BAdler Answers to Questions and Comments

[BAdler]

Hey, everyone. Brandon here. I'm a designer on Pathfinder Adventures. I just wanted to answer a few questions and give some clarification on points we have discussed over the past few days. I will likely post this in response to a few different threads so feel free to post this anywhere you think people might have these questions/comments. Thanks, everyone.

 

• "I've already spent a significant amount of money on your mobile version. Why do I have to repurchase the game on PC?"

This is a good question and if I were in your shoes I'd ask the same thing.

 

The PC version of the game is not using a free-to-play model for revenue generation. There are both business and technical reasons for this. This means folks that purchased content on the mobile version of the game will need to repurchase the content on Steam or GOG.

That said, we are working on a way to hook up players who have purchased a lot of content for the mobile game. Things like free upgrades and coupons to lower the price. I don't have any specifics right now, but that info should be coming out soon.

 

• "If I merge my PC/Android/iOS accounts, does that mean I will see all of my unlocked/purchased content on all of these platforms?"

Yup. For example, if you had some special promo cards on your iOS account and you merged it with the PC, they would show up on the PC build of your game - even if we don't have that content for purchase on the PC. It works in reverse too. If you purchased the Obsidian Edition on Steam and linked your accounts you would unlock the treasure cards on your mobile versions.

 

• "Why didn't you just make more content? All I wanted was more content."

Two things: content is by far the most time consuming thing that the team works on AND the Pathfinder team is only a handful of people.

 

We felt it was really important to put out a PC version of the game. It is probably the best way for us to expand our user base. We have had most of the team focused on creating this build for the past few months. Because the team is small, we can really only be focused on one thing at a time. This meant that content creation was getting pushed off a bit.

 

While pushing off content creation isn't ideal, we felt it was the best for the long term health of the product. More people playing equals more money equals more content for the game. It sounds like a cold calculation, but it is the reality of the situation. Same goes for the Asmodee deal. Working with Asmodee expands the game's reach and gives us a better chance to create more content for the game.

 

At this point, we have started making more content again. You guys know about the Goblin campaign we are working on, but we also have some other things we hope people will like. We'll be able to talk about it in the next few weeks, I think.

 

• "Why did you create Feature X? Nobody's asking for it and I don't think it adds anything to the game."

Most of these new features were requests or designs from me. All of these features came out of a want to make the game more accessible to current and new users. In particular, I was focused on making the game easier to get into and more intuitive for people.

 

I realize that some people think the game is way too easy, but the vast majority of new folks that play the game don't understand how it works right off the bat. You can only tutorialize so much before people stop paying attention so there is a fine line to walk. This is an important thing for the team to resolve. 

 

The board game version of the game has the benefit of knowing that the users will read through the entire instructions before they ever start their first game. This means that the first scenario can immediately start with very little ramp up. By necessity the digital game needs to be more user friendly.

 

So, in that vein, we attempted to make UI and current features more intuitive - even if it diverged from the board game a bit. While I feel there are still things we can add to the game to help, I feel like we were successful.

 

In other updates we will be adding in other features that the community has identified, so be on the lookout for that in the future.

 

• "Why did you add in consumables (Runes/Charms)?"

There are a few reasons for this.

 

First, they can really help new players get past a scenario or situation that they are having a difficult time with. I don't expect that players will be using these items for all instances, but it does allow them to get out of bad situations. This also applies to folks trying out harder difficulties.

 

Second, this gives us something to allow PC users to purchase with gold. Originally, we were going to remove gold from the PC version, but these consumable items allow players to spend their earned gold on bonuses in the game.

 

Lastly, this will also help out the mobile monetization. If people enjoy using these items they can purchase (or grind) additional gold to get more.

 

It's important to note that players don't need to use any of these consumables. They are there for folks that need a little boost to complete some content or get out of a jam, but they are never required to complete the content. If you would prefer an experience closer to the card game, you can safely ignore those UI buttons and you should have the same experience that you are able to get right now.

 

• "Have you considered a difficulty increase for the current (or new) content?"

It's unlikely that we would increase the difficult of current content, but we are exploring how to make the game more difficult in future content. I have some ideas and once we announce new content I can get into the specifics.

 

• "Why did you remove quest mode?"

Unfortunately, with the size of our team, it was too difficult to keep quest mode running while also creating new content. The decision was to focus our team on creating new content instead of new quest mode content. We are also sad to see it go, but it is the right decision at this time. Removing quest mode should also resolve other bugs and issues that were being caused by it. These weren't insignificant and should make for a better experience.

[Yewstance]

Thank you for the cohesive responses for a lot of the issues discussed over the forums. It provides a great deal of insight and clarification on a few matters, and it's encouraging to see the developer view on the strategy and sale of the game for the future.

[Musaab]

With the PC release coming in 2 days, I am hoping you guys come out with the info about what people who already purchased stuff on mobile are going to get REALLY soon.

[Musaab]

Question:  Would it be too difficult for you guys to add the lore for locations and scenarios to the cards?  Like the flavor text for the locations, for example?

[deny_conformity]

I too would like to know the details of what us Pathfinder Ambassadors will be getting, I will be buying the game again on Steam and almost certainly the Obsidian edition. I bought the Rise of the Runelords Pack (and a few other packs) for the mobile version already and have spent many hours playing the game for enjoyment, once I finished the main story I played a couple of characters to 40 in quest mode, I'll be sad to see it go but it has a lot of bugs.

Given the time I've spent with the game and the app I'd like to show my support but I really cannot justify buying gold - it has always seemed alien to me to spend real money so I don't have to play a game.

[DrDior]

I bought the bundle, and I spent gold to buy 6 alt characters.  In quest I have every base character at level 40.    I hope this means a nice reward when I buy the PC version.  We shall see shortly, but only if this reward system applies as soon as you buy the PC version.  If the reward is delayed, then what?

[BAdler]

With the PC release coming in 2 days, I am hoping you guys come out with the info about what people who already purchased stuff on mobile are going to get REALLY soon.

 

I'll talk to some people over here and see if we can announce what we will be handing out to Ambassadors.

[BAdler]

Question:  Would it be too difficult for you guys to add the lore for locations and scenarios to the cards?  Like the flavor text for the locations, for example?

 

I haven't given it much thought. While there wouldn't technically be anything stopping us from doing this, it would need a new UI to display everything. It is pretty unlikely that we would target that feature, to be honest.

[DrDior]

 

With the PC release coming in 2 days, I am hoping you guys come out with the info about what people who already purchased stuff on mobile are going to get REALLY soon.

 

I'll talk to some people over here and see if we can announce what we will be handing out to Ambassadors.

 

 

Don't forget to answer "when".   If I don't see any reward on mobile, I'm inclined to wait on purchasing the PC version until this is cleared up.

[BAdler]

Information about the Ambassador Program can be found here.

[wakasm]

Since I am somehow the one misinterpreting things based on the way people keep talking about these changes, i need more clarification: 

 

Question:  If in the future, you offer a DLC pack - let's pretend it's a Character Class Pack (Example: Magus Class) for DLC.  Or we can pretend it's Adventure Path 2 Adventure Deck 1. Something along those lines that is actual CORE GAME content.  And I purchase it on Steam.  Will it unlock via IOS/Android? 

 

Question: Same situation - but vice versa? 

 

I want to fully understand, because this line has thrown me off

 

The PC version of the game is not using a free-to-play model for revenue generation. There are both business and technical reasons for this. This means folks that purchased content on the mobile version of the game will need to repurchase the content on Steam or GOG.

 

Seem to contradict this: 

 

 

• "If I merge my PC/Android/iOS accounts, does that mean I will see all of my unlocked/purchased content on all of these platforms?"

Yup. For example, if you had some special promo cards on your iOS account and you merged it with the PC, they would show up on the PC build of your game - even if we don't have that content for purchase on the PC. It works in reverse too. If you purchased the Obsidian Edition on Steam and linked your accounts you would unlock the treasure cards on your mobile versions.

 

 

 

I don't know what future content you guys will offer, but I just want to make sure that once I get past this $25 buy-in fee on Steam, that all platforms are treated equal and that it will be a Pathfinder Platform I am buying into, and not split based on where you buy it.  

 

Because i will come back one day if you release more actual content despite that I feel the only people who are paying double tax (despite your ambassador program) are those of us who were faithful and actually paid for your content.  

 

Right now there is no situation where someone could have unlocked characters or adventure decks from mobile to steam - so I want to know how the future of that part works.  

Edited June 14, 2017 by wakasm

[Yewstance]

Since I am somehow the one misinterpreting things based on the way people keep talking about these changes, i need more clarification: 

 

Question:  If in the future, you offer a DLC pack - let's pretend it's a Character Class Pack (Example: Magus Class) for DLC.  Or we can pretend it's Adventure Path 2 Adventure Deck 1. Something along those lines that is actual CORE GAME content.  And I purchase it on Steam.  Will it unlock via IOS/Android? 

 

Question: Same situation - but vice versa? 

 

[...]

 

This is an excellent question, because it DOES seem to contradict a few apparent assumptions.

 

For example, as far as we can tell, Gold - and purchasing things via gold as the 'free to play' model - will continue to exist on mobile. But given that if you've unlocked the adventure decks/characters it makes no difference to the PC game currently (even though that's just because said content is automatically redeemed by purchasing it on PC) it seems still uncertain, from the consumer perspective, whether buying any future content packs on mobile will ever be truly reflective across platform.

 

And if they WILL be - if you COULD buy a 'class pack' or adventure on mobile for in-game gold, as part of the free to play model, then cross-platform access it from your PC version for free - then that's something integral for the playerbase to know for certain, because then we should aim to conserve in-game currency (gold) for future content/DLC releases. If they don't intend to have it reflect, that contradicts the "unlocked/purchased content across platforms" statement. If they do intend to have it reflect, that somewhat contradicts "We are not using the free to play model for PC", unless they mean "We will maintain constant content updates over a microtransaction or in-game currency model, but requiring the $25 PC buy-in".

 

The whole thing, even with the clarifications, raises so many questions for me.

[Ethics Gradient]

And if they WILL be - if you COULD buy a 'class pack' or adventure on mobile for in-game gold, as part of the free to play model, then cross-platform access it from your PC version for free - then that's something integral for the playerbase to know for certain, because then we should aim to conserve in-game currency (gold) for future content/DLC releases. 

 

I think that is factored into the pricing strategy for PC.  When you chip in your $25 you get nearly all the content that is presently purchasable on mobile.  When you chip in $40, you get all the content you can acquire on mobile.

 

Once you are already paid into the PC platform, there are relatively few opportunities where you can "game" the system buy trying to buy additional content on the cheap via in-game gold on the mobile app.  Currently, the only avenue to exploit the divide is to buy the base PC edition and save up the 70k gold to buy the character alts on mobile.

 

Whichever PC tier you buy (Base or Obsidian), it is a fair bet it will come along with more DLC/Cards/Characters than you might already have on your mobile account. 

[Yewstance]

@Ethics Gradient

 

I understand all of that, but I'm more concerned about future potential content updates, so I'll summarize it into one very brief question, to make explicit my intent.

 

Will further content updates - Adventures, Class Decks/Characters, etc - always be purchaseable with in-game currency/Gold on either or both platform(s)?

 

I'm aware the Obsidian Edition promises such for free (and I wonder how far that goes, because they can't just keep making costly content and maintaining the game with updates for years off the back of a one-time $40 purchase, and it effectively means making more than $15 worth of DLC is nonviable because users would just purchase the Obsidian Edition upgrade), but I would have expected further content to require payment as per a typical DLC market... though that would contradict the "Free to play" mobile model, which is supposed to work in synchronicity with PC.

Edited June 14, 2017 by Yewstance

[Ethics Gradient]

@Ethics Gradient

 

I understand all of that, but I'm more concerned about future potential content updates, so I'll summarize it into one very brief question, to make explicit my intent.

 

Will further content updates - Adventures, Class Decks/Characters, etc - always be purchaseable with in-game currency/Gold on either or both platform(s)?

 

I would really love to know that too.  All we can do is speculate intentions, but I can't help but think that from here on out, it would be best for the app if all new content (mobile or PC) will, and should, require real money transactions.

 

I'm not saying that just to stick it to the F2P players, but now that the app is aiming for a wider marketplace, the previous ability to buy content with gold appears to be a legacy system that is first going to be contained (few ways to buy the PC version and use gold to acquire additional content via the mobile app) then possibly eliminated altogether (gold is only to purchase consumables and other select items).

 

Ideally apps on all platforms could be free, and then tied to a single profile that maintains your DLC and collectables.  But differing app store rules and the fact that you could play the mobile game for free simply by playing it a bunch, got us to this confusing point.

[WotanAnubis]

I have a question:

 

So the PC version is going to have special Edér and Pallegina cards. Is it possible that some future expansion would be wholly Pillars of Eternity-themed?

 

I'm not asking if it's definitely going to happen or anything, I'm just wondering if such a thing might be possible.

[wakasm]

I would really love to know that too.  All we can do is speculate intentions, but I can't help but think that from here on out, it would be best for the app if all new content (mobile or PC) will, and should, require real money transactions.

 

I've been saying this since day 1, as the other F2P model vs the pace of content should never and could never have coexisted.  The F2P model only works when you can get new content every month few months to outpace the free players even, which the devs never could push out that content for better or worst.

 

That said... between conversations on reddit, here, and elsewhere, I feel like I am taking crazy pills in that I am the only person interpreting the above statements to mean that: 

1. All future content will money transactions (sure - that's fine with me)
2. Future paid content - IE - the DLC It's not transferable, based off the first statement of This means folks that purchased content on the mobile version of the game will need to repurchase the content on Steam or GOG.

That statement was the bolded one, and the followup to it didn't help clarify at all since it only focused on the F2P stuff. 

 

My main assumption for this is based on how they are offering the ambassadors pack.  They are giving Steam Keys for the additional content, vs giving the mobile accounts the content, or just giving it directly through the PLAYFAB account.  If everything was to really link up... why couldn't they just flag our content via the PLAYFAB or OBSIDIAN ACCOUNT that exists on mobile and have it sync up with Steam when we buy it?.  

 

Heck - even if I never download the steam version... I should still get the Ambassador stuff if I spent $25 on mobile.   

 

Something there doesn't add up unless future content is not transferable... or... they are adding it in the future.  At this point I have no idea what Playfab can do and all expectations are lost because I've seen other companies allow you to access things across steam / mobile without issue.  There easily could have been a buy in for Adventure Path 1 on Steam for 3.99, a Full version for $25, and let people sync their accounts however they wanted.  They did mention business reasons, but that's not very forthcoming when it basically means - hey, we need your money, again, to keep this going.  

 

Meanwhile, we all would have opened our wallets x 5 for just some real content vs this F2P stuff. 

 

That said... I don't think we need to wait and speculate... as this thread is specifically for Q/A.  

 

The easiest way to test this in 24 hours would be to have someone purchase on Stream, and then link it to a fresh mobile account to see if everything transfers over, but, the wording implies that only the non-core content transfers over.   I've seen multiple instances where people have tried to ask their own version of how it works, but it's not very clear.  I won't do that, but maybe someone who isn't purchased in yet can. 

 

 IE - if this was a rulebook for a board game, it needs another round of clarification, not clear enough! 

 

Fingers crossed they see the potential of Pathfinder as a Platform - easily $100+ worth per customer of content if they add it all in and are consistent with it.   Sad that it's a $50 buy in (total) for those of us who already paid the $25+ on mobile, but I am more than happy to rebuy this game when new classes are released, new adventure packs, etc.  But not if it doesn't transfer to mobile...  

Edited June 14, 2017 by wakasm

[Hannibal_PJV]

The Obsidian edition seems to include character alts released so far and new coming first Goblin dls and upcoming two new Goblin characters and some Obsidian promos.

Any other new content will be bought able content. Not sure what this mean in mobile. We can see if you can use gold for those Goblins or do you have to buy them like in PC version.

 

So it seems that old stuff will remain free to play in mobile, but we don't know the new content. All content should be shared across all platforms, so if you buy any content in the future it should be available in all possible platforms. That is what I got from the dev q/a.

But I supose that the next q/a will ansver these questions.

[Ethics Gradient]

[meh, i'm going to delete this post for now.  let's just wait a day to see how things shake out after the PC release.  no need to escalate the user speculation debate when the empirical answer is no more than 24 hours off.]

Edited June 14, 2017 by Ethics Gradient

[Fade2gray]

I'll play the speculation game. My understanding is that:

 

1) To play the game on PC, you must buy at minimum the base game in PC

2) All content unlocked on either version (regardless of how it was acquired) will be available to the player in both versions

 

Because the base game for PC contains most of the content from the Mobile version, #2 is mostly a moot point UNLESS you unlocked some of the character alts and rare cards on mobile but decide not to purchase the Obsidian Edition on PC. 

 

What does this mean for future pricing? My guess is that most major content going forward (like new ADs) will only be available for real money. You can purchase in either version and it will unlock in the other. The current character alts, dice, treasure chests, and consumables will probably continue to be available for gold in the app (and will transfer to PC), but the Obsidian Edition (and maybe future AD packs) will be the easiest way to acquire most of that stuff as well.

 

The biggest question for me is what they plan to do with the RoTR pack in the mobile app. It's still there and available for purchase. They've solved the problem of what to do for people who buy it before the PC release, but it seems that it will continue to be a problem for new players if they leave it as-is.

Edited June 14, 2017 by Fade2gray

[wakasm]

IWhat does this mean for future pricing? My guess is that most major content going forward (like new ADs) will only be available for real money. You can purchase in either version and it will unlock in the other. 

 

If it works like this - great.  It would be nice if they would explicitly confirm this without any doubt, hence the question.  There is evidence and contradiction both ways depending on how you take words as written and their approach to the ambassador pack.   If they confirm this, then all is slightly better in the Pathfinder World. 

[BAdler]

Since I am somehow the one misinterpreting things based on the way people keep talking about these changes, i need more clarification: 

 

Question:  If in the future, you offer a DLC pack - let's pretend it's a Character Class Pack (Example: Magus Class) for DLC.  Or we can pretend it's Adventure Path 2 Adventure Deck 1. Something along those lines that is actual CORE GAME content.  And I purchase it on Steam.  Will it unlock via IOS/Android? 

 

Question: Same situation - but vice versa? 

 

I want to fully understand, because this line has thrown me off

 

The PC version of the game is not using a free-to-play model for revenue generation. There are both business and technical reasons for this. This means folks that purchased content on the mobile version of the game will need to repurchase the content on Steam or GOG.

 

Seem to contradict this: 

 

 

• "If I merge my PC/Android/iOS accounts, does that mean I will see all of my unlocked/purchased content on all of these platforms?"

Yup. For example, if you had some special promo cards on your iOS account and you merged it with the PC, they would show up on the PC build of your game - even if we don't have that content for purchase on the PC. It works in reverse too. If you purchased the Obsidian Edition on Steam and linked your accounts you would unlock the treasure cards on your mobile versions.

 

 

 

I don't know what future content you guys will offer, but I just want to make sure that once I get past this $25 buy-in fee on Steam, that all platforms are treated equal and that it will be a Pathfinder Platform I am buying into, and not split based on where you buy it.  

 

Because i will come back one day if you release more actual content despite that I feel the only people who are paying double tax (despite your ambassador program) are those of us who were faithful and actually paid for your content.  

 

Right now there is no situation where someone could have unlocked characters or adventure decks from mobile to steam - so I want to know how the future of that part works.  

 

Any content you purchase, regardless of platform, should unlock for all of your other linked platforms. So, if you buy a DLC on Steam, it will unlock on your mobile accounts (and vice versa).

[BAdler]

@Ethics Gradient

 

I understand all of that, but I'm more concerned about future potential content updates, so I'll summarize it into one very brief question, to make explicit my intent.

 

Will further content updates - Adventures, Class Decks/Characters, etc - always be purchaseable with in-game currency/Gold on either or both platform(s)?

 

I'm aware the Obsidian Edition promises such for free (and I wonder how far that goes, because they can't just keep making costly content and maintaining the game with updates for years off the back of a one-time $40 purchase, and it effectively means making more than $15 worth of DLC is nonviable because users would just purchase the Obsidian Edition upgrade), but I would have expected further content to require payment as per a typical DLC market... though that would contradict the "Free to play" mobile model, which is supposed to work in synchronicity with PC.

 

We haven't discussed our monetization strategy for future content. We probably won't decide that for a while, but once we know I'll try to update you guys.

[BAdler]

I have a question:

 

So the PC version is going to have special Edér and Pallegina cards. Is it possible that some future expansion would be wholly Pillars of Eternity-themed?

 

I'm not asking if it's definitely going to happen or anything, I'm just wondering if such a thing might be possible.

 

While anything is possible in the world of video games, i wouldn't bank on it for the immediate future. Although, if there is enough demand it would make the decision easier.

[Bigmre]

A question: for those of us not running out to buy the game on steam, just playing mobile, are they going to be fixing the bug that's causing the game to crash basically whenever you try to do anything involving your party, or are they dedicating all their time to the steam project right now?