Trials of Ascension, Shady Practices and the Big Crowdfunding Debate

[Edge-]

Alright folks, again, let's keep discussion more centered around the game and not on shitting on James. If you want to do that, and you shouldn't because it's not nice, do it elsewhere.

[Kyanion]

Alright folks, again, let's keep discussion more centered around the game and not on shitting on James. If you want to do that, and you shouldn't because it's not nice, do it elsewhere.

Well isn't it because there is no 'game' and only James? I mean how can we discuss the failings of a 'game company' such as MMOInteractive when it is just a single person. I mean I can talk about the 'company' if that would be okay. I'm just curious as to what we can say about this situation without Mods having to step in. I want a productive discussion about this because to me it is fascinating.

Sorry I don't have too many dealings with mods on the forums so I'm not sure if it is something I should ask in this thread or not, just want some clarity because I want to discuss this Greedmonger thing.

[Edge-]

I know it's hard to separate the two, and I know there's no love for James around here (or many other places). But that being said, I don't want this thread to devolve into purely bashing him, especially on a personal level. That's not what these forums are for. This thread tends to drift in that direction when there are big announcements about Greed Monger, and I know it's easy to go that way. But again, keep things respectful and let's not turn this thread into a, "Everyone hate on/bash James!" thread.

[Azrile]

You know those memory games where you have tiles face down and you have to match two tiles to remove them. I had a lot of fun with James´s games just matching stuff in his video to stuff I remembered from that asset store, like that big obelisk type thing he showed in that one picture (free item from store). So I guess the new match game will be finding his ´new´ game once he announces it... probably sometime next week. It will probably use all the same assets like UniStorm and the inventory stystem etc.

So you see, James did finally complete a game, it is a match-it game.

[lawow74]

So you see, James did finally complete a game, it is a match-it game.

Or you could think of it as being like Whack-A-Mole. When he pops up with a new ID announcing a new 'game', we smack him on the head with our virtual mallet and send him back down in his hole until a new one gets created.

[dextersmith]

Well isn't it because there is no 'game' and only James? I mean how can we discuss the failings of a 'game company' such as MMOInteractive when it is just a single person. I mean I can talk about the 'company' if that would be okay. I'm just curious as to what we can say about this situation without Mods having to step in. I want a productive discussion about this because to me it is fascinating.

Sorry I don't have too many dealings with mods on the forums so I'm not sure if it is something I should ask in this thread or not, just want some clarity because I want to discuss this Greedmonger thing.

I know it's hard to separate the two, and I know there's no love for James around here (or many other places). But that being said, I don't want this thread to devolve into purely bashing him, especially on a personal level. That's not what these forums are for. This thread tends to drift in that direction when there are big announcements about Greed Monger, and I know it's easy to go that way. But again, keep things respectful and let's not turn this thread into a, "Everyone hate on/bash James!" thread.

It's difficult to talk about a company that doesn't exist, the company wasn't registered. He's discussed in the same professional context as he posts, as a "developer"; not in the personal context.

- - - Updated - - -

You know those memory games where you have tiles face down and you have to match two tiles to remove them. I had a lot of fun with James´s games just matching stuff in his video to stuff I remembered from that asset store, like that big obelisk type thing he showed in that one picture (free item from store). So I guess the new match game will be finding his ´new´ game once he announces it... probably sometime next week. It will probably use all the same assets like UniStorm and the inventory stystem etc.

So you see, James did finally complete a game, it is a match-it game.

You just added to his resume.

[Kelimbror]

It's difficult to talk about a company that doesn't exist, the company wasn't registered. He's discussed in the same professional context as he posts, as a "developer"; not in the personal context.

We've been over this time and time again. Everyone knows they are bashing him when they do it. No there isn't a get out of jail free card because he is synonymous with his 'company' or 'game'. It's easy to see when you go beyond trying to be informative and making some jokes at the expense of the non work being done.....prime example:

I love how he slinks off to the shadows after abandoning another project. Hey Mr. Customcode you plan on showing your face around here with your comments as to why you FAILED another project? Or do we need to wait a few months (weeks) for you to announce a NEW project...err I mean you showing off packages you bought from other people and claiming it is your own 'custom' work. Lolz.

Not to pick on Ky, but this is where we cross lines. There's a difference between something like I posted recently, saying I hope his reputation is damaged enough that he can't run this scam again and then calling him names and telling him to run away with his tail between his legs.

I'm not saying I wouldn't like to have that level of unrestricted fun at his expense, because reading that other forum Myobi posted was hilarious, but they just can't let it happen here because even though it would probably be ok in the context we have, it would completely destroy what little civility exists in all the other threads. Can't make us special snowflakes and all that.

[Juvencus]

I know it's hard to separate the two, and I know there's no love for James around here (or many other places). But that being said, I don't want this thread to devolve into purely bashing him, especially on a personal level. That's not what these forums are for. This thread tends to drift in that direction when there are big announcements about Greed Monger, and I know it's easy to go that way. But again, keep things respectful and let's not turn this thread into a, "Everyone hate on/bash James!" thread.

To be honest, the thread title does say "Shady Practices". So technically it's on topic. You can't separate the two, especially in 1-man teams, as personality traits carry over in their professional conduct. Discussing the one is synonymous to discussing the other (more or less).

[Edge-]

To be honest, the thread title does say "Shady Practices". So technically it's on topic. You can't separate the two, especially in 1-man teams, as personality traits carry over in their professional conduct. Discussing the one is synonymous to discussing the other (more or less).

I've addressed this, the discussion is over unless you'd like to take it up via PM with a global mod.

On topic of the thread though...

http://massivelyop.com/2016/03/24/re...ely-suspended/

Not apparently crowdfunded proper, but they were "crowdfunding" a la Star Citizen with a ton of sales of in-game stuff (apartments so far) through their site.

[Kyanion]

To be honest, the thread title does say "Shady Practices". So technically it's on topic. You can't separate the two, especially in 1-man teams, as personality traits carry over in their professional conduct. Discussing the one is synonymous to discussing the other (more or less).

Yeah I mean I prolly went a bit over the line, but I'm not sure what else to say when calling out MMOInteractive (1 man team) and the shady shit they've pulled over the years with GM. That 'company' does not conduct themselves in a professional manner AT ALL, going as far as to come in this thread and say the things they've (he) said.

[Post]

Not apparently crowdfunded proper, but they were "crowdfunding" a la Star Citizen with a ton of sales of in-game stuff (apartments so far) through their site.

Well at least they came forward to avoid lying to people and pretending like its "business as usual" like he said.

[Azrile]

I've addressed this, the discussion is over unless you'd like to take it up via PM with a global mod.

On topic of the thread though...

http://massivelyop.com/2016/03/24/re...ely-suspended/

Not apparently crowdfunded proper, but they were "crowdfunding" a la Star Citizen with a ton of sales of in-game stuff (apartments so far) through their site.

I didn´t follow them before, but it seems they did what ToA did for demo island, they did the easy stuff as proof they had a game. Cherry-pick doing the easy stuff, then a year or two later finally admit that you can´t do the more difficult stuff. People need to understand this.. graphics and worldbuilding is NOT what you should be focusing on that early. Their plan seem to be build the houses, sell the houses and then try to hire people to do the actual coding and network stuff. So they realized thost people are way more expensive than you think.

And like I say about all of these games. If this is your first game, keep your mouth shut about it until it is playable. Do at least proof of concept on every part of your game before you announce the game, and definitely before you start selling virtual stuff for $1000.

[Deleted]

My only regret is being pursuaded into buying DayZ. I've got 2 hours into it according to Steam. It's still in Early Alpha apparently.

Never again. This whole pre-access bullshit is just that, bullshit.

[lawow74]

My only regret is being pursuaded into buying DayZ. I've got 2 hours into it according to Steam. It's still in Early Alpha apparently.

Never again. This whole pre-access bullshit is just that, bullshit.

I'm more inclined to trust a bigger product from recognized industry people. The only pre-access game I ever got was a silly little $5 mobile-style game that was pretty much content complete.

As I've said before, it's a tool. Nothing more or less. Some will use it properly, others will abuse it for their gain and others' loss.

[geometrydash]

he is the one that even posted info from the old old old website that basically showed Brax was full of shit because back then they claimed they were coders learning from the school of hard knocks(. Except the school of hard knocks meant never learn anything and be clueless at how to turn on a server let alone code anything.

[Taojnhy]

he is the one that even posted info from the old old old website that basically showed Brax was full of shit because back then they claimed they were coders learning from the school of hard knocks(. Except the school of hard knocks meant never learn anything and be clueless at how to turn on a server let alone code anything.

Who are you talking about? Talon-Thorn?

[lawow74]

Who are you talking about? Talon-Thorn?

Talon-Thorn had the old chatlogs from the Shadowpool days of them talking all this big talk about systems and ideals of the game world, shit you'd never be able to implement in an MMO, how much work they'd been doing on it, etc. etc. etc.

And Brax himself claimed they had lots of experience you couldn't be taught in a programming class, before they finally admitted they had no idea what they were doing programming-wise and just insisted they were developers.

[Bodoh]

Well...

To claim you have network experience for game programming, you need to have at least 5 years of general programming experience.

Of the 5 years, you must prior have experience in web-server, or NetBui, IPX/SPX or raw socket.

The person must have knowledge of Photon Server, SmartFox, Apache Mina, Getty, Boss, Mailbox and other low-level low-latency data transport systems.

The person must have knowledge of low-latency database-transaction, database IO in a production game-environment.


The MMO-Interactive team has none of that. James, the lead developer, I don't know what kind of server/database he was doing.

The TOA team, they don't know what they were doing.

- - - Updated - - -

I forgot to mention:

NetBui, IPX/SPX is obsolete.


If you have +5 years of experience you probably know about datagrams, store/forward/routed datagrams.


Brax will probably read this, and I have to ask Brax, do you mind if you do a small coding test? Hahahhahahaaaa

[lawow74]

James just shared this over RPGCodex.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In-iyWxV-i8

I find it amusing in so many ways.

He's a lot, lot nicer towards Jason and James than they deserve, IMO. But his core message stands true: Don't back someone who doesn't look like they have any ability to do what they say.

[Post]

"First problem was we trusted someone who didn't have any experience whatsoever at making video games."

NO SHIT.