When do Physical orders ship?

[tameautumn]

Just wondering when do physical orders to the UK ship?

Thanks

Tameautumn

[DNACowboy]

You tell me, they should have already arrived for day of release. I’m sitting here with a game I can’t play yet (while waiting on my cloth map,hard copy manual etc) watching video’s of non-backers having a fine old time playing the game. Honestly, if I had known the physica goods and digital extras were going to be delayed I would have just purchased the cheapest copy. Can I play the game? Of course, but I heavily backed for the whole experience and feel utterly betrayed.

[Themadcow]

TBH, it's not at all unusual for KS physical goods to be shipped after the digital release. 1-2 months is almost standard for a KS.

[DNACowboy]

TBH, it's not at all unusual for KS physical goods to be shipped after the digital release. 1-2 months is almost standard for a KS.

I would be dismayed if that was the case in regards to Bards Tale 4.

[Themadcow]

TBH, it's not at all unusual for KS physical goods to be shipped after the digital release. 1-2 months is almost standard for a KS.

I would be dismayed if that is the case in regards to Bards Tale 4.

I think they quoted a couple of weeks somewhere? I guess we'd need to add on a few days to ship to the UK though. There are some things that they probably don't want to finalise in the physical product until near release date, and then you've got the production and logistics issues before shipping.

[DNACowboy]

TBH, it's not at all unusual for KS physical goods to be shipped after the digital release. 1-2 months is almost standard for a KS.

I would be dismayed if that is the case in regards to Bards Tale 4.

I think they quoted a couple of weeks somewhere? I guess we'd need to add on a few days to ship to the UK though. There are some things that they probably don't want to finalise in the physical product until near release date, and then you've got the production and logistics issues before shipping.

I would have thought they’d have had the physical production squared away months ago? Regarding the digital items, sure, I completely get what you are saying.

[Centaur]

I would have thought they’d have had the physical production squared away months ago? Regarding the digital items, sure, I completely get what you are saying.

Yeah, most of the stuff in there isn't dependent on the state of the game itself. The only reason I could think of why they wouldn't finish the physical goods long before release date, is if they want to include last-minute changes in the printed manual... though tbh, I'm not expecting to see much of those there...

[Themadcow]

Yeah, manual is what I was thinking. Late changes to things like number of active skills you can have (for example) could have impacted the content. I doubt the maps, soundtrack or... errr... graph-paper would change.

[Iiago]

I would be dismayed if that is the case in regards to Bards Tale 4.

I think they quoted a couple of weeks somewhere? I guess we'd need to add on a few days to ship to the UK though. There are some things that they probably don't want to finalise in the physical product until near release date, and then you've got the production and logistics issues before shipping.

I would have thought they’d have had the physical production squared away months ago? Regarding the digital items, sure, I completely get what you are saying.

I've never backed a game on KS and had the physical items received at the same time as the digital ones, it's always been months afterwards.

I think it's because they come with a copy of the game on CD. So if you sent the physical boxed editions out so they arrived at or about the time that the digital versions were released...what you'd actually be doing is getting the game ready for release, then sitting on it while it gets sent off to be put onto CDs, then posted, then delay some time for shipping, THEN release the game. All that time you're waiting, say a month? Is time that the game could have been out there making money.

[Centaur]

I think it's because they come with a copy of the game on CD.

Actually, this is becoming less and less common. Most games that are being released (especially the ones doing a Kickstarter campaign) are usually Steam or GoG versions.
And as an early backer, most of the time you already receive your (Steam/GoG) key through email around release day, so they don't include the game key in the box.
So if they include a game disc at all, nowadays it usually only includes a Steam installer, and you will still need to link it to your online Steam account and download the updates through Steam.

[DNACowboy]

So if they include a game disc at all, nowadays it usually only includes a Steam installer, and you will still need to link it to your online Steam account and download the updates through Steam.

I expected a beautiful scroll worked with the art of Bards Tale that included a Steam key.

[Centaur]

I expected a beautiful scroll worked with the art of Bards Tale that included a Steam key.

Then my advice to you is: find a nice piece of BT art and print the email with your Steam key on it.

[DNACowboy]

I expected a beautiful scroll worked with the art of Bards Tale that included a Steam key.

Then my advice to you is: find a nice piece of BT art and print the email with your Steam key on it.

Funnily enough, I am currently printing the code wheel on top quality photographic paper (while I wait on the physical goods), I'll put a couple of shots up when I've assembled the project.

[curtwjen]

I haven't supported many KS at a high enough level to get physical goods but I did with this game (and Shadow of the Avatar - major disappointment BTW for single player experience) but it's sad to think that folks paying these kinds of $$'s settle for a release that doesn't have the physical goods on day one. Saying that this is the norm for KS doesn't make it right.

The joy of having the physical goods in hand on day 1 was just that - a joy, especially when it was done right like with the old Ultima's that had cloth maps and other goodies. It's especially important when then goods are tied to the game play like a code wheel. Who wants all these physical goods after you've finished the game? Where's the fun in that?

I've made a personal decision to wait for the physical goods for this game before I start and it turns out it may be a wise one given the recently released "patch roadmap". If physical goods ETA of 2 weeks actually happens then perhaps the game will be in much better shape.

[kswanson]

I backed the Battletech kickstarter and while it took a little over 2 years or so to finish and release the game. The physical goods all arrived more than a year before the game.
So not all games ship goods after release.

[Centaur]

My last KS game with physical goods was Divinity: Original Sin II Collector's Edition. I had my game key long before the game was released, and the physical box arrived 1 day after the game's release date. Maybe inXile should send some people over to Larian to learn how they do it, so that they can avoid this mess in the future.

[curtwjen]

Amen to that (inXile learning from Larian).

BTW, those two Divinity games were amazing. I regret not backing DOS II at a higher level - the physician goods were probably also amazing.

[Iiago]

My last KS game with physical goods was Divinity: Original Sin II Collector's Edition. I had my game key long before the game was released, and the physical box arrived 1 day after the game's release date. Maybe inXile should send some people over to Larian to learn how they do it, so that they can avoid this mess in the future.

I backed the Battletech kickstarter and while it took a little over 2 years or so to finish and release the game. The physical goods all arrived more than a year before the game.
So not all games ship goods after release.

Neither of those games included physical game discs though, did they? So that's not apples to apples.

[sear]

The physical versions of The Bard's Tale IV were pushed back a little bit so that we could get the quality on them to where we wanted. They're still coming!

In the meantime, here's a sneak peek for those who haven't seen it yet:

[Centaur]

The physical versions of The Bard's Tale IV were pushed back a little bit so that we could get the quality on them to where we wanted. They're still coming!

Thanks for the update, Sear... better quality is always good (and I have to say, that chest and the map look really nice)... it's just unfortunate that that the quality issue was discovered so late in the production process, causing a serious delay for us... any estimates on how much longer we will have to wait?