Traveller's Aid #9: Fighting Ships of the Solomani is IN !

Status
Not open for further replies.
New special PSI skill, remote sense PC user error (AKA the Martin effect) :D
 
Allensh said:
Quite frankly, what Hunter Gordon and QLI have done darn near qualifies as fraud.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if I hadn't kicked up such a hell of a row about getting my money back for the QLI 1248 preorder (and threatened legal action if it wasn't done by a specific deadline), nobody else would have ever got their money back either (they said that they refunded everyone afterwards. ISTR that there was an attempt by QLI to produce actual books to fulfil the deal as well, that were really bad printing quality). What kind of RPG publisher holds onto peoples' money for three years without even offering to give it back to them when it becomes obvious that they wouldn't be able to provide what they paid for?

Incidentally, you can bet your other bottom dollar that if I hadn't kicked Hunter in the arse over 2320AD (and also CC'd those messages to Marc) after about 18 months of hiatus then it would have never been released at all in any form.

Other people have been giving Hunter hell about getting this TA out, and oh look, it's finally happened.

Are we seeing a pattern here? It seems the only way to get him to do anything is to humiliate him so much that he gets off his arse and does it (doesn't matter if it's me or anyone else doing it), which is utterly ridiculous. If he actually gave any kind of a damn about QLI or his customers, he'd do what he was supposed to way before it got to that kind of level.

I know for a fact that Hunter was very sore at me for the fuss I made about getting 2320AD out (gee, I guess I should be sorry for getting him off his arse to release it so he can recoup the money he paid Colin for it...), and I'm pretty sure he resented me for making him look bad in front of Marc regarding the QLI 1248 preorder fiasco - but he only has himself to blame for that, if he'd done things properly then it would never have had to come to that. That's why he doesn't like me, and since he's done his damnedest to screw me over personally since then, that's why I don't like him.

But I don't rock the boat and kick up the fuss because I don't like him - I do it because QLI's customers deserve a hell of a lot better than what they're getting right now. Before Hunter frittered away all the goodwill of his authors and of the other licensees (not to mention his customers) by deciding it was OK to disappear for months at a time without contacting anyone or even leaving his company in the hands of a caretaker while he was gone, QLI was doing pretty well. And since his "return" he's done nothing but screw things up even more for himself. The sad fact is that QLI could still be doing pretty well for itself if Hunter had played his cards right and handled things with any degree of maturity, but he didn't.

Nowadays it's patently obvious that he either doesn't care about QLI or his customers, or isn't able to care about QLI or his customers - and if either case is true, then he needs to sprout the balls to admit that QLI is dead and close its doors as a publisher. If that's not true, then he needs to stop hiding, stop making excuses, pay off his debts, and start running his company responsibly.

I'll point out again that in early July one of QLI's customers (Evil Steve) posted on CotI's Website Issues board that he was unable to download QLI material that he'd paid for (this is all public access btw, you don't need to be a CotI member to see this). Weeks passed, and he still was unable to do so. His patience ran out about a week ago, Andrew said he'd chase Hunter up about it, a week passed and still no response, and Andrew is "still chasing". Why the hell does it take over a month to sort out a paying customer's issues? Is he going to have to threaten Hunter with legal action to get what he's paid for too? And the sad thing is, this has happened repeatedly over the past few years with other people at QLI.

Hunter's very quick to show up to ban people from his forums, but very slow to deal with anyone who's actually given him money in the vain expectation that they'll be receiving a product in a timely manner. What kind of priorities are those, exactly?

This happened once before in Traveller's history, with Imperium Games - they didn't pay their authors and ran a shoddy business too (I'm not sure how they treated customers, but it was a different era then and direct online interaction wasn't so prevalent then). QLI is no different, yet strangely enough Hunter has people who will leap to his defence and apologise for him and make excuses for him and even thank him for all he's done (whatever that might be). That I really don't understand - call it blind fanboyism, I guess.
 
Sturn said:
EDG said:
And how many people playing Mongoose Traveller do you think are playing in that area of space, exactly?

Me! :wink:

Me too ! Was that you I saw on Junction ? ;)

For those who don't own T20 or have done much fiddling with starship designs: Worry not, it's not as bad as some feel. Way close than trying to port TNE or even T4 designs -or, honestly, MT. They are very compatible . I've been using all the Avenger and QLI stuff for CT pretty much straight for ages - and as we know, MGT ship design is basically LBB2.
 
It's about frakin' time...

As someone who worked on the project, what was it, 5 years ago? I'm glad it finally saw print.

But it saddens me to learn about what has been going on at QLI those past few years, and why it seemed as if the doors were closing on T20, which back in the day, I absolutely enjoyed. T20 was the last version of Traveller I play tested and designed ships for. Before that was GURPS and before that the ill-fated T4.

It has come as a shock to me to find out that there have been wrongdoings from a company that which I remember actually was good at customer service. I never had a problem with them and Hunter himself would answer my emails. Then again my last purchase was in 2004 and I think it was the T20 Vehicles series in PDF.

Pitty, T20 had such potential, and the design system was High Guard plus extras. Very compatible with Classic and Mega. Back in "aught-four" I dreamed of a TNS that had Solomani Rim War correspondence complete with ship battles from TA's 7 and 9. Ah to dream...

In retrospect to what I have read here, I am now a bit ashamed to have my name in the credits of both TA's number 7 and 9...
 
cmdrx said:
In retrospect to what I have read here, I am now a bit ashamed to have my name in the credits of both TA's number 7 and 9...

Don't be. Their wrongdoings aren't your fault.

Incidentally did you receive payment for the work you did for this TA?
 
EDG said:
cmdrx said:
In retrospect to what I have read here, I am now a bit ashamed to have my name in the credits of both TA's number 7 and 9...

Don't be. Their wrongdoings aren't your fault.

Incidentally did you receive payment for the work you did for this TA?


From the other locked thread on the topic, just as an FYI.

MongooseFordy said:
OK guys. I have no idea who QLI is or why you've got a big gripe with them, but you've more than made your feelings clear. This forum isn't a soap box to air your grievances. In fact I think the only reason this thread is still alive is because Matt's currently on a plane from GenCon.

QFT.
 
captainjack23 said:
From the other locked thread on the topic, just as an FYI.

If they want to lock this thread too, they're most welcome to. Meanwhile, nobody's forcing you to read it. Though if warning people about the bad business practises of a rival publisher is a bad thing, then I don't know what the world is coming to.
 
EDG said:
captainjack23 said:
From the other locked thread on the topic, just as an FYI.

If they want to lock this thread too, they're most welcome to. Meanwhile, nobody's forcing you to read it. Though if warning people about the bad business practises of a rival publisher is a bad thing, then I don't know what the world is coming to.

Actually, it was more a word to the wise - continuing locked topics in other threads isn't a great way to win an admin's love. Your call.
 
my 2p's worth. I think we've ALL made our feelings clear on this. I think QLI is dead in the water to be honest, the D20 system is essentially dead and gone (or at least that version of it) and I personally won't be making anymore anti-QLI statements.

It's done with for me. I thought I'd actually put it behind me until this thread but apparently not. :)

I no longer have any ill will towards Hunter and if anything he's taught me a valuable lesson about artist/client interaction. I wish him all the best in what he does. IF QLI ever gets back on its feet then maybe I'll try and contact him again but for now I'm putting the little gremlin back in the closet.

Anyone who's worked for him and had good dealings shouldnt be ashamed at all and considering the general tenor of the thread CMDRX you have my respect and admiration for detailing an example of a good working relationship with Hunter.

I'm hoping this thread won't be locked as its been an interesting, if sometimes pithy, debate. I hope it won't be locked because we'll choose to make the anti-QLI statements redundant.

Its just my opinion but I've said it once or twice but its getting a bit boring now and i can say that with a tiny patch of high ground as I was one of the wronged individuals ('wronged' feels to me a little harsh now these few years later)

C'mon guys, chalk it up to experience and lets get away from what is essentially a bit of a bashing.

From what I can recall all this business with Hunter going AWOL and the business suffering started with a bereavement (IIRC-Don't know if Colin or anyone else can 'co-sign' this statement).

Time to move on I say.
 
It was more complex than that. Hunter went out of touch for weeks on end several times befoire the first big absence. Sometimes there were reasons and sometimes not.

As to me, I'm sure the experience is valuable and all, and I'd like to move on, but seeing QLI still putting out product when they owe me for previous stuff dragged me back.

Still, chances are it wont't happen again. I can't imagine them actually putting out another product.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top