Supporting Beamdog Brainstorming!
secretfire
Member Posts: 63
So, BGEE is still in its early stages. It has a few bugs, but works well for most people. (I've never seen a bug of any sort, and I've used it from the first day of release). Nevertheless, the (very small and underfunded) team is plugging away, working on the android release, bug fixes for all platforms, and starting in the new year, new content as well. And then will come BGEE. With luck, we'll see expansion packs and new characters for both games.
But from what we are reading from Trent Oster on twitter, while sales have met pre-order targets, they have not been high enough on the IPAD to be called "a breakout success", and that he wanted this to be able to show there was a clear demand for such games, warranting doing Icewind Dale, BG3, or other such games. ("I'm very happy with our sales, but I really wanted a truly massive success to prove the demand for deeper games on the Tablets." and "I agree, but we need to show a big success to make it happen. I'm convinced, I just think we need to push the message out.")
For all of the griping and complaining, this BGEE is coming along amazingly well by a hard working, absurdly small team working under numerous disadvantages, and this will be the definitive version of Baldur's Gate. And this is our last chance for additional expansion packs and developer-level content and support to aid in modding efforts.
I'd like to see them do this with more games. I'd like to see many expansion packs for this game. I'd like to see them do well. I understand people who want instant gratification - that is our culture - and the frustration with some bugs, but they took on what is a rather large task (contrary to what some believe) and modernized a rather old game, while increasing functionality and long-term modding support. So I support them, and would like to see more.
But sales, while good, are not good enough for more games in this vein, beyond BG2 and some expansion packs, perhaps. As trent put it on his twitter feed "I think I died a little when Toca Hair Salon 2 pushed past us. I know it is $0.99 and we are $9.99, but it still felt bad."
How can we help get the message out and support beamdog so we can see more content? Or, general appreciation is welcome. After all, I've waited a long, long time for more BG material. We've had lots of fine, fine modding work...but there is a difference between backend modder hacks and workarounds, and the real engine development and work they've done.
Positive thoughts welcome!
But from what we are reading from Trent Oster on twitter, while sales have met pre-order targets, they have not been high enough on the IPAD to be called "a breakout success", and that he wanted this to be able to show there was a clear demand for such games, warranting doing Icewind Dale, BG3, or other such games. ("I'm very happy with our sales, but I really wanted a truly massive success to prove the demand for deeper games on the Tablets." and "I agree, but we need to show a big success to make it happen. I'm convinced, I just think we need to push the message out.")
For all of the griping and complaining, this BGEE is coming along amazingly well by a hard working, absurdly small team working under numerous disadvantages, and this will be the definitive version of Baldur's Gate. And this is our last chance for additional expansion packs and developer-level content and support to aid in modding efforts.
I'd like to see them do this with more games. I'd like to see many expansion packs for this game. I'd like to see them do well. I understand people who want instant gratification - that is our culture - and the frustration with some bugs, but they took on what is a rather large task (contrary to what some believe) and modernized a rather old game, while increasing functionality and long-term modding support. So I support them, and would like to see more.
But sales, while good, are not good enough for more games in this vein, beyond BG2 and some expansion packs, perhaps. As trent put it on his twitter feed "I think I died a little when Toca Hair Salon 2 pushed past us. I know it is $0.99 and we are $9.99, but it still felt bad."
How can we help get the message out and support beamdog so we can see more content? Or, general appreciation is welcome. After all, I've waited a long, long time for more BG material. We've had lots of fine, fine modding work...but there is a difference between backend modder hacks and workarounds, and the real engine development and work they've done.
Positive thoughts welcome!
Post edited by secretfire on
1
Comments
I've previously expressed my concerns that if they want this game to sell on PC that they have to put it in front of paying customers. Hardcore BG fans now know of this game and from that Beamdog, but casual buyers do not. Casual buyers know of Amazon, Steam, Gog, etc.
If Trent and Co. wants there to be a demand and to get the message out, they may need to put this game in front of more people who otherwise don't already know about it, ie., not us (through their company). I believe I'm the typical BG:EE purchaser, I learned about Beamdog from BG:EE, not the other way around. With Amazon, Steam, and the others casual purchasers would learn about the game through them, which would "get the message out". All that said, I know there are contractual obligations preventing this.
I will continue buying directly from Beamdog as I fully support their desire to create more isometric, party based roleplaying games.
The list in question: http://appshopper.com/bestsellers/paid/?device=ipad
I don't think the doom and gloom tweets are necessarily about BG's success but Trent just wanting there to be better games available.