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Indivisible: Valkyrie Profile/Metroid, Indiegogo, PC/Mac/Linux/PS4/XB1 -- funded!
- Thread starter HadesGigas
- Start date
This article/interview went up today, in case anyone's interested in reading it:
Apparently I did this in early February, but it feels like it was eons ago.
Now that we're in here, it doesn't feel cramped at all. The diagrams we made for desk layout, etc. made it look like it would be REALLY tight, but it's actually quite comfortable.
Apparently I did this in early February, but it feels like it was eons ago.
Now that we're in here, it doesn't feel cramped at all. The diagrams we made for desk layout, etc. made it look like it would be REALLY tight, but it's actually quite comfortable.
Wait till random clutter slowly starts to appear!
Master Milk
Member
Ultimadrago
Member
Man, heading a campaign sounds so difficult. Heading what's essentially a miniature gameplay project on top of that sounds even more grueling. It's a blessing that the team survived it!
Maybe as a bulletpoint on the next one you could boast: "From the team that built a prototype for previous project's campaign!" Haha
Good to hear! Indie artists shouldn't be made to scrape by on the poorest of conditions, and I'm sure the game will be better for your improved mental state.
HellBlazer
Member
Pretty cool overview of what happened up to now. I'm still super happy that this was a success, and can't wait to see more.
Now, not really related to Indivisible, but the article says:
Err, what? Shovel Knight in Bloodstained? Is that really true? I have never heard of that before.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Speaking for myself, I think that was one of the most frustrating part of it all. The "market" is what it is and there's nothing ever fair about, but goddamn it sucks more often than not. So glad it worked out in the end.
I hope I didn't come off as too negative about the concept art / big name thing. But I felt it had to be said.
There have been some successful campaigns lately that have struck me as really lazy. Like, almost no art, even.
And it's a little hard to look at those and not wonder what's up.
I mean, I'd just like to not have to struggle all the time. Even if it's just once.
There have been some successful campaigns lately that have struck me as really lazy. Like, almost no art, even.
And it's a little hard to look at those and not wonder what's up.
I mean, I'd just like to not have to struggle all the time. Even if it's just once.
Ultimadrago
Member
It didn't come off harsh to me at all. I would ponder the same thing were I in similar shoes, no doubt.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Same. Hell I was nodding the whole time I was reading it hah. But I admit to being biased as another campaign I backed (CrossCode) went through a somewhat similar ordeal. They had an amazing, fun, polished demo of significant length, yet barely met their goal (and only after using the IGG extension too). And you'd think a mix of Ys combat and Zelda puzzles with retro-but-not-too-retro graphics would be an instant hit, too, but nope.
Meanwhile you hear about projects with tons of red flags still raising fucktons of money and having nothing to show for it and I just shake my head.
Unfriendly TimeTraveler
Member
Na its completely justified, you guys worked so hard for this campaign and had a product for everybody to try it out before putting money into and still people were reluctant. while you got some kickstarters, indiegogo and etc that just have text of what they plan and barely explain the overall campaign and get no flak at all. the amount of work you guys put in to make this campaign successful is astounding and you guys deserve all the respect in the world. in a perfect world the things you guys did throughout the indiegogo crowdfunding should be standards in all crowdfunding projects. just sometimes people care too much about the names behind a game and how a game is described and put all their money blindly into it then start to regret it once they see game play.
I think another issue we ran into is that gamers these days seem to think they can just look at a video and determine if a game is fun or not.
It seems like a lot of people didn't play the prototype because they thought just watching the campaign video or a Let's Play was enough.
Like, yes, I can understand if you watch a video of the game you might come to some conclusions that it's repetitive, or it's "just a platformer," etc.
But playing a game is very different than watching one.
Playing is tactile - while the combat in Indivisible might just look like hitting buttons or whatever, when you play it you can feel there's depth there, you feel it's responsive, you adjust your rhythm, combos, etc. Actually being "in the moment" is different than watching it.
Really, all games are "repetitive" - you're interacting with a system with a limited number of inputs. Everything else is more or less to obfuscate that - different monsters, attacks, environments, etc.
It seems like a lot of people didn't play the prototype because they thought just watching the campaign video or a Let's Play was enough.
Like, yes, I can understand if you watch a video of the game you might come to some conclusions that it's repetitive, or it's "just a platformer," etc.
But playing a game is very different than watching one.
Playing is tactile - while the combat in Indivisible might just look like hitting buttons or whatever, when you play it you can feel there's depth there, you feel it's responsive, you adjust your rhythm, combos, etc. Actually being "in the moment" is different than watching it.
Really, all games are "repetitive" - you're interacting with a system with a limited number of inputs. Everything else is more or less to obfuscate that - different monsters, attacks, environments, etc.
Thomasorus
Member
You're saying this while people are watching on twitch other who themselves are queuing to talk to a pnj in The Division, a game which is basically another copy/pasted repetitive shooter in the most dull setting you can make.
Like you said you were honest with the prototype but a large part of players are just playing what they are told to play and accept it because it's shiner than the last one shiny game they played.
Choosing to play a different game starts with just the incertitude of choosing. A thing that seems harder than climbing Everest for a large percentage of players.
Like you said you were honest with the prototype but a large part of players are just playing what they are told to play and accept it because it's shiner than the last one shiny game they played.
Choosing to play a different game starts with just the incertitude of choosing. A thing that seems harder than climbing Everest for a large percentage of players.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
That's one of the reasons why I feel "it's repetitive", without qualifiers, is a shallow and useless criticism. I think people say this when they mean "monotonous", or "tedious", maybe. But yeah, for example people call Monster Hunter repetitive because you basically repeat hunts all the time to get better gear to face stronger monsters that you will repeatedly hunt for better gear etc. So in that sense it's true; but, when you actually play, you see that each hunt can be a unique and distinct experience, thanks to solid monster AI, variety in playstyle according to what weapon/loadout you use (and the difference in playing, say, a gunner vs a hammer vs a longsword etc. is really, really huge), map/environmental differences, and so on.
Anyway, didn't mean to derail this thread to talk about MH, just wanted to agree about the "repetitive" thing. I think so long as you find a way to make the game experience fresh, actual "repetitiveness" doesn't matter.
Unfriendly TimeTraveler
Member
I remember the olden days when I would see stuff on Skullgirls and just put it off as another fighting game (I hated fighting games at the time/ I was dumb) but then played it and was one of my most favorite gaming moments ever. guess what really it is, is the fact that people got used to seeing a game and judging it because there is no other way to judge it at the time. for me I can get hyped for a game by details or have my doubts about a game (sad when i'm right but happy when i'm wrong with my doubts when I play it) but you can't fully critique/praise a game until you play it. but with time it's showing problems with judging a game before you play it and just going with the hype/hate.
I think the issue is the lack of prestige. With the kickstarters involving people like Inafune, Igarashi, the ex Rare staff and so on people could identify with those people and relate them to past games they enjoyed and would want to revisit. Heck even name dropping Matsuno when he's barely involved will get attention. No offense intended but people don't necessarily association Lab Zero or some it's staff with these type of classic games or genre. If the fundraiser had someone who was seen as among the most prominent figures involved in the creation of Metroid or Valkyrie Profile then things would be a lot different.
It's a shame because I loved the prototype. As a fan of Valkyrie Profile I could see it's influences and felt right at home with the combat instantly even with the slight changes and the addition of the guard system. I convinced so many people to try it and many even backed it. But perception and association will go a long way, and the lack of it can be telling.
This is also true. As someone who wants to play a lot of games but can't due to lack of time, more often than not instead of choosing what to buy I'm instead choosing what not to buy. So therefore when I have a list of say 10 games or so I'm interested in, I then look for reasons to avoid getting some of them so I can trim it down to a more manageable list.
For example if Indivisible did not have Valkyrie Profile name dropped, I would not have touched it. I wouldn't have played the prototype, watched the video or even checked the page out. As it is I'm thankful I decided I was backing the game soon after listening to the music and experiencing some platforming and my first few battles. But there are so many things that can take someone's attention away so if something doesn't grab someone early, the unfortunate reality is people will quickly move. I believe good word of mouth has helped Indivisible, but that can only go so far even with the prototype. The amount of effort it took to get people to even try it was crazy. No one could be bothered on PC and I practically had to download it to each person's PS4 myself.
It's a shame because I loved the prototype. As a fan of Valkyrie Profile I could see it's influences and felt right at home with the combat instantly even with the slight changes and the addition of the guard system. I convinced so many people to try it and many even backed it. But perception and association will go a long way, and the lack of it can be telling.
This is also true. As someone who wants to play a lot of games but can't due to lack of time, more often than not instead of choosing what to buy I'm instead choosing what not to buy. So therefore when I have a list of say 10 games or so I'm interested in, I then look for reasons to avoid getting some of them so I can trim it down to a more manageable list.
For example if Indivisible did not have Valkyrie Profile name dropped, I would not have touched it. I wouldn't have played the prototype, watched the video or even checked the page out. As it is I'm thankful I decided I was backing the game soon after listening to the music and experiencing some platforming and my first few battles. But there are so many things that can take someone's attention away so if something doesn't grab someone early, the unfortunate reality is people will quickly move. I believe good word of mouth has helped Indivisible, but that can only go so far even with the prototype. The amount of effort it took to get people to even try it was crazy. No one could be bothered on PC and I practically had to download it to each person's PS4 myself.
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
I don't think there's anything wrong with this. There are so many games coming out all the time that you have to make snap judgments. You can't spend a half hour for each game to give it a fair shake.
Does the game name sound interesting? Go to the Steam page to check it out.
Do the screenshots and written description look good? Check out the video.
Still on the fence after that? Read/watch reviews or try out a demo.
Each step involves more and more of a time commitment so at any time, the potential player can bail out and decide they're not interested. I think in the vast majority of cases, someone who checks out a game and decides not to buy it and not to try the demo is not someone who would change their mind if they played a demo. And that's okay - you're not trying to convince people that don't want your game that they should want your game. You're trying to 1) spread the word to everyone who would want your game but doesn't know about it and 2) convince the people who are undecided.
SolarPowered
Member
It might get easier as the team gathers more experience, respect and fans. I'm sure staff from Platinum and Fromsoftware appreciate the amount of attention, patience and respect they get these days compared to a decade ago. Indivisible will be a chance to expand the audience dedicated to the stuff you are making and with each project the enthusiasm to contribute and buy into Lab Zero's vision will only increase. No doubt you'll pick up some haters along the way, but those are the breaks.
That's a really good point to make. I agree that "repetitive" is one of the most useless criticisms that get's leveled at games because almost any type of game can be reduced to a repeatable mechanic. At this point I'm just glad that the game is funded and I'm hoping that a vocal community can continue to grow the support it needs.
Hours Left
Member
Great interview.
And that's exactly why I just don't enjoy watching YouTubers or Let's Plays.
Keep saying words Ravi, you're endearing yourself to me more and more.
Not-So-Saint
Neo Member
I feel like campaign could use some more talking heads. It had 'em still, but only closer to the end.
So about this.
The difference I see is between using a video to evaluate interest in a game, and assuming you can tell how it plays from watching it.
The former is completely valid - no one is obligated to play our prototype.
But to watch a video and assume you know how it plays and feels is different.
Maybe I'm giving too much credence to kids who don't exactly trade in nuance, but if I parse what they're actually saying, I've seen more of the latter than the former.
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
I agree that you definitely can't tell how a game feels without playing it yourself. But you can't stop people from making judgments, even erroneous ones, so best to just focus on the people who want the game or are willing to give the game a chance.
I don't see anything particularly wrong with watching a video and judging how a game might play by comparing between it and past games with similar play-style. Of course it's not good enough to make final judgement on a game but I think proves just enough information to make a judgement if you might like the game or not.
So yesterday, one of 505's bizdev guys was walking around GDC, and some Indivisible fans came up to him and thanked him for signing Indivisible.
And then this happened: at some con, there is a TON of Indivisible cosplay!
Zahra, Ren, Zebei, Yan, Nuna, Yan, Leilani, Razmi...
Really hope we can find out where this is and get more pics!
And then this happened: at some con, there is a TON of Indivisible cosplay!
Zahra, Ren, Zebei, Yan, Nuna, Yan, Leilani, Razmi...
Really hope we can find out where this is and get more pics!
HellBlazer
Member
The Yan cosplayer has arms. Lack of dedication there.
I'm confident it'll be between Razmi and Sangmu.
Sorry for bumping but saw this pixel fan art of the characters and thought it was worth a share:
and in VP related news: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=199534546
edit: also, this piece was pretty cool:
and in VP related news: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=199534546
edit: also, this piece was pretty cool:
Retro mode, someone make it happen.Sorry for bumping but saw this pixel fan art of the characters and thought it was worth a share:
and in VP related news: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=199534546
edit: also, this piece was pretty cool:
These would make great avatars.
Ultimadrago
Member
Oh thank goodness!
The concept art looks promising thus far. I'm hoping that it makes for some really striking shots in-game.
Now that we're back in production and the Vita version is out, updates will definitely be more frequent now.
Infernostew
Member
Any news on revealing the anime studio yet?
Admiral Woofington
Member
They've already said Anime studio asked to not announce it till way later.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Shit is beautiful.
I'm trying to announce it ASAP, but they want to make some changes to the budget before we confirm.
I've asked if we can set an announcement deadline for Anime Expo, so at least if they're going to make us wait that we can make a big splash there. So I'm hoping that will be the latest this gets delayed to.
Really liking that 70:30 fantasy/realism ratio you guys have set. Those houses look so vibrant and bouncy.
Sounds like making the best of a tough situation!
SolicitorPirate
Member
Ravi, can you guys make a game about the madness of working with Japanese companies? It sounds both terrifying and fascinating
You guys have so much talent, it's incredible.
DrROBschiz
Member
Ive never been a fan of the Valkyrie Profile battle system but this game just oozes charm and quality
It certainly has my respect
It certainly has my respect
Really? I didn't even know that.
This also means that if a miracle happens and a surge of ~200k rolls in, then we'll get full voice over?
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