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Update #14: Happy New Year, 2012 Is Going to Rock!
We’ve said it many times before, but it always bears saying again: thank you. Thank you for the last nine years, thank you for 2011, thank you for The Silver Lining, and now thank you for Cognition. This has truly been a banner year for Phoenix Online! Your generosity, your support, your belief, it is constantly blowing us away and making us smile. A Kickstarter total of $34,247! Hot damn!
Speaking of, sometime in January, we’ll do another mini-fundraising campaign for about a week through PayPal. We had a lot of fans saying they’d like to donate to the Kickstarter but for various reasons were unable to use Amazon Payments. Stay tuned for more information on this in the new year; and yes, the same list of rewards as we had for Kickstarter will be available for anyone donating through PayPal!
But really, the best part of all this? 2012 is going to be even better! Adventure-treff has ranked Cognition among their most-anticipated adventure titles for 2012, and Jane Jensen (I still think OMG! every time I realize we’re working with her!) has four titles on their Best 100 Adventure Games list! (#32: Gabriel Knight 3, #16: Gabriel Knight 1, #13: King’s Quest VI, and #3: Gabriel Knight 2)
We’re more excited every day as we’re working on Cognition, which is shaping up wonderfully, and even more excited about launching our company. More surveys and information on those exclusive rewards will be coming soon! As a treat for now, below you’ll see a new screenshot from the game, a truly beautiful background worked on by Romano Molenaar and Elisa Pavinato. I wonder who’s grave(s) Erica will be visiting? Or is it her own? You’ll find out eventually!
Plus, who can forget the upcoming exciting conclusion to The Silver Lining! Episode 5 will be full of some great stuff, and it’ll be a little bittersweet to say goodbye to the game we’ve spent a decade working on. But a great accomplishment for all of us here at Phoenix at the same time.
So Happy New Year to all of you, and here’s to a great 2012 to come!
Update #13: WE DID IT!!!!
The Kickstarter, and we did it! Boy did we ever! Not only did we reach the $25K we set out for, we got all the way up to $34,247! 136% of our goal!

Thank you thank you THANK YOU!! We have been overwhelmed by your support and donations, and we are so very grateful. When Cognition comes out and you sit down to play it, do so knowing that YOU helped make it happen!
More information will be coming soon for the backers, as well as surveys to get the information we need to get your rewards to you and so forth. So keep an eye out for those as we move forward and please get the information back to us soon--if we don't get that information from you, we may not be able to get you the rewards you signed up for. And no one wants that!
And once again, because it can't be said enough: THANK YOU!!!
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Anthony Tarallo Jr. on December 12
Funding awesome new games LIKE A BOSS! Congrats guys! Looking forward to this ^_^
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Update #12: 8 hours to go!!
We've got just 8 hours to go in our Kickstarter, and we're up to $33,479 right now! Can you believe it?!
This has been an amazing run of fundraising, and right now we're lined up to be #8 on the Top Ten Most Funded Video Games on Kickstarter and the most-funded project ending today! Amazing!
Thank you for everything, and we can't wait to see how the next 9 hours go!
Update #11: 4 days left!
All we want for Christmas is Cognition!
It's time for our final push, the homestretch, crunch time, last hurrah, and grand finale of our Kickstarter!
As I write this, we stand at $30,479 pledged from 529 backers, and 4 days remaining! This is just $1,521 away from our stretch goal of $32,000. And don't forget, if we hit that 32K before Dec. 10th, 11:59 PM PST, then we'll run the exclusive stream for backers only of the Cognition demo! Whether your donating to be part of the team or just to have your name in the Special Thanks, you'll be able to see Cognition in action before the rest of the world!
Keep spreading the word for the next 4 days, and as always, thank you so much for your support! :)
Update #10: Stretch Goal: $32,000 and a backers-only sneak peek at Cognition!
We've finally got a stretch goal set: Our new aim is to hit $32,000 by the end of the Kickstarter run (Dec. 11th), in honor of Cesar's 32nd birthday! And what happens if we do? Besides our eternal thanks, if we hit 32K, we'll set up an exclusive backers-only stream of the demo of Cognition before its public release! You'll get to see a sneak peek of the gameplay, the graphics, the voices, the music, you name it, before anyone else, no matter what level you donate at! We'll also be doing commentary and running a chat with the developers during the stream.
We've got 13 days left and we're only a little over $4000 away from the stretch goal. Let's keep pushing and I know we can get there!
Enjoy this little treat from one of our animators and artists, Mikael, in the meantime!
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$34,247
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on December 11.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
SUPPORTER: Your name will appear in the Special Thanks section of the credits!
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
EYE WITNESS: An exclusive digital Cognition image, a digital copy of the soundtrack, plus your name in the Special Thanks section of the credits!
Pledge $20 or more Pledge $20 or more
PROBATIONARY AGENT: The previous prizes, plus a full copy of each episode of the game upon their release, and a subscription to the exclusive monthly newsletter! You'll hear about our progress each month and get access to exclusive images, soundclips, songs and more!
Pledge $40 or more Pledge $40 or more
INVESTIGATOR: The previous prizes, plus a hard copy of the game and of the soundtrack!
Pledge $60 or more Pledge $60 or more
SPECIAL AGENT: The previous prizes, plus the Special Edition of Cognition! This includes a signed hard copy of the soundtrack, a hard copy of the game, a Cognition poster, and a copy of the Cognition prequel comic, written by the designers and illustrated by Romano Molenaar!
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT: A signed hard copy of the soundtrack, a hard copy of the game, a Cognition poster, a signed copy of the comic, beta-testing access to the first Episode, plus we’ll put your name somewhere in the game—on an FBI Agent’s ID card, a name in the newspaper, a street name, whatever it may be, you’ll be able to see it! ***You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
Pledge $200 or more Pledge $200 or more
AGENT IN CHARGE: You’ll received signed hard copies of the soundtrack, game, poster, and comic, plus beta-testing access to all Episodes of the game! But wait there’s more! You’ll get an inside look at our development process! Receive special access to a members-only area with a range of exclusive game development assets such as art concepts, pictures of our 3D models, the game design document, music, voices, and more! You will also have the opportunity to become one of the betatesters of the game. ***Disclaimer: 1) This membership will last only through the development of the first episode of the game. 2) You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
Pledge $400 or more Pledge $400 or more
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: (limited supply) Signed hard copies of the game, soundtrack, poster and comic, and a batch of homemade cookies of your choice, made with love, in heart-shapes! Plus get an inside look at our development process by becoming a Team Member and getting signed on to the team’s mailing list, where you will see the team’s interaction process of making the game! Get into special scheduled skype sessions with the developers as they discuss different aspects of the games -- you could be in a session with the writing team discussing the plot and then in another with the director and composer discussing the music! This is a great opportunity to learn how games are developed, as you see how we take the game from concept to its final build! You will also have the opportunity to become a betatester. ***Disclaimer: 1) This membership will last only through the development of the first episode of the game. 2) You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
DEPUTY DIRECTOR #2: Not only do you get signed copies of the game, soundtrack, and exclusive Cognition comic, and beta-testing access to all Episodes, and delicious cookies! Plus, become a Game Developer for the full 4 episodes of the game! Get an inside look at our development process by becoming a Team Member and getting signed on to the team’s mailing list, where you will see the team’s interaction process of making the game! Get into special scheduled skype sessions with the developers as they discuss different aspects of the games -- you could be in a session with the writing team discussing the plot and then in another with the director and composer discussing the music! This is a great opportunity to learn how games are developed, as you see how we take the game from concept to its final build! You will also have the opportunity to become a betatester. ***Disclaimer: 1) We will always consider your feedback, but we will have the last word on development. 2) Direct contact with some developers may be difficult but you’ll definitely get to chat with the team behind The Silver Lining frequently! 3) You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Not only do you get signed copies of the game, soundtrack, and exclusive Cognition comic, and beta-testing access to all Episodes, delicious cookies, we’ll craft a character to look like you! You’ll exist in the Cognition universe! Rejoice! Plus, become a Game Developer for the full 4 episodes of the game! Get an inside look at our development process by becoming a Team Member and getting signed on to the team’s mailing list, where you will see the team’s interaction process of making the game! Get into special scheduled skype sessions with the developers as they discuss different aspects of the games -- you could be in a session with the writing team discussing the plot and then in another with the director and composer discussing the music! This is a great opportunity to learn how games are developed, as you see how we take the game from concept to its final build! You will also have the opportunity to become a betatester. ***Disclaimer: 1) We will always consider your feedback, but we will have the last word on development. 2) Direct contact with some developers may be difficult but you’ll definitely get to chat with the team behind The Silver Lining frequently! 3) You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
FBI DIRECTOR: You get access to all previous prizes, plus, you get to name a character that we’ll model AFTER YOU! And cookies, don't forget the cookies. ***Disclaimer: 1) We will always consider your feedback, but we will have the last word on development. 2) Direct contact with some developers may be difficult but you’ll definitely get to chat with the team behind The Silver Lining frequently! 3) You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
Pledge $10,000 or more Pledge $10,000 or more
J. EDGAR HOOVER: Let's face it, at this point we owe you a debt of gratitude we can only ever attempt to make up for! So you, sir or madam, get all the previous prizes, plus you get your name in the opening credits as an Executive Producer. And! A few of us will fly to wherever you are (if you are in the Continental United States), or fly you in to your city of choice (of the hometowns of the Directors) in the Continental United States and meet you there for a truly excellent dinner! Plus, delicious cookies of your choice, baked with love, and mailed directly to you! ***Disclaimer: 1) We will always consider your feedback, but we will have the last word on development. 2) Direct contact with some developers may be difficult but you’ll definitely get to chat with the team behind The Silver Lining frequently! 3) You must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and adhere to the rules of Phoenix Online and Khaeon Gamestudio.
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Cognition combines the design, animation, and programming talents of indie developers Phoenix Online Studios (creators of the King’s Quest fangame The Silver Lining); the Art Direction of Dutch gaming company Khaeon Gamestudio, including the stunning artwork of Romano Molenaar, well-known for his work on comics title including X-Men and Witchblade, and Tomb Raider; and the guiding hand of Jane Jensen, the creator of Gabriel Knight and Gray Matter and pioneer of the genre of in, as a Story Consultant.
No new updates? I see work is being done on Episode 2, but what is the progress on Episode 1?
Hi Nancy--we've done our updates on the game and Phoenix in general at our website, www.postudios.com. You can find more recent news there. :) Also, if you were one of our backers, you should be getting the backer newsletters. If you haven't been, send me a private message and I can look into it for you. Thanks!