Do I dare disturb the universe?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Trenyc, Jul 15, 2014.

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  1. Trenyc

    Trenyc Avatar

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    Hello Majoria! I expect this thread isn't much to your liking, but I'm happy you decided to peek in and offer your thoughts. :)

    I do understand where you're coming from, and I wish that I could do. Unfortunately I don't have a working relationship with any individual person at Portalarium, so I have no reason to believe they'd be interested in having a conversation with me on how their business practices might be improved. Believe me when I say that if they would be willing to do, I would love to do. I do agree with you that it's best for two parties to work out conflicts in private, generally, where it comes to individuals, and something I understand I haven't made clear in this thread is that while my respect for Portalarium is wavering, I still have a great deal of respect for some of its individual people, especially Starr.

    My perspective on it, though, is that criticizing a company for its business practices is a world apart from criticizing an individual for perceived faults or transgressions and is perfectly fair game for sharing publicly, even (and especially) if it might affect the company's reputation as a company. (I do feel positive feedback should be shared toward the end, too.) While I do hope my post and this thread is helpful to Portalarium, though, I also believe that these kinds of conversations are important and necessary for the community.

    Even in my case, I hadn't really thought much about the money I'd spent on my pledge until the issues that eventually led me to sell came up. They didn't come up by some terrible circumstance or anything at all bad. In fact if I told people what I spent that money on, you'd probably all be very happy for me (but that has nothing to do with the rest of my arguments). Rather, it all started with another backer who was upset about not being able to afford the pledge tier he really wanted. Because he was upset, he was a little angry, and it was clear to me that he was angry at the prices--what he perceived to be the cost of the rewards offered at that tier--and in his (mild) tizzy, he began explaining all the things he could do with $1,600 (he wanted to be a Lord). He could take a vacation to Europe. He could put a down payment on a car. He could buy a Vitamix blender, a KitchenAid mixer, and other appliances to totally upgrade his kitchen. He could buy four PS4s. And so on.

    The impact this had on me wasn't immediately frustration with the fact that this guy was focusing on the cost of the rewards, although that is what ultimately came to inform my argument against Portalarium's business practices. Rather, his comments jarred me into the realization of what the cost of my pledge was actually worth. And there's the big problem for me. It's worth much more to me than it is to Portalarium, relatively speaking. I came to realize that holding that pledge would raise some particularly annoying hurdles for me not too long down the road--probably next summer. Previously, my impression was that I can swing it, which I probably can--but the conversation I had with that worried backer got me thinking exactly how much $2,200 is worth and exactly how much Portalarium deserves that much money from me, or any money from me--someone who is not at all wealthy and has some very shiny options for other things I can or probably should spend every single dollar I have on.

    These thoughts have more to do with my decisions and my personal financial situation than they do with Portalarium, which is definitely something I want to make clear I understand, as my OP doesn't touch much on the sale of my pledge part of the discussionat all and for good reason. When I came to properly appreciate the independent value of that pledge I was holding, I also came to think more objectively about what Portalarium is doing and how those methods impact this project's customers--many of whom, like I had been, might be excited enough at the prospect of a great game in the making to fail to really criticize the act of backing. When you commit to put a good deal of money into a project, that act by itself can make it hard to criticize your own (big) decision. At the end of it all, the point is that those criticisms first got me thinking simply because someone had the gall to put a similar thought out there for me to see.

    I realized this well before posting my OP, so I made a strong effort writing the OP to focus on things Portalarium has done wrong and to make it perfectly clear how Portalarium can do better going forward. I appreciate that the tone of that post is negative because it's critically important for it to be. But that post and these others aren't meant just to inform (and hopefully benefit) Portalarium. They're meant to address the community at large.

    Like I said, if anyone at Port were to work up the patience to sit down with community members (not just me) to talk about how the company can do things better from the perspectives of customers, I'd jump at the opportunity to chat with them. There are two problems there, though. I'm not entirely sure certain authoritative people at Port have any interest at all in doing that, and I'm not sure there's any escaping the hole the company has dug for itself already. Many of the things that are wrong with this picture, in my mind, are already written in stone in the form of promises made to people who have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars backing the game. I did express these concerns, though not so elaborately (hindsight is 20/20, eh?), in both megaposts proposing and introducing the new pledge tier changes, but then I was just one person swimming in an ocean of giddy voices excited about getting more stuff. Would you listen if one person is telling you you're doing wrong while one hundred people are all praising you for doing something awesome?

    Now, some time later, opinions are starting to change, just as I suspected they might. Those opinions are not quite to a point where a post like this thread might have the greatest impact, but I did feel a certain obligation to inform people I sold my pledge and what my plans are, too, since I have become a part of this community. The reality is this thread actually doesn't just concern Portalarium. Maybe my words will help a few people look at this project more critically, which for better or for worse might lead to more informed decision-making for those people, something that should always be considered good for those people even if it's not good for Portalarium. Maybe the people in charge at Portalarium will talk about this stuff on their end and try to work out how to take funding efforts in a different direction, too, and this all can be good for the company. Or maybe this is all just a big waste of time that ends up helping no one, in which case, eh. No harm done. But hey, my loyalty is to this community before Portalarium. The community isn't trying to sell me something. Actually, it is my belief that Portalarium's loyalty also should be to the community, even above its profit margins (because stronger communities lead to higher margins), so I find it hard to be ashamed of making these concerns public. People are free to disagree, as they always are.
     
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  2. 3devious

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    I can kind of relate. When the Surface Pro 3 was announced I found it to be a much better deal than the lord pledge I picked up (especially when knight marshalls were getting the only thing I bought my tier for.) Maybe one day I'll go back to that tier should it be worth it to be a "baroness" or something.
     
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  3. rild

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    For my part, I just do not understand the controversy over the changes to pledge pricing, which I fully expected. I am not worried about Portalarium's integrity, or their ability to meet their commitments as I perceive them. As far as the economy as a whole, it has yet to be seen how backer advantages will play out. I look forward to seeing the living world take shape, and hope that a balance will ensue over time.

    All that said, I don't need to agree with you to be sorry for your leaving our community. Hope to see you on my adventures in the future, and that if you do visit New Britannia in the future, you'll find a fair but competitive arena in which to ply your trade. Thank you for your contributions and I hope this move brings you the peace you're looking for. Sorry your situation is difficult at this time, and I do hope matters are remedied soon.

    Best wishes and be well.

    Rild
     
  4. Bajan Grace

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    I understand where you're coming from, sorry to hear about it and hope that the situation is manageable and improves.

    As for your concern toward the game, I share it too, and share the desire to find games and figure out the economics. Also figuring out that it might be difficult, I decided to set my sights away from the commerce of the game and onto the game itself, where I'm less likely to be disappointed. A strong story-driven RPG with friends, that is what I expect from the game, anything more or anything less will just be extra.

    I do still plan on giving the commerce a try, I joined a few MMOs late in the past, and managed to come out on top by figuring out the economics and where I can make the most out of it, whether or not you have advantages or not it's still possible, maybe not the 1% but well above the average, even past comfortable.
    We can discuss this into more detail if you like, I do have quite a bit to say on the subject and I always love to hear other opinions on the matter.



    It depends what you call complaints, but in such vague language, that is the opposite of what an open community needs.

    I do agree that personal or nonconstructive complaints such as, "You're doing a terrible job!" are not helpful.


    However, constructive criticism leads to growth. And one constructive complaint can lead to a second, and a third, etc. And together the community could have accomplished much more than a single complaint to a single representative.


    Just think about the current thread, if Trenyc had just gone to support to voice his concern over the game, they might have taken it into account, they might have brought it up, and between them they might have searched for a resolution, but Trenyc would have only gotten a single response from support, helpful to him or not I can't say, but in the end I'm not sure how likely it would have been to help him, the community or Portalarium,

    However, when he came to the community to voice his concern, we provided him with immediate feedback, whether it's in favor or against, we provided our opinions on the matter, whether it's simply adding or discussing another member's opinion, and we have also mentioned our thoughts on how to resolve a few of the issues, on which we now have a foundation to build our constructive criticism and the solution. None of which would have been possible if it were against forum rules to bring it up.


    Finally, there is a misconception that argument is something bad and to be avoided. But let's not forget the Socratic method, argumentation of an intellectual nature. We all have different opinions, that is the reality among any two people, which is why how we argue is crucial.
    In my opinion, we must attack the issue and not each other.
    And in such, I hope it's clear that I'm attacking the issue of allowing complaints and not you or your ideas in general.
     
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  5. Royou

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    Wow am gutted, sorry to see you go Lord Trenyc my friend you will be missed my you always walk in the light and may our path cross again soon!
     
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  6. Royou

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    Is a sad day for more to not only read about Lord Trenyc but Mordecai as well :( now I understand why I'd not seen you around :( the only comfort I can take is that you are still in game and can hope that Trenyc returns also!!!!
     
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  7. Floors

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    Treync was still posting in Dev+ over the weekend, so don't worry too much :)
     
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  8. StrangerDiamond

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    You can worry bout me instead... I think Lord Trady would allow it :p
     
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  9. rune_74

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    So you sold your pledge and walked away from the game but still have access to dev+?
     
  10. King Dane

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    The forums aren't perfect ;)
     
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  11. StrangerDiamond

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    Look who's complaining, don't you have meaner baddies to run after ? 8)
     
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