The latest on the Valley 2 schedule

[x4000]

Original: http://christophermpark.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-latest-on-valley-2-schedule.html

Without preamble: I had been hoping to have the Valley 2 beta out to folks by around next week, but for a variety of reasons that's no longer feasible.

The short of it is that we could definitely get you a playable beta then, but it wouldn't reflect the level of polish that would do well by us.  We're getting there, but one more week just isn't going to be enough.  We're now aiming for more like 3 weeks from now until beta, and 5-6 weeks from now until the 1.0 (knock on some serious wood for the latter).  In other words, we aren't planning a long-term and protracted beta with this one.  Folks have given us vast amounts of feedback for the last year+ on AVWW1, and Valley 2 is the mature successor that's resulting.

Another way to look at it is this: it's very hard to take out much from this game and still have it completely work.  That's a good sign.  The first game was so loosely tied together, such a big collection of semi-related things, that you could easily add and remove stuff without affecting the core experience all that much.  With the sequel, there's not really anything I can think of that's in the game and not directed towards the core experience.

Anyhow, don't take this as too much of a downer message.  I've actually been on a super high since late yesterday when I finally got the new lighting model (complete with colored and shaped light sources) working.  Man but this game is night and day different from the first one -- and we just mainly want to ensure that you see it on the best possible terms when you first do see it in action.

Until next time!

[x4000]

Ugh, I just noticed that on this black background the character has a bit of a white border on this black background.  It's an old test animated gif; the version in the game doesn't include that, and looks very nice.  Check it out on the white background of the blog if you want to see what it actually looks like in-game.

[Aklyon]

Both Drat and good, I'd say. I'd kinda wanted to play it next week, but if you guys need a week or two more, I can't really complain when its free to me.

Try not to go too overboard with the colored lights though Chris, things tended to blend together in Terraria if you set those too high.

[LaughingThesaurus]

Bit of a different direction from your other games.
Well, I vote that it's a bit of a good thing anyway. Not only does it give me more time to hit continent 4 in AVWW, it will completely save people from ever getting a less than complete impression of the game. It also reflects well on how directed and harmonious an experience that the game will be, that you can't just have missing features and have it still function, like you said.
But be careful, colored lighting will make me want to build my own structures and create rave party rooms.

[x4000]

Don't worry on the colored lights, we won't go crazy with them!

[KDR_11k]

Ugh, I just noticed that on this black background the character has a bit of a white border on this black background.  It's an old test animated gif; the version in the game doesn't include that, and looks very nice.  Check it out on the white background of the blog if you want to see what it actually looks like in-game.

Also when he has his left foot forward he has one extra frame of putting his foot on the ground, that frame isn't there for the right leg...

[Cyprene]

"Another way to look at it is this: it's very hard to take out much from this game and still have it completely work.  That's a good sign.  The first game was so loosely tied together, such a big collection of semi-related things, that you could easily add and remove stuff without affecting the core experience all that much.  With the sequel, there's not really anything I can think of that's in the game and not directed towards the core experience."

This sounds very, very promising.

Is it bad that I feel somewhat guilty that I'm never going to beat AVWW 1?  I feel like I'm abandoning the survivors to the cold, frigid wastes.  Whatever flaws it had, it had a unique and interesting world that was full of character.  I don't think I'll ever forget rushing through the rain and wind to throw down a shelter, or the feeling of isolation that came with being stuck alone in the snow.  I'm confident the second game will have that level of personality, too.

[tigersfan]

... I'm confident the second game will have that level of personality, too.

Hopefully, it will have more. That's the idea, anyway.

[LaughingThesaurus]

How do you really finish Valley 1 though? When you win a continent, you find out "Whoops, there's another overlord from the infinity void of overlords". I suppose, you can just say "Well, I decked out the fourth continent, and that's like, half of the Earth right? I guess that's good enough."

[x4000]

By the time you reach the fourth continent or so, you've at least seen everything that's in the game (more or less).  You're still finding broadly new stuff through at least the third continent.

[LaughingThesaurus]

Yeah that's what led me to jump to the number four. I gave the unlocks menu a good long look.

[x4000]

Makes sense!

[Scorcher24]

Thanks for the update Chris . Looking forward to play it.

[Penumbra]

Are we there yet?!




_{sorry, I had to...}

[tigersfan]

Are we there yet?!




_{sorry, I had to...}

Heh, nope.

I'm not in a position to give a revised ETA, but, I know that there are a TON of things coming together for the game every day.