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[sn00zer]

Just started playing Fez today for the first time, and realized it was a very cool little game with a lot of mechanics I hadnt seen before. Anyway, it got me thinking, we have had just under a royal fuck ton of indy 2d platformers this gen with all manner of reinventing the genre, applying weird and interesting mechanics, making them JRPGs, action adventure games, horror... and while im not a huge fan for 2d platforming in general it is nice to see the "genre" looked at in so many different ways....

so when is the indy scene going to move into 3d platformers?

We've had a few so far, but when are we going to see a "royal fuckton" of 3d platformers coming from the indy guys? I know they are much more complex which will certainly result in fewer titles, but even so it would be nice to see a small flood of games trying to reinvent what we've seen with 3d platformers, because what we've seen for just about forever is using the Mario 64 model and building from that, which has served very well, but it would be cool to see what other ways thee are to approaching a 3d space.

 

[Mushroomer25]

Hat In Time has been the first really high-profile 3D indie platformer Kickstarter as of late, so maybe if that pops...

 

[Lijik]

A year later, and Indie devs still havent fully taken up the mantle

 

[Borman]

Hat In Time has been the first really high-profile 3D indie platformer Kickstarter as of late, so maybe if that pops...

Yeah, really hoping that one starts out well. We need a nice break out hit to draw more attention to the genre.

 

[JStein0222]

Ooh indie 3D platformers...that sounds like some good, throwback stuff

 

[Volotaire]

Yep Hat in Time looks to have potential, but there are definitely titles starting to come out in this genre on kickstarter.

 

[arit]

3d platformer cameras are a bitch to do, even those professionals cannot get them right. The generic non platformer is way more forgiving in that aspect.

 

[chicagocubsfan]

It begins with Rime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UHgrSnEpwfY

 

[bryehn]

Pandemonium reboot.

 

[Killthee]

A Hat in Time and Oliver & Spike come to mind. Hopefully they're the first of many.

 

[bomblord]

I don't see it happening soon the cost of making a truly well done 3D game is far too much for most true "indie" studios.

 

[tensuke]

Rime's looking pretty good, very ICO-like.

 

[IncandescentPrecept]

Rime's looking pretty good, very ICO-like.

Not indie though.

 

[sn00zer]

Would love to see some 3d platformers that use lowpoly models like these
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41232&page=442

low poly with high res textures can look very cool

 

[Prince Vultan]

It begins with Rime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UHgrSnEpwfY

It's being done by an indie dev, yes, but that's a Sony first party title.

 

[Feep]

Speaking as an indie dev with a budget of around a quarter million, I would need at least four times that to even begin to consider it.

= (

 

[Keasar]

Does Cloudbuilt count?

Spoiler

Disclaimer: I am level designer on it.

 

[tensuke]

Not indie though.

Yeah that's true. Forgot it's being published by SCE. Still, Tequila Works is a small team and it's pretty close to being indie, dev-wise. Can't think of very many actually indie 3D platformers unfortunately.

 

[Canis lupus]

I've had enough of 2D 16 bit sprite based/side scrolling games. I hope indies start getting their inspiration from PS1/N64 era platformers.

 

[hayguyz]

3D costs too much and indies dont have enough money i.e. never

 

[NewFresh]

A Hat in Time

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jonaskaerlev/a-hat-in-time-3d-collect-a-thon-platformer

 

[rjc571]

3D costs too much and indies dont have enough money i.e. never

There's plenty of 3D indie games that aren't platformers

 

[Tain]

modeling and animating nice-looking humanoid characters and environments is harder than this:

in fact, it might require professionals that want to be paid and need to be managed

 

[qq more]

I've had enough of 2D 16 bit sprite based/side scrolling games. I hope indies start getting their inspiration from PS1/N64 era platformers.

There is never enough of that. Never.

 

[Lysander518]

I think that there are two things to take into consideration.
1. It's much more difficult/expensive to create an attractive looking 3D platformer.
2. The people that grew up with 3D platformers are probably in college or have just graduated.

 

[enzo_gt]

Speaking as an indie dev with a budget of around a quarter million, I would need at least four times that to even begin to consider it.

= (

This is super unfortunate

I guess it's a similar sort of deal for genres like racing games.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Oliver and Spike looks really great.

http://www.oliverandspike.com/mediascreenshots/#

 

[PureGone]

Rime looks awesome

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Jett Rocket and its upcoming sequel.

 

[halfbeast]

Papo y Yo? they're indie, right?

oh, and that shadow noir game, what's it called again?

 

[IncandescentPrecept]

Papo y Yo? they're indie, right?

oh, and that shadow noir game, what's it called again?

Yeps, Papo y Yo is indie.

 

[Pau]

Papo y Yo? they're indie, right?

oh, and that shadow noir game, what's it called again?

What was Papo y Yo's budget? I'm playing through it right now and damn, it looks quite expensive for an indie studio.

 

[FloatOn]

Tiny and Big I've heard was pretty good but rather on the short side.

 

[BumblebeeCody]

A Hat in Time is gonna be great. The protagonist is so freakin' cute! :B

 

[halfbeast]

What was Papo y Yo's budget? I'm playing through it right now and damn, it looks quite expensive for an indie studio.

according to 1UP's interview:

We have the budget of... We used three percent of the budget of an average triple-A game. Three percent.

that would be like what, 90 000?

 

[Raziel]

I don't think they can afford to. Higher costs leads to longer development time, higher prices, more risk. Journey had an arduous 3 year development time and practically bankrupted TGC by the end of it. And that was with the help of Sony money/resources. Blow is probably facing similar challenges with The Witness; it's been in development since 2008.

 

[Five]

It's been mentioned before, but I want to echo that 3D games cost a lot more and are significantly more involved. The collision is more complicated to set up, levels take longer to build, the graphics have to go further to look good, et cetera.

 

[Emitan]

Does Cloudbuilt count?

Spoiler

Disclaimer: I am level designer on it.

Want.

according to 1UP's interview:



that would be like what, 90 000?

Feep stop spending all your game dev money on hookers

 

[BLACK AMERICAN PSYCHO]

3d is expensive

 

[Feep]

Want.

Feep stop spending all your game dev money on hookers

For reference, my idea of a 3-D platformer is a Mario 64/Banjo Kazooie type of affair. Papo y Yo succeeds in a smaller scope, and apparently the team had 14 guys?! How does 90k pay for 14 guys?!

Also I love hookers.

 

[MCD]

Project Spark.

 

[AndoCalrissian]

Tiny and Big should count I think.

 

[Portugeezer]

2D is easier to program, so I think most will stick with 2D and I don't blame them.

 

[Kinyou]

The Maw

edit: nevermind, that's not a plattformer

3d is expensive

Especially if you want it to look good and be polished. Making a 3D 'Mark of the Ninja' that has the same level of polish as the 2D one would probably require a big developer studio.

 

[DrWong]

Does Cloudbuilt count?

Spoiler

Disclaimer: I am level designer on it.

Wow!

 

[NathanMcMahon]

Nintendo haven't really positioned themselves like the Vita so probably not anytime soon.

 

[Azure J]

Does Cloudbuilt count?

Spoiler

Disclaimer: I am level designer on it.

Wow, it's like Vanquish meets the Yoshi pepper levels from SMG2. I like this.

 

[zroid]

Shovel Knight 64 pls

 

[Sentenza]

Oliver and Spike looks really great.

http://www.oliverandspike.com/mediascreenshots/#

It doesn't look half bad.
Then again, there are just screeshots on this site and animations/cameras can make a ton of difference in 3D platforms.
Any trailer around? Even from some early prototype build.

 

[MrT-Tar]

Nintendo haven't really positioned themselves like the Vita so probably not anytime soon.

In terms of indies, isn't the WiiU pretty much as attractive (if not more due to the Unity deal) as the Vita?

Spoiler

it's a shame neither are exactly setting the charts on fire though