Why buy an early access RPG?

[darren]

First off understand that I've been chomping at the bit waiting to play this game. And frankly I'd love to buy it now but it's hard to understand why an early access story based RPG is anything besides paying to bug test. How far can you play through and how is it worth it? Keep in mind I fully intend to buy this the only question is when.

[glib]

I backed this game in Kickstarter for support and to help make the game possible in the first place. Early Access is an excellent way to support developers and help them to make the game as good as possible. Those gamers who has no interest doing so should wait until final release. As far as I know beta-version is about half of the game.

[Val]

Paying for an early access is pretty much a gamble since there is no guarantee that the extra money and development time will make a great great and free of bugs.

[darren]

Originally posted by Valzeras:

Paying for an early access is pretty much a gamble since there is no guarantee that the extra money and development time will make a great great and free of bugs.

I've bought early access before and I know this but the RPG genre seems really unsuited to it.

[glib]

Many software products fails and games are not an exception. As DayZ developers writes in their Early Access message, people shouldn't purchase the game unless they will actively support the development. I personally don't understand the criticism of Early Access at all.

[Val]

Originally posted by dett:

Many software products fails and games are not an exception. As DayZ developers writes in their Early Access message, people shouldn't purchase the game unless they will actively support the development. I personally don't understand the criticism of Early Access at all.

The public needs to be educated that games might still be buggy and bad even when it leaves early access status or devs could abuse the status and keep it permanent.

[Lord Retro]

The People who backed this game at Kickstarter had to pay a significant amount of money on top of the base price to be able to beta test. Now if they would let you beta test it for free here on Steam, those people would be pretty pissed. They made it early access so that others might be able to access it too. They didnt even need to since the games development is already completely paid for. This early access on steam was a BONUS for people who didnt make it to Kickstarter in time.

[darren]

Originally posted by lanatir:

The People who backed this game at Kickstarter had to pay a significant amount of money on top of the base price to be able to beta test. Now if they would let you beta test it for free here on Steam, those people would be pretty pissed. They made it early access so that others might be able to access it too. They didnt even need to since the games development is already completely paid for. This early access on steam was a BONUS for people who didnt make it to Kickstarter in time.

I like the game and I want to see it made but by no means should we be praising devs for charging people 60 dollars to beta test. That's not something done out of the kindness of people's hearts.

[Lord Retro]

well. when the kickstarter was up, being part of the beta test was one incentive. People PAID for it. And they DID pay 60$. Because they wanted to. noone forced them to. There were people who paid 5000 $ for it because they wanted it done. some even paid 10000. If you dont want to, you dont have to. But you will not get something for free that those people who made this game possible with their KS support had to give their hard earned money for.

[darren]

This topic is getting derailed. I've backed kickstarters before and I've purchased early access games and enjoyed them. I think they are both wonderful systems for game development. What I was originally trying to ask is how is it enjoyable to play a story based RPG in early access?

I've had a great time with Don't Starve and Project Zomboid to name a couple but these were not nessacerily story based so I could play for hours without hitting a wall. With a rpg though the game only goes as far as the story. Unless there is a sandbox mode I haven't heard of I'm just curious to hear why people want to play this game at this stage in it's development.

[Dustin81]

Originally posted by darren:

Originally posted by lanatir:

The People who backed this game at Kickstarter had to pay a significant amount of money on top of the base price to be able to beta test. Now if they would let you beta test it for free here on Steam, those people would be pretty pissed. They made it early access so that others might be able to access it too. They didnt even need to since the games development is already completely paid for. This early access on steam was a BONUS for people who didnt make it to Kickstarter in time.

I like the game and I want to see it made but by no means should we be praising devs for charging people 60 dollars to beta test. That's not something done out of the kindness of people's hearts.

But it's not just to get beta test privleges.

[Lord Retro]

Once again, this was only put on early access to help people who didnt make it in time for the kickstarter help betatesting the game.

[crackz12]

i totally agree...its a risk.which we as potential buyers shouldnt have to take. ive had 2 bad experiences with early access/kickstarter projects..basically not getting whats promised.but they still have our money so hard luck...not only are these companies getting our money upfront with no guarantee of a good finished product.but we are also doing the beta testing for them!!...which is usually a free thing before we decided if we wanted to buy the game!...its about time steam stopped this cynical/sneaky ripping off of gamers.

the 2 games i had bad experiences with... legends of dawn...m&m x:legacy

[godfather101]

If the story is on rails and do not change by the actions you make, it would be not good to play such an rpg because of the spoilers you get.
BUT, to quote myself from another topic here:
You can't spoil everything in a game with such huge choices and consequences.
Save Ag Center or Highpool or none of them changes the course of the whole game, story, follow up quests and such things.
Get to rail nomads and make peace or kill one tribe or both will also change everything beyond that.
So it is not possible to see everything in one playthrough.
even 2 or 3 won't be enough because of the high replaybility.
So i play now one way and look at the consequences of my actions and the quests and storys i would have never seen if i made another choice, and when the game comes out i have a whole new experience with all new choices and a complete new game.

[Lord Retro]

Originally posted by crackz12:

i totally agree...its a risk.which we as potential buyers shouldnt have to take. ive had 2 bad experiences with early access/kickstarter projects..basically not getting whats promised.but they still have our money so hard luck...not only are these companies getting our money upfront with no guarantee of a good finished product.but we are also doing the beta testing for them!!...which is usually a free thing before we decided if we wanted to buy the game!...its about time steam stopped this cynical/sneaky ripping off of gamers.

the 2 games i had bad experiences with... legends of dawn...m&m x:legacy

Oh please, enlighten me. What did m&m legacy promise that you didnt get?

[darren]

Originally posted by godfather101:

If the story is on rails and do not change by the actions you make, it would be not good to play such an rpg because of the spoilers you get.
BUT, to quote myself from another topic here:
You can't spoil everything in a game with such huge choices and consequences.
Save Ag Center or Highpool or none of them changes the course of the whole game, story, follow up quests and such things.
Get to rail nomads and make peace or kill one tribe or both will also change everything beyond that.
So it is not possible to see everything in one playthrough.
even 2 or 3 won't be enough because of the high replaybility.
So i play now one way and look at the consequences of my actions and the quests and storys i would have never seen if i made another choice, and when the game comes out i have a whole new experience with all new choices and a complete new game.

Thanks this is the feedback I was looking for. Is it frustrating to have to stop part way through the story?