New Pledge Rewards, New Pledge Tiers, Player Owned Towns & Stretch Goal Store Megapost

I would like to point to the original Kickstarter for the project. They were asking for 1 Million to include everything promised within the Kickstarter, which was a lot things, for 1 million, (and I'm sure they were counting on investors and some of RG's money as well). If they couldn't get all those things in with the amount they were asking for, they shouldn't have been promising it all for 1 Million. They received a bit over 1.9 million, and are now at over 6.3 Million in backer money. They knew they'd be working with a small team and the game would take time before the project was funded and after project funded, and the hard work and managing it would take to produce the finished game. They've managed the financing well so far. They have the extra revenue and have improved the graphics and still plan to include everything promised from Kickstarter, the stretch goals, and some extras. That's all I want from Episode 1, what was promised, and I don't see them failing to make good on those promises.People should be focusing on that, the original promises and stretch goals and stop asking for more, more, more, before even the base mechanics of the game is even built. There's a lot still to be put into the game. I believe they are working within their means with a smaller team and getting things done, slower than some people would like, makes no difference to me if it's released this year or next. They had to know this game would hit many bumps and there would be delays along the way, and hopefully were prepared for this, before they even went for funding from Kickstarter.

I understand it usually takes a huge amount of money to produce an mmorpg these days, but this is not a big budget, seemless world mmorpg, it's instanced to death to make things easier. It was done using the Unity engine (which is fine for a non-mmorpg), to save money and time, (they cut corners with this and cheaped out, which I think was a mistake for an mmorpg, but that's a different discussion). My point is, if they can't produce this mmo with the 6.3 million they currently have pulled in, and the extra investment money adding up to your estimate of 20 million total now, when they were originally asking for 1 million from Kickstarter (and counting on investments), they weren't cut out for the project to begin with. Right now the pressure is on for those poor devs that have to make those original Kickstarter promises come true, I'm sure they also knew this when they signed on for the job. So while I appreciate all their hard work, I really do, they knew what they were getting into, or should have.

Asking them to cut pledges at a half off sale is not the answer to more money. At this point, producing an a well made end product, is what is needed. The backers should stop asking for more things than what was promised to us for Episode 1 and let them now work within their means of funding they have. We should also point out problems we see with the game, much like people are doing with the combat discussions if they want this game to be successful. The combat, crafting, fishing, housing, farming, exploration, etc. are centerpieces for this game since there isn't exclamation over the quest giver type of boring questing to do. It has to have a solid foundation. Turning a blind eye to the problems the game has along the way will not help the games success and longevity. Currently, it's not the best mmorpg I've ever played, it's in Pre-Alpha and that's how it should be seen, a work in progress. This game will be made successful or unsuccessful, based on the finished product, word of mouth and very little advertising aside from interviews and some conventions here and there. The backers have done their part with our investments, it's Portalarium's job now to produce the final product so we can bring more people in.

Currently, I've only asked a few people to try the game out, which I gave them money to do so. I am not comfortable yet with the game to ask people to pay their own money for it yet. It's far too rough around the edges at the moment and the majority of things friends, family, guildies from other games look for in an mmorpg are just not that good at the moment or not in the game yet. When it's further along and I have more confidence that the game mechanics that they are looking for are in an mmorpg are in, I can give them feedback and they can make their own decision whether to buy it or not. I'm sure everyone that has backed the game, really wants a good mmorpg, or we wouldn't have thrown our money at it. Just because it has the name RG behind it though, I'm not going to automatically think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I don't blindly follow and throw money at a project or any mmorpg and expect anything they do will be perfect and their decisions are always right. I applaud the enthusiasm and courtesy everyone has on this forum. Hopefully, when the game is finished, it will be an mmorpg we've all been waiting for. For now, I want to see what they produce, with what they already have been given. I'm also not saying it's not good to have more money coming in from new backers and the current backers, but what they have already currently is plenty enough to complete the project, as they've said.

 

@Ice Queen, very generously spoken and poignantly phrased. I don't disagree with any of your points, at all. My previous idea, to capture that demographic of money, was just an example of a way Portalarium could generate extra income that might not have been considered. I think you are absolutely right when you say it is their job to bring the product market to truly expand sales to really make money. I cannot even begin to imagine all of our frustration if all their hard work (and our investments) were for naught and the game was never finished! I love this game and most importantly the community here because it's such a unique place and experience!

 

I cut quite a bit out, but I do understand all of the points you've made.

This game was not pitched as an MMO. All of the evidence you list clearly shows it was not intended to be an MMO.
There are a lot of MMO fans that want this to be the MMO they've always dreamed of, but there is a large (mostly silent) part of the community that wants the Lord British RPG game that was pitched, and couldn't give a hoot about MMO features. I am very disappointed in all of the delays that come from trying to cater to the MMO crowd, but I'll keep waiting, and hope the game that was promised is delivered. I believe it will eventually be a great game, and I'll play it when it eventually launches, but I don't have to be happy about the wait. Some people DO care about when the game launches.

 

This is my evidence that it was clear to me it is suppose to be an mmo too. It may have not been *pitched* as an mmo but I was assured by RG it was an mmo, when I had posted I would have been interested in the game earlier if it were more mmo-like, because I only play mmorpg's. The reply changed my mind since it would be an mmo and I bought the game.

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/6492365#6492365
Ice-Queen,
Shroud of the Avatar allows players to select between Solo-Player and Massively Multiplayer (and a few modes in between). When playing in the default configuration, it is more MMO than most MMO's! Most MMO's have "Shards" to prevent overpopulation of one server. Shards mean that people on separate shards will never meet, which arbitrarily fragments the community. SotA actually allows ALL players into the same single world. We manage overcrowding by temporarily spinning up multiple instances of an overcrowded area, and sorting people into them based on your friends graph. I think this is both an MMO and better than Sharded MMO's!
Shroud of the Avatar has the best features of many of this teams prior work: Virtue Quests as seen in Ultima IV-VII, Detailed World interaction and NPC schedules as seen in Ultima VII, Massively Multiplayer play as seen in Ultima Online, and persistent player world impact as seen in both the Housing of Ultima Online and the Contol Points of Tabula Rasa.
If you are looking for an MMO, you will not be unhappy with SotA! If you are looking for a story driven RPG, SotA will also deliver. And you can play it in solo mode if you wish.

See you in the game!
- Lord British

 

That response does contradict the answer he gave me. Also, I'd have to dig for the video where he clearly states, "Even in its most MMO-like state, still isn't an MMO."

I have no explanation for the difference.
But I stand by my statement that it was not intended to be an MMO.
Maybe they changed their minds.

 

I've deleted some of the off-topic posts here without issuing warnings. Please remember to keep discussions on topic. Also, this is a VERY old thread and could include out of date information due to the dynamic nature of how we are actively developing SotA and incorporating community feedback. Please keep that in mind when quoting posts or conversations made several months ago.

 

Heh

With all due respect, many modern MMOs are shard-less and worlds split the way he describes Shroud will be. Elderscrolls Online just one example.

As with your previous post mentioning the price tag and delivering what was promised. That's been a voiced source of concern since I first started in these forums - feature creep has been a run away event, presumably because they are catering to the heavy investors to continue investing. It gives the impression that no real business plan was drawn up, nor adhered to, and if the wind blows a certain direction, let's follow it.

I just want to see the game get out of pre-alpha already. Graphics are looking much better every release. R17 now, there are lots more noticeable bugs than I've seen before though. People running down the street without their feet moving, frozen. Casting the same spell nonstop while running, or simply standing there shaking weird.

It's great the improvements keep rolling out. I've been hugely impressed with the level of graphics in this release. On that budget, I never would've expected it.

 

Thanks for posting this. Good info on the intentions of the dev team.


Ice-Queen,
Shroud of the Avatar allows players to select between Solo-Player and Massively Multiplayer (and a few modes in between). When playing in the default configuration, it is more MMO than most MMO's! Most MMO's have "Shards" to prevent overpopulation of one server. Shards mean that people on separate shards will never meet, which arbitrarily fragments the community. SotA actually allows ALL players into the same single world. We manage overcrowding by temporarily spinning up multiple instances of an overcrowded area, and sorting people into them based on your friends graph. I think this is both an MMO and better than Sharded MMO's!
Shroud of the Avatar has the best features of many of this teams prior work: Virtue Quests as seen in Ultima IV-VII, Detailed World interaction and NPC schedules as seen in Ultima VII, Massively Multiplayer play as seen in Ultima Online, and persistent player world impact as seen in both the Housing of Ultima Online and the Contol Points of Tabula Rasa.
If you are looking for an MMO, you will not be unhappy with SotA! If you are looking for a story driven RPG, SotA will also deliver. And you can play it in solo mode if you wish.

See you in the game!
- Lord British[/quote]

 

there is a fine balancing act between rewarding backers with mega donations and making it fair for those that cannot compensate that way imo, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy to try to make it fair between monetary backers and those who back via other means like tunes or 3d modeling etc etc.

there will always be those who feel its unfair to reward money backers higher than others or give them priority but that's just life those with money usually go to the front of the line and those others with less to offer or different offers in the back of the line. this is a dicey scenario for everyone at what point do you draw the line and say the money isn't worth making it unfair.

 

just a simple question- if i have an ancestor package currently, and upgrade to a knight package, what will i be losing out on Sept 1?

 

It's first if you upgrade to Lord or higher you will lose any i belive

 

If you are Ancestor already, you will lose nothing.

As Curt noted though, if you want to ever move up to "Lord", you should do before the cutoff, or you will lose out on the additional lot deeds.

 

Hi Frosty. You won't lose anything you currently have. You will not be getting the rewards of the tiers between knight and ancester is all, which is the difference. Also lot deeds don't stack and you will lose your row lot deed and get your rent free village deed. The only time you get more than one deed will be if the tier says you get it. Like I went to Lord Martial to have the two lot deeds it includes which is a village and town, but I lost my row deed since Lord Martial does not say row lot deed, village lot deed, and town lot deed, thus no row any longer. But of course I wanted them all, but it doesn't work that way. I hope that helps.