Tig was speaking about the old Extinction, which was shut down a couple weeks ago.

The original question:


"Hello
Tigrou if you can read this: I started Extinction in 2010 and never stopped, managed to become the best player and get elected best crosseur all-time... but the game has died, so I wanted to know if you were planning to participate in the development of the remake, despite you giving all managing powers to the new admin team. Good day to you all!"

Tig is literally working on new projects as we speak and neglecting his existing projects. He may have been replying to an extinction related question but he spoke about all of his games collectively. I don't know how you can expect to remain afloat like this. Covid provided an amazing opportunity to bring new features to tfm and potentially retain the increased playercount, but instead tig decided to ride the short term income and gamble on another new title. This train of thought jeopardizes your entire company. I obviously don't know exactly what goes on behind the curtain but have you expressed concern to tig that he is leaving your only source of income out to dry?

Regardless of what anyone says about the decisions of the administrators relating to Transformice, you all have to understand that Atelier801 is a gaming studio. How many gaming studios do you know that cap at one game? If game design (programming and art) is their passion, then why would they limit themselves to just Transformice? Whether or not it provides income adequately is beside the point. They're trying to evolve their presence while also maintaining their most popular game. That's hard. You can be frustrated that your favorite game isn't getting as much attention as you would like, but having feelings of anger and thinking you know more about their financial, internal, and other business decisions is outright ridiculous and ignorant.

Force_shaman a dit :

Covid provided an amazing opportunity to bring new features to tfm and potentially retain the increased playercount, but instead tig decided to ride the short term income and gamble on another new title.

Even this is an assumption that is unfair. What if either of them or their families have been ill? What if they haven't had an increase in player count or had promising breakthroughs regarding their other titles? I hate to break it to all of you, but the game developers you hold to such unreasonably high standards are undeniably human beings just as we are. Express your suggestions, criticisms, etc., but do it in a respectful manner that doesn't undermine the fact that they have been doing their absolute best to grow their company.

Rutabega a dit :

Regardless of what anyone says about the decisions of the administrators relating to Transformice, you all have to understand that Atelier801 is a gaming studio. How many gaming studios do you know that cap at one game? If game design (programming and art) is their passion, then why would they limit themselves to just Transformice? Whether or not it provides income adequately is beside the point. They're trying to evolve their presence while also maintaining their most popular game. That's hard. You can be frustrated that your favorite game isn't getting as much attention as you would like, but having feelings of anger and thinking you know more about their financial, internal, and other business decisions is outright ridiculous and ignorant.

Force_shaman a dit :VoirMasquer

Covid provided an amazing opportunity to bring new features to tfm and potentially retain the increased playercount, but instead tig decided to ride the short term income and gamble on another new title.

Even this is an assumption that is unfair. What if either of them or their families have been ill? What if they haven't had an increase in player count or had promising breakthroughs regarding their other titles? I hate to break it to all of you, but the game developers you hold to such unreasonably high standards are undeniably human beings just as we are. Express your suggestions, criticisms, etc., but do it in a respectful manner that doesn't undermine the fact that they have been doing their absolute best to grow their company.

To play devil's advocate, Riot Games is literally an example of a gaming studio that stuck to one solid game for multiple years, building up a solid reputation and playerbase, before moving into making new games.Transformice is by their most popular game, don't you think they should consider trying to keep the game alive so that they have an income that would allow them to later work on other games. Tig's idea of making games but not upkeeping them is a poor business strategy in any type of industry imo.

Rutabega a dit :

If game design (programming and art) is their passion, then why would they limit themselves to just Transformice?

Perhaps because it's unwise to leave your only reliable source of income in an increasingly worse state for so long?

a dit :

If game design (programming and art) is their passion, then why would they limit themselves to just Transformice?

Because this is not a passion project, this is their job and they don't currently have the resources to maintain several titles.

a dit :

Whether or not it provides income adequately is beside the point.

This is not how the real world works.

a dit :

They're trying to evolve their presence while also maintaining their most popular game.

All they are doing in my specific case, is giving me a reason to distrust further titles as I know they are not likely to receive attention past a year or two. And the problem is that they are NOT maintaining their most popular game. Maintenance is more than shuffling shop items and simply keeping the game online.

a dit :

Even this is an assumption that is unfair. What if either of them or their families have been ill? What if they haven't had an increase in player count or had promising breakthroughs regarding their other titles?

The playercount definitely increased, the servers were literally dying around march or so. You're free to criticize my assessment of the situation as like I said I don't know what exactly goes on back there due to lack of communication, but calling it unfair is unjust. Transformice stayed the same as always, and a new game got previewed on twitter. Am I walking out on thin ice a bit here? Yes. Am I jumping through hoops to prove a point? No, not really.

Force_shaman a dit :

Perhaps because it's unwise to leave your only reliable source of income in an increasingly worse state for so long?

As wise as putting all your money on one game and risking total failure if it under-performs? This is from 2015, but I think you should read this blog post from Meli: https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MelanieChristin/20150527/241206/

She talks about Atelier801 financial successes and failures among other things. There are a lot of risks in keeping one game going, especially when it's only on ad revenue and microtransactions.

Force_shaman a dit :

Because this is not a passion project, this is their job and they don't currently have the resources to maintain several titles.

Yeah, I guess, but it all started as a passion project. It's important to understand that you can aim for income and be happy with what you're working on. I don't want to assume the admins are unhappy with TFM, but it's still important to be passionate. I am sure that passionate people put out better work anyways.

Force_shaman a dit :

This is not how the real world works.

I know, just see what I said above.

Force_shaman a dit :

All they are doing in my specific case, is giving me a reason to distrust further titles as I know they are not likely to receive attention past a year or two. And the problem is that they are NOT maintaining their most popular game. Maintenance is more than shuffling shop items and simply keeping the game online.

No? If their effort does move from TFM onto other projects, doesn't that inherently mean that they're going to pay attention to it if it's successful?

Force_shaman a dit :

The playercount definitely increased, the servers were literally dying around march or so. You're free to criticize my assessment of the situation as like I said I don't know what exactly goes on back there due to lack of communication, but calling it unfair is unjust. Transformice stayed the same as always, and a new game got previewed on twitter. Am I walking out on thin ice a bit here? Yes. Am I jumping through hoops to prove a point? No, not really.

I am not sure if this is true. I don't even know where to access this information. If you have, can you show me where?

I don't have much time to write this, but in my opinion, even though TFM started as a passion project, now it has developed into a full time job for the admins. And all the while we can't control what events, disasters, personal problems arise, it's still a job that needs to be worked on. The main goal in a business is to get profit and a specific amount of time should be spent towards that goal. The remaining time, free time, should be used to work towards another "passion projects". This game company is not capable of producing new games every single year and no one is expecting them to do so; instead what most players expect is to work on tfm real hours.

For so long it has been Atelier801's only income and a laggy spaceship game won't really solve the financial issues. Getting bored of programming one game and immediately doing another one won't solve it either. Tig needs to stick with one game and really shouldn't start 10 new ones just because he feels like it. Let it be TFMA or the new dungeon explorer, those have potential and those need to be worked on using the community's feedback. Speaking of this, taking feedback into consideration has been promised many times but in practice, we haven't had a test for the new dungeon game for more than a month, so we have no idea what's being worked on and what's not.

And there needs to be set times for when he has to work on TFM because seeing the only income of Atelier slowly die out is worrying. I'm inclined to share my ideas or thoughts because deep down, I just want Meli and Tig to be happy and be able to stabilise themselves financially and mentally. This is not possible by just going with whatever project they feel like doing during work hours.

Obviously, there are a hundred or a thousand other factors too that I should take into consideration now and I do not have the capability to do so now. But I can say, fortunately, that Meli is trying really hard to do better despite all of her serious personal issues and I am super proud of her for keeping up with everything.
If there's will, there will be changes too hopefully.

This may not be the most cohesive text I've ever written thanks to me not sleeping at 3am when I should, but one key word to summarise everything: priorities.

I guess I'm just having a hard time understanding why there are so many people giving unsolicited company advice rather than focusing on Transformice-specific issues. Why is everyone so concerned about how Atelier801 functions as a business? Why are financials such an issue for your guys? The unsolicited advice is degrading and rude. This thread has devolved from TFM criticism and into business that's not anyone's but Tig's and Meli's.

What point is there in discussing the same transformice related issues that have been beaten into the ground mercilessly over the past few years. There is no longer a point in talking transformice because tig will never work on transformice anyway. That is why the company's operation is now of the average players' concern. It just so happens that this concern coincides with how they are driving their company into the ground.

Do you have experience in running a gaming studio, or even having any part in one? It's easy to criticize in such a manner while being ignorant to the system in general and the specific context surrounding the administrators. I'm not going to argue that TFM and its staff are perfect. They're not. However, most of your criticisms are pessimistic, unfair, and ignorant. You have no stake in how Atelier801 runs its business and you absolutely have no idea what goes on behind the scenes.

Continuing this argument would be me repeating myself. I am a veteran paying player of 10 years and I think I'm entitled to my opinion of what I've seen go on for the past decade. If you disagree with how I see things that's fine. What is not fine is being completely dismissive of the argument at hand and attempting to attack me rather than what I'm saying.

Rutabega a dit :

Why is everyone so concerned about how Atelier801 functions as a business? Why are financials such an issue for your guys?

Most importantly, because we care.
I just recently started my studies in the world of business so I may not have the most experience in the world but I'd love to understand the thought processes behind all that's going on and help.
Why? Because this game/company is the one that made me who I am today. Transformice is the reason I am still alive. Seeing the game/company neglected makes me sad and angry at the same time.
Meli has gone through so much during this quarantine and an unstable company is the icing on the cake.

I have no right to snoop around the company's wallet and I don't care about numbers, I only want them to achieve more. It may be unsolicited but if there's any information that can help them in this discussion, that'd be truly wonderful.

So I see why it is degrading but it is coming from deep down my heart and I suppose others think this way too.

This is very sensitive topic when it comes to company's finances, however I see that there are alot of misinterpretations and discorigments between few users opinions.

Peanut is right Ruta. This game is passion for other users and along with them, me either. It's very hard to see that company is under such a harsh circumstances and it's enough for crying as this is battle time- stand for it or go home. Finances are biggest problem now, that's why this topic will be discussed for awhile and normally, it should be.
Its time when people are uniting -all users, staffs and other people, who are encouraged to help this company. Bee won't kill a hornet without other bees help and the mother of all bees is Meli. If bees die, mother as well, so we must somehow help her.
Even I, as a user, tried to help my community of dying out with few people, however It is very, very hard for us to keep that community alive. There are users, who have never given up hope that something will change. Even I wanted to make art contest in LV community, because I saw very big interest into it. I wrote messages to few staff members in order, to get that idea accepted. And you know, I never received answer, and then I thought, maybe I must fall on my knees, pray?! What else should I do to help? Is helping forbidden? Why there is such a big ignorance! Open up eyes, there are people, who are trying to help and are not going to let that game down so easily...
Meli is smart enough and maybe we should give more help than we've given right now? For example, open up fanart teams and get help with creating badges and furs, while Meli is working on something else? Maybe more fur contests should be created? Or map making contest should be opened again?

It's just that even whole community are encouraged in contests. I am willing to give my money, my time, to somehow help TFM out...
But I feel neglected, unheard, rejected, but at the same time I feel angst and willing to do something. It's never too late to stand on feets again. If something won't be changed, game will ruin into peaces. But, hand by hand, we can all overthrow the mountains, no matter how high they are.

I always have understood that you guys care. I get that. The unsolicited advice is disrespectful because there's no logical way that your armchair quarterback back advice as a player will never be used in consideration for business decisions. I am also a veteran player of 10 years. I've been a regular player for most of it, but I've also had the pleasure of being staff and working directly with EN and Meli. PB, you should know exactly how much Meli cares about the game, her staff, and the players, regardless of what decisions she's made about TFM. The administrators have been running this game for over 10 years now. Don't you think they've thought about, discussed, and exhausted a lot or all of their feasible options to grow their company or maintain TFM? It's not as simple as "just do this" and it's fixed. We don't know all the details that go into decisions like the ones everyone is complaining about. That's why it's pointless and rude to assume that there's a simple solution and the administrators are blind to it.

Rutabega a dit :

I always have understood that you guys care. I get that. The unsolicited advice is disrespectful because there's no logical way that your armchair quarterback back advice as a player will never be used in consideration for business decisions. I am also a veteran player of 10 years. I've been a regular player for most of it, but I've also had the pleasure of being staff and working directly with EN and Meli. PB, you should know exactly how much Meli cares about the game, her staff, and the players, regardless of what decisions she's made about TFM. The administrators have been running this game for over 10 years now. Don't you think they've thought about, discussed, and exhausted a lot or all of their feasible options to grow their company or maintain TFM? It's not as simple as "just do this" and it's fixed. We don't know all the details that go into decisions like the ones everyone is complaining about. That's why it's pointless and rude to assume that there's a simple solution and the administrators are blind to it.

Yes, you are completely true, when it comes to those facts, that Meli and other have put their sweats into game, and I trust it, I believe in it and I count on it, because It's very hard to deal with business-related things, when you need to run company by yourself. Lately, I saw, she is too much stressed out and worried about future ahead, because her idea, that brought fruits, could not produce good harvest anymore. I have been moderator for LoA in GTArcade (One of the most popular company in the world) and I know their strategy very well, as I have been in many discussions related in release of new games. The biggest difference here and there is pay-to-win politics and when you want to disable it, you realise it's very hard to run company, if it does not get advertised well enough, however I would be more interested to play games, like this, who don't use that kind of politics. Few things must to be sacrificed and reformed. I see bright future ahead as the process has already began and I see improvements in interaction between staff members and users. As an old user, I already have seen you long ago in forums and I am happy, that you have been part of TFM family and still are, but being dogmatic when it comes to decisions making, won't help to this company at all. Some things must be changed and I am completely aware, that this will be only solvation. Doing nothing and sitting will make only things go worse.
About Meli I want to say, yes, she is doing all she can, and is very nervous, but I can't understand why other people help gets denied? Anyways, it won't make situation worse to make some kind of art contests as a volunteer... Furthermore, I never told ''just fix it'' and it will be fine, no, instead there are few things what needs to be changed and properly addressed, what could brighten things in different perspectives. Also, I was not telling, it should be easy to do it, no, instead it will be so, so hard for admins and mods to do so. I am aware of situation in my community. I even asked few persons, why they were leaving. The answer was, ''It is awful, to play game, where people are using harsh words and do not get right punishment and are running in rooms without proper moderation''. Why do you open up eyes only, when things get worse than before? Those useless moderators, who were inactive, were removed after very long time. Why there are such a less amount of people, who have opened their eyes, like Peanut and why they are so slowly to act? You should see it before users get angry. For game company, It is not normal, that you get complain and then act. That is one of the reason why people are leaving. Ignoring suggestions is hilarious, because you always need to count on normal players opinion. No 1. to keep game alive is communication with users and it is sad, that staff members realised after very, very long time.