The Failure of Gleemax

[Asmor]

Vista?

Well it's far from error-free, Vista's problems stem more from design decisions than anything else.

Really, not being able to listen to music and be on the internet at the same time is a feature, not a bug.

 

[Obrysii]

I was finished over there when a certain "community manager" began making very, very bad managerial decisions - and began to silence people who spoke out against him.

The re-org hasn't helped much. It's eliminated any desire of mine to post there.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I think it's a classic case of a company trying to "do it themselves" rather than either outsource or use experts.

I agree, but with 1 modification: I think 90+% of WotC's problems as of late stem from trying to do to much in to short of a time and not enough focus.

• Failure to get the new license/SRD out when they said they would.
• Launch eDungeon/eDragon and have it fall far short of its print predocessor.
• Make a website a central location for all gamers to gather that doesn't work properly.
• Start an online gaming site that (from the previews I've seen) displayed a quality of graphics that were the standard 10+ years ago.

All while launching a new edition. If they started off with launching a new online site that could be the "home of all gamers" and perfected it then launched eDungeon/eDragon and got it up to high quality standards, then playtested the new edition in secret and then finally wrote the new license and SRD while preparing the online game and brought it up to WoW quality, things would have gone alot smoother. They could have had the license/SRD to publishers back in September/October like originally promised and Wizards would have been hailed for their quality orginization and superb handling of the whole 4E launch.

 

[cr0m]

Thanks for googling for me. I'm at work and didn't have time to link in my post.

The Gleemax alpha was a huge failure--in development and managing the expectations and subsequent complaints of the community. But the nice thing is that it's not as though they're stuck with the developers.

 

[Alzrius]

I agree, but with 1 modification: I think 90+% of WotC's problems as of late stem from trying to do to much in to short of a time and not enough focus.

• Failure to get the new license/SRD out when they said they would.
• Launch eDungeon/eDragon and have it fall far short of its print predocessor.
• Make a website a central location for all gamers to gather that doesn't work properly.
• Start an online gaming site that (from the previews I've seen) displayed a quality of graphics that were the standard 10+ years ago.

All while launching a new edition.

Indeed. The failure of Gleemax is just part of the great pooch-humping that is (the launch of) 4E.

It's almost hard to believe that WotC has screwed up so much of their recent undertakings, and so badly at that. I'm almost inclined to believe that there's something going on that we're not privy to, which is forcing them to move faster than they're comfortable with, and make mistakes in the rush. Maybe in ten years or so we'll be hearing about how Hasbro was about to kill D&D unless WotC produced a near-impossible level of profits, forcing a new edition out the door with a lot of bells and whistles.

For me, as long as we still have the OGL and EN World, things are covered. I never once went to Gleemax, since this place already meets all of my online gaming community needs.

 

[I'm A Banana]

John Hammond: All major theme parks have had delays! When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked -- nothing!

What do you call a blind dinosaur?

What do you call a blind dinosaur's dog?

What do you call a website designed by a blind dinosaur?

 

[Scribble]

Not sure I'm ready to call Gleemax a "failure" just yet...

Once they remove the Alpha tag, if it's still suffering from the listed problems, and such then yeah.

Certainly the alpha could be handled better, but a failure? Not just yet.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

Gleemax? Forget it.

I don't think the WotC standards are as high and exact as your standards. It's probably a success by WotC and Hasbro standards.

 

[cr0m]

It ain't.

 

[Aeolius]

What do you call a website designed by a blind dinosaur?

"Spared no expense."