A small and unlikely team was behind one of the most ambitious and anticipated games of 2016. In this 2019 GDC Main Stage session, Hello Games' Sean Murray takes us behind the scenes during the intense and dramatic launch of one the biggest selling new IPs in recent years. He demonstrates how his team found the grit to deal with releasing an innovative and polarizing game into an increasingly vocal gaming landscape, and details how through determination and love in 2019 they have built to record player numbers and positivity amongst their most negative detractors. This candid and open discussion will show the power of focusing on what you do, rather than what you say, in the face of adversity.
jdreyer wrote on Apr 3, 2019, 14:02:Beamer wrote on Apr 3, 2019, 08:49:
Whenever someone says "go to YouTube to learn," it's often safe to ignore them. YouTube is not used for truthful information, it's used for passionate, quickly spoken pleas to emotion, generally using very convenient edits.
Not to mention, this was a tiny indie team that Sony took on its shoulders and basically pushed around. I give them some benefit of the doubt. Of course, that benefit of the doubt is why I never would have preordered, or purchased without hearing word of mouth, and while it isn't fair to victim blame, it's shocking to me that so many here did.
Yeah, not to beat up on KX too much, but you'd think that Sean Murray killed his cat and ate it. And not even with a fine Chianti, but with Mad Dog 2020.
Beamer wrote on Apr 3, 2019, 08:49:
Whenever someone says "go to YouTube to learn," it's often safe to ignore them. YouTube is not used for truthful information, it's used for passionate, quickly spoken pleas to emotion, generally using very convenient edits.
Not to mention, this was a tiny indie team that Sony took on its shoulders and basically pushed around. I give them some benefit of the doubt. Of course, that benefit of the doubt is why I never would have preordered, or purchased without hearing word of mouth, and while it isn't fair to victim blame, it's shocking to me that so many here did.
NKD wrote on Apr 3, 2019, 09:35:he heh
Came in here to see if Kxmode was sperging out, was not disappointed.
Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 21:20:jdreyer wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 17:16:
Link for all that promised content?
Also, Star Citizen is implementing all of that stuff. Should be available 2025 or so.
I'm not going to do the work for you. Youtube "Sean Murray lie." You'll find videos cataloging a large list of missing promised features. The ones I've noted that will get a forgiveness from me are the most outstanding.
I don't care about Star Citizen in this thread.
Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 21:20:If you have never not fulfilled or broken a promise, you either are a saint or have made very few promises. For your sake, and those you know personally, I hope they were more forgiving.
A promise made should be a promise kept.
SMITE wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 18:34:
This is one of the rare cases when a hyped game goes south on launch, collects a lot of hate, and yet still somehow manages to right the ship and weather the storm and come out sailing (relatively) smoothly in the end. Good on them for sticking with it.
jdreyer wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 17:16:
Link for all that promised content?
Also, Star Citizen is implementing all of that stuff. Should be available 2025 or so.
HoSpanky wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 16:17:
Mreh, most of the list literally wouldn’t be noticed or cared about.
HoSpanky wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 16:17:
It’s entirely possible some of the features existed and then failed to matter, gameplay-wise, while ALSO being a resource burden. Planetary rotation, specifically, doesn’t matter but would require the game to keep track of more assets just so visuals lined up for the 3 people who paid attention to it.
HoSpanky wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 16:17:
Tons of announced features don’t make it into games. Focusing on small, literally inconsequential ones that were cut for whatever reason is absurd. The larger ones that he lied about, like consistent time of day across all instances of the game, or that you might run into other players if you happened to be in the same place/time...THAT affects gameplay.
Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 13:51:Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 12:16:"... in 2019 they have built to record player numbers and positivity amongst their most negative detractors..."
But you'll never convince Kxmode!
Pay attention.
Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 15:21:Tipsy McStagger wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 15:03:
Yeah but those things aren't needed for the game to be fun...
#1 is a game needs to be fun. Realism usually is a slog..
It doesn't matter if they're needed or not. What matters is Murray repeatedly promised them as core gameplay features that would be available at launch. In terms of "realism usually is a slog," I agree. However, in this case, they remain outstanding launch items. Once added all would be forgiven because with them No Man's Sky will finally be the game that Murray pitched.
Tipsy McStagger wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 15:03:
Yeah but those things aren't needed for the game to be fun...
#1 is a game needs to be fun. Realism usually is a slog..
Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 13:51:Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 12:16:"... in 2019 they have built to record player numbers and positivity amongst their most negative detractors..."
But you'll never convince Kxmode!
Pay attention.
Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 14:16:
I think I'll stick with my prediction. Oh, and for the record it is "Goldilocks".
RedEye9 wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 14:20:
Sean Murray has been a literal blessing to the gaming community in that he has continued to improve No Man's Sky.
Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 14:05:Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 13:51:Uh, how is your post (which you linked) not totally in line with my comment?Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 12:16:Pay attention."... in 2019 they have built to record player numbers and positivity amongst their most negative detractors..."
But you'll never convince Kxmode!
Kxmode wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 13:51:Uh, how is your post (which you linked) not totally in line with my comment?Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 12:16:Pay attention."... in 2019 they have built to record player numbers and positivity amongst their most negative detractors..."
But you'll never convince Kxmode!
Creston wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 13:16:
For all the shit he (deservedly) got back then, I think he's absolutely allowed to now go "Hey, we fixed all of that." I think NMS is probably the poster child for "most improved later on", even taking that crown away from X games.
It's also a stellar example of "Don't be Peter Molyneux and just lie for the sake of sounding interesting", as that shit is going to come back to bite you in the ass.
Be honest and upfront about your game. It's hard to shake a negative stigma, and it's going to follow you for years. Making bald-faced lies about your game right before release is probably the dumbest thing you can do as a dev.
Even so, good on them for fixing it to the point where it now actually looks like a really fun game.
Mr. Tact wrote on Apr 2, 2019, 12:16:"... in 2019 they have built to record player numbers and positivity amongst their most negative detractors..."
But you'll never convince Kxmode!