Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Game News Guido Henkel's Deathfire Goes Episodic, Launches Direct Donation Drive

Crooked Bee

(no longer) a wide-wandering bee
Patron
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
15,048
Location
In quarantine
Codex 2013 Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire MCA Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 BattleTech Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
Tags: Deathfire; G3 Studios

Now that the crowdfunding campaign for Deathfire has failed to reach its goal, Guido Henkel has announced a Plan B -- the game's going episodic:

We do not want to deviate from the formula of the game. The reason why so many of you have fallen in love with “Deathfire” is because of its many cool and unique features. If we were to reduce the scope or depth of the game, we would essentially destroy everything that fans cared for in the first place. Therefore, the decision was made to find a solution that allows us to keep the game’s features intact.

The plan is this: Instead of creating a large-scale game all at once, we decided to take an episodic approach to the game. As opposed to forcing ourselves to a development schedule that spans a year or more, and which needs to be funded up front entirely, we have decided to develop the game in installments, each an individual chapter in the story—as you would have in a book—which, when taken together make up the entire story of the original game.

There are a number of great examples out there, for games that have done very well using an episodic approach. Especially “The Walking Dead” by Telltale Games jumps to mind instantly as an example of episodic-delivery-done-right.

Each of “Deathfire’s” six chapters we will build, will expand the game as a whole when they are released, not only continuing the story, but also introducing new features as they enter the picture. The advantage of this approach is, I think, self-evident.​

There is, of course, the question of where they're going to take the money for the first episode. In an unusual move, Guido has decided to start a direct crowdfunding campaign on the game's official website:

The result is that we will need a much smaller financial upfront commitment, and as the individual chapters are being rolled out, they can begin to generate incremental revenue that will then help us along as we continue with the project.

There is still the problem of getting the ball rolling, of course. Fortunately we have already done a lot of the ground work in the past months, creating a workflow and toolchain that will allows us to work efficiently right out of the gates, but we will still need money to pay everyone who’s working so hard on this project, along with some necessary software and hardware purchases.

Therefore we have decided to accept pledges from fans directly. As of right now, you can select reward tiers and back our project on our official website, just the way you would do on Kickstarter. In fact, we have tried to keep much of the reward structure in place that we offered in Kickstarter, though due to the nature of the beast, some amends had to be made. At the same time, there are some really cool changes, because things such as the Beastiary will now be continually updated and will grow over time as each new chapter is released.

There is a certain amount of base capital that is required for us to safely enter development of this chapter-based approach, and over the course of the next two weeks we want to see if we can reach this $50,000 base goal. Reaching it will make it possible for us to pay out small salaries and keep everyone’s families fed properly, while developing the first chapter. Upon reaching that milestone, we hope that the chapter release itself will generate enough buzz and interest to bring in additional funds through new backers or sales, which, in turn, will allow us to continue the development.​

Don't know if that's feasible -- Guido Henkel is no Chris Roberts -- but I guess we'll see.
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,236
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
It'd be funny if he does manage to raise $50k and manages to use that to put some bare-bones tech demo on Steam Early Access.
 

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 think RPGs lend themselves to an episodic approach. In any episodic game that I have seen the systems are in place for episode 1, and subsequent episodes add content, not guts. MAYBE if certain mechanics were introduced as the plot is revealed or something but that doesn't seem feasible.

pessimistic take:

The game will suck less with each episode, and the last 20% of the game will be feature complete.
 

felipepepe

Codex's Heretic
Patron
Joined
Feb 2, 2007
Messages
17,274
Location
Terra da Garoa
This is a genius move (for him).

The game's already greenlight on Steam, if a fraction of the people that already gave him money on the KS do again on the direct pledge, he will be able to make Episode 1, set it on Steam and get money for the rest of them. The bad part is that he would need the most money precisely on Episode 1, to set up the engine, combat, character system, items and all that... and he'll probably he the smallest budget there.
 
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
1,436
"Sorry, the area you're trying to access isn't implemented yet. Please wait 5 months for Deathfire: Chapter 4-6 to be released"
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,236
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
This is a genius move (for him).

Not if he can't scrounge up the measly 50k on PayPal. People have tried this kind of thing before (going independent after Kickstarter failure) and it hasn't gone well.
 

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
This is a genius move (for him).

The game's already greenlight on Steam, if a fraction of the people that already gave him money on the KS do again on the direct pledge, he will be able to make Episode 1, set it on Steam and get money for the rest of them. The bad part is that he would need the most money precisely on Episode 1, to set up the engine, combat, character system, items and all that... and he'll probably he the smallest budget there.

If the intention is to implement all systems ahead of time, then I will throw my money at him. Unfortunately, he specifically mentions each chapter will

"not only continuing the story, but also introducing new features as they enter the picture"

I would like clarification on whether "features" means "systems" or "mechanics". If so, it is concerning. I would just wait for later chapters to see whether the first are worth buying if systems are fleshed out over the course of the chapters. Complicating matters further, I'm not sure if there would be intentions to make features introduced to the engine later playable in previous chapters.

Take as example the inventory system gets a upgrade in chapter 3. Can I restart the game at chapter 1 and have the enhanced inventory? If the answer is no, chapter 1 is not as "good" as chapter 3.
 

Zed

Codex Staff
Patron
Staff Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
17,068
Codex USB, 2014
This sounds very thought-through!

Just kidding. I'm out.

EDIT:
Episodic content is an entirely different thing from a full game. Yes, it works quite well in linear story/adventure games such as the Telltale games and more recently Broken Sword 5 (which is split into two).
This is an entirely different game! How often will these episodes come out? Think of Telltale games - they quickly recap choices from previous episodes to get you up to speed. In a game like this, you must keep track of so much more. Hell I'm even having troubles returning to 3-day old IWD saves.
I just barely tripped over the edge and pledge to the KS. This make me go back however and I don't expect to give any money until something has been released and people seem to like it.
 
Last edited:

V_K

Arcane
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
7,714
Location
at a Nowhere near you
If the intention is to implement all systems ahead of time, then I will throw my money at him. Unfortunately, he specifically mentions each chapter will

"not only continuing the story, but also introducing new features as they enter the picture"
I think he's just talking about stuff like high(er)-level spells and such, that you can't just possibly get in earlier episodes. Or content-specific things - for example, there can be no need for dialog mechanic in episode 1 if there aren't any NPCs there etc.
 
Self-Ejected

theSavant

Self-Ejected
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
2,009
> Episodic
> Pledge on Website

Does he really want to fail a third time?
Does he really want to fail so hard and utterly?
Does he really want the dirt rubbed into his face?

Why does he not realize:
He hasn't got the pull of a Star Citizen... episodes are a turn off... his website is a desert... and it will not change. Why? Because people are lazy. They only go to crowded and common places. Tomorrow the pledges on his website will still be on 1.500$ and it will stay the same until the end of time. It will be worse than Thorvalla... it will never reach the 50K. Guido... you make me cry... honestly.
 
Last edited:

Zed

Codex Staff
Patron
Staff Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
17,068
Codex USB, 2014
Why does he not realize:
He hasn't got the pull of a Star Citizen... episodes are a turn off... his website is a desert... and it will not change. Why? Because people are lazy. They only go to crowded and common places. Tomorrow the pledges on his website will still be on 1.500$ and it will stay the same until the end of time. It will be worse than Thorvalla... it will never reach the 50K. Guido... you make me cry... honestly.
This is exactly how I see it too. This is an attraction at an already popular show. It's not its own show.
It's not gonna be as bad as the Black Isle thing, but I don't expect him to get like any more pledges after a week or two.
 
Unwanted

Kalin

Unwanted
Dumbfuck Zionist Agent
Joined
Sep 29, 2010
Messages
1,868,264
Location
Al Scandiya
Why isn't Guido in charge of making that Torment: Tides of Numunemunenrma rather than pitching a Dickens-style crpg with rat-people?
 

Gakkone

pretty cool guy eh
Patron
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
917
Location
schmocation
Codex 2013 Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Codex USB, 2014 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Guido pls.

Episodic! Backer site! The man's done some research but random ideas aren't going to get him far. He doesn't seem to know his audience or even what works for his own damn game.
 
Self-Ejected

theSavant

Self-Ejected
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
2,009
Damn... I can't pull myself away... must follow on his website now... until it crumbles... arrgh... the paaain... :negative:
 

Grauken

Gourd vibes only
Patron
Joined
Mar 22, 2013
Messages
12,787
Guido always learns the wrong lessons. Makes me sad, since I actually liked this one. But come on, episodes is massive fail
 

getter77

Augur
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
861
Location
GA, USA
Such a strange, exotic move compared to just early Alpha Access and/or keeping the Kickstarter train rolling with another go of it shortly to carry over all these pledge folks at this new $50K~ target/model---this'll probably also cull many of the Boxed Copy folks that help drive much of the nostalgia.

I can give the benefit of the doubt on trying to make this episodic---either he's got something up his sleeve or maybe taking heavy inspiration from the Lone Wolf paperback and/or Project Aon notions of continuity and fleshing things out.

I mean, it has a chance if he can get a good wave of sentiment to drag everybody onto his site for the weekend to surge the total up---but that's going to be a narrow window to make it happen.
 

Zed

Codex Staff
Patron
Staff Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
17,068
Codex USB, 2014
Wait a second.

There is a certain amount of base capital that is required for us to safely enter development of this chapter-based approach, and over the course of the next two weeks we want to see if we can reach this $50,000 base goal. Reaching it will make it possible for us to pay out small salaries and keep everyone’s families fed properly, while developing the first chapter. Upon reaching that milestone, we hope that the chapter release itself will generate enough buzz and interest to bring in additional funds through new backers or sales, which, in turn, will allow us to continue the development.

But... What if you don't reach that? This isn't KS where money is returned on failure to fund.
 

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
Wait a second.

There is a certain amount of base capital that is required for us to safely enter development of this chapter-based approach, and over the course of the next two weeks we want to see if we can reach this $50,000 base goal. Reaching it will make it possible for us to pay out small salaries and keep everyone’s families fed properly, while developing the first chapter. Upon reaching that milestone, we hope that the chapter release itself will generate enough buzz and interest to bring in additional funds through new backers or sales, which, in turn, will allow us to continue the development.

But... What if you don't reach that? This isn't KS where money is returned on failure to fund.

Exactly. I picture him with a shittily made "will work for food" bristle board sign.
 

Applypoison

Numantian Games
Patron
Developer
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
120
PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Serpent in the Staglands Codex USB, 2014 Shadorwun: Hong Kong
It's not gonna be as bad as the Black Isle thing, but I don't expect him to get like any more pledges after a week or two.
lol After Reset has a solid structure/income flow to support it, but the Kickstarter was managed as poorly as it possibly could be. Plus, it's not the guy's fault, but if your IRL name is Richard Nixon... try to avoid speaking engrish and talking about child killing/hookers at the very least. Otherwise you'll get serious trust issues.

on-topic, when amazing minds are prone to mood fits... The Walking Dead from Telltale was a commercial success (and will continue to be), but every fiber of my being rejects episodic gaming. wish him luck though.
 
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
1,436
>Tomorrow the pledges on his website will still be on 1.500$ and it will stay the same until the end of time. It will be worse than Thorvalla... it will never reach the 50K. Guido... you make me cry... honestly.

It's already on $5.4k though...
 

Zed

Codex Staff
Patron
Staff Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2002
Messages
17,068
Codex USB, 2014
It's not gonna be as bad as the Black Isle thing, but I don't expect him to get like any more pledges after a week or two.
lol After Reset has a solid structure/income flow to support it, but the Kickstarter was managed as poorly as it possibly could be. Plus, it's not the guy's fault, but if your IRL name is Richard Nixon... try to avoid speaking engrish and talking about child killing/hookers at the very least. Otherwise you'll get serious trust issues.
what the fuck are you talking about?
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom