Um, I contributed to this?

Oh god, the illogical contradictions some people can manage to contain in a single sentence. Forums are like getting brain freeze without eating any ice cream.

 

I don't like quite a few things with the game currently, but I am giving them the benefit of the doubt since it is still very early days in the development cycle.

 

Name one

 

Already did. Please read the whole thread before trying to call someone out. Thanks.

 

That is still rather conservative. For quick ballpark estimates consulting companies quite often use 100k a year per employee for service sector jobs in technology related areas. That would be 5 million =)

 

We just don't know since it's not public knowledge. Some companies have 100% transparency, some don't. I hope these guys try it.

 

All of these discussions are fairly moot, considering that the number pledged is not the only source of funds for SotA, even the original KS page stated that LB has already invested "several millions" into the game and will invest more, All things considered the number is likely to be 10m+ at this point if not more.

 

Per the quote (" I have seen awesome games with half or a tenth of the budget"), no, you haven't.

Please post one that has USED half or a tenth of what has currently been pledged and has the anywhere near the same features.

Thanks.

 

Life is Feudal? 100k copies sold in the first month of Early Access on Steam @ 40$ == 4 million. Has more features, seamless open world, free pvp (if you are into that), political system, crafting minigames, blah blah blah.

To be fair, they have been building a year longer, but also had a failed indiegogo campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/life-is-feudal

What was the actual budget up to that point? From what I know of following it the last year, nothing but people dedicated to making it (first year and half). They have no outside publishers.

Given that someone mentioned R.G. has contributed a few million to the project based on previous comments of his, to this project, that would put this around half (over by a million or so), but I guess, even if they were even in funds, I guess the hyperbolic point he was trying to make:

It is possible to do more, with less, depending on how you plan and design.

This project had/has a serious lack of planning when it comes to the design. They started with 6 major ideas and just started iterating them right out of the box, 6 months into the project. Typically you would spend that pre-planning designing the systems and have 100% solid answers prior to writing anything.

It took over a year for them to answer some basic questions like stealth, pvp (still has no 100% solid this is it), questing, companions <-- da wut?... etc... and these are not things we made up, those were things they talked about wanting/having in the KS. so...

 

There development costs are way lower due to cost of labor and just about every other expense( I think it is being developed in russia.)

Also, it isn't a MMO as of yet.

Are there any NPC's in the game as well? I haven't seen anything....it looks to have some neat ideas....which had me originally interested as opposed to it only be interesting as some others have said due to PVP.

 

Sadly, there is a good number of people that never read disclaimers.

 

Frankly I put them on an even keel.

For the MMO, you can fire up your own server and have as many people that you can have in a Port single instance (64 players) on the server at any time. With no loading screens.

So, the LiF:YO version is at least comparable to SOTA in terms of "MMO" currently, while yes, the full, LiF:MMO project, which will allow 10k+ players in the same space, is still working.

http://lifeisfeudal.com/LiFYO

Where it is made, or what resources it has, is irrelevant to the question posed (and just proves that SOTA is doing overwork for the same content). Port could have outsourced many parts to keep the costs low and resources flowing.

I've been over this too many times to count. This is still a dropped ball event. For all the "models" submitted there are tons of people that could have made other content/resources for free.

As for NPCS, yes, there are none. You know why?

Because the game is designed to be community driven. Players give other players quests. It is a 100% player interaction based game, not a PVE.

I am 50/50 on that because of what I know it takes to maintain GOOD interactive communities.

Story mode will most likely be run through in an average of 60 play hours.

Given how much of a resource suck it is, I am not sure I agree with the investment. Hence the 50/50.

 

You may not be sure on the investment, but many of us, me included only backed because they promised to have that. The two games can be compared I guess, but in reality they are different enough to not be 100% comparable.....like, they are both fruit but ones an apple and ones an Orange.

It is a very large difference to have towns, backstory, npc's, quests, dungeons etc then to have a empty canvass....both have their playstyles obviously.

I do agree with you however on crowd assets and general allowing more outsourcing.

Location does play a huge factor in game development though, all expenses will be more in a higher standard of living country...be it the united states, Canada or a city in europe.

PVE is a distinction that makes me cringe every time I see it...I know it is the defacto label for combat with monsters etc but it really makes it sound as if it is a simple concept boiled down to killing random monsters to progress....for instance, I don't think I have ever heard of a single player rpg that said PVE will be like this....I know we need labels(I guess) but I would prefer as you adventure or whatnot...it makes it sound too simple.

 

Indeed. So then =p

How about The Repopulation project? Half the budget, yet on par with sota in terms of development invested.

What about Project: Gorgon? Budget? how about tow failed KS's yet they seem to have a ridiculous amount of systems in there. The graphics? Look like crap!!! But it reminds me the most, of all 4 of these games, of a true UO in 3D -- emphasis on actual gameplay, skills, banding together, crafting. Also does not cost a DIME to join and help test/guide the development (like SOTA) for the next 18+ months.

The fact is, there are games and teams making more for less.

The problem is not the budget of SOTA (as an excuse). It is the space you are competing in now. It is no longer 1998 and there are only 10k artists and 10k coders on the planet.

Anyone can do this, given the drive and desire. So you are competing against passion.

And passion, with a 1 million dollar budget is WAY better than "its my day job" @ 10 million.

 

In order for them to do this they would have to be not based in the US.

 

Both of those games are being made by US teams.

Regardless, all they have to do is outsource. They can be based anywhere with an internet connection.

 

This is where you and I agree 100%.

I don't get it. Why wait with the new resource needs list? Why not ask specifically for this is what we want this is what we need.

They tell the story of the amplifier and AA. Then they tell the story of trying to get music contribution but it didn't work until Holt desperately asked RG what he really wanted because it wasn't specifically stated anywhere and it was defining that which became the catalyst to great music contribution.

But it is as if they don't listen to themselves.

This is such a dedicated and educated community, if it had been me I'd be bleeding it dry with bonus objects for x and y.
For instance I'd look on your contribution and go: hmm what would he want to do next. How could I get him to do that with both of us happy.
Every time I've seen the community make something on their own and run with it and then send it to Port they respond really well, and the next thing we know it's implemented. (Like the NPC dialog of late).

But that contribution could have been tenfold if they had had a strong message where they need help, how to submit it and what the checks and balances need to be for it to be included.

My guess is that they feel they are getting too much already to process it properly and that is because in lieu of a process lots of people are simply bombarding the dev team from all directions with stuff. But if that had a process and an order to it the load wouldn't be nearly as heavy.

Now it's not too late but it's getting closer every day.

 

I was running a life is feudal server. Great concept and potential but also some serious issues. It is impossible to get any answers to really important questions out of those guys. Considering the PLAYERS on our server modded it and fixed a few major bugs themselves after getting sick of waiting.. i got fed up and stopped playing.

 

Indeed they just seem to wing things as they go. No wonder they turned to kickstarter as no serious investor would give people with no design to speak off any money.
Not sure how software design works in the gaming industry but in fields I know how it works, no programmer does anything until the basic functions of at least the part of the product to be worked on have been completely laid out.