This is my question too, were the previous games not successful enough and they're just trying to "wrap the story up" or are they trying to sell preorders? Seems like they're trying to offset risk in the most retarded way possible.
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Banner Saga 2 was nowhere near a success that the first one was. Here is an article about it http://www.pcgamer.com/banner-saga-2-technical-director-laments-underwhelming-launch-why-the-hell-didnt-we-get-a-kickstarter/
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As Vicarious says, the sales from BS 2 were much lower than from BS1.
BS1 sold around 700K copies while BS2 only sold around 100K.
The possible reason are cited in both links as their lack of communication with the player base and the swarm of new releases ath teh time BS2 launched. Many players didn't even know BS2 was released until recently.
From my perspective there would also be the people who prefer to wait for the full trilogy to come out and be sure to have the complete set instead of risking not having the 3rd game ever released.
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Because of bundle culture, because of gamer entitlement, because of programs like PS+ and XBL GwG (albeit the latter is a lot more generous), because of how little big companies care about indies no matter how the PR makes them sound like so coughSonycough, etc etc.
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What kind of problems did you have ? I'll transmit if needed.
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I think I heard of this one not long ago indeed. I'l try to ask around if there has been progress.
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If you bring it up I'm guessing the Linuxfix BETA didn't work for you ?
Same for o.florian's method ?
Linux is a whole foreign universe to me so I don't know how manipulation heavy it is.
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I'm sorry to say I didn't find any information that could help you for the moment.
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"Let's just close the doors, close the curtains, spend our own money and do it our own way, without having to answer to anybody. And that's what we did," Stoic's co-founder and technical director John Watson tells gamesindustry.biz. "About halfway through, when the money starts getting tight, we started thinking, 'why the hell didn't we get a Kickstarter?'
Quoted from ...
http://www.pcgamer.com/banner-saga-2-technical-director-laments-underwhelming-launch-why-the-hell-didnt-we-get-a-kickstarter/
How is it the first one needed only 100k they got 700k game was a hit but money was tight part way through the second game?Now the 3rd game they only need 200k.So what happen to the other 600k did they blow that all on the first and second one?
So now they want to finish the series but because they shut out the community from the second game they flopped it and now want people to pay to finish it for them.I have not played any of them but even if I had I would not support this because they should have had more than enough money to do it why did the second game eat up so much money?
Even if they first game sold half of what it did at launch as sales show now that is 350k at 19.99 that is 7million-30% Valve cut 4.9million but yet they need a kickstarter of 200k for the 3rd game?Though even if they only sold 100,000 that is still 600k.The second game was a flop but still sold some still unless my math is wrong ask what the hell did they do with the profits from the first game?700k was kickstarted so even if they used 5 times what they asked they still would have 200k left over minus sales.They can not say it all went into the second game if the third one just needs 200k to finish it and should not need any funds just based on sales from the first one alone should have covered the cost of 2nd and 3rd.
A quit edit I just remember they also added it to the console so maybe that where a lot of it went??Still bad business practices should not be propped up by kickstarter it is meant to fund a project not your bad business decisions.
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I agree that having seen they're doing another kickstarter I immediately thought it seemed a bit odd, but I don't think there is anything wrong with fans of an established game series wanting to help fund the third game, even if you'd like to think it wouldn't be necessary!
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They have a kickstarter up so anyone can give and I am sure people will.I still think it is not a good idea to encourage such behavior as it tends to spread.If they can get away with making bad choices and locking out the community and still get kickstarted for another game this only encourages others to take the same kind of risk.Early Access has enough people blowing through funds and failing games kickstarter should not be another platform for this kind of behavior.The community was a big part of their success why would you ignore them for the second game?They really needed to ignore them and then spend all the money on the second game and have it fail before they realize that?I am no genius but even I could have figured out that was not a good move to bite the hand the fed you.
Still, as you said people have the right to support them and I am not telling anyone they can not I am just sharing I do not thnk it sends the right message imo.Though they are free to support them and ignore what I say and that is fine :)
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While I think I understand what you mean, I also don't agree with all of it.
I don't believe it is that easy to bring out some maths when oneself is not part of the equation.
There is also the fact that the Stoic team put their own personal money into this from the start and not just those 100K turned into 700K, which I doubt they would Have pocketed.
I also believe there are other expenses, like post content fix / patches and maybe advertising (or not, no idea if Versus Evil is paid or not) and most likely other things.
The part about consoles, it was in the stretch goals (around the final ones I believe) so yeah, money went for it in an expected manner.
If game development was that lucrative, I don't think so many studios would be on the edge about financing.
Apologies for the badly presented opinions, I'm not the best debate partner.
Edit : I forgot to add, While each have their opinions on what Kickstarter is, I guess the final answer for each project is the funding result.
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It is okay I knew not everyone would agree with me and I am okay if nobody does I am just sharing my thoughts.You make some valid points also.
In the end, they are just trying to fund a project but I still think they should have had more than enough money to do so if they would not have chosen to leave out the community and spend it all on the second game.I think their needs to be consequences for there bad actions they made a mistake and they should live with that mistake and not ask people to pay for it.
Just like if you was to blow all your budget on games during the Steam sale and no can not afford to buy any bundles should you go around asking for money to get said bundles?This is what they are doing they blew the money and now are asking people to fund the next project because it failed and they made a mistake.
The world needs consequence's for actions as without we learn nothing and, I think imo this consequence deserves no funding
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On the point of making a bad decision being partly responsible for the poor sales of BS2 I agree. More importantly, Stoic does as well, which is a reason I liked the interview, they are pretty honest with their failure(s).
As for consequences, well, I do want a great conclusion to the trilogy (which I love) so I'm obviously siding with Stoic. No objectivity here at all :p.
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Fair enough though do not get me wrong I am not saying they are bad people we all make mistakes I am just saying they need to have consequences for their actions better games have failed because of poor sales/bad choices.
They are honest as far as we know as they have done nothing to say otherwise.They made a decent game and was a success for an Indie game.Still, they should have to live with the bad choices and not have Kickstarter pick up the pieces.As I said in another reply I am no genius but even I could have figured out leaving out the community and going it alone was most likely going to end well.
The community helped shape and create and funded the first game that was a success why would you even consider the notion of doing the second one without them and then spend all your budget on it?They knew from the start they wanted it to be trilogy why would they not save some of the funds for the third in case this one did not go as planned since they took a big risk by cutting out the community?
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I can neither agree nor disagree to that, I truly can't make an opinion right now, maybe once excitement from the KS falls I'll think back on it. Thanks for having constructive criticism in any case.
About the thing with the community, it is apparently pretty common for devs to enclose themselves in development and that is why once they feel the pain the first time they get a community manager.
Of those who managed to maintain contact and keep informed somewhat regularly their fans, I'd say ConcernedApe from Stardew Valley made an exemplar job, particularly since he was alone on it for a long time.
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I think it is a bold and risky move for an Indie developer to take the risk of locking out the community and doing your own thing.If it works great but, if it does not then you end up in a tight spot like they are.It just I do not know if I could bite the hand that fed you.Also did they not take cues from the makers of Trine 3?I think that would be a good example of what not to do as they took the same route of doing there own thing.They changed so much of it that the community did not like the 3d and preferred the old style.
It's like having someone help you out and save your life and then you end up in a good place but then when that person ask for your help you ignore them.
They do deserve a second chance I am just not sure this is the best route to try and make up for that mistake and win back the community.After all those who put money into the first one and loved it and wanted to shape the next one to be shut out like that and then spend all the budget on a second game that they had no say in.If it was me i could not support the third game with my hard earned money.
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I'd say the 5K one is already tasty enough.
I sincerely hope those 2 tiers will be sold out. Both for the funding, and because it is a really cool thing to see real people transposed in a game like this.
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Based on some comments on its forum and how it ended up in the "GOG version treated as second class citizen" collection, yes.
(Although it is partly GOG's fault as well, an update there requires the developer to create an entire new build of the entire game, which takes time and money. Supposedly they are working on a modern delivery system that will be able to update programs in a more contemporary method.)
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Got some good news, a GOG update is in the works and should be out within a few weeks.
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As of a few minutes ago Banner Saga 3 has reached the 200K mark and has been funded (in about 6 days).
Read about the stretch 1st stretch goal here if you are interested.
The campaign still has 36 days to go and will hopefully reach all the stretch goals Stoic has in reserve for it.
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Two new articles, one talking about Crowdfunding, the other about the current Stretch Goal.
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Looks like I won't have to chip in on this one ;D.
Loved the first and bought the second oj launch (haven't played it yet D:). Hope #3 turns out great :D.
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You can always chip in you know, more money to the game :p
You'd be one of the few who's done so. So many players who didn't know the game was released, even just a few weeks ago I met a good number.
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An AMA (or rather AUA) is underway right now on Reddit.
Some good question, lots of answers. Rather spoiler free.
The 1st Stretch Goal has been reached, we will have playable Dredges in the game. As in, Dredges that fight alongside the caravan.
The next Stretch Goals stand at 300K and 350K. Being Survival Mode (similar to the one added to Banner Saga 2 last year) and Ubin being a playable character (requiring combat animation, storyline, skills...).
Edit : Stoic added lesser rewards for 100$+ backers as well. For the 1st SG the added reward is a Bellower "massivature" (as called by its makers) from The Banner Saga Warbands (by MERCS Miniatures), the boardgame set in the Banner Saga universe. It's pretty big at 4.5".
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The kickstarter is continuing pretty well, having reached 285 000$ with 21 days left. We are 15 00$ away from unlocking Survival Mode. Still 75 000$ to unlock Ubin as a playable character.
Today's update (update #11) introduces 30 backer achievements, of which we need to complete 25 to unlock a new item for everyone, the Troll Ward (to my demise).
Stoic also talks about the Conclave, a group of people of engaged people who act as a bridge between the community and the developers through a chat open 24/7.
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I haven't been properly updating this page, but here comes the new stuff.
We have unlocked Survival Mode and stand at 306K right now. We should reach the #SaveUbinStretch Goal before the end at this rate.
The bonus for 100$+ backers for reaching the SM SG is 3 in-game items available from the start.
The new Stretch Goal revealed after Ubin is called Eternal Arena. It seems to be a mode in BS 3 for quick battles and handcrafter fights for potential high score tournaments. Nothing has yet been really said about it, maybe once we (if) reach it.
It is something many of us asked and Stoic seems to be really interested in this as well.
Tomorrow (in about 22 hours in fact) Jogn and Arnie will be on KS live to answer your question. You can already post those from the KS page
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Money from the 1st went into the later updates + ports + localisations + BS 2 and larger team.
Money from the 2nd wasn't a lot considering how little it sold, and went like the 1st did + BS 3.
BS3 is of course not going to cost only the money raised by the KS.
Actually the Stoic founders had already sunk a lot of their own "retirement" money when they made BS1.
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For those who have Twitch Premium (Amazon Prime also gives Premium it appears) Versus Evi (publisher)l and Twitch have a deal for Banner Saga.
If you have Premium you can download BS 1 until the 27th for free and if you play the game (even just a few minutes) Twitch will fund 1$ for development.
Same for BS 2 which will be free from March 2 to 6.
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Banner Saga 2 is currently free for Twitch Premium users until hte 6th.
If you download AND play it before the end of that offer, Twitch will fund BS 3 for each person playing.
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The Ubin Stretch Goal has been reached !
Now we will have Ubin back from his trip and playable as a hero character.
We are 60 hours away from the end of the kickstarter with 350 326$ in its wallet, 175% of its goal.
The following Stretch Goal is Eternal Arena, the multi-options skirmish mode in BS 3. Here's hoping that the last 2 days and half are very generous.
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The kickstarter is on hte last rush with 10 hours left.
We're only 10 669$ away from reaching the Eternal Arena SG.
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Banner Saga 3 has been successfully funded at slightly over 200% its goal with 416 986$ and 8086 backers.
The Playable Dredges, Survival Mode, Ubin and Eternal Arena stretch goals have been unlocked and the social achievements completed adding the Troll Ward item to the game.
Check out this hilarious song called Tryggvi's Treasure, made by a fan as part of the community achievement.
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Stoic, the team behind Banner Saga and Banner Saga 2 are launching their second Kickstarter for the last part of the Trilogy, Banner Saga 3.
(Yes they dropped the "The" from The Banner Saga).
The Banner Saga Kickstarter aksed for 100K$ and reached about 700K$ at the end. The result was a great TRPG with a great story, chess-inspired turn order, wrapped in a series of splendid landscapes surrounded by no lesser soundtrack.
Banner Saga 2 built upon the 1st and while continuing the saga, fixed many weak points and added new mechanics. The combat part in particular became even better. Stoic even added a Survival Mode where you fight 40 battles one after the other, each from a moment of the game itself with its own variations in spawns, with breaks to upgrade and hire new heroes from the full roster of the game. The turn order is per unit instead of per player.
Now the 3rd game is in production and Stoic wanting to make the best possible ending to the Trilogy decided to turn once more to Kickstarter to finish with the desired quality with a base budget of 200$K. In this Interview with John Watson (Stoic's Co-founder) you can read more about the decision to turn one more to Kickstarter and an honest retrospective on what they did and didn't do.
Take a look at Banner Saga 3 Kickstarter and spread the word if you like it.
Also some good news for the trilogy backers from the 1st Banner Saga KS (50$+). Stoic added a little something for you who would back them again
A bit of press stuff :
RPS : The Banner Saga 3 now fluttering on Kickstarter
PC Gamer : The Banner Saga 3 launches Kickstarter to help conclude trilogy
Gamespot : The Banner Saga 3 Confirmed With Kickstarter Campaign, Is The Last Game In The Trilogy
Eurogamer : The Banner Saga 3 Kickstarter campaign begins
If you want to know something, just ask, I might be able to answer.
UPDATES
Update 1 : Mid-Day Update
Update 2 : Who Are The Ravens?
Update 3 : First Friday of the Campaign!
Update 4 : Fully Funded! And 1st Stretch Goal!
Update 5 : Who Are The Dredge?
Update 6 : Two More Stretch Goals Revealed!
Update 7 : Who Are The Sundr?
Update 8 : First Stretch Goal Hit: Playable Dredge Unlocked!
Update 9 : What Is Survival Mode?
Update 10 : 5000 Backers and our AMA Recap!
Update 11 : Backer Achievements and more!
New articles :
The Banner Saga is an "impractical game" that "would not exist" without crowd-funding, says Stoic
Banner Saga 3 Kickstarter funded in less than a week, playable Dredge now a stretch goal
AMA on reddit :
We are Stoic - Indie Developers creating the Banner Saga Trilogy - AUA!
Stretch Goals :
SG 1 : Playable Dredges /REACHED
SG 2 : Survival Mode
SG 3 : Ubin joins the playable crew
Many Social goals to accomplish, refer to update #11.
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