The original text from Anchor:
TLDR: it’s not worth the time, money, energy, effort, for what comes in return.
I have closed the chapter of Empires and Puzzles. I thought about it quite a bit, and came to the conclusion that it was best all around. I won’t be joining any other alliances or playing the game any further.
Being part of Departed was one of the best experiences that I have ever had in my life. I couldn’t believe the things we were able to accomplish as a team and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience. A massive thanks goes out to Avicious who started it all and created a vision of what it was like to give back to the community. So much of Departed success was built around his foundation. Thank you to Zero who has literally always stood by my side and always gave me perspective when I was wrong, I’m forever grateful for that.
But none of it would have even been viable without the many hours dedicated to the alliance that all of the past and present members of Departed. I haven’t seen a more dedicated group of people in my life. So many previous members of Departed have stuck around to grow the community to places no one could have imagined. Your service to the Family is great beyond measure. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of current members.
So why am I calling it a wraps?
A huge part of me wants to just send a message in my Departed chat and call it a day, leave the alliance and go about my day. Unfortunately that is unrealistic as I know the community will draw up all sorts of conclusions, answers and formulate whatever thoughts that they can. So I wanted to be transparent and clear.
I am overwhelmed.
I’ve always wanted to help people. If anyone has ever asked me a question in PMs I have just about always answered, it didn’t matter if I knew you or not. Generally that conversation would wind up having an answer and you’d go about your day. But that was my day, all day long. I am very grateful for the people that confide in me as a resource. Being the leader of Departed opened me up for a lot of exposure, and I did my best to accommodate all.
So how can I help answer questions without it taking up so much time but also give the help that people want?
Hero guide.
I’ll make a resource of my personal opinion on “which heroes to level up?” With the help of others I created that guide and felt that was enough to answer the most asked question in the game.
Hero guide turned out to be pretty successful. I more made the guide for people that knew me and didn’t think it would blow up the way it did.
More questions came, more information was needed.
I realized that the game was lacking serious direction in terms of viable help besides the forum and took to YouTube and started making content to help people out. Over a million hours of content were consumed by the public without any sort of revenue coming in. It was not about the money, I would not tell anyone to start a YouTube channel for this game for the money. It didn’t matter because I started this to help people and in return Departed was gaining a good reputation, which made recruiting a lot easier.
More questions came in, more help was needed, more content was wanted. Run Departed, oh and if you get a chance, actually play the game.
Okay, that’s fine.
4-5 hours a day, quickly turned into 10-15 hours a day of game related attention.
Hm. Well, I see there is clearly a need for this information, but I’m one person. If I can make this a viable resource to actually help people and justifiably get by on my bills, I think I can do this.
Let me put my personal business on the back burner and focus on my YouTube channel.
In comes SG.
“SG, I need your help. I am looking for sponsors for my channel to help make this a viable resource for people. There’s a lot of information that I feel would be beneficial to the game. But I also need to spend a lot of time to produce the content needed and I’m looking for support to justify the time.”
“Let’s talk it over with the team and we will get back to you”-SG
6 months goes by. My channel grow from 2k subs to 7k subs.
Hey SG…can we get a a final call on this?
“I’m Sorry Anchor, at this time we are willing to sponsor one off videos when we request it”
Hmm. Not the answer I was really looking for, but it is what it is. Life goes on, figure out another way.
Literally the next day.
“Empires and Puzzles purchased by Zynga for 560 million dollars”
Is…this…real life? Hmm…
I suppose the content, the effort, the information, the help wasn’t really a priority.
It is what it is. Two options, continue to help people out, dedicate the time needed and find a way that makes things viable, at the end of the day I’m still helping people. The game either has to be about money or I can’t play it and will have to do something else to justify time vs income.
Enter today.
I dread the days when new summons come around, because I know I am getting messages from at least one of my alliance members who is quitting because of the unrealistic expectations to obtain a hero in this game.
I get messages from outsiders daily on the things that I am doing wrong.
“You only do this for the money, quit sucking off of people’s income and preying on the weak”
“You graded that wrong, how could you think that?”
“How could you let your annoying child go on stream?”
“You just want to control SG so Departed can get what they want”
“What leader would allow another member to win all the events, why doesn’t he kick him?”
Okay. I can deal with that, I still get a ton of support from the community that finds it helpful. When there’s one person complaining, 99 are supporting you.
Doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Major toxic blow ups in the forums. I’m still just pushing Departed’s agenda and only care about us in terms of 13 and 14* titans. Many personal attacks. SG does nothing but update policy guide.
And then sister alliance drama happens, again Anchor is to blame. “Shame to 7D name” “throw a tantrum”
Outer alliance drama of fires I have to put out, people are force to choose sides.
“Total ■■■■■ move, congrats on having 90% of the game think you’re a spoiled kid”
Here’s the dead honest truth.
The toxicity within the community has killed it for me. The lack of support from SG towards the players has killed it for me. The lack of expectations on our money in game has killed it for me.
If you look at any other game out there that has any sort of competition in place, the developers put in place ways to make it worth your time competing at high levels. This has none. The competition in place is set up just to spend more money or effort on the game.
There’s fundamental issues with the game and I truly hope SG does more to support the community to be free of toxicity and adjust expectations. Because I really do love and appreciate this game at its core. The return is not worth the time anymore, especially given the lack of support.
P.S no I won’t join your alliance, 7DD till the end.