Wow thanks for a write up, sort of from an ‘insider’ being as you say, one of very few solo buyers of the oortian pack.
I had a different impression on a couple of these, but mostly no news. Regarding dev space:
Access for this was sold down to the wayfarer level. Though not building rights.
I was under the impression it was running pretty much this whole time, Test has not, and I thought the test servers only really ever ran staged update versions. There’s some other chatter there, and there’s still something at that link. It looks like some config for a planet named Zorbinari, which isn’t in the list posted earlier. There were, apparently, 15 planets in 2020. Ross posted at least one pic.
The exclusive weapons and tools, that looks like a real cop-out. They’re named, and the only two that made it in game are each named for separate packages. This definitely makes it look like there had been some other intent.
We never got craftable wearables but I think there’s also a “chieftain” mask?
I also remember some chatter at one point that the world builder people had wasn’t entirely compatible with the released universe, anyways. But I never got clarity on that or whether it was updated.
As for the rest …
You can find some “credits” on the web. That stuff is crucial to creatives. I’ve never seen them in game or at steam or anywhere directly related, though. And no mention of backers in the external stuff.
As for the rest of it, just a huge cop-out to me. Poor planning that they didn’t reach out and handle these things, it shouldn’t have been on the buyers.
How much time passed between your purchase and the release of trung/dzassak? That’s a somewhat rhetorical question but there were several planets trickled in and the packages were sold before the release. It should have been on them to reach out and get this done. Sure, for those that actually wanted it. But I suspect if they had actually put it on the table, someone would have taken them up on it.
And as to why they didn’t do things like pass a stack of pictures around the office one week and have people sign them, or put a bunch of Minyi’s work into a PDF with a couple paragraphs and call it a digital art book, who knows.
You might say “unable to prioritize” but honestly that seems like euphemism for “couldn’t be bothered”. IMO. I’m really surprised at the write up after all this time from your perspective but actually do appreciate it. I feel like it has to be uncomfortable to , idk, “dig around in that box”.
At first this didn’t matter too much to me, a little later during the first of several rounds discussing the potential for “supporter packages” I started to pay attention. This was always a bad look for them, to the end.
Again though @Xaldafax I honestly do appreciate the time and the detailed write-up, I wasn’t expecting that. Your perspective as one of the very few who actually went “whole hog” is invaluable.
For the people that never really cared - or are newer and never knew it was an issue - possibly an eye opener on some of the open resentment that has existed in the forums over the last three years. There’s been lots of crying about the plot bonuses but overall, they largely shafted their early backers, I think.
Not because of the giant technical parts like designing a public world. Schedules changed, new partners, etc… and sometimes things are overpromised. The art book, signed art, credits, that sort of thing is just wrong. They sold these easy items and didn’t bother to deliver.
It would definitely be a solid positive for Monumental if they were to do something to “make things right”. People who don’t even know or care about this would only see positive press for them reaching out to early backers of a game they didn’t develop but acquired. As the game evolves hopefully they find ways to touch on some of these.
It’s getting repetitive I’m going to move on but seriously, thanks again.