I think everyone is being too critical...

[GeneralTechnique]

Thank you for this, large, well thought out post. Props to you sirs. Especially about the whole companies seeing something so good and try and copy and fail bit. Right on mark.

Yeah, at times I feel like the gaming industry just devolves into chaotic clone wars, which is a terrible climate for us gamers that like experiencing "new" and "interesting" things.

[Schwa]

Yeah, at times I feel like the gaming industry just devolves into chaotic clone wars, which is a terrible climate for us gamers that like experiencing "new" and "interesting" things.

I very much enjoy experiencing new and interesting things. When they're done well. A half-finished game is a half-finished game.

[Sids]

There's plenty of 'new and interesting things' going on here..... part of exploring uncharted territory is that you make mistakes..... to my knowledge there's never been a combination videogame-TV show, and I can't remember a major TPS-MMO, either. The only vaguely similar game is Borderlands, and there are some significant differences already.... Of course, you're all entitled to more than what you have, so I can understand that you're mad, but seriously. Ground is breaking here.

[GeneralTechnique]

There's plenty of 'new and interesting things' going on here..... part of exploring uncharted territory is that you make mistakes..... to my knowledge there's never been a combination videogame-TV show, and I can't remember a major TPS-MMO, either. The only vaguely similar game is Borderlands, and there are some significant differences already.... Of course, you're all entitled to more than what you have, so I can understand that you're mad, but seriously. Ground is breaking here.

Defiance does not suffer from a lack of "new" things. It's got a fair amount of that.
It's just not a good game, and extremely bugridden, all while having no established fanbase to begin with. (read: recipe for failure)

I will say that Defiance DOES suffer from a lack of ENOUGH "interesting" things (which is where the "not good" and "boring" part comes from). It has a few interesting things, sure, but nowhere near enough to overcome it's shortcomings.

I really wanted/want to see this game be great and succeed. The fact that neither is happening is the fault of Trion's, and Trion's alone. Point blank.

[ToneSim]

The problem here is that people are getting what they paid for, not what they expected. I bought this game after doing tons of video watching, blog reading and beta testing. I expect exactly what we are being dealt, a game experience that is meant to grow alongside the show through crossover content and dlc. When I paid my money I wasn't expecting a "complete" game. That was not what was advertised. I think it is unreasonable to approach the completion of the initial content as endgame because, well DUH, it isn't. None of us have "beaten" defiance yet.

And of course there's the uber grinders. When the devs of a game that is meting out content as part of a package the way this is tells you what that the game's level cap is around 5K, why do people want to go racing to the cap? The game is still in the first stages of its content for the year. The first of 5 dlc's this year isn't even here yet and there are whispers of people over 4K ego. What is the big fkkin rush? It's like giving someone a $100 steak at a Ramsey restaurant and watching them wolf it down without even tasting it. It's ridiculous. Are they even enjoying themselves? Have they even traversed the whole map, seen the sights? Jeez.

[Schwa]

The problem here is that people are getting what they paid for, not what they expected. I bought this game after doing tons of video watching, blog reading and beta testing. I expect exactly what we are being dealt, a game experience that is meant to grow alongside the show through crossover content and dlc. When I paid my money I wasn't expecting a "complete" game. That was not what was advertised. I think it is unreasonable to approach the completion of the initial content as endgame because, well DUH, it isn't. None of us have "beaten" defiance yet.

And of course there's the uber grinders. When the devs of a game that is meting out content as part of a package the way this is tells you what that the game's level cap is around 5K, why do people want to go racing to the cap? The game is still in the first stages of its content for the year. The first of 5 dlc's this year isn't even here yet and there are whispers of people over 4K ego. What is the big fkkin rush? It's like giving someone a $100 steak at a Ramsey restaurant and watching them wolf it down without even tasting it. It's ridiculous. Are they even enjoying themselves? Have they even traversed the whole map, seen the sights? Jeez.

Sorry, no. Just no. I paid $10 less for Rift to this same company for a better variety of content and more competent patching. I had every reason to expect, at the very least, the same quality of service I came to associate with Trion.

Freight Yard, by itself, tears apart any point you'd like to make. They've yet to show us, a month and a half after launch, that they can even deliver a major content patch. We're still seeing alpha-era bugs (resetting traits) and suffering progression-resetting bugs (anathema if they claim they're a service, which they do).

This is substandard, when compared to Trion and compared with the rest of the industry. Until they can nail QA, this isn't a matter of tempering expectations. They don't get backsies on that.

[Nyymi]

If you tear out the novelty of it being always online and treat it as single-player, the shooting elements (namely difficulty) and weak storyline (find the doodads) can't carry the game. They'd still end up with a poor critical reaction.

If you bump it up to multiplayer, the co-op elements can't carry the game (again, difficulty/inspiration lacking even horde mode). They'd still end up with a poor critical reception.

If look look at it as an MMO, the poor QA (a pillar of any live service), poor group content, weak staying power, and weakly-realized setting (see: dumptruck "towns") all drag the game down.

All valid points but i see all these issues pretty much in any modern games(specially in difficulty levels), maybe it is my current attitude that keeps me calm because i when i start a new game i instanty think it pure crap like all others before it. Thats why i dont get disapointed anymore as i dont except anything mind-blowing, Defiance is pretty medicore game but the gunplay works and the game itself runs smoothly.

Dont really know how long i keep playing this but current plan is to get max EGO and BiS stuff even if those doesnt offer anyhing special, or then i stop in midway but it doesnt really matter as this doesnt have sub so i can come back if i feel so.

[Schwa]

All valid points but i see all these issues pretty much in any modern games(specially in difficulty levels), maybe it is my current attitude that keeps me calm because i when i start a new game i instanty think it pure crap like all others before it. Thats why i dont get disapointed anymore as i dont except anything mind-blowing, Defiance is pretty medicore game but the gunplay works and the game itself runs smoothly.

Dont really know how long i keep playing this but current plan is to get max EGO and BiS stuff even if those doesnt offer anyhing special, or then i stop in midway but it doesnt really matter as this doesnt have sub so i can come back if i feel so.

It being status quo in "any modern game" doesn't mean you should accept it. A weak game is a weak game.

I play enough "modern games" to reject that this is common to "any modern game." This is substandard for most modern games.

[Sids]

Freight Yard, by itself, tears apart any point you'd like to make. They've yet to show us, a month and a half after launch, that they can even deliver a major content patch.

I counted fourteen patches, and another one coming next week. They've delivered on hundreds of issues; you're singling out one, which has been very openly explained and discussed by the company. International infector spam isn't the sort of thing you can playtest in a studio.

[Orge Lambart]

Sorry, no. Just no. I paid $10 less for Rift to this same company for a better variety of content and more competent patching. I had every reason to expect, at the very least, the same quality of service I came to associate with Trion.

Freight Yard, by itself, tears apart any point you'd like to make. They've yet to show us, a month and a half after launch, that they can even deliver a major content patch. We're still seeing alpha-era bugs (resetting traits) and suffering progression-resetting bugs (anathema if they claim they're a service, which they do).

This is substandard, when compared to Trion and compared with the rest of the industry. Until they can nail QA, this isn't a matter of tempering expectations. They don't get backsies on that.

You also paid a subscription fee to play rift, so you know.... Also rushed game due to television show. A rushed game is rushed, which explains probably 90% of the issues it had at launch and continues to have at this time. Including the aforementioned issues with Freight Yard and Dam Defense (did they finally sort that one out yet?)