Wow. This thread seems to have become quite dramatic. Just a couple of points:

1) The mentoring system is intended to foster an environment where users want to help each other. I believe this is a categorically good idea. I've mentioned elsewhere how I hope for the userbase to eventually manage a wide variety of things, from disciplining one another (evolution of /vote mute) to helping newbies and so on. The game mechanics, constructs and interfaces all need to be created to help bring that about. Mentoring will never be a requirement.. the benefits given by it (like the ultra-charge battery or whatever) will never be mandatory, just beneficial. If people want to help newbies out.. that's great, and I'm just trying to give some added incentive.

Guides are responsible volunteers who pay to maintain an account, and also help us out with the game. We cannot afford to give anyone a free account right now. Guides are also not a long-term solution to userbase management or the helping of newbies, due to lessons learned that I've written about at length in other posts. Mentoring and democratic systems are, in the long run, a much better way to go. A very large percentage of internet games meet newbies with the usual "UR A NEWB U FAG HAHA". It's my hope (largely backed up by our great userbase's behaviour to date) to shoot for a more friendly, open and helpful game culture.

Hopefully, once the new tutorial and interface are in production, we'll have a lot less confused newbies. That was the entire point of taking on this year-long developmental escapade.

2) The Sky Is Not Falling. We have more subscribers now than we did at the beginning of the year. Yes, people leave. Other people show up. The game is not for everyone (and never will be) and some people lose faith in our forward progress.. I get all of that, and I understand why. But that doesn't mean our choices have been bad. The only really unpleasant unforseen situation is the smaller amount of time I've been able to dedicate to the company since my girlfriend's accident, much of which would have been spent better informing you guys about what the hell we're doing and why. But regardless of that, we still have a lot of progress going on, we know what we need to do (in fact, we have known for a long time) and we're diligently working on that. If people lose faith and go, I'm sad, and I don't blame them; but given the excitement in my personal and professional lives.. I'm doing the best I can.. and I would say that goes for all of us here.

We will keep going, we will get there. The new UI will probably launch this coming week <fingers crossed>. Then I can redo the economy, the Hive, lots of other stuff which will utterly change the entire PvE gameplay, so on and so forth. There is no reason to panic about people leaving and run around waving arms. It happens continuously, and I watch our graphs (we graph new signups, trial->paid turnovers, total subscriptions and other data) carefully.. and given the response from our very minor occasional advertising (like say, that post to the MacUpdate site), I think we'll see a big difference once we start advertising in earnest. But I sure as hell am not going to start advertising until I believe we have a newbie situation that is as good as we can realistically make it (given time/resources) and a game that visibly is moving forward. Those goals are approaching swiftly.

NOTE: For the record, I play a lot more these days, under a number of alts. I see the confused newbies, I see the frustration, I see when people help them and sometimes when they don't, and even see them leave. I know what's going on, both with newbies and with those who aren't new at all but are burned out on a static game that doesn't seem to change. I'm well aware of the problem, that's why I'm working my ass off on it.

Incarnate, I feel like crap for taking part in this thread and it getting to the point where you had to come and post to it.

I know you're working your ass off. It's not your falut something happened in your personal life, and you shouldn't be sorry for not working as much after that event. I'd expect anyone in that situation to drop everything they're doing, and take care of their girlfriend.

I for one belive in you guys, the other day in 100, someone asked "what would happen if incarnate was offered a job at Lion Gate(or maybe it was some other major video game company)"

I said "I am 100% sure, that incarnate would tell them to go screw themselves, and stay with Vendetta-Online."

And I stand firm in that belife for the rest of the Devs. I belive in you guys, I truly do.

You guys are the rebel in the MMORPG world, the little guys kicking ass, and I love it. And I for one, want to stay here, and see where this game goes.

haha Macguy, spoken like someone who just subscribed for another 6 months! :)

I love the fact that these 4 guys can put this game out. It's really quite a testament to either legendary stubbornness or epic perseverance, I can't tell which. I'd love to see more progress on several of the areas that we all know need work, but I'm also aware of the fact that these four people can't do the work of forty. I plug in my $10 a month and I hope that it helps pay the rent in Guild SW HQ, while the game evolves.

Oh, and for the record, I try to be helpful when I'm playing, unless the newb character has a name like "DarkStar BloodSlayer", and then I'll make fun of the name a litle bit first before I try to help them out.

thirded.

M. Duncan

I don't know how public the business-type numbers are or what you're comfortable in publishing, but as you say you track those things very carefully, I am curious to know how those numbers look. It's cool if you guys don't want to release sales numbers, etc., it's really just a curiosity thing with me. I like to know numbers.

-- ...democratic systems are, in the long run, a much better way to go.

<Edit> I disagree muchly </edit>

Ah to be back in Moscow. One day..... one day.

I prefer genka's pre-edited response which involves a dairy-producing domesticated animal and food that has been processed through the entire animal digestive system.

This thread needs a lock.

shows you've been away mgi.

the proper technique to lock a thread is this:

ninny!

wich we refer as ninny-locking.

<click>