Golden Weapons, Armor, Houses Only For Seedinvest Bundles?

From a consumer standpoint, treating the seedinvest campaign any different than a Kickstarter campaign (aside from you being stuck with the tax bill instead of them) is rather foolhardy.

 

One lesson I have learned from the SOTA experience has been, what is written trumps expectation. For example, when I spend 10k+, I expect some of my perks to be exclusive if only because I am spending an obscene amount of money relative to a basic player in the game. But from the developer's perspective, every trinket requires not only an initial cost but an ongoing maintenance cost. For example, I have an airship and obviously when air travel is enabled, they have to make my ship move, and when we can change angles of the home, my ship also has to be enhanced to support that. Alas, the revenue from this airship is dead, so every second spent on it is a loss to the company.

Everything in the game has the same issues. So, while I was initially surprised by the expectation that a 10k item must be limited, was a false expectation. The truth is, I have spent around 25k on this game, and while I pose no objection to those reading this that would say I am crazy,.... the reality it that my massive contribution is but 10 grains of sand on a beach in the big picture.

Moreover, people investing in seedvest get stocks. That is all you are getting. The perks are just a shot of scotch as a thank you. Nobody should assume that the perks are anything more than that or they are in for an unfortunate let down. However, if port means exclusive I would encourage @Lord British correct the seedvest listing and indicate said exclusivity,

Edit: What I would prefer would be that when an item is non-exclusive, it be labeled that way. With that, expectations would be met. One thing I can say with my own name's honor is that I truly believe Starr and Lord British are honorable men of their word, I am only cautioning people from using assumptions to infer said words.

 

They are getting non-voting stock in a company that never plans to pay dividends and isn't ever likely to be purchased. Frankly, the only return anyone is likely to see on this investment is whatever digital goodies the powers that be decide to impart to them (at the investor's tax expense). Hell, if you believe in the game, you probably be better off investing in time limited goodies from the addon store, Port will still get the money, you won't get stuck with a tax bill on day one, and you'll probably be able to flip them a lot easier once the clock runs out.

 

I am not arguing. I am a believer in knowing the options and facts up front so even in the worst case, the risk is known and chosen.

 

My apologies, most folks in these parts stopped reading at the "We give you gold stuff" section of the page.

 

It is strange that so many people post things without ever reading the information submitted.
I suggest reading the Form C.
You will find this about Series B voting:

 

here's a look at the Gold Cloak, Gold Clockwork Plate Armor and the Gold Sword?

 

Well do you want my honest take on it? It's one thing to be aware of a public offering,it's something altogether different to have people who seem to want to tear the game down in every thread they post in. If I didn't know better, I would almost think some are doing all they can to cast the game in a very negative light and to see that the game either changes to please them or it goes down in flames,the offline mode as an example. This isn't the same community I saw when I first came here and in my mind it's sad. And personally I don't blame the devs for how all this is playing out, not everyone is going to get everything they want. This is not only applicable to Shroud,but life in general.

 

Hmm, I see your point. But I need to say you are assuming the intentions of the alleged posters "who want to tear down the game". Some of the posters who want to enact change might, from their point of view, want the change because they think that will help the game succeed. Negative doesn't necessarily mean imply rude, and sometimes people will have to point out things in a negative way, even posters who are strong supporters of the game.

Easier to assume that most people who take the time to post, care enough about the game to want to enact change in hopes of helping the game to succeed.

Frankly, If I stepped into ANY game forums and didn't see at least 1 negative post, I'd be very very disturbed and seek other sources of information.

 

It is probably worth mentioning that richard garriott did sell his previous gaming company at a nice profit that afforded a trip to space and then some. So, the real upside for a stock investor would be that Port is sold to Sony or Microsoft which is a real possibility if Sota goes to console (which BTW Unity is great at). In my unprofessional experience, I believe that is the upside potential for the seed investors.

However, big companies like Sony and especially Microsoft don't buy companies at full price. They typically have an investment firm come in sap the stock values before even making their interest known.

 

Listen Up New Britannia! ...
Our Future is Wide Open!

Many of our developers are from the highly successful "Wing Commander" game series. Within our "instances" there's treasure-trove of possibilities for not only air travel, but air to air combat, along with the many sets of wings there are within our inventory. If Portalarium stated right now that those would some day actually work, then this would exceed the boundaries of what can be "currently promised without risk of failure". When something is guaranteed, then that means something they plan to deliver on, while hopes to reach that place within our game, "have been mentioned through the many comments our team has made".

Indeed they do, they all have potentials which are left open for many reasons, yet the largest of these reasons is that though they have hopes to be there, or be enhanced, yet to guarantee something means the available recourses and the many other things that could back that promise up without fail and meet those fandom expectations.

I totally agree with you on that, yet I will also say that we have many surprises (such as our wings working) which lurk in the shadows of our shroud as yet to be revealed for their possible hidden nature and many uses. "We have tesla rifles in the game"... what's that about? ... and I answer that there are many possibilities within our wide open development possibilities for them in our future.

I believe that as well with all of what I have seen them accomplish over the decades.

If nothing else, we get the perks, which could have easily been instead, placed within our Add-On Store and sold there with the same pricing.

So, for me, it's not the perks that are the shot of scotch as a thank you, it's the lingering of the one thing that is real, that could or could not have any further value some day which all depends on our continued success together.

Nothing I've said here is outside the realm of possibilities!
and yes, every adventure always has potential for challenges to be overcome, or it's not an adventure at all.

Spoiler

Get a smile on!
It is what it is and what it says it is!
https://www.seedinvest.com/portalarium/series.b
~Time Lord~

 

I'll admit I missed that, but after conversion, the entire body of preferred stock series b voters will likely have less than a 4% voting share, with none of the rights reserved for series A holders. RG will still likely hold a majority of the company.

 

That gold stock... err... umm... those "perks" looks nice for the $ though They'd sure get my vote for more perks like that ~TL~
https://www.seedinvest.com/portalarium/series.b

 

So now an "investment" opportunity?

It just feels this company just asks for handout after handout rather than putting up their own risk and capital .. and making a quality game they can then later profit from.
I mean .. brilliant strategy . .just develop more and more cosmetic goodies to lure people to give you WAY more money than they ever would have if this was simply a normal game you'd buy for $60 and pay a monthly subscription for.

 

I am going to do my part here. I talked to the honorable LB and was able to confirm that the "Gold" stuff is exclusive. I was recommending caution over assumption before because I did not want anyone's expectations to be hurt down the road. But it is happy news I have now.

 

Exclusive for now, no guarantee it'll stay that way.

 

I think they should create a more Majestic Gold Armor. Something that will fit royalty rather than the clunky Clockwork one. I think the investors might appreciate it more.

 

I would never knowing mislead the community on something like this. I can say with certainty that LB's intent is exclusivity for these gold items. I am also willing to stake my reputation on my trust in LB as I have met in person many times. However, I cannot foresee the future and if another company bought port, they certainly could do anything they want. I am just trying to bring comfort to to those that are interested in this topic. How ironic that I am now defending when just a couple posts ago I was urging caution.

 

Im gonna wear the gold cloak if only in support of Game of Thrones, which means I shall die a lot or have to hook up with my sister.

 

It's not that I think LB is lying, only that in 3 months, when they need money again, they start selling golden castles again, but these have walls that are 20 bricks high not 16 like the SeedInvest rewards. Port and those that speak for them are very fond of sticking to the letter of their obligations not the intent.