KickStarter Serpent in the Staglands Pre-Release Thread

[bonescraper]

We knew we needed to make something flashy to get some kind of attention for the game, especially with the release date looming closer. That's sort of worked, we're hoping some lets-players that we're going to send the next beta patch to pick up interest. We just need enough money to fund our next game to call this a success..

While SitS is my personal GOTY pretender, i'll have to bluntly ask, how many full-priced copies you have to sell to call this game a success?

Because, even this thread, to my utmost disgust, is an indication of how low-key your game is. People here, of all places, should go totally apeshit about SitS, but in reality the attention you get here is smaller than the one Dragon Age Inquisition got, or even Sword Coast Legends, the popamole RPG made by a group of third-rate Bioware rejects.

It's really sad and infuriating to see how a game that promises nearly everything the Codex ever wanted, gets so little attention here (i said nearly, because it's not turn-based :p).

 

[tuluse]

While SitS is my personal GOTY pretender, i'll have to bluntly ask, how much full-priced copies you have to sell to call this game a success?

Because, even this thread, to my utmost disgust, is an indication of how low-key your game is. People here, of all places, should go totally apeshit about SitS, but in reality the attention you get here is smaller than the one Dragon Age Inquisition got, or even Sword Coast Legends, the popamole RPG made by a group of third-rate Bioware rejects.

It's really sad and infuriating to see how a game that promises nearly everything the Codex ever wanted, gets so little attention here (i said nearly, because it's not turn-based :p).

Don't mistake attention for what people are actually playing and buying

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/which-recent-rpgs-did-you-buy.96333/

The game isn't out yet, and beta testers (like me) aren't really being forth coming with details, there isn't any drama or lols to be had, and no one is obnoxiously supporting it like a Roguey

 

[Lhynn]

Be a roguey tuluse not the one we deserve, but the one we need.

 

[Modron]

Tuluse doesn't have a nemesis like Lesifore to help him rise to his true Roguey potential.

 

[LeStryfe79]

I really fucked up by not pledging to this incline.

 

[Modron]

Same here, will morgoth it upon release.

 

[Whalenought_Joe]

I have a feeling it will be well received. Should be right if it gets on GOG.

That would be great — We have a date set to send and have them preview it in a near-complete stage. We wanted Serpent to be in their catalog since we first came up with it. The DRM-Free option on our site obviously won’t be as visibly accessible of an option.

Are your future plans more SitS? A different game in the same codebase? Or something completely different? Assuming this is a success, of course. Just wondering if you're planning to keep bringing the incline.

We’ll certainly try to! We created a lot of lore for Vol, and after the expansion update events we definitely want to return to the setting at some point with another module in a different century/location.

After the expansion we’ve talked about some ideas that would use a combination of what our current codebase/art is but adapting some technology and designs we’ve played with that wouldn’t fit in or work with Serpent. Very different setting with a style of gameplay to match. Still an isometric CRPG obviously, but the process would be much more optimized with our current base in place. Really excited for it.

Though the year’s somewhat been a crunch, we’re in a big one now until we release, so we’re not going to be able to put any additional R&D into that until working on the expansion.

While SitS is my personal GOTY pretender, i'll have to bluntly ask, how many full-priced copies you have to sell to call this game a success?

Thanks! We talked to Barton about this in our interview a bit — we don’t really need a lot to continue making these boutique-sized CRPGs. We can kind of live like monks and continue Whalenought operations as we have been, we don’t intend to expand our team or make full 3d games, so we’re in control of a lot of the costs by just working on what we're good at with some R&D bonuses.

We’d need ~4000 sales for this ship to keep floating and recover any costs. We’re also unsure if all the mojority of people that would want the game already have kickstarted/pre-ordered it. We’re also not great marketers.

Maybe after release it will get some more feedback — we completely understand that!

 

[tuluse]

Whalenought_Joe

You should try to sell it on the humblestore too. If you buy a steam-optional game there, you get a steam key and a drm free option from them. I don't know how hard it is to get on, but they seem pretty indie friendly.

 

[dukeofwhales]

We’ll certainly try to! We created a lot of lore for Vol, and after the expansion update events we definitely want to return to the setting at some point with another module in a different century/location.

After the expansion we’ve talked about some ideas that would use a combination of what our current codebase/art is but adapting some technology and designs we’ve played with that wouldn’t fit in or work with Serpent. Very different setting with a style of gameplay to match. Still an isometric CRPG obviously, but the process would be much more optimized with our current base in place. Really excited for it.

Sweet. I was just wondering because Whalenought's previous games look quite different, so wasn't sure if you guys would be keen to go do other stuff after this.

We’d need ~4000 sales for this ship to keep floating and recover any costs. We’re also unsure if all the mojority of people that would want the game already have kickstarted/pre-ordered it. We’re also not great marketers.

Maybe after release it will get some more feedback — we completely understand that!

Considering the numbers other PC-only RPGs have done (Grimrock did 600k, albeit half of those being through Humble Bundle), I would have thought your low ball figures would be about an order of magnitude higher than that, actually. It's a niche, but not that much of a niche. I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of buzz at the moment - there's a perception that Kickstarter games from unknowns are either vapourware or shovelware rubbish, so people tend to ignore them until there's an actual release. I imagine this is also why GOG wanted to wait for a release copy before accepting you. We are well past the overly optimistic days of 2011-2012 when people just threw money at anything on Kickstarter.

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

We’d need ~4000 sales for this ship to keep floating and recover any costs. We’re also unsure if all the mojority of people that would want the game already have kickstarted/pre-ordered it. We’re also not great marketers.

Subtract 1 from the number you need to stay afloat. I didn't back the kickstarter to support post kickstarter.

 

[Sensuki]

Yeah Humblestore would be good too.

Incline2D



Bonus is that it will probably run on pretty much any computer.

I think NEO Scavenger got good reviews and did well. Serpent is bound to get a good Codex review so thats probably at least a few hundred-to a few K sales from that publicity alone.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Serpent at this point could do with a codex preview.

 

[Mustawd]

Serpent at this point could do with a codex preview.

100% agree

 

[Sensuki]

tuluse ?

 

[tuluse]

Serpent at this point could do with a codex preview.

100% agree

tuluse ?

It's on my to-do list.

I actually just got done moving so I should be able to work on it for real now.

 

[Apexeon]

I really fucked up by not pledging to this incline.

You can still go to there website and grab a pre-order.
I did.

 

[Apexeon]

The game looks the goods. My body is ready.

 

[Bumvelcrow]

We’d need ~4000 sales for this ship to keep floating and recover any costs. We’re also unsure if all the mojority of people that would want the game already have kickstarted/pre-ordered it.

Here's somebody who missed the kickstarter and will be throwing money at the mysterious portal in front of my keyboard as soon as it's released.

We’re also not great marketers.

Well, you're doing a pretty good job of leading your most valuable set of fans to the trough by their noses! :D Hopefully word of mouth will do the marketing job, particularly if Tuluse's preview makes the front page. Somebody needs to court the powers...

 

[Inquisition]

Since marketing of SitS is very low-key, I suppose the sales will stand and fall with the amount of youtube coverage the game will be getting. RPS could also be interested to do a "Wot I think" of SitS, this would give a sales boost for sure.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I track this game carefully though I don't have much to say because I don't have beta access. I've preordered it and I'll check it out extensively once it's available. I have strong positive impressions from the setting and the art style so far, and I understand that the combat system is very central to the gameplay, so I'm sure that will be good as well. What more does one need for an excellent RPG? What hooks me the most is a good setting though, and I like the originality of Balkan culture references, these are very rarely done. I've set up Google Alerts for Serpent in the Staglands so I don't miss any reviews.

 

[GrainWetski]

Since marketing of SitS is very low-key, I suppose the sales will stand and fall with the amount of youtube coverage the game will be getting.

Yeah, try to get in touch with guys like Kikoskia, if not the typical popular Youtuber crowd like TotalBiscuit. Not sure if there are any BIG Youtubers that actually likes RPGs. Jesse Cox will pretend he likes them, but you'll probably have to throw him money.

RPS could also be interested to do a "Wot I think" of SitS, this would give a sales boost for sure.

Don't forget to mention that a woman works on the game, they'll mount their steeds very quickly. Or they'll just ignore it, depending on what agenda they're pushing that day.

 

[Merlkir]

Angry Joe seems to be pretty hyped for PoE, he might take on SitS as well. (I know, his audience are all graphics whores...)

 

[you know what time it is]

I wonder if it's possible to get Sven and Fargo to tweet about or somesuch. Sure d be a nice boost. I'll also push for coverage on a couple of fairly large .ru sites, though they are probably on it already.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Hopefully word of mouth will do the marketing job, particularly if Tuluse's preview makes the front page. Somebody needs to court the powers...

True, and it's not just the Codex spreading the word about this game... they've got Dawn_ too.

 

[Volrath]

Same here, will morgoth it upon release.

I'll not physically remove it from inventory and see what all the fuss is about.