160 réponses à ce sujet

[rfalzar]

Thanks to Mr. Tassi for answering my previous question for me. It's much appreciated.

Now for question #2:
Resurgence DLC. It's fairly obvious that DLC like this has been in the works since pre-release, there's no doubt about that. The fact that it's free is kind of unexpected (at least it was to me). In your opinion, could Bioware making it free be a sort of an olive branch to better relations with upset fans or do you think it was probably planned this way all along? I can see both sides because 1) if it's an olive branch it could be a good PR and financial strategy, or 2) if they had planned to charge for it before they would still be charging for it now. Just curious as to what your thoughts are.

Modifié par rfalzar, 06 avril 2012 - 08:08 .

[FemmeShep]

Dear Mr. Tassi,

I know there have been pieces written on this, but what are your thoughts on the seemingly large gap between game journalists and gamers? Do you think they are being irresponsible journalists for strongly taking a side and bashing gamers (which are their customers/audience no less)?

I guess what I love about Forbes is they never get too personal. They offer both sides of the argument. I find it scary how many gaming journalists were not only willing to just take a definitive side from the start (not offering both sides), but also willing to attack their readers. Don't you think that is bad business for them? A company attacking their readers...

Modifié par FemmeShep, 06 avril 2012 - 08:16 .

[yesikareyes]

Sending in your questions now as of the moment

@FemmeShep

Btw, you've got a nice Shepard there!

[FemmeShep]

yesikareyes wrote...

Sending in your questions now as of the moment

@FemmeShep

Btw, you've got a nice Shepard there!

Thank you!

For the record I don't want gaming journalists that I agree with all the time. I don't always agree with Forbes. But I want journalists that are fair and don't attack me. Why would I want to read IGN when they are calling me entitled and a whiner. It's not even that they disagree with me. It's that, they are willing to report things with such overt personal bias. And it's troubling to me how many journalists did this in this debacle.

Modifié par FemmeShep, 06 avril 2012 - 08:27 .

[yesikareyes]

rfalzar wrote...

Thanks to Mr. Tassi for answering my previous question for me. It's much appreciated.

Now for question #2:
Resurgence DLC. It's fairly obvious that DLC like this has been in the works since pre-release, there's no doubt about that. The fact that it's free is kind of unexpected (at least it was to me). In your opinion, could Bioware making it free be a sort of an olive branch to better relations with upset fans or do you think it was probably planned this way all along? I can see both sides because 1) if it's an olive branch it could be a good PR and financial strategy, or 2) if they had planned to charge for it before they would still be charging for it now. Just curious as to what your thoughts are.

Paul Tassi:

Yes, I think it's an olive branch. It's hard to tell what they planned all along. Personally I think the ending DLC was going to be more paid gameplay, but now we'll never know. But the more free stuff they come out with, the better it is for them from a goodwill perspective. But some fans still won't trust them again no matter what. 

[yesikareyes]

FemmeShep wrote...

Dear Mr. Tassi,

I know there have been pieces written on this, but what are your thoughts on the seemingly large gap between game journalists and gamers? Do you think they are being irresponsible journalists for strongly taking a side and bashing gamers (which are their customers/audience no less)?

I guess what I love about Forbes is they never get too personal. They offer both sides of the argument. I find it scary how many gaming journalists were not only willing to just take a definitive side from the start (not offering both sides), but also willing to attack their readers. Don't you think that is bad business for them? A company attacking their readers...

Paul Tassi:

I don't think it's the smartest idea to bash readers, but if that's honestly what they think, they have the right to. I believe Bioware did a disservice to fans, so that's what I wrote. They believe fans shouldn't complain, so that's what they wrote. Their tone and namecalling wasn't necessarily a good idea, but they can write what they want. If it costs them readers, perhaps they will change their tune. 

[SuperClutch16]

Dear Mr. Tassi,

How do you feel about Bioware sticking to their guns about "artistic inetrgrity" and how art can't be changed? Also, do you feel that EA/Bioware is actually just insulting their fan base when they claim to be "clarifying" the ending rather than expanding it? Personally, it feels like Bioware and EA are calling us stupid straight to our faces because we can't apparently comprehend or accept their "artistic vision."

Modifié par SuperClutch16, 06 avril 2012 - 11:18 .

[Swinns]

yesikareyes wrote...

Swinns wrote...

So Paul what do you think is gonna happen at their pax panel? Is it gonna be all deflection? Are they gonna actually answer questions? Is there gonna be a wild stempede of angry fans? What do you think?

Paul Tassi:

That's anyone's guess really. I would bet they're not going to say too much more about "Clarity" DLC, but perhaps other ME-related projects. As for fans, I bet they'll be pretty civil in person. Flaming from the internet doesn't usually translate to real life.

Thanks, love the articles and you turned me on to Forbes. 

Now that bioware has announced this new multiplayer dlc that's free. Do you think they'll make the other multiplayer dlc free? Because it could possibly incourage people to keep playing the multiplayer so they hopefully keep those packs micro transaction going.

Basicly will the other multiplayer dlc be free?

[Chromie]

Hey Tassi,

I'm gonna say this now I read only the first page of this thread so if I repeat a question forgive me it's three questions though.

1. CDProjekt is one of the newer studios I have been following since 2008. They treat PC gamers with respect and they treat their customers/fans as adults by making games with a story that doesn't insult our intelligence. What do you feel EA or Bioware can learn from them? Be it in terms of DRM, story telling, marketing or just plainly talking to us.

2. I'm sure by now everyone and their grandmother has heard of Double Fine's success with their kickstarter. This has opened doors for many people who are looking to create more expensive games but don't have a publishers backing. Wasteland 2 (being my person favorite) especially has finally reached the 2.1 million mark and Obsidian can now officially work on the project. Are you Tassi interested in any of the kickstarter projects and what do you think this means for the publisher/studio relationship?

3. Lastly this has to do with an interview Brian Fargo had with Ripten. If you haven't read it here it is. It's one of the best interviews I've read in a while mainly because Fargo talks about the tensions between publishers and developers when making their games. Do you feel EA have exerted their...power on Bioware? Mainly on games such as Dragon Age 2, Old Republic and recently Mass Effect 3 because honestly those three are of the lowest quality gaming I have played from Bioware.


 

Modifié par Skelter192, 07 avril 2012 - 12:48 .

[BlacJAC74]

i hope you don't mind me jumping in without a question, but feel free to send this on to him if you wish.

I think people are looking at this all wrong. I mean, yeah, sales may take a hit next time around, but it's not going to be a noticeable hit because lets face it, losing a few hundred sales isn't gonna hurt BioWare. Add to that, i don't believe for a second everyone that is currently stating they won't be back for seconds will honour that statement. You know it, i know it and my pet budgie knows it.

That said, if you want to send a message to Bioware and do something that will hurt them at forum level, the obvious answer would be to stop buying their memorabilia. After all, you are the people that buy the N7 caps, replica weapons, Garrus scented tissues and Tali's left boot prints.

[The_Crazy_Hand]

I have a question for Mr. Tassi:

-With the extended cut DLC leaving the mass relays destroyed and the normandy stranded, and still depriving us of a final boss fight, do you think the "Hold The Wallet" movement that sprung up in response to the stubbornness Bioware has shown is a step in the right direction?

[Kanner]

If the ME3 debacle can be interpreted as the abdication of the traditional 'bioware style' bioware game by bioware, do you think this is a huge oppotunity for new developers to break into the niche? Or is this a hard genre to crack, as far as being high-risk / low-margin goes?

I guess what I'm asking is if Bioware moves more to the 'broware' type frequent release schedule of sports games and shooters, with the inescapably obvious loss of story continuity, is that fanbase utterly screwed? Or will this ultimately be a huge positive, with the 900 pound gorilla in the room moving to another room?

[yesikareyes]

Hi everyone, I'm sorry for the delay. However, I will get back to you guys with the answers today and I apologize if the answers are not posted in the same order the questions were received.

[yesikareyes]

Skelter192 wrote...

Hey Tassi,

I'm gonna say this now I read only the first page of this thread so if I repeat a question forgive me it's three questions though.

1. CDProjekt is one of the newer studios I have been following since 2008. They treat PC gamers with respect and they treat their customers/fans as adults by making games with a story that doesn't insult our intelligence. What do you feel EA or Bioware can learn from them? Be it in terms of DRM, story telling, marketing or just plainly talking to us.

2. I'm sure by now everyone and their grandmother has heard of Double Fine's success with their kickstarter. This has opened doors for many people who are looking to create more expensive games but don't have a publishers backing. Wasteland 2 (being my person favorite) especially has finally reached the 2.1 million mark and Obsidian can now officially work on the project. Are you Tassi interested in any of the kickstarter projects and what do you think this means for the publisher/studio relationship?

3. Lastly this has to do with an interview Brian Fargo had with Ripten. If you haven't read it here it is. It's one of the best interviews I've read in a while mainly because Fargo talks about the tensions between publishers and developers when making their games. Do you feel EA have exerted their...power on Bioware? Mainly on games such as Dragon Age 2, Old Republic and recently Mass Effect 3 because honestly those three are of the lowest quality gaming I have played from Bioware.


 

Paul Tassi:


1.) Positive reinforcement DRM (rewards for purchases, etc) is a good idea that at least deserves to be tried out by other companies. Plainspoken PR can go a long way as well. Storytelling is a more subjective category, as I've always thought Bioware was the best in the business at it, outside of the recent ME3 ending.  

2.) It's fantastic that these projects are able to be funded via Kickstarter. If funds for games were raised entirely by fans instead of with corporate backing, there would likely be less limits on them, and more creative products would result. That said, AAA games have HUGE budgets that are probably not going to be able to be fan funded. Like, I don't think we're at the point where we could crowdsource fund Mass Effect 4. That said, I think it's definitely a positive step for the industry that smaller devs can get passion projects funded based on fans who have goodwill toward them for their past work.

3.) Dragon Age 2, it's clear that they did. EA wanted the game out, and therefore it was very obviously rushed. ME3's Day One DLC was another EA-based move if I had to guess, but I can't be sure. The Old Republic, I'm guessing EA wanted to play it relatively safe with how much money they were investing. That meant making it a WoW clone, integrated a Bioware story and Star Wars. But outside of voice acting, it doesn't move the genre forward in a meaningful way. For the record, I thought ME3 was the best game (until the ending) and I liked the combat system of Dragon Age 2 far better than the first (though the game's content was WAY too repetitive). I  have cancelled my SWTOR subscription, not out of protest, but simply because I didn't enjoy the game.  

Modifié par yesikareyes, 07 avril 2012 - 05:59 .

[yesikareyes]

SuperClutch16 wrote...

Dear Mr. Tassi,

How do you feel about Bioware sticking to their guns about "artistic inetrgrity" and how art can't be changed? Also, do you feel that EA/Bioware is actually just insulting their fan base when they claim to be "clarifying" the ending rather than expanding it? Personally, it feels like Bioware and EA are calling us stupid straight to our faces because we can't apparently comprehend or accept their "artistic vision."

Paul Tassi:

Art can be changed. They're changing it. Even if this is just "expanding" on the existing ending, they are still changing their "original vision" according to them by "clarifying" what was shown. This is why I think Indoc Theory is a win for both sides. Fans can get a "new" ending while Bioware maintains this was their vision all along. 

[yesikareyes]

Swinns wrote...

Thanks, love the articles and you turned me on to Forbes. 

Now that bioware has announced this new multiplayer dlc that's free. Do you think they'll make the other multiplayer dlc free? Because it could possibly incourage people to keep playing the multiplayer so they hopefully keep those packs micro transaction going.

Basicly will the other multiplayer dlc be free?

Paul Tassi:

I'm not sure. I think it's a good way to continue to promote multiplayer. I don't know if it's played as much to warrant charging for new content a la Battlefield and COD, so it might be a good way to motivate people to play. That said, I wouldn't rule out future DLC packs for $$$. 

[yesikareyes]

BlacJAC74 wrote...

i hope you don't mind me jumping in without a question, but feel free to send this on to him if you wish.

I think people are looking at this all wrong. I mean, yeah, sales may take a hit next time around, but it's not going to be a noticeable hit because lets face it, losing a few hundred sales isn't gonna hurt BioWare. Add to that, i don't believe for a second everyone that is currently stating they won't be back for seconds will honour that statement. You know it, i know it and my pet budgie knows it.

That said, if you want to send a message to Bioware and do something that will hurt them at forum level, the obvious answer would be to stop buying their memorabilia. After all, you are the people that buy the N7 caps, replica weapons, Garrus scented tissues and Tali's left boot prints.

Paul Tassi:

What exactly is the Hold the Wallet movement? Don't buy any more Bioware products until...what exactly? I'm not sure I can comment without knowing more. 

[yesikareyes]

Kanner wrote...

If the ME3 debacle can be interpreted as the abdication of the traditional 'bioware style' bioware game by bioware, do you think this is a huge oppotunity for new developers to break into the niche? Or is this a hard genre to crack, as far as being high-risk / low-margin goes?

I guess what I'm asking is if Bioware moves more to the 'broware' type frequent release schedule of sports games and shooters, with the inescapably obvious loss of story continuity, is that fanbase utterly screwed? Or will this ultimately be a huge positive, with the 900 pound gorilla in the room moving to another room?

Paul Tassi:

It's going to be hard to make another Mass Effect. I don't think its right for fans to dismiss the quality of 99% of the series, and it's a remarkable achievement what Bioware was able to do for video game storytelling with the Mass Effect series. I think other companies would LOVE to have a series so widely beloved as ME, but that's no easy task. 
I don't think Bioware is moving toward generic sports titles and shooters, are they? I don't know why they'd abandon story as it's what they've done best. I think it's too early to say that Bioware can no longer tell good stories. 

[The_Crazy_Hand]

Mr. Tassi:

The Hold The Wallet movement is simple banding together for now. In the future, it can become more. For now, it is the simple idea of bonding to a cause, and rallying people to actually vote with their wallets, instead of doing so independantly and growing lax over time. With that in mind, would you say this is a good thing for consumers?

[colintheshaman]

Mr.Tassi,

First, I just want to say how much I appreciate your thoughtful and balanced coverage of this whole situation. As an avid gamer who is also a (mostly) mature, working adult, your writing has inclined me to start seeking game industry news from Forbes instead of the more traditional gaming media outlets in the future.  It feels more like Charlie Rose instead of TMZ.  I'm interested in less PSP licking and more coverage of the issues I think will shape the future of games as both a creative medium and an industry. I think the developer/publisher business model, DRM, PR as it relates to brand loyalty, and tension between creative freedom and adherence to a predetermined development cycle/release schedule are particularly pertinent.

Preamble to my question:
While my question might not be directly ME3-related, given the recent discussion of EA "meddling" in Bioware's affairs I feel that it's apropos. I apologize if it's long winded, but I want to get it right. Here goes.

On one hand there seems to be a trend towards conglomeration/monopolization in the gaming (and every other) industry, with mergers and acquisitions by giant parent companies absorbing small independent entities.

On the other hand, it seems like the increased computing power available to individuals and ubiquitous access to the internet and social media is making it easier than ever before for small groups or even individuals to create gaming content and have it played by the rest of the world. And there are even some examples of developers regaining independence, like Bungie leaving Microsoft.

My Question:
Where do you see these trends going in the future? And how will it affect the development of games like Mass Effect 3?
*Edit*: Specifically, do you expect an increase or decrease in independent game development in the future? ("Real" games, ie not browser based, etc.) Will these trends affect existing publisher/developer relationships?

If this is too big of an issue for a simple answer I completely understand. Maybe it's something you could write more about in the future? With EA in the news for the "worst company" award and this Mass Effect 3 ending debacle, I think it's on a lot of people's minds. Either way thanks again, and keep up the good work!

Modifié par colintheshaman, 07 avril 2012 - 08:58 .

[Chromie]

yesikareyes wrote...
Paul Tassi:

1.) Positive reinforcement DRM (rewards for purchases, etc) is a good idea that at least deserves to be tried out by other companies. Plainspoken PR can go a long way as well. Storytelling is a more subjective category, as I've always thought Bioware was the best in the business at it, outside of the recent ME3 ending.  

2.) It's fantastic that these projects are able to be funded via Kickstarter. If funds for games were raised entirely by fans instead of with corporate backing, there would likely be less limits on them, and more creative products would result. That said, AAA games have HUGE budgets that are probably not going to be able to be fan funded. Like, I don't think we're at the point where we could crowdsource fund Mass Effect 4. That said, I think it's definitely a positive step for the industry that smaller devs can get passion projects funded based on fans who have goodwill toward them for their past work.

3.) Dragon Age 2, it's clear that they did. EA wanted the game out, and therefore it was very obviously rushed. ME3's Day One DLC was another EA-based move if I had to guess, but I can't be sure. The Old Republic, I'm guessing EA wanted to play it relatively safe with how much money they were investing. That meant making it a WoW clone, integrated a Bioware story and Star Wars. But outside of voice acting, it doesn't move the genre forward in a meaningful way. For the record, I thought ME3 was the best game (until the ending) and I liked the combat system of Dragon Age 2 far better than the first (though the game's content was WAY too repetitive). I  have cancelled my SWTOR subscription, not out of protest, but simply because I didn't enjoy the game.  

Thanks for the response Tassi and posting yesikareyes (noone seems to thank you!)

1. If only more companies would.

2. I read an interview today Chris Avellone and this snippet is what I found more interesting. It's great because of Kickstarter I will be able to play the next great game from Double Fine Wasteland ****ing 2 and a real Shadowrun!

": I’d argue Kickstarter isn’t what the industry needs, it’s what players need. Who’s to say “dead genres” are dead? Are they? Who made this decision? And worse, who decides that those games won’t be financed? Publishers have every right to watch their bottom line, but for a long period of time, that was largely the only financial model developers had – and the only way most players were going to see games get produced."


3. I totally agree. Bioware has clearly stated before that they reused maps/environments so they can have more quality content yet the quality is missing imo. Mass Effect 3's jhavik to me felt like he should have been apart of the game from the for free like Zaeed. Unlike Zaeed though Jhavik actually had a lot of dialogue. Lastly I'm with you on The Old Republic. I too have a frozen account because the game is just simply too boring. The story was the big focus but once your done with that your left with a WoW clone minus the content. I do miss my Inqisitor sometimes though.

Again thanks for answering my quesitons.

http://cloud.steampo...36509EB4434C7C/

Modifié par Skelter192, 07 avril 2012 - 08:04 .

[Blazerer]

Greetings Paul,

I'd like to ask several questions, if that is okay.

1) I read you considered the promised extended cut a 'victory for fans'

-
although I must admit Bioware taking action is a step in the right
direction. Do you personally feel that just an extended explanation of
the ending is enough to make up not only for earlier made promises that
were never fulfilled (16 different ending, important choices etc.) but
also for the long time it took them to react at all?

- Is the extended ending itself truly worthy to be called a victory?
ofcourse
we can only speculate what will be in this extended ending, however the
fact remains that Bioware stated time and time again that they would
not change the ending. Can foolharding on that part truly be called a
victory for the fans?

- Do you find it possible that this extended ending can salvage the game as it is?
I myself feel that no grade of extending can change the ending into an
ending, and that a whole new ending must be written. which leads to the
next question,

2) What is your opinion on boycotting studios to get a point across?
the
recently created group called '(with)HOLD THE WALLET' is trying to get
our point across in a way that really gets Bioware's/EA's attention:
their wallet. Although a small comunity as of now it is growing
steadily, making contacts with leaders from other groups as they go.

- Would you support such a group?
edit to clarify: Do you feel a group that uses boycot as a tactic would be in strife with personal morals/standards/beliefs on how to conduct oneself

- Do you think this will get more attention from Bioware than simply stating our displeasure?

In advance thanks for answering,
Blazerer

Modifié par Blazerer, 07 avril 2012 - 10:28 .

[TekFanX]

yesikareyes wrote...

As a response to Farbautisonn:

Paul Tassi asks the fans:

What could EA do to turn your perception of them around?

Will you continue to buy EA games after what's happened in recent months?

To 1): In fact, I don't see what they could do, except to stop involving themselves in the creation of the games they sell.
EA bought studios that had a concept of being successful in some way.
A concept, that so far always changed upon EA's involvement.

Still, it would take a lot of good games to get some cracks into my view of EA.
I was a fan of Command & Conquer once. C&C3 was acceptable.
It was somewhat funny to see EA stumble for the E-Sports-wing. It was pitiful, but somehow amusing.
It seemed like a pathetic try to reach for the perfect balance of StarCraft.
When EA couldn't succeed in that, C&C4 was warped to make everything faster, more casual and more mobile.
Turning the franchise into something it never was and alienating with the majority of the core-fanbase the game had left.
EA should stay in the back, make itself rare, except for its logo in the products it publishes.
Instead of trying to copy other successful franchises by warping something they got into the same, they should emphasize on the feats of their existing franchises.

To 2) With the current situation, I don't see that.
I'm almost done with my bachelor-degree, so I will enter the real business-world soon and will have less time for computer-games.
For me BioWare was the last interesting studio in EA's grip anyway.
And given the last days, this begins to change quite fast.

[yesikareyes]

@Skelter192

Your welcome! :happy:

Check back in tomorrow for the responses guys 

Modifié par yesikareyes, 08 avril 2012 - 02:22 .

[CSMone01]

yesikareyes wrote...
Paul Tassi asks the fans:

What could EA do to turn your perception of them around?

Will you continue to buy EA games after what's happened in recent months?

To point #1, What could EA do to turn my perception of them around? Hard stop on meddling in their subsidiaries' developments, a complete stop to On-disc/Day 1 DLC, and Onlne Passes. Stop making McGames, and stop cranking out another unit every year for pure profit motive. Do a major overhaul of their business practices. 

Realistically, I don't think EA's 'good name' can be redeemed in any short period of time, it would probably require a complete teardown and rebuild(so to speak) of the company. These measures I've suggested would most likely serve to appease, I would personally be likely to view them as a carrot on a stick(I'm somewhat of a cynic). It'll be a long road before I percieve EA(and to a lesser extent, the other major publising conglomorates(Acti-Blizz, Ubisoft) as reputable.

To point #2, will I continue to buy EA games after what's happened in recent months? This is a complicated answer. To games developed by an EA owned dev, most likely not. I own very few EA developed games to start with, I'm not a big fan of sports franchises. If EA happens to release a game that I am interested in playing, I'll borrow it from a friend, or rent it. To games that EA publishes through the EA Partners agreements(Valve, Epic are both members), I will consider buying. Basically, if there's the possibility that EA had their fingers directly in the 'pie', I won't be purchasing a copy. 


A question for Paul Tessi:
Do you think that anyone at EA will loose their position in the company because of the recent debacles with Mass Effect 3, and the somewhat declined stock prices(down nearly 20% this year, to date.)