1. #1

    No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Greetings fellow Heroz addicts!

    In line with what others on these forums have been saying, I would like to post a few words in protest of recent events.

    I submit that the harsh mistreatment we've endured, not just for the past few days, but over the course of more than a year's time, has been in direct violation of our 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Amendment Rights, as protected in the 2009 Gamer's Bill of Rights, which can be viewed in full at: http://www.gamersbillofrights.com/


    For convenience, I will remind you of these Rights here:

    2. Gamers shall have the right that games they purchase shall function as designed without technical defects that would materially affect the player experience. This determination shall be made by the player.

    3. Gamers shall have the right that games will receive updates that address minor defects as well as [improve] game play based on player feedback, within reason.

    5. Gamers shall have the right to have their games perform adequately if their hardware meets the posted minimum requirements.


    Now, two quick unimportant points about the GBR:
    (1) I'm sure some of you will object to my referring to the statements of these Rights as 'Amendments', since there isn't really any Gamer's Constitution for them to amend, but I will ask you to pretend that the usage is justified in virtue of the similarity they share (and are meant to share) with the statements of Rights protected in the U.S. Bill of Rights, and to deal with it.
    (2) I am assuming that the Rights of Mobile Gamers are protected implicitly by this Bill, which is, I freely admit, explicitly aimed at outlining only those Rights of PC Gamers which ought to be protected. I do not think it unreasonable to suppose, however, that the architects of this Bill intended for the scope of these Rights to include, generally, all participants in relevantly similar Gaming, which should unquestionably include Mobile Gamers.

    With all that out of the way, I ask: Is Redlynx bound to protect these Rights?

    If you have any doubts about our developers' (Redlynx's) at least tacit agreement to avoid infringing upon or violating these rights, I would like to point you to the following public and explicit declarations by said developers:


    A.
    "The promise of 1000 Heroz is to deliver something new and fresh every day – for a thousand days"
    "We are committed to keeping the game fresh for 1000 days"
    - Tero Virtala, CEO of Redlynx. (Italics are mine)
    - Source: http://www.redlynx.com/press/103-100...00000-restarts


    B.
    "Our levels are generated by a level designer and by using code, nothing is just randomly tossed out there, there is a design process on each and every level. The levels are all done now, all the Heroz are done, all the relics are done. But we are tuning them all the time, listening to what people want, the feedback in the reviews and on the forum threads, both our own forum and in places like Touch Arcade and many other places people are talking about our game.

    However that doesn’t mean we won’t still be working on tuning the level generation process, or adding new obstacles, environments, objects and items in the levels related to later periods of history. So be prepared for some surprises and changes on your long journey."

    - Antti Ilvessuo (Italics are mine)
    - Source: http://ifanzine.com/redlynx-interview/2/


    (Another quick unimportant point: I am aware that the penultimate sentence of the last paragraph quoted is consistent with the developers not working on level generation or new obstacles, but I take the sentence that follows it, beginning with "So", to indicate that the implication that it does mean that they will continue to work on level generation and obstacles is intended.)

    Early on, I do not think many of us would've wished to dispute the claim that the developers' actions were in line with these fairly ambitious pronouncements (A and B). Cannons, multiple custom leagues, 10-day leaderboards, and replays were added, for example, in response to players concerns, and the developers even took the time to arrange a marriage proposal…every day offered the promise of something new.

    However, (and it's somewhat odd to say this) that was years ago. The evidence that our Gamer's Rights have since been repeatedly violated, that promises have been broken and that commitments have been neglected, is all-too-obvious to the twelve hundred or so remaining daily players of 1000 Heroz, even without the above quotes marshaled as evidence. (I need only mention the appalling inequality of performance across devices and the frustrating lack of new content.) But the most recent failure on the part of the developers - the failure to ensure that the daily track is simply accessible, and so that competition is even possible - is completely unacceptable. If gamers cannot download the daily track, they cannot play. And we cannot now download the daily track. And so at present, the game is broken.

    What should we do in response?

    I say: Rise up, and let your voices be heard!

    And so, I call upon any and all of you who (like me) have little or no life, to waste a few minutes of your sad un-lives by tweeting, by posting in these forums, or by otherwise contacting Redlynx to voice your discontent and/or disappointment, in the hopes that perhaps the 20 or so of you who do so will draw attention to our plight. We can no longer let our Rights as Gamers be trampled upon in this way!


    tl;dr version: Fix the game, Redlynx.

    Thank you for your time,


    Eis





    Edit: Update: Well, I have just received (through entirely unofficial channels), an indirect communication from Redlynx. They have informed me that they are aware of the problem, and are desperately attempting to fix it. They have also expressed their shame and embarrassment at having neglected this wonderful game and the enthusiastic and dedicated players who (like Nytmair, Hige and until recently PrgSkidMark) have risked physical and psychological harm to take the necessary amount of precious time out of each and every day for over two years to enjoy running a wobbly-headed dwarf through an obstacle course. Moreover, Redlynx has promised to deliver as soon as possible what they termed "content that will not only blow your mind into tiny bits, but that will also gather up those tiny bits and form them into a relatively small mind-pile which will then be liquified for your consumption and enjoyment." Now that's what I call a decisive response! I can't wait!

    Nice job Redlynx, and Hooray for e-activitism!




    Edit: Final Update: Ok, so that last update was a complete fabrication on my part. I haven't heard anything at all from Redlynx, because I haven't even contacted them myself.

    All I've done since I found out that we cannot access the daily track is post this stupid comment on the forum, because (i) I can't spend my usual 45 minutes before bed playing 1000 Heroz, (ii) I'm a little disappointed in the developers for not having fixed the problem yet, and most importantly (iii) I want to avoid grading my students' final exams.

    In fact, I just found out about the goofy Gamer's Bill of Rights thing a few hours ago, and thought I'd post something to lighten the mood, because it'd truly be depressing to miss an entire day of Heroz due to a technical issue…I doubt it's worked, but it helped waste some time I would've otherwise spent watching something terrible on Netflix.

    In all honesty, I'm actually quite amazed that the developers have kept the game running as long as they have, and I appreciate their hard work immensely, as running the daily track for the final 1.5 hours before time is up is still something I look forward to every morning. Let's hope I will get to do that tomorrow…



    P.s., My condolences, PrgSkidMark. It was an impressive run.
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  2. #2

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    No network connection, wtf, I'm needing my heroz fix, I'm shaking like a ****ting dog without it lol. C'mon redlynx, SORT IT OUT!!!!
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  3. #3
    Nytmair's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Wow Eis. Best post ever probably haha.

    Sadly, I agree with all of it.
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  4. #4

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Awesome post Eis. I was getting really excited as I read the "completely fabricated" part of that post. I was really looking forward to possibly mixing my little "mind pile" into my post workout protein shakes.
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  5. #5

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    This is the last (and first) time I give Redlynx $0.99 unless they meet everyone's demands this instant.

    Yes, I am about to set my alarm to 4:50am in the hope that they have the issue fixed and I might manage at least some points during the dying minutes of the day.
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  6. #6

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Hilarious post. Love the passion.

    Second day with no run and feeling a little lost with so much more time on my hands

    Might have to spend more time with my kids, one of whom was born on about Day 230.

    RedLynx won't get their **** together til Monday so settle back for a weekend free of Heroz.
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  7. #7
    Nytmair's Avatar Senior Member
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    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Originally Posted by KingJimmy101
    Might have to spend more time with my kids, one of whom was born on about Day 230.
    Congrats! I have a son that was born around day 540 (200 days ago, aren't we around 740 now? I can't connect to check! Haha)
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  8. #8

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    I'm approaching 30 missed days now, I suppose I could handle a few more....but I'm not thrilled about it. Might as well play some trials I guess.
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  9. #9

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Hey guys...Nyt, Rook, and Arse - it's been a long while, eh?

    I'm glad if someone enjoyed reading the post, but I wasn't hoping to incite anyone to do anything crazy like spend more time with his or her family. I mean, maybe our little 1000 Heroz is just going through its own "terrible two's"...it may still need us in the end, regardless of how frustrating it can get when it acts up. No, I'm not sure exactly what time it is in Arsetralia, but I think taking a nice long nap is exactly the sort of diversion that my post should've been taken to support, so let's all just calm down and set our alarms (all of us except, of course, Nytmair, who should feel free to spot me any extra points he can).

    (Oh, and if we're going to direct our affections toward another game, I would ask that it be toward Book Quest. Anyone else having fun being baffled while playing this?)
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  10. #10

    Re: No Network Connection? - A Call to Action

    Hmm, I have pretty low expectations I guess. Let's face it, the game isn't profitable for RedLynx and now it's basically zero profit now that replays are free, unless people buy the other games advertised during the game. So I wasn't really expecting a lot of support for the game as it ages.

    I was so sure I wouldn't miss a day unless I was in a coma or something, though. Even then, I think the siren's call of 1000 Heroz might rouse me from a vegetative state.
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