Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
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Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#2Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the blanks, which ultimately gives the final product that your consciousness consumes a more personal note, since it's filled with your fantasy. Maybe this is part of why Minecraft is so successful. Everything is so chunky and rough, you have to imagine what things are. And your crude buildings and creations easily fit in with the rest of the game world, there automatically is consistency in detail, so your mind accepts it.
I tried Unreal Editor a few years ago. The engine is really impressive, there's a ton of assets, high res textures, it's easy to create a natural looking terrain, but then bringing it to life is hard work and takes skills. Everything I built looked clunky, out of place, lacked details, lighting seemed off, it was rubbish. Minecraft fixes this problem. Everyone can build good looking stuff.
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#3Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…
Most FPS games were literally consolized. Until Halo came around, no one could make a FPS work because a controller was too slow and imprecise. Halo's trick was to sloooow the action down.
The chunky thing was why making levels for DooM was so easy. Prodeus (early access) also has easy to use level editor, but currently the game has some design problems - such as dumb and slow monsters. Those in DooM were also dumb, but their AI was functional. They could swarm and surround you well enough. I honestly think Prodeus looks better than Doom Eternal, the art direction especially. But I don't need as much ketchup.
I think games like these (Dusk, Graven, Ion Fury etc...) will sell in part because players' expectations have changed. Players have also realized that if they want action reminiscent of old FPS games, they can't look towards AAA games because no AAA game will imitate the experience. It's too much risk. You need to give smaller studios a chance, and the only way smaller studios can make it work is by limiting visual detail.
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#4Just in case anyone is wary and is tempted to write Dusk off as just a cheap cash-in on some recent retro/low-fi trend. It really isn't - it's a spectacularly fun and creative game with solid mechanics. If you prefer a little more colour you can also check out Amid Evil or Ion Fury
There's another upcoming game I'm keeping an eye on - Hrot. It's a solo-dev effort with a home-made engine written in Pascal (!) set in a pre-revolution Czechoslovak(-style?) state. I have no idea about the developer's track record in gaming and haven't played any of the early-access stuff, but it's got a good look and the tech demos show some fun stuff so I'm kinda curious how it will turn out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xovpHxsVRTQ
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#5Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…
>you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the blanks,
x100 this. Quake 1 was terrifying for me even though the pixelated graphics are poor by todays standard because my imagination would fill in the blanks making things feel way more scary.
Just take a look at these pixelated creatures. Coupled with the soundtrack from NIN and Trent Reznor and the gothic atmosphere they feel way scarier to me than what came after like Doom 3 or even Dooms of this decade. I don't now why but the recent Doom games just look a bit too cartoonish for me and not scary at all.
http://retrovania-vgjunk.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-creatures-...
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#6Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…
Most FPS games were literally consolized. Until Halo came around, no one could make a FPS work because a controller was too slow and imprecise. Halo's trick was to sloooow the action down. The chunky thing was why making levels for DooM was so easy. Prodeus (early access) also has easy to use level editor, but currently the game has some design problems - such as dumb and slow monsters. Those in DooM were also dumb,…
> Until Halo came around
Goldeneye and Turok would like to have a word, if you have a moment.
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#7Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…
My current game dev project is being done with relatively low poly models and non-realistic textures. I've tried adding higher levels of detail to the game, but gave up pretty early on. Unless it looks great and stylized, highly detailed art that's just okay ends up looking cheaper than intentionally simple and under-detailed art. I ended up settling on something a little bit above Sega Saturn style and I'm feeling immersed in my own test levels.
Whenever I see a game with super detailed forests and houses and human models, it's almost impossible to get interested in it. It's too real and bland. Maybe it's a mental association from seeing a bunch of cheap Russian and Chinese games on Steam that use premade assets.
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#8Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…
Speaking specifically about FPS games, after the heyday of games like Quake and Unreal, a new generation of FPS games came up, iirc starting with Half-Life (focusing more on story, platforming than shooting), then moving on to Medal of Honor and Call of Duty (realistic shooters); the more 'arcade' shooters fell out of grace, and probably more when other game categories became big in e-sports.
But, then Id started to make a comeback; games like the Wolfenstein reboot which were more about over the top violence again, and Doom which made FPS games fast again (if it wasn't for the constant scramble for ammo it really would've captured the 'old' feel even better I think). That one's criticized for having too much platforming in it though, but other than that it's still a fun / fast paced FPS games.
Alongside there's been the Serious Sam franchise which never stopped feeling outdated, lol. It's a weird one because the gameplay of that one seems to be focused on kiting.
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#9I would recommend Amid Evil too.
Amid Evil also imitates Quake, but much more focused on the aesthetics of it.
Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)
#10[deleted]