Overzealous Number of Donation levels and Reward Content Updates?

So basically what to take away from this Shoshin is:

#1 - They cannot give you all the information you are asking for because we have not signed NDA, so they cannot give us vital progress reports and just assume no one will say things about it that they don't want other developers of games to know. Also, if someone was to make a post about such things and gave the wrong information, then it could make them look bad if people then pledge thinking they are getting one thing when they are not.

#2 - Just as much as you don't want to pay $ for a cool house or pet... there are people who do want to do that so they have that one item that shows their support or status. This is the only reason they do it. If people would not pay for them then they would not sell them it’s that simple.

In short, you cannot complain about why they didn't put money into this or why they ask for money for that when it’s the future players that are spending the money, they can ask all they want... but if people don't like the item or idea they will not support it simple as that. Remember that you normally don’t get any information about new games coming out until shortly before they are released. I am very happy with the amount of content they are showing the supporters this early in the development stage, and can't wait to see more!

 

So basically what to take away from this Krovakin is:

#2 - You cant count.

 

What exactly is/was the difference between the pre and post KS rewards? To me it looks like they moved it right to the SotA site but just raised the prices a little bit.

 

You can see most of the differences in the spreadsheet linked in my signature. The "Pledge Reward Spreadsheet". It links to a post that has a google doc I've bee keeping updated. It shows the Benefactor and Founder rewards.

 

Hello, shoshin. Welcome to the forums. Thank you for expressing your concerns, as they are sort of anti-materialistic, pro-charity, and pro-quality for the actual game. As some have stated, the emails don't reflect the entire perspective. I'm sure you must realize that already. There are the livestreams, the posts, the crowd-sourcing, and the chat interactions. More and more game developers are opening up to this Player input lately, but the SOTA Team is the friendliest and most interactive I've found yet to date.

I understand the frustration of being the person of less financial freedom; personally. I also understand having priorities, and giving to the hundreds or thousands of dollars to a game not being at the top of the list. Again, as others have pointed out, this is the fundraising stage, and that is what it is for, so that is currently the focus. It may be an uncomfortable or even ugly stage to witness, when money can feed or clothe people, but so can the purchase of a chocolate bar or a soda-pop, if you're standing in front of a starving person with it.

I've thought about such things from that perspective. Here I am, and I can buy a chocolate bar or a soda-pop. If I never buy a chocolate bar or a soda-pop, I could give more to charity. Think of the ending scene of Schindler, in the Schindler's List movie.
Oskar Schindler: "This car. Goeth would have bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people right there. Ten people. Ten more people. I could have gotten one more person... and I didn't! And I... I didn't!"

There is another perspective. In my world, a chocolate bar has a price, but it isn't much for me. A starving person might think that I'm really horrible for buying it. If I were a millionaire, a thousand dollars would be a price to pay for something, but it wouldn't be much for me. Perhaps I'm a person who gives 75% of my income to charity. Can't I buy something -- even a game funding tier -- guilt free? I think you can.

Not that your point is directed at the Player or the giver. As it has been pointed out, the 'sellers', the fundraisers, for Shroud of the Avatar are offering a product to entice the prospective target audience for donation. I am not one of those Players who is zealous about housing, but I know that many are. Their zealous preference doesn't outweigh mine for story, for freedom, for role-play, but if that's where the majority is, then that's where it is. Also a confession: if I'm able to turn loose of some money, and I'm within $10 of the next 'tier', then I'm going to see if I cannot gather up $10 more and take that next tier.

Frustration is pretty heavy when you cannot get to the Dev+ level money-wise, and you feel left out because of it. This SOTA Team is not leaving anyone out because they cannot get to the Dev+ level. They are still listening to you. They are just trying to raise more funding. That's the stage SOTA is at.

Would I like to see some epic-ness? Yes!!!
What if donations could be given for the following: (just a few here)

• Site update that comes near what other pre-alpha games are showing off to Player prospects.
• Tracy Hickman [anything] - He's not been heard from in awhile.
• Richard Garriott's idea of 'Dante's Inferno' upon death
• Mounts [horses] for Episode 1
• Justice System: [that really works and is fun] making PvP 'flag' go away

Welcome in, Shoshin. Wellmet. Come and chat during a livestream.

 

There are a number of differences. They really took care of the founders (as they should've).

A few (but not even close to all) examples:

Depending on the level, founders get in-game gear, npc servants in houses, waterfront property, lighthouses...

 

Thanks Koldar, that spreadsheet is well put together. So basically, all the pledges since the end of the KS will just be Benefactor rewards?
I was so close to getting in on that! I have been following RG and I knew something was in the works but oh well, thats the way the cookie crumbles. I actually feel pretty lucky to be here now.

 

You never know - maybe some of the add-on store items will be some of the founder level rewards. It's hard to say what they might cook up.

 

I would really like an NPC servant.

 

Send a PM to DarkStarr. It can't hurt to ask, right?

 

I'm sure he reads the forums. Dallas probably keeps a running list of all the things we say we'd pay for too.

 

Felt the same way about Star Citizen. Sure I missed the kickstarter by 6 months, but it didn't stop me from pledging. Game is Game, the rest is just bonus fluff.

You have the right attitude

 

I disagree. We have been rewarded with content - that's what the stretch goals were. That whole doubling the map, guilds take over the world, theaters and music-making thing ..

 

It's cool, friend. I didn't waste my youth going to "school" and "learning" either.

Just be ready, even enquiring about a hypothetical option can rile up fellow backers because and they don't want to see any of "their" funds syphoned off and any of the devs precious time and recourses wasted on anything they aren't personally intrested in.
Somone said, "There are people trying to protect their investments." and I say, "From what, other investors, from citizens of lower status?", Yes I think that might be the answer.

 

HaHa. Thank you for that! I was at work (don't tell them) and was in a rush to post it... never got the chance to read it over
Again thanks (no sarcasm intended)

Oh and it has been fixed

 

I like to be a helper.
ps. I didn't go to school for long enough to learn what sarcasim is, so i don't think i meant it too.

 

Really this is a null thread. The OP can just disregard the emails that do not apply to him if he wants. I won't blame poratlarium for trying to get people to upgrade their pledges either. So basically this thread is just empty words that bring no new ideas to the game, and bring about no real change or use of any kind to any of us.

 

Just like every single PvP thread out there, if they all exist, then this can also exist.

 

Anytime people can talk in a friendly way and get to know people who they might be spending quite a long time with in the future, I wouldn't call it nul or empty words or say that it's not any kind of use to us. It may have vered off-topic, but if it builds community and lets us know that there are real people here and not just name tags with nobody behind them I don't see that that is a waste of time.

 

Until we get an "Off-Topic" thread in these forums, I'll go off topic where ever and when ever the opportunity presents itself. I don't want anyone showing up looking foreward to a new grand adventure (that they payed good money for) and feeling like they aren't welcomed and that there is no place for them here, feeling like they shouldn't have spent thier money on this game .

Somone told me (not a dev or Portalariun enployee, though they spoke with authority on the matter) a while back when I first started posting and asked why there was no "off-topic" topic was because that would detract from and be disruptive to the community or some garbage like that. But the truth is without something like that the "community" will atrophy and drive off everyone who doesn't find a home here. The only ones to stay will be those who've spent too much to quit, and Portalarium and RG won't be able to maintain your game without a regular influx of people (you might say it's single player too, but really, you don't want a hollow kingdom with nobody to show your crown and castle to) and holding onto the ones who aren't so invested they are willing to leave when something new and better comes along.

So, I'd like this game to work out in the longrun, and I'd like others who are "casauls" and not really into the "technical fantasy" of having somone craft a game just for you, and the uber-fandom of Ultima to be welcomed and not get the impression that this game is not thiers too. I can count on one hand and have 2 fingers left over the people that were here before me and interacted in a way that made me descide not to write these forums off when I first showed up.

Thank you, Sir Stile Teckel, InsaneMembrane, and FireLotus.