Runes of Magic US / AU

Quoted from "deus69xxx;506957"

the incredibly unfortunate thing is, and i'm not sure you all remember this: the core of the game, it's programers, is Runewaker. they're the ones with the 'programming experience' that would be used to fix things. and they have a new pet project now, Eligium.

Before any rumor mills start, I have to correct this mis-statement. The first 2 sentences are correct; Runewaker IS the developer for Runes of Magic and they ultimately are the ones controlling the content and whether bugs get fixed (or not fixed...) The last part, however, is incorrect. Eligium is published by Frogster, but it is not from Runewaker. Eligium is a joint effort from developers Shanda and Goldcool. On top of that, Eligium is handled by new staff, completely unrelated to the staff handling Runes of Magic. They are not even on the same floor of the office building.

On to the suggestions... I agree with Helsing's sentiments. This was a good MMO (keyword = "was"). However, I can't turn a blind eye on the fact that Runewaker's ability to deliver quality content has more or less nose dived. At the core of the content available on RoM is a lot of good ideas and features; the problem is that they're just riddled with bugs and often don't take the playerbase into consideration (or only take a fraction of the playerbase into consideration). Even if this game only catered to endgamers--and often we can say that it does--the fact of the matter is that even the endgamers are going to be unsatisfied with the poor quality of programming...

1.) Just take siege out. Until it can be programmed in a way that is more functional and less problematic, there's really no reason to have it in the game...not even as a "beta." The way they currently have it configured results in a lot of lag, and a lot of inconsistencies cross-server (like some servers are a few seconds ahead of other servers; probably due to the fact that each server is its own independent server, and now suddenly they have to be temporarily "merged" together in this independent siege zone). I would link to the post in which the server status was explained, but since the implementation of the new forums, this post has been deleted. I think it was from 2009 or 2010 or something...

2.) Should have moved the server to the middle of the US. Like... Nebraska. Or Texas. Having it on the extreme west coast creates too much lag for east coast users and having it on the extreme east coast creates too much lag for west coast users. Just put it in the middle somewhere so that it cuts the distance in half X_X (At the worst, we would all just be equally lagged. lol.) Also, why Florida? So that our servers would go down every time a hurricane blows through? xD

3.) Server merges = yes please. But just merges of the smaller servers. For example, no real point merging Govinda and Artemis unless you want a lag fest. But merging Reni and Osha or Grimdal and Indigo would be acceptable. If, in the future, population becomes too high for the existing servers then just add ONE...if the fills up, then you can add another. But for now it would be better to consolidate than to pretend that all servers will someday (over the rainbow) be equally highly populated.
On a side note: to prevent further player loss, they would have to develop a system that allows them to transfer item shop items and maybe character levels for the merge. Otherwise you'd just have a bunch of cranky people that "lost" their characters and invested money.

4.) Cash shop... just don't even get me started. If it's ever made to be even *remotely* fair to the diamond buyers, then we'll be on to something. Right now people aren't getting enough bang for their buck, plain and simple. I don't have a problem with a pay to win game; I have a problem with people getting ripped off and paying an arm and a leg for incremental progression (which is rendered worthless after 3-6 months).

Quoted from "deus69xxx;506957"

the incredibly unfortunate thing is, and i'm not sure you all remember this: the core of the game, it's programers, is Runewaker. they're the ones with the 'programming experience' that would be used to fix things. and they have a new pet project now, Eligium.

Eligium was not developed by Runewaker, but by a Chinese developer called Shanda Games. Shanda is many times larger than Runewaker, and appears to both develop and publish many games in Asia, some of which I've never seen in the western market. Frogster publishes Eligium, but Runewaker has nothing to do with Eligium at all.

Runewaker's second MMO is called Dragon's Prophet, supposed to release later this year, and which interests me not at all. What little information I can find says Runewaker will publish it themselves, but I don't know to what market. It has only been in development for 18 months, so my expectations would be very low. It takes Runewaker longer than that to fix minor bugs in RoM or get Siege out of beta, so how can they be expected to make a whole new game in that amount of time and it not suck?

Your point is not invalid, even though your facts were wrong. The car analogy doesn't work very well though, since it would cost much more to develop a new game than to fix an old one. I wouldn't worry about DP shutting down RoM. I would be surprised if it even competes, since all the word-of-mouth will refer to bugs and other developer issues in RoM. Runewaker really should focus on making RoM, their first game, a really GOOD game. Then they could build on that reputation instead of trying to live it down with new crap.

Edit: Did I really spend over an hour searching out all that stuff? Gah! Anyway, kudos to EsxCape for beating me to it.

Quoted from "midknight129;506844"

What's the state of the game? California.

Actually, isn't only the American corporate presence still in California? I am not sure if the Frogster America CEO and CFO (Germans here on "work permits") even maintains their US offices anymore.

I am still waiting for the California FTB to wake up and back-tax all their 'unpaid' employees since they were still paid in cash-substitutes (i.e. diamonds) specifically for tax evasion (shame shame Frogster). Then I would assume the Federal IRS would also get their back taxes (and penalties and interest). Poor poor naive noobs, being duped into working for 'free'.....

i stand corrected on eligium.

that being said, seriously, they're making a game in 18 months-ish worth of work? i sens a RoM engine dropped into a new car thing P:

the analogy is terrible i admit, but you see, it's longer term. with the old car, you gotta keep replacing, and replacing, and replacing... with the newer used car, you can do RoM all over again. run it into the dirt and hope an oil change is all it takes to get it to keep running. before you have to start replacing and replacing and replacing again....

and then yes. this game is their trailer for any future games. if anyone at FA reads this: let RW know what they're doing to themselves with this. find an english-taiwanese translator, pay him big bucks to get the solid point across. they're shooting themselves in the foot

Quoted from "Whippingboy;507013"

Actually, isn't only the American corporate presence still in California? I am not sure if the Frogster America CEO and CFO (Germans here on "work permits") even maintains their US offices anymore.

I am still waiting for the California FTB to wake up and back-tax all their 'unpaid' employees since they were still paid in cash-substitutes (i.e. diamonds) specifically for tax evasion (shame shame Frogster). Then I would assume the Federal IRS would also get their back taxes (and penalties and interest). Poor poor naive noobs, being duped into working for 'free'.....

There is no more American Frogster presence in a corporate sense (i.e.: They don't have an office in NA anymore). Some of our GM's work from NA (US and Canada) but not many. Most of it is administrated out of Europe.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with most of you. My ping when the servers were in CA was 97 most of the time now it's normally around 37 but even dipping down to 17. I have had ZERO problems with SW and I don't think I have crashed 1 time since the servers were moved. Then again the servers are now with a company in Miami, FL which happens to be the state I live in. Sorry for all of you who are used to being close to the servers but now we get to swap places.

Quoted from "SwordofOmens;507130"

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with most of you. My ping when the servers were in CA was 97 most of the time now it's normally around 37 but even dipping down to 17. I have had ZERO problems with SW and I don't think I have crashed 1 time since the servers were moved. Then again the servers are now with a company in Miami, FL which happens to be the state I live in. Sorry for all of you who are used to being close to the servers but now we get to swap places.

Centralized location IMHO would be much better option then state that does not know how to vote and get's hit with hurricanes all the time. :p

As for other Frogster game, even if developed by other team, I doubt I will even install it. Still looking if anything good will happen in RoM, but with bad taste from this experience, I doubt I will ever again try game that Frogster publishes, not even web based one.

Quoted from "RoMage;507133"

Centralized location IMHO would be much better option then state that does not know how to vote and get's hit with hurricanes all the time. :p

Psh.. if it was in the middle people would complain that those of us that live in the midwest, (Iowa whee move it here!), have an unfair advantage because we're close. Can't please anyone.

Well, it appears that regardless of the bugs, there is nobody answering tickets anymore. I submitted a ticket 4 days ago and it has not even been looked at yet. The automated message says to expect a reply within 24 hours. Obviously, nobody is doing tickets anymore. That and the bugs is why I only play about 1 hour a day now and then siege if I can play without being one of the laggy ones.

Quoted from "xanth444;507218"

Well, it appears that regardless of the bugs, there is nobody answering tickets anymore. I submitted a ticket 4 days ago and it has not even been looked at yet. The automated message says to expect a reply within 24 hours. Obviously, nobody is doing tickets anymore. That and the bugs is why I only play about 1 hour a day now and then siege if I can play without being one of the laggy ones.

They are still experiencing a Ticket Backup, yes even after what like 2-3 weeks, Tickets are STILL Backed Up. Their Data Center move was nothing more than to try and save Money from the cost of running the servers. That Move just seemed to make the game function even worse, but yes lets blame everyone's Internet Connection and Computers even if you have Top of the Line Kit. I really still wanna see a User Online Tool, but they won't Enable it for Consumers due to the poor player base and retention rate. Frogster needs to invest in more Brainy hamsters, and reliable serrver nodes/data centers.

Sure looks to me that frogster moved the server, not to help the game but save money.

"The State of Game..."

About 2/3 of my guild has downloaded and tried other games this week. Me included... I gotta rinse the brain after how horrible the other ftp game was (random rewards for questing, click combat interface (no auto attack), zones/portals every 10 feet, 30 backpack spots, 10 bank spots, no house storage, too easy, etc...), but am hot on the heals (currently downloading another to try) of other ones which people also say are good...

I have to say that about 5 guildies only logged on for siege and I haven't seen them in a week or so... Others still are just annoyed at the total lack of any response from FEU. I still have fun playing RoM so am still here. But after a month or so of this i am willing to entertain other games, which is a shift in mindset for me.

I think maybe I was little too harsh earlier since I addressed the game as a whole. I think I have to half take back what I said simply because the problem is the US servers...not the game as a whole. I think somewhere else in the forums I jokingly said "Or we could all reroll onto EU servers." At the time I didn't think much of it, but it kind of sat in the back of my mind for a while. So finally I thought "Eh what the heck...I'll just jog over to the EU servers and see if there is really any difference at all. Same game, same patches, how different could it be?"

I. was. so. wrong. @_@; lol. The EU client is much cleaner and more organized for one thing >.> Whomever is setting up the localization and design has done a much better job over there. Another thing is I didn't crash even once. Not even a crit error. Could be coincidence though... And lag? No lag over there. At least not that I saw. They're across the ocean and my ping is at a sane level? Amazing. And economy? Way, WAAAAY better than what we've got goin on over here. Statted Mighty Phoenix Wings for under 8 mil in the AH? Pfff yeah I'll buy that, please and thank you Just wow... having visited there makes me think "THIS IS WHAT THIS GAME IS/WAS/SHOULD BE! *.*"
(Side note: Siege War at 2pm instead of 10pm? YES! YESSSSSS!!!! Never been so happy about a time zone difference xD)

I'm not convinced I'm going to stay on the EU client because I have way more money invested in chars on US side... but still it was an interesting and eye-opening experience. I honestly wish that our US servers were looking as good. Which begs the question: Why aren't they? -_-;

Quoted from "Jguy;507118"

There is no more American Frogster presence in a corporate sense (i.e.: They don't have an office in NA anymore). Some of our GM's work from NA (US and Canada) but not many. Most of it is administrated out of Europe.

There still has to be at least a corporate "shell" presence for tax purposes. Even if their new offices are only a "maildrop", there is still a lawyer and accountant maintaining the US paperwork, somewhere out there.

I hate to say it, but the State of Game is that it is dieing slowly plain and simple. Each day less guilds sign up for siege war cause it's broken, customer service has vanished and there is no feedback here on forums of any kind except from the players themselves.

When I saw the name of the thread I thought about the state of the union addresses :p

"The state of our union is strong" said pretty much every president in history on that occasion under a thunder of applause. Well fellow Taborean, I can tell you the state of our game is weak!

My biggest problem at the moment ('cause I'm used to crash/bug and I've abandoned SW altogether): this is not a MMO anymore. It's a MO 'cause there is nothing massive in the current population. Outside of seeing a couple people around the minigames NPC and doing the butterfly quest (what a shame BTW at lvl 70 to run that to farm TP; I'm SOOO depressed every times I do this daily in exchange for a fifth of 1 lvl increase for 1 spell) there are no one around anymore in this game.

I used to cross path with people all the time in that game. I even remember a time when there where too many people doing the elite worm quest in Limon! Too many people, a thought I haven't had in months now.

Thing is once you hit level cap and are fairly geared up, what do you do...you think to yourself ohh yeaa Ima go PK people (if you are on the pk servers) however, who you gonna PK when there are so few people online. If you are on the PVE servers ohhh yeaaa Ima go Farm and Farm Instances then do Siege...oh wait Siege is in beta and atm is performing like a pentium II on dialup. So then you just AFK ingame and randomly chat with people... The people that are just discovering RoM and created a char will only find ghost town servers with few helpful people/guilds ingame. Most people will feel left out if they cannot join in on instances or sieges due to them being lowbie with nub gear, in turn ragequit or ragebuy only to find out endgame isn't that great either...