223 réponses à ce sujet

[In Exile]

JohnEpler wrote...
We don't want you guys to just buy our game, play for an hour and then put it aside. Yeah, sure, we'll get the sale - but that's not the point, really. We don't want people to buy our games so we can buy gold-plated ponies and jetpacks. We want people to buy our games so we can keep making games. We love what we do, and we want people to play through them and then talk about them afterwards. We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

I can appreciate that sentiment. When I do buy games (this is something very rare for me), I will generally be very engaged with the game. I don't think there has been a game I bought that I haven't replayed at least once, and there are a few games I have replayed a tremendous amount.

To me, especially with game development and the opportunity to have an interactive forum of this sort, you can get a different sot of relationship with the creative team. I tend to build brand loyalty very slowly. In the last decade, I think the number of games I pre-ordered has been around 10 at best. The first Bioware game I pre-ordered was Mass Effect, in large part due to the growing respect I had for Bioware due to KoTOR and JE.

To an extent, I think people look to purchases in different ways. If there is a game I want to try or check out, I will rent it for a console. This is the main utility in a console for me - it effectively allows me to demo the game. In general, if the game is fun enough that I will beat it, I will purchase the game to support the developer. I feel it's unfair not to show my support for their product in that way. But most of these games, I don't really value so highly.

If there is a game whose development I follow, it generally means the game is a lot of fun for me, and just about exactly what I'm looking for in an experience. So at least in regard to the personal feeling expressed, that you want to know that your customers to value the product, well, I do. At least for now. Until you guys drop the ball.

[the_one_54321]

JohnEpler wrote...
We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

That's actually a pretty tough standard to hold yourself to. I think it's only happened to me twice, ever. The endings of DA:O and ME2 were really intense and/or emotional, but I wasn't anywhere near tears.

[nightcobra]

leonia42 wrote...

Gold-plated ponies sound AWESOME. But yeah, just wanted to say, that was a great post, John. The passion ya'll have for your product is practically palpable and that's what gets so many of us excited about trying each and every game you put out. Can't wait to give DA 2 a spin

seconded.

is it just me who is waiting to see more references to monty python on DA2?

[AlanC9]

Jarek_Cousland wrote...

How is it games like Fallout and Elder scrolls get so much money and playtime as opposed to Bioware games?

Because you dont need to play the main story? Thats the only reason I could come up with.

Do they actually get more playtime? I've got no idea how long the average TES player plays the game

[John Epler]

the_one_54321 wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

That's actually a pretty tough standard to hold yourself to. I think it's only happened to me twice, ever. The endings of DA:O and ME2 were really intense and/or emotional, but I wasn't anywhere near tears.

In general, I don't expect everyone to cry. It's meant more of a general idea - I want people to feel emotionally attached to the characters and to what's happening in-game. I realize not everyone's as big of a softie as I am

[the_one_54321]

JohnEpler wrote...

the_one_54321 wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

That's actually a pretty tough standard to hold yourself to. I think it's only happened to me twice, ever. The endings of DA:O and ME2 were really intense and/or emotional, but I wasn't anywhere near tears.

In general, I don't expect everyone to cry. It's meant more of a general idea - I want people to feel emotionally attached to the characters and to what's happening in-game. I realize not everyone's as big of a softie as I am

It's tragic romance that gets me, usually. Most other excellent writing just gets my pulse racing.

[Maconbar]

Liana Nighthawk wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We don't want people to buy our games so we can buy gold-plated ponies and jetpacks.

Clearly, as that would just be silly.

You're never going to get a jetpack that can lift a gold-plated pony.

I wonder if they would be willing to give up their caviar pools and lady pyramids?

[the_one_54321]

Maconbar wrote...

Liana Nighthawk wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We don't want people to buy our games so we can buy gold-plated ponies and jetpacks.

Clearly, as that would just be silly.

You're never going to get a jetpack that can lift a gold-plated pony.

I wonder if they would be willing to give up their caviar pools and lady pyramids?

What about Darth Gaiders fleet of bikini clad fangrls jumping on trampolines? 

[addiction21]

the_one_54321 wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...

the_one_54321 wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

That's actually a pretty tough standard to hold yourself to. I think it's only happened to me twice, ever. The endings of DA:O and ME2 were really intense and/or emotional, but I wasn't anywhere near tears.

In general, I don't expect everyone to cry. It's meant more of a general idea - I want people to feel emotionally attached to the characters and to what's happening in-game. I realize not everyone's as big of a softie as I am

It's tragic romance that gets me, usually. Most other excellent writing just gets my pulse racing.

For me to have shed a tear we would of had to sacrifice Dog at some point.

[Leonia]

Sacrifices we don't have control over make me tear up; the last game that really got me crying was the end of Xenosaga III. Tragic romances fit the bill as well. Also, redemption of characters who fell to the "dark side" is another good one.

[In Exile]

AlanC9 wrote...

Do they actually get more playtime? I've got no idea how long the average TES player plays the game

My guess is that replaying is less of a draw to continue the game in a TES sort of game. So you can explore the game until you exhaust content, draw things out by randomly exploring randomly generated caves and so on, and do it all in one playthrough. That might give you 150hrs of content, but might not reflect anything other than a gamer would would (if interested) play DA:O 3 times.

[MerinTB]

scyphozoa wrote...

I do think people are too quick to assume choices they don't agree with are being made to drive sales, rather than because developers genuinely believe the change is an improvement.

The latter bothers me more than the former.

The former they are looking at the bottom line, making sacrifices to try and make sure the game sells enough copies so they can make another game, etc.

The latter means that their design philosophy diverges from mine, they are making games in the style I like less and less, and therefore there will be less games I'd want to play for me to choose from in the long run.

[Crimson Invictus]

the_one_54321 wrote...

Maconbar wrote...

Liana Nighthawk wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We don't want people to buy our games so we can buy gold-plated ponies and jetpacks.

Clearly, as that would just be silly.

You're never going to get a jetpack that can lift a gold-plated pony.

I wonder if they would be willing to give up their caviar pools and lady pyramids?

What about Darth Gaiders fleet of bikini clad fangrls jumping on trampolines? 

The fact they post here on a regular basis suggests there may have been a certain amount of embellishment at work.

Modifié par Liana Nighthawk, 15 novembre 2010 - 06:26 .

[MerinTB]

JohnEpler wrote...

the_one_54321 wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

That's actually a pretty tough standard to hold yourself to. I think it's only happened to me twice, ever. The endings of DA:O and ME2 were really intense and/or emotional, but I wasn't anywhere near tears.

In general, I don't expect everyone to cry. It's meant more of a general idea - I want people to feel emotionally attached to the characters and to what's happening in-game. I realize not everyone's as big of a softie as I am

Isn't some of the negative reactions that some people are having to DA2 announcements showing just how emotionally attached they were to DA:O?

Can't THAT be an even bigger thrill, even if it comes at the cost of them loving DA:O so much they don't want to see it changed very much (if at all)?

Emotional impact from a game as a whole versus a scene would seem to me a bigger triumph.

Every "I loved DA:O but I won't buy DA2 due to X, Y, and Z" must be at least bittersweet.

[nightcobra]

MerinTB wrote...

scyphozoa wrote...

I do think people are too quick to assume choices they don't agree with are being made to drive sales, rather than because developers genuinely believe the change is an improvement.

The latter bothers me more than the former.

The former they are looking at the bottom line, making sacrifices to try and make sure the game sells enough copies so they can make another game, etc.

The latter means that their design philosophy diverges from mine, they are making games in the style I like less and less, and therefore there will be less games I'd want to play for me to choose from in the long run.

it sure sounds like the latter, only their design philosophy coincides with mine so that makes it all the better deal for me.
some people will like it and some people won't.

Modifié par nightcobra8928, 15 novembre 2010 - 06:27 .

[Stick668]

MerinTB wrote...

Isn't some of the negative reactions that some people are having to DA2 announcements showing just how emotionally attached they were to DA:O?

There's "emotionally attached" and then there's stalking a poor woman (to whom you've never spoken) with binoculars and camphone, writing twelve volumes of poetry exhorting her charms, flying off in a jealous rage if she talks to anyone else, criticizing any changes in hair, make-up or clothing style, insisting you know what's best for her, insisting you know all her likes and dislikes even in the face of evidence to the contrary, squatting outside her apartment at 4 o'clock in the morning peeking through her mailbox and leaving a string of notes that say "If I can't have you, no-one will".

So to speak.

Modifié par Stick668, 15 novembre 2010 - 06:54 .

[Crimson Invictus]

Stick668 wrote...
So to speak.

Not that you'd know or anything.

[Xallah]

JohnEpler wrote...

In general, I don't expect everyone to cry. It's meant more of a general idea - I want people to feel emotionally attached to the characters and to what's happening in-game. I realize not everyone's as big of a softie as I am

I am... I often have wet eyes during the middle of the walkthrough or have a sleepless night, cos I don't what decision to make (for example I'm still not sure whether killing Flemeth is good or not). And not to mention how many times I jump from the sofa because of some spider or something jumping on my character from the ceiling *creepy…*

Anyway, thank you for your passionate speech. It gives hope that everything will be fine with DA2. Something done with passion will always be good )))

Modifié par Xallah, 15 novembre 2010 - 07:32 .

[crimzontearz]

john...you guys want me to play DA2 over and over?



Gimmie NG+ dammit



Lol I kid I kid......but seriously...gimmie

[JrayM16]

crimzontearz wrote...

john...you guys want me to play DA2 over and over?

Gimmie NG+ dammit

Lol I kid I kid......but seriously...gimmie

Seconded.

[Lord Gremlin]

JohnEpler wrote...

the_one_54321 wrote...

JohnEpler wrote...
We want you to go up to your friends and say 'Oh man, did you get to that part yet where that thing happens? I'm going to be honest, I cried like a baby.'

That's actually a pretty tough standard to hold yourself to. I think it's only happened to me twice, ever. The endings of DA:O and ME2 were really intense and/or emotional, but I wasn't anywhere near tears.

In general, I don't expect everyone to cry. It's meant more of a general idea - I want people to feel emotionally attached to the characters and to what's happening in-game. I realize not everyone's as big of a softie as I am

Here's a clue: the only moment in the game that made me actually cry was The Darkness ending. And it was kinda forced on me. In games like DAO... I never feel any regret, because I play as an ****. An evil sociopathic maniac. Kill Connor? Yay! Kill Wynne and Leliana? Awesome! Abandon Redcliff village? Great! I've never sacrificed my Warden.
You offer choice, and as long as you do so you won't make me cry. Ever. Good to know you're not expecting me to cry anyway.
And emotional attachment actually works. Morrigan for example... You know, when I've completed Witch Hunt I clearly understood that I've just been royally gaidered, but I'm still happy with it. I just wish you people delivered more satisfying answers in endings. Like in Jade Empire. Sure, we know Gaider and Evil Mike want our tears of frustration, but could you just buy them a puppy to kick or something?

[JoltDealer]

A huge portion of players who never finish the game are people that start a new game and end up ditching that character for various reasons. I have ditched several characters in ME1, ME2, and DAO simply because they looked ugly or I screwed up their stats at the beginning.

[AtreiyaN7]

Stick668 wrote...

MerinTB wrote...

Isn't some of the negative reactions that some people are having to DA2 announcements showing just how emotionally attached they were to DA:O?

There's "emotionally attached" and then there's stalking a poor woman (to whom you've never spoken) with binoculars and camphone, writing twelve volumes of poetry exhorting her charms, flying off in a jealous rage if she talks to anyone else, criticizing any changes in hair, make-up or clothing style, insisting you know what's best for her, insisting you know all her likes and dislikes even in the face of evidence to the contrary, squatting outside her apartment at 4 o'clock in the morning peeking through her mailbox and leaving a string of notes that say "If I can't have you, no-one will".

So to speak.

Heh, for some reason that brought to mind Vertigo where Jimmy Stewart's character, Scottie, tries to remake Judy (played by Kim Novak) into Madeleine's image. Sidenote: now I kind of a want a pony too, albeit a cute miniature pony instead of a gold-plated one.

EDIT: dang typo!

Modifié par AtreiyaN7, 15 novembre 2010 - 09:49 .

[Archereon]

LOLZAO wrote...

the_one_54321 wrote...

I'm rather stunned that someone would not want to finish these games. The only thing I can think of is too short an attention span.

a friend of mine dind`t finish the game(ME2) cause he says there was too much dialogue and too little action. 

Maybe its just not his cup of tea.  I have a friend who loves Starcraft and Starcraft II, is in the Diamond League for 2v2 and platinum in most others, and thoroughly enjoys shooter games...

But also hates Mass Effect and Dragon Age.