New stuff on the addon store!

No, Sir. I quite clearly stated quite the opposite, in fact.

No shame to those that partake... What happens between consenting adults is entirely their business... That activity has never held any appeal to me... giving Or receiving.

 

My bad brother! I misread your sentence.

 

Personaly I'm concerned with this and I never intended to make cash from this game. Maybe you did not pay attention, but someone here repeatedly said that he tried to sell off everything he bought just to get his money back, after being disappointed with the game which got "a great start". This guy who, associated with myself, have been told to wait about improvements which never came and flaws that have never been fixed despite a lot of reports and feedback.

 

Aand my dreams of the hot men of the SotA forums just went poof.

 

Whether something is good for the game has almost nothing to do with whether or not it's ethical. Anything that produces money could fall into the category of "good for the game", but obviously not everything that produces money is ethical. If Port robbed a bank and used the money for game development, it would be good for the game, but it wouldn't be ethical.

I'm not trying to be over dramatic, but this strikes a nerve with me because I've witnessed many companies that started to do unethical things when their ship started to sink, and many customers of those companies that went along with these things because it was "good for the game". I'm talking about really bad things like stealing from inactive customers, promoting ponzi schemes, etc. I'm not trying to equate this to things like that, but the justification was the same.

Imo the real bottom line is that if a company sells things to customers knowing that they have a certain expectation, they have an ethical obligation to either be more clear if that expectation isn't accurate, or to make sure that expectation holds true. It doesn't matter who that customer is or what their motives are.

 

I understand the angst over versions of past pledge items being put on sale.

But, in the end, I always think that my game experience is really about what I have, not what someone else has.

If someone else gets a commission free vendor, it really doesnt affect my game significantly at all. But it improves theirs. And thats probably an upside.

 

A very good constructive post, but i have to be very clear that i dont think that Port yet has done anything unethical ( Except charging International shipping when items are shipped from abroad, maybe ).

The items being sold ( CF Vendor and Crafting stations ) were never said or hinted to be exclusive to pledges or bundles. Some items, like tax free water lot deeds and castle + keep deeds were specifically said to be exclusive . So there is obviously a difference there.

 

The game is just flat out getting much better with each release, I want the game to make money and continue improving. If selling these items helps port do that...I fully support the idea. On a side note did you guys see the weapons and shields that are coming? With those and the Wyverns, I have never been more excited about the game!

 

I see a lot of hate here for RMT, and of wealthy people in general. As a self-made man from humble beginnings, I have a pretty good perspective on where that hate is coming from. Dealing with the frustration that comes with struggling economically makes people lash out at others. Some blame their financial hardship on immigrants, some blame it on rich people. It's shameful behavior either way.

 

Well, I as a backer, spent a LOT of money on this game also, I was a bit upset at first since these items to me was exclusive for the pledge I bought. But all things considering, I have to say, I really do not mind new players being able to have what I have. As long as they still have to pay for it, and not just give to them freely. So, if it helps pay Ports bills, and help the development of this game, then Port has my support.. In real life, it makes me happy if I am able to share what I have with those deserving of it, so, same goes for this Make believe world, it is only pixels after all, and we spent money for the development of this game, Just wish port would have discussed it with the BACKERS first. But, as I have stated, I am now all for it …. Swallow my pride, and umm except it. If the game dies, all this will not matter anyway...

 

I'm actually surprised that people are surprised by all of this. I agree the disappointment is genuine.

If they really wanted to do this they could have done the following:
- Re-skin the pets so they were a little different from the bundles
- Have the crafting stations as +3 and kept the initial view that the +5 ones would be craftable with durability attached (as originally stated)
- Reduced the number of items that you could add to the store bought tax free vendors compared to the pledge items
- Actually looked at pricing properly

I do think what has occurred is a bit of a slap in the face for original backers and for those players who have bought items from other players believing (as everyone did) that those items were rare/unique. I hope what has been done does bring more people to the game, however the way it has been done has likely upset a decent amount of the existing playebase which i'm sure is an unintended consequence that need not have occurred if there had been a little more thought.

Once again with Portalarium it's not so much what they have done, but they way in which they have done it.

 

So here is what they need to do. They need to put more stuff in the bundles. As it has been pointed out, the bundles are a lousy deal now. More CotOs, emotes, and exclusive items. Make it retro-active, so everyone that already has a bundle gets some shiny new stuff. More bundles sell. People holding bundles are happy. Problem solved.

Disclaimer: I have 8 accounts and 11 bundles.

 

and when the game dies anyway, what side of history do they want to be on?

 

But what if the customers have a mistaken expectation? Should they be obligated to live up to that?

 

Shopping for a Ferrari on a used car lot.

 

But the +2 artisan tools were the pledge items. +3 prosperity tools were the one the addon store

 

Sorry Don't Understand your Point? I'm supposed to be concerned with People who had the choice and option of how much money they put into a game and were not happy? and then could not sell their digital goodies to break even or profit?

 

That seems to be the opinion expressed by the people that are upset, yes. The possibility of all of this was clearly spelled out from the beginning. Anyone who thought they were promising not to do this wasn't paying attention. I thought they weren't selling CF vendors to reduce supply, but I never at any point thought they were somehow bundle exclusive in the way the people on this thread mean.

 

Video games are not an investment. You are not entitled to break even or profit.

 

Did you read my post ? That is exactly my point!