Physical Copy of the Game is DRM and Steam free?

[That's wrong]

Zoraptor, on 31 Jan 2017 - 8:33 PM, said:Zoraptor, on 31 Jan 2017 - 8:33 PM, said:

 

ReinhartPOE, on 31 Jan 2017 - 6:42 PM, said:ReinhartPOE, on 31 Jan 2017 - 6:42 PM, said:

Out of curiuousity, what is the reasoning to use a Steam installer for the physical copy? Your kickstarting campaign just started and is already very successful

 

 

There are less than 300 physical tier backers. Presumably they don't want to have to do a separate patching branch with separate installers for only a few hundred people and would prefer it to be handled through GOG or satan instead.

 

 

Actually there are more then 1750 physical tier backers. So that's slightly above 10% of all backers that are getting a not so physical copy of the game.

I really hope they are going to change this, or at least let us get a proper game disc after the game has had it's initial patching done.

 

 

Aarik D, on 31 Jan 2017 - 01:08 AM, said:Aarik D, on 31 Jan 2017 - 01:08 AM, said:

Hey guys!

 

Here to answer all of your backer needs! So, in the Physical Box tier, you will get a physical disc of the game, however, it is actually a Steam installer. There will be no disc version of the game this time around. Though you will be able to choose between a Steam key or a GOG key. So for your DRM-free needs, you can go with GOG.

 

For the Early Access Tier, you can do both. You can gain Early Access key for Steam, and then you can also choose to have a GOG key for the full game. So you can have your cake and eat it too! 

 

 

And why are you calling it a physical edition of the game when it's clearly the complete opposite? It's a box with a digital copy and not a physical copy.

"A disc of the game" that's just a steam installer is NOT a disc of the game, it's a disc of the steam installer and nothing else.

 

Edit: I just realized that the only difference between the Physical box tier and the Premium digital tier is the fact that you pay 14$ more for getting a steam installer, meaning you are charging people money for something that's free.

Edited January 31, 2017 by That's wrong

[Merany]

The question Rolandur is asking is actually tied to mine from previous page.

Cause right now, it seems that if you want to get a box and play the game right at release, you either need to get the CE or pay an extra $30 which kinda is expensive. Especially since PoE1 did not have those restrictions.

 

Again, I will 100% back the game but the physical tiers don't quite seem fair right now.

[Zoraptor]

 

 

There are less than 300 physical tier backers. Presumably they don't want to have to do a separate patching branch with separate installers for only a few hundred people and would prefer it to be handled through GOG or satan instead.

 

 

Actually there are more then 1750 physical tier backers. So that's slightly above 10% of all backers that are getting a not so physical copy of the game.

I really hope they are going to change this, or at least let us get a proper game disc after the game has had it's initial patching done.

 

 

I wasn't counting the higher tiers, whether that was fair or not I don't know, but I would expect many collectors not to open the box and those higher tiers do explicitly say they include a digital copy as opposed to the two lower tiers that say they don't. I don't think that 1750 or 300 really matters when it comes to the reasoning as to why it's just a steam installer though, either way they'd have to have separate installers etc for patches for people who have (1) already paid and (2) are likely to be considerably less than 1% of total sales; plus complaints about not having physical copies of expansions and the like. I'd suspect that process was a pain in the arse last time and they want to avoid it this time.

 

*well, theoretically and per description. The physical tier descriptions are a bit of a mess, if not outright misleading, I agree. A steam installer with (presumably) a code is a digital copy of the game rather than a physical one, by any sensible measure.

 

 

Was that the autocorrector or do you really hate Steam?

 

 

Ceterum censeo steam delendam esse.

[Fluffle]

At this point I wonder, why would they bother to put the Steam Installer on the disc then anyway?

 

If they expect us to have an Internet connection and a good one, because we are expected to download the game,

then they can expect us to download the Steam Installer.

 

And the Steam Installer is MUCH smaller in space than the entire PoE 2 game.

 

So they could abolish the physical disc altogether.

 

Incidentally this is an ongoing trend in gaming industry.

EA does the same with Mass Effect: Andromeda for example. You will not be able to get a physical disc for ME:A.

[That's wrong]

Zoraptor, on 31 Jan 2017 - 10:44 PM, said:Zoraptor, on 31 Jan 2017 - 10:44 PM, said:

 

That's wrong, on 31 Jan 2017 - 9:39 PM, said:That's wrong, on 31 Jan 2017 - 9:39 PM, said:

 

Zoraptor, on 31 Jan 2017 - 8:33 PM, said:Zoraptor, on 31 Jan 2017 - 8:33 PM, said:

 

There are less than 300 physical tier backers. Presumably they don't want to have to do a separate patching branch with separate installers for only a few hundred people and would prefer it to be handled through GOG or satan instead.

 

 

Actually there are more then 1750 physical tier backers. So that's slightly above 10% of all backers that are getting a not so physical copy of the game.

I really hope they are going to change this, or at least let us get a proper game disc after the game has had it's initial patching done.

 

 

I wasn't counting the higher tiers, whether that was fair or not I don't know, but I would expect many collectors not to open the box and those higher tiers do explicitly say they include a digital copy as opposed to the two lower tiers that say they don't. I don't think that 1750 or 300 really matters when it comes to the reasoning as to why it's just a steam installer though, either way they'd have to have separate installers etc for patches for people who have (1) already paid and (2) are likely to be considerably less than 1% of total sales; plus complaints about not having physical copies of expansions and the like. I'd suspect that process was a pain in the arse last time and they want to avoid it this time.

 

*well, theoretically and per description. The physical tier descriptions are a bit of a mess, if not outright misleading, I agree. A steam installer with (presumably) a code is a digital copy of the game rather than a physical one, by any sensible measure.

 

 

Sure the higher tiers also gets a digital copy, but they are still physical tier, and sure most higher tier backers might not open their box but that doesn't mean that what they are getting in the box is unimportant. Then you might just as well just send them an empty box, why even bother putting anything in it if they aren't going to open it?

 

The thing is that they could just put the PoE2 steam or gog installation files on the disc. Meaning that there never will be a need for different patchers and installers, everything is going through steam or gog.

Edited January 31, 2017 by That's wrong

[Zoraptor]

I don't really know why they'd bother putting a few MB of steam installer onto a dvd in a box either. I understand doing that with retail copies as that's how EB and any physical publisher makes their money (and they're often cheaper than digital copies too).

 

I don't really 'get' collecting though, I tend to think that if you're buying a physical tier you want to open the box and get everything out rather than have it sitting on a shelf- otherwise it might as well be empty. I also wouldn't pay well above the odds +P/P to get a box, but plenty of collectors are willing to hence the popularity of the high $ physical/ collectors editions I guess.

[AndreaColombo]

Shame the disc's not a DRM-free copy of the game

 

I suppose the reason is they won't have to maintain a separate branch of patches for the DVD version, but still a pity.

[Ashen Rohk]

Kinda annoyed the the disc is a Steam Installer and not an actual copy of the game, that's one of many reasons I still buy physical copies of games.

 

Obsidian, please reconsider this. I want my copy of the game, NOT a licence for Steam.

[Fluffle]

Kinda annoyed the the disc is a Steam Installer and not an actual copy of the game, that's one of many reasons I still buy physical copies of games.

 

Obsidian, please reconsider this. I want my copy of the game, NOT a licence for Steam.

 

I assume that it simply is not profitable. It's a pure business decision and one that is actually reasonable, as much as I hate it myself.

 

As @AndreaColombo has pointed out I also think it has to do with maintaining the patches.

There were quite a lot of problems with maintaining the patches for PoE 1 backer DVD, while at the same time players with a backer DVD are relatively few in comparison to GoG and Steam players.

 

So it does make sense. And as much as it may make sense I simply hate this decision.

 

*sigh*

 

The question is, if - in a few years - when all the patching will have been done, if Obsidian would then be ready to sell actual game discs.

[That's wrong]

 

Kinda annoyed the the disc is a Steam Installer and not an actual copy of the game, that's one of many reasons I still buy physical copies of games.

 

Obsidian, please reconsider this. I want my copy of the game, NOT a licence for Steam.

 

I assume that it simply is not profitable. It's a pure business decision and one that is actually reasonable, as much as I hate it myself.

 

As @AndreaColombo has pointed out I also think it has to do with maintaining the patches.

There were quite a lot of problems with maintaining the patches for PoE 1 backer DVD, while at the same time players with a backer DVD are relatively few in comparison to GoG and Steam players.

 

So it does make sense. And as much as it may make sense I simply hate this decision.

 

*sigh*

 

The question is, if - in a few years - when all the patching will have been done, if Obsidian would then be ready to sell actual game discs.

 

 

They can still put the game on the disc though, even if it's not DRM free like last time you can still have a proper game disc.

Sure they might save some money on not printing the game, but my guess is that they are going to get a pretty big backlash at release if all they are giving people is a steam installer. I don't frequent these forums very often and had I not seen a message on fig about this thread I never would have known about this issue, but my guess is that there is quite a few people out there that will have no idea about it until they actually receive their "game disc".

It's almost better not to have a disc in the box at all, because getting a disc with a steam installer feels more like they are mocking you then anything else. Only thing that's missing on that disc is a sound-file that plays Nelson's 'HAA-HAA'.

[Skirge01]

What about throwing in a recordable or even rewritable DVD with the PoE2 logo stamped on the disc, so that when the final patches come out, we could burn them to the disc ourselves?  I assume this wouldn't really work for Steam, but it would be perfect for GOG.

[rheingold]

With postage, that's one heck of an expensive empty cardboard box. Best look after it guys

Edited February 1, 2017 by rheingold

[Aarik D]

I would also like to know if Obsidian might/could screw over North American fan and not deliver the collectors edition here, like another soon to be released RPG.

 

Also, how do I get the backers badge?

Hey Karupt,

 

I am not quite sure what you are referring to. As for when you can the badge, we're working on it as being part of our backer portal, and we'll hopefully have news soon about when it'll launch.

 

Oh, cool that you're answering question here sir, I've asked multiple times Feargus on twitter but he has ignored me so far.

In the description of the Physical Box tier on fig, it reads "This does not include the digital copy of Pillars II".

But your post I quoted is somewhat ambiguous because if I get to choose between steam and gog, it could be that a digital copy is indeed included.

 

The reason I ask is because I really wanna buy a physical box but I know from PoE1 that it can get a while before being delivered (living in Europe, it was almost exactly 3 months). With my standard physical box KS pledge for PoE1 though, I could choose between a gog and steam key so I had the opportunity to play the game right at release. I'd be very sad to wait that long to play PoE2

 

Can you clarify please?

 

Hi Merany!

 

Sorry for the confusion about the wording of the Physical Box Tier. We're going to get that corrected. What it should say is that you will not get an additional digital key. When the game launches, you will also receive an email with the same digital key that will be in the physical box. So you won't have to wait until your package arrives to start playing.

 

Thanks for clarifying this. Feel sad about this though. If you want DRM-free, true you can go GOG, but you won't have a box at all!

 

Out of curiuousity, what is the reasoning to use a Steam installer for the physical copy? Your kickstarting campaign just started and is already very successful

As AndreaColombo has pointed out, maintaining patches for dvd backers was a real struggle for us. In the past, we were not able to release a installer patch in a timely manner and it would cause a disconnect between physical and digital users. The reason why the disc comes with a Steam installer is that our primary focus now is to get future content, features, and bug fixes to all users in a timely manner.

[paladin181]

What about throwing in a recordable or even rewritable DVD with the PoE2 logo stamped on the disc, so that when the final patches come out, we could burn them to the disc ourselves?  I assume this wouldn't really work for Steam, but it would be perfect for GOG.

I like this idea. It's a bit more expensive, but I'd love that.

[Fluffle]

 

What about throwing in a recordable or even rewritable DVD with the PoE2 logo stamped on the disc, so that when the final patches come out, we could burn them to the disc ourselves?  I assume this wouldn't really work for Steam, but it would be perfect for GOG.

I like this idea. It's a bit more expensive, but I'd love that.

 

 

As an extra to the Fig campaign?

[Skirge01]

 

 

What about throwing in a recordable or even rewritable DVD with the PoE2 logo stamped on the disc, so that when the final patches come out, we could burn them to the disc ourselves?  I assume this wouldn't really work for Steam, but it would be perfect for GOG.

I like this idea. It's a bit more expensive, but I'd love that.

 

 

As an extra to the Fig campaign?

 

That's not what I had in mind, actually.  My thinking was that they're going to put a disc into the box no matter what.  If it's only a steam installer, let's be honest, it's absolutely useless to both Steam and GOG users.  If it's a blank DVD, it's definitely useful to GOG users and I imagine Steam users might find a use for it.

 

But, if a recordable disc isn't cost effective for Obsidian, I'd absolutely pay a few bucks to add one on.

[Ethics Gradient]

Personally, I was just going to print off a little postage-stamp-sized sticker and put it on a SD card full of Pillars installers from GoG.

 

I honestly don't use disc media now.  It is extraordinarily unlikely that I'd ever use that disc in the future.

 

Its also extraordinarily unlikely I'd need an offline copy of the GoG installers on a SD card, but hey, why not?

[Mamoulian War]

 

I would also like to know if Obsidian might/could screw over North American fan and not deliver the collectors edition here, like another soon to be released RPG.

 

Also, how do I get the backers badge?

Hey Karupt,

 

I am not quite sure what you are referring to. As for when you can the badge, we're working on it as being part of our backer portal, and we'll hopefully have news soon about when it'll launch.

Oh, cool that you're answering question here sir, I've asked multiple times Feargus on twitter but he has ignored me so far.

In the description of the Physical Box tier on fig, it reads "This does not include the digital copy of Pillars II".

But your post I quoted is somewhat ambiguous because if I get to choose between steam and gog, it could be that a digital copy is indeed included.

 

The reason I ask is because I really wanna buy a physical box but I know from PoE1 that it can get a while before being delivered (living in Europe, it was almost exactly 3 months). With my standard physical box KS pledge for PoE1 though, I could choose between a gog and steam key so I had the opportunity to play the game right at release. I'd be very sad to wait that long to play PoE2

 

Can you clarify please?

 

Hi Merany!

 

Sorry for the confusion about the wording of the Physical Box Tier. We're going to get that corrected. What it should say is that you will not get an additional digital key. When the game launches, you will also receive an email with the same digital key that will be in the physical box. So you won't have to wait until your package arrives to start playing.

Thanks for clarifying this. Feel sad about this though. If you want DRM-free, true you can go GOG, but you won't have a box at all!

 

Out of curiuousity, what is the reasoning to use a Steam installer for the physical copy? Your kickstarting campaign just started and is already very successful

As AndreaColombo has pointed out, maintaining patches for dvd backers was a real struggle for us. In the past, we were not able to release a installer patch in a timely manner and it would cause a disconnect between physical and digital users. The reason why the disc comes with a Steam installer is that our primary focus now is to get future content, features, and bug fixes to all users in a timely manner.

Well for many of us, the longer wait was worth to be able to have physical copy with no DRM at all.

[Mamoulian War]

Or maybe you could do something heretical, to put on the disc hybrid Steam/GOG installer *shrugs*

[vv221]

Have they released a White March DRM free DVD which I never heard of, by chance?

Yes, they did

You can find it on your Obsidian account:

https://eternity.obsidian.net/eternity/account#products

 

Well, it’s not actually a real DVD, but a DRM-free version you can install on the base game installed from the backer DVD.

[Merany]

Hi Merany!

 

Sorry for the confusion about the wording of the Physical Box Tier. We're going to get that corrected. What it should say is that you will not get an additional digital key. When the game launches, you will also receive an email with the same digital key that will be in the physical box. So you won't have to wait until your package arrives to start playing.

 

 

Thanks for the clarification. Like most, I would obviously have preferred what you did with PoE1 with DRM free CD + key but I'm fine with that solution too.

Just need to decide what tier I back now

[Merany]

Actually, let me go back on what I said...

Those fig descriptions are a serious mess. Like, take the printed game manual. Only the $199 tier has it? really? Not even the $149 CE? I mean, the regular $59 physical box should have it, bare minimum. PoE1 had it.

Otherwise, what's in the box? $14 more (compared to the $45 premium digital) strictly for some cardboard seems a bit expensive as others have already noted

Edited February 3, 2017 by Merany

[Zoraptor]

You have to add postage and packaging/ shipping to that as well.

[Aarik D]

We corrected the text on the Physical Box Tier! If you guys find anymore text to be confusing, please let us know so we can update it to be easier to read!

[Merany]

Could be useful for potential backers, thanks!

On the other hand, I guess no printed manual is no mistake?