VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Mortze » Sat, 16Oct22 16:39

Ripe wrote:In case of Chaotic's site that is only true for about a year or so... for almost 10 years when you'd sign up for his site you would get a choice between monthly renewable subscription and a "one-off" one month subscription.

More strenght you add to my point :)
In the second case it's a 1 month only charge for all the content. In the first it is a renewable subscription, where the member has always the choice to drop out. Even if the site doesn't have that option, canceling the credit card debit is always a consumer option.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Ripe » Sat, 16Oct22 19:20

Mortze wrote:where the member has always the choice to drop out.

That's in theory... in practice I had an experience where dropping out and canceling my subscription required multiple e-mails sent over a two weeks. So you might understand my reluctance to just sign up for something as opposed to taking "one-off" option... option that in case of Chaotic's site was available for years.

Even if the site doesn't have that option, canceling the credit card debit is always a consumer option.

English is not my first language but I hope you didn't actually suggested I might cancel my credit card as a way to cancel subscription to something.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby kessie8dn » Sat, 16Oct22 19:31

Chaotic_VDG wrote:Yeah, It's been that way for nearly 2 years.

I also don't consider it sneaky as the fee is very clearly stated in large letters at the top of the page as soon as you press join, not the 'small print' as you suggest. It is also clearly stated that you can cancel at any time, and the instructions on how to do so are easily found in the members section and easy to follow.

Also, what about the treatment of my customers concerns you? Any feedback I get always seems to be overwhelmingly positive.


On the vdg members site it says in BIG letters "JOIN NOW! Only $19.99 for 1 months access"... No mention of it being continuously renewed there.

Only after clicking "Join" is there any mention of it being continously renewed in the smallest font at the top of the page but this is easily missed between the Epoch logo and the words "SELECT A WAY TO PAY" in capitals and a much larger font. Now you may not think that is sneaky or "small print"but it's the smallest print on the whole damn page.

If this has been, as seems to be the general consensus, going on for 2 years, it only seems to show how little of the vdg content I've thought worth the cost of even a single monthly subscription.

Unless this situation changes I'm never going to be a customer of that site again because I simply will not agree to sign up for continuous deductions. Banks take the view that any funds deducted from my account must have been approved, so getting money back is a nightmare (and by no means certain). The risks are too great for such scant reward.

By the way - I only started this thread in an attempt to warn the unwary, not as a means of starting a discussion. If any admin wishes to close it please go ahead.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Ripe » Sat, 16Oct22 20:37

kessie8dn wrote:If this has been, as seems to be the general consensus, going on for 2 years...

It's not. Last time I got one month subscription was in June or July 2015 (more likely June), a little over a year ago.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Hero1 » Sat, 16Oct22 22:47

Ripe wrote:English is not my first language but I hope you didn't actually suggested I might cancel my credit card as a way to cancel subscription to something.
He is saying that you can tell your credit card company/bank to reverse the charge, if it is made after you (tried to) cancel the subscritption. Not the whole card.

kessie8dn wrote:Only after clicking "Join" is there any mention of it being continously renewed in the smallest font at the top of the page but this is easily missed between the Epoch logo and the words "SELECT A WAY TO PAY" in capitals and a much larger font. Now you may not think that is sneaky or "small print"but it's the smallest print on the whole damn page.
No matter how small the font may be, it is your responsibility as an adult who agrees to a contract to read every word in it.
It may be because I get another site because it is another language for me, but when I try to sign up for membership, the text with the mentioning of the recurring nature of the subscription is as large as half the other text.
All text in red boxes is the same size/font
Image


kessie8dn wrote:Unless this situation changes I'm never going to be a customer of that site again because I simply will not agree to sign up for continuous deductions. Banks take the view that any funds deducted from my account must have been approved, so getting money back is a nightmare (and by no means certain). The risks are too great for such scant reward.
Sounds to me like you should direct more of your efforts towards your bank to change their customer policy instead of a lone game creator...

By the way, I agree that 20$ a month for the games he creates is too much, but I think you are being unfair. No one forces us to buy the games for whatever price he wants.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby muttdoggy » Sun, 16Oct23 01:15

I feel everyone's made their points. We should get in the habit of saying "I feel this way because of a specific incident. What can you do to help? "
Then when you get a response, you should open your ears and eyes to let their points be made. Now you must wait some time before responding. This gives you a chance to hear them and think about it to the best of your ability. Then you take their response and be satisfied with the answer to which you state "Thank you for taking the time to respond as my issue is now resolved" OR you can state "Thank you for responding. I didn't feel like the issue was addressed because of these specific points." Clearly and concisely explain what you mean without using any "you" terms and couch it as "I" terms. The reason for that is because YOU are the one with the problem, not them. Don't put them on the defensive or they won't be inclined to help!
Then leave it alone!!!
It's time to move forward and work together. If you can't even do that, I'll ask for this thread to be locked.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby PinkVendeta » Sun, 16Oct23 08:14

See for every 1 person, or every 5 people, or every 10, 20 people who write up in a thread to complain, there is always literally 100s of others who are pissed off, annoyed and do not write up to complain, they simply by word of mouth bad mouth said site and go elsewhere.

This is not like years ago, when there was only a handful of paid sites out there doing adult games, and your choice was thus limited.

Now there are 100s if not 1000s of paid sites out there doing adult games, so 1 bad experience at one site does not mean the choice is limited to a handful.

You expressed your opinion of his site and how he does things, now move on to another site as there are many many more of them out there to choose from and pay for.

Having so many good paid sites for adult games keeps everyone on their toes and forces them to improve constantly to keep up with the healthy competition, if they dont bother to improve to keep up, they simply will long term lose out.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Maurice » Sun, 16Oct23 13:03

I agree that the beach is a more suitable place for this discussion.

But I disagree that all points in the argument have been made.

Kessie8dn expressed outrage on the practice that made Choatic fall prey to corporate greed.
(personally I am yet unconvinced Chaotic turned over to the dark (corporate moneymilking) side, but Kessie8dn made his reasoning perfectly clear)

I suspect that his (most urgent) issues would be resolved by reallowing 1-time payments.
(and I also suspect there are some complications connected to those)

But the expression of outrage over the encroachment of corporate greed on the virtual territory of our beloved adult games is only the tip of the Iceberg of the discussion.

Abuse of (non)copyright to make money of the work of others. Monetization of (virtual) goods/services created with the intent of them being free. Reversal of the empowerment the internet gave to people that allowed them to make a living by doing what they like/love.

I for one would consider the internet a poorer place if sharing of your labor (in this case the creation of adult games) was impossible (due to corporations not making enough of a profit on it).

I think it is scary how closely big corporations (viewed from the outside) already resemble the structure described by Orwell in the book 1984.

I think it is valuable knowledge, for creators and providers of games to possess, that provides them with the tools and the power to help shape (part of) the internet they envision.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Godsh » Sun, 16Oct23 15:37

I'll speak on behalf of myself, as a long time customer of Chaotic's offsite. I personnally do not see any issue with the auto renew subscription thingie.

As previously mentioned, it is clearly written the subscription will be automatically renewed every month, and it's also well explained how to cancel your membership if you want to do so. I have been subscribing for over a year (maybe 2?), and just cancelled the subscription a few months ago. There's nothing personal though, I was just a bit disappointed by the last offsite game released (Anna), but I will surely get a new subscription as soon as The Academy: day 3 is out.
So as for my concern, I don't see any sneaky or malicious problem with the monthly membership if you fully read how this works and don't just hit the join button blindly.
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VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby LRM » Sun, 16Oct23 20:10

It's a good discussion but this forum is much more fitting.
One caution... please respect the others opinion. You don't have to agree, just don't throw rocks at the poster!
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Greyelf » Sun, 16Oct23 23:20

kessie8dn wrote:Only after clicking "Join" is there any mention of it being continously renewed in the smallest font at the top of the page but this is easily missed between the Epoch logo and the words "SELECT A WAY TO PAY" in capitals and a much larger font. Now you may not think that is sneaky or "small print"but it's the smallest print on the whole damn page.

So you are implying that VDG / Chaotic is sneaky because of the typography used on the Epoch Payment Solutions site's subscription web-page?

I am slightly confused by your reaction to a web-page not under the control of VDG / Chaotic, because I am assuming you are capable of noticing which web-site you are currently looking at. :??:
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby Slayer991 » Mon, 16Oct24 18:30

I've always hated this lack of an option. My way around it is to sign-up and immediately cancel with Epoch or CCBill. You get your 30 days and you're not renewed.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby PinkVendeta » Tue, 16Oct25 22:14

Slayer991 wrote:I've always hated this lack of an option. My way around it is to sign-up and immediately cancel with Epoch or CCBill. You get your 30 days and you're not renewed.

That could have a reverse change back onto You maybe per month?, it would be just easier to have a single month sign up added.
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Re: VDG-OFFSITE ALERT

Postby HeyChief » Sat, 16Oct29 20:49

Okay, in my opinion, the reason most sites that charge a monthly subscription is for the writer to support her/him and the up keep of the site. Now I feel if all you want is to "cheery pick" when a new what ever comes out by the writer it is your choice. But please do not snivel about the way you have to do your "cherry picking", it is the writer's board and you are enjoying that writer's labor.
Thank you ford your time. HeyChief
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