Rejoice! Black Isle Bastards 100% funded! Stretch goal: 55% funded! Thank you everyone!

[Fluffle]

I think I understood something wrong. I thought the whole idea was to find an inn backer, that was willing to place his or her inn on the island.

 

If we want that, yes.

 

We ourselves are not funding a tavern/inn. And as I said above we should not make our ship a inn, because another backer is making their inn a ship.

Plus, I doubt anyway that we are allowed to make a fully fleshed out inn out of our ship. Because that is what the tier "Own an inn" is for. Not our tier.

 

So yes, we can try to find a backer who'd like to put their inn on the Black Isle.

Edited February 20, 2017 by Fluffle

[Lord_Mord]

 

In any case, if we do something like that, like a ledger or any kind where donators can immortalize themselves as lost Black Isle Bastards we need to take utmost care that that doesn't break immersion.

 

I think some of the stories of the backer NPCs where quite good. The problem was, they where all over the place and almost always where godlikes. What if every donator could write a very small pirate story (I mean very short. Basically just anecdotes, jokes or piraty poems) and on the island there is this old pirate telling those stories if you speak to him?

[Fluffle]

Also I have updated the opening post by a disclaimer and I will post it here again so that everyone who does not regularly look for an updated opening post sees this too:
 

Disclaimer: I am the sole person who is collecting the funds and who is responsible for the donations. Obsidian Entertainment is not involved in these donations in any way, however they are fully supportive of this project. Donating here will NOT give you a copy of the game (an exception may apply for one of the most generous donors as specified in the F.A.Q.).

[phimseto]

I think I understood something wrong. I thought the whole idea was to find an inn backer, that was willing to place his or her inn on the island.

 

If that is reference to what I suggested yesterday, then yes. Just to clarify:

 

The fundraising effort here is to raise $5k for a Black Isle pirate crew to populate the already gifted Black Isle. My suggestion was to ask Obsidian to find a wealthy backer willing to plonk down 5k in matching funds for an inn for the island on the condition that we reach the funding level for the pirate crew. That kind of 2 for 1 incentive usually has a positive impact on fundraising efforts. So it's not about whether or not we "want" an inn, but rather partnering with someone who can fund it will help us fund the pirate crew.

 

That said...*I* want an inn on the Black Isle, which was known for many things, but was *very* known for their love of drink. )

 

Most importantly, all of this is conditional on Obsidian featuring all of of this in one of their "last days" pushes, because I think that is the only way we raise general awareness enough to hit that figure.

[Fluffle]

 

 

In any case, if we do something like that, like a ledger or any kind where donators can immortalize themselves as lost Black Isle Bastards we need to take utmost care that that doesn't break immersion.

 

I think some of the stories of the backer NPCs where quite good. The problem was, they where all over the place and almost always where godlikes. What if every donator could write a very small pirate story (I mean very short. Basically just anecdotes, jokes or piraty poems) and on the island there is this old pirate telling those stories if you speak to him?

 

 

I like that idea a lot actually. But I see the problem in checking the content.

 

There is a certain habit. When backers try to immortalize themselves into a game, they want to be "special".

 

Now when a lot of people do that, then it may sound ridiculous at one point. You would get one pirate after another who'd be more special and awesome than all other living beings ever witnessed. There is a huge risk that that could happen.

 

Someone would need to check the backer-written content. And have the authority to adjust it.

Also it must be lore friendly and in no way break immersion.

 

I had a similar idea. I was thinking of a talking parrot who could say one liners about deceased or lost members of the Black Isle Bastards.

[Lord_Mord]

 

I was thinking of a talking parrot who could say one liners about deceased or lost members of the Black Isle Bastards.

 

Maybe he repeats just their last words.

Edited February 20, 2017 by Lord_Mord

[Fluffle]

Wow we have collected $666 now xD

 

But in disregard of the curiosity of that number once again, a big thank you for everyone supporting this

Edited February 20, 2017 by Fluffle

[Jonathan_Crow]

Hi everyone! Unfortunately I wasn't able to send you much money, but I'm really hope that those few dollars would help in some way.. Black Isle Bastards is really cool idea and is my honor to watch and participate in creation of such content. Personal thanks to Fluffle for sure! = )  

[Fluffle]

Hi everyone! Unfortunately I wasn't able to send you much money, but I'm really hope that those few dollars would help in some way.. Black Isle Bastards is really cool idea and is my honor to watch and participate in creation of such content. Personal thanks to Fluffle for sure! = )  

 

Hey Jonathan, welcome on board! Arr!

 

Yes, every dollar counts and helps us! Thank you

 

Also you are very welcome to participate in creation of this content!

Edited February 20, 2017 by Fluffle

[Ninjamestari]

Right, so I've got a little flu which restricts my activities more than I'd like. This lead to boredom, which in turn lead me to creating a few raw example crew member concepts. I'll add my notes here, feel free to mix and match, use what you like, discard what you don't, use as an inspiration or whatever.

 

Pirates

 

Male

- The 'Mexican' Aumaua-Guy

- drinks Tequila (The other pirates think he's weird)

- likes beans

- Runs a smuggling side-business

- used to have his own distillery

- doesn't talk much

- is secretive, mostly a professional habit for a long time smuggler

- is the distiller of the group (makes rum among other things).

 

- The Priest of Ondra

- Elderly man

- A Priest, originally kidnapped to ensure Ondra's favor

- loves the sea and quickly accepted his role as the crew's priest, becoming a willing member

- doesn't really care for violence, and isn't interested in a share of the plunder, except for medicine which he uses to treat the crew.

- Likes open spaces and the sea, and thus spends most of his spare time meditating on deck.

- Friends with the Butcher

- They share stories and tales, and together manage a collection of different sorts of writings; religious, fictitious, historical and otherwise.

- They both love to smoke their pipes

 

 

- The Psychopath Rapist/Murderer Guy

- The elder Brother of Sister Stabbity-Stab

- Unlike his sister, he's relatively relaxed at times.

- Has a 'soft spot' for her sister, born more out of a sense of duty, familiarity and common background than any true affection.

- Has earned his place on the ship through his talent in killing and overall cunning

- His less desirable traits are tolerated by the other pirates as long as he doesn't cause problems on the ship

- Many of the other pirates are afraid of him.

- Doesn't force himself on other crew members, except for the ex Courtesan who actually likes the rough play.

- Doesn't drink Alcohol, uses other mind-altering substances.

 

 

- The Merry Dwarf Butcher-Guy

- A real butcher, the kind that deals with meat, not the kind that kills people.

- Happy guy, likes Pale Lagers and proper Bratwurst sausages

- Friends with the Mexican Aumaua-Guy

- Together the two are responsible for the ships food supply, cooking, brewing and distillation.

- Looks after The Captive, acts as a sort of father figure to her.

- Has a trained little monkey as a pet

- Likes stories, both telling them and listening to them.

- Likes to brawl and fight, but finds killing outside a fight to be distasteful.

-Doesn't like to "butcher the kith"

- Is exceptionally distrustful of authority figures

 

 

 

 

Female

 

- Sister Stabbity-Stab

- The even bloodthirstier sister of the Psychopath Rapist/Murderer Guy

- Only her brother can reliably keep her bloodthirst in check.

- Twisted as they are, there is a certain bond and trust between the siblings.

- Likes to torture and kill

- Unlike his relatively predictable brother, you'll never know what to expect from her.

- She's the main reason the crew has learned to sleep with one eye open.

- A Cruel and Clean thinker, doesn't like drugs or alcohol.

- Doesn't really like anything much in fact.

- A clear indicator that something has gone horribly wrong somewhere along the family line.

 

- The Pale-Elf Cipher-Chick

- A middle aged elven woman

- bitter, tormented and vengeful

- joined the crew to escape the enemies of her family

- rest of her family either dead or missing, she believes them to be dead and thus doesn't actively look for them.

- the pirates use her talents to gain information from prisoners and such

- mostly wants her past to stay forgotten and buried 

- likes the freedom and immediate necessities involved with being a pirate, as that helps with keeping her mind off her emotional troubles.

- is friends with the 'Mexican' Aumaua-Guy, who is the only one in whose company she feels secure enough to drink alcohol

- doesn't trust the Priest not to try and 'save her soul' and ask personal questions

- thinks the Butcher is way too chipper, and thus doesn't really care for his company

- the 'Mexican' doesn't speak much and doesn't ask questions, which suits her perfectly.

 

- ex Courtesan

- very promiscuous young woman

- gets along splendidly with the other pirates

- whatever diseases she has, the whole crew has.

- greedy as ****

- likes pretty and shiny things

- doesn't like other women

- has a very unhealthy relationship/attraction with the Psychopath Rapist/Murderer Guy

 

- The Captive

- a young girl, captured by the pirates

- the unofficial pet/mascot of the crew

- does menial tasks like cleaning, washing clothes, treats the sick

- mostly serves as an assistant for the Merry-Butcher-Dwarf

- was originally kidnapped for ransom as a child 

- the ransom was never paid and the crew didn't have the heart to kill her so they put her to work.

- has learned to get along with the crew and is generally treated well, some pirates even having grown fond of her.

- likes small animals, takes care of the Butcher's little Monkey

- Is intelligent and likes to read. Has occasional philosophical discussions with the priest, who in turn is impressed with her sharp mind.

[Koth]

Donated, yarrrr!

[phimseto]

Wait...are the Black Isle Bastards not veteran Black Isle/Obsidian devs? Kind of thought that was what we were going for - making the whole island a cameo of sorts for the Old Guard.

[Fluffle]

Hey, tilly and Koth,

thank you for your donations! And welcome on board!

 

 

Wait...are the Black Isle Bastards not veteran Black Isle/Obsidian devs? Kind of thought that was what we were going for - making the whole island a cameo of sorts for the Old Guard.

 

For a very brief moment I had that idea too, but then I felt uncomfortable with the implications of calling them "bastards".

 

It's okay to call ourselves that way in an ironic way, but personally I'm uncomfortable with calling the devs that way - even indirectly only.

 

However, we are going to give Obsidian a lot of freedom in designing anyway. At least that's the current plan. And if they would like to model the ingame Black Isle Bastards after themselves I would not object.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Fluffle

[Messier-31]

However, we are going to give Obsidian a lot of freedom in designing anyway. At least that's the current plan. And if they would like to model the ingame Black Isle Bastards after themselves I would not object.

 

Still far away from our goal, though. Maybe March will bring new opportunities

[Fluffle]

Hey everyone I have put up a new poll for our ship!

 

Hope many of you will participate

See you there

[Kennyrules]

Just wanted to throw out that I'm spending my money backing the actual game, and I don't really have any left over to back the B.I.B. in particular.  But I really hope this pans out and makes it into the game, because I think its a great idea.

[Korin_Haller]

Donated! Hope there will something come out of this ;P

[Fluffle]

Ahoy Korin, and thank you very much for your donation! Welcome to our crew!

 

And thank you, Kennyrules, for your good wishes! I hope we will make it!

[Korin_Haller]

Ahoy Fluffy Marshmallow of the Obsidian Order, true Captain of the Black Isle Bastards and the Legend of Deadfire Archipelago! Ahoy to all comrades and brothers in arms!
It's a privilege to be a port of this crew,  I hope we'll get along, kick some butts and drink lots of rum. And I'm all out of rum!

[Fluffle]

So, attention everyone, we actually do have a discord channel made by @Aarik just for us!

 

So if you prefer to chat in real time drop by any time you like!

[Fluffle]

So, I was thinking about immortalizing our donors into the game.

 

First off, very important: I do not want something like the tombstones in PoE1 to happen. They were ill received for breaking the fourth wall/immersion.

So any idea about immortalizing one self into the game must be with respect to respecting the integrity and the lore of the game.

 

There are some ideas, and maybe you will have more ideas, then please don't be shy and do share them.

 

A) Special pirate credits for our donors in the credits of the game. As an option you can choose a "piratey" name for you (within reason).

 

B) In the game you can find a captain's log of the Black Isle Bastards. In that log you can read about the people they met on their journeys through the Deadfire Archipelago.

And our donors would represent those people.

 

Aarik told me about this idea. I think it was Adam's idea originally.

 

I would like to have such a log an actual use in the game. Therefore I had the idea that there is a secret message hidden within that log, that the player needs to decipher.

And if the player manages to do that he or she will be lead to the location of the treasure of the Black Isle Bastards.

 

So such a log would serve two purposes: Immortalizing our donors here, AND finding the treasure of the Black Isle Bastards in the game.

The log could also be a ledger of former members of the Black Isle Bastards.

 

C) A talking parrot who'd talk about deceased/lost members of the Black Isle Bastards who represent our donors

 

D) An old member of the Black Isle Bastards who tells stories about deceased/lost members of the Black Isle Bastards who represent our donors

 

In any way, being immortalized via one of these ways or even another way would require a minimum donation for our cause AND a separate request for being added to me via PM (so that I can take track of all the donors who'd like that). Please do not be upset about a minimum amount of donation for this, because that is our aim. We do want to raise money after all and by that support Obsidian.

 

Let me know what you think. Also you would have to agree that Obsidian can adjust the content that you would submit so that it does not break immersion/fourth wall.

I really don't want something like the tombstones and Obsidian doesn't want that either (or else they would have offered that on Fig).

Edited February 21, 2017 by Fluffle

[Varana]

While the idea with the hidden message in the log is nice, I'd be cautious. If the "treasure" is actually worth getting, it means that players would have to really read backer material, closely.

Seeing as how I for one reacted to the backer NPC stories and tombstones in PoE1, I don't think that's a good idea. (I was very happy to ignore the stories completely - even though they weren't usually breaking the 4th wall all that much. And though I clicked on most tombstones eventually, I did so knowing full well that this was out-of-game material.)

Now, I'm all for being more subtle; having the donors fit in as much as possible is the right way. However, I don't think that it's ultimately possible to have both a seamless integration into the game world, and getting your name into the game in a recognisable way. As side content that's easily ignorable, that's fine. Having to dive into it, probably not.

 

Apart from that, options B through D sound fine.

 

I'd like seeing those remarks about people as "ambient dialogue" - i.e. the kind of chattering between the Glanfathans in Twin Elms, for instance. They're talking, and if you like, you can stand next to them listening, or you go on and ignore it. (I can't remember whether that was only spoken dialogue, or text-based. Non-spoken is the only option, I think.)

[Fluffle]

While the idea with the hidden message in the log is nice, I'd be cautious. If the "treasure" is actually worth getting, it means that players would have to really read backer material, closely.

Seeing as how I for one reacted to the backer NPC stories and tombstones in PoE1, I don't think that's a good idea. (I was very happy to ignore the stories completely - even though they weren't usually breaking the 4th wall all that much. And though I clicked on most tombstones eventually, I did so knowing full well that this was out-of-game material.)

Now, I'm all for being more subtle; having the donors fit in as much as possible is the right way. However, I don't think that it's ultimately possible to have both a seamless integration into the game world, and getting your name into the game in a recognisable way. As side content that's easily ignorable, that's fine. Having to dive into it, probably not.

 

Apart from that, options B through D sound fine.

 

I'd like seeing those remarks about people as "ambient dialogue" - i.e. the kind of chattering between the Glanfathans in Twin Elms, for instance. They're talking, and if you like, you can stand next to them listening, or you go on and ignore it. (I can't remember whether that was only spoken dialogue, or text-based. Non-spoken is the only option, I think.)

 

It would not be the real names of our donors, maybe I should have clarified that.

 

It's rather that our donors would be able to choose a fantasy name. And Obsidian would additionally make sure that that name fits into the game.

 

But I share your concern about that backer content should be optional and you should be able to ignore it if you want to.

 

On the other hand the donors would only provide the fantasy names which would additionally adjusted by Obsidian if needed be.

The log or ledger would be written by Obsidian, not by us!

Edited February 21, 2017 by Fluffle

[Korin_Haller]

Totally agree with Varana on that matter. My friends playing the game eventually started avoiding NPCs which souls player could read, and the tombstones are out of place.
Variants B to D are the the most interesting, B in particular. A is ok, but as a last option. Regardless of the outcome, I think You guys are doing great job here
 

[gogocactus]

What Fluffle said.

I would love options A, C or D. Fun ideas, and cheap and easy to implement. I already donated 25 dollars, but please do let us know about the minimum amount to donate later so that I can up that amount if needed:).

Edited February 21, 2017 by gogocactus