game processing

[Airborne Ranger]

I am a newcomer to this NEW version of Alamaze, I played way back until 2007 then left because I went out of country and could not spend time with game.
All these new updates and plans etc are great but if turns continue to be processed days late you will lose customers. The game was good before and I know everything changes but if you keep getting late turns you begin to wonder what the problem is. Just saying!

Now all you can reply and beat up on me for making this comment. But it is a business, and if this was lets say... a bakery and I ordered a cake and did not get it on time I would never go back to that bakery.

Do not get me wrong, I love this game but do not implement changes until all is ready to be implemented without problems. and delays.

Ok Dusi, you can comment now!

[The Broken]

I'll comment, Relax. This isn't Amazon. From looking at the forums it seems we are more like a close nit family all come together for the love of a game, being run by someone's grandfather, for almost no profit. Just don't let the late turns bother you, it's simple. Why harp about it.

I get you want to scare the guy with losing customers if he doesn't do this or that. The old "it's a business still" is a tired and trite argument at best. Just say thank you the game is running at all, and enjoy what you have. Seriously what is a day or even two days late turn even matter?

I just waited over a month for a game to even start I could play in, so complaining about a late game by a day or two seems petty to me.

Yea I know, it's a business business business argument again, but please...

[Airborne Ranger]

I'll comment, Relax. This isn't Amazon. From looking at the forums it seems we are more like a close nit family all come together for the love of a game, being run by someone's grandfather, for almost no profit. Just don't let the late turns bother you, it's simple. Why harp about it.

I get you want to scare the guy with losing customers if he doesn't do this or that. The old "it's a business still" is a tired and trite argument at best. Just say thank you the game is running at all, and enjoy what you have. Seriously what is a day or even two days late turn even matter?

I just waited over a month for a game to even start I could play in, so complaining about a late game by a day or two seems petty to me.

Yea I know, it's a business business business argument again, but please...

No one runs a business for no profit, relax and like I said, if it is not broke don't fix it. If you are going to make changes then shut it all down for a week or so and fix the problems or implement the changes, all you have to do is say you are going to implement new changes and need to stop turns for a week until we get it fixed.

The reason you had to wait is because there is not enough people playing. I am not the only one who has mentioned these delays, they may not post it here but others do notice. In order to get more people interested and grow the business you cannot keep having delays, that's all I am saying.

---

And no one is trying to scare anyone about losing business, do not put words into my mouth. Express your opinion but do not speak for me. Thank you.

[The Broken]

I'm going to say, Rick, thanks for bringing the game back! I know you're doing your best to please everyone, so Thanks!

[kevindusi]

Ok Dusi, you can comment now!

Sweet! Thanks, Zim!

[kevindusi]

I will say that I would agree that it would make more sense to shut 'er down for a week to implement the changes en masse. I know a lot of us would go through 7 days of Alamaze withdrawal, but I think this is a more reasonable approach than change-here-change-there. Where a lot of the frustration hits that I'm seeing is that the online order entry (which is amazing, I may add) was supposed to, at least to the players understanding, help streamline things and result in fast and more predictable turnaround, which has been the case some days and not-so-much on others. Ry Vor isn't making money on this, I think we are all aware, and needs a little bit of leeway as a result. Maybe that leeway is in everyone remaining calm if he decides to not process for a week in order to get the rest of the changes implemented (if that makes sense for him).

Back to you, Mr. Airborne Ranger, sir!

[Ry Vor]

I am a newcomer to this NEW version of Alamaze, I played way back until 2007 then left because I went out of country and could not spend time with game.
All these new updates and plans etc are great but if turns continue to be processed days late you will lose customers. The game was good before and I know everything changes but if you keep getting late turns you begin to wonder what the problem is. Just saying!

Now all you can reply and beat up on me for making this comment. But it is a business, and if this was lets say... a bakery and I ordered a cake and did not get it on time I would never go back to that bakery.

Do not get me wrong, I love this game but do not implement changes until all is ready to be implemented without problems. and delays.

Ok Dusi, you can comment now!

I don't think I have anything new to add from what I have said many times before, its just we have new players joining that haven't read the previous forum posts.

1. We have maybe 14,000 forum posts in 18 months, so close to 1000 a month. What other PBEM has anything like that?
2. We have started about 80 games in 18 months, so about a game a week. Lots of PBEM start one game a year, including the only one that anyone ever responded to that question here on the forum, that was also more than 3x the cost.
3. We have a noon deadline and normally have turns emailed back within 4 hours. What other PBEM does that? Usually its more like 4 days with other companies.
4. It's marginally a business at $2 a turn. Again, most other PBEM companies charge from $7.50 to $20 a turn for a game that in my opinion is not as good as Alamaze. Anyone want to argue?
5. It's me, and part time Cipher. And we are very appreciative of the efforts of Uncle Mike (order checking and web entry) and Lord Diamond (Valhalla) assisted by Frost Lord. Does anyone else have anything like our Valhalla? Or is anyone disappointed with the new order submission?

I could go on, but I understand, Airborne Ranger, that it is a veiled compliment to say you want your turns back faster. I always try to keep that in mind. When people don't care when they get their turns, that will be the signal that things are amiss.

Meanwhile, again, I am one guy. I am behind in invoicing, caught up with game processing, have a game or two to start, have a few support questions to answer, maybe a new player or two to add to the system, some communication needed with Cipher. And sometimes I have personal or family things to attend to.

We have maybe 8 formats with customization within those. We are trying to close the loop on Classic. We don't have a development process and trial process like a big software company would have. Meanwhile, I want to keep the game fresh and am most interested in creating new stuff, and without a sterile development department, we will have some delays, some missteps, etc. Meanwhile, I am pretty sure no one is putting out a better product or at a better price or providing better service or has a better player community.

[Airborne Ranger]

I am a newcomer to this NEW version of Alamaze, I played way back until 2007 then left because I went out of country and could not spend time with game.
All these new updates and plans etc are great but if turns continue to be processed days late you will lose customers. The game was good before and I know everything changes but if you keep getting late turns you begin to wonder what the problem is. Just saying!

Now all you can reply and beat up on me for making this comment. But it is a business, and if this was lets say... a bakery and I ordered a cake and did not get it on time I would never go back to that bakery.

Do not get me wrong, I love this game but do not implement changes until all is ready to be implemented without problems. and delays.

Ok Dusi, you can comment now!

I don't think I have anything new to add from what I have said many times before, its just we have new players joining that haven't read the previous forum posts.

1. We have maybe 14,000 forum posts in 18 months, so close to 1000 a month. What other PBEM has anything like that?
2. We have started about 80 games in 18 months, so about a game a week. Lots of PBEM start one game a year, including the only one that anyone ever responded to that question here on the forum, that was also more than 3x the cost.
3. We have a noon deadline and normally have turns emailed back within 4 hours. What other PBEM does that? Usually its more like 4 days with other companies.
4. It's marginally a business at $2 a turn. Again, most other PBEM companies charge from $7.50 to $20 a turn for a game that in my opinion is not as good as Alamaze. Anyone want to argue?
5. It's me, and part time Cipher. And we are very appreciative of the efforts of Uncle Mike (order checking and web entry) and Lord Diamond (Valhalla) assisted by Frost Lord. Does anyone else have anything like our Valhalla? Or is anyone disappointed with the new order submission?

I could go on, but I understand, Airborne Ranger, that it is a veiled compliment to say you want your turns back faster. I always try to keep that in mind. When people don't care when they get their turns, that will be the signal that things are amiss.

Meanwhile, again, I am one guy. I am behind in invoicing, caught up with game processing, have a game or two to start, have a few support questions to answer, maybe a new player or two to add to the system, some communication needed with Cipher. And sometimes I have personal or family things to attend to.

We have maybe 8 formats with customization within those. We are trying to close the loop on Classic. We don't have a development process and trial process like a big software company would have. Meanwhile, I want to keep the game fresh and am most interested in creating new stuff, and without a sterile development department, we will have some delays, some missteps, etc. Meanwhile, I am pretty sure no one is putting out a better product or at a better price or providing better service or has a better player community.

Ok, I waited long enough for comments back, why I am upset is that I had 2 possible players who could have joined, one was my brother and a friend. I have been telling them about game etc. and now I look like canned butt because I was going to show /send them turn results and show them how game was going, that was yesterday and now today still no results. So guess what, they are hesitant about joining game because turn was not back in time. I just answered email from one of them about getting results, still nothing to show them. If this is just me having this issue I guess no problem, not getting a few new players is one thing but if this is happening to others I wonder how many potential players get lost in the mix?

[The Broken]

Well the Post I was referring to in "Game Processing News" was deleted. So the previous post I made makes no sense now.

[Beatific]

Just tell your brother and your friend that it is a steak dinner on a McDonald's budget serviced by folks with an attitude. In Europe, that's called "atmosphere" and it costs extra. But not so here. The atmosphere comes free of charge! And it actually starts to grow on you (seriously). Or did you expect a hard core gamers site like this to be run by servile weenies (to go with your canned butt)? Not so, but it actually is not a bad deal. And it continues to improve.

This NooBs advice: Hang in there, but if your bro and his friend have unrealistic expectations, then perhaps they should wait to join and slowly get hooked into it as you review your turn results with them and they start giving you advice on how to do better (which, of course, you will ignore).

And you all should look at all the options in PBEM before making a heavy commitment. And after you have done so, this community will welcome you all back (cuz we been there/done that) and then kick your a** in game (and make you enjoy it). Or you can not play at all, which is just plain nuts. In any case, if this response sounds insane, it is because it is a reflection of the reality. But it works for me.......Hope that helps. Good luck.......