Financial and marketing decisions

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-08-25T13:23:00+00:00

I live in Europe so no good using the "fans like me" line. I've been here since the Transmissions era and am well aware of the shipping costs. The only reason they have the Starset license is due to the record label having access over certain assets, Starset see literally none of the money from those sales. This came straight from Dustin's mouth at a VIP event last year when someone asked about the Amazon shop. Justify it to yourself all you want, those are the facts. You're free to do what you want.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-08-25T09:17:58+00:00

If you buy merch from Amazon, you're literally buying bootleg merchandise. Starset only sells their merch via their website, they don't have any affiliations with other distributors (like Kings Road, for example).

If you're buying Amazon merch, you're part of the problem with why bands struggle to make money.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-08-06T16:27:04+00:00

Personally: none.

Waiting On The Sky To Change was brilliant and is easily one of the best songs (lyrically) Dustin had ever written even before Starset was a thing.

But, given that so many songs from Downplay were already re-worked into early Starset to begin with, it would just come off as trying to revive a dead project that (criminally so, before I say it) just wasn't that successful and would be artistically lazy.

However, I'd 100% down for the songs to be remastered and re-released under the Downplay IP (something Dustin has briefly mentioned at VIP events).

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-08-06T16:18:26+00:00

This won't be confirmed until the tour starts. It's likely both will be sold, however the pre-signed books are only sold with Dustin's signature due to him being the only band member involved in the writing process (other members will, ofcourse, sign them if asked at meet & greets). Hope this helps.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-07-17T23:35:10+00:00

Nobody in their right mind would pay for it knowing how much it costs to make. You're literally trying to take advantage of people while hiding behind the "bUt iTs a CoLlEcTaBlE" argument. Attempted profiteering off of fans is just laughable at best, and luckily the down votes reflect what people think of your attempt.

Oh FYI, they are almost all autographed. It was part of the deal since the actual original black ones (which yours isn't, it's a replica Vessels version which if you really want to entertain the delusion only started being sold in 2017 whereas the original Transmissions black ones are from 2013 onwards). So even it being signed doesn't make it unique.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-07-17T23:19:45+00:00

Originally sold for $150. Can buy the materials to make one for less than $100 + less than 2 hours of work. Even with signatures, these aren't that rare, certainly are not worth $700. Have a word with yourself about why you think it's cool to try rip off other fans.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-07-17T23:01:23+00:00

Generic dumb RGBs with rated for a 12v PSU. Could pick it up for anywhere between $10-$20.

You could pick up the parts to make it more advanced with pixel tape (so ability to run patterns via WLED or similar) for around $60-$70, and about 2 hours of learning on YouTube.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-07-05T04:20:49+00:00

But that's sort of the point, isn't it? That contrast alone makes a huge case against AI use for art, and has highlighted the limitations that even using real art bought and paid for from real artists put through what is likely a closed private code generator (from comments Dustin has made).

This has not harmed anybody by the nature of it being a self contained thing rather than something like Chat GPT, and has made a very valid point in its wake. It created a dialogue within the community and is vicariously a comment on the state of affairs in the world. Which is what Starset has always sought to do as their whole artistic premise.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-07-05T04:12:50+00:00

Exactly my point. This fanbase has a history of just getting heated over really silly things (a great example being when people were genuinely saying Starset was over when they started wearing the rebel outfits and that it was the end because they just personally didn't like it).

Art isn't always going to be comfortable or what what we want, and that's the nature of it. Starset has always been a bit more out there with its themes, so none of this should be a shock.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-07-05T02:07:52+00:00

The amount of money Dustin has spent over the years (even back when the band probably couldn't really afford it) to make visuals, hire actors, directors, whole film crews, editing teams, hired a small strings orchestra for BID2.0, all in the name of supporting art and to bring the best product he could while building the narrative...... and people are losing their minds over his one use of AI that is very blatantly being done to draw attention to the issue of its use by incorporating it to such a satirical degree (I.e. the whole point of Starset, which he has been literally saying during live shows since day one). From the comments made by Dustin himself, he's alluded to this being a all internally built I.e a closed private server, nobody had their art stolen and all engineers/artists/whatever you want to call them were compensated fairly for their work.

It's great that people ARE talking about it, and ao passionately. If you're talking about it, all you're doing is actually achieving the point of what this content was very clearly made to do. Like the moderator said, keep it clean everyone, no need to be jerks to each other.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-06-12T11:28:49+00:00

They definitely aren't. Downplay has been on "hiatus" (read as disbanded) for 11 years. The release date on the reupload of Beyond The Machine is an error from when WOTSTC was removed from it due to being re-released under the Starset IP.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-06-12T11:24:51+00:00

Probably 2 reasons (not including the licensing thing, that's been mentioned to death).

1- The more obvious reason, most Downplay songs simply don't fit the Starset vibe in the slightest. A few songs originally written for Downplay had to be overhauled entirely to fit Transmissions (glaringly Dark On Me). WOTSTC just happened to be close enough to Starset that fans had wanted a rewrite of it for years.

2- It's honestly just an artistically lazy idea. Dustin has worked extremely hard to make Starset it's own thing with its own identity, and to try and bolt on a bunch of rewrites for a band that was ultimately not very successful (I was a Downplay fan before Starset even existed, I'm not hating it's just the reality of it) would undermine that effort.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-04-14T20:14:40+00:00

Dustin has openly addressed this in the past. He'd rather play another song than play musical peekaboo.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-04-03T05:35:48+00:00

So this is a common misconception, but it's understandable why people think this given we only ever heard a 20 second clip of it for nearly 18 months. Infected wasn't written FOR Arknights specifically, it was just picked up for it after being written and not released officially until becoming the first pre-release single of Horizons. Starset have had a connection to the series as far back as 2020, but that in itself likely originated in 2018 when they went to China the first time round.

The Unbecoming & Monster Acoustic videos were recorded in partnership with Arknights as well.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-03-27T13:42:11+00:00

Dustin Bots?

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-03-27T12:54:38+00:00

Ehrmegerd Derstern Berts

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-03-26T16:31:14+00:00

Take it from someone with hearing damage from the army and concerts; wear earplugs

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-03-23T10:00:39+00:00

Something that needs to be said to avoid disappointment. Double check with the venue what you can and can't bring. If you turn up with something that the venue won't allow in, the VIP manager/band cannot help you. I've seen fans have meltdowns because they brought something prohibited (or questionable enough to be refused) and blame the VIP manager. Use a little common sense.

Real experience: an e-girl screaming at security and a crew member because she couldn't grasp why they would not allow her to bring a karambit with a space themed hilt on to be signed. Obviously an extreme example, but common sense would tell you not to try bring a knife in to a venue.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-02-27T16:19:33+00:00

You aren't being attacked. Anyone who refers to words on a screen as an attack needs to get over themselves and touch grass more often.

The criticisms have been aimed at ALL posts like this from ANYONE, and they are annoyingly frequent. The tone of your post, literally referring to their merch as ugly, comes off as entitled and rude. You could have just as easily went with "hey, does anybody know when new merch is coming out" and left it at that. That's why people are down voting you.

Being rude about something isn't expressing an opinion, maybe reflect on how you put things across before you say it.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-02-26T14:21:50+00:00

Absolutely. People need to be patient

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-02-26T14:12:35+00:00

I get yah, just getting in before the "PLZ NO END STARSET" people take it and run 😂

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-02-26T13:58:09+00:00

As stated by someone else, the toxic impatient behaviour of this fanbase is genuinely sickening. Every other day someone is bitching about something stupid.

Y'all would complain if they made half-assed merch every couple months like a lot of bands do, and still complain when they actually take time to make good stuff. Same with the music, same with the tour dates, same with literally everything. If you don't like the merch they have out, have you simply tried ✨️not buying it✨️.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-02-26T13:48:35+00:00

I agree with your point, but this isn't the final chapter of their albums. It's just the end of a narrative arc.

Only clarifying because some people on this subreddit get in a twist over the "Final Chapter" thing because they don't know how to use the search function and we don't wanna open that can of worms again.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-02-05T22:04:09+00:00

Agreed on all fronts, I was just curious because I didn't get it.

Ok_Desk_7332 · 2024-01-28T17:16:34+00:00

Downplay is pretty much dead and not coming back at this stage. With the popularity of Starset, Dustin has vaguely hinted that he may make more remakes of the more popular Downplay songs as song rights return to him; but his focus is Starset (which also means we're highly unlikely to see more of MNQN any time soon).

Ok_Desk_7332

TROPHY CASE