Mephistopheles: Not All Linux Games Sell Well

[F.Ultra]

Heres hoping for Steel Storm III instead, just a bummer that Kot-in-Aktion stopped providing updates for us who bought the game from their own store and simply refeers us to Steam (which I cannot use as a non Windows user) and Desura (which I don't have at the moment since I'm not interested in installing a big infrastructure just to play one game).

Regarding Humble Hundle, if I'm not remembering incorrectly Steel Storm was thrown in as a bonus in Humble Bundle #3 and was not in the bundle from the start. If so then it would explain why they didn't get such big a piece of the pie.

[allquixotic]

I'm actually slightly compelled to go buy this game from the video... the graphics aren't *great*, but certainly not terrible. I don't know why some people have such extraordinarily high expectations that anything they look at be completely photorealistic. To me it's all about the gameplay.

The gameplay did look interesting, but I'm also leaning heavily towards story-based games lately, so maybe it would be for the best if they could provide at least a few static hand-scripted quests in between the procedurally generated content (this is exactly what Diablo did, btw).

[downer]

Action-RPG, it says. Expecially combined with "procedurally generated" that means to me there are random people telling you to fetch random stuff, and when you get enough, you can go fight the final boss. In other words, the story is an alibi for the setting, but not intrinsic to your actions in the game. That doesn't have to be bad, see World Of Goo for example. But when I see "story-driven", I think of something like Arx Fatalis, not Diablo.

It looks like they are just showing a tech demo video right now, and it is an indie game. Procedurally generated maps could just be saving them development time. "Use explosives or other means to create your own path through a destructible world" and "ToM has the capacity for vast dungeons to explore and battle within, as well as the ability to manipulate the world with methods such as, explosives, spells, or the brute force of vicious AI. There is a high possibility of outdoor surface areas, with forests, villages, and multiple entrances to other underground or above ground areas which may be interconnected over miles of playing space" doesn't sound bad at all. The big permanent map in Fallout 3 just let me know were I wanted to teleport to next, since everything inbetween might as well have been skipped over anyway. ToM also has multiplayer/co-op if the story isn't enough for you. But yes, I hope they don't rely on collecting stuff.

[Irritant]

I get rather annoyed at comments about the graphics. First off, the graphics don't look like "late 90's". Late 90's games didn't have that kind of lighting and shadowing, normal/specular/parallax mapping on surfaces. If you're going to make such a comment, do it with some education. Thank you.

Now, on to the game. The video's are rather boring. The levels lack any kind of detail(which may be a by-product of them being randomly generated). At this point it looks like an endlessly repetitive skeleton bashing exercise. I think that Kot should have waited until the game had a little more development before exposing it. It might turn out to be a great game, but the video's are not grabbing me at this stage, and it seems that is the general consensus.

[AnonymousCoward]

I get rather annoyed at comments about the graphics. First off, the graphics don't look like "late 90's". Late 90's games didn't have that kind of lighting and shadowing, normal/specular/parallax mapping on surfaces. If you're going to make such a comment, do it with some education. Thank you.

Whatever it is, at the moment Arx Fatalis for example (almost ten years old now) looks better to me. Maybe the engine here is technically better, but the current content doesn't show that. Compare also the poster child for flashy graphics, Oilrush. That does look obviously modern.

[sylock]

I hope the best for the devs but when we have to pay, we need to be interested in, no matter about the philosophy. I don't say philosophy doesn't count of course but it is not sufficient.

Currently, the game looks like a game of 15 years ago... After playing with MWF3 it's hard to be exited playing such an old-fashion looking game.

[colo]

I did not even know that game existed until five minutes ago.

I like the genre, and a randomly generated game world is always a win. Give me gameplay close to a first-person Diablo (part one), and I'm happy to spend money on your stuff.

Will buy at least two copies/"alpha funding bonds" once I arrive home.

[Welsh Dwarf]

A couple of remarks:

Firstly on the graphics:

The code has promise, and the bump maps on the doors and walls show what could be done. Unfortunately, after all this work, it seems that the textures/models/animations were rushed in under a week. This goes double for the skeletons. This, more than anything else, is the game's weak point.

On the gameplay:

The digging mechanic shoes real promise (loved Red Faction). A part from that, it seems like a dungeon crawler. No idea what the interface is supposed to look like, so I won't comment. The idea of gestures for combat is right up my street (think of using a wiimote with the game).

On first impressions:

They count a lot. What you've shown us has promise, but asking for money off the bat means you think it's worth it (which your video doesn't demonstrate).

A better approach would have been a slightly more involved video (showing off less map, but with better finishing, and at least some ideas as to the combat mechanic, a developer interview and some concept art), ask for pre-orders, and try to build a community around them.

Overgrowth is a good example to follow. Look at their first videos to see how, even when not much was done, what was shown made you want to play.

TL;DR: The game has promise, but you didn't even try to sell it.

[doctoren]

I'm a bit surprised at some of the comments in this thread but I guess a lot of it boils down to what your point of reference is.

For instance comparing this to Skyrim does not make sense to me. I may not know a whole lot about Kot in Action but I would consider them Indies with few resources and therefore would not expect them to come up with anything remotely close to AAA title.

They use the tools that they can afford and must try to tweak other parameters to get peoples attention and money. As I recall they actually hinted that they would like to switch to using some more modern tech if the funding would allow it. So better graphics could potentially come with a successful alpha funding.

What I don't disagree with is that Kot in Action still has a lot to learn in the way of how to run a successful business. In my book the dated graphics isn't the issue here and I would usually have no problem in supporting a project like this. What I don't like is that they seem to have stitched this together in a few days and then expected the money to roll in. A week goes by and nothing happens and they persuade Michael to run another article with a sad headline. I mean a week has gone by. The lack of interested people might be due to lack of exposure but honestly I've seen this this game covered on other sites too. I'm not saying that I won't support this project in the future but I believe a lot more effort should have been put into this.

[Ansla]

Like I said in the first article about this game, the videos look like a FPS game with a medieval theme, not that there's something bad with making a FPS with a medieval theme, but if you try to sell it as an RPG neither potential customers for RPG games nor the ones for FPS will be happy.
I would personally be very interested in an RPG game, but I don't think Mephistopheles will end up being one so I'm not buying it for now, maybe if later alpha releases show that Kot in Action is indeed serious about making an RPG.