SAYYADINN: DO NOT REMOVE THIS POST WITHOUT FIRST CONTACTING THE CEO OF SPLITSCREEN READ IT.
Most players are not aware of this . . . But, subsequent to the changes of 11/24/10 I made it my goal to make contact with the C.E.O. of Splitscreen to advise him of the players opinions and feelings relative to the game changes being made, because I was of the opinion that the top of the company must not realize what the bottom is doing to the game. I satisfied this goal by email communication with Mr. Ole Schaper on 1/3/11 in which I presented the following to Mr. Schaper:
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Pirate Galaxy Issues:
First, I want to say that my concern for the following issues is my belief that ALL the involved parties are interested in the primary goal being the production of one of the best games ever made and the requirement that the game remain an excellent gaming experience. It may seem that I am a little too close to the issues within, but I assure you it is due to my belief that Pirate Galaxy has already reached its goals as an excellent game, and changes are being made that are counterproductive to the game and its players performance. I do not mean to cause offense to anyone the employ of the Company, but what the game need most right at this moment is for Splitscreen to take the time to return the game back to a fun game. Nobody is having fun on the game except a handful of hot-shot players at the top. Everybody else is simply upset and disappointed. I know this was not Splitscreen’s intent by making these recent changes. I seriously fear that failure to repair the damage caused will not only cause significant loss to the game as it was, but eliminate it’s ever being that good again. Pirate Galaxy was in my opinion, the best game out here, and if Draconis would have been released differently, and the lesser systems not changed at all . . . Pirate Galaxy today would have continued to be the best.
Cry drops, ship sales, ship costs, membership costs, boosters, and anything else money, player interaction, clans, helping others, and other stuff in general:
The recent pricing for the game and the items in the game store have out-priced a number of regular paying members from continuing at their membership level. Recently the memberships changed to require the player to buy boosters to enjoy the same membership he has been paying for previously. The additional costs are too much expense.
• Previous “Ultimate” membership included the maximum “Buddy” list and the maximum “Clan” membership. Players have paid the price of the “Ultimate” membership because the items were included. The additional cost will require Clan Admirals that cannot afford the increase, to reduce their clan size and buddy lists. The Admirals that have been paying for these items as part of their membership feel as though the additional requirement for the “Boosters” for these items is unfair as it is an expense only required of them because they hold the clan. All other BP’s are by player choice.
The return price for ships and equipment has become a serious issue. A fair return is expected by the player on these items. The current return on these items is a concern of a number of players.
• One player chose to sell a couple of his ships to accommodate the purchase of an Engineer Ship to assist some other players conduct a mission and after selling 2 Sol Ships, 1 Mizar Ship, and 1 Gemini Ship and using the 40k of cry he had . . . was not able to purchase and outfit 1 single Sol Engineer Ship.
Recently Ship and Equipment prices have increased to levels not acceptable to some players. Many players are angry because the price of a ship in Draconis is in no way proportional to pricing of ships in the other systems.
• The reason many players do not care to have a “Parsec” is the costs. Many players will not accept the requirement to grind to acquire the Draconis Ship at the prices charged because they feel the ship is priced far excessive of the other systems, in a system that does not support such costs and not buying the ship precludes their advancement in the game which is also unfair. Pricing of BP’s to outfit Draconis Ship are also exorbitant and deemed unfair by some players. Ship pricing of 1900, 3800, 7600, 12,000, 21,000, progressively through the systems does not support the beginning of Draconis at such a high price. Ship purchases are no longer supported by completion of the preceding system Story Missions
Cry and Blueprint drop rates are unfair to players; create an unfair hindrance to some players while other players are not subject to such.
• On one day a player doing missions or grinding for cry can get a good drop rate for these items. But, the next day due to changes in the game the next player is required to grind significantly longer and/or work harder than his peers. A significant amount of players are frustrated by this.
• Previously the game provided enough drops of cry in the preceding system by doing Story Missions, for the player to buy the next system ship. Now they do not, nor do they support the additional equipment necessary to outfit the next system ship.
• Proposed changes for multiple BP’s required to make one item, is seen as ridiculous. Grinding now for days, weeks, and even months is necessary to find some hard to find BP’s and Rare BP’s. Not a single player will help others to do this, again damaging the clan structure and harming the need of player interaction.
The use of the Engineer Ship has been significantly hindered by recent changes which create an unfair advantage the previous player and creates exorbitant hindrance the player behind him.
• From the very beginning of the game, the Engineer Ship has served the role of repair/hospital/medic and ship protector for players during missions, conquests, grinding, and during PVP activities. Recent changes stop such use and leave the newer player severely disadvantaged over his peers.
• The use of these ships to assist others during missions was one of the really “cool” elements of this game. The changes have eliminated this “cool” having a most severe and damaging impact upon player interaction, need for a clan, and willingness of players to help each other. This is too important to the game for many reasons. This must be fixed somehow.
The difficulty of Draconis while may be acceptable to some more advanced players, is far excessive to others. In addition, this difficulty has proven destructive to the clan structure.
• The difficulty level of Draconis is beyond reasonable expectation to some players. In previous systems most players can do many missions on their own, needing assistance for few. Most missions in previous systems were completed at a reasonable cost. Draconis missions are too costly, too difficult, and eliminate the fun of playing the game while reaching for the player’s wallet.
• While it is true the Draconis Missions require players work together, doing so means the senior stronger pilots making it to Draconis leave their existing clans and then this small group no longer look backward to work with other players, but become elitist and no longer the team player they had previously been. This is demonstrating quite a damaging effect on the clan structure as the clan members worked together in previous systems trying to beat the other clans. This is no longer true for Draconis.
Conquests have been an issue and topic of conversation for a long time. Numerous requests that the CQ System be returned to the original method have been made and the current CQ System while it has created a lot of fun, does allow the larger or more active clans to control the server. Suggestions for a different type of CQ activity have been made that should be considered.
• Currently Conquests are an absolute waste of time as no real bonus is paid for the planets held versus the amount of cry lost.
• Many players question why there cannot be multiple types of conquests. Why can’t certain planets be for the old style CQ, others for the current CQ, and other planets for other types of CQ or 1v1/PVP activity?
• One suggestion that would have surely been a money producer for Splitscreen was an idea I suggested myself, for a baseball style CQ that would require long term team participation. I believe that player teams may be able to solicit sponsorship to pay for the player membership were a method of sponsor advertisement included. And, such advertisement could actually be placed on the clans own web site external from the game. This would allow Splitscreen to require participating players are paying players and provide an increase to revenue.
• Other players take issue with the cry loss when podded during a conquest in a lower system. It is ridiculous for a rank 65 player flying a Vega Ship during a Vega Conquest be charged a cry drop of 2k or more when he gets podded. The same loss occur when doing the lower missions while in the lower system tech. This is not acceptable. Cry loss when podded should be relative to system tech, not player rank. Why should a player return to Vega to do an old whit5e mission that pays 27 cry or participate in a Vega Conquest where he can lose way more cry than he can win.
• The cry loss and lack of bonus to make participation worthwhile to all players both lower and upper systems has caused significant damage to player interaction, which is one of the most enjoyable elements to this game. This must be corrected immediately to save the game from significant player loss.
One of the largest and most compelling complaints made about the game/Splitscreen is that the players feel they are not being listened to regarding their concern for the game. It appears to the player that Splitscreen believes the player, their consumer, not worthy a response and many if not all players are offended by this.
• If Splitscreen wants to ignore a non-paying player that’s one thing. The non-paying player pays nothing to Splitscreen, so maybe is not entitled to customer service. But, each and every player that pays any amount of money into the game is entitled to customer service provided by Splitscreen. For the most part this is satisfied by action of the volunteer Game Masters and Community Manager.
• The failure to respond to over one hundred complaints made by players is negligent and offensive. Even if Germany permits this type of negligence, the game serves and receives money from a worldwide audience. Not taking the necessary measures to provide customer service for these players is negligent, irresponsible, and not a good business practice. Nobody is suggesting that Splitscreen go out and hire a whole “customer service” staff or anything like that. But, when so many players are making legitimate complaint, it is the company’s responsibility to have a paid company employee that is in a position of authority at least review and address the issue.
Splitscreen’s responsibility to produce an acceptable product for the paying players is an issue that Splitscreen should accept and do without even having this discussion.
• Numerous players believe Splitscreen is taking their money and not producing an acceptable product and have not done so since 11/24/2010.
• Many players believe Splitscreen’s failure to produce an acceptable product while continuing to make changes not conducive to correction to the damage of 11/24/2010 is reason for leaving the game.
• Almost every player agrees the game prior to 11/24/2010 was a remarkable success and modifications to the systems below Draconis should not have been made. Draconis should have been added without any changes what-so-ever to any other system and the probability of success would have increased significantly.
Splitscreen’s right to earn profit from the game is recognized as an absolute right as before anything else Splitscreen is in business to make money and earn a reasonable profit.
• Splitscreen does not have the right to “price gouge” their paying players while hosting a large number of non-paying players. Such attempts at increasing profit from the few that already pay to play while letting others play for free is borderline criminal. It’s almost “strong-arm robbery” requiring us to pay more just to continue the game.
• Splitscreen prior to 11/24/2010 produced a fantastic product that is not being marketed correctly. Many players and at least one Marketing Consultant agree that lowered prices and a broader market would benefit the game and increase revenue. Splitscreen fails to recognize the USA market is not open for a high cost product at this time. Random price increases to existing players is proving too costly for some and players are leaving because of it.
Datajam/WRichards
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Mr. Schaper's response was to thank me for my detailed information and advised me that he would have the information reviewed.
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I do not know what review, if any was ever done. Truthfully, I believe I was just blown off as insignificant. But, look around Mr. Schaper . . . Where are your happy customers, players, and game? You may have chose to ignore my letter to you, but is it really prudent of you to neglect listening to the last few players that have tried to stick with the game? I ask you once again, PLEASE PUT THE FUN BACK IN THIS GAME AND GIVE US PIRATE GALAXY BACK AS IT WAS PRE 11/24/10. Splitscreen has failed to produce an acceptable product since that date and if I were a shareholder you would be getting an earfull from me daily about it.
datajam/WRichards
it's annoying I know but the best thing to do is just keep looking,it's just a game so no point grudge baring over it. You can always find another and pop him with it when you're an even match to that pilot 
