Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
This Game HAS Happened
EthanC
Member UncommonPosts: 56
People wonder why I avoid the mmorpg.com forums like the plague. That is, until they give them a try themselves lol
I've met many of the mmorpg.com staff and they have all been incredibly decent human beings. It's just the forums are... Well really... kind of... a toilet. But as in real life, toilets are necessary aren't they.
Overall, although not a whole lot of people know about the game, I've made my peace with that. It was always a niche project from the beginning and I neither expected the general population to "get it" nor did I need them to.
Good things don't need to tell you they're good. When you experience it, you know what it is, and so I do my best to not come around here "tooting my own horn", because the satisfaction I get from this little project comes in the facts I am reminded of each day:
- FACT: We've not only made good on ALL of our promises from the first campaign, but did so actually ahead of schedule. Who else can say that?
- FACT: The ratio of supports to haters is so low that when one occasional troll rears it's face it's considered a thing of note.
- FACT: The only haters I'm aware of right now all have one thing in common, and it isn't bad grammar. They all have never even tried the game, and (again, as in real life) the opinion of someone who knocks a thing without even trying it, is universally accepted to be pretty much zero.
- FACT: Yup, it's alpha. But guess what, we let people play it every day through the development process, so perhaps it's coming down to the idea that perhaps these are just antiquated terms that serve little or no use anymore. Divergence is a "rolling development". You contribute to be a part of the process and have fun while doing it.
- FACT: I have no illusions of wealth or life-long prosperity. This game and it's world serve exactly one purpose - To provide a medium with which to collect, unite, and nurture the growth of a very specific community. I want no one to hve to wade through the rest of their life downloading fifteen free-to-play bland games per week for one ten-minute "fix" of real lasting joy in an mmo experience any longer, unless he or she chooses to.
- FACT: Unlike other game projects, Divergence asks no one to take even a single claim about it on faith. We invite anyone and everyone to download and check it out for yourself because we know that if you try it, you'll be hooked.
As far as the occasional comment about the engine is concerned, it always gives me a chuckle because in my mind, I imagine whomever it is sitting down and thinking, "Oh boy, it looks so easy to make this X game with that Y engine!", then ten months later they're realizing that all engine makers make impressive claims about "how easy it is to use their software" to sell their product. That's how the industry works.
What will happen if the kickstarter doesn't succeed?
I get asked this a lot and to be honest before the kickstarter campaign, I didn't know half of the things I now know about Kickstarter. For starters, did you know that with the biggest and baddest crowdsourcing site on Earth you can't contribute with paypal? Dead serious. It's like going back in time to 1995. On Indiegogo over half of our contributions came from paypal, so this is obviously hurting us, I'm fully aware.
Regardless, the worst case scenario is the same as the last campaign, and any future ones to come: You cowboy the @#%&; up and continue on.
- Kickstarter fails.
- Everyone quits the team but myself because I can't pay them anymore.
- All three of the haters point and laugh.
- I go flat broke for the 8th or 9th time, lose all my employees, freelancers stop returning my emails and life sucks again.
- I boo-hoo about it for about 24 hours, drink myself into a coma and then in the morning begin the process of picking up where it left off for the 9000th time.
Business as usual.
The crowdsourcing campaigns simply make progress go one hell of a lot faster. The proof of that is in the insane amount of progress accomplished between our last one in April and now. It's that level of progress I want to continue on and that's why we're doing it and will continue to do it.
The difference, the BIG difference is, that for the very first time in its history, Divergence HAS happened. Regardless of it's state, anyone on earth can log in right now and do some crazy stuff that you can't do in any other mmo that i've been made aware of.
Right now we've suspended all further development of the placeholder placement systems and are bellowing full-steam into the integration of our former inventory system, paving the way for really expansive combat and customization. It's simply a matter of transposing code from the prototype project to the new "final" one which has different requirements, which means man hours, which means i/we need this campaign to make it work sooner rather than later, so I couldn't be more appreciative of those choosing to help us finance and promote the project.
The server comes back online in less than an hour and I was hoping to have a few more tree types, assets, and Ferrocrete materials for people to build with while we work on the other systems so I need to get back to work.
As always thanks for your support dudes. Even with the state of kickstarter, things have never been brighter for this project. Hope to see you ingame 
-Ethan Casner
www.Divergence-Online.com
Comments
With a track record like this, what could go wrong?
Somebody, somewhere has better skills as you have, more experience as you have, is smarter than you, has more friends as you do and can stay online longer. Just pray he's not out to get you.
I think the OP mentioned you two in his thread.....only question is where is the third hater that hasn't played the game?
To the OP, GREAT POST. Very honest, no bs, I have to respect that.
If we're such a toilet, why come here?
The only time you come here is when you're begging for money and blaming everything but yourself for why the project is where it is.
I know you really feel that you have a game there, but unless you have stuff you aren't showing us, you are so far from even the most alpha of games that it's odd you don't see it after seven years of working on Divergence.
FACT: Divergence asks no one to take even a single claim about it on faith, except for when you,personally, say you're convinced that, "with your help", Divergence will be the greatest MMO ever made. Or...
You claim that "with the structure nearly complete to support the kind of game we want to make, it's just a matter of plugging in various features like our combat formulae and cleaning up character creation and management" and that players can be "a career architect, a tailor, a dancer, a bio engineer or any number of non-combative professions" but we've seen none of that.
As for MMORPG.com loving it, I'm surprised. Honestly. Most of them are seasoned veterans and they know the difference between a game in a playable state and a pretty zone with some blocks.
I just find it a bit offensive that you had the brass pair to start off insultingus, followed by digs at those who have presented reasonable questions about the project, blame Kickstarter (of all things) for your own limitations, and then pitch your game (with gratuitous Kickstarter link).
The best part is it's right after all the "Support Divergence on Kickstarter" spam just got cleaned up.
Really, dude, I'm all for backing indie projects, but you, personally, are the reason I have stayed away from Divergence and avoided getting involved in most of the Divergence threads.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I dont care if you give....or how much you give. I dont. But don't go pissing on this guys dream.
I don't care for your implication, it makes me think "and WTF have you done in your lifetime?"
Edit- yeah it is a toilet.
No one likes the truth.
"This Game HAS Happened"
Really? It is released? Or are you not using the word "HAS" in the proper way?
Nice way to bite the hand that feeds ya, by the way. Welcome to "the toilet."
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
Do you expect him to get a warm and welcoming response from the community he just insulted?
Yea well this forum is a toilet. You are a prime example of why this place is trash. Willing to bet you load up mmorpg.com just to find some drama and post that puke you call an opinion everywhere.
If I was a game developer I wouldn't want to make nice things for players like you who are puffed up with mmorpg angst because you haven't had your gaming fix so you come here and post your negative garbage everywhere.
Now have a nice day.
Somebody, somewhere has better skills as you have, more experience as you have, is smarter than you, has more friends as you do and can stay online longer. Just pray he's not out to get you.
Can you name the MMOs that I've complained about? I've got almost 10k posts, so if they exist, it shouldn't be hard to find at a couple dozen, right? How about this... find two.
I noticed your last 10 posts (didn't look back any further) were all negative comments about other posters, as well, so I'll just chalk your post up to consistency.
Send the reply in PM so we don't further sidetrack this fine thread.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Well Kudos to the Divergence Creator.
I like what I see here, and may I say so this guy had the ideas before EQN. He just can't afford to do the kind of marketing Campaign Sony does. But that does not mean that his game is any less good once finished.
It may actually turn out to be better, or a least a truer Sandbox, where players decide the course of events in the world, as it should be.
Thanks for the thread!
Order of the Silver Star, OSS
ESKA, Playing MMORPG's since Ultima Online 1997 - Order of the Silver Serpent, Atlantic Shard
So, you insult the reader, and then ask for help.
Hah.
No problem bud. Thanks for the kind words and feel free to stop in anytime
www.Divergence-Online.com
Its always good to see innovative talent in the gaming industry. I admire and appreciate what you're trying to do.
I do have my doubts about seeing a complete state for any indy game however. So many have come and gone and its hard to get excited about anything without a solid backing and a huge feature list (with in game implementation) to boot.
At times I find myself wishing that all of you visionaries could somehow reconcile your differences and join forces to produce something great with all of your resources. Unfortunately, the sad truth usually ends with failure and other, better funded projects releasing a sandbox lite game containing some of the cool features from previous work (like yours).
Guess its just an example of mans reach exceeding his grasp.
In any case, your demo is promising and I truly hope things go well.
That is indeed a true sandbox story. The players are left to decide the fate of the game (for the 8th time now). Unfortunately, I think most players would much rather decide the fate INGAME not on KickStarter!
SF
Ethan I hope your Kickstarter meets your goal, and if it doesnt I hope you can get back on the horse again without too much liver damage lol. I can only imagine how rough it is to launch such an ambitious project in a difficult industry.
Anyhoo, good luck, and let the haters hate, but at the same time as a professional you have to be cautious of verbal lashings even against communities that you believe have terrible troll members lol. I would really hate to see an emotional response like this cause you or Divergence grief in the future.
I am not interested in (nor i hate) your game, but i hope you do well.
However, if i was interested, after this "you are bad and should feel bad" thread i would certainly decide against playing the game as i would feel like the game has no respect for the community it feeds from.
Do your best and i wish you luck, but be careful.
Such a nice way of saying "You really shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you and then expect to come back later and ask for more food, no matter how promising a specimen you may be (or in this case the product is)". And I couldn't agree more.
Definitely won't be paying further attention to this train wreck in the making.
Yeah, I'm a hater and proud of it, welcome to my house.
Edit: Changed my mind, this just became a new interest, will see how well it holds up to critical scrutiny.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I guess I'm one of the "haters" you refer to when you wrote this. I had a couple concerns about the game and was just asking for some clarification. The only thing I got were some of your more fervent supporters attacking me and calling me a troll and the like.
I have been waiting for a response and the first time you come and make any kind of statement to the forums, you say how we are a toilet and what not. Think other users have covered that enough so I'll leave that be.
"FACT: Unlike other game projects, Divergence asks no one to take even a single claim about it on faith. We invite anyone and everyone to download and check it out for yourself because we know that if you try it, you'll be hooked."
You mentioned on your Kickstarter and on the MMORPG stream that people could only get in if they spent at least 100 dollars on your Gold Alpha package. It was also stated that you HAVE to be on Teamspeak and jump through other hoops. Now you are making it sound like anyone can just come on and play. Which is it? Care to provide a link? I'm sure plenty of people would go in right now if that was the case.
Don't know if this is some kind of reverse psychology passive/aggressive form of marketing but I don't know if shitting on everyone will serve the purpose you want.
FACT: You need about 7500 dollars in the next 13 days to make this work.
If you cared anything about your product and the people helping you, you would probably not try to alienate your funding sources. I know we are all just disgusting trash to you and if it wasn't for our money you wouldn't have anything to do with us but let's face it, you are going to need the money from somewhere. Even if you put the supporters you have now on a payment plan, it's not going to get your over the hump.
If you want to have any chance of turning this around, you need to drop that condescending attitude and actually come on here and interact with the people asking questions. That's my advice anyways.
If you hop into teamspeak, somebody in there should be able to tell you what´s the server status. The TeamSpeak server is T325.DARKSTARLLC.COM:10545. Always a good idea to check there before trying to log in, in case there´s something that needs to be done, or needs to be avoided.
EDIT: updated info
-
"Evening Star": a The Repopulation novel.
Sometimes you need to smack them in the face, throw cold water on them, in order to wake them up. Please forgive them, they've been playing the same re-skinned game for the past 9 years.
Where can I sign up to play? The website? I'm going to look. Thanks for the post OP.
edit - OP can I get a link? lol.