Sessler Says: Quit Yer Bitchin’
By Ron on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 9:28 AM PST In Computer, Editorials, Left 4 Dead, Microsoft, Valve
You probably remember Steve’s post where he talked about the L4D2 ‘boycott.’ Now everyone’s favorite irate TV host, Adam Sessler, is weighing in on the controversy.
I haven’t really weighed in on this one yet, but it’s about time.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? Quite simply, you’re nothing more than a bunch of over-entitled babies.
You know, I could almost understand it, if you’d bought L4D as a single-player game only. After all, as a single-player experience, L4D was sort of lacking. Unfortunately for you, you’ve got a Steam group, and most, if not all of you are playing L4D online regularly. So that argument (the only one available) is moot.
Wait, who’s that waving their hand at me? Ah, that’s one of the whiners, trying to convince me that Valve hates gamers now. SHUT. UP. Valve has always supported gamers, and given excellent support to their products. I’m perfectly willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, especially since they’ve already said that they have more content slated to release for L4D (four player matchmaking, for example).
Additionally, since I’m not a self-entitled idiot, I can understand the business situation as well, something gamers never seem to understand. With the sweeping changes Valve is making to Left 4 Dead 2, it would be nearly impossible to update the console version of the original game to accommodate them. So, either these people think Valve should forgo profits simply to make them happy, or that Valve should forgo a console release of this content. How moronic.
Thankfully, Valve isn’t listening to them, and we’re all going to be better off for it.
[...] Via:?Gaming Today [...]
Wow, it’s so great to see the mentally handicapped using the internet…. You are such an inspiration for the low functioning everywhere! Keep it up little buddy!
I’m glad to see we can all be mature and on-topic regarding the boycott. It’s a poor credit to your cause when you sarcastically lambaste others without real cause beyond “Durr hurr ah disugree wit joo”.
I’m no boycotter, but I understand why people are upset.
I’m a modder. I bought L4D mostly for the sdk (though i do love the game)
On valves steam page it says “SDK included”. this was when i preordered it.
Steam page still says the same thing and yet there is still no SDK except
what we have of a beta that was introduced to us 7 months after launch.
The lack of content in L4D has always been an issue. One that every review on
posted on metacritic ackknowledges including G4TV.
So yeah. I suppose that I am upset a little that I never got what I paid for and was told I would have. And now I fear that the sdk will be dumbed down so people won’t be able to just recreate l4d2 on their own. And if you think melee weapons and new zombies are too hard for modders in the community than you’re mistaken.
Hear Hear…
Too bad that Adam is not interested in facts.
Too bad there is no real “rights” for gamers.
Too bad publishers can promise anything they like,
and deliver whatever they like…
Anyone raising their voice will be labeled a “whiner”,
by heroes like Adam.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU Sessler ? Quite simply, you’re nothing more than a corrupted whining baby.
You know, I could almost understand it, as you’re paid by games company to give good review. After all, as a reviewer, L4D 10 millions advertisement budget was sort of a good news. Unfortunately for you, you didn’t even read the Steam group description and manifesto, and the best is, you didn’t even asked one single member of the group about his/her opinion. So that argument “my opinion is more important than you ’cause I’m a professional” (the only one available) is *moot*.
Wait, who’s that waving their hand at me? Ah, that’s one of the anti-boycott whiners, trying to convince me that Valve will always love gamers. BE. QUIET. please.
Valve has always supported gamers… until they start making money on Steam.
And given excellent support to their products… until their Source games (see CS:S, DoD:S).
I’m perfectly willing to NOT give them the benefit of the doubt, especially since :
1) They raised prices for european from 40% up to 80% (the EA agreement) (amazon.co.uk + shipping is now way cheaper than Steam digit’) and start making region-specific offer AND later admitted (in an official email) they will adjust Steam digital prices to local retail prices, especially for Europe.
2) And because they’re saying that they have more content slated to release for L4D (four player matchmaking, for example) since initial release, and all we got was 1 mini-map (Lighthouse) and a chronometer (Survival), worth 1 month of work.
3) And stated that, as Xbox 360 players don’t all have HDD, new content is impossible, so no more L4D1 content is expected for xbox360 and PC, only bug fixes, to avoid console player feeling like “abandoned”. So they’re using the “xbox360 hdd” as an excuse to not releasing new content, to turn it into a console/pc war.
4) Ben Kuchera (from ARS Technica) reported that Chet Faliszek said during the ARS interview that “the team brought their concepts and ideas to create a sequel to Gabe Newell, and even he was skeptical about the idea. According to Faliszek, he expressed his doubts, and claimed this move was against the character of the company.”
=> You know who is Gabe Newell ?
Of course, he’s the co-founder and managing director of Valve, he worked on HL1, HL2, Orange Box and Steam. He’s one of the few people who truly believe in the “entertainment as a service” business model (in videogame) (gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22378). He expressed his doubts and claimed L4D2 was AGAINST THE CHARACTER OF VALVE COMPANY.
You may wonder why GabeN finally accepted ? GabeN respect devs freedom more than Valve (and I agree with him on this point), so he let Chet do what he wanted to do.
Additionally, since I’m not an economist and don’t have a lot of data on Valve/Steam and I’m honest and polite, I can’t fully understand the business situation and do not insinuate gamers/anti-boycotter are stupid.
With the minor changes Valve is making to Left 4 Dead 2 (re-skinning, same gameplay mechanics, only few new melee weapon model+skin based on gas/fuel can melee function, 1 “new” infected took from the forum topics and other SI slightly modified, minor engine update), it would be nearly impossible to update the console version of the original game due to Microsoft update policy, BUT PC players shouldn’t suffer from console platform flaws.
So, I respect other people and don’t decide what their opinions and thought are, and better read and listen to what they’re saying and writing first, then I could make respectful hypothesis.
Thankfully, Valve is listening to them : they’re making several interview on various news website to get fanbase’s trust back (that’s how I heard about it and wrote my piece of e-paper) and answering emails carefully, and we’re all going to be better off for it.
– — – — – –
Some people don’t understand WHY there is a boycott group mostly because they didn’t read each news and press announcement about L4D BEFORE and AFTER its release, so they didn’t heard about promised updates, new content (movies, characters, weapons, monster), bug fixes and SDK.
They think the game is pretty good compared to average EA games. It’s true.
They say Madden games (EA Sport) are released every year and millions of people are buying them. It’s true.
The few bug fixes and the Survival game mode are enough, as many games are not even updated at all. It’s true.
This is the main problem : We’re not talking about an EA game at all, we’re talking about a Valve game.
Most boycotter pre-ordered (like me) or bought L4D1 because we thought the game would be supported like HL² and TF2 : a good SDK and custom map support, new content “few weeks after launch” (quoting Doug Lombardi, Gamespot interview). First they delayed bug fixes update, the 2 Versus campaign, then the SDK… and now they’re saying “we work too much, there is too much content, we MUST charge you 50 bucks for that”.
They can still split it between “free content L4D1″ and “L4D2 content” and wait 6 months to add more content in L4D2, or sell it as cheap DLC “L4D1 : New Infection”, but it seems they’re blindly trying to sell it 50 bucks, 1 year after L4D1.
This is why we are trying to tell Valve this is a very bad decision and there is much better alternatives : L4D1 owner getting discount, lower price DLC, splitting new content between L4D1/L4D2.
We, fan of Valve and L4D1, spread the news of upcoming L4D before its release, pre-ordered it, played it a lot, told our friends to buy it, reported bugs, posted suggestions and ideas including the Charger, were patient and still waiting for a complete SDK and new content.
So, we believe releasing L4D2 the November 17, 2009 will be an error, a very bad one. Valve will lost gamer’s trust, damage its reputation, the fanbase will change dramatically, the L4D1 community will fade out and we do not want that, we believe Valve’s philosophy and values are not an impossible dream.
If you do not agree with the boycott group, please stay calm and simply wait for L4D2
Hey RON. I’m boycotter and firts of ALL
SHUT UP YOU MAN. U don’t have any respect for us. Are you calling 40.000 steam members over-entitled babyes? Are you stupid?
WE ARE A LOOOT OF PEOPLE, and we paid for BETA GAME.
So.. SHUT UP.
Hi Adam,
from what I gather, you seem to be rather clueless as to what time that really goes into developing a game, much less ever developed one yourself. Because anyone who has developed a game would know, that it takes far more than a year to develop a AAA title. Heck, it sometimes even takes a year just to get the funding. Let alone design, develop, bugtest, and playtest.
What’s even more sad, is that you are acting all tough calling young customers with legit complaints “whiners”. Which makes me wonder: “Have you even read a single thread on what you are commenting about?” Because anyone who read the “sane” posts, would realize there is actually quite a few valid claim in there. Albeit, not always so elequently written, but what do you expect from 11 year old kids who might not even have english as their naitive language?
You see, much like in the real world, it’s about what is promised and what is delivered. Just as simple as that… If someone didn’t get their fries when ordering at Mc Donalds, you would pretty much expect them to come and ask for their fries, right? So, why anyone would think it’s ok to redicule a valid complaint just because it is a kid who makes them is beyond me.
How about you take a bold step and defend the customer-rights when it comes to gaming instead of slamming little kids? But then again, I havent really followed your show… Perhaps slamming young kids is your “forté”.