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Iane
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Post by Iane »

Just seen the Trailer and am every excited to get my hands on the cd Version when it comes out and I hope you ship to Australia :D
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Post by Raven »

Hello there,

My question is:

Will there be released an German Version?

I hope so...

Thank you for answering.
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BasiliskWrangler
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Post by BasiliskWrangler »

I'm sorry to have to answer this way, but probably not. It's a simple formula: would we sell enough copies of the game in German to justify the cost of translation and on-going support? Probably not.

But, if the game sells really well and have an overwhelming number of requests for a German version, the yes, we'd be very happy to do that.
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Post by Taliboy »

BasiliskWrangler wrote:I'm sorry to have to answer this way, but probably not. It's a simple formula: would we sell enough copies of the game in German to justify the cost of translation and on-going support? Probably not.

But, if the game sells really well and have an overwhelming number of requests for a German version, the yes, we'd be very happy to do that.
Hi! First post here!
Well, probably you will find some fanatics that will make translation. Of course if game will allow to do that (separated language file or other stuff that is pretty easy to edit).

Anyway it's a Q&A Topic so(if any ot those questions was answered before please forgive me):
1.What kind of copy protection will be used is Eschalon? Serial numbers? Simple CD/DVD checks or star**** like sollutions? Old-school "look at X word at X page of manual?
2. If all three books will succeed... Do you will release some kind of "collectioner edition". Not just to put three games in one DVD or something but make some kind of translation from B1 and B2 to B3 engine(hopefully most optimized ) and release all in one product.
3. What kind of payment do you will accept? PayPal? Money order? Credit card transation?
4. Do you plan some easter-eggs in B1? Like items with funny names, hidden areas with some funny things (Sacred and Pacman area, Diablo II and Cow Level etc.), some connections to famous movies etc.?
5. There will be some percent progress check? Like Main Quest progress, side quest progress, map discovered, secrets found.
6. B1 ends with finishing main quests? After beating boss or something there will be possibility to continue exploring game world?
7. Any tutorial?
8a. After releasing B1... What will be a priority? Making B2 or (if there wil be some less or more serios bugs in B1) making patches for B1.
8b. Patches will just fix bugs or adding some small new content? Like few new items, new monster. ( In Warcraft 3 through 20 patches (1.00-1.20) they fixed a lot of bugs but they also add some MP maps,bonus WoWlike campaing. Diablo II changes few things through patches 1.09-1.11. Ascaron released PLUS pack for Sacred.)
9. Do you really think that releasing demo at same day as full version is a good idea? First of all Eschalon seems to be some kind... I don't know... "a way how a good RPG game should looks like". For now it has very small community at the moment(200 members registered at the forum maybe 10 times more just watching and waiting.) but very ... ?faithfull?. Games in novadays seems to have EA-syndrome. Big advertising campaing, big release, milions of selled copies(propably equal ammount downloaded illegally from internet :D :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: ) and game is just between good/very good (some times is pretty crappy like NFS Carbon) producer/developer/distributor earns millions $ . If you trully wants to earn serious money teas by demo as much people as you can. These people will tell about game their friends. Then you release game. People which likes demo propably will buy game (of course if is it a realy mature project. Mature as my grandma :D) and their friends will find that this game will be worth of try. If you release demo and full at the same time this process will start later. I just wanna be sure that if B1 will be successful that whole project (trilogy) won't fall becouse of money problems (i think it's really BAAAAD if everyone have some kind of intelectual orgasm by just watching trailer. But game isnt released becouse producer fall in loans or sth? (its more abouut B2 than B1)).
10. What font is used in game? That font supports diacritic symbols?
Like >>>ąćźżÃ³łś<<< (is it visible?) ( Q related to possibilty of fan-made translations)
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I'm sorry if my english is hard to understand(especially 9th Q but it isnt my mothers tongue) but i think is it enough readable.
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Post by BasiliskWrangler »

1) Copy protection: probably none. The way we see it is that nothing is truly crack-proof...not even the newest HD-DVD protection which lasted only 6 months. And we don't want to cripple the game with something as horrendous as StarForce. So, at best we may have a serial number protection system to help thwart casual copying of the game. We are hopeful that gamers everywhere will realize that supporting the developer is the only way to continue to enjoy these games, and that stealing the game really hurts everyone. If we don't sell a minimum number of copies of Book I then I drag the Book II dev folder into the trash can and go get a real job.

2) Yes, that is exactly what we would love to do. The collector's edition would probably include all the tools used to make the games as well.

3) We will use a system which accepts all major credit cards and many currencies. There will be instructions for people who want to be able to send us a money order rather than pay with a credit card.

4) Yes, there are a number of easter eggs in the game. Long after people have finished it, I'm sure easter eggs will continue to pop up.

5) No.

6) Yes.

7) No.

8a) Patching any immediate bugs that might cause people problems, then releasing the Mac version, then Linux. Book II will continue to be in development in our "spare time" during this entire process, as it has been for several months.

8b) We will probably add things with patches that didn't get squeezed into the original release, so yes, patches will probably also add some new content.

9) The original idea was that the demo could be unlocked to play the full version, which is why they were coming out at the same time. Now that might not be the case anymore, but we still need the demo and full version to be sync'd, so they need to continue to be developed together until the code is locked and we have a gold candidate. We'll see how Book I does and maybe change our release strategy for Book II.

10) Right now we use a generic helvetica-type font. Yes, I think it supports diacritic symbols, so other languages might be possible. What language would you like to see? ;)

Thanks for the great questions Taliboy, and welcome to the Pub!
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Post by Taliboy »

BasiliskWrangler wrote: Thanks for the great questions Taliboy...
Thanks for the great answers :P
BasiliskWrangler wrote: What language would you like to see? ;)

Well... "Translation is like a women: beautyfull isn't faithfull, faithfull isn't bueatyfull" (my poor english...)
You know what i mean?
I'm from Poland. You surely heard of it. Andreas Lepper, HomoTubbies, Xero Brothers (personally i prefer "back-up of president" term), one of them don't have bank account and his mother keeps money... im pretty confused which one... prime minister i think... (sorry for little off-topic :D) so my dream is to play Eschalon in Polish version but i'm a bit worried about it becouse it can lose some ... magic! But of course it all depends off fans which could make some good localization patches or devs to make official versions. If there will be a lot people for example from germany it will be good idea to make german version so even more players will buy Eschalon.

Two little question:
1.Game will be checking patch server automatically and download them or player will be need to check website and download them manually?
2.Generally, players will be able to make any mods without tools or with custom tools maked by them or game will work only with "official editor" or something?
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Post by Rune_74 »

I would suggest you use some sort of copy protection like haveing them require a serial to download the game or somesuch. What you will get is some less then honest person who will throw it out on torrents and boom there goes any chanec of profit.

Just as the guys who made east side hockey manager.
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Post by Gallifrey »

Rune_74 wrote:I would suggest you use some sort of copy protection like haveing them require a serial to download the game or somesuch. What you will get is some less then honest person who will throw it out on torrents and boom there goes any chanec of profit.

Just as the guys who made east side hockey manager.
Although Stardock released Galactic Civilizations II without any copy protection and it's sold extremely well.
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Post by katz »

In my point of view, nowdays 60% of the WAREZ is just about the 'hype-games'. You know thoose, you see the cool screenshoots everywhere two years before it's relase, every 'hype-gamer' is totally keen on it, than it comes out for quite expensive price, most of the 'fans' will download it, play it, forget it, than continue on the new hype-game.

Another 30% of the WAREZ is mainly about the oldies, which are quite cheap now, but rather hard to get as they have ran out of stock in the common places. If you agree more or less my calculations you can agree with that as well WAREZ is not mainly about new smaller projects, which cannot let give themselves a gigantic commercial. Not about games which were made for quality needs, for real fans.

The fans will appriciate your work, and they will buy the game. I have no doubt about that. I hope you can gather enough fans to continue the new episode without restrictions. I'm still rising attention toward your game in my hungarian RPG forum, and there seems to be many demands for it. Good Luck!
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Post by Gothmog »

You can count on the fans. Basilik Games got our full support. We will buy the game, no matter what. And we will continue to hype the game in every forum we can assimilate!

I agree on some simple sort of copy-protection like a serial number (so does GalCiv). Just to make it not too easy. Apart from that i fully agree with katz.
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Rune_74
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Post by Rune_74 »

Gallifrey wrote:
Rune_74 wrote:I would suggest you use some sort of copy protection like haveing them require a serial to download the game or somesuch. What you will get is some less then honest person who will throw it out on torrents and boom there goes any chanec of profit.

Just as the guys who made east side hockey manager.
Although Stardock released Galactic Civilizations II without any copy protection and it's sold extremely well.
Your sort of right and sort of wrong....you did require a serial number of galactic civ...plus you could only get updates if it was registered, that type of game works well that way, they developed it to take advantage of updates(not sure eschalon can do the same with updates.) This is something that I think stardock planned from the begginning. Also, I do think the fans will be there, just gotta show em the way.
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Post by Taliboy »

Rune_74 wrote: Your sort of right and sort of wrong....you did require a serial number of galactic civ...plus you could only get updates if it was registered, that type of game works well that way, they developed it to take advantage of updates(not sure eschalon can do the same with updates.) This is something that I think stardock planned from the begginning. Also, I do think the fans will be there, just gotta show em the way.
I think that will work well in Eschalon. Patches can contain also some small bonus things like few new items or something. That will propably convience some thiefs with some conscience to buy their fav. game.
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Post by BasiliskWrangler »

Taliboy wrote:Two little question:
1.Game will be checking patch server automatically and download them or player will be need to check website and download them manually?
2.Generally, players will be able to make any mods without tools or with custom tools maked by them or game will work only with "official editor" or something?
1) No, not with this game. I really wouldn't know how to implement something like that without it getting hacked to pieces, so we'll just release patches the old fashion way.

2) Book I is admittedly not going to be very easy to mod because we're using a lot of custom scripts and hard-coded tricks. To make a game that is easy to mod requires a lot more flexibility than what we gave this first game. As our engine evolves and matures, we'll continue to improve its mod-ability. Book II will be easier to mod, and by Book III you'll be able to make your own maps, add items and monsters, and create scenarios.
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Post by Dragonlady »

Been a wee bit quiet on the forums the last few days so I thought I'd come up with a question to while away the time. :)

Will there be poison in the game? Ie. vial of poison to put on a weapon or throw or pour into something? Rather a complicated thing to deal with, I would assume, software wise.

Any hint on how close to beta testing you are? Something like 'Fall' or Winter. :lol: I'm so anxious to play the game I can almost taste it. Going through my Spiderweb games just to keep my mind off the waiting. :lol:
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Post by BasiliskWrangler »

Yes, it's going to be a little quiet for a few more weeks while we are crunching away at the final map sections and reviewing quests.

We will be announcing a sign-up page for help with beta testing in a couple weeks. I do hope to start final beta testing in September. *fingers crossed*

Dragonlady: you can get poisoned, and through alchemy you can apply poison to a blade, so yes there are forms of poison there. You cannot do something as complex as buy poison and slip it into a NPC's drink, unless that happened to be a specific piece of scripted event. ...but, come to think of it, you could poison an NPC via the Poison Spray spell, and if you cast it from the shadows where they can't see you it'd be rather humorous to watch them die a slow death without knowing where it came from. I'll have to give that a try and see what happens. :twisted:
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