Game News Project Eternity Kickstarter Update #4: DRM Free Option, Beta Access, New Digital Tiers

[Crooked Bee]

Tags: Obsidian Entertainment; Pillars of Eternity

Obsidian Entertainment have put up the fourth update for their Project Eternity Kickstarter, which announces the addition of new digital tiers and "add-ons," beta access starting from the $140 tier, and cooperation with GOG.com as a DRM-free alternative to Steam:

DRM Free Option

You asked and we are delivering. In conjunction with GOG, we are going to offer a DRM free version of the game for our Kickstarter Backers. When the campaign ends, you will be able to choose whether you would like a key from GOG or Steam. For our Mac friends, we are still working on a DRM free option, since GOG does not currently support the Mac. Oh, and the great guys at GOG are having a special right now on all of the great Infinity Engine games, so check that out as well.

New Digital Tiers

We are adding a $50 and an $80 digital tier. The $50 tier will get you the digital version of the game, the soundtrack, the digital version of the Collector’s Book, a collection of wallpapers made for multiple resolutions and multiple monitors, high resolution concept art, a high resolution version of the map, and ringtones. For the $80 tier, you will get all of that plus a digital copy of the strategy guide, and a second digital download of the game.

Add-Ons

This is a short list for right now, but we will be adding more as the days pass including some pretty swank Obsidian-wear.

• Add a Digital Download of the Game: +$25
• Add Three Digital Downloads of the Game: +$60

As a quick tutorial on how to add add-ons, goto the Project Eternity site on Kickstarter and then hit the Manage Your Pledge button. The reward tier you had already selected will still be selected and the amount will be in the big box at the top. All you need to do is add the dollar amount that covers the add-ons you would like to your pledge and enter the new total number. For instance, if you are at the $35 Pledge level and want to add one Digital Download, you would enter $60 as your total pledge.

New for our Collector's Edition Box Level ($140)

Lastly we want to announce that we are going to give our backers at the Collector’s Edition Box Level ($140) a little extra today and that is Beta access to the game! That’s just a little taste of what we will be adding into tiers in the coming days and weeks through stretch goals and the occasional random act.​

To view this update on Kickstarter, click here.

 

[Ulminati]

So are we doing a KKKodex fundraiser for this? I'm waiting for the paypal option, but if we have an option to give <3 to saint MCA as a group I'll go for that instead.

 

[Jaesun]

Yeah I'm in on a fundraiser. We would be crazy to miss out on this. However there didn't seem to be much interest in the feedback forum, granted NOW we have a shitload more info on the game now. As opposed when it launched.

 

[Endemic]

Sweet, I'm sold.

Here's to MCA

 

[J_C]

Ok, I'm upping my pledge from 20 to 50. This is sweet.

And seriously (I mean seriously, no joke), shame on you Codex if you don't do a fundraiser. You are sucking up to a lot Kickstarter games, doing fundraiser for Deadstate (LOL), and you don't do one for this gem.

 

[Mrowak]

^ DU is on the sick leave (yeah, right). Once he comes back I think it's safe to say we will have a foundraiser.

 

[Jaesun]

DU is back. Just FYI.

BE AFRAID. VERY AFRAID.

 

[Ulminati]

Lies! It's a puppet controlled by Tal.

 

[nihil]

Great update. Looking forward to the upcoming info.

I already spent too much on the Kickstarter, but if a Codex fundraiser pops up, I'll simply have to add a little more.

 

[Outlander]

Good to see Obsidian upping up their game.

 

[Smarts]

I could really get behind this as a game development model, if this is the level of feedback it allows.

Stuff is asked for or suggested!

It appears 48 hours or less later, and was possibly coming all along!

Starting to wonder if the Codex is in danger of some serious culture shock.

 

[felipepepe]

People are a bit burn out due the Wasteland 2 hype, I believe... we fapped violently, raised tons of money and little has happened ever since...

 

[Crooked Bee]

So are we doing a KKKodex fundraiser for this?

Given the current server load, DarkUnderlord will probably go for a server fundraiser instead.

 

[CappenVarra]

Pretty good update, with solid stuff that might actually get people to pledge... I'm sold

Oh, and since this is Nitpicker Central, I have to say:

One thing, we are not updating just yet are the stretch goals, but don’t worry those are going to get updated very soon.

Do they have a low-level Paki intern writing these updates? Some copyediting might do them good.

 

[Rivmusique]

I really need to up my pledge to $140 at some point.

 

[Ogg]

Stuff is asked for or suggested!

It appears 48 hours or less later, and was possibly coming all along.

I seriously think the drm free version was planned from the beginning. The whole "we listened to your feedback" part is obviously staged. Not sure I should care though.

 

[Mrowak]

I seriously think the drm free version was planned from the beginning. The whole "we listened to your feedback" part is obviously staged. Not sure I should care though.

I think they wanted it from the beginning but they didn't finish the negotiations with GOG through at the opening of their Kickstarter.

 

[Jaesun]

I wonder if EA's Origin will also be a download option (like Wasteland 2 is)?

 

[tuluse]

It's not much, but I would throw in $5-10 for a codex fundraiser.

 

[godsend1989]

They said on twitter they almost decided what engine are gonna use, update coming soon about this.

 

[Kahlis]

Don't care about the digital options myself, but it's good that they're providing additional (lucrative) options for those who aren't as enthusiastic about physical goodies.

I still think that people (read: myself) would be more inclined to pitch in for boxed copies if there were print materials in the ones below the $250 tier. Map aside, I'd feel horrible getting a nice big box for $60 and then realizing there's nothing inside it but a couple of DVDs. Probably not even a jewel case. It'd look completely idiotic.

They'd do well to at the very least include a printed version of the manual's contents in all boxed editions, rather than everything being bundled into the obscene "collector's book" which many people may not want in its entirety. Hell, if the setting, monster variety and gameplay ruleset are so extensive and profound that the materials have to be compiled into a "player's handbook" and a "monster manual" then why not just split them into separate books and give you an additional one per tier? Come on, I figured they'd be better at capitalizing on the whimsy than this.

 

[belated]

The 65$ box does have a printed manual.

 

[J_C]

They'd do well to at the very least include a printed version of the manual's contents in all boxed editions, rather than everything being bundled into the obscene "collector's book" which many people may not want in its entirety. Hell, if the setting, monster variety and gameplay ruleset are so extensive and profound that the materials have to be compiled into a "player's handbook" and a "monster manual" then why not just split them into separate books and give you an additional one per tier? Come on, I figured they'd be better at capitalizing on the whimsy than this.

The 65 dollar edition includes a printed manual.

Edit: Ah, beat me to it.

 

[Kahlis]

Strange. I must've been foolishly referencing the pictures (on which there is no mention of it, I guess it's just assumed that it'd be in the "boxed version") instead of the tiers. Thanks for informing me.

 

[IDtenT]

I wonder if EA's Origin will also be a download option (like Wasteland 2 is)?

With the whole free for 90 days initiative it would be silly not to sell on Origin as well.