Its really nice to see the site updating often now, and with all the Spark SDK News/Updates, Cinematic Editor reveals or some funny news. :) How could you not like more news about our favourite expected game?
So every news is nice and please keep on even more! :)
"Gorges just wanna have fun." Also apparently they just wanna play dominoes. Makes me wanna see if we can make a silly video for ESF for a Christmas update :P
<!--quoteo(post=1744205:date=Dec 18 2009, 09:08 AM:name=SentrySteve)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SentrySteve @ Dec 18 2009, 09:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Motion blur? I hope we can turn it off.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Why would you want to turn it off?
<!--quoteo(post=1744508:date=Dec 21 2009, 07:28 AM:name=NeoSniper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NeoSniper @ Dec 21 2009, 07:28 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744508"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Why would you want to turn it off?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I hate the effect itself; I never found it cool. I find it equivalent to a 12 year old who just figured out how to do a lens flare in photoshop. It also lowers performance and makes my environment harder to see which interferes with me killing things which annoys me.
<!--quoteo(post=1744517:date=Dec 21 2009, 05:21 PM:name=SentrySteve)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SentrySteve @ Dec 21 2009, 05:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744517"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I hate the effect itself; I never found it cool. I find it equivalent to a 12 year old who just figured out how to do a lens flare in photoshop. It also lowers performance and makes my environment harder to see which interferes with me killing things which annoys me.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Then you probably mean you hate badly-executed motion blur: the effect is the sole reason movies work, and you do get it in real life.
<!--quoteo(post=1744518:date=Dec 21 2009, 09:25 AM:name=Draco_2k)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Draco_2k @ Dec 21 2009, 09:25 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744518"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Then you probably mean you hate badly-executed motion blur: the effect is the sole reason movies work, and you do get it in real life.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you consider the motion blur in TF2 and L4D badly-executed, then I guess so.
<!--quoteo(post=1744518:date=Dec 21 2009, 10:25 AM:name=Draco_2k)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Draco_2k @ Dec 21 2009, 10:25 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744518"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Then you probably mean you hate badly-executed motion blur: the effect is the sole reason movies work, and you do get it in real life.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_blur" target="_blank">Incorrect</a>, it's common misconceptions like these that result in games being riddled with lens flarey-effects such as bloom, HDR, motion blur, and depth-of-field. Like motion blur, mention "bloom" on a gaming forum and you'll here all the same concoctions as to how"it models real-life". No it doesn't - both motion blur and bloom model the attempts of an inferior <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom_%28shader_effect%29" target="_blank">camera lens</a> to adjust to changes in light, not the much more superior lens of the human eye. No, my world doesn't turn into a hazy smear every time I move my head and no I don't see white fuzzy sheep everywhere when I go from dark to light, so unless you're producing a game that is meant to be played as if it were a movie shot with an average-to-poor quality camera, then yes, putting these render-expensive effects in simply for the "cool" factor shares all the same qualities with how a 12-year old girl might act after just discovering lens flare.
<!--quoteo(post=1744511:date=Dec 21 2009, 06:37 AM:name=blackpiranha)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (blackpiranha @ Dec 21 2009, 06:37 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744511"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Although there's nothing wrong with gorgies, i hope there will be a 'real' update coming up next, regarding the game developement.
Little bit too much of editor/creation stuff for my liking.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Um. It <i>is</i> game development. Since deciding on their own engine, I imagine that UWE is dependent upon updates to the <i>game</i> editors and other <i>game</i> creation software. Otherwise... no game.
No one ever said game development was sexy. Though it does have its moments. ;)
<!--quoteo(post=1744173:date=Dec 17 2009, 10:19 PM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Dec 17 2009, 10:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744173"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Wow, some of you guys are so joyless. Seriously. The "time wasting" was in fact a test scene put together as a timing test, a necessary test so one of our programmers can figure out some important information on making the game better. The rest of us saw it, and thought it was humorous, and convinced him to record it out so we could post it for our community.
And, yes, the deaths are going to be handled with ragdolls, however we would like to add some personality to the deaths, as well, so we will most likely use a combination of some sort.
--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Blarg, I hate NS2, and I am a humorless monster, I wish death and curses upon you! death and curses!
No, to be honest I thought it was probably something like that, I made the post more to complain about the PR ramifications than to complain about the game. The video is humorous, but it probably shouldn't have been a frontpage post. Stuff on the frontpage shouldn't have to be explained in more than a couple dozen words, and should show off something impressive. If I'm gonna show a friend NS2, I really like using the alien showcase videos or screenshots from the spark thread... A video like this fits more into the "weird" category. It's not showing gameplay, it's not showing any feature that hasn't already been better shown off by another video, it's easy enough to be taken out of context. Your average fan will look at it and say "what the hell am I watching?" It's not scripted to unveil any plot, it's just a redundant tech demo.
That isn't to say that I, as a fan, don't appreciate the fact that you guys are being inclusive of us and being very transparent with the whole development process, the critique I'm making is just to be careful of what content you're posting where. Front page posts are best off really showing off the best of the best, alot of new fans will only browse the front page, and the front page is the first stop when someone wants to show off what you guys are doing to a friend unfamiliar with the project or something. That video would have been perfect for a forum post, with a little blurb on why the video was scripted. Similar to how alot of the WIP map stuff doesn't get thrown up into a screenshot section somewhere on the frontpage, because it's not really ready to be shown as teaser content yet, but to those who are interested in the process of development it's still interesting content to see.
Sorry if I'm seeming anal, but PR matters, I critique because I care :)
<!--quoteo(post=1745012:date=Dec 28 2009, 08:58 AM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Swiftspear @ Dec 28 2009, 08:58 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1745012"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No, to be honest I thought it was probably something like that, I made the post more to complain about the PR ramifications than to complain about the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thanks for the clarification on your comments, and it makes it easier to see where you are coming from now. I agree, its certainly not a big deal PR event, but the front page news was never intended to be just posts with large PR ramifications. We always intended it to be more of a developer blog, a behind the scenes look at what goes into the creation of a game, in addition to a place to reveal big newsworthy items.
Originally we had much more behind the scenes kind of posts, but due to lack of time on our end to keep it frequently updated, and as a result of having more big ticket news items, such as the editor release, alien reveals, etc., to share, it's moved away from our roots a bit. And now people expect more from each news post, and are disappointed if we just put up some concept art, for example, so that also keeps us from posting more frequently.
Putting the right amount of effort into the right amount of PR is a tricky balance, and made doubly so by our lack of having a dedicated PR person/company.
And, next time around I'll try to make sure to add a smiley face or something after my comments, because I didn't intend the "joyless" remark to come out as harsh sounding as it did : )
Comments
I have dispatched my minions, you shall all remain <i>cookieless</i> <b>and</b> <i>joyless</i> this Christmas! I'll leave bags of salt in their place!
Motion blur? I hope we can turn it off.
I like the way "IT George's Death Scene" is one of the results... Gorge clown skin anyone? (With clown/party hat of course)
I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS!!
Cuteness will prevail! :-)
How could you not like more news about our favourite expected game?
So every news is nice and please keep on even more! :)
ENDLESS OVERKILL
Kotaku lists NS2 in their list of games to look for in 2010. That's something to be happy about.
<!--quoteo(post=1744205:date=Dec 18 2009, 09:08 AM:name=SentrySteve)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SentrySteve @ Dec 18 2009, 09:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1744205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Motion blur? I hope we can turn it off.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why would you want to turn it off?
Little bit too much of editor/creation stuff for my liking.
I hate the effect itself; I never found it cool. I find it equivalent to a 12 year old who just figured out how to do a lens flare in photoshop. It also lowers performance and makes my environment harder to see which interferes with me killing things which annoys me.
Then you probably mean you hate badly-executed motion blur: the effect is the sole reason movies work, and you do get it in real life.
If you consider the motion blur in TF2 and L4D badly-executed, then I guess so.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_blur" target="_blank">Incorrect</a>, it's common misconceptions like these that result in games being riddled with lens flarey-effects such as bloom, HDR, motion blur, and depth-of-field. Like motion blur, mention "bloom" on a gaming forum and you'll here all the same concoctions as to how"it models real-life". No it doesn't - both motion blur and bloom model the attempts of an inferior <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom_%28shader_effect%29" target="_blank">camera lens</a> to adjust to changes in light, not the much more superior lens of the human eye. No, my world doesn't turn into a hazy smear every time I move my head and no I don't see white fuzzy sheep everywhere when I go from dark to light, so unless you're producing a game that is meant to be played as if it were a movie shot with an average-to-poor quality camera, then yes, putting these render-expensive effects in simply for the "cool" factor shares all the same qualities with how a 12-year old girl might act after just discovering lens flare.
Little bit too much of editor/creation stuff for my liking.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Um. It <i>is</i> game development. Since deciding on their own engine, I imagine that UWE is dependent upon updates to the <i>game</i> editors and other <i>game</i> creation software. Otherwise... no game.
No one ever said game development was sexy. Though it does have its moments. ;)
how can someone be so innocent?!?!
NOM NOM NOM
And, yes, the deaths are going to be handled with ragdolls, however we would like to add some personality to the deaths, as well, so we will most likely use a combination of some sort.
--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Blarg, I hate NS2, and I am a humorless monster, I wish death and curses upon you! death and curses!
No, to be honest I thought it was probably something like that, I made the post more to complain about the PR ramifications than to complain about the game. The video is humorous, but it probably shouldn't have been a frontpage post. Stuff on the frontpage shouldn't have to be explained in more than a couple dozen words, and should show off something impressive. If I'm gonna show a friend NS2, I really like using the alien showcase videos or screenshots from the spark thread... A video like this fits more into the "weird" category. It's not showing gameplay, it's not showing any feature that hasn't already been better shown off by another video, it's easy enough to be taken out of context. Your average fan will look at it and say "what the hell am I watching?" It's not scripted to unveil any plot, it's just a redundant tech demo.
That isn't to say that I, as a fan, don't appreciate the fact that you guys are being inclusive of us and being very transparent with the whole development process, the critique I'm making is just to be careful of what content you're posting where. Front page posts are best off really showing off the best of the best, alot of new fans will only browse the front page, and the front page is the first stop when someone wants to show off what you guys are doing to a friend unfamiliar with the project or something. That video would have been perfect for a forum post, with a little blurb on why the video was scripted. Similar to how alot of the WIP map stuff doesn't get thrown up into a screenshot section somewhere on the frontpage, because it's not really ready to be shown as teaser content yet, but to those who are interested in the process of development it's still interesting content to see.
Sorry if I'm seeming anal, but PR matters, I critique because I care :)
Thanks for the clarification on your comments, and it makes it easier to see where you are coming from now. I agree, its certainly not a big deal PR event, but the front page news was never intended to be just posts with large PR ramifications. We always intended it to be more of a developer blog, a behind the scenes look at what goes into the creation of a game, in addition to a place to reveal big newsworthy items.
Originally we had much more behind the scenes kind of posts, but due to lack of time on our end to keep it frequently updated, and as a result of having more big ticket news items, such as the editor release, alien reveals, etc., to share, it's moved away from our roots a bit. And now people expect more from each news post, and are disappointed if we just put up some concept art, for example, so that also keeps us from posting more frequently.
Putting the right amount of effort into the right amount of PR is a tricky balance, and made doubly so by our lack of having a dedicated PR person/company.
And, next time around I'll try to make sure to add a smiley face or something after my comments, because I didn't intend the "joyless" remark to come out as harsh sounding as it did : )
--Cory