Interview Vince D. Weller Speaks Truth With RPGNuke

[Zed]

Tags: Age of Decadence; Iron Tower; Vault Dweller

Vince D. Weller, a.k.a. Vault Dweller, a.k.a. VD, discusses Age of Decadence, design, storytelling, Commander Shepard, 'are games art?', and other hot topics in a few-days-old interview with Russian RPG webzine RPGNuke.ru.

Here's Vince on why he's not exploiting his product to the fullest:

One and half year ago you mentioned, that Age of Decadence is probably going to appear on a Kickstarter, but then you’ve totally refused the idea. Can you explain us why? Do you still planning to use crowdfunding in the development of your future games?

You’re mistaken. We’ve never had any plans to go on Kickstarter. I prefer the old-school way of doing thing — prove yourself first, deliver something playable, then ask for money.

Kickstarter is very much the opposite — dream selling and upselling. It’s not about game design, it’s about well-calculated tiers, «stretch» goals, loot bags, asking for a third of what you need, upselling the low tiers, playing the system, and the lack of anything resembling accountability and transparency.

Mind you, I did back a few projects; not because they sold me on their ideas, but because I trusted the studios and wanted to support them in the absence of any other way to do so. Project Eternity, which is my most anticipated RPG at the moment, is a good example of that. They had a vague ‘we’re gonna do something awesome’ pitch and when they got a million bucks in the first 24 hours, they started figuring out what this ‘awesome’ actually might be.

As for AoD, if it sells, we won’t need a Kickstarter campaign. If it doesn’t sell, why go and ask people to fund games that nobody wants to buy?​

Clicky here to read the full interview.

 

[Infinitron]

I thought you didn't post news anymore.

 

[commie]

Guy who only released a mediocre demo of a CYOA 10 years in development is suddenly a wizened expert asked for his opinions on the gaming industry.

Jesus wept.

 

[Kane]

he worked in sales, mang. in sales!!!1

despite that, dwellies opinion is far from unreasonable!

 

[Zed]

I thought you didn't post news anymore.

Saw I could, saw this wasn't posted
I won't regularly post news, but it's shamefur dispray when there is so few news on codex and shitholes like rpg watch has like many news. Also I felt I hadn't contributed to anything in a while.
also I can only be funny when tired and drunk and that's the only other way to get brofists in this cold forsaken world.

 

[Commissar Draco]

Vince have strong opinions and I did respect his blind faith into unseen hand of market and all those old Liberal dogmas; We'll see if his game is any good on Thursday 2014 so far it was way better than SR game we got from Kickstarter and could easily raise 500 grands with proper Demo and quality PR/Marketing Magic... but it is His game, his life his choice.

 

[Infinitron]

Here's another VD Russian interview btw: http://gamebanshee.com/news/112496-the-age-of-decadence-interview.html

"There are three towns (in total) in the game. That's where all the scheming, plotting, and back-stabbing take place. So, from this point of view, each town is roughly 33% of all that goodness. There are 20+ locations in the game. The + stands for minor stops that we don't count as locations. The first demo had 3: Teron, the raiders' camp, and the mine.

The second demo has 7: Maadoran, the Abyss, the tomb, the mountain pass, the Ordu camp, the tower of Zamedi, and another raiders' camp. So, that's 10, which is 50%. If you like exploring old places that should have stayed buried (similar to the tower and the Abyss), the endgame is where it's at."

We didn't plan to release anything else after the first proper demo (i.e. not the combat one), but it took us longer than we thought and we want to give something to those who have pre-ordered the game, as a way to thank them for their support, since many people have asked for some kind of 'beta participation' or 'early access'.

The upcoming release will be for those who have pre-ordered the game. Our main concern here is not to get more sales, but to thank those who have supported us and had faith in us. Giving them something to play is the priority here. We'd like to update the first demo as well, so most likely it will be released as well (at a later time). 'Most likely' and 'at later time' because these things take time and time is in a very short supply. Nick and Oscar work day and night, literally.

"Early Access"?

"We'll talk to Valve when the demo is ready (I assume they will want to evaluate it). If they agree to put it on Steam right away, great. If not, oh well... Like I said, our priority is to thank our supporters. "

Achievements & Collectible Cards:

"Achievements and what? Cards? What kind? Anyway, I'm getting old and not as 'hip' as I once was and way behind the new age crap. We'd like to have achievements - in a sense we already have them in the game in form of reputation perks: Kingslayer, Silver-Tongued Devil, Infiltrator, Kingmaker, Collector, The Chosen One, etc.

I believe that achievements are a great tool for the developers as a great feedback mechanism, but they should be treated seriously. None of that 'Equipped a Weapon!", "Killed a Rat!", "Accepted Your First Quest - If Only Mom Could See You Now!"

We are also interested in finding out what it would cost possible "Early Access" on Steam.

"$25, same as before. I'm not against discounts or selling for less, but we started taking pre-orders at $25 and have to stick with it for now. I don't want to be in a situation where people who supported us when we needed it the most end up paying the highest.

I feel that $25 is a fair price for what we're offering. If someone disagrees, he can always torrent it."

 

[Vault Dweller]

Guy who only released a mediocre demo of a CYOA 10 years in development is suddenly a wizened expert asked for his opinions on the gaming industry.

Jesus wept.

I tried to explain them that only proven developers like Todd Howard, Mike Laidlaw, and Jay "fuck this loser' Wilson are allowed to have an opinion on the gaming industry, but they didn't want to listen.

 

[curry]

Guy who only released a mediocre demo of a CYOA 10 years in development is suddenly a wizened expert asked for his opinions on the gaming industry.

Jesus wept.

I tried to explain them that only proven developers like Todd Howard, Mike Laidlaw, and Jay "fuck this loser' Wilson are allowed to have an opinion on the gaming industry, but they didn't want to listen.

 

[Esquilax]

I tried to explain them that only proven developers like Todd Howard, Mike Laidlaw, and Jay "fuck this loser' Wilson are allowed to have an opinion on the gaming industry, but they didn't want to listen.

Once again you show your ignorance, it's Jay "Fuck that loser" Wilson. Check mate, VD.

I personally enjoyed the demo (though of course it had its issues, which have been talked to death), and I think that it's awesome how much you guys seem to have been improving things with the criticism you've been getting. Changing the skill system into a 1-10 skill is maybe one of the best decisions you guys have made. Looking forward to R4.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Guy who only released a mediocre demo of a CYOA 10 years in development is suddenly a wizened expert asked for his opinions on the gaming industry.

Jesus wept.

I tried to explain them that only proven developers like Todd Howard, Mike Laidlaw, and Jay "fuck this loser' Wilson are allowed to have an opinion on the gaming industry, but they didn't want to listen.

The irony...

 

[mindx2]

Vault Dweller - you still planning to let us pre-order suckers people upgrade to a boxed copy for $25 more? I can't wait to have that sitting on my gaming shelf come Thursday!

 

[Infinitron]

A box for a game with less than 1000 pre-orders?

 

[Vault Dweller]

If there is enough interest. Quality printing requires a large run. 500 copies min, 1,000 preferable.

 

[mindx2]

A box for a game with less than 1000 pre-orders?

A collector can dream can't he?

If there is enough interest. Quality printing requires a large run. 500 copies min, 1,000 preferable.

Well, I better start preaching my AoD sermon from the mountain top!

 

[Infinitron]

Heh, even if there is a box, don't get your expectations too high - remember Shadowrun Returns.

 

[mindx2]

Heh, even if there is a box, don't get your expectations too high - remember Shadowrun Returns.

InfiniBro, you're really dampening my hopes, dreams, collecting spirit today...

 

[Vault Dweller]

What's the story with Shadowrun's boxed copy?

 

[mindx2]

What's the story with Shadowrun's boxed copy?

Just a little hyperbole on my part. I was disappointed in the SR boxed edition as it had no manual and was "small" and cheaply made. I am a collector of cRPGs (and other games) from days gone by. The new wave of KS games promising a return to those boxed days of yore has stirred my collecting bug once more. Nothing like unfolding a map and looking at a new world or flipping through a thick manual describing the adventure that awaits.

 

[Volourn]

"In comparison, Commander Shepard has all the depth of a cardboard cutout and the story is remarkably idiotic."

One can say the same about your opinion which is shallow, pathetic, and has absolute no depth or no sense of reality or the truth. Shepard is as 'deep' as TNO. To say otherwise is to be ignorant, retarted, foolish.


Typical VD interview. Says some intelligent things and says something retarted things. Feels the need to make himself seem deeper than he actually is when he is no different than every other developer that exists - except he has yet to release a single fukkin' game. LMFAO

 

[Xor]

Go back to sleep, Volourn.

 

[AngryKobold]

I prefer the old-school way of doing thing — prove yourself first, deliver something playable, then ask for money.

When taken out of context, sounds reasonable. Would even agree. Sometimes in some cases it's a right way. But when the context includes VD talking about "proving first" and "delivering something playable"... oh, the irony.

Guy who only released a mediocre demo of a CYOA 10 years in development is suddenly a wizened expert asked for his opinions on the gaming industry.

Jesus wept.

I tried to explain them that only proven developers like Todd Howard, Mike Laidlaw, and Jay "fuck this loser' Wilson are allowed to have an opinion on the gaming industry, but they didn't want to listen.

VD ranting about someone not listening to feedback. Now that's some irony. So big it has it's own gravity.

 

[Mastermind]

If you're an indie developer you should do a kickstarter even if you don't need the money.

 

[Saduj]

I prefer the old-school way of doing thing — prove yourself first, deliver something playable, then ask for money.

When taken out of context, sounds reasonable. Would even agree. Sometimes in some cases it's a right way. But when the context includes VD talking about "proving first" and "delivering something playable"... oh, the irony.

Most KS launch without even a working demo. Some don't even have a fully fleshed out concept for their game when they launch. IT could run an AoD campaign with playable combat and Teron demos if they were so inclined. If anything, VD is taking his "delivering something playable" requirement to the extreme by not running a KS for AoD at this point.

With regards to the interview, I hadn't heard of the Generation Ship RPG before. I really like the idea but I'm personally hoping that IT doesn't allocate any resources to it until Friday at the earliest.

 

[Black]

"In comparison, Commander Shepard has all the depth of a cardboard cutout and the story is remarkably idiotic."

One can say the same about your opinion which is shallow, pathetic, and has absolute no depth or no sense of reality or the truth. Shepard is as 'deep' as TNO. To say otherwise is to be ignorant, retarted, foolish.


Typical VD interview. Says some intelligent things and says something retarted things. Feels the need to make himself seem deeper than he actually is when he is no different than every other developer that exists - except he has yet to release a single fukkin' game. LMFAO

Time to re-evaluate your AoD demo impressions