You know damned well people don't read the box with all the advertising SPIELE. They read through the thread... you know, the part starting with "Out in Indonesia" and then a giant one sided conversation from the same 2-3 people. I certainly don't look at that top portion. It doesn't need 80000 "post removed" but a simple "we're stopping this right here" post in the actual DISCUSSION portion of the thread doesn't seem un-sensible. For that matter, why should I respond in that thread to the guy asking if I've found a bug or not. Because I can't accurately determine at this point if you'd consider that trolling or legitimate conversation.
If you just scroll past giant bold red text and then pretend like you just missed it to play some kind of weird victim card, I'm really not sure what to tell you. I'm really kind of at a loss as to what's in the Galaxy on Fire 3 water that's making people behave like this.
Victim card? Because I breezed through a thread I started reading this morning to get to a page where I left off reading, only to find the entire thread had magically vanished? I'm throwing a "victim card"? All I stated was it should be in the thread itself. How hard is that? As it is, you've clearly been at this all day so the 'water' obviously pissed a LOT of people off. It's just making YOUR job that much more difficult. I was offering an actual SOLUTION.. but you immediately blow that constructive idea off. And to further the point, try to bury THIS thread in a completely DIFFERENT section of the forum (in order to even find it I had to click my profile, go into my posts, and hunt it down). That's not looking at all obvious in your bias. But hey, I'm just playing a victim card as opposed to a dissatisfied consumer who spends money on games and apps on the regular and wanted a response from TOBI because we were told they were making changes in beta that weren't delivered on.
To be fair there's like five people who seem really mad about this, and I'm totally A-OK with them staying out of the main thread.
That's fine man. Again, just trying to offer up that the original thread was missing. You have a good night. I'm sure people will decide for themselves. A quick look at other sources tells me that those "5" people have a lot of friends (or lots of alternate accounts). It's not really worth pursuing as the person I'd like to hear from is MIA. We'll see what Tobi has to say.
Hopefully Tobi appears soon so he can finally answer for his crimes and take the lashings he deserves for releasing a free to play video game.
I have my torch and pitchfork at the ready. Better yet I'm just going to play a different game, problem solved.
"If you'd like to complain about the game you WISH this was, feel free to do that here." With all due respect, I wasn't complaining about the game I wish it was, nor did I compared it with a previous GoF. I was just saying that the game is disappointing and repetitive, after playing it for more than 3 hours. Doing same missions 7-8 times to upgrade/unlock stuff isn't my definition of fun. Nothing off-topic, nothing "inflammatory"
Eli, you got a fair point to some extent. The problem is that you are putting everyone in the same bag. How is this (one of the first posts moved) hating? "Huge fan of GoF2. Huge disappointment so far. I played for about 2 hours and don't know if I can play any more. This is completely unlike the original game, more like Dungeon Hunter 5 in space. All you do is go out on missions, grind for gold/blueprint/meha'tek to upgrade your ship to be high enough for next boss. Rinse and repeat. Where is the trading? Where is the moving between systems? Where is checking out the different space stations? Where is mining? What the hell am I even playing? The ship combat dynamics is also very dumbed down. Move cursor over the target area and ships die. No adjusting tilt while in flight so you're locked into a very annoying space orientation, no real speed adjustment. Everything is dumbed down where I don't even recognize the the game anymore. Is it two completely teams that developed this? If you're going to do a multiplayer game at least have a global chat or teams that can help each other. This game just doesn't make sense to me. Back to looking for good GoF2 alternatives..." It is way less harsh than TA's review for Dungeon Keeper for instance: http://toucharcade.com/2014/02/05/dungeon-keeper-review/ "First of all, to the Dungeon Keeper fans out there: just walk away. This game isn't doing any element of its design better than the original games did, and the new aspects are almost entirely negative and incredibly overbearing. The maps are smaller, the systems are less complex, and as a result, the strategy is considerably weaker. It's a far worse game than its forefathers, and that's not even going into the monetization techniques. It reminds me a lot of the recent SimCity revival in this respect, where even if you took away all of the issues external to the gameplay, the game itself is a poor successor. As in that case, you're probably better off playing one of the older titles if you want to revisit your happy memories." How is this different of people talking about GOF 2? Is this because we are users? So Shaun should balk from any kind of comparation? "In the end, I can't imagine Dungeon Keeper is going to satisfy anyone very much. If you loved the old games, you're going to be pretty unhappy with how much the game's been simplified and monetized, and if you just like a good F2P construction/war game, you're going to find this one severely lacking in a variety of ways compared to the best and brightest in the genre. If you're in the former camp, go check out Castle Doombad [$2.99], as it's a great take on the genre in the same spirit. If you're in the latter, stick with Clash of Clans. Apart from a dash of charm and wit, there's little happiness to find in these dungeons, keeper." You see my point? I love Apollo Justice and instabought it, but people complaining about online conection needed for playing the full game is not fair game? Where does the line draw? We cannot have double standards and dismiss any complaint as "childish rant". Doing this is childish in itself. I know that some people are way too negative and even obsessed (just see Pokemon Go or Super Mario Run related news), but not everyone is like that and we should be allowed to express our true feeling about the games (even if is somewhat harsh). The same when we love the game. Well, this is discussing games, that is one of the things that makes TA great. Not everyone has to drink the drinking kool-aid and think that everything is perfect. If it is so, you guys should only review games you like and not give 1* to none, since it can be viewed as bashing the game. I really hope you reconsider the instance on this one. Many posts removed are as valid as any other that still on the original thread and everyone should have a right to express what is on his/her mind about the game, at least as long as we talk about the game. If it is not censorship, I don't know what it is.
Other examples of posts: "I played GoF2 to death, every expansion. It hooked me from the first moment to the last. This, I actually struggled to get through the tutorial, it's just so slow and, quite frankly, boring. The dumbed-down auto-fire combat didn't excite me in the slightest, and you spend most of your time just trying to get from one waypoint to another. The graphics are good, but it's just not enough anymore. I didn't make it all the way through the tutorial before an in-game message popped up asking me if I was enjoying the game - I answered no and deleted the app. A wasted opportunity. Maybe people who never played the previous game, or people who are new to this genre for whatever reason, will find it worth pursuing, but I couldn't carry on playing this even if I was paid to." "Hey, nice to bump into you here! At least we have the new ship battles in SWGOH, that's enough to satisfy my ship combat needs for now. I've just reviewed Dawn of Titans in another thread, as both games emerged from soft launch for release today. DoT is similarly uninspired. It's such a pity that monetisation drives game design decisions these days, rather than a passion for creating "art" - which is what games used to be. They spend more time analysing customer profiles, spending activity and the optimal colour of "buy" buttons than creating engaging, challenging content these days. When the combat system is simplified to this level, as has been done in GoF3, it becomes pointless. I don't feel like I'm flying a ship, I feel like I'm trying to get the circle in the middle of my screen on top of another moving circle using touch controls. Because that's all the combat in this game amounts to. They had a game system that worked, and was popular. All they had to do was take that concept and add a multiplayer element. GoF3 could have been the unique open world space MMO that everyone wanted on their mobile device. Instead they looked at every other freemium game and thought, "How can we shoehorn Galaxy of Fire into that typical freemium model?" Well congratulations Fishlabs, you achieved it. Galaxy of Fire is now just another paint-by-numbers freemium game, devoid of depth or soul." "Another big fan of GoF2 here, and sadly this entry in the GoF franchise has devolved into a disappointing over-simplified shadow of its former glory Another victim of the unfortunate trend of games designed around monetization first at the expense of gameplay? This is like making a sequel to C&C Generals with the gameplay of Boom Beach :/" "played a few missions and just did not like the game as much as the first one or second game. Can you eventually go out on your own and explore? Are you stuck doing linear missions throughout the whole game? If so, I will have to pass on this one." "Already played an hour and already disappointed . After just how brilliant the first two were. I'll give it another crack after work , but without the free roam or piracy options I'm not going in with high hopes. For a more casual gamer this may be enough, timers etc but for a decent session I can't see the itch for depth being scratched." "This is not Galaxy on Fire.It has no exploration,it has no freedom!There is no trading in the game!Being the pilot of a spaceship has never felt so boring.They removed the timer in the game that would stop you from playing but..there is nothing to play.There is no actual content.They took nearly 3 months to deliver new features to the game but these 3 months are a waste.Nothing has changed,it's the same game without a timer.Shame,shame,shame! Well,for those of you who actually want a sequel to Galaxy on Fire,I suggest checking out Everspace(from the original Galaxy on Fire developers)" "the same repeat missions without any depth to it. If there was more variation, content, and meaningful online connectivity I wouldn't mind but it doesn't seem to have any of that." Really, how those are not valid points about the game? It makes no sense to me that they have to be moved as if they were bothering the thread. Again, I am so disappointed on TA for this one, really. That's sad because I love your work and it is my source of news for games (I play only on mobile). But I might rethink about that if users cannot expressing their opinions about some games become a trend. I love to read good and bad opinions alike about a game and the forums are a great place to that. I have found hidden gems that were not reviewed or were given a mediocre review for TA and vice-versa. The more we read the more we are informed about the game. It should include the good and the bad. That is the beauty of a community. Edit: For what is worth, the strong feeling for GOF 2 made me pick up it and give it a go. I might even buy the DLCs if I like what I see.
Wow... Well, some pretty arrogant responses from some of the higher-ups here (one in particular). I was a bit shocked to read it, summarised as, "If you don't like it, GTFO." No problem, it's your site, your rules. I've misunderstood the purpose of TA. For my part, I discovered it as: A great source of information as to when new games are released A great source of unbiased player feedback as to what the game is like and whether it's worth playing Just to be clear, my review was not a "hate crime". It was pure factual feedback on the quality of the game. I NEVER posted in the soft launch thread, I have no existing "agenda". I don't hate Fishlabs, why the hell would I? The game is slow, boring and shallow for me. Clearly I'm not alone in that view. Fine, if I hadn't played the previous GoF games I might have been slightly less wordy, but the point is the game deserves some negative feedback from players who didn't like it - apparently my having played the previous games means that my opinion is worthless or toxic somehow. By the way, the game DOES have some responsibility to live up to the previous titles. It's called Galaxy on Fire 3, Fishlabs are selling it directly off the back of the previous two titles' success, who could be their primary target audience other than the established fans who supported them this far? The fans who have been swept away here to keep quiet. So the GoF3 thread is now peaches and cream, only positive posts remain. If TA thinks this is a fair and unbiased way to allow players to discuss new games, then I stand corrected. As I said, your site, your rules. Just not the site I thought it was. When I go to Rotten Tomatoes, I get to read a bunch of good reviews and a bunch of awful reviews for films I want to see. I consider both sets of views and then make my decision on whether to see the film. Feedback based on the premise, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all", is not worth reading. No, I won't let the door hit me on the way out.
I feel you, especially this part: "I've misunderstood the purpose of TA. For my part, I discovered it as: A great source of information as to when new games are released A great source of unbiased player feedback as to what the game is like and whether it's worth playing " The title of the thread alone is far more offensive than any comment directed to Fish Labs, in my opinion. Valid opinions were dismissed as "childish ranting". That's very sad and disrespectful.
Let me start by saying that I wasn't part of the decision to split the GoF3 thread, so anything I say about why it happened is informed speculation. Second, it should be noted that your very negative review of Dawn of Titans is still right there where you put it. Natural Motion and Zinga are long-time friends of this site and frequent advertisers. Nobody here is interested in hiding negative reviews. The issue with the GoF3 thread, as far as I understand it, was tone: the overdramatic sense of outrage that has been part and parcel of 90% of the negative commentary in both the upcoming and release threads. It simply got repetitive, ridiculous, and deeply, deeply boring. Not to mention useless to anyone who is interested in GoF3 as a standalone game (which it is) and not as an installment of a series. Fish lab and Deep Silver have made it perfectly clear what kind of game GoF3 is. Clearly it's not what what the big fans of GOF2 want. The point has been made over and over and over again. That line pretty much sums up what I'm talking about. It sounds reasonable on the surface, but if you think about it, you realize that it's actually ridiculous. Fishlab has zero responsibility to "live up to" GoF2 with GoF3. Their only responsibility is to be clear about the kind of game they are delivering -- and, of course, to their employees, partners and investors. The Galaxy on Fire franchise doesn't belong to you or to any fan; it belongs to Fishlab (and, ultimately, Deep Silver). If you don't like what they are doing with it, you should say so, but it's not like they betrayed you. Again, the issue is tone. (And of course, there are plenty of sequels that are categorically different from the original entries. Think RE4, FF7 in games, Aliens and ST: Wrath of Khan in movies, etc. Personally, I want developers to try new things with their franchises ) You are clearly an articulate writer and a thoughtful gamer. I do hope that you a stick around and make more contributions to the site. (You were spot on with Dawn of Titans BTW). I think it's just time to move on with this game.
It's not just as simple as this though. I buy a ship upgrade. Now I wait. BUT if I spend money, I get to use my money now. I need to upgrade engines, shield, weapons, booster. Wait. And all on completely separate timers. But hey, if I spend money (and not a little bit of money either)... Now... How much money? Let's just say 1,200 is 9.99. This FIRST round of upgrades are about 1:30 long. The game asked for 24 MT for that. This breaks down to just about 1.2 MT per penny (.01). So for 1 minute and 30 seconds I'm paying a quarter. But not once, 4 times. And this isn't even into the game, this is just out of the tutorial. How is this monetization considered reasonable? Keep in mind, you can BUY a game for .99 on the AppStore. I'm sorry Dev's need to eat but I would PAY 9.99 for a full game on here. I won't pay 9.99 for a sliver of an upgrade. This isn't an unfair characterization of the game. It's not a blast because the game isn't like GoF2. This is a distinct argument against THIS particular game. But I can't say that in the original thread because if I do (or point out bugs, or point out any other negative item) I will end up HERE. And that thread, which is the one everyone LOOKS at, looks like a happy place where the game has zero issues. Just like the app crashing on iPad4. That's an issue. Every other time I try to go into the store. I tried connecting to Facebook, app crashed. But that's also negative.
And that's what Shaun did on Dungeon Keeper review on TA. But somehow people are dismissing it as "rant" when some users do. Even a post that a user asked if there's some exploration on this game was moved. Clearly he wanted to talk about the game, even if he mentioned the old games.
Specific comments on the IAP mechanics or bugs are fair game. It's possible that such comments got swept up into this thread as part of the general clean up. It happens. But the idea that there's a blanket ban on negative comment on a game's main thread is silly -- just look around.
Look at the posts here and see how many were swept up. I dare say most talked about the game, even if not on a favorable fashion. Edit: "Apparently it requires an online connection . Loool 10$ for a runner that requires internet on top of that !! Yep this is Nintendo ." This is bashing (on Super Mario Run upcoming thread).
I appreciate your response, this I can empathise with. For me, the thread split was a little shocking because I never participated in bashing the game in the soft launch thread. I suppose my disappointment took over when I played the game for the first time, a certain amount of expectation builds when you're waiting for a game that you're already a fan of. (And I am prone to rhetoric, I enjoy language!) Similarly with Dawn of Titans, it was in soft launch for so long, with promises like "the best graphics on mobile" which it hasn't lived up to. I honestly don't know how those low-res 2D troops ever got signed off, Total War Battles: Kingdom already proved it could be done in 3D! As a long-time freemium gamer, I have become somewhat jaded, and I tend to see games for what they are fairly quickly. I recognise the devices and mechanisms they use to entice spending, and it becomes clear when gameplay quality has been sacrificed for financial gain. I enjoy, play and spend on Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes despite the fact that I sometimes wish I'd never downloaded it. Anyway, I will continue to read and post on the TA forums. I spend a lot of time here. I don't just post negative feedback, I've raved about many games including Rival Kingdoms, X-Mercs, Battleheart, Sky Force Reloaded, F1 2016, etc. among many others. These games are doing freemium and premium right respectively, and they deserve the positive feedback they get. Galaxy on Fire 3 was not for me, and I'll leave it there (here).
This is wrong, toucharcade. You can't put negative comments about a game in a section and the positive comments in another section. If it's so important for you that this game to not have negative impressions on your site, the best solution would have been to close the comments for this game. Peace.
