Game News Project Eternity Kickstarter Update #20: Screenshot! Lore! Stronghold and Another Big City!

[Trojan_generic]

It wasn't cheap 20 years ago, and it is not cheap now.

It's more expensive now, for example because a huge part of the budget goes to voice acting which barely existed 20 years ago.

Also, when I read from some interview that it is so magnificent that they can listen and react to fan feedback, I almost pulled my KS donation out. I mean I want a game by cool developers, not by fans who have no fucking clue of a good game because 95% of them have not lived yet when good games were made.

 

[Infinitron]

We're not talking about huge sums here man. Even if it reaches 3.5 million, Project Eternity will still have a lower budget than Baldur's Gate did.

 

[St. Toxic]

But isn't content creation easier and cheaper these days? I mean, heck, I've seen 0 budget mods that would have been impossible to create even on ridiculously huge budgets some 10-15 years back.

 

[kaizoku]

Yeah...

In the end, regarding all of these KS, the proof will be in the potato.

We'll see how DFA fares.
IIRC it had the same budget as Grim Fandango or Full Throttle.

 

[Trojan_generic]

We're not talking about huge sums here man.

Point taken, but in my opinion they promise a lot with their stretch goals. I mean that some of the stretch goals means the additional content has to be taken into account in the base game as well, which is working time taken away from other polishing.

 

[Trojan_generic]

But isn't content creation easier and cheaper these days? I mean, heck, I've seen 0 budget mods that would have been impossible to create even on ridiculously huge budgets some 10-15 years back.

Speedtree, man. Speedtree and other procedural shit. Think about it - do we want that in this game?

 

[Jarpie]

They can save SOME money by not working with the licensee; they don't have to get "ok" for everything from WOTC like Bioware probably had to but that save isn't much, probably like 5-10% of the budget at most.

 

[Esquilax]

I think they deliberately put this goal so high knowing there's no chance they will reach it, while the existence of the goal itself will give the campaign a major boost.

They'll reach it. Project Eternity is already outpacing Double Fine when it was at the same point, so I'm confident that they'll breach $3.5 million with money left to spare.

 

[Country_Gravy]

If you get 3 mil after KS and Amazon take their cut and your development time is 18 months (April 2014 on the KS page...yeah, right), that gives you $165000 each month. The engine cost needs to come out of the 3 mil though which isn't factored in at all. If we just go with the $165000/month and the average payroll per employee is $6000, that gives them about 27 employees to make a new IP RPG in 18 months.

If they get enough over 3 mil they might have enough to buy the engine licence and cover the fixed costs like rent and cocaine.

Can it be done?

 

[Jarpie]

If you get 3 mil after KS and Amazon take their cut and your development time is 18 months (April 2014 on the KS page...yeah, right), that gives you $165000 each month. The engine cost needs to come out of the 3 mil though which isn't factored in at all. If we just go with the $165000/month and the average payroll per employee is $6000, that gives them about 27 employees to make a new IP RPG in 18 months.

If they get enough over 3 mil they might have enough to buy the engine licence and cover the fixed costs like rent and cocaine.

Can it be done?

They already have chosen the engine, Unity but I have no idea how much it costs, probably not a lot since quite a many small indie projects uses it. They have said that they're gonna have a team of 15 or so members.

 

[J_C]

I also wonder how will they make this game a reality. I have no doubt about succeeding, but they are planing a lot of things, lots of classes, a huge world map (with lots of places to visit I assume), different races, C&C. And all this from 3 million? If they manage to do that, why are we having games like Shit Effect and Derp Age 2 which cost a lot and are shit.

 

[Jarpie]

I also wonder how will they make this game a reality. I have no doubt about succeeding, but they are planing a lot of things, lots of classes, a huge world map (with lots of places to visit I assume), different races, C&C. And all this from 3 million? If they manage to do that, why are we having games like Shit Effect and Derp Age 2 which cost a lot and are shit.

Maybe MCA, Sawyer, Cain and Brennecke are taking less salary than usually or something as this seems to be kinda like their "dream project".

 

[Arkadin]

Is it unreasonable to assume that they are supporting this through previous income, too? I have no idea how game development works when it isn't being funded by a publisher. But I imagine they're able to take a certain amount of risk here, considering how much they stand to make on this title. Assuming enough people buy this outside of who has supported it via kickstarter, they will be swimming in money without a publisher taking their cut.

 

[l3loodAngel]

I also wonder how will they make this game a reality. I have no doubt about succeeding, but they are planing a lot of things, lots of classes, a huge world map (with lots of places to visit I assume), different races, C&C. And all this from 3 million? If they manage to do that, why are we having games like Shit Effect and Derp Age 2 which cost a lot and are shit.

Maybe MCA, Sawyer, Cain and Brennecke are taking less salary than usually or something as this seems to be kinda like their "dream project".

Most likely, but they will have to increase the team with additional funding or else it's gonna fail.

I still think that the the team hopes to achieve 3,4 million, as it would not require to build a new city, but would give them more $$$ for game development.

 

[Mrowak]

I also wonder how will they make this game a reality. I have no doubt about succeeding, but they are planing a lot of things, lots of classes, a huge world map (with lots of places to visit I assume), different races, C&C. And all this from 3 million? If they manage to do that, why are we having games like Shit Effect and Derp Age 2 which cost a lot and are shit.

They said there's going to be only one big city (two if the streatchgoal is achieved) so I think it's safe to say they won't do the entire world from the map - just a segment of it and refer to the rest in the background. Classes and races are pretty standard D&D so no difficulty there.

Having said that, I *am* concerned about their work. As a studio Obsidian has not delivered anything that can be remotely characterised by words "good gameplay". Hell, most of the features they ramble about (e.g. tactical combat) are blissfully absent from their previous works.

 

[Crooked Bee]

As a studio, they haven't... but Tim Cain, man. And I thought Josh Sawyer's mod for New Vegas was pretty good -- the kind of combat they inherited from Beth wasn't tactical by any means, but within what he had to work with, he did a good job. I also enjoyed Icewind Dale and Icewind Dale 2 a lot.

I'm can't really deny what you say, though.

 

[Infinitron]

Regarding the engine - I'm pretty sure Obsidian have purchased their Unity license using non-Kickstarter funds. It's a strategic investment - they can use it for future titles.

 

[Aeschylus]

I also wonder how will they make this game a reality. I have no doubt about succeeding, but they are planing a lot of things, lots of classes, a huge world map (with lots of places to visit I assume), different races, C&C. And all this from 3 million? If they manage to do that, why are we having games like Shit Effect and Derp Age 2 which cost a lot and are shit.

Go look up how much it costs to do each detailed 3d model and animation sequence, and understanding will dawn. Also, a huge amount of that money goes into marketing.

I think it is possible for them to do what they are saying, albeit probably not in the time-frame they've set themselves (1.5 years). If they have a team of 15 as they say, they could probably run for 2-3 years with just salary with the money they've made so far. There's surely other costs though, so who knows.

 

[Mrowak]

As a studio, they haven't... but Tim Cain, man. And I thought Josh Sawyer's mod for New Vegas was pretty good -- the kind of combat they inherited from Beth wasn't tactical by any means, but within what he had to work with, he did a good job. I also enjoyed Icewind Dale and Icewind Dale 2 a lot.

I'm can't really deny what you say, though.

Agreed. I only pray they know what they are doing. They set themselves very ambitious goals. The most difficult one will be integration of all layers of gameplay (including combat) with the stuff they excel at, i.e. writing - which they have kept failing at.

Regarding the engine - I'm pretty sure Obsidian have purchased their Unity license using non-Kickstarter funds. It's a strategic investment - they can use it for future titles.

I preseume an awful lot, having no basis whatsoever for your conjectures. It's called wishful thinking, you know?

Still, I may be whining like a pampered primadonna, but I just donated $110 via PayPal. Eating is for the weak.

 

[Infinitron]

having no basis whatsoever for your conjectures

No basis whatsoever? Not quite. Feargus has mentioned that Obsidian would consider using non-KS funds for any part of this project that could end up benefiting future projects as well. I don't remember where he said it but I can find it.

 

[kaizoku]

These guys work really well and a lot of hours too. You're not pledging/paying for 8h a day. You're paying for 10h or more.
Besides, this is their OWN IP. When did they had this chance before? They want it to succeed and make a franchise out of it.
Finally, I wouldn't be surprised if Feargus decided to invest some of their own money to make sure PE shines.

This is just an investment.
When the game is done and available on GOG and Steam... it will sell like hot cakes.

And then it won't be 50k backers like KS.
Will likely sell 500k or more.
500k * 30$ = 15 Million (take 30% for steam and another 20% for taxes)


and we have reached 2.8 M


will there be an update today?

 

[Jasede]

Or... or it won't sell at all; the publishers will have been correct and we lament like wailing Arab women; RPGs are too niche.
But enough doomsaying; I think it's safe to say most here are behind this and want this to succeed. Sure, cooldowns and not turn-based, but that doesn't really matter. If it succeeds there may be more old-school RPGs for all kind of tastes. 2013/14 are looking to be the horizon at the end of a long, treacherous road.

 

[Jaesun]

As a studio, they haven't... but Tim Cain, man. And I thought Josh Sawyer's mod for New Vegas was pretty good -- the kind of combat they inherited from Beth wasn't tactical by any means, but within what he had to work with, he did a good job. I also enjoyed Icewind Dale and Icewind Dale 2 a lot.

I'm can't really deny what you say, though.

Agreed. HOWEVER this time they are actually working on a game they are VERY familiar with, an IE like game/engine. And I think they are WAY more passionate about doing this kind of game instead of the 3D popamole stuff Publishers want studios to make.

 

[Jasede]

Your word in God's ear.

 

[Bulba]

Or... or it won't sell at all; the publishers will have been correct and we lament like wailing Arab women; RPGs are too niche.
But enough doomsaying; I think it's safe to say most here are behind this and want this to succeed. Sure, cooldowns and not turn-based, but that doesn't really matter. If it succeeds there may be more old-school RPGs for all kind of tastes. 2013/14 are looking to be the horizon at the end of a long, treacherous road.

if they are going to make a game that has combat as tactical as bg/icewind and with equaly good story it will sell millions, I can guarantee that. It might not sell as much as da2 in the first few weeks, but in a year it will outsell easely.