Pillars of Eternity – Partnership FAQ for Backers

[Bryy]

We are more than happy to open up the development process to our backers. I feel that we have done a great job (you might disagree) in letting everyone see what it takes to make a game like Pillars of Eternity.

 

The transparency has been great. While I myself would have like something a bit more comprehensive (and yet clearer) like DFA's documentaries, beggers cannot be choosers.

[Monte Carlo]

If Avellone isn't licking envelopes in the basement then how are we going to get his DNA samples so we can clone him?

[Keyrock]

Good news.  Hopefully this turns out for the benefit of everyone involved:

 

* Benefit to backers - Obsidian doesn't have to worry about marketing can devote 100% of time and resources to development.

* Benefit to Obsidian - Paradox's marketing means more copies sold after release, means more profit for Obsidian, even after Paradox's share.

* Benefit to Paradox - I'm assuming Paradox gets a cut of all sales after release meaning more copies sold means profits for Paradox.

 

That's how ideally I see this playing out.  Hopefully reality matches the ideal for once.

[Monte Carlo]

Man, I'm really struggling to see what the fuss is about.

 

Will I get my pledge redeemed? Yup.

 

Will I get my copy of the game? Yup.

 

Will it be ready Q4 2014? (fingers crossed) Yup.

 

Will folks get their DRM version if they want it? Yup.

 

Ah, The Internet. A place where not even hard facts get in the way of a self-righteous panic.

 

Creating and distributing digital content isn't a binary either / or process anymore guys. You can pick and choose indie and legacy models quite nicely. Which, as far as I can see, is exactly what's happened here.

[Gumbercules]

I don't care about exact percentages, and it certainly makes sense that you can't reveal them because of dealings with other companies. I am curious about whether it's a deal that Obsidian views as better even in the long run (as in you've estimated that the expense and potential lost sales of complete self-publishing outweigh the benefits) or if it's more of a short term vs long term tradeoff?

[Amentep]

I know Brandon's answered already. To my mind at least, it makes sense that putting out information about their contract with a third party wouldn't be wise (since it might create problems for both entities down the line in contract negotiations, I'd think). I wouldn't even be surprised if a NDA was part of the contract.

 

I'd also point out that while asking for transparency is well and good, we've never gotten (and I imagine never will) get a break-down of how the money is being spent. And I for one can't imagine that any of us backers were really expecting monthly spreadsheets detailing every expense -

 

$10 pens

$10 paper

$400000 business lunches

$10 staples

$10 paper clips

$10 Brandon Adler's salary

etc.

 

I don't care about exact percentages, and it certainly makes sense that you can't reveal them because of dealings with other companies. I am curious about whether it's a deal that Obsidian views as better even in the long run (as in you've estimated that the expense and potential lost sales of complete self-publishing outweigh the benefits) or if it's more of a short term vs long term tradeoff?

I can't imagine that Feargus would negotiate a deal that wouldn't be long run agreeable (since they had their choice of pick in who they worked with, they had more leverage I'd think than if they were pitching an unfunded idea to a publisher).

Edited March 19, 2014 by Amentep

[Monte Carlo]

I don't care about exact percentages, and it certainly makes sense that you can't reveal them because of dealings with other companies. I am curious about whether it's a deal that Obsidian views as better even in the long run (as in you've estimated that the expense and potential lost sales of complete self-publishing outweigh the benefits) or if it's more of a short term vs long term tradeoff?

 

I'd imagine it's both short and long-term. Digital content is up there forever. Which is a long time.

[BruceVC]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/03/19/project-eternity-release-date/

 

Some of you have probably read this but here is an interesting update on RPS around the Paradox partnership

[Lephys]

BAdler... I just have to say, you possess patience of a legendary caliber.

 

If patience is a virtue, then you, sir, are a virtue-oso.

 

 

(Seriously, though... just want to toss some love your way for handling this question barrage so well.)

[Gumbercules]

My point was that I see at least two scenarios:

 

1. Self-publishing, especially fulfillment of physical goods, is onerous and unappealing enough to Obsidian that they would rather avoid it even if there would be long term advantages to such a setup.
2. Or they feel that their deal with Paradox will work out to be as profitable or more profitable than self-publishing even in the long term, after the point where initial hurdles and growing pains would have been cleared.

And I was wondering which was the case.

[Ineth]

It is not a sign of entitlement to ask merely that you describe business deals that do affect the outcome of this game development process.  So now, I'm politely, without any sign of hyperbolic despair or anger asking "what does Paradox get out of the deal?"  It very well could have been a good decision, but I'd like to know what the decision was.  That's just basic politeness. 

 

There's "transparency", and then there's shooting yourself in the foot.

Why do you want Obsidian to do the latter, when they only promised the former?

 

When negotiating deals with other companies, one needs to retain a healthy bargaining position. It would be diminished by unilaterally "putting all the cards on the table" regarding previous deals.

 

I think Obsidian has shown ample transparency to us backers during the development process so far, from describing the day-to-day workflow of many team members to showing us in-progress artwork and screenshots of project planning spreadsheets.

 

But developing a crowd-funded game doesn't (and shouldn't) mean becoming a crowd-run or crowd-audited company.

[stryck9]

When you say:

 

"Simply put, Paradox is assuming responsibility for the marketing and distribution of Pillars of Eternity. What this means is that Obsidian can now devote all of their time and resources to the development of Pillars of Eternity and make the game the best it can be"

 

Does this mean that Paradox has any input in regards to development? For example, lots of publishers have lots of input, due to their desire to make games more marketable. Is there any circumstance in which Obsidian will make changes to the game based on marketing feedback??

[BAdler]

$10 Brandon Adler's salary

 

 

Hold on... did I get a raise?

[solamyas]

I am glad of this partnership. Paradox is the most player friendly and honest publisher i known. 

 

Steam haters' points about Paradox's stand at DRM is wrong. You can copy Crusader Kings 2 and Europa Universalis 4 files to a steam-free PC and play single player and with their older games you can even play multy player through this method.

[Reever]

People sure are quick to panick! :D

 

But at least it shows we're invested! Sounds like you guys thought this through and you (should) know what's best for everybody!!

 

 

 

My original question was concerning the future boxed copies available at release for non-backers.

Not boxed copies for backers.

Not GOG digital keys for backers and non-backers.

 

I thank Obsidian for planning to have a digital DRM-free version available and to have a DRM-free boxed copy for us, backers.

I was just worried about future boxed copies, since I was planning to buy DRM-free boxed copies for some of my friends who haven't keep an eye on Pillars of Eternity.

We haven't had an in depth discussion, but what we offer to the backers is most likely what we will offer to non-backers.

 

 

Though regarding the above, I can only hope PoE will be available on GOG for non-backers as well!!

[Hassat Hunter]

I think all of us backers need to get around the table... *THAT* wasn't part of the deal.

Imagine who we could hire for all that money rather than squander it on you...

[BAdler]

When you say:

 

"Simply put, Paradox is assuming responsibility for the marketing and distribution of Pillars of Eternity. What this means is that Obsidian can now devote all of their time and resources to the development of Pillars of Eternity and make the game the best it can be"

 

Does this mean that Paradox has any input in regards to development? For example, lots of publishers have lots of input, due to their desire to make games more marketable. Is there any circumstance in which Obsidian will make changes to the game based on marketing feedback??

 

Paradox will not have any direct control over any aspect of Eternity's development. They have some smart dudes over there and we have asked for their feedback on some of the areas of the game. Just because they suggest something doesn't mean that we have to implement it, but we would definitely talk about it internally. Same as if we saw good backer suggestions.

 

As far as marketing goes, it won't play any more influence than if we were looking to do the marketing ourselves. All of the stuff we do for marketing is also structured in a way that it won't be wasted work. What I mean is that if we need to show off an area of the game for a demo, it will be incorporated into our schedule so that it doesn't cause much of a disruption to the team. The gameplay teaser took a few people on the team down for a few weeks, but all of the stuff that was being created or polished were things that the game needed at that point anyways.

[Bryy]

When you say:

 

"Simply put, Paradox is assuming responsibility for the marketing and distribution of Pillars of Eternity. What this means is that Obsidian can now devote all of their time and resources to the development of Pillars of Eternity and make the game the best it can be"

 

Does this mean that Paradox has any input in regards to development? For example, lots of publishers have lots of input, due to their desire to make games more marketable. Is there any circumstance in which Obsidian will make changes to the game based on marketing feedback??

For the last time:

 

Paradox is distributing. There's a reason why Obsidian said 'partnership'.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Bryy

[BAdler]

People sure are quick to panick! :D

 

But at least it shows we're invested! Sounds like you guys thought this through and you (should) know what's best for everybody!!

 

 

 

My original question was concerning the future boxed copies available at release for non-backers.

Not boxed copies for backers.

Not GOG digital keys for backers and non-backers.

 

I thank Obsidian for planning to have a digital DRM-free version available and to have a DRM-free boxed copy for us, backers.

I was just worried about future boxed copies, since I was planning to buy DRM-free boxed copies for some of my friends who haven't keep an eye on Pillars of Eternity.

We haven't had an in depth discussion, but what we offer to the backers is most likely what we will offer to non-backers.

 

 

Though regarding the above, I can only hope PoE will be available on GOG for non-backers as well!!

Our current plans are that we would release the DRM-free version of the game for sale on GOG to everyone.

[TUHD]

 

$10 Brandon Adler's salary

 

 

Hold on... did I get a raise?

 

 

We decided to seperate the salary - your normal income, and damage repayment for those coffee cups and tea cups you accidentaly broke. Effectively, you're paying us to work this month. Sorry

 

 

 

(j/k)

 

Thanks for keeping everyone up to date Brandon. It's good news - and I trust Paradox enough that they won't suddenly at last minute start telling you what to do, unlike some other publishers... (Why am I thinking about that interview now where ... was it Fergus? Can't remember... told about an publisher offering a deal where Obsidian gathered money through Kickstarter, made the game using the money, the publisher would distribute the game and take the most of the profits)

PS: Reading back the wiki page, I was like I was forgetting something (I did as a matter of fact), I noticed a Wheel of Time-related game in coop with Red Eagle which was announced back in 2010. I assume that one has been lost in the deep freezer?

[stryck9]

@Bryy Er, ok, that's not helping your argument,  partners make joint decisions... Do you want a publisher "partner" making joint decisions about a game you funded?  Asking for clarification, especially when it comes to a nebulous term like marketing seems fair in my book...

 

 

 

 

@BAdler thanks for the clarification!

[TUHD]

@Bryy Er, ok, that's not helping your argument,  partners make joint decisions... Do you want a publisher "partner" making joint decisions about a game you funded?  Asking for clarification, especially when it comes to a nebulous term like marketing seems fair in my book...

 

 

 

 

@BAdler thanks for the clarification!

 

As Brandon Adler stated before: the game, the contents thereof etc is at the sole discretion of Obsidian. Paradox only handles the distribution as where necessary, a part of the QA and maybe some other minor, non-gamemakingrelated stuff.

[Bryy]

@Bryy Er, ok, that's not helping your argument,  partners make joint decisions... Do you want a publisher "partner" making joint decisions about a game you funded?  Asking for clarification, especially when it comes to a nebulous term like marketing seems fair in my book...

You are fishing for outrage.

 

It's not attractive.

[Hassat Hunter]

What's that PE Watcher badge? First I see it... post-KS backer?

[stryck9]

I asked for clarification, I fail to see how that is outrageous.