Black Isle - Crowdfunding Campaign Launched

Dhruin

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The resurrected Black Isle Studios has launched their own crowdfunding campaign via their website to fund a protoype for Project V13. The campaign itself uses a humorous Mayan Apocalypse device and features Interplay vets Chris Taylor, (artist) Chip Bumgardner and (writer) Mark O'Green.
The actual project uses the same codename as the planned Fallout MMO but is now a strategy/RPG with base-building - possibly they'll use some of the assets from the original V13 in this revised concept?
Project V13 (PV13) is the first planned Black Isle Studios release in years, a post-apocalyptic strategy RPG. You will create a character to represent yourself within the game world. Your character will be a hardy adventurer from a variety of backgrounds; one of the last remaining humans, a new breed mutant, or a technologically advanced cyborg. The choice is yours.

Once you have determined your character's background, you will found your "colony". From a deserted city, a broken down military base, or even the ruins of an oil pumping station, the colony will be yours to rebuild and control. Attract non-player characters for guards, peons, scientists, and other activities. Or, if you are the type that so desires, shanghai the NPCs. Put them to work rebuilding your society and improving your colony.

Meanwhile, you will experience grand adventures to gather the resources and ancient technologies as well as fight back the enemy hordes. Your character will gain experience, advance skills, learn new talents and gain access to incredibly powerful equipment. Or die trying.

Explore the world, meet friends, and fight your neighbors for control of resources. PV13 will be your chance to rebuild a devastated world.
It's important to understand these funds are to build a prototype, not a complete game:
The prototype will be a "proof of concept". It won't have the entire world or a finished game. We've got some great ideas, but they haven't been tested in the crucible of actual play. We need time and money. [...]
We can then use this prototype to raise the additional funds necessary to complete the game.
You also don't get a copy of the finished game in any reward tier - the primary reward is access to a forum to discuss the game. For example:
$10+ contributions will receive:

•Access to a special Black Isle forum. You can read about the ongoing fight to save the world. (And PV13.)
•A copper BIMAR forum badge.
•A Certificate of Recognition at the end of 30 days.

$20+ contributions will receive:

•Access to the private forum as well as posting privileges.
•A silver BIMAR forum badge.
•A Certificate of Merit at the end of 30 days.
In essence, this is a donation to Interplay. From their FAQ:
For purposes of clarity and the avoidance of doubt, in consideration of Interplay's good faith efforts to develop, produce, and launch the forum with the funds raised, You agree that any deposit amounts applied against the Game Cost as described above shall be non-refundable regardless of whether or not Interplay is able to launch the forum, complete the prototype, or complete and deliver the Game. In the unlikely event that Interplay cannot deliver the forum or prototype, Interplay will post an audited cost accounting on its website to fully explain the use of the deposits for the Game Cost. In consideration of these and other promises by Interplay hereunder and herein, You agree to irrevocably waive any claim for refund of any deposit amount that has been used for the Game Cost in accordance with the above.
Finally, there is no goal or progress display, though NMA dug into the page code and found this image hidden.
Caveat emptor.
More information.
 
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Let me be the first to say: Whut?
(also: non link, no pic?)
 
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Seriously? Couldn't they at least offer a matching discount on the final release?

Nah.
 
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Black Isle is dead. I'm not inclined to throw money at its zombie corpse.

but zombies are popular!

/jk I'm not touching that corpse either.
 
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You also don't get a copy of the finished game in any reward tier - the primary reward is access to a forum to discuss the game.

In essence, this is a donation to Interplay.

This is one of the most ridiculous stunts I've ever heard of. Hope anyone who falls for this enjoys their special private forum.
 
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Aren't they just going the Star Citizen route? Using crowdfunding to build something to pitch at publishers… If I understood SC correctly that is.

EDIT: Just read the gamasutra entry. there are very noteable differences indeed, starting with no threshold, no total pledges shown and no game genre announced. The only similarity is the proof of concept first step.
 
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Well let me just say it's a fundraiser not a kickstarter people. Fundraisers are for people to get money. Not to give you something. Unless your a politician that is.:biggrin:

Feel free to overreact as that is what the internet is for. Let me part with saying I don't agree with what there doing but know the difference of a kickstarter and a fundraiser first.
 
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Well let me just say it's a fundraiser not a kickstarter people. Fundraisers are for people to get money. Not to give you something. Unless your a politician that is.:biggrin:

Feel free to overreact as that is what the internet is for. Let me part with saying I don't agree with what there doing but know the difference of a kickstarter and a fundraiser first.

Actually Kickstarter is also considered a fundraising platform so it's a bit semantic to delineate the two. Even charity fundraisers give attendees gooddybags.

But you're right, not actually receiving a game isn't that big of a deal.

Crowdfunding doesn't mean you get a product, that's simply how Kickstarter does it.

[Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding is a type of Fundraising.]

But there are enough other reasons not to open your wallet for this project.
 
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Ah I remember when the studio developing the new Battlechess ran into cost overruns and needed additional funding to finish the multiplayer component. Their publisher, Interplay, generously allowed them to try to get it on Kickstarter.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1354795482/battle-chess

I would be very very worried about handing over money to a financially desperate company based on a very vague plan. I'd be more than a little suspicious that this is a desperate temporary measure to get an injection of cash to stave off bankruptcy and that their own expectations are very low with regard to the likelihood that they will actually be spending much of this money on doing much besides paying interest on outstanding loans.

At this point if they were to toss in 1000 shares of Interplay stock for every $20 pledged they'd effectively be doubling the price.

http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/IPLY/quote
 
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Yeah... Any "good faith" I had in Interplay left years ago with most of their employees.
 
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Exactly. There are maybe some developers I would consider just donating to. But todays Interplay and its BI decoy is pretty much the last one I would consider. A pity considering what BI once was - but that legacy lives on elsewhere.
 
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Well let me just say it's a fundraiser not a kickstarter people. Fundraisers are for people to get money. Not to give you something. Unless your a politician that is.:biggrin:

Feel free to overreact as that is what the internet is for. Let me part with saying I don't agree with what there doing but know the difference of a kickstarter and a fundraiser first.

Interplay is not a charity. This is not the sort of fundraiser to save victims of some disaster or find a cure for cancer.

Whether hosted on Kickstarter or any other platform (it appears BlackIsle is using the InvestedIn platform) crowdfunding fundraisers still provide something in exchange for your pledge, whether it is a small amount of equity, some sort of souvenir premium, a copy of the finished product, a letter of thanks, access to meet the principals in person, etc.

In the case of the Black Isle project, what they are providing is forum access and badges, which I suspect many potential contributors will see as completely worthless, even folks who might have otherwise been inclined to support the project. When Interplay files their tax return, I imagine any revenue resulting from this scheme is going to be reported as sales of a service (forum access), not charitable donations.
 
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Is this some kind of pratical joke? Most 15 year old kids could make a better website than that for the love of god.
 
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The good thing about it is that it is an RPG.

One wonders what strategy/war game players are left with.

The future is RPG. Most games made in the future will be RPGs or wont be.

Is this some kind of pratical joke? Most 15 year old kids could make a better website than that for the love of god.

Sure about that? My idea is that theirs must be bullet proof to cracking attempts as they raise money. Wont tell the same from most 15 yo kids' websites made.
 
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Does it look okay it your browser? In mine I get a black box and the top with some numbers in there and then grey box beneath that with all the videos/text. No images or any kind of design elements that you would get on normal websites these days. Maybe it is just broken for me.
 
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