1) Darkfall: No one should be surprised that the Darkfall developer(s?) have hit you up for more money. I don't care if they are charging you for the North American server, transfers or just because they are poor. I don't care if they are charging you because they are just greedy. Here's the rub: in the world of independent games (and a good deal of the time in the Big Leagues) stuff like this happens.
It's 50 bucks. 50. Ask your parents for a loan.
The dev's have already given you a game that, despite all gripes about it, has done more for "meaningful PVP" then most games. All games. Well, not EVE, unless you add on a cash shop. They need your cash. Pay it or leave it. But please, for the love of all things hardcore, don't do what thousands of others have done for many independent games: whine and bitch WHILE you play the game. Just leave it. Come back to it after a while, see how the changes are going. Don't give it, and the forums, that air of a rotting, festering player-base that seems to just HATE it's own game. Isn't that weird? People treat games like they would a significant other that, deep down, they wish would just go away?
Look at how I did it: I played it, had some fun and then stopped having fun. I walked away without saying anymore. The game isn't my cup of tea, but I will try it again after it gets fleshed out some more. I don't WANT it to close down.
Either pony up the petty cash to play this game you say you love or move on. Despite "evidence," I seriously doubt that the developer (s?) are/is a crook. I know it's fun to think he is, but hopefully the adults out there know that the dev is just a guy that wanted to make a FPS that allows cursing. But, making games is hard. And making games costs money.
Just pay it, or the game will go away. Then all you will have left to gripe about is how the game failed. And that's just boring. And welcome to the world of separate publishers, expensive servers and independent games.
2) Who do I support: I have been called a fan-boy (fanboi?) a million times, a brown-noser at least several thousand. Usually, the people saying it have no idea that my "loyalties" have never lay with one game, or with one community. I have always played a million games, but twice now have been deeply involved with specific communities.
So, do I normally side with the developers or with the community?
The developers, hands down. I always do. Even if they are wrong. Even if they are mean, and say mean things and do mean things like nerf classes. I do it because we, as the consumer, always have the upper hand. We alone control, especially in the MMO market, what succeeds and what does not. With that kind of power comes the ability to simply walk away from a game that does not satisfy you, and into the digital arms of another. Trust me, there are a million MMO's out there...surely you can find at least a few more that you will find fun. If not, I would hate to see your music collection.
3) Loose cats: If anyone wants to try, they can convince me that letting your cat outside, off leash, out of your yard and without a collar on is somehow normal, decent, smart or responsible. There is no way it is, period. While I think your cat WOULD be happier on it's own in the wilds of your neighborhood, I also think that scraping your cats brains off the side-walk because you wanted him to "feel free to come and go" is something you asked for by letting your cat loose. (Sorry, Internetz, I meant LOSE.)
Have a good one, guys, and be sure to send me suggestions for weird games to play on the stream!
Beau Turkey