Speed up development of Book II via prepay option?

[Athanasius]

Hi,

I hoped for the release of Book II in early 2009. Would it be possible to quicken the development via a prepay option for the game? I guess not...

Thanks and keep up the great work!

[Randomizer]

More money to hire more people to do the grunt work. If you have the money in advance, you can spend it.

[Athanasius]

Yes, something like this was on my mind - hire more people etc. I even would pay a higher price in advance.

Greetings

[realmzmaster]

Unfortunately, hiring more people into a tight knit team can cause as many problems as it solves. It can begin to add layers of management BW and others may not want to deal with.

You have to interview and hire the people who will be a good fit for the team. Hiring can take time, which can be better spent on development. Right now each member of BW's team knows each other's capabilities (weaknesses and strengths). When you hire new people it can change the group's dynamics.

BW may also have to give up a degree of control. There is a limit to how many people one person can effectively manage.

The other drawback to prepay is what if BW (due to some unforeseen event) is unable to deliver the product. The money has to be refunded,
which can be difficult if it has been spent hiring people.

Prepay is a good idea but it has to be managed properly.

[Saxon1974]

Unfortunately, hiring more people into a tight knit team can cause as many problems as it solves. It can begin to add layers of management BW and others may not want to deal with.

You have to interview and hire the people who will be a good fit for the team. Hiring can take time, which can be better spent on development. Right now each member of BW's team knows each other's capabilities (weaknesses and strengths). When you hire new people it can change the group's dynamics.

BW may also have to give up a degree of control. There is a limit to how many people one person can effectively manage.

The other drawback to prepay is what if BW (due to some unforeseen event) is unable to deliver the product. The money has to be refunded,
which can be difficult if it has been spent hiring people.

Prepay is a good idea but it has to be managed properly.

I have the exact same concerns here. I think an RPG is a work of art and I think that creative vision is usually one persons's or a small groups vision and seems like getting too many hands in the pot causes alot of problems. Just take a look at the big budget games coming out now...everything is done by commitee to the point it gets so watered down its turned into a FPS console shooter. Not to mention the other legal issues mentioned by realmzmaster.

While I would be happy to speed up development time by donating, I have reservations as to whether that is a viable option.

[micks]

I'd still like to have the prepay option -- not to speed up the development or hire people for more content, but rather to simply express my support for what Thomas is doing.

[Elveronion]

i would totaly preorder also!! but thomas can check my email address i bought 2 copies (1 for me 1 for my friend) , if you want to help then buy another copy of book 1!

[acoustibop]

Good thought, Elveron.

There's also the point that prepayment would put pressure on Basilisk Games to bring out the Book II to a deadline, which could result in it's being buggy or flawed. Personally, I'd rather have the game as well thought out and finished as Book I was (even though it wasn't perfect) than a game full of problems caused by trying to meet a deadline.

People prepaying might feel they had a right to dictate how the game should be made as well. I'd rather Basilisk Games made the decisions...

[Randomizer]

I did prepay with Avernum 4 from Spiderweb Software, so the game disk got sent to me as soon as it was released. Of course the game got updated a few times, but having it was nice.

It also allows the company to gauge demand since these are people that care enough to want it and not have to wonder how it will sell.

[micks]

if you want to help then buy another copy of book 1!

I've already bought three copies myself

[realmzmaster]

Saxon1974 said

While I would be happy to speed up development time by donating,

Donations are a possibility. I mean true dontations. I do not mean donations with strings attached. You would still have to purchase the game at the retail price.

If the product does not make it to market. The donation is chalked up as a loss. You have no recourse. Also you have no say in how the money is spent on game development. In fact you have no say on how it is spent period.

You are donating the money to help speed development.

Now BW if he wishes could keep track of the donor's names (Actually for IRS purposes he may may have to) and offer a discount or some type of reward to donors. But that would be up to Basilisk Games. But, this involves more paperwork.