Kickstarter: Project Eternity (New RPG from Obsidian)

[Martimus]

Impressive. I really didn't think the growth was sustainable (not that I have any experience in such things). Now the question becomes can they live up to the hype?

I don't know. Obsidian is known for overreaching and not being able to finish because of that. Now they have a very rigid budget and no real way to expand it if they run over budget like they are known to do. I am sceptical that they can work well to a budget suddenly without someone there to keep them to it.

 

[nanobreath]

3.5 million hit. Let us hope they use all this money to good effect.

 

[Red Storm]

I don't know. Obsidian is known for overreaching and not being able to finish because of that. Now they have a very rigid budget and no real way to expand it if they run over budget like they are known to do. I am sceptical that they can work well to a budget suddenly without someone there to keep them to it.

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt because of the publishers they have had to work with. Companies like Atari, Lucas Arts. There's a reason why Bioware (who made games with those same companies) said they were done with licensed IP, you get all kinds of restrictions working with those guys. However, I'm sure they carry some of the blame and they do have a track record and so for that I will be cautiously optimistic.

 

[Hacp]

Uhhhhhh... no. You think 3.5 million is enough to run a company like Obsidian for very long? They're not profiting off of the kickstarter money. If they were they wouldn't be doing half the stretch goals they're doing.

Profit comes from selling the game, funding comes from kickstarter and their own private funds. There's a vast difference between the two. The only thing kickstarter does is produce instant profit once the game goes out, as there are no publishers to pay off.

Why do you think they are promising copies of the game to people who fund it? They are essentially getting you to preorder the game, a year and a half in advance.

 

[Hacp]

Um, no. They have covered their operating costs (maybe). And while, sure that is nice and all. it is by no means the only profit that they are likely to expect or shoot for. And I am sure that there will be elements of talent in the game development that will want a little something more than what they are getting paid in the form of profits from sales at release. Plus there is always the future potential sales from expansions and DLC, not to mention sequels. All of which is predicated on them releasing on some kind of reasonable schedule and with a quality product.

Plus, if they delay for 3 years, they are very likely to run out of that operating capital. And then HAVE to make a sale. But they will have soured their market from all of the investors that got honked off by the delay.

Your original post suggested that you would have preferred less ambitious goals with a secure release date. I'm pointing out that it is in their best interest to milk kickstarter, which is why they are introducing these ambitious goals. They've milked it from 1.1 million originally to 3.5 million.

 

[Hacp]

3.5 million hit. Let us hope they use all this money to good effect.

3.5 million-5%

 

[Hacp]

If 1 million people donate 1 dollar, they'll need to make 400 levels.

 

[irishScott]

Why do you think they are promising copies of the game to people who fund it? They are essentially getting you to preorder the game, a year and a half in advance.

Not exactly. A pre-order is for a finished game, and money spent on it may go anywhere.

Backing is for an unfinished product, and money spent on backing goes into the creation of the game itself. Without backing, the game doesn't happen.

The difference is subtle, but it's there.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

Very impressed that they got to 3.5 million! I thought they would maybe reach 3 but it goes to show what kinds of fans they have out there.
I have plenty to do so i won't be upset it there's a delay or whatever. I think this game is going to be awesome!

Is this now the highest amount raised for a game on kickstarter?

 

[Hacp]

Not exactly. A pre-order is for a finished game, and money spent on it may go anywhere.

Backing is for an unfinished product, and money spent on backing goes into the creation of the game itself. Without backing, the game doesn't happen.

The difference is subtle, but it's there.

There is essentially no difference. Instead of taking money from a publisher to create a game, then having the publisher recoup the investment + some by selling copies, they are preselling copies in order to fund the creation of the game. They have essentially sold 68,000 preorder copies of the game with some fancy collectors edition perks to people who pay more.

 

[thespyder]

Your original post suggested that you would have preferred less ambitious goals with a secure release date. I'm pointing out that it is in their best interest to milk kickstarter, which is why they are introducing these ambitious goals. They've milked it from 1.1 million originally to 3.5 million.

What you aren't understanding is that it isn't in their best interest to be over-ambitious. The longer they delay release the more restless the fan base will get. Now, up to a point, yes. This increases anticipation. But take a look at some of the (Old) Blizzard releases, after a while that anticipation turns to anger and resentment.

I stand by my earlier comment that it is MUCH greater profit potential to set reasonable goals and release (a solid project) in a timely manner rather than push things and delay.

The reason they are pushing the stretch goals is that it means less money they need to pony up themselves to get things rolling. But the more they promise to deliver and fail, the more negative press. Or if they have to delay, same result. it is a very fine line to walk.

 

[KaOTiK]

Very impressed that they got to 3.5 million! I thought they would maybe reach 3 but it goes to show what kinds of fans they have out there.
I have plenty to do so i won't be upset it there's a delay or whatever. I think this game is going to be awesome!

Is this now the highest amount raised for a game on kickstarter?

I think so, DoubleFine who was the highest before this iirc was at like 3.3m when they finished.

 

[Chiropteran]

Not exactly. A pre-order is for a finished game, and money spent on it may go anywhere.

A portion of that money is most definitely going to the makers of the game, to pay for their work and some profit. The rest is going to the publisher, basically as a financing fee for footing the initial bill.

Backing is for an unfinished product, and money spent on backing goes into the creation of the game itself. Without backing, the game doesn't happen.

And again, the money is going to the makers of the game, to pay for the work and some profit. The benefit being there is no extra 3rd party publisher middleman taking a portion of the money, but otherwise the exchange is very comparable.

 

[Hacp]

I stand by my earlier comment that it is MUCH greater profit potential to set reasonable goals and release (a solid project) in a timely manner rather than push things and delay.

I agree that there is more potential. You would however be a fool to refuse to take money that is on the table.

The reason they are pushing the stretch goals is that it means less money they need to pony up themselves to get things rolling. But the more they promise to deliver and fail, the more negative press. Or if they have to delay, same result. it is a very fine line to walk.

I think they have enough money for the project to be self funded. I don't believe their entire studio is going to be working on this one game. They probably have a bunch of other projects in the pipeline.

 

[Red Storm]

Simply put without something like Kickstarter there's no way we would ever see this game be announced. Publishers don't believe in old school isometric RPGs anymore. So in my eyes there's a big difference. This game is the difference.

 

[thespyder]

I think they have enough money for the project to be self funded. I don't believe their entire studio is going to be working on this one game. They probably have a bunch of other projects in the pipeline.

I don't know the specifics, nor can I back up my claim. But I would be surprised if they covered themselves for a year and a half development including everything that has to go into it. I strongly suspect that they will still have to float some of the costs on their own. But that is merely my suspicion. And if they go longer than a year and a half, they definitely are digging into their own pockets.

Either way, they haven't gotten all of the cash they wanted out of the project. Not by a long shot. They may have a good solid groundwork investment, but their reason for doing this is clearly to sell a lot more units upon release. And quite probably expansions and sequels.

 

[Martimus]

I don't know the specifics, nor can I back up my claim. But I would be surprised if they covered themselves for a year and a half development including everything that has to go into it. I strongly suspect that they will still have to float some of the costs on their own. But that is merely my suspicion. And if they go longer than a year and a half, they definitely are digging into their own pockets.

Either way, they haven't gotten all of the cash they wanted out of the project. Not by a long shot. They may have a good solid groundwork investment, but their reason for doing this is clearly to sell a lot more units upon release. And quite probably expansions and sequels.

I would be amazed if they do everything they promised in a year and a half, and have enough time to test it so it isn't a bug riddled mess. That said I did back the game, and I am seriously considering giving them $1K to make my daughter an NPC character. I think she would get a kick out of that.

 

[KaOTiK]

They are backing some of the game themselves. I read that all the physical stuff they are paying for as well as the expansion pack too. They made a budget for the game, they figured out how much of the budget they were able to put up themselves and went to kickstarter for the rest plus a little extra to be on the safe side. The stretch goals are icing on the cake, they figure out we need x amount of people/time to do this goal and it will coast xxxxx amount.

 

[DaveSimmons]

The stretch goals are icing on the cake, they figure out we need x amount of people/time to do this goal and it will coast xxxxx amount.

If you figure a $100K salary, then they can add 3 full-time people to work for a year and a half on the second city. Or one full-time designer and 3.5 person-years of work split up amongst others. That seems plausible to me, especially if some contractors are being paid less.

I'm repeating myself, but the goals so far look like they could break even on them. Not making much profit, or taking much of a loss.

My guess is the project will keep a lot of the company well-employed for the next 1.5 years, without the uncertainty they've had with publisher projects. They get to do a dream project and pay the rent. We hopefully get a great game out of it.

Once it ships, if they get much more sales beyond the original backers that's gravy and their profit, the equivalent to the publisher bonuses for good sales. (Or good metacritic scores, like the FONV bonus bethesda shafted them out of.)

 

[nanobreath]

My guess is the project will keep a lot of the company well-employed for the next 1.5 years, without the uncertainty they've had with publisher projects. They get to do a dream project and pay the rent. We hopefully get a great game out of it.

This project won't even go halfway to keeping the company employed for 1.5years. South Park RPG they are currently working on employs around 60 people. It costs them more every quarter than Project Eternity will cost them over its full duration.

DS3 for comparison cost around 12million to make, so Eternity will be about 1/3 of the development cost of that.

The main impetus behind this, was simply them wanting to make an old fashioned RPG, and not being able to get funding through traditional channels. From all the information they have given us on the game, they have been preparing eternity for awhile. It really sounds like a pet project for the old school Black Isle guys.

 

[Arkadrel]

Over 3.7mil now, which is higher than I expected.

also check this out, livecam : http://www.twitch.tv/obsidian

Funny watching those gamedevs.

also:

live instrumentation for the soundtrack, add developer in-game commentary, and use every dollar between $3.5m and $4m to enhance the game.

Here is a link to the site:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obsidian/project-eternity

If you love RPGs and havnt backed yet, consider doing so, only 4hours left.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I always looked at Obsidian as a company shackled by their publishers. Looking at their track record they almost universally made sequels that ended up getting rushed out (how much of the blame belongs to who I don't know). So I give them the benefit of a doubt/have pretty high hopes for this.

 

[thespyder]

If you figure a $100K salary, then they can add 3 full-time people to work for a year and a half on the second city. Or one full-time designer and 3.5 person-years of work split up amongst others. That seems plausible to me, especially if some contractors are being paid less.

I'm repeating myself, but the goals so far look like they could break even on them. Not making much profit, or taking much of a loss.

My guess is the project will keep a lot of the company well-employed for the next 1.5 years, without the uncertainty they've had with publisher projects. They get to do a dream project and pay the rent. We hopefully get a great game out of it.

Once it ships, if they get much more sales beyond the original backers that's gravy and their profit, the equivalent to the publisher bonuses for good sales. (Or good metacritic scores, like the FONV bonus bethesda shafted them out of.)

What about marketing, packaging, hardware, support staff? What about voice acting talent? What about licensing? Manufacturing? Taxes and KTLO? Then there are legal costs to cover and copyright protection. And play-testing. Covering the salaries is only the tip of the iceberg.

 

[DaveSimmons]

What about marketing, packaging, hardware, What about licensing? Manufacturing?

Does adding a second city require any of that?

support staff? Taxes and KTLO? Then there are legal costs to cover and copyright protection. And play-testing. Covering the salaries is only the tip of the iceberg.

For the game as a whole certainly, but I'd argue not so much for the stretch goals.

Except in-house play-testing, and that would be part of the x person-years of salaries funded by the extra $500K.

 

[irishScott]

Pretty awesome livestream countdown going on: http://www.twitch.tv/obsidian