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Nidhogg finally gets a release date

TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
You are saying this as if those (responsive controls and charming look) were necessarily conflicting goals. They aren't.
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They most certainly are when the goal is to maximize focus on the action, which isn't the same thing as merely having responsive controls. There are few, if any games on the market like this where just about the whole of the game is based around twitch response to unlearnable human actions.

The idea that it *should* be further "stylized" is ridiculous; the game's minimal visuals work for a reason, and it happens to be reflected by the reactions of just about everyone who actually plays the game.
 
I can't speak for Essen, but the feel I get from most of his work is that the visual feel he's going for is half of what he does, part of a split between pure art and video games. He wants the games to look this way. I don't necessarily think it's to help it play a certain way (you could do the same thing with 2D or 3D art), I think it's a purposeful choice.

It certainly gets you talking about it and his game has a very unique look since it doesn't risk falling victim to homogenized visual motifs that are overused today. Look at how Torchlight looks similar to World of Warcraft, DOTA, League of Legends, and so forth. NIDDHOG doesn't quite look like anything else being released today. I feel that makes it more memorable with a passing glance and makes you want to discuss or further look into what it is and actually play it, if you're able.

Here's a good piece on where Essen speaks about his visual approach.
 
Davidion said:
They most certainly are when the goal is to maximize focus on the action
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No, they aren't, unless you work specifically in a direction that affects them. Which should be part of the developer's work to avoid.

There are few, if any games on the market like this where just about the whole of the game is based around twitch response to unlearnable human actions.
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?
No idea of what point you're trying to make. Sorry.

the game's minimal visuals work for a reason, and it happens to be reflected by the reactions of just about everyone who actually plays the game.
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You are somehow assuming that if this game would look better to *any* degree, that would unarguably *ruin* the gameplay experience.
I don't buy it, I don't agree with it... and I don't even think it makes any sense, to say it all.
 
TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
No, they aren't, unless you work specifically in a direction that affects them. Which should be part of the developer's work to avoid.


?
No idea of what point you're trying to make. Sorry.
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The player needs to focus on minute actions from another player. No patterns, no second chances. The more you want the player to focus on the action and nothing but, the less visual flourish you throw in.

TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
You are somehow assuming that if this game would look better to *any* degree, that would unarguably *ruin* the gameplay experience.
I don't buy it, I don't agree with it... and I don't even think it makes any sense, to say it all.
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I've never said a single thing of the sort; I merely said that there's no reason why the visuals need any more polish. On the contrary, you're the one who insists that improving graphics would make the game better somehow, when there's nothing to support the idea.

Quote said:
This is local multiplayer only, right?
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Nothing to confirm or deny yet. I'm not sure you necessarily want online multi for this one anyhow.
 
Quote said:
Yeah, it just bums be out because I don't really have the type of friends that would be interested in this.
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I hear that. If you live near a big city, perhaps the local geek/gaming clubs could hold a night for a game like this. I'm not saying that derisively; you want to play this with a bunch of enthusiastic, preferably intoxicated, people.
 
Davidion said:
The player needs to focus on minute actions from another player. No patterns, no second chances. The more you want the player to focus on the action and nothing but, the less visual flourish you throw in.
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So, how exactly a scenario where the game would keep this clean (or an even cleaner) aesthetic, but with better resolution and a generally more competent art direction, would conflict with this to any extent?

I've never said a single thing of the sort; I merely said that there's no reason why the visuals need any more polish.
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The only reason is the game looks freaking ugly and cheap as hell, as far as I'm concerned.

But fine, let's just drop this argument, because we are monopolizing this thread, which wasn't really my intention, and it's a bit pointless, as you will keep being fiercely defensive about it and on my hand I can confidently say that a scenario where I retract my criticism and claim this looks perfect just to make you happy is just not going to happen.
 
Quote said:
Yeah, it just bums be out because I don't really have the type of friends that would be interested in this.
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The previews mentioned online multi. A lot of PC gamers are in the same boat as you. The best way to experience these type of games are at indie events, but that doesn't mean that they should remain event only games. Well, same logic applies to online vs local.
 
A year ago I had given up all hope of every playing this game. I sure as hell wasn't traveling to find an arcade machine.

When does the store update?
 
I don't get the hype exactly...looks like the original Prince of Persia with Mortal Kombat gore levels. I mean, yeah the multiplayer might be fun for a few minutes, but I'm not seeing much depth of gameplay here? Is there more to it than what the trailer showed?
 
TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
I don't have many complaints with animations, and generally speaking stylized graphics are even my thing, if done properly.

I don't think they are done properly here. It's not just stylized, it's downright ugly.
I mean, I get it, it's supposed to be similar to Another World, Prince of Persia or Darklands, which is fine.
What is less fine is that they are early '90s games that can all top this game visually by a wide margin.
I'm not asking to implement Cryengine 3, here; just maybe to transition from "amateurish pixel art" to "competent and charming pixel art".

Also, if you aren't going for a deliberately "pixelated" aesthetic (i.e. Dungeon of the Endless) but doing "silhouettes" instead, you could drop the super-low resolution. It doesn't add anything and it's not 1989 anymore.
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Ohh man, I couldn't disagree more. The game is so striking visually, why would you want anything it to be something it's not? It's supposed to be the opposite of charming: Discordant and disturbing. Obviously, he nailed it.

The game is also really great looking in motion, in person. There's a ton of direction changes, and switching between animations, and the silhouettes work really well for that.

eyeball_kid said:
I don't get the hype exactly...looks like the original Prince of Persia with Mortal Kombat gore levels. I mean, yeah the multiplayer might be fun for a few minutes, but I'm not seeing much depth of gameplay here? Is there more to it than what the trailer showed?
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It's uhhh, all about multiplayer? It has a single player, but at it's core it's a brilliant fighting game.

As for depth check out the exchange at 36 seconds in the trailer.

Yellow goes for a dive kick (disarms the other guy) and misses.
Orange drops his sword to low to go for a stab
Yellow throws his sword which will defeat a low stab
orange brings up his sword deflecting the attack
Yellow jumps away, and off the wall, landing within oranges range
Yellow punches,
orange sweeps, knocking down yellow
while down, yellow uses the moment to grab his sword and stab orange to get the victory.

That's in the span of 4 seconds, and it's indicative of the kind of awesome shenanigans that go along with high level play.
 
I don't understand how anyone can have such a problem with art style when this is astheticly as pure and technical as we desire. I e that gameplay.

Its like bushido blade became a smooth buttery haiku

I can't wait
 
electricpirate said:
It's uhhh, all about multiplayer? It has a single player, but at it's core it's a brilliant fighting game.

As for depth check out the exchange at 36 seconds in the trailer.
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Hmm ok, thanks for breaking that sequence down. It does seem promising for multiplayer. I wonder if that level of twitch reflexes will more or less require local players due to latency.
 
eyeball_kid said:
I don't get the hype exactly...looks like the original Prince of Persia with Mortal Kombat gore levels. I mean, yeah the multiplayer might be fun for a few minutes, but I'm not seeing much depth of gameplay here? Is there more to it than what the trailer showed?
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The game was tailor made for large crowds. There's a lot of back and forth, and the hype eventually builds to insane levels. I'm not sure how that's gonna translate to the port but a spectator mode with voice chat would be smart. I've seen live Nidhogg matches and people completely lose their shit when that game goes up on the big screen.
 
TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
Oh, on that I can agree, as I find it strikingly bad.
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different opinions. peoples have them. it´s a simple concept.

you don`t like Nidhoggs visual style, i & many other do.
Know what? i hate Matisse, my girlfriend loves Matisse.
what does that say about the artist Matisse?
it`s like worthless debating over favorite colors or ice cream.
 
spindoc said:
How much are people expecting this to be? 10$?
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This CVG article linked in the Steam thread claims it will be $15 with an early bird special that brings it down to $12. Don't know why this is the only place to have a price listed, but that's all we have so far.

Was kinda hoping for $10 max with a price reduction down to $8 so I could get some stingier pals on board with gettin that dick.
 
CheesecakeRecipe said:
This CVG article linked in the Steam thread claims it will be $15 with an early bird special that brings it down to $12. Don't know why this is the only place to have a price listed, but that's all we have so far.

Was kinda hoping for $10 max with a price reduction down to $8 so I could get some stingier pals on board with gettin that dick.
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For local only 15 bucks is a hard sell for me.
 
I'm willing to go in for 12 bucks if the online is actually solid. I'm not sure why the tournament mode seems to be offline only though. Seems like a waste, when they can have a good mode for online with spectator mode.
 
And why doesn't it show in the Coming Soon section of Steam. The game is being dropped out of nowhere with precious little marketing\build-up for the release. Playing with fire.
 
r3n4ud said:
I watched the trailer and liked what I saw. But, wtf is this game?
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The fighting game Divekick wishes it could be.

duckroll said:
I'm willing to go in for 12 bucks if the online is actually solid. I'm not sure why the tournament mode seems to be offline only though. Seems like a waste, when they can have a good mode for online with spectator mode.
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Yeah that breaks my heart a little. I hope maybe it gets added in later (maybe two years down the line) with full on VOIP and spectators and GETTING HYPE AS FUCK

I know it's meant to be a local game for the full experience but it feels like a missed opportunity.
 
Oh man, that was like the best unit

1.jpg
 
CheesecakeRecipe said:
Yeah that breaks my heart a little. I hope maybe it gets added in later (maybe two years down the line) with full on VOIP and spectators and GETTING HYPE AS FUCK

I know it's meant to be a local game for the full experience but it feels like a missed opportunity.
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Around when the game was first being distributed Messhof claimed the game was designed solely to be played at events and would not get a home release, and I can see that philosophy surviving in certain places like this.
 
Davidion said:
The player needs to focus on minute actions from another player. No patterns, no second chances. The more you want the player to focus on the action and nothing but, the less visual flourish you throw in.
Click to expand...

You've just described every fighting game, which have historically piled on visual flourish and still worked quite well.

I have no problem with how Nidhogg looks, but to say it couldn't look any different without compromising its playability is pretty ridiculous.
 
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