Let's be clear before I start this, all I'm doing here is expressing my worry about how this entire thing reflects on Larian as a company
Fair enough. I'm trying to provide facts so people reading the topic unfamiliar with the D:OS Kickstarter can make an informed decision about the opinions expressed.
Moreover I think you can agree that *not* having delivered a pretty major part
That depends; can you agree that not delivering it yet is different than not delivering it at all?
You are right of course, not yet (which is what I meant, albeit not what I wrote, mea culpa), though insofar the D:OS2 campaign is concerned there is very little difference, people that have been waiting for a year and a half (not everyone has a Windows system available, which for some reason is very hard for most to grasp) are far less likely to pledge again this time, if only because they only know D:OS to be any good by reading about it.
I mean, you can hardly blame people for not wanting to pledge for a sequel when they haven't even had the chance the experience the original game! I think that's a shame, if nothing else.
is not exactly going to reflect on them in a positive way
I think most people will be fine with it, actually, given the fact that the Linux version will be released in a couple months, and knowing that refunds were offered to D:OS Kickstarter backers who were unhappy with the delay, and that there were reasons for the delay.
"did not deliver x, as promised"
And they will also see 'release date in 2 months', and most gamers are at least passably familiar with the development process, where games are often delayed, sometimes by years, and can also be cancelled outright.
While true, Linux users are kind of used to getting the short end of the stick, especially those that have been around for a while, and, while they might be fully aware of the realities of development and market demand that doesn't mean there won't be some major disappointment for not being able to experience a game they helped fund before the sequels funding round begins.
(there's still lots of people unhappy about the day/night cycle too, and that, in comparison, was a minor setback, at least in my book).
Some people that pledged specifically for that may think that not getting something at all is more serious than a delay getting what was backed for.
A year and a half is an insanely long delay to not be able to play a game you've been looking forward to. (also, I'm a Linux user and I'd *really* have loved day/night cycles, woe is me ;))
Saying that they are owed nothing because KS is not a contract which is basically saying that they have no right to expect anything and that if they do not like it they can go take a hike. *That* is what I was referring to
Your paraphrasing is getting even more inaccurate. I was specifically addressing the use of the word promise, which is apparently suppose to prevent any unforeseen problems from occurring or make the intervening circumstances irrelevant.
OK, in that case I misinterpreted your words. I don't think I would be the only one though.
I mean that not developing multiple platforms in parallel is "cutting corners" as that's the right way to do it if you're committed to delivering on those platforms.
Larian didn't have the resources to develop for multiple platforms the 'right way'.
I didn't take that as an insult, but the way it was phrased it sounded like you were saying Larian was promising more during the Kickstarter and then moved Linux to the back burner once it was over.
No, we knew Linux support was coming later, but I'm sure a year and a half wasn't what most people had in mind.
I'm also pretty confident that their early lack of resources (by which I assume people, not money) has ended up costing them more in the end, which is a bummer, they could have improved the game instead (again, you can't just conjure qualified people from thin air, so no harm meant, just an observation)