Tabula Rasa

Regarding the unpopular decision to shut down Tabula Rasa come Feb of 2009:

The tight economy is forcing the hand of many businesses, and I've no doubt it's cast a shadow long enough to touch the Gaming Industry. Those who cut deadwood now are going to survive the storm. This is not to say that Tabula Rasa is without merit, nor that with an influx of resources and support, it could be the kick-ass game it was meant to be. But obviously, from a business perspective, the game was requiring more input that it was giving back. In a different economy, NCSoft might have nursed it along out of respect (at least for a longer time) for its paying customers. As it is, few can afford that luxury. I'd be angry too, if I played the game, but once I'd moved past the initial shock and outrage, I would like to think I'd be able to see this as a smart business move, something we should be applauding in light of all the excesses in the news of late.

For those who feel jaded enough to think twice about trying a new game by NCSoft for fear that it too will be yanked before you are ready to give it up, please remember this is a common pitfall as an MMORPG enthusiast. If you like the new and different, you run the risk of cancellations. These games are after all, one big long Beta test in progress.

When you are ready to move past Tabula Rasa, try something a little different because otherwise anything you do will come up short by comparison. You might seek out a niche not found anywhere else, like Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online, which offers Lifetime Subscriptions so apparently they are planning to be around awhile; CCP's Eve Online, which is new, but unlike any other game I've tried before; and NCSoft's City of Heroes/Villains, which has been going strong for 4 years and shows no sign of stopping.

I could agree with you if NC didn't have a history with Auto Assault, which was canceled before either the economy crisis or the revenue report for NC became known.

So please spare us the "It's a hard time and companies have to make horrible decisions" speech. I'm certainly staying away from NC games for the forseeable future. It's times like that when SOE almost look like saints. They may stink in the customer care department, but they don't shut down their games. They drop them into the station pass dump when they don't perform as expected, but they keep them running.

Originally posted by Chlodwig

I could agree with you if NC didn't have a history with Auto Assault, which was canceled before either the economy crisis or the revenue report for NC became known.

So please spare us the "It's a hard time and companies have to make horrible decisions" speech. I'm certainly staying away from NC games for the forseeable future. It's times like that when SOE almost look like saints. They may stink in the customer care department, but they don't shut down their games. They drop them into the station pass dump when they don't perform as expected, but they keep them running.

I know all about Auto Assault. As I stated, many companies have cancellation skeletons in the closet. To my mind it shows they are willing to dare, yet real enough to let a sinking ship go. Nonetheless, Tabula Rasa might not have met that criteria were the times not so hard. NCSoft boasts a list of successes to their name to validate their integrity. And their customer service.

Originally posted by Chlodwig

It's times like that when SOE almost look like saints. They may stink in the customer care department, but they don't shut down their games.

Amazing.  So a MMORPG publisher that shuts down its failed games is bad.  And a MMORPG publisher that keeps all of their failed games going is good? 

Originally posted by indiramourn

Amazing.  So a MMORPG publisher that shuts down its failed games is bad.  And a MMORPG publisher that keeps all of their failed games going is good? 

Touchette.

 Why should you gamers be mad at NcSoft at all?

They did exactly what you wanted!

They hired your cult hero Richard Garriott and gave him unlimited funds and seven years and indulged his every whim.  

Repeat--unlimited funds and seven years.

NcSoft did as gaming fans wanted and all everybody got was a bucket of warm spit and a bozo with an act in space to work out his daddy issues.

I know who I'm blaming, here.  I have a little sympathy for investors (you know, regular folks who own stocks in the market?) these days.

I agree with the OP on this one. In fact this is exactly what I was trying to explain before.

NCsoft made the right call by shutting this game down. It just made good sense. The game wasn't going anywhere good and I seriously doubt that they could have afforded to throw enough money at this game to ever have any hope of fixing it. They already spent 73 million on the game and look how far that got them: about halfway done. Did anyone really think they were going to throw another 73 million at the game to finish it? Do any of you who subscribed to this game and would like to see it remain online have an extra 73 million you would be willing to loan to NCsoft so they can finish the game? I seriously doubt it.

NCsoft could have easily allowed the game to continue to float along, getting nowhere fast so that they could try to recoup some small amount of their losses by milking the last few fanboys for subscription fees (the way SOE does with their all access pass for their lineup of failed MMOs) but instead they made the smart and respectful decision to shut the game down, reward the current subscribers with a huge pile of free stuff and move on to greener pastures.

SoE does not even compare to this. Not only does SoE spit on its own customers but they refused to shut games down, not because they care about the people who enjoy said games, but because they need as many games as they can get to pad the value of their all access pass. SoE cares only about the all-mighty dollar and to hell with anyone who stands in their way. Atleast NCsoft was willing to give a nod to their loyal customers by givng them free stuff.

That's good news for Stargate worlds. I bet Richard Garret wished he didn't spend all the money on a ticket into space. I don't blame this company for getting this monkey off its back.

Welcome to BIG tax writeoff 101.

The lesson today? Shut down a game before taxes are due, and have a large lump sum loss to prove the need for an influx of cash due to manpower, equipment, etc,

So ends the lesson known as Tabula Rasa.

Good day!