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[Valter]

...skofo?

[Daniel Benmergui]

Now I bought Aquaria, as I promised...

[Euphemism]

Okay, time to make a purchase ¬.¬ I hope they add it to Xfire soon - I want to keep track of my hours wasted invested in this game.

Steam is down. I'm really annoyed. 

[team_q]

I bought it last night, I don't know why I kept putting it off till now. So far, I've enjoyed it!

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

Why do I get the impression you did not enjoy Aquaria? I'm only ten and a half hours in, so I can't really pass judgement yet, but so far I have not felt that my money was wasted.

Oooh only ten and a half hours of swimming around doing nothing challenging. But it's so pretty and you're EXPLORING, right?

I've seen a lot of that -- not just about this game, but I mean, a lot of people don't get that if a game isn't fun to them but others like it, those others aren't wrong. I don't understand why they do not understand that (if they don't?).

Doesn't it make more sense to say something like 'this game isn't for me' rather than 'the game is a waste of money, overhyped, and everyone who likes it can't admit that they aren't really having fun with it, they just think they are, the fools' etc.

[Chris Whitman]

I think it's a salience issue. Even if we're aware in general that other people may feel differently about something, it often isn't salient unless it's specifically brought up.

If you ask someone whether something they find boring might be found exciting by another person, most people would agree, but when it comes down to an actual situation where that occurs they may not be immediately cognizant of the fact and may assume that everyone perceives the situation identically to the way they do.

I think it's part of most people's 'knowledge' that our likes and dislikes are subjective, but when it hasn't been brought up in those terms, people do often behave as if they were not.

[Chris Whitman]

Although if he's only played the demo, or part of it, or just has some idea of how the game plays that is mistaken, it could be fundamental attribution error. He may be assuming that other people enjoy the game because they like swimming around and doing nothing, when in fact their condition of enjoyment is situational, in that the game has a lot more to it than that.

In this case he's prioritizing the idea that your enjoyment of the game is based around a character flaw, rather than his misperception or lack of knowledge of situational factors.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

True, I have seen the character flaw thing used -- like "only gay people would like this game!"

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

So perhaps it's just a maturity thing -- some people are more "self-absorbed" (in the sense of using themselves as a standard of comparison) and can't fully grasp that other people can have radically different priorities, personalities, tastes, and all that. So when they come up against people who do, they think they're something wrong with that person, that they aren't healthy because they aren't like them.

But anyway, I guess it's just something we have to deal with. I'm sure I was just as guilty of it when I was younger.

[Valter]

I'm getting steadily more tempted to buy this game.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

If you haven't bought and loved Aquaria you are NOT a modern indie gamer!

(/joke)

[Akhel]

I think this is an excellent game. The demo doesn't really do it justice, as it's rather small and linear. The best thing in Aquaria is exploring and finding all the cool places.

[team_q]

Oh, I hope thats not the best thing, because that's the hardest thing for me to get into.

[Chris Whitman]

I think swimming around shooting the crap out of things is pretty fun too.

[Akhel]

Oh, I hope thats not the best thing, because that's the hardest thing for me to get into.

That's just my opinion... surely some other people care more for the boss fights or the cooking or the story or whatever.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

You forgot the art. Just playing that game for the pure visual beauty of it was my favorite part.

[Craig Stern]

I really think Aquaria looks wonderful. I just wish I had the free time to buy it and play it through to completion.

[Alec]

Re: rinkuhero and the "gay" comments

There's actually a really neat thread on the Bit-Blot forums about whether the game is a "girl game" or not. Its something I never thought about when making the game, but its an interesting subject. We have a really diverse fan base from around the world, including men and women of all ages, even some seniors - and they came to the conclusion that the game isn't specifically geared to one gender over the other. (the thread then goes on to discuss gender in gaming in general)

One of the things that confuses some people about the game is how it starts off gently and peacefully, and then eventually moves more towards action and tense situations. This was something we did consciously, and the people who are willing to try it really seem to be affected by it in a cool way.

I found this quote (from that thread) really interesting:

"Naija disarmed me when I first started the game.  I've played tons of RPG's and you're used to the sort of heroes with dark pasts, silent protagonist good guys till the end, or the plucky heroes, but you seldom ever see a character like Naija.  She's beautiful, in a way that makes you terrified with every dark truth unearthed in the game, that it just might break her innocent heart."

I think the game has a lot to offer people who are willing to explore not just a physical space, but an emotional space as well.

 

[___]

The demo should just start in open waters and then out of nowhere the mom and pops boss spawns and wrecks your shit.

[Euphemism]

One of the things that confuses some people about the game is how it starts off gently and peacefully, and then eventually moves more towards action and tense situations. This was something we did consciously, and the people who are willing to try it really seem to be affected by it in a cool way.

The Abyss was weird but interesting - I liked the glowy creatures. The next zone, you know, the one after the barrier, was just a bit creepy with the background music and stuff. The final area was just  and outright creepy. I felt uneasy the whole time playing it and thinking, this is not what I signed up for.

And then I got killed by a mob of 50 nautili. Nautiluses. Whatever. Well, I decided that was enough for the day -_- The attack that was supposed to clear the screen of all of them... didn't.

Overall, I've been enjoying it.