Broken Age - Double Fine's Kickstarter Adventure Game

[Metro]

I thought they just used Amazon payments and charge you immediately.

 

[ghostdog]

They charge you at the end of the deadline and only if they have reached the funding goal.

5 years ago I wouldn't pay to fund "some project", but now that I have money to spent and a craving for old-school stuff, things are different. I mean last night I spent 30 euros on booze, so today I thought what the hell, I'll give them 15$ and get the damn game DRM-free for the pc. Even if this doesn't end up being the awesomest adventure evar I wont regret giving them 15 bucks.

 

[commie]

I'd rather see Chris Jones use this or something like it to fund another Tex Murphy game...I heard that was what he was hoping to do with some of the revenue from his HOG's. Maybe seeing Tim get a shitload of pledges will convince him to throw his hat into the ring.

 

[Angelo85]

There's a rather long Thread in General Gaming about the new game: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...from-double-fine-funded-by-kickstarter.69252/

To check on completed gaming projects from Kickstarter, check this:http://www.kickstarter.com/discover/categories/video games/successful?ref=more#p1 ,though it only states the successfully funded projects, a little Google magic will quickly answer your questions.

 

[HanoverF]

I'm surprised they haven't hit 2 million yet, or added more backer rewards other than a couple more tours/lunches (like Tim needs the food).

 

[kaizoku]

Move this thread to the Adventure Gaming forum, you lazy mods.



From Schaffner's comments it seems Double Fine has been making games that aren't exactly what they really wanted to do.
I am hopeful that this opportunity will allow the brilliant minds of Tim Schaffner and Ron Gilbert to pull out a really good game.
Not 100% sure yet... but very hopeful. This is a great opportunity and I think they'll put an extra effort on this.

This funding model can also bring some nice things in the future, but I think it will depend a lot on how this project finishes. If they can deliver or not.
If they can't deliver to the fans the old school adventure game they're all craving for, then this funding mode for AAA games will prove to be discredit and we won't see any other attempt to succeed.
But if they do... oh happy happy joy joy

Is it also worth noting that they've only been able to attain such success because of the track record of the people involved, not because of the gaming genre itself.
Here is an example of that http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/postudios/cognition-an-erica-reed-thriller?ref=history

Is there any accountability with this Kickstarter for the developer? Like say milestones a developer must do for a Publisher?

kind of. If they didn't deliver an adventure game, technically you could sue them (the developer) with due right.
But if they deliver an adventure game and you hate it then... deal with it.

VD should have thought of this a while ago.

Nobody would donate anything. Not until he has at least one finished game under his belt.

^
besides I doubt VD wanted to work with such a model. They have the demo almost ready and aren't accepting pre-orders yet.
In the end it's the better strategy. They'll know if they will be able to survive without any safety nets.
Maybe for the second game... who knows.

Some intreresting facts from Tim Schafer's twitter about the budget of his previous games

Day of the Tentacle 600k(1993,300k for the game 300k for the voices!)

Full Throttle 1.5 million(1995)

Grim Fandango 3million(1998)

Costume Quest/Stacking/Iron Brigade 2 million each(2010-2011)

Really fucking expensive.
I had no idea voice overs could be that much expensive. It's insane.
We also live in different times now. Higher costs for paychecks, but also better technologies and more know how. So I guess it kind of balances it out.

buahhh buahhhh.... I hate adventure games and anyone that gets money to develop adventure games.
instead you should give me moneys to develop my superior genre of games buahhh

deal with it





As for Double Fine's game itself I'd love to see something new. Using 2D artwork like Braid and a set in a world like the one where Double Fine's mascot comes from.
But who knows what the crazy mind of Tim will create.

One thing that is kind of pissing me off is the chance of too much money going to the documentary. 100k is a lot of money already. I just hope they don't put more money on it because they exceeded their goal.

 

[Metro]

Costume Quest had no voice acting at all -- surprised it cost $2 million. Probably Xbox fees~

 

[Azalin]

The project reached 2 millions and still has 22 days to go

 

[Infinitron]

BTW, Wikipedia now has an article about this, that may have some details that some of you have missed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Fine_Adventure

 

[Azalin]

BTW, Wikipedia now has an article about this, that may have some details that some of you have missed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Fine_Adventure

From wikipedia and their links I found this

But the indie community is now moving elsewhere; we're figuring out how to fund and distribute games ourselves, and we're getting more control over them. Those systems as great as they are, they're still closed. You have to jump through a lot of hoops, even for important stuff like patching and supporting your game. Those are things we really want to do, but we can't do it on these systems.
"I mean, it costs $40,000 to put up a patch - we can't afford that! Open systems like Steam, that allow us to set our own prices, that's where it's at, and doing it completely alone like Minecraft. That's where people are going."

Interesting,I didn't know they had to pay 40k just to release a patch through XBLA/PSN

 

[kaizoku]

An interesting link that I've found http://grumpygamer.com/4904226
And if you adjust inflation to 2012 http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
One can conclude that it should be possible to to make a pretty sweet 2D adventure game with voice acting for 1,200,000$

So with 2-2.5 M$, you can probably pull off a game with the same production level than the best ones in the 90s.

 

[DwarvenFood]

It will only be charged on the deadline, and only if the target is met (which it is)

 

[HanoverF]

They added new rewards, a pdf art book at $60 ($500 for a fancy hardbound version) and boxed copy of the game and documentary for $100. Wonder if this will get more backers rolling in.

 

[Azalin]

They added new rewards, a pdf art book at $60 ($500 for a fancy hardbound version) and boxed copy of the game and documentary for $100. Wonder if this will get more backers rolling in.

Hey Ron Gilbert is smiling in that video,I won't have to donate 50000$ to get the undoctored image of him smiling

 

[Palikka]

Many of you have been asking if this means we’ll be taking a bit more time with the production, and the answer is yes.

Hmm.. I wonder how long it will then take. Hopefully they can keep it under control and not run out of time/money halfway through..

Also nice video of two old guys talking

 

[J_C]

That video is gold and should be mandatory to watch to every developer (especially adventure game devs).

 

[Destroid]

Hey maybe you should interview one of those guys!

 

[felipepepe]

Great video, and has some great insights on the production too. We wiill probably see a hand-painted 2D game, short but fantastic. And I think is likely for them to develop their own game engine to make future adventure games easier and cheaper to make.

BTW, Wikipedia now has an article about this, that may have some details that some of you have missed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Fine_Adventure

Nice read, and weird to see that it was only MCA and Fargo that showed interest for a Kickstarted game...I though more developers would go that way. But then again, those are the biggest icons of "dead genres" we have...unless Sid Meier's wanna kickstart Aplha Centauri 2...

 

[Jaesun]

And I think is likely for them to develop their own game engine to make future adventure games easier and cheaper to make.

To be honest, they would be stupid to spend any time developing any engine when the utterly fantastic Wintermute Engine is already fully functional. Hell most if not all Adventure games lately have been using it (I've even used it too so I know how powerful it is). It does most everything possible any adventure game could need.

 

[RPGMaster]

Schafer is a way better interviewer than any of the hacks working in game "journalism".

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Also nice video of two old guys talking

After watching that I think I may cough up the $15 for a Steam key preorder. I originally intended to wait for a Steam sale since I've got so damn many adventure games piled up on Steam as it is, but that was a pretty great brotalk.

 

[ghostdog]

Some pretty lulzy and interesting stuff here: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/qhk98/i_am_a_tim_schafer_ask_me_about_loom_or_anything/

 

[Zed]

Schafer is a way better interviewer than any of the hacks working in game "journalism".

That's because game journalists are opportunistic, failed "normal" journalists.

 

[villain of the story]

Hmm.. I wonder how long it will then take. Hopefully they can keep it under control and not run out of time/money halfway through..

Also nice video of two old guys talking

Watching and listening to these guys talk was almost as good as playing a quality adventure game.

 

[HanoverF]

New video box pimpin' and hundred dolla T-shirt. I'm a bit disappointed the poster will just be the image from the top of the kickstarter page and not something more related to the finished product.