This is one of those times I must issue an apology: Saturday, May 8th, I issued an article (partly in sarcasm) that Alganon’s press releases may be clones of The Old Republic, owing to the following similarities in notation:
But, there is just slight similarity between the following press release on the Alganon website from April:
“Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,” Derek Smart continued. “In Alganon, in addition to these we’ve added the fourth pillar to the equation; a story. We delivered a fun, immersive adventure that gamers expect in a top quality massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, we’re not done yet. A whole new adventure with new updates will follow soon, starting with a consignment house, new classes, PvP and much more.”
And the following from Bioware on The Old Republic from 2008:
“Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., “In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we’re fusing BioWare’s heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation – story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe.”
Due to unconfirmed reports, I was unable to fully verify that the message did indeed originate from Bioware, and for that I must issue a correction. As Derek Smart dutifully noted, the press release did not copy Bioware from 2008, but John Smedley from 2004.
“Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay elements – combat, exploration and character progression. In Everquest 2, we’ve added a fourth element to the equation; a story“
So again, please accept my apologies for noting that the speech was two years old, when I should have noted it as six years old.
On the next episode of Feeding the Alganon Trolls, we answer all of your ambiguous, inflammatory questions: I don my miners hat and hazard suit and descend into the furthest depths of hell to locate Derek Smart’s home town.
MMO Fallout 
I’ve not been able to find any copy John Smedley’s 2004 speech. I’m inclined to think that Smart picked up on that piece of information (misinformation?) from other internet posters. So outside the fact that Alganon’s actions still constitute plagiarism, we’ve got a “take BioWare down with us” campaign that might be fabricated.
You know, I was finishing up a followup just as you posted this.
I have not been able to find the quote, but I do have a number of people who remember it being said, based off of some gripes a blogger made years ago.
To be one hundred percent blunt with you, these started as a jab at the people who crucify Derek Smart for everything he does, (hence the ending) but you’ll see in the latest development that Mr. Smart is very difficult to defend.
I’ve been called quite a fan boy for Alganon, and I do love the game as shown in my month in review articles, but I feel like I did years ago with Tabula Rasa, Auto Assault, watching the walls crumble around me while one of my favorite games moves towards the light at the end of the tunnel, slowly but surely.
I want you to research an MMO called FURY, that you may remember back in 2008. More specifically, I want you to research an email that FURY sent out to ex-players calling them losers (The first sentence was, and I quote “you are likely a loser”) in a poorly constructed joke/motivation attempt. Instead, as you can imagine, ex-players (being already miffed for their own reasons about the title) took the comment as offensive and, after the email was plastered online, had an extremely negative effect on the game. FURY, as you may recall, was live for 10 months after launch before shutting down.
I talk about and reference back to deceased MMOs on here as much as possible, because there is a lot to learn from their lives and deaths, and each one has a unique story that helps us not only as players but developers to boot. I have a very bad feeling that when Alganon bites the dust, it will be remembered for the tight community and the great people who inhabited it, but that will be overshadowed by all of the bad press that Derek Smart brought. There is no speculation to that, it is virtually set in stone.
Here’s hoping I will have something good to report on Alganon. This plagiarism bit is depressing me ever so much.
-Omali
The more I read your blog, the more I really, really like it. I’ll look into Fury, promise.
As for the fallibility of Derek Smart: I completely recognize that he is The Man The Gaming Internet Loves To Hate. I don’t hate the man, and I do feel sorry for him; to me, he comes across as a Tragic Hero, a man with grand vision and equally deep flaws.
In my post on the subject, I did something similar to what you’ve written: I called him out on some things, but generally tried to put his actions in context. Alot of this current snafu isn’t actually his fault. He’s made matters worse, but he also had the kind of reputation that attracts ill will.
“he is The Man The Gaming Internet Loves To Hate.”
There is not a single gaming community where Bill Roper, John Smedley, or Derek Smart’s name can come up in conversation, without an explosion of drama following. I’ve tried to satirize it in the past, such as putting “Bill Roper will still be hated” in the prospects for 2010 article, but the actual trolls have become such complete exaggerations of themselves that the line between serious and satire is growing thinner each day.
Derek is right: This is a non-issue and to be frank (I had a few friends email me suggesting the “little known blog” Smart refers to in his forum post is mine, but that is unlikely) if I contributed in any way to this blowing out or proportion, it was completely unintentional. I am no stranger to how nearly impossible it is to determine tone over text, which is why I always try to end my satirical articles with an over-the-top comment: “Tune in for my followup story, where I investigate whether or not the toiletries in Quest Online’s building were stolen from, you’ve never seen it coming, Icarus Studios.”
One thing I have known about Derek Smart for years now is that he is not a quiet person. In my personal life, I am fairly non-confrontational, so I just clock that down to different strokes. His mouth (talky keyboard) will get him into trouble, however. I have talked to several Quest Online employees, current and past, who have told me Smart is a very efficient man, but a fuse as thin as a strand of hair.
My only suggestion to Derek (should he read these comments) is to do what I used to do: Write your response, and hit the delete key. I’m serious, it is a great way of getting the steam out without inflaming the situation even more.
I do talk a lot about how a company’s response is usually what dictates how the players will react. Earlier this year I mentioned how much I love Turbine, not because they make mistakes, but because of their quick reaction when they do. Atlantica Online, however, blamed their players when people complained about them taking 95% of the proceeds in a charity drive in-game, eventually causing Child’s Play to refuse the donation and request that their name be taken off of the charity drive.