Dear zPeti - the response
 

Hi,

Just to respond to the complaint in "Dear zPeti part 2" and how I have not updated in 4 months:
I did an update inside a thread in December, saying that I had found a programmer who I would be working on a new game with.

I have begun development of a new game, I am probably not going to make it facebook based yet as a space based game doesn't necessarily have the right target market in casual facebook users.

I also want to be honest, and most of my efforts right now are on finishing another game, but that will be finished in the next few weeks and then I can concentrate on the Planetarion.

It would be nice if people were slightly more understanding about the position I am in, as the kind of hate messages people like Kenny always writes can take a lot out of you.

I understand the frustration of everyone, but at the same time, this is a game that has been, in a way, especially built for this community for a while now.

The very people who are requesting lots and lots of changes shout down any major changes that I have recommended. Unless a very different game is advertised to new players, the game in it's current form won't grow, due to many problems pointed out by Spinner yesterday, which I fully agree with, but I'm sure that everyone understands that too.

But while there is this community here, and quite a lot of people playing, I do not really understand why you cannot enjoy the current game and wait for what I am developing, after which major changes will happen anyway.

btw, the new game will have elements of the current PA, mixed in with some Battlestar Galactica elements, but will most certainly be more casual than PA is currently.

As Spinner said when he first developed PA, he build a game that he himself would enjoy. I am going down a similar route, and I am much more of a casual gamer.

And lastly, PA Team have quite a few ideas for making the 10th anniversary special, which I am fully in support of, so there will be quite a lot of changes next round.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

i dont know who you are listening to zpeti but it might be those "haters" who blocks up every round :p

A facebook application is not a bad idea for this game, but only in the shape of a slightly different copy. Speedgames, or short rounds with limited options and a "the grass is greener on the other side", could boost the number of people playing drastically with the right appealing interface.

The grass would really have to be greener on the other side though! Pushing a massive crowd over from facebook to planetarion will not work unless they are able to play the game on "their level". Separate universes might be a solution, or physical boundries like a really high bashlimit on allianceless players.

People have a lot of ideas really, so what i think you are missing out on here is that we dont know what is possible or not.
We also really do understand things have to be coded and if your other game is finished soon this means you might be able to implement a good portion of the changes that has been suggested but were too big to waste time on for the coders who arent paid in this game.

So please let us know when the other game is finished anyways so it will be easier to help you out with improving the game. That is after all our common goal.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

I suggest you do the following zPeti. There are some people that have a clear cut view of this community and would be interested in developing the game for this community and expand it, or at least give proper feedback on what you want. I am not one of those people although I could help. I suggest trying to get in contact wit the following (forum)nicknames: JonnyBGood, Banned (ircnick=jesterina), GReaper.

Also if some guy under the nickname of 'gm' or '[ddk]gm' contacts you, or for any other reason 'kafir', 'paisley' or someone who says he is from the 'Conspiracy Theory' alliance and has been part of its 'command team' for quite some time, I suggest you blacklist them at once without reading another word.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Hate? Hate?

I don't hate you; nor do I rate you. Thus I must berate you, and whilst not trying to deflate you I care not if I bait you. If it seems like I slate you it's time to update you: while I realise you must have other things in your estate you, have to admit that your management skills are outdone by those who predate you.

Spinner has skills that simply out-weight you. He spends 5 minutes in the game and is able to elate you; he sees what you can't without trying to debate you. When it comes to your understanding of PA he's trying to dilate you. And just because people offer criticism doesn't mean we're trying to negate you.

Don't feel like I'm trying to sedate you, I simply can't reflate you for the wait you made us endure for the fate you promised while we try to restate you. As long as you've got other things on your plate you, have to admit we unfairly await you.

So while I equate you to the structure of Kuwait you, should not take it to heart if I now irritate you. Just because I don't want to date you, doesn't categorically mean that I unequivocally hate you.

Chin up.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

trust me zPeti, we do appreciate the time that you are intending to put into the game and welcome any changes that are for the good. As has been said above, there are some people with brilliant ideas for the development of the game, perhaps get in touch with them and throw ideas around :)

and kenny...wtf was that :/

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Coming from Rev Theam from the ministry
"It is only cheating if you get caught"
NOT the person I want to see running the game.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

He didn't suggest he was the kind of person to run the game. In fact...

Hmm.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

I for one would like to see zPeti trolling on AD!

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Not so much that but more

Might aswell kill off that notion then and there.

However I do think that JBG Jester and GReaper should have an input but not overall.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

nothing, absolutely nothing has been done since you bought pa except from a few unsufficient graphics at the planetarion portal. now I'm going to wonder if you really think pa is worth your time? I can offer you an easy solution: talk to Spinner, work out a prize, and give pa back to his developer as you promised things you could not keep.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

I dont get why you bought planetarion if you are working on developing a NEW spacegame...
Will it be named planetarion then, as a completely new game?
Or run on its own while planetarion dies?

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

So basically... PA wasn't entirely what you had hoped it would be and is now a low-priority side project. While the prices keep going up to help you develop a whole other game. Is PA the new low-effort cash cow?

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Sure looks like it.

I guess we can just stop paying for the game and see if changes will start.

Unfortunally boycotts have never been something that has been really done in Planetarion before, mainly because people tend to be used to being ignored.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

It's been that since Jolt bought it aeons ago.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Sorry to burst any bubble here but I was part of the betatester team when Spinner still ran this show and I did help create the races and give input on the rules (although they were not as frequently altered as these rounds) in r5/6/7. So like, you are 6-7 years late.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

beta testing wasnt exactly hard to get into, even i was a beta tester for 4+ rounds :p

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

You openly admit PA is not your main priority, how do you expect any kind of positive response?

Game design is not a democratic process. You need people with good understanding of mechanics (Theam mentioned a few) and you need a vision for the game.

Because you promised changes, and after an initial good start with the new skin, you have delivered nothing. You're quiet, you do not communicate with your community. You give us no reason to hold any hope, and you admit that PA is not your priority.

Fair enough, you say in a few weeks you will make PA your priority. When you do that, I hope you will communicate better, let us know what you're thinking, let us know what you're doing. But that does not mean you make game design a democratic process, or in fact anything that can be influenced by the megalomaniacs that live in #alliances.

What does this even mean? You're comparing a TV program to a text based game, you couldn't get any more opposite! (Edit: I don't mean to say this is a bad thing, it's just a really odd thing to say - a bizarre comparison, more details, more communication please! :))

The reason the community is so depressed with the state of affairs, and disappointed/angry with you is the lack of communication. This kind of thing is a good idea (hardly the saviour of PA though) and would certainly brighten up a few people's outlook on the future. Communicate with your paying customers.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

:up:

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Serious failure in marketing and PR zPeti.
But then it was expected.

I'll buy the game for a half eaten lollipop if that helps...
(then of course give it for free to someone useful who might actually make the game one out of many priorities instead of the last thing on an already mile long list)

Oh. And this last post I do believe caused more damage to your image than some more silence would have. As it was only Kargool who wanted a response....little idealistic man who actually thinks things would change...
Just let it resign to it's fate, and deal with the fact that most players here will not move to your "new" and "fun" game. It's a reality. Deal with it. Advertising a "new" game as the "owner of planetarion" is like claiming that the now 70 year old former supermodel you fu**ed is still hot.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

http://simrepublic.com/

Is this the new game?

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

True, and betatesting those days was also a large case of 'free speedgames for the happy few', however designing that and creating the races out of the void was pretty cool!

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Hmmmm. Theamion??? Never heard of him :-)

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

(-:

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

It has all the graphic "qualities" of a Fubar production. Aren't you thrilled by the idea of the new PA looking like that masterpiece ?

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

I hope you're kidding :( he was there. Petru (Petal) would remember him, and Karm. He was certainly around enough! Though Jester had far more input than anyone else. Crazy days :D

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

To respond to the first post in this thread.

Dear zPeti,

Firstly of all I thank you for your response, and I think its nice to see that you took time from your busy schedule of running that other game of yours to give the pesky Planetarions a reply.

I am sure that you were annoyed by the fact that we started to get inpatient after you had been so nice as to give us new graphics! And after all, gamedevelopment is a hard long process, we should really be patient since is takes such a long time. Did I mention that Masters of Orion, which was seen as groundbreaking in its genre was developed in 5 months? But then again, who am I to judge you since you are the the great owner and advisor on this game.

I also appriciate your honest reply that you really could not give a rats ass about Planetarion as long as you keep getting your income from it, since we Planetarians are gullible people who seem to accept whatever the owners throw as pitiful excuses and pathetic attempts at making us feel wanted, or needed.

I've actually been so stupid as to spend money on the game this round, but I for sure will never ever do it again as long as you own the game, and decide to to **** all about it.

Thanks for your time, and I shall let you get back to your busy schedule since I am sure you got exactly what you wanted with people who are playing this game and sadly are to stupid to see that they're being used by a person with a selfish and disloyal agenda.

Oh and btw that other game of yours.

I was told by a fellow planetarion about your fantastic blog where you say the following:" I have now for the last 2-3 months been 100% focused on building an ad network , while at the same time optimizing adverts on my own websites so that I can get the biggest return possible on my traffic"

It seems to me that your post might be somewhat inaccurate, but hey, I guess spending 2-3 months on doing advertisements instead of gamedeveloping will help Planetarion in the long run.

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Haha! Please note the smiley at the end of my sentence, dearest Appocco :) If the concept of irony has left these forums, allow me to rephrase:
I remember both Theamion and Petru extremely well. I recall countless hours of debating and tuning shipstats with both of them, and they have both left more than a little footprint in the development of Planetarion. I have also been fortunate enough to meet them, and get slightly intoxicated in their company :)

I have to say there are probably thousands of players I do not recall, but these two crazy guys are not among them.

<\explain>

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Yo spinner why did you get everyone to kill my planet in the first speedgame, you suck man! That was my chance of glory

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

your chance of glory is this round man!
ingal with the great Wishmaster and his wingman, pommeh!

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

nice thread but who is theamion?

Re: Dear zPeti - the response
 

Don't listen to Kenny the hater!

It's just, we haven't had major changes in ages and a previous owner who didn't respond at all.
We just need someone to love!

BE THAT GUY<3