Camelot Unchained

[Venkman]

Let's be objective here.  The guy developed a game in 2001 that is still up and running.  He developed a second game with a HUGE budget entrusted to him and later merged his company with BioWare (earning a pretty penny along the way, I'd assume). 

You don't like the guy's design choices.  I get it.  While the guy has made some questionable design decisions, I'd hardly call his career a track record of failure. 

To be clear, Imperator was languishing until they secured the Warhammer Fantasy IP. What funding they had then became big once they were bought on the promise of future success. That development was complemented with insane amounts of Marketing and PR happening roughly at the same time the early beta reports were leaking. The company name was being applied to other projects on the strength of the investment they made to buy the MMO which was made on the strength of DAoC.*

Does that make him personally a failure? No. Games are a trillion decisions made by hundreds of people over many years.

But, as the face of the game, he's associated with how DAoC and WAR did. He's trying to bank on that, and we're seeing that can only go so far (like RG, and his first MMO has been going on for more years than that).

When people bank on their personal name recognition, they need to accept their skeletons will be scrutinized along with their successes, and that the sequence of those is often more important than the total picture.

* Incidentally, shifting the clock forward a few years and the only thing you need to do is replace the company and game names. Heck, replacing MJ with RG gets you there too.

[trias_e]

Aaaaaand...they're funded.  With 19 hours to go even.

[Rasix]

Faith in humanity shattered.  I'll go weep in a corner now.

I still have my doubts this ever sees the light of day.

[Paelos]

Faith in humanity shattered.  I'll go weep in a corner now.

I still have my doubts this ever sees the light of day.

It won't in any workable form. They'll probably get a beta or something going until they can get people to pay for access to that.

[Ingmar]

 

[Paelos]

I broke Ingmar!

[Tannhauser]

Aaaaaand...they're funded.  With 19 hours to go even.

[Nebu]

In case anyone was wondering, I didn't give this a cent.  I will play it if it ever gets that far.  If...

[UnSub]

Meanwhile, my faith in humanity is maintained.

And now we've got years worth of material to look forward to. YEARS.

Horny teens in a slasher movie have more sense than some of these backers.

FIFY

[Signe]

I didn't give money either.  To any kickstarter.  I keep forgetting they exist and I'm mostly skint.  I don't know if this game will make it or not, but I still think Marc is a sweetheart and I hope he makes a living and doesn't have to become something else.  I spell his name "Marc" because he's a game DESIGNER. 

[Soukyan]

I chose not to back it either as it was just funding to use for seeking out other VC funding. I'm sure Mark Jacobs can secure enough funding to get the game developed, but I would rather just buy it when it releases. Gone are the days where I hope for a beta spot. Now? I just hope my strawberries grow this year.

[Hutch]

Yeah, it was never in doubt

Once the KS was funded, Jacobs went ahead and put in $2 million of his own, and they've pulled together another million from non-KS sources.

Now, can you develop a three-realm RvR MMO, with all of the features that Jacobs has been crowing about, for $5 million? I guess we'll find out. 

[JWIV]

I had missed this for some reason, but they're planning on this being a paid subscription based game.  Because obviously, this time will be different - never mind the trail of tears that is every fucking game that is not WoW or EVE at this point.

[WayAbvPar]

Yeah, it was never in doubt

Once the KS was funded, Jacobs went ahead and put in $2 million of his own, and they've pulled together another million from non-KS sources.

Now, can you develop a three-realm RvR MMO, with all of the features that Jacobs has been crowing about, for $5 million? I guess we'll find out. 

They have about 5 weeks of operating expenses now, according to Curt Schilling. No problem.

[Hutch]

Yeah, it was never in doubt

Once the KS was funded, Jacobs went ahead and put in $2 million of his own, and they've pulled together another million from non-KS sources.

Now, can you develop a three-realm RvR MMO, with all of the features that Jacobs has been crowing about, for $5 million? I guess we'll find out. 

They have about 5 weeks of operating expenses now, according to Curt Schilling. No problem.

If CSE has 400 employees, sure.

[Paelos]

If it gets above 20, they will have problems.

[Numtini]

I've backed two kickstarters. One was a pure charity, which was funding a friend's giant fire art installation. The other was effectively a pre-purchase to the Guide to Glorantha, which came from Moon Design who had an established track record and because I'm a lunatic for Glorantha the way these backers are for Camelot.

I'm skeptical because I don't think, based on his past behavior particularly here, that Jacobs can keep his ego in check. If he goes humble and downplays it as a small indie niche game, he could probably get 50-100k subs and declare it a success on that level. Sort of like POE. Sort of like DAOC actually. I think he'll go big with grandiose claims and end up being seen as a failure even if it makes a profit though.

[Nebu]

I think that even a marginal game could garner 10k subscribers for a year or so.  If he plans for this scale, he'll be fine.  If he gets grand plans, then he's going to circle the drain as the majority of you expect. 

[Draegan]

CU has a team of 10 devs + whatever support people they have on staff.

[Paelos]

I think that even a marginal game could garner 10k subscribers for a year or so.  If he plans for this scale, he'll be fine.  If he gets grand plans, then he's going to circle the drain as the majority of you expect. 

That amount of revenue can support a staff of about 10-15 people, and no more. If that's the case, you're right.

[Lantyssa]

"If it has less than a million subs, it's a failure."

[Paelos]

If it cost $100M and has less than a million subs, it's a failure. 

[Draegan]

Mark said he would be happy with 20-50k. He also said that the subscription could possible, and should be less than $15 a month.

[Ashamanchill]

And now we've got years worth of material to look forward to. YEARS.

Now all we need is Paul Barnett to make a video taking about the nascent and probably untenable ideas that they kicked around an office brainstorming session, and turn them into solid promises about how the game will cure cancer, solve world peace, and come to your house to clean up your garage for you. I don't see why he shouldn't be wearing sun glasses in it either.

[Phred]

He's probably still happily employed at EA though. Probably a perfect fit for him.

OMG. A quick google turned up this gem. 

Paul Barnett is an English game designer who is currently the General Manager of Mythic Entertainment, a division of Electronics Arts. Barnett had a lead role in developing Electronic Arts Warhammer Online MMO in Europe

[HaemishM]

Fuck me, General Manager? Failed upwards quite spectacularly didn't he?

[Cadaverine]

Fuck me, General Manager? Failed upwards quite spectacularly didn't he?

Yeah, but he's the GM of Mythic.  That's like what, 10 people?  Pretty much on par with being the GM of a Taco Bell at this point.

[Paelos]

Fuck me, General Manager? Failed upwards quite spectacularly didn't he?

Yeah, but he's the GM of Mythic.  That's like what, 10 people?  Pretty much on par with being the GM of a Taco Bell at this point.

Taco Bell produces less shit.

[Stormwaltz]

I LOLed. 

[Nebu]

Barnett better not have anything to do with Camelot Unchained.  It would kill the small glimmer of something_hopelike. l

[Fabricated]

Barnett better not have anything to do with Camelot Unchained.  It would kill the small glimmer of something_hopelike. l

There is no hope. Death is certain.

[Feverdream]

Barnett better not have anything to do with Camelot Unchained.  It would kill the small glimmer of something_hopelike. l

There is no hope. Death is certain.

I suspect that Mark Jacobs has about as much interest in having any association with Paul Barnett as he does in contracting a case of hemorrhagic smallpox.

I could be wrong, though.

[Soln]

PB as a GM is fucking extraordinary.

He will be able to live off that forever.

Games industry is 

[Nebu]

I just realized that we need an emoticon for 'clownshoes'.

[Xanthippe]

Aaaaaand...they're funded.  With 19 hours to go even.

Wow. How did that happen?