POLL - Additions to $30 Tier

[Ranger Fin]

We are thinking about adding the following 4 items to the $30 Tier

An extra digital download of the game in any format. Many people wanted to be able to get a Mac AND a PC version, or PC and Linux, or even an extra PC version for a friend. Now you can.

Access to a collection of exclusive Ranger portraits that will double the pool of character portraits you have to choose from at the start of the game when you are rolling up your Rangers. This unique image collection will not only give you more Ranger portraits, but more Ranger icons used to display your party location on the world map.

Access to a four episode Video Development Blog that will show you an exclusive behind the scenes look at the design and development of Wasteland 2. Sit in on designer meetings and art review meetings to see the process behind how the game is made. See interviews with Brian Fargo, Chris Avellone, Mike Stackpole, Alan Pavlish, and the rest of the development team as they explain to you what they are doing and why they are doing it.

The complete Wasteland 2 Vision Document in digital form. This document outlines the design of the product as well as explaining the philosophy behind the design choices. It acts like a foundation that the game design is built on.

The only thing on that List that might be controversial is the extra Ranger portraits. We want to poll the fans to see what you think.

[matthewfarmery]

sounds really good, and makes the $30 tier a lot more tempting, hopefully enough for $15 backers to move up a notch, so I think what you are going to add would be really cool, (I'm already pledging $250 and can't go any higher

but I do think the $30 tier is a bit weak and needs something, what you proposing hopefully may change that, before the funding period ends, gets my vote

[Brother None]

Honestly, the only problem with pledger-only things is when they offer gameplay experiences that aren't available to other people. Unique ranger portraits/icons don't do that.

For those who value portraits highly, I'd figure you can probably import your own images for use as portraits anyway.

You could argue the Vision Document is a bigger deal since it tells us so much about where the game is heading, but let's be honest here, once it's out there, there'll always be ways to get it even if you're not a 30+ pledger

[WorstUsernameEver]

To be honest I think that the idea of limiting the vision document to the $30 tier is not that good, it's probably better to just keep it free and available for everyone if you ask me.

I don't like the idea of keeping in-game content limited to backers only, but frankly, additional ranger portraits are so minor that I can't see it being controversial at all.

Good job on the video diaries, though! (we really need more emoticons, possibly involving members of the design team moving their heads rhythmically)

[kad136]

Honestly, the only problem with pledger-only things is when they offer gameplay experiences that aren't available to other people. Unique ranger portraits/icons don't do that.

Totally agree. This is backer-only content done right.

[vinco]

This is cosmetic only. And there's no real harm (that I see) in making it easy for people to add their own portraits as well. I approve.

[IchigoRXC]

It has my vote. I agree that the vision document is probably the biggest thing on that list that people could comment on, but if it is released after the game it really doesn't give the $30 backers a better insight prior to the game, merely insight after release when everyone else is playing it. An extra collection of awesome portraits are good with me.

[bloodsausage]

I don't see any problem with unique cosmetic items. They have no impact on the gameplay, they just make things look cooler. Go for it.

[Colma]

I do not like it, but if the majority of the backers want it that is the way to go. You are right that it is minor enough for me to not be too upset, but I would rather have the game be the same for everyone.

I might not have disliked it as much if I had not been burned by all the stupid pre-order dlc you see these days in almost all major releases. You are right though this is not a mission pack or blood dragon armor, I will calm down.

[saikou]

Will those rewards be added to the 50$ tier?

edit: I like the extra portraits for backers, it's hardly anything major, but a nice little nod to those who pledged.

[Aletheides]

If there ever is a controversy about the ranger portraits. Add the option that you can aquire them normaly if you get a 100% completion percentage of ingame content or the like. Difficult but possible.

But it shouldnt be nessesary. The risk is that the most people voting NO will be people who arent planning on rising their pledge from 15$ and thus dont want to be left out. Though as its cosmetic it should be safe considering that all the stuff you get in a collectors eidtion box of a game or the like nowadays, like items and such, are more intrusive than this and we dont see people throw a fit over it.

So a YES vote from me.

[Brother None]

Will those rewards be added to the 50$ tier?

They will be added to all higher tiers, yes.

[Brayko]

As I mentioned at RPGCodex, I am in favor of artistic and aesthetic exclusive content for backers, and extra Ranger portraits does fit the bill.

What I am highly against is exclusive content that disrupts the mechanics and balance of the game, like bigger guns, for example.

[saikou]

Will those rewards be added to the 50$ tier?

They will be added to all higher tiers, yes.

Well that's excellent, i've never minded more stuff o>

[The Swede]

Only issue I have is with the timing. With about 41 hours to go some people may feel ripped off.
For me the only interesting part is the vision doc and I won't pay 15 bucks for it. I will just wait until it gets leaked.

[Sharkey]

I'm cool with exclusive Ranger portraits added to the $30 tier. Also, all that extra stuff sounds awesome, should definitely get a lot of $15 pledgers to bump up to $30!

[alexlaird87]

I would say the second copy and the vision document. I would definitely up my pledge...

[Aletheides]

Only issue I have is with the timing. With about 41 hours to go some people may feel ripped off.
For me the only interesting part is the vision doc and I won't pay 15 bucks for it. I will just wait until it gets leaked.

41 hours is plenty of time. Also Brian will probably add a kickstarter update on this when its ready wich will pop up in every backers emailbox.

[saikou]

Why would you feel ripped off? If you pledged 15$, then, well, here's some incentive for you to pledge more. If you pledged more, well then, you're getting some extra shit added to your reward.

I really don't see a problem here.

[kungfujoe]

An extra digital download of the game in any format. Many people wanted to be able to get a Mac AND a PC version, or PC and Linux, or even an extra PC version for a friend. Now you can.

You've already indicated that the game will be distributed on Steam, and Steam supports the "buy once, play on any platform" paradigm. I understand that the DRM-free copy you're offering can't really work this way (since Steam is inherently a DRM system, but there's plenty of precedent for allowing users to download copies of a game for each platform that they own with the explicit rule that splitting them up between multiple users is a copyright violation (Humble Bundles come immediately to mind). If you're trusting me enough not to just give my Windows DRM-free digital copy of Wasteland 2 to all of my friends, why not trust me to have the same level of honesty with other platforms I use?

Personally, I'd rather see Mac/Linux/Windows versions offered to all purchasers, whether they're buying digitally, buying boxes, and whether they're backers or buying after release.

For the other three, I say go for it. They're all non-gameplay related minor perks. You've already said that users can import their own portraits, so including a couple extras for backers doesn't seem to limit other buyers much at all.