Going independent...

[Lys91]

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=35507

Should we understand it as: "we screwed so much Paradox is refusing to publish any more of our games, so we won't do extension for SOTS2 and do an independent rogue-like game instead"? I am not really surprise. I am just curious to see if there will be able to convince enough people to give them money, after this disaster of a game. Because, as Paradox seems to continue to publish independent like game (GoD, Impire etc.)their arguments seems specious.

 

[Smallbridge]

That is exactly how I took it. I am sure that most of the active folks in these forums have participated in crowdsourced game self-publishing. I have. I like the idea of supporting developers directly just as I like the idea of supporting responsive publishers like paradox. Given Kerberos' record with SOTSII, I won't be participating in The Pit. I bought their game last october and all the DLC I could before game release. I already owned SOTS. Other than platitudes I didn't get a thing for my large purchase that I couldn't buy for alot less now that the game is finally properly released. So I have already paid out for a game and waited a year to see it complete. I didn't much care for the experience with Kerberos. I'll have to play SOTSII to see if the wait was worth the effort.

 

[S0ny B1ack]

Even though the start of SOTS 2 was... well... a disaster, it doens't mean that it'll be the same with any game they make Also IMHO despite the bad release, they have done everything they could to get the game together and they have succeeded (this is at least my opinion, i'm currently having a blast with SOTS2). Yes it was done late, but at least they managed to finish it (and i'm positive that kerberos will further improve it).

 

[eRe4s3r]

Well, if we are honest, name 1 Kerberos title that was not a total mess on launch... I tripple dare you ;p Remember Fort Zombie (that is still a total mess)? Sword of the Star 1 release day version? SOTS2 on release day?

Sounds to me like they don't want Paradox doing Quality Control... and to me this sounds much much worse than anything that came from Kerberos so far. Are they afraid their next game might be canned by Paradox? Don't they want to have a quality bug-free game on release?

If there is one company that I will never pre-order anything from it's Kerberos. Kerberos is literally the reason I only pre-order games I am actually 100% sure I enjoy now, which means, at best 1 or 2 a year. Never anything INDY though. (the other reason was Stronghold 3) Both games came out the same month, so my mental image of both is... well, not good ;p

To me SOTS2 is not yet finished, no Tutorial, no Scenarios, and still annoying as hell GUI lag.

 

[unmerged(403426)]

Well, I'm going to do it. I'm a latecomer to the scene -- I didn't start following Kerberos until I brought SotS Prime, long after it was patched to completion -- but the bottom line is that the games I've bought by Kerberos have been some of my favorites, and I'd like to see them succeed. Besides, I figure the story may be different when they are doing everything for themselves instead of partnering with a publisher.

 

[HighLigerBimBam]

They are not going independent and will keep working with paradox. Its just such a game will not find a publisher.

 

[Dadekster]

I don't care what they do or how they do it (within legal reason) so long as they and other companies put out good games, I'll stay in my happy zone. They can come up with all sorts of ideas and schemes on how to put out a good game but all I care about is the final product as I am just a consumer of that product. Don't make me happy you don't get my business and do that enough to enough consumers and they go out of business. Bit like the theory of natural selection I suppose and maybe this is just a part of the evolution of game design? Who knows...I like being at the top of the food chain though. :happy:

 

[Lys91]

They are not going independent and will keep working with paradox. Its just such a game will not find a publisher.

Why this game won't find a publisher? It does not sound more niche than some of stuff paradox publish (Salem?, Showdown Effect?). The only thing I could believe is that they are not able to meet quality standard and they are afraid to see their game refused by PI (which already rejected Magna Mundi for similar reason and seems to be more concerned of the game published under its name).

 

[HighLigerBimBam]

I personally would not finance this game, i don`t see the "fun". Showdown effect looked cool and fun even thought i will never buy it.

 

[Amadeu of Savoy]

Yeah, I've been severely burned with this SOTS2 experience. I'll forever love Kerberos for SOTS, but another game from them will need a lot of confirmation before I think about buying or funding. Also, this particular game is not really my style.

 

[unmerged(117145)]

Well, if we are honest, name 1 Kerberos title that was not a total mess on launch... I tripple dare you ;p Remember Fort Zombie (that is still a total mess)? Sword of the Star 1 release day version? SOTS2 on release day?

Ok. Sword of the Stars 1. Was easily within industry standards on launch day. People seem to be retroactively inventing some hatred for SotS 1 release, I imagine because they cling too much to what the expansions brought, but it was a playable, fun game with no more or less bugs than your average AAA titles at any point in time prior to Born of Blood. I bought that game on release and don't remember any major or game crippling bugs, just a very playable experience. Our sample size is very small here and includes one game that was basically an expanded tech project and appropriately billed and priced as such, so let's try and get it right at least.

Kerberos has been completely transparent on the issue of going independent, there's no need to speculate or jump to some...silly conclusions. As they're contiuing to work with Paradox on SotS2 and its expansions, it doesn't seem like Paradox is cutting their ties, nor does it seem like Kerberos has anywhere even hinted that this is the case, and it seems even more absurd to try and claim it's an attempt to dodge Q&A. The point seems pretty clear: economically they need to try a new route so that they can actually see a profit. The Pit is a low risk, lower budget game that'll allow people who enjoy the games Kerberos makes to actually support them, since buying copies of their published games have not, while still allowing them to develop in full force for their published games like Sword of the Stars 2.

I for one think it looks like a neat game, and I enjoy roguelikes, the SotS-verse setting, and sci-fi/space opera in general, so it seems pretty straightforward that it's a game I want to try (I mean, $10 is the minimum to actually buy the game, not a big loss). But I also feel like supporting Kerberos, because they supported SotS 2 despite never seeing a dime for it and when almost any other company would just pack it up and leave it an unfinished and unrealized mess. And it really is one of the best 4X games on the market now. It deserves some respect.

 

[Kohlrabi]

But I also feel like supporting Kerberos, because they supported SotS 2 despite never seeing a dime for it and when almost any other company would just pack it up and leave it an unfinished and unrealized mess. And it really is one of the best 4X games on the market now. It deserves some respect.

This.

Also, my 700+ hours played certainly is a good reason for handing over 110$.