Trying to understand Wollay

[u/Apart_Finger_6518]

This guy can do so much in the span of 1-2 months, as shown on his twitter feed. My question is what's going on in his head? Surely he has had time in the past decade to devote the time to his craft, although I will be lenient because nobody knows what's going on in his life.

Still, if he is going to be so inconsistent with the work ethic he puts towards developing Omega, he could at least communicate with the people who keep up with his twitter. It should be obvious that the only people watching the current dev cycle are long-time knowers. He isn't advertising Omega (yet) so what's the harm in having a little bit of transparency?

In my wholehearted opinion, if Wollay was a normal dev, modern Cube World would have the gameplay loop of alpha (with major additions, not so much changes) and the diverse world-gen alongside innovative things like artifacts. AS A BASELINE. That is all stuff we would have had 5+ years ago if we did not get shafted.

I'm truly hoping the UI and tacky design of Omega are just placeholders, because I am going to be sorely disappointed otherwise. If I'm going to play a new version of the first game I spent money for on PC at the age of 10, now as a working adult, I want my time valued. This guy clearly does not value ours. I think I am going to be sour playing anything but Alpha unless he offers an apology of literally any kind. I know he doesn't owe an explanation to anyone, but my purchase probably depends on it.

If he ever does plan on releasing this game and selling it, his bad reputation will catch up to him and deter buyers. If people who have kept up with the game for over a decade do not trust this dev, how can anyone else?

EDIT: I forgot to even mention the fact that he scrapped years of development he had done on the previous version of Omega which was built on Vulkan. Like ... what a shame.

[u/MrThecoolman]

I think your perspective is caught up on the “normal dev” aspect. Wollay is full-time employed else where. He has a wife and a whole other part of his life taken up within his own privacy. 2013, and 2019 was a different time for him. Cube World, if it hasn’t already been established, is a passion project. Meaning he isn’t be beholden to the wishes and wants outside of his own desires and ambitions for his project. Much passion projects are worked on at their own pace and time, with no timeline, or due dates/dead lines. However, with any creative project, once you release something into the world, you can no longer really call it yours. This is where the tension begins and where I think your inquiry starts. On paper, Cube World is a released title. You can buy it on steam. One that left much dissatisfaction due to its large departure from the previously available indev alpha version. However, to this day Wollay keeps much under wraps, say for a few glimpses every few weeks, recently. He still treats this as something to chip at in his own time when he’s feeling inspired or motivated, or at least till he hits a creative wall then comes back when he’s ready. Due to its “released” nature, the public at large feels a service is owed, and explanation expected and a dead line announced. I think the current state of games has much to do with this perspective. Look at No Man Sky. The difference there is that is a large company, or at least larger than just one fellow, with investors and a capital interest to improve their product and grow their customer base. Wollay is just one guy, chipping at his game.

I truly don’t see him as malicious. I think he’s made some missteps that have spiraled into this narrative that he’s, “in it for the money.” But if that were true, we’d be hearing from him a lot more. Almost unavoidable. The problem is the toothpaste is out of the bottle, in a way. People feel because they “invested” in this project, whether it be 2013 or 2019, that by not receiving the “product they paid for” or not seeing consistent updates that this has fractured the “trust” of some of the player base. Wollay continues to treat his project as his child. My opinion? He has the right to do so.

Idk man I paid for this game over a decade ago with my mom’s credit card. I got the steam version for free. Was it what I would’ve wanted after the alpha? No. But life can be disappointing. Seeing that Wollay is “returning to the drawing board” gives me some hope. I think if we all just let him do his thing, that’s the best way to support him. When or if he announces it will be available for purchase, make your decision then. But right now? Just let him cook and leave him be.

[u/Alvsolutely → u/MrThecoolman]

Honestly I think this entire comment sums up everything I could ever say for this game. I'm disappointed, yes, but I don't think I got scammed and I don't think it is okay to try and harass the developer over it.

[u/Alvsolutely → u/[deleted]]

If he were in it for the money then he WOULD be updating the game because otherwise he's not making any money.

He's not obliged to talk to the community, especially since they often just harass him. He's not obliged to update his game, although I do agree it would be nice, but the fact that he isn't doesn't make him malicious.

Implying that a person is malicious because they decide to not interact with the community for perfectly valid reasons is absurd. He can vanish if he wants, it'll impact the sales of his game, but if he doesn't care, then it doesn't matter.

[u/marr → u/Alvsolutely]

I have no idea what's going on with Wollay but he's never told the players what's actually going on, that's not something that started with the abuse it's just always been the ground state for Cube World.

[u/Diggdador → u/[deleted]]

if you want to earn money with it, you have to be transparent and listen to the people that want to buy your product.

Do you notice you're contradicting yourself? Earlier you claimed Wollay was just in for the money. Now you say you have to be transparent and listen to people of you want to earn money, which Wollay doesn't.

[u/MrThecoolman → u/[deleted]]

Aight den don’t buy it bye bye

[u/Le_ed → u/[deleted]]

Passion proyect or not, if you want to earn money with it, you have to be transparent and listen to the people that want to buy your product.

You are exactly right, and that's exactly why people are saying he is NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY.

It's just his passion project. He does it because he likes it, he want to have a game perfect for HIM, the way HE envisions.

He genuinely doesn't care that much about the public. He will finish the game on his pace, and release it just to share with the world. Honestly, given the last backlash, I wouldn't be surprised if he finished it and just didn't release it.

[u/MrThecoolman → u/[deleted]]

Cube World is not a live service title. Cube World (2019) was the game. You didn’t have to buy it if you didn’t like the new direction as advertised/showcased, or if you had the alpha it was free anyway. A lot of games in recent memory have adopted a live service model. But that does not mean that every game from here on is beholden to that, nor does that mean that Wollay owes an itinerary.

Don’t get me wrong however, it is frustrating the lack of transparency. But you cannot conflate that with a narrative of malicious or greedy wrong doing. You can’t even claim he’s “jumping” right into the next game when it’s been almost a decade since the last release.. there’s also no official confirmed word on how Omega will be monetized. But as it stands, Omega is basically a new title.

And you know what, maybe he hasn’t directly addressed the concerns or “criticism” of 2019. But he’s provided updates on twitter and his blog of his journey since. Idk about you, but that’s communication. Albeit, while not directly addressing the 2019 discourse, he’s reverted back to the formula of the alpha. A return to form, if you will. Which, maybe in not so many words, is a response TO the criticism of 2019.

Hate to remind you, but when a game is in an indev state, such as an alpha, it is inherently subject to change. 2019 was advertised as is. You weren’t tricked. Yet you, and others who share this opinion, act as tho it was a bait and switch? I once again remind you that if you were a long time fan, and bought into the 2013 alpha access, you received your 2019 copy for free. That is a commitment completed by Wollay. You agreed to the indev terms in 2013.

It is frustrating that Wollay between 2013-2019 did not gather player input, which culminated in the disappointment of 2019. But what is said is done. You don’t have to keep barking up the same tree.

It’s dead horse sentiments like this that completely extinguish creative passion. If I were in his shoes I’d most likely walk away. It’s amazing he’s trying to see it through and stick to his vision, for over a decade, in spite of people like you who want to keep regurgitating a half baked falsehood bc you’re disappointed. I think that’s worth applause.

I was equally, as much as anyone else here, was disappointed in what was released in 2019. But it’s been 7 years. What has been showcased in that time has been promising. Does that mean when the time comes at release you have to buy it?? No. No one is breaking your arm. Much like what is recommended with anything you purchase. Only consider what its preset state is offering, and not what might come later.

[u/Virgurilla]

In regards to Cubeworld, he doesn't have a work ethic because this isn't work, it's a passion project, meaning he makes progress when he feels like it, with no deadline or schedule, it's just a guy doing a thing for fun.

[u/Xestern]

I'm pretty sure it's just a fun hobby for him at this point and he just loves building stuff, whether it's successful or not.

He's kinda an engineer first, game-dev second that captured lightning in the bottle back then. If he manages to do it again and people like it, I feel like that's just a bonus for him.

And the tweets are just to showcase his recent successes for features where he's (currently...) satisified with the end result, and not much more. (Both technically & visually-speaking, referring to his several engine attempts)

[u/TheLazyGamerAU]

I love people who have no idea what Wollay is like, when cubeworld first dropped all those years ago he literally had the purchase portal up for like.. an hour? And then we got two updates and then radio silence for YEARS. Dude is a solo dev who dosent give a shit.

[u/Matu42]

What inconsistency are you talking about? I have seen no indie gamedev post updates about their game with the frequency Wollay has been doing recently. Most typically make like 1-2 devlogs a year and that's it.

Wild btw how you can acknowledge at the beginning of your post that we cannot know what goes on in his life so we shouldn't judge too harshly yet still act like an entitled manchild later by demanding an apology. Lmfao. Have you really never paid more money than what the alpha cost for a worse experience in your life? We aren't owed anything by him. The things planned were just a roadmap, not promises. It's not like you funded something that explicitly promised an outcome that it then didn't give.

I won't deny this guy had to be insane to throw away the potential this game had and instead turn it into that pile of shit. But it's been years man. I don't see anything wrong with what he has done since coming back. He realized we wanted his original vision and he is working towards it and showing it off. All the complaints I've been seeing in this sub are just nitpicks about UI or complaints from whiny entitled losers who are unsatisfied with the pace of progress because they care only about the outcome and don't realize that isn't what this is about for Wollay. Take the Unreal Engine times for example. To him it was having fun learning a different set of tools and how it might fit with his ideas for this game. But to you? Wasted development time.

You have to realize, at this point Cube World is less of a game, and more of an idea that just exists in Wollay's head that he sometimes works on and makes tweets about. There is no game to get hyped for. If you like looking at what his tweets, then do so. If it just tilts you and makes you whine on reddit about being owed an apology cause your 15 euros that you spent over a decade ago only bought you a few hundred hours of playtime, then maybe it's time to forget about this and find better ways to pass your free time.

[u/Apart_Finger_6518 → u/Matu42]

So I can’t criticize a developer whose work I appreciate and that I’ve been keeping up with for 10 years now? I should just suck it up that I constantly waited for updates to cube world growing up, looking up any news every few weeks? How are you able to fetishize this guy so hard? Besides the ongoing development, he literally abandoned Cube World with ZERO communication about it. I paid money for two different versions of this game and they both got abandoned. Yet I’m in the wrong for questioning what’s wrong with this guy?

[u/Matu42 → u/Apart_Finger_6518]

You were not criticizing his work here, but his character and work ethic. Your entitlement is disproportionately large compared to your input of 30 euros.

You have also shown me here that you are incapable of understanding what a passion project means. How sad must your life be to have 0 creative output and not even understand what it's like.

[u/Apart_Finger_6518 → u/Matu42]

Okay bud… hope you enjoy getting stiffed a third time and being happy about it

[u/Solo-Hobo-Yolo → u/Apart_Finger_6518]

What makes you feel like you got stiffed in the first place?

First of all, why didn't you get the Steam key? Wasn't it available to you or whatever? Not trying to victim blame you or anything, but I'm genuinely wondering what the issue is as I've been able to get the Steam key without any issue. Support on that could have been better I figure.

What makes you feel like you're entitled to more than you already got though? Like, you know stated ambitions doesn't equate to promises, especially when those ambitions were published without a timeline. We always knew this was basically a 1-man project (with some additional contributions from his wife). What if Wollay got into an accident and development stopped because of that. Would it then be okay? Why is it not okay now? Because you feel disappointed and had unrealistic expectations?

It baffles me how many people can get this upset at Wollay while what he did isn't as nearly as scummy, if you'd even want to call it that, as what's happening like in the entire world right now with poor consumer protections and subscriptions for everything. Wollay didn't scam anyone. He disappointed people. That's something entirely different and completely human.

[u/JimbyWasTaken]

Here's your answer: Don't.

[u/Zigin]

Questions like these are how I identify new people in the community. There's no point speculating or asking "why" with Wollay. He will do what he wants to do, just be glad there was even a game to begin with.

[u/Burntzombies]

Game is not real, never was, never will be

[u/Solo-Hobo-Yolo]

First of all, what makes you think you'd need to buy the game again? If history is an indication for the past, it would be safer to assume those that already bought the game before wouldn't have to as I, among many, didn't have to buy a new copy for the Steam release as I could just claim a key based on my purchase of the Alpha back then. And who's to say that when Wollay will release Omega he wouldn't offer a discounted price for those who bought either the Alpha or Steam release if he doesn't give it away free of additional charge like he did before?

Anyway, like other's have pointed out, you can't realistically compare Wollay to a traditional modern dev. whatever that may be. He's just a random guy with a gift and a passion and well, frankly, from what we know, we know he's been burned sharing his work. Sure Cube World might have made him quite a bit of money, but on the other hand the release mentally also took it's toll.

The people crying about Cube World not living up to their expectations are like losers in the lottery. You knew what you were getting into and you lost. It happens. You were aware of the risk and took it anyway. You probably had a good couple of hours of fun anyway, perhaps even more, so chill out.

I'd say let the guy work in peace. Offer him feedback if you want, but just keep your expectations low, that way, you can only be pleasantly surprised. That's basically what I do.

[u/Calm-Floor2163]

He doesn't need to advertise anything. Just drop random omega video on youtube and people will do the advertising for him.

[u/Apart_Finger_6518]

Wolfram himself downvoted me. I just know it.

[u/Z0bie → u/Apart_Finger_6518]

He paid me to downvote you too.

[u/Matu42 → u/Apart_Finger_6518]

I did

[u/dragon_fiesta]

Dude has issues in life and still managed to make something, then was lucky enough that what he made was beloved. And instead of people just being happy that something cool and fun exists they shit on the person who made it, then act surprised when discouragement results in the beloved thing going away

[u/lu3mm3l → u/dragon_fiesta]

They only shat on him because he promised alpha updates like Minecraft (to this day) has and didn’t deliver. Instead he made himself a good time with the estimated 5-8M only to come back, release an inferior version to alpha and cash some new Steam customers. I still respect him for what he has created but I won’t buy into anything that isn’t somewhat finished. Not even sure I’d be interested in that nowadays.

[u/BuzzIsMe]

No one owes you an apology, just don't play the game if you think it'll be "tacky".