Downfall (2009) - now FREE

[Grim]

Finished the game yesterday...

Spoiler

1.  I completely believe you with you say you worked the graveyard shift at a mental hospital.  You definitely are using "source material" that most of us are mercifully ignorant of.  [Yes, I try to get into the developers head too.] 

2.  I get it that Ivy/Sophie/Agnes are all the same.  I would have included Reception Girl too, but I just can't see Joe being part of the psychological makeup as well.  The delusion seems to be about Joe and his wife's mental breakdown.  Ergo, every woman Joe meets in the delusion should be Ivy/Sophie/Agnes, but Joe should always be himself.

3.  Endings -- I never tried SURRENDER with PASSION and I'm assuming that will go badly, but the SURRENDER with LOYALTY combo seems weaker than the others.  Do you have trouble believing there is any redemption for Joe?  Why didn't that get a followup scene?

4. BUGS - I encountered some of the same bugs as everyone else.  The only thing new I have to contribute is that during the BOSS FIGHT, reloading the shotgun caused the game play (but not the music) to freeze for 10 seconds, which doesn't sound like much but kinda killed the dramatic moment.

5.  I never once considered listening to the laughing corpses and shooting Agnes, but WOW was that scene disturbed.

6.  Music for the blender... that really broke the mood.  Which I thought was extremely bad, but the atmosphere of the game is so critical.

7.  IF you need a voice actor or a beta tester for THE CAT LADY, I've volunteering!!!

[close]

Out of curiostiy, was anything about DOWNLFALL influenced by DARK FALL.  The name is close and both of them are set in a hotel with horrific guests/ghosts?

- Cogliostro

Spoiler

1.Well, it was a nursing home really. Still, a lot of horrible stuff happens in those places too. I'm working in the hospital now so expect plenty of that in my next game:)
2.Ivy/Sophie/Agnes situation is quite complex really... Ivy is the outside part of her personality, the part Joe tries to save because she is clearly very ill. Sophie is the monster that lives inside her, her illness. Joe seems to believe that by defeating her he will rid of all the problems she suffers from, naive little man:) Agnes, on the other hand, is the part of her that Joe fell in love with- funny and adventurous, and a bit stroppy but never too much. She has been lost for a long time and Joe doesn't seem to recognize her anymore...
  The receptionist on the other hand symbolizes his temptation to give up and forget about his ill wife and all the problems she has poisoned his life with.

4.Never had the bug you mention happen to me during the boss fight... Clearly I needed to test it more:)

5.You should never listen to laughing corpses.

6.Let's hope Steven Wilson doesn't ever find this thread....EVER!:)

7. I will need testers, of course. I'm putting you on my future list of testers ( in my head) next to Arjon. We will kill all the bugs without mercy!:)

And I never played Dark Fall, although I've heard it's good. I think the maker of Dark Fall played Downfal though; he sent me an email a while ago.... But I'm not sure if it was him....

[close]

[Gamer_V]

Just wondering, will the game ever appear on other downloadable services? Like Steam, or Impulse?

[Grim]

Just wondering, will the game ever appear on other downloadable services? Like Steam, or Impulse?

It's also also available from Wadjet Eye Games website. And I'm in the middle of negotiations with Impulse:)

[RedTalon]

Just Adventure now has a glowing review up. Check it out:

http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/Downfall/Downfall.shtm

[Dave Gilbert]

...

I think a year and a month is a new record for JA+!

Still, great review.  Happy to see this is still getting love.

[Grim]

Oh, nice!!!:)

I wonder if it's got something to do with Downfall's recent release on GAMERSGATE ?

EDIT: I nearly forgot to mention- GamersGate now sells version 2.0 of Downfall, "Dualnames" Edition. Dual, being a good friend that he is, offered to fix some major technical issues that plagued the game. Now, the save-load-quit icons no longer appear on the right side of the screen during the game, but are instead built-in into top inventory bar. Inventory bar has also been fixed and works much better. Also, save-load GUIs received a makeover:)
  A number of bugs have been fixed too. No more multiplying shotguns and characters refusing to follow. Some animations have been updated too ( knocking on room 102 door etc). Also, text is displayed now in bigger clearer fonts.

Thanks Dualnames!!!

  The game should also make an appearance on Impulse portal any day now.

Oh, one last thing. Downfall has taken Russia by storm and has now sold nearly 10.000 copies over there!

[RedTalon]

Despite already owning an older version, I will probably pick up the 2.0 version. I've mentioned this before, but I'll give it another shot: Any chance later on for a version that has voice acting? I'd gladly own a third copy at a higher price, for that.

[Igor Hardy]

Oh, one last thing. Downfall has taken Russia by storm and has now sold nearly 10.000 copies over there!

Woah! Big congrats! I would be already happy if such was the number of downloads I would get for my freeware games.

[Dualnames]

Despite already owning an older version, I will probably pick up the 2.0 version. I've mentioned this before, but I'll give it another shot: Any chance later on for a version that has voice acting? I'd gladly own a third copy at a higher price, for that.

I'm not fully aware of the stuff that Grim has put after I fixed and arranged some things on the technical side, but I think the game is now more fluent and enjoyable than it was. 

As for "Dualnames edition",god , I'm bloody flattered.

[Gwizz]

The Past

You know, I've been an avid gamer for almost 30 years having started at the age of 15. I started gaming on the Sinclair ZX81 and later moved to the console scene, working my way through 8 bit to 32 bit as the technology progressed.  

Back then bedroom programmers or Indie game developers (as they're now known) came up with the likes of, Elite for the BBC B Micro Computer, a space trading game which surpassed all expectations for its time. However, it wasn't long before the big corporations came along and stifled the idea of what it actually meant to be a bedroom programmer. Gone were any forms of artistic creativity and in came greed, misplaced management and a World Wide video game content rating system.

The Present

Over the years I've noticed the spiraling cost of game development to the actual shop floor price and although it seems to have stabilized somewhat I've found these prices too steep to keep up with my gaming addiction. It's for this reason and having since returned to the PC some 10 years ago I've found myself downloading game after game after game etc via the use of torrents and file sharing hosts. I've basically funded my addiction for free, the only thing I've had to maintain is an ISP and upgraded Hardware costs.

Just the other day I was looking for something new, a horror type point & click adventure. Having already downloaded and played for free the recently released Darkness Within 2:  The Dark Lineage, I subsequently dismissed it 1/4 of the way through due to its poorly implemented voice overs (they really are very, very bad with a capital B, take note above poster) I then stumbled across, Downfall: A Horror Adventure Game on a file sharing host which looked promising.

What can I say, within an hour of play I knew this was exactly the kind of game I was looking for and for some strange reason felt the urge to support the developer.

I've now come to realise the strange reason I felt had nothing to do with morals but purely appreciation for his work, which incidentally shouldn't go unpaid for.

Here's my receipt.



The Future

Here's wishing Downfall: A Horror Adventure Game every success.

And my anticipation for, The Cat Lady runs high. A game which I'll no doubt be keeping an eye on and one which I'll pay for up front before resorting to getting for nothing!
               
**Edit

Decided to edit out the Order id: guess it shouldn't of been left.

The game's going great, I for one love the dark, morbid graphic details and view them as light hearted entertainment and not too shocking overall. It just plays on your conscious!

[Grim]

Wow, Gwizz.... I think this is the biggest compliment a bedroom game developer can get. Thank you.

I feel the same about today's gaming industry. It has become this soul-less cold machine only trying to produce what some rich bastards in black suits think will sell, never really considering people like us, who were brought up playing games when they were still a work of passion. Games used to be something very different, really.... You never knew what to expect.

  I am nearly 30 too. I started playing games when I was about 9. I remember my dad bringing home this big sack with Commodore 64 in it and a load of tapes.... I hardly ever feel this happy playing modern triple A blockbusters, although I still play them, maybe out of habit?

  It makes me feel quite proud now that my game persuaded you to buy a legal copy even after you've played it:) And, of course, that you signed up to this forum to share your thoughts- I hope you will stick around and get to know this great community of people. Maybe you will even have a go at making a game yourself?

  Thanks again:) You made me day. Honestly:)

[LocutusofBored]

Oh, one last thing. Downfall has taken Russia by storm and has now sold nearly 10.000 copies over there!

Does this mean you've made $100,000 in Russia alone? Wow!

[Grim]

Oh, one last thing. Downfall has taken Russia by storm and has now sold nearly 10.000 copies over there!

Does this mean you've made $100,000 in Russia alone? Wow!

Nah, I wish. It doesn't work like this, unfortunately. Developer only gets a percentage of the price. And in Russia games come really cheap ( compared to the rest of the world). If I sold that many units in UK or USA I would be rich now.... but here I am, still in my day job and on overdraft by the end of each month.

This is most unprofessional to discuss these things, I know. But for all of you who are planning to have a go at a commercial release you should know the market is tough and the middleman always takes his share, usually more than they should.

[Crimson Wizard]

Oh, one last thing. Downfall has taken Russia by storm and has now sold nearly 10.000 copies over there!

Does this mean you've made $100,000 in Russia alone? Wow!

Nah, I wish. It doesn't work like this, unfortunately. Developer only gets a percentage of the price. And in Russia games come really cheap ( compared to the rest of the world).

Well, I see on Akella's website, that game disc costs 315 roubles, which is right about $10. So, Akella DID make $100,000 after all, minus the share they paid to you (whatever it was)

[Grim]

Sweet Jesus.... I wish you hadn't told me that. :o I feel like I've been raped by an intergalactic buldozer....

I'm learning some very important lessons for the future here ( while imagining Akella's management driving their brand new BMWs).

Jesus!!!.... :o :'( Intelectual property is worth fucking nothing these days...

[Igor Hardy]

Well, I see on Akella's website, that game disc costs 315 roubles, which is right about $10. So, Akella DID make $100,000 after all, minus the share they paid to you (whatever it was)

Let's not forget the shops take their share and probably it isn't that small either. Also, there are the costs of making the CDs and packaging (probably around 1$ per box, but still).

[xenogia]

A shame that I have to buy the game again Grim just to get an updated version.

[Grim]

A shame that I have to buy the game again Grim just to get an updated version.

You don't really:) I'm happy to send a new version to those who have bought version 1.4 in the past. PM me.

[Alex_ASP]

Well, I see on Akella's website, that game disc costs 315 roubles, which is right about $10.

Keep in mind this is a retail version sent by a third party mail order company. If you check publishers prices you'll see that recommended price is 237 roubles, about $7.5, Akella sells it to distributors for 158-163 roubles, about $5. Subtract a $1 for packaging and printing.

Downloadable version cost 180 roubles - i.e. $6. As downloadable service is held by Akella itself (as far as i know), you can assume they don't pay 30% for placing a game there.

As for 10 000 copies... Well, I think our publishers always plan to sell not less then 10K. Just keep in mind, Russia has about 150M people. Though it was a bit risky with an indy game, I must admit.

[Grim]

Well... Thanks Alex_ASP, I suppose that makes me feel a bit better:) I guess I overreacted. Anyway, I am very happy that a lot of people got to play my game and it's all good for the future business.