GM whistle Blowers hotline

[Jhynnifer]

There is a HUGE difference between a company wanting to make money and one that figures out every single possible way to exploit their base. From "independent contractors" that basically do work for free because they love the game and are totally going to save it from it's inevitable end to finding every single way possible to chain their playerbase down and bleed them dry. You can argue "everyone has hobbies" so it's okay for you to sink a few grand into a game a year (that could easily be a car payment instead) but it's not a hobby, it takes over lives. They are making people feel so incredibly invested into the game. Why? Because omg you've already sunk so much time and money into it and you can't get anything back now that they've killed silver values and and are progressively making huge dents into the player economy. You'll never want to leave. Ugh, I could go on and one and it's why I'll never go back even if I love the players because I just can't support something like that. I get what they're doing and at the end of the day, the shots are being called by someone that doesn't care about the game but rather your pocketbooks. Rawr.

EA secretly bought Stillfront.

[AnOrdim]

That's just flat out wrong. The only games it applies to is mobile games.
Computer games with microtransactions have stuck as close to cosmetic only options exactly for the reasons being described.

The pay to win mechanic is dangerous exactly for the reason that when you start scaling back the winning or putting more of it behind more pay walls, you get lots of angry people. Its the reason a lot of mobile apps only have a year or two life span.

I should learn to quote people.

[Taernath]

You're describing every single game developer on the planet these days. Do you not game at all then?

What would you have a company still maintaining a 30-year-old text game do instead?

Don't kid yourself, GS was profitable before the introduction of a cash shop and everything else, and it wasn't being 'maintained' out of the goodness of Simu's hearts. Once Whatley got interested in mobile games, GS became a handy way to fund his other projects. I'm not aware of any other games that have as much freemium shit tied to an exorbitantly priced tiered subscription model.

[Mogonis]

Okay, but what would you have them do instead that will also keep Stillfront from shutting down the game?

[AnOrdim]

How is that even a fucking question? Do you know something others don't? Were the servers about to be shut off before the first duskruin? How are you making the leap that anyone dodged some silver bullet that was about to kill the game?Lets make the logical leap that is the case, why would anyone pay the same amount or more for something they were getting cheaper or more readily at the first few duskruins? Why are they moving more and more mechanics behind more and more pay walls?
WPS - almost entirely duskruin except for bare minimum token offerings
Forge slab generation - with limited specific number of rare slabs, no more % chance with no limit
Fusion - gimped ass fusion options for $$$ now

What are they going to tie up behind simucoins next? Artisan skill passes for everyone?

[Taernath]

Okay, but what would you have them do instead that will also keep Stillfront from shutting down the game?

I don't really care. It's not my fight and I'm not super invested in GS' future anymore.

[Candor]

WEBSITE IS LIVE : https://gmwhistleblower.weebly.com/


For the foreseeable future I will be running a service to accept confirm but anonymous communications from Simutronics Staff (GMs) who wish to safely report information they feel the community should know.
It is known that "independent contractors" of Simutronics must sign an NDA. I do not want anyone to face any legal repercussions or lose their position (well, maybe just 2 or 3 should) and will be providing the following information and warnings to do this safely.
1) Never ever use your play.net email service. It should be assumed that any in or outbound email on this service is kept/monitored.
2) Never ever use any information that links directly back to you or you and one other person. Information should always be known by at least four other people or "public knowledge" on the other side.
3) Never ever use your name specifically in an email. If you need to verify your authenticity via an interaction we had do not use your name, even if I would know it from the situation. I will never reveal, attach or speculate on names.
4) Do feel free to use the service to tell me to go fuck myself or another player. This is a service just as much for you to vent about the players as it is the management of Simutronics.
5) You will never get an email back, any returned emails are assumed honeypots and should not be responded to.
6) Be careful of what you do in game under your GM account as most likely all actions are logged as well. This may be troublesome for the verification part.
7) Do try to change up your writting style. Use smaller words or a random thesaurus, write in small quick to the point lines, anything to make it different.

I would ask that any real complaints are verified in one of the following maners:
Name one of the objects not commonly used for RP that is inside one of the containers on his person right now. Common items I used frequently will not count. I have logs to confirm without being ingame.
An interaction we had, either something broken, discussing an idea, a scolding, any time that would be able to confirm that it is in fact a real GM and not someone trolling the service.

Please make use of the following resources, if you are uncomfortable with the links I have also provided the google search terms to give you alternative offerings:
"Throw away email"
https://www.guerrillamail.com/compose
This one is good because you can choose what you want the email to be at the top. Allows outbound emailing. Confirmed working for sending

Ordim@Thetriadgc.com
This is the email address to send your comments/stories to.

I encourage any current or prior GMs to speak out if you do not feel the direction of the game is going where it should be. Or just say things are great.
I will never real any names, I will never speculate on any names, I will re-write the message sent in my own voice while not trying to add or subtract anything major from it, there will be no copy and pasting of messages.

You really, really, really need to find another interest or hobby.

[Tsk Tsk]

You're describing every single game developer on the planet these days. Do you not game at all then?

What would you have a company still maintaining a 30-year-old text game do instead?

Every? I think that's a stretch. EA obviously being the current worst and they're totally getting tons of praise for it amirite? Activision is taking the same route and I assure you, the players notice and aren't happy. Naturally, at the end of the day they'll keep doing it if people like you seem to just accept it but there is always a tipping point.

[Mogonis]

People like me? Other than some SimuCoins for Duskruin booklets, I don't spend any extra on the game.

[SonoftheNorth]

People like me?

You people.