What do you want to see in the demo?

[Surf Solar]

This is the question.


I definitely will release a demo at some point. What I'd like to know is what you guys would like to see first when it comes to testing the game. Maybe "Demo" is not the right word depending on which poll option you choose, since some might imply the "game is ready at this point and this is just a teaser". Well I want your feedack, not some circlejerk/trolling depending how it turns out. This means, whatever option may win, I'll release the demo with this option in mind and will later concentrate first alpha tests on the feedback provided in there.

I hope I can pull of some version where there are no spoilers, to keep it fine and dandy for everyone.

Anyway, what's your pick? The goal is to release a demo somewhere mid-2012, so still a plenty of time to create what will be voted here.


EDIT: FFS Typo in the Poll question and I can't edit it.
EDIT²: Ok I'm retarded, solved.

 

[Omicron]

Maybe release some smaller 'demos' focusing on different gameplay elements to get some community feedback and than go for a demo of the first part of the game?

 

[Surf Solar]

You mean like "Stealth demo", "Partybased demo" and such? Yeah that could work. It's just a matter of setting a bunch of flags. It'll basically be like the FO1 demo, you have some immortal NPC on one, two maps which gives you shit you want to test.

 

[Kalin]

I picked the first option. One or two complex quests which have several different solutions and possible outcomes. Combat, stealth, intimidation, deceit and so forth. Oh, and being able to betray your employer is always fun.

A perfect example would be the Hightower assassination in Fallout, except much more fleshed out, with a wider range of interesting options.

And yes, I realise I am asking for far too much, but I am allowed to dream, right?

 

[Johannes]

So it's not actually demo, but a betatest?

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Include the first town with say 5 quests available.

 

[Surf Solar]

So it's not actually demo, but a betatest?

Sort of. Or rather, it depends. Some people want a full demo like you expect (or rather, expected when Demos were still around) being released shortly before the full game comes out, some people prefer to test some game mechanics while they are being developed so the feedback given can improve on the maingame, I had some people asking me if I can include a seperate story of an NPC you can meet in the maingame as a sidestory for the demo on my old forum too.

I personally find the last option (seperate short story of NPC) with optional rolling of a full party to show the combat very sexy, but I quickly learned that people not always want the same as I do and I would be lying if I'd say I exclusively make the game for myself only (the entire forum here would be pointless then).

Hence - please vote what you want to see, or suggest a different form.

 

[Skittles]

I like the separate short story of an NPC idea. However, it sounds like it might be more prone to a couple of risks than first couple of options, like if it's too ambitious and you divert too much time from the actual game or if it's not representative of the quality of the rest of the game.

So long as it's a nice way to show off the art assets and improved mechanics while providing an introduction to your setting and characters, I think it'd be ideal. Of course I'm a story fag, so part of that is the opportunity for more story and a demo that doesn't risk giving too much away about the story before I can play the full game.

I also imagine that developing that kind of demo can be a useful exercise for you in reconsidering your characters and setting--choosing a character and asking honestly how interesting that character is and how fleshed out his personality and history might be, looking at the setting in a different light... Maybe you don't need that, but I can think of a lot of games that would've benefited from that kind of analysis.

 

[Surf Solar]

I like the separate short story of an NPC idea. However, it sounds like it might be more prone to a couple of risks than first couple of options, like if it's too ambitious and you divert too much time from the actual game or if it's not representative of the quality of the rest of the game.

Exactly - the idea was to make the demo as some sort of chapter 0, where you play an npc you will later meet in the maingame as a context to the demo rather than "this is some part of the maingame you will later play anyway lol". I mean, the assets are there anyway and they take usually the longest time (plus the scripts). Once both of these things are done it is fairly straightforward to create new stuff based on it - the actual demo. On my old forum I had stored the beginning of some foreshadowing of this character, if they are still online I will add them to the "lore bits" thread here. It's a bit older and thus awkward english as I didn't have proofreaders back then, but it's ok I guess.

My biggest "fear" is that I am going a bit too overboard with the more "realistic" writing and the skillchecks and in the end people get confused or get bored by not enough explosions or hilarious dialogues. There is a reason I tend to avoid to name it "Fallout: What Remains" to not evoke such desires from the player.

I also imagine that developing that kind of demo can be a useful exercise for you in reconsidering your characters and setting--choosing a character and asking honestly how interesting that character is and how fleshed out his personality and history might be, looking at the setting in a different light... Maybe you don't need that, but I can think of a lot of games that would've benefited from that kind of analysis.

Exactly. I feel that I need, or want to provide something playable before the actual game gets released as 1) a proof that I can polish up and actually release something mainly for me first and ofcourse also for others to play as some sort of milestone and if everything goes well 2) can already receive feedback from users who have something in their hands to test rather than theory craft on the forums. I think everyone'd profit from it.

EDIT: Oh well, here it is - it's more awkward than I remember so it needs to be redone:

It's a straightforward adventure with a focus on exploring and the crafting mechanics, currently NPC interaction is a bit missing but enviromental interaction is in.