Nimbus! - AGS Steam - PreAlpha release

[abstauber]

Hey,
here's another late time entry for the db.


http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=download&game=1238&mirror=1

I'm a bit too lazy to closely read the entire thread, so I hope you're still accepting entries.
And sorry that I have nothing to add to this thread expect: great idea

[Darius Poyer]

I support this, in spite of the massive risk of it becoming steams' trash-can.

[Mr Flibble]

I haven't read the whole thread but have you considered adding emulation support so DOS AGS games will work straight from Nexus? That'd be a pretty cool feature.

I am planning for something like this for agsarchives.com with help from Arj0n, and Calin will have full access to those files for Nexus.

Actually thats already been done.

Nexus runs a version of dosbox for the games.

I love you all 

[Calin Leafshade]

I support this, in spite of the massive risk of it becoming steams' trash-can.

"Steam's Trashcan" is not so much a risk as it is a goal.

[Ali]

In case its helpful... icon'd:

[Dualnames]

Could you have a Like.dislike button on each rating/review so that people can say which are useful reviews and which ones are just "Dualnames sux, hahahah". Then each user's reviews can be shown with their +/- score so people who can't tell their Leons from their Iceys can get an idea about the reliability of different reviewers?

I like your examples. 

"Steam's Trashcan" is not so much a risk as it is a goal.

Well, I see Steam as Bruce Lee and Nexus as a young texan ranger. 

[Snake]

Steam Powered:


Nexus Natal:

[Peder 🚀]

Actually thats already been done.

Nexus runs a version of dosbox for the games.

Ah well, we still have to do it for agsarchives.com too .
For those who might decide NOT to use nexus .

[straydogstrut]

Here's my humble little opinion...

While I think a restricted entry would give developers a bar to aim for - polishing their games to meet the standard - I don't like the elitism that suggests and the overhead involved in deciding whether a game qualifies. It's important to me that sharing our creations is made as easy as possible, on a level playing field. Everyone has a right to express themselves and I don't think it's fair to take that away. I would rather have no entry requirements beyond providing the games files in a specific package (zip or whatever) and supplying a readme or completing a form that Nexus can pull the metadata from.

A filtering system is a given - genre, setting, length etc - since we need some way to explore the huge list of games, and the more Nexus lets me sort that information, the better. But as for a ratings system, personally it doesn't play a big role in my decision to try a game. I'm more swayed by what the game itself promises - the blurb, artwork etc - than an abstract number or star/cup rating that doesn't really tell you what the game is like since we all rate a game highly for different reasons. Slightly better is breaking the rating down into categories - gameplay, puzzles - to better direct the gamer's focus when deciding on a rating.

That said, I have nothing against rating systems and will always rate a game if the system allows. The important thing to consider is why you want a rating system? Is it to allow the 'best' games to bubble to the top, at the risk of burying niche titles? or is it to allow recommendations amongst friends? what else?

For me personally, the important thing about having a rating system is so that I can tell a developer that I liked his/her game. Everybody likes to feel appreciated;-) This could be a simple Like button, but it's probably more useful to the developer if i'm able to say specifically what I liked about it. Of course, that's what reviews are for but there are many times when I want to write a review but never get around to it - Eternally Us being a case in point - and that's where a quick, easy ratings system is useful.

A popup reminder is a little too invasive for my tastes and only really makes sense if the ratings system has some important bearing on the way games are presented in Nexus, requiring that all games have be rated eventually. I like the "If you liked this.." idea and this doesn't need to be based on ratings. It could be displayed on the games page itself before you've tried it, just showing other games from that genre, or it could be based on downloads like Amazon's "Customers who bought this item also bought". Having an icon for broken games is a good, quick, visual reference and might encourage developers to fix their games.

It all comes down presentation. I think the more you can do to showcase games and encourage people to try games the better, both for players and developers. Whether a ratings system is the way to do that, I don't know.

One final thought: whenever makes sense in Nexus' development cycle, maybe you could start a competition thread to design Nexus' interface? Just simple graphical mockups or, if someone feels the inclination, a 'working' demo (button rollovers, menus etc). You wouldn't have to use it - and I know nothing about the development environment you're using - but it might give you ideas for layout/features. Maybe set some guidelines of things the interface must accommodate at a minimum and let people take it from there.

[Calin Leafshade]

On the subject of the interface, I am looking for a graphic designer if anyone is interested.

[Kweepa]

Well, I see Steam as Bruce Lee and Nexus as a young texan ranger. 

No contest.

[jannar85]

Just some inputs, can we sort the games after year, developer, rating and so on?
I would think screenshots from the game would be better as well, in the database, plus walkthrough, link to the game site, also a full description of the story, and that description can be tagline.

Maybe with full cover too, if it's added.

Well, that's my two cents atm. I don't know if they have been suggested already, but here you have it

[Dualnames]

There's been some silence for this. And since well, it's late, I just went to AGSarchives and just wondered. Any news on this?

[straydogstrut]

*wonders too* =)

[Peder 🚀]

I don't know about Nexus but I just added 600+ games last week to AGSArchives.com .
Working on a little management system for it now to easier edit game descriptions etc, as many of the game descriptions could need a "makeover".
Also some of them include character errors etc.

There might also be a couple of games with faulty downloads.

I am currently getting a list ready for Arj0n of the games in the database without a download link so he can upload all the games he got to the server . I hope to have most of the games listed on the site as of now with a download link before christmas.

[arj0n]

My overview:

Todo:
Hourgames
MMM games [Manian Mansion Mania Series]
-Episodes
-Fan Adventures
-OSD_Funky-Teaser
-Specials
   --Edgar Award Show
   --Festivitäten
   --Halloween 2005, 2006 & 2008
   --Maniac Dungeon
-Trailer & Demos
-Underground [Trash Episoden]

Done:
Games that are in the AGS-gamedatabase [+/- 1223]
Games that aren't in the AGS-gamedatabase [+/- 220]
MAGS games [2001-2010]
OROW games
RON games [Reality-On-The-Norm Series]
Extra: AGS soundtracks

[Calin Leafshade]

The program itself is more or less fully functional but the web interface is taking some time since I *suck* at web design.

[Dualnames]

Most of my games aren't even there except for one, whip Arj0n , peder!
I'm glad to see you guys are working.

@Calin: Can't Peder give you a hand, he seems proficient enough to me, but I'm guessing you already asked for his help..I'm sure though that someone around here is proficient enough to solve the problems you might be facing.

[Calin Leafshade]

Actually I'm thinking of getting nexus to directly interface with AGSArchives.com

Then I dont have to make my own system and I can work more closely with him.

If thats alright with him of course.

[Peder 🚀]

Let's talk one day .

Sorry Duals!
Working on it! .