The Banner Saga - Kickstarter Campaign
 

Stoic Studio has joined the Kickstarter brigade for The Banner Saga, which you'll recall from a week or two back. Stoic are asking for a modest $100k, and with $10k under the belt in a few hours, that looks safe. The rewards start from $5, with only $10 getting you a digital copy of the game, due in November.
Some features, to refresh your memory:
More information.

i just backed it. after i contacted them and got confirmation that it will be DRM free.

cheers

If this kind of thing ever takes off and works as one would hope, it's going to be where I spend almost my entire gaming budget.

I'm all over this, in theory.

Only, the problem with the publisher model as it is - currently - isn't so much the actual model, but how human nature mixes with it. As great as this kickstarter thing sounds, our nature remains the same.

So, I'll have to see the system work - with all the kinks removed, before I start supporting it.

Unless, of course, some ex-Looking Glass dude wants to kickstart System Shock 3.

I don't understand what you are saying.

Looks like this might be a fun game…

I love the art style - worth $10 of speculation, I think.

Then even I will open my digital wallet.

C

I'm saying that the publisher model would work very differently, if human nature wasn't what it is.

It's like capitalism. The system in itself could work very well, if it wasn't human nature to seek the shortest path to the greatest return.

We're like water, in that way. We want the path of least resistance.

There are exceptions, certainly, but those exceptions have a way of circumventing the weaknesses in any system. This is why we're seeing "art" even with the publisher model, or in the very similar Hollywood system - for instance.

This "kickstarter" system would seem to be better than the publisher model, but it's not like it can replace true passion and it's not like human nature will change.

Then again, I rarely buy the whole line of "it's all the fault of the publisher". It goes both ways - and some people just don't have the talent - regardless of the restrictions imposed upon them.

I still don't get your point, sorry. Obviously it doesn't replace "true passion" - does anything? - but neither does any finance system. I can't actually see a direct connection between any finance system and "passion".

That's ok. It's not a big deal anyway.

But you kinda got my point. There's no connection between passion and a finance system (unless, of course, finances or finance systems are your passion), which is why the only "system" I would actually advocate - is one where finances don't enter the picture.

I'm not sure I can articulate my point much better, though…

Personally, I'm still not convinced this will help us a lot in the long run. It only takes a few kickstarter projects down the drain before the concept is abandoned. If there's one thing developers are good at, especially when there's no publisher involved to enforce the dates, it's letting things go on and on until the whole thing is a complete failure.

Bottom line: I fear we'll get more Duke Nukem Forever than Planescape: Torment out of this.

Still, if the right project comes along, I'll invest. It's worth a risk.

I pledged 10. I'm a sucker for grid-based combat and viking lore. :)

Looks good. I am not big fun of Kickstarter incentives of we'll take your banner, we'll write a god based on you or we'll make a statue of you, but can live with that. In fact, better this than dumbed down, generic gameplay that in the eyes of marketing will make the whole world play a game. And definitely looks like it's worth 10$.

Probably the only project that I would fund kickstarter-wise would be Might and Magic 10 or a clone, if the name is still owned by that French company.

I'm too much of a skeptic. It's very easy to start a project, but to stay the course and not lose focus? Much harder. What happens to your donation if the project gets halted 9 months from now and your donation has went to pay some schmucks salary?

I'll pledge $25 so i can get the CE. Since i don't spend money on AAA titles like i used to, i will instead throw my money at games like this and Wasteland 2.

You'd have lost your $10.

Of course one should have a close look at the project and the people behind it before pledging. With people like Fargo or the Banner devs, that have both experience and a lot of credit to loose on a botched project, I feel the risk is probably limited. But of course, there is always a risk with any "money upfront" deal. And eventually we WILL see failed projects, and there will be much gnashing of teeth.
Still, Kickstarter is about funding something out of enthusiasm that would not likely get funding through other means. Not possible without taking risks.

I agree. I just wasn't a big enough fan of Wasteland to kickstart. Might and Magic? I might very well be one of the $10,000 donators on that one. I loves my Might and Magic series :D Of course, it'd have to be led by a reinvigorated JVC or all bets are off.

+1
Don't see the big fuss about 10$
wow, I might lose 10 bucks, compare paying kickstater 10 bucks, fueling a flame that can create something special, that influences a lot of people, with giving 10$ to buy sodas for a month, or cigarettes, or whatever you guys waste money on.

So er what sort of RPG/Strategy game will this be? I'd like more details before I commit.

In the screens they showed the combat reminded me a little of the new King's Bounty expansion. (King’s Bounty: Warriors of the North)

Daniel.

Boom. Backed it. Now if Obsidian can just get a kickstarter started I'll be happy to spend some more of my hard earned money. Take my money please and give me good games.