Pexsus

I'm kinda curious if anyone else has ever gone back for a second look?

I dont know what possessed me to patch it up and try it again, but I've been having quite a bit of fun messing around with my noob rogue and disciple. updated content, easier travel, less lag/bugs, defined economy, it all makes me wonder if VG might actually make a bit of a comeback and deliver on at least a few of the promises.

I doubt it'll ever become my game of choice, but it's a hell of a lot of fun to mess around with when I'm not raiding.

Niber

It's a SoE product. At best it'll turn into a half-ass EQ2.

__________________

Pitty

I started to install it last week while looking for change from eq2, then stopped and installed wow

I think it was the gigs of d/l's that changed my mind - i probably shouldnt have deleted it last year, digital downloads heh

__________________

Nosaj

I was in VG beta and experienced the lag fest that they promised wouldn't exist at release. Maybe it's better now but is that because they improved it or because only 74 people are playing? What happens if they all go to town at the same time?

SoE did the smartest thing they could have when they bought VG. They drove it right into the ground to eliminate competition and never put any effort into making it better imo.

__________________

psylitar

I heard there is supposed to be a "Re-Release" this summer some time, after they make a few enhancements they wanted to make. My roommate and a few friends played for awhile. It looked pretty, and they crafting system seemed cool. I bought a CE box set at Gamestop for like $19.99, just because it was so cheap, but I never actually activated the key. Maybe I will some day for kicks.

Currently we all play Age of Conan, which is prettier by far, and has some interesting game play. It has plenty of "Brand new Release" bugs, but we'll see how it comes along. (Crafting is the suck right now).

__________________

Be the Ultimate Ninja! Play Billy Vs. SNAKEMAN today!

Rothrek

It's still the best game ever made

__________________

Panthera

Businesses don't buy assests to purposefully make fail. At least profitable ones don't.

__________________

Morara

Yeah, because Vanguard was competition at any point before SOE bought it.

__________________

Nosaj

Because they're doing such a spectacular job with EQ2, right?

And look at how many small businesses that Microsoft has bought, taken what they wanted, and closed the doors just to eliminate competition. I guess maybe they aren't profitable though.

__________________

Panthera

Is SOE profitable? Hate them all you want but this division of Sony makes money. Hell, EQ2 makes money.

I know, I know..the game is doomed and servers are soon to be merged into one just before they run out of money completely and can no longer feed the gerbil who will then starve and kill the game forever and ever. And I know this has been said since before LU13 and every few weeks thereafter but I know it is really true this time.

Really.

Nevertheless Vangaurd was never competition with the crowd EQ2 wants to capture.

Microsoft? Ok...I'll bite. How many? There must be oddles cause they are so huge and evil and stuff so rattle off a few "businesses" Gates has purchased with the sole intention of shutting down.

Now, I'm not talking about picking up something in a fire sale and selling off the equity. That is a legitimate business practice and nor am I talking about merging a product line that they tried but eventually failed.

Name a direct competitor that was in danger of cutting into Microsoft's bottom line to the point where shareholder capital was laid out to purchase them and then discontinued their product lines. Where Microsoft actually posted a loss to earnings for a failed merger/acquisition.

The fact is, businesses do not and cannot stay viable that way. A more appropriate analogy would be a restaurant chain who buys that new place about to open across the street who can't afford to open on their own. The chain writes a check to the owner, pays to finish the place, advertises it and then purposely sells crappy food so people won't come back.

That is closer to what you are suggesting SOE did and that is insane.

__________________