A Games Journalist, a Horse and Nikola Tesla Walk into a Bar

[Trippy Turtle]

I think early access is a good thing.
I mean nobody is forcing you to buy it, and it simply gives people an option to get it early if they so wish.

How could anybody construe more options as a bad thing?

Beyond that there will be a smaller and closer community for the game and it helps with the testing for bugs and the like.
whenever somebody complain about this stuff I just can't help thinking that they bought early access to a game they weren't sure they would like and suffered buyers remorse. Which is their fault, not the developers for giving fans the chance to get in early.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Early access is fine as long as they don't overcharge. I've got a few early access games, none of which I paid much of anything for (thank you Steam sales and Humble Bundles), and all of which are at least in a playable, entertaining state already. I could understand the anger if we were talking about some crazy pre-alpha engine test with no gameplay to speak of, but these are playable games that will probably get better over time, and are entertaining enough even if they were to be abandoned tomorrow.

Granted, sometimes the price can be ridiculous, but that's on you if you're stupid enough and/or impatient enough to buy while it's still high.

 

[Czann]

I'd pay a dollar for it.

 

[Bengel Hairybasement]

TotalSPACEBiscuit? Sounds like he'd have more problems with The Chinese Room than Early Access.

 

[Elijah Newton]

*slow clap* Nicely done, very nicely done. I don't know why but this is my favorite Critical Miss to date.

 

[Lord Kloo]

Panel 1 + Panel 2 = 3

Panel 3 confirmed!

Where do I sign?

 

[2xDouble]

Jam Strelong?

Yeah, Jam Strelong. That guy what does them vidjagames on the intertubes. I hear he works on some obscure site nobody reads... "Escapees" or something like that, I don't know... something to do with ponies in the basement. Just like that Total Biscuit guy, aka Total Space Biscuit, aka Mr. Total, aka Fluffypants McTophat. He's such an ass compared to TotalBiscuit; he was quoted on Twitter saying super mean things about game products that were blatantly not actually said. (subtle reference and/or obscure joke. Explanation and links included free with pre-order of the comic!)

 

[Strazdas]

What's with all that talk about Ealry Access lately btw? Not that I mind. because I think it's an interessting discussion, but Early Access isn't that new and I didn't hear anything about anything out of the ordinary happening on there. Yet you hear so much about it lately.

probably because three early acess games that are very similar and very unfinished came out and it sold better than many AAA titles.

*I'd say Rust is an exception, so is Starbound. Both are very well established and further on than any other Early Access game. Dayz, however, is not; that game is the basic basis of the word "alpha".

To be fair to DayZ the guy never intended to lauch this version, but due to him being late on the schedule and fans demanding a playable version very loudly he allwoed them to see what has been made so far. The DayZ that you see now was never intended for public eye and we brought it on ourselves.

I think people need to simply get used to the idea of waiting for the game to actually be released before they buy into and pass judgement on an Early Access game.

Your expecting gamers to be patient. surely your not seriuos.

 

[DirgeNovak]

Now I really want to see the punchline.
Also, did Cory die or something?

 

[Windcaler]

Im all for talking about the issues of early access, youtubes content ID changes, or other topical issues. However Critical miss has, for a long time, seemed like its just jumping on the band wagon with these issues. There is nothing new or interesting to add to the discussion in this comic. It just seems like a rehash of what other people have said which is a shame.

There must be something you can add to the discussion on early access. Show us what it is

 

[CorvusFerreum]

snip.

Basically everyone and their dog are jumping on the Early Access bandwagon at the moment. Particularly some open-world survival games that often involve zombies. Rust for example, has zombies for no particular reason, I believe they said something along the lines of them being placeholder until they can think of something more clever to replace them. The problem with the whole thing being that they're charging what most full games would cost (some at the level of triple A games despite being indies) when it's likely that you're gonna be done with everything you want to do in the game before it's finished and actually at the full stage of playable.

Think of it as "Damn, these developers are constantly rushing out games" thing, but with everyone happily paying full price for them as there's a promise they'll get better, cause they're in alpha you see.

OT: Pretty awesome, particularly the change log and the rest of the "Steam" page

I understand the discussion around early access and I find it interessting. And I agree that it can proof really dangerious for the industry. My confusion was all about why this discussion popped up so prominent recently.

As to that question:

Rev.3.2
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

probably because three early acess games that are very similar and very unfinished came out and it sold better than many AAA titles.

That might explain it. I don't keep a close eye on the steam sale charts, but I remember Total Biscuit talking about DayZ topping them earlier this year. That's really quite silly for unfinished games to outsell big AAA releases and even top deals during the steam sale (now that I think back). But I think the main reason for these sale numbers is the fact that many people crave that genre and there is nothing finished to really deliver on that yet.
It seems somewhat reminiscent to what happened with Minecraft back in Alpha and Beta. But it really seems quite exploitable. Gotta watch out for that.

 

[Strazdas]

But I think the main reason for these sale numbers is the fact that many people crave that genre and there is nothing finished to really deliver on that yet.
It seems somewhat reminiscent to what happened with Minecraft back in Alpha and Beta. But it really seems quite exploitable. Gotta watch out for that.

i agree. that is probably the biggest problem out there, that there just is no "finished" choice there. thats why i hope that at least 1 of those 3 games turn out to be really really good, so we can hold it and say this is what you should deliver and enjoy it.

 

[Playful Pony]

Your expecting gamers to be patient. surely your not seriuos.

I also expect politicians to be honest and doctors to be competent... I guess I'm just that naive.

 

[bimon_1234567]

I agree, you are indeed better off just reading Perry Bible Fellowship.

 

[Multi-Hobbyist]

Okay, I gotta admit, this made me laugh. I usually find Critical Miss meh at best, but this one out-did itself.

 

[TallanKhan]

I loved the change log, that made my day. I don't have a problem with early access per se but i would like it perhaps restricted or managed in a way that meant either games were there isn't a decent prospect of them being completed aren't eligible to offer early access, or else people who pay for early access should be entitled to a partial refund if a game doesn't get finished.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

Give us your money.

I would, but the "buy" button doesn't seem to work.

 

[fieryshadowcard]

I agree, you are indeed better off just reading Perry Bible Fellowship.

But you could say that honestly and be right about any other comic.

Although to be fair, Critical miss is the only comic that makes me laugh out loud once in a while.

Read Paranatural. You'll laugh at least once in a page.