To all of our backers and fans...

[SophosTheWise]

Exactly what Lephys said. After all we're backers. We've got YOUR BACK, Obsidian. We're not your mortal enemies that will **** on everything you post. Give us a little bit of the taste, the atmosphere surrounding the development of PE. I mean you have a work day, you brainstorm, you discuss ideas, maybe you do some crazy things... Let us be part of it.

[Amentep]

 

^ Yeah fair enough. My main gripe is what's (not) occurring on this site.

 

Mine is that communication in general seems to have suffered/is improvable. A nice, loose and honest atmosphere can do wonders between fan-dev communication. You don't have to follow rules dictated by marketing.

 

 

"honest"?  Have Obs been dishonest or fostering dishonesty in their communication?

 

 

 

I detect the dead hand of control freakery.

 

Actually that's my hand. Sorry.

 

 

You always were a handy fellow.  Although why you put you hand there on poor Monte I'll never know...

 

As if to prove the point... no one from Obz has commented in this thread.

 

They could be working on the stuff they want to reveal to finalize it so they can show it to us sooner...

 

Or they could secretly be trying to figure out how to admit they blew all the money on buying tracks of land on the moon...

 

Or its possible no one's checked back on the thread since BAdler posted it...

 

Or aliens kidnapped the entire Obsidan team and are preparing the ritual probings...

 

Or the Backer Website was tested, became sentient, called itself "Skynet" and now Obsidian is spending all of their time fighting against the robot revolution...

[rjshae]

As if to prove the point... no one from Obz has commented in this thread.

 

Their lack of a response only "proves" that they're working on other matters. All I'm seeing here is a bunch of trolling for more attention. Maybe if the posters had something more substantive to say they'd get a response? Personally I'm fine with waiting until they have something more solid to show.

Edited October 17, 2013 by rjshae

[Gyges]

No biggie

[jethro]

They could be ...

Or they are a sub-contractor of the NSA (come one, a name like "Obsidian" practically gives it away) and can't talk about stuff anymore because of the whistleblower paranoia in US agencies. But they still listen (it's in their job description) and store every post in huge databases

[Amentep]

I think its a given that every post here is stored in a huge database.

 

Also, I suspect Monte Carlo is now on their "watch list" now...

[Messier-31]

 

They could be ...

Or they are a sub-contractor of the NSA (come one, a name like "Obsidian" practically gives it away) and can't talk about stuff anymore because of the whistleblower paranoia in US agencies. But they still listen (it's in their job description) and store every post in huge databases

 

Jesus Christ on a pogo-stick...

 

Or maybe, just maybe, crab-people are takin' over as we speak! What's next, illuminati?

[Amentep]

The crab-people ARE the illuminati!

[Monte Carlo]

I love the idea that voicing an opinion is 'trolling.' The Fanboi Polizei are out in force.

[SophosTheWise]

 

 

As if to prove the point... no one from Obz has commented in this thread.

 

Their lack of a response only "proves" that they're working on other matters. All I'm seeing here is a bunch of trolling for more attention. Maybe if the posters had something more substantive to say they'd get a response? Personally I'm fine with waiting until they have something more solid to show. 

 

1.) Are you serious? Observing this forum is not a herculean task requiring utmost attention and skill. Because this forum does not move fast. There are a few "standard" threads and every once in a blue moon a new one. It takes one glance to tell if it's a thread worth commenting. Obsidian may be hard working, but that does not mean that no one in a firm with 100+ can take five minutes of their time to get to the fans who funded their game, whilst discussing happily on other sites. Most of us probably work in some sort of office and you all know that this means you definitely have some spare time between tasks or whatever.  Writing this answer to your post will take me probably four minutes. A lack of response, thus, does not prove anything. 

 

2.) As Monte Carlo has said: voicing an opinion is now suddenly trolling? Just because it's not a fanboyistic opinion? Also, why is demanding better communication between devs and backers not substantial? There's a lack of communication, or at least some uf us think, that there's not enough communication. We voice that. What's not substantial about that? 

[C2B]

Realistically speaking, this is one of the Kickstarters that updates more often among the ones I backed, so I'm not sure if much more could be asked in terms of regular (and meaty) updates. There have been faux passes, including this very thread and the handling of the fulfillment website, but on the other hand, I get the impression you're expecting a tad too much Monte Carlo.

I don't think people (I'm not) are complaining about a lack of information, but a lack of casual communication.

Edited October 17, 2013 by C2B

[Amentep]

I love the idea that voicing an opinion is 'trolling.' The Fanboi Polizei are out in force.

 

I don't think its trolling. 

 

I just don't agree.  Its up to Obsidian to decide if there are merits in the expressed concerns or not.

[Lephys]

Really, so long as we simply have radio silence, I'm just going to assume they're putting their time to better use working out systems and hashing out design tweaks and putting in the grunt-force hours to get it done correctly and beautifully. Even though it would STILL be really nice to know more stuff, if it's just that the time's being spent super-diligently working, then whatevs. I honestly cannot complain at all. I have to say, the ONLY thing that feels like maybe they've dropped the (tiny) ball is when pretty meaty details get revealed and questions get answered across a handful of sites, but it has to be found by a forum-goer and make its way here, to the official forums, by chance.

 

Granted, I know most of that is by Josh, and it's on his own personal time. But, it's still information directly related to the official project (it's not just him talking about how rough work was), and yet there seems to be absolutely no worry as to sharing that on the official forum.

 

It's hardly the end of the world, and, like I said, I'm sure they're simply more worried about getting their work done than they are about entertaining us with tidbits, or being extremely organized about collecting any and all revealed tidbits and posting them here (most of the stuff, however final it might turn out to be, is still subject to change). I get it. It's not really necessary. But, it would be extraordinarily splendid if, given that anyone's going to take the time to sprinkle information around here and there, they just did a little dev blog each weak. OR, a dev-team Q&A thread or something. They could read through it in their spare time, and answer anything from the tiniest of questions, to very large ones. They don't even have to answer them all. But, it would be an official-forum space reserved for forum-goer/backer---dev-team casual communications. For anything less formal than the official, major updates (revealing/detailing entire system layouts, like the stronghold, or a class).

 

Maybe even both would be cool. Some place like a simple blog for just any and all dev team members to blurb about something, maybe even just once a week, for like 5 minutes. Not even necessarily on a set day. Just whenever they feel like it, on whatever's cool to officially talk about. Then, like I said, the Q&A. That way, people with questions could all just be directed to the Q&A thread on the forums, instead of having questions asked on 17 different sites, then having to find those answers and cross-post them everywhere. It would, at the very least, be more efficient for any question-answering or tidbit-revealing that goes on. *shrug*

 

Just my two cents. I don't think we're OWED more than they're giving us. I just think the gears could be a bit better greased on the "hey there, backers. How's it going?" machine, and it would be beneficial to many while costing little. But, again, I don't know what they do and do not have time for, and I'm not about to guess.

[Adam Brennecke]

Hail!

 

I'm reading the forums, taking a break from programming, and just wanted to say hello and good night. It's 9:30 here at Obsidian. Late night! Feel free to ask some questions, and I'll do my best to answer what I can before I leave for home.

 

Cheers,

-Adam

[Hiro Protagonist II]

From the top of my head... How are the following things going, still in progress, ahh that's on a white board out the back and must get to it, oh yeah need to get around to doing that, etc ...

 

1. Demo of the game / vertical slice.

2. Fulfilment website

3. Forums badges

4. Name and design an Item, NPC, enemy adventuring party, inn, etc for backers who are at this tier level. (I believe the inn backers have been contacted). Or is this connected with the fullfilment site

5. Memorial stone in game

6. How the physical goods are coming along: Cloth map, patch, hardcover book, t-shirt, playing cards, etc. Any success in obtaining suppliers, using the same supplier as InXile.

7. Linux and Mac versions and how they're going. Challenges, successes, etc

8. An Audio update

9. How are the novellas going with MCA

10. Tim's cooking book

 

No pressure at all. The only thing I'm really hanging out for is Tim's cooking book. Everything else is meh.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Hiro Protagonist II

[Adam Brennecke]

Hi Hiro! Hope all is well!

 

1. The Vertical Slice has been done for some time, and right now we are over two months into production. We aren't planning on releasing a playable demo of the Vertical Slice or releasing a video of the VS. I know you are dying to see the game in action. Hopefully soon

 

2 - 6. You will get some more info on all of this soon. I apologize that it's taking us so long. The badges, memorial stone, item, NPC, adventuring party, and portraits will be connected with the fulfillment site. I've seen it! It's looking great.

 

7. Mac version is going good, and we are working on the Linux version. Unity makes it easy with porting it over, which has made my life easier.

 

8. Justin has been pretty busy with composing new music for the game, and has been working with real live musicians (and choir) recently. I was present at a rehearsal session last week, and it's an awesome experience to hear the music played live.

 

9 - 10. The novella and Tim's cooking book is going to be released with the game. I don't want to step on their toes - but everything is coming along well.

 

Cheers!

-Adam

[Hiro Protagonist II]

Thanks Adam! I'm extremely satisfied with how everything's going. Will watch for the updates as they come. Sounds like good times ahead.

[ryukenden]

Hi Hiro! Hope all is well!

 

1. The Vertical Slice has been done for some time, and right now we are over two months into production. We aren't planning on releasing a playable demo of the Vertical Slice or releasing a video of the VS. I know you are dying to see the game in action. Hopefully soon

 

 

 

Cheers!

-Adam

 

OhNOESSSSSSSSS

I was hoping the next major update would be just that.

[Messier-31]

 

As if to prove the point... no one from Obz has commented in this thread.

 

Their lack of a response only "proves" that they're working on other matters.

 

It would be hilarious to see a cut-away panel after that sentence, showing the devs partying hard in a club

 

And yet here came the dev-response... alas, it seems they actually are working. Better luck next time, I guess...

 

j/k Splendid!

[BruceVC]

OK 'Tep...

 

 

 

And to be honest, as backers they don't have to sell it to us in the way that they might want to get people to support it on the backend who didn't kickstarter it, so I'm not surprised information and pictures come out in other places.

 

You may well be right, but it's ass-backwards. Backers are treated like anybody else because there are folks who aren't backers. Huh?

 

This should be the primary forum for... everything. On Facebook, for example, PE is just... tumbleweed.

 

If the corollary of this is a site / content / forum for Backers, where the hell is it?

 

I remain baffled by the strategy. Except there isn't one.

 

Monte maybe if you were more supportive in our campaign to get chainmail bikini's and Romance in PE the backer site would be in place...just a thought ?

[Sensuki]

Hail!

 

I'm reading the forums, taking a break from programming, and just wanted to say hello and good night. It's 9:30 here at Obsidian. Late night! Feel free to ask some questions, and I'll do my best to answer what I can before I leave for home.

 

Cheers,

-Adam

How did your Fog of War implementation turn out ?

 

How is the UI coming along ?

 

the longer the Contract VFX Artist position is open, does that mean you will have to wait until someone is hired to get VFX for spells etc or will you pull staff from the project / other projects to fill in ?

 

What format are the game audio files going to be? Will you be using a form of compression or going for a higher-res format (such as uncompressed wav).

 

Did you end up doing dynamic hair as well as dynamic cloth ?

Edited October 18, 2013 by Sensuki

[Amentep]

 

OK 'Tep...

 

 

 

And to be honest, as backers they don't have to sell it to us in the way that they might want to get people to support it on the backend who didn't kickstarter it, so I'm not surprised information and pictures come out in other places.

 

You may well be right, but it's ass-backwards. Backers are treated like anybody else because there are folks who aren't backers. Huh?

 

This should be the primary forum for... everything. On Facebook, for example, PE is just... tumbleweed.

 

If the corollary of this is a site / content / forum for Backers, where the hell is it?

 

I remain baffled by the strategy. Except there isn't one.

 

Monte maybe if you were more supportive in our campaign to get chainmail bikini's and Romance in PE the backer site would be in place...just a thought ?

 

 

I thought Monte was pro-chainmail bikini already...?

 

Or are you suggesting he be pro romancing a chainmail bikini...?

 

 

[Sensuki]

Looks like the Environment Art Intern position was filled. Job listing and forum thread both deleted. Now just for the full time position.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Sensuki

[rjshae]

I love the idea that voicing an opinion is 'trolling.' The Fanboi Polizei are out in force.

 

Well I could be wrong and you could think you're just posting a normal, harmless 'opinion'. Possibly I'm misinterpreting it as a spiteful expression of entitlement. In that case I would need to apologize. But you followed that up by the obviously trollish 'Fanboi Polizei', so I don't think I'm mistaken.

 

Welcome to my ignore list.

[SophosTheWise]

Hail!

 

I'm reading the forums, taking a break from programming, and just wanted to say hello and good night. It's 9:30 here at Obsidian. Late night! Feel free to ask some questions, and I'll do my best to answer what I can before I leave for home.

 

Cheers,

-Adam

 

Ahoi Adam!

 

1.) Regarding clothing, armour and weapons: are you folks sometimes checking the Armour Plea thread? There are some great suggestions there in terms of historically inspired armour. Related to this: How renaissanc-y are the Vailian Republics going to be? What I've seen looks very 17th century-ish, especially some of the jackets and hats looked really musqueteery. Any chance for Landsknecht gear? You know, sliced clothing and all?

 

2.) As a backer with the Beta tier: Is the Beta you're going to release part of the original game or is it a Beta setting to just try out the different mechanics? I would prefer the latter to not get spoiled as far as story goes... (and I hate playing the starting section multiple times )

 

3.) How are things going generally? Are you still optimistic (besides the "everything's going well stuff)? Or have you run in some unexpected problems?

 

 

 

 

I love the idea that voicing an opinion is 'trolling.' The Fanboi Polizei are out in force.

 

Well I could be wrong and you could think you're just posting a normal, harmless 'opinion'. Possibly I'm misinterpreting it as a spiteful expression of entitlement. In that case I would need to apologize. But you followed that up by the obviously trollish 'Fanboi Polizei', so I don't think I'm mistaken.

 

Welcome to my ignore list.

 

 

Wow, way to overreact I know the word entitlement gets thrown around the internet all the time as some sort of "knockout argument", but really, PE backers are entitled to know what's going on, since they have funded the game. 

 

Also it's absolutely legitimate to want to have more updates and information and everything PE-related. Instead of always interpeting everything as "spiteful expression of entitlement" you could just see it as eager fandom.

Edited October 18, 2013 by SophosTheWise