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[Lancehead]

This is the best bit from that Gamebanshee interview:

Buck: Let's talk mechanics. While the game is certainly far from completion, what are your goals for the character creation and advancement system? Will progression be a standard affair with attributes and skills/perks/feats, or will you be treading into unknown territory? Finally, will there be a major focus on the non-combat abilities that are often overlooked in modern RPGs?

Feargus: Yes, yes and yes – we are still rolling up the system, but our goals are very much along the lines of creating a robust and multi-faceted RPG system. That means having a huge focus on support abilities and not just combat ones. Josh has been whiteboarding up a system for a number of months now for the support ability system and it’s looking very, very cool.

I'm not a big fan of IE's real-time-pause combat. But this game is built around that mechanic, not transforming from turn based, and Sawyer's on the job.

 

[Dennis]

Watching the numbers go up is hypnotic.

 

[pmj]

Well PST is a pretty bad example of RTwP gameplay; I hated its mechanics, but found BG/ID gameplay and interface extremely enjoyable.

Inch your way forward with your thief in order to detect traps. Encounter enemies. Detect traps is disabled as you use the thief to attack. Combat ends. Click thief. Click detect traps icon. Inch your way forward. Repeat a dozen times for every dungeon.

As much as I love these games, they had some serious issues with their interfaces.

 

[Nelo Ice]

Pledged $20. My fifth kickstarter after Double Fine, Wasteland 2, Shadowrun Returns, and Dead State.

 

[Lothars]

my inital impression is meh but I will back it for 20 since it's only 20 dollars and we will see how it is.

 

[Ventilaator]

Much like the Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter, all of the words I'm reading make me go "YES! YES!"

 

[shark sandwich]

$4 million: original theme song by Leona Lewis.

 

[Auto_aim1]

Backed - $20.

 

[Forever]

It'll be a real shame if this doesn't hit 3 million.

 

[Nirolak]

Watching the numbers go up is hypnotic.

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

 

[Miletius]

I wonder who the 35 people are who picked the 25 dollar option while the 20 dollar one is still available....

In for a boxed set ($65). Whoo!

 

[disappeared]

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

That's our industry for ya.

 

[Desmond]

I start college on Monday, cut me some slack lol

 

[Lancehead]

Don't get me wrong, I backed without even reading the Kickstarter - it's Obsidian making a game they want to make, so i have faith.

I just think they firstly need to say what makes the setting appealing to them - why have they chosen, so far, generic-sounding fantasy, what's going to make that special? They are not constrained by publishers, so they've actively chosen this setting as something more appealing over something more immediately unique (Eg. Planescape). I want to know why, though.

Secondly, the tiers are not so great at the level I am looking to pledge. I would have given more than $35 if there had been something there for me (I'm an international customer).

Thirdly, IMO RTwP was never a fun combat system. I remember the debates and arguments in the Black Isle days about RTwP - the 'hardcore' wanted turnbased combat in their games and saw RTwP as a concession to publisher demands. Fallout: Tactics was heavily criticised for introducing a real-time option.

Anyway - the bottom line is this is a game Obsidian want to make, so I'm backing Obsidian, rather than the game, at the moment. No excuses allowed if it's not great - this game will define Obsidian, for me.

First, they haven't really told us anything substantial about the setting. It seems high-fantasy but that means nothing. And Sawyer posted a blog yesterday just to address these kinds of concerns.

As for the combat system, the difference here is, the game is not transforming a turn based system into real-time-pause system, which was the reason for the deficiencies in IE's cpmbat. Instead they're building the ruleset for real-time-pause combat.

 

[wakajawaka]

What have I done

 

[antispin]

My dream Obsidian game would have the setting from PS:T and the game mechanics from ToEE; guest-starring HK-47 with a 'droid Boo on his shoulders voiced by Mark Hamill.

 

[thehillissilent]

5 Million: Obama gives it his seal of approval

6 Million: EA gets rid of Bioware

7 million: QA Department

 

[arglebargle]

There should be very little voice acting, if any. Because you can't voice act this:

and if you tried to voice act this you would run out of money very quickly.

i do sympathize somewhat with people who wish the setting were somewhat different. planescape's setting is great, for example, just as a change of pace from more common fantasy settings. i am not disappointed in the setting myself, but i could see wanting them to be more creative about it.

 

[rbenchley]

I'll back when I see more concept art and stretch goals. Surprisingly little material in comparison to other kickstarters.

It'll probably be awhile before we see anything like that. The game isn't due out until April 2014, so I'm guessing that they'll be sharing concept art later this year and screenshots and video next summer.

 

[Emitan]

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

"But- but the focus tests! They never told us about this!"

 

[Tokubetsu]

Is this real life? Am I dreaming? I don't want to ever wake up.

 

[Delusibeta]

$150k in 75 minutes. Hell, that's fast.

[Edit] $160k in 78 minutes. Prepare for hypercash.

 

[volturnus]

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

$150k in an hour and 15min from the studio that had 2 projects canned in the last 2 years.

 

[Clydefrog]

these guys are geniuses

 

[eXistor]

I want this...no...need this. Pledged $65,-(well 80 actually, shipping costs...). I'm considering upgrading to 140, because I really want the cloth map, maybe frame it. Obsidian will reach the goal in days I think.

 

[shintoki]

I'm glad this project exists, and I did contribute some money, but I'm actually beginning to hit my limit with Kickstarters since I've yet to actually have one of the things I've backed come out. I feel like this is probably my last one.

This will be my first, and probably only Kickstarter.

I really do not like the idea of backing a title, I won't be able to play, or even know anything about for a while. But I do want support Obsidian. 20$ seems like a decent point.

 

[Almighty]

these guys are geniuses

That they are Clydefrog, that they are.

 

[Zaventem]

7 million: QA Department

Lets reach that goal.

 

[duckroll]

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

I think a part of that might have to do with marketing and publishing. Realistically speaking, if they were to shop this to a publisher, it would not be a 1.1 million dollar budget. If a publisher is looking for what they think could be a real hit, they would probably be looking to invest a lot more into it, especially in terms of marketing. They also wouldn't be interested in making it a PC only digital release. So when you add a lot of the other costs up, plus having to dedicate executive producers and associate producers to oversee the project, etc... it might not look to be a worthwhile investment to them.

It wouldn't mean that they couldn't put 5 million on a project like this and profit. It simply means they think, rightly or wrongly, that they can spent that 5 million on something else which could get them more money.

On the other hand, for fans it's win-win. We pay money and we (presumably) get what we want. There are no other barriers.

 

[Jibbajabbawockky]

I have to agree with that.

That video really doesn't show much and concept art goes a long way. I mean, Planetary Annihilation would have never reached 2.2mil if it wasn't for that first video. That's what sold everyone on the idea of a TA successor.

They really need to add some more stuff.

I'm guessing (or hoping) that they'll likely have more stuff to show in the days ahead and that they didn't just want to blow their load right out of the gates. Especially since there is always a rush towards the end of a Kickstarter.

 

[guit3457]

Estimate Delivery: Apr 2014......

 

[WanderingWind]

I think a part of that might have to do with marketing and publishing. Realistically speaking, if they were to shop this to a publisher, it would not be a 1.1 million dollar budget. If a publisher is looking for what they think could be a real hit, they would probably be looking to invest a lot more into it, especially in terms of marketing. They also wouldn't be interested in making it a PC only digital release. So when you add a lot of the other costs up, plus having to dedicate executive producers and associate producers to oversee the project, etc... it might not look to be a worthwhile investment to them.

It wouldn't mean that they couldn't put 5 million on a project like this and profit. It simply means they think, rightly or wrongly, that they can spent that 5 million on something else which could get them more money.

On the other hand, for fans it's win-win. We pay money and we (presumably) get what we want. There are no other barriers.

I am a marketer. I am very confident I could sell this game to any publisher and walk away with a deal. Something else is going on that has nothing to do with the marketing of the Obsidian brand.

 

[Zeroth]

2 million: a spiffier manual

3 million: one of the NPCs will be voiced by Felicia Day

4 million: one of NPCs will look like Felicia Day

Spoiler

and another will look like Jessica Chobot

 

[NichM]

Sorry, Wii U. Sorry, iPhone 5. Chris Avellone's making a new RPG, and, I um, yeah.

 

[The_Player]

7 million: QA Department

Oh how I laughed.

 

[duckroll]

I am a marketer. I am very confident I could sell this game to any publisher and walk away with a deal. Something else is going on that has nothing to do with the marketing of the Obsidian brand.

Erm, I'm talking about marketing from the publisher side. They aren't really keen on publishing and promoting these sort of games.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Ok, I just changed it from $20 to $35, by the end of the day I think I will end up in $65.

 

[Aeana]

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

Well, if people paid publishers the amount some people are paying for this, they might reconsider.

 

[Nirolak]

I think a part of that might have to do with marketing and publishing. Realistically speaking, if they were to shop this to a publisher, it would not be a 1.1 million dollar budget. If a publisher is looking for what they think could be a real hit, they would probably be looking to invest a lot more into it, especially in terms of marketing. They also wouldn't be interested in making it a PC only digital release. So when you add a lot of the other costs up, plus having to dedicate executive producers and associate producers to oversee the project, etc... it might not look to be a worthwhile investment to them.

It wouldn't mean that they couldn't put 5 million on a project like this and profit. It simply means they think, rightly or wrongly, that they can spent that 5 million on something else which could get them more money.

On the other hand, for fans it's win-win. We pay money and we (presumably) get what we want. There are no other barriers.

I agree with you for the big publishers. When Brian Fargo said that inXile's definition of success would be considered a failure by publishers, I felt that rung true.

However, I feel there are small enough publishers like Reverge where running a $1.1 million PC only game that makes a good profit actually seems appealing.

It's mostly that publishers like that didn't go for this that surprises me.

Well, if people paid publishers the amount some people are paying for this, they might reconsider.

This is a fair point. A publisher funded game has no where near as much price discrimination ability.

 

[Goldenroad]

I'll give them $20 for this if they give me $60 back for the broken mess that was New Vegas. I've never once had a game break on me like that. I was over-encumbered when I had no inventory whatsoever. About 5 missions I could not finish because the characters did not exist and a "completed mission" message that never stopped running in the top corner.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

in for $100!

 

[Derrick01]

I still find it hilarious that a game like this can get crowdfunded at an astonishing rate, yet be totally unappealing to every publisher.

Maybe if they would ever realize you don't need to make every game with a 5 million+ goal we could see things in the industry calm down and balance out.

 

[MrBud360]

I´m want that Cloth Map!!! I miss a poster!! They should add it!

 

[Fersis]

Maybe...they dont want a publisher? Maybe they want full control on absolutely everything?
Could be.

 

[EviLore]

Someone find my post where I described what the best kickstarter ever would be?

Because...that just happened.

 

[WanderingWind]

Erm, I'm talking about marketing from the publisher side. They aren't really keen on publishing and promoting these sort of games.

But why, is the question. What kind of budget is being asked for? What are they bringing forward as a platform? What metrics are they presenting to sell this to the publisher?

I can't see a major publisher turning down a project with this pedigree, for this little money, being released on Steam. It boggles the mind. They would barely have to exert any effort on their marketing push, either. Look what they just accomplished with some on screen interviews, some basic art assets and their reputation.

Somebody is not paying attention on the publisher side. There are more markets than what they think exist and they're going untapped.

 

[Keasar]

Goddamnit Kickstar, I am so full of you constantly wanting my money!

...

*pledges 20 dollars*

 

[Madridy]

Wait isn't Avellone working on Wasteland 2? So he is going to work on two projects at the same time?

Backed, hope it smashes other game Kickstarter records!

 

[duckroll]

I agree with you for the big publishers. When Brian Fargo said that inXile's definition of success would be considered a failure by publishers, I felt that rung true.

However, I feel there are small enough publishers like Reverge where running a $1.1 million PC only game that makes a good profit actually seems appealing.

It's mostly that publishers like that didn't go for this that surprises me.

That's an interesting point, and I'm not actually familiar enough with these smaller publishers to say anything with confidence, but maybe they don't give a developer like Obsidian the sort of confidence they need to basically put their top talent on a game, especially for an IP they won't own. On the other hand, if Obsidian is being directly funded, that is a strong incentive for them to put forth their best effort.

 

[mrboo001]

I pledged $280... so much for that WiiU this year. I just hope my family don't find out about this.