Video Game News and Miscellany
- Thread starter figmentPez
- Start date
GasBandit
Staff member
Apex Legends smells like a disaster in the making.
Highlights from the article:
Yes, it's YET ANOTHER Battle Royale shooter.
It's set in the titanfall universe.
But there's no wall running or giant robots, so is it REALLY?
Plays like "TF2 but slower."
Only one map.
Apparently no new ideas.
Microtransactions galore.
Highlights from the article:
Yes, it's YET ANOTHER Battle Royale shooter.
It's set in the titanfall universe.
But there's no wall running or giant robots, so is it REALLY?
Plays like "TF2 but slower."
Only one map.
Apparently no new ideas.
Microtransactions galore.
GasBandit
Staff member
Well, I can forgive microtransactions in a free game, which Apex Legends is. But yeah, fuck AAA $60 games that are glorified storefronts.
I was watching streamer Pink Sparkles play that last night. It looked like a worse version of PUBG but with a high tech skin overlayed.
Fundamentally, the problem here is that marketing executives have too much influence over games design, so everytime there is a "hot new thing", they scramble to make their own version... 2 years later, as the fad is dying.
Fortnite might be just another copy of a genre someone else created, but it at least came out with some speed and was different enough from PUBG that it could stand out. Apex Legends doesn't have that.
The worst part of all this though? The marketing team is going to look at the poor sales numbers and go "Welp... PC gaming must be dead because we did everything right." Again.
Fortnite might be just another copy of a genre someone else created, but it at least came out with some speed and was different enough from PUBG that it could stand out. Apex Legends doesn't have that.
The worst part of all this though? The marketing team is going to look at the poor sales numbers and go "Welp... PC gaming must be dead because we did everything right." Again.
EA releases latest financial report. (PDF)
tl;dr: “We were already expecting lower results, but not this low.”
—Patrick
tl;dr: “We were already expecting lower results, but not this low.”
—Patrick
CD Projekt will reportedly offer additional royalties to The Witcher author
Copy/pasting my comment from the article:
As a writer, myself, I guess I look at this situation from another perspective. If the character and world I created in my first two novels was adapted, I probably wouldn't expect it to sell well. I'd probably take the flat fee up front.
However, if they became a bigger success than either myself or the developer, I'd at least try to see some compensation for that. Not necessarily for the money, but as a token acknowledgement. Without my work, the adaptations wouldn't exist.
Has Sapkowski been unprofessional? Sure. But I can see where he's coming from. Unless your name is Stephen King or something, very few writers make a great deal of money. I'm sure his books sell well enough, and saw an uptick in sales because of the games, but they're another fantasy series on the shelf with a LOT of others. His books might sell better because of the games, but the games exist because of those books. If I were CD Projeckt Red, I'd at least say, "Yes, here. As thanks."
They're not obligated and I don't think the writer is entitled to it, but I think it would be more a token of appreciation.
Copy/pasting my comment from the article:
As a writer, myself, I guess I look at this situation from another perspective. If the character and world I created in my first two novels was adapted, I probably wouldn't expect it to sell well. I'd probably take the flat fee up front.
However, if they became a bigger success than either myself or the developer, I'd at least try to see some compensation for that. Not necessarily for the money, but as a token acknowledgement. Without my work, the adaptations wouldn't exist.
Has Sapkowski been unprofessional? Sure. But I can see where he's coming from. Unless your name is Stephen King or something, very few writers make a great deal of money. I'm sure his books sell well enough, and saw an uptick in sales because of the games, but they're another fantasy series on the shelf with a LOT of others. His books might sell better because of the games, but the games exist because of those books. If I were CD Projeckt Red, I'd at least say, "Yes, here. As thanks."
They're not obligated and I don't think the writer is entitled to it, but I think it would be more a token of appreciation.
GasBandit
Staff member
Via Bluesnews, in case anyone is ever wondering why there was no L4D3
A new video titled What Happened to Left 4 Dead 3 attempts to answer this question about the co-op zombie shooter sequel. The clip is the latest output of the Valve News Network, devoted to divining the mysteries of what Valve is doing to make up for the company's Sphinx-like communication skills. In this case, that tight-lipped nature means the game was never announced in the first place, so they first must recap all the leaks and other evidence that a third Left 4 Dead game was actually in the works. They also have details on what the new game was like, noting that gameplay was so different from the first two L4D games that it probably would have carried an entirely different title to avoid upsetting fans. This involved impactful character choices, a branching storyline, and asymmetrical multiplayer that mixed players using traditional monitors with those using virtual reality. Their understanding is that sometime in late 2016, early 2017 the project caused a split in the company between those who wanted L4D3 (or whatever they would have called it) to be the first true showcase game for Source Engine 2 and those who just wanted to, like so many other developers, just use Epic's Unreal Engine. The argument against completing Source 2 was that even if they put in the time and effort required to finish the new version of the game engine, it would still be so poorly optimized that the game would be too bloated to release on consoles. Word is this engine choice conundrum was the game's undoing, as no consensus could be found: "It's done. No one's working on it. They couldn't reach an agreement. And so the entire game just fell apart due to lack of any kind of help on this version of the game." Here's the sad conclusion they draw: "But Left 4 Dead 3 was cancelled in late 2016 or early 2017 because the team couldn't make a decision on exactly what engine they were going to continue developing. And so an almost finished game, only needing the final pass of art and voice acting, was cancelled, and never to be seen again. That sucks."
Me: It does suck, but the hurt is somewhat assuaged by the fact that Vermintide and (even moreso) Vermintide 2 stepped up to fill the void.
A new video titled What Happened to Left 4 Dead 3 attempts to answer this question about the co-op zombie shooter sequel. The clip is the latest output of the Valve News Network, devoted to divining the mysteries of what Valve is doing to make up for the company's Sphinx-like communication skills. In this case, that tight-lipped nature means the game was never announced in the first place, so they first must recap all the leaks and other evidence that a third Left 4 Dead game was actually in the works. They also have details on what the new game was like, noting that gameplay was so different from the first two L4D games that it probably would have carried an entirely different title to avoid upsetting fans. This involved impactful character choices, a branching storyline, and asymmetrical multiplayer that mixed players using traditional monitors with those using virtual reality. Their understanding is that sometime in late 2016, early 2017 the project caused a split in the company between those who wanted L4D3 (or whatever they would have called it) to be the first true showcase game for Source Engine 2 and those who just wanted to, like so many other developers, just use Epic's Unreal Engine. The argument against completing Source 2 was that even if they put in the time and effort required to finish the new version of the game engine, it would still be so poorly optimized that the game would be too bloated to release on consoles. Word is this engine choice conundrum was the game's undoing, as no consensus could be found: "It's done. No one's working on it. They couldn't reach an agreement. And so the entire game just fell apart due to lack of any kind of help on this version of the game." Here's the sad conclusion they draw: "But Left 4 Dead 3 was cancelled in late 2016 or early 2017 because the team couldn't make a decision on exactly what engine they were going to continue developing. And so an almost finished game, only needing the final pass of art and voice acting, was cancelled, and never to be seen again. That sucks."
Me: It does suck, but the hurt is somewhat assuaged by the fact that Vermintide and (even moreso) Vermintide 2 stepped up to fill the void.
Seems like Valve's open office environment is why little development happens anymore. Same as Half-Life 3 (or HL2: Episode 3): not enough team members want to do it, so it just doesn't happen.
I don't even know what they do there on a daily basis. Maintaining online games like TF2 and Dota 2? Creating little bits of new content for those games?
It's sad because I really like Valve's single player games. They play test the hell out of them, taking tester's feedback with strong consideration until the final product is incredibly well polished.
I don't even know what they do there on a daily basis. Maintaining online games like TF2 and Dota 2? Creating little bits of new content for those games?
It's sad because I really like Valve's single player games. They play test the hell out of them, taking tester's feedback with strong consideration until the final product is incredibly well polished.
Gaming Wildlife put it best: "Valve. We don't make games. We make money."
It seems like they need some overall leadership and an executive position to say "No, this is what we're doing now, get to work on it," so they can actually move forward on things.
GasBandit
Staff member
As a consumer, yes.
As a tech sector officeworker, I fucking DREAM of working where I don't actually have to do anything quantifiable
Maybe the inmates are running that particular asylum, and as long as the steam gravy train keeps printing money, nothing's gonna change.
figmentPez
Staff member
Developing Valve's VR systems, finalizing design and coordinating production of the new Knuckle controllers, integration of Steam and VR, working out distribution of Valve hardware in the US and EU, trying to work out hardware distribution into other countries, dealing with the ever changing legal restrictions on various forms of DLC, revamping the Big Picture interface, working on Steam as a whole and how games are distributed/stored/installed/etc, developing the Steam Link app (Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi, etc.), continued work developing Steam Input, trying to put out the fire that was the crash and burn of Artifact, and hopefully early design for the Steam Controller 2.
There really isn't a lack of things going on a Valve. Not even a lack of programming work. Just very little of it is stand-alone game content that the public sees.
It really feels like Valve is preparing for an eventual life Post-Steam; a consumer friendly VR system with a big name Valve game in it sounds like the way to go, especially with their current focuses.
You're not fooling anyone, Gabe Newell! We know that's you!
(Kidding. That's a good, detailed answer. Though sparse on any game development, which is more my point on this.)
Some other reviews are liking Apex Legends for a) not Fortnite, and b) voice chat unnecessary.
I've only played a couple of rounds, but it looks interesting. If you're running an AMD GPU, it's suggested you update to the new 19.2.1 drivers, which has some extra optimizations for the game.
I've only played a couple of rounds, but it looks interesting. If you're running an AMD GPU, it's suggested you update to the new 19.2.1 drivers, which has some extra optimizations for the game.
figmentPez
Staff member
Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Planescape: Torment are coming to consoles in 2019
WUT? I'm rather curious about how they're going to pull off gamepad controls.
WUT? I'm rather curious about how they're going to pull off gamepad controls.
Some combination of Diablo III's system with auto-lock on objects and people, I assume.
GasBandit
Staff member
Welllll about that...
Jim Ryan, the Sony Executive Who Once Questioned Backward Compatibility, Is PlayStation's New President.
So I guess unless Japan forces it on him on high, backwards compatibility has a very formidable opponent in Sony upper management.
I wouldn't be surprised if Sony forced it on him. Re-doing Playstation Classics every generation has to be time consuming and resource intensive, especially for something that isn't a HUGE seller. It would honestly be better to just sell the Playstation emulation program for 60 bucks and let people use that in their PS5 to do old games. Not doing it at all isn't an option as long as Nintendo keeps re-selling it's classics.
Blizzard only made 100 million beyond expectations last year, so they're firing 800 people.
"In a press release to investors this afternoon, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick wrote: 'While our financial results for 2018 were the best in our history, we didn’t realize our full potential.'"
Get fucked, Kotick. You just ruined 800 peoples' lives because you only made a fuckton of money, not a mega fuckton of money.
figmentPez
Staff member
Trickle-down economics!