The Skullgirls developers have finally written up an official blog post on the status of the Linux port.
A couple of notes from it:
QuoteSome have misinterpreted our inclusion of a free download of the Linux port for campaign backers at the $30 tier and above upon its completion as a promise that we, Lab Zero, would handle its development. However, it was included as a backer reward only – one that we hope we’ll still be able to deliver with the help and support of volunteers willing to work on it.
The above misconception regarding the Linux port has also led some people to believe that we are soliciting volunteers to do work on a port that we promised we would do ourselves, which is also untrue. We strongly believe in due pay for work done, and wish we could pay someone appropriate wages to port the game to Linux, but we simply don’t have the budget for that.
I take issue with things like this as if you're going to include something as a backer reward on your official crowdfunding page then that does suggest you are helping to fund the port.
Putting it on your official page with no intention of officially doing it seems more than a bit backwards.
Not only that, but their official tweet sounded pretty official:
#Skullgirls is coming to #Linux! Support us and get a download code and more characters! http://t.co/642MqVir91
Skullgirls (@Skullgirls) March 15, 2013
That tweet certainly seems like it's drawing in Linux users to help fund it no?
QuoteWhy is the Linux port a volunteer effort? Didn't you make over $800,000 in your crowdfunding campaign?
The Linux port started as a volunteer effort because someone approached us volunteering to do the port. The extra money raised beyond our initial $150,000 goal went to more content for the game and not to ports. That means none of the extra money raised went to the PC port either.
If you think that’s enough money to develop all of the extra content we promised, and produce all of the rewards for campaign backers, and still fund a proper port paying proper programmer salaries, then we don’t know what to tell you.
I still think that they had more than enough money to fund the port properly, but this is how it's going down now. Considering before the crowdfunding campaign began the game was already available for sale, and the campaign was only for DLC with massive over-funding I still struggle to see why they couldn't afford a Linux port. Do voice-overs and character models really take that much money to create?
This is coming from someone with no experience on the developer/business side of things, but still they didn't communicate it very well until now, and that was mainly the problem.
EDIT: They have noted in our comments that the extra funding went right back into their stretch-goals for more content.
It took ~18 months for them to come out with this. Why is it so hard for even indie developers to be open and honest with customers who help fund them? I just don't understand it at all, and we on Linux seem to be on the receiving end of this rather a lot. 7 Days To Die anyone?
It's another reason why I tell people not to buy a game until a developer confirms a Linux version exists, and why I don't personally fund anything using crowdfunding any more.
My pessimism aside: In the end I just hope the volunteers can come together and bring a Linux version out, as the game does look fantastic. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Quoting: renderThis makes it sound like we were intentionally keeping this information from people for a year and a half, which is not true. We've said multiple times publicly that the Linux version was a volunteer effort. It is only now that we're discovering that we didn't do enough to make this fact clear to the general Linux gaming community, and we are doing our best to have an open dialog with them about it.But you didn't say that during the indiegogo campaign, that's the point.
The silver lining in this is that because of the discussions surrounding the Linux version, we've had several very skilled volunteers step forward to take a crack at the port, and the chances of it happening are looking better than before.
We know that's little consolation for the people who understood the port to be a fully-funded done deal, but we simply don't have the budget to pay proper programmer wages for a port.
I paid for the Linux support that you promised DURING the campaign. If I knew that the work would be voluntary i never would paid 30 bucks. We criticize your promise for being pure marketing for the campaign.
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Quoting: renderI was shocked by how people view using volunteer help as exploiting someone else's work. (Which it is not since, well, they volunteered.)Quoting: Vonrender,We're looking into it, since we feel that's only fair too, but we can't make any guarantees about it yet. It also complicates things when there's more than one person working on it, since the question of "who gets how much?" is hard to address.
I wonder, if there is a possibility of those volunteers being paid later down the line from the revenue the linux port generates. Am I right to assume that it is only fair that some kind of this thing happens?
Glad to see my assumption confirmed though. I didn't expect any guarantees when I asked that question.
I hope this thing works out for both Lab Zero and that group of amazing people who volunteered to do a port. Even if it takes time, better late than never. Linux is still missing games in some genres, fighting being one of them. And I love Skullgirls and run it on wine from time to time even though I am bad at fighting games.
Quoting: KiibakunBut you didn't say that during the indiegogo campaign, that's the point.
I paid for the Linux support that you promised DURING the campaign. If I knew that the work would be voluntary i never would paid 30 bucks. We criticize your promise for being pure marketing for the campaign.
I think it's safe to assume that Render here got the point and fully realized LZ's mistake on that part. Repeating how you blame them (both here and on steam forums) won't bring you your $30 back. I'm sorry if that sum is so important for your wallet.
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Quoting: KiibakunBut you didn't say that during the indiegogo campaign, that's the point.
I paid for the Linux support that you promised DURING the campaign. If I knew that the work would be voluntary i never would paid 30 bucks. We criticize your promise for being pure marketing for the campaign.
I was responding to liamdawe's assertion that we withheld the information from the end of the campaign until now. That criticism is different from the one you're making here, so don't make it sound like I'm refuting yours.
I'm not denying that we mishandled the way we "announced" the Linux port and included it in the campaign. That much has become clear.
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I am glad you have come by to help try to clear things up, it's always good to hear from the devs themselves. BUT!, here is my problem with the whole thing, and maybe the figures from the OP are a bit off?. Assuming they are correct, your crowd funding goal was $150k. You not only beat that but you beat it by a magnitude of (800k/150k=5.333) FIVE(5)! Even if you had been extremely transparent about the linux port being voluntary, and/or worded it correctly... it seems to me that with that extra Six Hundred & Fifty Thousand Dollars ($650,000) you could have maybe paid someone a few "pennies" to do the port for you. I think you would be in MUCH better standing now had you made a little less content and spent some cash on the linux port. You guys/gals HAD to know this (backlash from the linux community) was coming...
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lets not forget that the Campaign was stagnet before March 15. They started climbing up to new heights after they anounced the
"Linux Support".
"Linux Support".
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I'm glad to see a dev come here to explain everything so thanks for shedding some CLEAR light on the issue... Was it wrong to not mention the Linux port was by a volunteer/s sure, but like he said what's done is done.
Also got to apologize for my misguided previous post as I didn't know the already funded indigogo campaign page stays up after funding so I didn't know there were stretch goals, but I read through it and I see where the other 650k went. So again sorry.
I think the devs have learned there lesson on being quiet and not being specific even on smaller details, and I don't think they will make a similar mistake like this again... At the end of the day that's all I can ask for. Though next time you may want to try and handle porting to other OS's in house if possible (if you make another game that is).
Also got to apologize for my misguided previous post as I didn't know the already funded indigogo campaign page stays up after funding so I didn't know there were stretch goals, but I read through it and I see where the other 650k went. So again sorry.
I think the devs have learned there lesson on being quiet and not being specific even on smaller details, and I don't think they will make a similar mistake like this again... At the end of the day that's all I can ask for. Though next time you may want to try and handle porting to other OS's in house if possible (if you make another game that is).
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First You blame everyone else for Your inability to deliver "A Steam code for the PC/Linux release" to Your backer. Then You do it some more. What a great idea.
So lets break it up:
Or I have "misinterpreted" this statement as an argument for not delivering a port?
In the end it's Your internal problem to deliver a port. A problem that You made for Yourself by including "A Steam code for the PC/Linux release" in tier description.
Volunteers didn't added it. Neither did backers. So don't blame them for Your own actions.
The whole blog post feels like a lot of effort have gone into seeking someone else to put blame on.
So lets break it up:
QuoteThe Linux port was never included in our budget for the Indiegogo campaign. The Indiegogo campaign was strictly for funding new content. Nowhere in the breakdown of our budget for the Indiegogo campaign is “Linux port” included. Nor is “PC port” included for that matter.This doesn't change the fact that tier description includes "A Steam code for the PC/Linux release"
Or I have "misinterpreted" this statement as an argument for not delivering a port?
QuoteSome have misinterpreted our inclusion of a free download of the Linux port for campaign backers at the $30 tier and above upon its completion as a promise that we, Lab Zero, would handle its development. However, it was included as a backer reward only – one that we hope we’ll still be able to deliver with the help and support of volunteers willing to work on it.It doesn't matter how You internally do this. It's Your problem to deliver a port, backers shouldn't care about Your sausage/port making efforts and problems.
QuoteWill the Linux port of Skullgirls EVER happen?So Your backers were able to pay for their tiers "eventually"?
If people keep stepping up to do it, then it will happen eventually.
In the end it's Your internal problem to deliver a port. A problem that You made for Yourself by including "A Steam code for the PC/Linux release" in tier description.
Volunteers didn't added it. Neither did backers. So don't blame them for Your own actions.
QuoteAs of this writing, three new people besides the one mentioned above are already taking a look at things. We’ll be bringing them up to speed so development the Linux port of Skullgirls can pick up where it left off. If you think you have the experience needed to help port Skullgirls to Linux we’ll be happy to consider you. Send us an email along with your CV/experience at info[at]labzerogames(dot)com and we’ll see about getting you set up.So You can put all the blame on them if a port doesn't materialize "eventually"?
The whole blog post feels like a lot of effort have gone into seeking someone else to put blame on.
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Very interesting how the guy keeps apologizing for the "miscommunication". As others have pointed it, it was 100% clear to everyone else that the linux version was a reward for backing the campaign (and so, would be made possible with that money). Clearly, the inclusion of a linux version was used to generate interest.
If you think literaly everyone else misunderstood you, fine, but now you have to deliver. Even if it weren't your intention to do misleading avertising, that's exactly what you did. I hope you're at least refunding all the people who expected a linux release...
Considering the large surplus the campaign did, you hade ample opportunity to correct your mistake. Whether it was miscommunication or not is irrelevant.
As liam said: this is why you don't part with your money until the linux version is out. Which in this case, is probably a few years from now, if ever.
If you think literaly everyone else misunderstood you, fine, but now you have to deliver. Even if it weren't your intention to do misleading avertising, that's exactly what you did. I hope you're at least refunding all the people who expected a linux release...
Considering the large surplus the campaign did, you hade ample opportunity to correct your mistake. Whether it was miscommunication or not is irrelevant.
As liam said: this is why you don't part with your money until the linux version is out. Which in this case, is probably a few years from now, if ever.
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What's next? "backer reward only? Oh sorry, we did mean backer-only reward"?
That's Ubisoft-level horsedung right there. So much horsedung I almost like the pair of balls they have.
Almost.
One more line on the boycott list.
That's Ubisoft-level horsedung right there. So much horsedung I almost like the pair of balls they have.
Almost.
One more line on the boycott list.
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