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Posted - 2014.05.08 06:08:00 -
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Leanna Boghin wrote: cut question regarding priorities of graphics over game play
Unfortunately CCP is no better than any other video game studio. The art sells the game to non-gamers, upper management, suits and those with money.
Game play is vastly more important but as this is their first FPS they fell into the trap right away. Chromosome was a good game. It wasn't a great game or even a game that one might play for years but it had potential. Uprising 1.0 was a completely different game which meant all those thousands of hours of beta testing were mostly wasted. Why? Well, they didn't know what they were doing because they aren't as good as the average FPS game company. Maybe in a few more years they might be where the business is today. By then, they will still be a few years behind. Somethings will never change, those behind will stay behind. Mediocrity is its own curse.
Tying the game to EVE and its nutty, scam filled universe was alright to an extent. But to have the SP cost skyrocket with many skills not actually giving benefits is typical EVE but not typical FPS or RPG. Having to grind for a month to get a skill or two from level 3 to level 5 means many will play a different game instead. One that has balanced rewards.
In a proper game with exponential level cost increases the new opponents (Reds) are harder to kill, take better weapons to counter, drop better gear and grant more XP when killed. Falling back to grind out some XP on lower level enemies (Pinks) will grant next to nothing, see either Borderlands, Mass Effect (I think), many of Bethesda games and Dark Souls. In Borderlands if you attack enemies that are too low you get nothing. Although their loot drops don't change they are worthless to a high level player.
With a PVE (no restricted to Legion) mode a player can expend solo or co-op time again AI to farm enough to step up to the next level. In Dust there is only PVP, some of diminishing returns, FW for instance. To enable a balance XP/reward vs effort system in Dust would take a matchmaking system. Which dust has never seen, nor will it ever. Without it being designed upfront it is unlikely coders of this skill level could add it to the game. Maybe Legion will get one, although considering that CCP believes new players are for ganking and scams - probably not. Unless they change their attitude and show some basic understanding of FPS then Legion will follow us into the dust of New Eden.
Nobody at CCP cares because we ain't Legionnaires.
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Posted - 2014.05.08 06:13:00 -
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bamboo x wrote:Flamethrower x50 Sure why not? They won't damage to a heavy (or any other suit). They use an unshielded particle accelerator to shoot slugs at vehicles. Which the developers pointed out would cause a normal person to burst into flame.
So flamethrower, meh. Armor that can handle drops from orbit wouldn't even notice it. Although it will suck up your SP/ISK/AUR and it would be amusing to watch you jumping around while getting shot by a real weapon. Like anything that wasn't a flamethrower.
Nobody at CCP cares because we ain't Legionnaires.
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Posted - 2014.05.08 11:22:00 -
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R F Gyro wrote:
CCP were clearly stitched-up by Sony with the PS3-exclusive thing, and they clearly messed up development on Dust, big-time. I wish it hadn't happened.
But this particular criticism - "They have more interest in making the game look shiny than they do in making the game a playable fun game" - is just unfounded and unfair.
First the current EP stated in one of his first interviews with the press on his appointment quit clearly, "there is no piece of paper saying we have to stay anywhere". Which is exactly what has been known for over a year.
Sony paid nothing to CCP. They were simply more open than the competition to having a F2P game on their console and allowed CCP to enjoy a faster refresh cycle and limited their store purchases to AUR and various packages. Nothing about exclusive was forced on either company.
The criticism regarding graphics over game play first rose up during Uprising. Better graphics and the game was worse, much, much worse. It was essentially a newly released completely broken game. But the textures were more detailed and the art had been improved. Which was nice but rankled many when Chromosome worked much better and was closer to a finished product that Uprising has managed to get to even today. Nearly a year later and bugs that were introduced in 1.0 are still in the game. Each new release introduced new bugs and many of them were ever eliminated. Most were not even acknowledged.
So criticism or simple observation, the choice in words probably is tied to whether you though Chromosome was a reasonable starting point. And that might be further adjusted if you believe that immersion breaking texture pop in with grass that grows as you get closer is a good thing or not.
For me, almost everything about Uprising is worse. At least before we had the hope of a future game.
And now, we are all dust.
Nobody at CCP cares because we ain't Legionnaires.
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Posted - 2014.05.09 06:03:00 -
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R F Gyro wrote:
Personally I always thought that particular statement was probably a masterpiece of misinformation. My guess is that there is a written agreement that says they have to be PS3 exclusive for 12 months, but can then move to other platforms. So, no, they don't have to stay on PS3 forever. I've got no evidence for this, of course.
There is no evidence because it never happened. By now something would have leaked. It is the nature of this business. You and many others are dreaming and I have no idea why this lame concept is even talked about. It is a waste of bits. Even if it were true it makes no difference in a game that is this broken.
Note that Sony has no recognition in the game. Nothing in loading screens or anywhere at all. If Sony offered cash they would have gotten some credit. Again, that is the nature of the business. Money goes in and credit is displayed. If they an exclusive distribution agreement that would have been in the press. It wasn't so it didn't happen.
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The problems you describe are, imho, due to a dysfunctional software development organization rather than a focus on graphics over gameplay. CCP would clearly have loved to have better gameplay, better graphics and more content. As it was they focused their Dust developers for months on core gameplay, with only minor graphics enhancements.
There's simply no way that Uprising 1.1 to 1.8 can be described as "graphics over gameplay". I could understand "failed attempt to concentrating on gameplay" if that is your belief, but certainly not overfocus on graphics.
CCP, at least the branch that does Dust/Legion, has the software maturity of a group of elementary school children. I would like to read their software procedures or operations manuals. I haven't gotten to read crayon on the back of a juice box in a long time. 
There was a fixed amount of resources. That is known, how much exactly is not (by us). They spent much effort on hacking up their own modifications to a dying engine and now are loath to give them up while the rest of the industry has gladly moved on to UE4 or a different engine entirely. CCP started with a better engine from my understanding. Giving up on consoles would enable the switch back. Limited by the amount of work of course.
So what did happen was a lot of work was put into graphics. This includes much of their updates to UE3, 'lighting is much improved' which is useful when you are doing fancy graphics that load the system down. Somehow they seemed to think that fancy graphics and better lighting would make a better game.
It might have except for one small fact. The game is not good because it does not work. Basic mechanics still fail, drawing assets in the proper order still fails after years of effort and many FPS functions are beyond broken. Guns fail to shoot, reload, overheat and it seems to effect many weapons. See 'I emptied my clip into him and there was no damage', I suspect that it is basic game play failure. Just like CCP had a basic development failure and now they have left a mess behind them.
Their level of software expertise is minimal. Many of the bugs can be devolved into state errors in multi-tasking code. They do have an adequate debug situation and that may never change. Although developing on the PC can help they would not only have to want to do a better job they would have to understand what a better job was. Which is unlikely at best.
Now they are moving to Legion with Dust assets and their own, marginally functional, UE3. I laugh at their future, cause I am so glad I am not involved.
Nobody at CCP cares because we ain't Legionnaires.
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