Introduction & Pillars of Eternity

Introduction

1. “A week ago you were fantasizing about the speech you’d give at the game awards after taking home game of the year. Now you’re wondering if you’ll ever even finish.“
   1. Ever think that way?
2. “Near the goal line, he said, when they were hit with a revelation: one of the game’s biggest features wasn’t actually fun to play.”
   1. What do you think of that?
3. “It’s a miracle any game is made.”
   1. What does that statement mean to you?
4. “Every single video game is made under abnormal circumstances.”
   1. What does that statement mean to you?
5. “You make these intricate plans in your head about how well things are going to work, and then when it actually comes and you try to play it, it’s terrible.”
   1. Give one example of where that has happened to you.
6. “Every game is delayed at least once.  Every game developer must make tough compromises.  Every company must sweat over which hardware and technology to use… Everyone who makes video games has to crunch, sacrificing personal lives and family time…”
   1. What do you think?
   2. Are the costs worth it?
   3. How does God feel about these costs in your life? 

Pillars of Eternity

1. What do you think of Pillars of Eternity?
2. What major themes did you observe?
3. Do you think about the business aspect of games the way Urquhart does?
4. Before Kickstarting, pitched for 3 months from Mar to Jun.  Was that wise?
5. In 2012 “The crowdfunding revolution had begun.”
   1. What do you think of Kickstarter now?
6. Obsidian didn’t just “wing it”, “Adam Brennecke was locking himself alone in an office, trying to come up with the perfect Kickstarter.”
   1. What costs are involved in a Kickstarter campaign?
   2. What cost in money and time would you guesstimate a quality Kickstarter like Obsidians cost?
7. Where is your natural foil between design and biz?
8. Have u ever said “Ah it’s just another software package!”?  Underestimate training time?
9. Ever made a full production schedule?  Based on costs?
10. “Players were happy with the general themes and core mechanics, but the beta was so unstable, it left a sour first taste.” Shipped a month early to negative feedback. 
    1. What is the cost of shipping early?
11. Delayed release from Nov 2014 to Mar 2015 at a cost of 1.5m (33%) more.  What would you honestly do faced with that call?
12. Shipped and sold 700k units first year, approximately $20 million (after Steam’s 7 million) vs. 4.5 + 1.5 m = 6m budget. Was it worth it?