Was UW in dire need of funding? (Speculation)
WhiteZero
That Guy Join Date: 2004-06-24 Member: 29511Members, Constellation
That Guy Join Date: 2004-06-24 Member: 29511Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">Possible reason for sudden, early pre-order</div>Just a bit of speculation here to make conversation, maybe even get a response from a UW Team member.
I've noticed a couple things about this whole sudden, early pre-order situation that points to the possibility that UW was in dire need of funding:
1.) The whole Steam issue had not been addressed between UW and VALVe prior to the launch of the pre-orders, and even now it's still up in the air.
2.) It seems there was no time taken prior to launching pre-orders to see how large the interest was, thus causing the web-server instability during the first few days.
3.) The haphazard FAQ on the www.naturalselection2.com website; a lot of the information seems inconclusive.
All these seems to me to point to a situation where the UW Team looked at their ledger and noticed, "Aw damn, we can't make rent this month... uhhh... start Pre-Orders!!"
Anyway, I could be totally wrong here. But even if I'm not, I understand the situation that UW was in, and offering pre-orders with a possibly sketchy release date was the best course to take in order insure they can finish this great looking game. I'd just like them to come clean about it if it's true. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
And yes, I pre-ordered the Special Edition the minute I saw the news. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Discuss
I've noticed a couple things about this whole sudden, early pre-order situation that points to the possibility that UW was in dire need of funding:
1.) The whole Steam issue had not been addressed between UW and VALVe prior to the launch of the pre-orders, and even now it's still up in the air.
2.) It seems there was no time taken prior to launching pre-orders to see how large the interest was, thus causing the web-server instability during the first few days.
3.) The haphazard FAQ on the www.naturalselection2.com website; a lot of the information seems inconclusive.
All these seems to me to point to a situation where the UW Team looked at their ledger and noticed, "Aw damn, we can't make rent this month... uhhh... start Pre-Orders!!"
Anyway, I could be totally wrong here. But even if I'm not, I understand the situation that UW was in, and offering pre-orders with a possibly sketchy release date was the best course to take in order insure they can finish this great looking game. I'd just like them to come clean about it if it's true. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
And yes, I pre-ordered the Special Edition the minute I saw the news. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Discuss
Comments
They twittered something along the lines that they need money.
They twittered something along the lines that they need money.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ah, that would explain it too. lol
I found the entry:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--># Ugh, the team is really stressed out over the amount of money and time we have left. #fb2:56 PM May 6th from TweetDeck<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I found the entry:<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
UWE was definitely going though a financial issue, and I'm sure the most prudent option for them was to start pre-orders. Now the question is, does that matter that they started pre-orders? I would have to say no because with 98% of the people buying the Special Edition, I'm sure they made some good money and that will hopefully speed up the development of the game and assure us that we will see a game released. I mean, what would have happened if the team ran out of money and couldn't get pre-orders started or anything? They would need another large investor and those aren't easy to come by right about now.
In essence, I'm glad they started pre-orders because that means that they have some extra money to work on the game <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" /> I love showing support to one of my favorite development teams of all time. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1708475:date=May 30 2009, 10:37 AM:name=w0dk4)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (w0dk4 @ May 30 2009, 10:37 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1708475"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I just hope they delay the game when they see they are just not gonna make it in time and have enough money.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Everyone assumes that they don't have enough of the game done to meet this date, but hasn't the game been in development for over 3+ years now? I know for a fact that all of the core components of the game are already in place, they just need to tune it up a bit, get some last minute stuff into the game, then start the alpha/beta test to get feedback and then tune the game to polish it to a level where it could be released. I don't think the release date is that crazy at all assuming we get the alpha/beta in 2 months or so.
If we can assume that 1000 people preordered the Special Edition... thats $40,000 right there... and they are a team of 4.
Odds are they are set and will easily be able to push out an alpha and a beta. And once those are out and footage is shown, more people will probably preorder! (Quite a few people are still unsure about NS2 seeing the lack of any screenshots or gameplay.)
PS: I bought the Special Edition on the 27th
We're in a global recession. A debut game for Charlie and the others is going to be taxing on resources particularly financially and I am sure they would appreciate our support and less of this speculation and negativity.
Would be nice to see this thread/topic banned in here.
We're in a global recession. A debut game for Charlie and the others is going to be taxing on resources particularly financially and I am sure they would appreciate our support and less of this speculation and negativity.
Would be nice to see this thread/topic banned in here.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The negativity of this issue is purely subjective. I wrote my post to be as respectful as possible. We're obviously all here to support the team, and being long time followers, I'm sure we'd appreciate honesty from the UW Team, as they usually have been.
If UW was about to go under without these pre-orders, it would only give a sense of unity and pride in that we all helped to make this game happen.
This is a forum, it's meant to discuss matters pertaining to its subject, which this thread is.
Thanks.
We're in a global recession. A debut game for Charlie and the others is going to be taxing on resources particularly financially and I am sure they would appreciate our support and less of this speculation and negativity.
Would be nice to see this thread/topic banned in here.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I dont see any negativity in this thread.
I got a similar impression when I have read the first post.
I don't even see why there is any need to be speculating about such things which may make the developing team uncomfortable when they read that, not that they have anything to hide.
They actually released the page and opened up pre-orders, completly without obligation, and now people are asking why they do that and further speculate on what consequences this may have.
I don't like to think of the UW Team as fragile egg-shells. Their pioneers in the industry, and it took a lot of balls to start their own company.
I'm not exactly worried about them getting all broken up over someone speculating over their financial situation.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, if you think about it, the game is only months away at this point so pre-orders at this point can be fairly expected regardless of the financial situation<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Agreed, its really not that early to start pre-orders if the game will indeed make it out this year. But it all still seems very sudden.
The main promotion site has always been up and was able to withstand the pressure. The forums however, did not, but is it that important? The important part was the teaser and the preorder page. And I've seen launches of professional game companies that weren't even able to keep their PREORDER sites up. THIS is fail. In UWEs example it is FAR, FAR from a fail.
As for the steam issue: What is it with people and steam? Back when NS went to steam everyone wouldve been happy if it didnt go with steam. But I guess it improved since then. Still no OSX version of it LOLZ.
If the game makes it out this year, which it will be out at least in the form of a beta for sure, then the pre-orders now were a smart move. Both for the players and financially.
I'm no economy expert, but does the recession problem really matter?
It's not like UWE is selling goods or anything, they got money for the development and that's it.
Unless their investors suddenly need their money back or they need a new investment, I don't see how it would affect them.
Or am I missing something.
It's not like UWE is selling goods or anything, they got money for the development and that's it.
Unless their investors suddenly need their money back or they need a new investment, I don't see how it would affect them.
Or am I missing something.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You pretty much hit the money shot. Depending on the scale of the investment and the way their investors handle their investments may mean that they may need to re-evaluate their own circumstances, which is where a problem can come in for the develpment team. Also the inflatary cost of the project can be affected, pricing and so forth.
I bet it's a historic Date for Charly, and I doubt he'd start Preorders until he actualy thinks they can deliver!
I bet it's a historic Date for Charly, and I doubt he'd start Preorders until he actualy thinks they can deliver!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If NS2 comes out in Fall '09 I will change my title on this thread to "RobB is smarter than me," but I ask you to reciprocate if you're wrong and change your title to "TychoCelchuuu is smarter than me."
When NS 1.0 was released, I didn't managed to play it on Halloween, I played it the day after. But I did manage to download it on launch day <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I think that are probably a lot further along the line of development than we think/know. Come time for alpha, we will all know though, shouldn't be long though, considering they have advertised for a Fall 09 release, I'd say the alpha won't be long away, otherwise that cramps the testing time into a very short period of time.
Either way, I hope the best for UWE, I really want to see these guys succeed; after providing such huge amounts of great (free) fun with NS1, they deserve to be financially successful, I think NS2 is just the beginning for these guys, I'd love to see what the future holds for them.
I think having a semi-public alpha and beta will make bug finding and balancing 100x faster than if they did it internally, so once the core of the game is up they get tons of feedback and bug reports.