Update 91: Closing in on March 26th!

[armorb]

 

 

i probably won't back anything else Obsidian does based off the way they've handled sending out these keys.

Hope this is a joke.

 

why would it be a joke? all other high profile kickstarters were courteous and went out of the way to make sure their backers got their game slightly earlier.

 

 

What the hell are you talking about?

 

[Hybridsalmon]

First world problems. People complaining about people complaining. People will always complain. Of course patience is preferable. But if this would be a real ****ty game no one would complain that they didn't receive their key already. Knowing that and also seeing that the complaining here is relatively mild compared to certain other games, can we just move on? Let complainers complain. People have a right to complain. But complaining about complainers if just a futile endeavour. Because now I'm complaining about complainers complaining about complainers. So if we keep on doing this, this whole thread will go Xzibit on us.

 

 

 

I'm really looking forward to playing the game (and receiving the key), so I'm going to keep refreshing these forums for the next 2 days for no particular reason except the fact that I'm REALLY looking forward to PoE. 

Edited March 24, 2015 by Hybridsalmon

[benbe123]

Them first world problems where you even have the ability to complain about people complaining about complainers. 

[rcaravana]

Are you sure that Steam is preloading it, or are you just guessing?

Anyway, I do agree that most of us are having heart attacks of anticipation now. If I remember correctly, my Wasteland 2 code, to be reddeemed either in GOG or Steam came more than a week before the launch date. So, I agree that it is taking some time for them to give us the codes. But I also agree that there is still time, and we are just freaking out too early.

[Terror K]

I've got two friends who already have Pillars of Eternity listed as an owned game because they preordered through Steam, not because they were backers. So they've already essentially got their keys.

 

I've been a backer for years, and I don't have mine. That just doesn't seem right. At the moment, my two friends essentially own the game, but I do not. They will definitely be able to play it when that Steam counter ticks down, and backers are still up-in-the-air on the issue. I don't see how any standard preorder Steam customer should basically have their keys and backers not. That suggests that said keys exist, but seem to be available to ordinary customers before backers.

[Palantyre]

I really think the world would be a better place if more people embraced this simple idea: "Another's gain is not my loss."

[Guest]

...because some people bought the game directly through Steam (a process managed by Valve), whereas Obsidian (smaller than Valve, and not specialized) has to manage keys that can be redeemed through Steam or GOG.

 

Not rocket science.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Achilles

[benbe123]

...because some people bought the game directly through Steam (a process managed by Valve), whereas Obsidian (smaller than Valve, and not specialized) has to manage keys that can be redeemed through Steam or GOG.

 

Not rocket science.

Steam don't create the keys themselves, they get given keys by Paradox (I think).

[knightsljx]

I think a lot of people are missing the point. Backers are very different from pre-orders. 

 

If you pre-order a game from Steam or any shop, and the developer tanks, you can go to the retailer and ask for a refund. Backers on Kickstarter basically threw their money in sight unseen. If the developers takes the money and run, there's no avenue for backers to get their money back. It's a system based heavily on trust. And trust IS a subjective issue. Whch is why Backers should not be treated as normal pre-orders.

 

The impact goes far beyond just Obsidian and PoE. A backer with a sour experience is far less likely to back another project, so gaming projects down the line will suffer from every project that doesn't handle their Backers properly. Especially a project as big as PoE from an established developer like Obsidian

 

Calling Backers self-entitled? I think Backers do deserve better because of the reasons above. Backers can be seen as partial investors. Just as publishers have a say in what the developers do, Backers should be entitled to some degree of opinion.

[ShadySands]

 

...because some people bought the game directly through Steam (a process managed by Valve), whereas Obsidian (smaller than Valve, and not specialized) has to manage keys that can be redeemed through Steam or GOG.

 

Not rocket science.

Steam don't create the keys themselves, they get given keys by Paradox (I think).

 

 

I'm pretty sure that's not accurate

[ManifestedISO]

I've got two friends who already have Pillars of Eternity listed as an owned game because they preordered through Steam, not because they were backers. So they've already essentially got their keys.

 

I've been a backer for years, and I don't have mine. That just doesn't seem right. At the moment, my two friends essentially own the game, but I do not. They will definitely be able to play it when that Steam counter ticks down, and backers are still up-in-the-air on the issue. I don't see how any standard preorder Steam customer should basically have their keys and backers not. That suggests that said keys exist, but seem to be available to ordinary customers before backers.

 

I also pre-ordered through Steam. There is no key yet. I do not essentially own the game. My split personality as an ordinary customer/backer has no keys yet. It's the one thing we can agree on. 

[Guest]

 

 

...because some people bought the game directly through Steam (a process managed by Valve), whereas Obsidian (smaller than Valve, and not specialized) has to manage keys that can be redeemed through Steam or GOG.

 

Not rocket science.

Steam don't create the keys themselves, they get given keys by Paradox (I think).

 

 

I'm pretty sure that's not accurate

 

Yeah, it doesn't even make any sense. What company is going to allow a publisher to assign keys which they then have to honor? How do manage piracy? How do you prevent 2 publishers from using the same key for different games?

 

Valve generates, manages, and distributes the keys. The keys that Obsidian provides to us will come from them (or GOG).

[KingNee]

Imagine Obsidian as Darth and Kickstarter backers as Lando in this one. 

 

[Guest]

haha yeah except there was no deal

 

Kickstarter = you agree to help fund a project. That's all. Full stop.

 

Nothing in any of the pledge tiers said that you get to have shiny icon on some random screen half a sec before some other sod does.

 

You backed a game. A game which will be released on Thursday. To everyone. Like at the same time.

 

PS: I pledged at a higher tier than you did. Should I get the game before you? How long should I have it before you're allowed to play? How long should Bryy have it before I get access? Notch has been playing the full release for like a month now, right?

Edited March 25, 2015 by Achilles

[KingNee]

haha yeah except there was no deal

 

Kickstarter = you agree to help fund a project. That's all. Full stop.

 

Nothing in any of the pledge tiers said that you get to have shiny icon on some random screen half a sec before some other sod does.

 

You backed a game. A game which will be released on Thursday. To everyone. Like at the same time.

 

PS: I pledged at a higher tier than you did. Should I get the game before you? How long should I have it before you're allowed to play? How long should Bryy have it before I get access? Notch has been playing the full release for like a month now, right?

 

It's simple really. You let the backers play first or at least at the same time as the streamers or youtubers or wtf ever. They won't be lost revenue, they paid already, years ago. Any other concern is up to the publisher or Obsidian themselves but your first priority should be to honor your backers with something other than nice cheap words. 

 

Yes, I'm serious. 

[Guest]

Must be nice to have such a limited understanding of reality. Makes things simpler, I'm sure.

[KingNee]

Must be nice to have such a limited understanding of reality. Makes things simpler, I'm sure.

 

Because it's not about understanding anything else than "money". Every argument against mine that you can make ends up being "money" and you know this perfectly well. 

[Guest]

Uh, yeah. Obsidian is a business, you do know this right?

[KingNee]

Uh, yeah. Obsidian is a business, you do know this right?

 

Case in point.

[Lephys]

I've got two friends who already have Pillars of Eternity listed as an owned game because they preordered through Steam, not because they were backers. So they've already essentially got their keys.

 

I've been a backer for years, and I don't have mine. That just doesn't seem right. At the moment, my two friends essentially own the game, but I do not. They will definitely be able to play it when that Steam counter ticks down, and backers are still up-in-the-air on the issue. I don't see how any standard preorder Steam customer should basically have their keys and backers not. That suggests that said keys exist, but seem to be available to ordinary customers before backers.

I would figure that Obsidian doesn't send all the keys directly to all the Steam customers. They probably just let Steam distribute those keys. Thus, it's understandable to me that Steam is better equipped to get a bajillion people their keys to a game on their own service, purchased through their own storefront, than relatively small development-studio-and-not-distributor Obsidian is. *shrug*

[txfeinbergs]

People really need to learn patience is a virtue. Unfortunately, most of the Millennial generation has been raised to only understand  NOW! NOW! I MUST HAVE IT NOWWWWWWW! Oh, and that they are all unique snow-flakes. LOL.

[Guest]

 

Uh, yeah. Obsidian is a business, you do know this right?

 

Case in point.

 

You say that as though there's some big reveal behind it.

 

You seem to be under the impression that Obsidian is making this game out of the kindness of their hearts. No doubt they are artists and craftsmen, but they are artists and craftsmen that want to get paid. Not only that, but they want to get paid to continue to do this for a living. In order to do that, they need to make money. In order to make money they need to do silly industry things like release keys to streamer and journalists who will (hopefully) help push business their way.

 

They didn't violate some "deal" by doing this, so your early post is based on a fundamentally flawed understanding of the nature of your transaction. You backed a project on Kickstarter. Congratulations. Nobody owes you anything.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Achilles

[Tollazor]

 

 

Uh, yeah. Obsidian is a business, you do know this right?

 

Case in point.

 

You say that as though there's some big reveal behind it.

 

You seem to be under the impression that Obsidian is making this game out of the kindness of their hearts. No doubt they are artists and craftsmen, but they are artists and craftsmen that want to get paid. Not only that, but they want to get paid to continue to do this for a living. In order to do that, they need to make money. In order to make money they need to do silly industry things like release keys to streamer and journalists who will (hopefully) help push business their way.

 

They didn't violate some "deal" by doing this, so your early post is based on a fundamentally flawed understanding of the nature of your transaction. You backed a project on Kickstarter. Congratulations. Nobody owes you anything.

 

 

Also, as you would be infinitely aware, a business thrives best with the goodwill of their customers. Just as it is impoartant to advertising through streamers and journalists, it is just as important to foster the community of buyers, perhaps not for the immidiate release, but for those afterwards. The most important customer a business can have, is the returning customer (provided they have a business model that allows for returning customers).

 

Now moving on to the reality of the world, I have no doubts that Paradox and Obsidian share their customers feels for this situation. I suspect they are having difficulties with the logistics of aquring valid keys from Steam and GoG a method to distriibute them to customers without accidently giving away double the amount of keys.

 

It isn't the first time a game studio underestimated the length of time this process can take. The issue may have nothing to do with Paradox (P) or Obsidian (O) and everything to do with Steam or GoG and P&O have no control over the situation.

 

The end result is clear. Deal with it.

[patriot247]

Bunch of whining from entitled punk generation. Nothing new here. The ONLY thing you were owed was what was specifically described on your contribution tier - NOTHING more.

 

You *gasp* get what you pay for from a business. Expecting more as a handout just paints you for what you are.

[TristanD]

Calm down people, it is almost here. I'm sure the devs meant no slight to all the snowflakes that want to be first. We've waited for years, a couple hours or days really won't make much difference.