Slacker Backer more tiers?

[Bubu91]

I missed the kickstarter frenzy and am very interested if there will be available in the future an option to preorder the digital game with the digital goodies from the 50$ kickstarter tier (Digital Collector Book, Campaign Almanac and Avellone Novella). Pretty pleaseeeeeee:)

[Bubu91]

Do developers view this forum?

[JFSOCC]

Do developers view this forum?

yes

[Madae]

I get progressively more irritated the longer I look at the tiers and realize that I missed my chance to donate for something, and now all I get is this slightly degrading backer option that doesn't give me anything but a digital download that I can easily wait for until the game launches.

 

And I only bring it up again (since I was complaining about it last time I was here) because I just noticed inXile started their funding for Torment not to long ago. At least I can get in on that... only bad part is that a lot of the tiers are limited and I still need to gather funds, so I could easily miss my chance on that as well.

 

This whole situation with Kickstarter really just makes me wish we could go back to the "old style" of Collector's Editions, where anyone can freely pick up what they want. OP's request just adds fuel to the fire, because there is -zero- reason why they can't open it back up for at least the digital options.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Madae

[SqueakyCat]

I missed Wasteland 2's Kickstarter so I'm only getting a digital copy of the game.  Yet, miraculously, I'm happy that I'll at least be able to play the game upon release.

 

WTF is the problem?  You can still buy/play the game.  So you don't get some of the physical/digital rewards that come from being an early backer -- big deal.  It's all about timing.  I'm not over on inXile's forum asking for the same items their early backers are getting.  I missed that opportunity through my own stupidity.  I have somehow managed to pick up the pieces of my life and move forward -- hopefully you'll be able to do the same.

 

Besides, Obsidian hasn't even got their Fulfillment site up yet.  There may be an opportunity to get some extras at that time.  Just back the game and wait and see what becomes available down the road.  It's hardly something worth getting irritated or upset over. 

[Madae]

I missed Wasteland 2's Kickstarter so I'm only getting a digital copy of the game.  Yet, miraculously, I'm happy that I'll at least be able to play the game upon release.

 

WTF is the problem?  You can still buy/play the game.  So you don't get some of the physical/digital rewards that come from being an early backer -- big deal.  It's all about timing.  I'm not over on inXile's forum asking for the same items their early backers are getting.  I missed that opportunity through my own stupidity.  I have somehow managed to pick up the pieces of my life and move forward -- hopefully you'll be able to do the same.

 

Besides, Obsidian hasn't even got their Fulfillment site up yet.  There may be an opportunity to get some extras at that time.  Just back the game and wait and see what becomes available down the road.  It's hardly something worth getting irritated or upset over. 

 

Because everyone is just like you... I'm glad you're not bothered.

 

Did you know they were going to take them down permanently? Was I supposed to be watching all of my favorite company websites constantly for notice of this stuff? As if I didn't have anything better to do? Kickstarter is a new thing, and how it works may not have crossed the mind of every able-minded gamer out there. What happens if someone likes these types of games, but doesn't follow them like us? Are they stupid because they maybe wanted something, but never have the chance to get it?

 

I think you could have worded your argument any number of other ways, and yet you chose this one... Hmm...

Edited March 14, 2013 by Madae

[SqueakyCat]

"Because of my OWN stupidity" to be accurate.  As a correction, Wasteland 2 wasn't a good example -- I meant to say Shadowrun Returns since you still can pledge to Wasteland 2.

 

I was neither rude nor presumptuous -- I wasn't aware of it and missed my opportunity.  You apparently were unaware as well.  It happens.

 

Hopefully, you'll be able to pledge for Torment at the tier you'd like before it ends.  People who pledge early get specific bonuses for doing so. 

[Madae]

"Because of my OWN stupidity" to be accurate.  As a correction, Wasteland 2 wasn't a good example -- I meant to say Shadowrun Returns since you still can pledge to Wasteland 2.

 

I was neither rude nor presumptuous -- I wasn't aware of it and missed my opportunity.  You apparently were unaware as well.  It happens.

 

Hopefully, you'll be able to pledge for Torment at the tier you'd like before it ends.  People who pledge early get specific bonuses for doing so. 

 

Yes, I did catch that and attempted to edit it.

 

And "it happens" is no excuse, because there still hasn't been a good excuse as to why they were taken down in the first place. Obviously you would like one, too, but apparently you're not bothered by not having it. Big deal - some people are.

[LadyCrimson]

I think for one thing, people who did donate "in time" to get those rewards might feel slighted if suddenly, everyone who donates later could get those same rewards. The tier rewards are meant as an extra incentive to get people to donate in time to actually fund the project's original KS monetary goal within the KS 30 day period.

 

There's a lot of things I miss out on .... collector's editions (physical ones, in the distant gaming past), gaming sales, so on, because there are time limits and I didn't hear about (or didn't have the funds) in time. It's life. I don't think Obsidian (or any other company) should be blamed or castigated because sometimes we aren't paying attention/don't know about something. They're not trying to "degrade" you.

 

It's possible when the game is actually near release, they could decide to provide a limited number of boxed collection editions or digital-collector editions for sale at that time, ala non-KS releases often do. Then again, they may not. And even if they did, you'd still have to be paying attention to know when they were up for grabs.

[Madae]

I think for one thing, people who did donate "in time" to get those rewards might feel slighted if suddenly, everyone who donates later could get those same rewards. The tier rewards are meant as an extra incentive to get people to donate in time to actually fund the project's original KS monetary goal within the KS 30 day period.

 

That's something I don't necessarily like about Kickstarter, to be honest. My opinion, I know, and probably alone, but still.

 

Plenty of those options can still be purchased because they never reached their limit. Plus, there's something like 20,000 that apparently needs to be raised to get the 4 million goal (I saw the Chris Avellone Arcanum video, though, so maybe they did?), so I don't understand why they can't just put it back up for people who come along and like the idea. They can leave the limits on the "special stuff" and no one is slighted, but a simple limited edition... that shouldn't bother anyone, because that's the way the system has worked up until Kickstarter. The game isn't even released yet - not for an entire year still. And even with the "old system", games were still limited and expensive over time (after release). CE's of World of Warcraft, unopened, are hard to find and expensive.

 

Also, being "slighted" about having the options opened again is just as childish as, say, me whining about not having the chance to do it in the first place; that special "nerd badge of honor" that says "I have something you don't and I don't want to share".

 

There's a lot of things I miss out on .... collector's editions (physical ones, in the distant gaming past), gaming sales, so on, because there are time limits and I didn't hear about (or didn't have the funds) in time. It's life. I don't think Obsidian (or any other company) should be blamed or castigated because sometimes we aren't paying attention/don't know about something. They're not trying to "degrade" you.

 

I'm not blaming them for anything (except maybe not at least saying something about it), I just don't see a good reason, from them, for why they have been closed, and why just regular CE's, digital and physical, can't be reopened (see above argument).

 

Besides, what's the point of closing sales for items that people are willing to buy? Isn't that just more money they get? What's the problem with that exactly?

 

It's possible when the game is actually near release, they could decide to provide a limited number of boxed collection editions or digital-collector editions for sale at that time, ala non-KS releases often do. Then again, they may not. And even if they did, you'd still have to be paying attention to know when they were up for grabs.

 

That's all I really want. Not knowing whether or not it will happen is part of my problem.

[Madae]

Some of my discontent probably stems from the fact that my house flooded 2 years ago and I lost a lot of items that were near and dear to me. Having been unable to find said things again has left me rather disgruntled (losing them being bad enough).

[LadyCrimson]

Plus, there's something like 20,000 that apparently needs to be raised to get the 4 million goal (I saw the Chris Avellone Arcanum video, though, so maybe they did?)

PayPal was opened during the KS period, which didn't show up on the KS page amounts because it's not connected to KS, so yes, they reached 4million once the PayPal's were included.

 

Besides, what's the point of closing sales for items that people are willing to buy? Isn't that just more money they get? What's the problem with that exactly?

I dunno....my impression is just that companies know people like to feel like they're in on a "collectors" thingie, which makes those people willing to spend more. If they become available all the time, the "limited" aspect - which is what makes them "collectable" is then gone, and what's the point. Whether this is a silly aspect of humanity (liking to collect things that are rare) is always up for debate.

 

Also, being "slighted" about having the options opened again is just as childish as, say, me whining about not having the chance to do it in the first place; that special "nerd badge of honor" that says "I have something you don't and I don't want to share".

No, I disagree.

I wouldn't personally feel slighted,  but if someone said that to get something I wanted, you must pay the money within a certain time frame, I'm basing my decision to spend money, right now, on that concept. So there may be people who could barely afford the tier they wanted, and may have gone without something else that month, to make sure they would get it. To then turn around and say "oh wait, you could've donated later and not been put in a financial pinch to get what you wanted" makes that possible sacrifice moot and I'd imagine could miff people off a bit.

 

Some of my discontent probably stems from the fact that my house flooded 2 years ago and I lost a lot of items that were near and dear to me. Having been unable to find said things again has left me rather disgruntled (losing them being bad enough).

Ouch, that sucks. Sorry to hear that.

[Madae]

 

Plus, there's something like 20,000 that apparently needs to be raised to get the 4 million goal (I saw the Chris Avellone Arcanum video, though, so maybe they did?)

PayPal was opened during the KS period, which don't show up on the KS page amounts, so yes, they reached 4million once the PayPal's were included.

 

 

Ok then.

 

 

Besides, what's the point of closing sales for items that people are willing to buy? Isn't that just more money they get? What's the problem with that exactly?

I dunno....my impression is just that companies know people like to feel like they're in on a "collectors" thingie, which makes those people willing to spend more. If they become available all the time, the "limited" aspect - which is what makes them "collectable" is then gone, and what's the point. Whether this is a silly aspect of humanity (liking to collect things that are rare) is always up for debate.

 

Game not being released yet is my argument against this. After the game is released, I wouldn't have any issue with this at all and would resort to Ebay**. This is a new concept - a concept I apparently did not grasp in time.

 

 

Also, being "slighted" about having the options opened again is just as childish as, say, me whining about not having the chance to do it in the first place; that special "nerd badge of honor" that says "I have something you don't and I don't want to share".

No, I disagree.

I wouldn't personally feel slighted,  but if someone said that to get something I wanted, you must pay the money within a certain time frame, I'm basing my decision to spend money, right now, on that concept. So there may be people who could barely afford the tier they wanted, and may have gone without something else that month, to make sure they would get it. To then turn around and say "oh wait, you could've donated later and not been put in a financial pinch to get what you wanted" makes that possible sacrifice moot and I'd imagine could miff people off a bit.

 

Well, we can agree to disagree then.

 

** Which, by the way, I'm almost positive most of this stuff will end up there anyway. You may ask "why do you care then?", and I would say "because I don't want to pay two or three times the original price".

Edited March 14, 2013 by Madae

[SqueakyCat]

Actually, even AAA titles are releasing limited copies of certain collector's editions. Borderlands 2 Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition sold out prior to the release and someone had theirs up for sale on Amazon for $500 (before the games release).

 

Bioshock Infinite: Ultimate Songbird Edition (PC Version) is sold out everywhere I've looked and it's not released yet. There are sellers on Amazon asking anywhere from $290 - $380 for a copy. Although, apparently console versions are still available on Gamestop for $150. (I live in U.S. so this may not be the case elsewhere.)

 

Sorry to hear about your flood. Happened to me 15 years ago so I can empathize.

 

For the future, I would suggest finding a gaming forum that notifies its members of upcoming titles. If your preference is RPGs, try RPGCodex. They follow the Kickstarters closely. It doesn't take much time to check there periodically so you don't miss out on anything that's upcoming.  Even checking weekly would be more than enough to keep current.

[LadyCrimson]

That BL2 loot chest is one of the few CE's in recent times that I would have liked to have...that chest was just too cute...but I rarely check for gaming news these days, outside of this forum. Oh well.

[Pipyui]

But how am I supposed to feel like an elite backer if everyone can get the same things I do?

 

No, I get your point that digital goodies cost nothing for the developers to continue distributing, and can even net them more for those like yourself who would choose to pay for it, but I think that they have a legitimate reason not to do so.

 

When someone funds towards a kickstarter, they are funding an unknown quality.  Before these many updates we've been getting over the months, all solid evidence we had about this game - at the end of the kickstarter - was a screenshot, some music, and a little concept art.  Anybody in their right mind would pass this up and wait for the final release, or at the very least, more information before committing any more than maybe a few measly coins to purchase.  The developers can't make the game without this funding first though.  To entice potential backers to take this risk on a promise, the devs provide extra goodies to those who fund.  The more you fund, the more goodies you get.

 

Though I'm not against it myself, I think that providing these goodies to late backers who have had the privilege of being further informed about the project breaks the unwritten agreement of, and undermines, this model.  Backers only fund these early promises in exchange for extra benefits.  If there are no particular incentives to backing earlier rather than later, people will back later, and the project will never get funded in the first place.

 

This being said, I  believe that all backers to the point of the fulfillment site launch will be able to modify their reward tiers and such, so don't give up on getting those extra goodies just yet!

[aelreth]

From what I've seen In-Exile is selling Wasteland 2 collectors editions.

 

Both Shadowrun games have a pay pal option where you can pre-order a collectors edition of the game.

 

Planetary Annihilation is selling a cosmic edition that is 150% markup for what they had as the equivalent Kickstarter pledge level.

 

I would have no issue parting with my money at a markup if I had something tangible in return.

 

Could we just have the option of purchasing the equivalent of the $80 tier at a slacker markup? Or the smaller ones? Each at their own markup.

 

The very instant the slacker backer was set a 25% markup from the Kickstarter pledge, this became a viable alternative.

Edited March 15, 2013 by aelreth

[aelreth]

"Because of my OWN stupidity" to be accurate.  As a correction, Wasteland 2 wasn't a good example -- I meant to say Shadowrun Returns since you still can pledge to Wasteland 2.

 

I was neither rude nor presumptuous -- I wasn't aware of it and missed my opportunity.  You apparently were unaware as well.  It happens.

 

Hopefully, you'll be able to pledge for Torment at the tier you'd like before it ends.  People who pledge early get specific bonuses for doing so. 

You can still pledge for a collectors edition for either Shadowrun game that is being released this year.

[BruceVC]

I get progressively more irritated the longer I look at the tiers and realize that I missed my chance to donate for something, and now all I get is this slightly degrading backer option that doesn't give me anything but a digital download that I can easily wait for until the game launches.

 

And I only bring it up again (since I was complaining about it last time I was here) because I just noticed inXile started their funding for Torment not to long ago. At least I can get in on that... only bad part is that a lot of the tiers are limited and I still need to gather funds, so I could easily miss my chance on that as well.

 

This whole situation with Kickstarter really just makes me wish we could go back to the "old style" of Collector's Editions, where anyone can freely pick up what they want. OP's request just adds fuel to the fire, because there is -zero- reason why they can't open it back up for at least the digital options.

 

Madae I am surprised that you don't feel bad about the fact you missed the early pledging rewards and now all you are going to get is a measly digital copy. Think about it, while the rest of us are opening our nice physical  copies all you will have to keep you warm and fuzzy is an insipid and uninspiring digital copy...borrrrrrrrrrrrrring

 

You are very stoical about this development, I would be complaining bitterly.

 

I don't want to make to the situation worse but you do realize that because you weren't keeping your eye on this KS you missed out on gaining a memento that will symbolize and immortalize the contribution some of us were able to make towards what could be the next great iconic fantasy RPG genre?

 

Edited March 15, 2013 by BruceVC

[Lephys]

I don't want to make to the situation worse but you do realize that because you weren't keeping your eye on this KS you missed out on gaining a memento that will symbolize and immortalize the contribution some of us were able to make towards what could be the next great iconic fantasy RPG genre?

 

I found a typo...

 

In all seriousness, though, Madae, I would say you have a ****tail of both the reasonable and the unreasonable going on right now.

 

Maybe they're absolutely planning on "opening it back up," but they're just sooooo busy working on P:E right now, in an ever diligent fashion, that they are a little slow getting the fulfillment site up and setting up collector's edition pre-orders and such.

 

Maybe you're simply being impatient, and you don't yet know it?

 

I don't think it's fair to criticize the Kickstarter model -- the incentive-based, time-sensitive fundraiser, essentially -- just because you want a golden goose egg, and you want one now.

 

That being said, it sucks really bad that your house flooded and you lost things that were dear to you, and it also sucks a bit that you wish Obsidian would just shutup and take your money right now (Fry meme, in case someone thought I was suggesting Madae was just being mean here) in exchange for some goods, yet they refuse to do so at the moment.

 

However, they've got a lot going on. So, maybe cut 'em some slack? We didn't buy them as slaves by supporting their game, and, as uncool as your current predicament is, they don't inherently owe you anything. I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just trying to be the voice of reason here. Like I said, they probably should allow people such as yourself to buy in on some stuff, even if not quite with the exact same incentives as the initial backers (as was mentioned above, greater risk = greater reward. A lot of people didn't even know all the stuff they were going to get when they funded early, because some of the rewards weren't set 'til later). But, we don't have any proof that they're NOT planning/doing that as we speak. So, at this point, it just becomes impatience. The human urge to dispel unknowns and wait times alike.

[BruceVC]

 

I don't want to make to the situation worse but you do realize that because you weren't keeping your eye on this KS you missed out on gaining a memento that will symbolize and immortalize the contribution some of us were able to make towards what could be the next great iconic fantasy RPG genre?

 

I found a typo...

 

In all seriousness, though, Madae, I would say you have a ****tail of both the reasonable and the unreasonable going on right now.

 

Maybe they're absolutely planning on "opening it back up," but they're just sooooo busy working on P:E right now, in an ever diligent fashion, that they are a little slow getting the fulfillment site up and setting up collector's edition pre-orders and such.

 

Maybe you're simply being impatient, and you don't yet know it?

 

I don't think it's fair to criticize the Kickstarter model -- the incentive-based, time-sensitive fundraiser, essentially -- just because you want a golden goose egg, and you want one now.

 

That being said, it sucks really bad that your house flooded and you lost things that were dear to you, and it also sucks a bit that you wish Obsidian would just shutup and take your money right now (Fry meme, in case someone thought I was suggesting Madae was just being mean here) in exchange for some goods, yet they refuse to do so at the moment.

 

However, they've got a lot going on. So, maybe cut 'em some slack? We didn't buy them as slaves by supporting their game, and, as uncool as your current predicament is, they don't inherently owe you anything. I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just trying to be the voice of reason here. Like I said, they probably should allow people such as yourself to buy in on some stuff, even if not quite with the exact same incentives as the initial backers (as was mentioned above, greater risk = greater reward. A lot of people didn't even know all the stuff they were going to get when they funded early, because some of the rewards weren't set 'til later). But, we don't have any proof that they're NOT planning/doing that as we speak. So, at this point, it just becomes impatience. The human urge to dispel unknowns and wait times alike.

 

Nice post, yeah I was just teasing him

Edited March 16, 2013 by BruceVC

[Bubu91]

Respone from Obsidian:

 

Thanks for contacting us. If you have backed as a Slacker Backer when our Backer Portal goes live you will have the option to upgrade your tier.

 

Thanks, Trish

 

Any ideea what the backer portal is? An extension of the slacker backer?

[aelreth]

Respone from Obsidian:

 

Thanks for contacting us. If you have backed as a Slacker Backer when our Backer Portal goes live you will have the option to upgrade your tier.

 

Thanks, Trish

 

Any ideea what the backer portal is? An extension of the slacker backer?

Thanks for the update!

[Jigawatts]

I backed the kickstarter at the $65 level for a boxed copy of the game. I now want to upgrade to the $140 Collectors Edition box, will this be possible?

[Bartimaeus]

Respone from Obsidian:

 

Thanks for contacting us. If you have backed as a Slacker Backer when our Backer Portal goes live you will have the option to upgrade your tier.

 

Thanks, Trish

 

Any ideea what the backer portal is? An extension of the slacker backer?

 

Portal.