Larian Banner: Baldur's Gate Patch 9
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Jan 2009
Stabbey Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
TL;DR Version: I get that the quality of the mugs wasn't up to Larian's standards, but when did Larian realize that no one could make the mugs, and why didn't they announce that in a Kickstarter update back when the change was made?

***

Backers of the Kickstarter Collectors Edition - which, by the way, I still have not had one single e-mail about from Larian, HappyShops OR DHL - were meant to be getting a Dwarven Empire themed Dwarven Ale Mug. I liked the idea of a mug. I could have used a mug. Maybe not all the time, but it's a thing which has a use, much more so than the zero times I can use a statue.

It was only revealed that was not happening by omission, in the unboxing of the Kickstarter Collectors Edition - only two weeks before the game gets released.

It's generally frowned upon, to put it charitably, for Kickstarter rewards to be changed without warning. Kickstarter doesn't even allow editing of the reward text after the Kickstarter goes live for that reason. But I'm putting that aside. Shit happens, plans never survive contact with the enemy and all that.

The change was only officially acknowledged in an easily-missed comment to the update, not even as part of the update.

Quote
Hi guys! We started looking into making a different collector's edition once we figured out we couldn't do the ouija board (there is a trademark problem with that) and I think we announced that during the campaign.

We wanted to make something very special for our higher level backers off high value. We started looking at the mugs but the results were disappointing and eventually we evolved towards the (in my eyes very very cool) figurine.

An incredible amount of work went into making sure everything is of super-high quality and we're very proud of it. Obviously if you are discontent and really wanted to get that mug, we will reimburse you. All you need to do is send a message to kickstarter@larian.com.


The reasoning seems to make sense: they were not happy with the quality of the mug. But the more I thought about it, the more something struck me.

Was there really no company in Belgium or Germany (home of Oktoberfest!) which could make mugs? That can't possibly be right. Maybe the cost was excessive, but that seems like something which should have been looked at BEFORE launching the Kickstarter and announcing it as one of the rewards.

The only real explanation which I can think of is that Larian didn't start looking into making the mugs until very close to the end, and when they prototypes came back, it was too late to find a replacement. (Although NOT too late to make a Fane figurine?)

I just do not understand why Larian couldn't find someone to make the mugs, but more importantly, I do not understand why they didn't even have the honesty to announce the replacement until two weeks before release. They had to have known about the change well before the unboxing, and they said nothing.

Pretending that the mug never existed and never was going to exist is not really very respectful of backers. It makes me disinclined to purchase future Collectors Editions from Larian, or from recommending that others get one either.

So if someone from Larian could maybe clarify what exactly happened with regards to the mugs, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Joined: Jan 2009
Stabbey Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
I probably should have waited until a weekday to post this to increase the chances of someone at Larian seeing it. So bumping it.

Joined: Sep 2017
Location: Lyon-France
apprentice
Offline
apprentice
Joined: Sep 2017
Location: Lyon-France
On this one I agree with you, "a word is a word", Hope you'll get you request answered


If you don't have arguments, then just shutup and think about what you're gonna say
Joined: Jan 2009
Stabbey Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
I'm bumping this again. I think that Larian's supporters deserve more than just a single throwaway comment in an update as way of explanation.

Joined: Apr 2013
addict
Offline
addict
Joined: Apr 2013
While I like the look of the Fane figurine - and I'm not too put out about the mug (I don't drink alcohol and wouldn't use it for other purposes) - I do agree that Larian should have been more communicative about the whole process. Considering they had time to find a source to create and mass produce hundreds of Fane figurines, they obviously had time to inform us of the change.

Joined: Sep 2017
D
stranger
Offline
stranger
D
Joined: Sep 2017
I'll agree with that. I liked the idea of the mug better, to be honest, but hey. Shit happens. I'm not too upset about the change. The communication on the other hand... That was piss poor.

And it's the same with the GoG mess. Backer that should have received a digital code for the GoG collector edition only got a code that gets them the standard edition. While not dramatic per se, the communication is, once again, very disappointing: official words on that matter are scarce, vague, and definitely not up to date.

Joined: Sep 2015
Location: Denmark
member
Offline
member
Joined: Sep 2015
Location: Denmark
When I think deeply about it, I believe that someone at Larian saw some really awesome figurines somewhere, went back to the office and said something like...
"wouldn't it be great to have a Fane figurine?"

And it took off from there.


Great last words.

Oh no. Not again...
Joined: Mar 2015
K
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
K
Joined: Mar 2015
Originally Posted by Durango
I'll agree with that. I liked the idea of the mug better, to be honest, but hey. Shit happens. I'm not too upset about the change. The communication on the other hand... That was piss poor.
I too would really have loved to have the mug. Much more useful than the statue. We'll likely never know whether good quality mugs were to be had for the available budget (shipping and packaging is likely also a concern here, as mugs are both heavy and fragile), so it's pointless to speculate. However, just like the thing with the Oujia board, the change should have been communicated a lot earlier. That statue certainly did not manifest itself just days before the CE was revealed.

Originally Posted by Durango
And it's the same with the GoG mess. Backer that should have received a digital code for the GoG collector edition only got a code that gets them the standard edition. While not dramatic per se, the communication is, once again, very disappointing: official words on that matter are scarce, vague, and definitely not up to date.
Isn't it the same with Steam as well? I've only redeemed one of my keys (on GOG) so far, and will likely give the second as a gift. So I cannot tell what I would get on Steam. But, to be fair, I did not find any information on the Kickstarter page that would indicate that the digital game copies would be special. The reward tier clearly says "Two copies of D:OS2 as a digital download", and nothing to the contrary in the tier images or reward matrix either.

Joined: Sep 2017
D
stranger
Offline
stranger
D
Joined: Sep 2017
Originally Posted by ka1man
But, to be fair, I did not find any information on the Kickstarter page that would indicate that the digital game copies would be special.

It actually does. Here's what I can read on my account, what was promised:
[Linked Image]

"A Collector's Edition of Divinity: Original Sin 2 as a digital download for PC. [...] Includes the following digital rewards: manual, map, soundtrack, lore and art books, behind the scenes footage, design docs and story notes. "

Aaaaaand, we just got the regular edition instead. Granted, I could still download the goodies on the Vault, but still. I don't think it's really acceptable not to deliver what was promised and say "nah it's okay, screw convenience, just figure out by yourself how to retrieve the goodies".

Last edited by Durango; 16/10/17 10:54 PM.
Joined: Jan 2009
Stabbey Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
Originally Posted by ka1man
I too would really have loved to have the mug. Much more useful than the statue. We'll likely never know whether good quality mugs were to be had for the available budget (shipping and packaging is likely also a concern here, as mugs are both heavy and fragile), so it's pointless to speculate.


The statue was also somewhat weighty and probably at least somewhat fragile. It was however packed in a custom-fit styrofoam container, which even said "Divinity: Original Sin II" on the styrofoam, so I'm not sure that the "too fragile" argument makes much sense.


Quote

However, just like the thing with the Oujia board, the change should have been communicated a lot earlier. That statue certainly did not manifest itself just days before the CE was revealed.


Absolutely. I certainly hope someone (Swen) can enlighten the people about this process, because to me, a change like this, done a long time ago and without any communication, is a warning sign of a company which is losing touch with its customers AND doesn't seem to think it needs to talk to its customers.

Larian seems happy with the Kickstarter model and is likely to return there just for the feedback, but when people are pledging a hundred dollars or more for the special stuff, they tend to expect that the company intends to follow through on the promise. If they can't follow through, communicating why they can't from an early date is the least they can do.

Joined: Sep 2015
member
Offline
member
Joined: Sep 2015
While I actually do like the statue, I agree communication about the CE changes should have been a lot better. At the very least, the explanation should have been part of the Kickstarter Update text itself, instead of an afterthought in its comments section. Then again, communication appears to be Larian's main issue throughout the entire CE delivery phase. They definitely need to improve in that area.


As for the digital extras on GOG... that's actually a GOG issue. See also this post on the GOG forum:
www.gog.com/forum/general/release_divinity_original_sin_2_full_af83c/post77
And see my more detailed reply here:
http://larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=631659#Post631659





Last edited by The Centaur; 17/10/17 08:38 AM.

Moderated by  gbnf, Kurnster, Monodon, Stephen_Larian 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5