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We (me and you) consider the concept of "expansion" is a different way. In fact I believe it is actually a problem for this genre.

See, I know exactly what you mean. I can understand the current situation and I know the reasons that brought to it. But this doesn't mean that I consider it the most appropriate and efficient. This is why I criticize it.

We have, fortunately, other examples nowadays. So precious because so rare and at the same time so important. I wrote more comments about this here and Dave Rickey countered them effectively. But this doesn't mean that my point of view changed.

It's not a case that Eve-Online expansions not only are massive, radical and evolutionary, but also mandatory. Included in the monthly fee (and I remember *you* agreeing with me about rising the monthly fee and integrate the expansions in it) and definitely not optional.

I don't think there's a misunderstanding, I just do not justify or accept your commonplaces. I simply would like to see better processes that could help to bring this genre nearer to its potential. And to get there many consolidated models, both in the founding, development and marketing ought to get discarded and rethought.

The development itself must evolve if these games want to go past their current limits.

From my point if view a mmorpg surely needs to launch when it has enough parts to be enjoyable but that should become the beginning of a journey, not its end. Things should start to get interesting at that point. The game shouldn't go in "maintenance mode", instead the actual development should start there. Where you can finally have a more direct relationship with the community and understand clearly where the game can go (and of course this brings back the discussion about the mudflation).

If working on a released game isn't fun it's just because of a choice that was made in the planning stage and that is surely questionable and not given.

Launches and expansions shouldn't be the end of a work and of the commitment. They should instead represent milestones along a journey that is as interesting as you want it to be.

And I already explained my point of view on authorship and devs with no responsibilities.