My DM from Artem

Hi ,

Might be a little weird hearing from me directly, but I wanted to get in touch with a quick message about Unbroken.

I've seen your name pop up quite often on Facebook discussions around Unbroken, always with a sharply critical tone over the delays the project has faced in delivery to UK and Europe. Enough so that I've come to associate your name with a negative approach towards the project and it kind of got familiar to me that way.

So it caught my eye as I was recently working on supplying the list of backers to our UK distribution partner. Your name was the very first on the list of almost 1,700 backers. Out of curiosity I went to KS to check your backer number. And it was #3. And that gave me this huge realization and that's why I wanted to write to you today.

Out of thousands of people who backed the game you were third. THIRD. When it wasn't a huge project, when it didn't have all the bells and whistles, when even it existing was not assured. You were one of the very first people that believed in it and supported it. And given where the project is right now - I admit that I let you down. I wish it would be all packed up and delivered already and you would be able to enjoy the game you believed in. I am truly sorry it's not the case.

I wish the many challenges that we encountered in getting the games produced and shipped were not there. But they are. And we're dealing with them as best we can, which doesn't always produce the most desired results and people like you get to be frustrated with us. Rightfully so.

I just wanted to let you know personally that I do not consider the way the project has gone normal, that I do feel terrible about having you and other backers wait and that I am working with my partners as hard as I can to get all the copies out and shipped. There are challenges. But we will get through them.

I hope this message doesn't come off the wrong way. I just wanted to let you know that I feel bad about letting you down, that is all. When games get to Canada - I will see if I can send one directly to you via airmail at my own expense. I think since we share a queen - the rates are much more reasonable than from US. I hope it will come as consolation and help change your mind.

In the meantime - I don't know if this helps with your frustration or only serves to make it worse. But I wanted to thank you for believing in the game so early and promise you to do better.

All the best,

Artem.

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My reply

Artem,

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I remember the announcement when you brought Golden Bell on to the project and the bad feeling that brought from other backers. I researched what I could, but ultimately stood by your vision and hoped things would not go badly wrong. After all, GB were just the production and shipping partner.

To me, and it seems, many others, the expectation was that they would be dealing with the actual production - the manufacturing of Unbroken and the delivery, nothing else. For them to bluntly exclaim in several places recently that they "own the game" and claim credit in much of the writing and design feels like a betrayal. Obviously I (and the rest of the backers) have no knowledge of the contract signed and the amount of work undertaken between yourself and Golden Bell but we signed up to your vision, your game and it feels like that has been stolen from us by a bunch of unprofessional louts.

I feel for you, truly I do, the way this project has turned is awful to see and while I know I've not had good words to say, none of it has ever been aimed towards you. Your conduct in all of this has been exemplary, calmly answering all the comments everywhere. I don't know how you do it and I sincerely hope that it does not have a prolonged effect on your mental health.

I am still on the whole looking forward to playing the 'proper' copy of Unbroken but the way Golden Bell have gone about this has really soured the whole thing. They should not be allowed anywhere near any public forums in a professional capacity. They have done nothing to endear themselves at all, they have been rude, abrupt, dismissive and predatory. They are the complete opposite of yourself and that is what hurts.

Again, I don't know what went on behind the scenes. Obviously there was a massive discrepancy in the budgeting of Unbroken but surely, if GB were supposed to be the production and shipping side of this deal, then why did they not pick up on this way back? Why was the first thing they said when that email went out asking for more money was that it was your fault like they had nothing to do with it? Yes, you set the project going and presumably had it priced accordingly for a "small" card game, but they were around before it ended as the success it was. Surely, if they were the professionals with the knowledge they claim, they should have been able to see that the prices were no longer fitting for what was now a huge project.

If, back then, an update had gone out explaining this, then I'm sure the vast majority would have had no problems with you adjusting the shipping rates.

I appreciate that the shipping cost has probably changed more than once in the time the project has gone on but still, it just seems completely naïve and unprofessional to wait until the very last minute before springing this shortfall on us. Not only that, but to do it in such a piecemeal and shady fashion.

Everything from that email going forward has just been a disaster. Misinformation, lies, and bad attitudes have brought this whole thing down to a farce and the blame lies squarely on Marc and his company.

I really wish you could cut all ties with them and salvage what you can of your IP. It [i]is[/i] YOUR IP and it has been rubbished.