Dear Stef...

[Boomhauer]

I am posting this in the hopes that you will see reason, and overlook your personal wants, for the greater good. 
I believe that in the current state that AC is in, we will not last much longer at all. I remember fondly the glory days, when our number of players was in the 6-digit region. It is quite common to see less than 30 players in the MS at any given time nowadays. I feel that if you were to step down that these numbers are likely to improve. My reasoning behind this has to do with the changes that you have facilitated during your time in control of development. I expect that at any time soon, I will log on and not find a single player online. Our popularity has severely diminished, and I honestly believe this has nothing to do with the "retro" factor, as many new games in this modern age are based on older technology, such as 8 & 16 bit tech. 
I don't wish to prod you, nor belittle you any more than I already have. I only make this post public as validation that I have indeed tried to save our beloved community. I have stayed in contact with many older players, and this seems to be the consensus as to the only solution to our immediate problem with our game's popularity. I am of the opinion that XRD, jamz, f0r3v3r, Federico, and Medusa, among other talented individuals, are capable of coaxing AC back in the direction it needs to go (I have not discussed this with them, and they do not know I am posting this). I can only speculate that starting over again at 1.04 would be an enormous step in the right direction.
I politely ask that you turn over the reigns to someone that is more suited to the task of returning AC to it's former glory.

[Mousikos]

We should remove half of the AC servers from the MS. We should have a lower ping maximum (say 150). Hackers need to be banned not just from MS, but one very single server on the MS. Servers that welcome hackers and trolls should be removed from the MS (I'm looking at you [PSY]).

The BoB blacklist was the way to go.

[stef]

Boomhauer, you did ask me to edit out all the crap, that you posted to this forum. Was that also, so that it looks like "you tried"? (Btw, as you may have guessed by now, I won't do that. You can't just rewrite your past.)

What, in fact, have you tried? If you want to count this thread - where's the substance in that, where's the argument, where's the beef?
The general notion that you express actually just shows, that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Also, just as a sidenote: f0r3v3r stopped responding long ago.

[Boomhauer]

Boomhauer, you did ask me to edit out all the crap, that you posted to this forum. Was that also, so that it looks like "you tried"? (Btw, as you may have guessed by now, I won't do that. You can't just rewrite your past.)

What, in fact, have you tried? If you want to count this thread - where's the substance in that, where's the argument, where's the beef?
The general notion that you express actually just shows, that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Also, just as a sidenote: f0r3v3r stopped responding long ago.

You rarely respond with anything other than spiteful remarks. And what I asked you to do in a PM isn't something you should post on the public forum. That is what I'm sure most people would agree is a "dick move". Your response only shows your continuing ego-trip. I was respectful to you, and you didn't reciprocate. I am not surprised. I didn't want to rewrite my past. And even if I did, who are you to judge me to that end, that you are the sacred elephant record-keeper that judges me in that way? Forgiveness is not something you do? What's even worse is you think that my immature behavior on those several occasions is something you have the right to throw back into my face as ammunition. You realize that many of those posts were years ago? Do you realize that I have many traumatic experiences I've dealt with (just like anyone else) and I have used the AC community to vent frustration and anger and depression? I honestly don't have many friends, and sometimes that's by choice, and sometimes it isn't. Here, on the forum, and playing our little game, that's where the majority of my friends are. Sad, maybe. But that's been my life for the last 10 years. Yes, I have mentioned I make good money. You know why I have mentioned it? Because I am proud to be where I am. I grew up in the ghetto, at one point I lived under a bridge for 2 years. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. So yeah, I may be proud of where I am now financially, and me talking about it may come across as narcissistic, but it's not intended that way. I've said things about it when I feel my lowest, and want to verbalize how I feel about how far I've come in life. Money isn't everything, but try raising 4 kids without it. I have a loving wife and 4 children that all love me. They are all honor students and my 19 yo, my oldest, is on the president's list in nursing school. Mainly when I look back on those posts I remember what was going on in my life at that time and it reminds me, and shames me for the horrible things that were happening back then. What would you like me to say, stef? You constantly belittle any contribution I try to make. No matter what I may do, it's nothing to you if I'm not a coder? You've berated me for trying to "throw money at" AC in an attempt to do my part. Have you ever thought that there are so many things going on in my life that I simply can't dedicate the time to do any sort of development, but I do what I can, and try to monetarily support AC as much as is possible? I've offered to flat-out pay for the master-server, and donated money as well, yet this doesn't mean anything? Somehow my contribution is useless? Then why make it possible to donate on the main page? And it's not only me that you treat this way. Regardless of your continued defensive posturing, I am not attacking you! I have asked you to be reasonable. Do you feel that no one has the right to judge the direction in which you've guided AC over the past few years? You aren't a king, more like a president. And even presidents are asked to step down, stef. It's not a reflection on you as a person, it's just a statement as to your ability to do this ONE THING. I'm not good at everything, or even most things, but I know my limitations. And no matter what I say, you never find a valid point in it anywhere. Do you really believe I am such an idiot that NOTHING I say holds water? The most vicious of people can still consider that they are sometimes wrong. 

Look, I am sure I am fighting a losing battle with this. But look around, stef. There's barely any of us left. I can't say that's all your fault, because it isn't. It's likely I've even chased some people off with my hiccups of idiocy. But can you not even consider another direction, before it's too late?

[1Cap]

So much questions, so much things, 

perturb my heart, disturb my mind.
Every day I see so many people, 
they calling for peace, calling for love.

Just now I try to uncover facts about
the presence, nearer and far history.
Uncovering events happened in my lifetime, 
shocked I ask to myself: how is it possible? 

What are those societies, governments, 
institutions, politicians, people for? 
Can we understand, can we believe, 
can we accept that all around us.

So much deceptions, so much plots, 
blatant examples of distortion reality.
So much greed to own all the world, 
so much inhumanity, merciless arrogance.

They are those who want to rule over the world, 
they looking for and see only their interests, 
no nation, no person, cannot be safe, 
nobody is for them important.

Astounded, shocked of what I uncovered, 
what secretly hidden for long time to my eyes was, 
under the damned lies, statements about 'peace, humanity, 
human rights, democracy, human lives protection...'.

In the real the truth is completely different.
I suppose the most of people clearly see and know
about 'what is going on this World? , 
so as exactly see ' who caused this all? '.

There is one question I´d like to know answer
which not allow me peacefully live.
Are we able smartly stopping this all? 
' The King is naked! ! ! ' let us tell abroad to all.                          © shipka 

[Marti]

This is fucking amazing.

Boomhauer +1 for once
Stef always -1 (as you all know)

I agree there needs to be a change, and I know it needs to come from people that actually (know how to) play AC. And no offense on this part but stef you are actually actrocious at this game. Without the input of good players how do you expect to make improvements in this game. (Yes i have made multiple suggestions before you try and slam this)

And 1Cap what a fucking unrelated useless post

[vector]

thanks boomy being trying so long

---

nice to know you boomy full stop. You show every day you play the game since idk 1820 lol ex Des . we play a and some idiot wrecks it. Now we have a situation that if you do not have a top notch lappy no play

---

keep reading this boomy........... been there when I was 15 no parents. and yet here we are today with an arrogant german who thinks that expanding the game works,,,,,,,,,,, no
it means less access to lower grade internet access. we have failed

---

This game was built with an ethos of easy access for players in places of bad access
now it seems that i might be better playing steam or steaming pron its so bad.

[Cemer]

are the people mentioned here still responding and active? if this game is still to live, where have people spread off to community wise? i do miss the activity here on forums and stuff. i hope you all are well regardless of how we view each other

[Marti]

where have people spread off to community wise? 

Pokemon Go

[Mr.Floppy]

Well, I do understand the general frustration about an ongoing decline of AC's concurrent players and I also know Stef appears to be pretty reluctant to a certain way of approaching him. However, I absolutely fail to see what you people are accusing him off in particular here. What has he done about AC's gameplay (!) to bring you all up against him like this? I mean actual examples of changes to the game, not his behaviour.

I personally always got along well with Stef and as far as I know, he's the last active developer who's got what it takes to keep the game going and pushing a new version, which is badly needed in my opinion. I'm not saying he's the most forgiving and warmhearted or even only diplomatic man around and I don't expect everybody to make friends with him. Though, as long as we can't leave those personal feuds behind and start pulling our shit together as a community, how will there ever be a ground to build new growth on.

It's been a while since I last checked the WIP-version, which I can only hope, he's still working on because it provided plenty of improvements and fixes to bugs that got introduced by other developers' well-intentioned, yet sometimes poorly implemented, changes to the game.

Thing is, I also want this game to stay and would love to see the player base grow again.

However, as much as I do believe that people like Boomhauer and Vector, who repeatedly start threads like these, want things to get better, I don't seem to find the actual discussions about how to accomplish that. Where is the place this is even happening?

[Marti]

I don't seem to find the actual discussions about how to accomplish that. Where is the place this is even happening?

testers & suggesters forum if you have access to that?

rarely given feedback from devs on ideas that have been posted

[1Cap]

And why do you think the players want these improvements that Stef is doing?

EVERYONE has been talking about for some time that previous versions were more fun ...
They created restrictions for maps .. and where are the new maps? Where are the new maps compatible with these in-game improvements?
Maybe Drakas and Lucas have already won all the money they could get with this game ... And now it's the turn of LeXus friend of w00p to close the door and end the game.

[Mr.Floppy]

I'm afraid I don't have access, no.

[Million]

I can only speculate that starting over again at 1.04 would be an enormous step in the right direction.

Why would this attract new people to the game ?

What has he done about AC's gameplay (!) to bring you all up against him like this? I mean actual examples of changes to the game, not his behaviour.

+1, If someone can enlight me too.

Maybe Drakas and Lucas have already won all the money they could get with this game ...

Do you really think they earn money with afps ? And that they are doing this for the money ? lol

[1Cap]

Do you really think they earn money with afps ? And that they are doing this for the money ? lol

Drakas is a developer. In his portfolio he associates this game with the Action FPS site. Yes, through its portfolio, Drakas acquires new customers. So, more money ...

See the following:
1) w00p is the clan most associated with the Assault Cube
2) Developer Lucas is a partner of Drakas
3) w00p developed its own client for the game (wth) {what a difficulty to do this open source}
4) What Drakas has done is to only bring to himself commercial merit ...
5) w00p could help the game and not give support to known cheaters like LeXus ... But what does this clan do? Clearly supports this player who has always harmed the game.
6) Note: LeXus is on the Action FPS website as the best player. O M G!
7) Interesting to see Drakas and LeXus together on GitHub
etc...

And |Stef? Idk but the king is naked.

[Boomhauer]

Mr. Floppy I need to say since you're wondering what stef has "done"..
IMO it's more about what stef doesn't do, just like you mentioned. He is an iron fist, but not in a velvet glove. It's important to not undervalue the things you mentioned about his gruff demeanor and lack of diplomacy. It's his attitude towards the community, a (I can only assume) self-importance that lends him to think that his ideas are the best ideas. No matter what the input is from others "beneath" him he seems to believe he has the final say. Honestly, maybe he does. But that doesn't mean that the entire direction of development should be steered primarily by one person. It takes a team and an open-minded leader to keep anything at all moving in a positive direction. I surely am biased by my interpersonal relations with him, but I am also not lashing out. I simply asked for him to let someone else take the lead on AC. He is good at development, but not at being the head of development. I don't want him to disappear, but at the least have someone to delegate between him and the AC community that is more reasonable when it comes to a balance between pleasing him, and pleasing everyone else. It seems like more of a one-man show right now, and has for a while. And if it's not, if I'm wrong then I apologize for bringing it up. But if it is as it seems, I want to see a change in the leadership around here.

And also, When I mentioned starting over at 1.04, that was more of a reference to the time period, not the version of the game. I should have been more specific. Though I do believe that many of the changes made in the more recent versions that are overly concerned with fair-play have really taken some of the coals out of the fire. I have said before, and I'll say it again, AC should NEVER be about fair play in respect to skill. Yes, we need even teams. Yes, banning hackers and abusers is important. But absolutely NO to the constant concerns as to the weapon balance and hit-boxes. They were good around that era. And everything done to them since then is a reflection of a newer "everyone gets a trophy" generation, and it's a huge step in the wrong direction. Some people are more skilled than others, and tipping the balances towards the rest of the players causes an overall loss of respect for the game. It's not the same for "pros" and it's more easily a joke for others, because there is less of a competitive edge needed to get better. It used to be an elitist's game, and a lot of people had a problem with that. At first they simply didn't understand that they just needed to play more and eventually they would be on a higher tier if they stuck around (which they often do). I saw it time and time again. Being dominated makes them try harder and harder, even if it pisses them off most of the time and they cry "hacker!" It did for me, and every other player that's been around here for years and years. Instead, they insisted on bringing the game down closer to their level, like the last sulking kid to be picked in a sports game. We are pandering to the wrong part of the community.
I feel like a broken record saying these things, because they are so obvious to me, and I just don't see why so few people seem to get it.

[Million]

bs

Woaw. Get over your obsession with Lexus.
At least they are doing something for the game. What have you done except crying on the forum ?


@Boomhauer
I will not say I know why there are so few player atm, but it's probably not because of the game being "too balanced". If I play in a pub I have 99.9% chance of winning a duel vs a new/average player  so I think the game is still kind of elitist.
Of course we'd all like to get back to the period of 104 with all the life in the game, but I think It'll never happen (Getting the game on steam maybe ? :] )

[1Cap]

Million, please. I know you're smarter than this .... It's not about obcession. The biggest enemy of online games are cheaters. Cheaters have already destroyed many games. I do not need to give you details, that's clear and a 100% correct information.

Think about,  w00p is the reference clan for lot of current players and a big reference to new players too. Now search the AC OFFICIAL FORUM for cheaters, who is there?  Now search the AC OFFICIAL FORUM about LeXus. Dont need to search to much.  Can you see?
Go to the ACTION FPS website and see who is featured as the best player? Who is there agian?

What I question is that Drakas needs to think about the game and not just make money with it. No ofence.
Do you really believe that the w00p clan has no responsibility for ever letting that cheater and impersonator (LeXus) play on its servers (Aura, Califa, etc.)?

No! Action FPS and w00p clan are not 2 separate and independent things. w00p distributed the client to the game that Action FPS uses for statistics. I'm wrong? There is no relation?

Action FPS is a project that related to Drakas (w00p) and Lucas (game developer this game).
It is not a dispute of who does or who did more for the game ... This is childish. The question is who is harming the game. And this is clear.

The king is naked, but the queen of hearts is also.

[gy_be]

many drugs

[Boomhauer]

I have to say, 1Cap... I rarely have any clue at all as to what you're saying.

[Delacroix]

Yep, sorry for the stupidity.

[Boomhauer]

You know, these types of posts just give the ***devs a reason to lock my thread. Go and post nonsensical shit on another thread ffs.

[gy_be]

Implying this thread was ever sensible

[1Cap]

There is nothing wrong with this thread.
Locking the thread because of haters or spammer is a dumb thing.
But I understand what you mean.
Even confusing or even if you disagree, you see, my posts are not out of context.
Unlike other posts in which it is evident the motivation to harm this thread.
Your point of view is clear. Your opinion on who is leading the development is also clear ... Clearly this is what this thread talks about.
But no, the tactic is to get details on what you wrote and reverse it against you. People who do this are toxic to the game.
--About this all I agree with the idea that YES, there is a much larger audience for the game. It depends only on advertising and some interface settings.
However many of those who can do something are just sucking every drop of the game for money.

[mhsaleh]

We should remove half of the AC servers from the MS. We should have a lower ping maximum (say 150). Hackers need to be banned not just from MS, but one very single server on the MS. Servers that welcome hackers and trolls should be removed from the MS (I'm looking at you [PSY]).

The BoB blacklist was the way to go.

1st anti-cheat then local bans ... 1st account warning then ms ban... some players dont care about ac and think its fun to cheat cause there is no anti-cheat and also there are lots of vpns and no real account(no registration system) (just buy a sim for 5 dollar (at least in iran) and have a new ip for playing... if u want to change, just pay 1 dollar (or fewer! and change sim for 4g net ... makes 100 ping)

[Boomhauer]

Implying this thread was ever sensible

This seems like a personal attack.

[mhsaleh]

Whats the main problem? Lack of players number or...? If you think you have more power and ideas, fork your own stuff

[Marti]

Ya im sure drakas makes bank through afps lmao

[Boomhauer]

Yeah, close this thread too. Delete it, if you want. I'm done with all this shit. I'm tired of being trolled with useless bs. I'm done. I'm just another player now. I will leave all the decisions up to everyone else. I have no power here in any way.

FUCK IT

[1Cap]

do not give up. only be effective. go to Discord and say what you think so that everyone can hear. go to the irc and speak loudly. spread your thoughts on the game servers. Speak private, speak publicly. do not cower!

Are you tired? I do not believe.