Still on cooldown. Updates, nonetheless.

Hello, all!  I swear, I had a rant prepared for today, but...hasn't quite coalesced yet.  Still working on what I want to talk about next and some indies to spotlight.  Either way, I wanted to let people know that I DID survive Animazement.  I debated buying some games, but was poor, so settled for a few movies.  I wanted to get the Guardian Legend for NES, but...again, poor.

Can we get a VC release, Nintendo?  Pleaes?

I sold about 400 dollars worth of my gaming perlers, which is pretty decent, if I do say so.  However, a fair bit of things happened while I was gone, so I just want to post a few updates about gaming, then I'll hopefully be back into regular update mode next week.  First, while Animazement was going on, we finally have the release of the Retron 5 by Hyperkin...the delays and price hikes have made many people skeptical, but as far as clone consoles go, it seems PRETTY DAMN IMPRESSIVE.  Save states, built in cheats, and almost 10 different systems that are playable(NES, Famicom, SNES, Super Famicom, Sega Genesis, Sega Megadrive Japan version, Game boy, Game boy color, and GBA.)  Gamespot did a much more comprehensive review than I could, seeing as I don't have one because, poor.  Check that out here.

It ain't perfect, but it is pretty damn cool.

Zeboyd games, one of my previous creator spotlights, has started up the Kickstarter Report again and I couldn't be more thrilled, as they have showcased some truly interesting kickstarter ideas.  Extra Credits recently finished an inspiring examination of how video games could be used as educational tools.  And Dark Souls 2 continues to be awesome, thanks to lore enthusiasts like Vaati.

Also, right after I returned home from my convention, an artist and graphic designer I know showed me something awesome.

A billion points to people who actually get this reference.

She's an artist, pokemon enthusiast, and overall awesome person.  Goes by the tag Aquarius Magick.  Check her stuff out, if you're interested.

That's all for me.  I'm still cooling down from working over 30 hours last weekend, yes still, shut up, I'm tired.  I'll also be heading out to New York in two weeks, so this might be a light month for me in terms of updates, but I don't intend to abandon this blog by any means, so...just be patient, alright?

Thinking next week we talk about either Legend of Iya or Neverending Nightmares and their creators.  We'll see...

Brief Hiatus and Con Announcement

Sorry guys...I really wanted to try and keep up this weekly schedule, but I warned that there might be some down period in May.  And frankly, I am close to hitting burn out with my life.  Too much work, too much stress, not enough time...so, I'm taking the rest of May off.  I might get another post made up a little before the end, but I need both a break and time to get some of my projects together.

I will be appearing in person at Animazement from May 22-25, where I will be selling my perlers, video game bead crafts, in the artist's alley.  The store is called Realm of Perlers, so if you're a fan and in the area, give me a look.  I'm working hard on getting my stock ready while balancing my life and work...which is hard.

Sorry, I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses.  I just need a break before I collapse.  So, no video game posts until at least the week of the 28th.

Rest assured, though.  I love this industry, I love video games, and I love sharing my ideas with you.

I WILL be back.

Promise, I won't be gone for long.  I'll be back.

Creator Spotlight: Zeboyd

            I tend not to do this, as this is a team of two developers at once, and these guys are pretty well known as far as indies are concerned...I mean, the titles of their games are too insane to ignore, but...these guys are just brilliant.  So insightful, so intelligent, and yet, still humble.  These are the models that every wannabe JRPG developer, that every piece of RPG Maker shovelware who gets onto Steam, should look up to.  This...is Zeboyd.

Retro does not even begin to describe this company...and yet, still more modern than a lot of other JRPGs.

            Zeboyd consists of Robert Boyd and William Stiernberg, with the duties for each neatly divided down the middle.  Boyd is the programmer and handles most of the storytelling and gameplay aspects, while Stiernberg is the artist, who creates characters, environments, and effects.  To me, it's amazing how well this works.  Neither side seems out of the loop, which helps because it's only a team of two, but...they work so well together to create such unique titles.

The men behind the company.

            Before we get too in-depth with the praise, however, let's go on a little trip back in time.  It's 2009.  Xbox Live Indie Games becomes available on the Xbox Live Marketplace, but only reaches a...minimal audience.  Robert Boyd decides to leave his day job and, being skilled with programming languages and having a love of JRPG and visual novel games, decides to try his hand at XBLIG.  He and Stiernberg's first title sold less than 1000 digital copies and was a visual novel style game parodying science fiction tropes.  It was called Epiphany in Spaaace!  Despite the minimal sales, Zeboyd tried again.  This time, it released a game called, Molly, the Were-Zombie.  Also an interactive novel game, it also sold less than 1000 copies.  Apparently, this lack of success made Zeboyd change their strategies just a bit.

Not exactly riveting stuff, but Epihphany in Spaaace! still maintains the trademark off humor of Zeboyd.

 

Have I mentioned that Zeboyd loves their cameos?

            Zeboyd's next title is one of the big ones it's known for.  Breath of Death VII: The Beginning.  This title is remarkable, and not just because Breath of Death I-VI don't exist(even the title is a parody...).  Breath of Death is built as a throwback to old 8-bit RPGs with a somewhat animated intro mimicking what might have been seen on the NES.  It plays very much like Dragon Quest and features as main characters, a skeleton warrior, a ghost priest, a vampire mad scientist, and a zombie prince.  This game takes place after the end of the world where the undead have taken the place of humanity, built cities, and are occasionally plagued by monsters.  This game is insane.  It's rife with parody, as the main character communicates via thought bubbles, since he is a skeleton and has no tongue, but while the players can hear him, others take him as a silent protagonist, and we are subjected to some clever humor lampooning the notion.  It plays very stiffly, but this is by design, as it mimics the controls of Dragon Quest.  However, Robert Boyd wasn't shackled by that design mentality.  Rather than making a straight up copy of Dragon Quest, he thought of ways to improve the experience for players.  First, the experience is relatively streamlined.  The only real items carried are potions, which one can use to revive a fallen comrade.  Other than that, there are basic equipment slots for everyone, though it usually consists of weapon and armor.  However, it wasn't just made simpler.  The game also had a number of improvements to the old formula.  There was a change to leveling.  When a character leveled up, they got an option of what skills to learn, usually either strength based or magic based, so players could pick and choose to build a balanced or specific stat heavy character.  Combo attacks were added, where some characters can forfeit their turn to do a single, powerful move to either heal or inflict tons of damage.  Enemies grew stronger as turns went by, encouraging encounters to be speedy, lest the whole party get wiped out.  Most notable amongst the changes to the standard JRPG formula, however, was the addition of the "Fight" option in the menu, eliminating the need to look for random encounters AND the fact that the number of encounters in an area was limited, and once that number was reached the only way to get more was to use the "Fight" command.  It was a brilliant way to balance the grind of the JRPG with the fact that people get tired of having to slog through weaker enemies if they need to back track.  Breath of Death sold 40,000 copies during its time on XBLIG and made enough money for the team to try another game.

 This opening...sooooo many warm fuzzy memories

            Following Breath of Death, Zeboyd made Cthulhu Saves the world.  Yes, you read that right.  Cthulhu.  Saves.  The World.  It's a game about the elder god from the  Lovecraftian mythos, re-imagined as a humorous RPG character.  Why is he saving the world?  Well, because the only way to regain his dark, evil, wicked power...is to become a true hero.  I am not kidding at all.  This game was closer to a 16-bit RPG and kept many of the innovations that Breath of Death pioneered, including the leveling systems, limited random encounters, and streamlined approach.  The game stands out for it's humor, which is genuinely funny, and the tributes paid to Lovecraft and the world he built.  What's remarkable about the game is the attention to detail paid in the art assets.  While characters aren't displayed on screen, attacks have more effects to them and every single enemy in the game has two different sprites.  One for normal and one for insane, since turning enemies insane is part of the mechanics of the game.  Stiernberg went out of his way to make characters, even hideous monsters, lose their minds when turned insane.  It's pretty amazing.  Cthulhu Saves the World is a fitting sequel to Breath of Death and was released with a bit more fanfare.  A parody song was made for it and after its release on Xbox Live, it was eventually bundled with Breath of Death for sale before being released on Steam.  This bundle was immensely successful, selling well over 100,000 units only four months after its subsequent release on Steam.

 Yes, this is a real thing used to promote the game.  Wow...

            This was how I was introduced to the game.  Zeboyd, however, has managed to do more than merely be successful by mimicking old school JRPGs.  They've earned a huge amount of goodwill from fans like me.  You see, all Zeboyd games are released at extremely low prices.  The Breath of Death/Cthulhu bundle on Steam was released for $2.99 without any discounts.  And these games also have a staggering amount of extra features, including new game+ modes and alternate story modes, where Cthulhu is replaced by another character, with cameos from some unexpected places.  Cameos from previous games are also a hallmark of Zeboyd, so players can always expect to meet some old friends.

$2.99 or less.  What's your excuse for not playing these games?

            So, after flying high, releasing their games on Steam to huge success, and still being humble, how does Zeboyd follow it up?  By being entrusted to finish up the Penny Arcade video games.  Zeboyd created Penny Arcade: On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 and 4.  These games are...pure madness.  What's more amazing is that people need not have played the previous games to enjoy them or even be a fan of Penny Arcade's comic.  They are magic.

Never really been a PA fan, but alright, Zeboyd, show us what ya got.

            Zeboyd decided to break up the formula as well as update the graphics on their game engines.  Penny Arcade 3 featured a class system, with such classes as crabomancer, hobo, gardener, soothsayer, etc.  It allowed players to mix and match up to two classes, along with their own abilities for some truly unique combos.  Players could summon the apocalypse, turn into a T-rex, and summon a swarm of honey bees all in one turn.  Speaking of turns, the game features an active time battle system that is more akin to Final Fantasy 10 than any other.  Players can see when they are coming up in the que and when the enemies are and, interestingly, can disrupt enemy movements to alter the order.  Also, enemies can be seen on the map, so random encounters are not a problem.  The combat is fun, fast paced, and allows for some bizarre ways to play the game.  There are also bonus dungeons near the end of the game and different filters to apply to the game, such as turning all the characters into girls or furries.  It's pure insanity.

Yes, that's a T-rex and a skull in a jar fighting the Thinker.  This game is crazy.

            For Penny Arcade 4, the same battle system was used, though the class system was replaced by a pokemon-esque system of raising companion monsters.  The humor from all their previous titles are intact, however there are some odd touches that add a bit of darkness to the humor.  More than that, the graphics for this title are simply beautiful, with players visiting some of the most unusual of places, such as a giant tree with a zoo inside it, the inside of a monstrous train that is literally alive, with guts and everything, and a temple run by different incarnations of the same guy.  Stiernberg really had some fun with this one.  The game lacked some of the extras of previous titles and the lack of random encounters made this and Penny Arcade 3 harder, since grinding was not an option, but on the whole, they were great games.

Yeah, have I mentioned these games are gorgeous yet?

            Ironically, for all my praise of these games, I dragged my feet with playing them.  For me, Zeboyd games are always good.  Not necessarily great, but good.  They are solid, innovative, wonderful...but none of them have really captured my heart the way Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy 6 have.  I've always enjoyed my time with them, because they are fast, fun, and quirky, but...well, I suppose it's unfair to compare a game built by two people to the best of Square in its hey day.

            Interestingly, Zeboyd does not produce the music for their games in-house.  They do not have a dedicated composer, so they take to the interwebs and use music from indie musicians.  What is perhaps more amazing is that all the tunes work.  They all fit the game and the settings and are often quite beautiful.  Kudos for their choices.

            Zeboyd seems like it's here to stay.  The only cost for the team is their equipment and their own upkeep.  With two developers, that's not terribly much.  And it allows them to continue selling their titles for dirt cheap and getting more good will with the gaming public.  Of the few companies I trust for quality, there are only 3 at present who I would buy any game from on release day.  Vanillaware, for making some of my favorite games ever, Mistwalker, for creating spiritual successors to Final Fantasy, many of which stand side by side with their older brethren...and Zeboyd.  Zeboyd games may not move me like Mistwalker games, but...they are always, ALWAYS good.  Always worth my time.  And always dirt cheap.  Zeboyd is a product of good will and effort.  They have earned my trust.

Zeboyd may not be Last Story good, but they are still damned impressive.  Hell, almost NO ONE is Last Story good...

            What does the future hold for Zeboyd?  Well, they recently went to Kickstarter to fund a sci-fi Phantasy Star-esque space RPG, which looks to have sprites and graphics very close to those of Chrono Trigger.  Perhaps they are going to try and butt heads with giants.  All I know is that I helped fund it and that they're working, even as this post goes up, to get it ready.  Be on the lookout for Cosmic Star Heroine.

You can't tell me that doesn't look sweet.

            Zeboyd also announced their next sequel, Untamed Armaments!  On April 1...so, yeah, no.  However, that does lead me to one of my closing discussions about them.  Both Boyd and Stiernberg manage their home website, as each is co-owner of Zeboyd, and their discussions on the industry are insightful and amusing.  Even when not making games, these two are willing to offer gorgeous art and common sense on the madness that is the games industry.  For example, with Phil Fish's retirement, they discussed the nature of being in the public eye and, without pointing fingers or making anyone feel bad, kind of agreed that it's better for everyone to just be nice(Everyone.  Not just developers.  Journalists, reviewers, fans, EVERYONE.)...which may sound childish or simple, but the way they put it was simply amazing.  Also, there used to be a kickstarter report, where Robert Boyd would give thoughts on certain, special kickstarters that he thought were worthy of attention.  I rather miss it, as it helped me find some amazing projects to fund.

Not sure what's sadder...that Zeboyd actually made me think, for a while, that they were making this game...or that I know and own the game this title is lampooning.

            Zeboyd is the whole package.  Insightful, mature, intelligent, and yet still humble.  They do not ask for a fortune for their games, but instead want others to be able to play them.  They treat the RPG genre with respect, while still modernizing it in ways that will please rather than enrage fans.  And they do it with only a shoestring budget and two developers.  I'm including the links for the Breath of Death/Cthulhu bundle as well as Penny Arcade 3 and 4 here, because you SHOULD buy them and play them.  They are dirt cheap guys...c'mon...we can find like 3 bucks in our couch cushions...  Also, this is the link to the main website.  Zeboyd is a great place to look for insight on the industry as well as updates on their games.  Give them a look.

            While you guys haven't breached my gaming top 10 list, you are a beacon of light in the darkness and everything that a game developer should be, now or in the future.  Zeboyd Games, I salute you.  If you continue giving us great JRPGs till your day of retirement, you'll hear no co

Diminutive Diatribes: The Power of Polish and Cunning of Commitment

            I don't want to go into a whole brain hurty discussion this week, so let's keep it simple.  I love Warhammer 40K: Space Marine.   I probably should NOT love Warhammer 40K: Space Marine.  I probably should not love Splatterhouse on the PS3.  I probably shouldn't care for a LOT of games.  And yet, I do.  Why?

Dear lord, I love this game.  So committed to being in the 40K universe and so polished besides.  This is how you do a Space Marine.

            Because these games are not only polished(okay, Splatterhouse has some technical glitches, but gameplay wise they are all super polished) but also because they are committed to what they are.  Warhammer 40K is committed to being a love letter to the 40k lore.  It is committed to being a celebration of the beauty and the horror of war and carnage.  It is so dedicated to these elements, that many other parts of the game that would be easy to complain about are actually overlooked.  In that same vein, Splatterhouse is a loving remake of the original.  It isn't a watered down T for Teen game with some cute throwaway references to the original Splatterhouse, it is full on remake.  Blood, guts, carnage, style over substance, heavy metal infused game.  In my opinion, this will actually help a game stand out and achieve a level of appreciation, even if they are lacking in other regards.

Say what you want about the game, look at this visceral detail and tell me they weren't committed to making a game called "Splatterhouse."

            Warhammer 40K: Space Marine is a third person shooter that is about space marines shooting aliens in a post-apocalyptic future world.  Sound familiar?  It should, because it's been ripped off and used by countless other more uninteresting games, like Turok, Haze, Syndicate, or any other titles.  These games failed largely because they were generic and uninspired...they didn't commit full way into their source material or into what they were trying to create, instead trying to have it both ways in many aspects to try and get as many buyers as possible.  Turok, for example, first appeared on the N64 and featured not only interesting alien species, but also dinosaurs being hunted by a Native American.  Was it stupid?  I'd say so, it featured you shooting a T-rex with a magic bow and arrow, however it was so committed to its lore, mythos, and purpose, and so polished besides, that it didn't matter if it was stupid.  it was still fun.  In the "remake" you are on an alien planet, blowing up human mercenaries and some dinosaurs as a grizzled space marine with guns...yeah, which one would you rather play?  It was trying to be a modern military shooter, like Call of Duty, but at the same time trying to cull members of the original fanbase.  It wasn't committed to the idea and it wasn't very polished besides.

Probably done this before, but...Better 1?

 

Or Better 2?  Cyborg Dinosaur vs alien gun wielding Turok...or regular Turok kicking a raptor.  Which one seems more committed to the stupid, but awesome premise?

            To me, that's kind of what makes all the difference.  Whether or not you like a game, whether or not it sold well, I think this is what makes a game, from an objective standard, pretty amazing.  Prey is a good example of this.  It features a story about Alien abduction, body horror, and the heritage of Native American mysticism.  It was at times stupid, as we have our hero slipping into a spirit world to attack the soul of an alien with spirit arrows before shooting it with guns, but it didn't wimp out...it featured tragedy and body horror, a conflicted hero, and super polished gameplay...and it was pretty amazing because of it.  And, let's not even look at some of the more unknown or so bad it's good games, let's look at critically acclaimed, successful titles, like, say...Kirby.  On the surface, it seems pretty dumb.  You are a pink puffball on an alien world who can eat enemies to absorb their powers.  Your arch enemy is a giant penguin wielding a hammer and your rival is as word wielding, bat caped swordsman.  Say all that out loud and try to say it's not dumb...but it's the commitment to the premise and how well polished it is that has made the series so endearing.  Kirby is a laid back, kid friendly experience that isn't especially dumbed down.  The mechanics are solid and polished and the commitment to the idea of this little puffball is what makes it work.  That's the truth for a lot of games.  Things as old as say, Bucky O'Hare for the NES to as recently as Bioshock Infinite.  While I may not have liked Infinite, it was committed to the idea of a story based around hyper time, it was committed to Bioshock-esque gameplay that was highly polished, and it went all in.

This rule of polish and commitment goes back to the NES era too.  How do you ground/make a game about a green, alien rabbit fighting toads more 'accessible?'  You don't need to...run with it.  Commit to the craziness.

            I'm not sure this principal can be applied to every game.  Some games seem bound and determined to be mediocre, like tie-in games, such as the Battleship movie game or the Amazing Spiderman...though, I'd like to believe that if you commit to the idea wholeheartedly and give it enough time and polish, it will turn out worthwhile.  The Puppeteer, for example, is a game about a puppet whose head was stolen and whose entire world is in a puppet show, which he can change using a pair of magic scissors.  Sony went into this whole heartedly, committing to the idea and polishing it to a mirror sheen and even if it sounds or looks silly, it's still a great game.

Some games, I just don't know if you can polish or commit to it enough to save it.  Battleship...mediocre movie, mediocre/terrible game.

            That also brings up another good question, though.  Can a game go too far with its commitment?  I don't want to say yes, because some developers would use that as a crutch to only do the work necessary to get a game made for a deadline rather than giving it the love, respect, and care it deserved, but...let's just say, I believe it's a delicate balance.  Splatterhouse, I wish we had more of.  Largely because the game ended on a cliffhanger, but also because it was a game that not only paid homage to the original, but also paid homage to horror tropes of the past...and I'd have liked to see a few more of those.  A monster from the black lagoon, a spectre from the after life, a laboratory full of experimental nightmares...it would have been great.  However, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine?  I want a sequel, certainly, but the game itself was perfectly well paced and contained all it needed to.  Rather than trying to balance multiple worlds and campaings, it was set all on a single planet, with just enough of the monsters from the Warhammer 40K universe to satiate fans.  References were made to other races, like Tau, Eldar, and Tyrannid, but it focused on the Orks and the Chaos soldiers.  It featured a complete story, about a planet under siege and saved by the Ultramarines, and while it may have ended on something of a downer, it was still satisfying.

I want polish and commitment, but I don't think you need to throw everything and the kitchen sink.  It's a balancing act.

 

Slight spoilers, but I for one am glad we did NOT have a daemon prince in this game...because...really...we didn't need it.  Woulda been cool, sure, but the game had enough and was so well put together and paced that it was unnecessary.

            To me, this is what makes a game fun and interesting...if it's committed to the world it's built and polished enough so as to be fun.  Any kind of game can be made, even something like a re-imagining of Dante's Inferno or a dating sim game with giant robots...if you commit and make a polished experience, then it will be fun and worthwhile, even if not everyone likes it.

Sakura Wars...dating sim mech fighting game.  And yet, it worked for me because it was so committed to the anime-esque insanity.

            This is something I'd like others to remember and take to heart.  If a game has passion, even if you don't like it, at least try to recognize that.  Whether or not it rips off gameplay or whatever, if it's fun, polished, and committed to it's story, world or whatever, then acknowledge it.  And for the developers, put passion into your work.  Even if a premise is stupid, don't compromise it for the sake of profit or because you think people won't be able to accept it.  Look at Katamary Damacy, after all...nothing like it on earth, and yet it's become a phenomenon.

I guess the best way to put it is, go hard or go home.  Katamary Damacy was polished and committed to the premise...and it worked.  It worked amazingly well.

            All that being said, forget what I said about how I SHOULDN'T like Splatterhouse or Warhammer 40K: Space Marine.  I like the lore of both games, the story, I like the commitment they put in, and they're both polished enough to be fun.  So...screw being ashamed, screw the idea of guilty pleasures...I like what I like and I like those two games.  There's nothing wrong with that at all.

I love this game.  Not ashamed.  It gripped me and dragged me into it's world...and I loved it, all the way.

            Also, just a short afterword here.  Once or twice in May, I will be unable to make my usual weekly quota, either because I have company, so I won't have the time/energy/focus to write, or because I will be going to a convention to sell wares of mine, for the sake of making some much needed cash.  What am I selling?  Why PERLERS OF COURSE!!!  You can see my back log, here.  Just want people to know, because I will be making an update telling them, but...I like giving advance notice.  I hope to get at least one more creator spotlight in before I have to take my days off, whenever they might be.

Diminutive Diatribes: The Power of Goodwill

            With net neutrality being an issue at the moment, I'm reminded of the simple statements of Nash Bozard who said that, without goodwill, we will abandon a company the instant we are able.  He was referring to the abysmal business practices of ISPs and how they have frustrated and abused their customers to the points where the instant they are not needed, their customers will toss them aside.  Well, it's the same with game companies.

Shouldn't game companies do the same?

            Goodwill is kind of an essential thing in this era of gaming, where prices are higher, income is lower, and the options are much larger.  In the 80s and 90s, you had only a few options for play, namely Nintendo, Sega, PC, or perhaps a third party console like the Turbo Grafx.  But now, we have dozens of digital distribution websites, 3 major consoles, 3 backlogs of consoles from the previous generations, and not to mention handhelds.  There are literally hundreds if not thousands of games being released every month, in some way shape or form.  So, with that many options, you have to hold onto your fans with as much vigor as you can muster, not push them away or squeeze them dry with shady business tactics.  Because a fan whom you have treated well will stick with you through thick and thin.  They'll forgive a few botched experiments, so long as you let them know you respect and care about their business.

The options we have here are staggering.

            A good example of this is Nintendo.  Nintendo has made several unusual choices in gaming in the last decade or so.  They released the Gamecube with a distinctly child-like/toyish design, they made motion control a core part of the Wii and the Wii U is meant to emulate tablet gaming.  These experimentations might push away core fans if not for the simple fact that 90% of the time, when you buy a Nintendo game, you know you buy quality.  Nintendo may not french kiss all their fans and they've made their share of mistakes, but in the age of buggy launches, early access, and outright scams via Kickstarter or Steam, it's refreshing to pick up a Mario or Zelda game and know that 1) it will work right out of the box, no patches necessary, 2) it will be a high quality experience, regardless of any experimentation, and 3) it will be accessible by almost anyone.  Fans love Nintendo because they continue to give them quality, even if the games themselves sometimes seem to repeat.  More than that, Nintendo has also generated a pseudo culture around itself, where it appears friendly, offering fans rewards via the Nintendo Club and basically making themselves seem approachable.

You bought a Nintendo game?  Come on up and pick your reward!

            On the other hand, let's look at Steam, of late.  Steam used to be a great example of a company that understood and generated goodwill with its customers.  They have frequent sales of their games and until about 2011-2012, the products released on Steam were of proven quality.  They could have bugs or patches, but they were still strong, enjoyable games that were well worth the money.  However, recently, Steam has started to become unstable.  They have released a glut of shovelware titles onto their marketplace, which, with this new influx of trash, has become harder to navigate to find the quality items, their early access releases have no quality control so a game can be for sale at full price that is effectively broken or released as a scam to take money, and their attempt at getting new, innovative products through Greenlight has been a rather depressing failure, with some games being inspiring, such as Octodad, Bunny Must Die, or La-Mulana, while other releases have been appalling disasters, such as Guise of the Wolf which is laughably bad in every way and Kingdom Rush, which was so bugged upon release that it was unwinnable past level 3.  Worse, when you start abusing your customers like this, policies that you've implemented that weren't a big deal before start becoming more apparent.  The sometimes intrusive, sometimes not DRM Steam uses to both protect your games, but also monitor you, the no refund policy under most circumstances, and the abusable comment and review systems are only a few.  When compared to GoG, which will offer refunds if your game does not work, which frequently gives out free, classic games, and which still uses a high level of quality control, coupled with DRM free titles, Steam starts to seem less and less reliable.  And if they continue, they may lose many of their regular customers to GoG, Desura, or Green Man Gaming.

Oh, Steam...what have you been letting into your inner circle?

            Now, let's look at one of the worst.  EA.  EA has frequently screwed over its customers with DRM through online passes, released buggy games, such as Simcity, which was unplayable offline at all and unplayable online for the first few weeks, and forced players to register with their online service Origin if they want access to EA's games.  These kinds of policies push consumers away and have been lampooned by people far wittier than me(See Yahtzee Croshaw or Jim Sterling.)  The sad truth is that EA doesn't value its customers.  Apologists might argue otherwise, but EA sees them as a way of making a quick profit and will do anything to get more money, such as including micro-transactions in a full price game, forcing DRM to try and shut out pirates, and releasing games too early in order to gain some quick profits.  They may be pretty big, but EA has also dealt with a lot of controversy.  Lawsuits over Battlefield 4, the outcry and hilarious media disaster that was Simcity, piracy STILL happening despite their best efforts to force consumers to prove their loyalty, etc.  If these continue, EA will lose customers...they've already been losing customers.  A franchise players love will only care a company so far.

Need I say more about EA?

            My point with this is to try and emphasize the obvious.  If a company abuses its customers, even if the abuse is something as minor as releasing a buggy game that lacks polish, then they are risking losing them.  You have to engender goodwill in your consumers if you want them to be loyal.  Elder Scrolls fans have cried foul of Bethesda on many occasions because of the bugs, but mostly forgive the series because of how deep, enjoyable, and moddable it is.  Elder Scrolls Online has pushed that, requiring a sixty dollar commitment, a fifteen dollar further commitment if they want to play the game at all after buying it, and the option of using real money to buy things like horses.  They have cast aside a lot of goodwill there.  Likewise, Konami and Kojima productions are risking reprisal when Metal Gear Solid 5 gets released due to their $40 demo sold under the title, Metal Gear Solid 5 Ground Zeroes.  Sales may be strong now, but the internet remembers...the internet remembers and it does not always forgive.

75 dollar entry fee...was Elder Scrolls Online worth it?  Goodwill, wasted, needlessly.

            Even companies like Nintendo need to be aware of how they COULD be engendering more goodwill.  Mother fans would bow down and welcome their new god, Nintendo, if they announced the release of Mother 3.  RPG fans the world over and nostalgia buffs would flock to the Wii U if cult hits like Rygar, Terranigma, and other titles would grace the Virtual Console.  And Nintendo isn't above mistakes either...the Retro Remix games they have released is dangling dangerously close to cash in, with links to the Virtual Console to buy the full version of the sample game that you can play.

I've got my eye on you, Nintendo...

            In the age of dwindling sales, game companies need, more than ever, to be willing to bow their heads, take a little bit of a pay cut here and there, and say to their fans, "Thank you for sticking with us."  The truth is, we don't have as much money, but we do have more games and more options for buying and playing them.  Hell, it's at the point where we don't even need to pay games, since something like Hearthstone or Loadout are free to play with no required buy in.

100% free to play.

            So, what can companies do to let gamers know they care?  Well, first, they can be straight with them.  Be honest if you're having problems.  Don't hide it and push your buggy game onto the market.  Say you need more time...say it might not be up to snuff...gamers will respect you more for being honest than for trying to pretend things are okay when they're clearly not. 

A little honesty might have made this less painful, Gearbox...

            Next, companies can talk to gamers like people.  Communicate not corporation to consumer, but gamer to gamer or developer to gamer.  One thing Kickstarter does well is it allows the creators of games to directly talk with and engage their fans in updates and comments.  It wouldn't be that hard to implement for anyone who's bought a game digitally.  No cryptic salesman bull crap, but just talk like a normal person.  Hell, even a regular podcast would do wonders for PR. 

            Another good way to engender goodwill is freebies that aren't just being held back or that aren't just shovelware.  Think about what would happen if Sega gave a Steam gift code to one of their titles on Steam, like Beyond Oasis, Vectorman, or the Sonic games, with each new purchase of a current game.  Fans might not use them...but they might.  They'd remember that a good game was given to them, even if it was old.  And what does that cost Sega?  Nothing.  It's a digital game made years ago.  There's no real overhead.  Extras in game packages that AREN'T collector's editions also work well with this.  Soundtracks, figurines, posters, anything that makes a gamer feel like they're getting more than their money's worth is smart and a good way to engender goodwill.

Still awesome years later, an easy way to earn kudos points with gamers.  Give it to them for free.

            Probably the best way to make gamers love you?  Listen to them and give them what they want.  Not in terms of game design I mean, since then we'd get more and more Call of Duty Clones, but for example, many Konami fans miss Suikoden or the Metroidvania style Castlevania games.  So, give them one.  If you can't make a new Suikoden game, for whatever reason, make the older ones more accessible.  Suikoden 2 is STILL awaiting release on the PSN...if it had been released 4 years ago, when the service was getting going, Konami would have been heaped with praise.  Now, we're just praying it doesn't get cancelled.  And these games?  Yeah, you might take a little loss on them at first, but think about all the people you will hold onto because you said, "We listen and we care."

C'mon, Konami, stop dragging your feet...

            The smaller things a game company can do to generate more goodwill is to not take advantage of the goodwill they've already got.  See, goodwill is like money in a bank.  It accrues interest the longer you have it and don't spend it.  If you keep getting goodwill, or even if you just don't abuse that goodwill, it will deliver in spades.  So, don't release buggy games if possible.  Don't force DRM.  Don't make on disc DLC.  Don't hold back content so you can release it AS DLC.  If you just release a game and put your all into it, you'll earn goodwill...and even if you don't, you won't squander it by abusing your consumers.

            I just wanted to write this up to remind people that sometimes, you need to play the long game.  Goodwill is like an investment.  You won't see an immediate return on it, but if you want to retire...it's a good thing to have.  It will keep making money even if you start to stumble or lose your way because you have respected and stood by your fans and they will, in turn, stand by you.  Companies need to take note, before it's too late.  You might make your money now, but sooner rather than later, your fans will abandon you when a new company, one that respects or at least doesn't abuse its players as much, joins the scene.  If you don't get people who will stand with you...then you'll have no one to help you when it all comes crashing down.

Not even great Galactus can do it alone...

            Woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up.

                                                                                                - Ecclesiastes 4:10

Creator Spotlight: Alec Holowka

            This week's topic is bittersweet for me.  You see, for a brief period of time, one team of developers had my heart, my soul, and the power to cash any check from me, which I would pay without question, provided it meant more of one game.  That team is the one that made the game Aquaria, Bit Blot.  And...then the disappointment comes.  That being said, I still respect the star of our topic today for what he's done.  Today, the design and musical genius of Alec Holowka.

So much genius...yet, it's not aimed in the direction I desire TT_TT

            Alec Holowka got his first big start in game design with the masterpiece, Aquaria.  This game is ranked in my top 10 of games, bearing in mind that I've played over 1000 titles...yeah, that's a big flippin deal.  So, let's take a journey.  It's 2010, I've got my laptop, it's moderately powerful, and me, having seen an awards show in 2009 that spotlighted a strange, but beautiful title...decide to download the demo for Aquaria.  My god...Aquaria.

From both a music and a design standpoint, Aquaria is a masterpiece.  Go out and play it now.  NOW!!!

            One part Metroid, one part Ecco the Dolphin, and one part the most bittersweet of stories, Aquaria captivated me from start to finish.  Derek Yu and Alec Holowka were the designers responsible for bringing the game to life, alongside the voice talent of JennaSharpe.  Derek Yu is worthy of a spotlight in his own right, but today, we're talking about Alec.  See, Aquaria is a PC game that focuses on exploration and combat, much like Metroid, but which takes place almost exclusively under water.  It features a song based system of auditory, color, and shape recognition for puzzles and fighting enemies that managed to be intuitive, memorable, and strangely haunting, as a way of making the music a more real part of the game.  All these design works belong to Alec.

The voice of Naija, who gave life to Alec Holowka's compositions?

That would be the amazing Jenna Sharpe.  Please, game designers, HIRE THIS WOMAN!  She is just fantastic.

            Alec Holowka is a brilliant game designer.  He's got a real knack for coding, and using the engines at his disposal to make a title memorable, intuitive, and enjoyable.  However that's not all.  Aquaria also features some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard and Alec was the first composer aside from Nobuo Uematsu to make me break down and cry from the sheer beauty and tragedy of the music alone.  Lost to the Waves and Fear the Dark from the Aquaria sound track should be all one needs to prove the sheer power of his rhythm and melody, however he manages to perfectly mix peaceful, exciting, sorrowful, and upbeat all within a few tracks.  Aquaria is a musical tour de force and while I have a bone to pick with Alec...his work in the industry after Aquaria continues to prove that he's still a genius.  It's hard to pin down what makes his music so good beyond base composition.  With Laura Shigihara, it's somewhat easy.  It's clear that her works start from the piano, coupled with her ability to listen and play by ear, which she builds upon for either vocal or symphonic additions.  Alec's work tends to have a synth base, but synth music is a dime a dozen in the world...it's hard to say what makes his special other than it just feels...right.  No matter the piece, it manages to not pull at emotions, but imbue them into others.

            Now, I've built this up enough.  Why do I have a bone to pick with Holowka?  Well, he and Derek Yu ended Aquaria on a To Be Continued that both admitted they had no plans to go back to...sigh...yeah, that's petty of me, but I feel that was petty of them too.  We didn't need that...the story was complete, so...anyway, moving on.

            Following his work on Aquaria, Holowka started up Infinite Ammo, a blog dedicated to the work on his game, Marion.  Marion was eventually scrapped.   AGGGGGHHHHH...Yes, Marion was going to be a spiritual successor to Aquaria with a wonderfully captivating premise of a puppet cutting her strings, using them as weapons, and finding a destiny of her own, free of the manipulations of others.

I can only dream of what could have been...

            Sigh...so, I'm a bit peeved with Holowka.  I can't really blame the guy, though.  He went through a rough patch, trying to find a team, dealing with a cancelled superhero mobile game, and having to rebuild much of Marion from scratch after changing it's art direction.  It's just frustrating to know there's this work of genius that's...never going to be made.

            That being said, it hasn't stopped me from loving his work.  Near the end/middle of Marion's demise, he worked on a game called Paper Moon, which was a free flash game.  It was a cute little title, with a simple, lilting melody that inspired a sort of relaxed pace, despite the game being timed and failure being heavily penalized.  Holowka made the music for this title, as well as the unique mechanic of, since the world is paper, causing the world around you to rapidly fold in or out to create a hectic, but interesting platforming experience.

Trust me...insanely addicting.  This game will eat hours out of your day like minutes.

            Now, this about covers my experience with Holowka's work, but it extends far beyond that.  He wrote music for the interesting little 16-bit throwback, Offspring Fling, featuring a bird-like creature throwing their offspring to solve puzzles, and did both coding and music on an odd title called Planet Punch where...a cloud...punches things...and it's a space based shooter...yeah, that's a weird one.  Either way, both titles showcased more of his talents.  Offspring Fling featured some unique tracks that managed to mimic the 16-bit stylings we grew up with, but with as much flair as the best of Uematsu.  Planet Punch had a different, more harsh style of music not unlike the scratches and beats of a DJ.

Really should give this game a try...

            The game most people might know Holowka for, and yet not know him for, is Towerfall Ascension.  The game where you shoot a limited number of arrows at enemies in an arena, Super Smash Brothers-esque battle for survival.  It was the killer app for the Ouya for a time before it's eventual port to PC and console.  Holowka did the music and by god, is it glorious.  It manages to remind me why I loved the man to begin with, because the tracks are so memorable and so engrossing.

Aright...it's not JUST the music that's got me interesting.

            At present, Holowka appears to be working on three separate projects.  Portico, which is described as a puzzle-trap-defense title, Skytorn, a game that appears to be Metroidvania-esque with a character exploring islands in the sky, and Night in the Woods, an odd little title featuring anthropomorphic animals in a game that seems to be part exploration, part commentary on the state of life, and part trippy as hell visual experience.

            Look, I cannot state enough how amazing Holowka is as both a designer and a composer.  Musician...well, I wouldn't go that far, but he's able to do amazing things with both lines of code and notes on a sheet of paper.  I may have my personal issues with the guy, but check out his work.  All of his games are highly memorable and even if you're not into games, his music is soul rending and soul soothing, all at once.

            Thankfully, Holowka himself has set up links to all his projects, past and present, at his blog, here.  Also, check out his band camp and support him, here.  Aquaria gets its own special mention.  Find it here.

Shine on, Naija.  I miss you.  Maybe someday, we'll get that Aquaria 2.  Eh?  Mr. Holowka...?

            I started off calling him Alec and ended with Holowka because I felt like the man I admired betrayed me, just a little bit.  It's not his fault, really...he doesn't know me and I don't know him.  But still...the man made me feel, with his game and his music.  That's both terrible...and wonderful.  No matter what I may say after, Alec Holowka is one of four composers to make me cry...an honor he shares with the legendary Nobuo Uematsu and the charming Laura Shigihara.  Nothing he does can take that away from him.

            You may frustrate me, but I salute you, Mr. Holowka.