Messages

31

Skyward Collapse / Re: Skyward Collapse Teaser 1

« on: April 12, 2013, 07:16:43 PM »

Did i tell you that i think the art is really fantastic!! 

-Teal

Really looking forward to this one!!

32

Skyward Collapse / Re: Contest! Help name the world of Skyward Collapse.

« on: April 06, 2013, 12:02:40 PM »

@Teal_Blue Interesting idea, but I'm pretty sure that the title "Skyward Collapse" already means something in and of itself, and this would be a bit like naming Environ "Valley".

The problem with picking any one name is that it unfairly elevates a culture to a pride of place. This was a problem that came to mind initially, but I think we could have a generic term for it like "the World". Evelyn Waugh's City from his A Handful of Dust comes to mind:

"But what do you suppose this city will be like?''

"Impossible to say. Every tribe has a different word for it. The Pie-wies call it the `Shining' or `Glittering,' the Arekuna the `Many Watered,' the Patamonas the `Bright Feathered,' the Warau oddly enough, use the same word for it that they use for a kind of aromatic jam they make. Of course one can't tell how a civilization may have developed or degenerated in five hundred years of isolation ...''

Something to this effect?

Aquohn,
                I like the idea you have of each language characterizing some particular aspect of the world rather than focusing on a single word and having that translated into multiple languages.

So some as you say, may call the place 'Valhalla' (the hall of the slain, or heaven in Norse mythology)... while some others refer to it as 'Wa Kesa Ra' (The Broken, in Arabic)... or 'Az Utat' (The Way, in Hungarian) or 'Les Nombreuses Iles'  (The Many Islands, in French)

In this way, each culture is using their own focus and images and traditions and idiosyncrasies to form an image of what they feel this place represents to them, expressed in their own words and language. (Instead of a static word translated among all of them)

Thank you very much for the distinction, I only hope that it could be useful and interesting for Arcen to consider.
Take care,

-Teal


p.s. I am not as widely read, but your Evelyn Waugh reference was very interesting, I am now going to have to read it! 

33

Skyward Collapse / Re: Contest! Help name the world of Skyward Collapse.

« on: April 06, 2013, 09:01:49 AM »

I really, really like the 'every culture has its own name for the place' idea expressed earlier by KDR_11k. 


 As noted it is probably the most realistic, however how realistic is any given game? And having twenty seven names for a place is probably a marketers nightmare for the studio.     Anyway, with that in mind... a way to address that problem springs to mind... 

It might be possible to have the place, possibly the 'first' place that breaks away and is revealed as the first or tutorial level, and is referred to by the same name as the characters themselves referred to it. Simply as 'Skyward'

Which depending on culture could be pronounced as 'Ski-var-ah',  or 'Ssska-wverd' or ... well in different ways. Not intending to be funny or insulting to other cultures, but it could be a single name with branched or mutilated names, or even names in the language of the other peoples...  (Skyward in other languages...)

Such as ... Hacia El Cielo, in Spanish... or  Enohour Samir  in Arabic, or Spre Cer, in Romanian... i guess you get the idea.   

[  Sorry, couldn't get Arabic characters to take in the chat window,   ]

Anyway... just my opinion, and it might make for a variety of names and be more realistic in that way, and give interesting individual names not only from a 'cultural' point of view inside the game, but what if it was referred to in the same way outside the game? By the players themselves? From all the variety of countries they come from?

Such as :  "I really like that new Arcen 'Eg Fele' ('Skyward' from Hungarian player) game!!    

Just a crazy thought!  But it might be a little bit cool!   

-Teal

34

Skyward Collapse / Re: Care to weigh in on potential logo concepts? Vote here! (Final Round)

« on: April 05, 2013, 01:36:12 PM »

If you are still taking votes, i really, really like the 285 0ne, specifically the top orange one. and 324 one with the trees!
Very cool!

-Teal

p.s.  yep, the one you made final!!  Very Cool!!   

35

Skyward Collapse / Re: Contest! Help name the world of Skyward Collapse.

« on: April 02, 2013, 07:42:23 PM »

Skar

Valaria

Mythorin
Mythopolis
Mythania


hmmmm.... trying to go 'generic' for having new names added later is interesting... but difficult, haha.   

-Teal

36

Skyward Collapse / Re: What's this new Skyward Collapse board, you ask?

« on: April 01, 2013, 03:59:17 PM »

I am now imagining a tetris game where the pieces go up, and you have soldiers on the pieces, and you have to like tactically fire off rockets to move the pieces so that soldiers can fight each other as they go up while all the way avoiding making a complete line that would delete your army.

I really, really like this idea a lot!!! 

-Teal

37

Exodus Of The Machine / Re: Exodus Of The Machine Teaser 1

« on: April 01, 2013, 03:51:05 PM »

But how do you concisely and compellingly communicate "Every round of offworld ammunition fired, every wound sustained, every medkit or power-pack used, every reputation-change from a choice, every bit of food gathered or eaten, every day spent... every consequence is permanent to your survival and your catching up to the Core before it's too late"?  I mean, I imagine that sentence is neat to some people, but if we tried to lead a trailer with it (verbatim, I mean)... well, I don't think that would work out very well.  So what do we say?  We're tossing around ideas internally, but feedback from you (and the rest of the folks here) is certainly welcome.  Though of course that will be easier when you can play the actual game.

And more generally the same problem exists when trying to communicate that we make thought-provoking games that reward creativity, discovery, etc.  Communicating that-we-do-that concisely and compellingly and (as you mention) non-condescendingly is actually in some ways more difficult than actually doing it   Suggestions welcome.

This is just a thought, but what if you had a video of gameplay, that shows a bit of the story, perhaps the ship crashing, or just the picture of the crashed ship, then goes into gameplay, for say a minute to a minute and a half? Or even two minutes to two and a half? But the main critical requirement is NOT to have any text, no explanation, no this is what this MEANS... sort of text or voice-over or anything. JUST the gameplay and perhaps of course Pablo's music. 

This way you are not leading your audience, you are letting your audience take a look at the game and either lead or leave it themselves. I mean, maybe its rather passive marketing, but at least you don't have people dumping saying, what does this mean?

All of this is only my opinion of course, and i agree with what you said earlier, about people seeming sometimes to be happier to see people fail. I don't understand people sometimes, or maybe its just the internet mindset, or the anonymous mindset. Or the modern mindset. Too much hate out there in the world lately. Scary stuff. Anyway, i think your Exodus title looks very interesting, i like the style, am looking forward to seeing how it plays. 

-Teal

38

Shattered Haven / Re: MalwareBytes is Telling Me....

« on: March 30, 2013, 06:29:04 PM »

An ignore and then a re-scan? Is that the word? Anyway, ran the program again and no problems.    Malwarebytes apparently was freaking out! 

No more problem.
Sorry for the post, take care!
-Teal

39

Shattered Haven / Re: Crazed Meadow needs some work...

« on: March 30, 2013, 06:24:53 PM »

This is just one players opinion of your post, so please understand, but you sound more than a bit ticked, which is anyone's right, but to be honest, I played this level, several times in fact and had pretty much the same experience, and had to figure out how to get the guy on the side before he got to the top, because he gets stuck up there. But i figured it was a lot like the old games of yore, where, you know that kind of stuff happened. The over and over stuff also seemed to be a bit of a throwback to those times too, so it was really no big deal to me. I just lather, rinse, repeat until i got through it. I wasn't half or even a tenth as upset as you seem, especially since you said you couldn't be bothered. Honestly in my opinion you are rather harsh, which can be for all sorts of reasons,

Anyway, have a happy day, and maybe a cola, or a beer, or even a less intense level of frustration before gaming would make the whole experience much more amenable?

-Teal

40

Shattered Haven / MalwareBytes is Telling Me....

« on: March 30, 2013, 06:08:44 PM »

That i have  rogue.spy.heal infections on some 1200 + items in the SH folder. Can we figure this out? I have Avast and no such problem. Malwarebytes has been reliable in the past, but am now wondering. Or is there something not cool that has happened from the download side?

Please let me know as soon as you can, i haven't deleted anything yet, but am naturally concerned. 
Thank you!

-Teal

41

AI War / Re: Would Arcen Consider A Medieval Strategy Game ... ?

« on: March 13, 2013, 06:08:08 AM »

...
Do I smell a total graphics set replacement mod idea.

That would be way cool! Huh?   

-Teal

42

AI War / Would Arcen Consider A Medieval Strategy Game ... ?

« on: March 12, 2013, 06:12:14 PM »

Like AIWar, perhaps called Castle Wars or something medieval, you know?  But with trebuchets, siege wagons and horse cavalry and foot soldiers instead of space ships and aliens?  Maybe Normans and the Saxon's?

Don't get me wrong, I love AIWar, even though i lose at it a lot, but i lose at other games as well and still love them also. But I think at heart i am a Fantasy Fan, and was just thinking the ultimate for me, would be fighting off cavalry and footmen with archers and laying siege to the Norman Kings' Castle, all the while partially losing!    Well, we can't stretch credibility too far now can we?    Anyway, all i am saying is would Arcen consider a strategy game, with Fantasy theme instead of Space? (Keeping my fingers crossed!) 

Thanks for listening, appreciate it!
-Teal

43

Shattered Haven / Re: Shattered Haven Beta Begins Now!

« on: March 09, 2013, 12:21:49 AM »

Awww, play ended by the crazed meadows level, where it appears that one of the grays is stubbornly not crazy and stands in place next to the pond where the player initially spawns. Won't give me a chance to send him to the pits...

I had that happen too,   after i cleared the whole level besides. I couldn't get him to budge, so tried again, and had another gray do the same, third time i had to catch him 'before' he, actually it as a she, but before she got to the pond.   Then i went and got the others.

Right now i'm stuck trying to get a sledgehammer that stays in inventory when i go to the crypt level? you know the one you need the sledgehammer to get 'into'.   

Other than that i'm having a great time, though i am sometimes over looking the tacks and scyths and things like that. I'm probably just not used to the tools. Maybe a listing in the encyclopedia before we come across them would help us to know what to keep an eye out for? Just a thought.

Really nice so far,


-Teal

44

Shattered Haven / Re: Controls

« on: March 08, 2013, 11:56:53 PM »

i also wouldn't mind 1 or 2 more slots, i have only used 1 or 2 items at a time, but one time i was carrying health jewels, and picked up a bear trap and was going for the tacks. I did have to change out the bear trap to get to the tacks, but to be honest, it really wasn't that big a deal. It is pretty workable as is, but if you do add 2 more slots, it might be cool.
Thank you,

-Teal

45

Shattered Haven / Re: Shattered Haven Beta Begins Now!

« on: March 08, 2013, 04:33:09 PM »

WooHoo!!   I'm going to order this now! 

-Teal