I am curious... what is your opinion "politically" of Blizzard? So far, my
opinion of them is that they are one of the few companies that relentlessly
turn out quality products, like you pointed out, although their "expansion
pack" concept has gone to crap. I paid 50 bucks for the diablo 2 expansion
(locked in with a pre-order) when the original game was only 40. BOY was I
pissed about that. 125% the money for 25% the game.

Does anyone else have the big chip on their shoulder that I've developed
towards expansion packs? Blizzard is getting real good at releasing a game
with most of the story, and then only giving you the last chapter with an
overpriced expansion. I have more or less gotten to the point where if a
game has an expansion pack, I'll borrow a friend's version rather than buy a
copy myself. I don't like those tactics, and after Diablo 2, I have
resolved that I will not be buying any more Blizzard software... but the
expansion pack concept has spread like wildfire throughout the gaming
industry and I consider it an insult. Same with Baldur's Gate, et. al.

Is it just me??? :-)



>From: Dan Pinal <danp--massmedia.com>
>Reply-To: AlternateReality-From-barrick75-hotmail.com--alternaterealityarchive.com
>>Subject: Re: [ar list] Final Fantasy Online...?
>Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 16:16:27 -0800
>
>WoW, this list got busy over the weekend. My daughter played the FFXI beta
>and got tired of it rather quickly. Her problem with it was the same
>linear story for everyone and just an enormous amount of tedious level
>grinding to get to the next story advance.
>
>Played both EQ and DAoC as well as UO. Camelot was by far the best but
>ultimately unbalanced and incomplete. I gave up on it after nine months
>which I considered more than reasonable to pay for what was essentially a
>beta and still not have it right. But it did keep my interest longer than
>the others simply by holding out a carrot they never delivered on. I don't
>go back to games like these ever, simply because they sucked plenty of
>money out of the players to get it right and didn't. Typically, these
>companies downsize quickly after the title ships, leaving a small staff to
>work out bugs and actually complete the game.
>
>DAoC is promising a new expansion and wonders upon wonders while they are
>sweating out losing their player base to World of Warcraft. This in my
>opinion is the one to watch and wait for. Regardless of what I think of
>Blizzard politically, they do an excellent job of releasing something only
>when it's ready and after they've done everything they can to make it fun.
>I believe the beta is months away, and I've already heard comments that
>their alpha is better than anyone's release. I won't be investing time in
>another MMOG until this at least reaches release.
>
>Oh yeah, and anyone that read the beta boards knew to avoid Star Wars
>Galaxies like the plague, or a Devourer with the munchies.
>
>DanP
>This message is encoded ROT0. Decoding is punishable by death under the
>DMCA.
>
>
>
>
>


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