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KickStarter Underworld Ascendant is a disaster

MasterLobar

Angry OtherSide Refugee
Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
358
Location
Killorn Keep
The point is, it doesn't matter if they sold 10k, 30k or even 50k.

Let's go with 50k with no fees, refunds and at full price (let's say $30 per copy, ignoring exchange rates). That means $1,500,000 in total revenue.

This is almost certianly below what 505 invested in the game, so all the money goes to 505. Otherside doesn't get anything.

UA's sales, even in this ridiculously optmistic scenario, won't contribute one cent to the development of SS3 or the "unannounced project" (which doesn't exist).
 

Nyast

Cipher
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
Messages
609
"All the money goes to 505" -> you have no idea how the contract is structured, that's a huge, very huge assumption to make here that I do not share. It makes more sense to believe they're repaying 505 at a fixed rate, or based on royalties, and even then it could be on profits and not gross revenue ( meaning they still pay for their expenses first, before repaying 505 ). The fact is, nobody knows. Another fact is that they haven't shut down yet and they still claim they have enough money to go for a while. We'll see how it turns out.
 

MasterLobar

Angry OtherSide Refugee
Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
358
Location
Killorn Keep
Nyast: It's quite obvious that 505 paid advances to OS for the development of the game. If they hadn't done so, how could OS have kept the Boston office running for so many years with no other revenues or funding? (the kickstarter money wasn't nearly enough and the $3.5 million stock sale didn't come in until August 2018)

Under these circumstances, advances are usually fully recoupable.

"Usually the publisher paid the studio advances against royalties to fund that game’s development, often millions of dollars in advances. So, the studio doesn’t receive royalties until the publisher recoups the advances from the royalties.

So let’s say a game cost $10 million to develop. The the game must sell enough for the game to earn $10,000,001 in royalties (not sales) before the developer receives their first $1 in royalties."

https://davidmullich.com/2017/02/13/a-dirty-little-secret-of-the-game-industry-royalties/

This is also how the SS3 deal with Starbreeze was structured in March 2017:

"Starbreeze will be able to recoup 120% of its full investment including marketing costs. Starbreeze share of revenues will become 50% after the investment is recouped."

https://www.starbreeze.com/2017/03/...igns-otherside-entertainments-system-shock-3/

The deal with 505 was made in August 2017:

https://otherside-e.com/wp/505-games-to-publish-long-awaited-fantasy-rpg-underworld-ascendant/

The conditions of the Starbreeze deal were public at that point, so it is hard to believe 505 would have settled for less.
 

Doctor Sbaitso

SO, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS.
Patron
Joined
Oct 22, 2013
Messages
3,348
Codex 2013 Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Grab the Codex by the pussy Serpent in the Staglands
Nyast: It's quite obvious that 505 paid advances to OS for the development of the game. If they hadn't done so, how could OS have kept the Boston office running for so many years with no other revenues or funding? (the kickstarter money wasn't nearly enough and the $3.5 million stock sale didn't come in until August 2018)

Under these circumstances, advances are usually fully recoupable.

"Usually the publisher paid the studio advances against royalties to fund that game’s development, often millions of dollars in advances. So, the studio doesn’t receive royalties until the publisher recoups the advances from the royalties.

So let’s say a game cost $10 million to develop. The the game must sell enough for the game to earn $10,000,001 in royalties (not sales) before the developer receives their first $1 in royalties."

https://davidmullich.com/2017/02/13/a-dirty-little-secret-of-the-game-industry-royalties/

This is also how the SS3 deal with Starbreeze was structured in March 2017:

"Starbreeze will be able to recoup 120% of its full investment including marketing costs. Starbreeze share of revenues will become 50% after the investment is recouped."

https://www.starbreeze.com/2017/03/...igns-otherside-entertainments-system-shock-3/

The deal with 505 was made in August 2017:

https://otherside-e.com/wp/505-games-to-publish-long-awaited-fantasy-rpg-underworld-ascendant/

The conditions of the Starbreeze deal were public at that point, so it is hard to believe 505 would have settled for less.

There is no disclosure of particulars, you're off in pure conjecture serving-your-narrative land. And your quote really means nothing. It could mean 60/40 split in favour of the distributor until repaid with 20% premium or any number of other conditions could apply, you simply don't know.
 

Efe

Erudite
Joined
Dec 27, 2015
Messages
2,597
So they finally confirm what is apparent to everyone: Not only SS3, but the studio as a whole is in deep financial trouble. The money from the $3.5 million series A stock sale last August has been burned through and they have no other sources of funding.

Also, as we all know there is no publisher or budget for the mystery unannounced project the Boston office is supposed to work on after UA.

The Boston office will be shut down imminently and Otherside as a company will follow closely after that.
imminently but its been more than two weeks and nothing yet.
if this was said by an otherside employee you would be in this thread "exposing" their lies.
 

MasterLobar

Angry OtherSide Refugee
Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
358
Location
Killorn Keep
I still firmly believe that the evidence I cited in my posts on Otherside's financial situation demonstates that they can not go on for much longer with the funding they have at their disposal.

I stand by that predication 100% and the recent layoffs affirm my standpoint.

I have consistently stated that I see the end of August as a likely date beyond wich OS cannot continue operations.

Regarding the date, I may be wrong by 6 weeks or 8 weeks, but I am totally convinced that this company will have to shut down in the coming months.

So, Efe Doctor Sbaitso, let's say if the company still exists on November 1, you can all laugh at me.

Sounds fair?
 

Doctor Sbaitso

SO, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS.
Patron
Joined
Oct 22, 2013
Messages
3,348
Codex 2013 Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Grab the Codex by the pussy Serpent in the Staglands
I don't care either way. The end result may in the end be closure but if that turns out to be the case, your arguments now won't be any more valid (they are unsubstantiated conjecture).
 

Invictus

Arcane
The Real Fanboy
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,789
Location
Mexico
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Both of you guys should date more... hell date each other
Are you really sissy fitting over when Otherside is going to close shop? Who gives a fuck really guys, as long as they leave System Shock alone today, in one month or in one year I am well satisfied
 

BEvers

I'm forever blowing
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
808
July 29 2019 Weekly Update

Afternoon everyone!

I know it’s been quiet on socials; more or less the same old same old.

Mac&Linux:
Needs another pass since we believe we’re on the final build and want to make sure we closed out most, if not all, of the major issues from the PC version. The PC version will receive the same hotfix changes (the map key function, some missing colliders, etc).

PS4/Xbox Patch:
We finished up work on this but we’re actually blocked on publishing a non-dev build. Still coordinating between our publisher and Sony/Microsoft to figure out what the issue is, and when we can get a date to you all for the console hotfix.

In the meanwhile, I finished up work on the KS Manual and am gathering final footage for the Making of UA DVD. Kickstarter backers should keep an eye on their inboxes for an update on their digital and physical goods either this week or the next for more information on our shipping schedule.

If you have any questions about your BackerKit information or need to urgently change certain information, such as your shipping address, please contact us at support@otherside-e.com .
 

agris

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Apr 16, 2004
Messages
6,761
[...]We finished up work on this but we’re actually blocked on publishing a non-dev build. Still coordinating between our publisher and Sony/Microsoft to figure out what the issue is, and when we can get a date to you all for the console hotfix.[...]
Lol, no issues here. Move along...
 

CreamyBlood

Arcane
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
1,392
And for these past two decades I thought one of the reasons anyone with a sane mind would buy a console is because you throw a disc in the drive and load the game and it just works. No hotfixes. Sort of like those things Apple makes.
 
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
50,754
Codex Year of the Donut
And for these past two decades I thought one of the reasons anyone with a sane mind would buy a console is because you throw a disc in the drive and load the game and it just works. No hotfixes. Sort of like those things Apple makes.
This hasn't been true since the PS3 console generation.
Maybe true for Nintendo because they typically have incredibly high standards for allowing games on their platforms.
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
Matt Davey, programmer who joined the Boston team a half year before the release, is no longer working at Otherside: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdavey/

He was promoted to Principal Engineer after the release.

OtherSide Entertainment
Total Duration 1 yr 4 mos
  • Principal Engineer
    Dates Employed Dec 2018 – Aug 2019
    Employment Duration 9 mos
  • Senior Engineer
    Dates Employed May 2018 – Dec 2018
    Employment Duration 8 mos
 

Sacibengala

Prophet
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
1,098
Anyone knows if there is any modder trying to make this shit not as shitty? I wish I could play a game (In this genre and using recent technology) that don't give me disgust. Monomyth is leagues away and I need my fix.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
556
Nah, even Nintendo's given in to the patching meme. All games are computer games now.

Well obviously they have fucking patches, but they still have higher standards than other platforms. E.g. Otherside wasn't able to release UA on the Switch despite originally planning to.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
556
Anyone knows if there is any modder trying to make this shit not as shitty? I wish I could play a game (In this genre and using recent technology) that don't give me disgust. Monomyth is leagues away and I need my fix.

Get in touch with that furfaggot on the OSE forums.
 

BEvers

I'm forever blowing
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
808

Nano

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Messages
4,647
Grab the Codex by the pussy Strap Yourselves In
Maybe it would've helped OtherSide if they wrote a "what decency standards should developers abide by" checklist.
 

MasterLobar

Angry OtherSide Refugee
Joined
Feb 17, 2019
Messages
358
Location
Killorn Keep
I don't know, but here is the first time, Flarechess is flat out lying to the community.

First she indirectly confirms the KS money was misappropriated to develop Underworld Overlord.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/1640918469746964166/#c1640918469747083631

A few posts later, she eats her words and tries to spin it as if using the KS money for UO made the development of UA possible:

Flarechess

"Uh no, I'm actually saying the opposite. The UO project bought time and funding for continuing development on UA." (emphasis mine)

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/1640918469746964166/#c1640918469750663554

UO sold "1000+" copies (next category is 5000+) with a current price tag of $4.89.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otherside.underworldoverlord&hl=en_US

Come on, Sam. You did a really good job until now. Don't spoil it.
 
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