Please read this
Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 2:55 am
this is a letter by texrat from the gearbox forums and i think we should all read this
First, there's been a lot of emotionalism all around regarding Halo (both versions). This is understandable: lot of passion and energy in and around this game. Unfortunately something that should be a pro quickly becomes a con as lines get drawn over "turf" issues, ie, where does responsibility for given aspects of the game pick up and leave off for the various parties involved.
I'd like to see us get past the name-calling, finger-pointing and blamestorming. Game development is NOT as simple as some would like to think; unfortunately there are corporate politics involved. Halo PC (and CE) is a victim of a complex arrangement that has left its future in a muddled, incomplete state. We the players are victims of a catch 22 where future development is concerned. So, if left solely to the Powers That Be, the game would remain in limbo and die a dwindling death.
Enter the development community. Certain persons have taken it upon themselves to circumvent the political hurdles that have Halo CE stuck in a quagmire. Gearbox has been strangely silent for the most part on the amazing things that have come out of the community. Maybe Gearbox employees take affront at this, seeing their turf infringed upon. Maybe they're tired of the petty warfare over the state of the game. Maybe they're tired of the criticism, constructive and destructive. I don't know. I just know the silence isn't helping things. Neither is any frustration expressed by forum moderators-- nor by the developers themselves.
My opinion is that, without the map makers, the programmers and the community leaders, CE would already be dead rather than on life support. We were challenged to provide 1000 players for future support-- however, as most recognize now, that hasn't happened. The reasons have been hashed and rehashed, but I'd like Gearbox to consider this: look at the sheer number of CE downloads, and also server stats, combined with the available servers, and ask yourself why persons trying didn't all turn into persons staying. SOMEthing (or things) about the product didn't compel enough people to stay. And so, in the absence of apparent formal support, an ad hoc gang of developers and modelers has acted to fill in the gaps and keep CE on life support if not something greater. Did you not see the surge when New Mombassa was released? Think about the ramifications-- the as-yet-untapped potential. And think about building a bridge to these fired-up "outlaws" so that we can all stem the flow of EX-Halo players and unite the community at large. Isn't that better than participating in conflict?
The last time I tried something like this the results were unfortunate. I hope the admins here will let this thread stay and that we can get some rational, productive dialog going. ALL of us share an intense passion for this game, or we wouldn't be here. Let's start with that and put the useless garbage in the past, okay?
And lest anyone suspect it, no, I don't intend to perform oral sex on any community leaders (;)). At 43 I'm just a tad too old to engage in hero worship... but not above expressing respect for work well-done. Nice work, all.
respect to texrat......now we can do this.
and if a mod reads this can u move it to somewhere people might read it.
First, there's been a lot of emotionalism all around regarding Halo (both versions). This is understandable: lot of passion and energy in and around this game. Unfortunately something that should be a pro quickly becomes a con as lines get drawn over "turf" issues, ie, where does responsibility for given aspects of the game pick up and leave off for the various parties involved.
I'd like to see us get past the name-calling, finger-pointing and blamestorming. Game development is NOT as simple as some would like to think; unfortunately there are corporate politics involved. Halo PC (and CE) is a victim of a complex arrangement that has left its future in a muddled, incomplete state. We the players are victims of a catch 22 where future development is concerned. So, if left solely to the Powers That Be, the game would remain in limbo and die a dwindling death.
Enter the development community. Certain persons have taken it upon themselves to circumvent the political hurdles that have Halo CE stuck in a quagmire. Gearbox has been strangely silent for the most part on the amazing things that have come out of the community. Maybe Gearbox employees take affront at this, seeing their turf infringed upon. Maybe they're tired of the petty warfare over the state of the game. Maybe they're tired of the criticism, constructive and destructive. I don't know. I just know the silence isn't helping things. Neither is any frustration expressed by forum moderators-- nor by the developers themselves.
My opinion is that, without the map makers, the programmers and the community leaders, CE would already be dead rather than on life support. We were challenged to provide 1000 players for future support-- however, as most recognize now, that hasn't happened. The reasons have been hashed and rehashed, but I'd like Gearbox to consider this: look at the sheer number of CE downloads, and also server stats, combined with the available servers, and ask yourself why persons trying didn't all turn into persons staying. SOMEthing (or things) about the product didn't compel enough people to stay. And so, in the absence of apparent formal support, an ad hoc gang of developers and modelers has acted to fill in the gaps and keep CE on life support if not something greater. Did you not see the surge when New Mombassa was released? Think about the ramifications-- the as-yet-untapped potential. And think about building a bridge to these fired-up "outlaws" so that we can all stem the flow of EX-Halo players and unite the community at large. Isn't that better than participating in conflict?
The last time I tried something like this the results were unfortunate. I hope the admins here will let this thread stay and that we can get some rational, productive dialog going. ALL of us share an intense passion for this game, or we wouldn't be here. Let's start with that and put the useless garbage in the past, okay?
And lest anyone suspect it, no, I don't intend to perform oral sex on any community leaders (;)). At 43 I'm just a tad too old to engage in hero worship... but not above expressing respect for work well-done. Nice work, all.
respect to texrat......now we can do this.
and if a mod reads this can u move it to somewhere people might read it.
I'm gonna read it again.