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*Casts REVIVE on 2015* - 5 Big Kickstarter MMOs to Keep an Eye On - The List - MMORPG.com

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
edited February 2018 in News & Features Discussion

image*Casts REVIVE on 2015* - 5 Big Kickstarter MMOs to Keep an Eye On - The List - MMORPG.com

We're bringing this List column back from the dead by casting revive. Way back in March 2015, we took a look at the five biggest Kickstarter MMO projects out there. Looking back, we wonder how much has changed in nearly three years for Legends of Aria, Camelot Unchained, Pathfinder Online, Star Citizen and Crowfall.

Read the full story here



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Comments

  • WellspringWellspring Member EpicPosts: 1,464
    "77,650 succeeded"

    What is their definition of "succeeded"?

    Did the campaign simply reach their KS funding goal or was the product actually finished and sent to the backers?
    --------------------------------------------
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,779
    Wistfully remembers the days when Kickstarting an MMORPG was new and filled with hopes and dreams...
    SBFordManasubartoni33AlpiusYoofaloofkillerqueerinfomatzpostlarval

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

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  • CrazKanukCrazKanuk Member EpicPosts: 6,130
    "77,650 succeeded"

    What is their definition of "succeeded"?

    Did the campaign simply reach their KS funding goal or was the product actually finished and sent to the backers?

    I think succeeded is reached its funding goal, but I think that's all of Kickstarter, not video games. Games was more in the hundreds. 


    Wistfully remembers the days when Kickstarting an MMORPG was new and filled with hopes and dreams...

    Hey, 4 out of 5 in a public test phase ain't too shabby. 
    WellspringManasuUngood

    Crazkanuk

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  • MitaraMitara Member UncommonPosts: 755
    Looking forward to see if any of them actually becomes real in 2018. Most of them are delayed and should have been here in 2017, so it is not impressive...
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,779
    What does it say about me that I backed them all?

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • CrazKanukCrazKanuk Member EpicPosts: 6,130
    What does it say about me that I backed them all?

    I backed 2, but only because I'm not that into PvP

    Crazkanuk

    ----------------
    Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
    Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
    Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
    Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
    Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
    ----------------

  • VrikaVrika Member LegendaryPosts: 8,020
    Star Citizen is in Alpha, not in Beta. Current version is Alpha 3.0.
    JamesGoblin
     
  • JamesGoblinJamesGoblin Member RarePosts: 1,242
    "Pathfinder Online...still in minimal independent development"(!) - please, stop trying to put makeup on that cold corpse and admit you were wrong.

    By the way, how did that unfortunate abomination even end up on the list? (Yeah I know it was 2015)


    Vrika said:

    Star Citizen is in Alpha, not in Beta. Current version is Alpha 3.0.



    An obvious freudian slip. See above ;)
     W...aaagh?
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 44,253


    What does it say about me that I backed them all?




    Might explain your current status as a fervent Harbinger.

    Or that you are rich and we need to be better friends


    ;)
    JamesGoblinPhrySpottyGekko

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 44,253
    CrazKanuk said:
    "77,650 succeeded"

    What is their definition of "succeeded"?

    Did the campaign simply reach their KS funding goal or was the product actually finished and sent to the backers?

    I think succeeded is reached its funding goal, but I think that's all of Kickstarter, not video games. Games was more in the hundreds. 


    Wistfully remembers the days when Kickstarting an MMORPG was new and filled with hopes and dreams...

    Hey, 4 out of 5 in a public test phase ain't too shabby. 
    None anywhere near ready for a final release (or even tracking to a published target date), is actually a bit appalling in my book.


    JamesGoblinbartoni33

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,779
    Kyleran said:
    CrazKanuk said:
    "77,650 succeeded"

    What is their definition of "succeeded"?

    Did the campaign simply reach their KS funding goal or was the product actually finished and sent to the backers?

    I think succeeded is reached its funding goal, but I think that's all of Kickstarter, not video games. Games was more in the hundreds. 


    Wistfully remembers the days when Kickstarting an MMORPG was new and filled with hopes and dreams...

    Hey, 4 out of 5 in a public test phase ain't too shabby. 
    None anywhere near ready for a final release (or even tracking to a published target date), is actually a bit appalling in my book.


    Actually Shards of Aria is looking to release in a few months.  I think April.
    I haven't tried to make a personal shard yet... or play on one.  The game itself is basically classic UO with all the pros and cons that go along with that.

    Kyleran

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • SandmanjwSandmanjw Member RarePosts: 531


    What does it say about me that I backed them all?




    Never backed any of the "crowd fund" stuff, never will.

    I am not a gambler, just like playing released games.

    I can not understand why anyone would do this. Just not built that way i guess. But not my money...so can not come down too hard on other's that do either, not built that way either:)

    Figure it is your cash do what you wish with it even if i think it is foolish.

  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 33,123
    Mitara said:
    Looking forward to see if any of them actually becomes real in 2018. Most of them are delayed and should have been here in 2017, so it is not impressive...
    It takes at least 3 years to make an mmorpg and actually it seems it falls more in the 4 or 5 year area. They still have some time.
    [Deleted User]
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  • MendelMendel Member LegendaryPosts: 5,609
    Sandmanjw said:


    What does it say about me that I backed them all?




    Never backed any of the "crowd fund" stuff, never will.

    I am not a gambler, just like playing released games.

    I can not understand why anyone would do this. Just not built that way i guess. But not my money...so can not come down too hard on other's that do either, not built that way either:)

    Figure it is your cash do what you wish with it even if i think it is foolish.

    If they really want to be foolish, send cash to Mendel, c/o .  No, don't do that.  I'd just make a fool out of myself.

    I've never managed to play an unreleased game, either.  Any company asking me to pay before they have a finished product is really wasting their time.  I can accept individuals who choose to donate, but I will certainly question a company's motives for encouraging people to do so.

    Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.

  • TokkenTokken Member EpicPosts: 3,651
    Shards FTW.

    Hoped pathfinder would make it but it looks dead!

    Proud MMORPG.com member since March 2004!  Make PvE GREAT Again!

  • ScorchienScorchien Member LegendaryPosts: 8,914
    Kyleran said:
    CrazKanuk said:
    "77,650 succeeded"

    What is their definition of "succeeded"?

    Did the campaign simply reach their KS funding goal or was the product actually finished and sent to the backers?

    I think succeeded is reached its funding goal, but I think that's all of Kickstarter, not video games. Games was more in the hundreds. 


    Wistfully remembers the days when Kickstarting an MMORPG was new and filled with hopes and dreams...

    Hey, 4 out of 5 in a public test phase ain't too shabby. 
    None anywhere near ready for a final release (or even tracking to a published target date), is actually a bit appalling in my book.


    Actually Shards of Aria is looking to release in a few months.  I think April.
    I haven't tried to make a personal shard yet... or play on one.  The game itself is basically classic UO with all the pros and cons that go along with that.

    Releaseing in April? that would be a big mistake .. LoA is at this point a shadow of UO , ive played everybuild including the present,( and i hold out hope ) But they have a lot of work and long way to go to be compared to UO ..

      Ive played UO for 20 years now , and hope LoA can become a successor ..But its not ready and wont be in april , There is not enough in yet including Crafting/Housing /Pve/Fauna... it will get torn thru and torn apart here..

      Wish them all the best and will continue to test .. and i hope im wrong .. But i dont see it in this CB1 to be ready for consumption by a rabid community in April
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,779
    Scorchien said:
    Kyleran said:
    CrazKanuk said:
    "77,650 succeeded"

    What is their definition of "succeeded"?

    Did the campaign simply reach their KS funding goal or was the product actually finished and sent to the backers?

    I think succeeded is reached its funding goal, but I think that's all of Kickstarter, not video games. Games was more in the hundreds. 


    Wistfully remembers the days when Kickstarting an MMORPG was new and filled with hopes and dreams...

    Hey, 4 out of 5 in a public test phase ain't too shabby. 
    None anywhere near ready for a final release (or even tracking to a published target date), is actually a bit appalling in my book.


    Actually Shards of Aria is looking to release in a few months.  I think April.
    I haven't tried to make a personal shard yet... or play on one.  The game itself is basically classic UO with all the pros and cons that go along with that.

    Releaseing in April? that would be a big mistake .. LoA is at this point a shadow of UO , ive played everybuild including the present,( and i hold out hope ) But they have a lot of work and long way to go to be compared to UO ..

      Ive played UO for 20 years now , and hope LoA can become a successor ..But its not ready and wont be in april , There is not enough in yet including Crafting/Housing /Pve/Fauna... it will get torn thru and torn apart here..

      Wish them all the best and will continue to test .. and i hope im wrong .. But i dont see it in this CB1 to be ready for consumption by a rabid community in April
    I dunno... I played UO when it launched.  I'm not sure there was all that much to do.  Maybe I'm just forgetting stuff.  I know over the years it added tons, but at launch I think it was pretty much what LoA has or will have by April.    I don't know if it's enough to hold folks attention today... heck I dunno if it will hold mine for more than a week or so unless we (my group) stumbles into something.

    I have always been more intrigued by the Shards concept.  I think that's what they have to pin their hopes on.  I doubt many will buy it for the main campaign.


    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 44,253
    Sovrath said:
    Mitara said:
    Looking forward to see if any of them actually becomes real in 2018. Most of them are delayed and should have been here in 2017, so it is not impressive...
    It takes at least 3 years to make an mmorpg and actually it seems it falls more in the 4 or 5 year area. They still have some time.

    Based on these approximate starting dates for each of these I'd say they are rapidly coming due.

    Shards Online -  Oct 2013.
    CU - April 2013
    SC -Oct 2012
    Pathfinder - Nov 2012.
    Crowfall - mid 2014

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • VyntVynt Member UncommonPosts: 757
    Kyleran said:
    Sovrath said:
    Mitara said:
    Looking forward to see if any of them actually becomes real in 2018. Most of them are delayed and should have been here in 2017, so it is not impressive...
    It takes at least 3 years to make an mmorpg and actually it seems it falls more in the 4 or 5 year area. They still have some time.

    Based on these approximate starting dates for each of these I'd say they are rapidly coming due.

    Shards Online -  Oct 2013.
    CU - April 2013
    SC -Oct 2012
    Pathfinder - Nov 2012.
    Crowfall - mid 2014
    Shards online (Legends of Aria)- they're about to go into closed beta I think, but never followed the game, but seems they may be ahead of the others for releasing.
    CU - figured 2018,2019, they had that year delay and it is slated for 2019 so seems on course.
    SC - with the funding they had, should have released already.
    Pathfinder - I didn't expect anything from that game.
    Crowfall - they seem to be on schedule. I figured a 2019 release date, but not quite sure when it is suppose to go live.

    I usually expect around 5 years for releases, especially if they're indy. Probably can even add a year or 2 for them if they're new, small or poorly funded.

    I kind of hate hearing about a new game when it is just an idea. Before, use to hear about a game and it came out a few years later, but a lot of work was already done. Hearing about something without any groundwork just makes the wait awful.

    Take CU for example. I was really looking forward to it. I even knew it would be at least 5 years and we're still a year+ away and I pretty much don't care at all about it. Hopefully when it gets closer to release, I'll get excited again.

    For the most part these days, I don't look heavily into anything until it is close to release, then hope I find a gem.
    JamesGoblinKyleran
  • gervaise1gervaise1 Member EpicPosts: 6,919


    "Pathfinder Online...still in minimal independent development"(!) - please, stop trying to put makeup on that cold corpse and admit you were wrong.



    By the way, how did that unfortunate abomination even end up on the list? (Yeah I know it was 2015)





    Vrika said:


    Star Citizen is in Alpha, not in Beta. Current version is Alpha 3.0.






    An obvious freudian slip. See above ;)



    Why bash these attempts? If you insist at least remember to mention that CU just admitted to being late as well.
    JamesGoblin
  • GeezerGamerGeezerGamer Member EpicPosts: 8,857
    And we still don't have any good examples
  • gervaise1gervaise1 Member EpicPosts: 6,919
    Unless its an existing company using crowdfunding to "test the water" - which has been done - an attempt to develop a game using crowdfunding faces some additional challenges.

    No company is the obvious one. Before you can hire anyone you need to hire the staff to place the adverts, do the interviews and - very quickly - people to pay the people and find office space, buy computers and so forth! Taxes will need to be paid etc. etc. Even a large established company cannot suddenly "fully staff" a new project - and they have all the "support infrastructure" in place.

    Second is the uncertainty of funding. Money (hopefully) comes in on day 1 - hurray! - but how many people do you hire? Do you assume you will keep getting new money and hire a large team on day 1? Or akeep things small to make sure the money you have lasts? Do that though and development will be slower - will the backers be happy. What you want to do is develop as fast as possible to generate excitement to bring more money in. To - hopefully - create an upward cycle.

    Third people wanting their money back. If the only money you have is the money being pledged - and you spend it - then simple logic says that the money cannot be refunded. Catch 22 situation. Keep some money back to refund people who ask? That works on one level but the more you keep back the less you spend on development which may lead to more people wanting their money back. Potentially a death spiral.

    Then there is advertsing. However good the game is if no one knows it exists then it dies. So there has to be advertising. Whether the campaign is a week, a month or three. It will have been planned and it will be of a short-ish "finite" duration - otherwise the impact gets lost. A few press releases during development. A kickstarter campaign needs "advertsing" all the time however. It needs to try - somehow - to keep itself in the public eye if it wants to attract new backers. And the trap it has to avoid is spending lots of the money raised to attract new money. (An example of this: the Carson campaign to be the Republican presidential nominee.) Don't spend risk getting no new backing damaging development; spend and risk diverting funds to advertising damaging development. Another catch 22.

    There are other issues as well which stem from a "small team" probably not having the breadth of knowledge required to create an "optimal" company on day 1. Its hard enough to do when you have a team ofexperts who can sit down - in advance with a known budget. Optimal organisation structures, project management structures, best internal communication structures, best software tools to use and so on.

    Put bluntly its hard. And its not helped by people constantly sniping. Sometimes knocking one game for X and then defending another against the same issue. I optimistically hope they all come to fruition whilst realistically suspecting some of them won't. The more that do though the more choices we have.

    I don't expect any of them to have an easy time of it though and I see no reason to nitpick "honest endeavours" to create new games.
  • cameltosiscameltosis Member LegendaryPosts: 3,870
    It's interesting to read the original article that said pathfinder should be a good game because it's based on a table-top RPG and so the mechanics will work well.

    My experience is the opposite - basing it on a table top RPG is a bad idea! With a tabletop game, you can guarantee that all people playing the game will always be there at the same time. The environment is closed and tightly controlled, which is why the mechanics can work.

    When you try to put them into an MMO where people play at their own pace at their own time, then tabletop mechanics tend to become awful, leading to community segregation.
    Kyleran
    Currently Playing: WAR RoR - Spitt rr80 Black Orc | Scrotling rr6X Squig Herder | Scabrous rr5X Shaman

  • WizardryWizardry Member LegendaryPosts: 19,332
    Crowfall...was stymied by no real definition of what the game was trying to do,i almost feel they wanted it that way to deceive people into thinking it was a complete game.Fast forward and i feel this game is no better than SC,i feel you are going to see an even bigger cash shop that will completely engulf the game and imo that was their true agenda behind this game.

    Pathfinder..From day 1 the devs knew the budget was too small.The female owner not showing an common sense or i guess not really understanding it all,pushed forward and got the result i would have expected.I feel the devs should have been way more straight forward with her and told her it cannot be done,so they are partially to blame.

    Shards..great idea/concept but we are not ready for it.It would take a very big team of very knowledgeable people and a long term well laid out plan with loads of money to pull it off.This was simply an introductory phase,not even worth an Alpha,barely a 2/10.We should not see anyone attempt this for another 15+ years.

    CU...was never going to be more than a very Indie small game.Now it is possible to build a solid game like this if done right,i have talked about it before.However this game will not attain anything more than small Indie status.

    SC..The black mark on gaming,the ultimate infestation"no pun towards Druid hearthstone".Nothing more than ships in space with a massive cash shop,a cash shop that far outweighs the actual game.Only thing that bothers me is how many people spent money on this already,it tells me a lot about common sense in people...it is severely lacking.

    Synopsis..KS'r are crap for the industry,just like the infestation inside of twitch,nothing more than a money grab,people everywhere trying to get a piece of the pie to fill their pockets with $$.Gaming started out as a fun,relaxing past time,now it is all about deception,making money ans Esports "bragging rights".

    Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.

  • CrazKanukCrazKanuk Member EpicPosts: 6,130
    Wizardry said:
    Crowfall...was stymied by no real definition of what the game was trying to do,i almost feel they wanted it that way to deceive people into thinking it was a complete game.Fast forward and i feel this game is no better than SC,i feel you are going to see an even bigger cash shop that will completely engulf the game and imo that was their true agenda behind this game.

    Pathfinder..From day 1 the devs knew the budget was too small.The female owner not showing an common sense or i guess not really understanding it all,pushed forward and got the result i would have expected.I feel the devs should have been way more straight forward with her and told her it cannot be done,so they are partially to blame.

    Shards..great idea/concept but we are not ready for it.It would take a very big team of very knowledgeable people and a long term well laid out plan with loads of money to pull it off.This was simply an introductory phase,not even worth an Alpha,barely a 2/10.We should not see anyone attempt this for another 15+ years.

    CU...was never going to be more than a very Indie small game.Now it is possible to build a solid game like this if done right,i have talked about it before.However this game will not attain anything more than small Indie status.

    SC..The black mark on gaming,the ultimate infestation"no pun towards Druid hearthstone".Nothing more than ships in space with a massive cash shop,a cash shop that far outweighs the actual game.Only thing that bothers me is how many people spent money on this already,it tells me a lot about common sense in people...it is severely lacking.

    Synopsis..KS'r are crap for the industry,just like the infestation inside of twitch,nothing more than a money grab,people everywhere trying to get a piece of the pie to fill their pockets with $$.Gaming started out as a fun,relaxing past time,now it is all about deception,making money ans Esports "bragging rights".


    This is pretty much just all bullshit. There is so much wrong on so many levels that I can't even bother to go into it. You're welcome to your opinion, but opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. If you want to be relevant, which I know you don't really care about based on your posts on this site, then why not use facts to support your arguments? Maybe you'll get enough credibility to be more than the laughing stock of this site?

    Crazkanuk

    ----------------
    Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
    Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
    Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
    Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
    Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
    ----------------

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