Game News Dungeon Lords won't suck as much as the demo?

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Dungeon Lords; Heuristic Park Inc.

<A href="http://www.rpgdot.com/">RPGDot</a> has a <A href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10077&newsid=37360">new post</a> talking about the recent demo of <A href="http://www.dungeonlordsgame.com/">Dungeon Lords</a> from one of the <A href="http://www.heuristicpark.com/">Heuristic Park</A> developers. Here's a small portion of what was said:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>The game has made a considerable progress since the released demo. While the demo did not represent a final, polished segment of the completed game (which I'm sure most people were expecting), it has turned out to be a pivotal source of information from first-time users, and has provided us with a GREAT list of constructive feedback!
<br>
<br>
We have been hard at work making changes to the game based on the new info, as well as finalizing starting classes (with their skill cost balancing and availability), starting class equipment (including mage/adept spell) etc.
<br>
<br>
We have modified the initial difficulty to make it more friendly to new players while still allowing players to wander into the woods and get some hairier battles if they so desire. The new difficulty modifications will allow people to adjust to the gameworld more gradually without being beset by more foes than they should be able to handle. </blockquote>
<br>
Can I see more than ten feet at night? Because that really pissed me off.
<br>
<br>
Thanks, <b>Dhruin</b>!
<br>

 

[Shagnak]

The dude they have the post of is that same dude, 'Chuk22', who I have been talking about that frequents the DreamCatcher forums, and actually gives some decent feedback.
Have been following the thread for a while, maybe I should have suggested it as 'news'?

Edit: and what is the best way one does this?
Edit2: ignore that. I'm stupid.

 

[Shagnak]

Can I see more than ten feet at night? Because that really pissed me off.

Well, this may help you Saint, but it is hardly a 'fix':

Camping is In! You can now camp at campsites to rest, heal, and refill your magic. Camping also passes time, so you can wait and travel in the day if you wish.

Oh, and several more critical changes to do with spawning - one of the more pain-in-the-arse things in the demo:

Early Difficulty Balancing - New Monsters WILL NOT generate within X range of Simon.

Monster spawn balance starts off more gradual and then gets tougher over time. (the area out by the shacks is still tougher however).

Monsters along the obvious key path are weaker than monsters in the deep woods.

New Monsters WILL NOT generate within X range of Gate Guard. Makes it easier to notice and follow Scorch.

 

[HanoverF]

Any chance for a quote along the lines of

The game will no longer suck horribly and be a waste of money for everyone but Exitium who never pays for anything anyway

?

 

[obediah]

I haven't used office in a long time, but I'm pretty sure if you type in "demo" and "progress", that little paperclip pops up "I see you've released a shit demo, and now you want to do damage control. "

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I haven't used office in a long time, but I'm pretty sure if you type in "demo" and "progress", that little paperclip pops up "I see you've released a shit demo, and now you want to do damage control. "

That's pretty much my guess here too. Anyone ever recall a game where they released a demo that pissed off and annoyed people where a developer didn't say, "Yup, that's pretty much what the game is like. We're sorry."? No, it's always, "But the game will be SO much cooler!"

 

[Dhruin]

I don't think Heuristic Park "released" the demo. Bradley told me last year (after the original demo fell through etc) they didn't plan a demo until after the game release. I think "While the demo did not represent a final, polished segment of the completed game (which I'm sure most people were expecting)" translates to "Dreamcatcher released an old press demo". HP aren't going to slam their publisher, so diplomatic side-stepping is pretty much assured but unavoidable. The German publisher is also seriously pissed at Dreamcatcher, whereas if HP were the driving force, I would think dtp would be fully apprised.

*shrug* FWIW, I think the demo is quite a bit behind current development.

 

[Shagnak]

*shrug* FWIW, I think the demo is quite a bit behind current development.

I that is the case, then it is a bit strange there is all that demo feedback crap going on. It can't be that far different if the "value your feedback" spiel is sincere.
"Yes, we plan to fix that, that other thing has already been changed, and thanks for the feedback we like having our cocks sucked...errr...we value your opinion, and will implement suggested changes".

But I'm open to the idea of it being some elaborate "diplomatic side-stepping".

Either way, it does sound that a heap of things will be changed by the final release. I hope they have time to do some decent QA.

 

[obediah]

Are there any examples of buggy demos this close to gold where the game wasn't buggy at release? Fallout is the only demo I can remember where the damage control (the game is not all combat) wasn't malarky.

If this were Vegas, I'd imagine you get could get at least 100:1 on a polished release in April. But I gues it's academic until they announce the delay or ship the steaming pile.

 

[Shagnak]

Im not certain how often it happens. My gut extinct is "not very often".
Prince of Qin is a good example, though.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Yeah, I was going to say Prince of Qin as well, but Shaggy beat me to it. No more Scooby Snacks for you, Shaggy.

Then again, I think Prince of Qin is the best example of a really awful demo being released and the game being quite good. It's demo was surprisingly worse than the Fallout demo.

 

[Ellester]

Well, hopefully it was the case of what Dhruin said. The game looks like it has potential; hopefully the final release is more polished. But I will definitely take a wait and see approach to this game. If people are bitching that its buggy as hell, then it’s a no buy.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I'm still not getting this game. Why would anyone, when you can get your fix with Guild Wars, which comes out just a week later? Seriously, what the fuck. They're both co-op games but at least Guild Wars is fun, doesn't look like shit, and doesn't have spawning. Hell, even the quests are better. Whining and bitching about Dungeon Lords is like complaining that "Chrome" was going to be a really crappy game with Doom 3 getting released about a week later for the same price.

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

I'll wait for reviews. If they're good, I'll buy. If not, I'll pirate and/or purchase from the bargain bin later.

 

[Deathboy]

Besides being a buggy piece of shit I actually really enjoyed my multiplayer Dungeon Lords experience so hearing that they ironed out all the bugs and really improved game play means this game is going to be a "must have" CRPG experience :!:

 

[space captain]

Did any of you guys try the "cat people" race??? because that was what I chose and I could see at night pretty good

BTW, you could also revive yourself in the demo by pressing "R" ... an unlimited amount of times

but it still sucked a diseased donkey dick

 

[Dhruin]

I'm still not getting this game. Why would anyone, when you can get your fix with Guild Wars, which comes out just a week later? Seriously, what the fuck. They're both co-op games but at least Guild Wars is fun, doesn't look like shit, and doesn't have spawning. Hell, even the quests are better. Whining and bitching about Dungeon Lords is like complaining that "Chrome" was going to be a really crappy game with Doom 3 getting released about a week later for the same price.

Maybe because not everyone shares your Guild Wars fixation or is playing it only for co-op? Guild Wars is an interesting concept and full points to ArenaNet for designing a Diablo 2 for the future but just like D2, I'm not particularly interested in the online play - competitive or coop, which leaves the rest of it looking underwhelming. The graphics are stellar but I don't particularly like the art style - the last character I tried looked like Britney Spears with an anime twist - only wearing even less clothing. I like SP RPGs because I want a story and world crafted around the experience my character will have, not to play a competitive excercise against other players

Based on the evidence there's every chance DL will suck but Guild Wars isn't even in the right genre for me to compare.

 

[Shagnak]

even the quests are better.

I'm assuming that you don't have some warez0red version of the full Dungeon Lords, so will read that as "will undoubtedly be better". :wink:

at least Guild Wars is fun

Likewise, you don't know that DL isn't yet, so will read that as "at least Guild Wars is fun, but I doubt Dungeon Lord will be".

Why would anyone, when you can get your fix with Guild Wars, which comes out just a week later?

A lot of people don't like online games. I am certainly "online game resistant", and won't be playing GW without trying some sort of trial first. Even then, when I am isolated from my internet connection, GW is not an option.
People might also like the visual style of DL more, you never know. I certainly prefer that darker grittier look to the "sharp and pristene" look that GW has (going by the video footage I have seen).
[Edit: "The graphics are stellar but I don't particularly like the art style". Thanks, Dhruin, that is what I am meaning.]

Also, I saw nothing wrong with the graphics as such in the demo, for 800x600 it certainly did not "look shit".

Really, the I think problem with DL will be buggy quests and a badly implemented RT combat system. These two I doubt will be fixable in the time they have, but most of the other common complaints (crappy spawning, difficulty, and so on) should be IMHO. Even then, with some persistence, the combat wasn't too hard to adapt to.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I played the DL demo. Isn't that enough? Don't give me that bullshit about how they 'fixed the game'. In 2 weeks? Please.

For a game to be constrained to a shitty low resolution of 800x600 that looks like complete ass on my monitor is unacceptable, come to mention it. Can't their pathetic engine render at higher resolutions?

 

[Deathboy]

I'm probably gonna get Dungeon Lords over Gulid Wars at least they're promised to fix all the things that sux about DL

 

[Shagnak]

I played the DL demo. Isn't that enough? Don't give me that bullshit about how they 'fixed the game'. In 2 weeks? Please.

Did I say that? I'm pretty sure that I said there were things that I doubted they could fix in time. Maybe you skip what I say in other threads, maybe I'm beneath your haughty perusal filter, but I have always maintained that theyre fixing things a bit late considering the close release date.
Most of the 'easily fixable' things can be fixed in that time, but not everything, and thorough bug testing will surely not be an option.

For a guy who thinks that the demo might be based on the old press-release, it seems strange that you are assessing the final product on this. Have you learned nothing from PoQ?

For a game to be constrained to a shitty low resolution of 800x600 that looks like complete ass on my monitor is unacceptable, come to mention it. Can't their pathetic engine render at higher resolutions?

Err....I though everyone knew that was for the demo only. :

 

[Sol Invictus]

I can't say I've enjoyed any of Bradley's other games.

 

[obediah]

Well this has been on topic long enough...

Speaking of Guild Wars, I lost all interest when they announced their Magic The Gathering -like model of making expansions, booster packs etc. It makes me feel like I'm a piggie bank, anytime they needs some cash, they can just dump a buggy content patch with some uber skill X and everyone buys it. I hate salesmen for the same reason, I hate feeling like I'm being sold something.

Not sure it's rational, just my 2 bits.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

As long as there's a chainmail bikini booster pack, I'm in.

 

[Shagnak]

I can't say I've enjoyed any of Bradley's other games.

Fair enuff. And that's the best reason so far why you shouldn't dive in and buy it without having a good idea if it is a "critical success" or not.

But I have enjoyed his other games.

I have reservations (as indicated), but I'm gonna "give it a punt" as they say.