Still waiting for Valve to approve Divergence Online for its inevitable Steam early access release? Stained Glass Llama’s Ethan Casner is too. While we all tap our feet impatiently, he’s penned a rant against “gaming yelp reviewers“:
The “gaming yelp reviewer bullshit” has got to stop. We get way too many requests every single day from people offering to give us a good review on steam in exchange for free game keys. […] Any requests made to Stained Glass Llama for the intention of getting free keys will be summarily ignored. Any “repeat” requests, threats, or offers from so-called “reputable” reviewers, streamers, whoemever, offering a favorable review in exchange for free stuff will go on a nice little list that I’m building up of “sources you trust for reviews which offered to give me a blanket good one in exchange for free stuff,” to be dispensed to your own community if and when I feel like it, assholes.
If everyone who has asked for a free key in the last two weeks had contributed to our IndieGoGo, not only would it have not failed but the game would be substantially more complete right now, so our loyalty and willingness to “do favors” extends entirely to those who actually helped us get where we are, both in the past, present, and future. You buy the game = We give substantial shits about your well being and will aspire to do everything in our power to reward your generosity. Those are our people; Not the legions of wannabe PewDiePies who feel 1,100 subscribers makes you an authority in anything.
So pretty much this. It hopefully goes without saying that Massively OP does not trade positive coverage for keys. Or do reviews. Or use Yelp.
Casner reiterates the weekend’s big news: that the launch of the game is awaiting Valve’s final round of approval and that the delay from January 1st in unintentional and unwelcome. He further discusses the game’s core biomes and optional “synthetic” characters, who are challenged with special hardcore/hardmode gameplay forbidding them to wear armor.
The game is known best to our community for its Star Wars Galaxies influences and its community-inspired goal to implement a consensual PvP server. Casner told us back in September that while his game does appear to use some non-Star-Wars assets that are exceedingly similar to SWG’s, his counsel has advised him he’s “miles away from any legitimate infraction” and doesn’t fear Disney’s legal might.
