Has Paul Sage left ZoS?

Faulgor · June 2015

Armann wrote: »

Looks like Rich Lambert is now Creative Director after Paul Sage left

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richlambert

Huh. What did Rich do before?

Armann · June 2015

Faulgor wrote: »

Armann wrote: »

Looks like Rich Lambert is now Creative Director after Paul Sage left

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richlambert

Huh. What did Rich do before?

He was Lead Content designer.

Psychobunni · June 2015

Please let the future be more MMO related, less solo immersion! /pray -ing

Darkstorne · June 2015

slipHAZARD wrote: »

jeevin wrote: »

Could be the best thing to happen for the game. Hopefully whoever takes over as "Creative Director" is actually creative.

I'm hoping for a little less "creativity" and a little more comon sense.

Like on his first day, he comes on the forums and realizes "Hey all our fans and customers are asking for standard basic MMO features like Minimaps, Text Chat, Damage Numbers and Buff Indicators... wait why aren't these in the game already?"

Half their fans and customers are asking for that. The other half are asking for a more immersive true TES experience. They couldn't decide on one or the other so we ended up with a mediocre MMO and a mediocre TES game. Very few of the core functionalities an MMO player expects, and a very rushed and uninspired MMO-like area design which breaks immersion for TES players (every town using the same architecture within a province, no sense of history, every village is under attack from something, no wide open vistas, always mobs just walking around like XP pinatas waiting to be opened, quest NPCs tacitly asking you to pretend you're the only person in the area on this quest).

It is what it is, and it's probably too late to salvage in one direction or the other.

Ffastyl · June 2015

AngryNord wrote: »

Armann wrote: »

Looks like Rich Lambert is now Creative Director after Paul Sage left

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richlambert

He's got experience as a tester, at least. Although for EA, which might not be a good sign...

He also has experience as a Producer for Bethesda.

Psychobunni · June 2015

Darkstorne wrote: »

It is what it is, and it's probably too late to salvage in one direction or the other.

I hope not. I just had this conversation with my husband, I came to ESO for a MMO. While loving the TES line it was the MMO experience I was after. We played LOTRO after vanilla, after turbine took over and the store ....and still LOVED it, even though there are many, many players that hated it from the point we played.

I don't think ESO is "unsalvageable" I think it just needs more options.

JamilaRaj · June 2015

Faulgor wrote: »

Armann wrote: »

Looks like Rich Lambert is now Creative Director after Paul Sage left

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richlambert

Huh. What did Rich do before?

It does not matter. All he needs to do to make the crown store live on and prosper is to read its section on forums and throw in one thing he finds there once per month.
If he was really desperate, he could ask Gidorick (unless Gidorick is in fact Rich Lambert).

SC0TY999 · June 2015

ESO is a sinking ship!

Xandryah · June 2015

well, it's a pity a bit for me to read that, but the game is still a teamwork and good people are everywhere. ESO still has a huge potential... it's just some things with the numbers ( i think, because i have never been really good at math) that does not work for the players yet, namely and in my humble opinion (brainstormed):

> xp-rewards in general (not "much" anymore from lvl 1 to 50 though

> too much dmg from veteran mobs in Craglorn to make it soloable at veteran 14 with good gear (could be turned into a
2-4-player daily area and some (not all) common selected content could/should be doable solo in good purple gear as veteran 14, once daily; > daily quests) as average purple-veteran-14-single target-dps

> too much dmg from veteran 11/<14 mobs in former pve-group-delves-dungeons at veteran 14 (they can't be solable; they could be turned into dailies for average purple-veteran-14-single target-dps

> champion system is too excrucitating and not rewarding enough; too slow progress; maybe introduce cap-system, but make progress way faster; Champion system is the end-game-engine which could work well with daily-quests (also weeklies) that could be done in former pve-areas (former group-delves/dungeons)

> maybe a weekly could be : "Complete 10 selected caves in Craglorn (soloable) which would grant 2 Champion points daily extra)

> pve-world-bosses are (for me as average purple-veteran-14-single target-dps) very difficult still sometimes; they do a horrendous amount of dmg; a weekly could be "Kill 7 selected bosses" ; reward could be extra CP

> skill-damage too high (7500 dmg = 30% of full hp-bar); leads to 1-second-kills; i can only understand the necessity of high-damage in Cyrodiil for zergs, in order to make players fluctuate faster during zerg-battles, but i dont' believe it will work in small-scale-pvp; people would die too fast etc...

> too much critical chance (from 25% to 90%) in pvp; in swtor 30% critical chance is very high in pvp and not at all common

> healing as much effective as damage (in pvp); healing in swtor generates lower numbers than damage does, just like in real life; destroying is easier than building

> champion points should be earned from lvl 1; server wide credit would be cool

(NA and EU); at least CP... mounts and other things not necessarily

> it is good to give some sort of rewards to the players in MMOs (xp-wise or gold-wise or gear-wise)

> all the beautifully created areas in Tamriel (caves/dungeions especially and those former pve-group-activities) could be turned into daily areas (like mentioned above) which would be very much unlike swtor (where you never ever go again in former planets, which is a bit a shame i think)

> silver-bronze-pledges should be soloable too; gold should not be solable; rewards could depend on the fact if player is in group or not); the extra-reward for being in group (to encourage people to play in group) could be the rare materials to make implementation simpler for devs...

> in general... extra-incentive for grouping could be those rare materials (a chance to get them at least)

> more currencies/tokens

> Treasure Hunting-dailies with map-snippets (like the Spellcrafting-project)

> former world-bosses > daily activity for veteran 14

from financial point of view the numbers of the game have long ago met the goal(s) probably but an MMO is normally sth done for a longer period.

Thanks for reading.. Good Luck ^^.. Xandryah

The Uninvited · June 2015

Rich Lambert has been Lead Content Designer at ZOS for the past 8 years. I trust he will do fine following Paul Sage's footsteps.

Endurance · June 2015

Cogo wrote: »

Is Paul Sage working at Gearbox Software?

What does this mean for ESO?

Means it will end up like DOOM..

DOOM has been dead since John Romero and John Carmack left ID Software.. that company seems to have merged with Bethesda now

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO · June 2015

The Uninvited wrote: »

Rich Lambert has been Lead Content Designer at ZOS for the past 8 years. I trust he will do fine following Paul Sage's footsteps.

I'm not sure following Paul Sage's footsteps is such a great idea. I actually hope he gets out of those footsteps and finds a better path ahead.

Faulgor · June 2015

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

sadownik · June 2015

Ffastyl wrote: »

Welp, we haven't seen new content in a while. I am personally withholding judgement until Imperial City and/or Wrothgar is released. Seeing new content rather than judging what was already released seems more fair to the studio. They levelled up as Devs while they were making ESO, let's see the new skills!

Those devs that were actually making eso are long gone mate, thats the porblem. Along with some big names they left in january at latest.

Lava_Croft · June 2015

Different people, same ***.

Alcast · June 2015

[snip] He indeed didnt look that happy in the last ESO LIves he participated.

[edited for bashing]

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO · June 2015

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

Seeing his body language during the last few Live sessions, starting with the B2P announcement, I suspect that any official parting words from Paul would probably not have been his own anyway.

Phinix1 · June 2015

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

Exactly my first thoughts.

Did it never occur to these guys that there might be those of us that actually CARE about them, respect them as professionals and artists, and that it damages our sense of family and community to see matriarchs and patriarchs just up and bail? For gods' sakes think of the children!

Some parting words might have been nice. Something cheesy about "the journey continues" or some such selfish tripe. Something to explain why they couldn't pour their creative potential into improving what they have been a part of already instead of leaping to the next half-hearted short-term commitment.

I really don't want to sound rude or ungrateful, but I won't lie, I'm a little hurt and maybe just a little disappointed.

Lava_Croft · June 2015

AlienDiplomat wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

Exactly my first thoughts.

Did it never occur to these guys that there might be those of us that actually CARE about them, respect them as professionals and artists, and that it damages our sense of family and community to see matriarchs and patriarchs just up and bail? For gods' sakes think of the children!

Some parting words might have been nice. Something cheesy about "the journey continues" or some such selfish tripe. Something to explain why they couldn't pour their creative potential into improving what they have been a part of already instead of leaping to the next half-hearted short-term commitment.

I really don't want to sound rude or ungrateful, but I won't lie, I'm a little hurt and maybe just a little disappointed.

It doesn't really fit in with what so far seems to be ZOS' preferred way to operate for someone like Paul Sage to come to the forums and write an actual human 'Goodbye' post.

Fecius · June 2015

Lava_Croft wrote: »

AlienDiplomat wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

Exactly my first thoughts.

Did it never occur to these guys that there might be those of us that actually CARE about them, respect them as professionals and artists, and that it damages our sense of family and community to see matriarchs and patriarchs just up and bail? For gods' sakes think of the children!

Some parting words might have been nice. Something cheesy about "the journey continues" or some such selfish tripe. Something to explain why they couldn't pour their creative potential into improving what they have been a part of already instead of leaping to the next half-hearted short-term commitment.

I really don't want to sound rude or ungrateful, but I won't lie, I'm a little hurt and maybe just a little disappointed.

It doesn't really to fit in with what so far seems to be ZOS preferred way to operate: as a mostly distant, faceless and emotionless entity for someone like Paul Sage to come to the forums and write an actual human 'Goodbye' post.

I'm sure, that our Gina or Jason would definitely say something nice to us if they would leave ZOS.

@ZOS_GinaBruno and @ZOS_JasonLeavey, don't even think about it! We all love you two, so just stay with us! Who else would miss right camera or help Gina stop laughing on live

log234 · June 2015

Maybe they left because the game took a turn in the wrong direction? Away from what they wanted it to be, as an example the difference between Sage's normally excited expression to his more weary expression after announcing B2P.

There's this general rule of thumb I've heard, that game developers are generally not in the business for the money, if they were in it for the money they would be programmers working for other firms as the wages are so different, they are in it because it's their passion and they are genuinely excited about and care for the games they make.

Which leads me back to my point; I don't think Paul, Konkle or Maria simply left for a bigger salary, but rather a conflict of interest in the development of the game that they were not willing to be backing up or put their name on.

MornaBaine · June 2015

Ye gods can I dare to hope the new guy/gal, whoever they may be, won't hate vampires so much?

Samadhi · June 2015

Darkstorne wrote: »

slipHAZARD wrote: »

jeevin wrote: »

Could be the best thing to happen for the game. Hopefully whoever takes over as "Creative Director" is actually creative.

I'm hoping for a little less "creativity" and a little more comon sense.

Like on his first day, he comes on the forums and realizes "Hey all our fans and customers are asking for standard basic MMO features like Minimaps, Text Chat, Damage Numbers and Buff Indicators... wait why aren't these in the game already?"

Half their fans and customers are asking for that. The other half are asking for a more immersive true TES experience. They couldn't decide on one or the other so we ended up with a mediocre MMO and a mediocre TES game. Very few of the core functionalities an MMO player expects, and a very rushed and uninspired MMO-like area design which breaks immersion for TES players (every town using the same architecture within a province, no sense of history, every village is under attack from something, no wide open vistas, always mobs just walking around like XP pinatas waiting to be opened, quest NPCs tacitly asking you to pretend you're the only person in the area on this quest).

It is what it is, and it's probably too late to salvage in one direction or the other.

Hopefully they focus on working in the right direction at the very least.

When they focused on giving us real Elder Scrolls content, we got stuff like the Justice System and Champion System which, though the Justice System still needs its PvP phase, have gotten a lot of positive attention.

When they focused on giving us typical MMO content, we got stuff like Craglorn and only a small subset of players cheered while many groaned and bemoaned having to wait for meaningful additions to the game.

Lava_Croft · June 2015

Fecius wrote: »

Lava_Croft wrote: »

AlienDiplomat wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

Exactly my first thoughts.

Did it never occur to these guys that there might be those of us that actually CARE about them, respect them as professionals and artists, and that it damages our sense of family and community to see matriarchs and patriarchs just up and bail? For gods' sakes think of the children!

Some parting words might have been nice. Something cheesy about "the journey continues" or some such selfish tripe. Something to explain why they couldn't pour their creative potential into improving what they have been a part of already instead of leaping to the next half-hearted short-term commitment.

I really don't want to sound rude or ungrateful, but I won't lie, I'm a little hurt and maybe just a little disappointed.

It doesn't really to fit in with what so far seems to be ZOS preferred way to operate: as a mostly distant, faceless and emotionless entity for someone like Paul Sage to come to the forums and write an actual human 'Goodbye' post.

I'm sure, that our Gina or Jason would definitely say something nice to us if they would leave ZOS.

@ZOS_GinaBruno and @ZOS_JasonLeavey, don't even think about it! We all love you two, so just stay with us! Who else would miss right camera or help Gina stop laughing on live

OMG! You forgot @ZOS_JessicaFolsom!

Lettigall · June 2015

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

"Goodby" threads are forbidden in forums!

But jokes aside, it's looks like they left ZOS in bad terms. Ether suits wasn't satisfied with their work or they themselves weren't happy about direction ESO is going to.

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Maybe that Nick, Maria and Paul choose to do.

Ojustaboo · June 2015

AlienDiplomat wrote: »

Nick Konkle, Maria Aliprando and now Paul Sage...

[snip]

Or it could be passionate devs get sick to death of the suits upstairs ignoring all their warnings, sick of telling the suits "I told you so" and being so frustrated by what we ended up with that they felt that by staying, they were both looking like they were happy with things, and risk damaging their future employment prospects.

Having worked for numerous companies over a 36 year period, having been loyal to those at the start of my career, hardly seeing my son in his first two years due to working late (no overtime pay), or things like cancelling holidays to help out, only to get new bosses, buy outs, take overs etc and me and other employees crapped all over, well now I have zero loyalty to any company, they pay me, I do what I'm paid for to the best of my ability, end of.

The amount of times I and others warned the suits at various places that if they do xyz or don't do abc, then within 3 to 6 months this or that will happen, only to be proven right without exception, and muggins here having to work all weekend, public holidays etc to try and fix the problems (while the suits are at home with their families) well there comes a point where we say no more.

If Paul's (and others) experience is anything like I have sadly witnessed over the years, I don't blame them in the slightest for leaving.

[edited to remove quote]

Faulgor · June 2015

log234 wrote: »

Maybe they left because the game took a turn in the wrong direction? Away from what they wanted it to be, as an example the difference between Sage's normally excited expression to his more weary expression after announcing B2P.

That certainly seems very likely considering all of them left at around the same time, with the change to B2P.

Fecius · June 2015

Lava_Croft wrote: »

Fecius wrote: »

Lava_Croft wrote: »

AlienDiplomat wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

Exactly my first thoughts.

Did it never occur to these guys that there might be those of us that actually CARE about them, respect them as professionals and artists, and that it damages our sense of family and community to see matriarchs and patriarchs just up and bail? For gods' sakes think of the children!

Some parting words might have been nice. Something cheesy about "the journey continues" or some such selfish tripe. Something to explain why they couldn't pour their creative potential into improving what they have been a part of already instead of leaping to the next half-hearted short-term commitment.

I really don't want to sound rude or ungrateful, but I won't lie, I'm a little hurt and maybe just a little disappointed.

It doesn't really to fit in with what so far seems to be ZOS preferred way to operate: as a mostly distant, faceless and emotionless entity for someone like Paul Sage to come to the forums and write an actual human 'Goodbye' post.

I'm sure, that our Gina or Jason would definitely say something nice to us if they would leave ZOS.

@ZOS_GinaBruno and @ZOS_JasonLeavey, don't even think about it! We all love you two, so just stay with us! Who else would miss right camera or help Gina stop laughing on live

OMG! You forgot @ZOS_JessicaFolsom!

Oh, true! My bad, I'm sorry

Pendrillion · June 2015

Alcast wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

I know big AAA developers and especially Bethesda/Zenimax may want to handle this differently, but when lead devs and directors left STO, we at least had some goodbyes from them. Considering their interaction with the community, I would have expected at least some parting words from Nick, Maria and Paul.

[snip]

I suspect too... I remember the air about him when they announced TU. There was some hubub going between ZOS and Bethsoft. Pete Hines being there was a certain indicator that things didn't go according to plan. Maybe all of those guys ran in too many management roadblocks. Or maybe they didn't provide the content quality ZOS was looking for.

Also, knowing a bit about creativity: I imagine those guys probably face some Burn Out Problems as well. I mean by the divines. I couldn't imagine to put out so much stuff over so many years, while always having the damocles sword of impending failure hanging over me.

It really is more Industry today than it is a creative space to create intresting concepts.

My 2 cents.

[edited to remove quote]

Sausage · June 2015

Does this mean Borderlands MMO is coming so the fan outcry has been answered. Also Gearbox said that next one is gonna be "The Big One" I want to know what happened to Jay Wilson, dude gets fired for making 10 mill sale PC game, Diablo 3, screw Borderlands MMO.