Has The Toy companion been cut from the game? ($2M stretch goal)

[Infinitron]

sear, this is cruel.

[anonymous6059]

I read the Sear post, but didn't read the removal of the toy. Where was it said the toy has been removed?

Thank you that's right!

Hi guys,

The companion roster has been slightly reduced from our initial plans.

Secret companions are normals for these games, maybe secret companion was cut and we have 9 left. Or cut from 9 to 8 and Oom and Riastad are still there. If a known companion was removed, they would say their name - they didn't say names, so it's likely secret companion that was removed...

Yes, still the Mods stormed in and tried to lay rest to some of the questions we've all been so concerned with. If this thread was titled "How many companions are in the game?" I'd agree with you. This thread is specifically about The Toy. So when a mod comes in and subtly suggest a reduction in companions in a thread asking about a specific companion, I feel it is safe to start saying goodbye to The Toy.

Now, I do think that another companion may show up, though it is mostly just a fading wish at this point. That is why I think we should start pressing the developers for a number, how many companions are in the game. If another does exist they most likely will not wish to ruin the surprise by telling us the name. The Beta was only 1/2 to 1/3 of the game. So it would make sense that you'd run into at least one more companion. However, I have become very discouraged in that likelihood due to the lack of achievements. Achievements only exist for 6 companions. So unless they are hidden or not available yet, which to my understanding is unlikely, that is all we are getting.

I still don't understand why they don't count The Specter as a companion. I believe he was supposed to be one of them. He is fully fleshed out and has tons of dialogue. He's a recurring character that you meet throughout your journey. When you die and enter the Labyrinth I think he is the only one who can help you fight The Sorrow. So... that sounds a lot like a companion to me.

That would make seven total. So, all they'd need to do is have one secret companion and we'd only of been cut short one, which is much more acceptable number. Being cut one, especially something as neat as The Toy, sucks. Being cut three companions is just unacceptable. That is three separate stretch goals. Add in the codex, crafting, and Italian translation and almost half the stretch goals were not achieved, not achieved after years of delays.

[Jernaugh]

I would also tend to agree that the context of sear's post makes it unlikely that the Toy is still in the game. That said, there might still be space for the Toy as something smaller than a full companion, we'll see.

With regard to the stretch goals not being achieved, I think it all depends on what the reasons behind it were. Did they feel it didn't serve what the game turned out being? Did multiplicative factors results in a goal no longer being feasible (like the Italian translation)? You can take issue with the failure regardless of the reason, but I value a company that is willing to make clear what went wrong and thereby show willingness to address such things in the future. InXile seems to be planning on continuing to use crowdfunding. If their next campaign is more grounded and cognizant of the risks of offering stretch goals like this, that will be a gain.

So if they tell us why stretch goals weren't achieved and it makes sense, that won't make me happy that the goals weren't achieved, but it will certainly mollify me and sustain my confidence in future backing.

[Woolfe]

Yes, still the Mods stormed in and tried to lay rest to some of the questions we've all been so concerned with. If this thread was titled "How many companions are in the game?" I'd agree with you. This thread is specifically about The Toy. So when a mod comes in and subtly suggest a reduction in companions in a thread asking about a specific companion, I feel it is safe to start saying goodbye to The Toy.

Sear isn't a mod. He is an employee of InXile.

[merz]

With regard to the stretch goals not being achieved, I think it all depends on what the reasons behind it were. Did they feel it didn't serve what the game turned out being? You can take issue with the failure regardless of the reason, but I value a company that is willing to make clear what went wrong and thereby show willingness to address such things in the future.

My money would be on financial reasons rather than 'not serving the game' - it was probably the most interesting character idea in any of the IE games since torment itself, and the one that best represented the numenera setting. It sounds like a very difficult character to write into the game, and my guess is the amount of work/reactivity required looked like too much in the way of resources and time. The problem there, of course, is that you don't get to choose these things once you've built a crowdfunding campaign against us. We were promised.... well, oom. Post-facto renegs on stretch goals, especially ones that only come into light at the very last moment via third parties and deduction, do not make the company or the crowd-funding practice itself look good because they are a breach of trust.

I am also guessing that this is the tip of the iceberg and the level of content pruning that happened here is significant compared to what had been originally envisioned. What we can hope for is more director's cuts and dlc down the road.

[sparkee666]

Even though it has been implied there still is no evidence of the toy being cut.

The thread reads that it has been cut definitely. I have even read in another thread from an active poster that the toy has been cut, so the alternative fact about the toy is beginning to spread, even though there has been no evidence confirming the cut companion.

I do understand why someone would want to buffer themselves against possible bad news. but the Toy being cut is still nothing more than a rumor.

[Lord of Riva]

Even though it has been implied there still is no evidence of the toy being cut.

The thread reads that it has been cut definitely. I have even read in another thread from an active poster that the toy has been cut, so the alternative fact about the toy is beginning to spread, even though there has been no evidence confirming the cut companion.

I do understand why someone would want to buffer themselves against possible bad news. but the Toy being cut is still nothing more than a rumor.

the worst that could happen would be people being pleasantry surprised, what exactly is the problem here?

[anonymous6059]

Even though it has been implied there still is no evidence of the toy being cut.

The thread reads that it has been cut definitely. I have even read in another thread from an active poster that the toy has been cut, so the alternative fact about the toy is beginning to spread, even though there has been no evidence confirming the cut companion.

I do understand why someone would want to buffer themselves against possible bad news. but the Toy being cut is still nothing more than a rumor.

1. Sear said that some of the companions have been cut in this thread. A thread asking if The Toy has been cut. It is pretty obvious what he's implying.

2. No achievements exist for The Toy. The 6 companions that we do know are in the game do have achievements.

3. None of the Artwork for this game includes The Toy. You can find concept art and portraits for the 6 from the beta.

I don't know how many companions will be in the game. Right now its looking like just the six from the beta. We may or may not still get one or two more on release. The Toy is very, very unlikely to be one of them.

I really don't see any reason for not assume it isn't in the game at this point. What reasons do you have to assume it is in the game? Every thing, even the words of the Sear himself, suggest The Toy is gone. I say it is time to say good bye and farewell.

RIP TOY

[sparkee666]

1. Sear said that some of the companions have been cut in this thread. A thread asking if The Toy has been cut. It is pretty obvious what he's implying.

2. No achievements exist for The Toy. The 6 companions that we do know are in the game do have achievements.

3. None of the Artwork for this game includes The Toy. You can find concept art and portraits for the 6 from the beta.

I don't know how many companions will be in the game. Right now its looking like just the six from the beta. We may or may not still get one or two more on release. The Toy is very, very unlikely to be one of them.

I really don't see any reason for not assume it isn't in the game at this point. What reasons do you have to assume it is in the game? Every thing, even the words of the Sear himself, suggest The Toy is gone. I say it is time to say good bye and farewell.

RIP TOY

1. Sear said some companions have been cut he didn't specify which ones. You are creating your own definition and applying it to what he is saying and thus creating false information that can start to propagate.

2. the achievement for the toy is the fourth one at 2 mill

3. you are looking into something that doesn't say if the toy is included or excluded from the game. You are reading into the absence of an image from the art book and coming to a conclusion that has never been made officially.

I'm not saying the toy is going to be in the game it could be very possible that it was cut, but to make this claim and push a false narrative is just unnecessarily building up bull-crap that isn't really needed.

the worst that could happen would be people being pleasantry surprised, what exactly is the problem here?

I agree, when ever I did a hard test I always built up the thought in my mind that I was going to fail, and when I passed I was less uptight.

what is being done here is that there is something that isn't true being floated around as fact which can confuse and aggravate other people.

This is the first time I've ever seen something like this on this forum.

[Grotesque]

I do understand why someone would want to buffer themselves against possible bad news. but the Toy being cut is still nothing more than a rumor.

Just... wow

[Lord of Riva]

I do understand why someone would want to buffer themselves against possible bad news. but the Toy being cut is still nothing more than a rumor.

Just... wow

he is logically right, there is still a chance that sear did not actually say that. Still the chance is so small i will see it as a % truncated to 0%

for me it sounded like he wasnt allowed a direct fact due to NDA sparkee666, so maybe you should also be ready for the bad news, just saying

[Infinitron]

2. the achievement for the toy is the fourth one at 2 mill

[Lord of Riva]

2. the achievement for the toy is the fourth one at 2 mill

hey come on now that may be a language thing

[Serjo]

Making the toy would require a huge amount of energy. If they decide to start making it I think it would be cheaper to keep it in the game rather than remove it.

That is logical, and suggests that they never started making it.

[D-D]

1. Sear said that some of the companions have been cut in this thread. A thread asking if The Toy has been cut. It is pretty obvious what he's implying.

2. No achievements exist for The Toy. The 6 companions that we do know are in the game do have achievements.

3. None of the Artwork for this game includes The Toy. You can find concept art and portraits for the 6 from the beta.

I don't know how many companions will be in the game. Right now its looking like just the six from the beta. We may or may not still get one or two more on release. The Toy is very, very unlikely to be one of them.

I really don't see any reason for not assume it isn't in the game at this point. What reasons do you have to assume it is in the game? Every thing, even the words of the Sear himself, suggest The Toy is gone. I say it is time to say good bye and farewell.

RIP TOY

1. Sear said some companions have been cut he didn't specify which ones. You are creating your own definition and applying it to what he is saying and thus creating false information that can start to propagate.

2. the achievement for the toy is the fourth one at 2 mill

3. you are looking into something that doesn't say if the toy is included or excluded from the game. You are reading into the absence of an image from the art book and coming to a conclusion that has never been made officially.

I'm not saying the toy is going to be in the game it could be very possible that it was cut, but to make this claim and push a false narrative is just unnecessarily building up bull-crap that isn't really needed.

the worst that could happen would be people being pleasantry surprised, what exactly is the problem here?

I agree, when ever I did a hard test I always built up the thought in my mind that I was going to fail, and when I passed I was less uptight.

what is being done here is that there is something that isn't true being floated around as fact which can confuse and aggravate other people.

This is the first time I've ever seen something like this on this forum.

+1, everybody need to have some faith in inXile. If they had cut the toy they would say it openly as soon as they know.

[anonymous6059]

2. the achievement for the toy is the fourth one at 2 mill

I wasn't referring to the stretch goals, but the trophies that were leaked earlier in this thread.
When you look at those, at the artwork, and what Sear himself said it is clear what you should be taking home here.

I just don't know what else can be said. Inxile will not likely explicitly say which companions are not in the game. The best we can get is a number of companions or at very best the names of the ones in the game. I doubt that he'd say "The Toy isn't in the game". Sear's statement was his way of telling us the answer. That is just how things are, but if you wish to keep having hope I'll not stop you.

However, I don't think it is spreading "misinformation" at this point. When you take all the facts into a account it is pretty straight forward now. Before when all that we had was some data-mined & questionable data I felt the same way that you do, just read the thread and you'll see that. I refused to acknowledge that it was fact because the claim was relying on a single piece of information. Now with all the rest of the pieces I don't see how it can be taken any other way. If you have any counter argument or evidence/reasons to believe or prove that The Toy is still in the game please do reveal it and I'll gladly take it into account.

I think it would be more productive to move on and try and get a statement on how many companions we are going to get. At the moment it looks like 6, but I'm still hoping for 8. One of them being the specter, even if he is only one in the labyrinth. So I still do have a lot of hope for Inxile. I still want to believe that we will not be shorted 3 entire companions. I have no reason to hold on to the wish that The Toy is one of them though.

Even without The Toy the game could still be very, very good. Especially if they actually did as Sear suggested and added a lot of reactivity the 6 or so companions that do exist. I do feel like all The Companions look way too humanoid compared to the amazingly diverse selection from PST, but that is me being nostalgic. Realizing that The Toy is gone isn't an effort to insult or damage Inxile. It's just people accepting the information that has been given to them, some of which comes from Inxile itself.

[Brother None]

To clarify, the current early access version features all the companions in the release version of the game. But to reiterate, that doesn't mean we won't be able to revisit other companions in the future, whether that's in future free updates or expansions.

[Jayne Veidt]

Wouldn't have minded any of this if inXile were at least honest about it.:/ Slimy, so slimy.

[anonymous6059]

Wouldn't have minded any of this if inXile were at least honest about it.:/ Slimy, so slimy.

Yeah that is what upset me the most as well. At least they have finally come out.
If the reactivity and banter is really good with the 6 that we do have I won't complain. I do wish though that they weren't so dang human looking. Oh, well at least we know now. Now we just got to wait and see if the reasons why they had to cut them are legit. No way of knowing that though until Feb. 28th.

[D-D]

Careful...

"the current early access version features all the companions in the release version"

That doesn't meant only six companions - it's possible that not-companions in EA will be companions in release. Many strange characters in Sargus Cliffs - maybe we will recruit some of them