The point was to prove that a 90s style look is possible with FBSP, q3map2 and FTE, using non-paletted (ie RGB) TGA textures.

The idea was to demonstrate that technology is not per se a hindrance in achieving that look. 

Or marketing, production, creative dictator(s), other designers, parent company wanting to 'help' and of course, the client.

bloated, distributed teams are becoming a thing of the past. The industry has changed so that more agile and focused teams are more effective.

Hopefully this will mean the end or at least attenuation of committee design.

Still a long way to go though. My title is games designer, which really means facilitator. 

Random brain rambles, but I wonder how many of those stories of "the publisher ruined our game!" are actually true.

I know it happens sometimes but I think at least some of those must have been smoke screens. Sometimes a game is just shitty. :) 

Not trying to excuse the oinkers I've worked on.

Biggest culprit for a bad game is a bad team and/or teamwork.

This can be caused by morale though, and there's nothing for lowering morale like a command from on high that's counterproductive and must be done anyway. 

"there's nothing for lowering morale like a command from on high that's counterproductive and must be done anyway."

Sooner or later, no matter what field you're in, you realize that The Wire describes your workplace. 

From my experience, it was a little of column A and a little of column B. A mixture of directionless idiot leads, with a Publisher (who happens to own the studio) who just wants to flip Call of Duty shaped hotcakes off the griddle. So you go from atmospheric horror/puzzle game with time travel mechanics, to mediocre and forgettable shooter with time travel story. 

What game are you talking about scampie? Singularity had time travel...

A lot of games suck because there's a mass of dumb cunt gamers though don't know what good games are. The younger console market who just want to do STUPID FUCKING MINDLESS SHIT like minigames and running over pedestrians and collecting pointless crap like new outfits for your character. I've been playing far too many of these open world sandbox games lately that seem to be more about just fucking around doing random shit with your mates over while eating pizza, instead a really amazing gaming experience. Unfortunately, that seems to be what brings the money.

Dead Rising 2 is the current one I'm playing through and I'll take any COD game over DR2. 

@nitin, yeah this weekend hopefully.

@necros, yes this is my skybox. I bought the latest version of Terragen and have been testing out some ideas, this is one of them.

@ijed, the architecture is a cross between runic and base. The towers of runes are suppose to be topped with metal antenna poles. No spikes or bodies for this map.

@negke, never been a fan of easter eggs in my own maps, just simple secrets is enough.

@rest_of_the_idiots, seriously start another thread "UT dribble" or talk in general. This thread is suppose to be screenshots and feedback. >:( 

http://i.imgur.com/auRF23R.png 

http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/3/5462994/singularity-two-years-to-make-a-mess-ten-months-to-clean-it-up 

I was working on it for awhile at the end of that 'two year mess' 

I have nothing but respect for the team that came after and actually finished it.

But I can only relate my time during that story... and it was not a very happy time. 

awesome look forward to it. 

Pixel Spires 

They are fucking annoying to fight against. Not hard, just annoying.

Map looks rad tho. 

Change them for Sentinels?

Those are a bit more runic than tech and don't have the dodge behaviour. 

Man up, you pussies. Bobs are much less annoying than any other Quoth enemy.

Sentinels are most likely too slow/poorly visible for that environment. 

Bob is rad for its retro look (rivaled only by Floyd from Rubicon 2) and death sequence (I dunno, I just like it). 

Really interesting read. I enjoyed the little I played, but the the shoddy DRM (game freezes when not connected internet) broke it for me :(

Steam is DRM enough, I wish publishers would stop bogging down their products with this crap. 

Cliche up, negke, you macho nob.

Actually, sentinel's slowness would work well in the void I think, it could add some vibe to it, especially if they have patrol routes. 

I should have faith in sock, I doubt even Quoth can ruin his reliably fine gameplay balance. 

Man up, you pussies.

The new enemies are belligerently unfun. Each one feels like Doom3's "bludgeon the player and call it a challenge" design philosophy brought to Quake.

I could tolerate this at first for the sake of playing cool maps from the community, but it became a dealbreaker when some in the community made clear their attitude that it was my fault. Quoth can apparently only be appreciated by people better than me, because I'm a pussy.

I won't even read the news post for a new map farther than the word Quoth anymore, regardless of who made it or how cool it looks, because I already know everything I need to.

For sock, I'd make an exception. Good thing Quoth implements impulse 205! 

Doom3 was challenging? That's news to me.

This is how Doom3 "bludgeoned" the player:

"Ok now, we're gonna spawn not one, not two, but THREE enemies in your general vicinity. Be ready, we're giving you all the ques that this is going to happen... hey, here it comes, get ready. It's coming. Aim your weapon, use your WASD keys. Here it comes. We're gonna spawn them one at a time, just in case you get flustered, ok? Get ready. Actually. Nevermind, here's a scary sound and a medpack."

NIGHTMARE mode was such a missed opportunity in that game. They had the chance to offer a challenging difficulty setting, instead it's just veteran with decreasing health :| 

There are two sides to the issue, in my view. I agree the gameplay in many Quoth maps can easily become annoying, but is it because the enemies are designed in a bad way or because the authors use them in a bad way?
Probably a bit of both: It seems to me they were intentionally designed to be more difficult in order to provide a high-tier supplement to the stock enemies much like the occasional fiend and shambler in a base or medieval map. However, authors often use them as replacements for regular enemies which results in a much harder overall experience rather than situational difficulty spikes.

So perhaps a misunderstanding on both parts. Designers wanted high-tier supplements while mappers expected normal-type additions for extended variety. Add to that a possible veteran player mindset on both sides and the result is frustrating gameplay.

I don't mean to bash people for not liking the new enemies, prefering less taxing combat, simply being not as hardcore players as others. Shambler being the exception of course! :) However, in the case of Bob, I don't understand the hate it often gets. It's not unbalanced in terms of health and damage like several other Quoth monster; the only thing that sets it apart from the regular enemies, in a positive way IMO, is its unique attack behavior which I don't consider difficult to read and master at all, there's no randomness or unfair behavior. 

Sock
Let me be you're betterman(live)