15% Account Credit

Honestly I might have wanted to pony up more than I already have, which is more than I've ever paid for a game 2 years in advance, but, since I'm backing something and not buying it, I decided I'm in enough and I'm waiting to see what happens before offloading anymore cash.

 

Welcome! I'm glad the sale enabled you to finally jump in.

I think the distinction is the pledge tiers. I don't think anyone would be either surprised or dismayed at sales on the add-on or swag store, but the pledge tiers have so much involved (including the question of being given house placement priority by dollar amount, when you can no longer pledge "mid-tier") that I think that is what upset some folks.

 

Does anyone know if they clarified on the items bought in the item store increasing your pledge amount priority?

For example you buy a knight level tier, then buy a cloak and a pickaxes, will your pledge amount be considered higher than others in the same tier that did not buy optional things?

 

Yeah it's one of those mysteries of this whole project. I wish there was more clarity on these things - somebody please update the FAQ based on what's been raised on these forums please

I would think that it probably doesn't count - it's an add-on... you get a small additional thing. It doesn't count towards your pledge. But until we get answers from on high it's not clear.

 

It does NOT count towards your tier, and never has, with the one exception of a Hearth of Britannia telethon item some time ago.

 

This is one of those threads that I saw and tried not to read.

Is 15% a real slap in the face to all the previous backers? I suppose maybe, but to be honest 15% isn't exactly a huge amount and if it gets more people playing the game then every backer becomes a winner.

Maybe they could create some sort of "I resisted Black Friday" in-game banner for all the pre-backers as a gesture of goodwill?

To be perfectly honest there are far more important elements to discuss on the game than whether or not a 15% discount is fair or not.

 

@EWHART that is the way I see it. The more backers, the better. The more people who increase their pledges, the better. We all win from more people funding the game.

Technically, it isn't a 15% discount that was given. It was a 15% bonus to the amount pledged. Thus, if someone pledged $100, their account will eventually show $115.

The discounts were given to items in the addon store.

 

I can understand what you say however you need to recognise that the founders backed the project before it was even certain that the game would go ahead. It is all to do with risk and reward, as a result there must be a higher return on risk for the founders.

 

And founders could up their pledge to get the 15% bonus too. As a founder I don't see this as a slap at all.

I agree that more infused cash will help make this game ship.

 

The concern focuses not so much on the bonus but on the impact the bonus might (or might not) have on things like house placement. If that issue was clarified, I think a lot of this "concern" would go away (or be justified, hehe)...

 

Psychologically, people would rather get more for their money than a discount. For example, "33% more!" sounds better than "25% off!" even though it's the same price per quantity.

http://www.economist.com/node/21557801
"In an experiment, the researchers sold 73% more hand lotion when it was offered in a bonus pack than when it carried an equivalent discount (even after all other effects, such as a desire to stockpile, were controlled for)."

In these terms, it's no wonder why people would be upset that someone new got 15% more for the same amount of pledge. Especially for something you took a risk on, and haven't even been able to reap the (nearly majority of the) benefits as of yet. It's even more complicated when that 15% gives the late-comer a boost in lot selection priority.I get the idea behind it. It's supposed to encourage (or trick) them into going to the next tier, since they're part of the way anyway. If the sale had been "13% off tier prices!" the backlash might have been reduced, and wouldn't have caused an uproar regarding lot placement priority.

 

Maybe I'm not looking deed enough here, but I wouldn't call this thread a backlash. Actually, I think there are equally as many people happy for the promotion as there are against it, in this thread anyways. It also seemed to be a pretty successful weekend for SotA. They appear to have raised approximately 100k. Not too shabby.

Hopefully they will clear up any confusion about plot selection priority in the weeks to come. I think the alpha, like the black friday sale, is going to trigger some interest in housing.

 

The thing is, it brings up a longer term question about how "this whole thing" will be handled in the future. I understand that my pledge was not only just a pledge but also an investment; I look for my investments to grow over time (which is one of the reasons I jumped on-board during the KS). The 15% bonus calls some of that into question when combined with the lot choice priority uncertainty (sorry for the run-on)...

We are all excited about bringing more money into the project. Period. We are just semi-wise investors looking after our investment

 

@Seir Same here. I jumped on during the KS campaign because of promises that were made. I too share the same concern as you about the plot selection priority. I am hoping they come up with a solution that is fair for everyone, but undoubtedly there will be people not pleased with the outcome no matter what they choose.

Time will tell, and time is something there is plenty of between now and the release date.

Hopefully they won't wait that long to get explicit on how the plot selection process will work.

 

@Koldar - realize that I have faith in the team and that they will take care of everyone the very best they can. I just cringe a bit at some of the half-communicated marketing plans that we keep tripping across

I just really want this to be a great game and will do whatever I can to make it better for all of us.

 

A day and a half, and still no public clarification on the lot priority or why they went back on what Dallas said. The FAQ got updated, so they at least know it's an issue.

 

Technially it's a risk for us all...Tho from the biginning I never would have been worried about this game's success...It's Lord British!...and I would have been here in March had I have know...I'm just sayin' hehe.

 

SoTA will not make any huge additional funds until release. Way to many people will not even nibble until the game is Playable .,,,,, maybe Beta but most likely Playable . then people can give it a pass or fail...

 

I got an "includes $XX bonus" when I won second in a scene jam. The reward was specified as a pledge bonus, so that makes me think it does count.

But honestly, we need a clarification from them on this so we can know for certain.

 

Thanks!

I think I can understand what you mean. As a person who can't afford to pre-purchase housing, I'm more afraid of there being no housing for those of us who didn't get it early.

I do like the non-instanced housing idea, I just fear the limitations.

I'd like to think they'd figure out a solution to this, but with how much support the game's got months before the release, it may be tricky.

I got my bonus as well. Helped me up a tier, and will make my goal of Collector easier in the long run.