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Deception or Belief: A Crowd Funded Paradox - MMORPG.com
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Deception or Belief: A Crowd Funded Paradox - MMORPG.com
While reflecting upon games we’ve lost it occurred to Tim Eisen that we’ve recently lost another member of the MMORPG family. The original idea behind a crowd funded MMORPG has died, and it means nothing.
Comments
actual developer quote regarding status of a KS pledge reward:
"That promise was made before we knew we were going to do monthly releases. Also just doesn't make sense and was likely made by someone no longer here."
She was wrong about other things though, people were willing to spend millions on kickstarter mmorpg and experienced developers have gone to kickstarter to make mmorpg.
I recall Jeromy Walsh announcing 6 months ago that CoE had already been "approached by several major backers". The ensuing silence has been deafening.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
You have to be careful but you needn't be 100% disavowed.
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
Dwight D Eisenhower
My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.
Henry Rollins
Perhaps the lesson there is that the indie projects with a limited scope can succeed, but those with a laundry list of features run into all kinds of difficulties.
It made for an enjoyable and thought-provoking read on what's been a hot-button topic here on the site lately.
Thanks Tim!
Ashes of Creation being a new kid on the block still, soon as they were done with Kickstarter they made new hires happen. I gotta admit, that was a pro move as I see it. And then I watch other titles that are still developing on crowdfunding dollars and they've stagnated completely... patch schedules are static, team size doesn't change, it's like there's no spark left in the project and they're still unable to say when they plan to see a commercial launch. SOON(tm)
Star Citizen, the king of SOON(tm), at least they put on a good show where dev is concerned.
I think I'm rambling now... anyway, I do wonder what a good team size is or if there's an average team size that can be assumed based on past crowdfunding dev team experiences.
KS success for MMOs is at best, proof of interest in a concept that will always require additional non-KS funding to develop. That seems like a misuse of KS for some reason (typically marketing or prototyping) other than its intended purpose.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
As someone who isn't much interested in throwing loads of money at a promise and a hype video, what do we do?
Obviously some of these projects seem to be more... How should we say it... Modest, about their promises. CU comes to mind (think the only thing that seems revolutionary are the spell interaction system and the number of folks the engine will supposedly handle).. Contrast that to CoE's 18 month timeline. Should we continue looking to fund those like Jacobs and Co, or have we already reached a point where the original status quo (publishers) was a more ideal situation than crowdfunding?
Is the first generation of KS MMORPGs also the death knell of the KS MMORPG? The money being raised doesn't seem to indicate so... But fatigue is already beginning to show among the base. Will that translate into waning funding? Like you, I have my doubts, and they do not stem from the opinion that these games are all going to come out and show us true quality. At best, I expect they will be roughly the same level quality as the releases we've already got. Revolutionary features will be pushed or shuttered, scopes will retract heavily as the developers struggle toward "release," whatever that means anymore. At worst, they fold without ever reaching MVP.
I almost feel bad after reading that article. I feel like we have beaten down @TimEisen and he's thrown in his Glass Half Full card and joined us. Part of me wishes he was still the hopeful voice shouting "Yeah.. BUT MAYBE!!" in the face of the dark thoughts.
I always kind of dreamed about someday having a point/counter-point column with him where he would speak hope while I spoke doom...
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
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Look at the recent MMO releases which are mostly eastern ones... It's all the same debilitating, repetitive mind-enslaving crap they serve over and over again. "4 more hours killing those creatures and you'll get a chest, a wonderful chest." There's little tactics and strategy, the gameplay could barely be qualified as multiplayer so let's forget about the benefits of socialization, we learn nothing, it's just about using effective techniques to get players hooked for a few more weeks until the next patch is ready to get released.
At least many of the indie studios are trying something different and it seems to me like they have more respect for the players' intelligence than the dozens of linear & grindy "MMO" games that get shipped every year just because this model has proven to be the most profitable to date.
The indie studios are insulting your intelligence by expecting you to fund pipe dream-level MMORPGs without a staff or realistic plan to do so. They're giving you false hope through the use of hype and highly unrealistic timelines, which they're all too happy to sell on until you attempt to point at the timeline and go "so what happened?" at which point they get to simply shrug and say "development, man, what can you do?"
You can stop using downright predatory tactics to convince folks to hand you money for ideas. That's what you can do, Mr. Developer.
Somehow, in the buzz of crowdfunding freedom, we've forgotten that the publishers served a very large, very important purpose: to filter out the harebrained schemes from the legitimate endeavors. We've proven thus far we're not at all very good at it ourselves.
I feel they simply realize there is zero risk ,so why not use someone else's money with no guarantees and nobody to answer to.
So it then becomes easy employment,be your own boss and have no pressure,make a great living from nothing but promises.
The assumptions are however correct,there is no way in hell a developer that put some serious effort into their game can know how much money they have or will have to work with and how long it will take not knowing how much money and how many they can afford to hire.
So it starts out as basically lies,manipulation,deception,promises that no way can be guaranteed and then spend some money on websites to help promote the promises.Those advertising websites then claim no sponsor and not paid but also know that by joining in the deception and fake promises they might weasel out some money from the developer.
Overall it is one big sell job without a product to sell,go figure how that ever made it this far.You know why it works in real life and anywhere not gaming,well because if you pre-order from Ikea and they cannot deliver a few weeks later,you'll get your money back,devs won't give you any money back.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
The other big reason is that they're building their own engine and assets.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED