Yavn Speaks 4/4 - More rule reminders and a small update on a sporting event.. yawn!

[mtlhddoc2]

"Look our salaries aren't the greatest because you aren't paying to play"


:

I can guarantee, all the programmers are making at least six figures. And honestly, it does not matter what they make, they provide a service. Under NO circumstances can a service provider YELL at a customer like Yavn did. If I ever took even a harsh tone with one of my clients, I would be fired on the spot.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I have to be honest I am a little surprised with how harsh the response is. They obviously were addressing some of the concerns posted here and the other fan sites.

I am not sure what everyone expects.

Player respect. An apology for ending the quest early which HELPS the cheaters and HURTS the honest players. The quest to run again for those that believed they had the time that VMK took away without proper notice.

I realize it may seem to Aengus and others who won that people should have moved on by now but I think some are still bitter....

If by "won," you mean, "completed the quest," I would fall into that category and I have become VERY bitter about VMK from this nightmare that they created. I am trying to find the magic again, but am so hesitant to get excited about anything in VMK after what they did on Tuesday and the complete lack of respect for the players. Again, I stress this is NOT in reference to in-game hosts / staff, but the decision makers.

I totally understand your point, and I totally understand wounds need time to heal. Its just that I feel almost like they reached out to help the process and everyone just cut their hand off @_@

Did they reach out? Did I miss that part? (seriously asking....)

VMK made a mistake.. but they never apologize properly

Exactly.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

ok...

I just need someone to clarify something for me. Some parts of yavn's newsletter just weren't totally clear to me...

So is VMK free?

 

[Disney Dreams]

...If they want to make it up, try giving them another opportunity to get some silver ears, like in a host game or easier quest. ...

EGAD! No! That would be soooo not fair to those who worked and worked all weekend to earn theirs.

Open the quest again.

That gives those who didn't get to finish, the time VMK took away from them. It also LOWERS the value of the goods that the cheaters got.

ok...

I just need someone to clarify something for me. Some parts of yavn's newsletter just weren't totally clear to me...

So is VMK free?

Thank you for that laugh!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

Pirate Pin Packs... $15 x 23

Blu-ray... $30 x 5

Disney DVD's... $24 x 4

Tank of Gas driving to the Parks... $70

Annual Pass... $379



For a FREE game, $1040 is a lot of money that could easily have been spent elsewhere.


Cut the ********, Yavn. I have complained for over a year that you don't update your newsletter regularly with new updates for the game, yet here you are posting twice in one week. You sure are doing as much as you possibly can to make your loyal fanbase hate the game.



(Note: If the DIS Language Security System didn't convert my "eccentricities" to something acceptable, then I'll edit immediately)

 

[AmberDaze]

Our family plays another FREE online multiplayer game occasionally (we joined a few months ago (it includes the option to pay for other virtual items inside the game and also real items). I cannot begin to tell you the difference between that game and VMK. This other game sends out constant announcements to players, and in these announcements they let us all know what is going on with the game (when it's down, what they're doing to fix it, etc.); let us know about new items; keep us informed about other things relating to the game; and they have also apologized to their players many times (for mistakes they have made; for certain aspects of the game not working, etc.). I highly doubt they would want to lose their fans. After all, as I have said before...a game without players is nothing...even a free game. DO we have the right to be treated with respect even in a free game? I believe we do.

 

[DisPlayer]

My opinion is that the reason he borught up that vmk is FREE so many times, is that seeing it is FREE, we have no reason to EXPECT anything. Think about it ,why else would he do that?? I am sure they received plenty of complaints with the big quest, and don't want to deal with it.

But I don't feel the game is totally free, and yes it is a advertisement for disney to get people in there parks to really spend some cash.If you like disney then if possible you will go to their parks.

Vmk attitude has changed in the past 6 months , MY opinion again, use to be a time you could contact them with a question etc and get a response that was as if they read your letter,now more responses are canned and say, just read the player guide.

Free game play,you get what you get, we in playing a free game, have no voice, and they don't want our opinions positive or negative and we are not to have expectations. Thats what I got out of his letter.

 

[vmkfan13]

I have advice for yavn:

1. Retire the words promise, soon and FREE FREE FREE.

2. Write more frequently and write more things that people actually want to hear..

3. Make better apologises..

Anyone want to continue the list?

 

[DisPlayer]

I have advice for yavn:

1. Retire the words promise, soon and FREE FREE FREE.

2. Write more frequently and write more things that people actually want to hear..

3. Make better apologises..

Anyone want to continue the list?

Can I have FREE please?
4. Make no promises you can not, or have no intention of keeping

 

[NotAZoo]

I can guarantee, all the programmers are making at least six figures. And honestly, it does not matter what they make, they provide a service. Under NO circumstances can a service provider YELL at a customer like Yavn did. If I ever took even a harsh tone with one of my clients, I would be fired on the spot.

I am sure some of them do pretty well, however being in the industry and checking out some of the Disney Jobs...I can assure you they aren't all that well off. Especially those who are young with only a few years out of school.

The fact is I have a feeling that there have been a lot of meetings where the VMK head staff have had to plead their case to the Disney brass to remain in business, hence the major push to be a glorified Advertisement lately. Eitherway I am sure VMK is under tight pressure to keep the purse strings tight because of the fact they are a not for profit cost center. In business you have to be pretty lucky to stay around this long when you cost the bigger company money and yet see nothing coming in that can be considered a "hard" dollar profit. Anything that Disney gets via movie purchases, people going to see the latest Hannah Montana, playing Toon Town, can only be somewhat quantified as a "soft" earning and it is hard to put a dollar on that. So all in all I think the cost to keep VMK afloat is rather slim for what it is they are actually doing.

(And again this is all based on my assessment of understanding similar business models and being part of the executive ranks in the IT industry for a while now. Things could be very different, however my guess is that the situation isn't that far off.)

Per the other piece you mentioned, you are absolutely right in that they (VMK) are providing a service. Like I said in my rant, they also are under the Disney umbrella and should hold themselves to the same standards. If this was one of my people addressing a couple thousand users and "Disney Brand" faithfuls the way the message came accross...I would be quick to call them into my office for a little "career mentoring session".

 

[mtlhddoc2]

Well, being in the business myself, I have never met a programmer at a major company making less than $100,000 per year. Even Helpdesk personnel make $45-60k a year - and Yavn is a producer, he makes, minimum, $300k a year.

 

[NotAZoo]

Well, being in the business myself, I have never met a programmer at a major company making less than $100,000 per year. Even Helpdesk personnel make $45-60k a year - and Yavn is a producer, he makes, minimum, $300k a year.

You hiring?

My knowledge on Disney IT salaries come from the inside...yes some do well but are usually at the Senior Programmer or Management Level....however most of those who do a lot of the leg work are suprisingly much lower than $100K, more like $45-60K. I know what your thinking "No way that is really low" believe me I was just as suprised. Granted the LA Market may be a little better than the Orlando area, but even in NYC the Disney programmers are not 6 figures. Now $45-60K is still no chump change, however with the flooded market of programmers and influx of offshore programmers coming in at $38/hr which is much lower than US rates...there just isn't the need to pay that much anymore. Believe me I have been there and spent plenty of years starting off coding in C and believe it or not COBOL...YIKES! I would have went to MedSchool if I knew the IT industry would have got slammed in the past 8 years....not as glorious as the 90's where turning on a PC could get you a job at $50K out of college.

Anyway I think we bored enough people here with business economics discussion....but just figured I'd shed some light on where I was getting my facts and figures from.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Yavn forgot to remind us that VMK is free.

That would be akin to me telling my customers (who take advantage of the "free" service I proved) - Boy are you LUCKY I am here, cause it is FREE you know. Without me you would have nothing so take what you get because it is FREE. Now kiss my ring!

 

[fantasymooma]

I just have to say....

No matter what VMK/Yavn does, no one is ever happy.

 

[anya.sparrow]

I just have to say....

No matter what VMK/Yavn does, no one is ever happy.

Some of us were never a part of the disgruntled crowd before though. I joined that crowd at 12:02 p.m. Tuesday 4/1/08. I know many joined at just about the same time.

 

[vmkfan13]

I just have to say....

No matter what VMK/Yavn does, no one is ever happy.

Actually, many of us were happy with some of the issues yavn released, that's why everyone expects so much from yavn. If he can't feed our expectations, we'll be disappointed.. He also should stop trying to estimate release dates for upcoming things in VMK, only tell us things coming to VMK in the near future.. Instead of giving us hope and making us wait for nothing!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

Actually, many of us were happy with some of the issues yavn released, that's why everyone expects so much from yavn. If he can't feed our expectations, we'll be disappointed.. He also should stop trying to estimate release dates for upcoming things in VMK, only tell us things coming to VMK in the near future.. Instead of giving us hope and making us wait for nothing!

PPR Ride Start and Flying Carpet magic?

 

[Nedakh]

Blu-ray... $30 x 5

Disney DVD's... $24 x 4

You are really paying a premium. Amazon sells most Disney BD titles for under $25, and some even $19.95. And the DVDs are usually $15 during the first 30 days of release. You should look into Amazon.com for your purchases.

Also I know everyone likes to buy products, but the fact is no one really has to in order to play VMK. I'm not saying do not buy, but the purchases are optional.

 

[Pirate-Emery]

You are really paying a premium for physical media. Amazon sells most Disney BD titles for under $25, and some even $19.95. And the DVDs are usually $15 during the first 30 days of release. You should look into Amazon.com for your purchases.

Also I know everyone likes to buy products, but the fact is no one really has to in order to play VMK. I'm not saying do not buy, but the purchases are optional.

Disney DVD's are expeeeeensive at Borders, which is far cheaper than buying at the college bookstore. Which is slightly ironic because video game prices are very much discounted at the UCSB bookstore...

 

[mtlhddoc2]

You hiring?

Anyway I think we bored enough people here with business economics discussion....but just figured I'd shed some light on where I was getting my facts and figures from.

ROFL, ok, I will buy it.... But, you have to remember, the VMK programmers do not work for Disney, they work for Sulake, which is based in Houston, which in turn has starting salaries for media designers listed all over hotjobs and such for well over $100k a year.

and let me tell you, from living in the northeast myself, there is no chance any programmer would woirk in NYC or Boston for under $100k - honestly, it is nearly impossible to own a half decent house here on a salary under $60k - and thats after the market crash.