Scott Johnson

I remember people saying stuff like that, even about WoW's initial days, which people act like now. Oh, your hardcore days, man. Those were the days. You don't remember then.

um it was already that right they were already getting accused of care bearing but i think that their instincts were correct make this game as as as available to as many players as possible and that will carry you longer i also think choosing to do a art style that was uh significantly less at least aiming for realism and more stylization did them enormous favors

um it was already that right they were already getting accused of care bearing but i think that their instincts were correct make this game as as as available to as many players as possible and that will carry you longer i also think choosing to do a art style that was uh significantly less at least aiming for realism and more stylization did them enormous favors

Because it lasts the test of time. The technology and what we see today is vastly improved, but it's still consistent with what the game was in its early days. So you can keep that consistency throughout the years. They were trying for like the hottest looking mannequin level freaking quote unquote realism at the time with EQ.

Because it lasts the test of time. The technology and what we see today is vastly improved, but it's still consistent with what the game was in its early days. So you can keep that consistency throughout the years. They were trying for like the hottest looking mannequin level freaking quote unquote realism at the time with EQ.

And it flopped on its face with that particular aspect because it looks like ass now. It looks terrible now. So never go for the cutting edge. I think that was a hugely smart decision for them and to go stylized and to make the game more playable by more people. I think that's really it. Do you have any thoughts on that, whether I'm insane or not?

And it flopped on its face with that particular aspect because it looks like ass now. It looks terrible now. So never go for the cutting edge. I think that was a hugely smart decision for them and to go stylized and to make the game more playable by more people. I think that's really it. Do you have any thoughts on that, whether I'm insane or not?

Yeah, I agree. What was the game I was playing right before while I was playing a lot of... Oh, geez. What was the one that introduced Realm versus Realm? My brain just went crazy. I can't think of the thing. Anyway, the one that had Merlin in it, it was... I can't remember the name. Anyway, that game I played a ton of and it had this very punishing death problem where you would die.

Yeah, I agree. What was the game I was playing right before while I was playing a lot of... Oh, geez. What was the one that introduced Realm versus Realm? My brain just went crazy. I can't think of the thing. Anyway, the one that had Merlin in it, it was... I can't remember the name. Anyway, that game I played a ton of and it had this very punishing death problem where you would die.

First of all, they didn't have like questing, proper questing. It was just like grinding. So you'd find a place where a bunch of creatures were and just kill them until you couldn't stand it. And the name almost came to me and then it left again. Shit. Some people at home are yelling at their stuff because they know. But anyway, when you would die, you would lose some percentage.

First of all, they didn't have like questing, proper questing. It was just like grinding. So you'd find a place where a bunch of creatures were and just kill them until you couldn't stand it. And the name almost came to me and then it left again. Shit. Some people at home are yelling at their stuff because they know. But anyway, when you would die, you would lose some percentage.

I want to say it was 20% of your XP. Regardless, that was gone. No matter what, that was gone. But also your stuff, your gold, your items, your equipables were all left there in a pile, kind of Diablo 2 style. And you had to run, you had to corpse run, not in some ethereal realm where you're dead and you're a ghost and nothing can hurt you, but in the real world. And so you're very vulnerable.

I want to say it was 20% of your XP. Regardless, that was gone. No matter what, that was gone. But also your stuff, your gold, your items, your equipables were all left there in a pile, kind of Diablo 2 style. And you had to run, you had to corpse run, not in some ethereal realm where you're dead and you're a ghost and nothing can hurt you, but in the real world. And so you're very vulnerable.

And then when you get out there, I just almost had it again. Dark Age of Camelot, that's it. Hey. You ever have a thought just go, oh, shit, I didn't catch its face. And then it runs by again. It was like that. Anyway, then you'd have to run up to your thing. You'd get a little bit of your XP back. I don't think it was all of it. And you get your stuff back.

And then when you get out there, I just almost had it again. Dark Age of Camelot, that's it. Hey. You ever have a thought just go, oh, shit, I didn't catch its face. And then it runs by again. It was like that. Anyway, then you'd have to run up to your thing. You'd get a little bit of your XP back. I don't think it was all of it. And you get your stuff back.

But now you had to go grind out the XP you lost. Yeah. Now, I understand the value that some may place on that kind of punishment. I think there's a place for it, and I'm glad that there is.

But now you had to go grind out the XP you lost. Yeah. Now, I understand the value that some may place on that kind of punishment. I think there's a place for it, and I'm glad that there is.

There you go. Exactly. Or something like, I don't know, Souls likes today. They're punishing on purpose. It's part of the experience. I think that's wonderful that those exist. But if you want to capture a very large part of a subscribing game model market, you've got to be more approachable than that.

There you go. Exactly. Or something like, I don't know, Souls likes today. They're punishing on purpose. It's part of the experience. I think that's wonderful that those exist. But if you want to capture a very large part of a subscribing game model market, you've got to be more approachable than that.

So it's a small example with the death thing, but there are a lot of things in WoW that I really appreciate that others did not do. Here is a quick email. No, this is a voicemail. This came to us at 801-471-0462. This is about when things started way back in the day.