Scammed
michaeln93
Member, PRO Posts: 68
I recently paid a GS member a couple hundreds to mimic a simple but addicting (to me at least) game and also add extra features. The initial process dated a few months back and he has delivered it, but it was full of glitches/bugs. I pointed them out and asked him to fix them which he did but it spawned other new glitches/bugs. Finally he told me to wait a few days and after the first week I suspect him of ditching so I emailed him asking if he had fixed the bugs. He said yes but kept on promising me "tomorrow" and "I'm busy today". Then I was sure that he wanted to ditch the broken project and kept my money since he told me this for 5 weeks now. I mean if it is finished all you need to do is attach the file, right? I knew from the first week he was bs-ing me, but I played along for 5 weeks! He told me last week he was free and would deliver but after three emails I have yet to receive a response. Yup, I got scammed a few hundreds.
If you are reading this, prove me wrong and deliver it, please...
Comments
My question is - a) why did you pay the full amount. b) why didnt you set milestones
This way, you have control over the final outcome. Even if I know the person/regular freelancer doing any kind of work for me, I NEVER pay the entire amount until I am happy with the end result.
Deposit, see concepts, mock ups etc - discuss plan/roadmap set milestones if needed.
Personally, I would name and shame any scammers.
Like Balls? Then click here! We've 100 coming soon
@michaeln93 I'm sorry to hear about your problems with another member. You'll need to contact that person directly as you entered into a business relationship with him. This is the reason that people frequently recommend signing legal contracts and/or finding other ways to ensure that you won't get taken advantage of. Otherwise, you risk exactly what you describe.
New to GameSalad? (FAQs) | Tutorials | Templates | Greenleaf Games | Educator & Certified GameSalad User
I constantly say around here to beware who you hire! Many people think they can code but really can't and then they start offering services. There are many highly qualified coders for higher with quality reputations. Although these people like myself charge $30 per hour or more, remember you get what you pay for. When you hire someone on the cheap they tend to bail as they don't understand the work involved and it becomes not worth the short money they charged.
Guru Video Channel | Lost Oasis Games | FRYING BACON STUDIOS
I agree with the Guru here, you do need to be careful who you hire. There are many people who say they can do the job but dont deliver. I have repaired many jobs that others have started and not completed. The problem with this is, bug fixing someone else's work isnt easy.
If im doing a game build I chage a deposit and a final fee. This protects both sides. If im doing an ongoing project, i sell blocks of hours so its convienient for the customers to pay and easy to book work in this works well for both sides too. But certainly in this case, you shouldnt have handed over all the money and Im sorry that someone has turned you over or at least not delivered the product you expected.
With that said, Im sure we all would be interested in the persons identity...
GAMESALAD DEV FOR HIRE! - www.gingagaming.com
Sorry to hear this, i hate to see posts like this
Darren.
Bad news to hear.
So it's known I am able to admit my faults using GS...sometimes I have answered questions to relatively simple (to me) issues. They usually are guidance vs providing an actual breakdown of clean code...
Example would be I certainly do not use code like when game.start is true...make attribute = 1...I'm a press start button and go guy. This is because I am still learning the value I along this equal true or 1...2 and such.
At one time I thought it would be great to have a little side thing going...helping people with publishing, certificates and things...charged a few people at first...did help them...but also the reason I made tutorials. For the most part I have lots of views...helped many people but also realize they are not "pro tutorials" and most likely viewed by a few people (unspoken) to be not dirty code, but dirty tutorials. I certainly hope I have never been thought of that way. It's been less than a year that I came to GS. Still noob. Big time noob as I learn how hard it is to make clean code...and why. I'm not the guy he's referring to...but I can see how easy it would be to make a game full of bugs..just skirting the line of a game that jut doesn't function...and build it to a point of ending up spending a huge amount of time even to make simple adjustments...especially when building for someone.
Anyways...sucks to hear a person feels they got scammed.
Complete Guide to iOS Publishing {} Complete Guide to Mac Publishing
I hope it gets worked out for you.
As others have mentioned above at least let it be a learning experience. Next time you buy any service from a freelancer I suggest paying in 3 stages, 1/3 up front to get them started, 1/3 at a pre-determined mid point in the project and the final 1/3 when you are both satisfied with the final product.
http://jamie-cross.net/posts/ ✮ Udemy: Introduction to Mobile Games Development ✮ Learn Mobile Game Development in One Day Using Gamesalad ✮ My Patreon Page
Sorry, @michaeln93 that sucks!
I agree with @The_Gamesalad_Guru and @jamie_c that you get what you pay for and to always be clear up front about only paying in small deliverable parts....
PM with what you have and I will see if I can't clean some of the bugs out of it for you. I am not really busying for the next week, that is if you want and also I am offering my time for free....
Still sucks and I think it would be sweet to call their @$$ out here by name!!!
Good Luck!
@Wboko
Nice gesture to help the guy out. One awesome for you !!
Complete Guide to iOS Publishing {} Complete Guide to Mac Publishing
Thank you @Thunder_Child!
It would just be really cool to get a chance to help someone and do what I dig, and that is build some Awesome games for people to have fun with!!
Sorry to hear @michaeln93,
that really sucks and it also makes it harder for you to trust people later on. As everyone above has said, cut your payments up. Either pay some up front, in the middle of the project then at the end, or half up front then the other half once complete. That's just two ways you can do it but there are many other ways you can go about it but the ONE thing you DON'T do is pay it all up front. Also, you got to make sure that they have previous work to show to you. Also, you need to make sure that it is clear on both ends what is wanted from beginning to end and including the layout, game play, etc.
When ever I am working with a client we talk and message over Skype, email if need be, and use drop box for everything. The cool thing with using Skype is you can screen share what you have so far and see if it's what the user wanted. I also create builds along the way throughout the duration of the project for the user to test it so far to make sure they like it.
Also as some have mentioned it would be nice to know who the person is so others know to stay away from that individual. Hope things work out for you!
P.S.- @Wboko gets an AwEsOmE from me as well! Very kind of you to offer that!
Sent you a pm
Thank you for the AwEsOmE @KillerPenguinStudios!!!
An and AwEsOmE back at you for agreeing that @michaeln93 should air the name here so no one else gets slammed by the same person!
Hey guys, I can't put him on blast (just yet) that will destroy his profile and business. I am a very honest and good-hearted person so I am giving him a chance to fix this problem. I guess that's why I trusted him and paid in full, since I didn't think he would want to screw his business up by doing this. I'm still in college and that was pretty much all I had at the time, I was going to upload an app hoping I would get profit to pay off my debts. I was thinking of splitting them up but I didn't want him to think I was trying to scam him... guess that was my mistake.
Also thanks you guys for offering to help me fix the template but I just got an email from him saying that he will deliver it tomorrow. I just hope I don't have to wait another week until his next email.
@Wboko, LOL
http://jamie-cross.net/posts/ ✮ Udemy: Introduction to Mobile Games Development ✮ Learn Mobile Game Development in One Day Using Gamesalad ✮ My Patreon Page
Even if you receive the final product now, so much time has passed that you have been scammed. It's selfish and disrespectful to draw out the process, dodge emails, etc.
Handling the agreement, payments, delivery schedule, etc. is often pretty uncomfortable at first but it really shouldn't be overlooked - trust me, I've been burned many times.
I'm with everyone else - this person's name should be shared because no one else wants to deal with this guy regardless of what he does from here on out.
I agree he should be named it might save someone else from going through what you have.
Universal Binary Template - Universal Binary Template Instructions Rev 4 (Short) - Custom Score Display Template
Complicated in naming people I think...I have a curiosity to know but the lawyer in me says there are always two sides to every dispute.
@michaeln93 is being cautious and to be complemented...I wish you good luck.
I think we should name him, have a fair trial and hang him but then again maybe @lycettebros has a point
.
Universal Binary Template - Universal Binary Template Instructions Rev 4 (Short) - Custom Score Display Template
LOL
Let's not all jump on to the band Wagon until the other side has a chance to defend against claims. No one else knows the details so to out right assume someone is in the wrong and go out try to publicly shame him and and attempt to ruin his/her business is another example of the unprofessional behaviour of some members.
Well done for not mentioning his name and taking the correct professional measures to get this issue resolved. I wish you all the best
@thunderchild I loved the tutorials you did on iOS publishing! they helped me so much!
Let us know if and when he delivers your product.
Guru Video Channel | Lost Oasis Games | FRYING BACON STUDIOS
It's worth remembering that generally when contracting work the onus is on the contractee to complete the work and then invoice for the work done. Sometimes a down payment is paid in advance but not always. A similar situation should be expected when hiring a developer - agree on either an estimate or firm cost and pay the invoice when presented. Be extremely suspicious of anyone who demands complete payment up front - that's not how this kind of relationship works.
Of course, the key to this working is in the word itself - contract work. If neither you nor they can provide one, agree on firm milestones and pay the agreed amount when each milestone is met. That way the risk on each side in limited.
As for naming them... I don't think publicly naming them is appropriate at the point. If the initial post had been a "So-and-so took on a job, has been paid and has yet to deliver it" I'd feel differently, but this thread involves far too much criticism of this person now to be fair to drag him through it publicly. I'd recommend anyone wanting to know who it is PM the aggrieved party and perhaps he'll share that information privately.
Contact me for custom work - Expert GS developer with 15 years of GS experience - Skype: armelline.support
Been scammed myself MANY times. Scammed on oDesk... twice within the last year. They had good feedback, wanted 33% down... then just never did a darn thing.
Been scammed on Fiverr.... but hey... it's Fiverr.
Even been scammed here... worked was delivered... it was just someone else's copyrighted work... OOPS! I guess they thought I wouldn't know.
I know it sucks... but there ARE good people out there.
But one thing you should NEVER, EVER do is pay everything up front. If the person can't accept that... find someone else.
You can do a PayPal dispute if they don't come up with the goods, presuming you paid via PP.
Might be an option..just my 2 cents.
Darren.
Hmm I go both ways here. As a dev who does contract work I've been screwed enough by non payments I don't work unless you pay up front.
The mod in me says we can't have these personal disputes flaming the forums. Though I also think its important for everyone to know when someone has shirt changed others so the buyer can beware.
I guess for now we'll see how this plays out. So far it's been rather civil and for that I applaud @michaeln93
LOL
LOL