Asherons Call: Letter From Turbine (ToD Delayed)

It has been a while, hasn't it? I have two messages to deliver to you today:

1: We're pushing the expansion pack launch back. The new launch date is July 18.

There isn't any way to sugarcoat that and you probably like it as little as we do, but there are good reasons for it.

The main reason? As you probably know, we did some closed focus testing with several groups of players last month, in preparation for the upcoming general Player Preview. Before we put the Preview in front of the toughest audience in the world, AC players, we wanted to put the game in front of, well, some of the toughest audience in the world, just to make sure we had the game we thought we had. This seemed only prudent, and we made sure we had players from a wide range of servers, including Darktide.

The upshot is: Boy, are we glad we did that. It was interesting, if your definition of 'interesting' is having your flaws pointed out in graphic detail. The feedback we got from the players was great, very detailed and specific and delivered with tough love. What they told us is that we had some changes to make. And we took that feedback to heart and have started to make some of those changes, but it is going to take some time.

Don't get the idea I'm blaming the delay on the players; if anything, we should have caught some of the issues they noted earlier. As we all know, however, we can all get too close to our babies; that's why you have testing. The testers have improved Throne of Destiny with their comments and we're indebted to them. Besides, I don't know the development team that doesn't want more time to optimize code.

We'll still be having the Player Preview; Ibn will deliver more info on that next week.

2: I'm leaving the AC Team and Turbine. Today is my last day here.

Before the conspiracy theorists drown out the rest of us, this is in no way connected with the launch delay discussed above. In fact, I, among others, lobbied hard to get that delay and the fact that we got it - even though Turbine is going to take a financial hit on marketing and distribution money that has already been spent and a confidence hit with some of your fellow players - should prove that this company is committed to giving you quality. In the old adage of "You can have it good or you can have it Tuesday," the company chose the former. How many times have we seen companies choose Tuesday, instead? It doesn't guarantee a flawless launch, but it does reduce the risks to one and that's the best any of us can hope for.

So, no, the reason I'm leaving isn't about the delay; my reasons are my own and don't involve dark portents. (Remember, the Illuminati have nothing to do with my leaving. No, really. Honest.) In the meantime, you are in good hands with srand as Live Producer, backed up by Ibn, meanbeard, Scenario and the rest of the crew, some of the best developers I've ever worked with. Almost all of them came to the team as AC players - one of you and a part of you, in fact - with years of experience in the game; I don't think any other MMORPG can say that about their Live Team.

I'll still be around the industry, but I'm going to miss the team and I'm going to miss you guys. AC is still my favorite online RPG; I played it long before joining Turbine and I'll be exploring Dereth years from now. For all that a few of you are the most cantankerous players on the face of the earth, as a whole you're the best community I've been part of to date. After nineteen years and being part of more MMOGs than perhaps anyone in the industry, that's saying something. It has been a privilege to serve you, truly.

And who knows? Maybe one day I'll actually make it out of the Training Academy on Darktide without getting ganked.

- Jessica

On another note:

Former Turbine Member Joins Saga Of Ryzom
Written by John Callaham

Wednesday, 27 April 2005
Last Friday, Turbine team member Jessica Mulligan announced she was departing the development of the Asheron's Call team as its executive producer. Today, it was announced that Mulligan will now be joining Nevrax as the new executive producer of their MMO title Saga of Ryzom.
Prior to her work at Turbine, Mulligan was a director of Ultima Online and was president of The Themis Group, which has a long history with Saga of Ryzom. Recently Nevrax's CEO David Cohen Corval posted up word on the game's official web site that sales of the game were not up to expectations but that the company was taking steps to improve the game, including plans for a free expansion pack that will be revealed at this May's E3.