So, it looks like my recent Gareth Skarka post was A Post Too Far:
https://www.tenkarstavern.com/2019/01/gareth-sharka-rings-in-new-year-pretty.html
As I did in this morning's episode of The Tavern Chat Podcast, let me respond to Gareth:
Yes, you could have walked away, but then you would be on the hook for nearly $50k in refunds. As you spoke earlier this year of a secret benefactor that was going to help fund the printing of books, there is a significant chance the funds are not available to fulfill your print backers. So long as you "are making an effort", even after over 7 years, the Kickstarter bill technically does not come due. Whatever happened to the monies raised for the Buckaroo Banzai RPG from preorders taken PRIOR to the Far West Kickstarter. Or do we not discuss that in "decent circles" anymore? As for still delivering, Far West has set a record for non-delivery and missed dates. Look at this list to jar your memory: https://www.mutedhorn.net/far-west-delivery-estimates. The list has been updated 73 times as of January 2, 2019.
Now, as for your choice of language, I wouldn't take you for a "C-Word" person. I'm married to an Irish-American woman and I've been exposed to the word over the last seven years (timed well for the Far West Kickstarter lateness) so whatever, but threatening to "punch me in the fucking throat" is a bit much. Threats of violence are a dime a dozen on the internet. You don't scare me Gareth. Sorry if that disappoints you. If you want to talk without throwing fists at a retired law enforcement officer (hint - violence is probably not a wise choice) I'll be at Total Con, Gary Con, NTRPG Con (apparently they are forming a posse so that might be one to avoid), GameHole and Shire Con in 2019. I'm not hiding but I'm certainly not taking a trip out to Iowa or wherever it is you live so you can bellow some more bluster.
Your done apologizing for being late? You mean failing to meet your own publicly stated deadlines and due dates nearly six dozen times you've finally run out of excuses? Glad to hear it.
No, a game is not life or death, but Far West is probably the death knell of your career in RPGs. When you need to write for the new Star Trek line under a pseudonym because the publisher fears bad publicity from you being attached to a project, the signs aren't good.
There you have it Gareth. I use your own words to show the falsehoods you share to your backers and the community at large. That is why you are upset. Your words and your failures.
Yeah....this guy is hitting Ken levels of BS.
ReplyDeleteWhitman and Skarka should open a combination game company and tough guy club. They could call it - Releasing Next Month Inc.
Ken at least has some humor to his boasting. Gareth is blowing smoke for his twiterrati brigade.
DeleteI bet he wrote more on that post and all his twitter posts TODAY than he did for all of Far West last year.
is there a convenient way to word count the twitters, I wouldn't know, I'm not a twat myself...
DeleteGee, would be a shame if that very public threat of violence made its way to the local authorities...
ReplyDeleteWhat good comes from publicly threatening a throat punch? Now it it happens it would be pre-meditated.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry I'll have your back at NTRPG.
"Its a fucking game, people. Its not life-or-death."
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice dodge. No one said it was life or death. And then only person talking about any violence is Sharka. And in the real world, real men know that violence can always lead to death. That's why real men don't make threats like that. Violence can go from a black eye to a fatal head injury faster than Con Man Ken can 'talk'.
Nice. Real effing nice, Sharka.
Its about money that people worked for and then invested, in good will and faith. It was their money. It wasn't a gift, it was an investment.
I had a dog in the Con Man Ken fight. But, through sheer dumb luck, I steered clear of Sharka. And while his constant updates and whining about his health are off-putting, his casual disregard for his investors and his dodge regarding the life-or-death comment angers me more than Con Man Ken's lies. What a douche bag.
And another KS I was in for formally appologized, released all work that was done and paid for, and is currently returning the balance of funds to the participants. That is how you step down with class.
ReplyDeleteOver here in the UK we have the perfect noun to describe persons of his (The Late Gareth) ilk. We would call him A Complete Pillock. Keep it up Erik. Jon Salway (writing as Quid Nunc).
ReplyDeleteOver here in the UK we have the perfect noun to describe persons of his (The Late Gareth) ilk. We would call him A Complete Pillock. Keep it up Erik. Jon Salway (writing as Quid Nunc).
ReplyDeleteOnly I response I got to this Erik is...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmQyAR4EYJU
ReplyDeleteGiven GMS apparent frailty I can envision his hands shattering trying to take a poke at you, and thus ... further delaying his project.
ReplyDeleteWhen you spend your KS raised business money on personal expenses, you have to really stretch out the development of things. Unfortunately, you don't earn a free pass from the people you ripped off.
ReplyDeletePreach!
DeleteI had a Kickstarter where the originator died before sending out the books. Apparently they were all printed and boxed up, ready to go, and the poor fella died.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lordpelius/instant-aliens
His girlfriend thinks the books were thrown out with the house clearance.
Appendix N Kickstarter has just gone radio silent. No update for 9 months.
ReplyDeleteGMS says that he’s still delivering. What is he delivering? Pizza? Because he sure hasn’t delivered Far West.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can tell, he's delivering bluster and bullshit.
DeleteA correction from your podcast, GMS lives in Kansas and not Iowa.
ReplyDeleteWow,just wow.... Erik, thanks for the fun you provide at keeping these asshats accountable for their blunders. Throat punch Tenkar?? I'd like to see you try, lol.
ReplyDeleteWell there goes the last of your credibility (unless you're modiphius)
ReplyDeleteAnd ironically punching someone in the throat is a matter of life and death. Don't know about Gareth, but I use my throat to breathe
Incredible.
ReplyDeleteSkarka really needs to take a good hard look at himself and his actions.
Looks like Mophidius is going back to the well... I asked them about Skarka's involvement in projects, and this is the response I received:
ReplyDelete"I've checked with the development team and Gareth Skarka worked on the Star Trek Adventures Core Rulebook, the Beta Quadrant Sourcebook, and is currently working on an as-yet unannounced project :-)"