Prison Architect - Low as $10.19 (66% off) on Steam

[Ocellaris]

DayZ standalone also. That game has made near zero progress in the past 3 months and full release seems to be years away. By the time its ready, no one will care.

Motivation starts to fall off pretty quick when companies release a game and watch the revenue stream fall like a rock after the first couple of weeks. Very few games have staying power that keep enough money rolling in to ensure consistent development after a release (think Minecraft).

So at some point they need to decide to take the money and run instead of burning cash on a product people stopped buying.

 

[requiem99]

Because graphics, not gameplay, is what matters.

Sarcasm accepted. Therefore, how can you support an overpriced game through years of development that has neither graphics nor gameplay, makes very little progress towards either, and consistently runs big sales to provide fresh capital?

 

[Modred189]

Sarcasm accepted. Therefore, how can you support an overpriced game through years of development that has neither graphics nor gameplay, makes very little progress towards either, and consistently runs big sales to provide fresh capital?

Because without such a model, the game would never be made at all. You're paying to increase the chance that it does, and in doing so, you get to see the game evolve over time. Some fail, some succeed, but that's the risk you take when you buy in early.

So far, I've bought into two games early
Shadowrun Returns: Was a completely successful kickstarter and has released a completely successful game on time and feature complete.
Mighty Number 9; Still in the dev process, but all signs are good.
Prison Architect: Cheap buy-in (as opposed to the kickstarters, above), constant updates and additions, and good dev communication. All signs are good that it will be made, but given that they never (AFAIK) provided a timeline, and it's like 2 guys making it, my expectations were checked at the door. I wanted this game to be made, and I chipped my $15 bucks in. I've EASILY gotten that money back so far. So, I consider it a win even if it never gets 100% completed.

 

[DracoNB]

Sarcasm accepted. Therefore, how can you support an overpriced game through years of development that has neither graphics nor gameplay, makes very little progress towards either, and consistently runs big sales to provide fresh capital?

How can you say it has no gameplay?

Have you played it?

For more than a few hours?

Was it just not your type of game?

You do realize that it is a SIM, not a FPS right?

They release monthly videos showing what they've done, and also let you play with those new features. How can you say that is no progress?

 

[requiem99]

Because everything in PA is either broken or coming soon and has been broken or coming soon for years. PA is 2D and they've made a fortune on selling alphas of the game. There's no excuse.

 

[Modred189]

Because everything in PA is either broken or coming soon and has been broken or coming soon for years. PA is 2D and they've made a fortune on selling alphas of the game. There's no excuse.

Everything is broken?
So the answer to DracoNB's questions is "no?"

After all, I've sunk a good deal of time into the game, and there are a lot of things working for me. And they are adding new aspects almost every month. All of which tend to work well and don't often (not yet afaik) break other elements of the game. That alone is an admirable way to run an alpha-access program, especially by a very small dev team.

And remember, if you aren't willing to deal with an alpha build, wait for the full game. Doing otherwise is just masochism.

 

[Rob36]

Very awesome game, albeit buggy and could use some clear improvements. Definitely worth the ~$10 I spent; if you like build//sim games, I definitely recommend this one even if it is an alpha. I really enjoy games that have some DF influence, so if you're into those type of games I suggest giving it a try.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Because without such a model, the game would never be made at all.

No, such a model is set up so that these developers can work "full time" on a game and not have to actually get a real job like the rest of us to live off of. Indy games have been made for far longer the kickstarters or "open access" type programs existed, and people banged out games just fine in the past, hell even with a 40 hour/week job that still 128 hour a week where you can squeeze in the rest of your life and do stuff.

 

[DracoNB]

No, such a model is set up so that these developers can work "full time" on a game and not have to actually get a real job like the rest of us to live off of. Indy games have been made for far longer the kickstarters or "open access" type programs existed, and people banged out games just fine in the past, hell even with a 40 hour/week job that still 128 hour a week where you can squeeze in the rest of your life and do stuff.

Which indy games were those?

You do realize that people have to sleep right? And have regular lives not just work / develop game.

I'd rather pay $10 now and be able to play it whenever I want, than wait 2 years and pay $20-30.

How many games were canceled due to lack of funds from big studios, let alone small indy developers?