Curse

Daemon · Apr 03, 2005, 07:47 AM // 07:47

With that title, the first thing that comes to mind is the NDA. Why are so many things the way they are with companies these days? Why can't people who know more even say 'maybe' or 'possible' and why would such things ruin whatever it is these companies are trying to achieve? Will we not buy something if we know too much? Will too many rumours running about destroy the experience intended by the people marketing a product? There is so much legal babble, not to mension the 'terms of agreement' and secrecy...WHY!?! Why do you tempt us so? What power would knowledge bring us that asumption can not achieve? Perhaps it's just the lack of experience on 'the other side' for me, and maybe I havn't heard the stories of catastrophic agreement breaches...so please enlighten me (and us).

IceD'Bear · Apr 03, 2005, 08:07 AM // 08:07

It's better that way. The game changes constantly, and new features are added incrementally (for example, it took over a month for the whole UI to change). During those changes the game is in an 'unstable' state and it wouldn't be any good if the public discussed that.
Can you imagine the comments on screenshots a newly implemented mission which lacks many textures and models? I bet many would be "Ewww, this looks like ---- I'm not buying this game!" and it would only hurt the game.

Inde · Apr 03, 2005, 02:26 PM // 14:26

The NDA is there to stop the spread of misinformation. Alpha [and now-a-days beta also] are not just to test for programming bugs but also balancing and in-agme content. So while on January 1 the combat system might have been in a certain style, by February 1 the combay system may have changed. People too easily hear one bad comment 3 months before release and go 'oh this must suck'

Furthermore, the NDA is also to stop [unfair] negative opinions. Too often times people assume that beta should be stable. Of course there is a massive paradox in that statement - beta is to test it out. The NDA ensures that such bad publicity [especially when it is unwarranted] does not leak out.

Lunarhound · Apr 03, 2005, 03:14 PM // 15:14

Besides all of that, the NDA does help preserve a bit of the surprise. I know that's probably one of its lesser functions in the grand scheme of things, but it's one that I appreciate. I really don't want to know absolutely everything about the game before it's released. I'm probably in the minority here, seeing as how so many people have said they want to be alpha testers, but I'm perfectly content being kept in the dark about some things for the time being.

Daemon · Apr 03, 2005, 06:10 PM // 18:10

I agree completely Lunarhound. In fact, I don't mind waiting for the game to come out. I spend the time wanting the game, and by the time for it's release, I practically adore the game (asuming it doesn't take so long that I forget about it and move on).

As to the above posts on the NDA, it does make sense, and I suppose it all comes down to selling the most of your product the way you want it to be sold. I suppose 'maybe' doesn't exist in the public's vocabulary, and anything said about the product, be it 'this might happen' or 'that won't be implemented' could be misconstrued and warped into an incorrect interpritation of the product, and thus totally screwing over the objective of the company.