Dreamfall Chapters Book Two will be delayed 48 hours
Hi, backers!
It's in the headline but worth repeating:
Dreamfall Chapters Book Two: Rebels will be delayed until Thursday, March 12th, at 1900 Oslo headquarters time (CET). That's 11 AM PDT, 2 PM EDT and 6 PM GMT.
The reason for this brief delay is that we've found and fixed a couple of critical bugs today, and we need another full day of testing with the next release candidate before we're comfortable pushing the big green button.
We will of course continue to work through the evening to make sure there are no other issues — stay tuned to Twitter for pictures of tired team members!
We sincerely apologise for the delay, but we're sure you want the same thing we do: a polished and (mostly!) bug-free experience. We'd rather delay forty-eight hours than rush something out without having tested it properly. We hope you all agree.
This will hopefully also enable us to release concurrently on Steam, GOG and Humble, something we always strive to accomplish but can't always deliver on.
When it comes to early access, we have stated on several occasions that our goal is to provide that with every episode, if possible. We opened up twenty-four hours early with Book One, and we will do our best to provide the same early access to relevant backers with Book Three. Because of the above-mentioned bugs, however, we have decided to not open up for early access to Book Two. Above all, we don't want anyone to have a subpar or buggy experience.
We are working to put together something special for early access backers next month, however, and we will update you on that as we get closer. It should hopefully be a nice surprise!
We hope you understand our decision to delay, and we apologise again for the late notice. These things do happen in game development, particularly with a small team trying to do big things (and Book Two is massive). We appreciate your support and continued patience, and we hope and trust you'll be very, very happy with what we have in store for this Thursday!
Team RTG
Creator Sergio Enrique Molina on March 12
Woohoo, I'll play it on the weekend.
Creator Sean "Nz17" Robinson on March 11
@Red Thread Games "We are working to put together something special for early access backers next month, however, and we will update you on that as we get closer. It should hopefully be a nice surprise!"
Oh please, oh please, let it be a video featuring a singing, tap-dancing Crow wearing a top-hat and spinning a cane on a stage!
Creator Paul Preston on March 11
I'm not bothered, I have been waiting years and years for this game. I'll probably play it 2-4 weeks after launch anyway because inevitably early players will discover bugs that will need to be patched.
Creator Craig Baila on March 10
No worries guys, do what you need to. I'm sure the end product will be great!
Creator AstralWanderer on March 10
Thanks for the update and, along with others here, I'd agree that it's better to take extra time to get things right. I would add my voice to others suggesting delaying until the following Monday - there's likely to be many support issues for RTG and a Thursday release only allows 2 days before the weekend.
"This will hopefully also enable us to release concurrently on Steam, GOG and Humble..."
An especial thumbs-up here - (Steam) Early Access leaves those who object to Valve's DRM/TOS out in the cold.
Creator Eric on March 10
I waited for 8 years after Dreamfall for this story to continue. I'm not going to complain about 48 hours, even if some others here are expressing how "disappointed" they are in RTG for supposedly not delivering "on schedule" to make THEM happy. If you have to complain, there are FAR worse things to complain about. Sorry I know, be respectful and considerate. It's just hard to read the whiners (yes, I mean that) who sound like they personally should be consulted about each book release. My 9 year old has a saying: "You get what you get and don't throw a fit." Good advice. Relax, take a breath, and the books will get here when they get here.
Creator Aaron Carney on March 10
Can't believe people are saying they'd prefer to have it now and play a buggy version. Do you not remember how much of an experience kill playing episode one with THOSE bugs was?! :| Unplayable.
Creator Aaron Carney on March 10
mother fucker lol
Creator MrScruff on March 10
For better or worse, I have to give you folks credit for keeping us in the loop.
Creator Ray Muirhead on March 10
No worries, excited to play this weekend!
Creator Amund Bugge on March 10
Excellent call, dudes and dudettes of RTG! :)
Creator Ahenobarbus on March 10
keep up the good work rtg! You have done good job and I have patience to wait.. It`s done when it`s done..
Creator Jeroen 'Kejero' Rogier on March 10
Alrighty. Good luck, and don't forget to eat!
Creator Aurelien VANDOORINE on March 10
No problem. Take your time, I feel just the same don't rush for the sake of delivering, just give us the better version once it's done :)
Creator Tom Brückner on March 10
Why not delay until the week-end and do some additional proper testing? Could not play before Saturday anyway :-)
Creator Mick Adam Noya on March 10
I don't mind playing a buggy early release if you change your mind releasing what you have to backers.
Otherwise, I know how hard you work, and the end results speak for themselves.
Creator chabuhi on March 10
Sorry if this has been answered already (my phone doesn't let me see comments) but is book two patched onto the book one install, is it a standalone install, or do I have to redownload everything? Thanks!
Creator Stella-Terra Clemens on March 10
"A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad."
Take your time. <3
Creator Morgan Langley on March 10
@RTG @Empirimancer The book one was released on time but buggy so took a few days to fix. Don't forget about the missed full game release and decision to split it into individual book releases though. You also said next books will be ready quickly. But really - it's not big deal for me, TLJ is the title I like the most, can wait and will enjoy it. It just doesn't feel very good to see these statements and delays...
Creator Knut Espen Haug on March 10
Take the time you need, I'll wait! Really looking forward to it though, part 1 was just awesome.
Creator Empirimancer on March 10
@Red Thread Games: You're right, I must have been thinking of another game I backed on Kickstarter. My apologies!
Creator Sérgio Schüler on March 10
It's ok, I can only play it in the weekend anyway...
Creator Marcin Baran on March 10
I don't mind waiting a bit longer for the much less buggy experience. Keep up the great work RTG!
Creator Red Thread Games on March 10
@VinceMurphy: I'm not sure which Telltale games release three episodes in four months! We're not happy about Book Two taking as long as it has, of course, but it's important to keep things in perspective. Book Two is bigger & longer than any Telltale episode, and Book Three will be ready quicker. All five episodes will be out this year!
Creator Stephen Teng on March 10
Only reason we are frustrated is the fact that the game is so good in the first place. There are certainly worse problems to have.
Creator Red Thread Games on March 10
@Empirimancer: Book One was released on October 21st, which was the announced date. There was no delay for Book One. And a 48-hour delay for Book Two does not mean our estimates are too optimistic or flawed; with the complexities of game development in mind, that's a pretty small delay.
Creator Empirimancer on March 10
Obviously this isn't a big deal, and yes I'd rather play a significantly less buggy game even if I have to wait two more days. However, in the future, you might want to allocate yourself a buffer for last minute bug fixing. I mean, if your release day announcement was wrong for two books in a row, it's because your estimates are too optimistic and the way you come up with your estimates is flawed.
Creator VinceMurphy Member Mutant League on March 10
sorry for the double post but my device is no smart at all and my prévalus message was incomprehensible.
Any delay could be comprehensible but no early access ? It's such a shame ! I have no grievances against RTG team but incompehension. I could wait a while to have the best game possible, but i really don't understand. Book one realase 4months and 3 weeks ago. Usually we have 2 or 3 épisodes during this period. Of course one DC books is longer than telltale épisode for exemple but don't Forget everyone than the project is backer in march 2013. At that Time the game process was more advance than other comparated point and click projets. At the end we will probably wait 3 years beetwenn Kickstarter campain and last book's realasing. Like i said i can wait 10 years if It's needing but unfortunatly the powerfull pleasure to play a game of the saga is ruined this time. Probably the mistake was to release book one to early.
Creator Rivercliff on March 10
Disappointed, but not surprised.
Creator Desirée Eriksson on March 10
I feel a little bit let down, but that's probably my own fault. This was the only highlight in a while for me. I really should get another hobby. Keep up the good work, guys.
Creator VinceMurphy Member Mutant League on March 10
Any delay coule be compréhensible but no early access ? It's sache a shame i have no grievance agains RTG team but incompehension. I could wait a white to have the n'est game possible but i really don't understand. Book one realase 4months ans 3 week ago usually we have 2 or 3 épisodes d'urine this period. Of course one DC books is longer than telltale épisode for exemple but don't Forget everyone than the project is backer in march 2013. At that Time the game process was more advance than other comparated point and click projets. At the end we will probably wait 3 years beetwenn Kickstarter campain and last book's realasing. Like i said i can wait 10 years if It's nété des but unfortunatly the powerfull pleasue to play a game of the saga is ruined this time. Probably the mistake was to release book one to early.
Creator Morgan Langley on March 10
@Tomimt wanted to say 48 hours they need now. But anyway.. no big deal. Would be good not to see a delay in the Book 3 release again though ;)
Creator Red Thread Games on March 10
@Morgan Langley: Trailers are not produced by the same people who work on the game. There's really no correlation there. And internal milestones are of course different from external ones. That doesn't help when new bugs pop up and have to be squashed, unfortunately. A lot of games ship regardless, relying on post-launch patches. We wanted to release something that's (mostly) bug free this time around. Fingers crossed!
@Fitheach: We have short periods of crunch, but for the most part this is a 9-5 kinda workplace (or, okay, 10-6 for most people!). We believe in a health work-life balance...with more emphasis on life, family, relationships than constant work. Our people get five weeks of vacation, and compensation time for evenings and weekends spent at the office in the run-up to releases.
Creator Fitheach on March 10
I really wish crunch was not de rigueur in the game industry. With indie game devs and I imagine kickstarter all the more so the willingness to push past healthy levels of stress/sleep deprivation is too high. Code done by the sleep deprived is not a good thing.
Whinging aside take all the time you need.
Creator Beth C on March 10
I'm not gonna say that I'm not disappointed, but I understand. Heck, when Book One came out I didn't think I would get to play the game at all because it ran so slowly, and I was crushed. But it turned out that it was a bug and not my computer being not good enough. So I'm here for bug fixes
Creator Tchrin on March 10
Sucks it's delayed but totally agree with the logic behind the decision.
Creator Tomimt on March 10
@Morgan: I doubt it takes 48 hours to make a trailer. It doesn't even take any of the people doing the coding, unless their video guy is their only coder.
Creator Harry Andrew Fawcett on March 10
gutted I took today off work and now im working a long day thursday. my 2 days off wasted, you could have alerted us to the problem sooner.
Creator Morgan Langley on March 10
You could get additional 48 days by not releasing trailer. Or you could set an internal deadline a few days before public release so you have extra time for testing. Still I appreciate your hard work - I know how difficult it is. Good luck
Creator Diana Grigore on March 10
You know how they say: the more you wait, the more anxious and excited you are :)
Keep up the good work, and release it whenever you feel proud of it! Oh and be sure to get some sleep and all that, it's important.
Creator Atle Jarnæs Lerøy on March 10
I'd play a buggy version ;) But I guess I can wait two days more.. Well, no need in refreshing Steam anymore today.
Creator Maxime Girard on March 10
My friend and I won't be able to play together until the end of his current semester. You have 3 months of permissible delay window ;)
As for book 3 and any other goodies, I prefer something awesome than something rushed. Fighto!!
Creator Jose Lopez on March 10
I don't mind waiting at all. I'm just happy they are continuing Dreamfall hopefully for many more years. :) Also, happy with the Myst team making Obduction. Patiently waiting for that too.
Creator Andrei Kriakushyn on March 10
Shame you guys have to crunch. I'll work late too and get 3 hours of sleep to show my support! Crunch-time flashmob FTW!
Creator Cyberbard | Shift Happens on March 10
Oh, how I miss the days when fans patiently awaited game releases and weren't so demanding. Game development is difficult business, and crunch-time can be hell.
Keep up the good work, RTG. I'm glad you decided to delay by a couple of days, so that our initial experience of Book 2 can be as good as possible. Cheers!
Creator Entegy on March 10
Still better than GTAV PC delays. :P