Jolt closes NationStates 2

[[violet]]

Email sent from Jolt to NS2 players:

Dear Rulers,

As you know, NS2 launched in beta several months ago and has suffered from intermittent stability issues, mostly relating to the growing in-game economy, diplomatic networks and Alliance complexities. On July 1st, we are going to be taking the game down in order to perform substantial work on its architecture and features. This will not be a simple process and we are not able to give a definite timeline for when the game will return.

To ensure that players do not lose out because of this interruption, we will be turning off new registrations and payment options this week.

We regret having to take such extreme action but unfortunately, the underlying design of the game has several major flaws which must be addressed otherwise it will become irreversibly broken. As soon as we have new information, you'll be informed. In the meantime, perhaps we could interest you in Utopia Kingdoms? It's a game which is heavily based on the management of a kingdom and its associated economy and military. Certainly not a carbon copy of NS2 but hopefully something to get involved with until NS2 returns. This is a link just for NS2 players: here

Regards,
The NS2 Team

Reported here and here.

Edit: Response from us here.

Edit 2: Whoops, fixed second link to initial report.

[Unibot]

So do we think this is their way of sugar coating their massive failure of NS2, and the eventual final closing of the game... or are they telling the truth, this closure is just for repairs?

Personally, once they started trying to shove that other game down my throat I got the feeling, NS2 isn't coming back.

It's not really a loss - not anymore atleast.

[Unibot]

And by the way, might I say, what a warm-fuzzy and classy post, Max.

[Triniteras]

Nationstates 2 is foolery for it's multiple "worlds". The forums are here and it does not have enough content to run on it's own. If it had one, all-encompassing "world" there might be enough activity within to make it more worth-while. Nothing ever happens in it otherwise.

[Valipac]

*thumbs-up*

[Erastide]

Yeah, the push towards Utopia was a nice underhanded touch on their part.

[Romanar]

I can't say I'm surprised. They really f'd up with NS2.

[Taledonia]

Quite enjoyable. I knew NS2 was made of fail as soon as I heard how the war feature was going to work. After that, I also realized how poorly the economy simulation was, and generally how poor overall the project was. Shame on Jolt.

[Sylvonia]

I never did enjoy it. I think my nations lasted all of two weeks before I said enough. Seeing as Jolt doesn't appear to be paying Max anything for NS2, nor do they seem to care much about the players, we can always hope Max will take over NS2 and build it into a proper version that actually makes sense and then find someone to host it who will contribute more than a an innumerable swarm of advertisements.

[Call to power]

out of interest does Nationstates actually make any money? the book sales can't be that good surely

because we're a cool site

slanderous lies!

[Pantera]

The whores. FUCK COMMERCE!!!

Uh, I would assume since NS was associated from the beginning with Jennifer Government that Max spoke with his lawyers and registered some sort of tm on the name? I don't know much of the legalese around things like this, but it seems a good slap in the mouth from Max's lawyers, in the form of a cease and desist letter, would see Jolt's whoremongering come to a stop where his interests are concerned...

[Justorica]

Personally, I think Max Barry should do something legal about this. ( If possible, sue Jolt.)

[Fluffywuffy]

This is not surprising, considering NationStates 2 was absolutely retarded. The calculations were horrid.

[[violet]]

out of interest does Nationstates actually make any money?

No, but since we went self-hosted we have been able to cover costs from the Google ads.

[Sylvonia]

Personally, I think Max Barry should do something legal about this. ( If possible, sue Jolt.)

That quite possibly could happen. Jolt just kinda ran with Max's idea and churned out some deformed NS/demon spawn. I'm just going to hold out hope that they'll make a real NS2, one that Max has more control over so it turns out better.

[Goobergunchia]

out of interest does Nationstates actually make any money?

No, but since we went self-hosted we have been able to cover costs from the Google ads.

So no more juggling kittens in the streets of Melbourne?

[Daistallia 2104]

Time to but on my dancing shoes...

[Daistallia 2104]

Personally, I think Max Barry should do something legal about this. ( If possible, sue Jolt.)

Indeed

[Vault 10]

Uh, I would assume since NS was associated from the beginning with Jennifer Government that Max spoke with his lawyers and registered some sort of tm on the name?

When you publish a book, normally, you transfer all the rights to the publisher.

[Barringtonia]

When you publish a book, normally, you transfer all the rights to the publisher.

Looking at the big Nationstates band at the top of the forums, it has tm there.

I think the explanation was that Max owns the name but Jolt/OMAC owns the actual coding of the game.

As soon as we have new information, you'll be informed. In the meantime, perhaps we could interest you in Utopia Kingdoms?

So, probably no NS2 ever then.

[Xomic]

I have to admit I rather enjoy this Utopia game... sort of, I fear it'll probably get old fast, much like NS2 has.

I have mixed feelings about NS2, I liked the way we had a GDP inaddiation to population, but it is pretty disappointing.

I think what I'd like for NS3 or what have you, is maybe a /real/ video game, something like the sims or such, not because I don't enjoy NS1's formate, but because I'd really like to build a nation that 'really' existed.

[Third Spanish States]

I think what I'd like for NS3 or what have you, is maybe a /real/ video game, something like the sims or such, not because I don't enjoy NS1's formate, but because I'd really like to build a nation that 'really' existed.

There was a game developer(Stardock I think) trying to do a MMO under the same basic concept(except it would be on feudal Duchydoms rather than full-fledged nations), but it became vaporware now, and besides it was set in the medieval age. As for a The Sims like game, no thanks. I was thinking more like a Civilization-like game set as a Massively Multiplayer Strategy Game with roleplaying elements, maybe with one server for each tech level or something like that and roleplaying servers as well for people who want to use messaging representing their characters without 1337 speak.

But face it: that is never going to happen.

[[violet]]

I think the explanation was that Max owns the name but Jolt/OMAC owns the actual coding of the game.

That's about right.

[Reploid Productions]

I freely admit to having my own bias very firmly against Jolt (see the News post for details as to why), and while I feel bad for the folks who gave NS2 more of a chance than I did, or heaven forbid paid them actual money for their so-called 'premium' extras, mostly I find myself enjoying a malicious sort of glee.

Burn the servers and salt the remains and all that. I just hope other indy game developers learned from what's happening and steer clear of Jolt/OMAC. They've done nothing except add ads and destroy communities with their shoddy work; just look at the people posting here that are celebrating that they can post with their nations now! We'd been trying for years to get uncommunicative Jolt to work with us on fixing that forum integration problem that was systematically screwing users over.

And they want people to pay money to get screwed? Sorry, but if I'm going to pay to get screwed, it's NOT gonna be by a game company.

[Super-Chechnya]

Well, I'm very unsurprised that NS2 has come to this point. That said, New isn't always better.

NationStates Classic has been a true classic, and it always will be.