"Gamestar" Interview with Bernd

Llothlian · Post by **Llothlian** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 13:40

Pharoah, I'm going to PM you before this gets taken to the off topic forum. I would like to continue this discussion since it's gone in an interesting new direction.

yoyolll · Post by **yoyolll** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 13:48

CptTrips wrote:
Pharoah wrote:
The difference, is where I'm from, you'd be destroyed in seconds for running a business that way.
Do you come from the country, where guys like this run their business?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24956661

Difference between Rob Ford and Bernd is that the former made public apologies (notice plural) and admitted to all the bad shit he's done.

Llothlian · Post by **Llothlian** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 13:51

No, the difference between Rob Ford and Bernd is that Bernd has people who rely on what he says. If Ford apologises for his personal mistakes nobody is going to go hungry. If Bernd apologises for Egosofts mistakes in the wrong way then there is the potential for people to be looking for new jobs.

Gregorovitch · Post by **Gregorovitch** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 13:52

Usenko wrote:. . . 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.

That's absolutely correct. One could go further: he is also responsible for all the staff and their families, his investors and all of us that play X:BTF/X2/X3 etc too, and I'm sure he feels responsible for doing something to make loyal fans who bought X:R and are bitterly disappointed by it feel like they've got something worthwhile for the time and money they've invested in it at some point down the line.

He's got to dig deep and figure out what to do going forward. He's got to pick his staff up from the floor who are no doubt devastated by the reception X:R has had. He's got to rekindle in them the kind of belief that will enable them to do the work necessary to rekindle some belief in the fan base.

That's his job, and it's a tough one, but if the new X:R engine is at base any good and sufficiently flexible then ES have enough experience in making great space sims to pull it off. So long as he stays positive.

yoyolll · Post by **yoyolll** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 13:58

Llothlian wrote:No, the difference between Rob Ford and Bernd is that Bernd has people who rely on what he says. If Ford apologises for his personal mistakes nobody is going to go hungry. If Bernd apologises for Egosofts mistakes in the wrong way then there is the potential for people to be looking for new jobs.

lol they're gonna go hungry anyway when they are searching for their next job. Who's gonna hire anyone that had a hand in developing XR?

corbosman · Post by **corbosman** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:02

Im sorry, but I dont agree. The truth is in the middle. You have a responsibility to your employees, to your creditors (if any), but also to your customers.

The problem is that Bernd does not seem very good at PR. Right now what he's saying publicly is so far removed from what people are experiencing, that it clashes in threads like these. That is never a good thing. Not for them, not for the customers.

Llothlian · Post by **Llothlian** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:05

Bernd is a leader. A leader's responsibility first and foremost are to his subordinates, then his superiors. His superiors in this case being investors and those he has contracts with (after a fashion). We come a long long long third. He is not out to get us, but he has to protect his people.

This is probably going to be the biggest test for Bernd as a leader, at least in my memory of Egosoft. Lets hope he pulls the company through.

Cyb3rNinja · Post by **Cyb3rNinja** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:06

Damn! wrong quote... Sorry

I don't like what Bernd stated in the interview but as the CEO he didn't have much of a choice... It would be really r******* to admit that the game is
broken. They would lose at least half the money they made with Rebirth in
less than a minute.
What bothers me the most that he thinks the game is fine as it is besides the bugs of course... Well that showed me that Egosoft just can't produce the
games i like to play anymore.

Pharoah · Post by **Pharoah** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:22

Llothlian wrote:Bernd is a leader. A leader's responsibility first and foremost are to his subordinates, then his superiors. His superiors in this case being investors and those he has contracts with (after a fashion). We come a long long long third. He is not out to get us, but he has to protect his people.

This is probably going to be the biggest test for Bernd as a leader, at least in my memory of Egosoft. Lets hope he pulls the company through.

Then why is he being a follower, following suit with all of the top end, widely disliked companies, instead of being the leader he was during the old X days?

This kind of action has short term gain only, long term the company is finished, these people are going to have to find different work anyway. Not being the way he is being, is the only way egosoft is going to survive.

dzhedzho · Post by **dzhedzho** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:29

Cyb3rNinja wrote:Damn! wrong quote... Sorry

I don't like what Bernd stated in the interview but as the CEO he didn't have much of a choice... It would be really r******* to admit that the game is
broken. They would lose at least half the money they made with Rebirth in
less than a minute.
What bothers me the most that he thinks the game is fine as it is besides the bugs of course... Well that showed me that Egosoft just can't produce the
games i like to play anymore.

Right because people are too stupid to figure out that the game is broken and ask for refunds, as long as the CEO does not admit it is...
Still he does not even have to admit the game is broken, but rather say that they are aware of some things falling short of expectations, and they'll address the customers' problems.

The second part I agree with, those of us who decided not to get a refund, would like the game to be actually completed.
The guy stating that this incompleteness is by design, is contrary to what most people seem to expect - that ES will do good on their promises and actually add some of the features deemed essential.

Sam97531 · Post by **Sam97531** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:34

Not a single apologetic note in that entire interview. Insistence that some of the most clearly disliked items are fine. I especially like when he calls the control scheme "sufficient". Because that's what I strive for when I'm leading a project! Sufficiency and no more! No - thats the word I use when I know something is crap and I want to pass it off as ok.

Utter failure, and here I was hoping for some indication of significant change or acceptance of failure. I think the nail in the coffin was the point about reaching out to new customers. .. lol what are you talking about??? what new customers? Look at your steam numbers!! The only success was from the hopeful buyers who pre-ordered and then we're fooled. Look at your current percentage of games sold vs people playing on steam now. Wow.

Noimageavaiable · Post by **Noimageavaiable** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:44

Wow, half a dozen pages about a nonsensical argument that was completely beside the point. When Microsoft ****** up with Windows 8 they came out and said that the whole touchscreen idea was a mistake they wouldn't repeat in future versions yet they somehow didn't go bankrupt from all the lawsuits from disgruntled Win8 users. Bernd could've easily done the same, just say "Okay we tried something new it didn't work out at all we'll try to bring back the old X feeling." Instead he came and said that they had a huge success with the new design and people who dislike it and are now rampaging through the forums are just some vocal minority. He's saying that the only thing wrong with the game is bugs and a missing feature here and there. He completely dismisses any and all criticism about tedious minigames, butchered empire building and the complete lack of depth from all the fans and all the reviews as completely invalid because the game sold well.

That has nothing to do with car crashes in god knows where nor with damage control nor anything else that apologists throw around. It has everything to do with Egosoft ditching their fans for the casual crowd which is why he states that debating features with the fanbase doesn't make sense, because its not the fanbase he wants to please.

Dr2i · Post by **Dr2i** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:49

Did you just compare Egosoft to microsoft?
Idk what to say... You don't see any difference in the two companies' financial situation?

MrSuperKarti · Post by **MrSuperKarti** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 14:52

Dr2i wrote:Did you just compare Egosoft to microsoft?
Idk what to say... You don't see any difference in the two companies' financial situation?

then take CCPGames and walking in stations.

"The Summer of Rage" and "unsubs"

Yet, the game is more healty now than ever.

Noimageavaiable · Post by **Noimageavaiable** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 15:04

Dr2i wrote:Did you just compare Egosoft to microsoft?
Idk what to say... You don't see any difference in the two companies' financial situation?

You're right, the comparison of Rebirth to a car crash thats been brought up before is much more apt, at least in the amount of pain caused.

Kadaas69 · Post by **Kadaas69** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 15:27

MrSuperKarti wrote:
Dr2i wrote:Did you just compare Egosoft to microsoft?
Idk what to say... You don't see any difference in the two companies' financial situation?
then take CCPGames and walking in stations.

"The Summer of Rage" and "unsubs"

Yet, the game is more healty now than ever.

not to derail ,but the developers there are starting to make some really stupid choices also now .

on topic :interviews in business are for damage control and PR for possible future sales nothing more.Put the best spin on it as you can and hope for more sales .Right and wrong have absolutely nothing to do with the mind set of big business,just what you can legally get away with and what not to say/admit.

ragamer · Post by **ragamer** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 16:02

Bernd is a leader. A leader's responsibility first and foremost are to his subordinates, then his superiors. His superiors in this case being investors and those he has contracts with (after a fashion). We come a long long long third. He is not out to get us, but he has to protect his people.

This is probably going to be the biggest test for Bernd as a leader, at least in my memory of Egosoft. Lets hope he pulls the company through. Smile

Although the definition is correct... The subordinate and superiors are biased.

I'm Bernd superior... You are also, everyone that expected to be entertained by X:R is...

...You know why? Because ES is publishing a niche game, a niche with a strong tradition of Word of Mouth "transmission", that, to increase the stakes, is enjoying a sudden increase on general public popularity, with strong competence in the horizon...

...It's your responsability, as Leader, to keep that niche attention on your product so your subordinates have the option to keep on working for it...

...Not inviting that custommer profile to check competence after the "trust toll" is paid (ie X:R box cost).

We have a saying on my country:

"Pan para hoy... Hambre para mañana".

Which roudgly translated to english means:

"Bread today... Hunger tomorrow".

I repeat, this interview tries to offer confidence in ES skills at fixing X:R to users that haven't "ate the bait"... At the cost of offering an image of lacking an objective perception of the REAL state of the product, which, OFC, it's a basic step required to offer any kind of credibility to arguments advertising further development and/or support to your existing custommers awaiting satisfaction.

The real joke is that if you completely eliminate key phrases... Most of the "uneasy" feeling that Bernd is wearing rose tinted glasses goes away... Which means he just need to keep silent about some topics to care about the whole custommer base both current and potential... (ie PR skills training)...

...But it's late for that and, tbh, not my problem... I'm now interested to know if this are just mistakes triggered by the archetypical "Christmass sells campaign" stressfull circumstances or...

...ES has matured and preparing itself to abandon the niche for greener pastures.

yoyolll · Post by **yoyolll** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 16:08

Saying Bernd can't admit the game is broken because then ES will be obligated to give refunds is an unbelievable argument. Ethically that's exactly what he should do, because the game IS broken. They sold people a broken game and now some are saying he shouldn't admit it otherwise they will have to give refunds? Do we live on different planets? Of course they should give refunds! This is the only decent thing to do at this point. Ideally, they should not have sold the game in that state, but since they've already done that the right thing to do would be to admit it and allow refunds for those who want it.

Business or not, what's going on is dishonest. They have taken advantage of people and are now avoiding responsibility.

Llothlian · Post by **Llothlian** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 16:20

It is childishly naive to think a business should operate by what is "decent".

yoyolll · Post by **yoyolll** » Fri, 6. Dec 13, 16:21

Llothlian wrote:It is childishly naive to think a business should operate by what is "decent".

And it's a poor defense to say "I know I ripped you off, but everyone else does it too."

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

"Gamestar" Interview with Bernd