Dear Devs

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Graynight, Dec 22, 2016.

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  1. Graynight

    Graynight Avatar

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    Dear Developers, creators, and those working at Portalarium;

    Lately I have been spending a lot of time on these forums, and I must say, it is a depressing outlook. I don't think I have ever seen so much negativity in my life concerning a game. I have contemplated replying to the many threads with positive comments about the game, but I find myself erasing it because I'm not going to war with these people to change their minds.

    That being said, I wanted to give you my observations and opinions.

    Every day I log in, I can see that you are busting your backsides to make this game awesome.

    I walked around Ardoris months ago, and I walked around it yesterday. It looks beautiful. The NPC's have more to say than they ever did. I was able to finish the Black Arrow quest. I went through the Necropolis yesterday and was able to finish that quest.

    I checked the add-on store and saw that the Ardoris outfits are available now. Water lots are available, new houses are available. I went to Desolis and Owl's Head to pick up the new decorations from the Obsidian and Spooky Vendors.

    I wandered around Serpent Spine and killed a bunch of Fighters, Ruffians and Thugs. The fighting doesn't sound like an old typewriter anymore, and my skills grant me some great power.

    I tried out multiplayer for the first time since I started playing (aside from occasional tradings with other players), and found that it is not nearly as laggy as it was four months ago when I started playing.

    I don't know much about coding. If I did, I would probably be offering to help or submitting Unity creations. But what I do know about it, I know that there is no "easy task" for you and the slightest mistake can break the whole system. And I know that no matter how many times you test something in a QA environment, you will not catch all the bugs. It takes putting it out there and saying "Break it" to find everything.

    Every day I come back to this game and I see that you are working endlessly to make this game great. Is it there yet? No. If it was there, you guys would actually get a vacation and be able to do something other than sit in front of a computer and code. But it's getting there. Step by step, you are making it a better game.

    So yeah, in the face of all the negativity that I see in this game that is aimed (directly or indirectly at the Devs, Creators, Moderators), I just wanted to tell you guys that you are doing an amazing job, and I truly appreciate everything you are putting into it.

    I will continue spending my money on this game because I fully support you. (And because the stuff you stick in the add-on store is awesome)

    ... And Berek, you and your team have my utmost respect for being able to tolerate the posts on these forums and still maintain a calm demeanor in your replies.
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2016
  2. Vero

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    If i could give you 2 likes on this post I would have @Graynight. You just said what i am thinking.

    With kind regards,
     
  3. Lyndoman

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    Brilliant post of the day
     
  4. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Thank you so very much for the lovely thoughts. It means so much to see posts like this.
     
  5. matpsch

    matpsch Developer Emeritus

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    Most jubilant and gracious thanks to thee, Graynight!
     
  6. amarious

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    x2!
    I can't imagine how all the negativity effects them as they work on this game. To me it would be as if Gordon Ramsay was standing over you awhile you were in the process of making a cake and screaming in your face about how much you suck and how bad the cake tastes. The cake is not finished yet, it's not going to taste great yet..but I believe in the potential and the image that everyone working on the game has for it. And if there's one thing that the negativity has done for me as a backer/supporter and player, it has been straightening my resolve for the game. I have never fancied myself as a forum warrior before but in the last few months I feel that I have become a GM forum warrior by now. I have a lot of things to say about the people spreading negativity and lies but they are not so nice, so I should stop typing now.
     
  7. MrBlight

    MrBlight Avatar

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    +1.
    You and many others feel this way exactly. Dont let the forums fool you, the people who feel the same dont waste time replying to the constant negativity same as you.

    Other then the delay in renting ( angry blight ) the devs are doing awesome. And they put more work into replying and working with the community then most would.
     
  8. Bowen Bloodgood

    Bowen Bloodgood Avatar

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    It's not always about changing their minds. Sometimes it's about letting others know that there are those who don't share the same view. :) Otherwise there's the impression that there are fewer people with a positive outlook than there are.

    I know last thing I want is for the devs to think we don't have their back. Unfortunately, we rarely think there's so much to talk about when we're happy with how things are going.
     
  9. Stryker Sparhawk

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    Thank you to the OP for detailing a lot of the positives that keep motivating me to be here.
    Many many +1s to you for making this thread.

    While I am pretty tenacious about certain things, the Devs have always been accommodating or explained their position on how they chose the path of development.

    A personal thank you to @DarkStarr for 'embracing the Chaos' of it all and keeping the team and product moving forward to success and more. :)
     
  10. brhanson2

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    I totally concur.
     
  11. Berek

    Berek Portalarian Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    Thank you Graynight!

    All of us on the team are super passionate about making this a great game, and it truly lifts our spirits high when we get these posts of praise. The team understands the issues and concerns from the community with so many posts that come by to talk about them :), so it's not as often that we get posts like yours.

    Happy Holidays to all!
     
  12. Julyn

    Julyn Developer Emeritus

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    Thank you so much for lifting my day.
    We listen to our players, all of them, and it's rewarding to be a part of something that players seek to enjoy.

    Cheers,
    Julyn
     
  13. Sir_Hemlock

    Sir_Hemlock Avatar

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    Yaar
     
  14. Bow Vale

    Bow Vale Avatar

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    A great post :)

    Indeed. It is the mostly the same voices and ones who have allegedly left, but never in all my years have i known ex players have so much passion for something they don't play anymore, and to me that's a fabulous compliment to how this game is progressing and the dream you have fostered and delivering on.

    Keep up these great monthly updates, as each one really does make a big difference. This last one, Ardoris looks really great, the performance boost to the game now lets me run around Ardoris and Brittany 99.8% lag free, bit by bit you are creating something special and long lasting, from small acorns..... :)
     
  15. By Tor

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    Agree 100 percent with the OP.

    I hope the devs realize that for every unreasonably negative player, there are 100+ loyal and happy ones. The silent majority may not be posting every positive thing we feel... but we're thoroughly enjoying this game and the awesome team that makes the magic happen.
     
  16. mercster

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  17. Sorthious

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    Think ya meant negative comments....but I get the gist and totally agree. Unfortunately, I can't help but respond sometimes.


    I get irritated from time to time...especially at multiple patches(norm 2+ gigs worth), and not spaced very far apart. But, I know these things need to be done and I also, unlike others, read and understood that the game is in development. I expect these things(and much worse.) It seems too many people are willing to judge the game before it's even complete. They will cite missed deadlines, or say things like 'Company X would have finished this by now.' Some want the game finished yesterday. I'm not one of those people. I see a great game with lots of potential for longevity. I saw a player in-game today and he was complaining about the state of the game. To paraphrase, 'This is the worst game ever.' I told him, 'Well, don't play it.'

    You can't please everyone, and should never try. It's not about how many people are playing the game(within reason), but more about how passionate your player base is about the game, and how your game community functions as a whole. I'm quite happy with the current state of the game and would also like to thank the staff for a job well done!
     
  18. jammaplaya

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    Agree OP

    and a happy holidays to all! huzzah!
     
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  19. 2112Starman

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    Ive been brutal to them over the past month, only because I care.

    I'll have to say that the R37 post mortum was almost depressing. The air of depression was on their faces with multiple references to how harsh the community can be. Just watch the last few minutes.

    But even saying that, I cant even fathom what they were thinking when they brought out crackling pig skins and proceeded to eat them for ~10 minutes in the video. I was seriously like "WTF"... I actually for a brief moment thought that they were actually doing it on purpose to tick people off. Seriously guys, the extreme drunkenness last telethon and eating crackling pig skins (Chris constantly clicking his pen the whole 2 hours also did not help) was lame. But on the flip side, I actually had some abnormal hearty laughs in it that I have not had before, especially when they were all over Starr relating to his "uhms".

    But in the end, keep up the good work.
     
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  20. Magnus Zarwaddim

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    Definitely, then, do not go to the SotA Reddit forums. This place is like a sunny day at the beach with ice cream, cake, and sprinkles compared to that sycophantic orgy.
     
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