Should the Games in Production Forum require a demo?

[DragonRose]

But how do you measure 10% of the game? If you have all the graphics done but no programming, which counts for more?

I like the idea of having a full description of the game.  If you can fully your premise, talk about the characters, and maybe the interface, you probably have a good idea of where you're going.

However, I think we might have to be a bit more strict about remakes. If you're making a remake, maybe you should have to show something more than if you're making an original game.  Outlining the plot, characters etc. of Police Quest 1 (one of the few games I don't think anyone's offered to remake) doesn't really show that you've done any work at all on your supposed PQ1VGA progect.  Maybe they should have to show screenshots or something... I don't know.

[Vel]

Noone has tried to remake PQ1 with AGS because... It has already been remade!! BY who, you might ask. By those dudes from Sierra with their crappy engine SCI1.

[Ghormak]

It would all be nice and pretty if everybody used common sense.
Unfortunately that seems to be too much to expect from people.

[Midnight Mist]

I don’t think that it should be fair to punish the rest for one nameless person for making promises they could not keep, like saying they have a demo and then not delivering. If they say they have it, but don’t give it, then of course the thread will get flooded with replies asking where it is. I just think that there should be a rule about saying what you got then don’t deliver.

"New Game:The Quest!Screen Shots!" (clicks on topic) ....I'll have them up by....next week.

I don't think this rule should necessarily apply to game deadlines though.

Note about technology demos:
Yeah, if you did make a rule about having demos, the forum will just get flooded with a crap load of technology demos or half @$$ed stuff. So I’m against it.

[Pumaman]

It would all be nice and pretty if everybody used common sense.
Unfortunately that seems to be too much to expect from people.

I agree - but then, it's easily explainable in this situation, I think. When somebody first gets into the whole game creation thing and have a brilliant idea, they're likely to be quite excited and eager about it, and want to make a post telling everybody about it.

Those of us who have been here longer and know what the whole thing involves, will be more likely to wait before posting anything.

So, perhaps we could require people to post a plot synopsis and two original screenshots. This should hopefully cover remakes too, since they'll have to at least do two screens first.

Perhaps suggest they have a minimum of 10% of the game playable before they post a topic about it, as a guideline..

I like the idea in principle, but it's very hard to quantify. Also, I suspect a lot of people don't fully plan their game before starting and so have no real idea of how large it's going to be - therefore judging how much 10% is would be very difficult.

[Pumaman]

Just for the record, I've now updated the Forum Rules in the Games In Production forum to reflect this, so we'll see how it goes.

[Meowster]

I think the entire problem would be solved by people not posting until they know for sure that their game will be made. Most of the time I don't check the Games in Production page because there's just too much 'junk'... games that will never, ever be made. It depresses me, but it doesn't mean I don't keep an eye on the games that I AM looking forward to.

I'm excited about my next project, but I'm not posting it in the In Production thread. Why? Well quite simply because it's not in production. It's not set in stone. It's not yet ready to serve you warm, freshly squeezed brilliance, in that golden chalice that Indy has in The Last Crusade. So why on earth would I bother posting a thread about it when I can just pimp it at every available opportunity everywhere else?

People just get overexcited is all.

EDIT: CJ you n00b, quit double posting and click the edit button for once. GOD. HONESTLY.

[SSH]

Anyway,  if you tell people not to post in Games in Production, they'll just clog up Critics Lounge instead.

Why not have a Demo forum, just for people to post demos in. That way you can still have GiP and ahve demos and DG  can have an easier life? Better do it soon so that not too many GiP demos are "lost" for the 2004 awards...

[Yufster - Enemy Computer]

I hear that! A Demo Forum! What an excellent idea!

[Layabout]

Oh my! Another forum. Dear God!

I think there are already more forums than needed.

But seriously, thats not a *bad* idea.

But the Games in Production should not require a demo. Some people don't like releasing demos, and I respect that. And short to medium length games most definitaly do not need demos.

[Yufster - In Toilet]

A Demo Forum would be an excellent idea. I'd fequent it for one. Going to the Games in Production page is great if you're following the production of a game, but if you're not it can be confusing/depressing/messy. Most of the time I hear about games via their makers first, not the Games in Production forum.

A Demo Forum would weed the doers from the talkers.

On the other hand, people might start knocking out crap, one room demos with no music/makeshift art/etc....

Hm. Hmmm. HMMMMM.

[Yufster - Whoops!]

Crap, an afterthought:

When you hear about your favourite (professional) developer working on a new title, you follow the production whether or not there is a demo. Some Professionals drop their games in production, for example Good and Evil, that game Ron Gilbert was working on. I was severely disappointed when that was cancelled. Or Full Throttle 2 (Even if I was apprehensive). Sam and Max 2 hasn't had a demo out and yet we still follow production like good little fans.

It's silly to say that you must have a demo before publicly announcing your game on the forums, because it's unrealistic from many a point of view.

True, there are a lot of forums, but I would definitely frequent (To correct my spelling mistake in my previous post) a Demo Forum.

Now I'm going to log in properly so I can click the EDIT button and quit Double Posting.

[|Alky|]

I am personally opposed to posting anything in the GIP forum unless I have a demo/trailer...
I have (or will have) a seperate site with my game ideas and concepts, but I don't believe in clogging that forum up..
But by all means, you can, if you want...

[big brother]

How about if the GIP forum required a minimum of one screenshot and a 45 word description?

[Ginny]

Thats a good idea, having a word requiremetn, or just requiring a lengthier than usual preview of the game.
Maybe ask for features or progress "bars".
Short games can't write as much about the game though, expeccially without ruining the game. Anyway...

I think screenshots in the direct sense are too much, as they are 'taken' when there is a charcater, an intrface, and a background etc, inside the game. Maybe requiring some concept art or background or character. Some people delay real artwork for a late time, but they can still post the temp artwork, or make up for artwork by having a more descriptive post

[Snake]

People just get overexcited is all.

Exactly. Just look at my ass. I shouldn't even have my thread in there, same thing for Monkey Wrench. Damn I'm a horses ass. What am I thinking?

A new forum just for demos is a good idea maybe, wether it is or not, it'll definately, like Yuffy said, seperate the doers from the talkers. Like me.
Fuck.

*hangs head and goes to delete the LE thread*


--Snake

[jannar85]

GOOD games should have a demo IMO.
Also, it shouldn't be posted in the production forum before it has been in production for at least 3-4 months. (a normal ags game takes something about 8-14 months to produce, but might be more).

What I think would be the best, is to post the info near the completion of the game, to make the interest peak high. Think about it... Announced at the start of the production.. (new games appearing, we forget about the other - and the interest peak falls)

So if not a demo, post the announcing late in production.

That was my 2 cents.

**edit**
a database would be nice, something like the game database at the ags site...

[AGA]

http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?category=5 - demo category

[Pumaman]

I'm not sure about having a seperate Demos forum, because it would tend to encourage people to create crappy little demos just so that they can post there.

I think the best way to proceed is just to ensure that everyone who releases a demo puts some sort of "[DEMO]" in their thread title in the GiP forum.