43 réponses à ce sujet

[Fast Jimmy]

I realize the topic of Kickstarter has become a new hot topic to talk about, as indie gamers are seeing an explosion of fan-funding for various games they wish to create.

I saw a thread on the forum a few weeks ago where someone suggested EA/Bioware use Kickstarter to create DA3, which was a thread that went nowhere fairly quickly, given that the budget, design and production of DA3 will obviously be handled through EA/Bioware's financial and corporate policies.

That being said... I know of no limitation in the Kickstarter format for EA/Bioware to have a few projects on Kickstarter for DA3 options that may be price-prohibitive in the standard model of game publishing.

For instance, right now the idea of multiple race/origins is being discussed by the EA/Bioware team, due to the fact that it could be very difficult to implement multiple starting stories, possible multiple VA's, multiple character body builds and equipment models, etc., etc. and the game still be as profitable. It is much less expensive to have a human protagonist with one voice for each gender and a fairly standard body, not to mention just one, fixed back story to manage.



So what if EA/Bioware posted a Kickstarter project where fans could donate $5, $10, $25 to see the implementation of a feature like this (or others)? They could then use the funds donated by fans who want to see this option (or others, such as a Kossith companion, or a truly branching, diverse plot that has multiple outcomes and endings) to implement the feature, while staying within their normal set budget for all other aspects of the project.

Essentially, how many times have we said that we wished the DA series had a blank check to make a game we all want to see? Instead of making EA/Bioware think they need to create DLC content to sell to us that may or may not include the features we won't see in the base game, why not, literally, ask the fans for the money up front? 

If the Multiple Origins project meets its funding obligations and a Kossith companion does not, then the final game will have origins, but no Kossith companion. If a Branching, Diverse Plot and Ending more than doubles it goal, maybe the amount that goes beyond the goal could apply to another, less funded idea, maybe some of it could be funded back, or maybe it just goes to line EA/Bioware's coffers. 

Regardless, instead of having the developers make painful decisions about what fans can live with being cut and what they can't, why not let the consumer vote with their dollar BEFORE the final product is in its... well, FINAL stages?

That's my two cents. Or ten dollars for Origins in DA3, as it were.

[chunkyman]

Lol no.

As the people below will explain to you, it would never happen.

[Xeyska]

EA/Bioware is a corporation, they don't need Kickstarter.

[Fast Jimmy]

Xeyska wrote...

EA/Bioware is a corporation, they don't need Kickstarter.

EA/Bioware IS a corporation... a corporation who is entrenched in the video game industry dogma that every new game should cost $60. Which means if they don't think a feature will bring in enough revenue to cover its cost, they will axe said feature. 

In this way, Kickstarted could be used to finance expensive features or aspects of the game that would fall by the wayside in the standard EA/Bioware financial models. 

[Pasquale1234]

Thing is, they could implement the things I want (player-created non-voiced protag, multiple race origins, full customization of followers) if they would just axe the things I don't want (pre-defined cinematic, voiced protag, iconic followers with unique body models).

One idea I've had is that they return to full-text dialog options with non-voiced as the default, and then sell voice packs as DLC for those who want them.  They're not likely to do that, though, because of the autodialog and other things they want to do with the whole cinematic thing.

While I would be willing to fund some game features I want, if it would mean I'm still stuck with expensive features I don't want, it still isn't going to be a game I'd want to play.

Modifié par Pasquale1234, 29 avril 2012 - 08:27 .

[PinkShoes]

I dont think it would get much money.

[Aldaris951]

HELL NO, I love dragon age origins, I paid alot of all the dlc and preordering, I didnt mind because I felt my money would go into making dragon age 2 a great game, But now I feel like it was wasted.

[goofyomnivore]

I believe it would create a longer dev cycle which EA really isn't fond of, or EA would just spend the money on more programmers to crank out the games even faster.

I'm surprised since Dragon Age has its own engine/toolset they're not doing what Fable 3 did and letting you create 'a NPC', but ramp it up a notch and let us create background NPCs for the core game, so they don't have to recycle face models/have horrible looking ones due to being rushed. Crank if up even further and have a contest (top three get a free CE or something), and have more talented fans make custom dungeons, caves, etc. And then use the really good ones, so we don't get recycled caves.

Modifié par strive, 29 avril 2012 - 10:36 .

[Sylvius the Mad]

I would happily donate to a Kickstater campaign to offer a silent protagonist as an option. BioWare has said it would be an expensive option to include because it would necessitate a different set of dialogue cinematics and cutscenes, but given that it seems like excellent Kickstarter matieral.

BioWare could estimate how much a silent protagonist option would cost, laucn a kickstarter for it, and if after 30 days they had enough money they could incorporate that into the game. If they didn't, then they announce that there wasn't enough interest (and we'd all see that it was true) and move forward without that feature.

I think Jimmy's suggestion is an excellent one, and it would go a long way to solving some of EA's PR problems.

[Sylvius the Mad]

Filament wrote...

The money donated would go toward purchasing a copy of the game, I hope. Isn't that how the Kickstarter model works?

It can, but that's not a requirement.  The rewards for pledging are optional.

[deuce985]

EA wouldn't accept it.

A lot of reasons why, one being their image among the corporate world and stock market.

Besides, I wouldn't trust them. They'd probably pocket the money and Bioware wouldn't see a penny of it...

Seriously though, how would we know? And by launch if certain promised features aren't in...who gets the blame? Bioware. And nobody knows what happened behind corporate doors.

EA should do it though, their image is a major problem among gamers and their revenue streams+stock market lately is proving it...

People are getting tired of their shoddy habits.

I'd gladly donate 1k to Bioware out my own bank account if it meant a truly incredible experience with DA3 and getting all the time in the world to polish it...

Why not? I donate to my local college, I could certainly do it for a company and hobby I love.

Modifié par deuce985, 30 avril 2012 - 05:48 .

[Cyr8]

1. EA is a big company that can bankrole a big game development. Having Kickstarter fund all or part of the development would be laughable.
2. I think it's laughable that we should fund the development of what should be developed for the game already.
3. What you are technically saying with such a topic is that EA/Bioware are so incompetent that unless you give them extra money, they will just spend their budget into creating another DA2 and not make needed changes to the game.

[Rxdiaz]

My donation was the money I wasted on DA2....

[A Crusty Knight Of Colour]

Lolno. Don't like this idea, at all. Could elaborate (and may later on) but the whole idea seems ridiculous on it's face.

Though the scary thing is that I can imagine companies like Activision and EA latching onto such an idea.

[Vincent Laww]

Bioware gets plenty of financial recompense for the products they sell. Whether they're complete, or incomplete. The consumer isn't required to sink additional funding into a product; Bioware is more than capable of paying for. Its really a question of what route they want to take. Whether or not they're willing devote sufficient time and monies towards creating an acceptable product. Why should we have to 'kickstart' anything?

[Firky]

Fast Jimmy wrote...

.... as indie gamers are seeing an explosion of fan-funding for various games they wish to create....

I'm not sure this is correct. Haven't the super-successes have been for the oldies, established names like Tim Schafer.

(I love Indies, though.)

[Chromie]

They could try but if people donate money to CORPORATION they should be robbed.

[AmstradHero]

This is an interesting idea, though I'm curious to see whether it would get up. Many people consider that they pay a substantial amount for AAA games, and the idea of paying more is something I can't see a lot of people being happy with.

Would I do it personally? I doubt it, and I really would be sceptical giving to BioWare/EA at the moment. Given the recent ME3 ending debacle and BioWare's claims of "listening" to the public unhappy with the ending but then seemingly not offering what many of the complainants requests suggests that many people would also be reluctant to part with their money.

I'm just not sure whether AAA titles from big publishers are really good candidates for kickstarter projects. Smaller projects with smaller budgets and shorter production times, products that can afford to take risks, can afford to be different and innovative. Potentially by big name/well known creators, but ones without the requirements of AAA titles. People who donate to kickstarter projects are going to be (rightfully) more invested in a game, because they're put up their money BEFORE development - they're bankrolling the project, so they're going to feel entitled to a project that meets their expectations, and if we're being honest, there's arguably some merit to that. Big companies on AAA titles are going to find it hard to meet the expectations and entitlement of that many paying customers - especially when those customers are the ones that made the game possible in the first place.


TLDR: Interesting idea, but I doubt we'll see many AAA kickstarter titles.

[Dutchess]

I doubt they will do that. I wouldn't pay anyway if they would. I enjoy Bioware games, but they are expensive enough already.

[Fast Jimmy]

While I do agree with everyone that donating money to a corporation seems wrong, unnecessary and cheap, I also want certain features in DA3, features that I think may save it from being DA2 with more polish.

If the politics/financials of EA/Bioware state that there isn't enough money in the budget for multiple origins, or to have more than just a human race, or to see female Qunari or dwarves (concepts which see a thread being created on these boards on a weekly basis, begging EA/Bioware to implement), then I don't see any problem with at least attempting to throw out a way to get them the money to make sure a feature is put in.

Sure, it opens the door for corporate greed, the precedent of a company announcing they won't bring back certain characters or features just to see if there would be additional revenue brought in by fans through kickstarter, and a plethora of other bad ideas and bad standards.

On the other hand, it seems like the fans requesting things aren't reason enough to put it into a game anymore. So what other options are there, when the one company who was offering a cool feature says they can't afford to do that feature in future games?

[Cyberarmy]

I already donate them by buying DA2, ToR and ME3.
Its time for them to donate us a bit.