Carmageddon: Reincarnation Backtracks On DLC Plans

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
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Carmageddon: Reincarnation Backtracks On DLC Plans


Stainless Games says all Kickstarter backers will receive all future Carmageddon DLC after a backlash against yesterday's announcement of plans for a DLC-inclusive "Full Package."

Stainless Games announced [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stainlessgames/carmageddon-reincarnation/posts/610303] earlier this week that Carmageddon: Reincarnation, which it successfully (and rather easily) Kickstarted last year, will be available through Steam Early Access in the first quarter of 2014. To celebrate the good news, it also announced a draw for 99 free copies of the Carmageddon: Reincarnation "Full Package," "which guarantees the winners all the content, including all updates and future DLC, for the rest of recorded time!"

Generous though it was, the news didn't sit well with an awful lot of Kickstarter backers, who took to the forums to complain that Stainless Games was jerking them around. The crux of their complaint was a statement in the original Kickstarter [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stainlessgames/carmageddon-reincarnation] pitch that said, "Kickstarter backers of $15 and above will receive Release #1 plus all subsequent releases." That, they claimed, included - or at least should include, by any reasonable interpretation - all future DLC releases as well.

The statement in full actually refers to the new Carmageddon as an "iterative development project," explaining, "This means that if we just make it to the $400k target, we'll be able to deliver Release #1 in February 2013. Kickstarter backers of $15 and above will receive Release #1 plus all subsequent releases. If we exceed the $400k target, it'll allow us to include even more content in the first release. And if we smash the target, it'll also allow us to greatly expand the scope of the game, and to roll it out across more and more platforms, with Kickstarter backers getting to select their delivery platform of choice."

Even so, there was a feeling among some backers that they wouldn't be getting "the whole game," and so Stainless announced in a follow-up that it has changed its mind. "As the day went on, we kept discussing the feedback from the community, and it became clear that they had a valid point. And so we've decided to act on that point," Stainless Game Publishing Director Jason Garber said. "We've concluded that the fair thing to do would be to make this announcement - that EVERY Kickstarter and Paypal Backer who pledged the $15 and above for a copy of the game will be eligible to get The Full Package. They'll get the full, final version of Carmageddon: Reincarnation and ALL DLC, for the REST OF TIME."

Carmageddon: Reincarnation raised more than $625,000 on Kickstarter, well over its goal of $400,000. It will be the first new Carmageddon game since Carmageddon TDR 2000, which came out in 2000.

Source: Kickstarter [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stainlessgames/carmageddon-reincarnation/posts/610303]



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6urk17s

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Nov 16, 2010
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Can't wait. I played the hell out of 2 when I was a kid and finished it like 2 years ago or so. Theres nothing quite like it and its always a blast. The A.I. Could have been smarter though.

Now, all we need is for someone to reincarnate the Interstate series.
 

RandV80

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Oct 1, 2009
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This is the first I heard of this uproar but as a $15 backer that's a nice decision by them. Makes a lot of sense too really, it may be $625,000 raised but that's only 15,736 backers roughly 6,500 of which are in the $15 dollar range. That's really not a lot of people, but as we're their first customers they're going to want to do their best to make us happy so we go out and promote the game and they can increase those sales by a digit or two.
 

edgecult

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May 4, 2011
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I never actually heard of this game series till like a day or two ago. (the mobile humble bundle came with some form of this game.. not my taste but still a fun time sink between the few other games I really enjoy from it.)

Sounds like a good deal and a smart move on their part. Curious exactly what they originally interpreted their 15$ milestone as when they put it up though.
 

Ken Sapp

Cat Herder
Apr 1, 2010
510
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Eh, lawyers could have argued either side of the argument for the next decade or so. A lesson in why you need to be concise and unambiguous in any contractual text. It is nice to see the developers take the side of their customers in a case like this when they could have easily resorted to throwing lawyers at the problem and attempting to weasel out of it.
 

jelock

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Nov 29, 2009
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6urk17s said:
Can't wait. I played the hell out of 2 when I was a kid and finished it like 2 years ago or so. Theres nothing quite like it and its always a blast. The A.I. Could have been smarter though.

Now, all we need is for someone to reincarnate the Interstate series.
So I'm not the only person in the universe who knows and would like more Interstate games! Looking forward to seeing how this turns out though.
 

Samurai Rabbit

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Apr 2, 2011
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jelock said:
6urk17s said:
Can't wait. I played the hell out of 2 when I was a kid and finished it like 2 years ago or so. Theres nothing quite like it and its always a blast. The A.I. Could have been smarter though.

Now, all we need is for someone to reincarnate the Interstate series.
So I'm not the only person in the universe who knows and would like more Interstate games! Looking forward to seeing how this turns out though.
I third this. Interstate 76 was awesome, it's also available on GOG for $6!
 

SnowyGamester

Tech Head
Oct 18, 2009
938
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Samurai Rabbit said:
Fourth. I still have my original copy...that game was the shit. Hopefully I'll get a chance to Hamachi it up in the near future so I can finally try out the multiplayer.

Will probably end up picking this up too.
 

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
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It'll be interesting to see how this "free DLC for everyone!" business will ultimately impact the decision to actually make DLC. If the Car:Re install base doesn't get much beyond Kickstarter backers, the financial incentive to continue DLC development will be dramatically reduced, which could very easily curtail future expansion of the game. It's unfortunate that Stainless wasn't clearer in its wording (although given the full context of the statement, I think it's a stretch to claim a widely-held assumption that it meant all DLC as well) and they certainly deserve props for keeping their supporters happy, but in the long run I'm not convinced that this is a good thing at all.
 

LordMonty

Badgerlord
Jul 2, 2008
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Swiftly corrected, this is a good PR move and I hope the game turns out good as i'm kinda intrested to see where it goes now.
 

Samurai Rabbit

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Apr 2, 2011
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xXSnowyXx said:
Samurai Rabbit said:
Fourth. I still have my original copy...that game was the shit. Hopefully I'll get a chance to Hamachi it up in the near future so I can finally try out the multiplayer.

Will probably end up picking this up too.
My favourite part was the poetry you could request over your CB radio while you riddled some scumbags with missiles. Happy days!