Please Obsidian: don't bite more than you can chew

[Rahelron]

Like some journalist around the internet I'm getting scared with all the stretch goals set up by Obsidian.

 

They seem to be a lot of stuff, perhaps too much for a company that had its fair share of project cancellations.

 

I don't want to be a jinx, I trust obsidian and I love all the people who work there for all the great games they made. I just want to say: I want this game to reach the (online) shops! So don't bite more than you can chew, we don't need 35 different classes, we don't need a 150 gameplay hours game, we just need a great RPG game. Ok?

 

Best of luck!

 

 

[Edit:

 

Disclaimer 1: I never said that Obsidian announced 35 classes and 150 hours of gameplay. My statement was just a way to say that I'd prefer that the developers focused on quality over quantity.

 

Disclaimer 2: I'm not saying that I don't trust Obsidian! I don't even know how many man-hours each stretch goal will take to complete! I'm just trying to tell the developers not to worry about the amount of content they are planning to put in the game. To me even a 20-40 hours game is going to be fine!]

Edited October 10, 2012 by Rahelron

[cyberarmy]

Where did you get the 35 diff. classes and 150 hours of gameplay info?

[Jojobobo]

I find the assumption experienced devs wouldn't know how to manage a project properly amusing. I don't think they'd make stretch goals they know are going to compromise the quality of the game, so there's really no need for concern.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Please understand that this is a kickstarter for a game that is about to be shaped and formed at the hands of some brilliant people at Obsidian. Some of us know this from having played their other titles and we want to chip in and help them create something that they want to make. They are asking for freedom from a publisher and input from their fans.

 

This is a time to smile and be happy. How can some people be so negative already? Where do all the prophets of woe and calamity howlers come from?

And by the way: Prophet of Woe and Calamity Howler may be my two chanters in my third playthrough of PE when it's out. I will smile wrily while I play them thinking of all these pessimists then...

[Loranc]

Like some journalist around the internet I'm getting scared with all the stretch goals set up by Obsidian.

 

They seem to be a lot of stuff, perhaps too much for a company that had its fair share of project cancellations.

 

I don't want to be a jinx, I trust obsidian and I love all the people who work there for all the great games they made. I just want to say: I want this game to reach the (online) shops! So don't bite more than you can chew, we don't need 35 different classes, we don't need a 150 gameplay hours game, we just need a great RPG game. Ok?

 

Best of luck!

 

I would frikken love a 150 hour gameplay game that was enriched with lore, story, action, character interaction, and everything else. ... Just saying.

[Rahelron]

Where did you get the 35 diff. classes and 150 hours of gameplay info?

 

I just wanted to say: "What is in the game right now is enough, at least IMHO. Make shure that what you have already announced will be great, don't keep adding content for the sake of adding. The players (at least me) do not want quantity, they want quality... and the assurance that this game will reach the shops".

[Aedelric]

Obsidian have made games before, they know what they can do and what they can not.

 

100k for each stretch goal is essentially another developer on the project specifically to create content for said stretch goal. Nothing so far seems extreme or unattainable, to suggest they can not seems preposterous, perhaps as preposterous as the 150 hours gameplay figure you pulled out of the ether Rahelron.

[Ieo]

Like some journalist around the internet I'm getting scared with all the stretch goals set up by Obsidian.

 

They seem to be a lot of stuff, perhaps too much for a company that had its fair share of project cancellations.

 

I don't want to be a jinx, I trust obsidian and I love all the people who work there for all the great games they made. I just want to say: I want this game to reach the (online) shops! So don't bite more than you can chew, we don't need 35 different classes, we don't need a 150 gameplay hours game, we just need a great RPG game. Ok?

 

Best of luck!

 

That much hyperbole, no one can take you seriously.

 

Also---150 hours would be freakin' awesome. Too bad it won't happen. *pine*

 

Anyone remember the stated hours for the various IE games?

[Rahelron]

I think I got misunderstood.

 

Edited my original post to explain my point of view.

[Loranc]

People claim anywhere between 60-100 game hours with icewind dale depending on how you play.

[nikolokolus]

As the elves say, "chillax"

[Savvy30039]

Obsidian always bites off more than they can chew, that's why I love them. Their failed attempts are far more interesting than most of the safe stuff in the industry.

[Leewelo]

A polished game would be a nice goal (without stretching anything aside from the deadline)

Edited October 10, 2012 by Leewelo

[Sordel]

o/p makes a good point, and with the huge number of classes I am concerned that they will not be able to flesh out the talent trees fully: I don't like to make one character decision (when I roll it) I like to make more decisions along the way. Breadth can get in the way of depth.

 

Still, I assume that Obsidian know what they're doing. They've gone pretty far into their wish list for this game, but maybe not so far that they've bitten off more than they can chew.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Sordel

[Ieo]

Obsidian always bites off more than they can chew, that's why I love them. Their failed attempts are far more interesting than most of the safe stuff in the industry.

A polished game would be a nice goal (without stretching anything aside from the deadline)

 

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

 

Anyway, as for biting off more than they can chew. Many people have complained that the stretch goals have been too conservative, and I think that's rather telling as to their calculations on what's "too much."

[Klaleara]

Obsidian always bites off more than they can chew, that's why I love them. Their failed attempts are far more interesting than most of the safe stuff in the industry.

A polished game would be a nice goal (without stretching anything aside from the deadline)

 

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

 

Anyway, as for biting off more than they can chew. Many people have complained that the stretch goals have been too conservative, and I think that's rather telling as to their calculations on what's "too much."

 

Heh, if you think people won't cry about the release date, you got something coming. Kickstarter will be no different from any company. The people will raise pitchforks and hell if Obsidian starts delaying the game. It has been done several times on Kickstarter already, even to the point of people threatening legal action.

[Ieo]

Obsidian always bites off more than they can chew, that's why I love them. Their failed attempts are far more interesting than most of the safe stuff in the industry.

A polished game would be a nice goal (without stretching anything aside from the deadline)

 

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

 

Anyway, as for biting off more than they can chew. Many people have complained that the stretch goals have been too conservative, and I think that's rather telling as to their calculations on what's "too much."

 

Heh, if you think people won't cry about the release date, you got something coming. Kickstarter will be no different from any company. The people will raise pitchforks and hell if Obsidian starts delaying the game. It has been done several times on Kickstarter already, even to the point of people threatening legal action.

 

No, my point wasn't about release dates specifically but the implication of "good buggy 'failed' content" arising from the post I quoted, which would probably just worry people like the OP more.

[Death Machine Miyagi]

Heh, if you think people won't cry about the release date, you got something coming. Kickstarter will be no different from any company. The people will raise pitchforks and hell if Obsidian starts delaying the game. It has been done several times on Kickstarter already, even to the point of people threatening legal action.

 

There's an important difference here: with a traditional publisher, there is no need to raise pitchforks and hell. They just say 'your release date is Christmas, even if you have to ship the thing as an obvious beta. Our money, our decision.'

 

We humble pledgers have no such power. People may get disgruntled, may whine and complain, but so long as the game is eventually released I'm pretty sure no one has any power to make Obsidian do anything.

 

And so long as P:E isn't the RPG world's Duke Nukem Forever, I'm pretty sure the majority of pledgers will not grow so disgruntled that they rebel against the project. People will bitch and moan because people always bitch and moan, but whining without power is just noise. The noise will stop when they have a copy of P:E with finished content and which doesn't CTD every two minutes.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Death Machine Miyagi

[moridin84]

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

It's still partially their fault. It's not unreasonable to poke at them every now and then about this.

 

Heh, if you think people won't cry about the release date, you got something coming. Kickstarter will be no different from any company. The people will raise pitchforks and hell if Obsidian starts delaying the game. It has been done several times on Kickstarter already, even to the point of people threatening legal action.

We have no legal recourse. Even if they just ran off with the money.

[Ignatius]

These guys have seen through many games which were enormous. I think they're going to be fine. The game doesn't even have half as many classes as any of the IE games did. So... yeah. I think they're being pretty reasonable.

 

And anything they can't fit into the first release, they can add later on in expansions. ...Right?

Edited October 10, 2012 by Ignatius

[Ieo]

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

It's still partially their fault. It's not unreasonable to poke at them every now and then about this.

 

Absolutely. I wouldn't give them free pass, but a lot of variables go into making and shipping a game on the business end that are black box to most people.

 

Heh, if you think people won't cry about the release date, you got something coming. Kickstarter will be no different from any company. The people will raise pitchforks and hell if Obsidian starts delaying the game. It has been done several times on Kickstarter already, even to the point of people threatening legal action.

We have no legal recourse. Even if they just ran off with the money.

 

I've always thought it strange that Kickstarter uses the term "backer," which to me implies investment. It should be donor. DONOR.

[NOK222]

Oh my dear sweet...another one of these threads.

[Vampero]

I will wait and see...I think they can do all they said they will.

[Madzookeeper]

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

It's still partially their fault. It's not unreasonable to poke at them every now and then about this.

 

it's only their fault if they're the ones handling the quality assurance. if they aren't, and it's the publisher doing it, then it's on the publisher.

[moridin84]

I believe that reputation for buggy releases has much to do with publisher pressures as well--release dates, contractual obligations, stuff like that.

 

This Kickstarter is the perfect--the only--opportunity for Obsidian to both break that reputation and stick it back to the publishers.

It's still partially their fault. It's not unreasonable to poke at them every now and then about this.

 

it's only their fault if they're the ones handling the quality assurance. if they aren't, and it's the publisher doing it, then it's on the publisher.

Almost every game development company has publishers. I'm sure they all to deal.