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STEAM | April 2014 - Insert witty title here.

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A

Acccent

Member
DocSeuss said:
Yup, read it yesterday. Simon Parkin is my spirit animal (he actually gave me some great advice on a piece I wrote a while ago that made it awesome).

As for playtesting... I mean, if I understood it, Bioshock's iconic reveal of Rapture underneath the sea came from that session, so that's good. At the same time, playtesting often seems to rob a game of things that would make it more interesting. I think, if I were in the position to do it (and if I find some way to actually spend real quality time on this game I'm designing, I will be), I'd use playtesting to see if I've failed at communicating information to the player.

Not "oh, I don't like playing as a girl" complaints (hi, NOLF), but "wait, we're UNDERWATER?" Basically, I want to know if people understand info required to actually understand the game, like "YES YOU ARE UNDERWATER."
Click to expand...

It's always a case of moderation and appreciation... sure, playtesting can yield interesting results, but I still think it should be limited to the strict minimum. Even in your example, it might lead to you changing a subtle, engaging scene into some painfully obvious exposition. It's so subjective... The only playtesting I'd fully trust is my own, and even then I'd apply a healthy dose of suspicion :p

The BioShock story if anyone's interested: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-04-17-the-true-story-of-bioshock
It's by Simon Parkin, so, yeah, nuff said.
 
D

DocSeuss

Member
Accent said:
It's always a case of moderation and appreciation... sure, playtesting can yield interesting results, but I still think it should be limited to the strict minimum. Even in your example, it might lead to you changing a subtle, engaging scene into some painfully obvious exposition. It's so subjective... The only playtesting I'd fully trust is my own, and even then I'd apply a healthy dose of suspicion :p
Click to expand...

Seems like the wisest thing would be to always remember you're the developer, they're the tester.
 
corrosivefrost

corrosivefrost

Member
When you say playtesting, you mean allowing generic gamers to preview a section of your game, right? You wouldn't be crazy enough to be saying that development teams don't require a test team to check builds and look for bugs and stuff (which also includes feedback on how the game plays in general), right?
 
D

DocSeuss

Member
corrosivefrost said:
When you say playtesting, you mean allowing generic gamers to preview a section of your game, right? You wouldn't be crazy enough to be saying that development teams don't require a test team to check builds and look for bugs and stuff (which also includes feedback on how the game plays in general), right?
Click to expand...

If you read the article, you will understand what we are talking about. :D
 
A

Acccent

Member
corrosivefrost said:
When you say playtesting, you mean allowing generic gamers to preview a section of your game, right? You wouldn't be crazy enough to be saying that development teams don't require a test team to check builds and look for bugs and stuff (which also includes feedback on how the game plays in general), right?
Click to expand...

lol, I actually would also argue for little to no QA testing in some cases, but that's borderline experimental art :D
My bottom line is this: as long as you maintain total creative control and respect a vision and intention, it's fine. I just think the more play testing is involved, the more that vision risks getting 'corrupted' and lost sight of, in a way. QA testing can also lead to that but it generally doesn't (since bugs are most of the time things that were inadvertently created and hinder your vision). imo.
 
R

rookiejet

Member
Accent said:
lol, I actually would also argue for little to no QA testing in some cases, but that's borderline experimental art :D
My bottom line is this: as long as you maintain total creative control and respect a vision and intention, it's fine. I just think the more play testing is involved, the more that vision risks getting 'corrupted' and lost sight of, in a way. QA testing can also lead to that but it generally doesn't (since bugs are most of the time things that were inadvertently created and hinder your vision). imo.
Click to expand...

As you further clarified in your other post, it's not an all or nothing thing, but rather on a spectrum depending on how rigid or linear the experience of the game is. For example, to a strategy style game playtesting is an imperative given the myriad of interpretations possible, but to an adventure game less so. Overall, I would think playtesting actually aids authorial intent. For games, audience interaction's more pivotal to the experience, I'd imagine then you'd want the player to *know* their part or role in that experience in order to complete your vision and authorial intent, no?
 
B

b&jy77VjiKn$#F

Member
Question: do you need to create an addition account with the Steam version of DCUO? If so then I will just download the game from its website, as Steam is acting up for me no matter what I tried.
 
A

AngryChinchilla

Member
Went to go jump back into Cities in Motion after taking a year or so off only to find that it crashes to desktop before it reaches the menu. No amount of googling has provided me with any help. :(
 
A

Acccent

Member
rookiejet said:
As you further clarified in your other post, it's not an all or nothing thing, but rather on a spectrum depending on how rigid or linear the experience of the game is. For example, to a strategy style game playtesting is an imperative given the myriad of interpretations possible, but to an adventure game less so. Overall, I would think playtesting actually aids authorial intent. For games, audience interaction's more pivotal to the experience, I'd imagine then you'd want the player to *know* their part or role in that experience in order to complete your vision and authorial intent, no?
Click to expand...

It really depends on who you're making games for. I'm not a huge fan of author theory in the sense that I think once a game is released, it's not anyone's anymore; its meaning becomes multiple, one for each player, every interpretation as valid as the original intent.
So the question that you're faced with when making a game is: do you want those interpretations to be as close as possible to something you're trying to convey? Or do you only care about your own take on this creation of yours, and only create it for yourself in the first place - while knowing that it'll be appropriated by many when made public?

I happen to tend towards the latter.
 
V

vareon

Member
Accent said:
It really depends on who you're making games for. I'm not a huge fan of author theory in the sense that I think once a game is released, it's not anyone's anymore; its meaning becomes multiple, one for each player, every interpretation as valid as the original intent.
So the question that you're faced with when making a game is: do you want those interpretations to be as close as possible to something you're trying to convey? Or do you only care about your own take on this creation of yours, and only create it for yourself in the first place - while knowing that it'll be appropriated by many when made public?

I happen to tend towards the latter.
Click to expand...

Chiming in into the discussion because it's interesting: To me playtesting is merely an additional tool for authors to make the final decision. It's still better to have one rather than not, because authors ultimately have the choice of what to make of the playtest results.
 
M

mrgone

Member
fantomena said:
Invisible, Inc (previously known as Incognita, Klei Entertainments new game) will hit Steam early access in about 10 weeks.
Click to expand...

Just to add to this: it's still available to buy through their website/Humble widget as a $17 two-pack. I'm not sure if the early access price will be any different, though. Even in alpha It's been a pretty cool game for tactical strategy fans (you know, like X-Com), with a focus on being sneaky motherfuckers.
 
C

Caerith

Member
Accent said:
It really depends on who you're making games for. I'm not a huge fan of author theory in the sense that I think once a game is released, it's not anyone's anymore; its meaning becomes multiple, one for each player, every interpretation as valid as the original intent.
So the question that you're faced with when making a game is: do you want those interpretations to be as close as possible to something you're trying to convey? Or do you only care about your own take on this creation of yours, and only create it for yourself in the first place - while knowing that it'll be appropriated by many when made public?

I happen to tend towards the latter.
Click to expand...

I think when a work-- a game, a book, a film, etc-- is released that its meaning is what was meant by its creator. Whether this is what the audience takes away depends on the skill of the creator (and also things like historical context). In the case of BioShock, if someone comes away from it not knowing that
Rapture is underwater
, that doesn't mean their "
Rapture is in space
" interpretation is valid so much as it means that the creators did a crappy job conveying the setting.
 
S

spindoctor

Member
TharpDaddy said:
Sorry if this was already asked, is Amalur worth picking up?
Click to expand...

Not really. It's essentially a single player version of an MMORPG with all the grindy, boring quests you'd find in one. It looks nice (artwork) and the combat is fun for a while but the repetitive quest structure just drags it down. There's a demo you should definitely check out to see if the game is for you.

On the other hand, if you like MMOs and/or you're curious about this game, this is as low as it's going to go in price. And you never know when something else might go wrong with the licensing and it gets pulled from Steam altogether.
 
K

KenOD

a kinder, gentler sort of Scrooge
Oh I would not recommend playing Monument Valley if you've just finished Fez like I have. Similar enough that you fall right into the pattern, but different enough and more story based that you can miss some aspects or burn yourself out on the puzzles.

That said, and thanks for the recommendation Stumpokapow, reading Flatland will greatly enhance the experience considering the themes and ideas used for for story, aesthetics, and analogy.

TharpDaddy said:
Sorry if this was already asked, is Amalur worth picking up?
Click to expand...

If you really want to play a MMORPG without the MMO aspect, or are just a lover of finely crafted doors (they spent a lot of time making those) in video games, aye it's quite worth it. Just be warned any annoyances of crafting, item fetch quests, kill x of y quests, and the like will be present in this game.

I enjoyed my time with it, getting it off PS+, but quite honestly I eventually stopped playing because it felt too much of the same and certain weapons make the game too easy (healed as I did damage, caused burn, had auto-attack). Still I got at least 20 hours of it I enjoyed.
 
C

Card Boy

Banned
Tex Murphy not being in the top 100 sellers disappoints me. Meanwhile a broken piece of shit like Day-Z has had the number one spot for months.
 
T

Turfster

Member
Gez said:
Tex Murphy not being in the top 100 sellers disappointments me. Meanwhile a broken piece of shit like Day-Z has had the number one spot for months.
Click to expand...

Well, there's a lot of total fucking psychos that want to do horrible things to other people through the anonymity of the internet, apparently.
 
J

jaundicejuice

Member
Endless Legend is looking pretty damned ace.

http://ca.ign.com/videos/2014/04/18/endless-legend-video-preview

It's by Amplitude, same studio that did Endless Space and Dungeons of the Endless. Endless Legend is a pretty sick looking fantasy 4x that's going to be added to Steam early access soon.

PandaPendite has a thread on the faction videos:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=784014

And here's the thread I cherry picked the ign link from:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=804369

I haven't even had the time to check out Warlock 2 yet, haven't spent much time with Age of Wonders 3 and now this will be coming out. wat.
 
T

toddhunter

Member
TharpDaddy said:
Sorry if this was already asked, is Amalur worth picking up?
Click to expand...

As somebody who hates with a passion what MMORPGs did to the RPG genre, I see Amalur as an especially big abomination given you can't even play with other people.

It would be like making a cover based shooter with no guns, or a stealth/exploration game where you can't jump.
 
V

Vazra

irresponsible vagina leak
Im lucky Killer is Dead OT was finished and had all the images saved. The PSD file seems to have disappeared. At least the OT works properly. :(
 
F

FloatOn

Member
Amalur is terrible.

It tries to trick you into thinking it's a good game with fun combat but in the end it's about as shallow as it gets. Both in terms of the quests and story itself.

I managed about 20 hours and I had to hang it up.
 
D

def sim

Member
Stallion Free said:
I found the bear and eagle powers to be quite entertaining so that kinda made up for the weird spirit tutorials.
Click to expand...

The eagle thing is pretty great, yeah. These powers change up how the game feels considerably. I like them quite a bit, they almost remind me of Infamous. I haven't seen bear yet, but the animal sounds promising.
 
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