(Shocking) News!!!!!

[mac5732]

IMHO, I think we all need to just sit back, take a deep breath or two, (maybe a brewski to help drown any sorrows) and look at the total picture. This is a business, and Aaron, like any other buisness person, looks ahead to further his growth as well as income. He apparently wants to try something new and look into other possible markets. Thats business. I/we/whomever, apparantly are upset which is normal reaction. However, Aaron has been with Shrapnel and all of us for a long time and I don't think he would turn out a half baked game. If he did, I'm sure most of us would not buy it, further, I would bet that some of us would say so in other forums as well. Therefore, Aaron has everything to gain by putting out another quality product and everything to lose if he doesn't. I know its hard for us addicted rapid fans to make/see a change, but, lets wait and see how the game turns out. After all, we'll still be here and Aaron knows where to find us and Shrapnel. I wish him the best of luck, and still hope he drops in on the forum and in the IRC SE4 chat room once in awhile. Life goes on and so will Space Empires (hopefully). Thanks to the great people at Shrapnel, we will still have a SEV forum here for us to use/talk/complain/gripe/mod/etc. What other company have you ever seen who would post a forum on a competitors game? None that I know of. Tks Shrapnel we appreciate it. The real question is do we combine the SEV and SEIV forums into l or keep them seperate? There are pros and cons for both. We have time to decide and let Shrapnel know. Oh well, my 2 cents, I'm going to go have a brewski or two to enrich my depression over this

[Tim Brooks]

Hi Will:

...will be leveraging a bit of SF's resources to get more mainstream advertising and reviews

Again, some misinformation control. Shrapnel Games had SEIV reviewed by every mainstream print and web publication in both the US and Europe, receiving over a dozen industry awards.

As to SF's resources, they are controlled by the bankruptcy courts.

Regardless, I have no idea if SEV will fit into the mainstream. I hope it will.

I believe everyone here feels that way.

Also, kudos to the wonderful Shrapnel people! Keeping the forums goes beyond anything expected from customer service.

We would miss you guys if you left, so we hope you stay here. These forums are yours.

Now you said something about selling off existing stocks of SEIV and SE:Starfury... You all are still the publisher for those games, right? (and Dungeon Odyssey?)

Until current stocks are depleted. Coming from a development, not publishing background, I do not believe in owning rights to our developers games. The rights stay with the developer after the contract period expires. Aaron came to us after we declined an offer to do a catalog exchange with Strategy First and asked us not to print any more Starfury or SEIV. We, of course, agreed. We would have taken Dungeon Odyssey out of print later this year anyway, so doing it a bit earlier just makes the break with Malfador easier.

We will, of course, still support both Space Empires products and Dungeon Odyssey through customer service and here through the forums, even after the inventories are depleted.

me needs to go to the Shrapnel Store and make some purchaces soon...

I wouldn't take too long. Projections are for SEIV to sell out in 2 weeks or so, and Starfury a bit longer.

[Will]

Tim Brooks said:
Hi Will:

Again, some misinformation control. Shrapnel Games had SEIV reviewed by every mainstream print and web publication in both the US and Europe, receiving over a dozen industry awards.

As to SF's resources, they are controlled by the bankruptcy courts.

Sorry, didn't mean that as a slight to Shrapnel. I just meant that many of the print reviewers shove niche and independant game publishers into small sections of the magazine. With a retail publisher, I think it might be easier to get a proper (at least full page) review. If Shrapnel has managed that, I was not aware, and that would definitely be good news.

Anyway, just ordered Starfury and Gold... I was going to throw in Dominions as well, but I think it's bad enough that I'll be failing the rest of the semester now that I have those two games, I don't need to add a third and $50 to that at the same time. Besides, DomIII is coming out Soon(tm), right?

And I'm assuming that's a "No Comment" on the IPO, eh?

[Tim Brooks]

Hi Will:

Sorry, didn't mean that as a slight to Shrapnel.

No offense taken.

Anyway, just ordered Starfury and Gold...

Thank you for supporting us. That will help Aaron with development costs. Enjoy!

I was going to throw in Dominions as well...

This is a great game. My favorite. Maybe after the semester is over...

Besides, DomIII is coming out Soon(tm), right?

Late 4th quarter of this year.

And I'm assuming that's a "No Comment" on the IPO, eh?

Soon.

[Kamog]

Well, I'm going to buy SEV when it comes out in stores later this year.

narf poit chez BOOM said:
I hope my heart isn't made out of gold. I'd die!

That's good, I couldn't stop laughing!

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Thank you. Comments like that just make my day.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Thank you very much everyone who posted here. Thank you Aaron for creating such a marvelous game as SEIV. Thank you Shrapnel for publishing it and for this forum. And also thank you Shrapnel for retaining this forum and customer services when Malfador leaves.

And Aaron, good luck with S1st.