Pillars of Eternity - Backer Rewards Update

Couchpotato · February 13, 2015

Obsidian's latest update for Pillars of Eternity may upset a few backers as it talks about Backer rewards, and most importantly the DRM-Free physical release.

So here is our conundrum. We have a real conflict between delivering a fully working DRM-free disc and meeting our manufacturing requirements to get you your physical rewards as near to March 26th as we can. This is a real concern, again, if a version of the game that really isn’t the final version is leaked onto the internet. The pledges backers like you put in to the game are not only at risk, it just plain sucks if lots of other people are playing the game you funded before you do. Obviously, we want the game to sell well enough so we can make more of them too, and an early leak of the disc concerns us enough that we’d like to share these concerns with you too and see what you think.

So, what can we do?

There are two things we feel we could do that would help mitigate these concerns:

We ship everything out except the game disc, which we then ship to you after finalizing the 1.0 version. Wait a minute, Darren. That sounds crazy. You’re going to ship me a game with NO DISC inside at first?!

Here’s why we think that’s good: Anyone who pledged to a physical reward tier will get a digital copy. You’ll be able to get a Steam or GOG.com key on our site and play the game at the same time as everyone else. You’d be able to take out your Collector’s Guidebook, your cloth map, your mousepad and enjoy all of it at the same you’re playing Pillars of Eternity.

Alternatively, we delay shipping everything out to you once we have the final 1.0 version ready. For some parts of the world, this could mean a delay of some real significance. Not just a week or two, but multiple weeks after it’s released.

While it’s rather unorthodox, we really prefer option #1, even though it is going to cost us more in shipping costs. We just think it will be more fun for everyone to be able to enjoy all of the game and its add-ons at the same time. However, you’ve backed this game, so we want to hear what you think.

They also posted a video from Pax South in-case you missed it here you go.

More information.

Drithius · February 13, 2015

Voted for #1, had my fill of delays (and then some) with Wasteland 2's botched shipments.

azarhal · February 13, 2015

#1 for me too.

And I can't wait to have those books, they looks very good.

Drithius · February 13, 2015

Lol… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0TpxooPOcc#t=785

Thrasher · February 13, 2015

I would vote #1 too. But I'm sure we will have to wait a while for the final CDs.

Ripper · February 13, 2015

Does anyone even care about getting a game disk? So long as I can download the installer, and have a nice manual, I'm happy.

Couchpotato · February 13, 2015

All this does is show that offering physical editions is not worth it. I lost track of how many kickstarters have mailed box copies months after the digital release.

Pessimeister · February 13, 2015

That's an entertaining video, thanks for posting.

To be honest, I'd prefer to have the whole package at once rather than have it staggered out. I don't mind a delay; I have a ridiculous backlog as it is and less hours now to game with the end of the summer holidays.

Terry · February 13, 2015

Couchpotato said:
All this does is show that offering physical editions is not worth it. I lost track of how many kickstarters have mailed box copies months after the digital release.

I would be really curious as to the cost / benefit ratio of lets say Wasteland 2 for example. They had a pile of physical editions to deliver and the time and cost involved must have cut in to the return for each one produced. I would almost guess to the point of making less than the smallest digital only pledge.

I see in the new underworld-ascendant KS that physical starts at $100 for a box edition it seems like a more reasonable amount given all the extra expenses physical stuff entails.

I have said it before these are software developers not manufactures and most have no clue when it comes to physical production of items, especially at the cottage level production that most are looking at for their products. Most either guessed at the cost or went with the industry standard of about $60 for a box and it turned around and bit them in the ass, in some cases real hard.

Ripper · February 13, 2015

Not to mention that the disk becomes obsolete almost immediately, as soon as the need for digitally downloaded patches arises.

I would like physical games to be sold in the form of books - that is, a nicely produced manual with maybe some lore, artwork, foldout maps, and a little card stuck inside with the download details and key. Then I'd have the only physical element with some actual value to adorn my shelf, and enjoy.

sakichop · February 13, 2015

I'm confused what is final version 1.0? The finished game? And if it is what version is the steam version?

Any I don't like option 1. I got a collectors edition. It's a COLLECTORS edition. I want it full and intact in plastic wrap. I don't open it.

Just like I have my 2 D:OS collector editions unopened.

Couchpotato · February 13, 2015

Pessimeister said:
That's an entertaining video, thanks for posting.

I also enjoyed watching the video, but it's from last month. Obsidian just re-posted it in-case anyone missed watching the twitch stream from Pax South.

I actually like one of the comments from a poster called Dean Love.

The update doesn't explain the issue here that well.

The game isn't finished. It needs another six weeks or so of polish and bug fixes. They need to print the discs now to ship them out with the physical rewards. So the version on the disc will effectively be a beta. They could stop you from being able to play that version until you patch it on launch day, but that is, by definition, DRM.

So the version on the disc has to work, but it won't be finished. This would be sort of fine (except, since you can't ensure that all the orders around the world arrive on the same day, physical backers will be getting a free beta a few weeks beforehand) but that's only if you assume total honesty. If someone, somewhere in the supply chain (either at pressing the discs, packing the discs, delivering the discs, or a backer that gets it a few weeks early) decides to rip it and torrent it…

Then the pirates are playing a version of the game before digital backers, which sucks for us, and they're playing a crap version of the game and are going around internet forums calling it a typical buggy Obsidian mess, which sucks for Obsidian. The game gets a bad reputation out of the gate.

There is a third option. There is a simple way around this. They delay the game another two months, put the finished version on the discs on March 26th, then send everything out. And sit on the digital version for two months, maybe go on holiday or something. And voila, digital and physical backers get the same version at around the same time.

Note the same thing applies regardless of if the game was coming out in March, April, or last year like it was meant to. The only way to do it is to sit on the final code for months. If that would make anyone happy I'd be amazed.

azarhal · February 13, 2015

sakichop said:
I'm confused what is final version 1.0? The finished game? And if it is what version is the steam version?.

Version 1.0 is the final QA approved version of the game that will be available on Steam on the March 26th.

Morrandir · February 13, 2015

sakichop said:
Any I don't like option 1. I got a collectors edition. It's a COLLECTORS edition. I want it full and intact in plastic wrap. I don't open it.

I somehow both admire and sneer at collectors like you.

joxer · February 13, 2015

I'm digital backer only.
But if I did take physical cloth and rags, I honestly wouldn't care when will those come as long as I can play the game on the release day. Of course, some people live in their own Star Trek world where teleporters can instantly deliver physical stuff to their doors at the moment those are printed. Some others, no matter what you do, won't ever be satisfied.

Couch, IMO you shouldn't have put that in spoiler tag. At least not this sentence:

Then the pirates are playing a version of the game before digital backers, which sucks for us, and they're playing a crap version of the game and are going around internet forums calling it a typical buggy Obsidian mess

And what happens next is 0/10 trolls on metacritic as that site doesn't care if the userreview author pirated the game or not.

This part is also very important:

There is a simple way around this. They delay the game another two months, put the finished version on the discs on March 26th, then send everything out.

You'd see no complaints from me if this happened. I'm actively praying for delays lately because of so many games released in a short time interval.

crpgnut · February 13, 2015

I'm fine with #1. I open my collector's editions and play with the toy inside

I voted #1, but I would have taken a 3rd option that said, Get all the other collector's stuff and a new trinket and skip the disc altogether

The disc is outdated after the first patch anyway.

you · February 13, 2015

Well that is what they basically said in the new shadowrun kickstart (where they also said the hassle wasn't worth the effort of offering physical stuff).
-
Btw I watched the hour long video and I'm having high hopes for this game. Maybe too high - wish I could find some feedback from beta testers of the recent builds to see if the mechanics are looking promising.

Couchpotato said:
All this does is show that offering physical editions is not worth it. I lost track of how many kickstarters have mailed box copies months after the digital release.

azarhal · February 13, 2015

you said:
Btw I watched the hour long video and I'm having high hopes for this game. Maybe too high - wish I could find some feedback from beta testers of the recent builds to see if the mechanics are looking promising.

Me and few others put some feedback in this thread last week.

Of course, what I like might not be what you like...

Gilliatt · February 13, 2015

I'm fine with either #1 or #2, so I didn't vote. Considering my backlog, I don't mind waiting since I probably won't play the game before 2020, but I understand people who want their printed manual as fast as possible. I always prefer to play games with the manual on my desk.

I'm a physical product guy all the way, but if they start selling them over $100, that's probably when I'm going to finally abandon the habit. I wanted to pledge for a $72 regular copy of Torment, but they removed the option a week before I was ready to pledge, so they lost me because I was not ready to pay $145 for the collector's edition.

Crilloan · February 13, 2015

Ripper said:
Not to mention that the disk becomes obsolete almost immediately, as soon as the need for digitally downloaded patches arises.

I would like physical games to be sold in the form of books - that is, a nicely produced manual with maybe some lore, artwork, foldout maps, and a little card stuck inside with the download details and key. Then I'd have the only physical element with some actual value to adorn my shelf, and enjoy.

That is a lovely thought!

How I miss spending hours over the manuals of yonder...

C

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