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My sympathies to all who got laid off. Thanks for your work on a game I've spent more time in then I probably should have.
This, after everything else that's been happening (or more like hasn't been happening), really doesn't bode well for the future of this game. That makes me sad.
I agree completely, Delgon. This person, and others who are taking this (inappropriate) opportunity to say 'told you so' will eventually learn that this isn't how you win in life. They clearly do not realize it yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by DelgonTheWise
I think this is an exaggeration. If turbine can figure out how to use their resources in a way that tantalizes their existing player base, then LOTRO can be alive for years. How often have players begged for the simple things: a new hobby, housing additions, raid revamps, LI revamp/cosmetics etc. Turbine thinks the only way to make money and keep/add players is through flashy new game systems with an advertiseable name, tacking on a new zone, and adding by 10. A new philosophy could do wonders even with a significantly smaller staff.Quote:
Originally Posted by Glumposneak
Over the last few years they have yet to prove that they can actually accomplish this so I don't have much hope. My sympathies go out to all those affected by this.Quote:
Originally Posted by BillBones
Trouble is, they cant figure it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by BillBones
We were promised the housing revamp in 2013 and they couldn't manage it, it was too bigger a job. Some bugs have remained unfixed for years. It already seemed to me that they were vastly understaffed.
Sure Lotro can keep ticking over for years to come, but unless there's a big change of heart, I cant see big expansions ever coming again (again nothing would make me happier than be proven wrong, I have a lifetime membership and I want to complete the story)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glumposneak
Considering he says he has no empathy for anyone at Turbine, he obviously meant it in a hateful manner. If he didn't mean it as a hateful "I'm glad you got sacked!" type post, I'd be surprised.
And no one deserves to be laid off unless they're lazy or a detriment to the company. I've yet to see a problem with Sapience (I'm assuming that's the Rick you're referring to). He's PR, and he's doing the best he can with the leeway he's given, I imagine, and seems to go out of his way to interact with the playerbase, unlike many other game companies.
I'm very sad to hear about the layoffs.
My thoughts, prayers, and best wishes go out to all who are affected by these job cuts.
Amlug will be missed.
This certainly stinks, though. I am empathetic to those who lost their job, but my hopes for the product I am paying for are sinking with such massive layoffs. I have no idea what upper management is doing.
True, but we don't know that they were hiring wisely. Programmers may have been entirely devoted to new game systems. Surely mounted combat was many thousands of hours in effort. Additionally, I will never understand why 5-7 different people were doing design work on the class revamps. I think it hindered the process more than helped it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Glumposneak
Losing your job in this way is lamentable. Hope everyone lands on their feet. Best of luck.
Sad news on ALL accounts. First of all, all the hard working devs that were laid off. Regarding the negative comment that was posted: It's no doubt that these devs were hard working and loved this game as much as we did and I'd be willing to bet they aren't happy with that the game has become either, but they had their orders and sadly the state of the game probably didn't permit anything better than what we got with HD. :( My thoughts are with these guys, I hope they find new employment soon.
Second of all, it shines a light on the real state of affairs regarding the game. Like someone else said, it would appear LoTRO is in a worse shape than we imagined. I guess the trait revamp, the oversimplification of quests, utter increase of DPS, HD and the shift to solo play was a desperate attempt to wrangle as many players as possible, and while we don't have any solid evidence to back it up, everything seems to point the complete opposite is happening. Kins are suffering considerable losses and players and friends I had are leaving the game. It's a sad endeavor. :(
I wish somehow, someway, LoTRO can resurrect from the ashes and resurface again, but with the reduced workforce I really doubt it.
Looking through the employees that have stated they were affected in some manner, it looks to be not only LOTRO developers...
That said, someone already pointed it out that this is a common occurrence with larger corporations, and with Q1 coming to an end they are looking to refocus for Q2 and beyond.
Video game crash 2015.
The only reason you're on the forums is to do exactly what you just did, and is completely uncalled for. Don't like the game or the direction it's going? You have a choice, guess what it is? It includes not coming here to post such venom against people who just lost their jobs. Let's hope you don't find yourself in a situation where you open your pocketbook and find nothing in it. Have a nice day. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanbor
Well, I can't imagine why they would be optimistic about Infinite Crisis. Theme is not enough to carry a game that depends upon both gameplay and having enough players that people can compete against peers in their skill bracket.Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkCntry
My sincere condolences to all affected by this measure.
In a recent hobbit walk, Sapience noted that Turbine had grown so much over the last three years he no longer knew everyone working for the company. This after the layoffs from a year or two back. Companies regularly prune, replace, and then grow larger. This tells us absolutely nothing about the health of Turbine.
Its always sad when someone loses a job for whatever reason. Good luck to those who have departed and good luck to those left behind.
Well, that's a little bit naïve, Vexendynamus. No matter what else is happening in a company, a set of layoffs that take out an estimated 20% of the workforce will have significant impact on the morale of the remaining team. Even if some parts of the enterprise continue to do well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vexendynamus
The game seems to be a pretty decent work-in-progress. While it may not hold the numbers of LoL or DOTA2, it is still in a legitimate infancy stage and doesn't seem to be having any major issues. It also looks like the DC fan base is also enjoying the concept based upon the conversations I have overheard at the comic shops around here.Quote:
Originally Posted by BillBones
I hope those impacted make a quick adjustment and get their lives back on track quickly... always a tough experience.
My hope from this is that there has been a decision to stop throwing money at the black hole known as IC and focus instead on LOTRO and the people who support LOTRO financially.
I wish all those affected a speedy turn-around in finding a new job. Unemployment is no joke!
I'll keep playing LotRO through U13, but it looks bad thereafter. time to jump on a new game it seems.
My thoughts go out to all who have lost their jobs. It is not a nice thing to experience, especially when you've been with a company for a significant number of years. I just hope that the cuts are few and not many. These people have all had a part to play in bringing Middle-earth to life and for that I will always be grateful.
My main concern now is what does this cut mean for LotRO? Development has seemed pretty tight over the past year, and now I imagine it being even tighter. I would really appreciate some sort of official response from the LotRO team about how this is going to shape things for the game going forward. Are we going to see development plans slashed? I've spent thousands of hours playing this game, and I hope to add thousands more, but I am worried that things may not last.
Thanks, Galu
The problem that Turbine & WB have with IC is that it's up against some pretty tough competition that know their business: Not only the established LoL & DOTA2 that pretty much rule the roost but with Blizzard entering the genre with Heroes of the Storm, I would not like to be in Jeffery Steefel's shoes right now.
Anyhow, back to the thread. Will be good to see some form of comms from the LOTRO producers on whether the plans laid out for 2014 are still in place or whether there is going to be a change of approach.
The wording of the WB press release makes you wonder which parts of Turbine are the "growth areas" and which are the bill-payers.
On the face of things, you'd think IC is a "growth area," since it's the new project and (ostensibly) the reason WB went out and bought Turbine in the first place (for their expertise with online games). It would also make sense that WB see MOBAs as the "current and coming marketplace" vice MMOs (which are so 1995-2012, zomg!). On the other hand, IC has reportedly been badly delayed and might have become, in WB management's eyes, an albotross to be discarded.
If the first possibility is true, parts of the LOTRO, DDO, and AC teams, as well as the staff shared across the games, might be the bill payers.
If the latter is true, the team formed to push IC out the door might be the ones who were laid off.
The answer directly affects the path ahead for LOTRO, of course. I'd love to know which of these (or what third possibility) it is. Maybe at some point at Turbine staffer might be allowed to come give us an update on the projected future of LOTRO development, esp. relative to what we thought we knew from the Dec 2013 Producter's Letter.
p.s. Just saw that my last thought echoes the sentiments of two previous posters. Jinx!