VU answers a few questions

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

No explanations, not even comments - I can't. It's too surreal for me to comment it. I'll just link it, shall I?

http://www.vintage-sierra.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=374&sid=1f2d493473ce5868c69f5632d994d228

(CORRECT LINK)

[James Kay]

Are you referring to the "Game Stars Live Summary! (Why Vivendi sucks)" thread?
That was pretty useless. A few badly thought-out questions to an unnamed "representative". The information that has come out of that little dialogue is exactly zero.

No, however much I'd like to see the oldies resurrected VUG is not the company to do it. Their aims are simply not compatible. Pipe dreams, I'm afraid. 

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

The information that has come out of that little dialogue is exactly zero.

That's what shocks me. Who taught these guys their PR? Those are relevant questions from a concerned gamer.

EDIT - I just realised, maybe this should be on General Discussion - but I think it's adventure-related, so... ah well, if a mod wants to move it, feel free.

[Sam.]

damn them. DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL! how can they get away with that? Sending a representative who doesn't seem to have a clue what is going on at all.

*sigh*, when i get my own game company, ill show them...

[remixor]

Most of those answers are what I'd expect from some random rep, except this one...

Robin: Why did you shut down Sierra?

Representative: Sierra on-line is shut down? Thanks for the news! <chuckle>

Robin: Uh? Right!

Representative: Well, Sorry but I cant say

What?!Ã,  How could he not know that?Ã,  It's not like it was a secret or anything!Ã,  VU publically closed Sierra's offices months ago.

[modgeulator]

Representative: Whats with all the questions? Well we would rather make 10.000$ than make a *nice* game.

What a great attitude.Ã,  :o

[MrColossal]

I'm sorry, I don't understand what's going on here.

Someone started asking a guy at a booth some questions about Sierra? Did the question asker have an appointment or something, was it a real interview? Did the booth guy know he was going to be interviewed? Did he ask if he could interview him? Or was this some kinda ambush?

And remo, I think the guy was joking, the "what's with all the questions" bit makes me think that this guy didn't know he was being interviewed.

Also the "Why did you shut down Sierra." is like "YOU personally, why did YOU shut down Sierra?" I mean he's just a guy, what answer do you expect? He's there to promote the games not defend a decision I DOUBT he had any say in

So I'm confused

[remixor]

Well, like I said, most of it is what I'd expect from a rep in that situation, but what really surprises me is that he laughed and gave a surprised reaction asking about Sierra being shut down.  His response almost implies that Sierra WASN'T shut down and the proposition that it was is hilarious, but the studio was clearly closed months ago.

[DGMacphee]

From the sounds of it, I think Eric is right -- it sounds like the guy didn't know he was being interviewed (which from a journalistic point-of-view is dangerous cause it can open a legal can of worms as to whether certain comments were "on-the-record").

If the interviewer wanted some decent answers, he probably should have phoned ahead and asked for someone with more knowledge instead of ambushing some underling who doesn't know squat. I mean, the rep could have been some guy with only two or three months to his name at the company (plus two weeks of training for Game Stars Live), but had no long-term knowledge of the inner-workings of Vivendi/Sierra.

That's why his answers sound dicey. He didn't know Vivendi shut down Sierra? Well, how big is VU? Pretty big I'd imagine. I'd imagine their gaming department to be pretty big too. That's why I find it hard to believe that everyone there would know exactly what's happening in every department, especially in regards to some adventure game company that is now non-existent.

I mean, it not really fair to ask about him why Vivendi doesn't support Sierra's game titles when it's not really something he'd know. I doubt Vivendi would pay to train him in old adventure games that don't make any money.

There's a rule I've learn from studying journalism: if you want a decent opinion or comment, speak to an expert. I'm sure he was an expert in Vivendi's current titles, but you can't expect him to know everything, especially not with games that the majority of games don't play these days.

If the guy wanted some real answers he should have gone straight to the guys at the top:
   
René Pénisson
Chairman

Bruce Hack
Chief Executive Officer

-- from VU's website (Games section)

Or just go straight to their contact page:
http://www.vugames.com/contact.do

Most people think that trying to talk to the guys at the top is a waste of time because they don't want to deal with some adventure fanboy's questions, but you'd be surprised how willing people are to talk if you're polite and act like a professional. And someone who just ambushes a rep at a games convention is not a professional nor polite.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Well, but those are questions that were on that particular person's mind, and might well be in other people's minds as well. As a representative, he should be prepared to handle such a situation. No, it wasn't an interview, but it WAS a... a public display of sorts. He DID represent Vivendi in a public place, and he was subject to these and many other questions which he should have been able to answer. In a better fashion, in my opinion.

Some people do talk to the guys at the top, the others talk to these guys. And THESE are really the guys that set the company's image, because a lot more people are going to talk to THEM instead of the big guys. So I maintain that Vivendi didn't know what it was doing when they got THAT guy out there. I don't know Vivendi personally, but if that guy is NOT the equivalent of Vivendi in PR and such, he's given the company a bad name in what seems to be a big event (I wouldn't know how big it is, though, frankly I'd never heard of it, but I AM quite absent-minded about these things...)

[DG from work]

But Redrum, I'm sure if you asked the Rep about Vivendi's current line-up, you'll get a well-informed response. But it seems a little disasterous and presumptuous to just assume he should know every working detail of Vivendi, including the companies it owns and their entire histories. I know from experience that PR people from large companies and governments don't know every single detail of their representive body and can't anticipate every single question that comes through. What usually happens is you ask them a question, they go an research it with the proper people in the company, and they call you back to tell you what they've found out. But to just assume someone "should be prepared to handle such a situation" (including questions on games that hardly anyone plays anymore, from Vivendi's point of view) is like asking reps to be psychic. You might as well ask for Mystic Meg to represent Vivendi, based on what the people in that thread expect.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

I see your point. And you are right, of course, since Sierra doesn't exist anymore it's natural that they be prepared only for Vivendi-related questions.

I guess that was the heart speaking instead of the head - seeing a great company like Sierra forgotten like that gets to me.

[mätzyboy]

 :o :o

René Pénisson

You HAVE to be kidding me! That's the funniest name ever! I'd die to be born into a family name with the word 'penis' in it. Is even funnier with the 'é'... Imagine how hard life in school might have been for this guy.

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Fol some leason, I'm leminded of The Life of Blian... "Stiffus Dickus", anyone?

[Pft!]

I think the representative was just joking about the sierra thin, when he said ''Thanks for the news flash!...''

I agree with redrum 100%, the representative had no idea what to tell, I mean he would expect questions like whens the latest game coming out.

I dont know what else to say. Vivendi does NOT want to asnwer questions about sierra or their great games. 

[Mr Jake]

It doesnt mean that they dont want to talk about them, that wasn't what the rep was there for, the rep was there to talk about the games that were on show, the newer releases.