Kind of a bummer email to backers this morning, sounds like early sales of the game are at about 15% of what Sunless Seas has at a comparable point. They’re still committed to releasing but pushing back to a later date (not yet determined) and have let staff go. Yikes.
Not super surprised, to be honest. The Kickstarter did not do as well, either, I don’t think. And while the people that loved Sunless Sea really loved it, the more common reaction I saw was indifference or a love of the writing combined with a dislike of the gameplay, which probably isn’t something that translates to intense excitement to buy into Skies at early access. I myself have considerably tempered enthusiasm and backed mainly out of continued loyalty to the incredible world they’ve built.
I don’t think anybody is really all that crazy of the actual gameplay of Sunless Seas (and presumably Skies as well), and I certainly consider it the vegetables I have to eat to get to the sweet writing and story. But you just don’t really see a lot of stuff like this out there. Kind of wish they’d just go straight up Adventure game or maybe RPG next time around, real time action doesn’t seem to be their strong suit.
I 100% agree. Also I know they said the combat system they scrapped during beta of Sea wasn’t working but it sure sounded better than what we got to me. Oh well.
The Kickstarter for Skies actually did much better than the Kickstarter for Sea. But maybe that’s part of the problem, since those backers are people who otherwise would have bought in during early access and boosted the game’s visibility on Steam.
These games are why I hope Let’s Plays never get banned, because while I am really intrigued by the worldbuilding/storytelling, I have precisely zero patience for the kind of gameplay the dev seems to regard as “fun.”
And looks like despite all the troubles we do have an announced release window of September 2018, according to a backer email I just received.
Albion, a new region, has been added to the game.
I have to admit the video has me intrigued.
Just read this thread title has gotten be back into playing Fallen London. Thanks!
Release date announced, January 31, 2019.
Along with the release date announcement, they released a free pen and paper RPG in the Fallen London universe.
I’d love a Fallen London RPG. Or hell, an MMO.
Yeah, I don’t really do pen and paper RPGs these days. Or ever, really. But I could go for an old school CRPG with Fallen London writing.
Good video from Eurogamer about the changes and design decisions that reflect Failbetter trying to preserve the spirit and flavor of the first game but create a better game experience this time around.
Backers - check your email, I just got instructions from Failbetter on how to download the game right now! I am unfortunately not at my home PC and can’t grab it just right now.
Is that going to have spoilers in it?
It’s waaaaaiting for me, but I’m so busy today.
I didn’t see anything I’d consider a spoiler. There was a screen up at one point with the text of some quest, that’s about it.