RE: Re-Distribution Game!? My ass!
Thanks @kurtbeil for making an attempt to clarify the perceived bait and switch. I disagree about there being any sort of bait and switch though. They came up with an idea and became popular and were rewarded by the system. I often played their games for the tiny bit of steem I might win, the curation rewards and fun. Yes they got rewarded and amassed a nice little warchest but that was always completely transparent and the 104 week power down made awarding funds from vested rewards prohibitively complicated.
There was no bait and switch in that.
The rest seems to be entirely speculation. I would like to see evidence supporting that the move to paid bets was a part of a diabolical scheme since on the surface it looked like nothing more than trying to adapt to popular requests as well as pressures from factions of the community criticizing them.
They did a trial of paid betting on election night and it was very successful. Paid betting and a dedicated interface were touted long ago. Then more recently we saw flags from Steemit Inc's CTO and others over vote buying and it making the front page look like a sports betting forum or because they thought the rewards were too high etc. Add on the catastrophe that was Steemygames which was a poorly thought out attempt to address the sports betting optics issue.
They had whale supporters drop out or make demands for more complex games so that bots aren't being rewarded. They also had writers drop out because of their caving to demands. That is what gave way to the current shit show of complicated, low-odds rules we see now.
Nowhere is there a bait and switch though. There has just been a long history of trying to acquiesce to community and whale supporter demands.
I don't like the structure of the new games and the odds but in no way feel scammed or that a bait and switch has transpired.
I will let you in on a loose secret, steemsports is controlled by the whales listed as supporting them. They are the ones responding to community pressures and making demands of various changes to the structure and amount of posts from steemsports at threat of removing their support. Various whales have various opinions and demands.
If you really have an issue with something you should be taking it up with the supporting whales that have steemsports by the balls with their support.
Oh damn, now I am going to have to admit it. I admit that when I saw the new game I freaked out, without absorbing the detail. I apologize for not doing the same with your comments @contentjunkie, please accept. I was working hard to gain some support and have been rushing thing, will be slowing down to build a more solid base. I edited my initial reply to your first comment, I do still believe that they abandoned their supporters as soon as they met a little resistance, that negatively impacted their individual bottom-lines, and that they had planned for this change to pure-profit based on players taking on risk, from the start - so this is the source of my accusation.
I will do as @kurtbeil suggests and chill-out now.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
We understand, you want to do something for those who do not have a lot, and you feel these big players have cut and run with the town's gold - you are not alone, but if we reserve the right to behave badly from time to time, we also have to allow others to do the same. :)
Keep at it, you will have my votes - which unfortunately are worth very little. haha
We all make mistakes. It is very big of you to own it.
Cheers @contentjunkie .. I'm a fan!
You are correct I believe - if these Re-Distribution Games were presented by an entirely new individual or group, everyone would and should give a standing ovation. Unfortunately, @steemsports has some baggage. People may not be happy, with reason, but you are also correct .. it is their baby, and although we can be critical, we can not ask them to stop what they are doing - that is what freedom is all about, and the market will decide. Judging by the # of people participating the market has decided. :) I for one very much enjoyed the old @steemsports .. I was a rabid supporter, totally willing to throwdown with their adversaries. I wish, for the sake of everyone who feels the way I do, to have something like it return, so I will support @free2play if they continue - but they should really chill out and gather all the facts before flying-off - maybe just having a rough start and did not like the fact that @steemsports returned with this 'thing'.
Cheers man!