What is the team working on right now?

[Venom]

This is meant to be a progressive thread with evolving conversations considering that we'll talk about whatever the devs tell us (if they even decide to tell us or keep it secret for a surprise update).

Basically, this is how the thread is meant to work:

• devs give us a hint at what they are working on (no details necessary)
• we speculate, say if we think it's good or bad, make suggestions without making a new thread for every idea they say
• keep discussing until they present a new idea or a new update in the Announcements board

Since Madoc has stated that they are now working on creating particle effects for blood and fire, we can start talking about that! I shall start by saying that I hope there is sanguimancy (control of blood, even if the effects are invisible to the naked eye since everything is happening inside the enemy's body). Not sure if it'll be possible since Madoc has stated that blood will only be visually presented as different decals, but maybe I read wrong. What do you guys think?

 

[MrIdontKnow]

Hi dude, I know you're trying to create great discussions and never lose that, it's a great thing to have, but really ideas about what the devs are working on and whatnot can be discussed in the link below.

http://www.baremettle.com/sg/forums/index.php?threads/thoughts-and-ideas-general.50/

I know that's Thoughts and Ideas General, but discussion and speculation on current update does happen there, if people disagree with my post, ill change it and say you're the most awesome person on this forum.

Which you are anyway

 

[fluffydino2000]

I wish I knew more about particle physics. From a noobish point of view, the premise is great. I like fire and my tastes are that of a vampire. I hope that weak pun will help stimulate this great idea for a thread.

 

[Caiphas Cain]

I think this is a good idea for a thread. It gives the people who don't have access to the special forum some insight into what's going on. Even if the developers post just once a week to keep us up to date, I think we would all appreciate it.

 

[The Urban Spaceman]

I think this thread could have value. Madoc could just post the occasional sentence, thus not taking much of his time, but potentially giving us a big dollop of food for thought

 

[Caiphas Cain]

Also, a screenshot of the day/week, as well as a video wrap up of the month would be awesome.

 

[MrIdontKnow]

I don't think he'd do that, I'd rather 1 amazing update that works well and is detailed that a flimsy rushed week one

 

[The Urban Spaceman]

I think the idea of this thread is just that he can give us a brief idea of what BMG is working on that day/week without taking more than a couple of minutes of his time. Obviously we all hope for periodic 'big' updates but they are time consuming to create & I don't think its fair for us to expect them too frequently.

 

[MrIdontKnow]

They just do the update like they do already.

 

[The Urban Spaceman]

Yeah Madoc must have read this topic by now & since he hasn't started posting here I guess he's not keen on the idea. Never mind!

 

[MrIdontKnow]

It's not like a thread like this wouldn't work, it's just like everyone's pushing the Devs to release updates weekly and it's hard to release stuff weekly when really good things take time, a thread like this is a good idea, but should only exist if the Devs make it or agree to doing something like this.

 

[Madoc]

At the moment we're dealing with a lot of different practical stuff and still looking for somewhere to set up (which is proving quite difficult). It's a transitional period in many ways but me and some other team members are putting some solid work into the game. Mostly at the moment we're working on major, major game and other systems that will support future development so they will take some time to bear fruit. Development will pick up pace once some of these are in place and we've sorted out our studio, quit our jobs, relocated etc.

The major things we're currently working on are:

• Character and equipment system
• Game object database, statistics and conceptual types
• Dynamic story, dialogue and NPC behaviour systems
• Optimal development methods for architectural assets

 

[fluffydino2000]

I am torn on whether or I am more interested in character and equipment or dynamic story, dialogue and NPC behaviour systems. I think probably the dynamic story, it seems to me that that will be the feature that takes this game from great to ground breaking.

 

[The Urban Spaceman]

looking for somewhere to set up (which is proving quite difficult)

Good luck with the all important re-location Madoc!

a thread like this is a good idea, but should only exist if the Devs make it or agree to doing something like this.

Fair comment.

The only experience I have with kickstarted games is Carmageddon: Reincarnation which is 6 months ahead of Sui Generis in terms of getting successfully funded. Being a proper fan of everything Carmageddon I know that Stainless Games has about 70 staff on its books, 30 of which are dedicated to C:R. Obviously, while this doesn't make them a big developer they are still way bigger than BMG. During their kickstarter they were very active releasing new concept art & videos almost daily. After it that all changed & now we get an update of some kind about every two months. In between there is a handfull of forum posts but few with any interesting information.

Now to my point. I'm 26 & my gaming days started in 1994. I am not at all used to the idea of being able to communicate with game developers & potentially have an impact on the finished product. Equally I'm not used to game developers giving out details about a game that have not been finalised & polished. Some people in the Carmageddon forums have been going crazy complaining about the lack of 'new news' & acting like it's their right as kickstarter backers to recieve a constant stream of updates.

I don't know where the line of reasonable expectation should be drawn but personally I'd be happy with a 'big' update every 2 months max & inbetween either a regular small snippet of info as demonstrated above by Madock or simply regular participation in forum discussions. Currently most BMG staff are active in the forums so that is all good. However I imagine once you guys have relocated & are really getting stuck in to development that you will be less inclined to spend time in the forums. If that is the case then all I ask for is a brief post or a screenshot every few days just so we feel like we are being kept in the loop.

 

[Lindemann]

Good idea! Not every small step must be presented to the backers. They should use the time for development and testing.

 

[Tony]

I'm betting they will actually have more time to spend on the forums once they get settled in Italy. Currently they are still working full time jobs, working on getting the info from Kickstarter sorted, attempting to find a suitable place to live/work and simultaneously working on Sui Generis. I'm amazed they currently have any free time at all to spend on the forums and I appreciate any time they take to do so

 

[666jet]

I'm betting they will actually have more time to spend on the forums once they get settled in Italy. Currently they are still working full time jobs, working on getting the info from Kickstarter sorted, attempting to find a suitable place to live/work and simultaneously working on Sui Generis. I'm amazed they currently have any free time at all to spend on the forums and I appreciate any time they take to do so

well said its why i generally try to speculate with other users but its always nice to have more to discuss

 

[The Urban Spaceman]

I hope you're right Tony. That in itself would be epic. Don't get me wrong, so far BMG have been very impressive in there communication with us. Perhaps I should be less pessimistic. Time will tell.

 

[Rehclip]

I say you shove all of yourselves in a large studio apartment and get crackin. Don't come out till its done.

Seriously though - I'll send a pizza or two on occasion.

But yeah, funding ended on Nov. 29th.

If my project is successfully funded how do I receive my money?

US projects: If funding succeeds, funds go directly from backers' credit cards to the project creator's Amazon Payments account, where they are held until the creator withdraws them.
Amazon will hold funds for 14 days after payments are collected. Once this hold is released, project creators can transfer funds to their bank account (which can take up to five business days).
(Note: Amazon Payments users with a six-month history of receiving credit card payments can apply to Amazon for immediate withdrawals.)
UK projects: If funding succeeds, funds are debited directly from backers' cards and held until 14 days from the funding date. After this hold, the funds are transferred to the bank account creators set up in their banking details (which can take up to five business days).

So they still have several days before they even see a dime of the kickstarter money. That time period is also used to make sure all pledgers get their money in if there were errors during the original transaction.

 

[Psychomorph]

Some people in the Carmageddon forums have been going crazy complaining about the lack of 'new news' & acting like it's their right as kickstarter backers to recieve a constant stream of updates.

When I think about Kickstarter, the Cynic in me instantly thinks about pesky, impatient backers putting pressure on the developers.
Makes sense that the team needs to sort out things at first and developing the game is time intensive, so personally I settle with a sparse information flow, but only thing I would like to have is some piece of content once in a while, which doesn't look like the previous one, to know that the team is making progress. If I know they are active then I don't need lots of information every week and leave them alone.
It's not about the pledged money, but the expectation. If I expect and trust the game is being made, while the truth is it is not, this is bad.

Now to my point. I'm 26 & my gaming days started in 1994. I am not at all used to the idea of being able to communicate with game developers & potentially have an impact on the finished product. Equally I'm not used to game developers giving out details about a game that have not been finalised & polished.

Hah, same with me. I kind of think that the developers don't need to justify themselves, they're doing their thing. Admittedly this is a bit different with the Kickstarter situation. But it's a nice thing that devs are more communing these days.