Game News Kickstarter Drama: Conquistador, Shadowrun and Eisenwald

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

Curios_Tongue, I'm not saying it's all fine and dandy, I just find it pretty ironic that people who supposedly want "a reversal of the rot that has infected gaming" complain that their DRM-free version is castrated because...wait for it...they won't be able to use DLCs with it.

If they want a reversal of the rot that has infected gaming, why aren't they protesting against DLCs in the first place? For me that's the biggest disappointment. I was hoping the devs would concentrate on making proper, old-school style add-ons, instead they want to cash in on DLCs.

 

[Brayko]

And yet apparently they spent "too much" on rewards, whatever the hell that means.

Maybe not "Too much" but "More than they should have". He started giving out boxed editions at $50 which is way too cheap for someone funding a game (not pre-ordering), despite the generous notion of the days of the 90's where you got a nice boxed edition game with a fat manual for $50. Obsidian started giving out a limited $20 tiers and later backers $25 for digital tiers and started their physical rewards (boxed copy) at $65, which I think is a far more reasonable reward for someone funding a game to make sure a good amount of that money actually goes to funding.

 

[Wizfall]

lack of core features never promised

So these days you have to promise save games? Well, it's worse than I thought.

You have save game.
Every 15 min more or less.
Pff....
Edit : good job Infinitron

 

[Curious_Tongue]

And yet apparently they spent "too much" on rewards, whatever the hell that means.

He might have got a little too generous with reards, but it's new territory, and I don't blame him for getting a little carried away.

He apparently has some money from his Interplay days, so it's not green eyes that are keeping him in the industry, he just comes acrosss as someone who wants to make games that get him excited.

Yeah, well, I don't know. Don't really like that idea either (we're getting to market driven games again) and not everybody can afford to hire managers. Guess it will remain a risky game based only on trust to donate.

Good management and leadership can be as creative and inspiring as video games. We're just so used to seeing below average managers in our day to day lives that management has a bad name.

 

[Roguey]

By the by I love the rushed sloppiness in

The red dots under bugfixes and the line by Backer's. Someone looked at that, thought "good enough" and uploaded it. Crunch zombies, dead men walking.

 

[PorkaMorka]

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.

It seems like a tough situation for lesser known developers.

To me a lot of these games seem overly ambitious, with their fancy 3d graphics and paid artists. $83,000 doesn't go very far when you have a full team of paid employees. Well, maybe it does in Belarus. But they kind of need those fancy graphics to set them apart from the sea of shit games, otherwise they may not get any funding at all.

I had hoped that kickstarter would be helpful to fund less ambitious games with 2d tile based graphics, designed by mad geniuses working solo and surviving on ramen noodles. But those games probably just get lost in a sea of shit games and get no funding. I know I've been too lazy to look for them.

 

[Koschey]

Curios_Tongue, I'm not saying it's all fine and dandy, I just find it pretty ironic that people who supposedly want "a reversal of the rot that has infected gaming" complain that their DRM-free version is castrated because...wait for it...they won't be able to use DLCs with it.

If they want a reversal of the rot that has infected gaming, why aren't they protesting against DLCs in the first place? For me that's the biggest disappointment. I was hoping the devs would concentrate on making proper, old-school style add-ons, instead they want to cash in on DLCs.

Of course I would have hoped for expansion sized DLC or at least repackaged compilations. Basically like it went with the NWN and NWN2 editors. Base game + 2 expansions with expanded editor assets and options. Perhaps a little shorter campaigns for a reduced price. Thing is, it doesn't even matter if it's the good type of DLC (DLC is just another name for add-on) or the bad type (horse armour) or something in between if it's not compatible with my version of the game from the get-go.

One of the major selling points was the editor and mission sharing. Missing out on good community content because you are unable to get the required assets for your game version is fucking annoying.

 

[Zed]

The red dots under bugfixes and the line by Backer's. Someone looked at that, thought "good enough" and uploaded it. Crunch zombies, dead men walking.

I'm sure whoever made that scoffed "DRM free?! plebs!" before uploading.

 

[mindx2]

Regardless of what was promised or not this just seems to go against what Kickstarter game funding is all about. DRM-free with no publisher interference... which is exactly what Harebrained is now going against. So I certainly understand the sense of "betrayal." I personally thought KS would help create that no-DRM/ no publisher interference environment game developers needed to create great games again. Guess my hopes were set a bit too high and hopefully I'll still get at least good games...

 

[Jaesun]

The real question will be what other Kickstarter's do (that own their own IP). If they will embrace the DRM or keep that shit away.

Anyways a good learning experience when a Kickstarter does NOT own the IP to the game they are making.

 

[FeelTheRads]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

You have save game.
Every 15 min more or less.
Pff....

Nothing is ever wrong with indies, huh?
DLC by AAA company? SUCKS SHIT FUCK YOU!111
DLC by indie? Eh, whatevs man, iz good.
DRM by AAA company? DIE PIG SCUM!!1
DRM by indie? What's the problem? They protect their games.
Checkpoints by AAA? DECLINE RUINS GAMING!!!
Checkpoints by indie? But it's actually saving except at certain points.
etc.

 

[evdk]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

Keeping with the Wasteland theme.

 

[keppj0nes]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

Yeah, I find it pretty insane that DRM has come to be included as a requirement in licensing deals. Wtf?

 

[Jaesun]

That would be an utter fucking disaster if that was EA "condition" for them being able to use the IP of Wasteland, and using that fucking Origin crap.

 

[Menckenstein]

That would be an utter fucking disaster if that was EA "condition" for them being able to use the IP of Wasteland, and using that fucking Origin crap.

Fingers crossed.

The drama is more fun than the games could ever hope to be.

 

[Zed]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

Yeah, I find it pretty insane that DRM has come to be included as a requirement in licensing deals. Wtf?

It's Microsoft. Perhaps they try to push as much onto Steam as possible.

How's this crazy theory: the rumored Xbox Mini will make PC gaming possible on the next Xbox Durango (basically adding a PC interface on top of the PC-like architecture of Durango), and will use Steam as a primary partner to deliver digital PC downloads.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

So far I've given a few bucks to two of Codex's efforts with the Torment 2 and new Divinity kickstarters, but haven't directly funded one myself. This news makes me feel better that Cleve's Grimoire Indiegogo campaign is the only crowd-funded game I've directly supported. At least I can feel that I got some forum entertainment and a demo out of the deal.

 

[Zed]

So far I've given a few bucks to two of Codex's efforts with the Torment 2 and new Divinity kickstarters, but haven't directly funded one myself. This news makes me feel better that Cleve's Grimoire Indiegogo campaign is the only crowd-funded game I've directly supported. At least I can feel that I got some forum entertainment and a demo out of the deal.

But... this drama! Are you not entertained?!
Honestly though, despite this distribution bullshit, the game looks pretty competent. It wasn't long ago we had a big circlejerk over the gameplay video.

 

[mindx2]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

Yeah, I find it pretty insane that DRM has come to be included as a requirement in licensing deals. Wtf?

It's Microsoft. Perhaps they try to push as much onto Steam as possible.

How's this crazy theory: the rumored Xbox Mini will make PC gaming possible on the next Xbox Durango (basically adding a PC interface on top of the PC-like architecture of Durango), and will use Steam as a primary partner to deliver digital PC downloads.

I thought Gabe was making his own X-Box killer... Steam-box or something, right? Doesn't sound like a cozy relationship to me.

 

[Zed]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

Yeah, I find it pretty insane that DRM has come to be included as a requirement in licensing deals. Wtf?

It's Microsoft. Perhaps they try to push as much onto Steam as possible.

How's this crazy theory: the rumored Xbox Mini will make PC gaming possible on the next Xbox Durango (basically adding a PC interface on top of the PC-like architecture of Durango), and will use Steam as a primary partner to deliver digital PC downloads.

I thought Gabe was making his own X-Box killer... Steam-box or something, right? Doesn't sound like a cozy relationship to me.

Yeah but it's basically the open source equivalent of a gaming console. Valve will have their own box, but they allow other companies to make their "steamboxes" too. Kind of like google/android. Valve gets money from people using steam, not locking people out.

 

[keppj0nes]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

Yeah, I find it pretty insane that DRM has come to be included as a requirement in licensing deals. Wtf?

It's Microsoft. Perhaps they try to push as much onto Steam as possible.

How's this crazy theory: the rumored Xbox Mini will make PC gaming possible on the next Xbox Durango (basically adding a PC interface on top of the PC-like architecture of Durango), and will use Steam as a primary partner to deliver digital PC downloads.

I thought Gabe was making his own X-Box killer... Steam-box or something, right? Doesn't sound like a cozy relationship to me.

If Microsoft was going to be cutthroat business-wise with their next console, in an attempt to be indispensable, they could preempt the need for a steam console by releasing a steam-enabled console first. crazy.

 

[Excidium]

I'm as anti-DRM as you can get, but I don't really see the problem with Shadowrun Returns. After all, all backers get a DRM-free version AND a steam-key, they don't have to choose. The DRM free version will only be missing out on DLCs. DLCs are as much decline as is DRM, so if you are a fan of DLC-decline you might as well just give into your urges, install the steam version and be done with it.

They promised a DRM-free version for all backers and they are delivering it, I don't see any deceit. Move on, nothing to see here.

DLCs include mod content like new models, tilesets, systems and such. Without the DLCs you probably won't be able to play anything that uses content from the DLCs. The main attraction of this game (beyond the IP) is the editor, it's the excuse they have to cut so many corners with the actual game.

 

[Wizfall]

inb4 Wasteland DLC available only on Origin.

You have save game.
Every 15 min more or less.
Pff....

Nothing is ever wrong with indies, huh?
DLC by AAA company? SUCKS SHIT FUCK YOU!111
DLC by indie? Eh, whatevs man, iz good.
DRM by AAA company? DIE PIG SCUM!!1
DRM by indie? What's the problem? They protect their games.
Checkpoints by AAA? DECLINE RUINS GAMING!!!
Checkpoints by indie? But it's actually saving except at certain points.
etc.

DRM free for backers.
And i'm ready to give a lot of slack at the indies that sell their game for 15$ and have a ridiculous budget compared at AAA company.
Especially when they have keep theirs promises.
I guess it's a distasteful and incomprehensible behavior

 

[Curious_Tongue]

That would be an utter fucking disaster if that was EA "condition" for them being able to use the IP of Wasteland, and using that fucking Origin crap.

I think he owns the Wasteland IP and can sell it where he likes. It's just the rights to the original Wasteland that's owned by EA, and he needs their permission to bundle it with Wasteland 2.

Correct me if I'm mistaken though.

 

[commie]

Awesome. I baked all three of those games.

Awesome.

Yeah who da fool here? I only backed two.