Game News Obsidian Reveals 'Project Eternity' - Kickstarter Live

[Vault Dweller]

So you're saying that Kickstarter is already aping the mainstream industry?

Isn't it all about numbers? I like Obsidian a lot and I pledged $500 because I'm a bro and want to believe and feel as giddy as a schoolboy, but wasn't the pitch basically "Hey you like awesome games? It's your lucky day, 'cause we're making an awesome game and if you give us moneys, you can play it one day!!!" Same goes for WL2 and most other successful campaigns - keep details to the minimum and sell the dream.

Well, hopefully there's gonna be some place left for "small time shit" too, because I thought that was one of the benefits of Kickstarter.

As Infinitron said, small time money for small time shit. The conquistador game (which had details, a trailer, and hands-on previews ) barely hit 75k in 30 days.

 

[sea]

So, any hope of Obsidian scaling back and focusing exclusively on PC RPGs now?

 

[Stinger]

No, I remember Chris explaining that Obsidian will still continue with the higher budget publisher models in the WL2 AMA on Reddit.

I don't mind. If Obsidian continues to do cRPGs after Eternity then there's really no issue if they do a little popamole to keep devs on.

 

[almondblight]

As Infinitron said, small time money for small time shit.

And it's not a bad thing. What did the Banner Saga do with their 750k? Full orchestral music while still saying that they didn't have enough to make a full game (the kickstarter was only for episode 1). Eh eh eh. Planetary Annihilation included full orchestral music as a stretch goal as well. At some point, the extra money is just wasted.

 

[Semper]

It's not "mainstream" enough for Kickstarter (according to Obsidian), unfortunately.

imo they've chosen the rtwp route because they want to create their own ip with a glory future. lets face it, there aren't that much turn based fans out there anymore and much less if we're taking the average ie fan into count . so if they wanna take it any further they scrapped it now so they don't have to change nor to adapt the rules later. my butt ain't hurting that much simply because of shadowrun, chaos chronicles, w2 and aod. there are plenty of turns the next year

 

[l3loodAngel]

Project Eternity (working title) pays homage to the great Infinity Engine games of years past: Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment.

Yeah, this part was especially painful.

4)Many people are kinda getting fed up with Kickstarter at this point.

Because they aren't interested in some small time shit. To do well, you need a popular brand, a name (or three), and a proven ability to deliver. Obsidian got all three and then some.

And this is why we will have crisis over and over again. Obsidian has the lowest probability to deliver a game since the company burns 1 million dollars a month and has no other mainstream projects except for southpark. So when the funds dry out it may be the first KS to go belly up unless it collects an obscene amount of pledges.

 

[Semper]

Obsidian has the lowest probability to deliver a game since the company burns 1 million dollars a month and has no other mainstream projects except for southpark. So when the funds dry out it may be the first KS to go belly up unless it collects an obscene amount of pledges.

it burned 1mio while keeping close to 160 people busy. now they're down to around 100 and probably needing 600-700k per month. while that's still skyhigh for a project founded through kickstarter we don't know the details of the south park contract. but slamdunk feargus ain't that bad not doing his math.

 

[Stinger]

That 1 million a month statement was when they had like 3 projects in the pipeline and 120 odd devs.

At this stage they only have South Park and Eternity, maybe, possibly one publisher based project that hasn't been announced.

Basically what I'm saying is, the Eternity funds will only supply the devs working on Eternity, which will be a much smaller team than the usual 30-60 devs to accommodate for the smaller amount of funding.

Everyone else gets paid from the funding of other projects. If they have no projects to fund those guys- they get laid off.

They aren't going to use the indie funding of Eternity to fund 120 devs- that's just absurd.

 

[kaizoku]

I'm guessing they want to make a fancy video with each and every update. That takes time.

Those are the best type of updates.
Remember, there are lot of people who want full voice acting
reading is da hard


Besides, just picture this:
Avellone shows up and teases you. He teases you with his eyes. He teases you with his lips. His hands move around his chest and he whispers:

You like what you see you big basement dweller?
Well it can be yours.
Just tip me. Make that pledge. You know you want it.
I'll take off this shirt for you when we reach two millions.
And maybe something more latter *wink*

Then you see Avellone sitting at his chair writing, beating his fingers on the keyboard trying to make a great game, but he can't. Not without your help. But you're not helping. Why is that, Infinitron? WHY ARE YOU NOT HELPING?

 

[l3loodAngel]

Well, hopefully there's gonna be some place left for "small time shit" too, because I thought that was one of the benefits of Kickstarter.

As Infinitron said, small time money for small time shit. The conquistador game (which had details, a trailer, and hands-on previews ) barely hit 75k in 30 days.

That's an unfair comparison. Conquistador chose a boring setting compared to ancient Rome, Greece, Persia, China, Asiria, Egypt or Japan. Yes, some historians and history channel viewers find it interesting, but younger generation finds it boring.

 

[FeelTheRads]

As Infinitron said, small time money for small time shit. The conquistador game (which had details, a trailer, and hands-on previews ) barely hit 75k in 30 days.

Yes, and you think this is a good thing, or I don't know what you mean? Sure sounds like it.
If everything that's not backed by a big name is small time shit that doesn't deserve attention then Kickstarter is a fucking failure.
Well, it's not yet, but if we get more and more developers that only need a "proven ability do deliver" on it while all they have to say it "HURR I MAEK CALL OF DUTY PAY ME", then it won't be any different the mainstream industry. I don't see anything good about that.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I think it's a pretty awesome and incredibly rich setting that beats the crap of any fantasy. The clash of the new and old worlds alone is worth the price of admission.

 

[PorkaMorka]

I'll buy this if it turns out to be good, but I don't think I'm going to kickstart it, because:

a) I am deeply offended by J.E. Sawyer's tattoos.
b) it was already funded by the time I noticed it, so there is no harm in free riding.
c) Obsidian has never made a good game.

 

[jagged-jimmy]

VD is right, selling the dream is what made us pledge. Sure that Conquistador game sounds okaish and i would probably buy it on release, but that won't make me excited. WL2 was / is just an awesome idea, dream, revolution, whatever. Every BRO was needed back then. Now BG. Personally i had the most recent gaming joy with IWD I and II... So yeah, i want to believe and i want more.

 

[kaizoku]

Well, hopefully there's gonna be some place left for "small time shit" too, because I thought that was one of the benefits of Kickstarter.

As Infinitron said, small time money for small time shit. The conquistador game (which had details, a trailer, and hands-on previews ) barely hit 75k in 30 days.

That's an unfair comparison. Conquistador chose a boring setting compared to ancient Rome, Greece, Persia, China, Asiria, Egypt or Japan. Yes, some historians and history channel viewers find it interesting, but younger generation finds it boring.

That is true.
Had they chosen a zombie game (before Brian) and showcasing all that eye candy, things would have been different. They would have surpassed what Brian got.

The setting is not boring per se, but was too vanilla for me. Had they spiced it a bit with lore/fantasy of the time (cities of gold, fountain of youth, etc) and it would have been so much more interesting. (fantasy haters gonna hate).
Besides, there were gameplay aspects which I wasn't quite fond of.
I decided to save my money for Obsidian KS. I don't regret it :]
In the end I may buy Conquistadors when it comes out if I like the demo.

 

[l3loodAngel]

1. Basically what I'm saying is, the Eternity funds will only supply the devs working on Eternity, which will be a much smaller team than the usual 30-60 devs to accommodate for the smaller amount of funding.

2. They aren't going to use the indie funding of Eternity to fund 120 devs- that's just absurd.

1. I dismissed the thought, because it's not separate legal entities. 60 people working for 3k is 180k a month. Now, this company is full industry veterans that probably won't work for that much as they probably have families, mortgages and etc.

2. Yes, but then there is an issues with senior management, paying the bills, accounting and etc.

My point is that you can't look at them as separate entities.

 

[IlkuWarrior]

Someone needs to suggest that every third stretch goal should be "More people doing Bug Testing and QA".

 

[l3loodAngel]

I think it's a pretty awesome and incredibly rich setting that beats the crap of any fantasy. The clash of the new and old worlds alone is worth the price of admission.

My dad is roughly your age. He loves history! WW2 German engineering is his passion and he goes to all museums with U boats, tanks, planes and etc. And he would play the war simulation or watch history of battles.

I would rather watch/play LOTR, WH40K, D&D, Starcraft & PST. That's an issue of age and not of refined taste.

When someone chooses demographic so small for their target audience and hopes for a success...

 

[thesoup]

Stretch goal 1500 000$ - hire Jennifer Hepler.

 

[evdk]

Stretch goal 1500 000$ - hire Jennifer Hepler.

And have her clean the hallways.

 

[Freelance Henchman]

Stretch goal 1500 000$ - hire Lithuanian hitmen to take care of Jennifer Hepler once and for all.

Fixed.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Yes, and you think this is a good thing, or I don't know what you mean? Sure sounds like it.

We aren't saying it's good, we're saying that's how it is.

If everything that's not backed by a big name is small time shit that doesn't deserve attention then Kickstarter is a fucking failure.

To some degree, because when it comes to games, KS isn't about features and vision, it's about selling dreams, and big names and brands are the winners there. I gave money to Obsidian because I believe they can make a pretty cool game because they've done it before a number of times, not because they sold me on their design ideas.

As for the small time shit, if someone has nothing but ideas, they won't get funded. If they have enough to squeeze some money, they don't really need them as they can finish their games without them. Had the conquistador game failed to hit the goal (and they only reason they did was because RPS decided to give some exposure), it would have still been made.

 

[Don Peste]

How much does a dev working on a project like this or Wasteland 2 earn a month?

 

[commie]

Why not make a Turn Based mode as a stretch goal? There have been games(albeit mostly war/strategy) that managed to include such options where both were robust and felt natural enough(as opposed to having turn based or RT mode feeling tacked on and artificial).

RtwP more often than not devolves into lassoing your party and just clicking on the enemy as it's hard to time attacks, buffs, co-ordinate strikes in RTwP(never mind RT) because you never get that precise feedback about the length of time any action takes that you do with TB.

TOEE style combat would be ideal of course but failing that, a toggle for RTwP/TB would be a good compromise. Since in RTwP actions are time based, it shouldn't be all that difficult to break down time of actions into turn lengths.

 

[Turisas]

How much does a dev working on a project like this or Wasteland 2 earn a month?

2000-5000 bottlecaps, depending on responsibilities and seniority.