Request for more cooperation in order to improve the game

[spillblood]

You gotta realize, they either won't react to unconstructive complaining, or they will shut this thread down like all the ones before, so please just try to cooperate, IE send in support tickets or try modding the game (although it's unfinished).

[spillblood]

Another two weeks of complete silence, silence by Malfador and by Shrapnel. Seriously guys, I think they don't have much interest in improving this game, but players don't show much interest either, it seems. I think Aaron won't do anything unless we signal to him that we want improvements. And by that I don't mean only myself. We need more people to participate here!

[Skirmisher]

What you need is electro shock therapy for MM.

That is the only person that can fix it.

[spillblood]

Don't want to insult him, but I absolutely agree. Man, he signaled approval to my course of action here. I wonder why he doesn't finally do something himself.
I'm pretty sure he spends zero time thinking about the future of the game right now. Don't think Malfador is his main occupation, but if I were in his shoes, I'd be interested in improving my creations, and I think every other game creator would think like this. It's a mystery why he neglects this game so much.

[Mike_T]

Spillblood, and anyone else reading this:

I filed a support ticket some weeks ago, and Shrapnel refused to answer my questions, so I persisted, but they eventually closed the ticket down. I have copied below the last exchanges between me and Shrapnel - you will see that they have assured me that all reported bugs have been addressed and that WS is one of their best selling games! Thought you might like to see this...


Added 7.30.11 3:42 PM
Viewed by user 8.14.11 8:47 AM
My problem is not related to specific bugs - I am trying to get Shrapnel to understand that it is damaging its own reputation by the
manner that it has treated customer complaints about WS.
My complaint to you was not meant to "trash" anyone - it is a reasoned complaint about your company's unsympathetic response
when a game launch has misfired. I haven't lost any money - I could just turn my back on this. I haven't because I wanted you to
understand how poorly you are viewed by many that bought this game in good faith. You won't accept that the game wasn't
properly tested before you released it, you just ask people to report bugs to the developer. A few minor bugs, maybe, but the AI
was so flawed that you should have required that the developer go back to the drawing board. There is no shame in saying sorry,
this game isn't quite right, wer'e going to suspend it whilst the developer knocks it into better shape.
I am not trashing your company - I am trying to show you how you yourselves have damaged your own reputation and credibility.
Can you not understand that?
It may be for internal political reasons that you have to stubbornly defend what your company has done.
If this is the case, then I can understand why you cannot provide meaningful customer support. It may be that I am talking to the
wrong department - please let me know.

Reply from Shrapnel:
Again. This is all opinion. But you are one of the few that have complained about the game. And people do complain when they feel
something is not right. World Supremacy is in the top 5 games in sales each month. In June it was third. We have received to date, very
few bug reports - less than 20, all of which have been addressed. So please understand YOUR complaint is not confirmed by the
masses.
Customer Support
The Gamers Front
www.GamersFront.com
Shrapnel Games, Inc.
www.ShrapnelGames.com

Added 8.14.11 9:05 AM
Viewed by administrator Not viewed
--but the feedback on the WS forum is totally negative!! Normally, when a game is well received, the forum is full of positive and
enthusiastic discussion. Where is your positive feedback?
Your modding "expert", who, according to your WS web page really "rocks" (whatever that means) has been provoked by you into such
frustration and rage that you have banned him from the forum. This is further evidence of how alienated the would-be enthusiasts have
become. Are you still telling the world that this guy is still modding and that it really "rocks"?
Iam sorry if WS is in your top 5 sales - it doesn't say much for the rest of the games and is no indicator of quality. We are both aware of
the desperately negative feedback.How much positive feedback have you really had?
Why did you release a game that was so flawed the AI was almost non-existent? Did you test the game or did you take the developer
on trust? The developer seems to take the attitude that it's down to disappointed customers to tell him what needs doing to the game -
for heaven's sake, whose game is it?
Can you please deal with my points with your customer SUPPORT hats on - not your PR hats - thanks.
Status Closed

[spillblood]

Great post, man. This clearly shows Shrapnel's responses to customer support tickets. I've received similar answers to my last support tickets. I know this will cause the thread to be closed down, but I wanna share one here:

Status Answered
Added by Annette Brooks
Added 8.8.11 4:36 PM
Viewed by user 8.9.11 6:07 AM
Mr. spillblood (name changed),

I would be most appreciative if you would refrain from opening more tickets. There are still six of the ten remaining open and awaiting our attention. Please understand that we are an extremely small company. If you must add to what you have already written, please choose one ticket and add to that, but please do not feel you must repeat anything you have already written. It is going to take us hours to read the thousands of words you've sent in your tickets as we need to determine what are truly bugs and what are simply features of the game you don't like.

If there are recurring bugs remaining after the patches that are keeping our customer base from being able to play the game, we will certainly consult with Malfador Machinations, but it is highly unlikely that the game will be re-designed to suit individual tastes. Again, I have yet to sort through what are bugs and what are feature requests, and I'm speaking from my opinion prior to having read everything you have asked us to read. I appreciate your desire to love the game, but, please, sir, stop the bombardment. Spamming the game's designer, our forums and our customer support system is not only counter-productive but against the rules you agreed to abide by when you registered at our forums.

Thank you,
Annette Brooks

I've talked about this one here before. Seems to me that they are simply annoyed by my support tickets and are not really paying attention to them anymore. Thank you for filing one in, MikeT. Would be great if more people would follow your example, so that Shrapnel finally recognize something must be done.
Man, I don't think I'm spamming the forums in ill will against Shrapnel. I'm trying to finally get them to give the game the support it needs.

One thing I have to add: If this game would be appreciated/ have a community, there would be strategy discussions, mods and general praise for the game here. I don't see that in this forum! There is almost no discussion here except some customers criticizing the bad quality of the game. Don't Shrapnel understand that?

[spillblood]

LOL, seems they don't care about this either. Doesn't matter.

[spillblood]

Hey guys, I've contacted Rob Zacny of Three Moves Ahead to feature World Supremacy, Castle Vox or TripleA on their podcast, and he's agreed to check them out. If he contacts Shrapnel and asks for permission (press contact form) and they feature this game, maybe it will get more potential modders, and additional attention so that Malf finally start working on it again.

[Skirmisher]

Well it's a top 5 seller for them,so the buisness model is working,just not the game.

I wonder who all these people are that are buying it?

[spillblood]

I keep wondering why, if this game really sells so well, the particpation here in this forum is so low. My guess: The people who buy the game either haven't tried it out properly yet or they aren't satisfied. I don't see any praises here. The only time when we had praises for the game was when it was freshly released in late 2010, but the subsequent events pretty much destroyed the community here.
Hehe, this would warrant a story on Three Moves Ahead, and they shouldn't keep quiet about the problems. Man, just think about it: Malfador are strategy gaming veterans, active since 1993 (read the about part here: http://www.malfador.com/)! Space Empires is no unknown series, and their reputation was a cause for me to buy the game ('cause I read how good Space Empires, especially SE IV was). But it seems Aaron Hall has somehow lost interest in making games, can't explain his lack of support of this game otherwise.