hey brando,why dont u tell paul to unblock my paypal acc,then i will think bout it

That dwindling community might have something to do, with the management running the game to the ground. Now said management runs crying to remnants of a once bigger community and asks for more money to turn the (almost?) sunk ship around.
Some fundamentals in crowd funding.
To find backers you need an appealing product, in which your mini-investors believe in, and are at best emotionally attached to.
Making a movie out of a canceled, but beloved series like "Veronica Mars". Fans wanted to see it, thus they spent money on it.
Now let's look what you offer and who are your potential backers.

Let's start with the backers. A dwindling online community that has either quit on your product or are contemplating to quit, because they are so frustrated with the state of things and how their once beloved game is run.

What do you offer? A mobile version for a bugged as hell "tired looking web1 game" with a dwindling community.
Given your personal and your crews' record, your limited ability to listen to or accept critique without throwing a tantrum. That's a bit like Captain Schettino trying to use crowd funding to start up his own ocean cruise company. Even worse, he is asking the persons who were aboard the Costa Concordia to fund him.

There have been a lot of people that wanted to volunteer for Omerta. Me and at least 1 other person that replied in this thread included.
Why didn't you guys even seem to consider the applications?
I've repeatedly sent you guys several e-mails with my concerns about the game. Last time I've sent one it was 3 pages long.
Talking to Bramble about this doesn't seem to have any effect. She promises a sitdown with devs, admins and crew but doesn't seem to even want to fulfil this promise.
There have been a lot of things going wrong at OG Ltd, and at some point you get reactions like this.
People get frustrated because they don't seem to get taken seriously.
Also, maybe it's an idea to do something with the usergroup. I've heared several stories from people in the usergroup that the ideas that come up there are far from relevant to what really matters.

Maybe it's an idea to get people like the ones you've banned for bug abusing to do little programming jobs and security fixes for you. Reward people that are able to find security holes in your game instead of punishing them. Maybe even employ them. These people love Omerta. If they have a certain passion for the game I'm sure they're motivated enough to help making the game better. Because that's what we all want.

Maybe it's also time for a certain change in the company's image.
I mean, if I didn't get the impression that the company is unstable, I'd love to back you guys for a decent mobile version. But how do you expect us to believe things like this after all that happened? A little bit of transparency is necessary in a small community like this.

If the offer for Redspeert for a 1 on 1 talk counts for me too, I'd love to have a chat with you. Maybe that way my 3 page long suggestion mail can make a difference after all.

Ouch.

See my explanation above with a breakdown of costs. Paul and Dot (Pt version and Business Graduate) made the business plan, based on market rates for the salaries of experienced people.

You gets what you pays for.

We really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really don't want a crummy web app version of Omerta.

We want a totally awesome version put together by very skilled technicians.

Those of you who witnessed our dwindling community and tired-looking web1 game must surely imagine our dwindling income too - no shit, Sherlock!

We pay wages and *only just* ergo we need to get some funds in to make a proper mobile version.

We hope to set the funding limit lower and get everyone @ Omerta (past and present) to back us and that this will bring in *lots more backers* who will also want to play the new version.

NB. I see this as a contiguous product, alongside the 'Newlook Omerta' project - one game, one community.

Come and talk to me 1 - on - 1 and let's see if I can change your mind. If I can change your mind I will personally shell out twice whatever you are prepared to back us for - and you can nominate who the recipient is.

Deal?

:-)

This is a valuable point: if we make a good campaign we will also generate a lot of fabulous free publicity for Omerta which should translate into player registrations.

*we are trying to improve the game*

Please help! :)

Hi

I love conspiracy theories. In fact a few years ago I tried to convince some stoned hippy friends that aliens were leaving mystical 'Crap circles' on the pavements of Hull as a message to mankind.

I didn't get away with it.

Let me come back on a few things. Redspeert first and then Anonymous.

I like living in Hong Kong because my girlfriend teaches at a school here. Omerta lets me work anywhere 24/7/365/a-locational and all that stuff.

'Though the HK Govt *did* offer OG Ltd a free office for 2 years to relocate to HK, I never took that seriously and OG Ltd is still in Hull.

I was there last week trying to raise money from all sorts of folk because we finally decided to get our act together. Despite protests we are really not the bread-heads many people assume. Quite the contrary, probably. Paul thinks I am some kind of communist. Well I am not, but nor am I its natural antithesis.

We just need to do things better. The money we are offered comes from the RGF (Regional Growth Fund) and necessitates creating jobs in Hull. That's not a bad thing for Omerta or for Hull.

It is 'matched funding' - which means we only get it if we put some up first - we don't have anything right now so we need to raise.

For 3-4 months I have been intensively researching Crowdfunding for a number of projects (and writing a booky-wooky about it) It just so happens that we heard about the RGF funding last week and I decided to put my good learning to use for Omerta.

So: Brando = HK resident and Omerta/funding/devs = Hull, UK

Now Mr Anonymous, point-by-point

*He repeatedly claims the mobile app is in the works, always saying 'almost done' for the past 2 years

>>>

Two abortive attempts.

1st was that we asked then-dev Mike to begin building an API. He totally dragged his heels and spent over a year doing pretty much *sweet fuck all*. #fired.

2nd was actually looking quite good to begin with. Some Android devs in Holland offered to do it for free, but they got pissed off waiting for the Omerta devs to provide the missing API and then they got greedy and asked for about €45k that we just don't have.

*He claims to have 4 full-time developers, even though we don't see any development at all. If we do see any, it comes from Kcode who isnt even employed by Omerta.

>>>

a. Kcode is presently our CTO - ask him if you don't believe this!
b. We appointed a new full time dev who began today (by coincidence). I can't tell you his name yet!
c. Ian works in the Hull office. Ask Bramblerose about this if you like.
d. Ben works in the Hull office too. Ditto. Ben is an apprentice and learning to code.
e. Another guy began last week in the Lisbon office - he is on trial and we are getting to know him.
f. Gerard is a shareholder since 2006 and wrote Ozone. He works *sometimes* only (we can't afford him full time - this would cost 3 salaries because he is very highly skilled and in demand)
g. Patryk works as a freelancer, though mostly on Tycoon, he did make the FB and Twitter stuff for Omerta.
h. Billy is a full time volunteer dev working from home in the USA and on Tycoon Online only.
i. My co-director Paul can code som - not very well, he'd admit but he does stuff like donate and so on.
j. There's someone else working on the 'new Omerta' project, a web-dev but I am not sure if I am permitted to name that person or not.

d - j are part time. I count '4 double-plus'


*He claims 'the government' offered 100k DOLLARS to develop a mobile app if he can collect 200k dollars himself? For a game with barely any active users?

>>>

Despite your scepticism we are not as dumb as we might look! The company is not very profitable, once wages are paid but we are profitable and we pay taxes.

We employ people. Governments like this. The fund in question supports job-creation and has indeed offered us more like £75k (the dollar thing is approximate, for Facebook.) This is very tightly-audited public money and only gets disbursed 'once we already spent it'

The funding body accepted our business plan to grow the company by bringing in more players, in turn by releasing mobile app versions.

We hope to repay their faith in our company by creating several new jobs (once we finish mobile Omerta we will not fire or kill those devs, but use them to make more good stuff. No I don't know what yet)

*What government? Why dollars? Isn't he based in the United Kingdom? Why not pounds?

>>>

Explained by my previous remarks I hope :)

*300k dollars to develop a mobile app, for a game like this?

>>>

1 x Experienced project leader with game design track record & community experience to both plan the app (with you lovely people) and keep the new dev team on plan. Observe and report!

1 x Android Jedi-level developer
1 x Experienced Android wing-man

1 x iOS Jedi-level developer
1 x Experienced iOS wing-man

1 x Artist

Don't forget we are trying to raise as much as we can in order to do *more*

This may include:

Windows mobile - 2 developers
Facebook version - 2 developers

Advertising and Marketing team (we never had this) with someone experienced to run the social media stuff (who actually knows what they are doing)

Do we have any money left over? I don't know. Whatever money we earn we put into wages. This plan is nothing new.

*He suddenly needs 4 new developers for a mobile app, after claiming for years it was in the works?

>>>

I think that I have given clear explanations about this.

>>>

Now my turn:

We are crap.

Paul never worked as an FD before Omerta and had limited experience as a web dev, knowing a bit about SEO (in the old days)

I never ran a community or a company before. I can't find my car-keys from one minute to the next and have long hair. Other businesspeople look at me like I am on drugs.

I'm not.

I do love my job and love Omerta and am very proud of it. Organised business people ask me 'what's your exit strategy' sometimes and I think 'fucking weird'.

I don't want an 'exit strategy'. I love my job. I feel really really lucky. I worry about paying wages and so on sometimes and I dearly wish I could pay Bramblerose, Teckna and Kcode more.

Yes I would like a Speedboat etc and you can bet your ass that if mobile Omerta is a vast success I will do that - wouldn't you?

But will I spend the stake money foe making a mobile app version on that? *never in a fucking million years*

This is just a really good chance of getting the game to be big again.

I hope that we all agree that this is a good idea.

No - we are not perfect. Yes - lackeys have to go. Yes - so do image codes. Yes - this all needs very careful planning. No - I don't think I am really 'the man for that job' (my track record is good at 'keeping the wheels on the bus' and bad at 'taking the whole thing to fantastic new levels')

I hope these words properly illustrate my intentions and our project and I hope you all back it.


----

Kcode emailed us when he was 16 offering to work for OG and signed his email as I will now do:

One love!

I believe your support means the game gets publicity.
I think your "money" when the actual call for money comes, are gonna reap better benefits then a DC worth for you.

And i think this whole thing is to actually help the game not to steal your money away and instead of bitching about it you should just share a silly cover photo and raise awareness for Omerta.

Even if it doesn't help at all its still contributing to a game we all spent 10 years playing and hope it gets better.

So we stop bitching.

Omerta LTD is a UK based company, located in Hull, United Kingdom. Where brando might be from is not that intresting.

Steve lives in HK, I know that. But why would the Hong Kong gouverment give money to a UK based company? Hong Kong seized to be a british protectorate in 1997 afaik.

I can asure you that I'm not in. The few DC's I buy at omerta is the only money brando gets from me.

I had to check if it was April 1st already!
the pitch in facebook looks so scamish, not a single straight line is given.

He shouldn't do shit like he did for 5 years already.

How do you know its Hong Kong dollars? I only see $100k on his facebook page. Also, Brando might be based in HK but omerta LTD is based in Hull, England.

He should clear it up.

+1, $100/hour is actually a decent price for a freelance app developer (by western europe price standards, of course you can find someone cheaper than that ... but you get what you pay for.)

100k HKd = 9355 € - Government

200k HKd = 18710 € - Raising funds

300k HKd = 28065 € - TOTAL

28k Euros isn't too much if you see it :)

Either Brando has a huge pair or he has grown a sense of humour.

Either way, anybody who puts a single dime into this "project" deserves a tube of vaseline and a shirt that says "Brando screwed me good."

300k to develop an android app, basically to hire four more devs to develope it.
Once Brando has 100k some public funding comes into place and provides 200k more, on a dieing/close to dead text based online mafia game. It sounds even more ridiculous, if you say it loud. Serisously, it does. I challenge you to do it.

Somehow that sounds like that famous Nigerian Prince scam. (google it).

To Brando. The remaining player base haven proven time over time over time again, they are quite gullible, so I can't blame a girl for trying. But this is just one bridge to nowhere too far.

Being employed means different wages than freelance. TBH 100/hour is not bizar

some people really have no understanding bout the costs of apps.
300k for an active game app is not that much tbh, you have to calculate running costs aswell for most of the time more than 1 year.

100k HK dollars = 9359 €
So it isn't that much as you thought :')

well 100$ a hour is big money. it means 16k for month. i work in Ericsson as software dev. and this is too much money i can say :)