The Witness (from Braid developer) confirmed for PS4
- Thread starter walking fiend
- Start date
My thoughts exactly. The only other game I can think of that has a similar aesthetic is Okabu
Jonathan Blow bears Witness to getting an indie, PC game on PS4
So Jonathan Blow possibly hinting at a Xbox 720 and Wii U version?
The game seems interesting, I might just try this out.
So Jonathan Blow possibly hinting at a Xbox 720 and Wii U version?
The game seems interesting, I might just try this out.
I see. I missed the "only console" part when watching the stream.
BruceLeeRoy
Banned
The 1080p video is gorgeous. I can't wait for this game
Wok
Member
I am relieved. You are right. We will be playing The Witness on PC in 2013!
because MS sucks. Machinarium devs worked with a few people from MS and every time the new guy started very enthusiastically only to dissapear quickly. So they are on PSN now and not on Live.
That's what I hope Sony does to a number of independent developers to get them to develop for the PS4 platform. Gotta love indie games!
Punkster_NY
Member
he talked shit about MS. Well, not only Blow, but Team Meat too. Team Meat was more straightforward about it though. Blow only complained about restrictions like leaderboards and so on. It wasn't straight shittalking.
I don't understand the huge praise Mario gets either. All you do is run and jump on shit.
(My point is that having a limited number of mechanics doesn't disqualify a game as being good. It's how far you take it that matters. The Witness might turn out to be repetitive, it might not, but it's too early to judge. Based on how far he took the time mechanic in Braid, though, there's no reason to be worried.)
I NEED SCISSORS
Banned
Looked visually interesting but the simplistic join the dots gameplay turned me off.
it's not about joining dots but whatever.
I NEED SCISSORS
Banned
They should have designed their trailer better then. Not my problem their marketing sucks.
Visualante2
Member
Completely agree. Guy said it's a puzzle game, showed many puzzles where you join dots. I mean maybe there is more to it and they're scared to show it.. but what they showed ain't too appealing.
Going to buy it anyway but hoping to be surprised rather than expectant.
Who knows if it'll be one of those one of trophy gestures like Portal 2.
disappeared
Banned
Blow already stated in an interview earlier that he had a ridiculously hard time deciding on how to make a trailer for the game, considering it's supposed to be played and not watched.
Just because it didn't have SHITGOINGON.
It actually is your problem the marketing sucks. This isn't going to simply be a game about connecting dots. Anyone who has played Braid knows to expect some thought provoking puzzles. Anyone seeing this trailer as "connect the dots" is just going to miss out on a great experience. But whatever, their loss.
you control environments with dots. they are just like buttons afaik. Puzzles are in environments and how they work.
Visualante2
Member
The trailer for Braid showed the time mechanics, and even asked you questions that eluded to the type of challenge you will face. It was a simpler game to market, that's all. This trailer expects faith from the viewer and if it was not "from the creator of Braid" then they'd have to do a much better job of showing the game off. Few others would get away with this kind of trailer.
I NEED SCISSORS
Banned
Then do a stage demo, or show various other puzzles in the trailer, or explain it in more depth, because the initial impression given to me truly was one of just joining dots to make the environment do things.
So let me get this straight: it's my fault because I haven't played his other games and I should have deduced that the game is going to be about more than just dots, despite the fact that that was primarily what they showed?
The game might well have more to it, but the fact is that the trailer didn't show any of it. If that was the only thing i'd ever seen of the game, on the PSN store or whatever, it would be a lost sale. As a potential new customer who has never played Braid, it failed to win me over. End of.
And just like Braid, if it's good Youtube and word of mouth will do all his marketing for him better than any trailer could.
To be fair, I don't think a stage demo of a puzzle game would be very entertaining or get the point across. Either the stage player would know the solution to the puzzles which means the core part of a puzzle game, figuring things out, would not be demonstrated, or the player will take a long time to figure out how to solve the puzzle which is obviously not allowed in a stage demo either.
I agree however that the trailer should have shown more things that weren't the line puzzles. At least the trailer demonstrated that the game will look gorgeous.
IrrelevantNotch
Banned
Does anyone know why this game can't be done on current gen technology?
It's not that it can't be done but that it would be more difficult. Might as well go with the easier option.
Blow talked in more detail about platform choices to Kotaku, touching on Durango, Wii U and current gen systems.
http://kotaku.com/5986093/how-the-witness-became-a-ps4-game-and-why-pcios-owners-can-remain-happy
http://kotaku.com/5986093/how-the-witness-became-a-ps4-game-and-why-pcios-owners-can-remain-happy
wow what he says at the end, that is thread worthy imo.
I disagree. He states he has no knowledge of the Nextbox and that his thoughts on it versus the PS4 are based on the very same rumours we've been reading. "Blow prefers PS4 over rumoured Nextbox" isn't really news.
I get the feeling that Sony is actively going after indie devs this time. I mean one of their videos before the PS Meeting talked about indie efforts as well. Looks like it's an important part of their plans going forward
Blow has talked so much shit about MS over the last couple of years, he has the highest profile indie game in development, Sony would have been idiotic not to do whatever it took to get the Witness, I don't think you can take from that anything about Sony's broader generation focus when it comes to indies from this deal, it was a no brainer.
I'd change "puzzle" to "platformer" for myself in there. I've seen puzzle games that remained engaging for the whole game before (though not for the last 10 years) - but not a platforming one.StuBurns said:
Anyway - Blow stated before how hard it is to make a trailer for this concept (honestly I have a hard time imagining puzzle-game trailer to look interesting, I've yet to see one), but I did appreciate that their visuals felt more "nexgen" than most of the rest of stuff that was shown.
BruceLeeRoy
Banned
Dang. Someone should make a new thread.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
"Of course, Sony wants that show to point out things that are going to be exclusive or special to their console. So to be in the show we signed a timed exclusivity for competing consoles. But this was just a formalization of something that was already de facto. We like the PS4 and we like the people at Sony we are working with, so it was an easy choice to make the agreement."
So it's timed exclusive? Damn, that'll piss a few people off.
EDIT: I'll make a new thread.
Money and getting their vision into as many hands as possible will dictate where indie devs take their games. Not the supposed "spokesperson".
Blow gave a pretty good prelude to the trailer on stage, if that's what you really want.
Totilo today on "repetitive line puzzles":
Fancy shaders and open world, mainly. And it's not that it'd can't be done, but it'd be a pain in the ass for the devs and not look as good as the PC version. As they said on the blog (and on twitter, and on kotaku), they've only got the manpower for one console version anyway so making it a timed exclusive makes sense.
Beermeister
Banned
Myst vibes, and I like it.
Messofanego
Banned
Nope, 500 line puzzles and you'll like it damn it!
There is, yes.
It's all those. However, basically it's all about finding out which line to draw by gathering clues from your surroundings. The line panels are mere interfaces.