Other > Game Development
Spiderweb Software founder defends reusing same engine and art for 10 years
eRe4s3r:
Mhh, thats true.. no what i want is that you step in the Cloning Machine and start making some x4000 clones, because we need more involved and caring developers like you! (but focusing on different genres ;p)
We = PC Gaming ;D
That said, maybe i am really the wrong guy to post about it, as a graphics artist i do not agree that "status quo" is something an artist can ever live with. A true artist wants to constantly challenge himself, improve his works, improve his skills... ::)
x4000:
--- Quote from: eRe4s3r on April 22, 2010, 04:45:15 pm ---Mhh, thats true.. no what i want is that you step in the Cloning Machine and start making some x4000 clones, because we need more involved and caring developers like you! (but focusing on different genres ;p)
We = PC Gaming ;D
--- End quote ---
Many thanks. :)
--- Quote from: eRe4s3r on April 22, 2010, 04:45:15 pm ---That said, maybe i am really the wrong guy to post about it, as a graphics artist i do not agree that "status quo" is something an artist can ever live with. A true artist wants to constantly challenge himself, improve his works, improve his skills... ::)
--- End quote ---
Well, I think that is true of all of us. I certainly feel that way about game design in general, and about improving the whole of my games (either through my own improvement, or through encouraging the rest of the team improve their own work, as the case may be). We're all growing and getting better all the time.
In the case of Vogel, I read his situation as thus:
1. He makes solid money, but not so much that he can hire much staff to help him.
2. He doesn't have a lot of interest in graphics or engine development beyond what he already has.
3. He apparently puts a ton of effort into his stories -- essentially, maybe his games are "interactive RPG-ish novels" from what I can tell?
4. He apparently is such a great writer that he has legions of fans that will overlook some of the less savory (to non-fans) aspects of those game engines and flock to the games themselves.
5. As far as artistic growth goes, there's a ton one can focus on purely in the realm of writing, and evidently that is his focus.
That sort of hardcore RPG in that style is not my thing, which is why I've never played his games. But I have enjoyed reading his blog for a good while now, and I think he's a smart guy who knows what he's about. Some players get annoyed at me for not including pvp play or story or whatever other "must have" in AI War. But I know what my focus is here, and I put all my energy into that. AI War has been successful enough that I have the luxury of also paying to have art and such improved, as that is something that is important to me, but not every indie is going to be that fortunate.
And, let's face it, Vogel has been at this far longer than I have (professionally, anyway -- I was also doing some reasonably popular hobbyist stuff when he was just getting started at Spiderweb). I think that variety is good, and that Vogel shouldn't be condemned for focusing on a specific niche. There are plenty of people who want to condemn me for not having glitzy 3D graphics and not making a game that is more simplified (read: braindead) instead of AI War. Tastes vary, and that's why I try not to criticize my peers, as I'm not always the best judge. Some of them who have criticized me (read: Indie Game Magazine) were clearly way off base, and I don't care to look like as big a fool as the IGM reviewers made of themselves. ;)
I hear your points. But I think that just means that you (like me, really) are outside the target audience for Vogel's work. But I don't condemn his work or hope that he will fail. There's enough room on these here Internets for the both of us, and hey -- he was here first. ;)
eRe4s3r:
Tis true, but the cynic in me would say "If he can write good stories, why does he not write books?"
Edit: Tis a Rhetorical question, i know its all about the money. ;D
Doddler:
--- Quote from: eRe4s3r on April 22, 2010, 05:13:07 pm ---Tis true, but the cynic in me would say "If he can write good stories, why does he not write books?"
Edit: Tis a Rhetorical question, i know its all about the money. ;D
--- End quote ---
I dunno, writing a game and writing a book can be quite different. A book is rather specific, it most certainly centers around characters and their interaction. A game, even if you are not good at building characters, you can build a detailed and attractive world.
I had a friend of mine in college, who would spend his free time creating role playing game worlds. He would have pages filled up with maps, written history, he would go to such great lengths to create these worlds. Everything in the world had a history, goals, aspirations, it was really quite something. He couldn't write a traditional story to save his life, he would make simple role playing games to tell the story of his world.
My friend never did much with them, I don't think he ever released any of his work (his lack of programming skills hurt his work a lot). But I understand how one could be obsessive about creating 'worlds' rather than stories, and can understand why that would lead him you game development even without the required skills over writing books and short stories.
I've never played any of these games, I'm not really sure what they're about, but it sounds like that might be where he's coming from.
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