What do you think of the Minecraft-style model for games?

[Pink Gregory]

Here's a question; with the advent of crowdfunding and massive community input, it seems that it's now viable to release and sell a game which isn't necessarily closed to further development.

I've been calling this the Minecraft model, in that it goes beyond DLC and patches in that the game can even be sold even in beta, and new features/tweaks are continually added.

Another game that seems to be using this model in a way is Endless Space, being that the Amplitude website hosts votes for new features/tweaks.

So, with the future looking to many Kickstarter titles and other crowdfunded games, what do you think of this model?

Could it only lead to good things? or could it lead to feature creep? or do you completely disagree with releasing an 'unfinished' game?

 

[Randomologist]

Probably pros and cons like most other methods. It depends as well on your definition of unfinished. I got Minecraft in Beta 1.3, which had enough content for me to enjoy as a game but is very basic compared to the latest version. You get rapid prototyping and a fast implementation of some concepts, but (sticking with Minecraft) You do get feature creep such as the coal-powered minecarts which are now totally obsolete.

Added items can be removed, but for complicated files such as games you may as well release a particular landmark version before you condense the code down to something more pragmatic- in this case reassigning the Block IDs etc.

Spoiler: Unrelated but just a thought

Has anyone else been reading Feature Creep as Creature Feep? I can't stop the spoonerism now.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well it's a nice flexible way of earning a few bucks for people just starting out, but at the same time it is so very unpredictable and possibly dangerous.
Not to long ago we had a big pissing contest over Terraria and howmuch the fans should get for their money, some would swear blind that the game already came finished, others claim they were promised more then offered... and all sorts of things in between.

I guess the important thing we need in this alpha-sale setups is some standards, devs you need to accurately define how far your build will go and you need to make sure it gets there, so when it's all said and done we can all point to what your customer is owed and what not.