Support NeoGAF

[Alex_Mexico]

Didn't see any of this on GAF or on the Bloodstained thread. New news warranted a new thread I think.

Credit to "Crocodile" and the people over at the Bloodstained fan forums for this scoop.

Bloodstained is going to be a huge game. As such, there have been questions as to how all the content will be released. Some indie games, such as Shovel Knight, have opted for a staggered content release - the main game launches first and then over the months new content follows (the Plague of Shadows DLC from late last year being a prime example). Azure Striker Gunvolt for Steam was similar in that Inticreates made 6 months of additional content for the game after the initial release. Another Inticreates project, Mighty No. 9, has opted to not release the game at all until ALL the planned content is ready to go. So which path is Bloodstained set to go?

"Mana" is Iga's community manager and she works directly with him in Japan's ArtPlay and she confirmed that the idea is to go the way of other indie titles where the main game and maybe some extra stuff will be delivered first and the rest of the features as free DLC down the line (at least for backers but not sure if for everyone too).

Of course this means the game can come out sooner than some of us expected. Maybe it also means it won't get delayed as much as many of us thought. Maybe it'll actually ship in 2017 after all.

 

[georly]

You scared me with the title. This is fine. I just want the game. This is how shovel knight is doing it and it's great for their customers. You get a full game and all bonus content for free as it is ready.

Edit: Thanks for the title change, originally it implied (to me anyway) that the game's content was going to be broken up, including main game - not the case. Bonus features will be released after launch as they're done.

 

[Gbraga]

I'm ok with this.

 

[mullet2000]

You scared me with the title. This is fine. I just want the game. This is how shovel knight is doing it and it's great for their customers. You get a full game and all bonus content for free as it is ready.

Same. I thought the title meant it was going to be episodic.

Phew.

 

[RowdyReverb]

I like this strategy better. Gives me a reason to return to the game later, and we'll get to play it sooner

 

[BadWolf]

As long as they don't delay the game a year because of online features nobody cares about then it's all good.

 

[Sinatar]

This is fine.

 

[Xamtheking]

How to do an episodic model well:
Volume 1: Release the full game
Volumes 2 and beyond: Various bits of DLC

 

[entremet]

Everyone is learning from MN9's sins lol.

 

[Mivey]

So basically they are not doing it in a completely idiotic way, unlike Inti Creats other KS project. Good to know.

 

[Razlo]

I'm fine with this if the disc release has all the content

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

So basically they are not doing it in a completely idiotic way, unlike Inti Creats other KS project. Good to know.

I mean, you can also do staggered content releases in a completely idiotic way as well (SFV)

 

[Dr.Acula]

If it's just stuff like boss rush and speed run mode being held off, that's fine, because I never play those modes anyway.

Witcher 3 is great, but I'm gonna have a hard time getting back into the game given all the time between Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. I went straight from the main game into Hearts of Stone (I backlogged TW3 for a couple of months) and it was great. This wait is killing me tho.

edit: what I mean is extra areas/inverted castle (single player portions) coming months later may kill my enthusiasm to pick up the game again.

 

[bobbychalkers]

I'm perfectly cool with this method for large scale indie titles. Shovel Knight gives me a reason to come back every so often whereas I start laughing everytime MN9 is mentioned.

 

[Eddyhdzg]

This is actually pretty nice, I just want the main game.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

I'm fine with this if the disc release has all the content

According to this no, the disc release won't have it all. That'll come later.

 

[Tohsaka]

Sounds good to me.

 

[Dark_3nergy]

As someone who has backed this title through their Kickstarter campaign, I am fine with this approach.

 

[Razlo]

According to this no, the disc release won't have it all. That'll come later.

Well that'll suck in 10 years or so when I go back to play this.

 

[BocoDragon]

Well that'll suck in 10 years or so when I go back to play this.

Why? You think you won't be able to download a patch in 10 years?

 

[AHA-Lambda]

Same. I thought the title meant it was going to be episodic.

Phew.

This.

This is ok, basically the main game will come out and stretch goals will be later a la shovel knight

 

[georly]

Well that'll suck in 10 years or so when I go back to play this.

They can also release a follow-up version that contains all of the content, especially if they want to resell it on future platforms.

 

[Instro]

Good move. Also allows for them to continue to drive interest and make minor news stories well after the initial release.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

Mighty No. 9 is going to be a huge influence on the industry, particularly the indie / KS scene. Just not in the ways that team hoped.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

Mighty No. 9 is going to be a huge influence on the industry, particularly the indie / KS scene. Just not in the ways that team hoped.

Everything you shouldn't do when Kickstarting a videogame: The Game

 

[KZXcellent]

I like this. A lot of the DLC/Stretch Goal stuff is nice but I just want the game. It'll also give me a reason to come back to it. Good stuff, IGA.

 

[Crayolan]

Every kickstarter dev trying their hardest to not be the next MN9. Good.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

By the way, this is exactly what Yacht Club Games have been doing with Shovel Knight. The majority of its stretch goals are post-release content. There's a reason people love that game so much. They've handled everything brilliantly.

Edit - SK gettin' its due with that thread title change

 

[Shahed]

So I guess I'll be waiting till it's all done before I play. Once I play a game I don't like waiting for more of it nor do I revisit games for DLC or more content. I move on.

 

[Memory]

Man that title made my heart stop lol. This is fine, it will also keep the game fresh aslong as content is released in a timely manor.

 

[Alfredo]

I hope whatever the equivalent of the inverted castle comes with the base game. I'd be kinda bummed if that was DLC, even if free.

 

[TheSlySoul]

I am fine with this as long as the content is spaced out well enough. Like a new pack per 2-3 months.
Normal Castle for Epsiode 1, Inverted for Episode 2.

 

[RoboPlato]

I'm definitely OK with this.

 

[Kyuur]

Came in expecting episodic horror. Maybe thread title can be changed to 'Bloodstained to stagger additional content releases'.

 

[Heero5]

Holy shit that title! Still eagerly waiting for this game.

 

[Persona7]

That is a good plan.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Mighty No. 9 is going to be a huge influence on the industry, particularly the indie / KS scene. Just not in the ways that team hoped.

It was almost worth it to kick in some money to it, just so other projects have this case study for what not to do.

 

[Astral Dog]

Yay
Just get the big castle, costumes, extra boss and boss rush its a go.

 

[DrunkShogun]

This seems to be the safe way. Less risk of keeping backers waiting for too long. We've seen how other games have suffered for trying to ship all in one go.

 

[entremet]

Why? You think you won't be able to download a patch in 10 years?

Yeah. Why do people think digital means no future access?

 

[Frozenprince]

Everyone is learning from MN9's sins lol.

Good. They should function as a cautionary tale for all time and the ultimate "This is how NOT to do this" example.

 

[Aaronrules380]

Releasing the main game first and adding stretch goals for free later is pretty much the ideal way to handle this, unless you finish the main game early (unlikely) and then add some of the stuff in the leftover time

 

[lord_of_flood]

The title scared me, but the actual happenings are good. Seems Iga learned from Inafune's mistakes (or probably knew to not make them in the first place). Interested in seeing how it turns out. Been waiting for a proper follow-up to Iga's Castlevania games for a long, long time.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

Excellent. Go Iga!

 

[Koren]

According to this no, the disc release won't have it all. That'll come later.

That part really bothers me. A LOT.

I hope they'll ship a "definitive version" later (even in a pouch) with everything included, or offer people to wait for it.


One of the strict rule I keep for Kickstarter is physical or nothing. I don't think they should assume that backers that asked for a physical media have access to internet (out of principle at least)

 

[Aaronrules380]

Was the thread title changed, or do people just not know how Shovel Knight is handling the extra campaigns and features? Because I thought the thread title was pretty clear on what is actually going on

 

[Alex_Mexico]

That part really bothers me. A LOT.

I hope they'll ship a "definitive version" later (even in a pouch) with everything included, or offer people to wait for it.


One of the strict rule I keep for Kickstarter is physical or nothing. I don't think they should assume that backers that asked for a physical media have access to internet (out of principle at least)

So these mythical internet-less backers donated their money to Kickstarter through telegraph, I assume?

 

[Thud]

That's a good approach. Keeps the game fresh with each new update.

It also prevents stuff like x mode is not done so delay.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

Was the thread title changed, or do people just not know how Shovel Knight is handling the extra campaigns and features? Because I thought the thread title was pretty clear on what is actually going on

Yes. A mod changed it to add that SK bit.

 

[Kyuur]

Was the thread title changed, or do people just not know how Shovel Knight is handling the extra campaigns and features? Because I thought the thread title was pretty clear on what is actually going on

It was just changed, formerly 'Bloodstained to stagger content releases' or something like that.