01/08/2014 - Coming Soon to Godus… New & Improved Features

Rolling on floor, laughing out loud, yet somehow still typing on keyboard.

Releasing a mobile game on PC doesn't turn it into a PC game.
Just like releasing a console game on PC doesn't turn it into a PC game.

While it is true that 22cans started with development for Godus on PC, there never has been a purely PC oriented build or game.
From the start there have been clear indicators of the inclusion of (if not blatant focus on) the mobile element.
And I'll be fair, the *KICKSTARTER* was open about this inclusion - to this date, the Steam store page for the game however has not mentioned that.

Infact, 22cans has always done their best to divert any and all attention from the fact that this is a Free-2-Play focused title with a focus on its Mobile counterpart. Only when tensions ran excessively high and a few gamereview sites started putting out some negative news did a very grudging admission come out that 22cans indeed is currently focusing on the mobile half of the build (but they promise they will return focus to PC at a to be mentioned date later this year) and that this mobile version does indeed run a "Invest-to-Play" model (with a wide range of excuses how F2P and I2P are totally different and why it is that Godus does not follow this abusive model but a much better one.)

All in all, we've yet to see much proof backing all those fancy words however.
In the last year I've seen promises coming from both 22cans aswell as the community managers that certain things would be done.
Be it information changes on the store page or other actions to be undertaken.


So really, stop with the excuses. The PC release is *NOT* a priority for 22cans. At best we have vague promises that *one day* we'll get the game that was originally promised to us and the game that we backed.
Don't throw some excuse that you are developing a PC game with a primarily mobile oriented toolset that could theoretically also be used for PC titles.
That charade really doesn't work anymore and trying to hold it up will just end up embarrassing yourself and 22cans.


TL;DR - Godus is, and always has been, a game with a heavy focus on its mobile release.
The presence of mobile influences have been there from the start and just got stronger after the 6 month silence and the shift.


Sorry if that was in any way off-topic, but I really can't stand it that you guys keep trying to deny the blatantly obvious to retain some fragile image or illusion when you've already *ADMITTED* that the PC release is not on your mind.
If and when the focus shifts back to PC 3~6+ months from now you can ALWAYS come out with a big press release and some actual proof.
Untill then, spare us your excuses and instead provide us with substantial information about the game we originally backed (or bought through steam).
</rant>

I can't speak for the person above - but I do know a lot of non-technical people use the word "port" quite loosely.
A game might be developed entirely for PC, but as long as it looks, plays and feels like a mobile (or console) game they'll call it a port.
Inconvenient, but understandable nonetheless.
The whole "If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck..." story.

We could spend a long time argueing semantics - but the fact still stands.
Godus is not being developed for PC. The mobile version is being released on PC through steam Early Access, but there is no PC version.
No matter how many excuses get tacked on, that still does not change.

I think Danjal meant designed, but would probably have his/her own misgivings with this entire back and forth as already indicated above. Frankly, I think it's misleading to say the game has ever had any significant design attention given to PC side and that's what many have repeatedly been saying with a good array of reasons behind them. The most design attention PC has been given so far that we've seen throughout overall...Production, I guess, would be what you'd prefer to call dev+design...Has been nothing more than an extremely limited set of hotkeys, the ability to rename settlements early on, the removal of the gem store, and perhaps some very minor balance adjustments and bug fixes that don't help much since the design focus remains in orbit around mobile.

I know it's not your call, and you've heard it like a million times already, but this is so utterly backwards to how the Kickstarter conveyed it and how expectations are set on Steam. Steam=PC. Kickstarter built around references to what are considered PC classics=PC. If you'd wanted to build a mobile game, do it however you all managed to do Curiosity, then launch a Kickstarter for the PC version and build that specific version without all the nonsense that's cropped up...But unfortunately it's too late for that and nobody in their right mind would fund another 22cans Kickstarter at this point for the same thing.

Albeit, the press storm alone for that would prove hilarious. "Molyneux forgets original Kickstarter to try same Kickstarter again despite successful funding!"

The store page now says that the game is in development for platforms X,Y and Z now (I overlooked it when I checked earlier and I'll stand corrected on that much) - however the fact that it is in development for PC is a technicality as the entire game (as currently available) is basicly a modified mobile release.

And indeed, the nature of the mobile game is omitted. 22cans and technicalities. Maybe I'm just too honest of a person, but running a business on technicalities alone can't be good on the long run.


Minor addition edit: @Gmr Leon - I'm waiting for the kickstarter to fund a kickstarter =D (help me pay for my prep work for my kickstarter on X)

I would say that that information - specifically for as long as the game isn't being developed and designed with PC as primary focus - is most DEFINITELY relevant information.
To this day, I keep hearing from people who bought Godus through steam with the idea that they are buying a PC title.
A PC title made with inspiration coming from titles such as Dungeon Keeper, Black & White and Populous.

They aren't immediately aware of the mobile (and F2P) focus - because this information isn't readily shown on the store page.
Should they have dug a little bit deeper they would've found it, but on the surface it isn't readily apparent.

And frankly, whatever it says on the iOS App Store should NOT EVER have any impact on the product bought on the Steam Store - which right now it most definitely has.
Because the current game *IS* the mobile game modified for PC. How is that information redundant or irrelevant? I'd say it is pretty important to know when you decide to purchase something. (Going off of the sheer number of dissatisfied customers and bad reviews that keep persisting to this date.)


ANYTHING related to the mobile version should never have any impact on the steam game - unless it is SPECIFICALLY and CLEARLY mentioned on the steam store page.

Sorry if I missed this before, but what are we getting on Friday?

Please explain, how are changes that *might* come next week, next month or months from now relevant to purchases made today, last week, or months ago?

The game *right now* is a mobile game, with modifications for PC. The further back we go, the more mobile and less PC it is.
And sure, creating a game takes time - I'm not expecting 22cans to pull a miracle and suddenly have a full-fledged PC title (if that is what people might be thinking).
All I'm asking for, and all I've been asking for ever since Godus went into Early Access, is that 22cans is upfront about their project.

It took a practical riot by the customers before there was public acknowledgement that the focus was INDEED currently on mobile.
It took months upon months of pushing before mobile was even remotely mentioned on the store page.
Dozens, if not hundreds of people have bought godus with the idea that they paid for a PC title - only to find out after the fact that they're looking at a mobile one.

And what is the defense? "But you paid for a life-long 'subscription', so if and when we get around to it, you'll get your PC game."
Lets imagine this in practice as an employee for 22cans: "Yes George, I know we promised to pay you - But right now we aren't feature complete yet, so untill that time you'll only get  half your salary. But 6 months from now we'll have those features and then we'll pay you the full amount!"
Would you just accept that? Would that be reasonable? Because you could've found out beforehand that the company you joined upheld this practice... It didn't say so in the jobdescription, but if you had done your homework you would've known!

Incomplete and completely different game are two different things.

You can't go into Early Access promising a first person shooter and then deliver a point-and-click saying "But you use the mouse to and and then click right? Its the same!"
The same holds true for providing a mobile title when promising a PC one.
The differences are quite distinct and are relevant enough that a lot of people will not want to pay for the mobile variant.

Providing a mobile title does not fall under the "we're not complete yet" header.
It only makes sense that you *mention* this to people, unless you are purposefully trying to hide this information to rack up some extra sales.