The Austin area aka Silicon Hills in Texas would be a smart choice to build a startup. Plenty of local talent to draw from, very friendly to business, a great tech industry including google fiber in its future, and a great standard of living at a low cost.
Pan'Theon: Rise' of th'e Fal'Len - #1 Thread in MMO
- Thread starter gogojira_sl
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Currently , if it can average 10k a day (and it has to to hit this figure about to throw out) , they are looking at a last two day spike of 300k. So it will need to average 10k every day for the next 16 then have a 300k spike split between the last two days.
At some point the math begins to catch up. Have there been other gaming projects that got almost half the KS total in the last two days ?
Genuinely curious.
At some point the math begins to catch up. Have there been other gaming projects that got almost half the KS total in the last two days ?
Genuinely curious.
My wifes been screaming that for weeks. I agree. Just set up in someones house. Or use cloud computing. Set up the server in Brad's house and everyone can access it from the comfort of their own homes. But again, I've never run a business. So its just an opinion.If they need to do what it takes, they work out of Brads mansion etate basement. They do not need offices with new lavish dells. Fold out tables, fold out chairs and they need to see the computer building thread.
I don't disagree. If doing this kind of thing was easy, everyone would do it.
Each person has a certain level of comfort, and families of people with the entrepreneurial spirit have to be on board as well. Similar to military families. Lots of moves, lots of stress. I don't think poorly of anyone that would rather have a 9-5 job in a place they love and stability for the family. But I won't give those kinds of people money to create an MMO (making a game is hard enough, an MMO exponentially more so).
My point isn't that Brad and team are bad people or weak in any way, just that they aren't serious enough to get it done - and not considering a move that will save a startup millions is exhibit A.
Edit: I grew up just outside of Philly, and after my Army career ended I moved to where my wife's family was: Michigan. Out in the woods. Did it so our kids could have stability, so I can empathise with packing up your life and moving it some place new. It happens every few years in the military.
This was a small window of opportunity. It was not planned out for years. If not for this they all would be full time employment seeking in the current area. This thing literally came together because certain people got fired at a certain time.
They have never denied that reality or hidden from it. So it is pointless to discuss why they did not choose to start up in another state. That was as viable as coding the game in cheese.
They have tried to put this thing together in spite of certain circumstances and realities.
Convo
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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But we are just assuming it wasn't considered. Brad said in the past a big mistake on VG was bringing on people who didn't work well with a team.. He hand picked this team because they work well. So what if 5 of them could move but the rest couldnt? For personal reasons? Taking care of a parent, divorced dad living close to his kid, etc.. There are a lot of factors.
Given their proximity to Blizzard and SOE, their current location is fine. The problem isn't where, but mainly who. As in not enough whos in whoville doing coding and art, and too many doing 'design'.
Honestly, why do they need an office? Everyone on their team should be telecommuting and working on their personal deliverables. Teleconference daily, team meetings via netmeeting, and shared documents via a file server with VPN in Brad's basement.
The problem remains this team like the start of their Kickstarter is a trainwreck. No project manager and competent leader. One programmer. Way too many 'designers' who aren't providing art or coding.
Essentially, this production is closer to Skyrim Modding than an actual MMO.
Honestly, why do they need an office? Everyone on their team should be telecommuting and working on their personal deliverables. Teleconference daily, team meetings via netmeeting, and shared documents via a file server with VPN in Brad's basement.
The problem remains this team like the start of their Kickstarter is a trainwreck. No project manager and competent leader. One programmer. Way too many 'designers' who aren't providing art or coding.
Essentially, this production is closer to Skyrim Modding than an actual MMO.
Vandyn
Blackwing Lair Raider
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I'm not talking interest from a gamer point of view, I'm talking from an investor point a view. Lets admit that the stretch goals seem pretty far off now and even they themselves say 800k isn't going to fund game development. Which means it will need an investor outside of funding. That person(s) is looking at the data now, not what 'could be'.
Was pretty clear in what is said. Not sure what you struggled to understand.
Peoole like to act like all the people who played eq wanted some kind of hardcore game. I used wow as an example of where many former eq players went to play and never looked back and for whom certainly eq wound not be an experience those players were looking to recreate.
Yes jelly sandwich, most wow players did not play eq. However almost all eq players played wow. So maybe the reason we are not seeing the anticipated numbers is because those eq players who went on to wow and other games actually enjoyed/enjoy those games more and thus are not pining for old school eq.
I've got a garage they can work in here in Texas. My wifi is strong but you'll have to sleep on cement slab and I'm pretty sure there's a monster living in it.
Vandyn
Blackwing Lair Raider
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I brought that up when this thing first started. Yes, there is a sizable amount of people that played EQ/VG but what percentage of those people have moved on to other things? The telling sign of this is not the interest on this forum, but everywhere else. There is no buzz, no discussion, nothing. Most of the people that still frequent these server/guild boards (what little they are) are hardly even gaming anymore, let alone playing MMO's.
Real MMO companies are willing to move to an entirely difference State if they have to; whatever it takes to get the smart deals done. Just ask Mr. Schilling.
Plus people making these suggestions have no business experience. That might be fine for a well funded project but moving a shoestring start up to save on tax issues that will not be relevant for five or more years is the epitome of putting the cart before the horse.
I hate California but uprooting a shoestring start up where all the principles live to move to a state with no income tax is absurd and certainly not the work of a strong business mind.
This project has always going to have taken flight from San Diego or crashed and burned there. Not moving before starting will play zero role in their ability to succeed or not.
LachiusTZ
Rogue Deathwalker Box
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Hyperbole much?
Also, the last 5 pages have almost talked me out of joining in the kickstarter . . . that and in the past 3-5 days they have only sold a handful of the one I want. All of the talk about the team and numbers makes me think of 38 Studios.
I'm sure they considered it. I can only make assumptions like anyone else that is interested in the project. Every person has things in their lives that are more important than career.
Now, if this is a handpicked team, and we are seeing the fruits of the labor of it. They are not on pace to even fund it, let alone meet any stretch goals (unless there is some Venture Capital money sitting on the sidelines).
So, if you can't even get $800,000 to meet costs in San Diego - they have a few choices. They can re-do the kickstarter and rebrand it, hoping this time will be better. They can lower the scope of the game. Or they can move to a place that the dollars will stretch. (or they can give up).
The notion that a shoe string budget MMO wouldn't be built in a place where the dollar goes further is just not a good sign.
I get not uprooting your family. This is why established family men choose security over what is needed to create a new business. Its hell on the free time and family life.
I get the talent pool in the area. That is a great point as well. Until they start asking when they are going to get paid.
Pantheon is the type of niche mmo that needs a bull-headed, take no shit, burn the midnight oil team. What we have seen has been much better, but still underperforming. They need more engineers and less idea men.
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This is true. And lets say that the ratio of interest to actually donating to kickstarter is something like one out of ten. You still have pretty much only 30,000 people interested. Using the same logic lets see what interest shroud of the Avatar got. Yep, 200,000.
In the very first video brad said is funding may allow for a very small office. Offices are not even guaranteed at this point.
What do people think they have been doing during the ks? They are all using their own gear and working out of garage space or other free available space.