Game News inXile admit that Torment stretch goal content has been cut, including companions

[duanth123]

What a beautiful afterthought

 

[Fairfax]

Some of our players and community members recently pointed out

The RPG Codex, Colin.

Some of you have been asking about the Oasis, an area we talked about during the campaign as our second major city.

You didn't just talk about it, it was the $4 million stretch goal.

Though we fully intended that the Oasis would be our second city, story changes, plus our growing fascination with the Bloom, turned that location into our second major hub instead. In fact, the Bloom and surrounding areas are much larger than we originally discussed building for the Oasis.

So you reach the Bloom in the last third of the game, yet somehow it's "much larger" than the second major city they had promised? Sounds like bullshit. Fortunately for them, however, we don't know what the Oasis was supposed to be, so no one could dispute that claim even after release.

One other topic: the Italian localization. When we set out to create Torment, our planned size was significantly smaller. Torment in its final form grew to a much bigger, deeper RPG, and has over 1.2 million words. When we chose our planned localizations for the game, that word count and expanded scope for the game didn't exist yet. Unfortunately, it turns out that localization a game script of such a magnitude to a good standard of quality is extremely costly.

It's funny because Fargo said the biggest perk of having a publisher would be their help with localization.

Unfortunately, during this process, we made the difficult decision to drop support for Italian - both our backer numbers and the sales of our prior RPGs in Italy meant it was unlikely we'd be able to field the very high costs.

WL2 was not released in Italian, and similar games don't support it either. Also, as I pointed out earlier, it wouldn't take much for the italian sales to pay that back, unless they're no expecting the game to do well.

We’re looking into ways to bring you Italian in a post-release capacity, such as community translations.

"Hey folks, we don't want to pay for the italian localization, but maybe you'd like to do it for free?". The balls on these guys.

It's interesting that yet again there's no mention of the player stronghold or the live orchestra soundtrack.

 

[RK47]

If it's our fault for trusting them then clearly to remain innocent in the future, we shouldn't trust these people ever again.

 

[Nihiliste]

The game may or may not be good. If it's good I'll enjoy it no matter how shitty of a company these clowns are.

The company is clearly shady and treats their backers like shit which for a crowdfunded game strikes me as a bizarre thing to do.

Basically, they made enough money that Brian Fargo no longer had to pander to niche gamers like us. Remember, this guy ran a major publisher into the ground, but it was a major publisher all the same. That's the arena he prefers, and all the crowdfunding, community engagement, pure RPG stuff was just a gimmick. Fargo is an empty suit at heart and it's abundantly clear to me he would rather be selling console games.

All that is fine, except its pretty disgusting to go back to the crowdfunding well 3 times when you have one game out. They don't need the money from us at this point, but hey, he'll take what you've got anyways because fuck the customer if you're stupid enough to give it right?

I backed this game at too high a tier considering the backer content (novellas et all) are garbage and stretch goals are getting cut. And that they're taking 5 years to release a consolized version of the original pitched product. Quite frankly, if I just invested that money it would have doubled with the rest of my portfolio over that time frame.

On the other hand, I've been happy enough with Pillars, D:OS, SITS, and other crowdfunded games. Inxile is uniquely shady and annoying in their dealings with backers.

 

[Ismaul]

Fargo is an empty suit at heart

We should've known from his choice of wives, really.

 

[abnaxus]

Lock him up.

 

[Severian Silk]

Not one good RPG has been crowdfunded yet. Best CRPG I played lately was Witcher 3.
And I fucking hate Witcher 3.

Underrail, Undertale were also good. AoD is popular. Not crowd-funded. Quality level of JRPGs is also steady. Not crowd-funded.

 

[Iznaliu]

As many of you are well aware, Torment is built on some of the technology behind the first Pillars of Eternity, and so shares some common DNA with it. We're looking forward to it quite a bit, as it looks like it's shaping up to be yet another rich, engrossing CRPG.

Translation: As many of you are well aware, Obsidian had to bail us out by developing some of our game for us after it became clear that our money started circling the drain, so it shares some common DNA with Pillars of Eternity. We're looking forward to it quite a bit, as it looks like it's shaping up to be yet another RPG which is better than what we make, so we have something to do at inXile other than churn out crap.

 

[Rev]

God, I've spent some time reading the official inXile forums... there's some people still defending them despite all the shit they pulled, believing each bullshit said by a dev or ignoring all the evidence to try to convince themselves that there were no cuts after all. They're almost making our dear Infi looking like a hater.
Respect to Fairfax and Grotesque for sticking there and trying to knock some sense in those deluded fanboys.

 

[Prime Junta]

I don't feel mollified. Am I supposed to feel mollified? (Okay, getting my money back did help a bit.)

"some features had changed"

Yeah that's what my car dealer said when he delivered a 214i when I had ordered a 235i. /fiction

"During the Kickstarter, we had to move fast. We had to make decisions and add content on the fly."

Seriously, what the everloving fuck? This was your second Kickstarter. Pillars had just had a massively successful one. inXile was the golden boy of the crop of publisher-free studios, the one others were going to for advice on running campaigns. Kickstarter fever was at its peak. And you "had to add content on the fly?"

As I said earlier: making careless promises you regret is not an acceptable excuse to silently renege on them and hope nobody notices.

"We have always been major proponents of openness during development, but we did not communicate these changes earlier, and we should have done so sooner"

Yeah bit of an oopsie there, for a major proponent of openness during development. FFS

The general message: "Only thing we did wrong was with communication and getting carried away when the campaign was going so well." Yeah right. I do not believe that. If it was true, these changes would have been made a quite a long way back. If they had actually felt good about the changes, they would naturally have talked about them. "Hey backers, George Ziets is a fucking genius and we decided we want to shift the focus of the second half of the game from the Oasis to the Bloom, even Adam agrees. Sorry if some of you are bummed about this but trust us, it's gonna be awesome."

It sure smells like these are last-minute cuts made to save the project and their "everything is fine, you are awesome, we are awesome, everyone's awesome" schtick is just lies.

 

[Hobo Elf]

It seems to me like they are regretting the sliver of transparency that they actually had. Next time they are going to cover their asses and not say anything. Wasteland 3 could end up being another No Man's Sky. Wish I could refund this but, alas, I already activated my key on steam.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Yeah, I don't understand what's all fuss about?
It is, well - capitalism after all, which is built exclusively on lie, when strong and cunning one rob weak and naive one. The business is business...

A strong element of capitalistic business is reputation. If you value long term gains over immediate profits, you don't have strong incentives to cheat people, or the very least you don't want to get caught cheating.

Yeah, right... Tell that to EA, Activision and Bioware. Just how delusional people are here?

 

[Prime Junta]

I am fire! I am death!

Not really.

 

[l3loodAngel]

I am fire! I am death!

Not really.

Please Barrel Rider. I smell your bullshit and desperation through my internet connection.

 

[t]

Not sure why so much fighting happens between PJ and l3A. Obviously we understand that Fargo will act differerntly towards the fans and employees and will have different incentives in both cases. And yet, it doesnt mean he can lie to fans and not get called on it.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Rpgcodex- straight line from hype to butthurt.

 

[l3loodAngel]

"During the Kickstarter, we had to move fast. We had to make decisions and add content on the fly."

Everybody did it. That's why we have fucking stongholds, second cities and etc.

Seriously, what the everloving fuck? This was your second Kickstarter. Pillars had just had a massively successful one. inXile was the golden boy of the crop of publisher-free studios, the one others were going to for advice on running campaigns. Kickstarter fever was at its peak. And you "had to add content on the fly?"

Read above.

The general message: "Only thing we did wrong was with communication and getting carried away when the campaign was going so well." Yeah right. I do not believe that. If it was true, these changes would have been made a quite a long way back. If they had actually felt good about the changes, they would naturally have talked about them. "Hey backers, George Ziets is a fucking genius and we decided we want to shift the focus of the second half of the game from the Oasis to the Bloom, even Adam agrees. Sorry if some of you are bummed about this but trust us, it's gonna be awesome."

You are fucking retarded are you? (Liking POE does explain that). Can you imagine (of course you can't) the outrage, the campaigns to implement it, the outcry, the public shaming and etc.

Edit. Oh and the blackmail. Add this or else I will withdraw my funds, future support, rename my son from Brian and etc.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Not sure why so much fighting happens between PJ and l3A. Obviously we understand that Fargo will act differerntly towards the fans and employees and will have different incentives in both cases. And yet, it doesnt mean he can lie to fans and not get called on it.

Different points of view of the same issue.

 

[Prime Junta]

Everybody did it. That's why we have fucking stongholds, second cities and etc.

Yeah. Only some developers actually deliver on their promises... and then don't make stupid ones in their second Kickstarter.

Edit. Oh and the blackmail. Add this or else I will withdraw my funds, future support, rename my son from Brian and etc.

I never blackmailed anyone. When it turned out they didn't keep their promises, I requested (and received) a refund.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Everybody did it. That's why we have fucking stongholds, second cities and etc.

Yeah. Only some developers actually deliver on their promises... and then don't make stupid ones in their second Kickstarter.

WL2 was far from being finished (correct me if I am wrong). And both are totally different games?

Edit. Oh and the blackmail. Add this or else I will withdraw my funds, future support, rename my son from Brian and etc.

I never blackmailed anyone. When it turned out they didn't keep their promises, I requested (and received) a refund.

It's good that you represent 100% of the population then.

 

[Mustawd]

The general message: "Only thing we did wrong was with communication and getting carried away when the campaign was going so well." Yeah right. I do not believe that. If it was true, these changes would have been made a quite a long way back. If they had actually felt good about the changes, they would naturally have talked about them.

 

[l3loodAngel]

The general message: "Only thing we did wrong was with communication and getting carried away when the campaign was going so well." Yeah right. I do not believe that. If it was true, these changes would have been made a quite a long way back. If they had actually felt good about the changes, they would naturally have talked about them.

Because words cannot express how dumb that was.

 

[Mustawd]

Dude just ignore me then. No one cares what a shill like you has to say.

 

[l3loodAngel]

Dude just ignore me then. No one cares what a shill like you has to say.

You care dumb fuck if you go on a button pressing rampage like a shitty piano player.

If they had actually felt good about the changes, they would naturally have talked about them.

Like you assholes would take it easy. Even right now when everything is settled you still voice discontent with buttons, because you can't articulate shit (being butthurt to death). While your butthurt tears are mercilessly crushed...

 

[Mustawd]

You care dumb fuck if you go on a button pressing rampage like a shitty piano player.

Lol, yes because that takes more than 20 seconds of clicking on buttons...oh wait...

Like you assholes would take it easy. Even right now when everything is settled you still voice discontent with buttons, because you can't articulate shit (being butthurt to death). While your butthurt tears are mercilessly crushed...

Button ratings are serious business...