Editorial Jeff Vogel is getting old

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Avernum: Escape from the Pit; Spiderweb Software

<p>A condition that's probably going to get worse over the years. In the meantime <a href="http://jeff-vogel.blogspot.com/2011/12/avernum-escape-from-pit-is-out.html" target="_blank">he blogs</a> about <strong>Avernum: Escape from the Pits</strong>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>Since 1995, my work has gotten a lot tighter, more controlled, and generally less eccentric. This has been both good and bad. It's also unavoidable. I'm older and more experienced now, and that sort of fresh, unfocused enthusiasm is just not available to me anymore. I still write good games (or, at least, games that sell), but my changing tastes and increasing age have made me unable to do some things and more able to do certain new things.</span><br /><br /><span>For example, if you tried Avadon: The Black Fortress and didn't like it, I'm sorry. That is the sort of game I write now. This will change. Five years from now, I'll do something entirely different. (I really, really want to return to open-ended non-linear games at least once before I retire.) But for now, that's it. If you hate my new games, then there is nothing I can do about that.</span><br /><br /><span>But, if you don't like the new stuff, I suggest trying Avernum. It's old-school, and it's really neat. I hope you like it.</span></p>
</blockquote>

 

[EG]

Butthurt detected.

He does not like us, does he?

 

[Haba]

Don't worry, we don't like him either. So it is all right.

 

[Morkar Left]

At least it sounds honest. Something I appreciate

 

[Azrael the cat]

At least it sounds honest. Something I appreciate

Seconded. And as a big fan of the Geneforge series, it's the first time that his blog comments have indicated that he finally gets where we're coming from ('we're' = the folks who loved Generforge or Avernum series, because we actually preferred Vogel's design style to early Bioware et al, hence were always going to be dissapointed by a 'BG2 with reasonable turn-based combat') - i.e. that we were criticising Avadon compared to his own previous games and ability, rather than criticising it compared to Skyrim/DA2 and the crap that fills the non-indie scene. And, most importantly, that it really was a substantial genre shift away from both the openness of Avernum and the amazing C+C of later Geneforge (and openness, but of a different kind - one player's quest hub might be another's dungeon, and yet another player's stealth/tech-assassination mission, depending on factional allegiences as well as character build).

 

[Serious_Business]

I love to hear about his unenthusiasm and how much he's tired and disgusted with something I assume many kids would consider the ideal job

Being an indie developer is a great opportunity to be creative and release 6 sequels to a franchise in a 2 years span

 

[OSK]

Well, let's hope for another Geneforge before he retires.

 

[Luzur]

he wants to make facebook games, doesnt he?

bastard.

 

[Flatlander]

Skyrim has provided a fresh reminder of how much people love a huge, sprawling world full of details, cul-de-sacs, and side quests to get lost in.

Translation:

Also,

OpenGL prevents app switching when played in full screen mode. I can't do anything about this, I'm afraid. Play in a window to switch apps.

Apple fags.

 

[DakaSha]

I really hate this guy. sorry

 

[thesheeep]

Also,

OpenGL prevents app switching when played in full screen mode. I can't do anything about this, I'm afraid. Play in a window to switch apps.

Bullshit. I've played and tabbed around with more than enough games using OpenGL to know that you can (and have to) react to losing the rendering device.
But then, I'm using windows, maybe things are different on a mac, but I doubt it.

Like any old coder, he is just stuck in his way. That's my guess...

 

[Excidium]

I love to hear about his unenthusiasm and how much he's tired and disgusted with something I assume many kids would consider the ideal job

Being an indie developer is a great opportunity to be creative and release 6 sequels to a franchise in a 2 years span

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

I love to hear about his unenthusiasm and how much he's tired and disgusted with something I assume many kids would consider the ideal job

Being an indie developer is a great opportunity to be creative and release 6 sequels to a franchise in a 2 years span

 

[Flatlander]

Like any old coder, he is just stuck in his way. That's my guess...

Could be, a little googling suggests that it should be possible. I mean, it even works with Linux, occasionally...

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

No. Money is the final blow to the artist.
The ignoble imperative of the stomach is what puts most of those who have a true creative drive in total slavery to necessity in the first place.

And intellectual dishonesty and cognitive dissonance do the rest on the artist's self image.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

No. Money is the final blow to the artist.
The ignoble imperative of the stomach is what puts most of those who have a true creative drive in total slavery to necessity in the first place.

And intellectual dishonesty and cognitive dissonance do the rest on the artist's self image.

 

[Davaris]

I wonder how he feels about Minecraft. The Swedish dude made Minecraft in one week only, on a whim at that. I don't even think he was working full time on it. The graphics are utterly shit. There is hardly any animation. No dialogue, no quests, no nothing.

And yet, a few months ago he had made $33 Million in a span of a couple of months. And his sales were actually increasing at that time.

They employed what is known as the purple cow strategy. Make something that is like nothing else out there. Turn your weaknesses into a strength.

Copying Minecraft, will not make Vogel a lot of money. Lots of people are copying Minecraft now.

Yeah, I bet Vogel is really, really pissed at the Swedish dude. Honestly, why doesn't he just take a week to make a Minecraft copy with his own spin on some shit? He could make a couple of million if he is lucky? Even if he doesn't, he only looses a week of his time.

Not half as mad as Zachtronics must be at themselves. Minecraft is a clone of Infiniminer.

http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Infiniminer

 

[EG]

But MineCraft copied . . . Sadly, Notch spent many months to get as primitive a game as MineCraft ...


Oh the hell with it.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

Shut the fuck up noob

Ya talkin' to me?

 

[Wunderpurps]

Makes me feel bad for him but I don't see why he cares so much what the codex thinks. Ipad owners who somehow stumble upon the dex will take one look at the color scheme and shit their pants.

 

[Johnny the Mule]

I think he makes the most shittiest, dumbest games around.
They are ugly. Written by a dumb hack and Christ, the combat could not suck any more. Its a massive fail on all fronts. Its Oblivion in turnbased...

 

[DakaSha]

Shut the fuck up noob

Ya talkin' to me?

He may be a kool kredit wanting newfag (as myself) but i pretty much thought the same thing

 

[Wunderpurps]

Kool Kredits++

edit: the kool kredits are for calling someone newfag and/or troll. Extra kool kreds if he had pinned it on some poster from 3 years ago no one gives a fuck about and probably died of drug overdose in a whorehouse.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

Can't say that I like the change, but Vogel at least seems like one of the most decent game devs I know. If he stops by I'll buy him a beer.

 

[BLOBERT]

BROS LOLLOLOOL GIVE THE MOTHERFUCKER A BREAK HE HAS BEEN MAKING GAMES BEFORE MOST HERE STARTED PLAYING RPGS IE LAST YEAR