Editorial: The story of NEVERDIE. Truth, or fiction?

While i totally hate the way rocktropia and next island are being "managed", and there is truth in the words you write here.
I do feel this story is more of a witch hunt out of personal disappointment then anything else.

 

good research there, I hope alot of people will read this. Then you got some facts to base your own opinions about mr NEVERDIE and his actions around, I got mine clear already and this just acted as a reminder. And I wouldn't visit Rocktropia again but I would visit Next Island again if all his stuff was removed but as it is now I wont go back there, as his crap destroys the whole place in my eyes even tho some of the main island looked and felt alright

 

I can certainly appreciate your perspective Harmony, and it quite possibly might seem like a witch hunt on the surface, but I think one of the reasons Peter may have posted this is because there were some who seemed to want to dispute, argue and defend against facts that were presented in other threads (perhaps here, but certainly elsewhere), so he just gathered everything up and connected it all together so that maybe it made more sense. I'm sure Peter will give his take on it, other than what he wrote in the article.

Contrary to what some may think, I really wish that RT and NI were managed differently (same as you), and that there was more of a level of success that could be achieved to boost the planets. I don't wish them failure whatsoever, but genuinely hope that something pops that will pull them out of the challenges they seem to be having ... especially when there are two more planets launching in the near future. I don't see any major advertising or marketing going on to help either planet to increase population, other than press releases, but I don't think press releases are going to help that much. If there are marketing campaigns going on, it would be cool to learn about them.

Also, from what I have been able to gather at the forums, it doesn't seem like anything of significance has occurred with RT 2.0 that will help the economy, and that's a shame. I don't understand why more and more content is being added without a clear focus on the basics that are crucial in developing a solid economy. Even some of the oldtimers are speaking out about it, so you know that things aren't going well. I absolutely wish it wasn't the case, contrary to what some think my attitude about it is. There will always be those who don't think my well wishes for RT and NI success are genuine, and that's ok, because I know where I'm at with it.

My hope is that somehow things get turned around ... because it would be better for EU as a whole.

 

Great article. I'm glad someone put the facts down and even exposed some of the BS going on. I thought this type of thing couldn't happen--until NI opened up. After the iPhone app and everything else I thought NI would be totaly different from what it is now--a ND advertisement or branding. Oh well I guess that is why I never go there again. It just reeks of "conflict of interest"

 

Interesting Narfi, that what you've done this time in defense of ND is pull out some of my posts from WAY back in the day (also pre-CE2), and conveniently left out the dates. These have to be several years old, and have clearly been taken out of context for the period of time they were meant for. Do you think we stay suspended in time without change or moving forward?

The content of those posts were genuinely written and meant, because at the time, I was absolutely a supporter of what ND was doing, and I believed in his vision. I was a first generation CND'er, and was on board with ND even before CND was launched. Back in the day, things were different Narfi ... it was a glorious time, I was working with ND to promote events and moderate his forum ... and it was a good time indeed. I had no issues with ND back then whatsoever. I was also a supporter for a long time, but then things went in a different direction ... especially after he became a Planet Partner, and planet developer for someone else.

What you have also done, is pick and choose posts that speak to "speculation" ... and in this case, I absolutely agree that people should not judge on speculation alone, because we don't know what the facts are. So it's quite unfair to use those posts, because back then, ND wasn't a planet owner or developer ... nor did we have all of the information we do now that is NOT speculation, but FACTS, and ... the sad thing is, ND has pretty much been the catalyst for all of the facts being available.

The bottom line is Narfi ... my principles haven't changed over the years ... but as I witnessed a very different ND emerging since becoming a Planet Partner and developer for someone else's planet, my perspectives have changed. Everything that I (and many others) have posted in opposition to what you defend has been supported with links, photos, or some other type of data that you (and a few others) conveniently ignore. There's no speculation here whatsoever ... so your attempt at "outing me" ... if that's what you're trying to do is really an epic fail to say the least.

You time-warped into the past to dredge up what my perspectives were in a different time and space when the dynamics were nothing like they are now, and thought you could use it to somehow discredit me. It doesn't work Narfi, and I think it's also an insult to this community who has the intelligence to distinguish between fact and fiction, as well as speculation and what is supported by evidence.

 

Narfi, i know you're a fan of NEVERDIE, and that's respected too. But I really fail to see why you dig on MindStar, since Peter is the one posting the thread? If you can find old quotes from me where I'm praising Neverdie, by all means post them. That doesn't mean I didnt change my point of view seeing what have happened since I chose to live on CND and serve NEVERDIE and the club by making events.

Dunno, I think you're way off - a lot of people changed their minds during time because facts are way more obvious now than they were in the beginning.

 

First, Hi All! :)

Thanks Peter (i assume VF/NVF wrote this?) for documenting all this.

I think there is a bit a cultural issue here. What somewhere, in certain circles, might be considered "a little exaggeration to help the cause" is perceived as flat out lying somehwere else.

And "somehwere" and "culture" i don't mean in a geographical sense only, but more like a combination of local culture and industry. I mean, it is hard to deny that in example something that "goes" and is common in the US Media Industry would not work out in some other parts of the world. At least so one would have thought until a decade or so ago, hehe. Please, this is not some US bashing, there are lot of other examples too.

Now of course even under that light it is up to the individual how far to push things. Exaggerating but not yet lying is a fine border and a art in itself. :) Thats why you usually would hire an expert (i think they call themself marketing folks ;)) for it who understands that fine border. Mr. Jacobs clearly is none of them.

Also that global marketing has to respect cultural differences to some degree. A press release celebrating yourself a s first "virtual Political Prisoner" in example. It should not be so hard to understand that this crosses some line in some regions of the world.

Be it as it is, there are in my opinion bigger issues with Mr. Jacobs then lying in press releases and false advertising.

 

To address the "virtual political prisoner" topic ... unless I'm misunderstanding what you wrote, it has nothing to do with cultural differences to any degree whatsoever Hon, but rather the "fact" that ND publicly painted himself as a "victim" in a press release ... blaming what he termed a witch hunt, when in fact his situation was brought on by himself, and was told directly by MA (in so many words) that he was in violation of his Planet Partner agreement. How do you arrive at "victim" out of that?

All that aside ... I agree with you ... that there are other issues far more important, but ... what also needs to be mentioned here as well, is that what has been presented has happened over a period of time, and I would say, establishes a consistent pattern. Peter already mentioned that even though the "first virtual millionaire" topic has been beaten to death, ND still continues to use it. We don't have to ask why.

MindArk and FPC certainly haven't been perfect either, and I've been quite vocal about it in the past, along with many others in our community, but it doesn't mean that we can't appreciate the good stuff, and ... there hasn't been an issue of conflict of interest come up with them either like there has with ND and associates. The community has very valid reasons for questioning certain things, because there are elements present that provoke it.

I doubt whether some questions will ever get answered, like where is the press release that DAMgr said he was going to give us to explain everything. It would be interesting to see what he comes up with that would satisfy this community regarding what happened with the ES500's. Purely by omission, and the content of his own posts, it adds even more credibility to the questioning.

Quite frankly ... it's not about the individuals involved in these situations, but about the potential impact it has on our universe, and especially as players who have invested in our game play ... some even great amounts of cash. We want the planets to succeed, including RT and NI, but when we see what's happened (including what MA and SDS are/are not doing), it causes great concern. You just have to read the forums of each planet to make a rather quick determination that all is not well ... there's no hiding it, or glossing over it ... it's in your face.

To Narfi ... one thing ... I understood your ending quote ... "so strange that what was once considered wise is now considered foolish" ... and it was falsely represented, because ... I have not changed my perspective, attitude, or belief about "speculation" ... which is what my "old" posts were referring to, and rightfully so, because the majority of it had to do with the Space Pirates event that ND was promoting, and at the time, we did not have the information we do today, which Peter included in his article.

However, you found it viable to equate it to the posting I am doing today, and in effect intimated that it's not what I still believe, but ... the "wisdom" you spoke of is still there. What you are not properly addressing, is that my current day posting with any of these issues has come not as a result of speculation, but as a result of facts that have been presented (again) with links, photos, and supporting data. If you're referring specifically to DAMgr, then his own words, and omission thereof, give every valid reason to question his association and dealings with ND/NDS as an RT-endorsed partner.

I have nothing further to say, other than we can agree to disagree.

 

Maybe this is one giant PR stunt??

As Narfi put it, I think in the end, if ND and crew are into COI actions MA would most likely pull the plug on them fast. They would have to as to not be associated with bad practices. Since we have no copy of the PP agreement, and everything ND says can't be taken at face value, this could all just be advertisment!!

Besides have you ever heard of political promises!!

Off topic I found icon!! Happy easter all!!

 

Guess what ... MA was late in doing so, but they did pull the plug (so to speak) when they told ND (in so many words) that he was in violation of his Planet Partner agreement. I don't get what you guys don't get about that. That came directly from MA, and it wasn't the first time as mentioned in other threads at PCF. I personally caught ND operating the Island Girl avatar on RT after ND was told not to by his own admission yet again in a message from MA in a thread that he created himself at PCF (back then was EF).

The evidence comes from his own mouth ... so why are you guys ignoring that by now using the excuse that you can't take anything that ND says at face value. If that's the case, then who's to say that him saying that he wouldn't engage in any COI activities has any face value. Nice that you openly admit that you can't place a truthful value on what ND says, which is what you actually did, and to me, that says a lot right there.

Also, to discount the level of perceived impropriety based on the activities we have witnessed and reported so far is beyond my comprehension. So I guess you are ok with ND and his staff discovering new items as regular players, as well as continuing to craft, trade and global/hof, which was all done after he was told to retire his avatar ... HoF list photos were presented in threads at PCF (by someone else, just so I don't get tagged for that too).

I have no idea where MA's head is at, but it seems that they eventually have to step in to do damage control. Take the ES500 event that truly had the community in an uproar, especially those who paid upwards of 7k PED for them, even just the week before the massive drop on RT. DAMgr from his own posts said that he was the first to loot and sell one, but then went on to sell many more. He also said that it was up to everyone else to find out where they were dropping.

Then, after the community continued with their upset and started pointing fingers based on what they were witnessing, along with his own words, he told the community that he would be doing a press release to explain everything to us, which then gave an even clearer indication that he had knowledge ahead of time ... the fact that the Digital Abduction website indicated that they were an RT-endorsed partner only added fuel to the fire. Do you not find any of this the least bit suspicious?

MA ended up making their own statement about this, although they really didn't say much at all, and was rather confusing. I believe they will always play the diplomacy card so they don't blatantly and publicly admit that something is rotten in Denmark, but then we've known this since the beginning.

Everything adds up Alien, and gives this community a very valid reason to raise the questions they are. By your own admittance, you said that you can't take what ND says at face value, which is something you used in your post while playing Devil's Advocate ... I get that and appreciate your efforts, but even that in and of itself is making a huge statement, so that round-about defense actually may have backfired on you.

If everything that's gone down is nothing but a big publicity stunt, we've seen what big publicity stunts have done to this game over the years, and unfortunately, it's all at the expense of the players.

Does any of this raise any question in your mind whatsoever? Are you really that ok with it all?


*I don't know why we have to keep directing attention to the content generated by those who are being questioned - it speaks for itself*

 

This is a great article, and certainly raises interesting questions about the validity of some of JNJ's claims. However - and this is not to 'contradict' or anything, I personally am in two minds over MA's stance over PP's not being able to represent themselves in-game. As JNJ very logically pointed out; how can one manage one's assets (LA maintainance, estate management, etc) if one cannot actively participate, unless they 'hire' another avatar to do the work for them? How could this be possible, when surely only the estate owner can 'have the right' to maintain an estate?
About JNJ having made US$1,000,000. Going by the facts mentioned in the article, it doesn't seem that the sale of CND assets (shops, appartments, etc) + revenue from hunting/mining taxes would have achieved this on it's own; no question about it, so I agree with Peter here. However, someone I know, who has played EU for nearly five years, used to go to the asteroid/CND almost every week; certainly when CND was still very new. At that time, CND used to run a whole series of video-ads almost round the clock for various brands, etc, many of which had nothing directly to do with EU. This would have generated a great deal of income...

 

This was never a problem, Planet Partners have special Avatars to manage such things. MA and later FPC used in example an special Avatar for holding unsold estates. That avatar would even log in and manually add deeds to the auction. Sometimes it seems such avatars would even manually add DNA and fert to land areas before MA / FPC events.

This had nothing to do with Mr. Jacobs but was a MA thing.

 

Oh, but that he spit in the face of the community with that press release and that he lied once again was not my point MS9.

What i meant was this: If you want to address a global (potential) customer base you need to be carefull with some things. Glorifying yourself as "virtual political prisoner" you better come up with a very very good and solid backstory. Using such a terminology is perceived a bit different in example by potential customers from China, certain South American countries, and yes, maybe about 3/4 of the world population then let's say someone in western europe or the US.

Just saying, it is only a nuance, i know.

 

Ahhh ... got it Hon ... thanks for clarifying that for me, and it makes sense. :)

 

This article was needed. We all know the info in here, but is good to have it all stored in one place. Good job.