Kicked in $20 to get my Mac version, whenever it arrives. Would love to play the game but don't have an iPhone or iPad, and I was waiting for the announcement. I look at it as a donation to support an interesting thing made by friends of friends (I used to work at Ziff, etc.) But it was this Touch Arcade BS that set my teeth on edge. Don't want to blanket generalize, but games journalism needs to find itself. It's a fucking joke. I am so glad to be out of that world.
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Republique Kickstarter by Ryan Payton - NOW FOR PC AND MAC! [Ended, $555K funded]
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That's more of a recent thing though. Probably a combination of Steam being awesome and the console cycle lasting longer than usual.
Pureauthor
Member
Well, dropped fifteen for the thing. Sounds interesting enough.
Not happy to see this fail, but come on.
Ryan Payton seems like a cool enough guy, but he has not completed a game. He was involved with MGS4, and then he was involved with Halo 4. I mean that is a nice resume and all but he left these projects hanging. He did not follow through. And looking at the numbers, this Kickstarter has already failed. So yeah, finish a good game, and then more people will invest in your dream game.
When the community invests a lot of money into lets say a Shadowrun game, or an adventure game with the kings of adventure games, that makes sense. Random game ideas that are not even half made, it will not happen.
Ryan Payton seems like a cool enough guy, but he has not completed a game. He was involved with MGS4, and then he was involved with Halo 4. I mean that is a nice resume and all but he left these projects hanging. He did not follow through. And looking at the numbers, this Kickstarter has already failed. So yeah, finish a good game, and then more people will invest in your dream game.
When the community invests a lot of money into lets say a Shadowrun game, or an adventure game with the kings of adventure games, that makes sense. Random game ideas that are not even half made, it will not happen.
I had my doubts with their design goals and their initial choice of platform, but I finally decided to back this after the PC/Mac versions were announced. Chose to get it for both iOS & PC/Mac, so hopefully they realize their vision on at least one of those platforms.
Also: C'mon folks! Don't let this thread fall into the second page & the TA vs GAF thread remain in the limelight.
Also: C'mon folks! Don't let this thread fall into the second page & the TA vs GAF thread remain in the limelight.
GrandHarrier
Member
Seems odd to want to do a mobile game and then decide to make it PC as well. What about Android? The faq said there wouldn't be Android because of dev team size, which seems odd, if one can do the PC port as well. Anyways, wish the project luck.
MarshMellow96
Member
I don't get it: why do people actively want this game in particular to fail?
That TA thread is a fucking mess, anyway.
That TA thread is a fucking mess, anyway.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
left MGS4 hanging?
No idea. People don't like interesting concepts?
AFAIK he was involved with the 'revamping' the control scheme for Western audiences. Said control system ended up being complete shit.
Hydrogen Bluebird
Member
Ryan Payton finished MGS 4. He left Kojima Productions after MGS 4 was released.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
lol
compared to using ten buttons to aim? ok
the only thing shit about 4's controls was the stupid new useless wall press.
Yeah MGS4's control system was pretty horrendous, but there are people on GAF who like it. Do we know what to extent Payton was involved with the controls? Did he go to Konami and say "lets have better controls" or did he actually map the button layout or code it in or what?
B_Rik_Schitthaus
Banned
Android is said to be a terrible platform for development, PC on the other hand is the easiest.
Even for a joke account this is too far.
Yes and as I recall, his focus was on western controls for the game and multiplayer. And we could argue about that for years to come.
Either way this project is not going to get funded unless some super donor comes in. And it is not looking good currently.
what? hey im just being aware? i think mgs4 controls are shit but i'm happy to admit that many people like it.
bro lettuce be cereal, im being cereal.
Ryan completed a bunch of projects and followed through on a ton of ideas during his tenure at 343. He was well liked and a professional, imaginative addition to the team. I would hardly say he left the project hanging. The organization is better for having had him there and I am excited to see the results of his work and collaboration with the new outfit. As he stated, ultimately he wanted to work on something exactly like the thing he's working on.
My two cents. Which is worth three metric cents.
I don't think we really know what Payton's role in MGS4 was. There are specifics he's mentioned, like the increments of control fidelity, but things like modern shoulder controls, who knows? The team had been playing Gears internally, it's not as if they were aloof to what a modern game feels like.
And the controls in MGS4 are pretty amazing actually. There are some stupid things, like the over the shoulder aim transition is way too long, but you can change it to practically nothing if you choose to. That game has a huge player tool set, and makes it all very intuitive, it's perfect, and considering the disgusting mess that was Snake Eater's controls, it should be lauded.
MGS4 does lots of things wrong, controls are certainly not one of them, and if Payton is mostly responsible for them, he should be praised for it.
And the controls in MGS4 are pretty amazing actually. There are some stupid things, like the over the shoulder aim transition is way too long, but you can change it to practically nothing if you choose to. That game has a huge player tool set, and makes it all very intuitive, it's perfect, and considering the disgusting mess that was Snake Eater's controls, it should be lauded.
MGS4 does lots of things wrong, controls are certainly not one of them, and if Payton is mostly responsible for them, he should be praised for it.
Relaxed Muscle
Member
I agree 100%
Well that is an awesome amount of love right there.
Again I am not attacking the guy. But succesful Kickstarter campagns have typically been involved with beloved franchises, or beloved developers doing an old thing in a new world.
You need some nastalic bank to get 500K in funding.
That is all I am going to say about it. I respect Ryan, and I think he could create a great original game.
What is the point? A nice looking game, developed by names we know, that is far enough along to expect them to finish. No love lost with that one.
LiquidSolid
Member
As far as I'm aware, he was responsible for the controls in MGS Portable Ops, which were horrendous.
In that case, perhaps he should spot me five hundred grand for emotional trauma.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
The point was that not only big/beloved names are successful on Kickstarter as what he quoted suggested, since that's a new IP by nobodies. And no, saying "formerly with Bioware" or whatever doesn't make them beloved names. I never heard of them before.
B_Rik_Schitthaus
Banned
They weren't big names and got way over 500k, blowing this
''You need some nastalic bank to get 500K in funding.''
out the water.
You have never heard of Bioware before? Just joking. We can bitch about this as long as there is a place to bitch. Nobody gives a shit because.... I could spell it out. But to speek it nicely, Payton needs to make an awesome game on his own. Until he does, ramdom people will not invest half a million dollars into his project.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Translation: I'm gonna change the subject because what I said before was silly. I didn't argue Republique will or won't or deserves or doesn't deserve to reach the goal. Though I think it could have, had they been more swift in changing their strategy.
I merely answered your question. The point of that post was to show you don't need big/beloved developers or IPs to make it on Kickstarter. No, being "formerly with Bioware" doesn't make two nobodies beloved. Bioware isn't making that game. Simple.
Here's another one.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/64409699/ftl-faster-than-light
$200k after asking for $10k. I never heard of those before either (and pledged, I didn't pledge for The Banner Saga).
Granted, it's not $500k but eh, it's a pretty decent sum, and more than Republique has atm.
Say what you think of Republique, you can just try and be a little more informed when making generalisations. That's all.
Alex
Member
I just think people simply didn't want to fund it for iOS. Even the folks I know who dig on iOS (which includes me) buy games for it very passively and aren't interested in the bigger budget attempts on the platform. They pay a buck or two and pick up simple stuff that, for the West, really works as genuine mobile software as opposed to console games hit with a mallet. I'd imagine a lot of dedicated handheld fans on these boards don't really take the things out of the house, I know I don't.
I think if it had originated on PC, it might have had a much better chance. But now it almost seems like all of the nonsense around it has caused an awkward stigma. Banner Saga is a good example, as at a glance it is also a total unknown, but it's attractive and fro other competent staff and people are willing to fund stuff like that on PC.
I think if it had originated on PC, it might have had a much better chance. But now it almost seems like all of the nonsense around it has caused an awkward stigma. Banner Saga is a good example, as at a glance it is also a total unknown, but it's attractive and fro other competent staff and people are willing to fund stuff like that on PC.
That is the thing. I am informed. I have been watching these Kickstarter projects in the same way I watch stocks.. I see what works and what fails. Even when you are trying to use examples to disprove what I am saying, you have to dig very deep. You almost have to convince yourself to be dishonest.
Again I am not against kickstarter. I think it is awesome. Wasteland 2, the Double Fine game, and Shadowrun.... I am just waiting for Star Control, Ultima, and Wing Commander.
Edit: I guess you edited your post while I was typing a response so I missed some of your arguments. I promise to respond when the project gains 400K more in donations.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
How was I dishonest?
If you're implying that because there aren't tens of hundreds of projects like The Banner Saga then your previous assessment of that being impossible unless you have big names and IPs is true, then I disagree. There also aren't tens or hundreds of projects like Wasteland 2 and Shadowrun Returns after all, so those wouldn't constitute a trend either just yet, but you're confident in that.
Kickstarter is a relatively new thing, and gained further video game momentum very recently with those bigger projects, still there have been success stories in all sorts of different situations, including what you said is impossible, and that's all we know for now. Republique not making it doesn't prove your generalisation is true since The Banner Saga did make it.
I'm confident that more projects like The Banner Saga could make it, if they do this right (this didn't, imo), they even didn't have very much to show. You can disagree but you don't have actual proof, nor am I being in any way dishonest about it.
Did I imply you are anywhere or it this more irrelevant fluff that takes attention away from the one thing I did comment on?
I lost track of what we were even arguing about. Lets just keep it cool. All I was debating was the feasibility of certain kickstarter projects. I am not sure how we got here. Sorry if I was a bit of a dick there. Attacking your intelligence and such. It is a defense mechanism that I need to disable
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
That project looks awesome, and it's PC, and it's an indie style asking for an honest amount of cash.
That's why it was funded so nicely.
Republique just doesn't have that same feel. Also iOS, also he's already saying he can get 500k funding himself.
snoopeasystreet
Member
I'll probably throw 20 at it because I think it looks cool but I dunno, 500k is a lot of money for an unproven studio with an unproven ip in an unproven genre.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
No clue what you're on about. I was merely responding to the thinking that to get a decent sum like that funded via Kickstarter you absolutely need to have a big name or a big IP, which I felt is false. That's all. Whether Republique appeals or doesn't appeal to people enough to make it has no bearing on that conversation, which already implied that there are other issues with it.
What's "indie style"? You're either independent or you're not. These guys seem to be. By the way, they've added a PC and Mac version. I see nothing "dishonest" about the amount of cash involved. It's cash. FTL asked for $10k and ended up with $200k. The Banner Saga asked for $100k and ended up with $700k. These guys ask for $500k and might not make it. They all seem equally honest, just different personalities and different projects and visions. I don't see what being able to get the additional needed funding from other sources has to do with anything (iirc they said they might also be able to get even more from a publisher but in that case they would give up the rights to their IP in return). I'm just saying, this is still not relevant to my post that you quoted.
shouamabane
Member
I upped my pledge to $60. This game looks awesome.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
Did I call you out or something?
I was just saying that FTL is a pretty sweet looking indie concept.
I think it's pretty clear what an "indie" style implies. It has nothing to do with being an independent studio, it's a style of graphics/game.
FTL is clearly an indie styled game.
Republique not so much.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Okay. I agree. I just don't see the relevance to what you quoted.
Yeah, I disagree.
Style of graphics and style of game are also very different terms, and indie games with or without fancy 3D graphics are of any genre. Hawken is as indie as FTL is as indie as Driftmoon is as indie as Legend of Grimrock is as indie as Stasis is as indie as Reset.
But if that's what you meant, okay, I get it. But still disagree.
Though, yes, the sum of what makes FTL worked out for it, for sure. Which is cool.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
The relevance is you linked a game that got more than it asked and was pretty much unknown.
I posted why I thought it got funded so well.
Also "indie" clearly at this point is 2 different things, but one of them most certainly is a style, and a style that many are clearly choosing to shoot for.
It can be graphically through retro, artistic, minimalist, abstract, or oddball styles.
It can be game-play as well, see Grimrock. Doesn't look very indie, but it's a gridbased dungeon crawler with a very nice skin.
Alexios
Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Sorry, nope. You can't say indie is a graphical style, then list a bunch of different styles that are indie yet anyone can use, then say Grimrock is indie style because despite having fancy 3D graphics it's a first person dungeon crawler, so its actual genre, that again anyone, indie or not, can develop, makes it indie style. What's Mega Man 10, an indie style game by Capcom, as opposed to just a retro platform game? What about the Wizardry games, indie style first person dungeon crawls by whatever company is making them (they also look worse than Grimrock technically)? Indie is just that, independent. Eh, thread derail, I'll stop.
Indie is no longer about independence anymore. Indie movies used to be movies released outside of the 5/6 major Hollywood movies studios, and they all had a certain style, but then all those studios bought out actual indie studios and created "indie" publishing houses (Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics, even the ironically named Warner Independent Pictures) that now release most of the "indie" movies that follow the style of movies that used to be actually formally independent.
Father_Brain
Banned
Trending towards the low $10K range for the second full day as a multiplatform title.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
You don't even have to be into movies to know what he's talking about.