"Dear unfortunate bastard..."
Hello, guys.
It's been a while since my last post, I know.
For some time now I've been telling myself "It's been too long! You got to post something!"...
But eventually it turned into: "Well it's been way too long now... No use to post anything at this point."
And, you know, there was nothing I could share, really. All I could say would be:
"I'm working non-stop on this project!"
"It's gonna be so much fun when it's released!".
Well, what else is new, Akabur?
Thankfully enough, now I finally have something to share. Unfortunately though that is not something I am happy about sharing...
Got this neat little letter from PayOneer last night... (Pic above) Decided to check my inbox before I went to bed... I wish I didn't... It was really hard to fall asleep after this.
I've been dreading something like this happening since day one. And now when it actually starts to happen I can't help but feel like :"Oh my god! I that it? IS THAT IT?!".
Well, to be fair, this is not necessary "IT". But I got to say, it sure feels a lot like IT.
Oh, and also my internet connection was down for more then a week now. I'm on a shitty mobile internet now that barely allows me to check my emails. (Can't login to PSN T_T) And I used to be really upset about this, but you know what? Suddenly it doesn't seem like such a big problem anymore...
Alright, enough stalling. The letter above basically says this:
"Dear unfortunate bastard.
We made some changes in our policy and as a result you won't be able to withdraw your funds directly to your bank account any longer. Now please keep in mind that you can still withdraw your money using your PayOneer card directly from ATM. But it has $200 per day limit, and also ATM will charge you a handsome fee.
The situation may change in the future though. If it does - we will let you know right away.
Thank you for using PayOneer. And have fun withdrawing your +6000 USD of income in Russian rubles every month".
Well, that's the gist of it...
Really don't know what to do at this point to be honest. Need to think more on this...
PayPal flat out denied me their services years ago, and PayOneer was the only option I had left...
Thankfully I have enough money saved up, so if push comes to shove I could always pack my bags and go live in Thailand or whatever... Or some other place I don't really want to go to but where they won't bug me too much about my visa...
Going back to HentaiUnited is a possibility I suppose... But that would be such a huge step back for me...
Also Nutaku.com contacted me a while back... But I don't want to charge for my work... And it seems that's the only way they can afford to do business...
*Sigh*...
My only fucking goal is just to keep on working... Why must I deal with crap like this all the time...?
Well, in any case, you guys shouldn't worry about me stopping to work on my stuff. (EVER!) I hope most of you realize by now that my work is the only thing that maters to me.
Back in the day when I used to live in Japan... I was a dirt-poor student. Me, some Chinese guys, Several Koreans and a couple of guys from Africa formed this "super-poor group" in our school. Heh... We would work nightshirt (illegally) at a local vegetable factory so that we could buy cheapest food possible. I can't say it was a sad time for me though. I was rather hopeful about my future back then. Still young and living in Japan. But I was very poor and was eating a lot of rice and often would fall asleep during my classes because of the night-shifts at the factory. I couldn't allow a laptop of course...
But I had a note book and a pencil. When I had time I would draw naughty pics of April whenever I had time. And then I would go to internet cafe and use public scanner to scan them (always scared to get caught for some reason) and then upload them to the internet from public computers. Heh :)
(My "bear with a bit off ear" avatar you see everywhere is from that time. I drew it during class :)
I tell you all this only to illustrate how much my work always meant to me, and always will.
I don't put my work first. I simply don't see my life without my work. It's not a life at all to me.
I hope I didn't get too depressing with this one. Thanks to you guys I have enough money saved up now, so I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out. I'm just keeping you informed on the situation, since you are my investors and a part of my enterprise :)
Still not telling you anything about my current project though. :)
Well, maybe I could give you the name at least. It may change in the future, but I am fairly certain it won't. The current title is: "Star Channel 34".
And I'm working on it and a lot has been done of course. And I'm very eager to share some things with you guys, but the time is not right yet.
And there we have it! Not another one of those lame "proof of life" posts but a post with actual substance! Thank you PayOneer for returning my life into dramatic the theme again. Is a fiery gas explosion next to follow? (God I hope not OTL...)
Comments (56)
В банкоматах Газпромбанк можно снимать с Payoneer до 300 000 рублей за раз. Без комиссии банка, там налагается только комиссия самого Payoneer. В масштабах твоих 6к баксов это, конечно, вяло)) Ещё в МДМ банке можно снять на кассе (не в банкомате) напрямую доллары, с огромным лимитом. Посмотри PDF с тарифами у них на сайте, тоже написано что нету комиссии. А так в Тай свалить тоже приятный вариант, раз работа не держит.
Спасибо за информацию. Попробую разузнать.
Well, crap. :| Sorry to hear that. If you ever decide to move to Czech Republic, I promise to try and help you with anything... dunno why would you want to move here exactly, but just in case. :D Other than that - good luck with avoiding another disaster like these in the future...
Thanks, man :)
And thus moving country's looks like a good idea if only they were competent enough to issue you your visa/passport. Still dude it really sucks that it just keeps going downhill like that
Акабур, если ты это читаешь то не подумай что это реклама. Нет. Я реально хочу тебе помочь чем смогу. Ты когда нибудь думал эмигрировать в Испанию? Легально! Через консульство визу и тд? Напиши мне на ivan.kasmin@gmail.com и опиши свою ситуацию. Типа где живешь (какой город,адрес не нужен. Это важно так как если москва это одно, если питер то другое.), какие у тебя проблемы с палкой и почему ты не можешь с ними работать (это для того что бы понятькак МОЖНО с ними договорится, будь то через окольные пути.), и тд. Я представлю фирму РЕАЛЬНЫХ професионалов своего дела. Мы мелкий семейный бизнес и в сфере образования и имиграции за рубеж уже более 20 лет. Мы реально можем помочь и не берем какието сумашедшие суммы за нашу работу.
Скинул тебе сообщение.
Hey akabur as usual it's good to hear from you buddy. I always feel like whenever you post it's like receiving a letter from a friend. Rare but always a delight. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles and I hope you can find a simple solution that will solve everything. Keep your spirits high because we won't ever stop supporting you. Can't wait to here from you again!!
First i was happy to se you post something, than get sad of your situaton.... i dont know payoneer, but can you not just use a normal bank for your patreon income??? some swiss bank of course wich dosent care as long as the money comes in
Shit that sucks man wish ther was something we could do to help
"Well, in any case, you guys shouldn't worry about me stopping to work on my stuff. (EVER!)" Oh we know, that's why when you, Dahr, Smerth, or the others haven't responded in a while we aren't worried cause we know that's just you-all busy at the grindstone. I kinda doubt it will change but if Paypal has backed off Patreoners supporting nsfw creators maybe just maybe they have gotten more willing to support the creators themselves.
Not going to going to hit the like button on this, cuz I don't :( I do think it's political tho :@ Anyway, have you heard of WebMoney? I use bitcoin, but like stocks, you're taking your chances... You do such good stuff, and this is so shitty :P TOTALLY SUCKS!!!
Sorry to hear that. I have no solutions to suggest, but I hope you find one that both works for you and makes you happy.
So you got a lifetime ban from Paypal? That really sucks... As others here says I would suggest you to try again with them but if that is your case then I don't know really… Man, I didn’t know they were such a bunch of ‘holier than thou’ bitches. And now Payoneer adds itself to that hypocritical lot… Well, I hope you find a solution and wish you the best of lucks, because this crazy stupid world badly needs your little contributions of ART. And you’re one of our best.
PayPal is very strict when it comes to adult content, they refuse any artist they find out makes adult work.
Hello Akabur, I'm sorry to hear about the setup, i know how you feel man, although i haven't felt it on such a economic scales, as a person suffering from depression, there are days i just want to be alone, and those days i never get to be alone, which really fucking sucks... But good luck with everything, and i mean everything! I'm personally looking forward to your new game :)
Dear unfortune fellow man but hardworking and very good game maker/creator, i hope your situation clears up as soon as possible, and that you can contine your work in peace. :)
I'm so mad at them, you can't even live a normal life without being stabbed in the back by random shit. This is infuriurating. I'd say we'd welcome you here, or anywhere if you needed to, and I'm confident you'd be better living here, but, it's up to you, BroWaifu :) I'm still amazed on ow you manage to keep your head up and you keep on working hard despite the shit you're going through... I really wish you the very best, keep it up and don't overdo it. Stay with us, we need you as much as you do. Cheers !
One part of me I'm laughing. Other part I know your pain, in my country the max is 250euro/day (and 600/week). Luckily there is a differnt between using your card (to pay), and taking money from machine. Else I can't imagine how I pay rent XD.
or move to NORWAY! there you can LEGALLY marry your COUSIN! XD scandinavia is a ... special, place. XD but seriously! norway has been voted teh BEST country to live in SEVERAL times, in a row! :D AND you can easily take out money! the max in a NORMAL shop/store is 5000 norwegian crowns/krones, which is roughly 500 dollars. if you need more, you can go to teh bank and take out EVEN more!
Why not move to Denmark? The only sex that is illegal in Denmark is real animal sex and real child sex. We have a hell lot of other foolish laws and so a high tax rate. But hospitals are free and education is either free or cheap.
You could try again with paypal or try to find another option, surely there are more kinds of online banking.
There are plenty. But Patreon supports only this two...
Akabur, buddy, my heart bleeds for you as always and my best hopes and wishes is pointed your way with fingers and toes crossed for luck. It doesn't help much I know, but the artists we remember and honor the most today are those who went through the hardest of times in life. When life really makes an effort to push and beat you down, then it's almost as if "The Muses" bless you the most with inspiration, the creative spirit awakens and the artist uses it to fight through the troubles and pain. People who have been through their own personal hell share a certain unspoken understanding, it's like we can sense about each other and a nod or smile from such a kindred soul can save ones day. Because we know what others can only imagine, though they will never truly be able to comprehend or understand. The most generous people often are those who were used to having little or nothing.. and you dearest friend, you give us so much! Stay strong, we are here if you need us! :)
Thank you, my friend. Thank you for everything you said! T_T
I hope u make game with family guy or american dad or simpson
Can't promise you that, but we'll see... :)
First off, any time you feel like you should post even a "still just working", go for it. Silence is worse than reassurance, especially with the number of adult artists who just stop one day and wait months before telling anyone. Second, sorry to hear you're still having money worries. That sucks especially after all the hard work you've put in over the years. Have you considered Europe? Northern Europe in particular has several great and tolerant countries who would love to have you!
Thank you, I'll keep that in mind (about the posting). As for Europe or any other place... I really don't want to go anywhere illegally... But I can't go anywhere legally either... I mean when you look at it am a deadbeat with no job or credit history...
i hope you'll get over all these roadblocks, best of luck
Thank you.
Well shit.
T_T
weird... I didn't get anything like that ( crossing fingers )... are you sure the problem is on payoneer's end and not your bank? I heard there was some new law in Russia against producing and distributing porn ( yeah i'm a fan of russians games )... They might not be aloud to transfert the money in your territory for it for this reason in anycase it suck balls! I hope for your sake it will be fixed soon
No idea, to be honest. I doubt it's related to adult stuff in any way, but it could be very much because of some russia-thing. All I got is the letter above, all it says is: "We are sorry, the option is temporary unavailable due to some changes in the procedure. Please use your card to withdraw money from ATMs for now"...
PayPal changed policy a while ago. U should try and check them out again.
No, my case is unique and it never was about the policy. Their old policy prevented people from pledging with PayPal. Withdrawing money from PayPal was never a problem. (Unless you are me).
Now that you've a solid income - ever thought about relocate to a bigger city where things might be easier or another country alltogether?
I could move to Moscow, sure. But I don't think it would've made any difference in this particular case. As for another country... I will be definitely thinking about it, but I'm still recouping after my "trip" to canada...
Okay, I hit "like," though obviously I don't like you having these problems. I don't know anything about visas and that kind of stuff, bu tit seems to me that, if you're living in the US, and making $6000 per month, there should be plenty of banks willing to work with you and get your money in $ US into their accounts, where you could access them however you want. And, with that kind of income, I'd be really surprised if PayPal wasn't willing to work with you, too. But, like I said, I don't know from visas and immigration and stuff. But, if I were you, I'd walk to a local bank and see what they can do. Best of luck!
Sure. In my mind "Like" button means "seen/read this". That was my thinking too. I always thought: if I have the money, the rest will solve itself out. But time and time again that is not how it goes for me for some reason. And I'm sure I could easily get an card from any american bank. I had one when I was a dirt-poor international student. But I need be in the US already for that. And preferably on legal terms... Anyway, I will keep on thinking this over slowly as I keep on working. Thank you for your concern, man.
It really sounds like a bad situation, hope you find a way it works for you, as its really bad that you cannot get your money. No give up, give a look maybe someone on the Internet already solve a similar fucking situation. Be strong buddy
That's the thing, Ace. I googles this whole thing this morning, and got nothing. In the letter it says that this affects everyone (at least in russia), but I don't see anyone mentioning it anywhere 0_0
Hope you find a solution soon , please, take care of yourself!
Thanks, man.
Dude your life sounds so shitty. I will see if I have to rase the donation for your patreon.
Actually, don't do that. Your donation will only get stuck on patreon if this entire thing goes sideways. Let's just wait and see how this unfolds... (But thank you for giving a damn about me and my work. Thanks, really.)
I wish the world was nicer to you. :,(
I've heard that PayPal can be used for Patreon now as of a couple months ago.
Yes, but my situation is A LOT different...
Oh, wow, that's a crazy situation, I really wish I could do something to help you.
Knowing that I have guys like you to rely on, Dorago, is way more then I could ever hoped to have in this world. And I'm dead serious. Thank you, you're doing more then enough.
I wonder how hard it would be to set up an LLC (small company) that could then get an H1B visa to bring you to the States.
Yeah, I thought about that... Going on a student visa to study the language and during that time consult with an lawyer, actually start a studio, employ a bunch of guys only to get visa... It is possible I suppose. But I'm really bad at all this management thing. I just want to keep on working in peace... OTL...
In a crazy way your work has always meant so much to me. I've always gravitated towards your art style and I've returned to your stuff again and again. I've even given you money before which is rare for content online. I wish I had information or skills or funds that would be helpful to you but I'm just another poor sap trying to make ends meet in the city living in a freezing basement. I just want to say that as much as I would love to see your latest project I also want you to be okay, man. Good Luck I hope this shit turns around for you. Thanks for the update.
Dude, you are doing all you can, and that is all that matters! And I plan to keep on making my games freeware, so that everyone can enjoy them! Thank you for your kind feedback, it means a lot. Really.