Questions About Further Financial Backing

[Kogorn733]

As a longtime fan of crpgs, I'm considering donating some money to the cause, but at this point I have no idea what further monies will be going toward. 

 

I read from the News and Announcements section that the game is now "feature locked," which makes it seem as if any further monies donated won't go toward the addition of new features.

 

Where then would the money go, assuming it still goes toward development (I don't have experience in backing these projects)? Would it be used to support debugging/testing? Thanks!

[Sad Panda]

This is actually something I was thinking about myself, and I'd like to take the opportunity to pitch to the devs the idea of using any left-over money (which can't without violating backer trust be used for other projects, since it's something specifically earmarked for PoE) in creating free after-release content. Theres tend to be plenty of cut content left over in large RPGs, and these could be built to conclusion -- or just provide an all-over tweak/polish pack, like the Enhanced Edition in The Witcher games. I myself intent to increase my pledge once that functionality comes online, and it'd be nice to know this would go toward developing the game even after release.

Edited June 25, 2014 by Sad Panda

[MReed]

Not a developer, just my opinion:

 

1) QA -- QA, coming at the end of the project, is inevitably ends up being underfunded.  There isn't any good way to avoid this, because /overfunding/ QA is a disaster itself.  If this /does/ happen somehow, then the inevitable result is that add more features (quests / encounters in this case), which you then don't have the funds / time to QA properly...

2) Additional "flavor" dialog options -- once you get a large group of people playing the game, you'll inevitably get feedback along the lines "My character wouldn't say /that/, he would say /this/ instead".  The new dialog option is functionally identical to the existing ones (so minimal QA time is required) but needs funding to be translated into the various languages that Obidian has supported.

3) Loot balancing -- iterating through different combinations of loot associated with different paths through the game is very tedious and time consuming, so additional funding can be used to improve balance.  Think of questions in the form "if you do quests A, B, and D, but don't do C, is the encounter at the end of quest G harder than it should be?"

 

If there is /lots/ of extra funding, then adding a minor quest (no new artwork) or two would likely still be in scope.  That would take lots of extra funding, though, because of the problem that I pointed out in #1.

[redneckdevil]

Also id like to point out that the extra money right now could go to working on the expansion as well.

[Sensuki]

It would go towards the Expansion most likely. If you look up BAdler's posts he said that in a recent one.

Edited June 25, 2014 by Sensuki

[Sad Panda]

Also id like to point out that the extra money right now could go to working on the expansion as well.

That would IMO be violation of backer trust, though, as would be using the money on non-free DLC -- anything the backers wouldn't have an access to without paying for it, basically. The backers have put the money on this project, specifically, and should reap the full benefits of their investment.

[Night Stalker]

 

Also id like to point out that the extra money right now could go to working on the expansion as well.

That would IMO be violation of backer trust, though, as would be using the money on non-free DLC -- anything the backers wouldn't have an access to without paying for it, basically. The backers have put the money on this project, specifically, and should reap the full benefits of their investment.

 

 

Pledging money for crowd-funded projects like this is not investment, it is patronage, just with many people instead of few.

 

When the Kickstarter was still live you put money into it on the promise that you would get the things listed in your tier once the game was done. This allowed the developers to make PoE. 

 

Afterwards Obsidian decided to keep the donation option open to get more money for the project, and allow people to get the game and extras at a discounted price. They could just as easily just have funneled the money elsewhere without any legal repercussions (people would still get the rewards they pledged for, once the game was done), but choose not to - which at the time was wise decision.

 

That was years ago.

 

At this point I too feel that it would be a good idea to consider earmarking the money towards the expansion. The budget should be stable by now, and with the feature lock in place (or almost in place), it seems unlike any financial surprises are in store. The vast majority of backer money has been earmarked towards PoE (and should already have been spent), so in order to use the money effectively, I think it should be rolled over into the expansion.

[ToygunS]

I hope they keep all the remaining money as profits so that they will really be motivated to make similar games in the coming years.

 

We should all be hoping that they will make huge amounts of money.

[Sad Panda]

 

Pledging money for crowd-funded projects like this is not investment, it is patronage, just with many people instead of few.

 

When the Kickstarter was still live you put money into it on the promise that you would get the things listed in your tier once the game was done. This allowed the developers to make PoE. 

 

Afterwards Obsidian decided to keep the donation option open to get more money for the project, and allow people to get the game and extras at a discounted price. They could just as easily just have funneled the money elsewhere without any legal repercussions (people would still get the rewards they pledged for, once the game was done), but choose not to - which at the time was wise decision.

 

That was years ago.

 

At this point I too feel that it would be a good idea to consider earmarking the money towards the expansion. The budget should be stable by now, and with the feature lock in place (or almost in place), it seems unlike any financial surprises are in store. The vast majority of backer money has been earmarked towards PoE (and should already have been spent), so in order to use the money effectively, I think it should be rolled over into the expansion.

It is not patronage, it is a commission: The backers have given Obsidian money to make a game, and in return receive the right to partake in the fruits of their labour.There are no legal constraints, but for Obsidian to take the money and use it on a project than other than what it was specifically intended for, and then have the backers pay more if they wish to partake in the fruits of that project -- that definitely doesn't seem right to me. If the expansion and/or DLC were made free to all backers, that would be fine then. Otherwise, it's very difficult for me to see it as anything other than them taking the money and running.

[Karkarov]

It would go towards the Expansion most likely. If you look up BAdler's posts he said that in a recent one.

What he said.  They have already stated further donations will go to funding the expansion.  Additional profit from sales of the game, and ultimately the expansion, will likely go to funding Eternity 2.

[StromIV]

Considering some tiers pledged on KS included the 'Expansion' to PoE, can you say that taking funds to use in fulfilling that promise is breaking backer trust?  So, I take that as my backing contributed to the funding of PoE and its expansion, even if the KS specifically was for PoE.  They had plans to make an expansion, and whatever money they don't need to improve PoE because of the additional funding still being received to this day goes towards fulfilling part of my pledge package.  Just my opinion.

[Sad Panda]

Hmm. Looks like I'll have to backtrack a bit (or a lot, really), since I just crunched the numbers, and looks like the backers who will receive the first expansion for their pledge contributed in total more than $1,000,000 -- significantly more than I had anticipated. As such, spending the left-over money on the expansion is not only justified but downright prudent, as it will ensure that those backers will receive the promised reward. >_>

[Hiro Protagonist II]

Not really seeing the issue with this. I think I recall Feargus saying on the KS page during the campaign that future sales would go to help fund the expansion.

[talharbash]

As a longtime fan of crpgs, I'm considering donating some money to the cause, but at this point I have no idea what further monies will be going toward. 

 

I read from the News and Announcements section that the game is now "feature locked," which makes it seem as if any further monies donated won't go toward the addition of new features.

 

Where then would the money go, assuming it still goes toward development (I don't have experience in backing these projects)? Would it be used to support debugging/testing? Thanks!

 

Too much money can be a bad thing.

 

In any case, why not wait for their next crowd funding campaign? They already said they planned to have a new one this year.

[Bryy]

It would go towards the Expansion most likely. If you look up BAdler's posts he said that in a recent one.

Plus, Feargus outright said in an interview that they had just enough money for the release window.

 

Too much money can be a bad thing.

Only if you place a rose-colored view on what exactly the devs are entitled to do with it.

[Kogorn733]

Thanks for the input everyone! I still think I'm gonna wait for a dev response though before I do anything.

[redneckdevil]

Well Kickstarter is over and Obsidian has the money to make the game. If u are looking for a dev response, then Mr. Ferg should do since i believe he is the "boss" of the company and he has stated that all extra money will go into creating expansions.

So by buying u are still helping out by contributing towards expansions which are expansions and not dlcs (yay!!!) So your money is still contributing towards the cause.

Now when the game comes out, THOSE sales will go towards the next game.

 

So by contributing now, u are still helping the game out by helpimg fund expansions which will when made further help fund the next game. Or u can contribute by buying the game coming out which will directly go towards the next game.

 

So either way u chose, ur helping either directly or indirectly help fund the next game, but contributing now helps THIS game now while also indirectly helping the next game )

[PrimeJunta]

At this point I think it's better to think of it as a pre-order rather than backing a project. If you have issues with the way it's worded, then wait until it's released or they formally rename it (which, IMO, would be a good idea).

[Bryy]

At this point I think it's better to think of it as a pre-order rather than backing a project. If you have issues with the way it's worded, then wait until it's released or they formally rename it (which, IMO, would be a good idea).

Yeah, the crowdfunder ended when they locked in costs.

[Karkarov]

 

At this point I think it's better to think of it as a pre-order rather than backing a project. If you have issues with the way it's worded, then wait until it's released or they formally rename it (which, IMO, would be a good idea).

Yeah, the crowdfunder ended when they locked in costs.

I also concur.  We should start a petition as well to get the name changed as is it is pretty bad.

 

I suggest Masters of Eternity.  What a great name.  Then no one would be confused when they say PoE anymore as they would know that is Path of Exile.  Eternity would then become MoE..... oh wait....

 

Then again, maybe the title is okay on second thought.

[Nonek]

Personally I regard buying the game in a similar manner as any other transaction, sure we get a little more feedback and a chance to contribute somewhat, but I want Obsidian's vision not mine as their previous games have been very much to my liking. Once I have the game I don't expect Obsidian to ask how i'm playing or intrude upon my personal time, similarly I don't want to know what Obsidian does with the monies i've paid for the game, that's none of my business. They're a company and they're entitled to make a profit for their work, if one doesn't agree, then one is free to wait until Poe is released through the normal channels, Steam, GOG or what have you.

[Sensuki]

just say PE because technically that still works

[Lephys]

Henceforth, the game's nickname shall be Reginald, u_u...

[Karkarov]

I don't know I am just going to keep saying Eternity.  I am okay typing it out.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

I call it PoE. It doesn't really matter what you call it on these boards as everyone knows it's about this game.