Can we have a Project Update that is not trying to sell me something."

Like most things in life, it's a matter of degree. This is something that should be obvious to rational people. There is a point where the pursuit of money becomes a priority over delivering a product of quality, it's ridiculous to suggest otherwise and lame to do so sarcastically. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the OP on whether not that point has yet been reached, but I will say that if Portalarium requires more money to reach it's goals and continue its existence, simple honesty and transparency would go a long way. What are their specific goals? How much do they project to need in order to reach these goals? These sorts of things. I'm sure that many of the same people who have already donated generously would gladly contribute more here and there if the need presented itself. Being sold binary clutter for exhorbitant sums of real world money is actually fairly condescending, in my opinion.

 

Hyperbolic paranoia is all this is, they are funding the game what rewards are gonna un-balance the game more storage a bigger house and a big basement ......big deal.

 

You ask,what are their goals? They are starting up a company in Austin, that they hope is going to remain self sustained in Austin. They are starting both a game development and publishing company in one.


At this point quite literally more $$$ = more results faster. They need money to grow all aspects of their business at this point. So the argument that they are "too worried" about money at this stage makes literally no sense at all. All it takes is a little understanding of what they are trying to accomplish.

When they start talked about ridiculous "pay to win" items, THEN we can talk.

 

So...lets just shut down the add-on store and stop accepting new backers...lol. We don't need anymore funds, we don't need to keep improving the quality of the game.

I've said this before, I'll say it again, they can put 1,000's of items for sale on the Add-on store, I could care less .. as long as it brings in more funds to improve the game.

Time to close thread..

 

Ok, how would you bring in more funds? ..... Waiting .... still waiting .... ?? You want a $10 fishing pole or more $500 houses or something? At least they are giving people, who want to continue to support the game, items at a lower price point they can afford.

Will that fishing pole help you in PvP? You gonna one shot someone with it? I mean, come on Asguard..I like you and all, but you gotta relax. (BTW i used you in a POST)

 

You see how big of a deal housing has been lately? The way we've been shown things it's an absolutely massive part of the game. How far is this going to go? And why such exclusivity to the most affluent backers? Slippery slope they are walking...

 

?? Some people dontated over $3000 , I think they are entitled to see their house 1st before others get to see a fishing pole.

You do understand the term crowd funding right? We are just dontating money to get the game made, without any return on our investement, other than a game.

 

I had a massive laugh at the concept of a pay to win fishing pole, rofl.

Although I didn't have any kind of laughs at this at all. Gunga is right Asguard, you do need to calm down quite a bit.

 

Crowdsourcing isn't even the only source of income for this project. RG and dallas surely brought money to the table and I think I've heard of other forms of funding as well.

BTW, nobody here cares what anyone on MMORPG or IGN has to say. If anyone is talking about this game, good or bad, it's a win for us.

 

Thanks. I will watch to see how things pan out in the coming weeks. I really hope I am proven wrong on this. But from what I have seen recently, the apparent focus on housing and salesmanship has worsened my impression of the game. For now, I think it's enough to let the devs know that the community is watching carefully with their eyes open...

 

I mean, hell, why don't we just call up EA and have them take over the whole project. Then we can get rid of the add-on store and backer tiers, Pay a monthly fee of $15, close down the DEV forums, have no input into making of the game and handcuff RG into making the game as EA wants instead.

If you want to have a game created for YOU by RG without a gaming corporation overseeing everything, THEN THIS IS HOW ITS GONNA BE.

 

Ya i don't believe your serious but thanks for playing ....next you'll be saying the fishing rod is a slippery slope

 

Wouldn't put it that harshly but you're not alone in how you feel. A few more "updates" and cash-shop listings and the others will soon join the camp

 

*believe
*bold
*nickel
*dime
*opposite

 

Ya know, they can always switch to a subscription model.

 

I don’t fault anyone for prioritizing features based on return on investment potential. Any rational person in a for profit company would do this. Seeking new sources of revenue is more useful than pleasing customers who’ve already paid, especially if there’s no subscription fee.

That said, in a multi-player online game, like any social network, the value comes from the n^2 network effects. So I want them chasing new customers, rather than milking the installed base. Make housing and crafting demos to target the Farmville / Sims crowd. Make PvP demos (when it’s ready) to target the LoL/DotA/TF2 crowd. Show epic PvE to get the WoW / RPG crowd. Figure out whatever it is the Angry Birds / PvZ / Candy Crush crowd wants. Building features that I don’t necessarily care about to deliver more players to the game still is in my interest.

 

Look, a lot of people are essentially making the argument that, as a business, it should be taken for granted that Portalarium has to look out for its own interests first. My response to that is: fair enough, but only if you also take for granted that as contributors/customers, we should look out for our own interests first, as well.

That's not the most friendly business model, and as a crowdsourced/crowdfunded game, there is a middle ground to take. That involves more financial transparency. Sure, Portalarium wants to grow. Ok, do they need to hire more artists and programmers? Do they need to cover more licensing expenses? What are the projected costs to run servers once the game goes live and what is needed for those costs to be met? I'm not suggesting Richard Garriott post his personal bank ledger for us to peruse. I'm saying that the startup funding has been provided, the original goals have been met, so let's talk openly about what comes next, rather than just tossing out arbitrary upgrades for cash money cause, hey, more money is more better!

 

Indeed! Debates about Shroud of the Avatar having a public image problem aside, the world is definitely watching regardless. And they're waiting for the magical Alpha or Beta build to change their minds. No pressure on the Devs, right?

And if the Devs play their cards right (assuming the right card comes up, zing!), this game has huge potential to succeed. They are undoubtedly working like crazy and pioneering new awesome things, so stick around, open your eyes and mind and participate! Otherwise, hang in there and come back in a year....or so.

Shroud of the Avatar is going to be the game we all want to play.

 

They are crowdsourcing for the development of this game, not for the development of their company or its policies. Richard Garriot's personal finances would have little to nothing to do with the business which is a completely seperate entity. He no doubt has contributed 10's of millions to starting Portalarium.



This entire attitude comes from not knowing what it really takes to develop a game, what it takes to publish a game and what it takes to do both. Compare other companies that do this with Portalarium right now. Do you think it took more or less than 2.6 million devoted to one game to create companies like EA?


At this point it is quite literally "more money is more better", and you all would agree if you understood the immense scope of what they are trying to do. How can you fault them for literally trying to grow fast enough to survive long term? Its preposterous.


If its not pay to win I just don't see the issue at all.

 

If I read this correct, it almost sounds like you argued yourself out of your own point.

Starting a business requires a few things, usually: An idea, a plan, then possibly investment (time, money, etc...)

What I am taking away from your point: They are either going according to plan or they are just going along, getting more money, to fufill the ideas they dont have plans for yet.

This may sound like a black/white illogical fallacy, and I really hope it is.