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Denver, 6:54 PM
Sun Nov 8
18 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/03/09
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And many other very successful games - GTA, MGS, The Sims, etc., are overwhelmingly single player experiences (or have been until recent iterations in the series).
Which is not to say that you're wrong; obviously executives think that multiplayer sells. But it does show that multiplayer will always be a secondary concern if people trust in the quality of the single player experience on offer. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
But I do have a number of gamer friends that insist on it. They just won't try anything without online multiplayer. I bought a copy of Orange Box with a friend of mine after I finally convinced him it was a better deal than buying TF2 only. He never even *installed* Portal or the HL2 episodes. WTF. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
11/03/09
Funny, because it is the same way within games too. "I'm not going to group with him, he's one level below me or is kill shot rate is not high enough.!" #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."
-- Dwight Eisenhower
Even better is to nudge them in the right direction and have them come up with the idea in the first place. When they "own" the idea, the results can be spectacular.
The opposite effect is, if you're asking them to do something they think is dumb, they're also going to think you're dumb and you'll lose their respect. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
MULTIPLAYER, MULTIPLAYER, MULTIPLAYER!!! *chair goes flying*
11/03/09
It would be extremely hard and expensive to make a satisfactory 200-hour single player experience. :)
Even if a developer makes a solid 30 hour campaign, if thats all there is, a user can put that game back on the shelves 3-5 days after it launches. No developer wants to see that. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
I mean...that game just wasn't fun. Even without the poor textures, hard lined animations, poor targeting system and utter lack in any sort of imagination, there was no way this game could of succeed without a complete rebuild of the engine which most likely would take much longer than throwing together a multiplayer.
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Technically a multiplayer portion of your game shouldn't take away from the single player resources if the logistics are handled properly. Some companies even outsource the multiplayer aspect of their game to another developer. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
I can't listen to the podcast at work, but it is a possibility that the multiplayer shoehorn wasn't brought up until well into development, when the dev team probably solidified that it was going to be single-player only? #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
More than likely however I don't know what Publisher thinks that they get more content without more money or time. #theysaiditonapodcast
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11/03/09
There are just some games that shouldn't have multiplayer, but too many executives and marketing types only care about the current hot trend. #theysaiditonapodcast
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You work out a roadmap, meet with publishers, lay down budget, and a year and a half into development you get a call saying, "X Feature has become a huge hit. It must be implemented into the game."
Development takes a long time and in this industry you have to make sure your product has some kind of edge when it comes out.
I used to call it "as you go osmosis". As in, you absorb new features into your game as you're still developing it. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
Such as budgeting time, money, resources, etc. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
Look at the Behemoth. #theysaiditonapodcast
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11/03/09
As lovey dovey as that sounds, if the person giving you $20,000,000 wants multiplayer, you're going to put multiplayer in there.
Now obviously many games should avoid this (im looking at u brutal legend) but at the end of the day, these developers sound just like the line cooks i work with. "Why do we put foie gras on a steak burger?" "because im paying you"
done and done.
Remember, the only true art of an individual comes from only their influence. The second an outside influence is able to make calls, the idea and ability of a piece of art starts to degrade. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
One of the basic principles of game design is that you design for people (in the first place) and not just yourself or your sense of artistic/creative freedom.
Shareholders telling the stranglehold devs to incorporate a multiplayer was very sensible (from their viewpoint). It was even then a growing trend, and thus a potential sound investment.
Plus it should be said that the singleplayer didn't hold up that well anyway. Though of course it always boils down to "the right documents" #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
That's a D-K original.. write that down #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
I *like* Modern Warfare and the fact that it costs $20 million to make it.
I think the bigger lesson here is that like in any business (or creative studio/writing directing team), some people have the talent and the knack for getting things done right.
You probably can't lay blame on any one thing, but clearly this Midway team did not have the ability to produce a product that could create a lasting impact for whatever reason. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
ill let them know that next time i see them, haha #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
If you're a chef that lets himself be insulted over some measly dollars (i know the going rate of squished goose) than you don't take pride in your work.
or
"when money talks, whores listen"
I felt i had to elaborate. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
Trust me, i wouldn't let my intelligence be insulted but sometimes letting an executive chef do his own thing is needed to survive :p.
And the goose is not squished! It lives a wonderful like of force fed corn and grains! which, inturn, basically gives the goose psoriasis of the liver and fattens it up, almost 4x the size of a normal liver...
But it is FUCKING DELICIOUS. Fresh butter cant even touch this shit.
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11/03/09
Do you think anyone questioned Ueda? Suda51?Kojima?Guywho'snotjapanese?
"You probably can't lay blame on any one thing, but clearly this Midway team did not have the ability to produce a product that could create a lasting impact for whatever reason"
I believe this is simply seperating the wheat from the chaff...
Maybe we differ from opinion, but i think that when a developer believes in his idea, feels he truly created a masterpiece, he'd let hell freeze over before he let his "grand score" be tampered with.
Who knows, maybe i'm just young and idealistic. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
ollo? whats the name of that restaurant? that looks absolutely ridicules lol
Pretty interesting how they cooked it. #theysaiditonapodcast
11/03/09
Some in there are definitely NSFW
yugh.. #theysaiditonapodcast
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10/10/09
Ah well, I know they loved doing the show too, and the attention it got them. Hopefully we'll see them start another show like so many other Ziff Davis personalities have done.