Collecting lies, promises, unanswered questions, misleading

I thought about creating a thread where we collect lies, unanswered questions, misleading and vague statements, missing or canceled features.

Sometimes it’s ambiguous or arguable whether or not something is a lie or misleading, since we will not know how the finished game will look. Because of that I will try to categorize this list accordingly.

Feel free to make suggestions or discuss this list or individual entries.




Blatant lies:

• Design Documents will be released in a short time, only need to format them and remove swearing.
Source: www.reddit.com/r/GODUS/comments/220xd9/i_am_peter_molyneux_here_with_jack_attridge/cgiaw61
• If we want to see the Design Documents we can have them
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/210/54-22-2014-godus-update
• Monetization model that hasn’t existed before
Source: www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Godus/news.asp?c=57324
Explanation: He said that to contrast the monetization model with that of Dungeon Keeper. Godus shares timers that can be sped up and a meta currency with Dungeon Keeper, it also shares many greedy F2P practices with other games like exponentially increasing costs, exponentially increasing timers, offering limited amounts of a meta currency to get you hooked. There is nothing new or refreshing about its financial model.
• Jupiter sized world, connected home-worlds, friends sculpting your land
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/121/04-28-2012-designing-godus and kickstarter
Explanation: Peter said that it's technically difficult and the effort would be (too) huge – what a surprise
• "Every drop of water and every grain of sand will be simulated"
Source:Arstechnica
Explanation: Reading that you would expect something like From Dust which offered a realistic simulation of erosion. Sand in Godus is nothing more than a static layer that will not change without your input. Water is currently nothing more than a plain.
• Tidal patterns, wind and weather simulation
Source:Arstechnica
Explanation: Did Peter really thought that a PC/Mobile cross plattform game that supposedly takes place on maps as big as jupiter with thousand of players playing at the same time could handle complex wind, water, erosion and weather simulation? Even a layman should see thats impossible due to technical limitations. But that was surely a good way to create hype...



Misleading:


• Signatures on Physical rewards were printed (Posters, artwork, Shirts)
Source:kickstarter
Explanation: If you backed >£100 you were rewarded with signed Shirts or Posters/artwork for >£322. All Signatures were printed which wasn't explicitly stated on the kickstarter page.
• Development will take 7 to 9 months.
Source: kickstarter
Current Status: up to 4 years or more, that’s not just twice or even thrice but instead up to 6 times as long as the initially claimed development time.
• Comparing Godus with Popolous, Dungeon Keeper and black & white.
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: If you don't think thats misleading judged by the current state of Godus, read this: link
Note: It might start to resemble these games with the PC sprints, we'll see.
• Confronting other gods and civilizations if you spread out too much
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: You only encounter other gods via skirmishes or multiplayer, by saying that you Encounter them if you spread out too much it sounded like you will unavoidably encounter them in singleplayer instead of confronting them yourself in a minigame or multiplayer.
• We want to establish a community characterized by openness, honesty and co-operation
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: Months of silence, vague statements, blatant lies by the developers.
• We are and will stay independent
Source for statement: kickstarter
Source: link
Explanation: They have a mobile publisher.
Note: Mostly relevant for Kickstarters who also supported the mobile version, since apparently DeNA can only affect the mobile version. However, since both versions are connected it may also be relevant to Early Access supporters.
• Godus will be in the same spirit of Popolous and other bullfrog games
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: the constant estimating comparison with Farmville and facebook F2P games shows that Godus, as it is, is rather in the spirit of completely different games. Also, read this: link
• Mobile copy for backers that backed a certain level or higher
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: Mobile Godus is for free and instead you get a second copy of PC godus, bad for you if that was the reason you backed that level.
• “The first step of our real journey starts today. Sorry to be so cyptic“ – twittered on first mobile release of Godus
Source : twitter.com/pmolyneux
Explanation: If the mobile release is the start of the real journey, what role has the PC version? Also whenever he, jack, George or matthew claims how important the PC version is for the team or that its even the more important version of both it sounds like they are just comforting us, since the real and more important version is apparently the mobile version…
• "We want to go back to this glory days of bullfrog, where we focused ultimately on the gameplay"
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/118/01-21-2012-project-godus
Explanation: If they truly wanted to ultimately focus on gameplay they likely wouldn’t get all that critique for creating a cashcow and F2P mechanics. Peter stated months later that the biggest responsibility for a designer is the money.
• "there isn't a single moment in which we tell you how to play."
Source: link
Explanation: A lengthy tutorial that can't be skipped, disabling destructive god powers in singleplayer.




Implicit lies or misleading statements:

• Criticizing timers in F2P games that take multiple days to finish (such timers are greedy and ripping of he customer)
Source: www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Godus/news.asp?c=57324
Explanation: Such timers do exist in Godus. Afaik they already existed when he made that interview. By criticizing them he implies that godus will take a better approach.
• "If I had made DK2, I wouldn’t had been so greedy"
Source: www.lazygamer.net/general-news/molyneux-godus-is-invest-to-play/
Explanation: Shortly after he criticized timers and other mechanics he actually implemented in Godus. He is claiming that he is taking a fairer approach to monetization than other F2P games with that statement, which isn’t really true.
• We have been abused by mobile and facebook gaming
Source: www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-01-the-godus-problem
Explanation: He says that as a response to complains and arguments of the F2P nature of Godus, which kind of means that in his opinion we aren't objectively judging godus / not giving it a chance. Beisde Godus shares a lot of mechancis with said mobile and facebook games, its hypocritical and again and implies that he will do it better and fairer.
• "DK2 was so easy to fix, but they didn’t fixed it"
Source: www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-01-the-godus-problem
Explanation: Changing the length of timers in Godus can’t be more than chaning a few numbers in the code or database. It's again hypocritical.
• Pretending that there are no F2P games with fair monetization
Source: www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-01-the-godus-problem
Explanation: He stated in multiple different interviews that Godus will be an exception to the F2P market or that some F2P games will come that will actually be fair and change the perception of F2P (and Godus will be one of them). That is implicating that Godus is the only fair F2P game and so fair that it can change the perception of F2P games.
League of Legends, Path of Exile, Dota, Team Fortress 2 are all F2P games that mostly or solely sell cosmetics and are way more fair than Godus.
• Design Documents will be released once Godus is 100% done
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/122/05-29-2012-designing-godus
Explanation: He said that he will release the design documents when he hold the AMA on Reddit and promised it to publish them a second time on the latest Video. Now saying that he won’t release them anytime soon because design is fluid as a way to get out of his promise is a scumbag move, in my opinion.
• Comparing buying complete addons or cosmetically things like hats with speeding up timers / gems
Source: Eurogamer-Interview
Explanation: Buying an Addon gives you something permanent to enjoy that is not consumable. Hats in Team Fortress do not influence gameplay. Speeding up timers instead does influence gameplay is not permanent. Comparing them and saying they are equal is really dishonest.


Unanswered or insufficient answered Questions:

• Will there be a Coop-Campaign?
• How will you be an evil god?
Note: They already stated that you won’t be able to use destructive powers on your followers like earthquakes, but they might give us possibilities to still be able to be an evil god.
Source: steamcommunity.com/app/232810/discussions/0/540743213069116780/#p2

• How will commandments work and how will they affect gameplay?



Missing or canceled features / promises

• Tidal patterns, wind simulation, erosion, weather simulation
Source:Arstechnica
Explanation: Peter said that by moving land masses you will affect the Tidal patterns and water level and by doing that also the wind direction which would in turn affect the weather and forest fires etc. Water is currently nothing more than a plain. There is no wind simulation. It's arguably if this engine could even handle complex wind, erosion and water simulation. The Maps on From dust for example were much smaller than the Maps on Godus and From dust didn't even simulated Wind or weather! On top of that Godus is developed Cross-plattform and meant to share multiplayer with the mobile version.
• Followers will have dynamic and captivating behavior
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: Playing a random animation can barely called dynamic behavior. They have no individual needs, life’s, skills or jobs. In Black and White they had at least individual ages, health bars and hunger bars as well as jobs.
• Living and unique world
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: World is rather sterile as nothing is happening without your direct influence. Worlds aren’t unique as they all start the same way and most of them end up as a mostly flat plane.
• Godus is immensely deep
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: It’s not, not at all, though it might become.
• Good and evil are a scale, its measured by how much your followers suffer or benefit by you
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/122/05-29-2012-designing-godus
• Each follower has a unique personality
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/122/05-29-2012-designing-godus
Note: He stated that followers will react differently to situations like danger and they will walk differently based on their personality.
• Each Follower will have a history
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/122/05-29-2012-designing-godus
• dynamic water (and lava?)
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/124/07-02-2012-designing-godus, kickstarter
Current Status: dynamic water is still supposed to be implemented.
• Destructive powers (tidal waves, volcanoes, earth quakes)
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/124/07-02-2012-designing-godus, kickstarter
Current Status: Will still be implemented 
• Changing water level and natural tides
source: Youtube link
• Followers will benefit by or require nearby rivers
source: Youtube link



Arguable:

• Living and changing world similar to Black and White
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: the world in black and white changed on its own partly based on your actions, in Godus you have full control over the world, so it won’t change without you. That’s not a “living” and changing world.
• We will give you a Voice in the development of Godus
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: So far 22cans has collected a lot feedback but rarely implemented it. We might still get noticeably involved in development during the PC sprints.
• “in Godus you can be the god you want to be not the god we want you to be so you can be cruel or kind" (like in black & white or fable)
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/121/04-28-2012-designing-godus
Explanation: They don’t want to give us the ability to use destructive god powers on our followers, so they are limiting us in the freedom as a god, however they stated that they want to implement features that will allow us to be a evil god.
• You will never micromanage your people.
Source: godus.boards.net/thread/120/03-27-2012-designing-godus
• PC version will not be dumbed down because of Mobile version
Source: kickstarter
• Godus is (also) a game for hardcore gamers
Source: kickstarter



Actions or lack of actions

• Complete silence for multiple months, 5 months without any update
Source: Patch History (5-6 months between v2.0 and v1.3 - 22cans has been mostly silent at this time leaving the impress
• Going to early access and call Godus "beta" shortly after Alpha
Source: Patch History
Explanation: You had to badge a higher amount of money to get exclusive access to the alpha version. Only after 2 small patches 22cans went into Beta against the complains of Alpha backers and against the result of a internal poll. By calling it Beta even though it was still the same game they circumvented the exclusive access to the alpha version (since it was officially no longer an alpha). Thus even though godus is called "beta" its still missing most of its features and not even comparable to other alpha/early access games.
• Not mentioning Micro-Transactions or F2P / Invest 2 Play on Kickstarter or Steam early access
Source: kickstarter
Explanation: Guess how many people had bought and backed Godus if they had known that its not only cross-plattform developed and shares the multiplayer (thus a big part of gameplay) with the mobile version, but that the mobile Version will be free 2 play.
• Expressing the intention to possibly re-implement the item shop in the PC version
Source: Eurogamer Interview
Note: 22cans has since then clearly stated that a re-implementation of the item shop in the PC version will not happen.
Quote: "That means maybe it's time to start thinking soon about putting a shop in there."




Open Promises:

• Proper resource management system / reworking stickers
Source: steamcommunity.com/app/232810/discussions/0/540743213069116780/#p2
• Will check if Gifts need re-balancing or unique behaviour on PC
source: steamcommunity.com/app/232810/discussions/0/540743213069116780/#p2
Note: in my opinion they certainly need a unique behavior to not appear as another mindless chore.



Vague statements ( of a promising nature )

• Remove or rework beacons so Godus will feel more like a sandbox
Source: steamcommunity.com/app/232810/discussions/0/540743213069116780/#p2
• Threats and conflicts in your homeworld (like wildlife)
Source: steamcommunity.com/app/232810/discussions/0/540743213069116780/#p2