Decline Sword Coast Legends - RIP n-Space!

[Telengard]

Everyone and his mother had already asked the devs those questions anyway. So, asking them again would have just gotten the same boring answers anyone could read anywhere. Not to mention, if the devs have a marketing team on payroll, those are the exact questions they would have been coached for. That's how the system works. The red meat questions (or the tofu questions, as I like to call the public radio versions) are just things to throw to the base, so the base can nod to themselves and agree that the interviewer is one of them. The answer matters not. Which is good, because there never is an answer to those questions.

If you want real off-script answers, and you're not interviewing someone who's out of the industry and doing a tell-all, what you need to do is get the interviewee talking about one of their pet subjects. Get them on one of their own pet rolls, and then get out of the way. You still probably won't get any dirt, but you will get something unique

That's such a lame excuse to not ask a question. You're whole argument of "Everyone else has already asked that" is quite strange as you are assuming I as a viewer of sstacks videos have already read every damn article, interview, or press release about this game. I might have heard one or two things, yes. But I don't necessarily have the whole story.

Does CNN not interview a presidential candidate just because they were already on MSNBC or Fox News? Do they avoid asking a lot of the same questions? Of course not. Because CNN probably has an audience that doesn't watch all three.

The reason sstacks didn't ask these type of probing questions has already been addressed by him: It's not the type of show he wants to run. Fair enough. That's his choice. But to dress it up and say that you shoudn't ask a question because you might get a canned answer is ridiculous and bizarre. You might as well avoid having the interview altogether because you know they've already said the same thing to a million other press outlets.

Everyone's argument was, asking those questions will somehow get some new answer. It won't. It will get you the re-re-rehearsed answer that they have said a thousand times. And the important bit, the really important bit, is they won't actually answer the question. The question will be answered like so.

1) We did our best. 2) Mistakes were made, which we did not forsee. 3) We believe in [insert owner product here], and wish them the best.

I mean, if you really want to hear that a billion more times, go right ahead and ask those questions. But you all were talking like you wanted to hear something new. If you don't, if you just want to hear the question being asked so you can like the interviewer, and not because you want to hear an interview where questions are actually really answered, then those are the kinds of questions you should be asking.

 

[Mustawd]

veryone's argument was, asking those questions will somehow get some new answer

No, the argument was that the questions should be asked.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

I saw a bunch of NS interviews as this thing progressed while trying to confirm just how bad it would be, and I don't recall anyone asking any of those reasonable questions Mustawd suggested, let alone anything more combative than that. Perhaps there were and I just missed them, but I got the impression they were just choosing outlets who didn't know what they were doing or wouldn't ask about the mechanics or design choices beyond a superficial level - ie easy touches, not exactly hard to find given the clueless state of gaming media. I would have enjoyed somone asking those questions, even if they tried to evade them, as their evasions said a lot for those prepared to read between the lines. So this was a missed opportunity imo.

The first real answers came in the article linked in the Beamdog thread, where they talked about appealing to a "broader audience" etc.

 

[Telengard]

veryone's argument was, asking those questions will somehow get some new answer

No, the argument was that the questions should be asked.

Shall I delve back in and quote the people who were talking about getting the interviewee to break out of formula? Cause I will, if you want.

Or to put it more big picture, the red meat/tofu questions are never asked to actually elicit answers. Everyone in the know knows those questions won't be answered, and they know the exact 'answer' they will get before they even ask. Interviewers ask those types of questions to get the audience to like them, to get the audience to nod and agree with what the interviewer is saying, and believe he's one of us. The questions have nothing to do with the interviewee at all, since they will never be answered. That's why they're red meat questions - things to throw to the beasts to make them happy. It's part of the biz.

 

[Mustawd]

That's why they're red meat questions - things to throw to the beasts to make them happy. It's part of the biz.

I know that. This is nothing new. It works the same way in politics.

Shall I delve back in and quote the people who were talking about getting the interviewee to break out of formula? Cause I will, if you want.

Yeah, go ahead. Because I distinctly remember making the argument that these questions should be asked. I never insinuated that I expected a proper answer, however that is always a possibility. Asking the question at least puts the onus on the devs. If they want to give a canned PR answer I'll recognize it. You may not think so but it's still useful information. It tells you they should not be trusted to give you the full story. Just like anyone using a PR firm to coach them. On the other hand, if they speak more off the cuff, then it adds credibility IMO. Most of these guys are game devs. They're not polished interviewees themselves and can't pull of PR speak in a natural sounding way.

I would have enjoyed somone asking those questions, even if they tried to evade them, as their evasions said a lot for those prepared to read between the lines. So this was a missed opportunity imo.

Zorba said what I was trying to say more succinctly.

 

[Bubbles]

Or to put it more big picture, the red meat/tofu questions are never asked to actually elicit answers. Everyone in the know knows those questions won't be answered, and they know the exact 'answer' they will get before they even ask.

 

[Mustawd]

^lol. You can never discount the interviewee who just says whatever the hell pops in his head.

 

[Telengard]

I saw a bunch of NS interviews as this thing progressed while trying to confirm just how bad it would be, and I don't recall anyone asking any of those reasonable questions Mustawd suggested, let alone anything more combative than that. Perhaps there were and I just missed them, but I got the impression they were just choosing outlets who didn't know what they were doing or wouldn't ask about the mechanics or design choices beyond a superficial level - ie easy touches, not exactly hard to find given the clueless state of gaming media. I would have enjoyed somone asking those questions, even if they tried to evade them, as their evasions said a lot for those prepared to read between the lines. So this was a missed opportunity imo.

The first real answers came in the article linked in the Beamdog thread, where they talked about appealing to a "broader audience" etc.

Actually, from way back at the beginning, during their first press releases, I was already pulling in quotes here illustrating why their game wasn't going to be d&d, why it wasn't going to be the things people thought it was, and that it was a console game first and foremost, and probably one not even originally commissioned by Hasbro/WotC. I do not remember if I linked their interviews/press releases, or just quoted them. But people just wanted to believe, cause they said the words 'd&d' and 'creation tools'.

Nobody attack-dogged them then, of course, because that was previews time. Internet-jocks only attack dog once the writing is on the wall. Once the sales results came in, then the interviews changed to - what do you think went wrong? D&D fans are saying they wanted this other stuff, what do think about that? Blah bah blah, bah blah, bah blah blah blah. There is, in fact, a whole deconstruction article they did about that. And, of course, it doesn't say what the fans want - which is 'I'm sorry! I won't piss on d&d again!"

EDIT: And it won't say that, because nobody admits fault - until after they leave the industry, that is.

 

[Trashos]

None of you remember Nixon collapsing in front of the camera then?

 

[Irenaeus III]

Or to put it more big picture, the red meat/tofu questions are never asked to actually elicit answers. Everyone in the know knows those questions won't be answered, and they know the exact 'answer' they will get before they even ask.

What the fuck is this Jew puppet thinking at attacking our Lord Emperor Trump?

 

[Mustawd]

None of you remember Nixon collapsing in front of the camera then?

No. Old fag.

 

[Trashos]

I am not that old. But I still KNOW of it.

 

[Irenaeus III]

 

[Mustawd]

Too much old ass politics ITT. Can't keep up.

 

[Trashos]

Here is a quick version of the Nixon famous interview. There are more great moments that are missing in this short video ("It is not illegal when the President does it" etc), but let's make this quick and educational:

 

[Elzair]

So, is this game worth a sale purchase?

 

[ArchAngel]

No. It not worth GBs you spend torrenting it.

 

[Infinitron]

Somebody managed to get a statement from WotC: http://venturebeat.com/2016/03/31/s...r-determines-future-for-dlc-console-releases/

“Yes, N-Space is shutting down, and we are super-sad about it. We are proud of everything they did in bringing Sword Coast Legends to D&D fans, and we sincerely hope everyone at N-Space lands on their feet,” a Wizards of the Coast spokesperson told GamesBeat via email. “As for Sword Coast Legends going forward, it is unclear at this time, but we are working with Digital Extremes, the official PC publisher, to make sure everyone has the best possible experience with the game. Right now, we believe the Rage of Demons DLC will be released for PC, but we are confirming with Digital Extremes.”

The Wizards of the Coast spokesperson also said that according to Digital Extremes, “the console versions are complete, and they intend to release the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Sword Coast Legends. The timing isn’t confirmed, but we’re hopeful that they will release soon.”

Still no update on swordcoast.com!

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

I checked out the forums again and the last few diehards were blaming "the DnD community" for the failure of a game with "great foundations". Time to nuke that forum from Neptune's orbit.

And yes, the only posts confirming the closures were from Ash and Tony, the guys who had already left. That sums it up really, the approach to communication since the beginning. And people are still wondering if the stuff which requires servers (everything except single player campaign I think) will be usable for much longer. But no concrete statement or even something vague about how they are working on it.

It's actually been a fascinating train wreck, another sordid chapter in DnD crpg history, which I guess is why some of us kept following the disaster - but probably time to move on now (and replay TOEE with the new mod instead).

 

[Old Hans]

*sounds of a toilet flushing*

 

[Trashos]

"... As for Sword Coast Legends going forward, it is unclear at this time, but we are working with Digital Extremes, the official PC publisher, to make sure everyone has the best possible experience with the game. Right now, we believe the Rage of Demons DLC will be released for PC, but we are confirming with Digital Extremes. ..."

I smell panic.

 

[pippin]

That means they want the DLC to be released but they haven't contacted the publisher yet. In the meantime, it's quite probable that the publisher read the news about n-space. Oh boy.
Dragon+, the app of Dragon magazine, did ran several publicity articles about SCL and Rage of Demons, though... We'll see.

 

[Lilura]

Many of the lost souls are pleading for direct IP connection and removal of VAC; also quietly contemplating a return to or enquiring about NWN, a platform that was always vastly superior for their purposes, from the get-go.

 

[Mustawd]

Many of the lost souls are pleading for direct IP connection and removal of VAC

I think one of the modders mentioned to them that VAC is not so easily removed with an on-off switch. As there's not an actual studio to work on it, it probably will remain there forever.

Really, the biggest issue sales-wise was it's lackluster combat system as well as the extremely basic DM tools at release. Even if the latter issue was resolved, it's no fun to play in a BG Dark alliance type of game if you're looking for a serious CRPG.

 

[Lilura]

Their public relations was pretty appalling, too. You need to be upfront about what you're trying to achieve and not beat around the bush. The devs and mods failed to meet the criticisms head-on and the negativity buried the forum.