Posts by Steppenwolf

  • Defining Boundaries: Creating Credible Obstacles In Games

    I'm sure most developers are well aware of this problem. Personaly i think about that all the time when i work on a map.

    But there are often technical limitations behind these things. For example in the BF 2 example imagine how expensive it would be to render proper foliage at all the borders. Or you just have to compromise between nice visuals/a long viewing distance and the level boundaries (like in the cod 4 example).

    We had this problem when we worked on the multiplayer for BC. In the singleplayer we have all radiation effects and stuff going on on the level borders but this stuff is expensive to render. So the first mp maps were kinda floathing in the middle of nowhere. I then came up with the idea to place the map on an island inside the destroyed city, the borders basicly being huge cracks and fissures in the earth filled with deadly lava. This worked out pretty well and most BC multiplayer maps follow this example now.

  • making money with custom maps !?

    I would never pay money for a custom map. This is not what the community is all about. But if you want to make money with custom content then you can try it somewhere else. My father for example plays this train simulator/builder (EEP 5) that is heavily based on custom content. A lot of this stuff is for free but there are also a lot of websites that provide custom content for money.

    This community is quite different from the fps one because these train sims are mostly played by old dudes with money. And they really really appreciate high quality models of trains and train stations because a) they are obsessed with realism and details and b) there are not so many talented 3D artists among them who can actualy provide them with that.

  • What have you purchased recently?

    Bought myself a chrismas gift yesterday:

    [Blocked Image: http://uk.gizmodo.com/nintendo_ds_black.jpg]

    +

    [Blocked Image: http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/825/825458/orcs-elves-20071005050643449.jpg]

    +

    [Blocked Image: http://www.gearcrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/korg_ds10_shop.gif]

    +

    [Blocked Image: http://i.testfreaks.com/images/products/600x400/153/advance-wars-dark-conflict.565913.jpg]

    Also a couple of old games for PS2:

    God of War 1+2

    Resident Evil 4

    Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel

    Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

    FIFA Street

  • i am playing deus ex and i am tottaly clueless

    Warby i guess you should have played the game back in 2000 to be able to "feel it". If you ask me so directly of course i think DX is better then HL and SS2. When it comes to game mechanics HL is just your linear fps. From a game design and story telling perspective Deus Ex is way more interesting.

    System Shock 2 was the technical predecessor to Deus Ex. Fantastic game but not as advanced. While Deus Ex didn't followed the path of a horror game it took everything else and moved it one step further.

    Can't comment on Fallout. Never played that one unfortunately.

  • i am playing deus ex and i am tottaly clueless

    You cant be serious about all the technical nitpicking can you? It's a game from freaking 2000. Why complain about the voice acting? Most games didn't even had that back then or very limited. Or why do you compare features to Dead Space, a 2008 game? Gfx and sound were top notch back then and the sandboxy gameplay revolutionary. Not to mention that the whole fps/rpg hybrid thing was kinda new, except for the two System Shock titles by the same company and Hired Guns on Amiga. If you don't believe me check out some old reviews.

    http://%7boption%7d

  • Steam, 1€ = 1$

    Quote from e-freak

    It's pretty usual that North America is cheaper than europe (check out what you pay for camera-lenses or graphic cards or wacoms).

    You cant compare american/european shop prices with steam. Steam is a american service. You buy on steam you buy in america no matter where on the world you live. Everything else is just in place to fuck over the european customers. If it wasnt like this you would at least pay the correct tax for your country (like on amazon).

    Thank god we still have the choice between physical products and digital distribution. But think a couple of years in the future when digital distribution will be the norm and only a couple of companys hold the monopoles for the different platforms. :-|

  • Steam, 1€ = 1$

    Quote from Deathy

    I agree that it is more expensive but for me personally the cover, booklet and cd isn't that important. I just hope they fix it the right way, otherwise the Steam Sales will go down to zero in europe and not only that.. It is also a bit hard for Valve I think.. Could someone foresee that the dollar will drop that hard.

    In times where Dollar and Euro were circa the same, that wouldn't have such an heavy effect (except for UK).

    I'm happy that I can buy my Steam games through someone from Canada.. Otherwise I would be as disgusted as you are right now. :-|

    I mentioned cover, booklet etc. because they add to the price of physical purchased games making it more nonsensical on valves part that digital games are more expensive then physical games. Sure they got expenses for their own infrastructure but i doubt that its anywhere close to real shops, real shipping and physical products especialy when you consider that they got the infrastructure in place anyway for their own products and services.

    And the weak dollar is actualy a good thing for american buisnesses that rely on export because it makes it more attractive for foreigners to buy stuff in america from american companys. It's only bad for americans who want to buy stuff in europe or come here for travel.

  • Steam, 1€ = 1$

    Quote from skdr

    Guys, you forgot that the old $ price they listed on the site did not include any taxes at all. Now that they're showing the price in euros, it includes taxes. Yeah, it's still a bit more expensive but not that expensive some sites might say.

    It still is bullshit because the taxes are not the same in each country and in some countrys you don't even have to pay taxes for non-physical stuff that you buy on the internet. It is a huge scam if you ask me. If steam had a special platform for european customers it would be a little less obvious. But so its really fucked up.

    Empire:Total War 49.99 Euro on steam. Same game 429 swedish crowns at webhallen. Thats 39.10 Euro.

    Now in Dollar as it used to. 49.99 USD = 388 swedish crowns + 25% taxes = 485 swedish crowns or 44.59 Euro.

    Now if i would live in germany: 49.99 USD = 35.70 Euro + 19% taxes = 42.48 Euro.

    Think about it non-physical games should be less expensive for various reasons. No disc, no booklet, no cover, no physical transport, no store, no salesmen + you cant borrow or resell them which should really be part of the calculation and online buyers should be rewarded for. Steam was too expensive even before the euro price tags but now they have really lost their minds. If this isn't greed i don't know what is.

  • Steam, 1€ = 1$

    ewww wtf is wrong with valve. I'm not even in the euro zone yet the prices are in euro. So basicly this fucks over the people in sweden even twice as hard because the swedish krona is currently super weak to the euro thanks to the financial crysis (The exchange rate is 1:11 but it always used to be around 1:9).

    Either this is greed or idiocy on side of valve. Whatever, not gonna buy games for a while until they have sorted this out. When i buy on steam i buy in america. Prices have to be in USD and nothing else.