Game News Project Eternity Kickstarter Update #2: Stretch Goals Revealed

[Vault Dweller]

Talk is cheap.
Now we know that. And so do they.

But have any previous KS project do that?

How many KS projects asked 2 million or more from the start?

How many have done 1 million stretch goals?

Asking for more than a mil or a mil for stretch goals would have been a mistake. Reaching goals fast generate excitement and news updates, which generate more excitement. "WE ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN!!!"

Same with stretch goals. Hitting them fast is more exciting than slowly working toward a massive goal. Think of leveling up in RPGs.

 

[J_C]

Did he, though? I may be wrong, but from memory all I got was "remember Wasteland? Well let's make a turn based isometric party-based RPG with C&C and maturity".... for the first week at least. And of course there was no shortage of fist-pumping and sentimentality.

Well, here, we have "remember IE games? Well let's make a RTwP isometric party-based RPG with C&C and maturity"... plus a set of stretch goals revealing certain scope details - some of which are good (regions etc), some of which are OK (new classes, races), some of which are shit (houses).

Anyway, as kaizoku says, expecting any more scope for 1.1 million is kind of nonsensical. They need to give more details about big things like engine, and they need to work on their presentation, but "5 COMPANIONS OMG BG2 HAD 20 YOU FUCKING SUCK" is just derp.

Edit: how are races purely cosmetic? Is playing a half-ogre in Arcanum purely cosmetic?

Bro watch his pitch video again.
.

I've just watched his video again to be sure. And he didn't mentioned more details in the video, than Obsidian. Not-at-all.

As for the people who withdrawn their pledges, I hope you won't play a good, new cRPG in your life, and all you will have are Bioware's products.

 

[Zed]

I lowered my pledge to 20 because of the early pledger thingy. The price is too nice. This was mostly a budget reason.
I'm prepared to go higher (maybe even back to 280) if they post some nice updates next week or so. Like, super nice.

 

[Brother None]

I will continue to be sceptical about this project until I hear more about it. I'm quite surprised so many people are now cancelling their over-excited (sometimes MASSIVE) pledges because the tiniest of details have emerged. Seems a bit fickle, to say the least.

You new to this? During the Kickstarter and for months after I had to deal with people on the WL2 forum who pledged over-excitedly and then fickly withdrew or got angry when they couldn't anymore. The people here on the Codex who are angry that an Infinity Engine-inspired-game would target the BioWare crowd are not much better than the BioWare types we got on the Wasteland 2 forums that were angry that Wasteland 2 wasn't custom-made to their tastes.

Speaking of forums, Tigranes, enjoy all the people who try to leverage their donation amounts over you or threaten with unpledging or asking for refunds if you dare moderate them. I enjoy 'em, a whole lot.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

The people here on the Codex ... are not much better than the BioWare types

Yes we are. They are BioWare types.

 

[kaizoku]

They could said in video "With 1,1mln $ in 18 months, we can create game 1/3 the size of bg2 with 5 distinct character, which 2 of them you can always tag along". I would be perfectly fine with that

Instead they told that in the update, and you're not perfectly fine with it.

 

[nihil]

Talk is cheap.
Now we know that. And so do they.

But have any previous KS project do that?

How many KS projects asked 2 million or more from the start?

How many have done 1 million stretch goals?

True. I was a bit off with that bit. But they should have done them differently, is my point. Not repeating the same stretch goal three times, and one that draws attention to the fact that there will be few companions, without giving any more (positive) details about it.

 

[Tigranes]

Speaking of forums, Tigranes, enjoy all the people who try to leverage their donation amounts over you or threaten with unpledging or asking for refunds if you dare moderate them. I enjoy 'em, a whole lot.

Well yeah, it's like "I would have bought your game but I didn't because it doesn't have X". I always wonder where people get the idea I have anything to do with that.

I'm just waiting for Skyway to come over so I can ban him.

 

[The Great Deceiver]

The stretch goals were obviously thrown together, Brennecke himself admits as much in the update video (though indirectly). It would appear that they simply weren't prepared for such a success so early - a mistake they will hopefully not repeat when announcing a new set of goals in the future.

Had they not announced the stretch goals when they did, they'd most likely lose even more momentum, though.

 

[Wise Emperor]

Vault Dweller

Maybe I badly fleshed it out, but I think that kind of game, should at least aspire to BG2 scope.

Tigranes

They started using Infinity Games(ie BG2) as a comparison. If only in spirit, then yes I can say I'm dumb, but they didn't. They just threw names of the games and with that, I can and I will expect more. RTwP, 2d/3d graphics, lots of companions and character builds and finally looong, loooong game. Also Planescape got 7 companions

 

[Wise Emperor]

kaizoku

I pledged before the update. And no, I'm not unpledging.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Did you really expect for them to make BG2 sized game for 1 million?

EP 1.1 millions:
3 races
5 classes
5 companions

EP 2.2 millions:
5 races
7 classes
8 companions
 
also:
a new major storyline along with new quests, locations, NPCs, and unique loot (special histories everyone?)
a new Region, a new Faction (This adds new NPCs, quests, magic items, and hours of gameplay.)

BG2:
7 races
11 classes (how many of these were shit or somewhat duplicates? besides, classes suck, complex skill system with perks is superior)
17 companions

Tonight I literally dreamt of Dragon age. So, I woke up with a smile and had a good laugh until I went to KS page and looked at the stretch goals. How did an interesting world with plane travel that was promised by MCA turned into this?

3 Races is OK with me as long they are not elves and dwarfs, though chillaxing sounds pretty awesome . PST also had few races, but they were thiefling and githzerai. I don't care for size as the long as the content is there, but now I am even afraid to ask what it is.

Would I have donated if I knew what they are making? Yes, but I would not have been so butthurt. It's like they tried to please everyone and ended pleasing no one, because crowd funded projects don't really need input from supporters...

 

[~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸-AIN'T]

Spectacle

They might. Unlike BG, PST had less companions but offered a lot more. You acquired them gradually and it worked well. Considering that 1.1 mil goal isn't a lot of money for a full scale development, it's easy to assume that it included only the bare necessities (spare companions are extra). Since PST-style companions are a lot of work, it sort of makes sense. Less is more and all that.

Edit: Ironically, people getting used to Bioware RPGs and a shitload of companions, cut out of cardboard, is probably the reason for the backlash.

Seriously. It's like everyone just forgot that PST only had 7 companions (fewer than will likely be in Project Eternity), one of which (Nordom) was very difficult to find, and another (Vhailor) who you couldn't even get until pretty close to the end of the game. So most people playing PST for the first time would have gone through most of the game with only 5 companions to choose from. But apparently if PE has only 5 companions, it's fucking decline of RPGs.

 

[Jarpie]

Still very early days so they can get again momentum going with more thought update and new video. I agree with some here that they should've had stretchgoals more prepared and maybe a bit higher goal (1,5 million - 2 million), and reveal each of the stretch goals when previous one gets completed so they can get them to news "Obsidian reveals new stretch goal!".

Some of the butthurt is just retarded and ridiculous in here, "WHAA?! PLAYER HOUSE! *HUGE BUTTHURT* BWAAAH! IMMA CANCELLING MAH PLEDGE!"

 

[Tigranes]

My bad, Planescape did indeed have 7.

My point isn't that PE is going to be awesometasticsauce, but that raging over '5 companions + stretch goals' in the absence of actual system details is irrational. E.g. the size of the party is important; funnily enough, the party formation drawings on the whiteboard in update video show 6 members. I guess I'm more relaxed about it because I'm 100% sure stretch goals will be reached and we'll have 7 companions at least.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

Pledges seemed to have slowed to a trickle compared to what they were before.

Those stretch goals really showed how weak the pitch is.

 

[Sordid MCA/Prosper Hybryd]

It's like everyone just forgot that quality >< quantity. Better fewer, but better as Lenin said.

I take obsidian's quality over bioware's quantity today and everyday. Even if we're talking 'bout early bioware.

 

[Brother None]

Tonight I literally dreamt of Dragon age. So, I woke up with a smile and had a good laugh until I went to KS page and looked at the stretch goals. How did an interesting world with plane travel that was promised by MCA turned into this?

Zuh? That's completely separate, is it not? This is J.E. Sawyer's baby. MCA's baby is...yet to come?

Pledges seemed to have slowed to a trickle compared to what they were before.

Those stretch goals really showed how weak the pitch is.

Or this is just how Kickstarter works. People got a little over-excited about how fast it started, but the huge amount in a short time just made me think "that means they'll slow down sooner".

 

[Duraframe300]

It's Sunday. They have thrown this together on a Saturday evening.

The whole fucking thing started on Friday.

Let's wait for what they have in store for us next week before decline confirmation.

 

[golgepapaz]

I don't think anybody claims we'll have story of PS:T, combat of IWD, and content of BG for 1.1 million. I also don't think Obsidian could not see they'd get much more than initial goal
seeing even Wasteland got 3 million and not everybody knows it (old game). Name dropping those classics with famous game designers, they should have estimated this project could
get 5 6 million easily and planned accordingly with scope and suitable stretch goals.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

It's Sunday. They have thrown this together on a Saturday evening.

The whole fucking thing started on Friday.

Let's wait for what they have in store for us next week before decline confirmation.

At this rate it'll take ages to reach the stretch goals. They're gonna have to change them or give us something exciting to chew on.

 

[General Maxson]

I know other people have already said it but I'm surprised people didn't realize that they are not getting a game that is massive in scope for a few million.

I hope they know that WL2 isn't going to have a massive scope as well.

And why are people bitching about houses? Strongholds were fun in BG2. And they provide a functional purpose. Storing gear and a central place for companions that aren't being used. As well as adding to the game narrative. Their are a lot of quests that can be tacked to some kind of player housing.

Is it just a kneejerk reaction because Skyrim recently made such a big deal about their new player house?

Bro nobody mentioned "Strongholds". They said house, where your party can "chillax". Wouldn't they have said something more if it was something more other than larp-y shit?

 

[l3loodAngel]

Tonight I literally dreamt of Dragon age. So, I woke up with a smile and had a good laugh until I went to KS page and looked at the stretch goals. How did an interesting world with plane travel that was promised by MCA turned into this?

Zuh? That's completely separate, is it not? This is J.E. Sawyer's baby. MCA's baby is...yet to come?

It's the Obsidian Kickstarter that was promised by MCA is it not? Or MCA just lends his face for any commercial?

It's an Obsidian kickstarter. check
It has MCA on team. check

Nope, sry were are making a different game, that has nothing to do with MCA and TC. Hope you will enjoy.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Vault Dweller

Maybe I badly fleshed it out, but I think that kind of game, should at least aspire to BG2 scope.

It's not a reasonable expectation. BG2 was a sequel built on the success (and art assets) of BG, which was much smaller in scope. Besides, they mentioned 3 different types of games: BG series - an epic adventure, IWD series - dungeon crawling, and PST - the dialogue heavan. If anything, I'd expect IWD meets PST, not BG.

 

[Duraframe300]

I don't think anybody claims we'll have story of PS:T, combat of IWD, and content of BG for 1.1 million. I also don't think Obsidian could not see they'd get much more than initial goal
seeing even Wasteland got 3 million and not everybody knows it (old game). Name dropping those classics with famous game designers, they should have estimated this project could
get 5 6 million easily and planned accordingly with scope and suitable stretch goals.

I think they expected getting more than the initial goal.

I don't think they expected to be the fastest video game kickstarter of all time surpassing Double Fine who started that whole thing. And there EVERYONE pledged for excitement, even if they didn't like adventure games too much.

General Maxson: No, not on stretch goals that were thrown together on a saturday evening.


Also the lacklustre list may actually be a result of that since they planned stuff for next week they couldn't show/do over the weekend.