Gas Powered Games: Proud To Be Independent

[Asehujiko]

didnt Demigod getted pireted to all hell? kinda proves your best way to avoid being pirated argument dont it

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/91001-Demigod-Piracy-Running-High

Yea it did, kinda shows that people stealing ahs very little to do with Getting back at the man, and mroe to do with being greedy

That had more to do with demigod being a substandard game with no demo from a company whose only recent products were:
-A very bug prone system hog that didn't work on most systems.
-An even more buggy console port of that game.
-An expansion that switched out the bugs for all round mediocrity.
-Another buggy port.
-A generally shitty diablo clone.
You can see that they were kind of running low on customer goodwill at that point.

Personally, i have the theory that new, bad and console oriented developers get pirated more because people are wary of their capabilities. Stardock, Blizzard and Valve don't seem to be bothered by it and what they have in common is that they are all old, PC centric and known for their quality. Where the ones that usually vocal about pirates are either new(Crytek, 2D Boy), console based(Ubisoft, EA) or have been producing bad games(Epic, Gas Powered).

And on the topic of Supcom 2: Demigod and the demo did not improve the above situation at all. I was one of the few people that got Supcom 1 working and loved it but the new one plays like a very sluggish and poorly balanced starcraft. Seriously, do cybran EVER need any units beyond Salems, Corsairs or Adaptors?

 

[Signa]

I still thought Space Siege and Supreme Commander 2 were overly streamlined to the point of boredom.

While Space siege was miserable compared to other GPG games... how do you know Supreme commander 2 is "overly streamlined" seeing as how its not released till next Tuesday.

Seems a bit suspicious, you come across as just a hater.

It's not suspicious at all:

The Supreme Commander 2 demo has been on Steam for the past couple days.

I've played it.

I found it overly streamlined.

You do realize that sometimes things don't work, right? like the whole tech tree system in SupCom1 was horribly broken. And I love that game, but it was broken. Having units that would just take up space since you can't use T1 units to fight T2 units effectively is a problem, and the gap between T2 weapons and units and T3 weapons and units was even larger. So what did they do? They took the valid criticism and altered things so that now tech trees revolve around upgrading existing units instead of building entirely new ones. Much better idea, much more sensible idea too. That's not "streamlining" and if it is then I don't see what the big deal is.

Also deciding that "this is the entire game experience" from a demo is hilariously narrow-minded.

Also as a fan of the original, I find SupCom2 to be one of the worst disappointments in a long time for me. They removed everything that was good about SupCom, to the point where I couldn't even bother to keep playing the game to see how well they addressed the issues you stated. SupCom was one of the few games that I played that I felt I could play competitively at. Not competition level, mind you, but if I started a game, I could expect to win. I play most of my games casually, so going toe-to-toe usually ends in my defeat.

I also blame Square-Enix for SupCom2 sucking. They haven't made a good game since the PS1 era, so I'd like to know how responsible they were for fucking up my favorite RTS series.

 

[SimuLord]

Gas Powered is a great exemplar of the "build it and they will come" mentality. Make great games that people want to play and publishers will be clamoring for the right to get your games out to a wider audience.

Nowadays thanks to stuff like Steam and GamersGate it's entirely possible for a studio to negotiate its own distribution deals with existing content providers and bypass the traditional development-publishing model entirely while making more profit per unit sold than ever before. Despite what you may think from watching Ubi, EA, and Activision, the future looks plenty bright for gaming in general and PC gaming in particular.

 

[Asehujiko]

considering how often i hear and meet people who have stolen Stardock games I stand by my theory is that piracy will happen no matter what and has nothing to do with DRM and all to do with gamers are greedy and want something for nothing

Personal experience means little on this scale. Our school has more Dwarf Fortress players then Modern Warfare 2 players, which makes little sense, unless there are some 20 million closet DF players. In my experience, Stardock pirates are few and far between, blizzard pirates usually own another blizzard product legally(usually wow, which is their most important one and the rest is basically abandonware anyway) and most Valve pirates I know do it for a dislike of Steam. While DRM has no positive effect, I think that a few years of constant patch support and good customer service make a big difference. A $75 game that may or may not be a 10 minute copy paste job from a console with hideously oppressive drm(anything from ubisoft, ea or actishit) is going to gather a lot of pirates and so will a $20 game from somebody nobody has ever heard of that may or may not be a scam and is a rip off of an existed free game, especially if it's only legally available to a tiny number of people(world of goo). A 2 year old game that has 2 years worth of recommendations, costs $10 these days, has had about 60 patches(galciv)? Not so much.

Nobody seems to publish any piracy research more then a week after launch though. Perhaps the numbers aren't high enough for more "pc is doomed, let's all go 3 years backwards and develop only for consoles" doomsayerish crap?

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I played the SupCom 2 demo, and while at first I was very underwhelmed 1 or 2 missions in it grew on me. Excellent piece of work, I wanted more afterwards. MOAR!

Now I gotta buy it, bleh.

 

[geldonyetich]

I still thought Space Siege and Supreme Commander 2 were overly streamlined to the point of boredom.

While Space siege was miserable compared to other GPG games... how do you know Supreme commander 2 is "overly streamlined" seeing as how its not released till next Tuesday.

Seems a bit suspicious, you come across as just a hater.

It's not suspicious at all:

The Supreme Commander 2 demo has been on Steam for the past couple days.

I've played it.

I found it overly streamlined.

You do realize that sometimes things don't work, right? like the whole tech tree system in SupCom1 was horribly broken. And I love that game, but it was broken. Having units that would just take up space since you can't use T1 units to fight T2 units effectively is a problem, and the gap between T2 weapons and units and T3 weapons and units was even larger. So what did they do? They took the valid criticism and altered things so that now tech trees revolve around upgrading existing units instead of building entirely new ones. Much better idea, much more sensible idea too. That's not "streamlining" and if it is then I don't see what the big deal is.

Also deciding that "this is the entire game experience" from a demo is hilariously narrow-minded.

Ah, your optimism is touching, you bring tears of joy to Chris Taylor, but ludicrously misplaced for someone who has yet to play the demo himself.

Take a look at the comment thread of Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/24/supreme-commander-2-demo-via-steam/#comments]: the sentiment that Supreme Commander 2 is overly streamlined is universal. I actually agreed with you that they might as well have merged the tiers, but the problems run deeper.

Your deciding that I can't derive the core game experience, where the problem resides, from the demo itself is, in actuality, the only "hilariously narrow-minded" thing going on here. You really don't know me as well as you think you do. No, really, you don't. Such sophomoric sentiment belittles myself for replying to it as much it does you have said it.

 

[Dradiin]

I still thought Space Siege and Supreme Commander 2 were overly streamlined to the point of boredom.

While Space siege was miserable compared to other GPG games... how do you know Supreme commander 2 is "overly streamlined" seeing as how its not released till next Tuesday.

Seems a bit suspicious, you come across as just a hater.

It's not suspicious at all:

The Supreme Commander 2 demo has been on Steam for the past couple days.

I've played it.

I found it overly streamlined.

You do realize that sometimes things don't work, right? like the whole tech tree system in SupCom1 was horribly broken. And I love that game, but it was broken. Having units that would just take up space since you can't use T1 units to fight T2 units effectively is a problem, and the gap between T2 weapons and units and T3 weapons and units was even larger. So what did they do? They took the valid criticism and altered things so that now tech trees revolve around upgrading existing units instead of building entirely new ones. Much better idea, much more sensible idea too. That's not "streamlining" and if it is then I don't see what the big deal is.

Also deciding that "this is the entire game experience" from a demo is hilariously narrow-minded.

Ah, your optimism is touching, you bring tears of joy to Chris Taylor, but ludicrously misplaced for someone who has yet to play the demo himself.

Take a look at the comment thread of Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/24/supreme-commander-2-demo-via-steam/#comments]: the sentiment that Supreme Commander 2 is overly streamlined is universal. I actually agreed with you that they might as well have merged the tiers, but the problems run deeper.

Your deciding that I can't derive the core game experience, where the problem resides, from the demo itself is, in actuality, the only "hilariously narrow-minded" thing going on here. You really don't know me as well as you think you do. No, really, you don't. Such sophomoric sentiment belittles myself for replying to it as much it does you have said it.

You and rock paper shotgun does not make a universal opinion. Bloviate all you want, but your basing a game on its demo. That in of itself just goes to show how your a hater.

You must have been hit in the head by a Spacesiege box while walking in your local Walmart. Ever since then you have hated GPG, and Chris Taylor. The bump it made on your head has engendered a loathing of GPG to the point where no matter how well a game is made by them, you can only denigrate it.

I bet Chris Taylor even sent you an apology letter for his game hitting you in the head and causing you such emotional and physical scarring. When all along your misplaced anger and hatred of GPG, should have been directed at Ben.

YES BEN !

Because it was Ben Swarington who had grabbed the Spacesiege box off of the shelf at Walmart, and in his anxiousness to go ask his dad if he could purchase said game, he placed the box haphazardly on the shelf.

Unknown to you though, as you walked through the PC titles and saw a new Hello Kitty (Kittens in Paradise) Wii game, that your butt would accidentally brush the shelf behind you, Jarring the box of Spacesiege causing it to fall on your head.

So if it were not for Ben and his carelessness, we would have you happy with GPG titles, and Chris Taylor could make more games without the guilt he has for this game box landing on your head.

DAMN YOU BEN !!! DAMN YOU TO HELL !!!

 

[Asehujiko]

you mean the world of goo that is easily downloaded offline? how on earth is that only legally avalible to a few people? unless your definition of a few people are those wiht the internet. And please tell me what not Collecters edition game costs 75$ or are you making up shit again to try and avoid the fact that pirates are trying to kill this industry. As a gamer, I learn someone is a pirate, I no longer associate wiht them, as I love gaming, and tehy hate it. And yes to me everyone who pirates hates this industry more then all the Atkinsons in the world

World of Goo was not available outside the US for several months with no release date given for the rest of the world. So Europeans had no choice but to pirate. And you can't fault somebody for pirating something that they would not be able to buy even if they wanted to. The standard price for any game in Europe is ?60 or £50 depending on which side of the channel, $75 in your currency so I'm not "making shit up", you are ignorant. And pirates killing the industry? Aside from the idiotic hyperbole, you are severely underestimating the value of word of mouth advertising and conversion rates, something pirates are a very important factor in, seeing how they usually get to play it before anybody else. Look at what happened to Iron Lore when their drm alienated most of their fans before launch. In the same vein: This [http://www.rlslog.net/piracy-isnt-that-bad-and-they-know-it/].

Again, i think somebody needs to put out a piracy graph AFTER the game disappears from the front page of rlslog.

 

[geldonyetich]

I still thought Space Siege and Supreme Commander 2 were overly streamlined to the point of boredom.

While Space siege was miserable compared to other GPG games... how do you know Supreme commander 2 is "overly streamlined" seeing as how its not released till next Tuesday.

Seems a bit suspicious, you come across as just a hater.

It's not suspicious at all:

The Supreme Commander 2 demo has been on Steam for the past couple days.

I've played it.

I found it overly streamlined.

You do realize that sometimes things don't work, right? like the whole tech tree system in SupCom1 was horribly broken. And I love that game, but it was broken. Having units that would just take up space since you can't use T1 units to fight T2 units effectively is a problem, and the gap between T2 weapons and units and T3 weapons and units was even larger. So what did they do? They took the valid criticism and altered things so that now tech trees revolve around upgrading existing units instead of building entirely new ones. Much better idea, much more sensible idea too. That's not "streamlining" and if it is then I don't see what the big deal is.

Also deciding that "this is the entire game experience" from a demo is hilariously narrow-minded.

Ah, your optimism is touching, you bring tears of joy to Chris Taylor, but ludicrously misplaced for someone who has yet to play the demo himself.

Take a look at the comment thread of Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/24/supreme-commander-2-demo-via-steam/#comments]: the sentiment that Supreme Commander 2 is overly streamlined is universal. I actually agreed with you that they might as well have merged the tiers, but the problems run deeper.

Your deciding that I can't derive the core game experience, where the problem resides, from the demo itself is, in actuality, the only "hilariously narrow-minded" thing going on here. You really don't know me as well as you think you do. No, really, you don't. Such sophomoric sentiment belittles myself for replying to it as much it does you have said it.

You and rock paper shotgun does not make a universal opinion. Bloviate all you want, but your basing a game on its demo. That in of itself just goes to show how your a hater.

You must have been hit in the head by a Spacesiege box while walking in your local Walmart. Ever since then you have hated GPG, and Chris Taylor. The bump it made on your head has engendered a loathing of GPG to the point where no matter how well a game is made by them, you can only denigrate it.

I bet Chris Taylor even sent you an apology letter for his game hitting you in the head and causing you such emotional and physical scarring. When all along your misplaced anger and hatred of GPG, should have been directed at Ben.

YES BEN !

Because it was Ben Swarington who had grabbed the Spacesiege box off of the shelf at Walmart, and in his anxiousness to go ask his dad if he could purchase said game, he placed the box haphazardly on the shelf.

Unknown to you though, as you walked through the PC titles and saw a new Hello Kitty (Kittens in Paradise) Wii game, that your butt would accidentally brush the shelf behind you, Jarring the box of Spacesiege causing it to fall on your head.

So if it were not for Ben and his carelessness, we would have you happy with GPG titles, and Chris Taylor could make more games without the guilt he has for this game box landing on your head.

DAMN YOU BEN !!! DAMN YOU TO HELL !!!

Humor is good.

That said, denial is not just another river in Egypt.

Supreme Commander 2 is massively dumbed down/overly streamlined compared to the first.

You may not have liked that I said that. You may not want to believe it. However, it should become quickly evident when you actually play it.

 

[Dradiin]

I still thought Space Siege and Supreme Commander 2 were overly streamlined to the point of boredom.

While Space siege was miserable compared to other GPG games... how do you know Supreme commander 2 is "overly streamlined" seeing as how its not released till next Tuesday.

Seems a bit suspicious, you come across as just a hater.

It's not suspicious at all:

The Supreme Commander 2 demo has been on Steam for the past couple days.

I've played it.

I found it overly streamlined.

You do realize that sometimes things don't work, right? like the whole tech tree system in SupCom1 was horribly broken. And I love that game, but it was broken. Having units that would just take up space since you can't use T1 units to fight T2 units effectively is a problem, and the gap between T2 weapons and units and T3 weapons and units was even larger. So what did they do? They took the valid criticism and altered things so that now tech trees revolve around upgrading existing units instead of building entirely new ones. Much better idea, much more sensible idea too. That's not "streamlining" and if it is then I don't see what the big deal is.

Also deciding that "this is the entire game experience" from a demo is hilariously narrow-minded.

Ah, your optimism is touching, you bring tears of joy to Chris Taylor, but ludicrously misplaced for someone who has yet to play the demo himself.

Take a look at the comment thread of Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/24/supreme-commander-2-demo-via-steam/#comments]: the sentiment that Supreme Commander 2 is overly streamlined is universal. I actually agreed with you that they might as well have merged the tiers, but the problems run deeper.

Your deciding that I can't derive the core game experience, where the problem resides, from the demo itself is, in actuality, the only "hilariously narrow-minded" thing going on here. You really don't know me as well as you think you do. No, really, you don't. Such sophomoric sentiment belittles myself for replying to it as much it does you have said it.

You and rock paper shotgun does not make a universal opinion. Bloviate all you want, but your basing a game on its demo. That in of itself just goes to show how your a hater.

You must have been hit in the head by a Spacesiege box while walking in your local Walmart. Ever since then you have hated GPG, and Chris Taylor. The bump it made on your head has engendered a loathing of GPG to the point where no matter how well a game is made by them, you can only denigrate it.

I bet Chris Taylor even sent you an apology letter for his game hitting you in the head and causing you such emotional and physical scarring. When all along your misplaced anger and hatred of GPG, should have been directed at Ben.

YES BEN !

Because it was Ben Swarington who had grabbed the Spacesiege box off of the shelf at Walmart, and in his anxiousness to go ask his dad if he could purchase said game, he placed the box haphazardly on the shelf.

Unknown to you though, as you walked through the PC titles and saw a new Hello Kitty (Kittens in Paradise) Wii game, that your butt would accidentally brush the shelf behind you, Jarring the box of Spacesiege causing it to fall on your head.

So if it were not for Ben and his carelessness, we would have you happy with GPG titles, and Chris Taylor could make more games without the guilt he has for this game box landing on your head.

DAMN YOU BEN !!! DAMN YOU TO HELL !!!

Humor is good.

That said, denial is not just another river in Egypt.

Supreme Commander 2 is massively dumbed down/overly streamlined compared to the first.

You may not have liked that I said that. You may not want to believe it. However, it should become quickly evident when you actually play it.

Hmm just played the demo for the 4th time on the hardest difficulty. I just do not see how its dumbed down, Streamlined to make the gameplay flow better, but far from dumbed down.

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this.

Although, i would have loved to play against you in a online fight. Anyhow it may seem i do not appreciate what your saying, i do actually. I just do not prescribe to that opinion.

On a side note, Chris Taylor has been one of the most downhome lead developers i have yet to come across. Not only that, he has always attempted to keep close connections with his community. I am glad he has not let his (for lack of a better word) "Fame" get the better of him like so many other leads (Cryptics Lead, and Lead from SOE).

 

[Asehujiko]

i can and do fautl them, they are scum and I would tell every one of them to their face that they are scum. I ahve zero Symphoty for pirates and have no interest in being sympathetic to them. Pirates do not increase game sales at all, and those who support pirates are the anti gameing just as much as those who are trying to outlaw it are.

Spellcheck, ever heard of it?

How is somebody "scum" for downloading a game THAT WAS NEVER LEGALLY AVAILABLE TO THEM? And those living in poorer countries who simply never have any game legally exported to them at all? If you walk up to a 10 year old Afghani kid who got a pirated copy of the original Doom from a friendly soldier stationed nearby and tell him that he's scum that doesn't deserve sympathy, you are not some righteous crusader with the moral high ground, you are an asshole.

Are they all "scum" for not living up to your comfortable first world american ethics? Again, like with your last post, 0% arguments backed up with facts, 100% unbased insults. I posted a link so a statement from a media person stating that piracy had a positive effect on their sales, you simply say that it's a lie with no facts to back up that claim.