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Crowdfunded game "Ant Simulator" cancelled
- Thread starter Enter the Dragon Punch
- Start date
pineapplepizza
Member
"ETeeski seeks to serve as a leader in providing knowledge and enjoyment of video games to consumers through rigorous adherence to our core values of transparency, trust, and creativity."
K
K
Palculator
Unconfirmed Member
:|
That's shitty news, really. When I clicked on this I expected a "Goat Simulator" type game that was kind of a silly joke, but this looks really cool and smart. Reminds me of Microcosmos, this great documentary about insects and other tiny organisms.
Really too bad this probably won't come to light, sounds like a bunch of undisciplined idiots running the show, more or less.
Really too bad this probably won't come to light, sounds like a bunch of undisciplined idiots running the show, more or less.
They fucked him over, straight up. Not sure why it's not okay to throw them under the bus.
The alternative is everyone assuming he's to blame for Ant Simulator being canceled and losing opportunities because of it. He was betrayed by his colleagues and doesn't deserve to go down with them, so I say burn that bridge.
ZackieChan
Member
Hah, you gotta be kidding
Oh fuck that shit. Yes you do. After what they did? Yes you do. Fifty busses.
Mr. Nice_Guy
Member
That really sucks. Wish all the best for him on his future endeavors.
Screwed up? Sounds like they knowingly and purposefully spent the money like a bunch of assholes.
Screwed up? Sounds like they knowingly and purposefully spent the money like a bunch of assholes.
They didn't screw up, they screwed him.
How were the booze and strippers?
Mr. Giggles
Member
Harsh.
Shitty business partners - indie development investment woes. Didn't Phil fish also have some issues like this (don't know if it was on this scale though)
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
"BUSINESS PARTNERS"
Next time, get a proper Business Partner, not some douchebag friends who just joined in on the fun!
RULE # 1: NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH FRIENDS!
EDIT: Yep. Watched that video. "Friends of 11 years". Fucking knew it lol.
Next time, get a proper Business Partner, not some douchebag friends who just joined in on the fun!
RULE # 1: NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH FRIENDS!
EDIT: Yep. Watched that video. "Friends of 11 years". Fucking knew it lol.
Are you fucking serious? Those "business partners" threw him under the bus in the first place by knowingly scamming away all the money (this wasn't a mistake or a screw-up on their part). Him calling them out on that by telling his backers what happened with the money is him being transparent what happened behind the scenes.
Do you also think victims of other crimes and frauds are wrong for "ratting" out the perpetrators too?
Corronchilejano
Member
They literally stole this guys company. If it were me, I'd be preparing my countersuit against all odds. Fuck these guys.
Then what do you do?
threelights
Member
Man, I remember watching some of his videos (including the original stuff he did for Ant Simulator). Pretty cool guy.
Fuck the idiots that screwed him. Hopefully that won't hurt him in future projects...
Fuck the idiots that screwed him. Hopefully that won't hurt him in future projects...
R_thanatos
Member
What a shame to see perfectly good ideas that could have taken off properly but got killed by greed.
Too bad for the backers , too bad...
At least , he plans to continue making games.. it's certainly a harsh lesson , but you can be sure he won't make the same mistake afterwards.
Too bad for the backers , too bad...
At least , he plans to continue making games.. it's certainly a harsh lesson , but you can be sure he won't make the same mistake afterwards.
Vital Tundra
Member
At least this means that these ass holes will more than likely lose business.hope whatever they have crashes and burns.
Diablohead
Member
sad but true, people change when money is in their hands more often then not.
Jacksinthe
Banned
Yikes! This is horrible for the guy
I know what it feels like to have your partner be an absolute douchebag so I feel for him. Not a good situation especially since Kickstarter money was involved.
I know what it feels like to have your partner be an absolute douchebag so I feel for him. Not a good situation especially since Kickstarter money was involved.
Lady Siara
Member
Would love to hear what his business partners have to say about this.
I'm sorry guys but that's how I see it :/
Would you honestly trust the guy who's saying this about the people who confided in him as well? There were multiple ways of doing this without talking about this publicly
Not even half defending the people who spent that money
Sorry if I offended you guys or something :/
Would you honestly trust the guy who's saying this about the people who confided in him as well? There were multiple ways of doing this without talking about this publicly
Not even half defending the people who spent that money
Sorry if I offended you guys or something :/
So his reputation gets ruined as well? What the fuck?
Go back and read duckroll's posts. He probably won't be able to sue them because it'd cost him too much time and money for minimal gain.
And what are these multiple other ways he could've gone about this exactly?
Since I have no plans on backstabbing people by stealing company money and am more interested in mutual success in a partnership, yes I would absolutely do business with someone who publicly threw his fraudulent business partners under the bus in favor of doing right by his customers to retain their trust in him and his personal brand.
On the flip side, if a business collapses in a shady manner, and everyone involved has each other's backs and won't disclose anything to the public citing confidentiality, then I would think twice before doing business with any of these people because I can't tell who I can trust to actually be a reliable partner in a working scenario.
It's okay, you don't have to say sorry for being astoundingly ignorant regarding this matter.
Glitchesarecool
Member
"Hey those guys literally smoked away this dude's money, time/effort, and a bunch of innocent people's cash, but it's really in the wrong of that guy to out them like this.
Why are you all acting mad?"
NipplesAndToes23
Member
I feel for him. I got pretty mad at someone on here I was working on a game with going ghost on me.
Corronchilejano
Member
I get where you're coming from, since we're only hearing one side of the story.
BUT, why whould someone, ANYONE, throw away years of work and a good reputation for a few thousand dollars? Specially because his own company website has completely unlisted him (and some other guy) as part of the company?
He is 100% in the right to come clean about it, so he has a chance of working in the industry or be trusted again (not that I'd blame him if he never trusted anyone again enough to work with them). Offering to refund backers with his own money is even more honourable.
You're not really offending anyone, but your argument makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I'm scared that pizzacat is so pathological that he doesn't see anything wrong with this.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
You deal with someone who understands your field and your business. That's a good business partner. Since he is a programmer, his business partner should've been a programmer or artist or QA analyst or Unity expert or computer science graduate. He dealt with these finance and economics fucks who joined the company, greasing him with words like "We will handle the business side of things. You just make the software, and talk to the community". In short, he is doing the dirty work while they go to stripper's panties. Hell, start alone! You don't really NEED someone who knows finance or accounting in an indie scene. Start from your damn basement, ask Kickstarter for money if you believe in your project, and manage the money yourself. You had yourself to program shit while they stand on top of your head and watch you work? That's not a business, especially if you were the boss to begin with!
*sigh* I feel so sorry for this guy. He got suckered into a dream, and now they've shattered his dream. Who's going to refund the money? I hope not him since he is not the company anymore. His business partners need to be put on spotlight so no other game developer or businessman do business with them. Leave a mark of their bullshit on the internet so when their bosses search their names, it shows up that they don't know how to manage money.
These university graduates think they know it all just because they have a degree in hand. Need a business partner? Do your research! Get someone with proven track record of managing a business and handling the finances. Get their damn resume and contact their bosses to see if they've been productive and have had any setbacks. This is real life, not some high school clique that'll work.
Fuck, I'm upset.
Not to mention, if he's bullshitting, they -will- sue him for defamation. The only thing he is getting out of this, is literally bailing from the partnership. There is nothing else he is getting out of this.
It baffles me when I see people talk about business relationships like it is some sort of sacred brotherhood where everyone involved is bound by some unspoken code of confidentiality. What people mistake for confidentiality is often just courtesy and professionalism when taking into account many factors.
You wouldn't want to throw people under the bus if you're leaving a company after a disagreement if the company is sizable and there are other people you know still working in the company who have nothing to do with this. You don't create a shitstorm if you don't have to, if you know it's going to affect the jobs of people who aren't involved in the disagreement. But if you know the bosses are doing something illegal, you're not under any obligation to protect them, and reporting it to authorities if there is criminal breach of trust is absolutely fair game.
In a company of 3 people all of whom are partners though? If two guys fuck the other guy, there are no rules, spoken or unspoken.
Dreamwriter
Member
I've been part of an LLC Partnership before, but our contract specifically said nobody was allowed to take money out for personal expenses without the full partnership's agreement. With that kind of statement in the contract, it would take very little time/money to take the other partners to small claims court for breach of contract to get the money back.
Alas, you live and you learn.
Alas, you live and you learn.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Not only that, but it takes two people to vote, and the ones voting against the other is what's going to happen. Legally, he alone cannot do or say anything. He's probably kicked out of his own company, and that's depressing to begin with.
Unfortunately for him, out of this LLC Partnership, he was the Director of Creative (ie: dude who does all the work), and his buddies were the Director of Business and the Director of Finance. Lol. It's the sort of MyFirstBusiness deal which has warning flags all over, but it's very hard to see that without any experience and especially when they're your friends. Sucks.
Actually there were 4, see the September 2015 archive link:
- Eric Tereshinski, Creative Director
- Tyler Monce, Director of Finance
- Devon Staley, Director of Operations
- Corey Peterson, Technical Project Manager
https://web.archive.org/web/20150921020028/http://www.eteeski.com/about-eteeski-company/
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
In short, these guys joined the company so they can have something to put in their resume.
End of story. Sucks. How much money did they blow? They got around $5000 from Kickstarter. What else did they make? I see they had early access for the game via their website i.e. 2500 copies for $30 each, or something like that.
End of story. Sucks. How much money did they blow? They got around $5000 from Kickstarter. What else did they make? I see they had early access for the game via their website i.e. 2500 copies for $30 each, or something like that.
BumblebeeCody
Member
That sucks.
Wonder what happened to the fourth guy. On the Kickstarter he was just listed as the guy who helped put the Kickstarter together right?
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
He joined them in December 2014 to maintain their website and take over the hiring process (he also assisted in coding), but then started full-time job in July 2015. He probably doesn't want none of it. Or maybe helps them update the website on the side, somewhat pro bono.
The sad part is that Eric is the only one who got screwed. Everyone else seems to have full-time gigs in their field. Whereas Eric is self-taught and has no particular university or college education.
Possumowner
Member
Oh well.A shame.Guess I'll just play Sim Ant
Corronchilejano
Member
It's like they literally made it their mission to screw him up.
Comfort Jones
Banned
The goofiness in this post stuns me like a blow to my head.
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