Game News Kickstarter Drama: Conquistador, Shadowrun and Eisenwald

[Crispy]

Is it Thursday yet? No? Okay, I'll check back later.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Kickstarter is simply not enough to afford even a poverty living wage for more than a few people for a few months, it's as simple as that. It always was a pipedream.

 

[Metro]

Kickstarter is simply not enough to afford even a poverty living wage for more than a few people for a few months, it's as simple as that. It always was a pipedream.

Moronic blanket statement.

 

[Brayko]

Yeah. I'll wait to see what Obsidian and InXile do with it before I make final judgement.

 

[almondblight]

This stupid argument again? The F2P game is the same fucking game mechanically speaking and the single player game is still getting released.

Good point, the MP of Conquistador and the DRM version of Shadowrun are going to be different games mechanically and the single-player games will never be released.

Oh wait...

 

[evdk]

Moronic blanket statement.

It's HHR, that's essentially his Modus Operandi.

 

[Metro]

This stupid argument again? The F2P game is the same fucking game mechanically speaking and the single player game is still getting released.

Good point, the MP of Conquistador and the DRM version of Shadowrun are going to be different games mechanically and the single-player games will never be released.

Oh wait...

Apple meet orange.

 

[almondblight]

Apple meet orange.

1. Delay because of "distribution issues" with an announcement of multiplayer.

2. A delay in order to work on a F2P game.

3. A decision to not give the same support to the DRM-free version of the game.

So 1 and 3 are similar, and 2 is completely different. Some interesting logic you got there.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

Kickstarter is simply not enough to afford even a poverty living wage for more than a few people for a few months, it's as simple as that. It always was a pipedream.

Tithe - 10%

Donating to the "Cure homosexuals" and "Take condoms away from Africans" organsiations - 10%

Sending your children to a Catholic school - 20%

Income lost to work distractions such as prayer and perfecting religious doublethink - 10%

Some of us don't have your expenses HHR.

 

[Infinitron]

Kickstarter is simply not enough to afford even a poverty living wage for more than a few people for a few months, it's as simple as that. It always was a pipedream.

Tithe - 10%

Donating to the "Cure homosexuals" and "Take condoms away from Africans" organsiations - 10%

Sending your children to a Catholic school - 20%

Income lost to work distractions such as prayer and perfecting religious doublethink and hot waitresses - 10%

Some of us don't have your expenses HHR.

fixed

 

[evdk]

He saves money by using only 100% natural remedies like quicksilver.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Kickstarter is simply not enough to afford even a poverty living wage for more than a few people for a few months, it's as simple as that. It always was a pipedream.

Moronic blanket statement.

Not really no, of course established studios with especially glamorous franchises to parade around like inXile and Obsidian will garner enough revenue on the strenght of nostalgia and many dedicated RPG fans, but otherwise very, very, very few games can amass a really significant sum of money. Most of that goes to pay for tons of different stuff.

Even the guys on The Banner Saga admitted that they took no income for themselves despite making 7 times more than planned, and they were forced to start a free-to-play minigame to subsist.

The only exception would be people out of second or third world countries who have lower living standards, but even Aterdux has run out of money.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Why not present a proper budget for a core game and then upgrades showing proper and realistic estimates for extra features, instead of asking for x amount of dollars and hoping to get 3 times more and then attaching random amounts to different features?

Fuck if I know. Poor planning? Dishonesty? Hoping to get more money by being vague which actually seems to work, at least if you're a big name?

 

[Metro]

Apple meet orange.

1. Delay because of "distribution issues" with an announcement of multiplayer.

2. A delay in order to work on a F2P game.

3. A decision to not give the same support to the DRM-free version of the game.

So 1 and 3 are similar, and 2 is completely different. Some interesting logic you got there.

About as interesting as you characterizing the differences to fit your argument. But by all means keep whining about it.

Kickstarter is simply not enough to afford even a poverty living wage for more than a few people for a few months, it's as simple as that. It always was a pipedream.

Moronic blanket statement.

Not really no, of course established studios with especially glamorous franchises to parade around like inXile and Obsidian will garner enough revenue on the strenght of nostalgia and many dedicated RPG fans, but otherwise very, very, very few games can amass a really significant sum of money. Most of that goes to pay for tons of different stuff.

Even the guys on The Banner Saga admitted that they took no income for themselves despite making 7 times more than planned, and they were forced to start a free-to-play minigame to subsist.

The only exception would be people out of second or third world countries who have lower living standards, but even Aterdux has run out of money.

Plenty of others have been successful -- two examples don't prove the rule. Also, newsflash: the average game developer doesn't earn $100,000 a year. $25 to $30k is reasonable if you're talking about young developers in their early twenties starting out. Especially if they retain full ownership of their game and can profit from the subsequent post-release sales increasing their income even further.

 

[evdk]

Well, SRR FAQ is up:


- To reiterate, our Backers don’t have to choose a DRM-free version of the game or a Steam version of the game. You get both.

- Backers who want a DRM-free experience with Shadowrun Returns (on Windows, OSX, and Linux) are getting the game, editor and all, and will be able to transfer community-created story files and update executables manually. (It works just like a non-Steam version of Skyrim: you can install mods manually or via a 3rd-party tool such as Nexus.) The DRM-free version will not require any internet connection or any form of online authorization to play. In addition, Backers who like the convenience and reliability of Steam and who want automatic updates, easy-to-browse -content, and a DLC store are getting them.

- We said that post-Berlin Campaign DLC would only be available on Steam but we never said why. We regret the omission. The reason is that our license to develop Shadowrun Returns actually requires that the game and its DLC be distributed under DRM. This didn’t come up earlier because the situation was complicated by the number of parties involved in the license and because the process was “ongoing”. Ultimately, we were able to successfully negotiate an exception with Microsoft for us to provide our Backers with a DRM-free version of the Kickstarter rewards (specifically the game and the Berlin Campaign) but that exception does not extend to non-reward DLC. So unfortunately, we cannot sell or give away DRM-free versions of the game or DLC on stores like GoG, and that’s why any future Shadowrun Returns DLC will only be available for purchase on Steam.

- We will be updating/bugfixing the DRM-free versions (Windows, OSX, and Linux) of Shadowrun Returns, maintaining them along with the Steam versions. These updates will require Backers to re-download the game from the Harebrained Account Website, since it will not include auto-patching functionality.

Well, if there is such a clusterfuck concerning the rights they should've mentioned it from the start (although I can see why they didn't).

 

[Infinitron]

Welp. Microsoft gonna Microsoft. Why do they care, though? Are they receiving a cut of all the profits? Is Microsoft the publisher?

 

[tuluse]

If they just said that in the first place would have been no problems.

Communication is key.

 

[Roguey]

I'm going to enjoy the inevitable Antharion rage. That's supposed to be out in July.

Oh and Shadowrun update's out, haven't read it yet.

Edit:

These updates will require Backers to re-download the game from the Harebrained Account Website, since it will not include auto-patching functionality.

lol just lol. Definitely going with Steam cause fuck that.

 

[Metro]

Cool, one of you Butty McButthurts who KS'ed Shadowrun and has an anti-Steam fetish feel free to give me your key~

 

[Excidium]

Game went from D1P to 75% discount on steam sale to clear conscience.

We will be updating/bugfixing the DRM-free versions (Windows, OSX, and Linux) of Shadowrun Returns, maintaining them along with the Steam versions. These updates will require Backers to re-download the game from the Harebrained Account Website, since it will not include auto-patching functionality.

Why can't the just offer manual patches? Re-downloading the entire game on every update...what the fuck.

 

[Jaesun]

I knew them not owning the licence to Shadowrun would possibly cause some future problem. Shame really, but I guess M$ want their money.

 

[Brayko]

It's the same info just fleshed out better. Non-Steam users are still getting sub-par versions. Sucks for the people who are vehemently against Steam.

 

[keppj0nes]

Pretty shady for SRR to have limitations on what they could do with their license and not disclose it to their backers until so much later.

The problems with the upwell of kickstarter games is probably going to get worse. Some game developers shouldn't have been allowed to get games off the ground.

 

[AC Sleighter]

So. the only thing the Steam Free version doesn't get is future DLC?

why all the butthurt? When the Kickstarter was announced, future DLC wasn't even a part of the plan.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

Why not present a proper budget for a core game and then upgrades showing proper and realistic estimates for extra features, instead of asking for x amount of dollars and hoping to get 3 times more and then attaching random amounts to different features?

Fuck if I know. Poor planning? Dishonesty? Hoping to get more money by being vague which actually seems to work, at least if you're a big name?

Thinking that if a publisher isn't involved and the scope small, they can work on pure creativity?

Perhaps good managers should be doing Kickstarters instead of the developers?

Maybe that's what makes Fargo attractive to doners, he comes across as a guy who can balance business and creativity.