Let them do whatever the feel like doing.
They can always go back to making corporate software if they need the money.
The first Legend of Grimrock sold a respectable 900,000 copies, while the second apparently apparently sold much less (250,000 on Steam). I have no concrete numbers to back this up, but it seems to be the hearsay on the net. To go even more niche may not be a viable strategy.I can understand. I'm sure it's easier/cheaper to push something like this out and get money coming in than it is to make a more in-depth and arguably more niche version of Grimrock.
they should have developed it further by switching to turn based combat first, then increasing party size and then add towns, characters and quests.Legend of Grimrock 2 sold 375k, which isn't exactly a 0-profit game. Few indie RPGs sell almost 400k. So while it's a lot less than what LoG sold, it's not something to dismiss and start exploring a different genre. They should have developed the concept further and added towns, characters, quests, etc.
Wasn't a lot of the 900k from the bundles, which goes for much cheaper?
Talking to monsters in a shooter is pure nonsense. Having NPCs and quests in a blobber is not. Even Dungeon Master had traders, which added something to the game.I wonder what TalesfromtheCrypt thinks about Codexers' preference for a real-time dancing simulator blobber over a turn-based tactical game
P.S. People who think the Legend of Grimrock formula could be improved with "quests" remind me of those game journalists in the early 90s who asked why you couldn't talk to the monsters in Doom.
agreed, which is on the other side quite unfortunate, I hoped for some real open-world with NPC´s, shops, quests etc...
BUT, from my view I belive Log 3 could compete with many other RPG "open-world" games, it could be even better with a good story and level design (you can always hire some people which have this experience). It is just matter of money at this state, question is if it is worthy or not. Hell... we are missing some good RPG game in dungeon master style with good graphic. Was there some since...wizardry ?
Well... I am curios if Log3 wil come out one day.
It's not about money. LOG1 and LOG2 are how they are because of our preferences and vision of what kind of game we wanted to make. Even if we had 10x the budget, Grimrock games would not be modern open world (quest-based) games, which I personally don't find very interesting. In the early days of LOG2 development we tried to move into this direction, but found out we didn't like where that was leading us.
The best open world games for me are Ultima IV, Ultima V and ascii roguelikes, which tell simple stories on the surface but have compelling world and gameplay. Unfortunately translating these games into modern form is hard as you always seem to lose a lot of their appeal. The abstraction in these games is a really powerful tool for unlocking player's imagination. Ok, but now I'm starting to ramble...
Talking to monsters in a shooter is pure nonsense. Having NPCs and quests in a blobber is not. Even Dungeon Master had traders, which added something to the game.
You mean like MMX and Wizardry 8?It just rubs me the wrong way when it's implied that every game secretly yearns to be a disguised Black Isle RPG
No idea what that means. First, LoG is as close to an open world game as one can get it with a blobber, second, "quest-based" games aren't a modern invention. See Daggerfall.It's not about money. LOG1 and LOG2 are how they are because of our preferences and vision of what kind of game we wanted to make. Even if we had 10x the budget, Grimrock games would not be modern open world (quest-based) games, which I personally don't find very interesting. In the early days of LOG2 development we tried to move into this direction, but found out we didn't like where that was leading us.
Same thing?Talking to monsters in a shooter is pure nonsense. Having NPCs and quests in a blobber is not. Even Dungeon Master had traders, which added something to the game.
You should add romances to Age of Decadence 2, it would really add something to the game.
Same thing?You should add romances to Age of Decadence 2, it would really add something to the game.
It could be just a financial gig. Make new subsidiaries to not lose IPs and other assets that you have in case of bankruptcy or for screwing other owners/creditors. It's a hip thing now.they should have developed it further by switching to turn based combat first, then increasing party size and then add towns, characters and quests.Legend of Grimrock 2 sold 375k, which isn't exactly a 0-profit game. Few indie RPGs sell almost 400k. So while it's a lot less than what LoG sold, it's not something to dismiss and start exploring a different genre. They should have developed the concept further and added towns, characters, quests, etc.
but the discussion is pointless, obviously there were a few people on the team who didn't understand shit about what brought them success and are doing now an idiotic single character roguelike/lite for mobile.
it's a good thing that they split up if that's what some of them wanted to work on.
maybe Almost Human is now looking for replacements to work on Grimrock 3.