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PC Gamer: " There's something strange about Ashes of Creation. "

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  • SwordeBeemeLordSwordeBeemeLord Member Posts: 25
    Well first off he says that the investment is "the source of a majority of my success.". You're right though, nothing stops you from both investing in estate and running an MLM.
    But it's about what he is saying. He is downplaying the MLM part and upplaying the investing part. Not that he is doing both. Or that it was a combined effort. He is crediting his success to investing in real estate

    Now as to pyramids and their schemes-

    The core principle of a pyramid scheme is earning money from other people, and the more people you have, the more you earn. You're on the top, and the people you earn money from is under you. There is 1 of you and many under you. Therefore a pyramid, albeit a small one.

    You only earn less from your referals, if they also refer someone else, because then that referal would pay less subscription, and you only earn money based on the money your referals spend.

    Nothing stops you from have 20/40/30000 referals nor earning money from those referals.

    Isn't it really bizarre having to talk about earning real life money, in the context of playing a MMO?
    It's a game right?

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,500
    Why the hostility? Do you not want the forums to get more users?
    From Goons, not really.
    ConstantineMerusVrika

    "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






  • TillerTiller Member LegendaryPosts: 11,163
    To be honest this whole KS thing seems so convoluted it can't be anything other than a scam in my opinion. The game sounds fantastic, don't get me wrong, but I'm going to wait till it's launched and I see some lets play videos. If within the first week it gets raving reviews I may jump into it.
    ManWithNoTanYashaX
    SWG Bloodfin vet
    Elder Jedi/Elder Bounty Hunter
     
  • JacobinJacobin Member RarePosts: 1,009
    ITT we've had the OP compare Steve Sharif to Bernie Madoff, imply that the project is "evil", accuse people of "witch hunting"...
    Steven's history is 100% relevant to this project.

    Maybe you and a few others are willing to give him a pass, but the similarities between MLM and KS (hyping products that end up being snake oil) are impossible to ignore for a lot of people especially when he has no games development experience.

    Changing the terms of the affiliate program retroactively after people have shilled for his game en masse is 100% deceptive marketing. I doubt anyone will take him to court but it clearly shows he will use lies and misinformation to sell the game (MLM).

    Again we have a company with 0 network engineers, 7 artists, 2 game designers and 1 kind of programmer claiming they will rebirth a multi billion dollar genre in 2 years.

    The promises vs. reality added in with deceptive marketing is just way to much to swallow for people with any level of experience with KS projects.
    Phry
  • PonziniPonzini Member UncommonPosts: 506
    Well first off he says that the investment is "the source of a majority of my success.". You're right though, nothing stops you from both investing in estate and running an MLM.
    But it's about what he is saying. He is downplaying the MLM part and upplaying the investing part. Not that he is doing both. Or that it was a combined effort. He is crediting his success to investing in real estate

    Now as to pyramids and their schemes-

    The core principle of a pyramid scheme is earning money from other people, and the more people you have, the more you earn. You're on the top, and the people you earn money from is under you. There is 1 of you and many under you. Therefore a pyramid, albeit a small one.

    You only earn less from your referals, if they also refer someone else, because then that referal would pay less subscription, and you only earn money based on the money your referals spend.

    Nothing stops you from have 20/40/30000 referals nor earning money from those referals.

    Isn't it really bizarre having to talk about earning real life money, in the context of playing a MMO?
    It's a game right?

    In case you haven't noticed. We aren't in game yet. Referrals have to deal with real life. There are plenty of companies that do almost the exact same type of referral system AoC is doing. The only difference is that Steven was in an MLM so everyone automatically starts comparing it to an MLM. I say again though it has no buy in. Therefore there is no risk to anyone. What are the negatives? There is only benefits. 

    IMO it is a smart way to spread the word on your game instead of having to spend a large portion of your budget on marketing. Which most companies usually have to do. Tiller said:
    To be honest this whole KS thing seems so convoluted it can't be anything other than a scam in my opinion. The game sounds fantastic, don't get me wrong, but I'm going to wait till it's launched and I see some lets play videos. If within the first week it gets raving reviews I may jump into it.
    Convoluted how? We have already proven on here they leased an large office in San Diego. They have 18 employees with 15 months of development. Guaranteed they have spent as much as they would gain through kickstarter already. There is no possibility of a scam. If they fail or not is up for speculation but definitely not a scam.
  • JacobinJacobin Member RarePosts: 1,009
    edited May 2017
    Ponzini said:
    There are plenty of companies that do almost the exact same type of referral system AoC is doing.
    This is flat out false. No other company has done this type of profit sharing affiliate program on KICKSTARTER pledges.

    He was running around making wild claims about youtubers making $10 000 dollars from selling KICKSTARTER pledges.

    This is revenue sharing for a product that does not exist which is supposedly not ok with KS. How you do not see this as a potential house of cards is beyond me.
  • laxielaxie Member RarePosts: 1,118
    edited May 2017
    Jacobin said:
    This is flat out false. No other company has done this type of profit sharing affiliate program on KICKSTARTER pledges.

    He was running around making wild claims about youtubers making $10 000 dollars from selling KICKSTARTER pledges.

    This is revenue sharing for a product that does not exist which is supposedly not ok with KS. How you do not see this as a potential house of cards is beyond me.
    I find it strange that they removed the revenue share from the KS purchase, but were more inclined to leave revenue share from subscriptions.

    If you think about it, getting your 15% (or however much it is), from your referred KS pledges should be straight forward. Once the company gets the KS money, they simply pay out 15% back to the people. No product is necessary what-so-ever.

    The subscriptions feel a lot riskier, since you actually need a released product for subscription payments to come in.
  • SwordeBeemeLordSwordeBeemeLord Member Posts: 25
    It's not bad to have a referal system. But the rewards given by those referals that screw things up.

    Getting in-game bonuses for referals?
    is cool mang.

    Paying people real money for referals or offer an economic advantage?
    No, that's a really bad idea and that's what makes this shady as hell.
    It introduces a bunch of problems and questionable motivation.

    You can't compare AoC referal system to any other game's referal system, because no other game is paying their players with real money. And it's not even a one time fee either, it's continously.

    The reason Steven get's shit for having been in a MLM is because that's where he got the idea.
    Phry
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    The user and all related content has been deleted.

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  • PonziniPonzini Member UncommonPosts: 506
    Jacobin said:
    Ponzini said:
    There are plenty of companies that do almost the exact same type of referral system AoC is doing.
    This is flat out false. No other company has done this type of profit sharing affiliate program on KICKSTARTER pledges.

    He was running around making wild claims about youtubers making $10 000 dollars from selling KICKSTARTER pledges.

    This is revenue sharing for a product that does not exist which is supposedly not ok with KS. How you do not see this as a potential house of cards is beyond me.
    Obviously kickstarter is fine with it because the referral system hasn't changed according to Steven and the website and Kickstarter hasn't done anything to their Kickstarter page.

    It's not bad to have a referal system. But the rewards given by those referals that screw things up.

    Getting in-game bonuses for referals?
    is cool mang.

    Paying people real money for referals or offer an economic advantage?
    No, that's a really bad idea and that's what makes this shady as hell.
    It introduces a bunch of problems and questionable motivation.

    You can't compare AoC referal system to any other game's referal system, because no other game is paying their players with real money. And it's not even a one time fee either, it's continously.

    The reason Steven get's shit for having been in a MLM is because that's where he got the idea.
    I don't see it any different than paying a company to advertise for you.
  • JacobinJacobin Member RarePosts: 1,009
    edited May 2017
    laxie said:
    Jacobin said:
    This is flat out false. No other company has done this type of profit sharing affiliate program on KICKSTARTER pledges.

    He was running around making wild claims about youtubers making $10 000 dollars from selling KICKSTARTER pledges.

    This is revenue sharing for a product that does not exist which is supposedly not ok with KS. How you do not see this as a potential house of cards is beyond me.
    I find it strange that they removed the revenue share from the KS purchase, but were more inclined to leave revenue share from subscriptions.

    If you think about it, getting your 15% (or however much it is), from your referred KS pledges should be straight forward. Once the company gets the KS money, they simply pay out 15% back to the people. No product is necessary what-so-ever.

    The subscriptions feel a lot riskier, since you actually need a released product for subscription payments to come in.
    I assume KS would not allow profit sharing because the entire point of the website is to help struggling creators get funding, not serve as a platform for affiliate marketers to earn money.

    If right off the bat you owe potentially $250K+ to affiliate marketers that is money that is not going to your project increasing the chances it will fail.

    Why are the backers of this project ok with a large portion of their DONATIONS going to pay youtubers and link spammers instead of the project?

    How about spending 250k on a network engineer instead of people like Lazy Peon?
  • PhaserlightPhaserlight Member EpicPosts: 3,072
    Jacobin said:
    ITT we've had the OP compare Steve Sharif to Bernie Madoff, imply that the project is "evil", accuse people of "witch hunting"...
    Steven's history is 100% relevant to this project.

    Maybe you and a few others are willing to give him a pass, but the similarities between MLM and KS (hyping products that end up being snake oil) are impossible to ignore for a lot of people especially when he has no games development experience.

    Changing the terms of the affiliate program retroactively after people have shilled for his game en masse is 100% deceptive marketing. I doubt anyone will take him to court but it clearly shows he will use lies and misinformation to sell the game (MLM).

    Again we have a company with 0 network engineers, 7 artists, 2 game designers and 1 kind of programmer claiming they will rebirth a multi billion dollar genre in 2 years.

    The promises vs. reality added in with deceptive marketing is just way to much to swallow for people with any level of experience with KS projects.
    I'm not a huge fan of Kickstarter, or crowdfunding, myself.  I haven't spent a dime on crowdfunding, and I have never pre-ordered a product in my life.  I'm probably more conservative from an economic standpoint than most you'll run into.  That stated, I recognize Kickstarter is at least partially responsible for some great products I've enjoyed; it put Oculus Rift on the map, which in turn helped launch the GearVR (which is excellent).  Massive Chalice, currently my most-played game on Steam, is a product of Kickstarter.  There have been times I've been surprised to learn that a game I enjoyed post-launch cut its teeth on crowdfunding.

    Multi-Level Marketing is a completely different animal; it's really not a comment on the quality of the product but on corporate structure and compensation.  It often goes by "network marketing" these days, because I suppose MLM does have somewhat of a negative connotation to the public in general (although I was surprised to learn this).  I think it's in part due to John Oliver's lambasting on his show "Last Week Tonight"; expect things to even out, over time.

    It seems disingenuous to argue that Steven Sharif owes something to those who have "shilled" for him.  Shilling implies deceit to begin with: now you are saying he needs to back up those that have been deceitful?

    I agree that Steven should be careful making claims regarding his project.


    "The simple is the seal of the true and beauty is the splendor of truth" -Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
    Authored 139 missions in Vendetta Online and 6 tracks in Distance

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  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,500
    edited May 2017
    First day of the KS I locked in at the $400 early bird Braver of Souls package. Today I dropped down to the lowest $25 tier.

    The chance of me getting my money's worth out of a $400 lifetime subscription for any MMORPG is low. Combine that with very little concrete information being given about the gameplay, and I simply can't justify the risk.

    Even if the game is released with all of the promised features, based on the concrete info given so far, I really have no idea if I'll enjoy playing the game... especially long-term?

    It seems every meaningful question about the gameplay that gets asked, has been answered by the devs saying that they're still deciding.
    I dunno, Torval says there's about 3 streams which provide much detail on whats being planned for core delivery.

    I haven't seen them yet, but I'll take his word that were I to view them I'd better understand.

    I'm trying to goad him into creating a short summary but if not I may take the time to view them.

    "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






  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 16,984
    Galadourn[Deleted User]YashaX

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • PonziniPonzini Member UncommonPosts: 506
    edited May 2017
    AKA they are parroting the other story from PC Gamer. Which is supposed to be retracted as not true? If it was true why would Steven lie if it was something he was going to have to do. That would only get him deeper in trouble. Think about it.
  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    Who cares. All I care about is if a good game comes out if.
    Its a good point, will there be a game at the end of all this or not, questionable funding methods aside, with the human resources presently available, can he make the game? i am not a game designer so i don't know, but i do know that several people who frequent these forums have more than a passing familiarity with what is actually required to make a game of this type, i'd be interested in their take on this.
    YashaX
  • krulerkruler Member UncommonPosts: 589
    I pledge $100 that this game is a fleecing exercise exploiting Kickstarter, it has the barest of operational overhead but is claiming the earth, tie that in with a new spin(for MMO's KS) of referral money making and this thing does not pass the sniff test.

    Of course the person running the whole thing does not do it many favours either.

    Only thing people who have pledged are going to get out of this is a used bus ticket for the ride they have been on.

    It would be like buying into a scheme that the guy from Sham Wow adverts has told you is the best thing ever.

     

  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 16,984
    Ponzini said:
    AKA they are parroting the other story from PC Gamer. Which is supposed to be retracted as not true? If it was true why would Steven lie if it was something he was going to have to do. That would only get him deeper in trouble. Think about it.
    I don't know, they seem pretty clear that:
    Kickstarter examined the situation and determined that Ashes of Creation was in the wrong and had to separate referrals from crowdfunding.

    That is the true point and even you, Torval and every other defender has been unable to point to a single clear statement that says the Kickstarter Pledges are still included in the referral program.  It seems very easy to refute by Steven.  Just post that they are still included in the referral system.  $2.5M has been raised so far.   If this is now excluded that's serious shit.  As pointed out numerous times, it is DEMONSTRABLY provable that the referral page WAS changed and that the quarterly payments clause and the waiting period clause was added.  





    YashaX

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • JacobinJacobin Member RarePosts: 1,009
    Ponzini said:
    why would Steven lie
    Gee I wonder.

    The story will not get retracted. Do you really think a giant gaming websites cares about a start-up studio indie with zero shipped games?

    The waters are murky and it is undeniable that the affiliate program was changed retroactively ($10 000 dollar landing page).

    When he says 'it hasn't changed' he is probably referring to the newly altered version. Its nifty piece of double talk.
    YashaX
  • PhaserlightPhaserlight Member EpicPosts: 3,072
    Ponzini said:
    AKA they are parroting the other story from PC Gamer. Which is supposed to be retracted as not true? If it was true why would Steven lie if it was something he was going to have to do. That would only get him deeper in trouble. Think about it.
    I don't know, they seem pretty clear that:
    Kickstarter examined the situation and determined that Ashes of Creation was in the wrong and had to separate referrals from crowdfunding.

    That is the true point and even you, Torval and every other defender has been unable to point to a single clear statement that says the Kickstarter Pledges are still included in the referral program.  It seems very easy to refute by Steven.  Just post that they are still included in the referral system.  $2.5M has been raised so far.   If this is now excluded that's serious shit.  As pointed out numerous times, it is DEMONSTRABLY provable that the referral page WAS changed and that the quarterly payments clause and the waiting period clause was added.  





    I fail to see how it's "serious shit".  Steve thought it was OK to give back some of the KS funds raised, which clearly it isn't.  They are now adjusting their stance accordingly?

    Are you out a ton of cash, or are you simply disappointed at seeing a perceived windfall evaporate?

    "The simple is the seal of the true and beauty is the splendor of truth" -Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
    Authored 139 missions in Vendetta Online and 6 tracks in Distance

  • SwordeBeemeLordSwordeBeemeLord Member Posts: 25
    Ponzini said:
    Jacobin said:
    Ponzini said:
    There are plenty of companies that do almost the exact same type of referral system AoC is doing.
    This is flat out false. No other company has done this type of profit sharing affiliate program on KICKSTARTER pledges.

    He was running around making wild claims about youtubers making $10 000 dollars from selling KICKSTARTER pledges.

    This is revenue sharing for a product that does not exist which is supposedly not ok with KS. How you do not see this as a potential house of cards is beyond me.
    Obviously kickstarter is fine with it because the referral system hasn't changed according to Steven and the website and Kickstarter hasn't done anything to their Kickstarter page.

    It's not bad to have a referal system. But the rewards given by those referals that screw things up.

    Getting in-game bonuses for referals?
    is cool mang.

    Paying people real money for referals or offer an economic advantage?
    No, that's a really bad idea and that's what makes this shady as hell.
    It introduces a bunch of problems and questionable motivation.

    You can't compare AoC referal system to any other game's referal system, because no other game is paying their players with real money. And it's not even a one time fee either, it's continously.

    The reason Steven get's shit for having been in a MLM is because that's where he got the idea.
    I don't see it any different than paying a company to advertise for you.
    Do you have any idea what a can of worms that opens up?
    Players are not companies, nor are they contractors in which they were contracted to do a job.
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 16,984
    Ponzini said:
    AKA they are parroting the other story from PC Gamer. Which is supposed to be retracted as not true? If it was true why would Steven lie if it was something he was going to have to do. That would only get him deeper in trouble. Think about it.
    I don't know, they seem pretty clear that:
    Kickstarter examined the situation and determined that Ashes of Creation was in the wrong and had to separate referrals from crowdfunding.

    That is the true point and even you, Torval and every other defender has been unable to point to a single clear statement that says the Kickstarter Pledges are still included in the referral program.  It seems very easy to refute by Steven.  Just post that they are still included in the referral system.  $2.5M has been raised so far.   If this is now excluded that's serious shit.  As pointed out numerous times, it is DEMONSTRABLY provable that the referral page WAS changed and that the quarterly payments clause and the waiting period clause was added.  





    I fail to see how it's "serious shit".  Steve thought it was OK to give back some of the KS funds raised, which clearly it isn't.  They are now adjusting their stance accordingly?

    Are you out a ton of cash, or are you simply disappointed at seeing a perceived windfall evaporate?
    So are you admitting that they now changed the policy and are excluding KS pledges?  I'd still like to see an official admission or denial on that before I take your word on it.


    [Deleted User]YashaX

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • blorpykinsblorpykins Member RarePosts: 466
    If it's only profit sharing that Kickstarter is against, I read that to mean that pledges could count towards Intrepid Bucks but wouldn't eligible for cash back.  Another way to look at it is that account purchases and pledges are excluded from the program completely and it's only the purchases made AFTER the account is linked to the forum profile.  I'm curious to see how it all shakes out after the Kickstarter is over.


    Phaserlight
  • PhaserlightPhaserlight Member EpicPosts: 3,072
    Ponzini said:
    AKA they are parroting the other story from PC Gamer. Which is supposed to be retracted as not true? If it was true why would Steven lie if it was something he was going to have to do. That would only get him deeper in trouble. Think about it.
    I don't know, they seem pretty clear that:
    Kickstarter examined the situation and determined that Ashes of Creation was in the wrong and had to separate referrals from crowdfunding.

    That is the true point and even you, Torval and every other defender has been unable to point to a single clear statement that says the Kickstarter Pledges are still included in the referral program.  It seems very easy to refute by Steven.  Just post that they are still included in the referral system.  $2.5M has been raised so far.   If this is now excluded that's serious shit.  As pointed out numerous times, it is DEMONSTRABLY provable that the referral page WAS changed and that the quarterly payments clause and the waiting period clause was added.  





    I fail to see how it's "serious shit".  Steve thought it was OK to give back some of the KS funds raised, which clearly it isn't.  They are now adjusting their stance accordingly?

    Are you out a ton of cash, or are you simply disappointed at seeing a perceived windfall evaporate?
    So are you admitting that they now changed the policy and are excluding KS pledges?  I'd still like to see an official admission or denial on that before I take your word on it.


    I have no idea, but it looks like it's pretty clearly against KS policy, which I'm assuming Intrepid was unaware of?

    You say you have 100 people signed up by your referral so far: let's assume 10% stick around for the long haul.  That's still $22.50 in monthly passive income when the game launches, which I would take any day of the week.

    "The simple is the seal of the true and beauty is the splendor of truth" -Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
    Authored 139 missions in Vendetta Online and 6 tracks in Distance

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