Studio Build: Asterios Labyrinth

[Tobi]

@Tobi

I’d like to clarify some things because people have been only reading this block of text above, and taking everything I said here as the whole story, when this was made before I talked to Vetex and about how I felt, and was my raw and unfiltered feelings. If you read some of my responses further down, I do acknowledge that I was wrong on many fronts, and some of my frustration was misplaced and misinformed. I believe the lack of communication went both ways, and on my part, I should have stated that I wanted to build more and do more for AO.

I think that was ultimately the crux of my frustration, and it had little to do with Vet, and more to do with me wanting to do more, not for building, but for other aspects of the game I’ve shown interest and have contributed to. While it didn’t help those multiple times, I didn’t receive a response when I offered to help with more music and builds, I think if anything I should have kept asking or just addressed how I felt instead.

I still do think there was a lack of communication on what builders could be doing, would be doing in the future, and why they weren’t needed to do anything at present, but we did reach out to Vet multiple times, and we did receive a list and some guidance from him on ideas for wilderness islands that builders could get started on for future Nimbus content. I did have to ask for the list, and for guidance, but that’s not poor communication, that’s getting the ball rolling, and me framing it like builders should have expected that lvl of communication from the start was wrong of me.

So to clarify, no I am not quitting AO. I’m still very passionate about AO, and I still plan to build and do other stuff around AO. If I make something AO-related I want it to be, first and foremost, for fun. AO is my source of inspiration and how I channel my creative energy. If anything I make aligns with the game, then that’s awesome, but I don’t want to get stuck into the mindset of only making stuff so they might get into AO. Yes, there are other projects I want to work on, but honestly, I still really like AO so there is no reason for me to up and leave just because I felt dissatisfied.

Summary

It’s multifactored, but the main reason was Inconsistent communication between builders that’s built up to feel very frustrating. To me at least, it felt, and still feels like, builders are not being taken seriously.

The people who I talked to have offered up reasons, like how we’re not hired on help so there are no expectations for builders, yet recently when Vet responded to a topic saying he needs a team, he specifically called out builders and recent examples of our work added in this update as a reason why he doesn’t work with people.

Vetex needs a team - Game Discussion - Arcane Odyssey

It was incredibly frustrating to read because at least a day or so before he made that post, I asked on behalf of builders what steps we could take to ensure that Vet could implement builds more smoothly. This request stemmed from a builder’s feeling of being degraded when Vet complained about the errors they encountered while adding their build to the main game. It felt demeaning to have builders singled out as an example of why Vet prefers to work alone, especially considering the effort we’ve invested in creating the best builds we possibly can for AO.

This frustration is also reflected in our interactions. When builders attempt to communicate with Vet, responses are not always forthcoming. If we try to continue the conversation, it feels like we’re being shut down with no responses.

For example, Misinput @ ed Vet if he wanted the file for Asterios, but after 8 days, there’s been no response. This was initially made in the builder chat on the 24th of April. I’ve discussed this with Misinput, and she confirms that she only tags Vet for significant inquiries and bug reports, yet she experiences even more inconsistency in responses, often receiving none at all.

I’ve asked about other builds on several occasions, but the responses have been inconsistent. Some remain unanswered, while others have left me even more puzzled after receiving a response. The only consistent aspect of communication is that builders are consistently required to initiate and inquire; otherwise, it’s doubtful we’d receive any response at all.

While I understand Vet may be busy or facing other complications, this lack of communication happens frequently. It feels as though we pour a lot of effort into building, yet don’t receive the same level of engagement from Vet. The builds I’m about to share have been completed for months, and despite posting progress pictures for months, I’ve never received any direct feedback or acknowledgment for most of them, leaving me feeling in the dark. Only recently have I actively pushed for more communication by tagging Vet and seeking clarity on behalf of all builders. However, it still feels like an uphill battle.

I’ve decided that this system isn’t the right fit for me. I think I’ll be happier by sharing these builds and focusing on other projects instead. This decision isn’t a reflection on Vet; I recognize that he has many responsibilities to manage. I’m choosing to move on because I’ve realized that building for AO is not what I want.