Elerond

But it is quite unlikely that those higher priced version will sell that much that they have major influence how much PoE will bring money for Obsidian and they also have goods from which they need to pay part of money to companies that produced those goods like Prima strategy guide and Dark Horse's Guidebook (meaning that even though they will bring more money than normal version will they probably don't bring double like price tag would indicate) I don't know, man. These "special" editions probably sell like hot butter to select demographics, and probably make a noticeable difference, or they wouldn't have them to begin with. It should remembered that many people from these selected demographics are already backers of this game and who already receive all additions and in many cases more that come with those editions. In my knowledge special editions usually sell about 1-2% of what normal version of game sells. So they bring money in (like 1 million sold normal copies would mean 10-20k sold special editions which, in this case, would mean 300k-1M dollars, which is not meaningless which is why companies do them), but if normal version of game is not popular then those special editions will probably not sell that well either.

But it is quite unlikely that those higher priced version will sell that much that they have major influence how much PoE will bring money for Obsidian and they also have goods from which they need to pay part of money to companies that produced those goods like Prima strategy guide and Dark Horse's Guidebook (meaning that even though they will bring more money than normal version will they probably don't bring double like price tag would indicate)

I'm willing to bet my testicles they'll easily clear that much in the first week At $40 per copy, PoE would only need to sell about 100,000 copies to generate $4 million. Personally, I'm betting PoE will sell about one million copies (which is less than what D:OS did, and Larian is a name hardly anyone has ever heard of.) And at 1 million in sales, that's.... $40 Million...which would mean that they don't need to kickstart PoE2. Obsidian don't get $40 per copy, but about half of that (steam cut, paradox cut, transaction fees, taxes, etc.). to get $4 million they need to sell somewhere 160k-200k copies with launch price. Paradox's CEO estimates in one interview that well received KS game will sell ten times of copies of what it had backers. Larian's Divinity Original Sin , which was one of most successful KS games sold bit over 500k copies in three months, inXile's Wasteland 2 was also successful but didn't reach D:OS's numbers (in my understanding, inXlie has not been most forthcoming with their sales numbers) even though they had more KS backers. Of course Obsidian has three things that probably increase their sales compared to D:OS and Wasteland 2, first Obsidian is most known of three studios, second their publishing partner Paradox has loyal fan following that buys most of their games, third their game claims to be spiritual successor for IE games, which have legendary reputation with in gamers. Although there is also some factor that probably play against them compared to D:OS, like their release date isn't in time frame where there is no big and well marketed releases.

Gog don't currently have achievements as they currently deliver all games with independent installers without steam like client, although they are currently developing similar client (except that using it is optional) named GOG Galaxy which is promised to bring achievements among other things for games that are bought from GOG.

Yes Royal edition has following extras Royal Edition Wallpapers Campaign Almanac Hi-Res Game Map Digital Strategy Guide (Prima Guide) Original Soundtrack Ringtones Making of Documentary Digital Novella by Chris Avellone Digital Collector's Book PDF Hi Res Concept Art Pieces Pre-Order Bonus Item #1: Giant Miniature Space Piglet Pre-Order Bonus Item #2: Gaun's Pledge

inXile estimates that it takes them over 3 months to port Wasteland 2 to Unity 5 (given that they plan to add features and polish too) gives some indication that 2-4 weeks isn't necessary enough time to port and test PoE to Unity 5.

I apologize, as I did not mean to suggest that it was your argument. I was carelessly unspecific with my wording. And I see what you're saying. But, the point is, you think something, until you know it. If you don't know it, there's never a reason to conclude anything. My whole point is that, there are two possibilities here: 1) That Obsidian spent some of their own money in this project, beyond the Kickstarter funding. 2) That Obsidian did not spend any of their own money in this project. If we know neither, then they're both equally questionable. One isn't any more conclusive than the other, so there's exactly equal "necessity" for proof on both sides. Any parties involved can wager a guess, if they'd like, but, as the saying goes, "Your guess is as good as mine." The "No, YOU are the one who has to prove otherwise" argument is not sound. If I THINK someone committed a crime, but have no proof they did so, it's not on just me to prove they did it, OR just them to prove they didn't. If either side cannot prove anything, then they should just be set free. The two are mutually exclusive, so as long as both are possible, neither is conclusive. So, it isn't that "Hah, I believe they spent some of their own money, and that's a better conclusion than that they didn't." It's that both are arbitrary conclusions until actually proven. Will Obsidian give you compensation for your money that has monetary value? If they do then they have put their own money in the game as money that you gave them wasn't a gift. If case is that money that you gave them was gift then your point has some merit.

Dragons look fantastic

Hate speech is in law, hate speech is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display which is forbidden because it may incite violence or prejudicial action against or by a protected individual or group, or because it disparages or intimidates a protected individual or group. The law may identify a protected individual or a protected group by certain characteristics. Hate speech is outside the law, speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of attributes such as gender, ethnic origin, religion, race, disability, or sexual orientation. Even with all poor judgement that Tim uses in his speech I am not sure that it any way constitutes as hate speech, especially if speak here against 'SJWs' and other groups is not considered as such.

If you look pre-order prices bit more you will see that Obsidian probably will not even make that $25 per sold copy that they got from KS backers, as steam takes 30%, which leaves max $31,5 for Obsidian and Paradox to split and Paradox would need take less than 20% that Obsidian gets even that $25 (this calculation don't take into account taxes and etc. fees, which are probably higher than what they are for Kickstarter money). Feargus said during KS campaign that Obsidian didn't pitch PoE to any Publisher, but they have in past pitched similar games to publishers and have got zero interest from them. And if as general advice that is already mentioned here several times, if you think that game or any other product is too expensive/not worth of it price then just don't buy the product and if you are interested to have product still then just wait until price drops or buy used copy or second hand version, which we come in my commercial pitch, where I tell that I will sell couple PoE keys with price of 20-25 euros, when I get my keys, as I bought quite lot keys but some people in my friend circle aren't interest of them.

https://gigaom.com/2015/03/04/let-roaming-fees-hang-around-for-a-while-longer-eu-countries-say/ According that article it was German's and Britain's ministers that were driving force behind blocking/delaying the original proposal.

So if I take 4 million dollars of bank loan that I pay back buy selling products that I produce with that four million dollars then I am using my own money? to make those products that I sell and it is OK to me ask any price of those products that I feel will is appropriate, even after I have paid loan back, do we all agree in this point? If you agree with previous scenario then in next time I want produce new products I decide not to ask bank loan to fund the production but I ask directly my customers if they are willing to give me money beforehand, so that I can produce those products and to make offer more attractive to my customers I offer my product with cheaper price and some perks that they normally couldn't get, so do I in this scenario somehow cease to use my own money and lose my right to ask price that I feel to be appropriate for my products or even try make actual profit with those products after I have delivered products for my customers that gave me money in advance? I think that you people actually mix risk and putting you own dime in project with each other, as in both scenarios I put my own dime to produce those goods for my customers, but in second scenario my risk is much lower as I already have customers for my goods, and risks comes from how well I have calculated production costs from them and those perks that I promised. But in both scenarios I ask money beforehand by promising something in return, in first case it is interest for loan and in second it is lower priced products and perks.

Then you are an exception, against the rest of romance-requesting people I've seen. So what would be your definition of romance, when you were requesting it as a feature? Or did you request it as a story element? Do you have any statistics to back that I am an exception or is it just your poor reasoning or knowledge based on common beliefs as opposed to actual knowledge?

That is not just true, because they put in their own money in form of producing rewards that they promised backers. It is just falsehood to claim that producing those rewards is free for Obsidian. Every backer was free to decide if promised reward was enough to compensate what you/we gave them.

They (Paradox) are actually smaller of two

I would guess that it depends mainly on Prima (maker of the guide), because I think that they are ones that responsible of producing and selling guide books. I just pre-ordered the hardcover and while the listing displays a release date, the order page says it will notify me by email when the book is available to ship. Which is slightly concerning, I thought pre-order items generally are advertised to ship on release date. It's probably nothing, I would be shocked if this guide sells out before release. Well, shocked and elated, I want PoE to do well. If you ordered it from Amazon, then that is quite normal as they don't want to be hold accountable if there is delays in production, which is why they don't promise shipping dates before they have product in their stock.

That is what Obsidian meant when they said 'no romances' though. So if you are thinking they meant 'no romances at all' then that was not what they were saying. At least this is what I think on the matter. I have pretty good knowledge what Obsidian did mean and what they didn't mean, I was pointing that somebody should not put words in others mouths as they are usually wrong and I would say that you don't need to worry what I am thinking either

I would say that you are wrong, as that is not what I asked when I asked romances in PoE in 2012, as I explained then already, so I wouldn't generalize what people want, but listen what they say they want. But there is people among PoE's backers that want/wanted romance-able companions and probably wouldn't minded if those included dialog mini-game, as even though they are cheesy and usually don't have natural story flow they can still be quite entertaining, and entertainment is usually what people want from games.

Currently there is only pre-orders for physical copy of guide. But I would guess that GamersGate (.com / co.uk) will sell digital version after release and other similar stores. When they release details on how they will deliver digital copies to backers, I can buy you copy if it is possible to gift them (which I think there probably will be, as I don't think that they will give direct downloading links for those add-on copies).

I would point that their deal with Paradox is about marketing and distribution, which are both things that they would never done in any circumstances by themselves as they don't have necessary infrastructure and expertise to do those things. Also Paradox helps them with localisation of the game, which is also thing that they don't have expertise of themselves to do. In my opinion there isn't anything unethical in asking price that you think you product is worth even if you haven't invested much off your own money in it (I would point out that Obsidian has had to invest money from other sources in PoE as KS money wouldn't had been enough). And I would point out that they will finance expansion pack from profits from PoE and their company's fund.

That is only way that you can design game that has finish state, as critical path is all the segments that player has to go through to finish the game.

I don't see that using Kickstarter to fund sequel is not any different than from studio going to publisher and asks them to fund sequel (given that studio owns game's IP), as in both cases they have proven their product and in both cases they don't want take whole financial burden/risk by themselves. I would also say that backing sequel of product is less risky for people than backing new wholly new product, as company has already proven their ability to complete KS project and backers need to guess much less what kind product they will get, as they already have existing product that they can look. And I would also point out that there is lots of successful sequel projects in Kickstarter, like for example Pebble watch run KS project in 2012 that got over $10 million dollars worth of pledges and now they run new KS for improved version of their product and it has already got over $15 millions worth of pledges and it isn't yet even half way of their campaign. So I would say, if Obsidian decides to run KS for PoE's sequel after PoE has proven to be good game, that it has very high change that it would be successful.

Druid are meant to be class that can replace wizard, where paladin and chanter are replacement classes for priest, but by my experience with backer beta I would say that you can make party work with any possible composition of classes in any difficulty level.

You can buy physical guide from here, it and gamestop are only places where one (including backers) currently can buy the guide http://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Eternity-Prima-Official-Guide/dp/1101898232 Backers can buy digital editions of guide, but I don't know how their gifting will (or will not) work as we have quite little details on how they will be delivered to us.

I would guess that it depends mainly on Prima (maker of the guide), because I think that they are ones that responsible of producing and selling guide books.