Dreamcast-Talk.com

Hi CD AGES,

what seems to be the problem here?
I was told to assist you with any questions you have concerning our FAQ.

CD AGES wrote:These assfucks at RSG crack me up. They make no mention of fully charging peoples accounts even though the game had no chance of having a concrete release window

In fact, we have made a statement about the payments of the pre-order in our FAQ - and that it was mentioned a couple of times that no payment was necessary.
http://www.redspotgames.com/sturmwind-faq/#14

Screenshot of the notification in the redspotgames online shop:





Additionally, we don't charge your account without any notice - you will redirected to PayPal (if you choose PayPal as the payment method that is) and you have to accept the direct payment out of your PayPal control panel with all detailed information. If you don't want to pay, just decline.

CD AGES wrote:(and they still claim in their shitty FAQ that the money wasn't used to make the game LOL! Then why the fuck you take customers payments).

Indeed no money of the pre-orders have been used for the game so far.
Else it would be Crowd Funding, but we haven't done such a thing before. All our released games have been licensed and produced by our own budget - how come you assume the money from the pre-order were used?

Any why we take payments nevertheless is really easy:
Once the game arrives from our suppliers, all paid order will be shipped asap, means the very same day. Others need to wait for the shipping until the newly sent invoices are paid. Since many people from Europe are paying by bank transfer, the might take 3-6 days until the money arrives. And some are so into the game, that they don't want to wait another 3-6 days until we send it out.

CD AGES wrote:I don't see anything on this FAQ about their increadibly infected site, which by the way after goin to just now to read the FAQ, the page simply crashed on me!!!

What to you mean by "infected" site? Infected like a virus?
That's really strange, since we use the services of StopTheHacker and their daily report alerts none of that.
When you say the website "crashed" on you, what exactly do you mean? Did your browser crash? And it's only redspotgames.com?
This is the first time I hear about this, so when exactly does it crash? Would you mind helping us out solving this problem and giving us some more info about your browser, version and misc specs?

Concerning your order: Since you have still made the payment while pre-ordering, I really recommend to get the money refunded, please contact http://www.redspotgames.com/support therefor. Maybe this will at least give you some peace knowing that your money isn't used for anything else than the payment once the game is physically available.




@ Brian,

I would also like to assits you with your inquires.

BrianC wrote: We know firsthand on this site that there have been issues regarding communication with Redspot and Duranik (blame goes to RSG btw) and to claim that all is going to plan other than external companies dicking them is completely ridiculous.

May I ask where you got this "first hand" information from?
If you mean this statement by Duranik, correct?

Indeed we had problems with the non-existing internet and telephone at the new office we have moved to. Nevertheless not all of the customer support wasn't released from their duties while this time (one and a half week), my colleagues made most of their work at home that time.

BrianC wrote:I(...) at this point RSG releasing a FAQ like that just infuriates me, especially since it is written in a very rude and childish way. (...) to be that fucking rude throughout the majority of the FAQ is insane.

I'm sorry to hear this.

You have to keep in mind we're no English native-speakers. Despite all efforts with our US native speakers who check our press releases etc. it can occur that it does not sound the way it was suppose to be.

If the language offended you, we're sorry about this. It wasn't meant this way.

Actually I'm a little bit shocked the FAQ has had this negative influence to you both since we only got positive feedback so far.

If you like, could you please give me a few examples what questions or answers are sounding rude to you?

BrianC wrote: I'm strongly considering pulling my pre-order but I really want money to make its way to Duranik and I want the game so after I get good and drunk I'll make an impulsive decision.

To be honest, in this very situation we really would recommend to get your money refunded since it does not make a change at all (except for the delay in the final payment, see statement above).

My colleagues just found your order, is it correct that your order has been paid by a family members account (your father or brother)? Should we refund it to this very address or send it to another account?
Since this is still an open question, please contact my colleagues at http://www.redspotgames.com/support - they will help you getting the refund asap.



Again, we're sorry for any inconvenience caused. Please give some constructive feedback so we can improve the consumer satisfaction. It seems the FAQ did not answer all questions there are about this topic.

Oh hey! Finally, its RSG. With all sincerity, welcome to perhaps one of the most active and greatest DC forum on the web! I hope you are as humbled to be here as I was (still am actually) after being a part of this wonderful community known as DC-Talk where i can share and discuss my passion for the Sega Dreamcast Platform!

What to you mean by "infected" site? Infected like a virus?
That's really strange, since we use the services of StopTheHacker and their daily report alerts none of that.
When you say the website "crashed" on you, what exactly do you mean? Did your browser crash? And it's only redspotgames.com?
This is the first time I hear about this, so when exactly does it crash? Would you mind helping us out solving this problem and giving us some more info about your browser, version and misc specs?

Yes. Your site has been a home to viruses, trojans etc since Q1 of 2012 (please check this very thread on the matter for more info), making it very difficult to read up on the status of the pruduct in question and even go about making a transaction to just preorder the game from RSG! It was at that point that i decided to just purchase the game from a third party vendor.
In respects to my recent technical problem with the site, My broswer crashed about a minute after going to read the FAQ page on your site. I was using Google Chrome if that helps.

Actually I'm a little bit shocked the FAQ has had this negative influence to you both since we only got positive feedback so far.

Well honestly, i'm very happy to hear that your FAQ has received positive response from your customers.
With that said (and excuse my language), may i ask why the F*** did it take so long to provide this sooner! You guys have all the answers and you even have all the questions and concerns brought about by the community. So why did it take so long to release something as simple as this FAQ to calm the community.

If you like, could you please give me a few examples what questions or answers are sounding rude to you?

I have a few...

Q: The game was delayed over and over again!
A: We’re sorry for the troubles caused, yet this could be subjective perception. In fact, the game has been delayed only once and has been set to “TBA” consequentially.

This may be true but your total lack of communication with the community and your customers makes me believe you're still to blame and RSG should take responsibility for. "Subjective perception"??? well what do you expect when the very publisher of said product has no voice on the matter of their product. We get a subjective "estimated" release from other 3rd party vendors and that's about all we get with regards to info on the game for quite some time. As a publisher, active steps should have been taken to confirm or refute any info regarding your game that would come from any entity outside RSG or Duranik! For the longest everyone else had something to say on the prospect of the games but RSG

Q: I haven’t heard nothing about Sturmwind after it got delayed!
A: That’s not quite the truth: As said before, Sturmwind has been on various conventions, serveral press media have reported about a preview version, we got fan beta testers aboard and there have been new features. If you are referring to the release date: Indeed, because there has been no change of the release date.

Considering you are releasing a game of a particular genre and for a Retro Console no less, you must be aware that you are ultimately catering to a niche group. You're communication and marketing should be as close to the community as possible to promote respect and trust to ultimately bring growth to you're business (Dreamcast fans are the most passionate). Much like how Duranik themselves have gotten on board here for quite some time to appease the community of many doubts and concerns, As a publisher you should have followed in their example even before Duranik took such steps. The fact that you are now here trying to quell people such as myself leads me to think that my banters were not in vain and hopefully that this is not the last we hear from RSG on this forum or any other active Dreamcast forum for that matter!

Please understand that its very hard to stand behind a game when you have no support from the people that are suppose to market, promote and provide consumer awareness of their product. Its very tiring having to shut some ignorant asshole on a internet about the games very existence when when you have very little to work with

CD AGES wrote:Oh hey! Finally, its RSG. With all sincerity, welcome to perhaps one of the most active and greatest DC forum on the web! I hope you are as humbled to be here as I was (still am actually) after being a part of this wonderful community known as DC-Talk where i can share and discuss my passion for the Sega Dreamcast Platform!

Thanks.

CD AGES wrote:Yes. Your site has been a home to viruses, trojans etc since Q1 of 2012 (please check this very thread on the matter for more info), making it very difficult to read up on the status of the pruduct in question and even go about making a transaction to just preorder the game from RSG!

True, at this time there were many attempts to hack and DDoS our site but failed thanks to our webmasters efforts. Unfortunately two infections still could be made within a very short time - however Google decided to display redspotgames.com as Malware site due to these infections.

This meant this similar warning has been showed due to the previous infection as a warning - even though there was no harm. Had to talk to Google Germany and Google US and eventually they removed it after a week or so.

Sorry you couldn't access our site while this time.

I really recommend you to subscribe our Facebook or Twitter account, there you will get the latest information.

CD AGES wrote: It was at that point that i decided to just purchase the game from a third party vendor.

This is a very interesting statement because this third party vendor seems not to be an official Sturmwind retailer at all - since all official have agreed not to list the game yet. They also don't have the final purchase price yet and this very vendors calculations aren't set then.

To make it short: Please ask this vendor if he even had made an inquiry for wholesale at all - there is only a very limited amount of Limited Edition available and it's highly questionable this version will make it to many wholesalers.

Of course you can buy it at another vendor, please don't get me wrong here. But since an eBay seller seems to have ripped off people with Sturmwind units he could not have in his possession, please pay attention.

CD AGES wrote: In respects to my recent technical problem with the site, My broswer crashed about a minute after going to read the FAQ page on your site. I was using Google Chrome if that helps.

So as we. This is really weird, sadly I need much more information (OS, version number, computer specs) so the webmaster could have a look.

Does this always occur when visiting the site? Can you reproduce it?

CD AGES wrote:With that said (and excuse my language), may i ask why the F*** did it take so long to provide this sooner! You guys have all the answers and you even have all the questions and concerns brought about by the community. So why did it take so long to release something as simple as this FAQ to calm the community.

Because the content had to envolve. These are the very latest information we've got.

Example: We've talked about the box manufacturer. Have you read this passage already?
As stated there the German office couldn't met all of the agreed delivery dates. Not even two weeks before releasing this FAQ we still were looking for alternatives factories that could produce the very same box with same specs and look. The conditions would have been much, much higher than this factory and we thought about pulling the plug at the first factory for good. But actually shortly before the FAQ has been written, they could deliver at least some in advance and now it's rolling again. Now the next steps can be taken.

See, we could not talk about this because there were no updates the customers could have find being productive for the project. And the content of the FAQ had to been formed with solutions we came up with.

Another thing why the FAQ hasn't been released earlier: We thought it would be the right time because many questions have been answered at the redspotgames customer support in the meanwhile. Only a few weeks before these very questions became more and more and we thought it would be the right to make these FAQ public to all.

CD AGES wrote:

Q: The game was delayed over and over again!
A: We’re sorry for the troubles caused, yet this could be subjective perception. In fact, the game has been delayed only once and has been set to “TBA” consequentially.

This may be true but your total lack of communication with the community and your customers makes me believe you're still to blame and RSG should take responsibility for.

I'm afraid this is the public opinion you're referring there. Take a look from another angle:

We have four people who are currently just answering inquries to the redspotgames customer support. All of these questions are answered asap and both our Facebook and Twitter account are updated on a regular base. So the redspotgames customer support has seen no lack of communication.

SInce you haven't ordered at the redspotgames online shop, you might not know our newsletter which is also supporting the communication.

I have two assumptions for this public opinion that there is no communication:

1.) When sending us an email, following bounceback mail will be sent: Still, many don't read this and won't post their question to the redspotgames customer support. Yet we have seen some with the same name complaining that there is no communication from us - even though we offer it but it won't be used by all.

2.) The Gmail, AOL and GMX issue (quotes from the FAQ):

"As stated on the front page, new spam filters of services like Gmail, AOL or GMX are too strict and might put our replied into the spam folder. Please have a look in your spam folder and allow redspotgames mails to arrive. Additionally, you could contact your provider and demand the removal of such strict restriction."

One actual example:

Believe it or not, we get death threat emails from time to time. One specific customer decided to do so because he hasn't received a reply concerning this inquiry about the release date. In the end the reply has been done within half a day after the question arrived at the redspotgames customers support, but unfortunately in the spam folder.

CD AGES wrote:"Subjective perception"??? well what do you expect when the very publisher of said product has no voice on the matter of their product. We get a subjective "estimated" release from other 3rd party vendors and that's about all we get with regards to info on the game for quite some time.

I'm sorry, all third party given release dates are wrong.

Two weeks ago, we didn't even know if we would make it with one or another supplier to the end. Since their delivery dates weren't met six (!!) times, how could we a.) make an estimation of a final release date nevertheless and b.) communicate any release date with third parties then? As said, they are all false then because there is no release date.

CD AGES wrote:As a publisher, active steps should have been taken to confirm or refute any info regarding your game that would come from any entity outside RSG or Duranik! For the longest everyone else had something to say on the prospect of the games but RSG

I see your point. Still we have set the release date to TBA in December 2011 already. And since there were no serious delivery dates from the suppliers we could work with (beside both Duranik and redspotgames decided to enhance the gameplay and make further development) there has been no change to this TBA announcement.

You see, we have communicated a lot about Sturmwind (see Facebook site) but we can not change a TBA announcement if there is no estimation we can work with.

CD AGES wrote:Considering you are releasing a game of a particular genre and for a Retro Console no less, you must be aware that you are ultimately catering to a niche group. You're communication and marketing should be as close to the community as possible to promote respect and trust to ultimately bring growth to you're business (Dreamcast fans are the most passionate). Much like how Duranik themselves have gotten on board here for quite some time to appease the community of many doubts and concerns, As a publisher you should have followed in their example even before Duranik took such steps. The fact that you are now here trying to quell people such as myself leads me to think that my banters were not in vain and hopefully that this is not the last we hear from RSG on this forum or any other active Dreamcast forum for that matter!

Indeed I understand your position. Very good to be honest.

On the other hand please also see the two different point of views for Duranik and redspotgames. You're right we have to be as close to the customer as possible.

But being the publisher does not mean to write in forums in first place, because it's (so kind of) editional content and formation of opinion, means online media. You do not change the editional content but give all possibilities to form it.

This is the reason why had been to Gamescom for example:




Beside this we have sponsored / attended at various events or even a preview of Sturmwind was available to the public, e.g. RetroEncounter, or the [play2012] event just a few weeks ago... we gave away free posters with orders, had live performances and made interviews. Beside the customer support we have there for public questions.

This seems to be the logical steps for a publisher the first place. Even though it's a nieche, it's not like there are all gathered in one forum in one language... and there aren't all there waiting for your product already. This has been the marketing steps we have done and seen as pretty important in first place.

As you can see we're highly interested to please the customers.

Our problem is that we are limited men and women and we can not be everywhere.

As an example: We had similar talks at neXGam, a pretty big German website. Also in the forums, which took a bunch of time of the daily work of the redspotgames customer support staff.

But the contact from neXGams site has been made, because honestly there are thousand of sites on this globe that still report about Dreamcast. Don't get me wrong - Dreamcast-Talk.com is very big indeed but since none of us have ever had an account there as a private person nor we have been contacted by the admins or offered a platform for statements or an article, it was not our main priority.

It is very hard already to keep up with the demand of websites and print magazines on which both previous said points occur. For this very reply for example it took me right now 1 hour and 30 mins until this very point - correction read will also take some time afterwards.

So please do not get me wrong here - close customer contact is also was were are looking for, but it needs optimization to reach as much people as possible. And giving statements to a featured interview will be read by much more - having a place were people can ask their questions (redspotgames customer support) helps optimizing it as well and getting the answer you are looking for - I highly doubt many external readers will make it to this very sentence since they are just looking for their individual inquiry.

Yes, we will stay here and respond to questions in the future.

Still please keep in mind that it's pretty much unrealistic to cover all forums, websites and blogs a question about Sturmwind has been made. Still we do best efforts to concentrate this bandwidth of feedback.

Again, customer satisfaction is very important to us, and we're working on Sturmwinds release.


But can I get back to the point:
Is there anything rude about this FAQ then language-wise then? Because honestly I haven't read anything about being rude between the lines.

Have a nice day!

Hi RSG ,

very nice to hear (at last) news from you !

I got only one question, tell us honestly, do you think the delay for releasing the game counts in weeks? monthes? or years ?
you surely have an idea? (even unnacurate)

beside this may I suggest you to enhance your communication in France by sending one CD preview to the biggest french video game press ?

you got the contacts of the biggest french web press here
http://www.gamekult.com/staff/
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/mailform.php
http://www.gameblog.fr/legal.php#contact

and the two only videogame TV channels in France
http://www.gameone.net/info/game-one-relations-presse/
http://www.nolife-tv.com/

I'm sure they'll be interested by the preview and hopefully broadcast it.
I'm conviced that doing so will help you reach a larger audience....

cheers

Salut cabou,

merci for your kind feedback!

cabou wrote:I got only one question, tell us honestly, do you think the delay for releasing the game counts in weeks? monthes? or years ?
you surely have an idea? (even unnacurate)

Honestly, we can not tell you more than we already have: We do not have delivery dates from all suppliers and some broke them already 6 times. So we can not make it any clearer than "2012" - but still the official release date is "TBA".

cabou wrote:beside this may I suggest you to enhance your communication in France by sending one CD preview to the biggest french video game press ?

Actually we know GameKult and Jeuxvideo.com since many years, we met at the Gamescom. Also Pix'n Love is one of our favorite French publications, we have also met them at the Retro Connexion in Congis-sur-Thérouanne near Paris once. The French videogame press is just great.

Thanks for the contacts nevertheless, there is something coming for the French fans, don't worry - France was one of the most loyal DC communities when it comes to Indie Dreamcast games!

Merci bien et bonne journée!

Hi RSG,

thanks for the feedback today, regarding payments on the website and your statement that payment is not necessary.... I have preordered twice, once back in January of 2011, and again when the large LE version was announced and BOTH Times I never, not once, saw an option to pre-order WITHOUT paying.

The miscommunication here is that people expected to be able to preorder without paying until release day, much like what happens on Amazon or play.com, you simply charge us when the game is released, but with RSG.com there was never an option that I could see to pre-order the game that DIDN'T result in the transfer of money

I've logged a ticket on your site that I wanted to respond to but I logged in too many times with the wrong email address and I appear to have locked it. Can you please unlock the ticket logged to my other email account [email protected]?


thanks and I look forward to hearing more from you on our fair site in the near future!!

DCTalk is the place to be for active Dreamcast fans so you should definitely come back often, we would also GREAT appreciate a tentative release date/projection, even if its December or next winter, as long as we have a rough idea we'll be pretty happy.

Apologies if you've stated already, I didn't have time to read all your posts in there entirety as I'm at work!

redspotgames wrote:Salut cabou,

merci for your kind feedback!
Actually we know GameKult and Jeuxvideo.com since many years, we met at the Gamescom. Also Pix'n Love is one of our favorite French publications, we have also met them at the Retro Connexion in Congis-sur-Thérouanne near Paris once. The French videogame press is just great.

Thanks for the contacts nevertheless, there is something coming for the French fans, don't worry - France was one of the most loyal DC communities when it comes to Indie Dreamcast games!

Merci bien et bonne journée!

merci pour ta reponse
glad to see you already know these sites. hope they'll be interested by the game
if not done already, you should try to contact the TV broadcast channels mentionned above.
Nolife-TV made a review of Fast striker at the time it was released, and I remember they mentionned the upcoming STURMWIND at the end
they will surely test the game and broadcast it if you send it to them. Note that they make quality and detailled video reviews of about ten minutes

you might contact them through this form
http://forum.nolife-tv.com/sendmessage.php


Gameone has a even bigger audience too...

see ya soon on french television Max !

I STILL don't understand how RSG can back up the claim that no payment is required for the pre-order, I saw no OTHER WAY to finish the pre-order than to pay. it didn't clearly state that my pre-order had been placed and that I now had the OPTION to pay, it simply flowed like a standard online checkout.... unless I'm REALLY blind and missed something obvious

DCUltrapro wrote:...that no payment is required for the pre-order, I saw no OTHER WAY to finish the pre-order than to pay. it didn't clearly state that my pre-order had been placed and that I now had the OPTION to pay, it simply flowed like a standard online checkout.... unless I'm REALLY blind and missed something obvious

I have encounted the exact same issue the 3 times I have been to the site to pre-order the game. I like RSG and have bought from them before so am happy with the service in general but for some reason cannot pre-order Sturmwind without paying in full.

I am using a MACBOOK PRO with SAFARI if this helps?

no response on this from RSG yet I see?? Has anyone else gone to the site, tried to preorder and been able to complete the process without paying?

I can't wait for this game but I'm realistically not expecting it to come before winter, which is a shame