04-04-2005, 05:34 PM | #81 | |
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But don't do it again. |
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04-04-2005, 06:00 PM | #82 |
Rattenmonster
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Getting back to the Runaway subject... Trisynergy doesn't seem to do much in the way of marketing. This is pure speculation, but the wording on their website makes it sound more like they're an impersonal packaging / distribution service for clients than a publisher that gives a damn about adventure games (or any particular type of game). If Runaway was poorly marketed in the US, maybe that's why.
They published Legacy: Dark Shadows too, and did virtually nothing to promote it, either. -emily |
04-04-2005, 06:05 PM | #83 |
merely human
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Aw man.
But don't worry, I won't shoot you for it.
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04-04-2005, 06:11 PM | #84 | ||
FlipFrame
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*snip*
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You know its possible that our game could be considered a clone, as its true, AG gamer's know what they want, and when it comes down to it, there are really only two major types of AG's...the Lucasarts type and the Myst type. Now referencing what Intrepid and I said about clones a few pages back, I dont see this as a bad thing, but if gamers are going to say they want more adventure games only to turn around and say they're not innovative or fresh, and are merely clones of what came before, it makes it a vicious circle that many developers just don't bother with. As it is this is not my view...more of the same when the same is good, is perfectly fine. What makes one AG different from another is the story. Same for books, same for movies. Our game is nothing like Monkey Island(and CERTAINLY NOTHING like Myst on any level!! ) but will obviously share conventions with it...but then again those are the same conventions in dozens of games...so am I a clone? Will I be derailed scared off by the a raging Catch22.tm?! Cheers |
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04-04-2005, 06:13 PM | #85 |
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Hm. But wasn't "The Longest Journey" successful in the US even though it was brought to the states by the same company that brought you "Runaway"? <Trep>Why is that?</Trep> Okay, it's a much better game, but...
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04-04-2005, 06:15 PM | #86 |
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TLJ got relatively huge press here in the U.S.
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04-04-2005, 06:27 PM | #87 | ||
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Of course, it is. It's just that almost every single adventure game *feels* exactely like that: "Hey, let's just make something like those old LA games and just forget about those 15 years of technological evolution. You know.. they were soooo great." And then the devs often fail, because the games then lack creativity. Style. And vision right from the start. Reading that your team has a professional writer involved, it's more likely your game won't end up feeling that way. Maybe you should check out the whole article I referred to. It's a very interesting read. http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,318 Quote:
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Look, Mr. Bubbles...! Last edited by samIamsad; 04-04-2005 at 06:59 PM. |
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04-04-2005, 06:38 PM | #88 | |
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And it's this soul that has migrated into Michel Ancel's Beyond Good & Evil, and Bioware's Knights Of The Old Republic.
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04-04-2005, 07:10 PM | #89 |
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Oh, and I don't necessarily mean that every single adventure game these days lacks a soul. There are some that manage to have that resonance. I've only played its demo, but I think Myst IV is one of them.
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04-04-2005, 07:15 PM | #90 | ||
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04-04-2005, 07:19 PM | #91 | |
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The demo of Myst 4 made me interested in that game, too. I've never played a Myst game.
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04-04-2005, 07:25 PM | #92 | ||
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Cheers |
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04-04-2005, 07:25 PM | #93 | |||
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04-04-2005, 07:30 PM | #94 | |
FlipFrame
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Which is another reason for less story focused games...action is easier to create, as its something tangible and hands on when prototyping, and most importantly consistent. Once the gameplay works (driving, shooting, platforming) its a matter of putting together interesting levels to have said gameplay occur on and boom, you can have a pretty decent game. AG's require the story work and stay strong from start to finish, and thats a challenge especially when the entire point of the game is its story. |
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04-04-2005, 09:39 PM | #95 |
Magic Wand Waver
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I've seen in forums where some will say "I only play 1st person games", and others will say, "I only play 3rd person games". In this forum there seems to be a preponderance of Sierra and LA gamers. And I'm seeing the complaint about Myst vs MI clones, as if there aren't any other games out there. What about TLJ? What category does this fall into? Surely TLJ, Syberia I & II, JttCotE, Return to Mysterious Island, all 3rd person games can't possibly be put into the same category as MI clones. And Amerzone, though 1st person, feels more like Syberia than a Myst game. And what about Faust? Or the horror/ghost sub-genre - surely you don't consider them Myst-clones? I suppose that Timelapse should be considered a pre-Myst clone? And Obsidian, while at first glance could be considered a Myst clone, is such a unique game, it doesn't fit into any category. What about Sanitarium, who's that copying?
And what about the detective type - Post Mortem, CSI. Law & Order, Sherlock Holmes games, Ripper, Jack the Ripper, or the ND series? Don't you think you're taking the "clones of clones" theory too far? Or is it the games you like fall into only Myst or MI categories? There will always be unique games like In Memoriam/Missing that won't fit into any categories. But give it a break guys, Myst or MI just aren't going to do it to categorize all adv games. FGM-Lyn
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Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson Last edited by Fairygdmther; 04-04-2005 at 09:47 PM. |
04-04-2005, 10:18 PM | #96 | |
FlipFrame
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To be perfectly honest you're right, I dont see any games cloning MI on any level. Then again what are we talking about? I assumed any point and click, 3rd person character adventure, such as Broken Sword or Runaway were MI equivalents in gameplay. And any pseudo-first-person non-character games with purely puzzle challenges were of the Myst or 7th Guest category. Generalizing like that, its easy to fit most games into one of these two major categories. Now to talk of MI's bold flair and humor and wonderful animation, no, no game has come close IMHO. Myst, again, is a game I just never found special, so trying not to appear biased, but I dont think its a great stretch to see how many adventures are very similar in their drab prerendered backdrops and derivative mental challenges. Perhaps I've been led askew by my own ignorance, but this is what I see on the surface ( I never professed to play ALL adventure games, as I'm more for the colorful characters and stories ). I'm sure certain games(like you mentioned) have specific qualities being overlooked, but its not intentional, I mean, on some level this conversation IS about the mainstream perception, so think of how these games might look from the outside looking in. BTW, I animated on Law and Order for Legacy Interactive, the first one if I recall, though briefly then my girlfriend took over. Cheers Last edited by EvoG; 04-04-2005 at 10:23 PM. |
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04-04-2005, 10:50 PM | #97 | |
Magic Wand Waver
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FGM-Lyn
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04-04-2005, 11:12 PM | #98 | ||
FlipFrame
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There's simply no denying that this particular type of game is not going to be a million seller on Xbox, but does it need to be? Of course not. The bottom line is the games are still viable when realistic budgets are set...and ironically, budgets dont restrict creativity and inspiration, which I find lacking in todays selections, which account for lack of interest. A boring game is a boring game, FPS, RTS or AG. Cheers |
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04-04-2005, 11:49 PM | #99 |
Magic Wand Waver
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I do find it interesting that in Adv Gamers forums, the genre is stagnating, yet on GB, and to a lesser extent, on JA+, the genre is seen to be growing again. The perception may be part of the categorization, however. What I mean by this, is the "I hate Myst vs. I love Myst" issue. If you see all the newer games as Myst clones, and you hated Myst, then you see the genre as clichéd and derivative. If not, you may see that there are many sub-genres that have some good games, and see the genre as growing. Some games that use licenses (Law & Order, ie.) tend to bring in some non-game players, on impulse buying.
As far as your comment about what games are known by non-gamers - the same is true in other genres. GTA, for example, is now known by many due to its negative press. How many non-gamers could name 3 FPS games? My stance on this is that as much as we criticize TAC, they have brought many into the gaming fold by reaching the impulse buyers. They have pretty boxes, use Egypt and Atlantis liberally, (both popular themes), and they sell in stores like Staples, or Office Max. If you are aiming toward a non-gaming public, you might do well to emulate TAC in this respect. If, however, you are aiming toward a knowledgable adv gamer, then the forums is where to take your game info. If you are aiming toward gamers who don't usually play adv games, it is, IMHO an uphill battle you are facing. These people know Myst, but it is often not a positive view. They know MI, which generally is positive, but so are TLJ and Syberia, neither of which fall into the empty-world-with-obscure-puzzles realm, nor are they cartoony like MI. FGM-Lyn
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04-05-2005, 12:03 AM | #100 | |
FlipFrame
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Lastly, I dont recall making an argument that included non-gamers. I mentioned gamers that dont play adventure games. Either way I'm not interested in the casual customer or creating a mass appeal game. I'm strictly aiming it at a hardcore niche who loves this type of game as I do. Cheers |
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