Game Gadget - How to improve it

[AmigaJay]

You mean I can't censored swear?!

[andypqube]

You mean I can't censored swear?!

censored no...

[killbot]

I'm sorry, but you may have mis-judged my tone in the above message? There's absolutely no "rag" being lost, I'm just stating what is happening? I'm saying that based on the recent feedback, you guys want the GG forum to be the main "hub" and for RG to be a normal thread, not "special treatment" and it's own section.

Sorry if that's the case. It's the phrase 'I wouldn't see it as "RG" helping US - the initial idea behind it was to help you guys' - to me that maybe reads differently than it does to you or some of the others.

As for the 'special treatment' thing... you're pretty much getting that anyway. No other marketing/promotions people come into the forum and try to engage directly with us - anyone who does try it usually gets very short shrift indeed. It's only because of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the GG that I think this is being tolerated. You need to be honest - you're not here to help us, you're here to help yourself sell more product by quietening some of your most vocal online critics. We're not idiots and we all understand that that's why you're here. That said, we don't mind that that's why you're here and I think most of us are still prepared to listen to what you say. But let's all be entirely honest and upfront, yeah?

[andypqube]

I'm sorry, but you may have mis-judged my tone in the above message? There's absolutely no "rag" being lost, I'm just stating what is happening? I'm saying that based on the recent feedback, you guys want the GG forum to be the main "hub" and for RG to be a normal thread, not "special treatment" and it's own section.

Sorry if that's the case. It's the phrase 'I wouldn't see it as "RG" helping US - the initial idea behind it was to help you guys' - to me that maybe reads differently than it does to you or some of the others.

As for the 'special treatment' thing... you're pretty much getting that anyway. No other marketing/promotions people come into the forum and try to engage directly with us - anyone who does try it usually gets very short shrift indeed. It's only because of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the GG that I think this is being tolerated. You need to be honest - you're not here to help us, you're here to help yourself sell more product by quietening some of your most vocal online critics. We're not idiots and we all understand that that's why you're here. That said, we don't mind that that's why you're here and I think most of us are still prepared to listen to what you say. But let's all be entirely honest and upfront, yeah?

Ok - that is a very fair comment. The 'goal' isn't to "trick" people into buying a GG though. It is to try and turn GG into a product that people want - it's clear that in its current state, it isn't. I wouldn't want anybody to buy a GG based on the same expectations you all had - it will only create more problems.

Based on this, I think the GG forum would be the best place to continue this. I will continue to monitor this thread and respond accordingly, however the main thread will continue here: http://forum.gamegadget.net/showthread. ... m-RG-forum

[kiwimike]

Hmmm... help 'you guys', don't want others to have the same 'expectation you guys had'... Interesting. You do realise the expectation was built COMPLETELY due to the overhyping and misleading (intentional or not) by the two founders, who then promptly disappeared and remained silent?
With respect, I do wish you well...but theres something here that still makes me feel a little uneasy. Once bitten twice shy perhaps...I still can't help but get the impression you still blame the customers themselves for what they 'expected.' Apologies if that's misread, but that isn't the best way to build your product again.
As for the bannings on the site, I only saw one that posted that was worthy of a ban- and that was due to sheer, utter frustration with dealing with the little Hitler that was put in charge (which you've stated yourself was 'dealt with'), or getting no response at all, after having their comments deleted on facebook as well, when you were trying to stifle complaints rather than deal with them. Personally, I requested to have my membership deleted- next thing I know my status came up as 'banned' as well. Your friend running the site did a lot of damage making angry customers even angrier.
If you guys can pull your heads in and take a bit of constructive criticism this time- Like to your credit you have done here- there won't be an issue. But seriously, please don't spin it like the majority of those people deserved to be banned.

[andypqube]

Hmmm... help 'you guys', don't want others to have the same 'expectation you guys had'... Interesting. You do realise the expectation was built COMPLETELY due to the overhyping and misleading (intentional or not) by the two founders, who then promptly disappeared and remained silent?
With respect, I do wish you well...but theres something here that still makes me feel a little uneasy. Once bitten twice shy perhaps...I still can't help but get the impression you still blame the customers themselves for what they 'expected.' Apologies if that's misread, but that isn't the best way to build your product again.
As for the bannings on the site, I only saw one that posted that was worthy of a ban- and that was due to sheer, utter frustration with dealing with the little Hitler that was put in charge (which you've stated yourself was 'dealt with'), or getting no response at all, after having their comments deleted on facebook as well, when you were trying to stifle complaints rather than deal with them. Personally, I requested to have my membership deleted- next thing I know my status came up as 'banned' as well. Your friend running the site did a lot of damage making angry customers even angrier.
If you guys can pull your heads in and take a bit of constructive criticism this time- Like to your credit you have done here- there won't be an issue. But seriously, please don't spin it like the majority of those people deserved to be banned.

I'm not blaming the customers at all - it's entirely GG's fault for positioning the product in a way that people thought they were getting something they weren't. A lot of the phrasing used in the copy was very misleading due to the fact everything didn't go to plan at launch.

I'm not aware of the full history of every post on the forum - so I can't comment accurately on 'why' certain people were blocked. I am going to unblock everyone within the week and let them start fresh, dealing with me as opposed to the previous admin.

[kiwimike]

Hmmm... help 'you guys', don't want others to have the same 'expectation you guys had'... Interesting. You do realise the expectation was built COMPLETELY due to the overhyping and misleading (intentional or not) by the two founders, who then promptly disappeared and remained silent?
With respect, I do wish you well...but theres something here that still makes me feel a little uneasy. Once bitten twice shy perhaps...I still can't help but get the impression you still blame the customers themselves for what they 'expected.' Apologies if that's misread, but that isn't the best way to build your product again.
As for the bannings on the site, I only saw one that posted that was worthy of a ban- and that was due to sheer, utter frustration with dealing with the little Hitler that was put in charge (which you've stated yourself was 'dealt with'), or getting no response at all, after having their comments deleted on facebook as well, when you were trying to stifle complaints rather than deal with them. Personally, I requested to have my membership deleted- next thing I know my status came up as 'banned' as well. Your friend running the site did a lot of damage making angry customers even angrier.
If you guys can pull your heads in and take a bit of constructive criticism this time- Like to your credit you have done here- there won't be an issue. But seriously, please don't spin it like the majority of those people deserved to be banned.

I'm not blaming the customers at all - it's entirely GG's fault for positioning the product in a way that people thought they were getting something they weren't. A lot of the phrasing used in the copy was very misleading due to the fact everything didn't go to plan at launch.

I'm not aware of the full history of every post on the forum - so I can't comment accurately on 'why' certain people were blocked. I am going to unblock everyone within the week and let them start fresh, dealing with me as opposed to the previous admin.

That would be good, a fresh start for all concerned.

[Gabe]

This thread is bewildering.

Not a single, tangible thing has been provided in this thread other than vapid PR spin. And it *is* PR spin, whatever way you want to try and cut it. Sure, Andy has come here to try and turn public opinion (which is at least a start), but still hasn't been able to provide anything worthwhile - i.e. details of game releases.

Any comments around negotiations taking longer than anticipated are pure smoke and mirrors, because no sensible business plan would allow for a machine - that relies solely on publishers providing content - to launch without written contracts to deliver said content agreed and in place. It's not as if they didn't have enough time to try and arrange such things! Essentially the machine was released on the 'never, never' and here we are in late July in exactly the same position. Awful.

Andy, how many meetings have you had with other websites/magazines? Did you meet with GamesTM/Eurogamer (both who wrote negative pieces)? Or did you only pick RG because they hadn't printed an article yet and you could try and negate any bad press? I mean, the fact I'm posting in this very thread shows that something has come of that.

[andypqube]

This thread is bewildering.

Not a single, tangible thing has been provided in this thread other than vapid PR spin. And it *is* PR spin, whatever way you want to try and cut it. Sure, Andy has come here to try and turn public opinion (which is at least a start), but still hasn't been able to provide anything worthwhile - i.e. details of game releases.

Any comments around negotiations taking longer than anticipated are pure smoke and mirrors, because no sensible business plan would allow for a machine - that relies solely on publishers providing content - to launch without written contracts to deliver said content agreed and in place. It's not as if they didn't have enough time to try and arrange such things! Essentially the machine was released on the 'never, never' and here we are in late July in exactly the same position. Awful.

Andy, how many meetings have you had with other websites/magazines? Did you meet with GamesTM/Eurogamer (both who wrote negative pieces)? Or did you only pick RG because they hadn't printed an article yet and you could try and negate any bad press? I mean, the fact I'm posting in this very thread shows that something has come of that.

Hi Gabe
Nice to meet you.

Based on the feedback throughout this thread (as I am sure you will have read), I am now responding to questions here: http://forum.gamegadget.net/showthread. ... m-RG-forum

I look forward to discussing your points in more detail.

Thanks
Andy

[subzero]

This thread is bewildering.

Not a single, tangible thing has been provided in this thread other than vapid PR spin. And it *is* PR spin, whatever way you want to try and cut it. Sure, Andy has come here to try and turn public opinion (which is at least a start), but still hasn't been able to provide anything worthwhile - i.e. details of game releases.

Any comments around negotiations taking longer than anticipated are pure smoke and mirrors, because no sensible business plan would allow for a machine - that relies solely on publishers providing content - to launch without written contracts to deliver said content agreed and in place. It's not as if they didn't have enough time to try and arrange such things! Essentially the machine was released on the 'never, never' and here we are in late July in exactly the same position. Awful.

Andy, how many meetings have you had with other websites/magazines? Did you meet with GamesTM/Eurogamer (both who wrote negative pieces)? Or did you only pick RG because they hadn't printed an article yet and you could try and negate any bad press? I mean, the fact I'm posting in this very thread shows that something has come of that.

Hi Gabe
Nice to meet you.

Based on the feedback throughout this thread (as I am sure you will have read), I am now responding to questions here: http://forum.gamegadget.net/showthread. ... m-RG-forum

I look forward to discussing your points in more detail.

Thanks
Andy

this reminds me of what happened on facebook....'i'll answer that but only on our forums!'

[commanderkaiser]

This thread is bewildering.

Not a single, tangible thing has been provided in this thread other than vapid PR spin. And it *is* PR spin, whatever way you want to try and cut it. Sure, Andy has come here to try and turn public opinion (which is at least a start), but still hasn't been able to provide anything worthwhile - i.e. details of game releases.

Any comments around negotiations taking longer than anticipated are pure smoke and mirrors, because no sensible business plan would allow for a machine - that relies solely on publishers providing content - to launch without written contracts to deliver said content agreed and in place. It's not as if they didn't have enough time to try and arrange such things! Essentially the machine was released on the 'never, never' and here we are in late July in exactly the same position. Awful.

Andy, how many meetings have you had with other websites/magazines? Did you meet with GamesTM/Eurogamer (both who wrote negative pieces)? Or did you only pick RG because they hadn't printed an article yet and you could try and negate any bad press? I mean, the fact I'm posting in this very thread shows that something has come of that.

Hi Gabe
Nice to meet you.

Based on the feedback throughout this thread (as I am sure you will have read), I am now responding to questions here: http://forum.gamegadget.net/showthread. ... m-RG-forum

I look forward to discussing your points in more detail.

Thanks
Andy

this reminds me of what happened on facebook....'i'll answer that but only on our forums!'

And then said questions and discussions will be deleted

[zapiy]

Guys Andy said he will use here to reply and not use the GG forums. Now you want him to reply here.

We need to decide what you want. Here or GG forums?

[psj3809]

And then said questions and discussions will be deleted

He did say that wont be happening now on the GG forums anymore. At the end of the day if anyone posts something and it is deleted then i'm sure we'll hear about it here and everything Andy said will count for nothing (about censorship etc)

I think Andy just wants this moved off the RG forum onto the GG one thats all

[killbot]

And then said questions and discussions will be deleted

He did say that wont be happening now on the GG forums anymore. At the end of the day if anyone posts something and it is deleted then i'm sure we'll hear about it here and everything Andy said will count for nothing (about censorship etc)

Indeed. I think we need to give Andy the benefit of the doubt here - I'm sure he's well aware that deleting even one post on the GG forums will bring down a ton of negative publicity on his head, so I believe he's smart enough not to do it.

[Gabe]

Guys Andy said he will use here to reply and not use the GG forums. Now you want him to reply here.

We need to decide what you want. Here or GG forums?

Yeah, fair enough.

As I have no intention of registering an account over there, if anybody wants to post my question for Andy to respond to, please do.