Unsung Story - Project Update #49

[Aubrielle]

It looks like Playdek has hit a few snags in their development of Unsung Story, but they're still pushing ahead the best they can.

Dear Unsung Backers,

There has been another delay in reporting to you since our last development update, and we apologize for that. Our continued intention is to make a great game, and get Unsung Story to development completion and released to you and the gaming public. During the last few months we have had some development setbacks that are affecting our timeline and progress on the game, while also affecting what we need to do in the immediate future as a company.

After we posted our latest development progress, we unfortunately lost a few key staff members that were part of Unsung Story development, and that has had an impact on any progress since then, as well as our product focus. We now have one internal team capable of working on a single project, and for the financial strength of the company we need to focus on a few products in the near term that have the ability to get to a retail release before Unsung Story is able to. While this is a difficult choice to make, it is one we need to do for the ongoing financial health of the company. For Unsung Story, we will explore options for outside development help, and will look to see if we are able to bring on an outside team that can assist us in furthering development. While we aren’t assured this will come to fruition, we do want to make sure that we are exploring any options at hand that can make progress on the game.

While the development goals that were spelled out in the previous update remain intact for now, the release window of those goals is affected, and at this time we do not have an update as to what the new release window for development rollout will be. This will be affected by the ability and timing of any outside support, as well as when the single internal team is able to get back onto Unsung development, and when we do know, we will update you all. As we pursue this direction, we will refine the release timeline as soon as we are able to. With the loss of that staff, and without having any new progress to share since the last update, we felt we needed to sort through what options and directions we had available before we updated you on the current status, but again do apologize for the lack of recent updates. We will get back to you as soon as we can with any progress and status update. Thanks.




Playdek

Source.



More information.

 

[Couchpotato]

Well good luck getting a refund as you can't. Wish I never backed this game & apologize to the members I criticized who sensed something was wrong with the kickstarter.

My other regret is the Project Phoenix kickstarter which was pushed back three years.

 

[Aubrielle]

Yeah. I feel cheated.

But that's Kickstarter...

 

[CelticFrost]

Yeah. I feel cheated.

But that's Kickstarter…

Don't feel cheated, feel more like when you go to Vegas(which I will be there on the 15th) you win some you lose some and other times you really cash out.

 

[Morrandir]

My bet here was $1.

 

[daveyd]

It's been clear for a pretty long time that this project was in serious trouble. I think backers are especially ticked off about it because, despite the weak pitch, this seemed like a rather safe bet because of the famous developers involved. I now wonder just how involved Yasumi Matsuno even was. They never claimed he would be directing the game but he was supposed to be doing all the world creation / design docs, etc.

Many of the backers seem to be first-time KS backers as well and really didn't understand how KS works; backing is a risk and there's always a chance the project will fail. Sad that bogus projects like this will probably turn thousands off of crowd-funding forever, when the majority of KS's I've backed have had a positive result (i.e., a released game).

However, considering how little progress they have shown it does seem like it's possible that Playdek deliberately misused funds for other projects / knew all along that the funding goal would not be enough for them to complete the game. Perhaps backers should pursue a class action lawsuit / contact their state attorney general as has been done for other abandoned KS projects.

 

[forgottenlor]

Don't feel cheated, feel more like when you go to Vegas(which I will be there on the 15th) you win some you lose some and other times you really cash out.

I agree. In general I've had a lot of success with Kickstarter games. This and After Reset are the two projects I've backed which seem to be in the most trouble. Jagged Alliance Flashback turned out pretty mediocre too, but I got Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland 2, Shadow Run:Hong Kong, and Lords of Xulima, as well as Darkest Dungeons, Hard West, and Grim Dawn which I still haven't got to yet. I'm still hoping something comes of them eventually, and they've taught me to be a little more critical when backing Kickstarter projects. Still I've gotten a lot of good games and a few okay ones from my Kickstarter pledges, so in general I'm pretty happy.

 

[Brumbek]

Well good luck getting a refund as you can't. Wish I never backed this game & apologize to the members I criticized who sensed something was wrong with the kickstarter.

Respect to you for apologizing, but I don't have any ill will. I'm just sad the game won't ever be something worthy of Matsuno. The guy is a legend, but he's been on a string of bad and ill-advised projects.

And yeah...from day one I questioned how a mobile developer of very shallow games could ever pull off a FFT or Tactics Ogre style game. Way too many try to cash in on the goodwill of those games sadly...I fear we will perhaps never get another game with the strategic depth, epic storyline with choices and consequences, and serious character customization as those two games.

In honor of Matsuno, I shall turn on my PSP on my desk and work toward finishing my fourth playthrough in Tactics Ogre. BEST.STRATEGY.GAME.EVER.

 

[Lemonhead]

I'm disappointed and mad at myself for backing these swindlers. Where the F%&/ did the 660K go? Into their own pockets I guess. In 2 years they produced a combat video that is so bad that I wouldn't want my worst enemy to have to play it (if it were playable). Instead I gave them my hard earned cash and they spent it on hockers and blow? What a fool am I.

 

[Shagnak]

I stopped following this when the emphasis started to be on online PvP, etc, and there was nothing else to show. I obviously wasn't following things closely enough,as I had no idea that would be such a significant focus. Anyway, I guess I can kiss that $20 bucks goodbye.

That's the nature of KS, though. No guarantees. I've backed 16 projects, and this is only the second that feels like it's a scam.

Such is life. Spend another $20 on some beer. Get drunk. All will be well.

 

[Japol]

This update has 23 likes on kickstarter.Stockholm syndrome and such.

 

[GothicGothicness]

I think maybe it would be a good idea to have kickstarter payout the cash month by month or such? and you have to show some progress to get the next batch of money ?

 

[muhabor]

This turned out to be a very bad horse to bet on.