Mon Apr 21, 2003 11:42 am
Digital Anvil - Accept Your Responsibilities...
I might be cynical but...
Does anyone seriously imagine that Digital Anvil are going to release ANYTHING in the way of add-ons for Freelancer? Ever?
Timeline... 2000
I remember back when I was counting down the days to Starlancer's release. In virtually every press release, magazine article, interview with the developers etc (some of which are still linked to from Lancers Reactor) there was talk of the add-ons that would be released. There's even going to be a mission editor. Wow!!! Mission editor = increased lifespan of game! That was one of the main factors in persuading me to part with £30 for the game and when I'd completed it a mere two days later
it was the fact that I consoled myself with every time I thought of something more important that I should have done with that money. (Car insurance, food, etc...)
Timeline... 2003
The present day. Freelancer, one of the most eagerly-awaited and one of the most delayed games in the history of computing has finally hit the shelves
. It looks great, plays great, hell it IS great. But you know what? I'm still waiting for my Starlancer mission editor... In fact I don't think they even released a patch of any kind for it, let alone any software, new ships, expansion missions etc. If they did, I've never seen it.
Most software companies continually refine their products after release, both to maintain compatability with the latest advances in technology and because it's good for customer relations. In addition, the increase in the popularity of on-line gaming has led to a far greater demand from gamers for the ability to customise their games, to express their individuality with the help of a custom skin, or to be able to create their own content when they've completed that which was provided with the game and to share that content with others. For many games, their public release is now a stage in the development process rather than the end of it.
"But what about the modders?" I hear you cry...
I have a huge amount of respect for modders, both for the level of technical ability with software and graphics needed to successfully modify contemporary PC games and for the imagination and ingenuity that's so clearly visible in the best mods for virtually any recently released game. However, unofficial mods for virtually any game usually require the user to either replace, edit, extract or otherwise manipulate game files or data in some way. I'm confident doing that kind of thing, but I haven't always been - we'd all do well to remember that there was a time for all of us when we too knew absolutely nothing about PCs. Many PC users don't have that level of confidence and are put off just by reading the instructions! Many more choose not to install mods because they don't want to risk corrupting saved games etc. I know I've had modded software refuse to load backed-up saved games before now and I bet I'm not alone am I
Finally some people just don't want to have to "mess about" with editing hex files, config files etc. and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, I've got a car, I enjoy driving it very much, but I don't want to spend my spare time underneath it fiddling with various aspects of the engine because to me that's not fun.
The point is that by their nature, mods only appeal to people who feel they have the technical competence to install and troubleshoot them. There will always be a proportion of gamers who can't, or won't do that and they will miss out on potential enhancements to the game, despite the fact that they paid the same for it as I did.
Most software companies support modders to some degree; after all a successful mod can greatly increase the longevity of a title - just look at Counter Strike. Some developers go as far as to provide source code, textures and other software elements for modders to use, whilst others offer the less obvious (but I'm sure equally welcome) assistance of just not actually prosecuting modders for breach of copyright(!) Even among the "helpful" companies, some developers show respect for the ideas and talent and creativity of the modding community, encouraging and appreciating their work, whilst others see modders as a source of cheap labour
- just toss them a bone every now and then and they'll get on with the development work that the company's (very well paid) programmers would otherwise be doing, instead of working on the next shoddy blockbuster. It's a bit like Microsoft's release of Windows ME -who beta tested it? Me and every other poor b*stard that bought it, that's who!
I don't know which of these camps Digital Anvil fall into - I guess we'll find out soon enough - but regarding the mythical Starlancer editor it's unfortunately irrelevant anyway.
When the game was being hyped up for release, they promised a mission editor.
People were aware of that fact when the bought the game.
They didn't release a mission editor.
That's a bit naughty. Isn't it?
Well, isn't it?
Let's hope the've learned something over the last 3 years...
...and I didn't mention joysticks once. Damn!...
Does anyone seriously imagine that Digital Anvil are going to release ANYTHING in the way of add-ons for Freelancer? Ever?
Timeline... 2000
I remember back when I was counting down the days to Starlancer's release. In virtually every press release, magazine article, interview with the developers etc (some of which are still linked to from Lancers Reactor) there was talk of the add-ons that would be released. There's even going to be a mission editor. Wow!!! Mission editor = increased lifespan of game! That was one of the main factors in persuading me to part with £30 for the game and when I'd completed it a mere two days later
it was the fact that I consoled myself with every time I thought of something more important that I should have done with that money. (Car insurance, food, etc...)
Timeline... 2003
The present day. Freelancer, one of the most eagerly-awaited and one of the most delayed games in the history of computing has finally hit the shelves
. It looks great, plays great, hell it IS great. But you know what? I'm still waiting for my Starlancer mission editor... In fact I don't think they even released a patch of any kind for it, let alone any software, new ships, expansion missions etc. If they did, I've never seen it.
Most software companies continually refine their products after release, both to maintain compatability with the latest advances in technology and because it's good for customer relations. In addition, the increase in the popularity of on-line gaming has led to a far greater demand from gamers for the ability to customise their games, to express their individuality with the help of a custom skin, or to be able to create their own content when they've completed that which was provided with the game and to share that content with others. For many games, their public release is now a stage in the development process rather than the end of it.
"But what about the modders?" I hear you cry...
I have a huge amount of respect for modders, both for the level of technical ability with software and graphics needed to successfully modify contemporary PC games and for the imagination and ingenuity that's so clearly visible in the best mods for virtually any recently released game. However, unofficial mods for virtually any game usually require the user to either replace, edit, extract or otherwise manipulate game files or data in some way. I'm confident doing that kind of thing, but I haven't always been - we'd all do well to remember that there was a time for all of us when we too knew absolutely nothing about PCs. Many PC users don't have that level of confidence and are put off just by reading the instructions! Many more choose not to install mods because they don't want to risk corrupting saved games etc. I know I've had modded software refuse to load backed-up saved games before now and I bet I'm not alone am I
Finally some people just don't want to have to "mess about" with editing hex files, config files etc. and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, I've got a car, I enjoy driving it very much, but I don't want to spend my spare time underneath it fiddling with various aspects of the engine because to me that's not fun.
The point is that by their nature, mods only appeal to people who feel they have the technical competence to install and troubleshoot them. There will always be a proportion of gamers who can't, or won't do that and they will miss out on potential enhancements to the game, despite the fact that they paid the same for it as I did.
Most software companies support modders to some degree; after all a successful mod can greatly increase the longevity of a title - just look at Counter Strike. Some developers go as far as to provide source code, textures and other software elements for modders to use, whilst others offer the less obvious (but I'm sure equally welcome) assistance of just not actually prosecuting modders for breach of copyright(!) Even among the "helpful" companies, some developers show respect for the ideas and talent and creativity of the modding community, encouraging and appreciating their work, whilst others see modders as a source of cheap labour
- just toss them a bone every now and then and they'll get on with the development work that the company's (very well paid) programmers would otherwise be doing, instead of working on the next shoddy blockbuster. It's a bit like Microsoft's release of Windows ME -who beta tested it? Me and every other poor b*stard that bought it, that's who!
I don't know which of these camps Digital Anvil fall into - I guess we'll find out soon enough - but regarding the mythical Starlancer editor it's unfortunately irrelevant anyway.
When the game was being hyped up for release, they promised a mission editor.
People were aware of that fact when the bought the game.
They didn't release a mission editor.
That's a bit naughty. Isn't it?
Well, isn't it?
Let's hope the've learned something over the last 3 years...
...and I didn't mention joysticks once. Damn!...
