About the Countdown -- From Our Creative Director

[Hinterland_Studio]

We acknowledge the community upset about the countdown.

From our creative director, Raphael:

"I'm really sorry to hear so many of you are disappointed about the info and content we released today.

The countdown -- that was my idea. I only had the best of intentions in trying to build up some excitement around our new trailer, the next update (coming to test branch later this month), and offering a solid release date for Story Mode, as I promised I would. I can see now that it didn't have the desired effect -- building up a sense of community excitement around what's just around the corner, and also being able to invite a whole new group of players, which we're really excited about. Not because we don't like our existing players. Just because...a bigger family is more fun.

I can see that we've lost some community good will, which goes against every intention we've had over the past years. I'll do everything I can to earn it back. If I could go back and do this again, I wouldn't use the countdown to try to build anticipation for the release date announcement, the new trailer, and the news about what's in the next update (coming to the Test Branch in a few weeks).

Please remember that the community team at Hinterland works under my guidance, so if you are angry and want to vent, please feel free to direct it at me, and not at them.
Meanwhile, our work continues..."

We're always learning.

[JiffyPopKids]

First post. :P

Edit: Just read, lol

(What IFIYGD said, :P) :)

[IFIYGD]

:)

[Darth Vader]

Apology accepted cpt. Raphael...

[Yukimare]

If it says anything, I didn't really take much offense to it. Slight let down for me, yes... but it was nowhere near as bad as many other early access titles or stunts that I've seen. (GTA raising the steam price and adding in-game currency purchases to stop Steam refunds during the Steam Sumber Sale, WarZ in it's entirity, etc) Plus again, you're always learning. So I'm lax about it.

Though thinking of it... some people do seem to go nuts over the wrong things... and I'm not sure how to feel about it honestly. But at the very least, know that I still have faith. Keep going at it, Hinterland. I still believe in you.

Not sure if my tollerance has my mental issues or whatnot involved (I'm wierd in every aspect... including some personal stuff), but guess I'm that oddball out in many communities. Ah well.

[Newstyle]

Thanks for your response.

[torredeleche]

With this community that is constantly bugging and harping on Hinterlands for any update or news whatsoever, I don't believe that this was part of the scope of having a Countdown to a Countdown at all. This was purely a marketing trick to increase sales of TLD. Us 'long-timers' that have been with TLD from the beginning have an insatiable appetite for update news from Hinterlands, and this is obvious to them since we are well into our 3rd year of EA now. Give me a break, they know that a countdown hype to releasing news wouldn't in any way increase the amount of people that heard about the update news once it was released. This was a dirty marketing trick to increase sales of the game. Why increase the game's price just prior to all of this? Why run a week long 10% off sale just prior to this? MONEY GRAB PLAIN AND SIMPLE. I just hope you guys feel satisified with the sales $$$ you earned over the last month and won't have to pull something like this ever again. Despicable.

[MrBluedive]

To creative director Raphael: You're brilliant in your work as creative director. But as a PR-man you are a massive idiot.

Please learn from this and do not involve youself again in community announcements.

[RebelSandGaming]

nxt tb we stun rabbits n make maps

[Rince]

Yeah, accepted: I bet many people here and there will now write how loved and appreciated your hard work is in making another and another date, another and another apologies and excuses. And then as always we move along. And then August the 1st comes, and you will give us yet another date, because your precious work of art is not yet finished. Because, why not? After all you love the community SO MUCH and want to give us THE BEST. The best release day in the universe: 1st of August, year unknown.

[Shadelkan]

You better make the next three months of waiting worth it. I've already gifted this game to a half dozen people with high hopes. Don't dash them with another stupid marketing ploy.

[JiffyPopKids]

Originally posted by MrBluedive:

To creative director Raphael: You're brilliant in your work as creative director. But as a PR-man you are a massive idiot.

Please learn from this and do not involve youself again in community announcements.

Wtf? Seriously? he apoligized and admitted to his mistake. can't you give it to him? it is like an arugment I had this morning. I made a mistake and someone was rubbing it in my face. you're doing the same thing. do you feel bad?

[cT917]

Good man.

Even if they didn't deserve such an honest and humble acknowledgement you earned much respect from me Raphael I tip my hat to you sir

Here's to success moving forward you guys have earned it

[bsj5142]

Originally posted by Hinterland_Studio:

We acknowledge the community upset about the countdown.

From our creative director, Raphael:

"I'm really sorry to hear so many of you are disappointed about the info and content we released today.

The countdown -- that was my idea. I only had the best of intentions in trying to build up some excitement around our new trailer, the next update (coming to test branch later this month), and offering a solid release date for Story Mode, as I promised I would. I can see now that it didn't have the desired effect -- building up a sense of community excitement around what's just around the corner, and also being able to invite a whole new group of players, which we're really excited about. Not because we don't like our existing players. Just because...a bigger family is more fun.

I can see that we've lost some community good will, which goes against every intention we've had over the past years. I'll do everything I can to earn it back. If I could go back and do this again, I wouldn't use the countdown to try to build anticipation for the release date announcement, the new trailer, and the news about what's in the next update (coming to the Test Branch in a few weeks).

Please remember that the community team at Hinterland works under my guidance, so if you are angry and want to vent, please feel free to direct it at me, and not at them.
Meanwhile, our work continues..."

We're always learning.

I appreciate the honest message, and I think the trailer looks really good. Cheers

[Lord Flenser]

Originally posted by clen0012:

This was purely a marketing trick to increase sales of TLD. Us 'long-timers' that have been with TLD from the beginning have an insatiable appetite for update news from Hinterlands, and this is obvious to them since we are well into our 3rd year of EA now. ... This was a dirty marketing trick to increase sales of the game. Why increase the game's price just prior to all of this?

I have a sneaking suspicion that this is correct. That said, I accept Raphael's apology but want him to know that he's lost my trust and I'm not going to promote this game until he's earned it back.

"Be careful what you say and do. What you destroy in 5 minutes can take years to rebuild."

[panddshea]

Everyone makes mistakes. In fact, the majority of what I've learned has come from making mistakes.

Good for Raphael for owning up to it.