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Posted by Germain on 16 Feb 2013 /
71 Comments
Feb
16
2013
71Hi everyone!
We have a lot of subjects to cover, so I’ll go straight to the point. There should be something interesting for all of you, so scroll away!
Kickstarter rewards form reminder
Last week we sent out email forms to every backer who was eligible to receive a physical reward. We would like to remind you, if you’re one of the people in question to fill out the form. Without it, we cannot possibly obtain your address. We sent out a form last fall, but this was just to know the general popularity of the different items.
So check your spambox! Or if you cannot find the email in question, visit this page: https://backers.castlestory.net/ to resend the email.
If you need any help filling out the form, send us an email at [email protected]
Next update of the prototype
Last week we also released a new video. We demonstrated a couple of new mechanics, and towards the end, mentioned that we would update the prototype with these mechanics.
We’d like to confirm this. We will officially send a third (and probably final) update of the prototype. The reason for this update is that thanks to the feedback of the prototype backers, we were able to pinpoint major problems in our core gameplay. We then decided to focus on fixing those major problems before moving on. We needed to guarantee that our core gameplay was at a certain level of quality before thinking about doing a more official release (mainly the alpha and beta).
Right now, we’re working on polishing those features for release, and a final batch of bugfixes. But a prototype update should be expected in the coming weeks. This leads me to my next subject:
Beta backers upgrade!
We’ve been getting a significant amount of comments from our Beta-level Kickstarter backers. We know we’re way over the deadlines we gave pre-Kickstarter, but those deadlines are impossible to take back now, and they are completely unrealistic considering the direction the project has taken during the Kickstarter. Just as a matter of information, Kickstarter required us to put in estimated deadlines before we launch. And once the Kickstarter has been launched, we cannot change the deadlines. The situation after the Kickstarter was, however radically different, making those deadlines quite absurd.
We understand that this is a rather complicated situation. On our side, we are still squarely in prototype phase, and the beta is still faraway. On your side, it sucks because after all this time, you still do not have a playable version of the game.
So, we have a solution: We will short circuit the whole process and simply upgrade everyone to the prototype. On one side, the prototype backers have had a significant time to mess around with the game, as well as having the chance to contribute to the debugging process, an invaluable contribution to us. On the other side, beta backers can at least play a version of the game, even if it’s not called a beta.
We’ve been stressing out about this too much, and we think that simply giving everyone a game to play with will allow us to put this behind us and focus on the game.
We plan on releasing the next prototype update to the prototype backers. We will gather bug reports and then (probably) release a patch. Once we know that the patch worked and everything is stable. We will send download links to the second half of our backers and hopefully everyone will be happy. :D
We cannot give a precise time-frame because the amount of bugs we will be getting can vary wildly, but we would like to have done this before we leave for PAX East (yes we will be attending the upcoming Penny Arcade Expo in Boston, more info on that soon) on the 21st of March.
Steam updater
By the way, we’ve made a significant breakthrough regarding distribution of our prototype. We had been looking for an auto-patching/distribution solution for quite a while now. And alas, no service exists that does this kind of task as well as being reasonably priced for independent developers.
Building our own patcher system would have been impossible. It would have required at least a month of dedicated development to get a very basic system running, and paying a third-party would have been extremely costly. The prices offered by established patching systems like Pando or SSN, are completely out of our league, as well as being taylored to AAA games and MMOs.
Until our good friends at Humble Store introduced us to some developers at Steam and we were able to integrate SteamApps. They offered us a very cheap and effective solution. So now, when downloading the game from Humble Store, you will be able to obtain Steam Keys, and your game will be added to your Steam account. However, this Steam version will have a significant difference: it will auto-update regularly. So we will be able to release bug-fixes almost on a daily fashion if we need to. This version will be more up-to-date (while remaining DRM free).
Mind you, this has nothing to do with Steam Greenlight and being on the Steam Store. We have not begun the submission process regarding this, we are just hosted on the Steam servers thanks to our connections with Humble Store.
New website & re-opening of pre-sales
We’ve been working on a new Website that will be hosted on castlestory.net since before Christmas with our friends at Tractr. We are nearing its release time, and with the opening of this site, we will be re-opening pre-sales. We would just like to inform you that you will be able to pre-purchase the game and secure a spot in the public beta.
New dev diary schedule
Finally, we have decided to change the way we post our blogs. Since last year, we have been posting a blog every week (more or less towards the end of the week). But this is incompatible with the way game development works. Posting a blog on a regular fashion causes undue stress on our side because the completion of features and the flow of interesting things to say is anything but regular. Because of this, we often rush to finish things before Friday, and rarely succeed. Moreso, this causes some of us to work weekends to post the blog, in order to avoid taking precious work time during the week.
The result is sometimes, blogs without content, and less than enthusiastic communication from us ( we don’t want that, don’t we? ;) ), and other times monolithic diaries with way too much content (like this one).
We would like to change the way we blog by posting small twitter-like commentaries on the daily life of Sauropod studio, and then posting more relevant dev diaries that are further apart, but should be more interesting to read.
Do not worry, we still plan on communicating just as much, but a less rigid structure will benefit everyone involved. ;)
This is all for this week. If you made it this far, congratulations! You have earned two robot parts.
Thanks for reading!
Team Sauropod
71 Comments for Dev diary number thirty nine : Your weekly dose of info : Our plans for the future
Tarek
3 months ago
Where will we get the key? Will they be emailed, or at the Humble store. I am confused.
Cyb3rHusky
3 months ago
I would assume they would e-mail you the key when you try to download from the humble store. Like, you know, what they wrote.
Amaror
3 months ago
Humble story works a lot with steam. With many games that you buy through humble story, next to the game icon there is a button “Get Steam Key”. Then you click on that and, well, get your steam key
Brice
3 months ago
Thank you so much in advance guys! I’m one of the Beta backer and I’m just so happy that you’re going to send us the game before the real Beta version.
I now how stressfull it could be for you all!
Your game always seemed awesome to me, waiting for this long just enhanced my love for this game.
Keep up the good work guys!
Thanks for your work!
Manuel
3 months ago
Its great that you have come to conclusions on what is happening in the next few weeks, and also that you shared it with us so fast.
Cant wait till the new Prototype update.
ArbitraryRanger
3 months ago
spidey sense too tingley
Brian
3 months ago
Glad to see you’re using the Steam system to your benefit. The majority of PC gaming community and a large part of the Mac gaming community thanks you!
Sky
3 months ago
I wouldn’t be so sure about that.
The most ironic part being “DRM Free” steam version. There’s no such thing. Steam IS a DRM and every game your register on steam isn’t yours anymore – it’s owned by steam, borrowed to you under very strict T&Cs.
I hope that’s just a tempolary solution and they MOVE AWAY FROM STEAM as soon as possible (hopefully in Alpha release) so that we wouldn’t be forced to loose our rights in order to obtain regular updates to the game, as really: this would be a worst possible thing to happen for a crowdfunded game.
Wes1180
3 months ago
You aren’t being forced to do anything you can still download without using steam if you wish. It’s just that the steam version lets you have it auto-update.
Maze1125
3 months ago
@Sky
You are very wrong there. Steam CAN be DRM, yes, and usually is, but it is not necessarily so. Some games use Steam only as a distribution service for their DRM free game. For example, Dungeons of Dredmor, that is a game you can buy on Steam and then do whatever you want with the files and you can still play it. You can copy them to a pen-drive or outright delete Steam from your system and you can still play the game. Nothing restricts your use of the game after you’ve downloaded it.
The claim that “There is no such thing as a DRM free Steam game” is demonstrably false.
Joey
3 months ago
Yes!!!! Thank you guys so much! I am a beta backer and have been waiting so impatiently for something to play!! I cannot wait to get my hands on anything!
woko
3 months ago
Is it odd to say “I love you guys” ?
Reverend_Peaches
3 months ago
I think it’s required of us as internet people to fluctuate between hatred and love at the drop of a hat.
Jeremy
3 months ago
Thrilled with this post, guys. Glad to hear things are moving along, even if they aren’t at the pace you guys thought pre-Kickstarter. At least it’s getting made, right! Super excited about the upgrade to beta backers and the Steam hosting :D
aserraric
3 months ago
As a Beta backer, I am of course in favor of your decision. :)
And since the prototype backers have had several months to play with the game before the rest of us, I think this is fair for everybody.
Jakob
3 months ago
Now before anyone yells at me, I’m not (Keyword not) trying to be an a jerk about this but, Why when us prototype backers paid extra money for the prototype half way through the beta backers now get the prototype, Basicly thats like we’re no different from beta backers now, I’d like what you guys think on this topic :/
joebass
3 months ago
well, they have waited a lot more than us, so here’s the difference. take it a if the next prototype release is the beta release(of course it’s not) for those who pledged for beta.
Orio
3 months ago
As a prototype backer, I am 100% behind what they are doing.
On one hand, we’ve had exclusive access for a long period of time now.
On the other, the people who paid for beta access have not gotten anything (after deadlines and such).
So in conclusion, just look at it this way, you paid a marginal extra sum, for getting exclusive prototype access months before the “regular” beta backers :)
Nobody is to blame here really (except maybe kickstarters rigid rules), and the more people that can play the game, the more people can tell their friends about it (hopefully leading to more sales when the pre-purchase goes live).
Game on!
Lain
3 months ago
Would you have said the same if they called it “Beta”?
They are being honest, and instead of calling it beta, to make a few people (you) feel better about it, they still call it the prototype to reflect on the state of the game.
Beta backers get to play the game as we have been able too for so long, and according to the time plan on kickstarter, you should know that you wouldn’t be “special” for that long anyway.
You make it sound like they take something away from you personally, and giving it to the beta backers.
Sky
3 months ago
Would you be happier if they’d label it as “alpha” instead of “prototype”? Cause that version, the the actual software development standards, WILL be Alpha release. They just put misleading labels on it. (more or less like half of companies not knowing what is a beta version and putting this label either on demo or on late Alpha)
LateLJ
3 months ago
I think it is just better to have more testers playing the game. We backed to make this game real, prototype access was just a sweetener.
Slashout
3 months ago
“So now, when downloading the game from Humble Store, you will be able to obtain Steam Keys, and your game will be added to your Steam account”
So is this done or not yet? I can’t find a steam key on my humble store account, and I do not get a steam key after downloading the game.
The “So now…” leads me to believe this is done, but I can’t seem to find this.
farcaller
3 months ago
Same here, any hints?
Jon
3 months ago
Reading the entirety of their posts helps too
Nacon
3 months ago
Sounds like a lot of pressure being put on the devs. And I think their plan is a good one without realizing how much more people can find & report bugs. Might be too fast for them but it’ll be much greater depth and that’s a good thing.
Unlike some company whom never fixed the memories leak in their game because they were too far ahead on the issue, making it too late to go back and redo.
Surely they’re going to need help with herding the beta users around. I think I’ll help!
Postolka
3 months ago
Well, congratulations with Steam solution – this is great for me. But I thought that Desura is platform just for this purposes – even unfinished games and designed for Indie developers (maybe its even free, I don’t know). You should try it there. I am sure that you would at least get new supporters there.
Sky
3 months ago
No doubt. Much better solution than steam. Still though the best one would be to have integrated updater in the game itself in the end.
Flyn
3 months ago
Bah, I tried Desura and I still prefer Steam. I have dozens of games on Steam and so I don’t want to split my library to two different systems.
Doompapa
3 months ago
Good going guys! I’m sure most people understand development almost never goes the way you plan it. A flexible attitude to a certain degree is the only way to counter it.
Your solution is a great one to maintain support from the backers and get more feedback at the same time.
Just hoping you’re ready to cope with the increased amount of feedback.
All the best!
Traffic
3 months ago
I really can’t find the game in the Humble Store or such, and I’m a beta backer so how can I get my hands on the final game?
Postolka
3 months ago
As I understood, there is no option to download yet and Steam key will be available with next update.
Nick
3 months ago
As I understand, that is in the works. They are going to release the current update to prototype, then await feedback, and repair bugs. Then, once the BUGS ARE FIXED, they will release to beta level backers. That could take time.
I think this is a sound plan, as it will reduce the influx of duplicate bug reports and provide a better experience to the beta level backers.
Aries
3 months ago
YAY! It’s finally happening! power to the beta backers!
Dave T
3 months ago
Another beta backer here saying: THANK YOU! I cannot wait to play the game in the coming weeks. :)
Phaiak
3 months ago
Will the beta-backers and the people who pre-purchase the game now get the same at the same time?
igotinfected
3 months ago
No. The new prototype will first be released to the prototype backers, which will check it out and scan through it for bugs, and once those are straightened out, the beta backers will get their copy of the game. That’s only a question of days/weeks.
Postolka
3 months ago
Not sure, but:
- Prototype backers had access to prototype quite some time – no change fort hem.
- Beta backers should have beta right now, but there is no beta, so they get access to prototype.
- Pre-purchases will get finished game, so they must wait.
Aaron
3 months ago
Beta Backer here saying THANK YOU so much very much looking forward to the game
m1n1m3
3 months ago
where’s space narwhal? D:
Kerogen
3 months ago
WHERE ;_; SPACE WHERE ARE YOU
Jasper
3 months ago
wow… that question came to my mind… still no sign of our beloved space whale… :O
I hope he is fine, since this message from sauropod really gives a reason to “yay”! :D
guardious
3 months ago
Good news indeed, I am one of those that didn’t make the kickstarter and was going to pre-order. I am glad to read that you guys are going ahead and finally dealing with your fan base who kickstarted your project. Sadly, I will decline any pre-orders till a viable product is shown to the media/public. GL! and hope to see retail in the future! These are my last words on this board, with SimCity and about a gazillion new games coming out & many more high name kickstarters, I will be there instead, maybe we will see this on steam someday!
Bstory
3 months ago
Oh yeah Castle Story. I remember backing this project for the beta. Seems like a long time ago but I don’t think it was that long ago. Im kinda bummed that i lost all my exitement about the game. I will have to rewatch the videos and renew my excitement. Thanks guys for a brilliant solution.
thither
3 months ago
As a kickstarter backer, I urge you to take as much time as you need to in order to make the game good.
“A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is bad forever.” – Shigeru Miyamoto
Josh
3 months ago
Well, I have been following this site from quite a long time now
It seems that, the dedication in you guys before kickstarter and after kickstarter is not the same ( Obv decreased)
You have to work based on dead lines, in this way you can never complete this game
Set a target date for Alpha and Beta phases and main release
This would calm down every one (like me)
Also, if u are not working on dates represents the quality of code u have been writing ( I believe u r afraid of calling Beta beta, because once u say that it is beta, u shouldn’t have basic bugs, thats why u r not calling beta a beta, rather still calling that alpha, with no time line to release a beta)
CRAP
Work hard, release a good game, u can request for more money for your next game
All the best
I think, every body is giving positive comments, hence u r taking this project lite
Paugs
3 months ago
Woohoo! As a prototype backer I am totally for this – not that, if you really -wanted- to, you’d be in your rights to hold the game off from Beta players, but that’s.. well, silly! I put in the money so that I could have a run with the game a little earlier, and I have – having it released to the beta backers doesn’t affect me at all.
So glad to hear that you’ll no longer be pushing to have content done in time for the dev diary. That was silly, and I’ve seen quite a few Kickstarters doing the same thing with their diaries, trying to push themselves to have something complete by the next date and screwing up things on the whole. The communication each week is important to me, though, it lets me feel things are still going on, still developing, even though I already -know- they are.
Weekly diaries are good, weekly completed content is bad.
Nice work Sauropod! o/
josh
3 months ago
Dudes, think about this once
U want to buy a burger, u go to a shop, u paid money
shop keeper told u, sir we are making a delicious burger for u, but we don’t know when can we server that to you, also we can’t guarantee the taste of it, so what u can do is, eat that once, if u don’t like it, we will add some more spice to that and bring back to you, again we can’t tell u when
CRAP CRAP CRAP
come on guys, think about the money we’ve invested, think about the interest u will get for that amount by this time
u have to work on target dates, otherwise u can never complete this
I totally understand, every Friday giving the status is pain, when there is no status to update
That’s why give a big picture, and decide small window frames, say that we can deliver this by so and so date, in the mean time, every this date, we will give updates, its totally agreed
Paugs
3 months ago
I’ve thought about it plenty of times, believe me.
This is entirely different to selling a burger – they’re selling an idea, a hope. “We want to build this, do you like it enough for you to donate money?” Is the basis, the rewards are perks.
If you don’t want to play the game before they’ve perfected it, to give them feedback, then don’t play the Prototype or the Beta. Wait until they’ve perfected the game — most developers wait until the full game before they release it, the difference here is that you heard about it way earlier in the development time than usual.
I paid $25. In interest? That would probably get me 2 cents by now. I paid it because I was interested in seeing the game completed, and I wanted to see the game early. Very early, in fact! And I did.
“we don’t know when we can serve that to you, we don’t know how it will taste.” That is pretty much every kickstarter ever. -Why are you puttiing money toward kickstarters when you don’t like that setup-?
This is designwork, programming work. You can be told how long it will take to build a burger because they’ve built countless burgers before. There’s reasonable evidence for how long a burger will take. Not the case with building games.
This is their first game together. Putting a timeframe on objectives simply isn’t going to work, dude.
Plazmic Flame
3 months ago
Interest on the money?
Maybe you haven’t been keeping track of the spending, lololol
doodleopaper
3 months ago
no space narwal yet
i made it before
Halp pls!
3 months ago
Betas get promoted to Prototypes and only 50 comments? I kinda expected more movement.
Also third update? There was only one update for the prototype or did I sleep through it ?!$!$!?
POPISowy
3 months ago
Second is coming closely, and third ‘d be before spring.
Space Narwhal
3 months ago
YAY!
Paugs
3 months ago
Yay!
SnowyWaters
3 months ago
YAY!!!
Space Narwhal said YAY!!!
m1n1m3
3 months ago
YAY! i was waiting for you!
Sitron_NO
3 months ago
Thanks for all the updates, I like to see the project go forwards. And I do not mind if they become less frequent, and I do not mind the prototype/beta-stuff either. I got the prototype, I played it, and I do not mind that the beta-backers get their hands on the game now, since it’s due date.
However, about Steam-updates and Humble Bundle Store: Do I (and the rest of us) have to do anything? Or will you give us instructions later on? Or will it happen automagically? :-)
Keep up the good work!!
Bill
3 months ago
Me wonder this too!
(Don’t know why I felt compelled to talk strangely just now……)
Jayle
3 months ago
I imagine that even if the original design was sound, we’d still be reading this update about now. I don’t think I’ve seen any Kickstarter deadline met, thanks to one thing or another.
Thank you for not going with Pando. I don’t know if they’re still doing it, but their ‘media blaster’ used to install a torrent client without notifying the user, as a process even, so it wouldn’t even show up in the task tray. Installing something like that without permission, and basically requiring you to get under the hood to find and remove it, was incredibly skeevy.
gdavid
3 months ago
Thanks for the update. No problem waiting for a great game. Love the prototype so far. Keep up the great work.
Rakilonn
3 months ago
Nice radial menu !
Honestly, I thought the menu would be bad but it turns out that it’s well animated and seems really useful (I don’t have the prototype), so Good Job ! :)
Oh and thank you for the account upgrade. It was the right thing to do.
Keep it up, Work with fast iterations, Have fun and everything should be good :)
Peter Bindels
3 months ago
As a prototype backer, how do I get this steam thing working? There’s a key in the humble bundle store but Steam says its invalid; the version I get from the humble bundle site is the original prototype (with loads of bugs).
woko
3 months ago
The steam key will be added later when it is ready. The humble bundle download is indeed the 1st prototype. On the Castlestore.net website you can download the update patch to the 2nd prototype release. Steam version should be 3rd version.
Bybloss
3 months ago
I approve of your solution . I am now 100% happy .
Sauropod
3 months ago
We are too lazy to write something eveyrweek after we got your money.
Greetings your team at Sauropod.
guy
3 months ago
At least sauropod studios can spell, and that’s saying something considering its not there first language. Go back to 3rd grade, then you can come complain.
Sounds & Servers ‹ Sauropod Studio
3 months ago
[...] post isn’t going to be as big as the others because, as we explained in the last Dev Blog (http://www.sauropodstudio.com/our-plans-for-the-future/), we aren’t doing a heavy dev blog each week anymore. We’re instead going to be writing [...]
Luis
3 months ago
Looked
No pictures
Post comment…
M-Low
3 months ago
Hey Team Sauropod!
I read finally got around to reading your post regarding deadlines and pushing out the project. I just wanted to say DO NOT PUBLISH BEFORE IT’S 100% READY. We, the fans, are simply excited and anxious to see the product. But i think I can speak for everyone when I say that that a clean and polished product with a month or two or six… is more desirable than a bugged-out POS (piece of software)… :P
So, we hear you and are eagerly awaiting this epic game! Be a perfectionist!!! All the best developer studios are perfectionists and never release a game before it’s ready – otherwise it dies and spudders away.
Build a great product and you build a platform to grow longer-term.
Good luck guys!!!
Tarek
3 months ago
Where will we get the key? Will they be emailed, or at the Humble store. I am confused.
Cyb3rHusky
3 months ago
I would assume they would e-mail you the key when you try to download from the humble store. Like, you know, what they wrote.
Amaror
3 months ago
Humble story works a lot with steam. With many games that you buy through humble story, next to the game icon there is a button “Get Steam Key”. Then you click on that and, well, get your steam key
Brice
3 months ago
Thank you so much in advance guys! I’m one of the Beta backer and I’m just so happy that you’re going to send us the game before the real Beta version.
I now how stressfull it could be for you all!
Your game always seemed awesome to me, waiting for this long just enhanced my love for this game.
Keep up the good work guys!
Thanks for your work!
Manuel
3 months ago
Its great that you have come to conclusions on what is happening in the next few weeks, and also that you shared it with us so fast.
Cant wait till the new Prototype update.
ArbitraryRanger
3 months ago
spidey sense too tingley
Brian
3 months ago
Glad to see you’re using the Steam system to your benefit. The majority of PC gaming community and a large part of the Mac gaming community thanks you!
Sky
3 months ago
I wouldn’t be so sure about that.
The most ironic part being “DRM Free” steam version. There’s no such thing. Steam IS a DRM and every game your register on steam isn’t yours anymore – it’s owned by steam, borrowed to you under very strict T&Cs.
I hope that’s just a tempolary solution and they MOVE AWAY FROM STEAM as soon as possible (hopefully in Alpha release) so that we wouldn’t be forced to loose our rights in order to obtain regular updates to the game, as really: this would be a worst possible thing to happen for a crowdfunded game.
Wes1180
3 months ago
You aren’t being forced to do anything you can still download without using steam if you wish. It’s just that the steam version lets you have it auto-update.
Maze1125
3 months ago
@Sky
You are very wrong there. Steam CAN be DRM, yes, and usually is, but it is not necessarily so. Some games use Steam only as a distribution service for their DRM free game. For example, Dungeons of Dredmor, that is a game you can buy on Steam and then do whatever you want with the files and you can still play it. You can copy them to a pen-drive or outright delete Steam from your system and you can still play the game. Nothing restricts your use of the game after you’ve downloaded it.
The claim that “There is no such thing as a DRM free Steam game” is demonstrably false.
Joey
3 months ago
Yes!!!! Thank you guys so much! I am a beta backer and have been waiting so impatiently for something to play!! I cannot wait to get my hands on anything!
woko
3 months ago
Is it odd to say “I love you guys” ?
Reverend_Peaches
3 months ago
I think it’s required of us as internet people to fluctuate between hatred and love at the drop of a hat.
Jeremy
3 months ago
Thrilled with this post, guys. Glad to hear things are moving along, even if they aren’t at the pace you guys thought pre-Kickstarter. At least it’s getting made, right! Super excited about the upgrade to beta backers and the Steam hosting :D
aserraric
3 months ago
As a Beta backer, I am of course in favor of your decision. :)
And since the prototype backers have had several months to play with the game before the rest of us, I think this is fair for everybody.
Jakob
3 months ago
Now before anyone yells at me, I’m not (Keyword not) trying to be an a jerk about this but, Why when us prototype backers paid extra money for the prototype half way through the beta backers now get the prototype, Basicly thats like we’re no different from beta backers now, I’d like what you guys think on this topic :/
joebass
3 months ago
well, they have waited a lot more than us, so here’s the difference. take it a if the next prototype release is the beta release(of course it’s not) for those who pledged for beta.
Orio
3 months ago
As a prototype backer, I am 100% behind what they are doing.
On one hand, we’ve had exclusive access for a long period of time now.
On the other, the people who paid for beta access have not gotten anything (after deadlines and such).
So in conclusion, just look at it this way, you paid a marginal extra sum, for getting exclusive prototype access months before the “regular” beta backers :)
Nobody is to blame here really (except maybe kickstarters rigid rules), and the more people that can play the game, the more people can tell their friends about it (hopefully leading to more sales when the pre-purchase goes live).
Game on!
Lain
3 months ago
Would you have said the same if they called it “Beta”?
They are being honest, and instead of calling it beta, to make a few people (you) feel better about it, they still call it the prototype to reflect on the state of the game.
Beta backers get to play the game as we have been able too for so long, and according to the time plan on kickstarter, you should know that you wouldn’t be “special” for that long anyway.
You make it sound like they take something away from you personally, and giving it to the beta backers.
Sky
3 months ago
Would you be happier if they’d label it as “alpha” instead of “prototype”? Cause that version, the the actual software development standards, WILL be Alpha release. They just put misleading labels on it. (more or less like half of companies not knowing what is a beta version and putting this label either on demo or on late Alpha)
LateLJ
3 months ago
I think it is just better to have more testers playing the game. We backed to make this game real, prototype access was just a sweetener.
Slashout
3 months ago
“So now, when downloading the game from Humble Store, you will be able to obtain Steam Keys, and your game will be added to your Steam account”
So is this done or not yet? I can’t find a steam key on my humble store account, and I do not get a steam key after downloading the game.
The “So now…” leads me to believe this is done, but I can’t seem to find this.
farcaller
3 months ago
Same here, any hints?
Jon
3 months ago
Reading the entirety of their posts helps too
Nacon
3 months ago
Sounds like a lot of pressure being put on the devs. And I think their plan is a good one without realizing how much more people can find & report bugs. Might be too fast for them but it’ll be much greater depth and that’s a good thing.
Unlike some company whom never fixed the memories leak in their game because they were too far ahead on the issue, making it too late to go back and redo.
Surely they’re going to need help with herding the beta users around. I think I’ll help!
Postolka
3 months ago
Well, congratulations with Steam solution – this is great for me. But I thought that Desura is platform just for this purposes – even unfinished games and designed for Indie developers (maybe its even free, I don’t know). You should try it there. I am sure that you would at least get new supporters there.
Sky
3 months ago
No doubt. Much better solution than steam. Still though the best one would be to have integrated updater in the game itself in the end.
Flyn
3 months ago
Bah, I tried Desura and I still prefer Steam. I have dozens of games on Steam and so I don’t want to split my library to two different systems.
Doompapa
3 months ago
Good going guys! I’m sure most people understand development almost never goes the way you plan it. A flexible attitude to a certain degree is the only way to counter it.
Your solution is a great one to maintain support from the backers and get more feedback at the same time.
Just hoping you’re ready to cope with the increased amount of feedback.
All the best!
Traffic
3 months ago
I really can’t find the game in the Humble Store or such, and I’m a beta backer so how can I get my hands on the final game?
Postolka
3 months ago
As I understood, there is no option to download yet and Steam key will be available with next update.
Nick
3 months ago
As I understand, that is in the works. They are going to release the current update to prototype, then await feedback, and repair bugs. Then, once the BUGS ARE FIXED, they will release to beta level backers. That could take time.
I think this is a sound plan, as it will reduce the influx of duplicate bug reports and provide a better experience to the beta level backers.
Aries
3 months ago
YAY! It’s finally happening! power to the beta backers!
Dave T
3 months ago
Another beta backer here saying: THANK YOU! I cannot wait to play the game in the coming weeks. :)
Phaiak
3 months ago
Will the beta-backers and the people who pre-purchase the game now get the same at the same time?
igotinfected
3 months ago
No. The new prototype will first be released to the prototype backers, which will check it out and scan through it for bugs, and once those are straightened out, the beta backers will get their copy of the game. That’s only a question of days/weeks.
Postolka
3 months ago
Not sure, but:
- Prototype backers had access to prototype quite some time – no change fort hem.
- Beta backers should have beta right now, but there is no beta, so they get access to prototype.
- Pre-purchases will get finished game, so they must wait.
Aaron
3 months ago
Beta Backer here saying THANK YOU so much very much looking forward to the game
m1n1m3
3 months ago
where’s space narwhal? D:
Kerogen
3 months ago
WHERE ;_; SPACE WHERE ARE YOU
Jasper
3 months ago
wow… that question came to my mind… still no sign of our beloved space whale… :O
I hope he is fine, since this message from sauropod really gives a reason to “yay”! :D
guardious
3 months ago
Good news indeed, I am one of those that didn’t make the kickstarter and was going to pre-order. I am glad to read that you guys are going ahead and finally dealing with your fan base who kickstarted your project. Sadly, I will decline any pre-orders till a viable product is shown to the media/public. GL! and hope to see retail in the future! These are my last words on this board, with SimCity and about a gazillion new games coming out & many more high name kickstarters, I will be there instead, maybe we will see this on steam someday!
Bstory
3 months ago
Oh yeah Castle Story. I remember backing this project for the beta. Seems like a long time ago but I don’t think it was that long ago. Im kinda bummed that i lost all my exitement about the game. I will have to rewatch the videos and renew my excitement. Thanks guys for a brilliant solution.
thither
3 months ago
As a kickstarter backer, I urge you to take as much time as you need to in order to make the game good.
“A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is bad forever.” – Shigeru Miyamoto
Josh
3 months ago
Well, I have been following this site from quite a long time now
It seems that, the dedication in you guys before kickstarter and after kickstarter is not the same ( Obv decreased)
You have to work based on dead lines, in this way you can never complete this game
Set a target date for Alpha and Beta phases and main release
This would calm down every one (like me)
Also, if u are not working on dates represents the quality of code u have been writing ( I believe u r afraid of calling Beta beta, because once u say that it is beta, u shouldn’t have basic bugs, thats why u r not calling beta a beta, rather still calling that alpha, with no time line to release a beta)
CRAP
Work hard, release a good game, u can request for more money for your next game
All the best
I think, every body is giving positive comments, hence u r taking this project lite
Paugs
3 months ago
Woohoo! As a prototype backer I am totally for this – not that, if you really -wanted- to, you’d be in your rights to hold the game off from Beta players, but that’s.. well, silly! I put in the money so that I could have a run with the game a little earlier, and I have – having it released to the beta backers doesn’t affect me at all.
So glad to hear that you’ll no longer be pushing to have content done in time for the dev diary. That was silly, and I’ve seen quite a few Kickstarters doing the same thing with their diaries, trying to push themselves to have something complete by the next date and screwing up things on the whole. The communication each week is important to me, though, it lets me feel things are still going on, still developing, even though I already -know- they are.
Weekly diaries are good, weekly completed content is bad.
Nice work Sauropod! o/
josh
3 months ago
Dudes, think about this once
U want to buy a burger, u go to a shop, u paid money
shop keeper told u, sir we are making a delicious burger for u, but we don’t know when can we server that to you, also we can’t guarantee the taste of it, so what u can do is, eat that once, if u don’t like it, we will add some more spice to that and bring back to you, again we can’t tell u when
CRAP CRAP CRAP
come on guys, think about the money we’ve invested, think about the interest u will get for that amount by this time
u have to work on target dates, otherwise u can never complete this
I totally understand, every Friday giving the status is pain, when there is no status to update
That’s why give a big picture, and decide small window frames, say that we can deliver this by so and so date, in the mean time, every this date, we will give updates, its totally agreed
Paugs
3 months ago
I’ve thought about it plenty of times, believe me.
This is entirely different to selling a burger – they’re selling an idea, a hope. “We want to build this, do you like it enough for you to donate money?” Is the basis, the rewards are perks.
If you don’t want to play the game before they’ve perfected it, to give them feedback, then don’t play the Prototype or the Beta. Wait until they’ve perfected the game — most developers wait until the full game before they release it, the difference here is that you heard about it way earlier in the development time than usual.
I paid $25. In interest? That would probably get me 2 cents by now. I paid it because I was interested in seeing the game completed, and I wanted to see the game early. Very early, in fact! And I did.
“we don’t know when we can serve that to you, we don’t know how it will taste.” That is pretty much every kickstarter ever. -Why are you puttiing money toward kickstarters when you don’t like that setup-?
This is designwork, programming work. You can be told how long it will take to build a burger because they’ve built countless burgers before. There’s reasonable evidence for how long a burger will take. Not the case with building games.
This is their first game together. Putting a timeframe on objectives simply isn’t going to work, dude.
Plazmic Flame
3 months ago
Interest on the money?
Maybe you haven’t been keeping track of the spending, lololol
doodleopaper
3 months ago
no space narwal yet
i made it before
Halp pls!
3 months ago
Betas get promoted to Prototypes and only 50 comments? I kinda expected more movement.
Also third update? There was only one update for the prototype or did I sleep through it ?!$!$!?
POPISowy
3 months ago
Second is coming closely, and third ‘d be before spring.
Space Narwhal
3 months ago
YAY!
Paugs
3 months ago
Yay!
SnowyWaters
3 months ago
YAY!!!
Space Narwhal said YAY!!!
m1n1m3
3 months ago
YAY! i was waiting for you!
Sitron_NO
3 months ago
Thanks for all the updates, I like to see the project go forwards. And I do not mind if they become less frequent, and I do not mind the prototype/beta-stuff either. I got the prototype, I played it, and I do not mind that the beta-backers get their hands on the game now, since it’s due date.
However, about Steam-updates and Humble Bundle Store: Do I (and the rest of us) have to do anything? Or will you give us instructions later on? Or will it happen automagically? :-)
Keep up the good work!!
Bill
3 months ago
Me wonder this too!
(Don’t know why I felt compelled to talk strangely just now……)
Jayle
3 months ago
I imagine that even if the original design was sound, we’d still be reading this update about now. I don’t think I’ve seen any Kickstarter deadline met, thanks to one thing or another.
Thank you for not going with Pando. I don’t know if they’re still doing it, but their ‘media blaster’ used to install a torrent client without notifying the user, as a process even, so it wouldn’t even show up in the task tray. Installing something like that without permission, and basically requiring you to get under the hood to find and remove it, was incredibly skeevy.
gdavid
3 months ago
Thanks for the update. No problem waiting for a great game. Love the prototype so far. Keep up the great work.
Rakilonn
3 months ago
Nice radial menu !
Honestly, I thought the menu would be bad but it turns out that it’s well animated and seems really useful (I don’t have the prototype), so Good Job ! :)
Oh and thank you for the account upgrade. It was the right thing to do.
Keep it up, Work with fast iterations, Have fun and everything should be good :)
Peter Bindels
3 months ago
As a prototype backer, how do I get this steam thing working? There’s a key in the humble bundle store but Steam says its invalid; the version I get from the humble bundle site is the original prototype (with loads of bugs).
woko
3 months ago
The steam key will be added later when it is ready. The humble bundle download is indeed the 1st prototype. On the Castlestore.net website you can download the update patch to the 2nd prototype release. Steam version should be 3rd version.
Bybloss
3 months ago
I approve of your solution . I am now 100% happy .
Sauropod
3 months ago
We are too lazy to write something eveyrweek after we got your money.
Greetings your team at Sauropod.
guy
3 months ago
At least sauropod studios can spell, and that’s saying something considering its not there first language. Go back to 3rd grade, then you can come complain.
Sounds & Servers ‹ Sauropod Studio
3 months ago
[...] post isn’t going to be as big as the others because, as we explained in the last Dev Blog (http://www.sauropodstudio.com/our-plans-for-the-future/), we aren’t doing a heavy dev blog each week anymore. We’re instead going to be writing [...]
Luis
3 months ago
Looked
No pictures
Post comment…
M-Low
3 months ago
Hey Team Sauropod!
I read finally got around to reading your post regarding deadlines and pushing out the project. I just wanted to say DO NOT PUBLISH BEFORE IT’S 100% READY. We, the fans, are simply excited and anxious to see the product. But i think I can speak for everyone when I say that that a clean and polished product with a month or two or six… is more desirable than a bugged-out POS (piece of software)… :P
So, we hear you and are eagerly awaiting this epic game! Be a perfectionist!!! All the best developer studios are perfectionists and never release a game before it’s ready – otherwise it dies and spudders away.
Build a great product and you build a platform to grow longer-term.
Good luck guys!!!