"Crowdsourcing" a future for niche games...?

[Zaphod]

And here's some ex-Bioware people making "The Banner Saga", a role-playing game merged with turn-based strategy, wrapped into an adventure mini-series. Really like the art on this one and the combat gameplay looks a bit like HOMM3 (with vikings). They're 4x funded at $435K with 12 days to go.

Jordan Weisman has also met his $400K goal (and $285K more) with 20 days to go in his bid to make sure (an old-school) Shadowrun returns to a computer near you.

Seems evident that Schafer's success wasn't just an one-off, but it might get "crowded" out there [sic]. With ever more developers jumping on the bandwagon, it'll be interesting to see who'll manage to attract the necessary attention once all and every Kickstarter campaign just isn't newsworthy anymore.

 

[Demirug]

I think it would be even more interesting to see what's happen if the first of this big kickstarter projects are finished. I am pretty sure that we will see many people that are not satisfied with the results. And we although need to consider that there might be projects that are not in a playable state at all when there is nothing left from the budget.

I am pretty sure that some of the projects we are now seeing popping up at kickstarter where pitched to a another investor before. But the crowed is less critical and don't request a business plan for such a project.

 

[Zaphod]

I am pretty sure that some of the projects we are now seeing popping up at kickstarter where pitched to a another investor before. But the crowed is less critical and don't request a business plan for such a project.

That's certainly true, and some of the projects linked above more or less pitched them as such: "We have exhausted every other option for funding, it's this or never".

And then you have these guys, who pretty much asked for $200K, not to actually build a game, but to give credence to their venture capital fund drive.

Spoiler

$200,000 is a lot of money, but doesn't seem enough to fully fund the game.
We have investors (not publishers, but VC folks) who are interested but unsure if there is truly a market for real tac shooters. This seed money will be enough to fund startup and show the investors the market is real.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I think it would be even more interesting to see what's happen if the first of this big kickstarter projects are finished. I am pretty sure that we will see many people that are not satisfied with the results. And we although need to consider that there might be projects that are not in a playable state at all when there is nothing left from the budget.

I am pretty sure that some of the projects we are now seeing popping up at kickstarter where pitched to a another investor before. But the crowed is less critical and don't request a business plan for such a project.

Absolutely. That's why the pledges I've made there have been for projects with significant nostaligia factor being done by some of the original team.

That way I view it as giving a little back for originally giving me so much pleasure. Hence, Wasteland 2 and LSL remake are mostly to thank them for making the original Wasteland and LSL.

Of course, I'm also hoping that at the end of developement I'll have something I enjoy playing, but if not, it's not a big deal to me.

I'm unlikely to take a chance on something new. So while I like Tim Shafer and liked some of his games, I wasn't quite willing to plonk down money on a new project.

I also fully expect that some projects on Kickstarter may eventually turn out to be just pure money grabs and nothing may materialize.

Regards,
SB

 

[Demirug]

And then you have these guys, who pretty much asked for $200K, not to actually build a game, but to give credence to their venture capital fund drive.

That's a great Idea maybe I should do this too. I am pretty sure most of the people have not read this small part at the end of all this text.

Absolutely. That's why the pledges I've made there have been for projects with significant nostaligia factor being done by some of the original team.

That way I view it as giving a little back for originally giving me so much pleasure. Hence, Wasteland 2 and LSL remake are mostly to thank them for making the original Wasteland and LSL.

Of course, I'm also hoping that at the end of developement I'll have something I enjoy playing, but if not, it's not a big deal to me.

I'm unlikely to take a chance on something new. So while I like Tim Shafer and liked some of his games, I wasn't quite willing to plonk down money on a new project.

I also fully expect that some projects on Kickstarter may eventually turn out to be just pure money grabs and nothing may materialize.

Regards,
SB

That's properly the best way to see it. But I fear most people would have high expectations for the money they put into such a project. In the long run this big projects could do more harm to the Kickstarter idea then they help right now.

 

[John Reynolds]

I threw $35 at Grim Dawn a few days ago. I loved Titan Quest and GD looks great. Its visuals make Diablo 3 look like something from 2006. Multiple skill trees, rotating camera, destructible environments, visceral combat, etc.

 

[eastmen]

I posted in the general discusion forum but

Banner saga
zpocalypse
phonesoap
shadowrun retuns
wasteland 2

and just did 50 for sushiquick don't think this will hit its goal.

Its a cool site , my gf has pledge to a few projects also. I was able to meet with the zpocalypse guys at pax east and they seemed really cool. Hopefully it gets alot of projects that would otherwise not see a return .

Some stuff like pebble watch (my gf pledge to this ) are really high tech , i dunno if i could pledge that much to a project but at least they have working prototypes.

 

[Zaphod]

More old (adventure) game designers throwing their hat into the Kickstarter ring:

Two Guys from Andromeda (Space Quest) wants to make a new SpaceVenture, and currently sits at $157K on a $500K goal with 27 days to go.
Chris Jones & Aaron Conners is looking to bring back Tex Murphy with "Project Fedora". They have $100K out of a $450K target with 31 days on the clock.

 

[ban25]

Hmm...I'd love to see another Tex Murphy game.

 

[Davros]

The Gaming Gods have heard your prayers
http://www.denofgeek.com/games/21347/tex-murphy-returns-via-kickstarter

 

[swym]

I threw $35 at Grim Dawn a few days ago. I loved Titan Quest and GD looks great. Its visuals make Diablo 3 look like something from 2006. Multiple skill trees, rotating camera, destructible environments, visceral combat, etc.

Not only that, but with the recent Diablo server fiasco, it's nice to see developers taking the no-DRM approach for a game in the genre.

I jumped in as well. There's less than two days left now and the next stretch goals will allow the developers to add some additional weapons, another end-game boss and a new faction with their own sidequest line.
I recommend everyone who loves ARPGs to chip in. Unlike most Kickstarter projects, these guys already have the game engine locked in, and they seem to be heavily involved with the community. There's a new gameplay video on their KS page:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crateentertainment/grim-dawn?ref=live

 

[Yemeth]

I backed quite a few projects, started to save on other things to be able to pay for all of it .

The most amount I have pledged is for Shadowrun Returns...

All games I have pledged for (http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1060910165) have been funded except http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1684781151/legends-of-eisenwald which is still running...

 

[green.pixel]

visceral combat

I never would've thought that someone would use that buzzword in this part of the forum. :smile:

 

[homerdog]

I heard it also features realtime weapon change.

 

[Miksu]

Kickstarter and the whole crowdsourcing of games sound really nice at this point but what happens when the first game is published and it doesn't meet the "requirements" of a remake?

Gamers hate changes, as we've previously seen for example with Fallout 3. The gamers want the same old same and when someone does something differently, the forums are filled with rage. I'm scared to see what will happen when the remakes turn out to be modern games and not just 100% copies of the original classics.

 

[green.pixel]

Gamers hate changes, as we've previously seen for example with Fallout 3. The gamers want the same old same and when someone does something differently

Progress doesn't automatically mean improvement. That "same old" is better in every way, even in aesthetical. FO1/2's 2D artwork >>> plasticky FO3 environment.

 

[green.pixel]

RPG Codex Retrospective Interview: Leonard Boyarsky:
http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=8146

 

[Yemeth]

The writing of Brian Mitsoda with Fallout atmosphere, turn based combat and lots of dialogue! Anyone wants to chip in?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/70755535/dead-state-the-zombie-survival-rpg

 

[Malo]

Wow, I remember that. They've been working on it for awhile now but I guess it's a spare time thing.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=58894

 

[Yemeth]

Wow, I remember that. They've been working on it for awhile now but I guess it's a spare time thing.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=58894

The pledges are going nicely up and great to see that so many stretch goals are met... Will probably up my pledge minimally... But I should hit myself with a stick when I even look at my credit card .

Anyone has something new to up the credit card debt? I mean, we need to spend to get the economy going, right?