Bos_hybrid Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Budget and project management is a problem for many game developers. Too much feature creep and sometimes too much ambition. Still better than the alternative we sometimes get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthe Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Even if they cost less its quite a gamble hoping that Steam Early Access will cover that. Why couldn't he have just planned a budget for a 2 mil game and then use the additional money to add more content to an already finished game. Because they had a planned budget for a $ 400 000 experimental project, which was as much about how they make the game as it was about the game itself. You're a cheery wee bugger, Nep. Have I ever said that? Reapercussions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthe Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Budget and project management is a problem for many game developers. Too much feature creep and sometimes too much ambition. Still better than the alternative we sometimes get. I prefer shipped products over canceled ones, but since this is the Obsidian forum, I understand how people here might not agree with me. 2 You're a cheery wee bugger, Nep. Have I ever said that? Reapercussions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bos_hybrid Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) Budget and project management is a problem for many game developers. Too much feature creep and sometimes too much ambition. Still better than the alternative we sometimes get. I prefer shipped products over canceled ones, I can think of some products that I would rather of seen canceled, than released. Edited July 3, 2013 by Bos_hybrid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huinehtar Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Guys ever heard of a game called Outcast? http://www.dsogaming.com/news/praise-the-lord-outcast-to-be-revived-more-news-coming-later-this-year/ Oink oink. At least good news for today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepenthe Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Budget and project management is a problem for many game developers. Too much feature creep and sometimes too much ambition. Still better than the alternative we sometimes get. I prefer shipped products over canceled ones, I can think of some products that I would rather of seen canceled, than released. Most of the time it's easier to just not buy those products, who are we to deny masochists their fun? 1 You're a cheery wee bugger, Nep. Have I ever said that? Reapercussions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcador Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Maybe this is why publishers and Schafer have a bad relationship. Ah well, I doubt he'll suffer for it in terms of reputation the next time he uses a kickstarter. Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bester Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I still can't believe this ****. Don't they do any planning? IE Mod for Pillars of Eternity: link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgoth Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I still can't believe this ****. Don't they do any planning? You can't plan non-linear processes like writing. Game writing. Rain makes everything better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orogun01 Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I still can't believe this ****. Don't they do any planning? You can't plan non-linear processes like writing. Game writing. Yeah you can, it's like one of those Choose your own adventure books. I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyrock Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Guys ever heard of a game called Outcast? http://www.dsogaming.com/news/praise-the-lord-outcast-to-be-revived-more-news-coming-later-this-year/ Oink oink. Ulukai, I sure have. RFK Jr 2024 "Any organization created out of fear must create fear to survive." - Bill Hicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwesomeOcelot Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Writing and art led design is clearly not the way to make games. Gameplay and tech led design is the way to go. Half the problem is that the art assets take too long, that was decided early on and they knew then it would balloon the budget. Grim Fandango, Psychnonauts, and Brutal Legend have their problems but even though they were low fidelity the art and style were better than most games, they at least looked cool and were praised for it. Psychonauts didn't have a particularly strong main narrative, a lot of it was self-contained modules, they could have cut characters and minds out quite easily, it was writing that fits how gameplay and the tech used works, the story was told through that and cutscenes. The KickStarter raised $3.3m but the funds for the game were more like $2.1m, I would have been happy if they'd have stuck with a small scope game they were planning for $400K, with the extra money going on porting and adding team members. Tim Schafer apparantly has decided to design a $6-8m game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I remember how they told in the very beginning that the backers rewards alone already ate a HUGE part of the budget. It was like 1/3 of the 3+ million dollars. "only when you no-life you can exist forever, because what does not live cannot die." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyrock Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 The budgeting problems for Broken Age are definitely a concern for a backer, like myself. In the end, if Tim & Co. deliver something on the level of Grim Fandango, or even Full Throttle, then all will be forgiven, as far as I'm concerned. RFK Jr 2024 "Any organization created out of fear must create fear to survive." - Bill Hicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tale Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 The Double Fine Adventure game is reportedly projected to be over budget by a sizable amount. Scamstarter at its best. How can it be a scam if they're producing more than we paid for? 1 "Show me a man who "plays fair" and I'll show you a very talented cheater." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwesomeOcelot Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I remember how they told in the very beginning that the backers rewards alone already ate a HUGE part of the budget. It was like 1/3 of the 3+ million dollars. Documentary + Amazon credit processor (5%) + KickStarter (5%) = over 1/3 of the $3.34m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amentep Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 The Double Fine Adventure game is reportedly projected to be over budget by a sizable amount. Scamstarter at its best. How can it be a scam if they're producing more than we paid for? Maybe I'm overly suspicious but... I find it pretty darn interesting that Double Fine posted this Kickstarter update AFTER Massive Chalice's Kickstarter ended. 1 I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyrock Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 While it has already happened with several, much smaller scale and lower publicity, Kickstarter projects, the "oh ****, we wound up with a lot less money than we anticipated" drama inevitably has to play out a few times with bigger projects in the limelight for companies doing these projects to become a lot more cautious and calculating with their rewards and budgets. RFK Jr 2024 "Any organization created out of fear must create fear to survive." - Bill Hicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amentep Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I'm not saying its not understandable a game could go over budget. I just don't think that they woke up on July 2 and realized they were over budget. Which means they intentionally held discussing it in public so it wouldn't impact their other kickstarter, Massive Chalice, despite the fact that backers of that project might have been very interested in knowing that Broken Age was having problems before backing Massive Chalice. 2 I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majek Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Who says they didn't know. This was an open secret. I knew, i still pledged, but i'm not going to go ape**** if nothing is ever made. I knew the risks of Kickstarting. It's not investment, it's not preorder. It's just giving money and hope you get something in return when/if the create it. 1.13 killed off Ja2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drowsy Emperor Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I'm not saying its not understandable a game could go over budget. I just don't think that they woke up on July 2 and realized they were over budget. Which means they intentionally held discussing it in public so it wouldn't impact their other kickstarter, Massive Chalice, despite the fact that backers of that project might have been very interested in knowing that Broken Age was having problems before backing Massive Chalice. Good point. И погибе Српски кнез Лазаре,И његова сва изгибе војска, Седамдесет и седам иљада;Све је свето и честито билоИ миломе Богу приступачно. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amentep Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Who says they didn't know. This was an open secret. I was considering pledging - I didn't because I don't have the money for it - but I didn't know (because I didn't back Broken Age, I guess, so not up on the pulse of that game development). I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwesomeOcelot Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) To be fair to Double Fine they were talking about going over budget every episode since January, just not "we can't afford 75% of the content I've designed but I'm not going to cut it" and "looks like the game will be completed in 2015". Edited July 3, 2013 by AwesomeOcelot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurlshort Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I'm a bit surprised that such an established studio is having so much difficulty balancing their budget. It does make me worry for Obsidian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) Actually, I'd say Obsidian should have far less problems with it, because due to their history they should know best how important it is to plan the game / scope of the game very well to not go over budget. Edited July 3, 2013 by Lexx "only when you no-life you can exist forever, because what does not live cannot die." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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