ANOTHER Kickstart project - The Banner Saga

defiant007

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http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stoic/the-banner-sagaspotlight

The Banner Saga is a role-playing game merged with turn-based strategy, wrapped into an adventure mini-series about vikings.

Travel through stunning landscapes straight out of an animated film. Battle painstakingly hand-animated foes in strategic, turn-based combat harkening back to the classic "Tactics" days of gaming. Make decisions with consequences in conversations with people you'll truly care about.

And throughout the whole thing record the history of your people on your banner where it will be remembered, because soon there might not be anything left.

The Banner Saga is a mature game aimed at gamers who appreciate art, story and strategy.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/02/29/waving-a-flag-for-turn-based-combat-the-banner-saga/

The ex-BioWare bods, Stoic, with their offices in a goat shed have released a trailer for the intriguing The Banner Saga. Revealing the traditional animation style, as well as the ye-olde-school grid-based turn-based combat, along with RPG-like dialogue options, it gives you an idea of the tone being aimed at, if not how it will feel to play. We’ve also got some rather lovely screenshots that we’ll even let you look at. If you’re good.

According to the accompanying info, “Players take control of a large cast of dynamic characters as they make their attempt to survive what could be the end of everything.” It seems it’s a battle to destroy enemies from the past, as the time goes a bit screwy while the world falls apart. Says Stoic’s creative director, Alex Thomas,

“Our first priority has always been to create a compelling story and gameplay that complements this. We want players to really care about what happens to the people they meet, and have no idea what’s going to happen next.”

Looks interesting.
 
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In for 10$, looks interesting enough, not usually the type of game I buy but I've never seen one like this before.
 
No love from the [H] dwellers? I thought more people would be interested.

If anything I really dig the art direction, reminds me of Myth: The Fallen Lords.

Anyway, project has been funded in less than 48 hours. Behold the power of crowd sourced funding!
 
I wonder how worried EA and the rest of them are getting. "Kickstart" could be a flash-in-the-pan, but if it actually establishes itself as a viable mainstream source of funding game development...
 
Yeah my bad, I was really tired last night when I posted this thread and overlooked that typo. Damn forum won't allow you to edit thread titles. :eek:

I didn't even notice. I used the " " because it's a name...wasn't trying to be a prick :cool:

Oh...actually I am the one in the wrong. I thought it was "Kickstart". It's Kickstarter. Derp.
 
I'll be watching. It will all depend on how strategic the combat will be, not too casual I hope.
 
Not to be a douche but...I expect much of the enthusiasm for this will be short lived when projects drag on forever, come out and are disappointing and/or never come out at all. I hope to be proven wrong, but my gut feeling says otherwise.
 
Not to be a douche but...I expect much of the enthusiasm for this will be short lived when projects drag on forever, come out and are disappointing and/or never come out at all. I hope to be proven wrong, but my gut feeling says otherwise.

Not really different to any other game you might be enthusiastically looking forward to.

The real difference IMHO is that the potential upside of success (getting to play a genuinely innovative game that would not have otherwise been made) outweighs the potential downside of either getting a dud game or no game at all (assuming you pledge the miserly minimum to receive the base game without the frills).
 
I'm in on this one.

If this (or any other Kickstarter project) fails/is late/is bad, I'm not going to be upset about it. Disappointed, sure. But I understand that this is essentially a practically-no-strings-attached donation. I think it would be wise for everyone to keep that in mind.

I'm hesitant to use the 'e' word, but there's a lot of that feeling going around these days (Mass Effect 3 FTC complaint, anyone?) and it bring nothing but bad news to everyone.
 
I refuse to donate to any kickstarter game. If it's good enough, I'll pay...AFTER it's done/released.
 
I refuse to donate to any kickstarter game. If it's good enough, I'll pay...AFTER it's done/released.

The point is that you want the game developed bad enough that you pay to have it made in the first place. Generally most of the games on Kickstarter look like rubbish but their are a few like Wasteland 2 and the Banner Saga that look to be fairly interesting. Either way the minimums they ask for to get the games after their released is pretty minimal, for 10$ or 15$ you can have the full games generally.
 
The point is that you want the game developed bad enough that you pay to have it made in the first place. Generally most of the games on Kickstarter look like rubbish but their are a few like Wasteland 2 and the Banner Saga that look to be fairly interesting. Either way the minimums they ask for to get the games after their released is pretty minimal, for 10$ or 15$ you can have the full games generally.

Still not going to do it. If the games are worth making, then they can acquire funds the same way they've always acquired funds.

Kickstarter for video games is a rip off and I refuse to participate.
 
Still not going to do it. If the games are worth making, then they can acquire funds the same way they've always acquired funds.

Kickstarter for video games is a rip off and I refuse to participate.

Yikes. Any particular reason, or you just don't like paying first? I guess this is why companies like EA and Activision will always be the giants.
 
I'm in on this one for $10 when I get a few bucks to spare. Turn based strategy/RPG? Sounds Heroes of Might and Magic-ish or perhaps more like FF Tactics. And the art style is awesome.
 
Yikes. Any particular reason, or you just don't like paying first? I guess this is why companies like EA and Activision will always be the giants.

I'm against preorders, and this is even worse than preorders. At least with those, the game is actually made when you're putting your money down sight-unseen on a game.

I'm also annoyed by the fact that one guy enjoyed success on kickstarter, so now everyone else is rushing to use it for their game project too.

There's no reason we need to start paying for games while they're still an idea or under development. I strongly dislike where this trend is going.
 
someone please kickstart

systemshock3r

And make it a blatant rip off cause mr.levine is too sick with douchitis to make this.
 
I'm against preorders, and this is even worse than preorders. At least with those, the game is actually made when you're putting your money down sight-unseen on a game.

I'm also annoyed by the fact that one guy enjoyed success on kickstarter, so now everyone else is rushing to use it for their game project too.

There's no reason we need to start paying for games while they're still an idea or under development. I strongly dislike where this trend is going.

The nice thing is that, if a good game is delivered from kickstart dollars, you can wait until it comes out to buy it. The general idea is that certain devs will have certain trust levels with their fans before they even ask for money.
 
someone please kickstart

systemshock3r

And make it a blatant rip off cause mr.levine is too sick with douchitis to make this.

System Shock 3 needs not only a good budget, but absolutely no market trend based re- evaluation.
 
The nice thing is that, if a good game is delivered from kickstart dollars, you can wait until it comes out to buy it. The general idea is that certain devs will have certain trust levels with their fans before they even ask for money.

Yeah, but there are so many developer studios already that have completely blown any trust we've put in with them in the past, like Blizzard and Bioware.
 
Does anyone else feel like this Kickstarter shit is the biggest panhandling scheme ever?

I mean really, what guarantee is there for these people to actually finish what they're promising and not to run off with your money?

Maybe I need to read into this more but it definitely seems way too good to be true.

Edit: Also, what about your contributions? Are you still expected to pay for the end result?
 
I mean really, what guarantee is there for these people to actually finish what they're promising and not to run off with your money?

Maybe I need to read into this more but it definitely seems way too good to be true.

These guys are leveraging their reputations and long standing good will with online communities in order to raise money to fund their developments. They aren't nobodies who no one has heard of, they are experienced developers who have decided to forge ahead without the support of a publisher.

You would hope that the long term consequences of not fulfilling their promises would significantly outweigh the short term gain of running off with people's money, apart from the potential jail term they could serve for stealing/fraud.

Edit: Also, what about your contributions? Are you still expected to pay for the end result?

Have you bothered to even look at any of the kickstarter pages? Pledging the minimum amount generally guarantees you a copy of the game upon completion of the development.
 
I love the idea of kickstarter. The less influence the publishers have over the creative talent the better, but it's only going to take one high-profile flop for the whole system to dissolve.

The sad fact is that it often requires a publisher's firm "we are shutting off the lights at 5:00 pm friday" type of deadline in order to get shit done. It seems like there is just too much room for studios to half-ass the development cycle when you have an unlimited pool of funding from investors that you are barely beholden to individually. We'll see how it pans out...

That said this looks like a cool idea for a game, and I really dig the art direction in what they've shown so far. I'll play it when it comes out.
 
This game looks awesome!

Reminds me of a movie called Wizards that was made in the 70's.
 
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last few days has Larry, now this game.

Some good ones to find at kickstarter it seems, I'm in.
 
No love from the [H] dwellers? I thought more people would be interested.
The core issue is that Kickstarter is getting old. I, as consumer, would be spending much more money than I would ordinarily spend on games if I were to participate in Kickstarter. $10 here, $20 there, and wham bam you are out hundreds of dollars with nothing to show for. No thanks!

Kickstarter, and crowd funding per se, is just one giant wealth redistribution scheme. For legitimate businesses there is plenty of funding available it's just that it's easier for Joe Schmoe to put up a Kickstarter project and rake in funding without any of the traditional oversight like for example having a viable Business Plan. So yeah, Kickstarter projects were a nice novelty when they first came out but folks are starting to realize what giving money away actually means to them and are staying away.
 
The core issue is that Kickstarter is getting old. I, as consumer, would be spending much more money than I would ordinarily spend on games if I were to participate in Kickstarter. $10 here, $20 there, and wham bam you are out hundreds of dollars with nothing to show for. No thanks!

Kickstarter, and crowd funding per se, is just one giant wealth redistribution scheme. For legitimate businesses there is plenty of funding available it's just that it's easier for Joe Schmoe to put up a Kickstarter project and rake in funding without any of the traditional oversight like for example having a viable Business Plan. So yeah, Kickstarter projects were a nice novelty when they first came out but folks are starting to realize what giving money away actually means to them and are staying away.

I don't think you are right, at all. Kickstarted games are seeing great success right now. Every major game on Kickstarter has pretty much met, or gone way past their goals. Even this particular project has gone way above their goal (almost 4x), with 16 days left.

So, WTF are you talking about?
 
I am not talking about the sheep, I am talking about why folks at [H] are less interested in Kickstarter anymore.

What sheep? What are you basing your opinions on, here? Is this something you discussed with a group of people from these forums?

Oops, saw your sig. Yep, you are a troll.
 
What sheep? What are you basing your opinions on, here? Is this something you discussed with a group of people from these forums?
Simple really, the power of observation.
There are quite a few Kickstarter threads on the gaming forum. There are on average 300-ish people viewing this forum at all hours of the day. How many "I am in" posts do you see compared to the number of users, views, and other posts in the same thread?

If you care enough you can then compare the "I am in" posts for recently posted games to those of the first or second Kickstarter project ever posted here.
 
Simple really, the power of observation.
There are quite a few Kickstarter threads on the gaming forum. There are on average 300-ish people viewing this forum at all hours of the day. How many "I am in" posts do you see compared to the number of users, views, and other posts in the same thread?

If you care enough you can then compare the "I am in" posts for recently posted games to those of the first or second Kickstarter project ever posted here.

Really, indie games started via Kickstarter aren't going to draw as many people as threads about AAA games? Wow. My whole world view, blown to fucking bits.
 
Seriously dude if you don't like Kickstarter, and I can understand that since it is asking you to preorder an item and many people don't like doing that, then don't use it. However stop whining about it. Other people have no problem with this. They've gotten used to the idea of preorders and these are just preorders that are further off.

Hell some companies have done things kinda like it in the past internally. Stardock did with Elemental War of Magic. You could preorder that game real, REAL early. I did, because I liked Stardock and liked the idea for the game. The first Beta of it was so early there was almost nothing there. Just the basics of the engine and mechanics. Over many months I got to see it grow and change, and then its disappointing release, and then further growth.

Not for everyone to be sure. I'm not saying "Everyone should want to buy a game and test it way before it comes out!" I enjoyed it though. It was a risk yes, and in this case it ended up being a bad game when it launched. However they fixed it later, and I get to play with the next one (Fallen Enchantress) so I'm a happy camper.

Also it isn't like AAA titles haven't fucked me with preorders. Man was Brink a piece of shit. I so with I could get my money back for that. Is what it is though I bought it, I'm stuck with it.

If you don't like that risk, then you don't preorder. Valid way to go and that also means no Kickstarter. However hating on people who want to do it is silly.

Also such an idea isn't without precedent. Ever heard of Kiva? Prosper? Yes there's risk, any time you give someone money there's risk. Well, not everyone is risk averse.
 
http://www.shacknews.com/article/73218/extra-cash-gives-banner-saga-new-collaborators

Developer Stoic Studio got such a great reception on Kickstarter for their Banner Saga plans that they achieved their goal by more than 400 percent. In response, they are using the money to bring in some new talent.

In an update on their Kickstarter page, the studio announced they were bringing in some quality help for the sound and music. Austin Wintory, who composed the score for Journey, has been brought on to do the music, while Kpow Audio, which did the audio for L.A. Noire, will be helping with the ambiance and sound quality for the game. Finally, Powerhouse Animation, which has Epic Mickey, DC Universe Online and Starhawk on its resume, will be providing the "classical, traditional style" of animation production for the game.

The game is being developed for PC and Mac, but the additional funds will also allow the game to be ported to Linux and iPad within a "reasonable time."

On the production end, concept work on the major characters has been completed and character animation filming will begin next week.

The funding process still has another two weeks, and Stoic has added another tier to its incentives. If you haven't contributed, you still have time.
 
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stoic/the-banner-saga/posts/207035

Update #7: The Last Week special video update
Posted about 7 hours ago

This is it, fans of strategy, story, art... and music: our last week on Kickstarter. Your constant support throughout the campaign has been an experience none of us will ever forget, and we have you to thank. We've decided to pull out all the stops in this last week to make this the best version of the game we possibly can. Austin himself wanted to talk with all our supporters about his role as composer on The Banner Saga. Take a look:

Now, onto the prizes Austin mentioned. We're beyond proud to announce:

The Score (Special music promotion)
Austin Wintory, composer of the hit game "Journey", will be providing limited edition physical copies of the soundtrack, hand-signed by the composer himself. Different from the official soundtrack, once the campaign ends these special edition CDs won't be available again. As part of the special music promotion, the donations we receive from this prize category go directly to help fund an all-out, full orchestral score in the game, recorded in a live studio! Includes all previous rewards.

The Signature (Special music promotion)
Get an autographed copy of the performance parts from the recording sessions; the SHEET MUSIC used by the actual musicians who play on the score. Needless to say, this prize will be a limited run. As part of the special music promotion, the donations we receive from this prize category go directly to help fund an all-out, full orchestral score for the game, recorded in a live studio! Includes all previous rewards.


The Performance (Special music promotion)
You are invited to personally ATTEND the music's recording sessions in Los Angeles or elsewhere later this year. This will include a day of hanging out with all of us at the recording studio, and lunch (on us). You will also receive a signed, leather-bound book compiling all of the game's music (produced as a one-off and therefore never commercially for sale) and earn a Music Associate Producer credit in the game and on the album. Not enough? Austin will personally compose an original 30-second ringtone, just for you! As part of the special music promotion, the donations we receive from this prize category go directly to help fund an all-out, full orchestral score in the game recorded in a live studio! Please note: this is a special case prize. While it does include the signed CD and the sheet music, it does not include any of the previous rewards. This one's for serious music fans. You must be able to travel to the Los Angeles area or elsewhere. If you're interested in this prize you must contact us to make arrangements before the end of the Kickstarter campaign: [email protected].

The Executive
We have so many prizes now we had to compile them all into one final, huge mega-prize. The Executive gives you every prize we have to offer (except for the rotoscope shoot), including the viking god and attending the recording session. On top of that, you will be given an Executive Music Producer credit in the game and on the album. Lastly, receive a framed copy of the Banner Saga main theme, each note inscribed by hand by Austin Wintory, who will also be kind enough to sign his work. Has anything like this even been done before? Please contact us before donating at this tier.

Whew.

We can hardly believe what an amazing ride this has been and your support has been beyond remarkable. Look how far you've already taken this thing. More than just supporting a game, you're the trendsetters on the brink of an age where gamers can again decide what they want to play. Be proud of that. We've got 7 days left: let's do this.

Skal!
Alex, Arnie and John

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lmPBcts1aY&feature=player_embedded

Almost 500K raised with 7 days to go.
 
Does it say when this will be released? I couldn't find anything.. Looks interesting, but if it's coming out in 2014 I think I'll rather just buy it when it's ready. Seems like they got more money than they asked for anyway..
 
Does it say when this will be released? I couldn't find anything.. Looks interesting, but if it's coming out in 2014 I think I'll rather just buy it when it's ready. Seems like they got more money than they asked for anyway..
Since this is my rant-against-Kickstarter thread (sorry Saga fans!) I may as well pitch in to say that the devs are under no legal obligation to ever release any product at all.
 
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