next »

[slembcke]

...and no matter if that's the case or not, it's unfortunately as believable as any other option. Especially considering that they announced that they're now even working on a second game. Also weird is that they hired someone specifically to improve the communication between the devs and the community.

Yeah, I was thinking about mentioning that. They hired a publicist once to make blog posts for them. That lasted only for a few weeks, and really he never said anything that actually mattered.

Another great point was their April Fools day stunt last year: http://devlog.datarealms.com/cortex-command/cc-online-multiplayer-mod/
They hadn't put out an update for almost a year at this point, and teased about a multiplayer mod that was just a prank. "Nice April Fools’ gag.. OR IS IT!" Nice attempt at humor, but I'm sure they were the only ones laughing. Making a joke of the fact that development was effectively stalled was not a great way to win back the trust of the people that preordered.

[Christian Knudsen]

Instead they keep selling it with the promise that it will probably be finished someday.

Although we are very passionate about this project, we cannot guarantee that it will be completed - that's why we offer the discounted price instead of a pre-order deal at full price.

Not that I don't agree with you, though.

And, yeah, like Paul said, pre-selling an indie game can be a double-edged sword. I'd personally only ever do it if the potential income from pre-selling was crucial to the game actually being finished.

[s0]

things like that are part of why i don't want to release my next game SD too early or have early pre-orders, actually. even if you're very very good about community and constant updates, like notch and wolffire are, there will still be people who complain that it's not being updated frequently enough or that the updates and improvements are not on important stuff and on useless stuff

Also, Dwarf Fortress and Minecraft are open-ended sandbox games. From what I know SD is story- and progression-based. With games like that I'm not interested in playing unfinished versions, I'd rather have the full "experience" right away, much like I wouldn't read a half-written novel or watch an unedited movie. Preselling doesn't work for all games IMO.

[TheLastBanana]

Another great point was their April Fools day stunt last year: http://devlog.datarealms.com/cortex-command/cc-online-multiplayer-mod/
They hadn't put out an update for almost a year at this point, and teased about a multiplayer mod that was just a prank. "Nice April Fools’ gag.. OR IS IT!" Nice attempt at humor, but I'm sure they were the only ones laughing. Making a joke of the fact that development was effectively stalled was not a great way to win back the trust of the people that preordered.

Just for the record, I developed the April Fool's joke as a mod, entirely outside of the game. Data just happened to find it funny and post it on the blog - he didn't even know it was being worked on until it was released.

[BoxedLunch]

i want to get it, but with no stuff until christmas and being a jobless 14 year old i can't pay. and with the money going to charity i'd feel like a dick for paying nothing for it.

[Soulliard]

You can always give money to charity later, once you can afford it.

[Dacke]

Half the point is that poor people can get the games for free, and people with money can pay more instead. Don't feel bad about it, just get the games, no one will look down on you. Contribute what you can, and take what you need. If you keep contributing through out your life (in different ways), you will definitely end up on the plus-side

[BoxedLunch]

thanks Tanner, who got me both bundles without me asking, or before i even checked the topic again.

[Tanner]

no prob, bob

[Mipe]

yeah i think you do need java installed to run it; i think a lot of people don't have that installed yet.

I do believe I have java installed... otherwise I could claim Minecraft running on my computer a miracle. 

Still haven't found a solution. At work now, but no games here or else!

[Arne]

Look at all that Cortex Command hate. But I agree, those devs really need to get to work!

Wait, what? I'm a dev? I have to work now? It's so much easier imagining someone else working. Or myself, but in the future!


On a more serious note, I do feel bad about CC being so unfinished. I was working on it more intensely a few months ago (I'm mainly gfx guy), but unfortunately did no actual ingame art assets since I concentrated on fluff/redesign (some of the fluff made it onto this page). Then Inafune ruined my CC spree by announcing MML3 fan development. Then I did(n't) Marne Bros and derailed in all sorts of random directions.

While I'm glad that the HIB2 is doing well... personally, I can't help but to feel quite... uneasy about obscene amounts of money and the expectations and critique that follows with it.

[Raptor85]

Question to the cortex command folks, I didn't see one on your site but I know you're reading this thread :  You guys have some sort of a bug tracker or bug submission form?  Game seems like it would be fun...but seeing as I can't get it to run for more than a few minutes it would be cool if i could report the issues.

In case you don't here the biggest issues I personally had.

1. every time i shoot the crab in the tutorial, I segfault and get a dump of this to the console : [Error] OpenAL Error: Invalid Value. I want to shoot the crab damnit!

2. when mapping a gamepad, there's no delay between mapping buttons, and I have a sensitive joypad. When trying to set the first axes for movement, it maps ALL the controls to that axes before I can get my hand off the pad, which throws the game into a spasm and has to be hard killed

3. text is completely unreadable in 1280x1024 and 1600x1200, I tried squinting with a magnifiying glass but it's so tiny even on my 20 inch screen I can't tell what the tutorial is saying.

4. I bought something, the rocket came down, exploded for seemingly no reason, then crashed the game with no error dump.

I have a whole christmas list for you guys if you so want it, I must have crashed  few dozen times but i was able to replicate almost every error I had.

As for the other games in the pack, if anyone is debating on getting it, it's worth it for revenge of the titans and machinarium alone.  Braid is a good game (But really, really short), I already have the ps3 version, but I do have a nitpick with this pc release here...you can't set the controls and the hard set buttons to use are terrible. (arrow keys, space bar, and shift). The ps3 version is much better simply due to having a game pad :/

[pelle]

No hate here, but I would also love to see an update on Cortex Command. It was the only game in the bundle that I don't feel like playing more after trying it for a few minutes.

I also didn't get why I must use the mouse to fire the weapons when everything else is keyboard/keypad. Huh? Not that I managed to fire a single shot anyway. Maybe a problem with convincing the game that my Mac do have a two-button mouse (control-clicking didn't help though)?

[fuggles]

I have created an account specifically for Mipe - hope he's grateful

I too had the problem with Titans stating "Failed to find Main Class". The solution, and I have no idea why, is to either run it straight from progam files/revenge of the titans, or creating your own desktop shortcut the exe.

[Dacke]

I'm in love with the idea of Cortex Command. And just like with other world-simulation-y games like Clonk and DF, I'm happy to throw money at it - if it means it will be worked on. So I'm kind of happy that it's included, as it will force Data to work on it (hopefully).

And if they (you) can't work on it, the honourable thing to do would be to open up the source to outside contributors. I'm sure there are lots of people who would love to help out with the game.

[PaleFox]

Just pointing out. In Braid you can also use the Z key to jump. Z and Shift is a far more sane proposition than Space and Shift (I mean really? Really?) and although it's never mentioned anywhere it makes playing much easier. Just know wherever Space is mentioned you can substitute Z.

[st33d]

We were trying to get my boss to accept the idea of a jump button other than up the other day.

He was very resistant. That's casual games for you, there's this dogma of making it idiot proof which unfortunately is backed up by the statistics.

[FrankieSmileShow]

Space and shift drove me insaaane in super meat boy steam version. Its such a terrible idea! Luckily I got my ps3 controller to emulate later or id still be stuck in world 2 with horrible finger cramps.

Also, as usual, I buy the bundle and I dont play any of the games. I still havent played half of the games I bought in the first bundle and played none of the games I bought in the mega indie love bundle. I am drowning in media I bought and have not experienced!!!

[Guert]

Just got mine. I think this humble indie bundle is great. Period. 

[s0]

Z and Shift is a far more sane proposition than Space and Shift (I mean really? Really?) and although it's never mentioned anywhere it makes playing much easier.

Except if you don't have a QWERTY keyboard.