Broken Age - Double Fine's Kickstarter Adventure Game

[DalekFlay]

Not true. Only shitty genre-bending games are turning off people.

I said The Cave is genre-bending that turns off both sides, didn't mean to say all genre combinations suck. Though most do.

 

[toro]

Not true. Only shitty genre-bending games are turning off people.

I said The Cave is genre-bending that turns off both sides, didn't mean to say all genre combinations suck. Though most do.

Ok whatever. I'm staring at the "documentary" for like 5 minutes ... this stuff should actually be part of "The Office".

 

[Jaesun]

Who shit in toro's wheaties this morning?

 

[HanoverF]

Actually I think someone put wheaties in his shit.

 

[J_C]

The next documentary is up:
- the game should use some additional funding (don't worry, it seems they can handle it)
- stuff about design
- hour of fun (impressions about the game after everybody at DF played it).

All in all, good stuff.

Wow, the documentary features a fucking Excel spreadsheet. So exciting ...

Yes, for 10 seconds. This is unacceptable.

 

[ghostdog]

This is RPGCodex you always need at least one very angry and edgy dude in every KS thread.

 

[Dexter]

The next documentary is up:
- the game should use some additional funding (don't worry, it seems they can handle it)
- stuff about design
- hour of fun (impressions about the game after everybody at DF played it).

All in all, good stuff.

Yeah, latest episode was pretty amazing, as have been most of the other episodes, as I said before even if they didn't release the game the documentary alone would have been more than worth the pledge.
They've also shown a bit of the game and it looks pretty good for the stage it is in, only thing that is still a little annoying for me is the design of the "girl", I didn't like that from the start though. Some of the alternatives looked much better.

 

[toro]

This was the original Kickstarter pitch video. The first adventure game shown in this pitch was at 00:37 - Grim Fandango. Based on this, I was deluded enough to think that they really want to make an "old-LucasArts" adventure game.

Fast forward after one year: there are no screenshots, there is no gameplay footage, there is nothing except a shitty documentary.

Last episode of the documentary shows:
- a fucking Excel sheet,
- Tim shaving his beard in front of his cute little daughter,
- Tim taking a ride with John Romero,
- a retarded QA tester,
- how money is wasted on shit like floaty clouds,
- a little ad for Amnesia Fortnight,
- discussion about cutting unidentified parts of the story,
- an absolutely retarded and awful main character of the game.

It's quite easy to notice that this documentary is just fluff. And instead of displaying the awesomeness of DoubleFine and their development process, it manages to present the opposite - a dysfunctional company caught with her pants down.

The only thing amazing about this is the way they managed to fuck this up despite the favorable context. But I will stop here ... cause there is no point in investing more time in this train-wreck.

 

[PlanHex]

there is no point in investing more time in this train-wreck.

So true. You've finally convinced me.
Stop wasting time on train-wrecks.
I've fought hard, but it was not worth it.
It was a losing battle for sure.
For the first time I will do something I've never done before.
I will use the ignore function.
Bye bye toro, you will not be missed.

 

[J_C]

This was the original Kickstarter pitch video. The first adventure game shown in this pitch was at 00:37 - Grim Fandango. Based on this, I was deluded enough to think that they really want to make an "old-LucasArts" adventure game.

Fast forward after one year: there are no screenshots, there is no gameplay footage, there is nothing except a shitty documentary.

Last episode of the documentary shows:
- a fucking Excel sheet,
- Tim shaving his beard in front of his cute little daughter,
- Tim taking a ride with John Romero,
- a retarded QA tester,
- how money is wasted on shit like floaty clouds,
- a little ad for Amnesia Fortnight,
- discussion about cutting unidentified parts of the story,
- an absolutely retarded and awful main character of the game.

It's quite easy to notice that this documentary is just fluff. And instead of displaying the awesomeness of DoubleFine and their development process, it manages to present the opposite - a dysfunctional company caught with her pants down.

The only thing amazing about this is the way they managed to fuck this up despite the favorable context. But I will stop here ... cause there is no point in investing more time in this train-wreck.

This was the original Kickstarter pitch video. The first adventure game shown in this pitch was at 00:37 - Grim Fandango. Based on this, I was deluded enough to think that they really want to make an "old-LucasArts" adventure game.

It's not their fault that you can't use your brain thought that. They never said that they are making an old-LucasArts adventure game. They said they make an oldschool point and click adventure game. Guess what, they do just that.

And instead of displaying the awesomeness of DoubleFine and their development process, it manages to present the opposite - a dysfunctional company caught with her pants down.

I'm seeing just that. That how awesome Double Fine is. The company is having fun, even though if they have difficulties, they don't behave like having something showed up in their ass. Do you want to see their development process? Do you want to see how their animators animate, how their coders code? Go look up some C++ or 3DS Max videos on youtube, you can see how exciting that is. You want to see that?

 

[mindx2]

I've really enjoyed the documentary so far. It's extremely well put together and edited and has given me at least a little insight into the game making process. The "look" of the game doesn't really get me excited but I will wait to see how the humor and puzzles play out. That is the most important part for me when judging a Tim Shafer adventure.

 

[Metro]

Well even if the game sucks at least that $3 million went into funding a good documentary~

 

[tuluse]

Well even if the game sucks at least that $3 million went into funding a good documentary~

The documentary was part of the pitch from the very beginning. If you didn't want it, you shouldn't have contributed.

 

[toro]

It's not their fault that you can't use your brain thought that. They never said that they are making an old-LucasArts adventure game. They said they make an oldschool point and click adventure game. Guess what, they do just that.

In this case oldschool point and click adventure is the same as an old-LucasArts adventure game. End of the rhine.

Tim Schafer did not pitch a Gabriel Knight, Simon or Zork game. Don't be an idiot by stating otherwise.

I'm seeing just that. That how awesome Double Fine is. The company is having fun, even though if they have difficulties, they don't behave like having something showed up in their ass. Do you want to see their development process? Do you want to see how their animators animate, how their coders code? Go look up some C++ or 3DS Max videos on youtube, you can see how exciting that is. You want to see that?

Yes, I would like to see that instead of seeing the same fucking screen for the last 3 months. How much time can they spend on the same fucking screen?

Tim Schaefer is doing this game for his daugther. Nothing wrong about this, except that most of the people pledged for a adventure game targeted towards them and not Tim Schaefer's daughter.

 

[toro]

Well even if the game sucks at least that $3 million went into funding a good documentary~

The documentary was part of the pitch from the very beginning. If you didn't want it, you shouldn't have contributed.

But the documentary was not the main purpose of the KS campaign!?

 

[kaizoku]

will take the bait


hey toro what do you think of this game?

looks pretty shitty and retarded and childish, amirighty?


I can't say I'm completely sold to DFA's art direction or apparent setting, but that doesn't mean the game will suck.
In truth, it doesn't mean anything.

 

[Irenaeus]

what do you think of this game?

looks pretty shitty and retarded and childish, amirighty?

No, it looks too weird for a children game with a psychopathic tentacle as antagonist.

 

[Globbi]

Well even if the game sucks at least that $3 million went into funding a good documentary~

The documentary was part of the pitch from the very beginning. If you didn't want it, you shouldn't have contributed.

But the documentary was not the main purpose of the KS campaign!?

The purpose of the KS campaign was making of game + documentary of it. Tim said it would either be a great game, or spectacular failure filmed. Sure, making game is more important because:
1. There can be no documentary of making the game without making the game.
2. After how it turned out - with so much money and so much resources put on the game - DF studio's future depends on this game (whereas stopping making the documentary at all for some reason would possibly not change much)
Still, making the documentary and making the game was the main purpose of KS campaign, more so than finishing a good quality game.

 

[toro]

Still, making the documentary and making the game was the main purpose of KS campaign, more so than finishing a good quality game.

An over-rationalized argument and if this is really the case, it means that DF's list of priorities is wrong.

 

[toro]

will take the bait

hey toro what do you think of this game?

looks pretty shitty and retarded and childish, amirighty?

DoTT was a good adventure game. Not my favorite one, but great nonetheless.

Is not shitty, retarded or childish. I find it quirky and charming. One word for the entire game: insane.

 

[Cowboy Moment]

I'm not a backer and not especially interested in DFA, but how would you bros compare their progress to the likes of Shadowrun Returns or Wasteland 2 - projects with comparable funding launched shortly after DFA? Especially considering that point-and-click adventure games are conceptually a lot simpler than RPGs with fairly elaborate gameplay systems.

 

[Dexter]

I'm not a backer and not especially interested in DFA, but how would you bros compare their progress to the likes of Shadowrun Returns or Wasteland 2 - projects with comparable funding launched shortly after DFA? Especially considering that point-and-click adventure games are conceptually a lot simpler than RPGs with fairly elaborate gameplay systems.

About on par, game is running on all target platforms: http://www.doublefine.com/assets/forum_updates/production5/production5_desk.jpg
Certain parts of the game are apparently in a shippable state, others not quite so far advanced and yet others where they just started on.
They will start the PR offensive at the upcoming PAX (March 23) and GDC (March 25) events, so expect to hear a lot more about the game there. Including Screenshots, articles, preview features and the likes.

 

[J_C]

I'm not a backer and not especially interested in DFA, but how would you bros compare their progress to the likes of Shadowrun Returns or Wasteland 2 - projects with comparable funding launched shortly after DFA? Especially considering that point-and-click adventure games are conceptually a lot simpler than RPGs with fairly elaborate gameplay systems.

About on par, game is running on all target platforms: http://www.doublefine.com/assets/forum_updates/production5/production5_desk.jpg
Certain parts of the game are apparently in a shippable state, others not quite so far advanced and yet others where they just started on.
They will start the PR offensive at the upcoming PAX (March 23) and GDC (March 25) events, so expect to hear a lot more about the game there. Including Screenshots, articles, preview features and the likes.

Yes, I'd say they are on par. Difference is that Shadowrun has already shown an alpha gameplay video, and DF did not. But they said that they are working on the first trailer. One also has to keep in mind that it is easier to show a 20 minute part from an RPG without spoiling the story. If you show 20 minute gameplay from an adventure game, you might spoil a whole lot of the game.

 

[ghostdog]

I wouldn't say they're on par. DFA is a bit behind. Tim said he'll finish the writing soon, so it's not finished yet, and what they have working so far is the first segment of the girl. They've only recently started working on the first boy-part and as they said they've decided to cut some features from there due to time+money. Also DFA was funded a month+ before W2 and shadowrun.

When it comes to efficiency inexile seems to be the best, since they're already diverting part of their team to another project while DFA at this point is bringing in more people in order to keep up with their schedule. Of course it yet remains to be seen if inexile can successfully juggle both projects.

On the other hand what matters to us mostly is the final product.

 

[J_C]

I wouldn't say they're on par. DFA is a bit behind. Tim said he'll finish the writing soon,

Maybe I misunderstood in the documentary, but didn't they say that they finished the writing?

We shouldn't forget that DF made a whole new engine for their game, and as it was seen in the first part of the documantary, that was quite a bit of work. The other teams use Unity. Also DF has other projects they must handle, while inXile and the Shadowrun guys only handle one projects AFAIK. Not that I want to find excuses to DF, but they are not lazy, as some might suggest.