GPG on the Cost of Independence

[Feb 18, 2010, 11:57 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

"My kids probably won't go to college because of Demigod" Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games semi-jokingly told Epic's Mike Capps in discussing the perils of being an independent developer during a DICE summit panel, reports 1Up. "There's a fear when doing midsize games that are new franchises," Taylor said. "You're doing the numbers on a spreadsheet and it's absolutely frightening." He also explains that he's received at least five offers to buy the studio out, and: "There are days that I really regret not having sold, and there are days when I'm really happy that we didn't." He explains the desire to remain independent is "because I'm still in it for the art," adding: "20 years from now we'll see if that was the right call or not...we'll see if that completely kicks my ass." Thanks Mike Martinez.

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22 Replies. 2 pages. Viewing page 1.
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22.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 19, 2010, 03:13

Kxmode

I hate every single one of you who uses a video game news site to talk politics! There are other sites for that shit. Take the discussion there ffs.

21.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 20:59

heroin

Not a fan of his games at all but his attitude is great. True DIY spirit.

20.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 20:55

Warskull

Theo wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 15:05: the stupid thing is, had chirs put the effort in to making the game work (demigod), his kids would have gone to 4 collages, and he'd be driving something nice. the game was (And is good), the comminity is posion (just like DotA, HoN, LoL) but the state the game was released in was utterly unacceptable. /Theo They try to blame the community, but the simple fact is demigod failed because the game did not work. I am not exaggerating, the game was released in a completely non-functional state. I was an online multiplayer game where you quite literally could not get into games. The single player was just skirmishes vs AI. Then the game continued to stay non-functional for a good month. Call the community poison if you want, but you sell someone a product that doesn't work and they are going to get angry. This was further complicated when stardock started to blame the community and started banning people (from the game) for complaining about how awful the game was. The game itself was mediocre, could have been good with some support. The train wreck that was the game's netcode doomed it from the start. Even now with the problems starting games mostly fixed, if anyone lags in game, everyone lags. One person sets their video settings to high and everyone has to suffer through constant pausing. As for picking up the game on the cheap now, what's the point? Its an online multiplayer game with no one left to play it. The price isn't $10 already because its a successful and popular game.

19.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 19:22

JohnnyRotten

Hellbinder wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 15:22: If you think the pshycopaths took over in 2000 and 2004 you are delusional. Those people are nothing but figureheads for the real people in power, and they dont give a rip about republican or democrat. I agree with you brother! Long live our lolcat overlords!

18.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 19:20

HoSpanky

Demigod regularly goes on sale for under $10 now. I agree that its biggest weakness is the lack of maps. Hell, the level selection screen seems designed to accommodate at LEAST twice as many maps as the game shipped with. While yes, most community maps would be dreadfully boring to look at, a few would go out of their way to create astonishingly detailed battlefields. Full modding tools seem to be less and less common, but at LEAST offer a map editor for this sort of game! Hell, offer the map editor and a modest prize for top-end maps, and then release the winners' maps as part of the official game. Development time negated, small cost to the company, and the winners' names are now "out there" on a commercial product, if they're interested in breaking into the industry. Everyone wins.

17.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 17:46

Beamer

I completely agree.

I hope you're kidding, because you just agreed with a troll.
That's never a healthy sign.

His paranoid rant has some truth, but nothing to "completely agree" with.




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

16.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 17:33

shponglefan

Prez wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 17:24: Jeez, I come to Blues to get away from* the usual political BS you are bombarded with everywhere you go.* Palin-Bachmann 2012!

15.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 17:24

Prez

Jeez, I come to Blues to get away from the usual political BS you are bombarded with everywhere you go.

As for Taylor, the guy's enthusiasm is infectious, I have to give him that. He is worrying me with SupCom 2, but I am still hoping. As for Demigod, I think it's a great game in desperate need of new maps. The ones that there are uniformly brilliant but you can only play them so many times. There is a huge need to get Mod tools in the hands of the community for Demigod.




Prez on Soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=604888

14.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 16:46

Stinger-X

Demigod failed because of the lack of modding and mapping tools needed by the community to take the game to the next level. Supcom 2 with no map editor will see the same fate. It will become boring in about 6 - 8 months having to play on the same battle fields over and over. I have read so many times on a lot of gaming forums over the years where top quality stuff created by community members is wished to be added to the competitive servers but is always ignored. A community will help to make a game successful and SELL WELL if it is given the tools to do so, and with the means to add it into play.

13.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 16:34

NicklePop

Hellbinder wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 15:22: Using foul language it not about "your mommy" being mad. Its about taking our brains out of the toilet for a change and having real communication. Since we are into polotics now. If you think the pshycopaths took over in 2000 and 2004 you are delusional. Those people are nothing but figureheads for the real people in power, and they dont give a rip about republican or democrat. They care about Power and keeping it and they use Corporations, polotics, ecology, Science, entertainment and news to accomplish that. You think Obama is different? think again. Two sides of the same Coin. I completely agree.

12.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 16:17

Mead

Occam wept.

11.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 15:22

Hellbinder

Using foul language it not about "your mommy" being mad. Its about taking our brains out of the toilet for a change and having real communication.

Since we are into polotics now. If you think the pshycopaths took over in 2000 and 2004 you are delusional. Those people are nothing but figureheads for the real people in power, and they dont give a rip about republican or democrat. They care about Power and keeping it and they use Corporations, polotics, ecology, Science, entertainment and news to accomplish that.

You think Obama is different? think again. Two sides of the same Coin.




The Whales name is Bob.

10.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 15:05

Theo

the stupid thing is, had chirs put the effort in to making the game work (demigod), his kids would have gone to 4 collages, and he'd be driving something nice.

the game was (And is good), the comminity is posion (just like DotA, HoN, LoL) but the state the game was released in was utterly unacceptable.

/Theo




Everyone on Bluesnews is synical, get over it. edit: i cant spell, this is my disclaimer.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 14:51

Scud

Pankin wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 11:48: As an old fart myself, I can say that the older you get, the greater value you place on commerce and, conversely, the less value you place on art. There's a reason old people complain about taxes and flock to the Republican party: it's a mindset that develops as you age. And it's the same reason you youngsters post your complaints here on Blues about the "greedy corporations" and how evil it is to maximize profits by "designing for consoles" and the like. You haven't really made any money yet so you can't know that perspective. So, 20 years from now, he'll regret having not sold his company. At 37 I don't know if I qualify as an old fart yet but but I would have to take issue with the idea being a business man means having to act like an amoral psychopath, and it certainly doesn't justify it imho. And while I haven't really made any money yet I do understand that people how have made millions often wind up on an endless treadmill where they always have to have MORE. Honestly I'm not sure I'd ever want to know that perspective. Also I'd like to point out that while all those old folks are flocking to the Republican party, crying about taxes and such they're also happily sucking off the teat of Social Security and Medicare.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 13:51

Pankin

Ideologically, I gravitate toward art myself. But mine and Stormsinger's position is the exception that proves the rule. Pick a random old guy on the street and chances are good that he watches Fox News regularly. Unless he's an artist himself, and even then his artistic verve may very well have gone bye-bye years ago.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 13:40

NKD

kxmode wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 12:25:
Edit: removed cursing.

Well it's a good thing you edited out that cursing. I wasn't sure I could handle seeing one more swear word. My mom gets mad at me when I read swear words online.




If you don't like where gaming is heading, stop giving your money to the people who are taking it in that direction.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 13:31

Tom

Stormsinger wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 12:22: When did we decide to let the psychopaths run the world? November 7th, 2000 and November 2nd, 2004.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 13:17

Verno

You might as well piss into the wind with that dream kxmode




Playing: Super Mario 3D Land, Tales of Graces F, Fire Emblem 3DS Watching: Hannibal, Community, Life

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 12:25

Kxmode

Pankin wrote on Feb 18, 2010, 11:48: As an old fart myself, I can say that the older you get, the greater value you place on commerce and, conversely, the less value you place on art. There's a reason old people complain about taxes and flock to the Republican party: it's a mindset that develops as you age. Would you please leave politics off Blue's News?! Edit: removed cursing. This comment was edited on Feb 18, 2010, 12:46.

Re: GPG on the Cost of Independence

Feb 18, 2010, 12:22

Stormsinger

As another old fart, I think you're generalizing from too few cases. I've gone the other direction, moving from primarily valuing the material towards valuing art and people more. Ayn Rand mainly appeals to people too young to have realized that it just doesn't work like that. I believe the extreme emphasis on greed to be [probably] the largest part of the reason our world is such a frikkin mess. "Greed is good" was supposed to be a self-justification by the bad guy...yet somehow it has been morphed into a "truth". When did we decide to let the psychopaths run the world?

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