"Gamestar" Interview with Bernd

[MrSuperKarti]

Look, people, when you're in a car accident, do you say "Sorry, it's my fault!", even if it is? Of course not. And if you do, your insurance company will go ballistic at you. You don't admit liability. You just don't. Not ever.

Good to see an official Egosoft standpoint on "Truth" in conflict with "Law"

[Usenko]

. . . Because that's what you have to do!!!!!

Look, people, when you're in a car accident, do you say "Sorry, it's my fault!", even if it is? Of course not. And if you do, your insurance company will go ballistic at you. You don't admit liability. You just don't. Not ever.

Same in business. If your company has one product (which, for most small game developers, will be the case - the back catalogue won't sell enough to pay wages and develop future programs), you SIMPLY CAN'T admit liability. If Berndt were to come out and say "Yeah, the game is crap," he'd be a colossal idiot.

Those who want him to do that are asking of him something that NO responsible businessman would do.

If he genuinely believed that, he would have only one option - to resign. Then he could say what he liked (subject to any NDAs of course). Since he hasn't resigned, he has to keep on accentuating the positive. It's basic stuff, people.

I have to ask where you're from, here in Canada, we admit fault if it is our fault, and accept the consequence. This kind of logic is extremely self serving.

Let me guess, the words "Sorry" and "My bad" don't exist where you're from.

Australia. Better know that if you ever wind up driving here. It's not that we don't admit fault, but you don't admit it until it has been officially determined (by the police). Until that point, it is your right to be assumed to not be at fault.

Yes, "Sorry" and "My Bad" have their place (in personal relationship situations), but not in business. In Politics official apologies happen, but very sparingly; statements of "regret" are much more common.

Perhaps part of the problem here is business culture. Berndt is behaving exactly as I would expect a responsible and moral exec to behave. Maybe in some parts of the world behavioural conventions are different.

[Alee Enn]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

[Pharoah]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

[Llothlian]

This was NOT a beta release, yet it's admittedly in Beta stage, this was NOT early access, which it clearly should have been. Denial will get you nothing, Bernd is living proof. The more he denies things are wrong, the more people will walk away from this game.

The game is not a beta, as you fully know. The patches are released in a beta form so that we can test them before they go live. Or are almost decade old (or more) games like World of Warcraft and Eve Online still in beta as the public beta test patches? Beta testing of patches is a long standing tradition with most hugely complex games, like X Rebirth.

Do all the features work? Are most if not all of the bugs fixed?

If the answers to either of these questions is "No", then this game is in Beta.

All of the features work, but some (a lot) of the scripting is buggy.

Look, people, when you're in a car accident, do you say "Sorry, it's my fault!", even if it is? Of course not. And if you do, your insurance company will go ballistic at you. You don't admit liability. You just don't. Not ever.

Good to see an official Egosoft standpoint on "Truth" in conflict with "Law"

Usenko has no link with Egosoft, he's a forum moderator.

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

Then you would not last as a CEO. Or any leader in any cut throat industry in the world, frankly.

[Pharoah]

This was NOT a beta release, yet it's admittedly in Beta stage, this was NOT early access, which it clearly should have been. Denial will get you nothing, Bernd is living proof. The more he denies things are wrong, the more people will walk away from this game.

The game is not a beta, as you fully know. The patches are released in a beta form so that we can test them before they go live. Or are almost decade old (or more) games like World of Warcraft and Eve Online still in beta as the public beta test patches? Beta testing of patches is a long standing tradition with most hugely complex games, like X Rebirth.

Do all the features work? Are most if not all of the bugs fixed?

If the answers to either of these questions is "No", then this game is in Beta.

All of the features work, but some (a lot) of the scripting is buggy.

No, they don't... Egosoft stated they rushed features in the end, and as a result, many features are broken, and are being worked on.

[Pharoah]

This was NOT a beta release, yet it's admittedly in Beta stage, this was NOT early access, which it clearly should have been. Denial will get you nothing, Bernd is living proof. The more he denies things are wrong, the more people will walk away from this game.

The game is not a beta, as you fully know. The patches are released in a beta form so that we can test them before they go live. Or are almost decade old (or more) games like World of Warcraft and Eve Online still in beta as the public beta test patches? Beta testing of patches is a long standing tradition with most hugely complex games, like X Rebirth.

Do all the features work? Are most if not all of the bugs fixed?

If the answers to either of these questions is "No", then this game is in Beta.

All of the features work, but some (a lot) of the scripting is buggy.

Look, people, when you're in a car accident, do you say "Sorry, it's my fault!", even if it is? Of course not. And if you do, your insurance company will go ballistic at you. You don't admit liability. You just don't. Not ever.

Good to see an official Egosoft standpoint on "Truth" in conflict with "Law"

Usenko has no link with Egosoft, he's a forum moderator.

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

Then you would not last as a CEO. Or any leader in any cut throat industry in the world, frankly.

That's funny, I seem to do just fine with my business, being honest to my customers, telling them the reality of the situation so they don't get surprised down the road.

Assumptions really are a funny thing ain't they, their really good at showing who's really an ass.


FYI, construction, one of the most cut throat industries you can be in.

[Alee Enn]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

Let's put it another way ...
You spend a long time making a product. You want to sell this product to lots of people. OK, it has its flaws. In order to do the best job of selling it you possibly can, you're going to promote the good things about your product and gloss over the bad things.
That's all Bernd has done.

[Usenko]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

That's just it.

It's not lying, not at all.

If you read the fine print, he's accepting criticism as needed. But he's not admitting liability, and he'd be an idiot to do so.

You call it lying to yourself. In other parts of the world that would be regarded as inappropriately volunteering information (or more informally, "spilling your guts"), and would be regarded as foolhardy and irresponsible.

[Pharoah]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

That's just it.

It's not lying, not at all.

If you read the fine print, he's accepting criticism as needed. But he's not admitting liability, and he'd be an idiot to do so.

You call it lying to yourself. In other parts of the world that would be regarded as inappropriately volunteering information (or more informally, "spilling your guts"), and would be regarded as foolhardy and irresponsible.

Not where I'm from. Read my above post, my business is doing just fine.

[Pharoah]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

Let's put it another way ...
You spend a long time making a product. You want to sell this product to lots of people. OK, it has its flaws. In order to do the best job of selling it you possibly can, you're going to promote the good things about your product and gloss over the bad things.
That's all Bernd has done.

I'm a perfectionist, I wouldn't release a product under the reputation of my name if it wasn't up to MY standards.

But this is just someone who runs a business their customers can trust... you guys obviously know nothing about that.

[Llothlian]

That's funny, I seem to do just fine with my business, being honest to my customers, telling them the reality of the situation so they don't get surprised down the road.

Assumptions really are a funny thing ain't they, their really good at showing who's really an ass.


FYI, construction, one of the most cut throat industries you can be in.

When was the last time you build somebody a house and told them "In 2 years you will have rising damp, you'll need to repoint the mortar and the ground is likely to slip cracking the brickwork"? Never? Don't expect Bernd to do it then.

So where are you from Pharoah? I am in the single best organisation in its field in the world, and we're very selective at what we tell. Everybody who is good at their job and operates on a larger scale than building a brick wall (not saying that's all you do, obviously) for somebody is.

[Pharoah]

That's funny, I seem to do just fine with my business, being honest to my customers, telling them the reality of the situation so they don't get surprised down the road.

Assumptions really are a funny thing ain't they, their really good at showing who's really an ass.


FYI, construction, one of the most cut throat industries you can be in.

When was the last time you build somebody a house and told them "In 2 years you will have rising damp, you'll need to repoint the mortar and the ground is likely to slip cracking the brickwork"? Never? Don't expect Bernd to do it then.

So where are you from Pharoah? I am in the single best organisation in its field in the world, and we're very selective at what we tell. Everybody who is good at their job and operates on a larger scale than building a brick wall (not saying that's all you do, obviously) for somebody is.

I actually do, and in fact, I offer a warranty should it happen before the standard timeline.

You guys would fail miserably at business, after a few jobs, once people know what you're all about, fancy lies and no real show, you'd get spit out in any industry, apparently except game development. Of course, unless you have investors of sorts, but then it's not really your business then is it, nor do you call all the shots.

I'm from Canada.

[Llothlian]

You guys would fail miserably at business, after a few jobs, once people know what you're all about, fancy lies and no real show, you'd get spit out in any industry, apparently except game development.

Again, assumption is the mother of all **** ups...

[plynak]

. . . Because that's what you have to do!!!!!

Look, people, when you're in a car accident, do you say "Sorry, it's my fault!", even if it is? Of course not. And if you do, your insurance company will go ballistic at you. You don't admit liability. You just don't. Not ever.

Same in business. If your company has one product (which, for most small game developers, will be the case - the back catalogue won't sell enough to pay wages and develop future programs), you SIMPLY CAN'T admit liability. If Berndt were to come out and say "Yeah, the game is crap," he'd be a colossal idiot.

Those who want him to do that are asking of him something that NO responsible businessman would do.

If he genuinely believed that, he would have only one option - to resign. Then he could say what he liked (subject to any NDAs of course). Since he hasn't resigned, he has to keep on accentuating the positive. It's basic stuff, people.

Well I consideresd Austria to be a civilised country. In such country you admit your fault. I had two accidents, neither was my fault and on both cases the second side accepted the fact it was their fault. And if they did not, you call police to decide whose fault was that.
You even have to pay damage liability here according to law exactly for this case. You just let your insurance company know that you had an accident and if it is your fault, they pay. All that happens is that you lose your safe drive bonuses. Nothing more. Well unless you have two accidents per week that is.

[Usenko]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

That's just it.

It's not lying, not at all.

If you read the fine print, he's accepting criticism as needed. But he's not admitting liability, and he'd be an idiot to do so.

You call it lying to yourself. In other parts of the world that would be regarded as inappropriately volunteering information (or more informally, "spilling your guts"), and would be regarded as foolhardy and irresponsible.

Not where I'm from. Read my above post, my business is doing just fine.

Hmm. . how would your business go in Australia, however?

If you apologise for a mistake, you are legally liable, and WILL be sued.

Do you routinely face lawsuits?

I guess the thing I'm pointing out here is that what you say - yes, including whether or not you apologise - has to depend greatly on your environment.

There are some countries (and I'm led to believe Canada is one of those) where an apology is accepted as a good-faith thing in business. Alas, that's not true everywhere.

[Pharoah]

You guys would fail miserably at business, after a few jobs, once people know what you're all about, fancy lies and no real show, you'd get spit out in any industry, apparently except game development.

Again, assumption is the mother of all **** ups...

Do you OWN a business? or do you WORK for a business? 2 completely different things...

[Alee Enn]

You guys would fail miserably at business, after a few jobs, once people know what you're all about, fancy lies and no real show, you'd get spit out in any industry, apparently except game development.

I'm from Canada.

I never said lying, I said gloss over the bad points, there is a difference.
Others have suggested simply not admitting the bad points.
You are right though, building trust with your customers is important, and yes, Bernd has lost the trust of a lot of his customers. Does that mean Bernd must publicly commit Hara-Kiri? no.

[Llothlian]

Umm, are you from some third world country? In EVERY civilised country you admit your fault. I had two accidents, neither was my fault and on both cases the second side accepted the fact it was their fault. And if they did not, you call police to decide whose fault was that.

Not in Britain you don't. That's why you employ insurance companies, let them figure it out. What if the accident was the fault of neither party, but one was so in shock that they admitted liability? Then that person is at fault. Admitting liability in most countries is a bad idea. Even worse in big business when you've contracts and agreements which will be forfeit.

[Pharoah]

@Pharoah I could tell you where Usenko is from, but I'll let him speak for himself.

However what he said, is 100% spot on. If it was you in Bernd's position, you'd do exactly the same.

EDIT: Usenko beat me to it

No, this is my point, I wouldn't...

Unlike most businessmen according to you guys, I have something called self respect, and how would I have self respect, if I had to lie to myself about the situation at hand?

That's just it.

It's not lying, not at all.

If you read the fine print, he's accepting criticism as needed. But he's not admitting liability, and he'd be an idiot to do so.

You call it lying to yourself. In other parts of the world that would be regarded as inappropriately volunteering information (or more informally, "spilling your guts"), and would be regarded as foolhardy and irresponsible.

Not where I'm from. Read my above post, my business is doing just fine.

Hmm. . how would your business go in Australia, however?

If you apologise for a mistake, you are legally liable, and WILL be sued.

Do you routinely face lawsuits?

I guess the thing I'm pointing out here is that what you say - yes, including whether or not you apologise - has to depend greatly on your environment.

There are some countries (and I'm led to believe Canada is one of those) where an apology is accepted as a good-faith thing in business. Alas, that's not true everywhere.

This is likely the issue I face here, I have more moral reason to be responsible, and accept fault when it is clearly my fault, than to try to shift blame on someone else. Shifting blame is so sub human to me.