Topic

Is TS having a funding problem?

I read that TS is letting staff go.  I wonder if that means they are having a funding problem.  Why else would they let staff go?

Posted 10 months ago by Peachesan Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • o.O  Source? (rumors BAD!!)
    Posted 10 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Because said staff got a warning about forgetting the donuts for the staff meeting, and then repeated the error yesterday.

    Also:  o.0 Source?
    Posted 10 months ago by Vicereine Linnæa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I saw one player support staffer post an update about how her contract is ending and she won't be player support staff anymore.  I did not see whether it was her decision or Tiny Speck's.  I haven't heard of any others leaving.  

    Rumor mill?   
    Posted 10 months ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Chug chug chug goes the rumor mill. What do you mean Stoot fired himself?! No I kid :) I really have no idea what's going on~
    Posted 10 months ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wait, wait...is there doughnuts or not?
    Posted 10 months ago by ☣ elf ☣ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Can I have doughnuts?
    Posted 10 months ago by HeyGabe Subscriber! | Permalink
  • you guys are so wrong. it wasn't donuts.  it was rhubarb pie.

    and others did leave
    Posted 10 months ago by bored no more Subscriber! | Permalink
  • www.glitch.com/status/PM12A...
    Posted 10 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Then there's others I haven't heard of.  But people leave companies for millions of reasons.  

    I'm pretty I remember sure their start-up and investment stuff and things were designed to be able to run for two years no matter the circumstances, so I wouldn't be concerned.  
    Posted 10 months ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We are not having a funding problem, but we did let some staff go. It's never a fun thing to have to do, but we grew exceptionally quickly in the run-up to the initial launch and kept the whole live team together for many months following launch and into the un-launch/second beta period. For where we're at right now, the company was just too big :\
    Posted 10 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank you stoot for updating this. :)  I hope you require growth again in the near future, and maybe they can be rehired.  I am sure that was hard for you, and them. *hugs to everyone*
    Posted 10 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I like donuts and hugs!
    Posted 10 months ago by RJStormRider Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well if you'd just start releasing new items on a regular basis you'd need more staff.  :: sticks tongue out ::

    There, I solve ALL the problems.  You should hire.. me!  =^_^=
    Posted 10 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Player support staff won't create new items Auren xP Different staffies have different skill-sets. Some PSAs were let go due to over-staffing as he said.
    Posted 10 months ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Did somebody say donuts?! *glomps and noms all the donuts*

    (and no, elf, there are no donuts! 'cos they're ALL MINE!)
    Posted 10 months ago by natsumi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Why isn't donut making a skill? I think we need deep fryer recipes! Errrrr
    Posted 10 months ago by rorschach Subscriber! | Permalink
  • As an FS refugee, this concerns me . . . .
    Posted 10 months ago by Mollie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "Too big."
    i.e funding problem.
    i.e.e budget cuts.
    Posted 10 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Volkov more like there was a lot of player support that was hired for being live. We are back in beta and there were people getting paychecks but not really having any work. I was laid off today for the same reason. I see why they let them go for now. That doesn't sound like money problems to me.
    Posted 10 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wait, does this mean the March release date is in question?
    Posted 10 months ago by Mablem Tiipot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I am concerned at Stoot's complete and obvious avoidance of the donuts issue.
    Posted 10 months ago by Rosty Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for the explanation stoot
    Posted 10 months ago by Peachesan Subscriber! | Permalink
  • So dumping the player support folks means they aren't planning on going back live soon, I guess?  Hmmm, interesting...
    Posted 10 months ago by ~Pink Flamingo~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for clarifying, Stoot. Never easy to do. Hoping for better times ahead!
    Posted 10 months ago by Fogwoman Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh yeah I guess it wouldn't give us new items.... just... SUPPORT for the new items!  Yay!  See I do solve all the problems XD  :: giggles ::

    Now onto the donut issue... :: passes out donuts to everybody :: hey where'd these fruit loops donuts come from?? :o  :: passes out cool fruit loop donuts ::

    I think I have some coffee around here tooo....
    Posted 10 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Question the state of Tiny Speck as a viable business: response within 5 minutes.

    Question the state of anything about Glitch as a game: wait days/weeks/months without a peep.

    It has been mentioned before that Glitch subscribers aren't the real "customers" in the scheme of things, and that the investors are the only "customers" to whom TS answers.  

    The above statement is true.  This thread is evidence.  Shame on me for thinking otherwise.

    If I paid more, could you please turn my subscriber heart into a broken heart?  (Maybe a bit over-the-top, but I like drama.)

    I suggest to anyone who wants a response to their future queries in a timely fashion - title your thread "Is TS having a funding problem?". 
    Posted 10 months ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh yes, that's perfectly logical, the investors must expect the return on their money to come from all the advertisements wallpapered all over the site and throughout the game.  o_O

    They answered questions when we made a big deal out of it.  When people got impatient and asked for more answers, they were told to stick to the original estimate.  That estimate still hasn't passed.  
    Posted 10 months ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Now I'm in the mood for a jelly donut.  Curse you Stoot!!!!
    Posted 10 months ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You're the only one then Tibbi :( I talked to all the people in the Game of Crowns group chat and for some reason they all hate jelly donuts! I was appalled. Even Badge-Master General Lx Longfellow hates the jelly.
    Posted 10 months ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I can't do jelly donuts ever since that Calvin & Hobbes strip where Calvin compared them to big squishy bugs with the guts spilling out when you bite into them. D:
    Posted 10 months ago by Ring Subscriber! | Permalink
  • For real, Joe.  Their pattern of behaviour here is really making me doubt whether I want to be a long-term paying customer. *For now* I'll still stick around, because I believe there still is the potential to be great things coming.. but ... I don't know.  :: shrugs :: It's making me feel reaaaalll ambivalent about this company.  :<
    Posted 10 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And yes, Mollie, it's de ja vu isn't it?  Makes me dread the ides of March again this year...

    Thanks Joe for saying what many of us are thinking/wondering...

    Ditto Auren...
    Posted 10 months ago by ~Pink Flamingo~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I loved Calvin's description! I always pretend my jellies are screaming for their lives before I bite into them. <evil laugh>.

    Okay, I don't pretend that... much. :>
    Posted 10 months ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • So...beignets?

    and choklit milk~
    Posted 10 months ago by ☣ elf ☣ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • *Sigh*

    (Un)Fortunately I can see both sides of the situation. I'm sad, but still have a lot of hope for Tiny Speck and Glitch.

    To clarify; I am of the school of thought that the purpose of business is to create customers and not to maximize shareholder value.

    ...and I much rather have bagels than donuts.
    Posted 10 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Do nuts?
    Posted 10 months ago by Mac Rapalicious Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Am I alone in thinking the value of this game is not in the return on my subscription nor the relationships I have with TS, but rather the relationships I build with other players?
    Posted 10 months ago by Daddy Bunchie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Joe, to be sure, to be sure, the question of co-workers no longer by our side is more in our minds. To a person, that is something we here hurt about and we know it hurts to be let go. I certainly know what it's like more than once in my working life. 

    As for updates, we're working on final updates to the first release of new stuff for the game. We're testing stuff, tweaks made, bugs are being identified and squashed. Our creative types are writing and editing a video right now to go with it. We know you are ready for it, and we want to make it right for everyone.
    Posted 10 months ago by kevbob Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ty kevbob
    Posted 10 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • too big sounds like "not enough money" to me
    Posted 10 months ago by ICountFrom0 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks kevbob.  (Should I call you kev, or bob? I never know.  -_-)
    Posted 10 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Kevbob - I think the word "updates" is being misunderstood by staff.  When we ask for updates, we are really just asking for a status report.  Not actual content. 
    Posted 10 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When I say updates, I think pictures.  What is it looking like.  Be nice to see a picture or two, esp of the new houses.  But that's me.

    Now, I need to do back to destroying some jelly donuts. <evil laugh>  :)
    Posted 10 months ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Innie, I understand it.
    Posted 10 months ago by kevbob Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Am I alone in thinking the value of this game is not in the return on my subscription nor the relationships I have with TS, but rather the relationships I build with other players? -- Daddy Bunchie

    Definitely not! ^_^
    Posted 10 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for the update kevbob!
    Posted 10 months ago by ~Pink Flamingo~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Kev,

    My thoughts are certainly with those who were affected by any recent personnel changes, which is why I intentionally avoided the subject in my response. They are our friends, too.

    I apologize for any previous (and subsequent) insensitivity.

    However, my point is that communication from TS has been, to put it lightly, extremely poor over the last few months. This being the first Staff response in recent history, I felt it necessary to add my two cents to this thread.

    Please do not underestimate the value of something as simple (albeit vague :P) as your second paragraph. It goes a long way.
    Posted 10 months ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Innie thanks for clarifying this for them, even though they understand (and don't care? >_>)  :p
    Posted 10 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • As a FS refugee, I knew quite well when I bought my Glitch sub that the same thing could happen here.  I bought it, at a minimum, because I loved playing (still do!) and just like any investment in a future yet unknown, I was willing to invest in my possible future game play.  Nothing is forever and I take life one day at a time and do my best to enjoy it, and in this case Glitch, to the fullest.

    I have been laid off more than once in real life and it is really painful.  I have known people that gave me the "bad news" who actually cried when they had to be the one to do it.  I am sure that the layoffs were not done with either indifference or a light heart.  But.. it is a business.  If it were not, there would not be a Glitch at all.  It is not an endeavor built on charity, nor can it be.  This in no way means that Stoot and KevBob and all the rest of the core staff do not have a heart or that they don't care about people.

    Daddy Bunchie hit it on the nose.  May I please have a glazed old fashioned devil's food now?

    Ps. Kevbob, et al. It would really be cool if you could post a few pics of what's coming :).
    Posted 10 months ago by Joni Mitchell Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think part of the inner conflict a lot of people are going through is due to the 'split' in the beta-ness of the game.  If we are in a beta period, why is the " testing stuff, tweaks made, bugs are being identified and squashed" stuff that kevbob speaks of above not being done on the production server at least to a certain degree, where players can see it? 

    Granted, we don't want to go through another 'reset' (though I personally could care less.. I enjoy starting over with a new account and have done so several times already- after deleting the old account, for the record) so the integrity of the 'User Account Record' (apparently) needs to be maintained.

    Right now the whole game has a feel of the walking dead.  Areas once busy and very populated are near deserted.  People are waiting, holding back.  Many have just stopped participating.   Players feel like they have a lot invested in what they have here, but are very uncertain of the future of Ur.  The earlier beta period worked like a dialogue: people tried stuff out, worked with the devs more.  People saw the progress happening.  The new 'beta period' is much more blind;  the whole game is on hold and people find that frustrating.
    Posted 10 months ago by Polo Reede Subscriber! | Permalink
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