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OwlcatStarrok

OwlcatStarrok



26 Jul

Hello, pathfinders! Hotfix 2.1.5n is here!

Comment

Originally posted by plushie-apocalypse

It was really as simple as making the data transmission an opt-in. It's already the case with save file and performance telemetry in the base game.

I hope a lesson was learned for Rogue Trader so a situation like this is avoided. People are typically ready to root for indie, privately held companies like Owlcat in an industry that is full of sellouts. Losing that goodwill with hamfisted missteps is a big shame.

I can confirm that all plans for usage of this software have been shut down, and it is not coming to Rogue Trader or any Pathfinder updates in any way or form.


25 Jul

Hello, pathfinders! Hotfix 2.1.5n is here!

Comment

Originally posted by immediate_bottle

Whelp, hopefully the people who saw this coming get more of a say next time. I guess it’s unsurprising that the decision makers are this out of touch, that’s just what most of us have come to expect from the industry at this point. 🤷‍♀️

They aren't out of touch, otherwise they wouldn't be able to react this quickly. It took less than an hour after the problem was brought to attention, to start preparing the shutdown.

It's more of an idea that looked decent on paper (effectively, it could become a good tool to vastly reduce waste of budget on ineffective content, which is crucial for a 2-year old game) but turned out ugly due to underestimation of reaction and an insufficiently clear explanation.

Toss here some side factors such as unusual patch size due to the Unity engine upgrade ("26 GB of spyware?!!!") and a general distrust of hardcore PC gamers to these things that are traditionally more a part of mobile market, and this is what you get.

What to do now? To learn on mistakes of course.

Hello, pathfinders! Hotfix 2.1.5n is here!

Comment

Originally posted by immediate_bottle

They probably expected the reaction to this could be bad so the response was likely already pre planned. It isn’t uncommon for companies to have contingencies in the event that there’s backlash to whatever nonsense they’re attempting.

To be fair, no, it wasn't a prepared response. It was an on-field decision to take everything down, by people with relevant authorities during an emergency meeting soon after the CM team has sounded the alarm. Some of us were quite pessimistic about this, so we were carefully monitoring the social media, but the scale of outburst surpassed the worst expectations, and it had to be reacted quickly upon.

Hello, pathfinders! Hotfix 2.1.5n is here!

Comment

Originally posted by Zilmainar

Thank you for the quick action.

Aside note: Do you have a reddit or place where you take suggestions or comments on the game itself? I know there is a Report Bug option in the game, but I have plenty of suggestion and comment that it would be tedious to keep using that.

Thank you again.

Hello. We read this reddit :)

The best and most useful way to deliver your feedback is to participate in the polls and surveys we sometimes make. Data from those goes directly into development. Threads and posts with large support are also always analyzed.

Note however that in game development, most of the time you are not limited by ideas. You are limited by budget and how much you can fit in within that budget. So it's best to focus not on offering new ideas, but on reporting the issues you have encountered.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by Jon_Mikl_Thor

A question as I'm confused on a point about AppFlyer. I've seen people mention on the Steam forums that this would log clicks on ads when you're browsing around to gauge advertising. So this app/service would have been running without the game open, just sitting in the background processes of your PC logging everything?

It wouldn't be running without the game open. But it's no longer relevant either way as the software has been removed.


24 Jul

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by Expalphalog

Hey, just letting you know that this patch completely broke my Divine Hound's Judgement. Attempting to activate any Judgement now results in a complete lock-up. A brief browse of the Steam forums reveals that I am not the only one affected by this. I have never downloaded any mods.

Thank you, yeah, we're aware of the issue, a hotfix is already in production.

Petition to Owlcat Games: Remove all user tracking

Comment

Originally posted by chilitoke

Do we have a way to sticky this?

Done.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by countryd0ctor

What can even motivate a game studio to add a literal spyware into a 2 years old release, knowing full well it will piss everyone off? Vodka? Krokodil?

I cannot grasp it. On existential level.

An attempt to optimize the budget spent for the game promotion. To prolong its life cycle and make it better discoverable by new players. Nothing inherently malicious, to be fair. But the reaction was by a margin more negative than looked on paper (and I can absolutely see why), so it wasn't really worth it in the end.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by PathThatIsNoPath

Everyone has cell phones right?! Can't wait for wotr mobile version, everything has 1000AC and you have to pay 1$ to lower it by .5 AC.

I see you sir are a man of culture, heh.

Change is being reverted. Thank you guys for your feedback.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by EJohns1004

Owlcat,

You are not a big enough company to survive pissing off your meager customer base with a short sighted move like this. This was a terrible decision. Undo it before more damage is done.

That is true, and thank you guys. It has been just done:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_Kingmaker/comments/158csff/comment/jta48ls/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by plumply

Can we opt out of the AppFlyer tracking part? I'd really prefer not to participate in this.

They've apparently decided to remove it and I appreciate their quick response and action on the subject. I think a lot of people would be more willing to opt-in if it was a toggleable setting when first launching like many other games use including Pillars of Eternity.

Update: Hey guys. We heard you loud and clear. We will be reverting this change, removing the software and putting back the old EULA with a hotfix in about ~24 hours. Sorry, and thanks for being so passionate and vocal.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Hey guys. Thank you all for your feedback on Appsflyer. We hear you loud and clear, and apologize for all the outrage caused. Honestly, it was deserved, and you being so vocal is what mattered in this situation the most and what helped to make the only right decision:

The third party app will be removed, all data already collected - wiped, and the old version of EULA put back by a hotfix within ~24h.

My personal gratitude to you for being so passionate to not let us make a step in the wrong direction.

Petition to Owlcat Games: Remove all user tracking

Comment

Hey guys. Thank you all for the feedback, we hear you loud and clear, and apologize for all the outrage caused. Honestly, it was deserved.

The change has been reverted. The third party app will be removed, all data already collected - wiped, and the old version of EULA reinstated with a hotfix within nearest 24h.

Petition to Owlcat Games: Remove all user tracking

Comment

Hey guys. Thank you all for the feedback, we hear you loud and clear, and apologize for all the outrage caused. Honestly, it was deserved.

The change has been reverted. The third party app will be removed, all data already collected - wiped, and the old version of EULA reinstated with a hotfix within nearest 24h.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by lbjwaswrong

By optimized does this mean the high risk of CTD when resting at port in Midnight Isles has been fixed? Edit: What disappointment. Even with a reversal this has completely ruined my faith in the company and I won't buy Rogue Trader. What a waste. Good luck to you in the future.

Should be improved! Would be grateful if you checked and came back to tell whether it became better.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by ProfessionalIll948

No, nor mods or dlc. Its actually judgment causing the issue.

Also, try verifying the game files and refreshing the cache by deleting all files except saved games, portraits and screenshots from the following folder: C:\Users\\AppData\LocalLow\Owlcat Games\Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by Xylox

Can't you just get the same info on steamdb and infer using sales and stuff on other platforms? Seems like a bit much to spend time and money on this when it's already freely available. Unless there's other reasons for it.

It's an automated tool, no more no less. Manually collecting and analyzing this data is woefully ineffective.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by ProfessionalIll948

No, nor mods or dlc. Its actually judgment causing the issue.

Please leave a bug report then via ALT+B, we'll take a look.

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by ProfessionalIll948

Is anyone else having an issue with the game crashing whenever they use judgement?

Any mods installed?

Hello, crusaders! An update 2.1.5m is here! A lot of locations from the DLCs have been optimized in the update. More details:

Comment

Originally posted by Alexcs98

I understand that this app may bring more precise results towards the goal of making more "effective" content for us but asking the community and doing voting pools wouldnt still be enough to generate likable content?

I mean, the memes are great, the art that you guys produce are epic but is it not viable anymore to ask what new content is worth instead of going all-out with a tracking app?

If nothing else, can you show us more in-depth of what this app is all about? More information about the app may make the backlash of being forced to have it more bearable

It doesn't install any software locally or track what links you click in your browser.

It basically connects together the data about clicks on ads and links in our social media, on our side, and data about fresh launches of the game, letting us know a certain post or an ad campaign was successful.