king_muumuu Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 It's shady marketing at best and I don't approve of it at all. Having more money doesn't mean a whole lot anyway. I would say that Jagex could use the money to hire more people to ban bots, but with this rollback BS, they probably just want $ from the bots too. Having more money here isn't improving the game - it's making it worse (inb4bots lower prices). The P2P game should be inherently entertaining enough in and of itself to draw members to its content. Not some points 12 days out of the year, bonus xp 6 days out of the year, and holiday events 4 days out of the year. This isn't pay-to-play anymore. It's pay-for-365-days-and-play-for-a-third-of-that. Sounds legit. Instead of wasting dev time on garbage like this for artificially inflated membership numbers like this, they could be working on the Eastern Lands, the ROTM quest line, or even Prifddinas, which we have been waiting over 5 years for. This would actually improve the game instead of giving someone the ability to use a a hand shake emote (which doesn't even look like a hand shake...) or a barely useful aura (and how could I forget the extremely useful recolors and outfits + the totally unannoying titles). RuneScape will never be looked upon as a respectable game by video game critics or anyone else if they continue crap like this. Just look what happened with Team Fortress 2 - it was an extremely popular game amongst the PC gamers until Valve started selling hats in the game (for real cash), which didn't quite collapse their player base, but certainly diminished it enough to have them release it for free on Steam. Strategies like this have failed in the past. They will certainly generate much temporary revenue, but will ultimately decline due to a lack of continuous substantial content (which is what I'm subbed for). If Jagex doesn't stop with these semi-microtransactions, so too will the enjoyment of the players fall into a dismal abyss of non existence. You took the words out of my mouth with your 3 paragraphs there. I began playing in 2004 but quit in March this year, not because I found the game boring but because it was evident Jagex had fallen a long way from what it was originally. They are probably richer than they ever were, but the game is the worse it's ever been because of their decisions that favour money over game quality. The return of free trade, after having stated for years it would never be back, along with their resetting of botter stats instead of permbanning them were the last two drops in a full-to-the-brim cup. Despite still liking the game, I refuse to financially support a company that so blatantly disregards good gameplay and their customers. The release of MLP only reconfirmed my diagnosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crocefisso Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Despite still liking the game, I refuse to financially support a company that so blatantly disregards good gameplay and their customers. The release of MLP only reconfirmed my diagnosis. You, sir, are a man of impeccable judgement. "Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me." - H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose585 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 So maybe this has been said, i quite honestly didn't read all of the pages. But I am so tired of this trend of "ragging" On Jagex. Jagex is not your friend, but a company in business to make money. It bothers me that people with no clue continuously bring this argument up. If you don't like what Jagex is doing, quit. hows the weather up there. where the rich people live. currently, in the poor area its -1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaklumen Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I'm tired. Insomnia is awful. But some random stranger rang the doorbell despite it being 23:45 at the time, so maybe I'll be awake enough for a sufficiently thoughtful response. Quick aside: the word bias as it was originally conceived by the Greeks did not originally have such a negative connotation; they thought it integral to a debate. They did, however, along with the Romans, establish the old school trend of presenting two sides to an argument. I get that the Times is Rune Tip's editorial piece, but, heh, speaking of that... The only article I wish to respond to is "Underhanded Methods Always Fail." So I was speaking of bias-- here's mine. I'm 36, and I'm a father and husband on disability. Although I've had lots of free time, by the generosity and support of family and friends, I moved with my little family into a house. It needs a lot of work, and I assure you I have many more important things I should do than kill time on a game that's notorious for being a grinding treadmill. Still, it's nice to have something that's a pleasant diversion, not to mention a cheap one. I'm on a fixed income, but right now Runescape is an incredible deal compared to the other known MMOs out there, and is a very small expense compared to my other ones, some of them more needs than wants. It also fits my playing styles very, very well. I was more disappointed with Jagex making a connection with Facebook. There were many reasons why I left-- brusque, rude behavior being one, and the Zuckerbergs' policies on privacy another. I must say with sardonic amusement that I do remember many adults my age and older playing games I ultimately found were 10X more banal, grinding, and monotonous than Runescape-- not to mention I do remember some of those players plunking down some serious money for extras. That said, I thought the bias of "Underhanded Methods..." seemed like that of someone who is not financially independent yet. (Heh, all right, Duke Freedom, I'll admit it freely to all these people, who may have forgotten you-- I have to tell them you are right about adult players, freely spending extra cash for online games, although I still won't condone RWT.) So I am inclined to think those that are complaining loudest are grade school and college students, not financially independent adults with a steady source of income. Myself, I've paid membership pretty steady for the most part since 2002 or so. I think there was once that it lapsed, and then another time a friend in Europe very kindly sent me a little bit of money so I could keep membership going. Both times I was close to flat broke. But most of the time, my rate has stayed at 5US$ a month and my continued payment by plastic keeps it right there. I did wonder why Jagex hadn't done more to reward really longtime players, and I wondered this with the cape update as well (I don't think Veteran stretched back far enough). But really, my main reaction was, "Cool, a little something extra for something I'm already doing." Those that know me know I'm a niche player, finding value in training spots long abandoned or ignored, and that I observe some fairly obscure aspects about the game. The auras will suit me fine; I'll find uses for some. Others have none for me, but I'm not worried. Others might remember my odd sense of humor and my strange obsession of costumes. For a time, I demonstrated that female players seemed to have all the best outfits. That changed with Treasure Trail updates, and these new costumes from the MLP. I'm also a bit anti-social for reasons of post-traumatic stress. I play with all chat set to 'Friends' most of the time. Besides random fun, the emotes do serve a purpose for me now and then. It also ties back to my strange sense of humor: on rare moments I like to mess with random players I don't know at all. Oddball aura, you'll be mine for that purpose, almost all by itself. I don't mean to say Jagex isn't doing some cheap marketing; on the contrary, I do agree. I just don't think MLP is the prime example. I remember discussing it with a college/university student friend of mine in-game. She really detested the flagpole that RuneFest attendees received, as well as the Ornate Katana by way of Gamestop's card. Again, I think these are better examples of how Jagex could go down the path of some game developer on Facebook. But strangely, she was not as phased by the MLP, and we shared what rewards we'd got for ourselves. I think that's more the average opinion of most players who have steady memberships, and really, others here have more or less pointed out that those taking membership breaks for school and such are the ones complaining the most. And I don't mean to say that Times authors aren't entitled to their opinions. I've known stormveritas for a while, but I don't agree with his opinion on minigames at all, even that Jagex is making a trend of them. But I thought the backlash against his article as it stood was immature and quite rude. That also said, I have to also agree that descriptions of faeces does not make a compelling argument to me. Oddly enough, Crocefisso, if Tip.It allowed you to say "this is bull****", I would have gotten your point immediately; because most people I know do not use that term to make sure I am thinking specifically of the stench and odor of fecal material. But I understand the forum and website policies are as they are. I doubt that overall the users would use such language sparingly and only with their truly intended meaning. In other words, you wouldn't have to be careful with me, but I will say that your euphemisms failed. I've had enough experiences smelling faeces that I think a more direct description of such fails to tell me what you are truly thinking about the update. p.s. this friend of mine noted that the marketing blitz seemed to come when the Gowers left the board in January. I think Tip.It would have gotten my attention far more if that possibility was considered, despite Andrew's threat of a lawsuit way back when still fresh in my mind (oh yes, ladies and gents, it was over allegations in a Times article, too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crocefisso Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 So maybe this has been said, i quite honestly didn't read all of the pages. But I am so tired of this trend of "ragging" On Jagex. Jagex is not your friend, but a company in business to make money. It bothers me that people with no clue continuously bring this argument up. If you don't like what Jagex is doing, quit. Yes, this criticism has been made in the past - on this thread and every other Tip.It thread in existence - and, frankly, I'm tired of people's shallowness. I am neither anti nor pro-Jagex; this article was critical because I feel it was a terrible update, past articles of mine praised other updates that I felt were good. The readers, if they want to actually be involved in a proper discussion, need to stop trying to throw around accusations of ranting, bias, and whatever else. If anyone writes a positive article, people go "waah, the EP is pro Jagex and it's unfair", and if they write a negative one, it's all "they're raging on Jagex and it's mean". People really need to stop giving these unfounded, unhelpful and downright fatuous criticisms and just respond properly or not at all. Similarly, the fact that Jagex is a company is both discussed on this thread and acknowledged in the article. And I think the general consensus is that Jagex, as a company that makes video games, needs to try and make their game compelling enough to play rather than wasting time with gimmicky little schemes. And I don't mean to say that Times authors aren't entitled to their opinions. I've known stormveritas for a while, but I don't agree with his opinion on minigames at all, even that Jagex is making a trend of them. But I thought the backlash against his article as it stood was immature and quite rude. That also said, I have to also agree that descriptions of faeces does not make a compelling argument to me. Oddly enough, Crocefisso, if Tip.It allowed you to say "this is bull****", I would have gotten your point immediately; because most people I know do not use that term to make sure I am thinking specifically of the stench and odor of fecal material. But I understand the forum and website policies are as they are. I doubt that overall the users would use such language sparingly and only with their truly intended meaning. In other words, you wouldn't have to be careful with me, but I will say that your euphemisms failed. I've had enough experiences smelling faeces that I think a more direct description of such fails to tell me what you are truly thinking about the update. p.s. this friend of mine noted that the marketing blitz seemed to come when the Gowers left the board in January. I think Tip.It would have gotten my attention far more if that possibility was considered, despite Andrew's threat of a lawsuit way back when still fresh in my mind (oh yes, ladies and gents, it was over allegations in a Times article, too). I'm really quite tired of the focus that has been given to one phrase. It is not remotely useful or constructive as feedback goes; not only do I find much of the criticism insubstantial, it is also of no use to me because it is not a phrase I ever intend to repeat in an article, because that's generally not the way writing an article works. It's an utterly fruitless line of discussion. I was not even aware that Gowers left the board in January. That being the case, there is no doubt that the marketing blitz is linked to this. But this does not make the blitz any more of a good way of developing games, because it's a totally backwards strategy to adopt. Jagex need to focus on improving their game before they can try these tricks again. "Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me." - H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meili Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 The Gowers left the board? This is news to me. So they took their money and are enjoying themselves in a sunny beach somewhere? *Not a criticism, it's what I would do if I were a millionaire. The Runescape Wilderness - Meili's Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirkka Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 The Gowers left the board? This is news to me. So they took their money and are enjoying themselves in a sunny beach somewhere? *Not a criticism, it's what I would do if I were a millionaire. I was surprised too. Wikipedia says this: In December 2010 The Raine Group and Spectrum Equity Investors invested in Jagex, while Insight Venture Partners increased their investment. Andrew Gower, Paul Gower and Constant Tedder left the board of directors at that time. Though Andrew Gower is currently listed as Jagex's principal architect, it is unclear how involved he, his brother, and Tedder still are in the management of Jagex. 40,919th person to access Turmoil. 21,559th person to access Overloads. Are there any hidden bonuses here? No bonuses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaida23 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I had no idea either. I looked around and according to stellar dawn central they left the board back on December 3. Is it a coincidence that they left right before the RWT free trade/wilderness vote? Check out my blog to read the Adventures of a Big Damn (F2P) Hero. THE place for all free players to connect, hang out and talk about how awesome it is to be F2P. So, Kaida is the real version of every fictional science-badass? That explains a lot, actually... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonanananas Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I had no idea either. I looked around and according to stellar dawn central they left the board back on December 3. Is it a coincidence that they left right before the RWT free trade/wilderness vote? [sarcasm]No, definitely not...they're both completely unrelated[/sarcasm] I mentioned this some time back in an article about Jagex appearing to be moneygrabbing...and I really have to say it didn't get better. The Katana, the MLP...while at the same time most of the recent quest and updates were dismal. Of course there are always different opinions on updates, but nobody I know is really happy with this year. ACS and Do no Evil were probably the only really good quests this year, there wasn't a single interesting and worthwhile skilling area released, and the only other updates people enjoyed were the clan ones and Nex. Apart from that, rushed, unfinished content, often unbalanced and seemingly without the wish to improve the game, just to heap more stuff on it. On top of that the return of the wild and free trade with masses of uncontrolled bots. If you only speak of people enjoying the game, this move was stupid as hell. Most players had more or less adjusted to it by now, and if they hadn't heard anything they wouldn't have minded that much. But no, they have to reintroduce it and put the game into some serious problems. There have been unpopular moves of Jagex in the past, but all this bullcrap really just started right after the board of directors was changed. It definitely is no coincidence, and it makes sense. After all, Jagex/the gowers were relying on Runescape for money. They have to make sure that an update doesn't hurt the essence of the game. The investors don't have to do that. They can just milk the cash out of it, and if it does hurt the game and Runescape loses out on players, big deal, they just invest somewhere else. It's the worst thing that could have happened to Runescape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grogthurk Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I stopped reading the first article after I read the "Jagex just wants people to keep subscribing (especially after the summer)." or whatever it was. Why wouldn't Jagex try to keep subscribers/earn more? Get with the times. This is how they make income. Shame on them for giving us something, FOR FREE. The incentive for non-members to become a member is insane. Non-member: "Well golly! The whole world, hundreds of quests, all skills, tons of minigames and items! That couldn't get me to be a member. But, auras, new costumes and emotes! WOW! I'LL SIGN UP TODAY!" Get with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ts_Stormrage Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hello everyone, I had also written an article about this week's subject (Loyalty Programme)... But I came up short (thats a first :o) so I'll post what I had written down hre now... Do with it as you please :) Bought and Paid for By now most of you will have had the opportunity to check out the Loyalty Programme. With Members' Loyalty points (MLP) gained over time as a result of having membership, you'll be able to pick rewards ranging from slightly useful to downright hilarious. The first few rewards you pick may tell a lot about what sort of a player you are. Sure, it's hilarious to shoot Cabbages, Squids and other paraphernalia from your Cannon, but others prefer slightly (and I truly mean slightly) more useful aura's. But I hear a few arguments against this update, voiced by many people. But they boil down to this - Jagex is handing out in-game benefits in order to get people to buy more subscriptions. Similar arguments were heard when the Katana and Flagstaff were released. If there is a point to the arguments of all this being either RWT or just a marketing scheme, the same can be said for all the benefits you normally get with membership, such as the Herblore skill and Castle Wars. Don't get me wrong, I do believe that Jagex should definitely spend less time on updates in this category, and more on working on a permanent solution to the cheating problem. But these "tokens of appreciation" for future-long-term-members that, if you go along with the speculation, should get more spectacular over time, still seem nice. But with all that said, do you really think that there is anyone out there who will buy a month of membership because of this update? I don't, even more so because I also doubt that people who planned on cancelling their subscription aren't going to extend it just to get that emote to use on F2P. So yes, I do think that this update wasn't a marketing ploy, but truly wanted to reward their subscribers. The saying "predictable is the man who's loyalty can be bought" doesn't apply here, simply because the price offered isn't high enough. The Loyalty Rewards are, for now, too insignificant an addition to all of the other benefits that you get when purchasing membership. So in essence, all of the Loyalty Rewards are already bought and paid for. Former Leader of The Tal Shiar Alliance - An Original Tip.it ClanMember of the Wilderness Guardians and Founder of the Silent GuardiansFounder of The Conclave - A Tip.it Clan institutionTip.it Times author (click for all my articles) - When I use the wrong reasons to make the right statement, argue the reason, not the statement.MSSW4 General - Did we kick your ass too?Check us out!==> No seriously, if you like FREE GP, XP and Dung tokens, as well as Community, Opportunity and above all FUN... <==CLICK IT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crocefisso Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 In December 2010 The Raine Group and Spectrum Equity Investors invested in Jagex, while Insight Venture Partners This is not good. Private equity firms and most creative industries - incl video games - do not bode well. It explains a lot of the recent stuff that's gone on. There have been unpopular moves of Jagex in the past, but all this bullcrap really just started right after the board of directors was changed. It definitely is no coincidence, and it makes sense. After all, Jagex/the gowers were relying on Runescape for money. They have to make sure that an update doesn't hurt the essence of the game. The investors don't have to do that. They can just milk the cash out of it, and if it does hurt the game and Runescape loses out on players, big deal, they just invest somewhere else. It's the worst thing that could have happened to Runescape. This is exactly the effect that private equity investment has on video games, something which is even more pronounced in products like MMOs which have to be constantly changing for the better. I stopped reading the first article after I read the "Jagex just wants people to keep subscribing (especially after the summer)." or whatever it was. Why wouldn't Jagex try to keep subscribers/earn more? Get with the times. This is how they make income. Shame on them for giving us something, FOR FREE. The incentive for non-members to become a member is insane. Non-member: "Well golly! The whole world, hundreds of quests, all skills, tons of minigames and items! That couldn't get me to be a member. But, auras, new costumes and emotes! WOW! I'LL SIGN UP TODAY!" Get with it. The fact that you didn't read the article shows in your lazy diatribes. If you'd continued reading, then you'd be aware of the fact that I acknowledge that Jagex need an income, but also point out the fact that just heaping in more content is not a realistic way of keeping the game itself interesting for a great many people. Read the article before you post next time. "Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me." - H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth_Poet Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 My response was about the article, but since you take it personally I'll make my final ones about my perception of you. Your immature comments are indicative of the problems that apparently still persist on the Times staff. In fact, they seem to be getting worse. I'll take care to avoid reading anymore articles from you. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grogthurk Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 In December 2010 The Raine Group and Spectrum Equity Investors invested in Jagex, while Insight Venture Partners This is not good. Private equity firms and most creative industries - incl video games - do not bode well. It explains a lot of the recent stuff that's gone on. There have been unpopular moves of Jagex in the past, but all this bullcrap really just started right after the board of directors was changed. It definitely is no coincidence, and it makes sense. After all, Jagex/the gowers were relying on Runescape for money. They have to make sure that an update doesn't hurt the essence of the game. The investors don't have to do that. They can just milk the cash out of it, and if it does hurt the game and Runescape loses out on players, big deal, they just invest somewhere else. It's the worst thing that could have happened to Runescape. This is exactly the effect that private equity investment has on video games, something which is even more pronounced in products like MMOs which have to be constantly changing for the better. I stopped reading the first article after I read the "Jagex just wants people to keep subscribing (especially after the summer)." or whatever it was. Why wouldn't Jagex try to keep subscribers/earn more? Get with the times. This is how they make income. Shame on them for giving us something, FOR FREE. The incentive for non-members to become a member is insane. Non-member: "Well golly! The whole world, hundreds of quests, all skills, tons of minigames and items! That couldn't get me to be a member. But, auras, new costumes and emotes! WOW! I'LL SIGN UP TODAY!" Get with it. The fact that you didn't read the article shows in your lazy diatribes. If you'd continued reading, then you'd be aware of the fact that I acknowledge that Jagex need an income, but also point out the fact that just heaping in more content is not a realistic way of keeping the game itself interesting for a great many people. Read the article before you post next time. If I find something I disagree with, and I am under no obligation to read it (ie. school, work, etc.), then I won't take the time to read something. Plus, your logic is flat out flawed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meili Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 There have been unpopular moves of Jagex in the past, but all this bullcrap really just started right after the board of directors was changed. It definitely is no coincidence, and it makes sense. After all, Jagex/the gowers were relying on Runescape for money. They have to make sure that an update doesn't hurt the essence of the game. The investors don't have to do that. They can just milk the cash out of it, and if it does hurt the game and Runescape loses out on players, big deal, they just invest somewhere else. It's the worst thing that could have happened to Runescape. Interesting. I hope that the people at Jagex still do want RS to be profitable yet enjoyable for all. I hate to think of outside investors milking all the money out of Jagex then leaving. :ohnoes: Oh and btw my advice as a real life writer, do not argue with criticisms of your articles/articles. You may take that advice if you feel you want to be a real and/or professional writer. Otherwise, feel free to ignore the advice. IMO, just thank everyone for their posts and leave it at that. Real writers never respond directly to critics. Just let them say what they want to say and leave it at that. Once the article has been published then it is published and you are done. The only thing you must always respond or reply to is accusations of factual errors. :-o The Runescape Wilderness - Meili's Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unhesitating Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Like someone else said already, if you hate Jagex, why play the game? If all you do is complain about how terrible the game is, why not leave? There's still plenty people who enjoy playing the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ts_Stormrage Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Like someone else said already, if you hate Jagex, why play the game? If all you do is complain about how terrible the game is, why not leave? There's still plenty people who enjoy playing the game.I complain that my trains sometimes don't run on time...But I don't have the means to buy a car, and I refuse to jump on a bicycle... Former Leader of The Tal Shiar Alliance - An Original Tip.it ClanMember of the Wilderness Guardians and Founder of the Silent GuardiansFounder of The Conclave - A Tip.it Clan institutionTip.it Times author (click for all my articles) - When I use the wrong reasons to make the right statement, argue the reason, not the statement.MSSW4 General - Did we kick your ass too?Check us out!==> No seriously, if you like FREE GP, XP and Dung tokens, as well as Community, Opportunity and above all FUN... <==CLICK IT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jrhairychest Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Like someone else said already, if you hate Jagex, why play the game? If all you do is complain about how terrible the game is, why not leave? There's still plenty people who enjoy playing the game.I complain that my trains sometimes don't run on time...But I don't have the means to buy a car, and I refuse to jump on a bicycle... Players have the means to jump ship and play another game any time they choose. You're using an example where you may not have any other viable choice, unlike gaming where there's a huge amount of alternatives. I agree with Unhesitating. No point in staying with a game you don't want to play any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unhesitating Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 This is one of the few things where you have literally hundreds of other choices. Why wouldn't someone just change a bad situation when they have the opportunity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jrhairychest Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 This is one of the few things where you have literally hundreds of other choices. Why wouldn't someone just change a bad situation when they have the opportunity? Because they aren't really going to quit. They just want to whinge about the game and about the evils that Jagex do. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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