I recently got into an Early Adopter program for an MMO creation and management company. Basically, they give you most of the tools and the server AND the credit card transaction processing for a big chunk of your revenue. Fair enough.

Trouble is, the only way to import assets is through extremely expensive 3d software that one must be specifically trained on. Know Blender but not 3DS max? Too bad.

It would be easier to bite the bullet if they came out and said no Blender support ever - but they didn't. They just dropped hints that it was on their list of things to do and never did. Thus I waited.

When they transitioned from beta to subscription they simply cut off my access without notification. The download for the server connection client literally became a single message box stating that my services have been moved to a different server and to contact support. Again, they actively killed my account and left a client installer that just posts a misleading message box!

When I did contact support I got an email that stated my services were killed because:

A. Too long of inactive use (I've had this happen before, and last time THEY DID send an email before deleting content)

B. Too little changes made to my assets ( which I couldn't import any due to no Blender support)

C. The Early Adopter program had ended (without notification to me)

Didn't even bother to point out which reason it was. Then he tried to push their paid services on me.

I wrote back my concerns over their communication (or lack thereof) and my main reason for not being able to fully evaluate their product. This is what you call free feedback from your customers. How did they use this?

Customer support wrote back a regurgitation of their terms of service and noted assets could be imported into the expensive supported 3d software and then imported into their product. Which doesn't help because YOU STILL NEED the expensive software in the first place!

This is horrible customer service. You don't rebuke feedback. Especially if given without malice. Especially when the customer is not trying to make a claim.

This company has licensed its services to big ticket games such as Star Wars: The Old Republic. You'd think that in trying to reach smaller developers with Early Adopter programs they'd give everyone a fair shot. Not so. Give feedback - get rebuked.

Needless to say I'm disappointed by this experience. The technology and business model is sound - just not the human side of the equation.