[Azhon]

Erm, what happened to Matt's concerns about SoT's IP?



It is a big big thread and I'm not sure what happened. What happened? It's odd that after posting something like that he hires its creator.

[John]

[Estarra]

I'm not sure why anyone would think that a producer of an Iron Realms game is focused on trying to "work money out of people" (whatever that means). Rather, being one of the evil overlords of IRE, I can say my first and foremost focus is to design a game that players enjoy, which brings me immense personal satisfaction. Certainly, if this were a hobby, I couldn't devote the time into the game as I do otherwise.

Anyway, welcome to the team, Traithe! If you enjoy your job half as much as I enjoy mine, you'll be living on Cloud 9!

[the_logos]

Shrug, they degenerate into flames because people start flaming me. That's their issue to deal with. I also appreciate the advice on marketing, but I'm confident in our ability to market effectively within the text MUD market. I think our results bear out that confidence.

Heh heh. I know I cry tears of shame that some raving loonies object to whatever they object to. That kind of opinion would only matter if it was held by people with any kind of influence. IRE enjoys a good reputation with people we have to give a hoot about, like our customers or the people whose livelihoods depend on us or the larger games industry, or the media. A few bitter forum posters are irrelevant in the larger scope, though they are fun to play with sometimes.

--matt

[Angie]

The issues have been resolved between SoI and Tolkien Enterprises earlier this year. I'm sure you can find the posts about it somewhere around here.

[the_logos]

Oh my god, you're right! Nobody enjoys our games! *panic* Clearly we've invented a new business model where we have to pay people to play. Seems we're paying about 800 people to play right now. Or perhaps you believe we've invented mind control. Yes! That's it! Mind control.

Wow, you're a genius! Let's see, Achaea is fantasy. Aetolia is fantasy. Imperian is fantasy. Lusternia is fantasy. Hmm, I must be stupid. I guess I'm missing the other genres.  Oh, incidentally, the game Traithe was hired for? Also fantasy.

Wow! Again, pure brilliance. Although I guess I have to wonder at your logic, given that it's not possible to buy advancement in our games, and that many players never spend a dime. Likely your mind is just too subtle for me though.

Man, you're on a roll. I can only marvel at the sheer magnitude of your intellect. Taking a job doing something you don't love to do is definitely the way to a happy life. Good thinking!

And? All the original MUDs started commercial or went commercial. The MUDs that entertain the most people have -always- been commercial. Do you see me whining that the free codebases have 'betrayed' the original spirit of MUDs? Of course not, because that would be a ridiculous thing to complain about. It's called 'diversity' and it's a good thing.

I'd object whether you did it as a hobby or for a living.

Yeah, man, I'm always so saddened when any of my writer friends manage to get something published for money. SO sad. I always think, "You poor sell-outs, how dare you try to make a living doing something you love." You really are a genius.


--matt
P.S. Just to make sure you get it, I was being sarcastic in much of this post. Traithe said it nice and bluntly though: Ignorant and childish.

[Jenred]

I've said my piece and stand by it.

[Nix]

I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again here:

Congratulations, Traithe.

You're very lucky to be able to do what you love for a living, and IRE has gained themselves an extremely talented dynamo.

[Threshold]

[John]

[Dunestalker]

It's a real loss to the RPI world.

The RPI niche needs more people like Traithe, it's sad to lose one to the H&S world, probably part of the reason that RPI's are such a small niche...not enough people who are driven to build and work on them compared to the ones who play them


I agree with the sell out sentiment.

[the_logos]

What? Has Traithe also been hired by someone who makes H&S muds? Busy guy, that Traithe.

--matt

[the_logos]

To clarify (this was posted publicly so I'm not spilling any secrets here): Tolkien Enterprises ordered SoI to shut down, but Chad was able to convince them to let SoI continue to operate under certain conditions, etc.

Other Tolkien MUDs may want to take note as few admins would be able to pull off what Chad did.

--matt

[Pleos]

Personally, I'm jealous.

Anyone that can make money doing something they love is one step ahead of most people. And for many, turning a hobby into a money making job is a dream come true. While most use hobbies as a way of escaping the dreariness of their full-time jobs (or whatever it is they do), I think merging the two - your hobby and money making - is genius.

Making money off MUDs is no easy feat, and if someone can do that more power to them. People make money of all kinds of things. And there's many worse ways of making money - people benefit from wars or tsunamis and they do so eagerly and willingly. Iron Realms makes money off games, it's really neither a big deal or a bad thing.

If someone is willing to pay to play a MUD, so be it. People pay for all sorts of things, some of which I think are worthwhile, some of which I don't think are worthwhile. But it's their choice. A service or product exists, and each person gets to choose whether they wish to purchase said service or product or not. That's the beauty of our system of choice.

Traithe, I don't know you whatsoever, and I've never played SoI, and the_logos, I don't know you either, and I've never played any of your games - but congratz to both of you for turning a hobby you clearly love dearly into a business.

If I had the time, means and assorted other requirements to make a successful pay-to-play MUD (one based on a style and design that I'd want), I'd be on it like peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth. So I'm jealous, and truthfully, I think a lot of others are as well.

Bottomline, good luck to you Traithe. Go forth and earn some money - eventually most of us have to (or we're stuck already doing it, depending on how you look at it). *smile*

Pleos

[the_logos]

I'm sure that's true, unless, of course, you discovered you suffer from the phobia of Arachibutyrophobia, or, literally "Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth."

Here's some info on this debilitating mental illness:

I couldn't believe these guys were for real, but I phoned them and, if it's a joke, it's an elaborate one complete with automated phone menus and eventually live operators.
--matt

[welcor]

That website is absolutely hilarious. I snickered. I tried to stop giggling. I laughed. I fell from my chair laughing.

Of course, it's hard for those it hits - consider never being able to eat a peanut butter sandwich without experiencing panic attacks *gasp, the horror*

The page is obviously a template, used for a multitude of different phobias, simply substituting the latin and common name from page to page. After all, I find it hard to believe that Arachibutyrophobia "...keep people apart from loved ones and business associates.", and I highly doubt that "...a variety of potent drugs often are prescribed for arachibutyrophobia". Especially the "often" part.
Those statements fit agoraphobia and fear of flying very nicely, though.

Also, though a bit late - grats to you, Traithe. Such opportunities aren't easy to come by.

[the_logos]

Your callous disregard for those afflicted with this terrible malady really disappoints me, Welcor. How would you feel if you were at a business lunch with your boss and he insisted on ordering for you...and ordered a peanut butter sandwich. Not even any jelly to lubricate things up a bit. Just peanut butter and bread. Ponder that a moment. And when you're done wetting yourself in fear, maybe you'll feel a little more sympathy for those who have to suffer through their entire lives living in fear of situations like that. It's bad enough as it is without you mocking their pain.

--matt, sympathetically, for he enjoys peanut butter quite a lot.

P.S. Both Oliver Stone and Jim Davis, author of the puerile Garfield comic strip, are known to be sufferers. Those of you out there afflicted should take heart: It doesn't have to impede your life too much. They've accomplished a lot. So can you. Go you!

[WarHound]

I'm reminded of a certain song by Tool...

*shrugs* Congratulations, Traithe.

[the_logos]

Congrats. But remember... keep the eye on the ole college ball too. Tell Matt to suck eggs during exam time. :-)