More_Badass
Member
Smart and admirable. Will definitely be looking forward to their next campaign
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BLACKROOM announced (new game by John Romero, Kickstarter)
- Thread starter Nibel
- Start date
PseudoViper
Member
Looks like it was canceled about 30 minutes ago 
DirtyLarry
Member
So I backed it myself, that is how I got the message I shared on the last page, but I do get why everyone else was hesitant to do so.
For myself, $29 was not a heck of a lot to take a chance on an old school industry vet who I was well aware has not done much to make me take that chance on them. I am just a sucker for a good comeback story and I also do know what it is like to be a creative type (granted not a game developer) and to lose one's way for years. I am sure Romero's worst enemy has always been himself as once others doubt you doubting yourself becomes your own personal demon, even if there was justification for the doubt, it is a hell of a thing to shake once it is there.
With the above said I do realize most people do not view things like I do, that it is very much a what can you do for me know mentality not a what have you done for me, so yeah, I do hope for their sake this means the next iteration is successful. The upcoming demo will be the true determining factor.
For myself, $29 was not a heck of a lot to take a chance on an old school industry vet who I was well aware has not done much to make me take that chance on them. I am just a sucker for a good comeback story and I also do know what it is like to be a creative type (granted not a game developer) and to lose one's way for years. I am sure Romero's worst enemy has always been himself as once others doubt you doubting yourself becomes your own personal demon, even if there was justification for the doubt, it is a hell of a thing to shake once it is there.
With the above said I do realize most people do not view things like I do, that it is very much a what can you do for me know mentality not a what have you done for me, so yeah, I do hope for their sake this means the next iteration is successful. The upcoming demo will be the true determining factor.
SmiteOfHand
Member
Yeah, this was the right move. Show not tell has never gone out of style. Good on them for listening to feedback.
As someone who is very against Kickstarter projects with nothing to show, this was a smart move by the team, and they've earned a bit of my respect for jumping on that so quickly (unlike say, Red Ash).
I'm sincerely hopeful they put a solid effort into the demo, and if so, that it pays them back with a more successful campaign.
I'm sincerely hopeful they put a solid effort into the demo, and if so, that it pays them back with a more successful campaign.
petethepanda
Member
Absolutely the right call in this case.
More_Badass
Member
Cancelling then coming back with a better prepared campaign and a game that's further along in development? Oh yeah, many times
This project definitely needed more thought and work put into it before presenting it. Many have pointed out the game was too ambitious, and in 2016 John Videogame's name is not enough to sell anything.
I'm glad the team was wise enough to not cancel the project altogether. If the next presentation shows the game is maturing well then I'll think about backing it.
I'm glad the team was wise enough to not cancel the project altogether. If the next presentation shows the game is maturing well then I'll think about backing it.
RowdyReverb
Member
This was exactly my issue with the Kickstarter. I'm reluctant to put money down on a project that has nothing but concepts. Show me at least a working prototype.
Also, they should reconsider a PC-only release with that high of a funding goal.
$700,000 (600K after Kickstarter's cut and fulfilling rewards) is a very, very, very low budget for a FPS game with a single player campaign, let alone for one as ambitious as BlackRoom. With that you can't fund a experienced team working full-time, rent and expenses for a year (among others), so with that amount a port is out of the question.
Of course, since the funding goal is not enough to make the game them I'm certain that if the Kickstarter is successful then there will be external investors involved. That is the point of a "kick start" after all. With that said, funding-wise a port depends on how much they put.
However there's a technical reason why this game has to be for PC only. That is that making FPS games be multi-platform compatible is the main reason why no one releases fast-paced FPS games anymore, as gamepads just don't allow that. For example, when Doom 3 and Doom 4 were announced to have consoles releases I immediately knew they were going to be really slow and the gameplay to be horror-like instead of with multiple enemies, changing the subgenre of Romero's Doom 1 and Doom 2.
Very smart move to cancel this dud of a campaign.
This was my problem from the very beginning of the thread. It turns out it was buried in the video that the only purpose of the Kickstarter campaign was to convince some unknown external investor to kick in the necessary budget.
This pitch is a game that could easily cost $10 million. Primarily because of its "10 hour single player campaign"
This was my problem from the very beginning of the thread. It turns out it was buried in the video that the only purpose of the Kickstarter campaign was to convince some unknown external investor to kick in the necessary budget.
This pitch is a game that could easily cost $10 million. Primarily because of its "10 hour single player campaign"
I don't have a problem with that. Anyone that has started a company, a project or anything besides being a 9 to 5 employee knows that there never, ever is a single funding source.
Several popular Kickstarter projects went for the same "kick start" route and the masses still funded them. For example the Oculus Rift and Shenmue 3 were very much successful, and people continue to praise John Carmack and Yu Suzuki after they went for Facebook financing and Sony publishing, respectively. Guess Kickstarter backers don't have a problem with that because "kick start" is on the name of the website.
People didn't back off because of that. They did (and me too) because there was no BlackRoom game footage. No one knows if Romero still can make FPS games, and I don't know if the game will actually interest me.
The wording on your post is not neutral though. On the stream Romero made very clear that the campaign is not to "only convince some unknown external investor". Here there are two goals to be achieved at the same time:
a) Have funds to make the game (at least at the beginning); and
b) With the campaign goal achieved the investors he already has lined in will chip in. Meeting the campaign goal is a requirement, or condition to be met prior to the disbursement, alike any other regular project. If Romero doesn't fulfill the requirement then they won't finance the project.
What he and I described is not the same of what you wrote, because there is no convincing somebody and he already knows the investors.
GoldandBlue
Member
Really smart move on their part. Good thing they're not taking the Red Ash route of slapping a demo together during the Kickstarter.
Looks like rich fodder to be mined for future Jimquisitions.
NoFaceNico
Member
Couldn't have said it better myself.
I hope they impress us, it's not too late for that. If they come back with some amazing progress to show that could make a backer out of me.
Romero thinks the demo and KS relaunch is around 1-2 months away. It won't be a full level, rather a vertical slice to demonstrate the kind of gameplay they're aiming for.
MrCunningham
Member
Well I guess they made the right move. Shame they jumped on this too early though. Really bad planning.
SinCityAssassin
Member
Well good on him. I guess John Romero made me his fan.
And that the bitch was the friends we made along the way.
And that the bitch was the friends we made along the way.
Dictator93
Member
Goood!
One Foul Note
Member
This is probably the right choice, although Blackroom isn't out of the woods yet. I feel like this gameplay demo has to be really really special to drive up support because after this KS failed the next one is going to be put under a much greater level of scrutiny then it would normally and any imperfections is gonna be pointed out immediately.
It would also help if the main character wasn't the mayor of boringtown, but good gameplay can at least make that tolerable.
It would also help if the main character wasn't the mayor of boringtown, but good gameplay can at least make that tolerable.
soxinthebox
Member
Yeah the setting they were pitching looked zzz
Postponing to a future date is the best move they could make. Better to do it now than slog through another week of bad press putting your name next to the word "failing".
I wonder if "the team is at work on a demo" means there is a team, or if they're frantically interviewing.
That would have been perfect. It would reintroduce Romero to the gaming world, show that he can still make great levels, and demonstrate that he can consistently deliver on his promises.
Meanwhile, he's building a community of fans and supporters, who can be the core of any future fundraising. Plus, he could actually talk to them, and find out important feedback like "don't launch your crowdfunding campaign without any content".
Run that for a year while you're building your prototype, THEN launch your Kickstarter.
I wonder if "the team is at work on a demo" means there is a team, or if they're frantically interviewing.
That would have been perfect. It would reintroduce Romero to the gaming world, show that he can still make great levels, and demonstrate that he can consistently deliver on his promises.
Meanwhile, he's building a community of fans and supporters, who can be the core of any future fundraising. Plus, he could actually talk to them, and find out important feedback like "don't launch your crowdfunding campaign without any content".
Run that for a year while you're building your prototype, THEN launch your Kickstarter.
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