Game News Wasteland 2 Kickstarter Now Live!

[Burning Bridges]

I also just bit the bullet and gave BF his 15$ for a game that I will not play before 2014 and which I know nothing about.
Just out of principle, because I have hope he will do with it what I want him to do with it.

Mostly because I enjoy his videos, and he said "we want to make history" and also something about Jagged Alliance.

Another aspect is that you are showing that there is a market for this kind of game.
If Fargo horribly fails and produces pure shit:
1. In the traditional model nobody'd buy the product and publishers and next-gen assholes could say "See, there never was a market. Turn based is dead, not only because it's an anachronism and shit, but because nobody wants it."
2. Now, even if W2 should turn out bad, we can say that we are a market. It is possible to make low-mid budget games for us and turn a decent profit. You just have to actuallly make a good game :p

I would agree with that, too.

People should pledge for WL2 just to show that there is a demand for such a game. But first one must agree what type of game exactly!

 

[Burning Bridges]

There is even a small hope that if Fargo is successful by 2013/2014 the big publishers may return to this market, and compete with crowdfunded games. And competition is usually a good thing. Although I would prefer the smaller developers to dominate this market for a long time.

All of course, only "if" Fargo and the other guys succeed.

Most likely is that we will now hang around in a world with agonizing development cycles and mostly unsatisfiable promises, and only get a trickle of good games. But for a starving man even a trickle means a lot.

 

[Stabwound]

Bye bye, 15 dollar game... hello 50 dollar game.

Oh well, I'll probably (not) have a job by the time Wasteland 2 is out, so it won't (will) be a biggie.

I'm not sure you realize this, since your wording leads me to believe that you don't, but your credit card will be debited for the $50 in 4 days when the kickstarter campaign ends, not when the game itself is released.

You might want to know that if it's going to cause you to have to eat rats for the rest of the month or something.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Nah, Stabby. I'm lamenting the fact that I don't have enough money to contribute now, and that I have to purchase the game in 2013 for 50 dollah. But it doesn't matter, I was just being a bit of a tit.

 

[Burning Bridges]

There is even a small hope that if Fargo is successful by 2013/2014 the big publishers may return to this market, and compete with crowdfunded games. And competition is usually a good thing. Although I would prefer the smaller developers to dominate this market for a long time.

All of course, only "if" Fargo and the other guys succeed.

Most likely is that we will now hang around in a world with agonizing development cycles and mostly unsatisfiable promises, and only get a trickle of good games. But for a starving man even a trickle means a lot.

They won't return to it.

It's like saying that they will return to silent movies.

Even with how engine licensing works if you make a game taking more than a year to make you run into big issues. Whole industry is geared to making games in a short time, which are crap, and making console games, which are also crap. The only way to do anything else is to fund it yourself.

We will see. But in case Fargo can make a huge success with 2.5 million $, I think it's possible that some big publishers will try to do the same.
On top of kickstarter Fargo could still make a lot of money from selling the game after it's released. WL2 could become a huge financial and creative success.
Publishers or private investors might realize that they can get an even bigger return when their game is sold. In that case they could decide to experiment with small talented teams and give them more creative freedom.

If, if, if ..

All in all I now tend to be mildly optimistic because there seems to be a market for these games, and with kickstarter, a tool to make them happen.
Otherwise I wonder how there could have been so much money coming, compared to "little" indie games. Many people want these games now, probably wanted them for 10 years, but they also want a lot more professionalism and scope than the small indy "spielchen" could deliver.

 

[Burning Bridges]

EDIT: Might go back to turn based but it will still be a consolized crap game. Also some designers seem to really believe people need to have things simplified, like with the new XCom.

Sure, when you are talking about the decision makers in the big Hollwood studios. But I think that at least many of the developers working for them would prefer to make different games, or even love to.
All they need is someone to allow them to do it, without ruining their bank account or their careers.

Plus there is also a middle ground. Games which are not completely old-schoolized, but still somewhat sophisticated. There is certainly a market for that too.

I am not expecting or advocating a big change on the side of the AAA+ publishers but I think there's certainly something possible. They may be completely risk averse and ambivalent to creativity, but they're not stupid, if they see a profit. It may also be a good strategy to improve their dreadful image, for a little bit of money.

Then there is also the media, which may jump on another trend which is tehr AWESUM old school turn based GAMEZ! I mean they fed the masses so much bullshit when it was en vogue, the masses may take more bullshit about a different kind of games. They are suckers for trends, and it may be the newest trend!

 

[Burning Bridges]

In any case Fargo and the others have already demonstrated something.
For three years Fargo could not find a publisher for WL2. But now he has now found a publisher for it, the players themselves.
No one knows exactly what will come from it, but it's a whole new ball game, and quite interesting.

That's why I think everyone should contemplate now that they can support crowdfunding per se, on top of any individual game.

 

[mindx2]

Nah, Stabby. I'm lamenting the fact that I don't have enough money to contribute now, and that I have to purchase the game in 2013 for 50 dollah. But it doesn't matter, I was just being a bit of a tit. :p

I'll be a Bro and give you my digital copy. I'm at the $250 tier so I'll get a Collector's box and regular boxed copy as well as the two digital ones. You can have one of the digital ones. Just remind me in a year and a half :D!

 

[Oesophagus]

Then there is also the media, which may jump on another trend which is tehr AWESUM old school turn based GAMEZ! I mean they fed the masses so much bullshit when it was en vogue, the masses may take more bullshit about a different kind of games. They are suckers for trends, and it may be the newest trend!

You gotta remember on whose payroll the big news sites are. Bethesda are now the "post apoc rpg" makers, and they'll want to keep it that way, so you know that IGN and Gamespot will be on the ball. My guess is that even if W2 turns out to be a great game that the codex loves, most reviewing sites will rate it at "7/10 good for what it is, nowhere near as good as Fallout 4". I mean, this will be a great opportunity for them to suck some Beth dick, saying "this game uses obsolete mechanics and should learn from Bethesda's experiences". It's not like they have any integrity...

 

[Infinitron]

Then there is also the media, which may jump on another trend which is tehr AWESUM old school turn based GAMEZ! I mean they fed the masses so much bullshit when it was en vogue, the masses may take more bullshit about a different kind of games. They are suckers for trends, and it may be the newest trend!

You gotta remember on whose payroll the big news sites are. Bethesda are now the "post apoc rpg" makers, and they'll want to keep it that way, so you know that IGN and Gamespot will be on the ball. My guess is that even if W2 turns out to be a great game that the codex loves, most reviewing sites will rate it at "7/10 good for what it is, nowhere near as good as Fallout 4". I mean, this will be a great opportunity for them to suck some Beth dick, saying "this game uses obsolete mechanics and should learn from Bethesda's experiences". It's not like they have any integrity...

I think it's more likely that it will be judged with the same yardstick as indie games and just pooh-poohed as something nice but irrelevant.

 

[Aeschylus]

You gotta remember on whose payroll the big news sites are. Bethesda are now the "post apoc rpg" makers, and they'll want to keep it that way, so you know that IGN and Gamespot will be on the ball. My guess is that even if W2 turns out to be a great game that the codex loves, most reviewing sites will rate it at "7/10 good for what it is, nowhere near as good as Fallout 4". I mean, this will be a great opportunity for them to suck some Beth dick, saying "this game uses obsolete mechanics and should learn from Bethesda's experiences". It's not like they have any integrity...

Why can't they just let us have nice things?

 

[Oesophagus]

I think it's more likely that it will be judged with the same yardstick as indie games and just pooh-poohed as something nice but irrelevant.

Iin any case, it won't be any competition to Bethesda / Bioware, so the current mainstream cRPG model won't change. Well, not unless Fargo manages to make five hundred trillion dollars it won't

 

[Alex_Steel]

Why can't they just let us have nice things?

GB: Unfortunately, role-playing games have lost much of their original identity in recent years, thanks in part to the popularity of first-person action RPGs. How do you convince a newer or younger RPG fan who has grown accustomed to the action-focused titles to give Wasteland 2 a shot?

Brian: Well here is the beauty of fan funding... we don't have to convince some younger RPG player of anything. I am making this game for the wonderful fans who put their money behind us and not some nebulous group of new people. Let's make the game they all expect and let the chips fall where they may. There is just no way I'm going to consider anything that could let down the core.

If he can say 'fuck you' to anyone that doesn't like that type of game and the publishers, it certainly includes those big news websites. So, fuck them.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Nah, Stabby. I'm lamenting the fact that I don't have enough money to contribute now, and that I have to purchase the game in 2013 for 50 dollah. But it doesn't matter, I was just being a bit of a tit. :p

I'll be a Bro and give you my digital copy. I'm at the $250 tier so I'll get a Collector's box and regular boxed copy as well as the two digital ones. You can have one of the digital ones. Just remind me in a year and a half :D!

Wow, thanks. Let me know if there's anything I can ever do or you.

 

[Burning Bridges]

GB: Unfortunately, role-playing games have lost much of their original identity in recent years, thanks in part to the popularity of first-person action RPGs. How do you convince a newer or younger RPG fan who has grown accustomed to the action-focused titles to give Wasteland 2 a shot?

Brian: Well here is the beauty of fan funding... we don't have to convince some younger RPG player of anything. I am making this game for the wonderful fans who put their money behind us and not some nebulous group of new people. Let's make the game they all expect and let the chips fall where they may. There is just no way I'm going to consider anything that could let down the core.

If he can say 'fuck you' to anyone that doesn't like that type of game and the publishers, it certainly includes those big news websites. So, fuck them.

I am beginning to think that we need the technology to clone people. There should be 20 Brian Fargos remaking 20 different rpgs.

 

[Oesophagus]

Nah, Stabby. I'm lamenting the fact that I don't have enough money to contribute now, and that I have to purchase the game in 2013 for 50 dollah. But it doesn't matter, I was just being a bit of a tit. :p

I'll be a Bro and give you my digital copy. I'm at the $250 tier so I'll get a Collector's box and regular boxed copy as well as the two digital ones. You can have one of the digital ones. Just remind me in a year and a half :D!

Wow, thanks. Let me know if there's anything I can ever do or you.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Well, it sure beats updating Prisoner of Ice.

 

[Alex_Steel]

I am beginning to think that we need the technology to clone people. There should be 20 Brian Fargos remaking 20 different rpgs.

Not a Codexian solution. Too constructive.

On the other hand, we have the technology to destroy all haters. If we are the only people around to buy games, guess who they will try to keep satisfied. Also, shotguns.

 

[LeStryfe79]

2,400,000

 

[Volrath]

Then there is also the media, which may jump on another trend which is tehr AWESUM old school turn based GAMEZ! I mean they fed the masses so much bullshit when it was en vogue, the masses may take more bullshit about a different kind of games. They are suckers for trends, and it may be the newest trend!

You gotta remember on whose payroll the big news sites are. Bethesda are now the "post apoc rpg" makers, and they'll want to keep it that way, so you know that IGN and Gamespot will be on the ball. My guess is that even if W2 turns out to be a great game that the codex loves, most reviewing sites will rate it at "7/10 good for what it is, nowhere near as good as Fallout 4". I mean, this will be a great opportunity for them to suck some Beth dick, saying "this game uses obsolete mechanics and should learn from Bethesda's experiences". It's not like they have any integrity...

I think it's more likely that it will be judged with the same yardstick as indie games and just pooh-poohed as something nice but irrelevant.

I think it's even more likely that they won't mention Wasteland 2 at all. Afterall it's just some shitty PC game.

 

[Infinitron]

I think it's even more likely that they won't mention Wasteland 2 at all. Afterall it's just some shitty PC game.

Like Minecraft?

 

[Palikka]

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/s81zu/rpg_fireside_chat_with_brian_fargo_and_chris/
IAMA live now.

 

[Volrath]

Over 2.5 million now.

 

[commie]

I think it's more likely that it will be judged with the same yardstick as indie games and just pooh-poohed as something nice but irrelevant.

Iin any case, it won't be any competition to Bethesda / Bioware, so the current mainstream cRPG model won't change. Well, not unless Fargo manages to make five hundred trillion dollars it won't

I prefer it this way. Let there be a delineation between the monocled RPG and the third person gay romance larpfests(which have their place and even I enjoy them from time to time). That way there won't be any impetus to add faggoty shit to the proper RPG's and they will stay pure.

Over 2.5 million now.

A nice kick in VOTS's shriveled scrotum who was saying that it wouldn't reach 2 mil once upon a time. More than enough for me, 3 mil is just something to aim for, I'm sure W2 will at the least be moddable and may have tools released regardless of whether it reaches 3 mil or not and everything content wise is budgeted for already(the base game was already at 1 mil!).

Regardless, a bit extra for contingencies would help so I urge Brian to host a special nude channel with MCA coated in oils for the run in and accessible for anyone who signs up now or for established backers who donate 10 dollars more.

 

[Jaesun]

Having a toolset is a waste of development time. All the money should be 100% spent on making a content and combat rich game. AFTER the game is done, then perhaps (if financially feasible, based on sales) they should do an old school Expansion Pack that add moar content (and gameplay enhancements) and then possibly a toolset.

Just my 2 cents.