I understand all the ins and outs of the low distribution costs, and the built in player base, it truly is the lowest common denominator in respect to needing a credit card, no hard copy of the game, no Linux/Mac support, the needing to be connected to Steam to play therefore being monitored by Steam at all times, and "built in" players who arent even clamoring for something like this. Dont get me wrong, the screenies look beautiful, and I couldnt be happier for the devs in that they are finally making money for this tremendous title. Theres nothing I would like to see more than this thing becoming wildly popular, and you all suffering from bloated guts and egos (I can think of one who already does). I have ZERO problem with paying for this game, in fact I'm looking forward to "trying it out". I guess my concern is why the devs went with Steam of all things, it reeks of paper chase, and goes against my own mental image I had of the development teams intentions.


I guess it's stick-to-closed-clan-servers... implement-a-player-cap-and-skill-requirement-in-BFE... keep-your-fingers-crossed-time.

BTW, how much will it cost? USD
 
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