CME crew members without Pay: Their Response

[Utopian Hok'taur]

Was scouting through TenTonHammer's website when I found this article.

Apparently, someone put up a website that counts the number of the days CME employees were not paid for the work on Stargate Worlds.

http://days-since-cheyenne-mountain-...been-paid.com/

If true, this is quite shocking; however, CME has responded to the rumor.

http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/50624

While it is understandable that, with the economy and basically less-than-favorable income from a game developer that is currently not selling any games yet, that money would be tight and is cause of concern.

I just hope that all the employees get the pay they deserve for the time they have invested to work on such a potentially great game, regardless if the rumor is true or not; and in the event that some people have left because.. 21 days without is a long time for not being paid and should be welcomed back after the game launches in respect for the dedication for the past three years. 3

.... On a side note, here is what Kevin Balentine, Senior Marketing Manager of CME, said about Beta!

Originally Posted by Kevin Balentine

"We continue to move forward on the Stargate Worlds project. We recently completed a successful phase of closed beta testing and we will start a second phase early in 2009. We invite all of your readers to come to our site, check out our fantastic community and sign up for our beta

So there is a possibility for Beta tickets as a gift underneath your trees this holiday with "Closed Beta: Second phase" starting January; of course, take that with a grain of salt as I am interpreting what he said. I take Early 2009 as January since they want to release the game by Q1 09 (Jan, Feb, Mar).

[Aszrayel]

Well I sit and wait. I want this experience to work, after what happened with that MacBeth game.

[Sequel]

Man, maybe we can code the game in our spare time.......

[Ciaran]

The CME response speaks volumes.

[dec0y]

well so far from what ive seen of this game in my opinion it will be a success it seems like it has a strong following with us SG fans and is sure to be a bigger hit once its released.. So i would hope that those days would be paid back + interest.

[Utopian Hok'taur]

Well, right now, they should have a grand percentage of the game done; In my humble, naive inexperience, I see that it is just fixing the bugs and adding the content like quests, etc since they should have the planets, models, etc done or at least almost finished since we are almost at Q1 2009, their target release date.

Of course, that is the target. It doesn't mean that it WILL happen.

I just hope everyone gets what they want: paid salaries and this game not becoming vaporware so far into production, like another Stargate game *coughstargatesg1thealliancecough*. I mean, if the game is in closed beta, it basically means "it is almost finished, just gotta iron the bugs out", especially since they said they just finished the First phase of Beta (which we know that players were only allowed Soldier and Commando classes). If it means the difference of the game being cancelled due to lack of funds when it is so close to being finished, I would think that they would better take their chances releasing the game while still working on the bugs since they get a "guarantee" that they will be paid and hopefully, take the first month to fix everything. ... Or do a Paid open beta.

Of course, that is a naive idea but I really don't want this game to fail when it has the greatest potential to be a great game while having everyone getting paid instead of jumping ship so far into production.

Just wanted to rant that out.

Originally Posted by Ciaran

The CME response speaks volumes.

Yes it sure does.

It's too bad really. I'm sure if the game was garnering more interest out there (the way that SGW keeps getting the "mysterious" bumps over at the mmorpg list without very many people ever talking about the game at all aside of course. ) it would be a lot easier to attract investors, but what with some of the design decisions turning off the general MMOGer, the people that this game needs, it will always be an uphill battle to get that attention.

[J.American]

Thanks for letting us know, Utopian. I hope that the employees are getting paid, but them not being paid might be a reason for the lack of new info lately.

[Chalky]

So, from that response I gather that they've not paid their staff for 21 days? Since one would assume that "this rumour is false" would be a pretty easy statement to release.

That really isn't a good sign.

I'm also very confused as to how they could be in this situation - as they have said, they are in pre-revenue. How can their financial situation be any worse than making zero money? Is the implication that their investors are pulling out? That they are running so massively over budget that all of their reserves are dry?

Even if they are close to completion of the game, they still have another 4 months of work to do at least - if this is hindered by financial problems it will significantly damage the game.

[tkksnow]

I think Kevin's message is a fitting reply to the website that TTH reported on. Times are tough for everybody, no surprise there. Saying that, we've never even once considered a release of Stargate Worlds that is anything but fully polished.

Games in this market have a high bar to reach if they are to be successful. We've all see the history of MMORPG and have learned this time and time again.

Part of the new dxdiag.xml upload feature will be used for new phases of beta testing. Kevin alluded to that in his response. We look forward to seeing more of you emerge yourself into Stargate Worlds once selection begins again.

[Chalky]

I guess we won't be reading anything other than the company line on this, which is what you'd expect with financial stuff I suppose.

Good luck guys.

[Canto]

Company line or not, it's needed to appear that everything is ok

It's never good when a company hits a rough patch, but under these finanical times, I'm not suprised that this could happen. Lets just hope they get it fixed, and that we all buy the game as fast as it comes out

Support4CME4Ever, hehe

[ColonelJax]

Good response.

I'm just kind of bummed, January? Hm would think a couple invites every few weeks would suffice. But I suppose as long as the "Christmas" phase applies to a wide range of accepted, that's cool with me. I can wait.

[Prior_Ori]

ui the new Community manager, never was there, never responded, has spoken.

a little more like Khatie, before and jet, would be better for the fans have been.

[Utopian Hok'taur]

Originally Posted by Prior_Ori

ui the new Community manager, never was there, never responded, has spoken.

a little more like Khatie, before and jet, would be better for the fans have been.

Um.. Tkksnow has been very responsive: his first day here Tkksnow was very responsive and has continued to be an responsive person when it came to Beta, news, beta updates, etc.

[Aszrayel]

Well I'm locked and loaded and ready for service Snowy

[Utopian Hok'taur]

Originally Posted by Aszrayel

Well I'm locked and loaded and ready for service Snowy

*Golf Clap* Subtle, Asz. Subtle

Yes, we are all ready to lend our services to help in whatever way possible, even if it is paying for Open Beta

[Zhiroc]

Originally Posted by Utopian Hok'taur

Well, right now, they should have a grand percentage of the game done; In my humble, naive inexperience, I see that it is just fixing the bugs and adding the content like quests, etc since they should have the planets, models, etc done or at least almost finished since we are almost at Q1 2009, their target release date.

Ain't gonna happen

Just by rule of thumb, a beta has to last at least 6 months. They got around a month and a half done (presuming that the F&F alpha is not counted). Say they reopen in mid-Jan, and add 4 1/2 months... That makes it June. And that's for a spotless beta. The usual case is anywhere between 6-12 months, so, I'd say the median target will be somewhere in between, maybe Sept.

[Utopian Hok'taur]

Originally Posted by Zhiroc

Ain't gonna happen

Just by rule of thumb, a beta has to last at least 6 months. They got around a month and a half done (presuming that the F&F alpha is not counted). Say they reopen in mid-Jan, and add 4 1/2 months... That makes it June. And that's for a spotless beta. The usual case is anywhere between 6-12 months, so, I'd say the median target will be somewhere in between, maybe Sept.

Well, I did say it was a naive suggestion but do not scare me with a September Release date. PLEASE do not.

[Aszrayel]

Originally Posted by Utopian Hok'taur

*Golf Clap* Subtle, Asz. Subtle

Yes, we are all ready to lend our services to help in whatever way possible, even if it is paying for Open Beta

You should know I am not too subtle by now

[Utopian Hok'taur]

Originally Posted by Aszrayel

You should know I am not too subtle by now

..... Don't I know that ... *sigh*

*looks around*.... I need a new signature...

[richardy]

certainly explains there absense and slowing down of content they where on a roll and now this has simply slowed them down i bet theres less people about, also probably having an extra long christmas break to save money and will hit it hard in the new year after they have sourced new investors, im sure they will its almost done ! but it just means a longer wait .. sigh, if they had more money and more coders it would be out by now im sure

[Dan Carley]

x-mas breaks... they still get paid thos holidays... makes no difference if its exstended or not lol

[Martuk]

Originally Posted by tkksnow

I think Kevin's message is a fitting reply to the website that TTH reported on. Times are tough for everybody, no surprise there. Saying that, we've never even once considered a release of Stargate Worlds that is anything but fully polished.

Games in this market have a high bar to reach if they are to be successful. We've all see the history of MMORPG and have learned this time and time again.

Part of the new dxdiag.xml upload feature will be used for new phases of beta testing. Kevin alluded to that in his response. We look forward to seeing more of you emerge yourself into Stargate Worlds once selection begins again.

Good to hear. I know a lot of times games have deadlines (and sometimes inancial hardships) that they must meet and the end up launching with the hopes of cleaning things up post launch. Unfortunately, if this business has showed us anything it is that you only get one shot at a good first impression in the MMOG market. The MMOG gamer is both the loyalest of followers and the most unforgiving of enemies.

So many games have launched with that not quite finished feel (and yes, no MMOG is ever fully finished but you get my point. )and while many of them did improve a good deal after launch they never fully each what they could have been.

Here's to hoping the gate is as perfect as it can be when we all step through it.

[Marduken V.K.]

Yes, Hopefully things pick up and they can get their pay.
If its true...