Do not listen to fans too much

[sync-oz]

And, we're a tiny but vocal subset of all the backers.. The rest backed off the small amount of info available on KS and news sites.

[Vryheid]

Doesn't anyone buy a video game based off of impulse anymore? What is wrong with not worrying about each and every little detail in a game and just enjoying whatever surprises the developers have in store?

Personally, I'm willing to give suggestions, I'm not going to take it as an act of personal betrayal if Fargo and his team decide to do something off the wall instead.

[The_A_Drain]

Doesn't anyone buy a video game based off of impulse anymore? What is wrong with not worrying about each and every little detail in a game and just enjoying whatever surprises the developers have in store?

Personally, I'm willing to give suggestions, I'm not going to take it as an act of personal betrayal if Fargo and his team decide to do something off the wall instead.

Precisely this.

I gave money to this because I want to see power back where it should be, back in the hands of the developer. Not pandering to a third party group whether that group is a small elitist crowd looking for a game only 1 person can enjoy or a gigantic publisher looking for one 1 million people can.

The fact that Fallout is my favorite game of all time is almost incidental to be honest.

[infestor]

agreed. have a little faith in the developer—even if you are not 100% on the same page. moreover, i really find "i don't really liked this, this and this new feature suggestions and i want this but that isn't there, so i am gonna drop/cancel my pledge" type of behaviour obnoxious.

[kad136]

I gave money to this because I want to see power back where it should be, back in the hands of the developer.

I'd love to get there eventually, but I don't think we're there yet. I'm not sure this is the time/place for something completely off the wall (or even very different) since we've been promised something fairly specific. Most people aren't going to be happy if too much is new and/or changed. I think the best way forward would be for inXile to stick pretty closely to the old-school RPG "format" (mostly Wasteland and Fallout 1&2), and make a very good game. Then in the future consider kickstarting something like "we've proven we can make the old school RPGs you love, now give us more rope to make a truly innovative and nutty RPG, we think you'll love it." I think people will be much more receptive to that.

[Drool]

Doesn't anyone buy a video game based off of impulse anymore?

Every since I got burned by BAT32, I've been much more cautious.

[krellen]

Doesn't anyone buy a video game based off of impulse anymore?

Games are expensive and my time is precious, and I'm very conscious of the dangers of buying a game I don't like, because I cannot return it and I would be indicating, via my sale, to publishers that this game I don't like is something I want more of.

So no, I don't impulse buy.

Maybe you're not American, because as best I can tell, that whole "cannot return a game" is a uniquely American problem.

[Shaewaros]

Doesn't anyone buy a video game based off of impulse anymore?

Bought Dead Space 2 for 3 € yesterday. It was a tough decision but finally I gave in to my urges.

[The_A_Drain]

Doesn't anyone buy a video game based off of impulse anymore?

Games are expensive and my time is precious, and I'm very conscious of the dangers of buying a game I don't like, because I cannot return it and I would be indicating, via my sale, to publishers that this game I don't like is something I want more of.

So no, I don't impulse buy.

Maybe you're not American, because as best I can tell, that whole "cannot return a game" is a uniquely American problem.

No.

I can't speak for Japan or other parts of Asia, but in Europe, Australia, etc it's very difficult to return anything than you've unsealed (near impossible) unless it's faulty.

I gave money to this because I want to see power back where it should be, back in the hands of the developer.

I'd love to get there eventually, but I don't think we're there yet. I'm not sure this is the time/place for something completely off the wall (or even very different) since we've been promised something fairly specific. Most people aren't going to be happy if too much is new and/or changed. I think the best way forward would be for inXile to stick pretty closely to the old-school RPG "format" (mostly Wasteland and Fallout 1&2), and make a very good game. Then in the future consider kickstarting something like "we've proven we can make the old school RPGs you love, now give us more rope to make a truly innovative and nutty RPG, we think you'll love it." I think people will be much more receptive to that.

No. It is exactly the time and place for it to work. If it doesn't work here, then that sets a terrible example going forward.

I truly take issue with the idea that changing anything in the core formula is "nutty" as well, it's a tiny additional feature that you don't even have to use, the fact that people are is making my head spin but you'd have to be fucking insane to mention things like Angry Birds or even Facebook. It's not 1992 anymore people, fucking deal with it. If they want to include a small ancillary social feature that they are giving you the option to use or disable (which is more than you'd get anywhere else) then they should be able to do that without people losing their fucking minds.

I'm here for the exact same reason as anyone else for the most part, I want an old school RPG, one that the market hasn't seen a good addition to in over 12 years. But a feature like this, honestly if this makes or breaks the game for a person. That person is insane. Wasteland 2 will be awesome, all this feature will do is give those who want to use it the ability to do so and those who don't lose nothing, even if you want to cost everything pedantically Fargo himself is not taking a wage from the project, which gives him about $75,000 free 'credit' to develop whatever feature he wants (avg designer wage *1.5 years).

This whole issue has just struck me the wrong way, people threatening, removing/reducing pledges despite claiming to have faith that the team knows what they are doing, some even lying about removing their pledges. It's childish, self-entitled, selfish and not at all part of the community spirit and celebratory nature of Kickstarter and this project. If those people did not have faith in the team to deliver, they should never have pledged in the first place.

[kad136]

No. It is exactly the time and place for it to work. If it doesn't work here, then that sets a terrible example going forward.

The reason I disagree is that this was pitched as something fairly specific. People aren't pledging for new, innovative features. The more such things are added, the more people are going to feel like they aren't getting what they pledged. If inXile wanted to add new and innovative features people would be much more receptive if inXile had made this clear at the beginning of the project. Personally, I would love to back a kickstarter project for a new and innovative RPG developed by key members of the Wasteland. However, that's not what this project has been pitched as and not what people have backed.

I truly take issue with the idea that changing anything in the core formula is "nutty" as well, it's a tiny additional feature that you don't even have to use...

I was just making an example on the other end of the spectrum. I don't have any problem with the social features as they've been described so far (as long as they don't dilute the single player experience, which I don't believe they will).

This whole issue has just struck me the wrong way, people threatening, removing/reducing pledges despite claiming to have faith that the team knows what they are doing, some even lying about removing their pledges. It's childish, self-entitled, selfish and not at all part of the community spirit and celebratory nature of Kickstarter and this project. If those people did not have faith in the team to deliver, they should never have pledged in the first place.

I completely agree with this. I think many of the reactions to this particular suggestion have been blown way out of proportion.

[psychoo]

"People aren't pledging for new, innovative features."

no? i do. so you`re wrong. you`re assuming something and write it down as if it was a fact. wasteland1 was innovative? it was extremely innovative. it would be innovative again today, because cause and effect doesn`t really ripple through the games lately. so if they build up the whole good old working mechanism, why on earth they shouldn`t do something new as well if it adds to the game? i really can`t get it, why do you guys fighting soooo hard against anything innovative?

But well, I know why do you do it, because the words innovation, and modernization, meant nothing else in the new generation games than dumbing down systems, and make it more inviting for the bigger masses.

But these words doesn`t mean that. They have another meaning, their real meaning. Innovative in a way that adds something and doesn`t take away. Modern in a way that utilizes technology to make your old school gamer eyes wet to see how nicely done it is.

Wasteland 2 should have new, innovative features. Otherwise you could just go and play wasteland 1, no need for a 2.

[krellen]

Otherwise you could just go and play wasteland 1, no need for a 2.

Any time you find yourself making an argument that comes down to this, stop, rethink your argument, and then reframe it so it doesn't end like this, because when you do this, you invalidate your entire point.

This isn't Madden. This isn't a game without setting or story. This isn't a game that rides entirely on its gameplay.

Going back and replaying Wasteland does not give us a new story set in the Wasteland world. It does not give us a new Wasteland setting to explore. It does not give us new characters to meet, fight, and befriend in the Wasteland.

You don't need new gameplay mechanics to do any of those things, and if you think there's something wrong with wanting those things without radical changes in gameplay, I have no kind words to say to you.

[psychoo]

Going back and replaying Wasteland does not give us a new story set in the Wasteland world. It does not give us a new Wasteland setting to explore. It does not give us new characters to meet, fight, and befriend in the Wasteland.

You don't need new gameplay mechanics to do any of those things, and if you think there's something wrong with wanting those things without radical changes in gameplay, I have no kind words to say to you.

nobody talked about radical changes in gameplay.
so a wasteland 1 DLC is what you want? based on your description that`s pretty much it.

[TheEmissary]

"People aren't pledging for new, innovative features."

no? i do. so you`re wrong. you`re assuming something and write it down as if it was a fact. wasteland1 was innovative? it was extremely innovative. it would be innovative again today, because cause and effect doesn`t really ripple through the games lately. so if they build up the whole good old working mechanism, why on earth they shouldn`t do something new as well if it adds to the game? i really can`t get it, why do you guys fighting soooo hard against anything innovative?

But well, I know why do you do it, because the words innovation, and modernization, meant nothing else in the new generation games than dumbing down systems, and make it more inviting for the bigger masses.

But these words doesn`t mean that. They have another meaning, their real meaning. Innovative in a way that adds something and doesn`t take away. Modern in a way that utilizes technology to make your old school gamer eyes wet to see how nicely done it is.

Wasteland 2 should have new, innovative features. Otherwise you could just go and play wasteland 1, no need for a 2.

I am in the camp that wants to see a game that is as much new as it is old. I really think the developers should be able to experiment with concepts and ideas for the gameplay. I mean there are probably hundreds of ideas they probably wanted to do in the original wasteland that they couldn't do because of technology was the limiting factor. Today the technology isn't the problem but instead it is the creativity and imagination of the developers. Can any of you honestly say your tastes in games/music/films hasn't changed in 25 years?

[krellen]

Can any of you honestly say your tastes in games/music/films hasn't changed in 25 years?

I have added to my tastes, but only very rarely do I stop liking something I used to like.

[presence]

I am honestly not too worried about this. The guys making the game have been around the block, and have experience. They also know what kind of game they want to make.

I bet they are quite familiar with democratic decision-making on a product. In fact, the first video tells me that Brian and team have a set of given design goals and elements that simply won't be ignored, regardless of fan ferocity.

Ultimately, I expect that fans will have the most effect during the beta stages where people will say "This specific element does not work well", or "Wow, I really think this is boring and counter-productive."

At first I was a little wary when I saw so many requests for fallout-like elements that didn't exist in the original wasteland, but then I remembered that Mr. Fargo was involved in both games, and I am pretty sure he can tell when something is bleeding in from one game to the other. I am absolutely positive that there will be elements in the game that I won't find to my liking, but I seriously doubt they will be significant enough to make me unhappy. Hell, at this point, if he just upgraded the original wasteland engine and placed a new world on top of it, I would be satisfied. I expect it will be far beyond this, but I think the game is under good stewardship.

[rudel_dietrich]

This is my very first post here. But after reading for a few days I wholeheartedly agree with the OP. I DID play the first game as well as dozens of other late 80s RPGs and pretty much the entire Interplay catalogue.

Everyone has their own feelings on the game and that is fine. I have my own feelings on the game. Some people might find them so extreme as to be sacrilegious. If everyone has their wishes followed this could become a real mess of a project.
There are going to be some design choices that will probably be strongly opposed by a section of the community. But you know what? At the end of the day good design always wins through and bad design will always be bad design.
I have played some games where the setting or genre of the game really strikes a chord with me. But the bad design makes it an unplayable experience.
At the same time, I detest Japanese anime and manga but some of my favorite gaming memories are FF 6, Chrono Trigger, Metal Gear Solid 4 and more recently Xenoblade Chronicles
I cringe at some of the dialogue and scratch my head at some of the silly Japanese cultural jokes that I don't get. But you know what? The good game design shines through and I keep playing and replaying (in the case of Chrono Trigger I have been through the game on 13 occasions)

Artistic license is still paramount. Here in the last few weeks we have seen one of the worst travesties I have ever witnessed in my 22 years of gaming.
For me it will forever be known as Mass Effect 3 syndrome. A section of the community has cried out and now the ending of the game is being changed.

There is a reason why video game development is a specialized profession. It is kind of like being a professional athlete or a doctor or a lawyer. And that reason is not everyone can walk in off the street and do it.
To a large degree I trust development teams.
And I trust this current dream team as much as I would trust the current industry all-stars. Your Rockstars and Valves etc.
I mean the team already has fucking Brian Fargo and Michael Stackpole as well as many others whom I am not going to list to keep this post as short as possible.

I trust their track record. Interplay produced 6-7 games in my top 50 list in the space of 6 years.
So I am glad they are asking for our input. In fact I plan on following along here and adding my own input here and there. But at the same time I am cautiously guarded against pulling the final direction in one direction and then another and then another.

You guys are the experts here. I didn't tell my doctor how to repair my knee before my arthroscopic surgery.
I am not going to tell the creator of Wasteland and Fallout 1 and 2 how to create a CRPG.

Sorry for the super long first post by the buy no one knows. But I feel strongly about this and decided to add my thoughts.

[whosdriving]

here here

[krellen]

Artistic license is still paramount. Here in the last few weeks we have seen one of the worst travesties I have ever witnessed in my 22 years of gaming.
For me it will forever be known as Mass Effect 3 syndrome. A section of the community has cried out and now the ending of the game is being changed.

If you think Bioware has any artistic integrity left to defend, or if their pasting on Deus Ex's ending to their game was an exercise of artistic license, I really wonder what exactly you consider art.

[War]

He didn't namecheck God Hand in his list of Jap games — request immediate ban.