Thank you so much Arcen!

[Wingflier]

-Since these are now more finite campaign-style engagements more like we have with AI War, this also means that you won't be able to change the difficulty once you start the game.  This makes each campaign a finite experience that you play, win or lose, and then play again if you like.  You can even set the size of the world that you want from a dropdown, and that will also affect how many levels you get from each level-up tower that you conquer on the map.

Loss of the sandbox
The first game was trying to be both a sandbox and a directed game, and that's just not very possible -- or at least not in a way we were happy with.  The first game was always hugely successful at being a sandbox you could just run around in and have a good time at, but it was substantially less good at providing a forward-moving experience with tension and a satisfying game arc.

These were my two main complaints with the first game.

After having such rabid cult-like success with your EXTREMELY goal-driven, high-stakes AI War, I was horrified to find that AVWW played almost the exact opposite.  Every game that Arcen had produced so far (including the amazing Tidalis) had been very deep and challenging, and AVWW didn't deliver on the formula that we've all known to come and love (getting beat...A LOT!).

In addition, I've never been a big fan of "sandbox games".  If I want to explore the world, why not just go outside!  Life and death situations are something that you can only (safely) do in a video game, so it makes more sense for that to be the medium in which we do those things.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with the changes you are making on AVWW, and what you've learned as a company because of this entire experience.  I CAN NOT WAIT to try your new game, for me, it is a day 1 purchase (pre-purchase if I can).

You guys are a shining example of everything a developer should be.  You don't give up and you constantly admit and try to innovate through your own mistakes. 

Thank you so much for making this sequel.  I honestly can not wait to play it with my friends.

You go Arcen!

[x4000]

Thanks so much for all the kind words! I hope you'll be pleased with it when you get to play it; I'm really excited about it, too!

[keith.lamothe]

Yes, thanks for the kind words

After having such rabid cult-like success with your EXTREMELY goal-driven, high-stakes AI War, I was horrified to find that AVWW played almost the exact opposite.

To be fair, when you see a group go from "First: massive space strategy game" to "Second: puzzle game" you should adjust your expectations of "how similar will their products be?" all the way out to "I have no clue"

[x4000]

That is true -- in a generalized sense, I don't want to just keep making the same game over and over again, so there's going to continue to be differences from title to title.  But I'm most engaged when I'm challenged when it comes to games, so...

[Wingflier]

To be fair, when you see a group go from "First: massive space strategy game" to "Second: puzzle game" you should adjust your expectations of "how similar will their products be?" all the way out to "I have no clue"

True.  Perhaps what I meant to say is that Arcen seems to be in its element when it's challenging the player, and forcing the player to make an important decision.  I would say both of your first two games do this wonderfully, and it looks like AVWW2 will too!  (Seems like Shattered Haven is going to play this way as well).

In other words, I'm extremely surprised with how dramatic the change to AVWW has been.  I thought the main problem (to you) were the graphics, not the gameplay elements, but this is such an amazing change it hit me out of left field.  It's awesome that you guys weren't afraid to change the entire formula into something better, I'm absolutely sure I'll love it this time.

I guess what I'm saying is that I've never seen something like this happen before.

[x4000]

We try!

[keith.lamothe]

I guess what I'm saying is that I've never seen something like this happen before.

Now you're on the right track of what to expect from Arcen, in general

[LaughingThesaurus]

That is true -- in a generalized sense, I don't want to just keep making the same game over and over again, so there's going to continue to be differences from title to title.  But I'm most engaged when I'm challenged when it comes to games, so...

That's my dream developer's philosophy, which might explain why I, say, hang out here rather than on any other gaming forum... or most often talk about your games more than anybody else's. It's because the games are unique, things that you are passionate about, and I love 'unique' to death.

[zespri]

I CAN NOT WAIT to try your new game, for me, it is a day 1 purchase (pre-purchase if I can).

Wait, you didn't buy the first AVWW???

[Drjones013]

Honestly, I think this'll end a lot of other people's complaints about the game; I have friends who have bought every other Arcen title (including Tidalis) but passed up AVWW because there didn't seem to be a point to the game. One even said that he would have bought the game if the sprites were characters from Megaman (nostalgia value) because someone had modded the old game that way.

I kept playing until I got bored watching my wheels spin; it never felt like I was gaining ground when I'd have to do the same thing over and over again. I put on something like 20 hours into the game without ever beating the first continent over all of the updates. The first AVWW for me became a loyalty-buy. I'm glad the second game is coming out. I might be able to get a few more people to buy into it as well.

[Wingflier]

Wait, you didn't buy the first AVWW???

It just wasn't my kind of game.

[chemical_art]

Wait, you didn't buy the first AVWW???

Me and Wingflier had an amazing bull session that, at least from my perspective, trashed the first AVWW before the announcement of the second one. You may not believe it, but we agreed on everything that AVWW did right, and more to the point, did wrong.

Just as amazingly, at least 60% of our complaints (my perspective has it around 75-90%) of everything we complained about was addressed in the sequel.

[zespri]

Me and Wingflier had an amazing bull session that, at least from my perspective, trashed the first AVWW before the announcement of the second one.

Did you keep the transcript?