Virtual Family Kingdom?

[jjramsey]

Sorry to keep playing devil's advocate here, but does anybody else find it odd that with all the options out there so many experienced game moderators from VMK would choose to work for a brand new unproven site with no sign of any corporate support behind it? A couple, sure I'd believe that, but a list that long coupled with all the other things they have done to capitalize on VMK's success, it just looks fishy to me.

Yes, that is an interesting point.

On the other hand, if I were VMK staff that were being dumped on the street without an offer of a job (which seemed to be the case in VMK with many of the staff), my skills and experience as a VMK staff member would be invaluable to a startup looking to have experienced help. Rather than training me, they can spend their resources improving the game.

In some of the discussions with VMK staff after the closing announcement, it seemed that many of them were in as much a state of shock over the closing as the players. Knowing water 'cooler politics,' it would not take much for one or two of them to convince other staff members to join them at VFK.

Personally, I feel that Disney was crazy to close VMK, and if they laid off the experienced staff (would just be another in an interesting line of crazy moves) the staff would be 110% in the clear to go where they wish...and take their experience with them! Any 'noncompetitive' agreements would probably be invalidated since Disney would close VMK (nothing to compete with) and Disney was the one to lay them off. It is not like firing for wrong doing and not like they left a 'going' concern to take trade secrets with them.

...just a long thought . Anybody else have any ideas?

[JPL]

Still can't see anyone or talk this is crazy. I know it's beta but still I have logged about 50 times hit refresh 50 more times everything people suggested and I can't see another person or even my own chat.

[jjramsey]

Still can't see anyone or talk this is crazy. I know it's beta but still I have logged about 50 times hit refresh 50 more times everything people suggested and I can't see another person or even my own chat.

I will go on, find a staff member, report it and see if they have any suggestions.

-------------------------------------

JP,

I am back.
Saw VFK_Tink and she said that even a few staff members are having this same issue. It is a known issue and the seeing/chatting bugs are the top priorities right now. She asked if I could find out from you your computer specs and then I could pass the info back to her or another staff member...not sure if that would narrow it down, but worth a try.

Type of computer
Specs
Operating system
Have you uninstalled flash then loaded it from adobe (along with the media player containing 'Air')?
Any other items you can think of?
(you can pm me if you do not want to post here)

She did say to not go crazy ;-0 but to try back every so often and see if the programmers have resolved this issue.

Interesting, but I have been able to find a staff member with in five minutes every time I log on...must be due to the small size of the kingdom right now...hmm like bugs in a jar ;-)

[*tinker_belle*]

I'm pretty much over VFK already. I know its only day 2, finally i was able to get on. Same problems as everyone else though, cannot see a soul and no talking. I also was stuck in the barn area. Also there is no special feel to this place, it is very twilight zone to me. Especially since the VMK people are on VFK now. It's all very weird and I don't like change very much. This is a lot to take.

[mickeynuts]

the staff would be 110% in the clear to go where they wish...and take their experience with them!

But wouldn't most take their experience to an established company instead of a start up? There are so many games out there, I would think an experienced Sulake employee would have many options to choose from.

[chrisb26]

Still can't see anyone or talk this is crazy. I know it's beta but still I have logged about 50 times hit refresh 50 more times everything people suggested and I can't see another person or even my own chat.

You're not the only one. I still haven't seen a single person or seen anybody talking at all today. Which is very frustrating since I've been trying all day.

[JPL]

But wouldn't most take their experience to an established company instead of a start up? There are so many games out there, I would think an experienced Sulake employee would have many options to choose from.

Not if they really needed the money and nothing was being offered. I mean having a job while looking for another job is better than not getting any money at all. I'm sure they wouldn't be here if they were offered other jobs by Sulake or Disney.

[JPL]

Sorry this makes me laugh

Coming later today

As the day unfolds we will be adding these features to our new world:

Enabling Friends List
Releasing the Wild West Setting
Room List

I'm what good is a friends list if I am the only person I can see

Sorry but IMHO these are the basics of the game who cares they added a Wild West Area when you still can't see people or chat

[jjramsey]

JP, They have put most of the upgrades on hold until they fix the chat and visual issues. see the update to my previous note to you.

[chrisb26]

Sorry but IMHO these are the basics of the game who cares they added a Wild West Area when you still can't see people or chat

I agree.

Seeing people and being able to chat is something very basic that should have been taken care of before the game even opened. I understand this is beta and only the second day but if they can't even make it so you can see people and chat every time then how are they ever going fix the other major problems they are bound to have?

[jjramsey]

I agree.

Seeing people and being able to chat is something very basic that should have been taken care of before the game even opened. I understand this is beta and only the second day but if they can't even make it so you can see people and chat every time then how are they ever going fix the other major problems they are bound to have?

Very true, but I would like to point out that even many years after 'beta', VMK still had a number of basic issues that frustrated players not the least of which were closing night!

I am a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and I know that it is a given that a dynamic system is going to have issues. Hey even with all their resources, the 'Big Daddy' Microsoft has goofed more than once! Personally, I cannot even imagine pulling something like this out of the hat in seven weeks and being smooth. I figure, hey, this is beta...leaning toward alpha...but any way it is fun to watch the creation of a new world. Frustrating as it is, I feel somewhat honored to get to watch the creation of this new land (and have a part in making suggestions), rather than sitting and chewing fingernails through the summer until the final release is out (oops, that is Lpiglet that likes the diet of nail clippings ;-)

[chrisb26]

Very true, but I would like to point out that even many years after 'beta', VMK still had a number of basic issues that frustrated players not the least of which were closing night!

True I guess I'm just very frustrated for not being able to see anybody or hear them speak.

As far as the computer specs go I don't know what that would really do. Considering it was working at least for me last night and I have tried all day today and it hasn't worked once.

[jjramsey]

True I guess I'm just very frustrated for not being able to see anybody or hear them speak.

As far as the computer specs go I don't know what that would really do. Considering it was working at least for me last night and I have tried all day today and it hasn't worked once.

They may be going through a trial and error of what about this...or what about that...? Now if we pull that plug... hello...anybody out there? ...oops that was the one to the network...

[janmathatter]

I had no problems the 2 times I have been on today. Others around me have. I wonder how the staff are getting paid from a free game that has no sponsors that I can see to supply funds. And Jp, I am still searching for you when I am on.

[jjramsey]

I had no problems the 2 times I have been on today. Others around me have. I wonder how the staff are getting paid from a free game that has no sponsors that I can see to supply funds. And Jp, I am still searching for you when I am on.

Nachocat,

What is your guest number?
...I have mine in my signature.

[TinkRocks]

I'm all lonely... Noone to talk with (not even myself).

I guess I can sit on my neon pink couch and watch the imaginary TV...

However, I was finally able to listen to Greensleeves about 10 minutes ago! Yay for a little bit of sound!

[jjramsey]

I guess I can sit on my neon pink couch and watch the imaginary TV...

I think in those days it was called a fireplace...the blank stares at one place...not so different now

Hey, this was post 666...hmmm any significance of that to this post????

---------------------------------
So even if you do not see anybody, you might like to log on to get the following from VFK (from their message):

We had lots of fun finding bugs. We had people stuck on walls, ghost chatting and even walking around alone in rooms filled with other people. If you missed the first day you missed quite an experience! And, what did you think of the surprise of finding your favorite staff already in Virtual Family Kingdom waiting to greet you? That just made the day even better!

To help make this experience more memorable, our graphic artists have created the "I Survived Day 1 Beta" shirt which you see here. Like the experiences we all shared, these shirts are destined to be rare. For everyone who got registered yesterday and also for those who register today, this "I Survived Day 1 Beta" shirt will be part of your wardrobe.


We have had some questions about Day 1 pins. These are given when the beta period ends and the New World is released. Because all of you are such great beta testers, we have our release date set for June 26th! All of our friends who participate in the Beta Program will receive the Day 1 pin.
There are some exciting new features for you to test today. The first you will discover when you leave your garden. With our sense of pioneering, you will definitely want to explore the new western setting. Just as our Medieval village of Celliwig is part of Camelot, you will find the essence of our early western towns founded by pioneering stock just like you, right here in the Virtual Family Kingdom.

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[janmathatter]

My Guest number is 441.

[KineGirl]

omg I just spent the day confused as to why I couldnt login! Well I finally realized it was asking for my user name not my character name duhhh

[*tinker_belle*]

Ok well i tried again out of utter boredom and somehow made it to the round table. Also made it to Stonehenge but there was no way out of there except the way you came! Still frustrated, when this gets up and running for real, we all need to meet up somewhere!