Reply: Glory to Rome:: News:: Re: Update #33: Feels like a Monday

by moonglow

Kinda bummed that I needed to come and wade through all these pages to find out what's happening with Australia an NZ shipping.

Chris, doubly disappointed that there are statements from you acknowledging the importance of clear and accurate updates, but I and few other antipodean's seem to have recived them (I say that based on the thread "when will the game get shippedt to Australia", and that I don't recall having read anything about it - which shouldn't be too hard to recall considering the fairly sparse nature of the updates received).

To be honest, I'm over it. I've read most of the threads for the first nine months or so, but its gotten boring. Its also eroded any good will I've previously felt for CGF. Down under there is a tendency to support the underdog, although I know we're not alone in that. However, there comes a point where it gets like the underdog is either taking the piss, or you're a mug to continue supporting him/them.

I'm not really a fan of kick starter for games anyway, G2R was my first one. Since then my experience has been that I pay a lot for an early version that is still buggy. These days there have to be some seriously compelling offers involved for me to consider backing a project (other than a genuine philanthropic or creative venture). I can't imagine ever backing another CGF kickstarter without a significant demonstration of improved ability to deliver (which I appreciate will be difficult to provide when noone trusts you enough to back you).

I think its a real shame that an initiative to finally give the fans what they wanted has turned into such a PR nightmare. I can imagine that there is some real sincerity and desire to learn the lessons from all this within CGF staff, yourself included, but I wouldn't under estimate the challenges ahead in terms of reestablishing trust and reputation.

Out of curiosity, have you heard of dealextreme.com? they offer free shipping internationally, most of their products get shipped out of shanghai I think... So it does seem that there are some models for individual small size distribution from China, although I appreciate the scale is different.

My main thought on ending is that the more I read CGF staff arguing points on BGG, the more I want to scream at them to stop pissing around on the internet and ship my F**king game already! Sure, there might not be anything you can actually do to help, but seeing you argue this shit is just a constant reminder that my game isn't on the way and probably won't be for ages.

Oh, ps, Id have rather paid another $5 or something 6 months ago to have gotten the game shipped. Or, you could keep freaking plato and suck up the additional cost. Id also rather you'd sent out the bonus bits of whatever, at least then I wouldn't feel so ignored as a customer (ps to the kickstarter apologists, I've read the hundreds of threads about what kickstart is and isn't, I know its not a customer vendor relationship, but shit that doesn't explain much of this screwup).

My two cents, antipodeans might not have been in your top 20 most vitrolific antifans, but that doesn't mean we're full of love and aren't getting sick of waiting.

topherr wrote:

hisalamander wrote:

topherr wrote:

Regretfully, I have no word from Ed about whether he's shipping the games today. I will update as soon as I hear from him. Sorry, but that's the truth.

I am almost stirring right now but it is never good when you have better communication with us (and us with you), than you do with Ed.

In the last three weeks he must have mentioned shipping trucks, expected delivery dates at least once.
To make a finer point, the date you gave for European shipping was your estimate, not his.

I don't disagree with any of this. Quite right.

hisalamander wrote:

I don't think anyone should be compensated any further (with free games. I was opposed to plato as well).
You guys need to make some money or at least have some money that won't put the rest of shipping on hold. (like why you had deliver to traditioner wholesalers first)

Plus it perpetuates the notion that we have to forgive you with the "but we gave you a free game". Its more than one update where plato is used as an adequate compensation (though generous, it was not always asked for).

No one has to forgive us for anything. We will live, and possibly die, by market forces alone. We're simply trying to take responsibility in a concrete way for the mistakes that we have made. By analogy, I can tell you that as a small business employer, that my preferred method of showing genuine appreciation to great employees is giving bonuses or raises, because I think that flowery words are just cheap, and are too often used by bosses instead of concrete incentives.

hisalamander wrote:

If you do persist with a free game though-->wouldn't Australia and Asia where most of the shipping costs were subsidised AND yet not received their games be also an option.

We've considered this. No group of supporters in the world have been as kind to us - and for as little good reason - as have been our Australia/New Zealand supporters. OTOH, it's clearly true that US supporters DID effectively subsidize shipping to many places, including Aus/NZ. Also, those very shipping costs make it more difficult for us to send more games to this region from Boston. Again, we're considering the matter. Stay tuned.

hisalamander wrote:

Serious Question: have the small packages with all the KS extras been shipped to Australia (and the primary recipient) from Groton.
Remember this will also hold up any final distribution with the game to all us.
(Sorry if that last question has been answered before.)

This package (along with the NZ extras) are ready to go but will not ship until we have word from Shanghai (hopefully on Monday) that the games have shipped from there. This is because we believe it will actually be faster to ship from Boston than from Shanghai, and because we're trying to coordinate shipments so that each package arrives at our in-country agent at about the same time, to avoid creating storage issues for the agent.