Play your own games?

Kinoko · Mon 09/08/2004 15:51:36

I was just wondering if anyone here with one or more completed games actually plays them themselves. I know that I've NEVER actually played Cirque de Zale. I've played through it quickly probably hundreds of times to bug test and check animations, etc... but I've never once sat down, started it up and then just played it. I keep thinking I should but I don't know if I could.

It just occured to me because I was sitting there working on my new game thinking, "I wish I was playing this right now". I hope I don't have the same reaction to the new game when it's done... I'd like to be able to create something even I can enjoy, despite knowing the complete ins and outs of it and having seen each individual part over and over during the creation process.

Anyway, I just wondered what you other guys were like

DGMacphee · Mon 09/08/2004 16:19:01

I get a thrill out of playing Stickmen and Ultimerr -- just as much a a thrill as from making them. They were the kind of games I made for myself -- ones that I made to make me laugh.

However, I do see how someone could have difficulty playing their own game, mainly because they know how to complete it so the drive to finish it isn't there.

Darth Mandarb · Mon 09/08/2004 16:22:28

Well ... I think that if the game is very linear (which a lot of adventure games are) and you've spent countless hours working and testing it, the replay value just isn't there. I tested JP&Cosmo relentlessly! I even tried to imagine I didn't know what to do ... but I've never actually just sat down and played it!

Now ... if you're creating a game that isn't linear and has many possiblities and differences each time you play it, I'm sure that could increase the chances of the developer wanting to replay it.

So ... you're RPG style game (which probably isn't the same everytime you play it) has much replay value because it's not always identical to the last time you played through.

Um ... yeah

Layabout · Mon 09/08/2004 16:28:13

Just buy my NEW formula amnesia pills* so you don't remember what to do!!!

Just 16.50 +p&h.

*may contain traces of armadillo milk.

Phemar · Mon 09/08/2004 16:50:02

I actually play my Stickmen over when I'm bored. It's quite funny. (in the sense that there are so many n00b errors in it still, not in the sense that I'm being vain. It wasn't even supposed to be a comedy.)

I made this very basic java game in which you have to guess a number that the pc has chosen between 1 and 20 in 10 tries. I play it over and over and over again.

I am a sad kid.

Captain Mostly · Mon 09/08/2004 16:58:13

I played vegetable patch extreem turbo loads... Not so much VPXT 2 because once I'd finished all the chapters, I was so exhausted I couldn't go back to it.
I don't play Ross Noble Arena much...

BerserkerTails · Mon 09/08/2004 18:00:15

I've been currently playing thorugh our AGS Challenge game over and over, trying to kill all the bugs. It's awesome, because I only did music on the game (And some graphics), I don't know the exact walkthrough. Also, all the dialog, wirtten by none other than Dave Gilbert, is brilliant, and new to me.

So I love playing my own game... Even though in the same sense, it's not my own game.

Ben · Mon 09/08/2004 18:56:28

I don't play any of my old games anymore, simply because they're DOS games and they don't work on my computer.. I don't think they're worth playing anyway, except maybe for my RON game, which is the only proper game I ever finished.

I just realized I haven't finished an AGS game for about 3 years. What am I doing here?

Haddas · Mon 09/08/2004 19:06:30

I play through my games... Mainly because I've finished ONE and i play it in less than a minute, excluding animation sequences. I never released this game publically, but I'm thinking maybe I should, since someone dared put "3 Minutes a fart" online too...

edmundito · Mon 09/08/2004 21:00:14

What are you talking about? 3 minutes a fart was one of the masterpiece ideas we came up with at Mittens. It was personally aproved by Pumaman himself (maybe) and agreed by all of us that it was going to be one of the greatest games of our time.

Back to the thread, it's funny that you ask because the other day I played my RON game, Blast Off (made in.. 2001?! gah! I need to release more stuff). It was great to laugh at the jokes I wrote in because they were so silly, specially the ones breaking the 4th wall. I also realized that it was better than I thought it was, but also I found a lot of flaws I had made, which I will try to avoid in my new game (coming soon, seriously!).

So, in conclusion, I would recomend you playing your own games, specially when you're starting on a new one, since you can see what worked and use it on your new game, and what didn't work so you could avoid it.

Dave Gilbert · Mon 09/08/2004 21:50:29

I try not to, but sometimes I find myself playing through one of my old games. I wouldn't recommend it, because the remaining flaws become so glaringly huge to you after awhile that you become sick of the game. At least, that's what happens to me. I can't stand playing "Bestowers of Eternity" now, although I still get a kick out of "Purity."

Oliver · Mon 09/08/2004 22:38:11

I play my old games when I'm bored.
I just sit down and check out one of my games. I always laugh at the graphics and stuff. Because every game I make they get a lot better. when I play my first game and my latest game. I can't belive how much I've improved. It's a miracle

I like to play my old games. It brings back memories when I was creating it and stuff!

Gord10 · Tue 10/08/2004 00:11:44

I play my own games since they're action/adventure or arcade games (like Frogger style street crossing games. ).

rodekill · Tue 10/08/2004 02:29:16

Once in a while I'll go back and play them, and yeah, the glaring faults are irritating, but I actually find it envigorating and inspiring at the same time. Remembering how I overcame annoying scripting problems and stuff, trying to figure out how I actually found the time to make games...
Fun.
Plus, like DG said, I make the kind of games that I like to play, so that helps.

shbaz · Tue 10/08/2004 02:33:44

I don't know how you could have not played through Cirque, it's a classic.

I haven't finished a game to date, after knowing about AGS for years. I've made a few characters, rooms, and storyboards, but no game. I get tired of writing on stories that get old to me after a time, so I probably wouldn't play my own game either. $:-\$

Timosity · Tue 10/08/2004 08:45:00

I play my games every once in a while, just like I play all my other favourite games (not saying mine are my favourites)

I haven't for a while though, and as I've been remaking LSL3, I've played through my version of it 100's of times for testing purposes, and I've played through the original countless times so I know inside out exactly every possibility (appart from the secrets only Al knows about)

It's interesting to see where you were (in the head) at the time.

I often wonder if anyone actually understood all the aspects of my MAGS effort Saddson Issein, cause I really doubt it.

Toefur · Tue 10/08/2004 09:53:09

I do it far too often, and my game isn't even close to being finished.

I think it's more the artists work that I play through my own game for so often. I like to just load it up and savour in the beauty that are the backgrounds.

mätzyboy · Tue 10/08/2004 10:26:11

I've only finished one game so far and agree with you, Kinoko. Bug testing, but not playing for fun. However it has happened that I've been standing behind my friends, acting as a live talking walkthrough or hint service when they got stuck. Thus I've seen it being played through loads of times...

Kinoko · Tue 10/08/2004 11:34:29

I started playing it a bit after starting this thread and it wasn't so bad (I even forgot a couple of things which was both enjoyable and embarrasing) but I had to stop after awhile because it just felt too much like bug testing. I agree though, it's mainly because it's a linear game. I also find myself pulling it apart while I play it, which is actually great. It's been a long enough time since I made it now that I can look at it objectively to a point and pick out even more things that I need to change when making the sequel, or any other game.

HillBilly · Tue 10/08/2004 11:39:09

I sometimes watch my own toons, just for the extreme ego-trip.