About the Countdown -- From Our Creative Director

[Tommy]

3 minutes ago, nicko said:

troll notes maybe

I don't understand what you are saying. If you have something to discuss, say it so that we can discuss.

[Cantousent]

I just viewed the Steam page.  The overall score is still very positive.  The recent score is mostly positive.  Negative reviews of the game because you're mad about the countdown is entirely irresponsible, but unless the angry mob can keep that trend going, it won't make a huge difference and I think the recent scores will also increase again to very positive.  This isn't a matter of shilling out for the company.  The game is rock solid.  I don't trust for a second that most people urging negative reviews of the game since yesterday suddenly like it less.  They're just mad at the company and, to be candid, acting childishly.

Since some people can't claim that they don't like the game, they're using all manner of tired and contemptible logic to defend giving a bad review to a game they themselves admit is a good gaming experience.

What Hinterland did was a bad idea.  How people have reacted is mind boggling in it's stupidity, selfishness, and childishness.  There's even someone bragging about taking the recent score down to 79%, for crying out loud.  How sad is that?  ...And I don't think it will be that big of a deal unless they can keep it up for the long haul.  The recent score will go up again and the overall score is still 93%.  People will get tired of acting like fools over this issue and get their heads screwed on straight again.

[Jytton Lames]

6 hours ago, Scyzara said:

So let's please put an end to pointless assumptions and/or speculations why or what exactly went wrong, mark May4th as a shitty day in the calendar and start to get over with it.

 

Scyzara, I've thanked you before for your logical analysis and helpful gameplay tips. Just feels a good time to say thanks to you and Cekivi and any other moderators I may have missed for engaging with this blather and for particularly to you for your honesty.

Don't get me wrong, I was livid yesterday but thankfully I read others before I posted and I realise now that it's like pulling one's child from the road when a car is coming - an anger born of love. "Why did you do that, you could have been squished, raargh!" This game is too good for light sarcasm or the odd petulant swearword, it engenders passion - often articulate, always vehement.

I really hope this hasn't hurt Hinterland too much but I do see where angry ranting or extreme feedback has it's place. After all, I want my Moose. 

Thanks though and hang on in there like that generic kitten on the poster, the other guys too.

[tortuosit]

The countdown was a bad idea, you guys maybe did not see how players would feel about it... for myself I can say I'll get over it

[aurora]

Anticipation is the greatest joy ... isn't it? So, calm down guys. We now have an official release date and i believe we will get an incredible game! So -- thanks @Raphael to keep us posted and sharing a great trailer with us! Looking forward to August!

[Scyzara]

@Jytton Lames : Thanks a lot for your kind words. They're much appreciated, especially during uneasy times like these.^^

[oh god a wolf]

sorry for being late to the party and can someone tell me what is everyone angry about.

[Timber Wolf]

51 minutes ago, Jytton Lames said:

Scyzara, I've thanked you before for your logical analysis and helpful gameplay tips. Just feels a good time to say thanks to you and Cekivi and any other moderators I may have missed for engaging with this blather and for particularly to you for your honesty.

I second this!!

[Docterrok]

Im sure this'll pass in a few days time.

[Arcani]

2 hours ago, Jytton Lames said:

Scyzara, I've thanked you before for your logical analysis and helpful gameplay tips. Just feels a good time to say thanks to you and Cekivi and any other moderators I may have missed for engaging with this blather and for particularly to you for your honesty.

 

Make that three! Aye, I agree!

[Jytton Lames]

22 minutes ago, oh god a wolf said:

sorry for being late to the party and can someone tell me what is everyone angry about.

Just in case you're not joking and because the moderators are kind of busy now:

Hinterland put up a counter a few weeks back, going to yesterday - May 4th 6PM GMT. The only information given was that there would be one more sandbox update before story mode released. Then the game went on sale with the note "last chance to buy at early access price".

Since then Hinterland have said nothing and people not unreasonably assumed that a sandbox update would come, then story mode on the 4th. Nothing happened so people assumed the sandbox update would come on the 4th with a release date for story mode. The counter ran down, no update - just a new video, a tentative date on the sandbox update plus details (no moose) and a release date for story mode, August 1st (2017 I hope).

People became irate.

P.S. I don't mind if you were kidding, it helps to talk. Turns out typing is therapeutic too, whew..

[BoyWonder]

I admit I was hyped for the countdown to end. However the update knowing when story mode is had me fanboying and that fanboying has a few people interested in the game as I had all that shiny NEW content to share with them and be excited with and go "OMG JUST LOOK AT THIS LUSH VID!" and "JUST LOOK AT THE AMAZE ART" and they could hype with me because it was new to them! 

So for me I didn't mind this countdown - but I am a relatively newer member to the community. Yes I thought it was story mode being released but equally what was released has me so excited for story mode I'm hyping even more!

[Doc Gonzo]

11 hours ago, cekivi said:

Which is why I politely turned down Patrick when he asked if I'd be interested in also checking the Steam forums from time to time a year or so ago.

I just poked my head in the door of the Steam forums tonight... it really isn't pretty  

I've said that since I started playing almost two years ago ... the steam forums are horrible.  I feel bad for Patrick and the other mods there.  The Reddit community had it's own meltdown (as you likely know) but it seems to be slowly coming around with positive posts about the upcoming test.  I don't mod there but I'm in that sub daily and there's never been an explosion of posts like there has been over the last 24 hours in the two years I've been in that sub.

A few of us diehards are there trying to float the good to the surface and it's slowly coming around. 

Things will be back to normal by Monday.  Until then Mods, my hat's off too you, we don't thank you nearly enough as you deserve.

P.S. Raph, if you haven't already, enjoy those beers man. Tough 24 hour I'm sure.

[cekivi]

Thanks for the kind words everyone

 

[oh god a wolf]

thanks for explaining that for me @Jytton Lames 

[EternityTide]

[Ambles in nonchalantly] 
[looks around forum]
[Notices firestorm]

Christ on a bike......

[performs tactical retreat]

[JAFO]

18 hours ago, i8turky2 said:

I didnt get a wave ..... 

You didn't out yourself as an Aussie.. (that I saw, anyway)

So, a belated G'day mate! to you too.. 

[Carbon]

 I suspect that a lot of people here weren't much fun in the few weeks leading up to Christmas.

 Also, to those leaving negative reviews on Steam: consider what you are reviewing. Those reviews aren't a place to discuss the company or an individual, they are there to discuss the game. And the game is already excellent and you know it. If you can't stay on-topic and differentiate between a companies' actions and their product, then your 'review' is worthless and you do only yourself a disservice by leaving it there for all to see. Do you review iPhones based on what's in your pocket or on Apple's behavior as a company? Samsung on the deplorable behavior of it's CEO or on the monitor in front of you?

 Is it right to punish Hinterlands for being a small team of developers who apparently lack marketing chops? In my book, that makes them greater. They aren't good at manipulation, occasionally suffering from a naive honesty that sometimes bites them back...I can live with that very easily. That things have dragged out as long as they have implies a no-compromise approach, again, something I can easily live with, judging by the fruits before me.

 Before you rant and rave about the behavior of Hinterlands, stop to consider your own. If you truly feel wronged and are upset, then fine, let it out; the moderators here are being very generous in this area. But to attempt to sabotage the game will do nothing to further your cause, do nothing to bring the game to completion and will be punishing Hinterland for the wrong wrong.

 Rome wasn't built in a day guys. If you can stay on-topic, then you'll see that what you are upset about has nothing to do with the game at all.

[Cantousent]

2 hours ago, Carbon said:

If you truly feel wronged and are upset, then fine, let it out; the moderators here are being very generous in this area. But to attempt to sabotage the game will do nothing to further your cause, do nothing to bring the game to completion and will be punishing Hinterland for the wrong wrong.

This is really how I feel about it entirely.  I was actually starting to get uncharacteristically hot under my collar about the downvoting nonsense.  Already this is starting to calm down.  Both sides will get over it and we'll all sing Kumbaya together.  I've never felt it was necessary to come to complete consensus with other forum members, but I tend to prefer not to be angry with them and I refuse to hold grudges.  I think the angst is misguided because of the way everything came to a head, but it was clear by the announcement that things are actually coming to a finish.  The next update is imminent and story mode arrives soon thereafter but all that got lost in the wave of emotion.

Aw well, this is blowing over pretty quickly all things considered.  I will say this, Hinterland should take note of how this worked out because some of the folks defending them this time will start to buy into the conspiracy theories if there's a repeat performance.  Still, all is well and we can get back to the goofy, silly-assed community that enjoys kibitzing about the game.

[Carbon]

 Good to hear, Cantousent. Let's take the high road and keep our white hats; we've worn them so well so far.

[PINGU]

23 hours ago, Scyzara said:

Sorry, but I really find it hard to stand all the hidden irony about the community not being heard here. Or about how the moderators were too stupid or blind to predict this disaster and didn't do anything to prevent it. Let me assure you that we community mods DID anticipate it and passed on multiple warnings. And that not since yesterday morning, but since three weeks ago or so.

The problem, in my humble opinion, was not HL's unawareness about the community's degree of hype or wishes at all. It was rather a massive underestimation of the degree of disappointment that would be caused by the counter running out without releasing any playable in-game update. The HL team (or maybe Raph himself, not sure how council-based their management works) probably anticipated that people's disappointment about nothing to play would be totally overridden by their happiness about the new trailer, roadmap update and final Story Mode release date on August 1st.

Yes, things turned out very differently and yes, it was an avoidable and severe miscalculation from HL's part. But it has happened now and we can't change the past. Raphael also apologized for it (admin is, to the best of my knowledge, one of his accounts) and I'm pretty sure he does care a lot about what happened and will try everything to avoid similar  disappointments in the future.

Just as a sidenote: Even if he did not care about these events on a personal level - which I'm pretty sure he does - he would be mad not to care about his steam reviews hitting rock bottom since yesterday. Or about all platforms being flooded by angry posts and bad publicity. (Hell, I haven't read more than half of these posts on the HL forums alone yet and it already took me 2.5 hours!)

It's a very painful lesson for the HL team for sure, but these are usually the ones you learn most from.

So let's please put an end to pointless assumptions and/or speculations why or what exactly went wrong, mark May4th as a shitty day in the calendar and start to get over with it.

 

To be honest I think the only person to blame is the creative director, aka Raph who like he said is the primary cause of all this happening, through poor decision-making

Feel sorry for the HL team, the artists, programmers, designers who made TLD, as well for the game's reputation suffering through the backlash. The game and team are victims of the person making the decisions, and will be punished far more than the players (who only have to lower their expectations).

Just a sad situation for them. Hopefully the creative director will wisen up, or learn delegate more to the rest of the team. The game and studio deserves better

[selfless]

Another calculated move.  Before entering new phase of development he gets opportunity to ban anyone who is angry enough to speak against the project on social media.  Those who don't speak out but are simply unhappy are given ample time to move on.  Soon the majority of voices will again be agreers and sycophants. Community alignment achieved.

Apology unnecessary.

[Sabreknot777]

I take no offense from the countdown. Much ado about nothing IMO. Not everything goes as planned, people make mistakes, the world around you changes you and the situation. This is a terrific game and an amazing experience. I see no dishonesty from Hinterland nor take any issue with the price increase or any of the creative paths you have taken. Is the game perfect, no. Have I ever played a perfect game, no. Have I ever met a perfect person or company, no. Keep up the great work and wonderful ideas and don't let the naysayers and complainers interrupt your wonderful and thoughtful path. I'm looking forward to the next update and story mode and congratulate you on staying the course. I personally would prefer the game YOU say is ready, not some quick release. Thank you for you hard work and the incredible experience I have received in playing The Long Dark.

[Patrick Carlson]

16 minutes ago, selfless said:

Another calculated move.  Before entering new phase of development he gets opportunity to ban anyone who is angry enough to speak against the project on social media.  Those who don't speak out but are simply unhappy are given ample time to move on.  Soon the majority of voices will again be agreers and sycophants. Community alignment achieved.

Apology unnecessary.

We understand frustration and disappointment about the countdown. We get it. 

But others having a different opinion, supportive or even indifferent, doesn't earn them your scorn. Please be civil. Our standards for community discourse haven't changed from what they have always been, and we will continue to try and elevate our discussions in the future. Please keep that in mind, no matter how upset you are. 

Again, if you have questions about our community guidelines with regard to bans, please contact me directly and I can help clarify them for you. 

[aurora]

3 hours ago, selfless said:

Another calculated move.  Before entering new phase of development he gets opportunity to ban anyone who is angry enough to speak against the project on social media.  Those who don't speak out but are simply unhappy are given ample time to move on.  Soon the majority of voices will again be agreers and sycophants. Community alignment achieved.

Apology unnecessary.

I am surprised, but not unhappy ... why should i? The only reason they (Hinterland) could make me unhappy is if they decided to cancel TLD, but this of course is very unlikely to happen. I do not understand why some people take this so serious. Hinterland did not promise anything when setting up the counter, it was only "imagination" of us, the community, what could happen.