[Heart Attack]

Best of luck to Ryan Payton, but honestly i've lost interest in this project due to the fact that it's being shoved down my throat to donate at almost every corner.

[sprsk]

If it were an actual bet, someone could take you on that bet, spend $200k to help it get from $300k to $500k, and still will get your $500k and make $300k profit.

Lol

Somebody make this happen.

[Pachterballs]

Pretty sure Bringer of Bacon, doesnt bring home enough to pay that bet.

[gogojira]

Best of luck to Ryan Payton, but honestly i've lost interest in this project due to the fact that it's being shoved down my throat to donate at almost every corner.

I'm starting to feel that way, too. I guess I should be more understanding and it is on me for following Billy Berghammer on Twitter, but that's because I'm typically interested in what he has to say. This final Republique push has him tweeting about it like I mad man so I had to unfollow him.

[Dacvak]

I hope this Kickstarter fails so it'll be a shining example of what not to do when trying to fund your iOS title.

Ok, hoping it fails is a little rough... I just don't want other developers to look at Republique and think they could replicate it with any degree of success. This Kickstarter has been clown shoes since a week after it went up.

[Goldmund]

Best of luck to Ryan Payton, but honestly i've lost interest in this project due to the fact that it's being shoved down my throat to donate at almost every corner.

The Kickstarter might have been a Trojan horse of a business transparency group, showing how interdependent or rather: homogeneous press and gaming PR have become. Well played, Ryan! Lalilulelo.

[Interfectum]

The Kickstarter might have been a Trojan horse of a business transparency group, showing how interdependent or rather: homogeneous press and gaming PR have become. Well played, Ryan! Lalilulelo.

Nailed it.

[Pachterballs]

lol

[hwalker84]

That last video looked amazing.

[bishoptl]

The Kickstarter might have been a Trojan horse of a business transparency group, showing how interdependent or rather: homogeneous press and gaming PR have become. Well played, Ryan! Lalilulelo.

...damn.

[rabhw]

I just pity-donated. Still pretty sure it's not gonna make it though.

[NervousXtian]

Damn Goldmund, I said damn..

Though to be honest the amount of shills for this thing is kind of crazy. #keephopealive? Come on man, game should fund itself without all this BS. Also, they lost my respect when they announced PC version. You want to talk AAA iOS game, and how you plan this for iOS.. then cave really quickly because the money isn't flowing? So you designed this for iOS, dreamt it for iOS.. but... you know fuck it.. make PC guys happy?

..and people worried about venture capitalists or a publisher twisting the IP.. it took like a week for the public to change it even more, even before being funded.

[Jimmy Stav]

The Kickstarter might have been a Trojan horse of a business transparency group, showing how interdependent or rather: homogeneous press and gaming PR have become. Well played, Ryan! Lalilulelo.

:O

[cabot]

This Kickstarter has been clown shoes since a week after it went up.

Why?

[mclem]

So you designed this for iOS, dreamt it for iOS.. but... you know fuck it.. make PC guys happy?

"Make PC guys happy"? No. "Make the people who are willing to stump up money to have it made happy?" Yes.

It just so happens that a significant proportion of "the people who are willing to stump up money to have it made" happen to be "PC guys". Had they been "iOS guys", there would have been no switch - but for whatever reason, "iOS guys" didn't seem to step up to the plate when they were needed.

it took like a week for the public to change it even more, even before being funded.

It's a product for 'the public'.

[Akia]

Fantastic new intro video

http://vimeo.com/41800702

KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!!
*crickets*
Where's the solidarity in this team?

[ctrayne]

.

[The_Darkest_Red]

I wonder if this game will still get a PC version if the kickstarter fails?

[pakkit]

We have seen 20 seconds of gameplay and a shit ton of promises.

That's way more than most of the other Kickstarters. It's a pitch, if you like it, you pledge.

[sykoex]

I wonder if this game will still get a PC version if the kickstarter fails?

I can see it happening. I went and looked at the video where they announce the PC/Mac version and Ryan points out that the game is using the Unity engine and that it is in fact already running on PC as they develop it, so it doesn't seem like it'd be that much of a technical hassle to make a PC centric version. It sounds like most of the work lies on the creative and production end, finding ways to change all the iOS specific stuff so it makes sense on PC. That's still probably a good amount of work but at least it's not like they're rebuilding the code from the ground up to work on PC.

[Retro_]

The Kickstarter might have been a Trojan horse of a business transparency group, showing how interdependent or rather: homogeneous press and gaming PR have become. Well played, Ryan! Lalilulelo.

rofl

[LiK]

The Kickstarter might have been a Trojan horse of a business transparency group, showing how interdependent or rather: homogeneous press and gaming PR have become. Well played, Ryan! Lalilulelo.

you win

[Curufinwe]

Even though I'm not interested in iOS gaming I feel a bit sad because Payton has always come across as a really interesting, bright guy when I've heard him on podcasts, but Republique reminds me of the dead horse in the Thom Yorke song Black Swan.

[fatty]

I don't get all the 'hate' surrounding this project. I have no interest in iOS gaming (only Apple product I have is my old Nano), but to see the grudge some people hold in this thread makes no sense to me.

People don't like that they announced PC/Mac midway through? So what, it's their prerogative. They were trying to drum up more support, and to an extent it worked. Why fault them for that? In the end it was providing a new platform for more players, which I think is a good thing. How people can criticize that is beyond me.

Some feel that it is being pushed down their throats? I visit Gaf pretty much every day and the only exposure I've had is this thread, the one about the TouchArcade guy and a couple of mentions on the Weekend Confirmed podcast. Then again I don't bother reading other articles about the game or following people related to the project on Twitter. Like barista tip jars, the Statue of liberty guy during tax season, and other things I don't care for, I just ignore them.

I haven't given one penny yet to a Kickstarter project, nothing has moved me to do so. But if someone manages to gain enough financial support to get the Kickstarter project going, more power to them.

[Deadly Cyclone]

I don't get all the 'hate' surrounding this project. I have no interest in iOS gaming (only Apple product I have is my old Nano), but to see the grudge some people hold in this thread makes no sense to me. People don't like that they announced PC/Mac midway through? So what, it's their prerogative. They were trying to drum up more support, and to an extent it worked. Why fault them for that? In the end it was providing a new platform for more players, which I think is a good thing. How people can criticize that is beyond me. Some feel that it is being pushed down their throats? I visit Gaf pretty much every day and the only exposure I've had is this thread, the one about the TouchArcade guy and a couple of mentions on the Weekend Confirmed podcast. Then again I don't bother reading other articles about the game or following people related to the project on Twitter. Like barista tip jars, the Statue of liberty guy during tax season, and other things I don't care for, I just ignore them. I haven't given one penny yet to a Kickstarter project, nothing has moved me to do so. But if someone manages to gain enough financial support to get the Kickstarter project going, more power to them.

Pretty much agree with you here. All the donators on Kickstarter are getting the game, and overall we are getting an awesome looking stealth game for iOS (or PC/Mac). That's all that really matters.

I just want to play the damn thing.

[C-Jo]

It's not looking good at this point, but I've put my $60 in. Hope it makes it.

[NervousXtian]

Still is an AAA iOS game. Always was. Not a damn thing changed. They just added a PC version.

Read the Kickstarter, everything was about the dream of a AAA iOS game. As soon as they saw people bitching and the funds not coming in they said alright.. we'll do a PC/MAC build.

The entire idea was an iOS game, not PC. I get people want it on PC, but that's clearly not what they ever intended to do. They switched that up so quickly, yet people bitch about going the standard route would lose IP control and have to answer to the investors. They did that in a heartbeat already with the KS.

I would have liked them to stick to their guns, their vision, and make the game they wanted to make.

What sacrifices will be made to build the PC/MAC version along with the iOS, with the same budget. It wasn't like.. if we get 600k we'll do a PC version, no it was well fund us and we'll do both.

Doesn't make me respect your vision all that much when you are willing to just arbitrarily make that change so quickly.

Maybe the world isn't ready for AAA iOS games, or maybe people just aren't down for "this" AAA iOS game. Not sure which, but I actually think it's a bit of both.

Anyhow, game is still going to get made it seems KS or not, so the truth will be when the product ships and people play it on it's own merits, not it's promises.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Seems to be picking up a bit of steam. I was wrong about Starlight Inception, so maybe this might have a photo finish as well. $180k left to go in 51 hours.

[FieryBalrog]

I honestly hope this doesn't make it, because it'll teach kickstarters to get their shit together BEFORE they start stumping for money. They've pulled about 4 different tricks after the thing started when it became increasingly clear they were in trouble, which smacks of desperation and poor planning.

Getting Hayle and Hayter on board 2/3rds of the way through the thing? How dumb is that? Why not get two very well known voice actors on board your project, then start a full 30 day kickstarter?

[FoneBone]

I think the negativity has come from Peyton et al abandoning a coherent strategy after their original campaign flagged, and then throwing shit at the wall to see what stuck.

(I still haven't seen a clear explanation for why the PC version costs more - other than a vague "additional features" -- or a clear explanation as to how both versions are going to be funded without increasing the goal, and without sacrificing any further creative control or IP ownership.)

[cabot]

Just pledged. Hope this thing can reach its goal!

Still unsure of why the user I quoted a handful of posts above this is calling the kickstarter "clown shoes".

[Bojanglez]

l really like the concept of the game but it seems to have been diluted by making it available on PC and Mac as I thought the idea was that you were meant to be using a phone to communicate with the girl, it seems like a bit of a desperate move. Also as someone who uses Android, Linux and consoles can't play it.

Best of luck with it though, it does seem interesting.

[Double D]

If they keep at the pace it's been for the last few hours, this might just get funded.

[flyover]

I think the negativity has come from Peyton et al abandoning a coherent strategy after their original campaign flagged, and then throwing shit at the wall to see what stuck.

Yeah. And it's fair to wonder if making a PC version will affect the experience (and/or development) of the iOS version -- especially if you contributed when it was just the latter.

I don't have a problem with them making a PC version. But if that's what they're going to do, they should have to start the Kickstarter over again. Otherwise, it's a bait and switch on those who contributed first. (And many of those contributors may not even be aware that the switch took place, if they haven't been paying attention.)

[kruis]

I think the negativity has come from Peyton et al abandoning a coherent strategy after their original campaign flagged, and then throwing shit at the wall to see what stuck. (I still haven't seen a clear explanation for why the PC version costs more - other than a vague "additional features" -- or a clear explanation as to how both versions are going to be funded without increasing the goal, and without sacrificing any further creative control or IP ownership.)

The PC version will be released later than the iOS version, so the idea is obviously that revenues from additional iOS sales will hopefully fund the development of the PC version.

If they keep at the pace it's been for the last few hours, this might just get funded.

Kicktraq is less positive about the outcome: the trend is 70% funded. (But I hope the trend is wrong)

[Ignis Fatuus]

Kicktraq is less positive about the outcome: the trend is 70% funded. (But I hope the trend is wrong)

Kicktraq just averages the pledges and extrapolates from that, we're in the ending spike phase. It's completely unreliable at this point. I would normally think that the gap is too big to overcome, but as I mentioned before Starlight Inception blew my mind with its last day.



Republique right now:



And here's their experimental algorithm:

[MrCunningham]

I honestly hope this doesn't make it, because it'll teach kickstarters to get their shit together BEFORE they start stumping for money. They've pulled about 4 different tricks after the thing started when it became increasingly clear they were in trouble, which smacks of desperation and poor planning. Getting Hayle and Hayter on board 2/3rds of the way through the thing? How dumb is that? Why not get two very well known voice actors on board your project, then start a full 30 day kickstarter?

I think it's a bit harsh to wish for failure just because Ryan Payton made a few miscalculations. Really, there's a whole group of people here who left their cushy jobs at bigger development houses just so they could back this project.

I do think this Kickstarter project should serve as a cautionary warning about how to handle a crowd-sourced funded game, but I don't wish to see this group fail based on those principals alone.

Ryan Payton did make a bad choice thinking that he could get $500k for an iOS exclusive game. Funding started out well, but after the 3rd day it fell off the map due to lack of exposure to the right demographics (Touch Arcade refused to do a story on this game). The funding dwindled for almost 10 days straight without Payton doing anything to rectify the issue, that was poor management on his part. The Mac and PC versions were just a last resort to get people interested in funding this thing at all. Take a look at the Kicktraq statistics:



Funding didn't pick up again until after the Mac/ PC announcement (at the $12,049 mark was where the announcement happened).

Voice actors like Hayter and Hale were probably unexpected additions, I'm sure they didn't plan for them to hop on board from the start. This is no different than say, Chris Avellone joining the Wasteland 2 team half way through funding.

Though when Chris Avellone joined the Wasteland 2 team, Brian Fargo used that as an opportunity to help push funding past 2.1 million. Smart move on his part. here's it is a desperate cry to get the game funded at all.

But anyway, unexpected things like these just happen sometimes.

[AgentCooper]

Voice actors like Hayter and Hale were probably unexpected additions, I'm sure they didn't plan for them to hop on board from the start. This is no different than say, Chris Avellone joining the Wasteland 2 team half way through funding. .

As I said in a different post - the vids we ran alongside the announcement were shot 2 weeks prior. So...

[HadesGigas]

As I said in a different post - the vids we ran alongside the announcement were shot 2 weeks prior. So...

Maybe in retrospect should have announced that shit way sooner then?

[MrCunningham]

As I said in a different post - the vids we ran alongside the announcement were shot 2 weeks prior. So...

Wait what... really?

If that was the case, why announce it sooner. Honestly, Hater/ Hale + PC/ Mac announcement at the same time would've really helped the situation.

But it does go back to what I said before.... this was a poorly managed KS project but one I don't wish to see fail.

[MrCunningham]

Also, stealth bump...

But this project needs $166,439 in 48 hours for it to succeed.

[jrDev]

Payton seems like such a cool guy in the videos. Hope they make it in the final stretch just like last night for starlight inception.

[Rez]

The Twitter bombing thes guys are doing at the moment is beyond frustrating. I unfollowed some people. Everyone who's following you who wants to donate surely already has.

[mclem]

Also, stealth bump... But this project needs $166,439 in 48 hours for it to succeed.

I *think* Starlight: Inception made about $50k in the last 24 hours.

[NervousXtian]

The Twitter bombing thes guys are doing at the moment is beyond frustrating. I unfollowed some people. Everyone who's following you who wants to donate surely already has.

Don't read the comment section on the KS then.. people actively trying to get the shilling in full force.

This might have a shot though, but a long shot. It's really been a case study on how "not to" run a large scale Video Game Kickstarter though.

[bonesmccoy]

$160k in a day and 2/3's is possible!

[Ignis Fatuus]

It's officially the biggest day in pledges besides the Hayter boost.

[mclem]

The remake of Portal (as in an adventure from the eighties) kickstarter shut down earlier today, so I was a little surprised to see an update from them - but their update was pushing Republique, too.

Given how Portal did, if everyone who donated money to Portal shifted it to Republique... it'd make very little difference.

[Dreams-Visions]

It's officially the biggest day in pledges besides the Hayter boost.

yea, but $155k = can't see it happening.

[Zeouterlimits]

The Reddit thread they have going.