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[Jack_AG]

So now we are up to backing developers already in the industry that already have money and can already get backed by a simple phone call?

Meanwhile small, new studios who actually need the money for their projects get kicked out of the spotlight by the big dogs looking to dig into that small pie.

Its as if larger developers and publishers want the majority to remain CONSUMERS and not CREATORS.

Yep - Kickstarter is dead in my eyes. What's next? Will Donald Trump kickstart a new real-estate business?

And PM of all people? Holy fuck. You're being played, people.

 

[harSon]

So now we are up to backing developers already in the industry that already have money and can already get backed by a simple phone call?

Meanwhile small, new studios who actually need the money for their projects get kicked out of the spotlight by the big dogs looking to dig into that small pie.

Its as if larger developers and publishers want the majority to remain CONSUMERS and not CREATORS.

Yep - Kickstarter is dead in my eyes. What's next? Will Donald Trump kickstart a new real-estate business?

And PM of all people? Holy fuck. You're being played, people.

Just because developers are established within an industry, and contain individuals with a ton of clout, doesn't mean that they're capable of obtaining financing for any type of game imaginable. I'd imagine that within today's gaming climate, Publishers aren't exactly going out of their way to look for Populous-esque video games. If he were making an FPS or an RPG, he could probably score a pretty sweet deal with a Publisher, but a Populous styled game for PC and mobile phones? Not so much.

 

[epmode]

So now we are up to backing developers already in the industry that already have money and can already get backed by a simple phone call?

Meanwhile small, new studios who actually need the money for their projects get kicked out of the spotlight by the big dogs looking to dig into that small pie.

As much as I dislike the idea of this particular game being crowdfunded, what you described is absolutely not happening. If anything, the new influx of money has only helped smaller developers. A rising tide etc.

 

[Confidence Man]

How about kickstarting Project Ego. That I'd contribute to.

 

[freddy]

post # 298

Ok, thanks for taking the time for such a lengthy response. While your answer hasn't alleviated my concerns fully, it does tell me that your team is at least aware there has been a problem and are able to admit that. Those are two steps that I feel are a necessity before anything can be done at all about any problem. Good luck with that, as I really would love to see some more games of the high calibre that I played in the 90's. Back then there were the usual PR statements/one liners but for the most part we just got brilliant games one after another.

The game sounds really good so far, at least on paper. I don't think anyone expects a world changing, genre defining experience at this point but just a good solid game. Maybe I will proved wrong also(hopefully), and yes I agree that the passion to make one is a good thing, if it's kept in check somewhat. I'm not saying I'll pledge just yet but I'm a lot more inclined to, than I was yesterday. There's plenty of time still.


I'd love to hear more from other team members about their experience in game making, likes/dislikes in gaming and what they can bring to the table, not just for this game, but going forward as the team gels a bit. There are a lot of people in that 22 cans picture and a lot of good games they've made. Also, I hope one of those games you played was Powermonger because if that were to be forgotten, it would be a sad day.

Good luck with the Kickstarter.

PS: British humour is never trivial it just flies at a high altitude over some nations.

 

[freddy]

Here's some more of the developer videos if anyone is interested.

http://www.youtube.com/user/22CansOfficial

 

[SamVT]

we uploaded another video today, a little fire-side chat.

 

[Psychotext]

I am amused:

• Digital Download Gift Pack. Receive an acorn that you can plant in your home-world, and over time a tree will grow.

 

[Ranger X]

Well I must admit I am interested in this game since Populous is the only Molyneux game I ever liked!! Bring it on!

 

[CecilRousso]

Passed £200k now.

 

[SamVT]

We recorded a video today with Peter, Jack and Gary and Fabs.

It's all about the first look at the PROTOTYPE today! Still early days but key programmers have now come off Curiosity and onto GODUS. This is really exciting.

 

[polyh3dron]

I've never wanted a kickstarter to fail harder than this one.

OK, maybe that one time, but still.

(for context, I've backed Double Fine, Rqpublique, Shadowrun Returns, LA Game Space, Star Citizen and also one I'm feeling more and more remorseful about now, Project Eternity)

 

[SamVT]

I've never wanted a kickstarter to fail harder than this one.

OK, maybe that one time, but still.

(for context, I've backed Double Fine, Rqpublique, Shadowrun Returns, LA Game Space, Star Citizen and also one I'm feeling more and more remorseful about now, Project Eternity)

why is that? :O The team and I really want to remain independent and make Godus with our community you know...

 

[SamVT]

Sorry for the double post but this is the video where we show GODUS prototype, we'll be back to the prototype on Thursday, or Friday... (Fabs made me laugh when he answered that question).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHSsgRjusao&t=1m53s

 

[Psychotext]

lol at the "bug".

Good to see it actually doing something now.

 

[Ravensmash]

I've never wanted a kickstarter to fail harder than this one.

OK, maybe that one time, but still.

(for context, I've backed Double Fine, Rqpublique, Shadowrun Returns, LA Game Space, Star Citizen and also one I'm feeling more and more remorseful about now, Project Eternity)

Why would you want this to fail? What good does that do anyone?

 

[Perkel]

I've never wanted a kickstarter to fail harder than this one.

OK, maybe that one time, but still.

(for context, I've backed Double Fine, Rqpublique, Shadowrun Returns, LA Game Space, Star Citizen and also one I'm feeling more and more remorseful about now, Project Eternity)

 

[topramen]

I wonder if this is going more slowly due to donations being in british currency.

You have to believe that this should be able to clear $800,000 (ish?) fairly easily. With the UK kickstarter projects just getting started I imagine it has much less presence over there. I backed it, but wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people see the pledges in pounds and just shrug and move on.




(also re: Molyneux hate. give the guy a break, the project looks interesting and would probably be a great ios experience)

 

[epmode]

re: Molyneux hate. give the guy a break

I've been reading variations on this for a decade now.

I agree that Godus and other strategy/management games would be a good fit for iPad. Kickstarter was not the way to go for this project, though.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

Sorry for the double post but this is the video where we show GODUS prototype, we'll be back to the prototype on Thursday, or Friday... (Fabs made me laugh when he answered that question).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHSsgRjusao&t=1m53s

I have to admit that this looks interesting, but I'll wait and see what the reviews say.

 

[border]

Why would you want this to fail? What good does that do anyone?

It would encourage other well-to-do, mega-successful people to stop begging for money on a website that's intended for innovators that cannot raise capital through traditional means.

The Peter Molyneux and David Fincher Kickstarters were some of this year's most embarassing. Fincher got funded, and the backers won't even get to see the project they were funding.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Kickstarter was not the way to go for this project, though.

Probably the least subjective thing to say on the matter.

 

[Castor Krieg]

why is that? :O The team and I really want to remain independent and make Godus with our community you know...

Easy - get Peter to get Syndicate IP from EA and make a proper Syndicate sequel. You will drawn in PC gamer love.

 

[Frogacuda]

why is that? :O The team and I really want to remain independent and make Godus with our community you know...

Everyone wants to do that, but not everyone can make the argument that they need it. That's the thing Peter didn't sell well in his pitch.

I'm rooting for you guys, though.

 

[Psychotext]

Peter's on the Yogscast at the moment. Helping raise money for the Honey Drive.

http://www.twitch.tv/yogscast
http://www.justgiving.com/yogscast

 

[Mastperf]

I don't know a lot about kickstarters and figured this was the best place to ask. If a kickstarted game becomes a huge success (like a Minecraft for example) who gets rich? Since people are "investing" in these games do they get any money from it or does the developer pocket the profits?
Probably a dumb question but I was curious.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I don't know a lot about kickstarters and figured this was the best place to ask. If a kickstarted game becomes a huge success (like a Minecraft for example) who gets rich? Since people are "investing" in these games do they get any money from it or does the developer pocket the profits?
Probably a dumb question but I was curious.

All you get is the rewards stated on the page

You're not investing, you're pledging

 

[Yasae]

I don't know a lot about kickstarters and figured this was the best place to ask. If a kickstarted game becomes a huge success (like a Minecraft for example) who gets rich? Since people are "investing" in these games do they get any money from it or does the developer pocket the profits?
Probably a dumb question but I was curious.

No "investors" get any share of profits or ownership whatsoever. They are NOT investors per se but donors.

If you were actually an investor, though, you'd be throwing up tens of thousands of dollars at minimum, by yourself, to get a game started. It's a much bigger risk and it thusly pays greater dividends. Chipping in ten or twenty bucks towards a kickstarter is a much lower buy-in. The developer gets the lion's share of the profits.

 

[Mastperf]

Ok, thanks guys.
Seems like a pretty good deal for the developer. Spend others money with little to no risk and maybe make some nice profit. Can't say I agree with it but I can't blame them if others are ok with it.

 

[zashga]

All you get is the rewards stated on the page

You're not investing, you're pledging

That's kind of an arbitrary distinction. Kickstarter explicitly forbids projects from offering equity to backers, but a "pledge" is still an investment. You're just not contributing enough money to dictate the terms of the project (as, say, a publisher would). There's still risk involved, since the project could fall through or end up producing something you don't much like.

 

[Mastperf]

One more question. On average, how often have the developers invested their own money into these kickstarters? I know some of these guys are probably pretty wealthy.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

One more question. On average, how often have the developers invested their own money into these kickstarters? I know some of these guys are probably pretty wealthy.

If you mean pledging to the kickstarter itself to make up the numbers, they're not allowed to.

If they got found out, they get zip.

 

[ferr]

Ok, thanks guys.
Seems like a pretty good deal for the developer. Spend others money with little to no risk and maybe make some nice profit. Can't say I agree with it but I can't blame them if others are ok with it.

Investors face similar risks. If they invest in a product, hoping to make a profit, and the profit doesn't happen- they lose. As a kickstarter pledger they pledge in hopes to obtain a great product, if the product doesn't happen- they lose.

 

[ArjanN]

One more question. On average, how often have the developers invested their own money into these kickstarters? I know some of these guys are probably pretty wealthy.

Put money into the project they're working on? Probably all of them.

EDIT:
I don't mean pledge to their own kickstarter though, that's against the rules and also stupid.

 

[SamVT]

Ok so people have been asking to see more of the team, more prototype etc...

I filmed this on Thursday, the day more members got moved off Curiosity (V2 is now done, out for Android, iOS soon) onto GODUS.

Wanted to make a funny comedy video. Taking Renato Carosone's 'Tu Vuò Fa' L'Americano' for inspiration...that video clip is brilliant as there's always something to discover when you're watching the video instead of playing it in the background while doing something else.

Anyway enjoy on this Sunday!

https://vimeo.com/55179977

 

[Imp the Dimp]

Pretty shocking to see this on life support. Molyneux's trash talk has cost him all credibility. I'd be surprised if Godus makes it.

 

[SamVT]

Pretty shocking to see this on life support. Molyneux's trash talk has cost him all credibility. I'd be surprised if Godus makes it.

No question it's scary, we're keeping our fingers crossed and working as hard as we can on the Kickstarter campaign, the GODUS prototype and maintaining Curiosity. Being an indie is heavy lifting, a lot of work. I wouldn't call it trash talk but ok...the team speak to that point in the vimeo video I posted earlier.

Anyway, hopeful we'll make it, understand it's an expensive month with Christmas and all that but even just £1 (= $1.5) helps is to get closer to our goal.

 

[wiggleb0t]

No question it's scary, we're keeping our fingers crossed and working as hard as we can on the Kickstarter cam paign

That's rough. When you're rich, successful & can buy what you need it's definitely time to look for charitable ways to increase your income. lol wow, surprised Mr Burns hasn't been mentioned. 1st world problems remedied in the vein of 3rd world crises. Bit blunt, bit black & white but it is what it is.

iirc Sam helped out a lot in the Lionhead forums. "Start the game again and hope it doesn't bug out" was the standard fable 3 support.
Does being independent mean it's of any priority($) to fix game breaking bugs instead of selling DLC first? That's how fable 3 rolled. Unfortunately never made it to be king in which I should then have asked for donations to further my riches.

Hope it's a huge hit and if so look forward to the KickStarter for the sequel.

 

[nickcv]

Ok so people have been asking to see more of the team, more prototype etc...

I filmed this on Thursday, the day more members got moved off Curiosity (V2 is now done, out for Android, iOS soon) onto GODUS.

Wanted to make a funny comedy video. Taking Renato Carosone's 'Tu Vuò Fa' L'Americano' for inspiration...that video clip is brilliant as there's always something to discover when you're watching the video instead of playing it in the background while doing something else.

Anyway enjoy on this Sunday!

https://vimeo.com/55179977

are there 2 peoples working at 22cans with the same accent?

 

[maniac-kun]

I hope he fails with this.

 

[polyh3dron]

why is that? :O The team and I really want to remain independent and make Godus with our community you know...

Because Peter Molyneux overpromises and underdelivers EVERY TIME. He is exactly the type of person that should not be allowed to do something like this.

 

[Castor Krieg]

Yup, not going to make it. Might be refreshing, Molyneux will finally see what all the over-promising during X360 era cost him.

So 22 cans, get Peter to find you a publisher lol.

 

[SamVT]

iirc Sam helped out a lot in the Lionhead forums. "Start the game again and hope it doesn't bug out" was the standard fable 3 support.
Does being independent mean it's of any priority($) to fix game breaking bugs instead of selling DLC first? That's how fable 3 rolled. Unfortunately never made it to be king in which I should then have asked for donations to further my riches.

Hope it's a huge hit and if so look forward to the KickStarter for the sequel.

Allright, you're getting personal now. I've never claimed to be technical support, hell, if I singlehandedly could have made a patch to fix bugs in Fable 3 I would have done, sadly I'm unable to. Best thing I could do was ANSWER people on the forums, that you didn't like my reply is your perogative but jeses man, bitter?

are there 2 peoples working at 22cans with the same accent?

Haha, probably the natives (aka English) but there's people from different countries at 22cans.

I hope he fails with this.

Thanks for your contribution. Now go and play.

 

[danmaku]

Because Peter Molyneux overpromises and underdelivers EVERY TIME. He is exactly the type of person that should not be allowed to do something like this.

Not true. When he was with Bullfrog, he delivered EVERY TIME. I guess that without his dream team he lost his magic touch, or maybe there's no one able to turn his visions into something that actually works.

It's strange that he chose the kickstarter way, though. Only gaming enthusiasts know about kickstarters and spend money on them, and those are the same people who hated the Fable games and hated Curiosity even more.

 

[Clevinger]

nm

 

[syko de4d]

lol....
if he is making a bad games = all Peters fault
if he is making a good game = the other people in his team are the reason

 

[derFeef]

lol....
if he is making a bad games = all Peters fault
if he is making a good game = the other people in his team are the reason

I always found it weird to blame/praise a single person of a company. Plus I have not heard anything like "Man, Gabe knows how to make driving sections long and boring".

 

[SamVT]

Or he was never that talented in the first place, and there are some unsung heroes that were at Bullfrog.

Incorrect, I am looking at Glenn and Peter sat at a desk right now talking.

Over 22 years ago they sat together as well and created Populous, together. Peter did coding on pretty much all the Bullfrog games he's been credited on, and up until Black&White 2 every Lionhead game.

 

[Clevinger]

nm

 

[JaggedSac]

Dang, it isn't looking good for the folks at 22 Cans on this one. I would increase my pledge but I cannot afford it. You guys need to get on The Verge or something.