OTHER Big Ant Studios Lacrosse - PlayStation3, Xbox360, PC

[Chief]

With regard to Lacrosse and our involvement, we have been working with Carlo for a number of years now and I am very committed to the sport having a good game. Timing of its required release will determine how involved we are going forward.

I think that's what puts me off the most. I'm puzzled as to why in the "risks" section he cites that the 8 month dev period is ambitious. I'm wondering that if that's the case then why promise delivery in 8 months?

That and the old "pre-order" promise.

 

[MattW]

It's never going to get a retail game on PS3, the window has closed.

With Xbox 360 and PS3 being the main target platforms besides PC it'll be interesting how they do it then. Is there really much of a distinction in terms of testing requirements for a digital only release?

I bought the early access of The Golf Club on Steam. I'm sure it's a very good game but my PC isn't really up to it. I've only a 1gb graphics card and the game updates quite slowly. I would say a 2gb card is a must.

How recently have you tried it? I noticed a big framerate boost after one of the updates, seems like they are doing a lot of work on optimising it.

 

[BigAntStudios]

I think that's what puts me off the most. I'm puzzled as to why in the "risks" section he cites that the 8 month dev period is ambitious. I'm wondering that if that's the case then why promise delivery in 8 months?

That and the old "pre-order" promise.

We can't do a game in 8 months, well... we could, but wouldn't.

Our focus with Lacrosse is definitely PS4, Xbox One, PC. If we were to do X360/PS3 then they would come out at the same time as the others.

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With Xbox 360 and PS3 being the main target platforms besides PC it'll be interesting how they do it then. Is there really much of a distinction in terms of testing requirements for a digital only release?

Lot less risk with just online, certification is a lot easier and patches are free.

 

[zombieian]

With Xbox 360 and PS3 being the main target platforms besides PC it'll be interesting how they do it then. Is there really much of a distinction in terms of testing requirements for a digital only release?


How recently have you tried it? I noticed a big framerate boost after one of the updates, seems like they are doing a lot of work on optimising it.

I tried it about three weeks ago but it was so slow I gave up after one hole. I'm on my hols in France at the moment, but as soon as I get home I will give it another try.

 

[Chief]

We can't do a game in 8 months, well... we could, but wouldn't.

Our focus with Lacrosse is definitely PS4, Xbox One, PC. If we were to do X360/PS3 then they would come out at the same time as the others.

I'm lost? The page says 360/PS3/PC will be out Spring '15 if funded (which it is now, and could well raise another $19k in the next 19 hours to bring XB1 and PS4 into play too)?

Hadn't realized it was digital only: they had specified a "digital" version separately so I took the main one to be retail...

 

[Kiko_97]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/305787134/pixel-soccer Here's a kickstarter i'd love to see funded, throwback to the old sensible soccer days. Looks like it'll fall well short which is a real shame

 

[Chief]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/305787134/pixel-soccer Here's a kickstarter i'd love to see funded, throwback to the old sensible soccer days. Looks like it'll fall well short which is a real shame

Yeah: I've been following that for a while: looks nice.

I'm always delighted to see a thought-out budget in a Kickstarter (I won't back one without one) but I challenge whether "Marketing and PR" should be included.
For me the crowdfunding goal should be set at what you need to provide the project to your backers: Marketing and PR is irrelevant for that. You're asking people to fund your profits then, not just pay to help make the game.

When you consider that it's 30% of the budget (meaning that you could scratch ?7500 from their target) it would have put them a lot closer to their goal without it.

 

[Kiko_97]

Very true, so disappointed that I can't really afford to pitch in a decent amount. Marketing should be a different thought process entirely and I feel something like that may not allow the game to see the light of day. I haven't played much of their pre-alpha build as i'm terrible at it. Would love to play it and of course get the mighty Rhyl FC on the game

 

[Chief]

Very true, so disappointed that I can't really afford to pitch in a decent amount. Marketing should be a different thought process entirely and I feel something like that may not allow the game to see the light of day. I haven't played much of their pre-alpha build as i'm terrible at it. Would love to play it and of course get the mighty Rhyl FC on the game

It's the whole problem with bad crowd-funding. People are using it as a store-front, as a way to fund something in the traditional way. Not to make money: just to make the project happen.

The whole idea is that loyal fans give enough money so that the developer can make the game (or whatever) for them. Not fund it so that they can sell it.

That's part of the reason I hate it when people call it a "pre-order": it helps perpetuate that myth. In fact, if stuff goes wrong (and stuff invariably does) and the game never makes it, then likelihood is that people will never see it and will have little chance of a refund. Not like a traditional "pre-order" where refunds would definitely be given.

 

[MattW]

I believe the traditional way to refund pre-orders is to release the game unfinished and have it pulled off steam a few days later.

 

[Chief]

I believe the traditional way to refund pre-orders is to release the game unfinished and have it pulled off steam a few days later.

Ahh. A zinger. Did they take pre-orders for the Steam version? I thought it was suddenly just... there?

 

[MattW]

Ahh. A zinger. Did they take pre-orders for the Steam version? I thought it was suddenly just... there?

Nah, there were pre-orders for about three days. I even got a pre-order discount.

To jump off that topic - it was a bit annoying that The Golf Club was part of the Steam sales despite being early access - if I'd have waited then I'd have got a more complete game cheaper, which bugs me.

I hope more games can resist Steam's big discount model, and stick to pricing - give me a bit of confidence when deciding to buy a game outside of the big sales. The great Shovel Knight seems to be doing that well - their Kickstarter set the copies at $10 each, while it's being sold to customers at $15 and has been steady at that price since release.

If they treat it as all but a pre-order, then you really want to make sure that you're not made to feel stupid for buying it early rather than sitting back and waiting for the end result and getting it cheaper and instantly.

 

[Chief]

To jump off that topic - it was a bit annoying that The Golf Club was part of the Steam sales despite being early access - if I'd have waited then I'd have got a more complete game cheaper, which bugs me.

Awww yeah that rankles. However, that wasn't crowdfunded (was it?). If it had been (or indeed if it WAS) I would be WELL against that. Your early adopters shouldn't be getting stuffed like that.

 

[MattW]

Awww yeah that rankles. However, that wasn't crowdfunded (was it?). If it had been (or indeed if it WAS) I would be WELL against that. Your early adopters shouldn't be getting stuffed like that.

No it wasn't in this case.

I'll be interested how the Lacrosse game's pricing turns out on release.

 

[Chief]

No it wasn't in this case.

I'll be interested how the Lacrosse game's pricing turns out on release.

Considering the REAL vanilla reward is PC digital for $25, I'd guess the one with your name in the game etc will be fairly standard pricing.