shmerl

Unity allows using both OpenGL and Vulkan now. I think it's up to developer whether to utilize the later. Thus my question. Unless it's just an option in settings and either one can be used?

Can you please share some of your plans for the engine of Pillars of Eternity II. Are you going to use Unity 5? What about Vulkan? Is it going to be 64-bit on Linux? Please, please avoid 32-bit mess that happened with Tyranny, i.e. failures on large XFS partitions because of not switching on Large File Support. Thanks!

Good! A pity Obsidian didn't comment about it here themselves.

Folks, you you didn't yet, please vote for Witcher 3 Linux port.

I don't really know what AAA means. Since original poster didn't just bring examples, but also tried to equate AAA with non isometric view. Is Pillars of Eternity an AAA game for example? Or not?

@Oerwinde: that's the catch. Original meaning seems to denote quality like you said: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_(video_game_industry) But I've seen this term used many times to mean different things, most often simply big budget games or publisher funded games. Meaning of quality is really the least used today. That's why I avoid using it altogether, and generally ask what they mean if someone uses it.

What's an AAA game? The term is so ambiguous, that using it is close to pointless. Do you mean publisher funded games? Or may be high budget ones? Or simply high quality games? All of these can be called AAA by some, and they can have different exclusive combinations. I.e. high budget game can be made by independent studio without publishers involved (example - Star Citizen), and publisher funded game can be very low quality (example - Batman: Arkham Knight) and so on. Also, there is no relation between these and gameplay mechanics like isometric view and such. Those are completely orthogonal subjects.

OK, that makes some sense. In my experience however those who don't use Steam aren't going to start using it because someone attempts to sell anything to them through PR. They don't use it because of Steam's inherent issues, and those don't change because of some new release. Ans I'd expect there to be less people in the grey area. But I guess Paradox assume the opposite. I doubt they have any research to back that up though, but it would be interesting to see some numbers.

I didn't really understand your point. If Paradox care about those potential customers, they can stop this exclusivity behavior and can release the game outside of Steam too. That's the only way not to lose them. If they don't care about those customers and prefer to exclude them with Seam exclusive release, then what's the problem with announcing it now? Delaying such announcements doesn't make things any better, only worse IMHO, because people will get more upset in the end.

If situation can change, they can say - it's not yet clear at this point. If it can't change, as I said, they can spare people all this time waiting for the clarification in false hope that it might actually work out.

How would that help exactly? I feel like it will make people only more upset, if in the end after all the "looking" they won't buy the game because distribution will be limited.

No. I'm saying that people will be less upset if they say now that they won't release it on GOG, and indeed they won't, than if they'll say nothing and then they won't. Because people can stop worrying about something irrelevant already now, instead of waiting more.

You think that communicating such decisions later will reduce PR drawbacks? I think the opposite. The bigger of a bad surprise it is, the worse the reaction will be. Of course they can also easily say "we didn't decide yet" if it's indeed the case.

Wouldn't they know about such plans already now? Or you think it can be still undecided?

If anyone is interested, a script to make proper audio files from KoTOR II data. (And for KoTOR I see here).

Do you have any source for that? They are compensated with percentages from sales (which as was pointed above can be around 30%). Not with any hosting fees and such. It sounds like you are making it up.

The bottom line - main marketing expenses don't go to stores like GOG or Steam (that's why I said, I've never heard of any marketing fees which go along with being accepted in the store). They are either directed at physical retailers, or campaigns in the media and such. So it's not a drag on releasing in additional digital stores like some tried to claim above.

I updated the first post with GOG wishlist entry.

That's incorrect. Firstly, GOG users use it primarily (after all it's about GOG, so that's natural). Secondly, GOG themselves use it to show demand to potential developers / publishers. It is used, and they pay attention, so if you have interest - express it by voting.

To increase exposure, try spreading the word. The more daily votes it gets, the higher it's in the list. If you can bring it in front community page - it would get the most exposure (for that day at least).

I'd say Steam quality control is low in general, no matter whether it's games from independent self funded studios, or studios funded by big publishers. Remember Batman: Arkham Knight release fiasco? GOG have at least some QA in place in addition to their selection process. Regarding old games - GOG work on them as before. They basically have three somewhat independent divisions in the company. First works on restoring old games both legally, and technically (digital archeology / detective work). Second works on helping independent studios to release there, and third works with legacy publishers, convincing them to start releasing DRM-free (with stuff like giving financial presentations and so on). There was a good article about it here: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/09/16/how-gog-com-save-and-restore-classic-videogames/

They provide new releases for a long time already (of those who are interested in releasing DRM-free of course). Since around 2012 in fact. So they don't have an image of being focused on old games only anymore. But surely they still dedicate time to reviving old games as before, so that didn't change.

I already gave you the link above. See https://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/tyranny Feel free to vote.

Well, paying for advertising is something that you decide of course, but it's not a requirement to be accepted in the store. I suppose with Steam it's a bigger issue because it's massive, and getting lost in the noise there is much easier. GOG releases are much more focused and developers get instant exposure just by the fact of the release. Every release on GOG has announcement and summary by the GOG team on the front page. I don't think developers need to pay for it.

Visibility in stores that sell hundreds/thousands of products don't usually come free. Stores are paid by splitting sales percentages, i.e. sharing profits. It's not free sure, but that's expected. You don't need to pay anything upfront to them though. So I'm not sure what you mean by "marketing fees". It's the first time I hear about it.