KickStarter Underworld Ascendant is a disaster

[Roguey]

That is the power of a culture that emphasizes hard work.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Nyast: It's quite obvious that 505 paid advances to OS for the development of the game. If they hadn't done so, how could OS have kept the Boston office running for so many years with no other revenues or funding? (the kickstarter money wasn't nearly enough and the $3.5 million stock sale didn't come in until August 2018)

Under these circumstances, advances are usually fully recoupable.

"Usually the publisher paid the studio advances against royalties to fund that game’s development, often millions of dollars in advances. So, the studio doesn’t receive royalties until the publisher recoups the advances from the royalties.

So let’s say a game cost $10 million to develop. The the game must sell enough for the game to earn $10,000,001 in royalties (not sales) before the developer receives their first $1 in royalties."

https://davidmullich.com/2017/02/13/a-dirty-little-secret-of-the-game-industry-royalties/

This is also how the SS3 deal with Starbreeze was structured in March 2017:

"Starbreeze will be able to recoup 120% of its full investment including marketing costs. Starbreeze share of revenues will become 50% after the investment is recouped."

https://www.starbreeze.com/2017/03/...igns-otherside-entertainments-system-shock-3/

The deal with 505 was made in August 2017:

https://otherside-e.com/wp/505-games-to-publish-long-awaited-fantasy-rpg-underworld-ascendant/

The conditions of the Starbreeze deal were public at that point, so it is hard to believe 505 would have settled for less.

There is no disclosure of particulars, you're off in pure conjecture serving-your-narrative land. And your quote really means nothing. It could mean 60/40 split in favour of the distributor until repaid with 20% premium or any number of other conditions could apply, you simply don't know.

 

[Efe]

So they finally confirm what is apparent to everyone: Not only SS3, but the studio as a whole is in deep financial trouble. The money from the $3.5 million series A stock sale last August has been burned through and they have no other sources of funding.

Also, as we all know there is no publisher or budget for the mystery unannounced project the Boston office is supposed to work on after UA.

The Boston office will be shut down imminently and Otherside as a company will follow closely after that.

imminently but its been more than two weeks and nothing yet.
if this was said by an otherside employee you would be in this thread "exposing" their lies.

 

[MasterLobar]

I still firmly believe that the evidence I cited in my posts on Otherside's financial situation demonstates that they can not go on for much longer with the funding they have at their disposal.

I stand by that predication 100% and the recent layoffs affirm my standpoint.

I have consistently stated that I see the end of August as a likely date beyond wich OS cannot continue operations.

Regarding the date, I may be wrong by 6 weeks or 8 weeks, but I am totally convinced that this company will have to shut down in the coming months.

So, Efe Doctor Sbaitso, let's say if the company still exists on November 1, you can all laugh at me.

Sounds fair?

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

I don't care either way. The end result may in the end be closure but if that turns out to be the case, your arguments now won't be any more valid (they are unsubstantiated conjecture).

 

[Invictus]

Both of you guys should date more... hell date each other
Are you really sissy fitting over when Otherside is going to close shop? Who gives a fuck really guys, as long as they leave System Shock alone today, in one month or in one year I am well satisfied

 

[BEvers]

July 29 2019 Weekly Update

Afternoon everyone!

I know it’s been quiet on socials; more or less the same old same old.

Mac&Linux:
Needs another pass since we believe we’re on the final build and want to make sure we closed out most, if not all, of the major issues from the PC version. The PC version will receive the same hotfix changes (the map key function, some missing colliders, etc).

PS4/Xbox Patch:
We finished up work on this but we’re actually blocked on publishing a non-dev build. Still coordinating between our publisher and Sony/Microsoft to figure out what the issue is, and when we can get a date to you all for the console hotfix.

In the meanwhile, I finished up work on the KS Manual and am gathering final footage for the Making of UA DVD. Kickstarter backers should keep an eye on their inboxes for an update on their digital and physical goods either this week or the next for more information on our shipping schedule.

If you have any questions about your BackerKit information or need to urgently change certain information, such as your shipping address, please contact us at support@otherside-e.com .

 

[agris]

[...]We finished up work on this but we’re actually blocked on publishing a non-dev build. Still coordinating between our publisher and Sony/Microsoft to figure out what the issue is, and when we can get a date to you all for the console hotfix.[...]

Lol, no issues here. Move along...

 

[CreamyBlood]

And for these past two decades I thought one of the reasons anyone with a sane mind would buy a console is because you throw a disc in the drive and load the game and it just works. No hotfixes. Sort of like those things Apple makes.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

And for these past two decades I thought one of the reasons anyone with a sane mind would buy a console is because you throw a disc in the drive and load the game and it just works. No hotfixes. Sort of like those things Apple makes.

This hasn't been true since the PS3 console generation.
Maybe true for Nintendo because they typically have incredibly high standards for allowing games on their platforms.

 

[Roguey]

Maybe true for Nintendo because they typically have incredibly high standards for allowing games on their platforms.

Nah, even Nintendo's given in to the patching meme. All games are computer games now.

 

[LESS T_T]

Matt Davey, programmer who joined the Boston team a half year before the release, is no longer working at Otherside: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdavey/

He was promoted to Principal Engineer after the release.

OtherSide Entertainment
Total Duration 1 yr 4 mos

• Principal Engineer
  Dates Employed Dec 2018 – Aug 2019
  Employment Duration 9 mos
• Senior Engineer
  Dates Employed May 2018 – Dec 2018
  Employment Duration 8 mos

 

[Sacibengala]

Anyone knows if there is any modder trying to make this shit not as shitty? I wish I could play a game (In this genre and using recent technology) that don't give me disgust. Monomyth is leagues away and I need my fix.

 

[Steamboat Willie]

Nah, even Nintendo's given in to the patching meme. All games are computer games now.

Well obviously they have fucking patches, but they still have higher standards than other platforms. E.g. Otherside wasn't able to release UA on the Switch despite originally planning to.

 

[Steamboat Willie]

Anyone knows if there is any modder trying to make this shit not as shitty? I wish I could play a game (In this genre and using recent technology) that don't give me disgust. Monomyth is leagues away and I need my fix.

Get in touch with that furfaggot on the OSE forums.

 

[BEvers]

Anyone knows if there is any modder trying to make this shit not as shitty? I wish I could play a game (In this genre and using recent technology) that don't give me disgust. Monomyth is leagues away and I need my fix.

They're currently discussing the guidelines for the modding community, presumably the actual modding will begin once there is agreement: https://forums.otherside-e.com/t/what-community-standards-should-modders-abide-by/

 

[Nano]

Maybe it would've helped OtherSide if they wrote a "what decency standards should developers abide by" checklist.

 

[Steamboat Willie]

They're currently discussing the guidelines for the modding community, presumably the actual modding will begin once there is agreement: https://forums.otherside-e.com/t/what-community-standards-should-modders-abide-by/

Last post activity over 2 months ago.

 

[MasterLobar]

Flarechess

"I am still steadfast that the KS was not intended as a fraud"

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/3158630999998260249/#c1640918469746701168

 

[Cael]

Flarechess

"I am still steadfast that the KS was not intended as a fraud"

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/3158630999998260249/#c1640918469746701168

How much was he paid to say that?

 

[MasterLobar]

I don't know, but here is the first time, Flarechess is flat out lying to the community.

First she indirectly confirms the KS money was misappropriated to develop Underworld Overlord.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/1640918469746964166/#c1640918469747083631

A few posts later, she eats her words and tries to spin it as if using the KS money for UO made the development of UA possible:

Flarechess

"Uh no, I'm actually saying the opposite. The UO project bought time and funding for continuing development on UA." (emphasis mine)

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/1640918469746964166/#c1640918469750663554

UO sold "1000+" copies (next category is 5000+) with a current price tag of $4.89.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otherside.underworldoverlord&hl=en_US

Come on, Sam. You did a really good job until now. Don't spoil it.

 

[Cael]

I don't know, but here is the first time, Flarechess is flat out lying to the community.

First she indirectly confirms the KS money was misappropriated to develop Underworld Overlord.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/1640918469746964166/#c1640918469747083631

A few posts later, she eats her words and tries to spin it as if using the KS money for UO made the development of UA possible:

Flarechess

"Uh no, I'm actually saying the opposite. The UO project bought time and funding for continuing development on UA." (emphasis mine)

https://steamcommunity.com/app/692840/discussions/0/1640918469746964166/#c1640918469750663554

UO sold "1000+" copies (next category is 5000+) with a current price tag of $4.89.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otherside.underworldoverlord&hl=en_US

Come on, Sam. You did a really good job until now. Don't spoil it.

Ah well, it is not as if he is going to lose anything over it. He will just make another name and post again once it becomes obvious the current one is no longer effective. Internet shills abuse the anonymity of the Internet to perpetuate their frauds. Been like that from the day dot.

 

[agris]

Heh, it seems my reasoned speculation hit the nail on the head.

My steam post that Flarechess admits provides insight in how the VR game was developed.

I don't think this game has been in development for four years, I think it was under two. I think it was made in ~18 - 24 months of development by a group of people inexperienced with the engine and framework they were working with.

Lets look at some facts.

• The UA Kickstarter concluded early March of 2015
  
• Underworld Overlord (their VR game in the UA universe) was released ~18 months after the KS, in December 2016 (link)
  
• So from the release of UOverlord to Nov 15th, you're looking at less than two years, making it ~23 months from the release of UO

I suspect that the KS funds and resulting press coverage were leveraged to develop a prototype of Underworld Overlord, their VR game, to pitch to publishers. See: Nightdive's SS1 as another example of this business model. These VR projects are usually heavily subsidized by the publisher, Google and partners in this (Otherside's) case, so that funding was used to start the real development of UA with anticipated Overlord sales also contributing resources. See: inXile's Mage Tale / BT4 development for another example of this business model. Of course, VR hasn't taken off, and the revenue that was anticipated, and thus funds budgeted, to support UA's development did not materialize.

So there you have it, probably two years-ish of underfunded development.

That being said, I'm sure they were following the inXile model and trying to develop assets and pipelines that were as applicable to both games as possible, and I'm sure there was some work done on UA during 2015 - 2016, but Overlord didn't make itself - it took man hours, attention and focus. And It was made by the Boston team.


As an addendum for the skeptical, when I say there wasn't four years devoted to development, I fully recognize that there were feature and art tests made, likely on a part-time basis by a subset of Otherside Boston. I believe there was a token amount of pre-production / thumb-twiddling happening for the first two years, well represented by them asking the community for help designing the lizard-man language, only to have the dialogue system dropped entirely. That's the process and product of dilettantes.

 

[Infinitron]

I don't know, but here is the first time, Flarechess is flat out lying to the community.

She's not lying. VR hardware manufacturers were throwing money at people to develop games for their platforms back then. As agris mentions, inXile did the same thing.

 

[MasterLobar]

Infinitron She says that "The UO project" contributed funding for *UA* and that doing UO made continuing development of UA possible. That's clearly a lie.

Even in an optimistic case (2,000 copies sold and double the current price), UO made just $20,000 in total revenues. That's revenues, not profit.

To develop UO, according to Chris Siegel, Otherside "added team members locally and partnered with another company" including "one ‘inhouse’ designer, another old LGS hand to help lead the design, and a producer."

https://forums.otherside-e.com/t/underworld-overlord-wtf/9171/4

Even with a Google subsidy, OS has lost money in with UO. It did not contribute any funding to the development of UA. It sucked funds (and probably manpower and other resources) out of the UA project.

They used KS money to make UO, which just like UA is a sh*t game no one plays, and now they are sending their CM out to tell backers that it was all in the interest of developing UA which is clearly a lie.