• Re: CRAP Poll: Jackpot!

    From Mike S.@21:1/5 to spallshurgenson@gmail.com on Thu Feb 29 09:58:59 2024
    On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 22:02:22 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

    B) Re-Master: Take a classic game - probably one you love
    - and give it a good polish. Upscale - or redo! - all
    its textures, maybe give it an entirely new engine; it's
    still recognizably 'that old game' but it has a lot of
    modern quality-of-life enhancements (like mouselook!)
    that take away a lot of the pain of playing an older title.
    Example: System Shock (2023)

    This one for me. My example would be the Bard's Tale Trilogy remaster
    but I suppose System Shock 2023 works too.

    I like remasters just fine. I do not care about innovation at all. I
    want to make something I care about. I want to make something that
    others who like the same games as me to like and care about it. For
    me, that means OLD games with upscaled graphics and modern controls.
    That would make me happy. And if it makes the people who buy it happy,
    then I succeeded.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Justisaur@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Thu Feb 29 07:34:08 2024
    On 2/28/2024 7:02 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    [So, this Completely Random and Pointless Poll is going to be slightly different. Come with me for a voyage into the realm of fantasy:]




    H) Just For You: It's going to be exactly the sort of
    game /you/ like. It probably won't be very popular,
    it likely won't shake up the industry. If its novel
    in any way, its original ideas won't be copied. But
    it's the sort of game you - and maybe a few thousand
    others - can easily play for thousands of hours.
    Example: EuroTruck Simulator 2

    H) Just Uwe Boll It: Fuck it, with $150 million at
    stake, are you really gonna waste it on a /video game/?
    Develop the game for $10 million (it's not going to
    be very good, and it won't at all be memorable), then
    cook the books so you and your cronies can pocket
    the change. Sure, you'll have to endure 500 hours of
    terrible gameplay, maybe spend some time in court,
    and be a laughing stock of the industry, but all
    those millions of dollars sure will help you sleep
    well at night!
    Example: I dunno, Star Citizen, maybe*?


    I'll take both H's and have them remake Dungeon Robber in Javascript so
    it can run on anything. Throw in some of my own ideas how to improve
    it. $10m should make a pretty damn good version of that.

    --
    -Justisaur

    ø-ø
    (\_/)\
    `-'\ `--.___,
    ¶¬'\( ,_.-'
    \\
    ^'

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Thu Feb 29 15:35:07 2024
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 03:02 this Thursday (GMT):

    [So, this Completely Random and Pointless Poll is going to be slightly different. Come with me for a voyage into the realm of fantasy:]


    Congratulations! You've been hired, at a very premium salary, by a
    software publisher for a very high-level position. They are going to
    release a new game with a budget of $150 million dollars, and - all
    you need to do to earn your salary - is decide what kind of game
    you're going to make! But there are some rules to this fantasy:

    1) You aren't picking the game to be made so much as the
    type of game, from a list provided to you below (You
    may have a specific game in mind and maybe the
    developers will make that, but really you need to
    choose based on the options below)
    2) That game will be released and - magically - will be
    /at least/ of average quality (it may be great, it may
    not, but for $150 million USD you know aren't going to
    get a flop). It will also get enough sales to at least
    earn back the expense of making it.
    3) Here's the kicker though: You're going to have to play
    this game at least 500 hours, and your name will be
    associated with it forever.

    Your choice of game types are:

    A) Enhancement: Take a classic game - probably one you
    love - and give it some minor tweaks and upgrades. It's
    still visibly an old game - in its graphics, sounds,
    and gameplay - but now it will run on modern hardware
    and you won't need to know what the hell CONFIG.SYS does.
    Example: pretty much anything put out by NightDive studios

    B) Re-Master: Take a classic game - probably one you love
    - and give it a good polish. Upscale - or redo! - all
    its textures, maybe give it an entirely new engine; it's
    still recognizably 'that old game' but it has a lot of
    modern quality-of-life enhancements (like mouselook!)
    that take away a lot of the pain of playing an older title.
    Example: System Shock (2023)

    C) Re-Boot: Same IP, same core ideas, but (probably) a
    new story, definitely a new engine, and new mechanics
    too. Accessible both to fans of the original and -
    hopefully - newcomers too.
    Example: Tomb Raider (2013)

    D) Re-Release: The original game, as it came out. It
    was great when it released and it doesn't need any
    enhancements, damn it, not even a DOSBox port! That
    $150 million is probably all going to marketing, but
    - by hook or by crook - you're going to convince
    people of that game's awesomeness!
    Example: has this ever been done?!?

    E) Formula: Basically, you give the money to Ubisoft.
    Take an existing game, give it a new skin, a new hero,
    and a new map, and call it a day.
    Example: Far Cry 4

    F) New But Old: The safe option; take a popular genre,
    and make a similar game. Maybe it's a survival game,
    maybe it's an FPS, maybe it's a hidden-object puzzle
    game. It doesn't matter. Sure, you aren't creating
    new mechanics or innovative stories, but the end
    result will be fun and the sort of thing people
    enjoy playing.
    Example: Star Wars The Old Republic MMORPG

    G) New But New: A completely new IP and revolutionary
    mechanics. The end result may be completely genre-
    busting and industry shaking... or it could be a
    flawed masterpiece; there's no telling. It may be the
    game you can never put down because it's that good,
    or the game you admire but can't play because its
    developers exceeded their own ability. But nobody
    will confuse your game with any other... at least
    not until the clones start coming out.
    Example: Wolfenstein 3D... or E.T for Atari2600

    H) Just For You: It's going to be exactly the sort of
    game /you/ like. It probably won't be very popular,
    it likely won't shake up the industry. If its novel
    in any way, its original ideas won't be copied. But
    it's the sort of game you - and maybe a few thousand
    others - can easily play for thousands of hours.
    Example: EuroTruck Simulator 2

    H) Just Uwe Boll It: Fuck it, with $150 million at
    stake, are you really gonna waste it on a /video game/?
    Develop the game for $10 million (it's not going to
    be very good, and it won't at all be memorable), then
    cook the books so you and your cronies can pocket
    the change. Sure, you'll have to endure 500 hours of
    terrible gameplay, maybe spend some time in court,
    and be a laughing stock of the industry, but all
    those millions of dollars sure will help you sleep
    well at night!
    Example: I dunno, Star Citizen, maybe*?


    Remember, your game is still going to be of reasonable quality and
    won't be a flop, whatever you decide. Your choice, however, may impact
    on how the game is remembered. Also, you're going to have to spend a
    lot of your time with your masterpiece, so you'll probably want
    something that won't make you grind your teeth.

    Pick wisely.

    ----------------------------------

    Is this a weird CRAP Poll or what? And is anyone even going to read
    this far? I have no idea. This one is pretty long. Sometimes my ideas
    get a bit out of hand...

    It is pretty weird.


    Anyway, as much as I would like to say I'd pick option G (new but new)
    I think I'd probably pick F (new but old, the safe option). I guess
    that makes me a bit of a hypocrite because I am constantly harping on
    how the industry never takes chances, and yet here I am following the
    same course. But in the end, I'm going to have to play this game for a
    long time, and I'd much rather spend that time in a Skyrim rather than
    a new genre that doesn't necessarily appeal to me. I guess I'm just
    selfish.


    I had fun writing this one. Hopefully it will spark some discussion.
    We'll see, I guess.

    Until next time!









    * allegedly, I say for legal purposes.

    I'd say new-but-old? Granted, the number of paper mario-like indies that
    have come out recently might be influencing that :)
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Dimensional Traveler on Thu Feb 29 17:15:08 2024
    Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote at 16:51 this Thursday (GMT):
    On 2/28/2024 7:02 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    [So, this Completely Random and Pointless Poll is going to be slightly
    different. Come with me for a voyage into the realm of fantasy:]


    Congratulations! You've been hired, at a very premium salary, by a
    software publisher for a very high-level position. They are going to
    release a new game with a budget of $150 million dollars, and - all
    you need to do to earn your salary - is decide what kind of game
    you're going to make! But there are some rules to this fantasy:

    1) You aren't picking the game to be made so much as the
    type of game, from a list provided to you below (You
    may have a specific game in mind and maybe the
    developers will make that, but really you need to
    choose based on the options below)
    2) That game will be released and - magically - will be
    /at least/ of average quality (it may be great, it may
    not, but for $150 million USD you know aren't going to
    get a flop). It will also get enough sales to at least
    earn back the expense of making it.
    3) Here's the kicker though: You're going to have to play
    this game at least 500 hours, and your name will be
    associated with it forever.

    Your choice of game types are:

    A) Enhancement: Take a classic game - probably one you
    love - and give it some minor tweaks and upgrades. It's
    still visibly an old game - in its graphics, sounds,
    and gameplay - but now it will run on modern hardware
    and you won't need to know what the hell CONFIG.SYS does.
    Example: pretty much anything put out by NightDive studios

    B) Re-Master: Take a classic game - probably one you love
    - and give it a good polish. Upscale - or redo! - all
    its textures, maybe give it an entirely new engine; it's
    still recognizably 'that old game' but it has a lot of
    modern quality-of-life enhancements (like mouselook!)
    that take away a lot of the pain of playing an older title.
    Example: System Shock (2023)

    C) Re-Boot: Same IP, same core ideas, but (probably) a
    new story, definitely a new engine, and new mechanics
    too. Accessible both to fans of the original and -
    hopefully - newcomers too.
    Example: Tomb Raider (2013)

    D) Re-Release: The original game, as it came out. It
    was great when it released and it doesn't need any
    enhancements, damn it, not even a DOSBox port! That
    $150 million is probably all going to marketing, but
    - by hook or by crook - you're going to convince
    people of that game's awesomeness!
    Example: has this ever been done?!?

    E) Formula: Basically, you give the money to Ubisoft.
    Take an existing game, give it a new skin, a new hero,
    and a new map, and call it a day.
    Example: Far Cry 4

    F) New But Old: The safe option; take a popular genre,
    and make a similar game. Maybe it's a survival game,
    maybe it's an FPS, maybe it's a hidden-object puzzle
    game. It doesn't matter. Sure, you aren't creating
    new mechanics or innovative stories, but the end
    result will be fun and the sort of thing people
    enjoy playing.
    Example: Star Wars The Old Republic MMORPG

    G) New But New: A completely new IP and revolutionary
    mechanics. The end result may be completely genre-
    busting and industry shaking... or it could be a
    flawed masterpiece; there's no telling. It may be the
    game you can never put down because it's that good,
    or the game you admire but can't play because its
    developers exceeded their own ability. But nobody
    will confuse your game with any other... at least
    not until the clones start coming out.
    Example: Wolfenstein 3D... or E.T for Atari2600

    H) Just For You: It's going to be exactly the sort of
    game /you/ like. It probably won't be very popular,
    it likely won't shake up the industry. If its novel
    in any way, its original ideas won't be copied. But
    it's the sort of game you - and maybe a few thousand
    others - can easily play for thousands of hours.
    Example: EuroTruck Simulator 2

    H) Just Uwe Boll It: Fuck it, with $150 million at
    stake, are you really gonna waste it on a /video game/?
    Develop the game for $10 million (it's not going to
    be very good, and it won't at all be memorable), then
    cook the books so you and your cronies can pocket
    the change. Sure, you'll have to endure 500 hours of
    terrible gameplay, maybe spend some time in court,
    and be a laughing stock of the industry, but all
    those millions of dollars sure will help you sleep
    well at night!
    Example: I dunno, Star Citizen, maybe*?


    Remember, your game is still going to be of reasonable quality and
    won't be a flop, whatever you decide. Your choice, however, may impact
    on how the game is remembered. Also, you're going to have to spend a
    lot of your time with your masterpiece, so you'll probably want
    something that won't make you grind your teeth.

    Pick wisely.

    ----------------------------------

    Is this a weird CRAP Poll or what? And is anyone even going to read
    this far? I have no idea. This one is pretty long. Sometimes my ideas
    get a bit out of hand...

    Anyway, as much as I would like to say I'd pick option G (new but new)
    I think I'd probably pick F (new but old, the safe option). I guess
    that makes me a bit of a hypocrite because I am constantly harping on
    how the industry never takes chances, and yet here I am following the
    same course. But in the end, I'm going to have to play this game for a
    long time, and I'd much rather spend that time in a Skyrim rather than
    a new genre that doesn't necessarily appeal to me. I guess I'm just
    selfish.


    I had fun writing this one. Hopefully it will spark some discussion.
    We'll see, I guess.

    Until next time!

    This is not my selection, just an observation. Option D is never go to happen in the real world. Period. People working at that level don't
    get hired if they aren't the kind of people who feel the need to piddle
    on the product like a dog marking its territory. If they aren't
    "improving" whatever it is then they can't claim credit for its success.
    Just re-releasing, unaltered, an existing game doesn't boost their
    profile and resume, so they won't let it happen.

    This kind of behavior is more noticeable in the TV & Movie industry but
    its there in all billion dollar plus industries.

    Nintendo *technically* does that with its Virtual Console and NSO stuff.
    Not that they don't have loads of issues too.
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Thu Feb 29 08:51:24 2024
    On 2/28/2024 7:02 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    [So, this Completely Random and Pointless Poll is going to be slightly different. Come with me for a voyage into the realm of fantasy:]


    Congratulations! You've been hired, at a very premium salary, by a
    software publisher for a very high-level position. They are going to
    release a new game with a budget of $150 million dollars, and - all
    you need to do to earn your salary - is decide what kind of game
    you're going to make! But there are some rules to this fantasy:

    1) You aren't picking the game to be made so much as the
    type of game, from a list provided to you below (You
    may have a specific game in mind and maybe the
    developers will make that, but really you need to
    choose based on the options below)
    2) That game will be released and - magically - will be
    /at least/ of average quality (it may be great, it may
    not, but for $150 million USD you know aren't going to
    get a flop). It will also get enough sales to at least
    earn back the expense of making it.
    3) Here's the kicker though: You're going to have to play
    this game at least 500 hours, and your name will be
    associated with it forever.

    Your choice of game types are:

    A) Enhancement: Take a classic game - probably one you
    love - and give it some minor tweaks and upgrades. It's
    still visibly an old game - in its graphics, sounds,
    and gameplay - but now it will run on modern hardware
    and you won't need to know what the hell CONFIG.SYS does.
    Example: pretty much anything put out by NightDive studios

    B) Re-Master: Take a classic game - probably one you love
    - and give it a good polish. Upscale - or redo! - all
    its textures, maybe give it an entirely new engine; it's
    still recognizably 'that old game' but it has a lot of
    modern quality-of-life enhancements (like mouselook!)
    that take away a lot of the pain of playing an older title.
    Example: System Shock (2023)

    C) Re-Boot: Same IP, same core ideas, but (probably) a
    new story, definitely a new engine, and new mechanics
    too. Accessible both to fans of the original and -
    hopefully - newcomers too.
    Example: Tomb Raider (2013)

    D) Re-Release: The original game, as it came out. It
    was great when it released and it doesn't need any
    enhancements, damn it, not even a DOSBox port! That
    $150 million is probably all going to marketing, but
    - by hook or by crook - you're going to convince
    people of that game's awesomeness!
    Example: has this ever been done?!?

    E) Formula: Basically, you give the money to Ubisoft.
    Take an existing game, give it a new skin, a new hero,
    and a new map, and call it a day.
    Example: Far Cry 4

    F) New But Old: The safe option; take a popular genre,
    and make a similar game. Maybe it's a survival game,
    maybe it's an FPS, maybe it's a hidden-object puzzle
    game. It doesn't matter. Sure, you aren't creating
    new mechanics or innovative stories, but the end
    result will be fun and the sort of thing people
    enjoy playing.
    Example: Star Wars The Old Republic MMORPG

    G) New But New: A completely new IP and revolutionary
    mechanics. The end result may be completely genre-
    busting and industry shaking... or it could be a
    flawed masterpiece; there's no telling. It may be the
    game you can never put down because it's that good,
    or the game you admire but can't play because its
    developers exceeded their own ability. But nobody
    will confuse your game with any other... at least
    not until the clones start coming out.
    Example: Wolfenstein 3D... or E.T for Atari2600

    H) Just For You: It's going to be exactly the sort of
    game /you/ like. It probably won't be very popular,
    it likely won't shake up the industry. If its novel
    in any way, its original ideas won't be copied. But
    it's the sort of game you - and maybe a few thousand
    others - can easily play for thousands of hours.
    Example: EuroTruck Simulator 2

    H) Just Uwe Boll It: Fuck it, with $150 million at
    stake, are you really gonna waste it on a /video game/?
    Develop the game for $10 million (it's not going to
    be very good, and it won't at all be memorable), then
    cook the books so you and your cronies can pocket
    the change. Sure, you'll have to endure 500 hours of
    terrible gameplay, maybe spend some time in court,
    and be a laughing stock of the industry, but all
    those millions of dollars sure will help you sleep
    well at night!
    Example: I dunno, Star Citizen, maybe*?


    Remember, your game is still going to be of reasonable quality and
    won't be a flop, whatever you decide. Your choice, however, may impact
    on how the game is remembered. Also, you're going to have to spend a
    lot of your time with your masterpiece, so you'll probably want
    something that won't make you grind your teeth.

    Pick wisely.

    ----------------------------------

    Is this a weird CRAP Poll or what? And is anyone even going to read
    this far? I have no idea. This one is pretty long. Sometimes my ideas
    get a bit out of hand...

    Anyway, as much as I would like to say I'd pick option G (new but new)
    I think I'd probably pick F (new but old, the safe option). I guess
    that makes me a bit of a hypocrite because I am constantly harping on
    how the industry never takes chances, and yet here I am following the
    same course. But in the end, I'm going to have to play this game for a
    long time, and I'd much rather spend that time in a Skyrim rather than
    a new genre that doesn't necessarily appeal to me. I guess I'm just
    selfish.


    I had fun writing this one. Hopefully it will spark some discussion.
    We'll see, I guess.

    Until next time!

    This is not my selection, just an observation. Option D is never go to
    happen in the real world. Period. People working at that level don't
    get hired if they aren't the kind of people who feel the need to piddle
    on the product like a dog marking its territory. If they aren't
    "improving" whatever it is then they can't claim credit for its success.
    Just re-releasing, unaltered, an existing game doesn't boost their
    profile and resume, so they won't let it happen.

    This kind of behavior is more noticeable in the TV & Movie industry but
    its there in all billion dollar plus industries.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Justisaur@21:1/5 to Dimensional Traveler on Thu Feb 29 10:36:14 2024
    On 2/29/2024 8:51 AM, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
    On 2/28/2024 7:02 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


         D) Re-Release: The original game, as it came out. It
            was great when it released and it doesn't need any
            enhancements, damn it, not even a DOSBox port! That
            $150 million is probably all going to marketing, but
            - by hook or by crook - you're going to convince
            people of that game's awesomeness!
         Example: has this ever been done?!?


    Until next time!

    This is not my selection, just an observation.  Option D is never go to happen in the real world.  Period.  People working at that level don't
    get hired if they aren't the kind of people who feel the need to piddle
    on the product like a dog marking its territory.  If they aren't
    "improving" whatever it is then they can't claim credit for its success.
     Just re-releasing, unaltered, an existing game doesn't boost their
    profile and resume, so they won't let it happen.

    This kind of behavior is more noticeable in the TV & Movie industry but
    its there in all billion dollar plus industries.


    Bethesda just did this again with Fallouts 1-3. Though they made a
    special box to put the codes in.

    --
    -Justisaur

    ø-ø
    (\_/)\
    `-'\ `--.___,
    ¶¬'\( ,_.-'
    \\
    ^'

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to Justisaur on Thu Feb 29 11:58:18 2024
    On 2/29/2024 10:36 AM, Justisaur wrote:
    On 2/29/2024 8:51 AM, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
    On 2/28/2024 7:02 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


         D) Re-Release: The original game, as it came out. It
            was great when it released and it doesn't need any
            enhancements, damn it, not even a DOSBox port! That
            $150 million is probably all going to marketing, but
            - by hook or by crook - you're going to convince
            people of that game's awesomeness!
         Example: has this ever been done?!?


    Until next time!

    This is not my selection, just an observation.  Option D is never go
    to happen in the real world.  Period.  People working at that level
    don't get hired if they aren't the kind of people who feel the need to
    piddle on the product like a dog marking its territory.  If they
    aren't "improving" whatever it is then they can't claim credit for its
    success.   Just re-releasing, unaltered, an existing game doesn't
    boost their profile and resume, so they won't let it happen.

    This kind of behavior is more noticeable in the TV & Movie industry
    but its there in all billion dollar plus industries.


    Bethesda just did this again with Fallouts 1-3.  Though they made a
    special box to put the codes in.

    And if you sniff that special box you will detect the faint virtual odor
    of dog piss. ;)

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Zaghadka@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Fri Mar 1 07:53:30 2024
    On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 22:02:22 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


    [So, this Completely Random and Pointless Poll is going to be slightly >different. Come with me for a voyage into the realm of fantasy:]


    Congratulations! You've been hired, at a very premium salary, by a
    software publisher for a very high-level position. They are going to
    release a new game with a budget of $150 million dollars, and - all
    you need to do to earn your salary - is decide what kind of game
    you're going to make! But there are some rules to this fantasy:

    Screw your options.

    Phone game with tons of MTXs. Similar to Uwe Boll.

    --
    Zag

    No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
    spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)