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[FightyF]

According to what? Show me the chart that determines what is or isn't impulse. Impulse is different on a consumer by consumer basis and regardless as to what you think of the price you can't make blanket statements like this.

Yeah, I'd agree with this.

Because Meier, what if someone came to you and told you that a $15 title is impulse for them? And it could very well be for Timbaland or those other no talent hack celebrities who make $15 every 0.2 seconds. And if I made a 3 million a year, those $190 CDN SF4 TE sticks would be impulse buys for me. I'd buy 8 for all 4 of my Xboxes in all 4 of my mansions.

It all really depends on the consumer, and the lower we go, the safer the argument for "impulse" buys. Another aspect is the Marketplace. For Xbox Community Games, 800 pts is quite a bit, and the game would have to be head and shoulders above the rest to warrant that price.

As someone pointed out earlier, Space Giraffe was set at the impulse price point and did the game no good. It was a love/hate game. Those who loved it would have paid 800pts for it, and those who didn't wouldn't have paid 100pts for it. It resulted in a low selling low revenue game. It could have been low selling high revenue at 800 pts.

If Death Tank was 800 pts, sure it could be impulse for you Meier, but for many I know it wouldn't. Maybe that's because I'm in Canada and 800 pts is $13 or so, a bit higher than the $10 you pay in the States. But I'm sure people think about these purchases even if they're $5.

Because really Meier, if $5 and $10 are impulse purchases...then you would probably have nearly the entire XBLA library (which I'm sure isn't the case yourself or most of us here).

Anyways, like I said, I've discussed this all before, and I was arguing in favour of lower prices, but in the end, it's all up to the publisher/developer and we can all agree that if they are selling it at a higher price point, they are confident in the appeal and quality of their product.

 

[Stumpokapow]

They couldnt possible charge 1200 for Dishwasher. Its an XNA game!

nope

 

[alanias]

I'm personally going to download the demo and THEN decide if it's worth 1200pts or not.

Good call.:lol For me it's a must buy because me and my flatmates are tired of worms and this seems like it's even better.

 

[Gremlin]

The Snowblind site says that there is online multiplayer in the demo. Seems like it is at least worth checking out.

I've always liked scorched earth games.

 

[Dwayne]

Problem is, the demo might just prove to be more popular than the full game. Wonder how much they restrict it..

 

[SapientWolf]

Problem is, the demo might just prove to be more popular than the full game. Wonder how much they restrict it..

It would be interesting if demo users could play owners of the full version. That would solve the usual XBLA problem of there being no online community a week after launch.

 

[Another_visitor]

Problem is, the demo might just prove to be more popular than the full game. Wonder how much they restrict it..

You probably won't be able to play enough rounds to get to the really good weapons. Each kill nets you points to spend on weaponry inbetween rounds.

 

[Rlan]

Awesome, it must be the same sort of thing like the Age Of Booty XBLA demo. You got two 24 hour "tickets" which allowed you to play completely online for free.

I want them to do this a lot more. I hope Rocket Riot gets something like that.

 

[JPBrowncoat]

Looks like it's up now

 

[Keyser Soze]

54MB... how awesomely retro

 

[JPBrowncoat]

You have a 60 minute time limit for Live play.

 

[Gowans]

Sweet, downloading trail for my introduction to Death Tank

 

[Gowans]

You have a 60 minute time limit for Live play.

yeah this is great, the game seems to be all about online, it has a party system and friends online statsu on the main menu.

Just joined a quick match in seconds too.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I blew Gowans up in my first round

 

[Keyser Soze]

...and he just won the second1

And now he just fucking Nuked me

 

[Gowans]

haha yeah that was pretty awesome, just got the hand of the controls.

Man I wish this was cheaper just so it was like Uno and all my friends had it.

 

[JPBrowncoat]

Just playing with computers in basic combat got me addicted. Very fun.

 

[Gowans]

Ok I've staved 38mins of the online trial for later.

Great game so far, online integration and leaderboards are great but for me to buy this at least a few of my friends have to 1200points is just too much. For group purchases 800points would have been about the top end of the scale to get me to buy it with some friends.

 

[Kuroyume]

I don't like it. It seems to be too simple. I also kept spawning between two tanks and everytime I died I had to sit there and watch until everyone was dead which was really boring.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Hey this is quite fun.

Is it just me or is it a bit too easy in single player? I just buy and use target comp every time and win every round. I don't even need to use most of the weapons I've bought...

Also, winning should be worth a little more money, I just won and lost on money to a tank I killed 75 to 100.

 

[Sectus]

This reminds me a ton of Scorched Earth which I played to death as a kid. Seems like it would be an obvious buy with just 3 problems...

1 - I've got no online friends who'd be willing to buy this. I had enough truoble getting one friend to buy Worms, and that cost only 5 dollars.
2 - It's an XBLA game. That means the multiplayer population will most likely be non-existant in a week or so.
3 - I've got no local friends who like these type of games.

Bleh!

 

[xbhaskarx]

Okay, I guess I was playing in Basic mode, that would explain the 35-3 kill death ratio.
Advanced mode is considerably more challenging. But I still think target comp is the best thing to buy, my minimal goal is to kill at least one tank in each round so I can afford it.

 

[Another_visitor]

Also, winning should be worth a little more money, I just won and lost on money to a tank I killed 75 to 100.

Haven't played it on XBLA yet, but in the original, the more a player gets killed, the less you get for killing them & the more they win, the more you get for killing them. It a very neat solution that stops weaker players getting picked on & one player dominating the game with powerful weaponry.

 

[FightyF]

I bought it and I may buy another copy for the 2nd 360 in a few months. It will be a great 8P game when friends come over.

 

[Label]

This game is so damn fun!

I cannot wait to get some mates around for some local multiplayer!

Currently rank 1 in arcade and rank 2 in advanced, I am sure that will change in an hour or so though :lol

 

[mujun]

the assisted aim power up is busted.

why cant i turn it off?????

 

[Gowans]

having a tonne of fun in the demo, anyone want to come and help me waste my last 30mins of the trial?

I would love to get the game but not a chance at that price as none of my friends are biting

 

[JPBrowncoat]

Yeah the price point was a terrible decision. I don't mind paying 1200 points (and I already have) but none of my friends want to put that much down on this game. And dammit playing against random people is frustrating as hell. You can tell when people are partied together and they're always teaming up.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Oh, baby! I love it so far. (Still think a price point of 800 would serve this game better...and not because the XBLA game is lacking, just that it isn't high profile enough, IMO, to command 1200)

 

[alanias]

Sounds like a game where we'll need to form a GAF group. Can anyone confirm whether you can bring multiple local player into an online match?

 

[Beer Monkey]

You can tell when people are partied together and they're always teaming up.

That's pretty shitty. When my friends would play free-for-all CoD4, for example, in a group, we always kill each other without discrimination.

Are there ranked games where you get placed in random public matches?

 

[JPBrowncoat]

That's pretty shitty. When my friends would play free-for-all CoD4, for example, in a group, we always kill each other without discrimination.

Are there ranked games where you get placed in random public matches?

There are but it seemed to be taking too long to find matches. I'm hoping to get some friends to play the demo tonight and maybe they'll like it enough to buy it.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Love it...but a couple of (personal) minor gripes:

I dislike the heavy glare/bloom that comes from jump jets on the surrounding terrain. Seems to overly obscure the local area and any tanks inside of it.

Either this game has attracted a a decent percentage of folks who simply don't have consistent connection bandwidth or there is some tweaking that needs to occur with the netcode. Probably just the former.

The way in which the game deals with resolving connection speeds (freezing the entire game for a short period while sync'ing) is less than ideal, at least from some matches I've had. Guess there is no other way to deal with it...

Still not used to the analog sensitivity of the stick for adjusting power/angle...maybe I'm just picky here. But I am getting better at it.

I miss the earthquakes that settle the terrain near the close of each round. The orbital bombardment seems a bit too likely to target active players and throw the outcome off a little. Nothing major, but maybe I'm just used to the old games.



Otherwise, I love the Live intergration and polished, seamless transitions from game to shop/menu and back. Excellent update, Snowblind/Flat Games!

 

[Mama Robotnik]

First things first:

((Sorry for the cack-quality picture))

The entirety of Death Tank Zwei is in the game! I've been playing it for an hour or so locally with a friend, and by shooting a plane down, the words "Classic Death Tank unlocked" appeared on screen. Lo and behold, it appears on the main menu, albeit with some slightly unsightly borders.

EDIT - more ((cack)) photos

 

[carbonbased]

as someone who never played the originals, I think I'm sold on Death Tank. I had some awesomely tense rounds where I landed multiple do-or-die shots to take the lead, only to get obliterated in the final round and lose. watching my posthumous shell sail high through the air and fall perfectly on the final tank in a round, killing him, was the highlight of my short playtime.

the only thing holding me back from purchasing it right this moment is knowing my friends will be hesitant at the 1200 point price. we should get a solid gaf group to play this shit. I sure didn't buy a 4000 points card last night for no reason!

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Damn you, Mama Robotnik! I was just about to post this. While playing online, I shot a plane flying overhead and unlocked it...and YES!

DEATH TANK ZWEI IS INCLUDED! Thank you, Dreisbach and Co.!!!

Although it seems to limited four players rather than Saturn's seven, this is still an awesome, awesome bonus!

 

[VALIS]

Is there a lengthy single player? I couldn't discern that from the demo. I lost my headset some time ago and people generally tend to get angry at you if you play w/o voice on Xbox Live.

 

[Rlan]

Ah good, it was in there after all. It was automatically unlocked in the Partnernet version

PS IT IS AWESOME. The only problem I found was that people in Player Matches tend to rage quit a lot more.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

My impressions

• This IS Death Tank. The mechanics, the control, the feel of the game is very similar to its predecessor. The new music, graphics and sheen do not get in the way for the most part, and make the release feel very professional.

• There is a downside to this professionalism. The original Death Tank had a random eccentricity to it. The Death Tank theme, the Blitz round, the random baby noises. They're all absent. It is the same game, but it is very, well, safe. I would have liked to see some of the randomness return.

• The particle effects are very nice, but a bit noisy. Its sometimes not clear as to what type of weapon killed you, something which was usually apparent in the original. This may be because I'm limited to a SD display though, would like to hear further input on this.

• The weapon trails are not as distinct as in the original. Again, this could be my SD display.

• The weapons have been rebalanced. This is not a criticism, just an observation. All of the weapons seem toned-down a notch. Perhaps the intention of this is to make rounds last slightly longer.

• Terrain deformation requires much stronger weaponry. Again, not a criticism.

• The missiles are much harder to guide in the new version.

• At the end of each round, instead of an earthquake flattening the terrain, a timer counts down to a series of artillery barrages. This unfortunately brings in a random element which can result in unfair deaths. This is a mechanic I am not fond of.

• The new and secret weaponry is wonderfully distinct. Particularly fond of the Plasma Stream, which reminds me of the Ghostbusters' guns for some reason.

• The hover coil and the airstrike are absent. I can understand the former, given the refinement of the Jump Jets, but the latter is an unfortunate oversight.

• The Jump Jet physics have been reworked, allowing for some very impressive and more precise control.

• The new Theme Round mechanic, in which random rounds have specific weaponry or gimmicks, is a nice touch and provides a bit more variety than the standard Blitz Round. I also like that this can be turned off (though I wouldn't), or be made into every round (which encourages different approaches to play).

• Numerous options are available pre-game, including speeds, damage levels, secret weapons, money allocation, team assignments, etcetera. I appreciate designers who allow us to vary the experience.

• The inclusion of Death Tank Zwei is a wonderful surprise. The original is a more stylised, somewhat calmer game. The two complement each other very well, and the option to jump between original and remake during successive matches helps keep the experience very varied. As pleasant as the surprise has been, I'd implore the developers to advertise this as part of the overall package - it may help justify the 1200 point cost.

What I'd like to see patched in/extra content/wishful thinking

• Air Strike

• The option to swap the artillery barrage that brings rounds to a close with the traditional earthquake/flattening mechanic.

• Online support for Death Tank Zwei.

And while I'm here...

I'm still new to XBLA, so this issue may be with the system rather than the game. I tried to start a simple three-player local game, and the game refused to allow a player until they set up a XBL account. This added ten minutes to what should have been an appalingly simple process. Can you really not introduce local players without creating an account for each and every one?

 

[Rlan]

You should have "Guest" account at the bottom of your list of players, but there wouldn't be a simple name scheme.

Missiles are harder to work because we have played Death Tank Zwei. They go in the exact direction your pointing with the left analog stick instead of turning left or right based on the D-Pad like the original.

 

[Dwayne]

This reminds me a ton of Scorched Earth which I played to death as a kid. Seems like it would be an obvious buy with just 3 problems...

1 - I've got no online friends who'd be willing to buy this. I had enough truoble getting one friend to buy Worms, and that cost only 5 dollars.

Make friends people on GAF? Seems to be plenty of people interested in playing.

2 - It's an XBLA game. That means the multiplayer population will most likely be non-existant in a week or so.

I'm sure this happens on other platforms too

3 - I've got no local friends who like these type of games.

Who needs local friends when you have GAFfers?

 

[Beer Monkey]

Played 3-on-3 against the public tonight with two friends on my team. This game is fuck awesome.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Spent 20 of my 60 minutes. I am unimpressed.

 

[alanias]

I wish it was 800, if only so I could convince other people to pick it up. Does anyone know if you can turn off the aim-assist weapon? It feels broken to me, and every time someone pulls it out online the game becomes a bit less fun. I know there are ways to avoid it, but it seems way too powerful for a $50 upgrade.

Anyways, if you want to play feel free to add me. gamertag JohnnyStyleZW.

 

[watership]

I'm having friends over for drinking and DEATH TANK. If only 360 supported more controllers. This and Castle Crashers should everyone happy.

 

[CapKraig]

Pricing appears to just reflect development costs, hence simple title being cheaper, and more complex titles being more expensive. I would have picked 800 for this, but i'm willing to pay 1200 How much was GripShift on launch?

Yep. The quality and budgets of these games are getting more and more.

 

[goldenpp72]

didnt care for it, love worms, this seems like a different beast, real time but much more simple yet.. complicated, I can see why some would like it though.

 

[Rlan]

And to answer the other question - Gripshift was 800 MSP, but had previously been released on PSP and PSN. By that time it was two years old and only ended up taking a few months to port develop it and add some new content. PSN GripShift was only 3 months of (very hard) work.

 

[Label]

Wow I just unlocked the original Death Tank by shooting down a plane in the game!

I did not even know you could unlock the original game :lol

EDIT: Maybe I should have read the rest of the thread first. :lol

 

[camineet]

I never played the original on Saturn, but I am EXTREMELY tempted to pay the insane price for this. Gonna try the trail first to see if I really want it. I already bought Golden Axe, Super Contra, SSF2T:HDR and R-Type Dimensions 2 weeks ago, the day and day after I got my 360.