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Custom Avatar Head now Lord Forged Items

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by DarkStarr, Jun 21, 2018.

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  1. Winfield

    Winfield Legend of the Hearth

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    I am going to be interested in what "decoration" types will be available and how we describe what we desire in the webform.

    I think I'd like a unique hot tub with fish skinned on the sides (or swimming around inside the water) for me! That would be much better than my face in the game any day. Oh make the hot tub an active fishing spot and I will consider doubling my ... er wait, it's not Episode Two yet. Hold that thought. I'll hope for a nice fishy ornate hot tub for Episode One.

    AND I will bring my certificate (and other physical items) to SOTACON Austin in October, eh! See ya there too!


    [​IMG]
    TOO many fish? Hmm.
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2018
  2. Fionwyn Wyldemane

    Fionwyn Wyldemane Avatar

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    Yeah I can see your point. And I am sorry for being inelegant in expressing my concerns. I am not trying to make this a contest or even about money and who spent more. Not trying to hit you or anyone else below the belt.

    All I am trying to say is that as someone who backed the game a lot financially I do have greater concerns. Perhaps other high end backers do as well. Now why would that be? And why do I think people who backed the game at a higher financial level might have more concerns going forward? Because this game is going to need *more* high end backers not less for any future Kickstarter. So let me ask you and everyone else here - How good of an example is it to future backers that Portalarium over-promised for both Dukes and PoT owners? How good of an example is it for anyone who may be thinking of sinking thousands of dollars in support of the game to see that they may actually not get what they were promised and so have to settle for something that is nothing even close to how it was supposed to be?

    I fully agree that we need to look ahead. That includes looking ahead to any future Kickstarter and what kind of example is set by Portalarium. This game is not going to grow without players. It is also not going to grow without people willing to put up the dollars to keep the lights on and the salaries paid.

    **Edit -we all fight for the game in the ways we able. I appreciate that you do what you can to get the word out. And I appreciate all in the community who work hard in whatever way they can to grow the community. I am older and don't have the same ability or energy to do what you do, I can only do what I am able.
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2018
  3. Paulie Walnuts

    Paulie Walnuts Avatar

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    Yeah. I think they will be smarter going forward on what they offer to backers. It's easy to get lost in a lot of promises as a developer early on when you literally have no idea what it's really going to take to get the game to where it needs to be. Kickstarter kinda hurts developers in that sense because then they feel obligated to deliver something they have learned that they can't feasibly do.

    I completely understand the frustration from all parties on that one. For what it's worth, if nothing else, thanks for being a backer to help get this game off the ground. We're all still here to support everyone who has helped this game in all different facets. It doesn't matter if you supported with money, time spent and reporting bugs, providing feedback, or just being a part of the community. You're important and you all deserve a pat on the back for your contribution.

    Cheers!
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2018
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  4. Alleine Dragonfyre

    Alleine Dragonfyre Avatar

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    Thanks for explaining a bit more @Fionwyn Wyldemane It would be a shame to have division over a vanity item in a video game. @Paulie Walnuts is right too, many of us contribute in irreplaceable and valuable ways. I have thanked the original backers in many posts.
     
  5. Sean Silverfoot

    Sean Silverfoot Avatar

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    Sometimes our own expectations are greater than what reality can provide.

    I do have to disagree with PoT owners not getting what they were told. We've gotten way more and a much more versatile PoT .
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2018
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  6. Winfield

    Winfield Legend of the Hearth

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    I agree Sean. You lived through the PaxLair template design with me long ago, and experienced what was involved. POT owners have much more now than they could have had with static custom scenes. Definitely. And I imagine more to come in the future!

    https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...owned-towns-discontinued.130945/#post-1068511
     
  7. redfish

    redfish Avatar

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    Is "Chaotic Defense of Death", for instance, a unique name?

    I don't really have an opinion on the bigger topic, since I was never going to get these rewards, but I think the idea of not just being "Lord forged" but actually being unique, individual items to be kind of neat.
     
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  8. HannahAlpenglow

    HannahAlpenglow Avatar

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    @redfish - it is. I purchased a few dev-created items for an AERIE Fund campaign and they have unique item names.
     
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  9. redfish

    redfish Avatar

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    Thanks; I wonder also if "custom" in this instance means that players in the pledge-tier can also do requests. Like request a name, request a pattern, request a set of characteristics, request a set of properties...
     
  10. Beaumaris

    Beaumaris Avatar

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    Sounds like a great, new reward to me. Thanks!

    The only question/idea I have is could this be somehow done in a 'bag' with options of what to pick from, like crafting stations and tools are handled?

    I guess that might not make each item unique. But it would allow a choice to pick something that was useful. As a dedicated pole arms user, I'm not sure what I'd do with a hammer.
     
  11. redfish

    redfish Avatar

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    @Beaumaris

    The main thing to complain about is even though all the decos can be unique, you have a limited set of templates for terrains, plus situations like holdfast forced on a metropolis template that won't work. Hopefully this is something the devs could work on in the future after other design priorities are done. Though it was also kind of sad when Dara Brae had to give up its 'unique' yew tree to all players, because that individuality for each POT was also kind of a nice touch.
     
  12. stile

    stile Avatar

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    Please make a new announcement when the decisions have been worked out on this, and the program is "live", so I know when to go do the choosing?

    thank you.
     
  13. stile

    stile Avatar

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    edit - never mind.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2018
  14. Senash Kasigal

    Senash Kasigal Avatar

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    I am eligible for four of this rewards and I am ok with this decision.
    The custom head was not the reason for my pledges.
    I even considered the same head for all eligible accounts.
     
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  15. Koldar

    Koldar Avatar

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    Wow. Someone take the whiskey away from Starr! He must be drunk posting. Towns first, and now Dukes? What comes next?

    I too hope that they will be more careful in the future about what they promise. But with this pile of broken promises I imagine future backers will be more careful about pledging. This recent track record will make future endeavors and uphill battle.
     
  16. StarLord

    StarLord Avatar

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    Extremely unhappy as the custom head had been my main reason to go for Duke, a custom item seems to be a cheap replacement for the money spent...
    Previous replacements had been fair, I do not consider the new item to be adequate.
    But I guess with the current company status I have to live with it.
    I will still support the game and participate in telethons and also a new KS, but my heavy spending will stop now: first the additional VAT (not Ports fault, but I have to pay...) and the uncertainty that the game will survive another year.
     
  17. Nietzsche

    Nietzsche Avatar

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    Wow... I'm dissapointed also.

    The custom duke head was not a virtual item but an extension to your own player character that was a cosmetic change linked to the character. You had to back a huge amount of money to get it. Changing the reward to a virtual item is not cool. I don't want a Lord British or darkstarr item that will degrade and lose value with use.

    Could they not come up with some other cheaper cosmetic item? Like a unique skin tone or swanky hair styles that no other avatar can choose ever? A virtual item is not an adequate replacement for a physical character pledge reward.. I will probably just pawn mine off to the highest bidder
     
  18. Kabalyero Kidd

    Kabalyero Kidd Avatar

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    not sure if there is anyone left to do art, graphics, design, modelling, etc... :(
     
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  19. Nick

    Nick Avatar

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    Though I am not a duke, I hope they would consider fulfilling the custom head in the future when technology becomes cheaper, and when they are in a financial position to do it.
     
  20. Vyrin

    Vyrin Avatar

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    If there is one major lesson I wish Port could learn, it's to avoid this. The common overpromise/underdeliver trap. Beyond these two examples, there's been a much longer history of it with much bigger examples. I don't say this to be mean, just with the hope that, for their own future succes, they will avoid this more in the future. Especially important to consider with the KS for Episode 2.
     
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