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Development Info Gamedec Dev Diary: Introducing Harvest Time

Joined
Feb 8, 2020
Messages
387
First 10 seconds of the video: "you are an investigator, solving cybercrimes in virtual worlds"

Most comments: "lul, what is this about? Farming simulator? Too deep for me. Give combat."
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
15,398
Once you find Stan you will learn what the problem is and you will be asked to help him.

wonder if its Kenny related. At least i hope there is NOT any platforming..



or....

 
Last edited:

Matt [Anshar Studios]

Anshar Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
61
Hello, glad to be brought here :)

I can see there's a lot of confusion right now. Some of you see this game for the first time, so let's start with the reveal trailer: https://youtu.be/gPFEVGfM1ZE

You're a game detective in a 22nd-century world, where nature blocked people from going outside the cities, so many of them spend free time in virtual worlds where they can do whatever they want. There are multiple worlds, each of them is unique, each of them covers different topic/theme/genre. You've never seen the sun or a cow, like planting crops or trees? Harvest Time can let you do that.

The main location is Warsaw City, and the dark part of it is called Low City [dev diary #1: https://youtu.be/reLal0eWLYU and the extended world description: https://youtu.be/dU7YKtAQrlY]

We have a little surprise coming to you in March and I think many of you will like the next material as it's more dark and grim.

What we wanted to show you is a virtual world which might look like a light and fun f2p game, but was ruined by people's greed and lootboxes. People play the game, but some of them treat it like a second job, earning virtual coins, selling properties just to get another cow and level up faster. Addiction and greed is not the best combination to go with.

Virtual worlds [Sensory Worlds to be precise] basically means the VR games people in Warsaw City choose to play.

Gamedec is a really bad name, for anything.

As for the name, we clarified it a couple of times - the game is based on a series of books, so we decided to go with it.

Lootboxes....

There are no lootboxes in Gamedec. There are lootboxes in a virtual world of Harvest Time, where our character goes to solve another case.

In the video they're talking like they've reconstructed a Farmville game in its entirety and expect players to interact with it like a Farmville game, doing chores for in-game currency (what do you call the currency of a game within a game, in-game-in-game currency?).

You can do it, but you don't have to. The Harvest Time currency can be used to f.e. [I'm making this stuff up just to give you an example] find more clues, bribe someone or unlock additional dialogue options. We also have Aspects [they work like feats], so if you're f.e. "rich", people who are also rich will be more willing to speak with you and not treat you like trash. This is a system game, where options and mechanics are meant to create a unique experience for the player.

And it's an RPG? MMO?

Gamedec is an isometric cyberpunk-themed RPG. Harvest Time is a virtual world where people of 22nd Warsaw City can get into, and it's a F2P farm game with an endless grind.

What do I see instead, dude goes to play cyber-farmville.

Dude is sent to solve a case and discovers that something is fishy. People are dying of exhaustion and some people are getting rich too fast to not make it suspicious. We're sent there to investigate.

One thing's for sure: there's not much in terms for combat here.

We want you to know that there won't be any combat/turn combat in Gamedec. That doesn't mean the game won't get violent or your actions won't cause someone's death. In fact, you can easily fail while investigating leaving someone dead [f.e. trying to get someone off the virtual world without logging him off might cause him to be brain damaged].

And how many games are we going to visit in Gamedec?

We have a couple of worlds in mind. I can assure you, that Harvest Time and Low City are not the only places you can visit in this game. More on it in March.

Your feedback is valid and we will think about making things even more clear next time, although, to be honest, we thought we were very clear with the message in this dev diary. If you have more feedback, please don't hesitate to share.

If you're interested in the game or just feel confused, there are a couple of threads on this forum where we already cleared some aspects of the game :) I'm here if you have any more questions.
 

KeighnMcDeath

RPG Codex Boomer
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
15,398
Its funny that some of the people i communicate with online with have never been in a rural or suburb area. I love the colors and neon of the city (as IRL all i ever see is rural farms). There must be moo to life for me (and dirty dark cyber cities are enticing).
 

Matt [Anshar Studios]

Anshar Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
61
To be honest, we started thinking about Gamedec a couple of years ago, and since the preproduction, we never wanted to implement combat. So it's not like we were influenced by the game released a couple of months ago :)
 

Matt [Anshar Studios]

Anshar Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
61
luj1 I don't think that's a relative question. We're not trying to copy anyone or to look for references from the past - however, we understand that many of you expect an RPG to have a combat system and you have every right to do so - that's how you like to play them and that's how you got used to.

We want Gamedec to be like pen and paper sessions go digital - I don't know how you like to roleplay, but I always look for opportunities to avoid fighting and persuade my way to complete the scenario. That's why I liked Outer Worlds - with a good build I could finish the game without fighting [https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/8/2...lds-pacifism-supernova-kill-everyone-obsidian].

As the RPG suggests, It's about roleplaying, not necessarily fighting my way out. I don't think combat would be narrative-wise in terms of Gamedec. Marcin Przybyłek, the author of the books don't like that idea too - he says, that a gun is always an easy solution: "You have a problem, here's a gun, shoot the guy, problem solved". Marcin prefers Gamedecs to use their intellect and deduction to solve cases.
 

Grauken

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 22, 2013
Messages
13,153
luj1 I don't think that's a relative question. We're not trying to copy anyone or to look for references from the past - however, we understand that many of you expect an RPG to have a combat system and you have every right to do so - that's how you like to play them and that's how you got used to.

We want Gamedec to be like pen and paper sessions go digital - I don't know how you like to roleplay, but I always look for opportunities to avoid fighting and persuade my way to complete the scenario. That's why I liked Outer Worlds - with a good build I could finish the game without fighting [https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/8/2...lds-pacifism-supernova-kill-everyone-obsidian].

As the RPG suggests, It's about roleplaying, not necessarily fighting my way out. I don't think combat would be narrative-wise in terms of Gamedec. Marcin Przybyłek, the author of the books don't like that idea too - he says, that a gun is always an easy solution: "You have a problem, here's a gun, shoot the guy, problem solved". Marcin prefers Gamedecs to use their intellect and deduction to solve cases.

Nice, another adventure with stats.
 

Viata

Arcane
Joined
Nov 11, 2014
Messages
9,890
Location
Water Play Catarinense
One day people will realize the concept of talking your way out of every single situation makes no sense. Not even in real life that works, let alone in fantasy worlds.
 

The_Mask

Just like Yves, I chase tales.
Patron
Joined
May 3, 2018
Messages
5,931
Location
The land of ice and snow.
Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
We want you to know that there won't be any combat/turn combat in Gamedec. That doesn't mean the game won't get violent or your actions won't cause someone's death. In fact, you can easily fail while investigating leaving someone dead [f.e. trying to get someone off the virtual world without logging him off might cause him to be brain damaged].
You can want many things. That won't solve your problem here.
The Codex has very specific standards as far as RPGs go, and mechanically there needs to be a system that resolves struggle. If whatever you have that is akin to combat does not feel solid, then, around here, it will feel like you're building your house on marshmallows instead of solid concrete.

I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I assure you that you're not going to get a friendlier advice around here: make sure your mechanics are solid, especially those in regards to struggle. Otherwise you'll get ripped apart.
 

Infinitron

I post news
Patron
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
99,595
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
...or you can just have really good writing and try to be the next Disco Elysium. (And what's with luj1 the Disco Elysium fan now decline-rating this game for not having combat?)

Regardless, I hope you took what I said back in September into account.
 

Alpan

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Messages
1,340
Grab the Codex by the pussy Pathfinder: Wrath
I am amazed that some people unironically couldn't distinguish the in-game virtual world from the game itself. Casts "doesn't scale to your level" in a somewhat less flattering light.
 

Grauken

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 22, 2013
Messages
13,153
...or you can just have really good writing and try to be the next Disco Elysium. (And what's with luj1 the Disco Elysium fan now decline-rating this game for not having combat?)

Regardless, I hope you took what I said back in September into account.

Disco Elysium was an exception, no gommunism fly in our game soup, no free out of not-RPG-jail card
 

jac8awol

Arbiter
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
410
When you're on the fence about a product and the salesman praises The Outer Worlds... guess I'm keeping my dollars after all.
 

Matt [Anshar Studios]

Anshar Studios
Developer
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
61
I do understand that, but the designers might have a more aligned taste with those who dislike OW - I just had a good run with it and I'm not ashamed by saying it :)
 

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