Do people still buy these things?

Bob · Thu 19/03/2009 21:28:53

So before I sit down for several years to work on "the Ill Lad & the Odd Sea", I'd like to know if there is actually a market for games like these. I happen to love them, but then again, I grew up about the same time Windows did, and we met when I was 3 and it was 3.1. Windows, DOS, and me, we were best of friends.

Would kids today actually play adventure games? Should I simply offer it as freeware?

Also, I'm considering making it a larger resolution similar to Curse of Monkey Island...do games with a high resolution sell better than those with a low resolution (like Secret of Monkey Island)?

Discuss...

GarageGothic · Thu 19/03/2009 22:11:59

It would seem that no, kids generally don't play adventure games anymore - however, a lot of adults do, many of them women. So unless you're targeting your game exclusively at a young demographic, there's definitely a market for the genre.

You may also find some answers to your questions in the recent forum thread "What Constitues a Commercial Grade Adventure?". Good luck with your game!

Ghost · Thu 19/03/2009 22:41:21

Quote from: oddsea on Thu 19/03/2009 21:28:53
Also, I'm considering making it a larger resolution similar to Curse of Monkey Island...do games with a high resolution sell better than those with a low resolution (like Secret of Monkey Island)?

Well, extremely low-res (320x200/240) is getting poor support by recent graphic cards, and on larger monitors it looks a bit shabby, too, but to be honest, modern kids will probably just think there's a typo in the manual ("Duh, 3200x2400, they missed a zero!"). High res doesn't just sell better, modern players expect it. They don't even think you can go lower than 800x600.

*Ghost fondles his "Lemmings" disks...*

Takyon · Thu 19/03/2009 23:32:24

It's a shame there's not such a big market for it these days I wish there was something we could do about it

Jakerpot · Thu 19/03/2009 23:57:06

and you can, make a revolutionary game!

nihilyst · Fri 20/03/2009 00:04:27

Quote from: Ghost on Thu 19/03/2009 22:41:21Well, extremely low-res (320x200/240) is getting poor support by recent graphic cards, and on larger monitors it looks a bit shabby, too, but to be honest, modern kids will probably just think there's a typo in the manual ("Duh, 3200x2400, they missed a zero!"). High res doesn't just sell better, modern players expect it. They don't even think you can go lower than 800x600.

Is there even a modern adventure game that supports widescreen? Could image that with drawn backgrounds this could be difficult.

Mr Flibble · Fri 20/03/2009 00:06:47

Low resolution graphics can be used, and fixed, via upscaling filters like the very one AGS now uses to give us widescreeners back low res support.

And Megaman 9 suggests that low resolution graphics still hold some sway for people, but notably only those in the nostalgia bubble.

Snake · Fri 20/03/2009 17:14:21

QuoteIt would seem that no, kids generally don't play adventure games anymore - however, a lot of adults do, many of them women.

Or womanly men

But yeah, kids now days don't even know what "Adventure Games" are. I'd almost say that most kids today are console gamers - and you don't find much pointing and clicking with those. Hell, my step son thought Runescape and GTA were adventure games. Although he didn't know what RPG stood for either...

He saw me playing Duty and Beyond one night and he actually played that for quiet a few nights in a row. It then faded away and he eventually forgot about it or whatever, but at least he gave the genre a chance and now understands what adventure games are - just from watching me play as well. I liked how he played it himself and seemed very interested. He hasn't played since then, though.

Adventure Games would make kids of today think harder than their little gaming mind is used to.
We don't want them to fry their brains... we'll leave that for the hand soap they eat in the boys bathroom.

Bob · Fri 20/03/2009 18:26:29

When I was young, we played Monkey Island and King's Quest. We didn't have the Internet, and all of us would gather 'round the computer at once to watch each other play and help come up with ideas. Adventure games are much more fun when you have multiple people working on them.

Huw Dawson · Fri 20/03/2009 22:59:19

How to make adventure games live again:

1) Make a really good one
2) Get it sold on Steam/some other way of mass-marketing the game
3) Tell everyone to do the same, pointing to your success.

- Huw

Bob · Sun 29/03/2009 04:52:00

Has anyone had what they would consider a success in selling them recently? If only about twenty people buy a $10 game, it's hardly worth the effort in the first place.

Clarvalon · Sun 29/03/2009 08:26:29

It seems a handful of people are making decent livings from adventure games (Mr. Gilbert comes to mind). I think the step up from being a bedroom coder to a bona fide indie developer is quite a big leap and relies on a) a natural talent for interactive storytelling and b) an ability to drum up genuine interest and hype about your product.

I don't really have either, yet I've started development on a PnC game for the Xbox360. I don't really expect it to ever be a great money spinner but the satisfaction from having a crafted something that other people can enjoy is worth it regardless. I'm guessing that's why there are so many AGS freeware games (that and because everyone borrows the midi music from old titles).

This may be of interest (RPG title): http://jeff-vogel.blogspot.com/2009/03/so-heres-how-many-games-i-sell.html

Bob · Mon 30/03/2009 19:59:35

Thanks for the link. It's good to actually see some figures.

Krazy · Mon 30/03/2009 21:00:00

That was a very interesting article. I remember playing Exile 3 on a Mac shareware CD as a kid among lots of other shareware titles released in the 90s and I've always been curious as to how well these things actually do.

Kyougi · Mon 30/03/2009 23:22:42

While most of the kids of today don't play adventure games, there's still a market for them. Two great examples of modern day commercial adventure games are the Nancy Drew PC series and the Agatha Chrisite games, and they're still popular enough to keep getting sequels.

Greg Squire · Tue 31/03/2009 06:01:44

While the "Adventure" genre isn't in the "heyday" that it once was it certainly isn't dead like some people say. There are certainly still people making adventure games these days. There's at least 45 commercial games to be released this year (see http://www.adventuregamers.com/releasedates.php). The quality bar is pretty high these days, but I believe there is still some room for 2D point and click adventures too. Most of the commercial ones nowdays seem to be of the 3D variety. It's pretty hard to do 3D and its an area I'm not even going to try to compete in (I'll stick to 2D). TellTale Games does already done an awesome job at the 3D flavor of adventure games.

Radiant · Sun 05/04/2009 15:06:47

Quote from: oddsea on Sun 29/03/2009 04:52:00
Has anyone had what they would consider a success in selling them recently? If only about twenty people buy a $10 game, it's hardly worth the effort in the first place.

If you mean adventure games, then yes: the new Sam & Max series appears to be doing rather well.

If you mean indie adventure games, then I believe the answer is no. There is Dave Gilbert, of course, but IIRC he has mentioned that it just barely pays the bills for him; and that's just one series of games, I don't think anybody has been able to match or top that. And of course there's Himalaya, but from the almost complete lack of any news of their commercial efforts in the past year and a half, I would infer that it wasn't as economically successful as they would have hoped.

krishaw · Tue 21/04/2009 16:24:02

Quote from: oddsea on Thu 19/03/2009 21:28:53

Would kids today actually play adventure games? Should I simply offer it as freeware?

Well I am only 15 but happen to find adventure games to be some of the best ever made. I played them since I was around 6 up to today. The only bad thing I can think to say about the old adventure games is that the genre has all but died out.