Game News Age of Decadence December Update

[GarfunkeL]

Jesus Christ how long has AoD been in development? Is it going to copy Duke Nukem Forever and stay in development for 14 years until it comes out and flops like a dead fish in Death Valley?

VD and co have redone the graphics twice now, if my memory serves. The old screenshots are probably still up in Codex gallery and ITS site. In addition to that, VD re-wrote large parts of the game as time passed, again, if I remember correctly. And as stated, they have been doing it part-time and for a long time VD was doing it all alone. Can't remember when Nick joined the team but Oscar joined them in 2009. Or maybe in late 2008?

 

[DragoFireheart]

VD and co have redone the graphics twice now, if my memory serves. The old screenshots are probably still up in Codex gallery and ITS site. In addition to that, VD re-wrote large parts of the game as time passed, again, if I remember correctly. And as stated, they have been doing it part-time and for a long time VD was doing it all alone. Can't remember when Nick joined the team but Oscar joined them in 2009. Or maybe in late 2008?

Well, it's good that they are pacing themselves with it as part time work, but if they think it will go somewhere they should try and sell it to get funding for other game, then go full time as indie developers.

 

[GarfunkeL]

VD will never do that. He has already stated, multiple times, that publishers approached him after the combat demo was released.

 

[DragoFireheart]

VD will never do that.

So his intentions are to simply do this game as a side project only?

 

[GarfunkeL]

No, if I've understood him correctly, he hopes to make money out of it but he doesn't want to surrender creative control and intellectual property to a publisher.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Nobody will pay for the development, so approaching publishers is a moot point. We got several publishing offers precisely because paying for "publishing" only is a relatively small and low risk investment, which is why don't need it.

Yes, the game took a LONG time, but we wanted to make a quality game, which takes time, and we lacked the experience (we had nothing but the enthusiasm), which also took time to build. Now, we're about to release the demo, so soon you'll be able to play, see what all the fuss was about, and bitch about it.

 

[Vault Dweller]

No, if I've understood him correctly, he hopes to make money out of it but he doesn't want to surrender creative control and intellectual property to a publisher.

That goes without saying.

Overall, publishers are the problem and should be avoided like a plague. They've fucked the industry in way more ways than one, and I'd rather go the old-school way about it - you don't ask for money upfront but do your best and see if there is enough people interested in what you have to offer.

 

[Captain Shrek]

Nobody will pay for the development, so approaching publishers is a moot point. We got several publishing offers precisely because paying for "publishing" only is a relatively small and low risk investment, which is why don't need it.

Yes, the game took a LONG time, but we wanted to make a quality game, which takes time, and we lacked the experience (we had nothing but the enthusiasm), which also took time to build. Now, we're about to release the demo, so soon you'll be able to play, see what all the fuss was about, and bitch about it.

 

[covr]

Overall, publishers are the problem and should be avoided like a plague. They've fucked the industry in way more ways than one, and I'd rather go the old-school way about it - you don't ask for money upfront but do your best and see if there is enough people interested in what you have to offer.

In 2006 and 2007 I was very hyped about upcoming release of The Witcher and I remember when they signed a publishing deal with Atari. It was shocked about the publisher's impact on game - according to the CDP forums Atari was unhappy with many things in TW, they have even changed completely GUI and menus in the game and CDP have to accept that.
So, VD approach is right.

 

[Metro]

I don't even know why some indie developers bother with publishers as they do little to nothing and aren't even necessary in the age of digital distribution. The hardest part today is passing Valve's (Steam) certification whatever that entails. AoD is certainly looking like a much better game than a lot of other indie titles on Steam but, then again, they have some wildly varying standards. For the anti-Steam crowd there's always places like Gamer's Gate or simply direct through your own website and having to deal with Paypal or Google Checkout or some other checkout provider. Needless to say the hassle of dealing with that is minor relative to the control and profits you give up by signing with a publisher.

 

[Vault Dweller]

In 2006 and 2007 I was very hyped about upcoming release of The Witcher and I remember when they signed a publishing deal with Atari. It was shocked about the publisher's impact on game - according to the CDP forums Atari was unhappy with many things in TW, they have even changed completely GUI and menus in the game and CDP have to accept that.

Naturally. You start taking someone's money, you will have to accept a whole lotta things. "He who pays the piper calls the tune" is an old bit of wisdom, but some people still think that getting funded means getting plenty of money to do what you want to do without any strings attached.

 

[Gragt]

It worked for John Romero. For a while, anyway.

 

[Melcar]

Wait, wait, wait. So there will be another demo out? Didn't VD say there will be no (or not likely to be) second demo?

 

[Omicron]

First one was the combat demo, the next one will feature the first town and it's quest iirc.

 

[Vault Dweller]

How can there not be a proper demo? The combat demo's purpose was to test the combat system. Now we need to get some feedback on the rest. It has about 30 quests, so hopefully you won't be bored.

Edit: I was often asked if we'd release another combat demo (with the updated mechanics, new attacks, new skill level scale, etc), so that's what the "no second demo" probably referred to. All the combat changes are included in the upcoming demo, of course.

 

[Gragt]

I realise that it's very likely that a significant amount of time will pass between the release of the demo and that of the full game, but will it be possible to export your final save from the demo to the retail game when it's out?

 

[Morgoth]

So when is this retarded and obsolete "game" finally coming out? It's Thursday today, after all.

Not that I'm interested in buying this shit, but I just can't wait for all the amusement going on here once people trash it into the ground and see it as what it really is.

 

[Vault Dweller]

That's some massive butthurt you've got there, Morgoth. What gives, bro? Come, share your feelings. It's not good to keep them bottled up inside.

So, when did you first realize that AoD is retarded and obsolete, and why did it make you so angry? Is there anything we can do, like adding exploding crossbow bolts or katanas, for example, to make it awesome for you?

 

[Morgoth]

...and VD came.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I'm here every day and I was here when you posted, but if you want to pretend that I came here just to read your post, that's cool with me. What other fantasies do you have?

 

[Morgoth]

Knock it off already, loser.

I'm gonna take you serious again when you walk the talk.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Take me "serious" again? Oh boy! I can hardly wait. What a glorious day it will be!

So, what talk am I supposed to walk?

 

[Morgoth]

Are you just the writer on AoD, or also the Project Director? 'cause if it's the latter, you're doing a lousy job.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Constructive criticism! Must be my lucky day!


So, what makes you think that I am doing a lousy job and what advice an authority on management of part-time projects like you can give me?

 

[Morgoth]

Why should I give you advice? You're (hopefully) man enough to make your own decisions...

Jesus.

Even I managed to finish my UT and Quake 3 maps in my old modding days on time.