And yeah, he’s right, my feelings have changed towards the site, but not because of any argument or anything - just outgrew it
To be honest, I’m starting to feel the same way. I’ve been a regular EvilAvatar poster for quite some time (hell, I even covered E3 for them, just to keep my former journalist oar in) and at this point I’m just sick of all the silliness. In the end, I have no interest in either trolling, picking on developers or engaging in junvenile console flame wars - I just want to talk about games with my fellow dorks.
Hell, maybe I’ll just pick up and move on over to QT3…
Oh, and hi there Crypty! Good to see you’re still around, you foppish, motorcycle wrecking sonfabitch you.
In the end, not only did I contact the EA site owners and indeed John Brownlee aka DrCrypt’s employer (he sent me email while at work one day), I filed a complaint with both their ISPs. I was determined to make their lives miserable - but only they didn’t know it. I guess they did, cuz they stopped.
This is sheer nonsense. First of all, Derek never contacted my employer. I only ever contacted him through an evilemail.com account, and I think Chet will verify for all of us that evilemail doesn’t attach ISP info into the email header. He had no way of tracking this. Furthermore, even if he did manage it somehow, it must have been completely ineffectual, because I never once heard anything about it and, in fact, I suspect my employer at the time wouldn’t have cared either way.
Ditto on the ISP claim. He couldn’t have filed a complaint against my ISP. He didn’t have the info. And even if he did, it was again completely ineffectual - I was a customer in good standing without a single complaint against me on record until I left the country in May. And again, his only contact with me was through evilemail.
I don’t really want to go into this too much more, since he’s obviously just hysterically lying to convince himself he somehow cowed my criticism of him into submission (something the emails he thoughtfully quoted proves he didn’t manage). And frankly, I’m over Derek - how many more times can I possibly point out out that Derek is the insane derelict screaming on a tenement lawn? But I did want to stress that Derek has never once had any success in trying to prevent me from criticising him. So continue to go wild, Derek - you’re so cute.
I have no doubt that EvilAvatar (rather than “EA,” so we can keep from confusing our evil forces in the world) has displayed inappropriate behavior.
However, in this particular case, I have to agree that the NWN collector’s edition is a lame idea. I saw the press release and my reaction was “oh, crap, I’ll have to buy this if it has cool stuff.” Then I read through and saw that the game itself is unchanged, and the collector’s stuff is all tchotchkies. So, my money is safe.
It’s just weird to release a collector’s edition with no new content so long after the original game shipped. Anyone so into NWN that they’d want the collector’s edition bought the game months ago. So now they have to repurchase the same game just to get the pack-ins? It would have made sense, and been a cool thing, had it been available upon the game’s release. Now it’s just an excuse to sell the same game to the same people twice.
Even if Bioware had just included a CD of the best user-created NWN modules (I know they’re free, but there’s something to be said for someone else besides me taking the time to find the best 25 out of 1,000), this set would have made more sense.
Even if Bioware had just included a CD of the best user-created NWN modules (I know they’re free, but there’s something to be said for someone else besides me taking the time to find the best 25 out of 1,000), this set would have made more sense.
I was thinking the exact same thing, though I don’t know if there would be rights issues.
No, you’re right, I’m done. I would love to point out that I didn’t really start this, and hadn’t even mentioned “Dr.” Smart before Derek hysterically rushed in here, quoting year old emails and single-handedly labelling me as the baby-devouring scourge of the Internet. But I’ve had my say, and the scene is embarassing - like when a fat, old girlfriend on Zoloft confronts you in front of all of your new friends and starts shrieking insults at you while all your new friends stand around and laugh.
And Naked, glad to see you! You’ve been one of my favorite posters at EA for a while.
I have to say, I’m in agreement on the whole collectors edition thing (not just NWN, but in general). Unless you’re planning to include some really cool extras for the hardcore (how about a nicely printed up version of the design doc, or the script or somesuch) or some serious gameplay additions/improvements (no, a patch doesn’t count - think MGS: Substance), charging me 80 bucks for the same ol’ thing just doesn’t fly.
And Naked, glad to see you! You’ve been one of my favorite
posters at EA for a while.
Look at what I’ve done! I’ve summoned him in all his mighty wrath, and now I cannot send him back until I venture forth into the dark and dangerous dungeons of Mea Culpa and collect the Five Arbitrary McGuffins. I’m so sorry. I’ll just go now.
They’d have to get permission from the module authors (unless there’s something in the game’s license that specifies that they have the right to resell any third-party modules created with the game), but that’d be pretty easy.
And my apologies – I hadn’t noticed that Derek actually brought up the ancient flamewar thing. I’ve always gotten along fine with Derek, but whenever I see a post of his that’s more than two screens long I automatically skip to the next message in the thread… A subscious reaction. :-) For shame, Derek… Remember, your role is fan the flames, not reignite them!
Not many CEs include new content, so it’s not like this one is an exception. Naked there are extras, the art book and the audio CD are extras that you can’t get elsewhere and a lot of work went into those items. Like I said before, if people don’t like it they won’t buy it but there is nothing morally outrageous about offereing it to those that do.
Since I brought it up, is Bioware offering any type of rebate for present NWN owners with the CE?
It has been said that this is for hardcore fans and not people who never picked up a copy. What kinda insane, using twenties as toilet paper gamer is going to pay an additional 80 bucks for some swishy memorabilia? Please list your names below as I can probably find something in my attic to sell you as well:
Not many CEs include new content, so it’s not like this one is an exception.
I understand that - if you notice, amongst my usual garbled ramblings I did indicate that my comments were directed less at the NWN CE than at Collector’s Editions in general. While it is good to see that you’re going the Warcraft III route and bolstering the repackage with some nice non-game extras (much like my pie in sky Design Doc/Script inclusion), I’d really prefer to see some new content - even if it is just user created mods - before I shell out $80 for a game I already own. This goes for all Collector’s Editions, not just your one.
I’m not morally outraged in the slightest - business is business - but I’d really like to see developers/publishers go the DVD Special Edition route with successful games - bolstering the re-release with a ton of extra content for the hardcore. MGS: Substance is a step in the right direction…
I promise I am not trying to be a prick, although it may seem so. I simply do not know anyone who would buy the CE in addition to the version they already own when most people by the CE version upon a game’s release as opposed to the regular edition.
