le_souriceau

Actually, while OP author somewhat misses what is why, thing is, that some players have much more "kings ear" and sway over desicion making is pretty much fact (also important info leaks about changes). I seen it by my own eyes. Extent of their influence is another question, but they at least have % over 0. While I can't drop hard proof here to not burn names I still kinda not want to do harm, its up to you to believe me or not. As a pleb you can only make like useless forum topics no one ever cares. Or troll simps in Discord just for pleasure.

Actually, lately "metaverse/nft" companies started to go more agressive on MMO scene by not only making their own pseudo-game google map crap (this was going on for some time), but actually aquiring companies and even whole functioning "normal" games (granted, 2-3rd rate ones, but DU quite fits). Per example, Legends of Aria was taken over by such guys to be... metaversized (I think its even quote from statement). So its not impossible DU will do some backflip on that too to much (or not) of surprise.

Biggest problem is not everyone can make everything. Biggest problem that DU at core super-friendly to alts. It means any fancy ideas/limitations within skill/char advancing systems pretty much irrelevant and will mean just more min max spreading of "roles" between alts. Adding new ones if nessesary. Its like having bucket with huge holes and then inviting creative ways of running with it from A to B trying to keep water. Makes no sense. To add insult to injury, lets be honest here, DU in current state (or historicly) game for older guys with some money and, often -- suprising ammounts of free time. This means that that they ready to face quite a lot of challenges with wallets (throwing alts) and survive time consuming operations. This whole already sad picture even more aggravated by fact, that immense ammount of economic action in game very AFK-heavy. So you have ideal storm: stupid (greedy?) initialy system + population super ready to exploit it.

This makes all other stuff/concerns pretty much irrelevant. I see no realistic way for DU to recover commercialy viable population. While its not nice to say, its likely doomed just because of this. In this regard I wonder why its still gets funding, what twisted game investor guy playing.

Never was. Its actually something I told them for years, like builders and so called industrialists and other people like this -- minority (even if vocal and often simping around). Once PvPers out of game (like you them or not) -- game is mucking dead. Period.

Thank you, its sort of bingo in context of all this discussion. Because there is no much difference if stuff is actually hard wiped or... "soft wiped", made irrelevant -- just sitting somewhere forever in totaly empty space, with no one to use, show, enjoy it, etc.

It also (likely) will be spiced up with some last moment knee jerk "changes" in balance/starting conditions as NQ tradition goes.

While on paper its good solution, in reality it will be more complicated. Remaining vets are... lets say very dedicated (some -- absolutly crazy). They just will spam another X alts into new system, raping actual newcomers as hard as they can, both by land grabs and economic presssure and speedruns on pvp. And then eventualy finish job by pulling all their old stuff from old system (and I remind everyone, thats there are still immense ammounts of exploited stuff around). So whole solution will be quite meh... Only full wipe. Only exterminatus.

Game mostly suffers from abysmal dynamics. Everything is slow, repetitive, afk-heavy and bordering second job. So its not suprising that for 95% of former/potential players it was/will be obvious failure. Some middle aged guys with exessive ammount of free time still can enjoy it, playing with voxels, lua or hoarding virtual riches for no good reason. But there is just several hundreds of such diehard fans/fanbois. Its absolutly not enough.

I think its example of total and long lasting BS. Now they PR-pretend its some "desicion not taken lightly" bla-bla-bla. No. Because internaly wipe was not even on table, but totaly decided since first week of so called Beta. Very observable proof: NQ given up any active managing of economy since... exactly from week one, not rolling back obvious economic disasters, regulary adding new ones without much care, allowing absolutly insane levels of exploiting/insiding (something that was very readly broomed under carpet, downplayed a lot), etc. This why all kind of shite was never fixed, rolled-back or even explained/commented properly. Pretty much they were very little bothered what happening, because everyone "internally" knew -- this sad mess will be wiped in year or so.

Any solid, realistic strategy to re-populate game? Nothing really matter without critical mass of people to make sandbox interesting and interactive place for old players/newcomers.

If they put their hearts into this game, then they must be deeply ashamed of result. Because thousands of backers who too put their heart, money and time into this game, deserve much better.

It damands responsable leader (who actualy interested in product long-term). JC was never trully interested in making actual game he kinda promised. Only in himself. He eaten up budget like parasite to stroke his ego about how he super-scientist making some super-innovative cutting edge bs-metaverse, with very little actual connection with development on ground (that stuggled for years, and he knew it -- "no red flags"). So he enjoyed until he can (and his lies become apparent), and run off to continue his bs talks of presudoscientific shows about metaverses crap (I bet we see him many more times in this kinda of swamps in future). In short, JC just fooled everyone wasting other people money and time to fuel his narsicisstic passions. And people left how with his stinking mess, well kinda... not that much they can do. They pretty much sad clean up team. It may sound harsh, but this how i see realistic overview of responsability question.

I highly appreciete your summary (and agree with 95%, very on point), but totaly disagree with "mega orgs" problem and who "kills" game/balance. All, lets say "pressure" (both inside game in economy, and outside in terms of vocal opposition), produced not by some mythical monopoly giant stuctures, but pretty much over dedicated individuals or small groups of them, as small as 2-4 people. Sure, they can, on paper be members of some 500 people organization, but they likely be only ones still playing (so its means nothing). In short, NQ allowed most free time and maniaclly dedicated players do whatever they wanted for years (often even outside rules), and now, obviously, such individuals will be cement boots on legs (what they gladly doing in any discussion for some time), in regard of any change (even positive ones), only interested in saving they accamulated advantage over incoming plebs, especialy when this prospect is so near. Its all these 10000 machines, all plannet scanned, 10 trillions in bank guys etc. Not kinda blame such players totaly (human nature) its fundamental NQ fault. I see full wipe as least thing that can be done (along side with complex of other changes), but probably NQ never gather balls to do this.

Practical solution: move to another game, leaving it to most dedicated fanboys to enjoy what ever shit NQ puts on table. Romantic solution: keep anoying everyone on forums and Discrord hoping something will change fundamentaly.

Its interesting speculation... More likely, tho, whole story much more mundane: On road to pooping out MVP product to release, they needed someone as CEO, both for operations and public image. Stars were beyond reach obviously, but NQ not wanted complete noname too. Also, probably they super-heavly prefered french (this narrowed variants quite a bit) and someone who can/want stay in their locations (Paris?). This where mr. Abboud come in perfectly as sort of OK variant. Personaly I heavly doubt he will be able to turn around super complex game such DU. He mostly worked on rather "conveyor belt" Ghost Recons, that are typical Ubisoft braindead grinding shit of clearing 100 outposts, games more about decade old formula and asset swaps, then any deep idea or mechanics, innovative or creative thinking. And last game, where he acted as exec producer (Breakpoint), was very weak one, to put it diplomaticly (https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint). Ubisoft connection can be bonus, but idk, weight difference seems to be too large to such titan be interested in such midget in any way.

Ironocly, backer attiration over all these years (not a joke -- since 2016, its at best will be 7 years to so called release), was so high, I think barely several hundreds of them will be present here. In very cynical sense, NQ pretty much "outwaited" quite a lot of possible trouble. Most people who may be offended by outcome/managment of this development, now with much more grey hair and not give much muck about NQ or DU anymore, moved on. Maybe even actualy dead already, who knows. For NQ at the end it was pretty much free money. Many people not even strained servers much by their presence, not wanting to play that BS (in terms of that is not what they thinked they backed).

To be brutally honest such cursed games have little bit of endless fat loss or junkie story. Like its always "diet starts next monday" or "just last one dose" thing, so it like "game will be good in X years" or "next patch", its "just alpha/beta/recently released". Question is, is it really so, or just mental acrobatics of coping? Because its not 5 years to just wait, its 5 years to survive having costly servers. Quite a difference. With current vector of events (if its not magicly changed), project will be closed and pretty much forgotten much faster. Like Tabula Rasa, per exemple.

Well, even if we miss some details, I think general launch context is pretty clear. 1) Deal with Quanta Nick likely included (or highly suggested) some sort of minimal viable product launch within 2022. So it will be 2022 99%. 2) MVP itself probably not defined hard in content/features, so its "best you can do" at deadline, with priority of cutting costs (this what we pretty much observe). It means nothing trully will hold this somewhat forced release from standpoint of "not ready". It just be called ready. 3) 2021 development mostly over, with Christmas time eating up rest of the year. Then we have quite formed window: 4) NQ not super fast (punn intended), so I doubt it will be first 3 month of 2022 (yet late march/early april not totaly impossible -- if they for some reason really pressed now). 5) Most importantly, we have upper border of release -- with Starfield going up november, it will be suicide for "space mmo game" to release anywhere after early september in 2022. Considering also summer vocations period, it leaves us with 2 main candidate periods: may/june (faster scenario) august/september (if some additional last minute crunch be needed/there is luxury for it, more likely?) Latter date will be also more friendly to marketing for several reasons, but I kinda digress.

Its actualy most problematic conflict of DU disign. There is still very hardcrore part of players, who play A LOT (some 24/7 basicly), have sometimes up to several dozen alts, also made fortunes on early NQ mistakes or outright exploiting (exploit-aquired capitals still bulk of some big pockets). They filthy rich, have everything and pretty much invulnerable to any balancing, while obviously gladly rape game overall and economy especialy, if allowed (NQ kinda trying meekly limit them, but mosly failing). And there is more casual, with less free time or competitive mood crowd, who want to fool around, build etc, without running some economic empires. They not rich and, in contrary, vulnerable to all sorts of limits, taxes and assorted NQ shennegians (0.23 as best example how deadly "innovations" can be for this strata of players). They, as real life poor, usualy on recieving end. NQ kinda in impasse to "balance" these two categories of players.

8/7 I hope it will be better this time!

We all know NQ pretty much [gladly] bunkrupted on most Kickstarter promises moment they ditched JC. Not get me wrong, it was obviously ephimerical even before, but still JC as person was kinda that link to hold them somewhat accountable over all what was said and promised. Once he is gone, his promises kinda too... disspated. Super convenient.

As I was told by sources it will be "greater summer" 2022 (end of august?), likely with 2 more large updates (spring one and "last one") I also expect more agressive disign/monetization behaivor from NQ, because they kinda overstaying their "charity" period, some investments be expected to squeezed back.

Sounds like game will be even more tedious now. But I guess its totaly fun for remaining 200-300 people "target audience". Job simulator : )

While I was for year mocked as negative [insert bad word] whistleblower, I actually think NQ is secretly planning wipe for some time, pretty much from start of Beta. Just like butcher, keeping it bit of secret from 4 legged friends, until its time. So they even interested to make it as bad as possible, then "oops, you see guys how bad it is, we really need wipe, ok?".