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The Flame in the Flood has its best debut on Switch - "Smashed expectations"
- Thread starter Jonneh3003
- Start date
QuixoticNeutral
Member
I actually came to NeoGAF yesterday to see if there was any chatter about The Flame in the Flood only to find that historically, there was almost nothing. Everybody here slept on it. It's a game I had my eye on back when it was teased as a forward-moving survival game by Irrational alumni with some stunning artwork, but I kept on passing on it due to my overwhelming backlog on PC, even when it was showing up for $1 on Humble Bundle.
Then again, I've been shunting aside all kinds of backlog on PC to play on the Switch, and word is that this game is far better with a controller than a mouse and keyboard. Haven't picked it up yet (I'm still wrapping up some other games) but since I held off on the Stardew port, I might grab this instead as a filler before Odyssey.
This is so, so true.
I've been holding off on the Stardew Valley port because I already play the hell out of the game on PC and prefer it with a mouse and keyboard. But right as I was playing this week, I already encountered a scenario where I had to respond to an emergency in the middle of an intensive Stardew day I didn't want to restart, and just left the game running, wishing for a suspend as convenient as the one on the Switch.
The Switch is my lead platform now for anything involving a controller, and I find myself buying indies for it at twice the price I'd pay on PC because I'll actually get to play the game. Convenience makes all the difference in the world.
I find that I'm even buying touch-screen games (Thimbleweed Park, Human Resource Machine, etc.) that are available cheaper on mobile because, in the other direction, the Switch is a device where you don't have to worry about crashes from multitasking and memory usage, future OS updates breaking abandonware, or interruptions from elsewhere on the systemand it's also right in that comfortable niche between a phone and a tablet, small and light enough to hold but large enough for the display and the touch interactions to be clear.
I saw some of this coming, since the Wii U ended up being one of my most active consoles to date in its own time entirely due to the combination of off-TV play and the home-button suspend, but the Switch properly completes a concept that was halfway there, and its versatility has exceeded my expectations. It has displaced the PC as my main platform, something I didn't expect at all since I had every reason to think I was in for the usual first-party-centric library.
Then again, I've been shunting aside all kinds of backlog on PC to play on the Switch, and word is that this game is far better with a controller than a mouse and keyboard. Haven't picked it up yet (I'm still wrapping up some other games) but since I held off on the Stardew port, I might grab this instead as a filler before Odyssey.
This is so, so true.
I've been holding off on the Stardew Valley port because I already play the hell out of the game on PC and prefer it with a mouse and keyboard. But right as I was playing this week, I already encountered a scenario where I had to respond to an emergency in the middle of an intensive Stardew day I didn't want to restart, and just left the game running, wishing for a suspend as convenient as the one on the Switch.
The Switch is my lead platform now for anything involving a controller, and I find myself buying indies for it at twice the price I'd pay on PC because I'll actually get to play the game. Convenience makes all the difference in the world.
I find that I'm even buying touch-screen games (Thimbleweed Park, Human Resource Machine, etc.) that are available cheaper on mobile because, in the other direction, the Switch is a device where you don't have to worry about crashes from multitasking and memory usage, future OS updates breaking abandonware, or interruptions from elsewhere on the systemand it's also right in that comfortable niche between a phone and a tablet, small and light enough to hold but large enough for the display and the touch interactions to be clear.
I saw some of this coming, since the Wii U ended up being one of my most active consoles to date in its own time entirely due to the combination of off-TV play and the home-button suspend, but the Switch properly completes a concept that was halfway there, and its versatility has exceeded my expectations. It has displaced the PC as my main platform, something I didn't expect at all since I had every reason to think I was in for the usual first-party-centric library.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Nah, it's not 10 seconds at most.
As someone who uses the resume function on XB1, PS4, and Switch religiously, it's a pretty big difference. I'm back into a Switch game within five seconds of booting up the machine, almost every time. With PS4 it's closer to 20-25 seconds. XB1 is around the same, if not a bit longer.
Now, if these extra seconds seem meaningless to you, that's perfectly fine. I'm simply giving my own experience on how I consume video game content and Switch's snappy sleep mode has made a large difference in how I play games. When it only takes 5 seconds or so to wake up a system, short 5-10 minute play sessions are very easy to justify. That's an entire Picross S puzzle for me in many cases.
You're right, there were a couple of indie titles at Microsoft's E3 conference like The Last Night and a few others I can't recall right now. I still don't think they're doing anywhere near as much as Nintendo to promote indies, but then MS have the backing of every major western third party publisher and Nintendo don't so they probably think they have bigger fish to fry.
Twig and Berries
Member
You want so desperately to push the limited library angle, and while there is merit and logic to that perspective, one could just as easily focus solely on form factor and presentation as the defining reasons for indie success.
We have/had a huge thread tracking player counts and Steam sales for PUBG, including posters going to other threads and dumping on other similar games for not doing as well as that title.
We have a thread talking about the low player base of a recently released multiplayer game.
We had a thread just yesterday about the estimated Steam sales of a controversial new game.
These threads are apparently all fine and acceptable content for this video game forum.
But a developer goes on twitter and says his game did well on a Nintendo platform and suddenly we're calling people assholes.
It's pretty fucking transparent.
RPG_Fanatic
Member
It's a pretty cool game. Glad to see it finding success on Switch.
This looks interesting. There are way too many good indie games coming out. I don't have the time and money to play them all.
BanjoLayleeYookaKazooie
Banned
GhostTrick
Banned
Form factor is indeed also a reason for these success. Even though I still stand to how some devs define success and how the situation would be in a more competitive landscape.
Revolutionary
Member
This is going to be my last post on the matter (again, this is a pointless argument), but here is a video I recorded from the Rest Mode BETA (as such, it's only improved with time):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_x0pkgoBgo#t=30s
10 seconds
Personally, I'd choose fidelity (i.e. resolution and performance) over a 5 second advantage in boot-up time but that's just me.
pretty done
Member
I love hearing about indie devs being successful anywhere. Cuphead got me feeling good
How is this game btw? It came out on Steam and no one talked about it.
Context is important.
"Buh...buh...buh I thought Switch has no games? Am I right boys?" is a really poor look.
I'm actually happy that many indies are finding a second life on Switch.
Just wish some of the diehards could enjoy it without screaming, "LOL, SALT!" over every successful sales story.
It's kinda cringe, but ultimately no big deal.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Hey, you know what? Fair enough. I tend to exit to the home menu on my PS4 before turning off the system and thinking about it, that's probably what's adding a few extra seconds to the boot up time. I'm going to go back and edit my original post to account for this.
I mean, that's great. My post was never intended to sway you or anyone else in a certain direction. I gave my own experience and that was it. Also, I'm commenting specifically about indies, which has become the general topic of this thread. I'm probably not going to stop playing my PS4 version of DOOM because it takes longer for the system to wake up than my Switch.
CharminUltra
Member
I had a nice and snarky reply all typed up, but I like yours better
Quite a dumb thing to say.
BanjoLayleeYookaKazooie
Banned
Context is important for thread whinging and throwing shade at a select group of users for no good reason whatsoever. 'K.
You're fine to get annoying at these meme comments, sprouting at a result of those users being annoyed at other users faulty conclusions/logic, but you cross a line when you throw out shade and insults, I don't think you comment was necessary at all sorry.
Axiom Verge had to come out with a Multiverse Edition. It wasn't just a straight port which Nintendo is rejecting.
I picked up the Flame and the Flood and its been an excellent survival experience that has nothing to do with Zombies. It's given me a Don't Starve/Oregon Trail vibe.
Your post is dripping salty sweat, not the other way around.
QuixoticNeutral
Member
For those of you wondering about the level of competition on the Switch: well, I don't know what your eShop region looks like, but in mine, The Flame in the Flood is pulling these numbers that its developers are so happy with while not even appearing in the top 15 (which is based on data from the past two weeks).
The Switch eShop is notoriously nowhere near up to the task of keeping up with discoverability, and right now the only sign that this game is even there is that it's the first item in the recent releases. Granted, where the top 15 is concerned, it arrived as we are coming off the craziest indie streak in the Switch's lifespan so far. But combined with other factors (a late port of a game with mixed reception that has been substantially discounted on other platforms more than once), The Flame in the Flood actually doesn't have much of an advantage when it comes to visibility, and by the end of the month it will be buried. If anything, the crowdedness of the marketplace and the inability of the eShop UI to keep up with it are stacked against this game, and that it's far surpassing developer expectations despite all this tells you just how active and engaged the Switch user base is right now, and how willing it is to scoop up new releases at full price.
I also suspect a large part of this is that steep discounts and frequent sales have yet to be normalized on the platform the way it has been elsewhere. This will come eventually (expect a lot of games getting buried in the rush now to come back in a Nindies Humble Bundle a year from now), but it's instrumental to remember that "wait for 75% off and clear the backlog in the meantime" is not yet standard consumer behaviourpartly due to the lack of major promotions, and partly as the system is in its first year so there isn't that much of a backlog to speak of.
The Switch eShop is notoriously nowhere near up to the task of keeping up with discoverability, and right now the only sign that this game is even there is that it's the first item in the recent releases. Granted, where the top 15 is concerned, it arrived as we are coming off the craziest indie streak in the Switch's lifespan so far. But combined with other factors (a late port of a game with mixed reception that has been substantially discounted on other platforms more than once), The Flame in the Flood actually doesn't have much of an advantage when it comes to visibility, and by the end of the month it will be buried. If anything, the crowdedness of the marketplace and the inability of the eShop UI to keep up with it are stacked against this game, and that it's far surpassing developer expectations despite all this tells you just how active and engaged the Switch user base is right now, and how willing it is to scoop up new releases at full price.
I also suspect a large part of this is that steep discounts and frequent sales have yet to be normalized on the platform the way it has been elsewhere. This will come eventually (expect a lot of games getting buried in the rush now to come back in a Nindies Humble Bundle a year from now), but it's instrumental to remember that "wait for 75% off and clear the backlog in the meantime" is not yet standard consumer behaviourpartly due to the lack of major promotions, and partly as the system is in its first year so there isn't that much of a backlog to speak of.
OrbitalBeard
Member
The eShop version of Axiom Verge is a straight port. The Multiverse Edition, which is also available on other platforms, is the physical edition of the game with extra goodies.
Nintendo was really strict on direct ports of previously released titles early on in Switch's life, but that's since changed to some degree.
makes a huge huge difference in practice
I mean, check out the reactions to the Wii U's OS when it launched. things taking 10-20 seconds longer than they should was a big deal because it was annoying as fuck and made people not want to interact with the console.
or just imagine if you had to wait 30 seconds for you phone to wake up every time you pulled it out of your pocket. it sounds silly on paper, a difference of 20-30 seconds, but in practice it's huge
Skittzo0413
Member
I've probably repeated this about 50 times on this site now but-
Portability inherently increases your available time to play games
When you can more easily and conveniently play games on a system, you then have more time to actually play those games, meaning you can complete them more quickly and become interested in other games once you beat the ones you own. Therefore even though the user base is buying huge numbers of games they are still hungry for more.
On a PC or TV bound console some people wouldn't have the time to play and buy as many games. I have 25 Switch games so far and that's getting close to the amount on my Steam library which I have been building for years.
It's the genius behind the platform- make it as easy, pain free and fast as possible to be able to play games and people will wind up buying more games and spending more money.
It's a rouge-like where you take a raft downriver and stop off at junctures for resource gathering & crafting.
Great atmosphere, a tad hollow in the gameplay dept.
Keyser Soze
Member
It's a survival game with a campaign and and endless mode.
It has a New Orleans / Blues styling, with really nice music
It has crafting, but it is very intuitive. It is not there to annoy, just add an extra layer
Sometimes it is a struggle to survive, but it feels good to survive unlike other such games
There is rafting
There are islands
You have a dog you grow to love
It is not as stressful as you'd thing, and sometimes really relaxing
sixteen-bit
Member
Congrats on the success
so far my search results on the site have given me no OT results
we have failed as a society then 😂
I would have thought this one would've gotten an ot.
its a good survival game. there is a dog. that should be enough for mpst people.
Its an excuse because theres already a heavily crowded indie market on a still tiny userbase. Theres going to be many more games in the future yes but therell also be many more people to sell them to.
The idea that an inherent lack of competition pushed games to record sales made some sense at launch and even through spring and summer where new releases at all were still something of an event. But now, when we have up to 19 games releasing in a single week, it just doesnt.
Its a clear variation, its the same core argument only shifting the goalposts from no games to not many games. And its just as trollish and superficial really.
I pointed out releases like Bomberman, SF2 and Neo Geo games because they tend to more directly align with the same audience as indie games do (retro or retro inspired, classic design, gameplay focused, sub $59.99 pricepoints). And those games are also breaking sales targets and records too. They just add to the competition (as do Nintendo themselves) and Switch is already an indie red ocean, its just one where everyones eating.
A lack of AAA 3rd party games doesnt mean an inherent lack of competition. Especially when the amount if games targeting the same audience is so dense on such a tiny userbase.
Renna Hazel
Member
Nintendo wont let this release on Switch? I held off on getting it for PS4 specifically for a Switch version.
Thats certaintly my reason for buying more indies than ever before. I bought 4 just in this last month.
NightwingRebirth
Member
Late ports need new content, that's the rule with Nintendo right now.
Skittzo0413
Member
I'm pretty sure this is false now, though it may have been true around launch time. I mean, just look at the Flame in the Flood.
EDIT: Actually does this have any extras? I didn't think so but I might be wrong. Look at the examples below, those are better.
Axoim Verge, Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero and several others have no additional content.
I think that was true during launch period. Somebody mentioned it here before. Now probably things are more lenient.
That's just not true.
I can tell you from firsthand experience that Stardew Valley and Oxenfree have no new content on Switch.
I understand that people talk about CSH because Robert posts here a lot, but that game bombed on Steam and apparently isn't lighting it up on PSN either. It's a marginal title heavily associated with Sony marketing and timed exclusivity. This is not a judgment or fault of Zeboyd whatsoever, but they chose their first party partner for that game early on and it's understandable (not wonderful) that Nintendo would have other priorities.
Jonneh3003
Banned
I'm not so sure. I mean World of Goo didn't have any new content.
Can't really remember it, but maybe what was said before was not true. Either way it didn't stop the flow of indie games on the e-shop so that's still a good sign for those who want their ports to be added in the library in the future.
The requirement was always really weak. Several games had only the addition of HD rumble as their platform-specific feature. I'm sure World of Goo got through off of the pointer-type motion controls they added. (plus it sure didn't hurt that the devs had been working with Nintendo since WiiWare)
D
Deleted member 1235
Unconfirmed Member
i enjoy these stories. the swith has no games never even got started cause everyone was playing botw and that shit takes 100 hours.
Oddyssey being as great as it is based on an edge 10 review must cement this as easily top 3 launches of any console ever. ive never been starved of a single game to play and the switch is currently my only console
Oddyssey being as great as it is based on an edge 10 review must cement this as easily top 3 launches of any console ever. ive never been starved of a single game to play and the switch is currently my only console
the issue for CSH was timing and dev kits. I am pretty sure Zeboyd has been in contact with Nintendo and has a dev kit.
The no new stuff thing is long gone. Nintendo just gave early dev kits to folks who got in touch with them early and generally had new thinngs to offer.
'Policies' can change in the matter of days/weeks so if anyone is quoting old things definitely look it up and see if they're right.
In both of these instances Nintendo changed in a matter of weeks from the original news.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Nintendo was almost certainly prioritizing unique, high quality experiences with some level of exclusivity (either timed exclusivity, full exclusivity, or new/exclusive content) during the launch window , but exceptions definitely were made. Tomorrow Corporation has been a strong supporter of Nintendo's digital platforms, so I'm sure it was very easy for NoA and NoE to approve mostly untouched ports of those titles.
Renna Hazel
Member
Good, I thought this was the case a while ago and got worried that I missed some kind of change. Hopefully they're able to bring the game to Switch.
I'm not sure why a lot of games are doing so well on the Switch, but to me is because I now have home console/PC quality games on the go. No more compromises. My backlog on Steam has a chance now to be reproduced on the Switch as long as the games get ported. That might not be good for my wallet but it is nice that the possibility is there.
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