Divinity: Original Sin Kickstarter

[LadyCrimson]

I don't know, but unanswered surveys should always shown top of kickstarter pages until you answer them, even if you turn all notifications off.

That supposes you actually login to the KS site with any decent frequency. But yeah...maybe I'll test that out, see what happens.

[rjshae]

 

 

Weresheep is like a funny once joke. Much as a wool sweater, it will wear thin.

 

Agreed. People should start to get over it already as it's well in the process of becoming annoying.

 

You don't have to participate if you don't want to. And feel free to come up with something else/better......

 

Wereparrot? The sight of any mirror will drive it mad with rage.

[IndiraLightfoot]

It's only 10 hours left, so this is a fit last call!

 

Ten Reasons Why Divinity: Original Sin Deserves My Money

Within the first five minutes of my play session with the alpha version of Divinity: Original Sin, I killed Larian Studios' Swen Vincke. "So I see you are readying a fireball spell," he said, and I shot him. I'm counting that as the first of ten reasons why the Kickstarter prequel to the Divine Divinity role-playing game series deserves my cash — being able to set fire to the founder and CEO of the studio making the game. Everyone mark that down.

 

It's not about the action, as pleasing as it was, as much as it is the freedom to perform that action. This is a cooperative multiplayer role-playing game where the 'cooperative' bits aren't mandatory. Like the pen-and-paper RPGs that spawned the genre, I don't have to either love or hate my party — should they need a reminder of my power, I'm free to give it.

Divinity: Original Sin, which Larian is calling its "dream RPG," does not need my money. Today is the last day of the PC game's $400,000 Kickstarter campaign, successfully funded back on April 9. The project's met all stretch goals but one, and at this rate it might even hit the million dollar mark before it ends. It's going to happen.

The question here is whether or not I should attempt to scrounge up enough change to jump on the bandwagon before the time is up. I've come up with ten compelling reasons, beginning with...

1. Killing Swen Vincke with a Fireball

He's a nice guy, but a bit too trusting.

2. Divine Divinity of Divining Divinations

2002's PC role-playing game Divine Divinity brought me hours upon hours of laughter and joy. Once I stopped making fun of the name and actually played the game — well, that was pretty damn entertaining too. It was Diablo, only with branching dialogue trees and non-combat skills. So really, almost better than Diablo.

3. It's Free-Roaming. It's Also Turn-Based.

The world is your oyster in Divinity: Original Sin, unless the oyster is aggressive, in which case your world becomes a turn-based battle that you'll probably die in, because oysters are bastards. The game allows players to roam freely about the land, chatting with NPCs, stumbling upon quests, and harvesting items to use in the ridiculously extensive crafting system. When you come across a battle, however, the action goes turn-based. Portraits appear on the side of the screen depicting turn order. Position and sound tactics are incredibly important, as is knowing when to run away and leave your fellow player stuck in battle.

That's right, though multiple players are playing at once, one can be in battle while the other is just wandering about. How does this work without tearing a gaping hole in the time-space continuum? Hush now.

4. I Can Wear A Bucket On My Head

How many times have you been in a role-playing game, looted a bucket, and just had it sit there in your inventory until you sell or drop it? That's not a problem in Divinity: Original Sin. Got a bucket? Put it on your head. Fishing rod? Wield it like an incredibly bad sword. Got a pumpkin and a knife? Carve that sucker up and make yourself a creepy Jack-o-Lantern helmet. There are regular weapons as well, but why use those while you can make your own?

5. I Can Officially Argue With My Party

Original Sin features the party-based dialog promised by games like Star Wars: The Old Republic, only so much more satisfying. Here's how it works. Sir Vincke of Fireball-Face and I wandered upon a clam (I guess it was a clam) trapped in a net, who promised to give us information in exchange for its freedom. After receiving its intel, I was given the choice to leave the creature trapped or free it. I wanted to leave it. Vincke wanted to free it. I attempted to use intimidation to get my way. He used his charms. I lost, but I vowed revenge. That's how a simple conversation can blossom into a full-out friend battle.

SExpand

6. A Song Of Ice And Fire. Also Lightning.

Your friend casts an ice spell on a group of enemies. You cast a fire spell, melting the ice and leaving them standing in a puddle. Your friend casts a lightning spell, electrifying the water. These intriguing elemental interactions aren't limited to the player-created, either. Pools and barrels of oil might just be lying about, waiting for an irresponsible caster to come along and set them off. Hey, I'm an irresponsible caster!

7. NPCs Do Not Take Any ****

If I were an NPC character in a role-playing game and an adventurer wandered up and started rifling through my things, I would call a guard. These NPCs will do just that. I also respect NPCs that violently defend their own honor should you suggest they might have been a little too vigilant in guarding the cottage of a bathing woman. But mostly I respect game developers that know damn well that I am going to cause as much chaos in their game as possible until I get it out of my system.

8. Level Editor Equals Endless Adventure

When Divinity: Original Sin ships this fall, it ships with the same level editor Larian used to craft the entire game. That's exciting. It brings to mind the amazing player community that grew around Atari's Neverwinter Nights. Anyone else here hang out at the Palace of Leather & Lace? Just me then?

9. This Man Is Doing The Music

 

Not only is Divinity series composer (and owner of the greatest website ever) Kirill Pokrovsky doing the music for Original Sin, one of the Kickstarter stretch goals armed him with an orchestra. He's a force of nature, and now he has an army.

10. Killing Swen Vincke

It really counts as two.

You can read more about Divinity: Original Sin at the official website and the Kickstarter page. I can guarantee you it'll be worth your money, but it's worth mine. Or it would be if I weren't broke. Man, glad I went through all that.

 

Mike Fahey - Kotaku

Edited April 26, 2013 by IndiraLightfoot

[LadyCrimson]

I think I love Kirill's hair more than anything else.

 

Also, why does YouTube's video loading suck so much so often these days....

[IndiraLightfoot]

Alright, this is the last call, truly, it's just six hours to go, and that sacred stretch goal of $ 1M is like 85K away!

 

Here is the last update from Larian:

Roll the drums!!! Homing in on the last stretch goal!

Update #34 · Apr 26, 2013 · 13 comments

 

 

The last stretch goal

At the time of writing we are around 90K away from reaching our final stretch goal, taking into account paypal and the fundraisers by RPGCodex & RPGWatch.

We're homing in!

1. If we make it or not to our last stretch goal remains to be seen, but we're extremely happy already. The results of this Kickstarter campaign have been fantastic and you guys are simply the best!

2. We still have a number of hours to go, so keep on spreading the word. All it takes now to reach the final stretch goal is everybody upping their pledge with 5$, or a few more backers. 

3. Here's why you want that final stretch goal to happen

 

 

The final countdown

Will be streamed live on our twitch.tv channel and promises to be quite an event with plenty of gameplay, questions and answers, music from Kirill Pokrovsky and live imagery from the Larian Studios after party. Don't miss it!

Manage your pledge

These are the add-ons. You know you want them

Add-ons allow you to customize your rewards. How? After you pledge, add one (or more) of the following amounts to your pledge. To do this after you have already pledged, click the "Manage Pledge" button and add the amount of the add-on to your pledge. Keep your selected reward tier. Once this Kickstarter is over, we will contact you so you can specify what add-on(s) you wish to receive.

Digital add-ons require a base pledge of $25. Physical add-ons require a physical tier (starting at $65).

Digital add-ons

• Divine Divinity Digital Version (HD): add $5

• Weresheep Forum Badge, In the Credits as a Weresheep, a hint: add $6
• THE Hint concerning the Weresheep: add $666
• Digital Artbook featuring the Art of Divinity Original Sin: add $8
• Digital Map of the World of Divinity Original Sin: add $8
• Digital Soundtrack of Divinity Original Sin: add $10
• Extra Digital Copy of Divinity Original Sin: add $20
• Beta Access for Divinity Original Sin: add $20
• Alpha Access for Divinity Original Sin: add $50
• Fanday Ticket: add $150
• Divinity Anthology (digital): add $20
• Divinity Dragon Commander (digital): add $40

Physical add-ons

• Cloth Map: add $25

• Signed Poster: add $25
• T-Shirt Weresheep Logo: add $25
• T-Shirt Divinity Original Sin: add $25 (Available in S, M, L, XL and XXL)
• Extra Box Copy of Divinity Original Sin: add $40

 

In Closing

It's very well possible this is the last update we write while the Kickstarter campaign is running.

Edited April 26, 2013 by IndiraLightfoot

[Ailantan]

The last stretch goal 1 milion

At the time of writing we are around 90K away from reaching our final stretch goal, taking into account paypal and the fundraisers by RPGCodex & RPGWatch.

We're homing in!

1. If we make it or not to our last stretch goal remains to be seen, but we're extremely happy already. The results of this Kickstarter campaign have been fantastic and you guys are simply the best!

2. We still have a number of hours to go, so keep on spreading the word. All it takes now to reach the final stretch goal is everybody upping their pledge with 5$, or a few more backers.

3. Here's why you want that final stretch goal to happen

 

 

Kickstarter page:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larianstudios/divinity-original-sin

[IndiraLightfoot]

Nghh! It's just 75K left till the might Million and the stretch goal that will make D:OS truly awesome. 4 hours or so on the clock.

 

Up your pledges or pledge at least something, if you love CRPGs! :D

[Keyrock]

Sooooo close to the million stretch goal.  I can almost taste it.

[Humanoid]

Did they get around to releasing an image of the addon poster? Leaving the possibility open of throwing in an extra $25 or whatever at the last hurdle but I'd like to at least have a vague idea of what to expect.

 

I'm in for +$25 already on top of the $95 physical and a separate $65 digital pledge, the first addon which will probably go for the weresheep T-shirt, but not super-keen on the "normal" T-shirt, hence the question. This despite me being one of those a bit tired of the weresheep thing in general, but eh, it works best as a T-shirt rather than all the other overuse.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Humanoid

[LordCrash]

The design of the poster is not final yet, sorry.

[Keyrock]

I think I love Kirill's hair more than anything else.

 

Kirill is just an all around awesome dude.

 

Also, LadyCrimson, you switched to a super cute rodent avatar!  And I wasn't even actively trying to get you to come over to Team Rodent.  Maybe my mental powers are stronger than I thought?

 

This also means I'll have to switch to a super cute rat avatar.  I can't be outdone by a cat lover!

 

Edited April 26, 2013 by Keyrock

[IndiraLightfoot]

Logging in on the move:

Not even 63K now and 3 hours to go.

PLEDGE, PLEDGE, PLEDGE!

 

BAAH! :D

[Gfted1]

FINE! I caved and bought in at $28.

[Keyrock]

2 hours left, 53k to go to the 1 million!  

 

Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!

[IndiraLightfoot]

14 minutes left, 16K to go, Swen's latest report! :D

[Keyrock]

Woot!  NPC Schedules are in!  Now for some Kirill concert goodness! 

[IndiraLightfoot]

Swen just confirmed it, the $1M is met! WE DID IT! Kirill is playing, and I am shaking!

 

 

WOOS! :D

 

BAAH!

[Majek]

They are? You sure?

 

edit: nice. Well the better deliver a great game. ( i should ask for bugfree one, but that's impossible )

Edited April 26, 2013 by Majek

[LordCrash]

BAAAAHHHHHHHH!

 

Yeah, 100% sure! Swen said that they will include the schedules etc. nevertheless! Bammmm.

[Keyrock]

They are? You sure?

Straight out of the horse's Swen Vincke's mouth.

 

Edited April 26, 2013 by Keyrock

[Humanoid]

Counting the damage this month - $661. Also more copies of the games than I have friends to give them out to. But it feels like collectively there's a bit of a peak that's now been crested - got up to a dozen games to harvest between now and the end of the year.

[Keyrock]

Kirill rockin' out on the update song is seriously the greatest thing ever.

I just wish the audio was better.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Keyrock

[LordCrash]

Larian Studios ‏@larianstudios 16m

Divinity - Original Sin: All stretchgoals met - thank you everyone !: http://www.twitch.tv/larianstudios#6448 …

 

Swen Vincke ‏@LarAtLarian 31m

Thanks all! We're partying now! re:party We just made 1M$ on @kickstarter & paypal. Proper thx later! Thank you thank you thank you!

[HoonDing]

Stream never worked for me.

[LordCrash]

Stream never worked for me.

 

Bad luck. It worked for everyone else....