Trials of Ascension, Shady Practices and the Big Crowdfunding Debate

[lawow74]

I like how he makes sure to name the account with MMOI. It's brand-a-licious! To my mind it lends credence to the supposition Azrile put forth that they could care less about Greedmonger and more about making their new game company look good so they stand a better chance suckering...I mean, attracting people into crowdfunding their next sure-to-succeed project.

[dextersmith]

.. wow, imagine that.. nothing is his fault and in a few weeks everything will be working great. Where did I hear that before... oh yeah.. in every post you made for 3 years.

I have to ask about the computer you are using. Joel here informed us that the computer Jason bought you three years ago was not even a good computer back then ( since it has a lousy power supply apparently).. and that is the reason your January video looks so bad. So that begs the question.. before Jason bought you that computer, what total piece of garbage must you have been using to build your other 20 half-done projects. Just from your own words in your log, it seems pretty obvious that the computer Jason bought you was a huge upgrade for you.

What are your plans going forward to fix that? I mean you can´t keep making those videos on a garbage computer.. Just curious the plan. Are you waiting for your next disability check to buy a new computer to continue your work as lead developer of an MMORPG.. or are you maybe going to wait for your mother to buy you one for Christmas if you are a good boy?

It is insane (pun intended) that someone who was lead developer of a MMORPG that raised $100k of KS money was given a garbage computer to start building the MMORPG because his own computer was even more garbage than that. Dude is trying to sound like a professional game developer and at the same time can´t even buy himself a decent computer. Fuck the US gov´t, they obviously are underpaying people on disability.. how is this man supposed to build a MMORPG if fuckin Obama can´t even buy him a computer.

Here's a tidbit about a computer and some accounting. You know what's sick? He was a volunteer but paid!
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...s/post/6197124

As for pay I can't say what each team member is making as that's between them and Jason but I can let you guys know what I'm making. We would like to be as open with you guys as possible and it's only right that I be the first... I am officially labeled as Volunteer. However I've been making bonuses upon completing different tasks. To date I have gotten a new Mid range Gaming Rig valued at $800. My old computer was a 2008 $400 walmart special so not even close to being good enough for development. This Development PC is a huge improvement. I have gotten a $1200 or so Unity Pro License. I got $2,000 December 2012 for my work leading up to our KickStarter Campaign and then through out the KickStarter Campaign, I've gotten a couple $500 checks over the last year and I believe a $200 check for a Birthday Bonus in 2013. I then have been promised a pretty sizable check upon launching Alpha but I won't say the amount until I see how much I actually get where it's taken us so long to launch Alpha. I've then been promised a percentage of profits post launch and funding to start up a R&D department to Prototype new things to add to the game and future games.

@James

If I may ask without malice, how do get government money with no ID? How do you babysit your cousins' children when the severity of your illness prevents you from leaving home?

Sources:
James:

Also I have been posting pretty actively on the forums the last 2 weeks or so. My Last post on our forums was just 2 days ago. I Didn't post yesterday or today because I am away spending time with my Family and I've been babysitting my Cousin's Kids yesterday and today. We have plenty going on that could be being updated on our Forum if I was home.

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...s/post/6196693

DarKPenguiN:

Turns out the LEAD DEVELPOER on this game is disabled because of depression and cannot work or leave home without having a panic attack.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index...-inside.98177/

[MMOIJamesPro]

My Financial Status, My Id Status, and what I do with my time out side of MMOI and Greed Monger is none of anyone's business. Do you REALLY ask any other Developer about time spent out side of the Game they are Developing? The ONLY thing that is your business is what I do while I'm working on the Game.

That being said who ever said I didn't have ID or Social Security ID? I have a State issued Id and Social Security Number just like every other person...

[dextersmith]

My Financial Status, My Id Status, and what I do with my time out side of MMOI and Greed Monger is none of anyone's business. Do you REALLY ask any other Developer about time spent out side of the Game they are Developing? The ONLY thing that is your business is what I do while I'm working on the Game.

That being said who ever said I didn't have ID or Social Security ID? I have a State issued Id and Social Security Number just like every other person...

Don't publicize it then! I only asked about public knowledge and what you publicized on forums. You said you didn't have ID - your chat log.
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index...7#post-3840262

[Azrile]

My Financial Status, My Id Status, and what I do with my time out side of MMOI and Greed Monger is none of anyone's business. Do you REALLY ask any other Developer about time spent out side of the Game they are Developing? The ONLY thing that is your business is what I do while I'm working on the Game.

That being said who ever said I didn't have ID or Social Security ID? I have a State issued Id and Social Security Number just like every other person...

In your chat log, at the very beginning when Jason sent you $4000 ( $4100) you ´lol´ that you did not have your own paypal account because you did not have a bank account, and then you lol´d and said you didn´t even have ID to open a bank account.

I'm working on the Game. hmm, wonder how the social security office would feel about that comment.

And dude, it is everyone´s business. Especially the people who backed your kickstarter and believed you were capable of making a game. You aren´t even capable of living a normal life or buying yourself a computer, yet you are going to be able to make a MMORPG. You lied to people constantly throughout the last 3 years and now trying to ´brand´ a new company and start over again?

It is also probably interesting to the people who Joel is bugging for money now to know that the co-owner of the company is someone who is very likely defrauding social security and can´t even buy himself a computer.

This is not a game development studio, it is a person who took a weekend seminar in marketing and a mentally ill individual who lives with his mother.

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Don't publicize it then! I only asked about public knowledge and what you publicized on forums. You said you didn't have ID - your chat log.
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index...7#post-3840262

dude is all in favor of making excuses when he thinks it will buy him time or make someone else look bad, but no no no... don´t use it to show his incompetence.

Here is the exchange about the ID

I'm going to have to get one setup... Right now our only Paypal account is on my Mom's Bank Account. I need to open an account my self.
[12/5/2012 11:14:08 PM] Jason Appleton: yes, you do
[12/5/2012 11:14:37 PM] James Proctor: lol I just don't have any ID to be able to open a Bank Account! lol
[12/5/2012 11:14:49 PM] Jason Appleton: how do you not have an Id?
[12/5/2012 11:14:51 PM] Jason Appleton: a state ID?
[12/5/2012 11:15:15 PM] James Proctor: lol Nope... Never needed one.

Another crazy thing. Dude has his mother´s name on the RoH website and uses her email address??
I'm going to give you my email address that's for our paypal account for this month... Before I get payed again though I'll have my own account.

[12/5/2012 11:24:42 PM] James Proctor: It's admin@riseofheroesmmo.com
[12/5/2012 11:26:29 PM] Jason Appleton: please tell me your penelope gray
[12/5/2012 11:26:43 PM] James Proctor: lol That's my mom
[12/5/2012 11:26:48 PM] Jason Appleton: oh god

Oh, I stand corrected, I mentioned earlier that Jason has send him $4100 ($4000), it was only $2100 ($2000). $4k was what had been mentioned earlier.

[dextersmith]

In your chat log, at the very beginning when Jason sent you $4000 ( $4100) you ´lol´ that you did not have your own paypal account because you did not have a bank account, and then you lol´d and said you didn´t even have ID to open a bank account.

I'm working on the Game. hmm, wonder how the social security office would feel about that comment.

And dude, it is everyone´s business. Especially the people who backed your kickstarter and believed you were capable of making a game. You aren´t even capable of living a normal life or buying yourself a computer, yet you are going to be able to make a MMORPG. You lied to people constantly throughout the last 3 years and now trying to ´brand´ a new company and start over again?

It is also probably interesting to the people who Joel is bugging for money now to know that the co-owner of the company is someone who is very likely defrauding social security and can´t even buy himself a computer.

This is not a game development studio, it is a person who took a weekend seminar in marketing and a mentally ill individual who lives with his mother.

See his denial? His rage? His illness must be genuine. He talked about his pay in detail too. He wanted to be open about it!

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...s/post/6197124

As for pay I can't say what each team member is making as that's between them and Jason but I can let you guys know what I'm making. We would like to be as open with you guys as possible and it's only right that I be the first...

[MMOIJamesPro]

There was a time I didn't... I haven't gotten my Driver's License yet since I live in the City and everything is with in Walking Distance. However I have since had the need for an ID and so I got a State Id which more then meets my needs at the current time. I'm also in the process of studying for my Driving Exam as well.

As for my Depression you guys make it sound like I'm mentally challenged or something... It's Depression I have nothing more nothing less. I also get Anxiety attacks which in the last few months have resulted in a couple trips to the ER. Most recently was just this past week. In no way does my depression make me unable to Program and get GM finished.

[dextersmith]

There was a time I didn't... I haven't gotten my Driver's License yet since I live in the City and everything is with in Walking Distance. However I have since had the need for an ID and so I got a State Id which more then meets my needs at the current time. I'm also in the process of studying for my Driving Exam as well.

As for my Depression you guys make it sound like I'm mentally challenged or something... It's Depression I have nothing more nothing less. I also get Anxiety attacks which in the last few months have resulted in a couple trips to the ER. Most recently was just this past week. In no way does my depression make me unable to Program and get GM finished.

Your denial and freak out did that! Apology not accepted btw.

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Caught Joel lying and now James about ID and financial openness. Real trustworthy...

[Azrile]

In no way does my depression make me unable to Program and get GM finished.

But it is enough to allow you to collect disability? You do realize social security fraud is a crime, and there are rewards for people to report you?

And dude, just please stop talking about getting GM finished. We all saw the January video. After 3 years and $100k, you are just getting started. Same thing as ToA, just look at youtube and google Unity MMORPG and there are dozens of 1-man teams working fore free that have more progress than you. You have gone from Unity, to Hero, back to Unity, nothing works and nothing is close to working because you can not ´install a kit´ and have a MMORPG. Seriously, I pity Jason for putting so much confidence in you. That was his biggest mistake, he trusted someone just because they were always available on skype.

[jrhager84]

You never caught me 'lying.'

[Azrile]

We have a fairly large team for a Indie Development Team... Our Team is far from teams like WoW's team or other AAA Development Studios with thousands working on the game but for a Indie we have a pretty sizable team. In our Main Development Skype Discussion we have 17 active members. Some of them are our World Builders, 3D Modelers, texture artists, ect.

This is his quote from Feb 2014 trying to reassure fans that things were being done. Now check the date.. at the same time, in his own chat log they had nobody working for them, just James. Their one and only world-builder had just quit.

But now Joel is here saying the same thing James was saying back then.. he has a team already assembled and more on the way. You mean the same team James had in his imagination. This is what I have been saying all along.. Jason was naive, stupid and terrible with PR.. but he wasn´t telling lies like James was.

Last night we had a very productive night of testing. I was up all night with the QA Team and I'm sure some of them were up all night though most of them are from other time zones. We had some nice PvP battles going on but we were mostly doing PvM. We had a bunch of Tree Ents, Wolves, and Griffons harmed in the process... As the night came to a close I got basic Mining in place and had the Tree Ents start to drop Wood Logs so we could start gathering Resources.
Bugs..
- Some jitter in movement - Will be worked on and corrected.


February 2014 post to forum backers... now watch the video from Jan 2105....

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You never caught me 'lying.'

you said ´we were never paid´ then when we pointed out that James had been paid cash, given a computer and a ton of software, you changed it to ´I have never been paid´. There were also some posts where you talked about James having a much smaller role now, and that if he doesn´t work out.. blah blah blah.. but then it comes out that he is the co-owner of the company.

Other than that, there isn´t much you can lie about.. all you do is make some 3rd grade PR promises about your commitment, dedication to this project and self-sacrifice. James only lied a little bit too, but it isn´t about strictly lying, it is about constantly making excuses for not being able to accomplish things you said where very close to being finished. For 3 years that is all James did on the forums.

Again, you just reek of PR, half-truths and empty promises.. that is almost the entirety of what you say. Even ´you nevr caught me lying´... just a weaseling way of saying I lied, but you can´t prove it. yet. And that is the great thing about you and James. you guys really aren´t that smart and can easily be walked into it. The more you talk, the more you contradict yourself. We gave you the best advice, shut up... but no.. you and James just keep talking and talking..

[jrhager84]

If you don't see how hilariously bad you misquoted me on those points, then there's no reasoning with you, as you're clearly irrational. I was *very* specific about what I meant.

[Gourmandise]

This is better than Judge Judy.

[Azrile]

If you don't see how hilariously bad you misquoted me on those points, then there's no reasoning with you, as you're clearly irrational. I was *very* specific about what I meant.

You haven´t been very specific about anything. Just a lot of semi-promises that can easily be broken because they aren´t promises or specific. You are totally dedicated to making GM, but at the same time you have already decided to give people a copy of RoH when GM is cancelled.

James here has promised an April 25 open alpha where everyone can jump in and test the server... that he hasn´t even received or installed yet. Oh, I am sure you corrected him in skype already for that error.. James friend, you need to stop promising anything except stuff that can´t be proven. ´100% dedicated´.. ´committed´... stuff like that.

What were you specific about? you said ´we have not received a dime of money from the Kickstarter´.. No, James did not receive a dime, he received a new computer $2000 + $500 + $500 +$300 plus a ton of softward and art assets. But you are right, that is not a lie, because nowhere did James receive a dime.

[draykorinee]

You guys are feeding me so well with this thread, keep it going!
Seems like yet another pr disaster.

[Azrile]

You guys are feeding me so well with this thread, keep it going!
Seems like yet another pr disaster.

Don´t call Greedmonger a PR disaster or Joel might return ´Branding for Dummies´ to the local bookstore for a refund.

I am not sure what possessed them to use MMOI as the ´new´ company name... maybe because Penalope already was paying for the domain name?

[Kyanion]

You never caught me 'lying.'

guess who's back! Take a shot!

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If you don't see how hilariously bad you misquoted me on those points, then there's no reasoning with you, as you're clearly irrational. I was *very* specific about what I meant.

Misquoted? They are quotes that you made. Oh yes we're the irrational ones!! Everyone drink btw, he posted again.

[Maddoc]

guess who's back! Take a shot!

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Misquoted? They are quotes that you made. Oh yes we're the irrational ones!! Everyone drink btw, he posted again.

If this was an actual drinking game, I would be so wasted now.

[Post]

If this was an actual drinking game, I would be so wasted now.

It isn't an actual drinking game? I think I need to go lay down...

[Azrile]

Roflmao, GM just became a forum text adventure

tooo funny. This thread is now #9 on Google when searching for greedmonger MMOI and I wasnt´even able to change the title yet.