1213 Chat, discuss, piss and moan about this newfangled game
#61
Posted 15 January 2006 - 05:52 AM
I could make more adventure games - in fact, I do have expansions in mind for the Days series on the drawing board - but I'm not as into them as I used to be. Adventure is a very limited genre and is largely dead these days for good reason; adventure gameplay is linear and unsatisfying to all but the most nostalgic adventure nuts like you or I. I stopped writing for Adventure Gamers, and have been experimenting with using AGS to expand on conventional adventure gameplay, for these reasons.
Because games like 1213 are experiments I don't spend much time on the graphics, no, because I want to concentrate on the development of gameplay and storyline. I don't spend time looking for music, either. A lot of people have suggested or even offered to make music for them but I feel uncomfortable with relying on others that way. I tend to regard music as a tool, and if there's a public domain tune around that conveys the atmosphere I'm after then I'll use it rather than lose time getting something unique composed.
I notice you single out the shower health system for complaint. Why? It's no less absurd than healing yourself by applying morphine or drinking sugary drinks, or even regenerating lost tissue to full health by slapping on a bandage, like in most if not all combat games. Being healed by showers I felt made some kind of sense, in that cold water refreshes the body and numbs pain. Besides, it kind of foreshadows certain things that will be revealed about 1213 later on. One sentence from your diatribe that leapt out was "1213 constantly tries to stay "realistic" for immersion purposes", but I've no idea where you got that idea from. I don't know whether you noticed all the zombies and stuff but 'realism' was by no means my intention (can a completely 2D platform game ever be considered realistic, anyway?)
And who is this Ben person you keep talking about? I'm Yahtzee. I prefer that name and go by it in person when I can. Being called Ben kind of irks me.
#62
Posted 15 January 2006 - 05:52 AM
From the 1213 webpage " You can also skip individual lines of dialogue with the ENTER key or by clicking the mouse, escept in the intro."
The intro is precisely what I was referring to in my post, precisely want I wanted to speed through.
Therefore my point remains valid. So .
#63
Posted 15 January 2006 - 05:55 AM
From the 1213 webpage " You can also skip individual lines of dialogue with the ENTER key or by clicking the mouse, escept in the intro."
The intro is precisely what I was referring to in my post, precisely want I wanted to speed through.
Yeah, I deliberately made it so the speech couldn't be skipped in the intro, because I kind of liked the way the visuals synced up with the music, and skipping the speech would have spoilt it.
#64
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:01 AM
If it's an "experiment" then why would you already plan THREE GAMES in the series?
An experiment I would think would be a "one off".
Do me a favor and tell me the three most "supenseful", "frightening", "immersive" games you've ever played.
Should "art" be so rushed? All of the pigments are important to the final hues.
I think that hitting some morphine or applying pressure to bullet wounds with bandages would make just a "tad" more sense, personally. As for the "cold numb shower" aspect, well, I don't remember that being explained in the game.
From the fact that in the game's intro, when Mr. X is talking to you ad naseum, it seems everything he says he backs up with some sort of "plot device" to keep the diatribe "plausible". Plausibility lead me to believe you were going for immersion. If I was wrong on that aspect then I withdraw my previous statement to this effect.
Then why tell people your name is Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw on your site? Why not just say "I'm Yahtzee".
#65
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:08 AM
One word: Common sense.
Sure. Publish everything under a synonym. Sounds smart.
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#66
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:10 AM
An experiment I would think would be a "one off".
I came up with a story. And now it has to be told, properly paced. This is an eccentricity of mine.
I don't see anything wrong with the graphics anyway. Just about the only difference between 1213 and 7DAS graphics is I didn't apply Photoshop light filters. The style is unambiguous and practical and that's what I needed.
I prefer keeping the element of mystery, and I don't think the player needs to be whacked over the head that way. What would you have preferred? Some kind of Metal Gear Solid-esque lengthy scientific explanation of why cold showers make you feel more energised?
Because my mum reads the site. Shush.
#67
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:15 AM
There are tons of celebrities (in all forms of media) whom publish their works under nom de plumes.
It is smart actually. Do you -really- want all the nutbags in the world knowing your -real- name?
I don't. There are people like me out there...
#68
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:21 AM
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#69
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:26 AM
Well then, I hope that that eccentricity leads to a final Days game. I would buy another Days game, the actual game, not even a "special edition"... just to see the "trilogy" wrap itself up nicely and tie all the loose ends.
I meant the whole game as "art", not the actual "art" in the game.
And there's a lot more than PhotoShop filters going in here:
Compared to this:
Actually, yes. The more you make me believe in the plausibility of your game, the more I'm drawn into its little world and feel the need to finish it, and better yet, remember it fondly later. When I'm running around shooting people with guns and there's blood on the walls, I feel "this is based in some sort of reality", so I expect things to lean towards that. If I was shooting banana lollipops at cyclops umbrella monsters, then no, the shower wouldn't of stuck out.
Well, I hope she hasn't read your last post.
--
Look, I hate to be the stupid bastard that looks a gift horse in the mouth. So let me say that I -do- truly appreciate your efforts and your games. I just wanted to let you know where the flaws were, because when you're "so close" to your art, you can't always see the cracks in the paint, dig? It happens to the best of us, even me.
In a better world you would already of been picked up by a gaming company, or at least as a consultant.
And in a better world, the Adventure game would of evolved within its own convention. And perhaps it has, if you know where to look.
I look forward to anything else you do Yahtzee, don't think I don't.
#70
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:34 AM
Well, I'm glad you clarified, because going by the original post - and the fact that you already posted it on the AGS games index AND the AGS forum - one could easily assume you were making a one-man attempt to bring me down, what with calling me a hypocrite and accusing me of self-deification and all that.
Edit: and the phrase 'sour slimey stale badly designed mess' leaps out, too, since you emboldened it; I know it doesn't refer directly to me but judge the works, judge the man.
This post has been edited by Yahtzee: 15 January 2006 - 06:36 AM
#71
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:40 AM
Edit: and the phrase 'sour slimey stale badly designed mess' leaps out, too, since you emboldened it; I know it doesn't refer directly to me but judge the works, judge the man.
Fair enough. But if only you knew how many people I've told about your games in a -positive- light, both on and offline. I've dropped links to your swag for the better part of two years like a seagull drops bombs when it sees a bald head. And I pointed out in the AGS forums that I had nothing against -you- personally.
I do not believe in the saying "judge the works, judge the man".
Perhaps, "refine the works, refine the man".
But I must say that Animal Crossing stinks.
#72
Posted 15 January 2006 - 07:12 AM
#73
Posted 15 January 2006 - 04:18 PM
I didn't relise that the crane thing was a toggle and seeing no immediate reation I stabbed at it an even amount of times meaing that the ventilation shaft was closed. So until I realised that I'd done just that I was stuck for about 15 minutes of wandering.
#74
Posted 15 January 2006 - 06:16 PM
Good bits? The zombie getting up after you walk a bit past him was good, but having him get up while I'm walking over him would have definitely freaked me out. Or having EVERYTHING in the room suddenly get up to kill me.
Limited ammo would have been nice, making things tenser and forcing you to decide whether to find some way to avoid the zombies or guards, or gun them down. The respawning enemies got sort of old, I eventually stopped wasting time shooting zombies - I just went close and hit jump to get past them. Rather than have respawning enemies, couldn't the game remember they were dead, and just put several extra enemies into the room to compensate?
Overall, totally awesome and worth every kilobyte, a precious commodity on my small hard drive. Can't wait for 1213 Part 2.