So you're saying that SMS should have started on pCARS 2 but not told anybody about it? I suppose the crowd-funding aspect could have been started by calling the new project something completely different and not letting anyone know what it was about.
They can do whatever they please, but don't expect the community to start singing the praises of SMS when they do this. Not everyone knows about game dev life cycles like we do.
Judging by Ian's reaction, it's like no one at SMS expected backlash over the announcement. I am sure it is nice to live in an enclosed bubble where pCARS is a perfect game in their world, but it ain't the truth no matter how well it has sold. A new franchise like pCARS is has to develop trust and loyalty within the community, and having an announcement like this ruins a lot of goodwill.
Guess what is going to happen in future updates for pCARS? The cloud of the sequel will hover over anything SMS do, as people tend to focus on negativity. Any time content, features or bug fixes are missing from an update, people will question whether more attention has been put in the sequel and whether they things they want included or fixed will require purchasing another game. How about the DLC cars and tracks? Chances are they'll be included from the outset on the sequel, so no one will buy the extra content if they aren't super keen on it. Just because you and I know that they have a dedicated team for the current game doesn't mean everyone does, and there's no promises this 40 man team will stay this large as the months move on.
SMS isn't "doing this to gain income". Do you have any idea how much money pCARS 1 made? We don't know exactly the gross revenue yet, nor the net, but 50 million euros is a conservative gross estimate. You seriously believe that SMS couldn't have funded pCARS 2 completely on their own? You think the people that are getting involved are so stupid that they can't read what they get for the money, and SMS is somehow "misleading" them? Man, you must think those thousands of people are really stupid, because what they get for the contribution is pretty clearly articulated.
Your posts reads as if SMS forces people into the bondage of slavery rather than giving them the choice to join, or not. Does it bug you that people are choosing to join up?
OK, so if this game could easily be released without a single dollar of crowdfunding like Ian alluded to, where exactly is this extra cash going? Fair enough if it goes into new licenses and potential for laser-scanning more circuits, but to many people at first impression it seems like an easy pocket liner for SMS.
However after how the first game turned out, the sim racers who were the majority of the backers for the first game won't even think about backing the sequel. We were sold on promises and hype for the first game that never eventuated, so we sure as hell aren't gonna pay even more for the same disappointment in a few years time.
I actually don't think it will reach it's "funding" goal due to this, along with the no return investments perk which means people looking for a method of gaining cash interest-free won't be interested anymore. When there's no need to fund something, why pay something now when you can make a better decision after the game has actually released?
I like the early access release system if it's done well, but early access games tend to be available for discounted prices to make up for a game that is likely to have issues when launched. Here, you pay at the very least for the full price of the game (or more if you want added incentives and an actual say into the development process) just to get the privilege to bug test the game for SMS and become free marketing mouthpieces for them. I know for a fact in WMD the amount of design decisions handed to the community for the first game were small in number, and even some of the feedback of the drivers that helped test the game like Ben Collins was basically ignored. Doesn't give me much hope for the future.
