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[Haunted]

Extraordinarily easy to avoid all this with a bit more ingenuity on the part of the devs.

Done like this, it's pretty stupid.

Xenogears got away with this.

Even considering how shitty and unfinished and disjointed Xenogear's second disc is, it's still better than an abrupt fade to black and a text ending without any sort of buildup or resolution. C'mon.

 

[JaxJag]

Meh, this is how games usually ended during the 8bit/16 bit era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kduzi0ZyKjY

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Wow. That's uh... that's pretty blatant.

 

[tolkir]

 

[toythatkills]

Even considering how shitty and unfinished and disjointed Xenogear's second disc is, it's still better than an abrupt fade to black and a text ending without any sort of buildup or resolution. C'mon.

It was only a joke, I actually really like Xenogears' second disk.

 

[Chronoja]

It needs to get pulled from the store and they should refund the people who bought it. As an Early Access game that kind of ending would be acceptable, as a full game it's inexcusable.

The situation isn't great for anyone involved be it developer or end user but this knee jerk reaction is a tad extreme. Them running out of money and being unable to finish the game is a completely understandable situation, their kickstarter failed, they had to do what they could to recoup their losses. A bad ending aside the 4 - 5 hours of gameplay still exist so let's not forget that it exists since if a bad ending is all that it takes to demand removal of games from steam then we're going to find ourselves with a severely cut library of games. It's shady no doubt, their reputation will take a hit even if they do survive, but worse games exist, shadier things have been done, just look at the whole "The War Z" debacle. I'm not defending them, I just figure they deserve a little slack, they didn't disclose that the ending sucked, dick move sure, but they're not charging $60 for it either.

 

[The Dear Leader]

I find this kinda funny, I almost want to buy it now.

 

[SAB CA]

Why not just release it as an "Episode 1!" or something?

No ultimate battle. No final Puzzle. Nothing to say "here's a reward for what you've done!"? Not even a piece of art?

That seems like he's trying to make a statement, rather than make a product that his buyers will enjoy. Even if one is running out of money, why not personally fund something (Music, Art, an arena mode to beat up infinite mooks, a super gun for Playthrough II... ANYTHING) to make the gamer feel like they reached some form of end?

 

[SymbiantXenos]

May as well have ended on a rick roll

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

Congratulations.

 

[Easy_D]

Couldn't they have got this on Early Access and used the funds received there to finish it rather than ripping people the fuck off with an incomplete game?

Never back a game on Kickstarter.

I was going to reply to this but I'm much too busy playing Chivalry, Volgarr, etc.

 

[megalowho]

Meh, this is how games usually ended during the 8bit/16 bit era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kduzi0ZyKjY

Mega Man is not an incomplete game, though. And plain text endings were considered downers even then. With no climax, end boss, unresolved story, tutorial mechanics that are never introduced, and no warning that the next door ends the game, this doesn't seem comparable.

 

[Angry Fork]

rofl @ the soft "wut" at that let's play video when he realizes what's going on.

 

[R1CHO]

Guys, it's not about the end, it's about the journey.

 

[JaxJag]

Mega Man is not an incomplete game, though. And plain text endings were considered downers even then. With no climax, end boss, unresolved story, tutorial mechanics that are never introduced, and no warning that the next door ends the game, this doesn't seem comparable.

One could say the last puzzle he solved was like a final boss.

 

[GK86]

Lol that video is amazing.

 

[Darklord]

That was an incredible ending. You will not compare it!

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

Meh, this is how games usually ended during the 8bit/16 bit era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kduzi0ZyKjY

How is the ending to Mega Man even comparable? Final castle with four levels, a final boss fight with the main enemy of the game, and then the ending (which has more graphics to it than this). You don't just click on Dr. Wily's castle and suddenly the screen goes black and white text tells you Mega Man blew the old crazy docs head off.

 

[Marjar]

Keep donating!

 

[Portugeezer]

IMO for releasing it like that they shouldn't ever update the game, otherwise it's misselling early access.

If they never update it, then get over it. Simple. That is the game.

 

[Sethos]

So like an average Call of Duty campaign

 

[Kinyou]

Wow. That ending. Super shady thing to do.

To think what other great (and complete) games you could get for $15

 

[tmarques]

So what happens if (when?) Steam starts refunding people? Do the developers still get their cut?

 

[Famassu]

Didn't read huh?

Of course he didn't. He saw "failed" and "Kickstarter" -> skipped a few dozen words and jumped straight to his already existing anti-Kickstarter stance "KICKSTARTER IS SHIT, SEE?!?!!", as if this supported it.

EDIT. Not to even mention this could've actually been a case to prove how useful Kickstarter is. These guys did, what 4-5 hours worth of content without any KS money, quality content, but ran out of money and failed to get any through KS, so they couldn't finish it. With the help of KS, this could perhaps have been a really great game.

 

[ashecitism]

Keep donating!

Except this never got funded. Kickstarter has nothing to do with this.

So what happens if (when?) Steam starts refunding people? Do the developers still get their cut?

I think devs don't get their cut right away. It gets transfered after a couple of weeks? At least this is what I remember from the War Z thread.

 

[SargerusBR]

Indie games are the future.

 

[Drkirby]

So they just need to give it a proper end, right? People are saying what there is is good.

 

[chubigans]

 

[ebullientprism]

Im sorry but thats kind of a problem with kickstarter. If the campaign fails then you know...the game failed.

How is this a problem with Kickstarter?

So they just need to give it a proper end, right? People are saying what there is is good.

Hopefully they can use what money they get here to finish up the game and release it as a patch for existing owners. Or they could be scummy and just cut and run. :/

 

[Ashodin]

Sigh. As an indie dev myself, I would at least go back and revise what near the end of the game would be to better fit it. Instead of releasing it with a text screen. That's just lazy.

 

[Femmeworth]

Still better than Halo 2.

 

[Boerseun]

If there has been obvious fraud then Steam will provide a refund with little hassle involved (as far as I know).

 

[FyreWulff]

"Sir, finishing this fight"

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

marioending.jpg

LOL.

This is the direction I was hoping the thread would go.

 

[Chronoja]

So they just need to give it a proper end, right? People are saying what there is is good.

I think what makes this seem worse than it is is just the abruptness itself. There's no indication that that door should end the game. I don't know anything about the story but let's say the door was red, had a big light on it and said "EXIT". It's still a shitty ending but there you have a door that looks more like game ending door if nothing else and the "shock" of the situation is reduced. If that was the situation people wouldn't be so "up in arms" to the point that they are completely negating the content that actually does exist, I'd imagine. Or not, it's all just speculation. If the devs were smart they'd at least at trying to patch in a better ending depending on whether or not their sales have been strong enough or not.

 

[Hugo!]

I'm surprised with the increase of shovelware on Steam.

 

[Aaron]

The devs had to know players would get upset. Why didn't they go early access? Would have been no problem then.

 

[PixyJunket]

If there has been obvious fraud then Steam will provide a refund with little hassle involved (as far as I know).

There's no fraud here though, it's just a terrible way to end the game.

To be honest, this kind of TMZ style tabloidization of a relatively non-issue is slightly embarrassing to me.

 

[Saty]

Rivals Limbo for most abrupt ending.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

This could easily be a fake ending in the Stanley Parable. Good job developer.

 

[PixyJunket]

I'm surprised with the increase of shovelware on Steam.

You've played it?

 

[chubigans]

To be honest, this kind of TMZ style tabloidization of a relatively non-issue is slightly embarrassing to me.

Non issue huh.

 

[Alo81]

Hey OP, I posted this on Reddit to help get the information out.

I don't find any issue with them selling it or anything, but they should clearly label or make it known somewhere on the page before purchase that it is unfinished and will remain so.

 

[FStop7]

Steam needs more active curation by Valve.

 

[DarkoMaledictus]

AHAHAHAHA... no words hahahah

 

[Ultra Magnus]

Guys, it's not about the end, it's about the journey.

Classic

 

[rezuth]

If they just wanted to show everyone "the world of Dark Matter" why didn't they just put out a demo instead of a $15 less than half finished game?

They should have don early access and used any money they make from that to finish the game.

Steam needs more active curation by Valve.

Was this actually known before? I don't think they can play through whole games.

 

[CambriaRising]

This is shady as hell.

 

[DarkoMaledictus]

Hahahaha... ok some words... almost ... just almost as bad as this...

 

[Reallink]

I seem to recall Limbo being like 2 hours for $10 and no one complained, so I'm not seeing the big deal with 4 hours for $15. Gone Home was $20 for like 4 hours as well.