Techulous Interview with Bill

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Techulous has posted an interview with Bill Roper (http://www.techulous.com/news/exclusive-interview-champions-onlines-bill-roper.html), talking about everything from launch to Blood Moon to upcoming content. Enjoy!


Link to the news article. (http://www.champions-online.com/node/594661)

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We did thanks for askin youre super.. Like Static Shock..

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Great.

Now hurry up with the positive changes before the game becomes a ghost town.

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Techulous: How are player comments being taken onboard to shape the future of the game?

Bill: We spend a huge amount of time on our forums talking with our players and looking to them for much of what we do next. We take both direct requests and also the spirit of those interests to create new content and game systems for Champions Online. Many of the changes and additions we’ve done since launch are in direct response to our players’ desires, such as the numerous alterations we made to the Power House, or coming up with the new Zombie Apocalypse map.

No offense, but if this is happening I don't see it.

I honestly wish there was more interaction and exchanges between the Devs and it's players.

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No offense, but if this is happening I don't see it.

I honestly wish there was more interaction and exchanges between the Devs and it's players.

Antiproton and Balseraph hang out in their respective forums decently often. Check the dev tracker daily, they have some pretty interesting exchanges. But, most of the "conversation" has to be 1-sided by necessity, no one has time to actually talk to all 10 000 people on the forums.

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Techulous: How are player comments being taken onboard to shape the future of the game?

Bill: We spend a huge amount of time on our forums talking with our players and looking to them for much of what we do next. We take both direct requests and also the spirit of those interests to create new content and game systems for Champions Online. Many of the changes and additions we’ve done since launch are in direct response to our players’ desires, such as the numerous alterations we made to the Power House, or coming up with the new Zombie Apocalypse map.

Considering the PVP Dev said zombie apocalypse was the VERY FIRST pvp map created (http://champions-online.com/node/594620)...I question whether or not Mr. Roper is not, in fact, a walking talking sack of SHOES THAT ARE ON FIRE

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I did notice that... maybe he just misspoke?

Or maybe he's been taken over by aliens...

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Considering the PVP Dev said zombie apocalypse was the VERY FIRST pvp map created (http://champions-online.com/node/594620)...I question whether or not Mr. Roper is not, in fact, a walking talking sack of SHOES THAT ARE ON FIRE

Bill is very confused. Last week in his State of the Game he listed Character Transfers to PTS as "almost ready!", despite the fact that they had been live and in use for over a week.

Also, he doesn't know how to steer a ship.

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eh, although I find Bill Roper to be somewhat full of himself, and a little weary of his track record ever since a certain legendary game of awesome - I think he does a decent enough job. His true test will be 3-5 months from now when the game finally stabilizes. People say he can't steer a ship, but the champions online boat is still floating around in the harbor. Also, it's not like he's the CEO of Cryptic or anything. His job at flagship was a lot more stressful, I imagine - having to find equilibrium between the business side and the creative side of things.

Champions has had a ton of problems early on, most MMO's do - but Champions seems to have more problems as time goes by rather than less. I don't blame Bill Roper though, his job as head developer is kind of vague really. He can't scan every line of code personally, examine every graphic personally, etc. etc. He has a team, and no matter how good or bad Roper is individually, if his team makes a great deal of mistakes, he cannot correct them all single handedly.

I am hoping Champions will improve greatly over the next several months, and I fear the biggest problem right now is cryptic trying to push TOO MUCH new content, too early, and not fixing the issues with the current content. Making the level 40 experience better can be as simple as adding a few new cosmic entities to fight, you don't even need new art for them. Just recolor Grond, Kigatilik, and all our other friends and change their abilities and AI. You can add proper art for the enemies at a later date.

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Considering the PVP Dev said zombie apocalypse was the VERY FIRST pvp map created (http://champions-online.com/node/594620)...I question whether or not Mr. Roper is not, in fact, a walking talking sack of SHOES THAT ARE ON FIRE

Wow I so missed playing on the zombie apocalypse map in Beta.


Oh wait no they didn't release it in game until Blood Moon. So sure it may have been the very first map created but it wasn't available for player use until now.

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I think the devs are definately listening to the players, they are improving teaming, adding more content, etc...but things take time and it seems like there are improvements every week. They even listen to the whiners and Min/maxers about retcons....

I don't know Bill Roper, but he has had a string of successful games, but the only one ppl remember is Hellgate, I find that odd. Don't get me wrong, I screamed foul when he swung the nerf bat way too hard after OB, but imo the game is still moving forward.

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I don't know Bill Roper, but he has had a string of successful games, but the only one ppl remember is Hellgate, I find that odd.

He was a voice actor in several successful games, and had other minor roles. Then he was the main producer on Hellgate.

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He was a voice actor in several successful games, and had other minor roles. Then he was the main producer on Hellgate.

Ummmm... he had a bit more of a role than voice actor dear...

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Cryptic's and the dev team's first priority in the coming months must be to stabalize the game, pvp-wise, exploit-wise and so forth... THEN make new content that we can enjoy instead of playing a bulldozer's worth of new content in a bug-ridden environment, that has to be NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.. else... this ship sinks, the end.