What are you playing now? [2007-2018]

[aaronspink]

So aside from the hundreds of hours spent making/playing/testing your game, you're also whoring the game out after its completion in your free time?!

Anyway I was wondering what are the general feelings on your side of the fence about Steam? Is it well liked on the publisher/developer side of the equation?

It seems to at least be gaining momentum with recent news like FO3: New Vegas is using steamworks. And actually going a bit beyond that, the retail game media is just a steam download package on discs similar to the various HL/TF2/etc retail packages.. It will be interesting if Id goes steamworks for RAGE since it seems every other Bethesda title is now going to use steamworks (Brink/FO3:NV/etc).

Humus said that they were encouraged to use steamworks by ubisoft as well.

And right now I don't see why a dev wouldn't use steamworks as very thing I've seen makes it look like steamworks is effectively free.

 

[Humus]

So aside from the hundreds of hours spent making/playing/testing your game, you're also whoring the game out after its completion in your free time?!

Well, you do get an emotional attachment to your own game, but even ignoring that, I actually just like the game. I really liked the original too, despite a whole range of shortcomings. To be honest, during development I didn't actually "play the game" so much. I know many others were tired of the game at release and barely played more than just the first missions or so when they got their copies, but it's different I guess if you're doing graphics like me, or if you do for instance player mechanics or design missions, and I certainly think the QA people are excused if they were a little bored of the game by the time it was released.

Anyway I was wondering what are the general feelings on your side of the fence about Steam? Is it well liked on the publisher/developer side of the equation?

Well, given that it was Eidos decision to go with Steam I think publishers probably like it. Personally I like Steam, although I have to say that it's far from as polished experience on the developer side as it is on the end user side. Their tools kind of suck. Building the DVD image takes about 15-20 minutes, and crashes about two times out of three. With experience we learned that during the build, you just have to close all other applications and not touch the computer during the time it's working. And never ever click the Steam window during the build, that will always crash it. The Steamworks API for in-game features is generally stable, simple and works nicely, but anything related to depots and game builds is a bit of a mess.

I've got 101hrs in and ~82% -- been holding off on the last missions of the game, although I really can't say why. The 50-man trample with just the guns + ammo you've got on you is HARD to do

Yeah, it's a bit hard. I had to consult the internet myself to get that one. This is what I did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83P-WEqANK8

On my first attempt I fouled up after like 30 guys, but on second attempt I succeeded.

Humus said that they were encouraged to use steamworks by ubisoft as well.

Ubisoft? Eidos / Square Enix

Anyway, it's not just "encourage". It's up to the publisher to decide where to publish the game.

 

[Squilliam]

It seems to at least be gaining momentum with recent news like FO3: New Vegas is using steamworks. And actually going a bit beyond that, the retail game media is just a steam download package on discs similar to the various HL/TF2/etc retail packages.. It will be interesting if Id goes steamworks for RAGE since it seems every other Bethesda title is now going to use steamworks (Brink/FO3:NV/etc).

It sounds very pervasive! Steam can only grow bigger from this. I wonder if its a change in publishing strategy to essentially push everyone and that includes retail sales onto a digital distribution platform.

And right now I don't see why a dev wouldn't use steamworks as very thing I've seen makes it look like steamworks is effectively free.

Does Steamworks prevent more than one Steam account from activating a game? I always share my copy of Civilization with a friend, so its an important point for me at least.

Well, given that it was Eidos decision to go with Steam I think publishers probably like it. Personally I like Steam, although I have to say that it's far from as polished experience on the developer side as it is on the end user side. Their tools kind of suck. Building the DVD image takes about 15-20 minutes, and crashes about two times out of three. With experience we learned that during the build, you just have to close all other applications and not touch the computer during the time it's working. And never ever click the Steam window during the build, that will always crash it. The Steamworks API for in-game features is generally stable, simple and works nicely, but anything related to depots and game builds is a bit of a mess.

That does sound like a mess! I hope Valve gets that up to speed pronto! Btw how much work is it to start to take advantage of their cloud saving system? Thats always been something of interest to me since I have Steam on about 4 computers with varying configurations and quite honestly its a PITA trying to remember which PC I have which saved game file on!

Btw can you tell us why publishers are so sketchy about posting sales figures for their products? Have you recieved any answers from your end which explains why games are unlike movies/music in lacking any real sales aggregation?

 

[Humus]

Does Steamworks prevent more than one Steam account from activating a game? I always share my copy of Civilization with a friend, so its an important point for me at least.

Yeah. Any game you buy gets directly connected to your account.

Btw how much work is it to start to take advantage of their cloud saving system?

I implemented that in matters of hours. It's a very simple API.

Btw can you tell us why publishers are so sketchy about posting sales figures for their products?

Not really. I have no clue.

 

[Davros]

Well, given that it was Eidos decision to go with Steam I think publishers probably like it.

I bet they do
Eidos "hello steam publish and distribute this game for us tnx..."

Tell me why are they they earning money from your game again......

ps: just finished The suffering as its free why aren't you playing this game ?

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I bet they do
Eidos "hello steam publish and distribute this game for us tnx..."

Tell me why are they they earning money from your game again......

ps: just finished The suffering as its free why aren't you playing this game ?

Heh, because Valve only publishes Valve games, but distribute other's games.

Eidos was still the one that published (and thus fronted the money for developement) of the game.

Regards,
SB

 

[aaronspink]

I bet they do
Eidos "hello steam publish and distribute this game for us tnx..."

Tell me why are they they earning money from your game again......

Likely because they put in a good chunk of money to fund the game. There are very few studios with the financial nest egg to self fund game development. In fact, its on the order of less than you can count on your fingers. The only one I know of for sure is Valve. And in that case it could be argued that Valve is no longer your traditional game development studio. Some people might say blizzard, but the truth is that blizzard hasn't been an independent studio in forever.

Publishers in today's game world really are akin to producers in the film industry in that they provide the financial backing for the game to be produced.

 

[Davros]

Just finished Nolf 2, may decide on a run through of nolf 1, never bought contract jack because I heard it was just like nolf with all the good bits removed

 

[banksie]

Playing Alpha Protocol. The reviews paint this generally as a bit of a disaster and to be fair it has some rough edges that need work. But I can't remember another game in recent history that has been so villified by reviews so unjustly. It seems many reviewers expected this game, being a third person perspective game, to handle very like Gears of War. It has the same-ish cover dynamic but the combat mechanics are definitely not about instantly accurate gunfire with visceral graphical effects.

Alpha Protocol is much cleaner and harks back a generation or two. Enemy bodies disappear in fairly short order and the AI is functional if occasionally glitchy and does not get overly in your face aggressive. (At least thus far - just made it to Moscow) If you try to run and gun, especially at the beginning, you will die horribly as you run out of ammo. But take the time to get into cover, aim your shots rather than just spamming and things get done. It is a more tactical and methodical style instead of balls to walls action.

My play through I am taking a recruit in who is focused on Pistols, Stealth and Sabotage. Now that I have Awareness active all the time and Evasion to let me recover from the odd mistake I have been feeling like the spy I am meant to be. Sneaking in, tranquilising as many henchmen as I can and grabbing all the data I can while still getting the job done.

But where Alpha Protocol shines is the choices offered and their consequences. Early on in the game, so this doesn't spoil much, you get to track down an arms dealer. Once you catch him you can kill him (which stops the flow of arms both for you and your enemies as well as giving you intimidation through your reputation), arrest him (which is much like kill him but makes future contacts very wary of talking to you) or extort him (which gives you money, a discount on weapons and a lead on the bigger fish you are after but keeps arms flowing to your enemies.). These choices have flow on consequences through the whole game - other characters comment on the choice I made to extort and the effects it has had. This is just one example and there are many other choices to make that have long flow on effects.

It is seriously cool to see in action letting you pick a role and play it. If you want to be the more Bauer style psychopath you can, the game even tracks the total number of Orphans you have created... Certainly you will be feared as the killer you are. Or a path in between which is a little more suave - looking forward to trying that. Indeed I earned a perk of limited bloodshed because I have been trying to avoid killing as much as possible but if things go bad I will shoot my way out.

Being able to do that kind of role playing with decent choice and consequence far outshines the issues of mildly clunky combat and UI missteps with both the general game interface and mini-games.

If you like games like Deus Ex (which had similarly clunky combat mechanics) or Vampire the Masquerade : Bloodlines then this game is well worth checking out.

 

[Sobek]

That sounds fantastic... I've been meaning to get Alpha Protocol, but I think what you've described about seals the deal for me.

 

[Kyyla]

I can pretty much agree with banksie here, a good game.

 

[banksie]

I can pretty much agree with banksie here, a good game.

Glad to hear it isn't just me enjoying the game.

Just made it through most of Moscow, need to complete one more mission with Surkov and then perhaps investigate a trainyard. Decided to gad over to Taipei for a bit and get a feel for the place. Currently dealing with a shifty businessman who just happens to want me to do some dirty work for him. Wonder if I can get some blackmail evidence on him from it...

Tips for the less bloodthirsty. Try to do stealth takedowns as much as possible rather than using tranquiliser ammunition. At $5000 for twelve bullets the stuff costs a storm to replace so you want to be sparing with it.

Also it is wrong that I feel so dirty and unclean about the fact that Leland is starting to like/respect me. *shiver* Do hope I get the chance to put a round in that one.

 

[Rodéric]

Should start playing Mass Effect 2 (and maybe try the 1st) soon.

 

[findhorn_elves]

Plant vs. Zombies

haven't found a mmo game yet that suite my taste. Any suggestions?

Newbie BTW!

 

[KimB]

Plant vs. Zombies

haven't found a mmo game yet that suite my taste. Any suggestions?

Newbie BTW!

Well, can't really suggest anything without knowing your tastes

 

[BRiT]

haven't found a mmo game yet that suite my taste. Any suggestions?

World of WhoreCraft

 

[Ethatron]

Magic DotP, nice made although a bit (cough) buggy.

 

[neliz]

Magic DotP, nice made although a bit (cough) buggy.

better than the 360 version? I don't want another cardboard crack addiction...

 

[Ethatron]

better than the 360 version? I don't want another cardboard crack addiction...

I don't know the 360 version, but I assume it's only a port from what I've read. And it can be played with controller. The AI is rather strong (well I play on hardest setting) and online play is fun, but the entire thing has severe threading-problems, you can't have even ultra-low priority calculations running in the background, it will hog down the 3D-pipeline.

 

[tabs]

I'm also playing Magic: Duels of the Planewalkers at the moment. I almost didn't bother after reading the vitriol on the Steam forums about the game but I'm glad I bought it.

I've never played a card battle game before so I can't really compare it to anything. It's quite addictive, but also fairly random. Tactics are important, but often it really doesn't matter how good you are becuase your deck order just sucks. It can be quite frustrating, but the gameplay is good enough that I keep wanting another go.

Sadly though the games I win are not always enjoyable either. Just as the deck can go against you it can go against your opponent. Easy wins make me feel as though I've just wasted 10 minutes rather than achieved something (yeah, I know.. ). However, the good battles keep me coming back.

My partner likes it too, whether watching or playing COOP where she can use the 360 controller and I can stick to the mouse and keys.

All in all, worth the £7 or so I paid for it.