Monte Carlo Diffractor (OATH x VXD)

[double_left]

ill probably get dragged over the coals for this but this just reeks of vxd trying to get out of fulfilling this project.

why would Kickstarter post an update on a random project. I have never in 10 years+ seen Kickstarter do something like this

If it's actually Kickstarter then why are they posting under the diffractor playing cards account. they don't have an official Kickstarter account to comment?

how would they even know this happened and when. wouldn't it make more sense if a family member posted? why does ks think now it is their responsibility to announce this, from the diffractor account

why would a major company announce someone committed suicide, even if they did. they would likelier say he passed away.

usually if someone is announced to have killed themselves by a corporation, they include links and info resources for suicide prevention

if this person truly did pass away, condolences to the family. very sad situation. but this message just blows my mind in how unbelievable it is to me

i will contact ks to ask if this was actually them.

BINGO!
doesnt make sense ks would do that EVER
i smelly a scammy being pulled
ks comments arent about condolences ppl are PISSED! and ks SHOULD refund everyone involved “IF” this is the case a big IF

[double_left]

Just got this message from Kickstarter concerning the Monte Carlo Diffractor project.

"We regret to inform you that the account will be closed as Andrew Dodds took his own life on 20th August this year."

Incredibly sad.

Gosh... I am so sorry to hear.... It must be really hard on him to bear all the problems encountered...

how does anyone know there was problems????

[GandalfPC]

I have little doubt that the post from kickstarter is truthful I’m sorry to say - as much as I would rather it was an attempt to get out of obligations I’m afraid that analysis does not hold water as it would surely be quickly corrected by Kickstarter if one tried to make such a post there dishonestly.

[laitostarr777]

Unless ghost can logged in into Kickstarter recently, this “news” need to be confirmed officially…

If the news is false, then…. This can be evidence of a hard red flag

[GandalfPC]

They posted using his account, thus the login in - sorry folks but I’m not going to tolerate accusations flying around over this one for at least a week.

You can contact kickstarter and inquire, and you can post their response, but we are going to pay this man and his family some respect for the moment.

No debate of the truth of this claim or the repercussions regarding monies lost - it’s just not appropriate today.

[double_left]

They posted using his account, thus the login in - sorry folks but I’m not going to tolerate accusations flying around over this one for at least a week.

You can contact kickstarter and inquire, and you can post their response, but we are going to pay this man and his family some respect for the moment.

No debate of the truth of this claim or the repercussions regarding monies lost - it’s just not appropriate today.

oooook dad sorry
but some truth needs to be exposed good or bad
silencing the minority shouldnt fly either gandal

[GandalfPC]

Don’t make me ban you for the week.

[double_left]

Don’t make me ban you for the week.

power struggle i get it just chill or do what you have to do

[Strag]

Reminder that you can click on a forum member's name, and then click on "add foe" and their posts will be hidden for you, unless you choose to view them or someone quotes them in a subsequent post.

[GandalfPC]

There is no power struggle here, last I saw. I have a job to do here and I do indeed do it as I see fit.

Should you find me out of line feel free to contact the management and lodge a formal complaint.


And if I were your dad we would be having a sit down talk right now.


As much as I love a good debate and would be more than happy under normal circumstances to discuss in full why I feel it necessary to hold the unfounded accusations on this for a week - its not going to happen today - I’m just not in the mood and frankly the conversation should not be needed as to why it’s inappropriate to not give this its proper time or respect.

All truth will come out on this matter soon enough - I would say it already has come out - and debate over how appropriate it is for me to quell accusations or discussion of refunds at this moment will also have to wait at least until I am ready to have it - a day perhaps, a week at most - but not today.

[brownsl]

It seems like suicides have sharply risen recently, and I find it very distressing. I have family members struggling with depression and a niece that committed suicide. The lack of adequate treatment for mental health is sad. There are not enough mental health workers and it takes forever to see someone.

[rockets455]

kickstarter forgot to update the other vxd project with this update

[GandalfPC]

I will also point out, just because I’m approaching a gruff mood, that while we can say that “kickstarter forgot” and be cutesy about it, the implication is as clever a dance on the line of an accusation as I have seen today, and I don’t wish to see any more.

when it comes to kickstarter forgetting to do it - I would remind you that it was actually some poor schmuck working at kickstarter who had the pleasure of discussing how to handle that, and then handing it to some other poor schmuck who had to type that message after logging in to a dead mans account.

Put a sock in it - I’m not in the mood.

[Timmargh]

That one guy in the comments; what a piece of work.

[sms69x]

They posted using his account, thus the login in

I'm sorry but I have to comment on this:
No company would ever do this, this is a major break of conficentially/trust (not to mention all the privacy stuff), even in case of death. Sure KS can post messages/updates ON BEHALF of a creator, but they would never use the user account to do so. Ks has the rights to delete the user's account but it has not rights to use it as his own, the account belongs to the user until it is terminated.

This is clearly stated in KS Terms of Use section 2 paragraph 2:
"You’re responsible for all the activity on your account..."

[GandalfPC]

And I’m going to say, for the last time, that the next unfounded accusation will get a week ban.

Reach out to KS, get a response, then post it. Otherwise its not going up here.

[TheGentlemanWake]

I’ve reached out to my Ks contact and Lotrek for additional information.

[sms69x]

And I’m going to say, for the last time, that the next unfounded accusation will get a week ban.

Guess you can do whatever you want, but maybe, just maybe you should also see if the rule applies to you, that's why I quoted you on my reply:

They posted using his account, thus the login in

For me this is a very serious accusation, and totally unfounded.

I didn't ever questioned truth of the update, just that was KS to post it.

[GandalfPC]

No, the rule does not apply to me, as your read of my post and my post are two very different things.

And my read of what you were trying to say I would still call accurate. As I am the moderator in this situation, and not in a mood to dance, it is my determination as to what you can say here - and I’m getting fed up with it.

Luckily, being fed up is not in my criteria for banning someone - that will not change the criteria I stated above though, that I’m sticking to.

[Sir Toddalot]

Very disturbing news, my thoughts and prayers are with the family. I honestly hope this is just a scam and that he hasn’t put his loved ones through this. I can understand some of the doubts, but I wouldn’t put it past KS to overstep what’s appropriate. Even if it doesn’t turn out to be true, some of the comments on KS are despicable. On a subject like this we should definitely wait for more details before throwing around accusations.

[TheGentlemanWake]

Lotrek has confirmed that Andrew has indeed passed. Sad.

[Timmargh]

That is terrible news. Thank you for the confirmation.

[laitostarr777]

Oh darn… so it’s true then… My condolences…

[double_left]

source
obituary?

[GandalfPC]

The source being Lotrek at the moment, who was working with him on this project and has confirmed his passing - I have heard it from two sources that he said this - and unless someone has a KS response stating otherwise I think we can hold off on posting any further sources of evidence at the moment. As for an obituary, as crass as that feels to me when being used in an evidentiary fashion here - I think it would be fitting to post it here should someone locate it, out of respect, others may have other sensibilities about it though, and I invite debate on that topic, should any be needed…. I’m sure it will be better than simply having this thread stand without a tribute - what form that takes might perhaps take a different shape - whatever your heart feels is right will surely fly here

[GandalfPC]

[Fenrir]

This is a sad day for the playing cards community. I hope people show his family the respect and privacy they need at this time.

[Bradius]

I would love to pull my Diffractor collection together as a tribute. In the meantime I have this photo of my London metal diffractor set. I did get to correspond with Andrew a few times. I remember him just as a super passionate playing card producer. He was really committed to producing a quality product. Compromising his vision was something incredibly difficult. I doubt we will ever see metal cases like these ever again.

[hsbc]

From 2019:

My name’s Andrew Dodds and I’m the co-founder of VXD International and the inventor of ‘Diffractor’ playing cards. Prior to founding the company, I worked for 17 years professionally as a bridge design engineer in the UK, having graduated from Sheffield University in the UK with a Masters Degree in Structural Engineering and Architecture.

The concept, which led to the eventual foundation of VXD International came about in 2009, while sat on an airplane. Across the airplane aisle, I was watching someone play Solitaire on their laptop and thought ‘why are playing cards always so bland’. Bearing in mind, I wasn’t aware of the (relatively fledgling) custom playing cards industry at this point, so I’m not taking anything away from the designers who were pushing the boundaries back then. I had grown up collecting sports trading cards (Michael Jordan cards specifically) in Germany, so I knew a thing or two about flashy cards already. A few weeks later I was sat in a restaurant, under some bright lighting on our table, with my then-girlfriend and she passed me her new UK Driving License to ask me a question about it. It had new transparent holographics built into the card, over the personal information and pictures. Seeing those detailed transparent holographics and how they can basically float above the existing printed part of an ID, I instantly thought that seemed like something new. That was the light-bulb moment for the business and eventually led to the development of Diffractor playing cards and the foundation of VXD International. ...

[Bikefanatic]

This is wild! I've read the comments of today and of the campaign. I agree, in a week up to a month, let's see what will happen.

From March 2013 up to November 2023, I have pledged 178 playing card campaigns, only 2 haven't been received.