
All This Talk About "Retro" Is Really Starting To Trigger Me...
#9645 posted by
Kinn on 2016/12/05 18:05:33
Anyway, the vast majority of so-called "retro" games just make "whatever", but then they put chunky pixel textures on their 10,000 poly monsters and wahey! Retro!!. Also, why not throw in some 80s-era ZX Spectrum-esque chiptunes, and then do an 80s Grindhouse theme for the trailers, because that makes about as much fucking sense as the rest of it! 1996 still counts as the 80s right?
/triggered

I Shall Now Type Words
#9646 posted by
killpixel on 2016/12/05 19:28:51
The subject of contemporary "retro" games is one that is very near and dear to my heart. Allow me to bloviate:
It seems, to some devs (and consumers), that all of retro gaming can be encapsulated by pixelated art and chiptunes. Because of this sort of shallow approach, many proclaimed modern "retro" games end up being mere caricatures or parodies of their source material. This can be pretty off-putting to fans of authentic retro games.
IMO, it would be beneficial to approach developing a retro game is if you are actually developing in that era. Define your technical limitations and design in reference to those. One of the things that makes old games so charming are the creative and interesting ways developers conveyed the game world due to the technical limitations of the time. In modern times, it's easy to lose sight of that wander outside of what is appropriate for the game you are making. You end up with, as kinn said, highpoly models with gobs of animation frames bathed in dynamic lights amid a fury of particle physics usually without any sort of real direction. That simply isn't retro (aesthetically speaking), and probably won't have that retro soul (not as a consequence of visuals, but of the general approach I just outlined).
I think an overlooked skill is restraint. Every aspect of the game should serve gameplay, if it doesn't there's a good chance it should be axed. Things that are blatantly light years beyond the era of game you are trying to make should probably be reexamined.
This is just, like, my opinion, man.

The Best Retro Game
in recent times is Shovel Knight. The only thing modern was that it was in a 16:9 resolution, everything else felt pretty much perfect.

Agreed
#9649 posted by
killpixel on 2016/12/05 23:29:51
Devil Daggers, too. Although narrow in scope, it was very well executed, IMO.

Indeed
#9650 posted by
DaZ on 2016/12/05 23:44:08
It still irks me that DD was "just" a score attack game. Everything about it was amazing except the game mode :P
#9651 posted by
skacky on 2016/12/05 23:49:19
Indeed. Devil Daggers with proper level design would've been dope as fuck.
Yeah I was super stoked for Devil Daggers hoping it might have had some levels in it.
The enemy design was superb.

Butcher
#9653 posted by
Mugwump on 2016/12/07 15:35:59
I've just been made aware of this 2D side shooter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLWOx0rNTr8
Looks fun! The name alone is a marvel of poetry...

Looks Rad
#9654 posted by
killpixel on 2016/12/07 19:31:39
I might have to pick this up
#9655 posted by
khreathor on 2016/12/07 23:02:58
Butcher is very hard... I haven't finished it.

Free Game "Assassin's Creed III"
#9656 posted by Kingold on 2016/12/09 05:57:53
https://club.ubisoft.com/en-GB/ubi30
Ubi 30th Anniversary Giveaway continues. In December they bring us Assassin's Creed III for free!
#9662 posted by
khreathor on 2016/12/11 04:46:23
So many shooters with hell theme announced. I have a feeling 2017 will be very satanic!

Waiting For DOOM 2 (2017)

Interesting.,
#9664 posted by
Shambler on 2016/12/11 10:52:15
Good spot. It seems horror / gore / gothic is one of the next big things??
This, like the other ones, doesn't quite hit the mark in that trailer. Great style and theme, boring path following. The last 5 seconds of actual gameplay don't really show a tactical shooter either.
But it's a cool style and as next big things go....a hell of a lot better than many other choices.
#9665 posted by
negke on 2016/12/11 12:50:36
Watched a bit of the Deathwing video that Shambler linked. Gameplay looks boring.

Warhammer Inquisitor

It Looked Exactly Like WH40K D3 Several Months Ago.
#9667 posted by
Shambler on 2016/12/14 12:44:15

Except Now It Looks More Boring Overall.
#9668 posted by
Shambler on 2016/12/14 12:54:08
Sandbox world.
Randomly generated missions.
Randomly generated maps from tilesets (that looked particularly dull when they were re-arranging the same damn times in 10 different ways).
No, I don't want 100s of hours like that. That's why I really enjoyed D3 single player campaign, did a few rifts for the lulz, and haven't touched it since. Give me an interesting, tight, stylish, spectacular SP campaign instead and the 100 hours of repetition can fuck off.

Yeah I'll Pass Too
#9669 posted by
Kinn on 2016/12/14 14:13:36
"Procedurally generated" just translates to "much shitter than anything hand-crafted and in any case once you've seen one map you've seen them all".