Ex-VIP. Only post-shutdown proofing will get me back.

[misterski]

Where did you get the notion you own anything in this game? Even all the content you've paid for over the years isn't owned by you. You paid for access, not ownership.

 

[Jummby]

Where did you get the notion you own anything in this game? Even all the content you've paid for over the years isn't owned by you. You paid for access, not ownership.

People by packs marketed as collector packs? What are they collecting?

 

[Dude]

People by packs marketed as collector packs? What are they collecting?

Limited time access to things other people don't have access to.

 

[Felsyn]

as a serious answer:
Licensing would prevent them from allowing us to get access to the source code of DDO.
Licensing would prevent them from allowing us to run our own private servers.
LOTRO prevents them from allowing us access to the tools still being used there.
LOTRO prevents them from allowing us access to any shared source code that could lead to exploits or vulnerabilities.

The complex nature of DDO's instancing makes me doubt a homegrown approach to starting our own server if these closed down as well. Even if it stayed offline. They pulled it off with AC2, but that games server is far less complex.

Thankfully DDO isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[Kanuvan]

I would unsubscribe my VIP on the spot if they started spending their finite resources on a offline mode instead of new content, there's plenty of single player D&D games that are way better than DDO at doing a single player experience go play those instead (BG3, Pathfinder, Path of Exile)

 

[paddymaxson]

Bad take. Many of us here spent on DDO easily 10s of times over the price of a regular game that we'd normally get to keep forever. The notion that I get to play this game for FREE and that I am some sort of a rogue for asking this is ridiculous.

Hi I am part of the "Many of us" group. That's not what I was getting at at all. I'm not accusing you of being some sort of hanger on who isn't willing to pay for the game. I'm just saying that of all the reasons to withold your cash yours is an almost infintely unlikely outcome. Bad phrasing on my part I guess.

"I'm witholding paying for your game until you make me a guarantee that one day it will be the game I want, here's my list of demands that are extremely unlikely" is I suppose a more expected statement, but still quite pie in the sky.

 

[Dendrix Deathblade]

There is no chance of what the OP wants happening.

SSG have a licence to use D&D, and at some point that licence will expire. It may or may not be renewed depending on the commercial agreements between SSG and Hasbro (WotC). If not renewed DDO is dead and gone. Putting stuff that they don't own into the public domain is simply never going to happen, not legally.

If you buy a physical copy of the PHB you can't legally scan and put that up on the internet. And that's why the DDO source will never be legally available.

 

[Gordo]

Cool story, bro. That's like saying if the parts department of my dealership were a publicly traded company, then they would be traded as a penny stock. I guess you can say it, but it makes no sense.

Reading is fundamental.
"If SSG was a public company, the shares would be a penny stock right now".

 

[Gordo]

There is no chance of what the OP wants happening.

SSG have a licence to use D&D, and at some point that licence will expire. It may or may not be renewed depending on the commercial agreements between SSG and Hasbro (WotC). If not renewed DDO is dead and gone. Putting stuff that they don't own into the public domain is simply never going to happen, not legally.

If you buy a physical copy of the PHB you can't legally scan and put that up on the internet. And that's why the DDO source will never be legally available.

Such a shame that an internationally renown brand is left to such decay like this.

Hard to believe there is no money in the "D&D" name that more money wouldn't flow into it. Maybe a new game entirely would bring in a larger audience?

 

[Dude]

Reading is fundamental.
"If SSG was a public company, the shares would be a penny stock right now".

Good for you! Embrace the Feywild in your "argument." No need to make sense when you can just sling insults!

 

[Yeet]

Ubisoft is getting sued for shutting down its servers for its online game, The Crew, and not having post proofing like OP is describing. This is going to become a thing with MMOs, especially considering how much whales spend on those games. Those whales also have the means to start lawsuits.

The outcome of this case will set precedent in the coming years.

Also, even though the case in in California, I think the EU is a player that influences how MMOs operate. If they really took a look at EG7, and games like DDO, there would be issues. Especially in regards to gambling laws. If requiring post-proofing becomes law, fat chance, that will really cause some issues.

DDO has some potential legal struggles on the horizon. Wouldn't be the first time.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/ubisoft-is-being-sued-by-two-california-gamers-over-the-crew/

 

[RandomRedMage]

I would pay a fairly significant amount to have access to working final server/client files and tools to host/run the game after final shutdown. I believe games like this should have an end of life plan. All games that rely on publishers/hosting services continuing to do so, should have an end of life plan for when their game goes offline. As well as a permissive but restricted License that handles the nitty gritty details that companies can get hung up on. It's fairly simple in terms of releasing such a thing. They don't need to release source code. Just the server software, and basic instructions on the environment and supporting software needed. ie sql database etc. Any supporting tools specifically for the server, such as tools for implementing new quests, npcs, items. And client Software that has a launcher that can be aimed at whatever IPort combination needed to connect to someone's personal server.

In the case of DDO specifically, I wouldn't even be Mad if part of this whole deal was a sale. You pay for the software, this payment grants you a license to run a not for profit server, and be allowed to distribute a client for that server. You are not licensed to distribute the server, just the client. So only one person needs to pay for it, but their whole gaming group can play.

I do not see them doing that, I dont see any of these companies running live service or free to play MMOs doing anything like this. The few examples of it we have are great, As someone Mentioned Megaman Dive Offline, thats a great example, I think they missed the mark not adding peer to peer to keep someone of the actual multilayer componants in. But they did at least keep the game availible by doing this and thats a lot more than mnay other games have done.

I'n my opinion, this is probably the best way to hande end of life. Just monetize it. Pick a fair price that people are likely to be willing to play, and just charge them for it. This way you make that one last burst of money from the thing your shutting down, and can take that forward towards new projects.

But, let's hope for the best, and that DDO gets to keep on running, and the devs can smooth out the wrinkles... (like seriously, can we fix Vial Smash spells so they actually damage things? How is my Alchemist supposed to handle groups.)