Eh. Like I said on the stream, to me these are just some random people on the internet. I'm sure it's good news for fans of these... p&p streamers?..., but surely the target demographic for the EE games is a lot bigger than that, so to me it seems odd targetting a niche audience.
The previous portrait pack is still not available from Beamdog btw. Shouldn't that happen before releasing a new one, or will this one also be exclusive to steam/GOG?
This is a confusing business decision. Why spend resources to put player characters in that don't have a role in the games, but rather are from a video series that has steadily declined in views and is only hitting 20kish these days? For all intents and purposes this isn't for the Infinity Engine fans, this is for the people at WotC and the handful of youtube viewers that still watch and also own the IE games. I'm imagining a venn diagram with pitiful numbers in that area.
I look forward to the announcement that appears to be postponed. Like most, I look forward to more games or expansions.
20k is still a lot. I think the goal was to get new people interested in Beamdog and the EEs. So of course it is disappointed for us.
Btw. Obsidian did something similar with Critical Role pack for Pillars of Eternity 2. Only difference? Their DLC is free.
Critical Role is also a bigger deal than Dice, Camera, Action IMO. I don't follow D&D streams, but I knew what Critical Role was when Obsidian made their announcement; OTOH, I learned of Dice, Camera, Action's existence from Beamdog's announcement.
Critical Role is also a bigger deal than Dice, Camera, Action IMO. I don't follow D&D streams, but I knew what Critical Role was when Obsidian made their announcement; OTOH, I learned of Dice, Camera, Action's existence from Beamdog's announcement.
Wouldn't be surprised if WotC had a hand in this to cross-promote their two licensed properties.
The problem is not being a portrait/voiceset package with C-celebrities.
The problem is announcing this sh*t for months to deliver us this.
And about bringing more revenue to the company: I think that everybody here would buy a DLC with new quests/areas/classes/NPCs. I gave a list of expectations that were not hard to fulfill at all and certainly would raise more money than what is being offered.
I would pay for having my portrait in the game, but pay for others to have the same? I don't do this kind of charity - the Doctors Without Borders would make a better use of my money.
And by the comments I see that some people feel the same; if this is a revenue boost strategy is a failing one.
As for a new target: you do this by advertising, not pissing on your current clients. As I always says: the lack of management skills from BD never ceases to amaze me. Apparently no one at the entire studio ever studied the basics of Marketing or Quality Management.
I don’t have a problem with the new DLC. Beamdog has been working on patching and not generating revenue for the IE games. If this gives them the cash they need to keep going that’s fine by me.
Marketing to a new group can always make established customers feel left out. That’s just business. They don’t hate their old customers, they just (nearly) finished a brutal round of patching for all of the IE games for their established peeps. Now they need to sell something and maybe get a few new customers.
Hopefully they’ll release some cool DLC for the rest of us next. Hang in there.
Is Beamdog Going to EVER Release a New Game?? Ok SOD is really not a new Game just Added Content To An Old Game BG. Same with NWNEE, Old Game that Beamdog is Refurbishing or Enhancing( Same Thing). How about a Completely New D&D Game from Scratch in The Forgotten Realms, 5.0 Rules 3.0 Rules Whatever....Just something Completely New!!! I would Prefer Infinity Engine Myself Because I still Enjoy Playing BG,BG2,IWDEE'S. There are Some really Good Older D&D Games they can Enhance: Sword Coast legends( had really high Potential to be a great game) Would be AWESOME if Beamdog could Finish that game. I was Very Dissapointed with the Announcement at Pax for Basically a New Sound and Portrait Pack..... really Trent???
I don’t have a problem with the new DLC. Beamdog has been working on patching and not generating revenue for the IE games. If this gives them the cash they need to keep going that’s fine by me.
Marketing to a new group can always make established customers feel left out. That’s just business. They don’t hate their old customers, they just (nearly) finished a brutal round of patching for all of the IE games for their established peeps. Now they need to sell something and maybe get a few new customers.
Hopefully they’ll release some cool DLC for the rest of us next. Hang in there.
I get that. I respect that. We all want BD to generate revenue and prosper. Not every product will appeal to existing customers, and if this one gets them new customers, great. It's just that they built up a certain level of hype, and this new product feels very anti-climactic. I wish BD the best, will entirely ignore this portrait/voice pack thingy, hope for a SOD NPC DLC for BGEE and BG2EE, and look forward to the actual big announcement that was apparently postponed, it is rumoured - and official confirmation of same if it's true, because many people believe the voice/portrait pack to be the big announcement, and BD has yet to comment.
@Raduziel Can you provide a link to something from months ago where Beamdog was hyping news for the EEs? I only remember them talking about something new that wasn't D&D (A lot of people speculate Axis and Allies). Remember, Beamdog's big announcement got postponed. The new patches are the only new EE media I remember being hyped.
For those not familiar with waffle crew, they are D&D streamers that WotC has been promoting a lot recently. If anyone has been "playing" Idle Champions, several Waffle Crew characters have been released as playable, as well as an event that is currently running where playing the game earns, uh, something for an upcoming stream. I don't think this timing was coincidental.
After this, pretty much every time Beamdog talked to us they raised the hype. Just take a look at the others recaps kindly provided by @JuliusBorisov .
The things that seem to sell really well to kids these days don't really appeal to me. For that reason I won't be disappointed if Beamdog sells stuff that has no appeal for me personally. I feel the same way about NWNEE. I bought the original NWN collector's box set and I just couldn't get into it. What is happening with Beamdog right now is the same thing that was happening with Bioware when they ditched Infinity all those years back.
I think if they want to appeal to a new audience they need to make a new game using a new engine that focuses on the current trends in gaming. Like Bioware when they made KOTOR. As for me and the infinity engine....I'll always be here to purchase those things that appeal to me but I understand that I am in the minority with this one and won't be surprised if my tastes are never catered to again.
Regarding voice sets and custom portraits: The only way I would buy a DLC that focuses on portraits and voices would be if they paid the original artists to make alternate portraits of all the main NPC's and a way to easily pick the ones I want in my game without using EE keeper to do it. If the original voice actors were paid to come back and expand their voice contributions on top of the originals I would be very happy to pay for that to get more variety and personalized options for the characters I actually care about.
I will purchase any collector editions they release for the BGEE, BG2EE, IWDEE, and Planescape Torment EE. I would pay for expansion packs to any of these games and I would pay for sequels to any of these games.
I like 2nd Edition D&D and would prefer that in the infinity engine. I would be more than happy to try 5th edition rules in a new game engine with a new setting and story if Beamdog thinks that will appeal to a new audience then it would also appeal to me and most old schoolers as well. Probably be worth perusing.
I would buy any graphical improvement that can be provided for the original games which is why I purchased the EE's in the first place. I Feel like Beamdog has done a pretty good job with the EE titles and I am very grateful for SOD and the continued efforts to patch the games. I feel that if they continue to patch the minor problems out of the EE titles their job will be complete regarding the EE's and I have no further expectations of them in the future. If they make any of the above that appeals to me then I will gladly buy it.
One last thing that is kind of unrelated but, I like strategy games. RTS games are my favorites and the ones from Westwood studios are not playable anymore. I would love to see EE versions of Command And Conquer or Red Alert 1 and 2. RTS games are rare now and the ones that are made are cheesy movie rip-off's like LOTR ect. I would love to see those enhanced into playable form on all platforms.
After this, pretty much every time Beamdog talked to us they raised the hype. Just take a look at the others recaps kindly provided by @JuliusBorisov .
I have a bigger post in the other thread but:
Beamdog will do a special announcement panel on PAX West. You might see changes regarding our announcements there in the near future. If you can’t make it to Seattle, tune on Twitch: we’ll be streaming our panel on the Beamdog Twitch channel!
That was from August 2. Hype was tempered right after this. So should have expectations if people were actually paying to both the streams and the announcements that Beamdog was making.
@Raduziel There is no mention of an EE announcement in that post besides the patches. Again, where is any statement from Beamdog promising a "Big" EE announcement "months" in advance. They mentioned in the LAST LIVE STREAM that they had something for the EEs, but nothing that "built hype for months". They didn't even make a big announcement. You are getting angry at Beamdog because you speculated about what they were doing and got yourself hyped up.
I need to amend my previous comment. The current event in Idle Champions is not for Waffle Crew.
I'm definitely with those who're deeply disappointed. But after the "We're making a brand new D&D game" BS from a couple of years ago, I've learned to keep my expectations extremely low. And the notion that the actual announcement had to be postponed doesn't cut it with me anyway. They've been "postponing" making any meaningful announcements for quite a long while now, NwN:EE not withstanding. I'm pretty sure that had they made the actual announcement they had intended to make, many of us would still have come away underwhelmed/disappointed.
This is a confusing business decision. Why spend resources to put player characters in that don't have a role in the games, but rather are from a video series that has steadily declined in views and is only hitting 20kish these days? For all intents and purposes this isn't for the Infinity Engine fans, this is for the people at WotC and the handful of youtube viewers that still watch and also own the IE games. I'm imagining a venn diagram with pitiful numbers in that area.
I look forward to the announcement that appears to be postponed. Like most, I look forward to more games or expansions.
20k is still a lot. I think the goal was to get new people interested in Beamdog and the EEs. So of course it is disappointed for us.
True, though it is on a decline. Maybe they want players to watch the show again? That could make some sense, and get some cRPG people playing PnP.
I'm only aware of two of the people on that panel Holly and Jared but i guess its cool, does it mean they support nwn? I'm on the fence about paying for it however. i already spent a big amount on buying nwn: EE and twice btw! I could get this sort of thing for free from my community.
I'm an old grognard and I'm still really excited about this! Dice camera action with Chris Perkins & co is an awesome fix of D&D between games
Besides, Holly, Jared, Anna & Nathan all play very memorable characters, that are currently some of the most famous characters in the D&D-verse, what with how many people are watching it.
I'm definitely with those who're deeply disappointed. But after the "We're making a brand new D&D game" BS from a couple of years ago, I've learned to keep my expectations extremely low. And the notion that the actual announcement had to be postponed doesn't cut it with me anyway. They've been "postponing" making any meaningful announcements for quite a long while now, NwN:EE not withstanding. I'm pretty sure that had they made the actual announcement they had intended to make, many of us would still have come away underwhelmed/disappointed.
My guess is that project ran into problems. Gaider left and well you won't hear anything more about it. And I can sort of understand that...I mean even Obsidian has apparently had it's fair share of internal problems with upper management stretching back a long way. Judging by Chris Avellones bitterness and reveals..though I'm sure he's not blameless either. But it's the sort of stuff I can understand they would want to keep to themselves.
But I do agree they've been pretty silent about announcing any new content after SoD... and no matter what financial risk is a part of the business.
I don’t have a problem with the new DLC. Beamdog has been working on patching and not generating revenue for the IE games. If this gives them the cash they need to keep going that’s fine by me.
Marketing to a new group can always make established customers feel left out. That’s just business. They don’t hate their old customers, they just (nearly) finished a brutal round of patching for all of the IE games for their established peeps. Now they need to sell something and maybe get a few new customers.
Hopefully they’ll release some cool DLC for the rest of us next. Hang in there.
I'm very much in agreement that as a business BD needs to do what it needs to do to generate income. But I don't see why that shouldn't include creating new games. Owlcat Games (Pathfinder: Kingmaker), GrapeOcean Technologies (Black Geyser), and Ceres Games (Realms Beyond) are I'm pretty sure much smaller companies than BD, and yet they're out there working on new crpg IPs. They face the same business climate as BD, and yet are ok doing original things. So why not BD?
This is why I've said many times on these forums, if BD/Trent O. were to come forward and announce that they're a company whose identity is remaking old games and that they really don't have an interest in making new games, I would be ok with that. I'd be disappointed, yes, but I'd respect their choice. My problem is that they constantly keep talking the talk that they're working on new/original games, but they don't walk the walk. It's been well over two years since they first began talking about BD's "next NEW thing." Well, where is it?
What would be awesome would be a DCA NPC pack for IWD:EE. Make them joinable NPCs with BG1 style interactions (no romances) and some plot commentary.
It sort of feels like missing a trick, not making them even simple NPCs with a few party/quest-based interactions, for BG/2 or IWD. Even if they only interacted with each other and the questlines, and were designed to be taken as a set to form the majority of a party (to avoid having to write and get dialogue voiced for existing NPCs), that would make them much more interesting.
Because, ultimately, it seems the problem (for me at least) is that this is content for fans of the podcast above fans of IE games. If you like the podcast, being able to play as favourite characters might be a compelling argument to splash out for the games and DLC. If you're already a fan of both, this is probably an easy choice. But if you're coming from loving the games but not knowing the podcast, the only reason I can see is to buy it is to have a bit more variation in the portrait and soundset choices.
And that's fine, not everything has to cater to obsessive IE fans like me. But if they were NPCs, I'd almost certainly buy it to have another interesting gameplay option, rather than something cosmetic, and in doing so get a better chance of actually getting the sense of the characters - and maybe enjoy them enough to want to check out the podcast.
It seems this is unlikely though, for now, since it looks like the actors have already recorded lines, so presumably is well past the point anything could be changed.
I doubt I'd ever complain about new content. If I had the chance to record voice for a character of mine for the game, I'd be over the moon. I hope the people who recorded their voices for this get more than just old grognard anger have some real supporters.
Oh god, having them as NPCs would be catch 22 for Beamdog figuring the new NPCs for SoD still need to make an appearance in BG2 first. People will complain that there is no Glint but these people who don’t fit the story.
Oh god, having them as NPCs would be catch 22 for Beamdog figuring the new NPCs for SoD still need to make an appearance in BG2 first. People will complain that there is no Glint but these people who don’t fit the story.
Comments
The previous portrait pack is still not available from Beamdog btw. Shouldn't that happen before releasing a new one, or will this one also be exclusive to steam/GOG?
The problem is announcing this sh*t for months to deliver us this.
And about bringing more revenue to the company: I think that everybody here would buy a DLC with new quests/areas/classes/NPCs. I gave a list of expectations that were not hard to fulfill at all and certainly would raise more money than what is being offered.
I would pay for having my portrait in the game, but pay for others to have the same? I don't do this kind of charity - the Doctors Without Borders would make a better use of my money.
And by the comments I see that some people feel the same; if this is a revenue boost strategy is a failing one.
As for a new target: you do this by advertising, not pissing on your current clients. As I always says: the lack of management skills from BD never ceases to amaze me. Apparently no one at the entire studio ever studied the basics of Marketing or Quality Management.
Marketing to a new group can always make established customers feel left out. That’s just business. They don’t hate their old customers, they just (nearly) finished a brutal round of patching for all of the IE games for their established peeps. Now they need to sell something and maybe get a few new customers.
Hopefully they’ll release some cool DLC for the rest of us next. Hang in there.
For those not familiar with waffle crew, they are D&D streamers that WotC has been promoting a lot recently. If anyone has been "playing" Idle Champions, several Waffle Crew characters have been released as playable, as well as an event that is currently running where playing the game earns, uh, something for an upcoming stream. I don't think this timing was coincidental.
The hype starts here
http://blog.beamdog.com/2018/06/pax-west-beamdog-will-be-off-to-west.html?m=1
JUNE FIFTEEN.
After this, pretty much every time Beamdog talked to us they raised the hype. Just take a look at the others recaps kindly provided by @JuliusBorisov .
I think if they want to appeal to a new audience they need to make a new game using a new engine that focuses on the current trends in gaming. Like Bioware when they made KOTOR. As for me and the infinity engine....I'll always be here to purchase those things that appeal to me but I understand that I am in the minority with this one and won't be surprised if my tastes are never catered to again.
Regarding voice sets and custom portraits: The only way I would buy a DLC that focuses on portraits and voices would be if they paid the original artists to make alternate portraits of all the main NPC's and a way to easily pick the ones I want in my game without using EE keeper to do it. If the original voice actors were paid to come back and expand their voice contributions on top of the originals I would be very happy to pay for that to get more variety and personalized options for the characters I actually care about.
I will purchase any collector editions they release for the BGEE, BG2EE, IWDEE, and Planescape Torment EE. I would pay for expansion packs to any of these games and I would pay for sequels to any of these games.
I like 2nd Edition D&D and would prefer that in the infinity engine. I would be more than happy to try 5th edition rules in a new game engine with a new setting and story if Beamdog thinks that will appeal to a new audience then it would also appeal to me and most old schoolers as well. Probably be worth perusing.
I would buy any graphical improvement that can be provided for the original games which is why I purchased the EE's in the first place. I Feel like Beamdog has done a pretty good job with the EE titles and I am very grateful for SOD and the continued efforts to patch the games. I feel that if they continue to patch the minor problems out of the EE titles their job will be complete regarding the EE's and I have no further expectations of them in the future. If they make any of the above that appeals to me then I will gladly buy it.
One last thing that is kind of unrelated but, I like strategy games. RTS games are my favorites and the ones from Westwood studios are not playable anymore. I would love to see EE versions of Command And Conquer or Red Alert 1 and 2. RTS games are rare now and the ones that are made are cheesy movie rip-off's like LOTR ect. I would love to see those enhanced into playable form on all platforms.
Beamdog will do a special announcement panel on PAX West. You might see changes regarding our announcements there in the near future. If you can’t make it to Seattle, tune on Twitch: we’ll be streaming our panel on the Beamdog Twitch channel!
That was from August 2. Hype was tempered right after this. So should have expectations if people were actually paying to both the streams and the announcements that Beamdog was making.
I need to amend my previous comment. The current event in Idle Champions is not for Waffle Crew.
Besides, Holly, Jared, Anna & Nathan all play very memorable characters, that are currently some of the most famous characters in the D&D-verse, what with how many people are watching it.
But I do agree they've been pretty silent about announcing any new content after SoD... and no matter what financial risk is a part of the business.
What would be awesome would be a DCA NPC pack for IWD:EE. Make them joinable NPCs with BG1 style interactions (no romances) and some plot commentary.
This is why I've said many times on these forums, if BD/Trent O. were to come forward and announce that they're a company whose identity is remaking old games and that they really don't have an interest in making new games, I would be ok with that. I'd be disappointed, yes, but I'd respect their choice. My problem is that they constantly keep talking the talk that they're working on new/original games, but they don't walk the walk. It's been well over two years since they first began talking about BD's "next NEW thing." Well, where is it?
Because, ultimately, it seems the problem (for me at least) is that this is content for fans of the podcast above fans of IE games. If you like the podcast, being able to play as favourite characters might be a compelling argument to splash out for the games and DLC. If you're already a fan of both, this is probably an easy choice. But if you're coming from loving the games but not knowing the podcast, the only reason I can see is to buy it is to have a bit more variation in the portrait and soundset choices.
And that's fine, not everything has to cater to obsessive IE fans like me. But if they were NPCs, I'd almost certainly buy it to have another interesting gameplay option, rather than something cosmetic, and in doing so get a better chance of actually getting the sense of the characters - and maybe enjoy them enough to want to check out the podcast.
It seems this is unlikely though, for now, since it looks like the actors have already recorded lines, so presumably is well past the point anything could be changed.