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Shadow of the Eternals Kickstarter Relaunched

D-e-f-

Banned
Hayter's career as a Kickstarter desperation tier is a notable step down from his previous standing in the industry.

Asking for half, this time pledging a full game. I am perhaps more than a little skeptical of how that mathmagic plays out in reality.

Again, read how it says they have received external funding. They hinted at "cool things having happened" for one of the reasons why they relaunched this thing. Having gotten a dose of extra cash and thus needing to ask for less money would fit right into that, wouldn't it?

But I guess the conspiracy theory is more exciting.
 

Pie and Beans

Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Again, read how it says they have received external funding. They hinted at "cool things having happened" for one of the reasons why they relaunched this thing. Having gotten a dose of extra cash and thus needing to ask for less money would fit right into that, wouldn't it?

But I guess the conspiracy theory is more exciting.

Cool your persecution jets, I edited. Still funny that someone would throw them money but still under the proviso "you're gonna have to beg on the internet for the rest because we aint that stupid".
 

Ramsiege

Member
Pledged $20. Loved the original game and if this one is even half as good as the first one, then it's $20 well spent.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Backed at $20. Why is there no difference in the rewards between $20 and $25?

My hopes are somewhat slim but I hope it works this time. Maybe having David Hayter will garner some interest...

Eternal Darkness had combat as well.
Yeah, what the hell?
 

D-e-f-

Banned
Cool your persecution jets, I edited. Still funny that someone would throw them money but still under the proviso "you're gonna have to beg on the internet for the rest because we aint that stupid".

Or "we can't fund all of it because we don't have THAT much money to throw around."

You have a very cynical way of looking at things.
 

Dipswitch

Member
The pitch has certainly improved this time, so I'm definitely more inclined to back it now. Of course their legendary inability to get games out on time is still a major source of concern.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
People calling this a rip-off or still harping on about Dyack are being irrational or just showing bad faith, to be honest. They aren't gonna run off with the money, they clearly want the game to happen.

$20 is an early bird type special.
Yeah, so I see now. Kinda weird to me (maybe it's a common Kickstarter feature though, I wouldn't know), but ok.
 

D-e-f-

Banned
The pitch has certainly improved this time, so I'm definitely more inclined to back it now. Of course their legendary inability to get games out on time is still a major source of concern.

Silicon Knights != Precursor Games

Just some of the people worked there doesn't suddenly mean they are the exact same studio with the exact same management style.

Yeah, so I see now. Kinda weird to me (maybe it's a common Kickstarter feature though, I wouldn't know), but ok.

Yes that is a common thing on Kickstarter.
 

Gestault

Member
Worth re-posting:

"The fundraiser failed because of the history of behavior by the people behind it. They created a "new" company as the basis of this project, despite keeping the same management, because they destroyed their last business attempting to steal a game engine while trying to sue the company they stole it from. Their last two projects were universally panned, amidst not-especially-far-fetched accusations of wrongdoing behind the scenes.

Their character and their talent for creating games have been brought into question, and the fact that they claim being unable to fund this work through traditional channels, despite decades of experience in the industry and a "sure thing" regarding the project, should be a sign in itself.

I want this game to come out, but the barriers to it were erected by the personalities behind it. This isn't a creative project being "suppressed" because people don't like the people. It's people expecting money so they can profit from a venture with no risk to themselves, when they should be as well suited to arranging the funding as almost anyone else in the industry."
 

Imbarkus

As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Sweet. Nice redesign of the offerings. I'm backing again!
 

Gestault

Member
Can you elaborate? I'm failing to understand how exactly they are crooks? Maybe they robbed a bank to get the extra funding for the project?

As established in the courts in tort litigation, they stole a game engine while suing the company which created it for not supporting their development using that engine. Then, as a result of that court order to repay damages for that misdeed, they "closed" their previous company, while retaining all upper level staff and management, and created a "new" company under a different name to do the exact same work and production.

"Crooks" is the correct word.
 

Dipswitch

Member
Silicon Knights != Precursor Games

Just some of the people worked there doesn't suddenly mean they are the exact same studio with the exact same management style.

No it doesn't. Nor does them forming into a new group mean that they're magically more efficient this time around. That concern won't prevent me from backing the project. But it definitely makes me wary of giving them more money than I'd be comfortable losing if the project doesn't pan out.

With that in mind, I'm in for $20.
 

Ridley327

Member
Please someone elaborate on ED's combat, was it good? That may help with my decision for backing it.

Not particularly, no. The game's combat was based on removing parts of an enemy's body, so they went with a lock-on system that allowed you to target arms, heads, and bodies, so there was a lot of awkwardness trying to line up what you wanted to hit, since you were often fighting more than one enemy at a time. The magic spells you had on tap could help out, but it doesn't change that the underlying fundamentals weren't very good.

I don't think that should have a bearing on this game, though; I seriously doubt that they're keeping the combat as-is, especially after more than a decade.
 

Draft

Member
In for $20.

Also:

Their character and their talent for creating games have been brought into question, and the fact that they claim being unable to fund this work through traditional channels, despite decades of experience in the industry and a "sure thing" regarding the project, should be a sign in itself.
Denis Dyack is a charlatan, but this comment is unfair. Wasteland 2, Torment, All of the Double Fine stuff, and the list goes on and on. Software made by industry veterans, some of them industry legends, that couldn't be funded through traditional channels. There's nothing inherently shady about people that have been in the business for decades going to Kickstarter instead of Activision.
 
I don't like how Precursor has built it's team. Precursor has a bunch of idea people, creative types, and community managers, but only 1 software developer and 1 artist. It takes an army of artists and a crack team of programmers to make the type of game their proposing and they don't have that.

2 corporate guys
3 community managers
1 audio guy
1 art guy
1 programmer
1 Dennis Dyack

They're going to have to outsource a ton of work because hiring a full team of artists and programmers costs a ton of $$$.
 

Marcel

Member
As established in the courts in tort litigation, they stole a game engine while suing the company which created it for not supporting their development using that engine. Then, as a result of that court order to repay damages for that misdeed, they "closed" their previous company, while retaining all upper level staff and management, and created a "new" company under a different name to do the exact same work and production.

"Crooks" is the correct word.

Don't fucking give these people money.

Everything you need to know.
 

Persona7

Banned
Not until it's funded and over, I believe.

No, it doesn't. You'll get charged if it meets the goal.


Yes, of course they don't charge right away. They charge you after the kickstarter has closed and only if the goal has been met.
Thanks, guys. I went back and looked at the previous things I pledged and I see the end dates matching up to when my card was charged. I was confused once but it was just a hold.


I don't like how Precursor has built it's team. Precursor has a bunch of idea people, creative types, and community managers, but only 1 software developer and 1 artist. It takes an army of artists and a crack team of programmers to make the type of game their proposing and they don't have that.

2 corporate guys
3 community managers
1 audio guy
1 art guy
1 programmer
1 Dennis Dyack

They're going to have to outsource a ton of work because hiring a full team of artists and programmers costs a ton of $$$.

I don't know the situation now but they planned to hire more people when they got enough funding. Apparently they also have some "exciting developments" to reveal.
 

Effect

Member
I don't like how Precursor has built it's team. Precursor has a bunch of idea people, creative types, and community managers, but only 1 software developer and 1 artist. It takes an army of artists and a crack team of programmers to make the type of game their proposing and they don't have that.

2 corporate guys
3 community managers
1 audio guy
1 art guy
1 programmer
1 Dennis Dyack

They're going to have to outsource a ton of work because hiring a full team of artists and programmers costs a ton of $$$.

Is that still the case even now though? Do we know if they've hired more staff?

Offering a full game is a LOT better then the episodic nonsense they were trying.

Dyack's name isn't anywhere on the kickstarter page but he's in the video at the top of the page.
 
It should be noted both the ceo and coo were developers and not part of executive leadership at silicon knights.

Actually, Dyack as Chief Creative Officer is the only executive from Silicon Knights.
 

FacelessSamurai

..but cry so much I wish I had some
20$ pledged. For a 8 to 10 hours game I think it's worth it. It's also only 20$ to see if Dennis Dyack will actually deliver or not. I am willing to take the chance!
 

OmegaX

Member
I didn't back it last time but since they scrapped the episodic thing and they are giving away Wii U eShop codes when the game is done, I'm in for $20.
I hope Dyack stays on the shadows though. If he starts giving interviews about this project I might cancel my pledge.
 

Imbarkus

As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
I thought it was very innovative back in the day.
You could aim at different body parts and cut them off.

Yeah I liked how EA tried to claim they invented "strategic dismemberment" when Dead Space came out. Eternal Darkness combined a third-person camera with analog stick controls and the lock-on targetting that could then be directed at body parts for different effects, depending on the body part and the type of creature.

Welp looks like the hard-cover book is just tantalizing enough for me to go for it. Gonna be a lean September!
 

Jobbs

Banned
This is just one of those things, man. I don't think the game necessarily looks bad, it might be good -- I can't tell. I just don't like Dyack though, and I won't support this because I don't like him. That's kinda just how it is.
 

BOTEC

Member
I passed on this the first time, but I liked what Dyack said about this game during his Giant Bomb interview. I'm in for $20.
 

Socky

Member
I backed this at the Early Bird level. It's no more of a risk to my mind than any of the other Kickstarter's I've backed, and the game looks good. That's all I need. I hope it turns out well.
 

Oddduck

Member
So they got rid of chapters, brought David Hayter onto the staff, and the kickstarter goal is lower. Some good changes.

Although 750,000 is still high for any kickstarter.
 
So they got rid of chapters, brought David Hayter onto the staff, and the kickstarter goal is lower. Some good changes.

Although 750,000 is still high for any kickstarter.

Given the reward tiers, staff, and development, $750k actually seems a bit unrealistic to me.
 

Ridley327

Member
So they scaled the game way back to a 8-10 hour experience instead of it being episodic?

The story is likely still episodic in nature, since that format already worked for ED. I think that the benefit of it being a single, all-encompassing release versus an full-on episodic release is that you won't have to worry about the story going unfinished.
 
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