Man, Driftwood Publishing has really gone downhill since Jake sold it.
I'm talking about this because of a recent post I saw on the Forge advertising a new fan forum for it and the threads I then read on the official and now-completely-unmaintained forum regarding the current and on-going situation there.
And also because I know there's been very negative rumblings over the years about Driftwood's new owners from numerous quarters and I've always been curious about other people's experiences with them.
I can't say I'm surprised because I saw this happening from the start, what with their treatment of queries from fans -- either never answering questions or giving uninformative non-answers, and in such coming off "too good" for their fans -- and especially with what they did with the artwork I spent so much time on for The Flower of Battle.
Honestly, I've never been so pissed off at an outfit as I was over that; it burns me knowing Jake would have treated my work (and me, too, but I can deal) with much more respect if he had still been in charge. Had I realized what they were to do beforehand, I would have pulled my permissions for them to utilize it, but of course I couldn't know.
Anyways, as such, it isn't all that telling (to me) that they've had Sorcery & The Fey on pre-order for three years and yet won't talk to the folks who already sent them money for it, nor is it telling or surprising they continually give empty reassurances about the same needing just a little more work whenever the bi-yearly demands for an update from frustrated customers watching another promised due date pass by become too loud on their forums. Such speaks volumes about their business practices, regardless of whatever current excuses there may be, and even as valid as such may be when taken in isolation. Taken altogether, it paints an ugly picture of a company that just doesn't know how to function effectively.
I feel bad for the hardcore Driftwood/tRoS enthusiasts because I've been down this same road before as a fan. The publishers of Immortal did the same thing, dragging loyal fans on for years with promises of new and necessary material "just around the corner", none of which ever materialized. This fed growing disgruntlement and eventually a sense-of-betrayal among a number of rabid fans who tired of the empty promises and rah-rah-rah! rhetoric, no matter how heartfelt it all all might have been when given.
I know it led to some hard feelings and a sort of falling out between myself and one of the staff when I and a number of others finally snapped and began heavily criticizing the design directions and behaviors, the whole circus we had been investing in for years. We were tired and hurt and sick of it.
Regardless, watching that train wreck formed one of my foundational cornerstones for business practices, "Never promise something you aren't going to deliver when you say you're going to deliver it. Hype is no substitute for content, no matter how much attention it garners, because that sort of attention is empty and it bites back."
Which, not surprisingly, is also tied to the Asatru and ancient Norse ethic of always keeping one's word and thus not giving it unless you plan to do so: hell, high-water, or personal damnation being no excuse.
Mainly though, I'm sitting here wondering why Jake sold to the Driftwood folks -- it was such a very, very bad decision that was apparent early on. I can't imagine but I do wonder what line they sold him about themselves or their suitability as publishers and developers to make him trust them with his game and product.
At this point, all I can say is that I'm glad I got out when I did and was spared the frustration and aggravation of having to deal with the new owners and things like being completely ignored by the owners and not being paid at all for work long completed.
Which is also why, if you're an artist or other creative, you get a signed contract and half up-front and the rest before you hand-off.