Kingmaker - New Stretch Goal

Pathfinder: Kingmaker has a new stretch goal for 700K which features Mac and Linux versions of the game and an extra story chapter, that will see characters reach level 20.

Camping is in the bag!

Dear Pathfinders,

You never cease to amaze us with your enthusiasm and support for our project. You have just knocked out our first stretch goal! Thanks to your help, we can add camping to Pathfinder: Kingmaker! Thank you so much! Next stop: The Magus! But what's next? What lies beyond? Get ready as we are happy to unveil our next stretch goal!

New stretch goal - Extra story chapter and Mac & Linux version of Pathfinder: Kingmaker

We are excited to unveil the expansion of the story of the Stolen Lands. While it's difficult to describe the story of these additional adventures without major spoilers, it is safe to tell you that this additional chapter will make it easier for you to get all the way up to level 20. Threats and encounters in this chapter will be challenging for even the most powerful heroes, so be prepared to face the deadliest, meanest and scariest foes.

One request, which has been made by our community time and time again was for a Mac release. So we are excited to unveil that the second part of this stretch goal is bringing the Pathfinder experience to Mac & Linux platforms.

As we were typing this update, a gust of wind rushed in, bringing several leaves and a mysterious letter addressed to you, Pathfinders. We are presenting it below, but be warned! For those of you not familiar with the Kingmaker Adventure Path, this message may contain major spoilers!
[…]

More information.

Now that's a more ambitious stretch goal, that could severely delay and complicate development. But who cares, I want it!

Now that's more like it.

I'm glad camping is in. They are expanding upon this system much more than others have that is for sure.

New content area sounds cool but I'm skeptical about Mac and Linux versions. I remember how long it took Larian to release a Linux version of Divinity:OS. Still, they seem quite capable and organized and they have a big publisher to help things along.

I'm cautiously optimistic about this game. It appears that they planned out everything before launching KS campaign (unlike most KS where stretch goals are thrown in without much thought in midst of hype).

Very happy they've met the first goal and excited about reading about an additional chapter/story!

It needs more exposure to hit these lofty stretch goals. It's been a slow progression.

Originally Posted by Wenzil
It needs more exposure to hit these lofty stretch goals. It's been a slow progression.

Kicktraq has them on 663k on low projection (828k high). I seriously see them getting 700k with at least some effort.

Originally Posted by purpleblob
I'm cautiously optimistic about this game. It appears that they planned out everything before launching KS campaign (unlike most KS where stretch goals are thrown in without much thought in midst of hype).

Very happy they've met the first goal and excited about reading about an additional chapter/story!

Lets hope they give Avellone the task to come up with the story for that additional chapter

And this is how kickstarter projects get delayed to infinitum. So many times I've seen developers casually adding support for Mac and Linux, but when they get to the nitty-gritty, they realize it's not quite as easy as it sounded, and the project gets delayed like an extra year because of that.

Originally Posted by wolfing
And this is how kickstarter projects get delayed to infinitum. So many times I've seen developers casually adding support for Mac and Linux, but when they get to the nitty-gritty, they realize it's not quite as easy as it sounded, and the project gets delayed like an extra year because of that.

But smart developers then release the PC version and let the mac hipsters and linux nerds wait for their version longer.

Originally Posted by wolfing
And this is how kickstarter projects get delayed to infinitum. So many times I've seen developers casually adding support for Mac and Linux, but when they get to the nitty-gritty, they realize it's not quite as easy as it sounded, and the project gets delayed like an extra year because of that.

Nonsense.

If at all, the Linux and Mac versions get delayed, not all of them. It would be outright stupid to delay the most important platform because of lesser important ones.

Besides… if you develop for all platforms from the get-go, it really isn't that hard. You just use OpenGL (replace with Vulkan in a few years) for the graphics (since nobody needs DirectX, really, it's just the default on Windows) - and put windowing, input, file IO and audio into neatly exchangeable classes for each platform.

Or just use libs that do any of that cross-platform to begin with.

If cross-platform is an afterthought, it is a quite a bit of work, but not if things are planned correctly to begin with.

I prefer delays if a better game is the result. What's your rush? You don't have a backlog?

Originally Posted by TheSHEEEP
Nonsense.

If at all, the Linux and Mac versions get delayed, not all of them. It would be outright stupid to delay the most important platform because of lesser important ones.

Besides… if you develop for all platforms from the get-go, it really isn't that hard. You just use OpenGL (replace with Vulkan in a few years) for the graphics (since nobody needs DirectX, really, it's just the default on Windows) - and put windowing, input, file IO and audio into neatly exchangeable classes for each platform.

Or just use libs that do any of that cross-platform to begin with.

If cross-platform is an afterthought, it is a quite a bit of work, but not if things are planned correctly to begin with.

Actually a lot of laptops still have graphic cards that don't support Direct X or don't support new Open GL. Only use Open GL got a lot of people complaining when BG1EE was first released and recently I seen it with new patch for StarCraft:BW in preparation for HD version.
Both games in the end went back and implemented support for DirectX.

Originally Posted by NewDArt
I prefer delays if a better game is the result. What's your rush? You don't have a backlog?

Yes I have a huge backlog but if certain game* got released tomorrow my backlog will take a backseat! What I mean is I don't want to play all my games in the backlog equally.

* I have no such game right now but if we go back in the past, Witcher 3 or even Skyrim would have been such a game.

Originally Posted by NewDArt
I prefer delays if a better game is the result. What's your rush? You don't have a backlog?

I have a massive backlog. Some games i'm embarrassed to say I haven't finished yet. Yet I will still be jumping on the consumerist bandwagon and probably back this game this weekend.

Why do these kickstarters always make platform ports a stretch goal? It's like, please pay us more so we can make more money selling more copies. Ditto with language ports. Aren't people with those platforms/languages more likely to buy the game after they are already added? Why contribute if you're not sure the stretch goal is going to succeed?

Feeling more cynical than normal this morning.

Originally Posted by rjshae
Why do these kickstarters always make platform ports a stretch goal? It's like, please pay us more so we can make more money selling more copies. Ditto with language ports. Aren't people with those platforms/languages more likely to buy the game after they are already added? Why contribute if you're not sure the stretch goal is going to succeed?

Feeling more cynical than normal this morning.

It's not a trivial task where you just push a button and it compiles for another platform. All sorts of software/OS/support related matters have to be taken into account.

Also, the mac/linux market segment is pretty tiny in comparison to PC/consoles.

But, on the other hand, it's a task that most experienced developers CAN accomplish if they're allowed some time to focus on it.

Which makes it an ideal stretch goal, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by NewDArt
It's not a trivial task where you just push a button and it compiles for another platform. All sorts of software/OS/support related matters have to be taken into account.

Also, the mac/linux market segment is pretty tiny in comparison to PC/consoles.

But, on the other hand, it's a task that most experienced developers CAN accomplish if they're allowed some time to focus on it.

Which makes it an ideal stretch goal, in my opinion.

No, I never said it would be easy.

Suppose there was a Kickstarter in a non-native language, and the funding seemed unlikely to reach the stretch goal of the language you want. Would you contribute even if it was uncertain that the stretch goal would succeed? Or would you hold off and wait for it to come to market, hoping that the developers subsequently port it? I think most people would choose the latter. Hence it's not an ideal stretch because it doesn't significantly encourage contributions and it's unlikely to interest most people who have already contributed.

Originally Posted by rjshae
No, I never said it would be easy.

Suppose there was a Kickstarter in a non-native language, and the funding seemed unlikely to reach the stretch goal of the language you want. Would you contribute even if it was uncertain that the stretch goal would succeed? Or would you hold off and wait for it to come to market, hoping that the developers subsequently port it? I think most people would choose the latter. Hence it's not an ideal stretch because it doesn't significantly encourage contributions and it's unlikely to interest most people who have already contributed.

I wouldn't give a shit about language if the game was my kind of game, really.

But if I couldn't play it - then I wouldn't fund it until such an option became available.

Originally Posted by rjshae
Suppose there was a Kickstarter in a non-native language, and the funding seemed unlikely to reach the stretch goal of the language you want. Would you contribute even if it was uncertain that the stretch goal would succeed?

Sure, why not? On Kickstarter you can withdraw your pledge easily. So there'se zero risk if you don't forget to check if the desired stretchgoal was reached.