I did a little research and as far as I can tell, only 2 of the previous 10 winners of the Best Demo award actually went on to have the full game released (Tale of Two Kingdoms and The Marionette - both excellent games). The only one I know for sure is still in production is Alan_Drake's Wretcher.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew if the other games are actually still in development - Larry Vales 3, Revenants, Byzantine, Valis, Dust to Water, Frantic Franko, Matt to the Future?
(I also did a quick post about this here. (http://www.pcgamereviewsandnews.com/2013/03/ags-best-demo-winners-throughout-history.html))
'Math to the Future' isn't in development anymore since 2010...
*snif*
Note from author Snake at 28 Mar 2010:
I just want to confirm that this game will not be continued. Matt has decided to move in with his father and so there is no relevance in completing this series when he doesn't live with us in this house where the inspiration and entire story takes place.
I hope all of you that played the demo, which was going to be remade into the first episode, enjoyed it while it lasted.
Thank you for playing.
EDIT:
2001 - Larry Vales 3: seems abandoned
2002 - Revenants: seems abandoned
2003 - Byzantine: on hold (so most probably abandoned/canceled)
2005 - Valis: there's a 2010 demo, but author is not really active on the forum...
Not to rain on your parade, but... the whole Best Demo thing is a bit iffy at best, because most demos I know of don't end up in the demo section of the database (My own demo of the TSP included). I mean, basically all of the award winning titles had a demo released at one point, only not as demos in the AGS database, and thus not eligible for the award.
I don't know why people don't bother that much with the demo category, perhaps they think it's jinxed or something, or just unnecessary.
Not to take away any of the prestige in this category, it's still a great feat to win it.
Andail - I know what you mean, I think there ended up being only two nominable demos this year (both got nominated, which I guess means at least 5 people nominated each of them). I'm sure you're right though - there were probably several candidates that could have been put forward for Best Demo that weren't.
Oh well... at least it meant there was another award that Resonance didn't win this year! :-D
I've often thought that the number of games put into production (/posted in the GiP thread) that end up having the game actually released was probably about 10-20% (based purely on my own observations = maybe as low as 5%, possibly even as high as 30% - I've not been keeping an accurate record or anything!). I was interested in whether having a demo released and receiving some sort of recognition boosted that percentage - not very much, it would seem! A shame that some really promising games will never actually be made.
Frantic Franko will return. Someday.
But currently it's on hold, as I'm busy working on other games.
Does someone know where can I find that "Byzantine" demo?
On my hard drive for example.
Quote from: Andail on Mon 25/03/2013 14:10:15most demos I know of don't end up in the demo section of the database (My own demo of the TSP included).
Is there a recent demo, Andail? Or can we expect a new one soon? I somehow neglected to download the old one. :embarrassed:
Oh my gosh, this bit:
Quote from: Arj0n on Mon 25/03/2013 10:13:31
I just want to confirm that this game will not be continued. Matt has decided to move in with his father and so there is no relevance in completing this series when he doesn't live with us in this house where the inspiration and entire story takes place.
gut-punched me right in the soul.
Quote from: Eric on Tue 26/03/2013 01:15:56
Oh my gosh, this bit:
Quote from: Arj0n on Mon 25/03/2013 10:13:31
I just want to confirm that this game will not be continued. Matt has decided to move in with his father and so there is no relevance in completing this series when he doesn't live with us in this house where the inspiration and entire story takes place.
gut-punched me right in the soul.
Eric, we've talked about this. I promise I'll move back in with you and your family once I've "found myself." And the only way to do that is to backpack around Canada for a few months; stalk Ryan Timothy from the shadows as he goes about his daily routine; and then drop a little acid with Baron while he regales me with tales of monocled adventures in the South Seas. Be patient, is what I'm telling you, baby. I'm coming back. I just need a little time. That's all. (nod)
HAHAHAhahaha!
You're one rockin' cow, Ponch! Thanks for sweetening my incredibly awful morning coffee
with a pinch of otherworldly humbug!! Those few lines made my day! :cheesy:
Quote from: CaptainD on Mon 25/03/2013 14:19:36
I was interested in whether having a demo released and receiving some sort of recognition boosted that percentage - not very much, it would seem! A shame that some really promising games will never actually be made.
Don't you dare to subconsciously twist some flimsy excuse for not finishing Captain D. out of this! :tongue: That demo has the best british-humor-Douglas-Adams kind of vibe EVA'!
We NEED that game, I tell ya!!!
*tramp wipes off sweat of madness from his brows*
@ Tramponline - From your words both to Ponch and myself, I assume you've been doing nothing but drink beer since the Awards Ceremony?!?!?! 8-0
Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 26/03/2013 08:39:05
@ Tramponline - From your words both to Ponch and myself, I assume you've been doing nothing but drink beer since the Awards Ceremony?!?!?! 8-0
Haha, do I really sound THAT deranged?? I swear, I didn't touch a single drop since then! Though, I admit ,occasionally I do sound drunk when I'm sober
andsober when I'm drunk.
Even though it was an act during the award announcement itself (honestly! :tongue:), it did kind of catch up with me afterwards. Mmh, now that I come to think of it,
sounds a bit like a twisted upside down version of 'method acting' to me. :shocked:
Quote from: Tramponline on Tue 26/03/2013 09:34:57
Even though it was an act during the award announcement itself (honestly! :tongue:)
Heh, don't worry, I'm sure we all realised you were going Dean Martin on us. (Well, maybe not
quite sure...)
Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 26/03/2013 09:56:44
(Well, maybe not quite sure...)
No deception there. Quite fankly, I wasn't either! :cheesy:
...back on topic:
Quote from: Andail on Mon 25/03/2013 14:10:15
I don't know why people don't bother that much with the demo category, perhaps they think it's jinxed or something, or just unnecessary.
I'd really love to hear some personal impressions, especially of people having produced a demo, why that is. At the same time, I just realised I never actively searched for demos in the
database. (I usually just dowload them as they appear in the 'in production' thread) Also the search option seems to be deselected by default - that's not a plea to change that - just saying it might perhaps influence people's perception of the demo category?
Also, I just realised, subconsciously I don't ascribe the same 'importance' to the name tag 'demo', as I do to the name tag 'game', which is quite ridiculous here on AGS. (some demos are longer than some short games,... etc.)
Quote from: Tramponline on Tue 26/03/2013 11:34:29
Also the search option seems to be deselected by default - that's not a plea to change that - just saying it might perhaps influence people's perception of the demo category?
I'd noticed this a while ago as well... I don't know how much people use the search feature (can't say that I did very often, a bit more in the last year or so), but this would reduce the number of people who stumble across the game by chance. Of course I've also noticed that most commercial games list the game, with the download being the demo, which might also cause people to not specifically differentiate between demo and full releases?
On a related note, I did a poll on one of my blogs a couple of years ago asking people how often they played the demo before deciding whether to buy the full game (not specifically adventure games, just indie games in general). Here are the results:
Always - 111 (38%)
Mostly - 74 (26%)
Sometimes - 68 (23%)
Never - 37 (13%)
Glad I could make you laugh, Tramponline. Now stop drinking. The after party is over, buddy.
And for the record, I'm a big fan of demos. I always play a demo if it's available.
Quote from: Stupot+ on Mon 25/03/2013 21:45:40
Quote from: Andail on Mon 25/03/2013 14:10:15most demos I know of don't end up in the demo section of the database (My own demo of the TSP included).
Is there a recent demo, Andail? Or can we expect a new one soon? I somehow neglected to download the old one. :embarrassed:
Well, I don't think there'll be a new demo until the full game is released. And the old one doesn't reflect all the major changes the game has gone through since then. Feel free to playtest the next playable build, though :)
I wonder if part of it is the shift to thinking of adventure games as shorter serials. I've seen and played a number of "Chapter 1" games this year -- Anna's Quest, which was nominated for best game was one -- that may, in the olden days, have been considered a demo.
Quote from: Andail on Tue 26/03/2013 18:33:13
Feel free to playtest the next playable build, though :)
Is this an open invitation?
Quote from: Eric on Tue 26/03/2013 21:00:14
I wonder if part of it is the shift to thinking of adventure games as shorter serials.
When each episode needs a father moving in, my teh coffins will eventually overflow... and, shocking thought, what if Ponch is my father too? That'd make me Baron's sisters, BOTH of them!
Interesting thread we've got here....I do CERTAINLY prefer to play a demo before the release of most COMMERCIAL games however if the game is freeware, often times I will wait until the full version is released (as to not get myself too excited and then have to wait till (if ever) the game is done).
Actually I am a bit wary of demos, especially adventure game demos. I tend to try demos for casual games or the odd tactic/strategy game IF I already am interested in purchasing them. The former usually has no plot to speak of, so I just check out the game flow a bit. The latter usually creates special maps for the demo, so I can try out the game without spoiling it should I make the purchase. But adventure games are linear and usually a "play it once" affair, so a demo will either have a disconnected piece of plot or showcase a really impressive scene from the final game that allows me to cold-read the plot ("Ah, that dude there wants to shoot Indy! But in the intro he's all friendly! I smell a face heel turn!) I'd rather risk buying an adventure that looks interesting without ever trying a demo. Adventures seldom disappoint me.
Usually, when a game sounds interesting, I ask around if someone already played it, and if he'd recommend it. Or check out the Youtubes.
As a side note, there appears to be a noticeable percentage of people who PIRATE a full game and later, after finding it enjoyable, purchase it to calm their mind. Not that this is proper behaviour. But a fact: Selfmade "demos".
Quote from: Andail on Tue 26/03/2013 18:33:13
Quote from: Stupot+ on Mon 25/03/2013 21:45:40
Quote from: Andail on Mon 25/03/2013 14:10:15most demos I know of don't end up in the demo section of the database (My own demo of the TSP included).
Is there a recent demo, Andail? Or can we expect a new one soon? I somehow neglected to download the old one. :embarrassed:
Well, I don't think there'll be a new demo until the full game is released. And the old one doesn't reflect all the major changes the game has gone through since then. Feel free to playtest the next playable build, though :)
I'd love to, thanks man. Just let me know :)
I'm not that much of a demo guy. If I do play a demo, I have probably already decided I will play/buy the game and I'm just playing the demo out of impatience, and possibly also to check that it will actually run on my laptop (which isn't usually a problem for most adventures).
Well, my own demo was anything but an ad for the full game.
Initially it was meant to be a short game that just has the appearances of an excerpt from an epic story - abrupt intro, huge backstories, cliffhanger ending and all (and it's basically what it still is). However, during the production I grew both very fond of the title character, as well as unhappy with the limitations I've put upon myself within this game (a single 3-background location, a rather silly but complex quest put upon the player) compared to the larger backstory and The Quest of the main character. So I decided this will be only the first piece of a larger game.
If I fail with the epic version, I'll at least modify the demo, so there's more of Franko's world to see.
I'd been thinking along the same lines as Ghost myself, adventure games are probably more difficult to do a demo for because of plot involvement. With CD I suppose I was a bit lucky in that regard because we started off with the idea of doing a very small game, it got bigger and became a concept demo, but was something that would fit in with the overall plot without revealing many real details of that plot at all. I'm not sure that I'd consider a disconnected plot with the same characters as being a demo, just a separate and smaller game.
I'm just trying to remember how many adventure game demos I've played... can't remember many at all, I do remember playing Lost Horizon (which was essentially the relatively small first part of the game), and that definitely did persuade me to buy it. I'm not really representative of the average buyer though - from running gaming blogs I get sent a lot of games for review, so I'm rarely actually looking for a new game to buy.
Eric - the influx of episodic games may be related to this, but my gut feeling is that it's more to do with workflow/cashflow. I considered doing this for CD but I really want it to be a traditional game experience including being a "big" game that people will hopefully remember for years. The Book of Lost Tales really reawakened my love of proper EPIC adventure games, much as I enjoyed TellTales's Tales of Monkey Island and Sam & Max, there's nothing quite like getting really involved with the plot and characters of a game that takes you 15-20 hours to complete. (Daedalic's "A New Beginning" game close to capturing the same feeling, but unfortunately it was too buggy and that spoiled the atmosphere a bit.)
I thought I'd jump in here and say that Valis is still very much in development!!! 6 years and counting. I hadn't touched it in 6 months but I'm on holiday this week and have spent pretty much every waking hour on it.
Edit: It's actually 8 years in development! I should rename Valis to Duke nukem RPG.
Quote from: bush_monkey on Fri 05/04/2013 12:09:22
I thought I'd jump in here and say that Valis is still very much in development!!!
Hey, good to hear! I'll have to get round to actually playing that demo... 8-)
I'd wait. I'm planning to release the first chapter of Valis as a standalone game within the next few months ;-D