[project1dev] Re: [OT] Torchlight makers runic
- From: "eric" <figarus@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: project1dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 22:20:08 +0000
Agree completely
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
-----Original Message-----
From: Matthew Freeland <mattthefiend@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 15:14:06
To: <project1dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [project1dev] Re: [OT] Torchlight makers runic
Steam has been pushing indie games really hard recently, there are always
deals and packages up on their storefront advertising the bigger indie games
and I'm sure they're selling well. Brings to mind a question of what kind of
model we want to apply ourselves too... Obviously since we have the spell
target via mouse input it will be difficult (but possible) to port to X-Box.
That gives us access to XBLA which would be a good place to showcase it but
as well we should consider talking to Steam about online pc delivery.
Thoughts?
On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:44 PM, eric drewes <figarus@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> my cousin and i always play co-op against the AI but itd be awesome to get
> a big group and go to battle
>
>
> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 3:40 PM, Kent Petersen <kentkmp@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> I'm happy we are all on the same page together.
>>
>> I gotta make some time to play demigod.
>>
>>
>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 11:09 AM, Alan Wolfe <alan.wolfe@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>
>>> not yet, i'll check it out tonight for sure
>>>
>>> I dig that, i read a book once where it showed that for the most "chaos"
>>> (variation), often times just a couple simple rules would give way better
>>> results then trying to add a ton of rules so i get what you mean :P
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 10:59 AM, eric drewes <figarus@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>> the reason i ask is because its a game with a really simple premise...
>>>> there's 10 characters, 6 maps, basic rules, but its set up to be played
>>>> like
>>>> chess or starcraft where its all about replayability with a different
>>>> experience every time because of different play styles/game
>>>> balance/tactics. the game isn't perfect but its really neat the way the
>>>> different variables come together.
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 1:53 PM, eric drewes <figarus@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> hey did you get a chance to check out demigod yet?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 1:46 PM, Alan Wolfe <alan.wolfe@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I agree with you 100% on that, its cool we are on the same page.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Also, I like it because act raiser was a fun game and doom was cool
>>>>>> (and the fps part is hopefully going to feel kinda like doom... we'll
>>>>>> see if
>>>>>> we can do it).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But also i feel like a lot of games these days are all kinda similar
>>>>>> styles (basically shooters - oops... we are making part of our game a
>>>>>> shooter too.. im a hipocrite lol), and the "old style" game play seems to
>>>>>> have disappeared.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In a way i think it would be neat to continue on this style of taking
>>>>>> an older game's gameplay that doesn't have an analog in modern day
>>>>>> gaming,
>>>>>> and bring it back with updated graphics, tech, and maybe gameplay, but
>>>>>> keeping the core of what made it so great the same. I think old ideas
>>>>>> could
>>>>>> have life again for a younger generation that has never experienced them
>>>>>> (:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That isn't the most original or imaginative idea ever so i dunno how
>>>>>> you guys feel about it and i dont think we should only do that... but i
>>>>>> think it might be a neat blanket idea to toss into our idea bucket as
>>>>>> always
>>>>>> something to fall back on if we need another game idea.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think too that theres a lot of ways we could make a good amount of
>>>>>> money in markets that big game companies would never go after because its
>>>>>> small potatoes to them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> thats my hope anyways.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> but yeah im with you eric
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 10:23 AM, eric drewes <figarus@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> i think the key to making great games is balance, like starcraft is a
>>>>>>> game i consider "perfect" because its so well balanced, the depth comes
>>>>>>> from
>>>>>>> individual styles and not just complexity of game mechanics. Chess is
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> deepest game ever made, but also very very very elegant in its
>>>>>>> simplicity.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> i think the key for us as a team is to make sure we set realistic
>>>>>>> goals and expectations... like dirty harry says, "a man's got to know
>>>>>>> his
>>>>>>> limitations"
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> do i believe we can make kick ass games and a kick ass game company?
>>>>>>> you're god damn right i do. However, like with the RPG i think even if
>>>>>>> all
>>>>>>> of us quit our jobs and put in 50 hours a week, the scope and depth of
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> we still needed was too much for us. eyes bigger than our stomachs.
>>>>>>> (or my
>>>>>>> stomach at least)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> one of the reasons i am a fan of doing act raiser is that it is a
>>>>>>> chewable bite, and will let us get our feet wet and some real experience
>>>>>>> under our belt as we build into a real dev studio.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 1:17 PM, Kent Petersen <kentkmp@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That's still pretty inspiring as far as I'm concerned
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The other day angela asked me what I would do if I made a game that
>>>>>>>> we sold and made money off it. I told her, "I would quit my job and
>>>>>>>> makes
>>>>>>>> games." I'm excited. I think we can make kickass games.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 10:12 AM, eric drewes <figarus@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> oh and i dont have access to the article but i read it was $500,000
>>>>>>>>> in sales not 500,000 copies sold
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:51 PM, eric drewes
>>>>>>>>> <figarus@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> well... from wikipedia:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Development of the game is led by Travis Baldree, designer of *
>>>>>>>>>> Fate <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate_%28video_game%29>*, and
>>>>>>>>>> Max Schaefer and Erich Schaefer, co-designers of
>>>>>>>>>> *Diablo<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_%28video_game%29>
>>>>>>>>>> * and *Diablo II <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_II>*,
>>>>>>>>>> joined by the team that developed
>>>>>>>>>> *Mythos<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythos_%28video_game%29>
>>>>>>>>>> *
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Pre-production on *Torchlight* began in August 2008, shortly
>>>>>>>>>> after the dissolution of Flagship
>>>>>>>>>> Studios<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagship_Studios>.
>>>>>>>>>> Runic Games was founded by Travis Baldree (lead developer of *
>>>>>>>>>> Fate* and
>>>>>>>>>> *Mythos<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythos_%28video_game%29>
>>>>>>>>>> *) and veterans of Blizzard
>>>>>>>>>> North<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_North>and Flagship: Max
>>>>>>>>>> Schaefer, Erich Schaefer and Peter Hu.
>>>>>>>>>> [24]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-gamesource.it-23>
>>>>>>>>>> [14] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-shack-13>The
>>>>>>>>>> "entire Flagship Seattle team" consisting of 14 people (the branch of
>>>>>>>>>> Flagship which created the original *Mythos*) signed on to Runic
>>>>>>>>>> Games at the time of its
>>>>>>>>>> formation.[25]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-warcry-24>
>>>>>>>>>> [16]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-eurogamer-15>Having
>>>>>>>>>> lost the rights to
>>>>>>>>>> *Mythos*, the Runic team saw the development of a new game as a
>>>>>>>>>> way to "finish what [they] started," although they would have to
>>>>>>>>>> start over
>>>>>>>>>> with none of the code or art assets from
>>>>>>>>>> *Mythos*.[26]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-gamasutra-art-25>The
>>>>>>>>>> company's founders decided to "go back to [their] roots" with a
>>>>>>>>>> smaller
>>>>>>>>>> game that they could refine and polish within a relatively short
>>>>>>>>>> production
>>>>>>>>>> cycle.[14]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-shack-13>Full
>>>>>>>>>> production on the game started around November 2008, giving the
>>>>>>>>>> entire
>>>>>>>>>> project a development period of approximately 11
>>>>>>>>>> months.[27]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-g4tv-26>As
>>>>>>>>>> of July 2009, 25 team members were working at Runic Games.
>>>>>>>>>> [20]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-pcgames.de-19>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> In a feature article on
>>>>>>>>>> *Gamasutra<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamasutra>
>>>>>>>>>> *, art director Jason Beck explained that *Torchlight's* art
>>>>>>>>>> style was inspired by comic books and classic film animation, using
>>>>>>>>>> stylized
>>>>>>>>>> character designs combined with painterly background textures.[26
>>>>>>>>>> ]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-gamasutra-art-25>The
>>>>>>>>>> developers have described the game's look as inspired by "
>>>>>>>>>> *Dragon’s Lair<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%E2%80%99s_Lair>
>>>>>>>>>> * meets *The
>>>>>>>>>> Incredibles<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredibles>
>>>>>>>>>> *."[28]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-gamasutra1-27>The
>>>>>>>>>> team chose to give the game world a lighter fantasy tone to make it
>>>>>>>>>> more
>>>>>>>>>> inviting, rather than utilizing a "dark and gritty"
>>>>>>>>>> style.[26]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-gamasutra-art-25>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The game uses the OGRE <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OGRE> open
>>>>>>>>>> source <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source> 3D graphics
>>>>>>>>>> engine, although the rest of the game engine was built by Runic. The
>>>>>>>>>> game
>>>>>>>>>> was designed to run on a wide range of systems (including a
>>>>>>>>>> 'netbook' mode)
>>>>>>>>>> and does not require shaders<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shader>
>>>>>>>>>> .[2] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchlight#cite_note-zam-1>
>>>>>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> so, 25 people working full time using an open source 3d engine and
>>>>>>>>>> headed by veteran designers and coders with some pretty beefy
>>>>>>>>>> pedigree/experience
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 12:43 PM, Alan Wolfe <
>>>>>>>>>> alan.wolfe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> thats pretty rad... do you know how big the team was?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I wonder if they did it full time and lived off savings or if
>>>>>>>>>>> they had funding from somewhere else or if they had other jobs or
>>>>>>>>>>> somethin?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 8:23 AM, Kent Petersen <
>>>>>>>>>>> kentkmp@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> It only took em a year or so to make it too
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 8:23 AM, Kent Petersen <
>>>>>>>>>>>> kentkmp@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yeah man. It was fun but I didn't play it for more than a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> month. I think the key is making the game simple yet fun.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 5:39 PM, Alan Wolfe <
>>>>>>>>>>>>> alan.wolfe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/05/18/lighting-it-up-runic-investment-and-sales/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> they sold 500,000 copies of their game and sold part of their
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> company for 8.4 million.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wow...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> if you guys have played torchlight, sure it was a decent game
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> but it wasnt GREAT. i think there is major money to be had from
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> small indie
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> game groups such as ourselves :P
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
Other related posts:
