Messages

1

General / Re: Aquaria now on GOG!

« on: August 13, 2015, 09:41:07 pm »

I'm asking because I want Aquaria available from another source, a backup. Right now, according to the "How to Download the Latest Version: 1.1.1 " the Plimus service is down and we are told to wait until 1.1.2.

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General / Re: Aquaria now on GOG!

« on: August 13, 2015, 12:34:39 pm »

Would it be possible for someone who brought Aquaria way back when it was released to now get a Steam-key or a GoG coupon or something? I still have ID codes and stuff from way back then.

3

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: April 12, 2008, 09:42:23 pm »

Regarding the left/right brain thing:

Mental abilities are absolutely separated into the left and right cerebral hemispheres: Some mental functions such as speech and language (cf. Broca's area, Wernicke's area) tend to be localized to specific areas in one hemisphere. If one hemisphere is damaged at a very early age however, these functions can often be recovered in part or even in full by the other hemisphere. Other abilities such as motor control, memory, and general reasoning are spread equally across the two hemispheres. See lateralization of brain function.

4

Games / Re: Noitu Love 2: Devolution demo

« on: April 10, 2008, 12:10:07 pm »

It's pretty good. A mayor improvement over the last game. Its actually much more fun and now enemies actually drop health from time to time as opposed to having it at one point sometime in the game.

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General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 30, 2008, 11:12:23 am »

Most game reviewers forget that they aren't just supposed to give an opinion of a game but some analysis. They are just supposed to tell "the gameplay sucks/rocks/rocks socks" but to tell how and why.

6

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 29, 2008, 07:56:11 pm »

I've talked about this a lot before, but we got feedback and suggestions, some of which didn't make sense, and turned as many as we could into things that would make the game better, in our opinion. We fixed a lot of things that our testers complained about.

So to imply that we didn't do any kind of play testing kind of offends me, tbh.

To go more on that: I didn't think you didn't do any testing whatsoever. The game does feel polished and I do somehow sense transitions and remaps here and there. I also saw the pictures how Aquaria developed artistically.

I simply didn't read those posts of yours regarding playtesting experience. I don't pay too much attention to this forum. I was simply not aware you went into that level of detail regarding playtesting.

So, yeah, I've found a way to kick myself in to mouth. The fact that my brain feels fizzly doesn't help, I can't quite get a thought straight (in one moment I'm thinking of the social systems of possible neural-interfeces and cyberspace it creates in the other I'm seeing Buck Rogers shitting his pants as he sees the IR burn of a massive alien shit, then back to how would a solar-system wide economy would look like, so yeah).

 Commencing dislodging...

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General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 29, 2008, 07:14:42 pm »

Actually I assumed that you playtested between yourselves.

8

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 29, 2008, 07:00:56 pm »

Most game developers don't communicate with their fanbase much. Mostly because they have other stuff to do. I often think however, that its rather due to the fact that they don't experience the fandom first-hand. I presume Alec and Derek doesn't want to see Naija nude or/and doin' it with [unspecified for the sake of sanity].

Personally, its rather interesting to see how people talk and discuss about a piece of art they like.

For example: http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/

Stardestroyer.net is the result of the top of ST and SW fandom and about speculation about a hypothetical war between Star Trek universe and Star Wars universe. The guy who made the site is a university-graduated engineer that basis his arguments with the knowledge and academic standard that he learned.

Now, stop there and read that aloud again and think for a second.

A guy is using his university-earned engineering degree to analyse a hypothetical battle between the Federation and the Empire. 

The site also contains essays about science and science fiction in general of course, which can be interesting reading.

We did beta and play testing for the PC version, and we're doing it again for the Mac version.

From what I gather, don't just beta-test. Playtest. Ask the testers questions like "what are you impressions of this level?", "do you find this boss difficult?", "what is the first reaction when you first see a new monster?", "do you find this section tiring or unnecessary or overly silent?" and so on.

By studying the reactions of the playtesters you can gain a much bigger control over the player and/or improve the experience.

I'm actually not terribly concerned about the reality of it. It sounded generally cool and accurate. Smiley And I think its an interesting theme to explore, two different motivations within one being.

If this is an recurring theme for you, then maybe you should look into it a bit. I find that researching and looking deeper into your lines of thought may give more inspiration and ideas then merely letting it grow on its own while making rather interesting conclusions and discoveries about yourself.

Its hard to get to a point where you're happy with what you've done. (at least for me) Then after that point, you have to release the game, and have everyone else tear it apart.

Art is allot like this: at a distance you see intracity, however when you look at it more closely then you see small things and flaws. People will notice them. It speaks of them how they react.

There is a strange love/hate duality sometimes when certain people look at various forms of art. The more moderate Star Trek fans that usually hold an engineering degree often groan when another technobabble plot device is used but still love the series and characters.

They also say that you aren't a fan until you don't try to vaguely justify the errors of flaws of the art you are a fan of (Godo shot first and stuff like that). 

9

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 29, 2008, 04:38:06 pm »

I actually found it moving and it felt as though it pointed towards truth.

The only truth I saw is how disorder and damage of the brain's functions are so easily indistinguishable for spiritual experiences.

The idea that one side of the brain is thinking in the past and planning for the future, while the other is just living in the moment is interesting.

Be warned that in reality, the brain is a whole lot more complicated. She simplified allot, oversimplified even.

10

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 28, 2008, 10:48:16 pm »

Everyday, someone complains about the "one thing" they don't like about the game. Everyone has their own pet peeve.

The reason why perfection doesn't exist, is because someone will always find something to complain about.

A good judgement is whether you can tell whether its good complaint or not.

When added up, pretty much everything in the game has been complained about. To improve the game for everyone's enjoyment, every aspect would have to be changed.

A large section of gamers are a rather whiny bunch. Just look over several gamer forums.

Rather then trying to please everybody, I say try to find the most valid criticisms and ignore the rest. It's impossible to please everybody.

I've been trying to work on that, but its pretty depressing when you can't trust your own instincts and you have nobody to bounce your ideas off of.

Have you thought of getting beta testers and playtests? Valve uses them allot and it works for them, they can really improve the game, just by watching how they play.

That's one of the reasons the Mac version is taking a long time to finish. Its pretty hard to try to make something perfect on your own.

So you are remaking the game for the Mac version? Will the PC version be patched, or modded or something?

HOW THE HELL DID THIS TOPIC GET SO BIG IN ONE DAY!?

I once saw an 8-page wall of enormous text emerge. The shocking thing isn't that was just random responses but a somewhat rational discussion with a anarcho-liberal.

Of course there was some poo-flinging going about as the mentioned anarcho-liberal has certain problems with grasping the idea of logic. However, the mentioned anarcho-libertarianism is very discussed. Eventually, the anarcho-liberall (volounterist or something, the members nicknamed him Volleyball), gone into a one-on-one discussion. You can view that here, if you want:

http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic.php?t=119956

This was something I realized recently while watching this. Found it really interesting.

I agree, its rather interesting. She must have a very stressing job when she's actually happy having a brain hemoreage. Either that, or there was a release of endorfins with it.

It was definitely an experience for her. What I wonder just how much of what she says is metaphorical and how much is religous. I am getting more and more of the impression that there was brain damage.

So the plan was to make it, as you described, shocking (and perhaps even uncomfortable)... not so much tragic, I think.

So it was deliberately handled like that? In that case, okay, I can take it. I do not just so much as point this out, but discuss it with the people here. Was it on purpose to make it shocking? Should it be changed?

:

Loneliness
Man vs. Woman
Creation vs. Nature
Right Hemisphere of the Brain vs. the Left Hemisphere
Faith (powerful, often misplaced)
Love (powerful, often misplaced)

where Man and Creation are linked
and Women and Nature are linked (natural birth being part of nature)

The meeting of conflicts. A very romanticist element. I think.

11

Off-Topic / Re: Good, short sci-fi with awsome pictures: All Tomorrows

« on: March 28, 2008, 10:06:12 pm »

I don't think mere adaptation in a single lifetime could cause that kind of change.  The oversized fingers and limbs are a change on a genetic level.  However, over several generations and natural selection, it looks like a viable theory of a being adapted to zero gravity.  However, given current medical advances, I doubt natural selection can ever occur in humanity again.

The people are actually genetically modified, yes. Read the book, it has little text so its rather short. I don't want to spoil it.

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General / Re: I'd like to see a more pixelized version for the Gameboy SP

« on: March 27, 2008, 11:35:51 pm »

Broadening Aquaria to other platforms may be profitable and worthwhile. How about the Wii for example? It would be great, and with a little work, Aquaria could take advantage of its Wiimote.

I don't know about other consoles. To be honest, I don't play them.

Would Aquaria work on the Nintendo DS?

As for Mac vs Wnidows, I have a better comic:



Seriously, its rather futile in the end. Preference and taste. Some people prefer Windows while others prefer macs.

To the original point of that, I think that porting Aquaria to macs can work if they allow it.

As for Linux, then it really comes to apples and oranges. Linux has many versions ("distros", I think) and are really more for people who are computing experts and prefer to work in a more controlled environment.

Just because one laptop generated extra heat is no reason to change the well-known term.

I agree.

Furthermore, when you put a block of complex electronics that conducts heavy traffic, heat is expected. Because, ya'know, its kinda how electricity works. Conductivity, the principle behind transistors and that lot.

13

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 27, 2008, 11:19:15 pm »

Okay, I am not fucking pretending. I am not a moron that buys a game and then bitches about how bad it is. I am careful with my choice, and I NOT regretted Aquaria. Yes, I didn't like the part of the ending with Mia but otherwise I loved the game.

Furthermore, I am not a hypocrite that first tells you about how he loves the game and then ditches and bitches about how bad it is. If I don't like the game, I am going to go and fucking say it. But the thing is, I don't want to say it because I then wouldn't be honest with myself.

I have checked again and again in my post what makes you think that I am trying to flame you. I have found nothing, except perhaps the misleading thread title. My only conclusion is that you are being silly here or take criticism badly. Or perhaps I've just posted when you are having a bad day.

So, if this looks like an attack to you, then sorry, that was not my intention. I merely pointed a criticism I have. If you can't take that, then again, sorry.

14

Games / Re: Owl Country... Coming Soon

« on: March 27, 2008, 11:00:17 pm »

Thank you.

15

General / Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending

« on: March 27, 2008, 10:59:05 pm »

Hate?   Sir, you wound me.

 Just because I am criticising one bad aspect one the game, doesn't mean I hate it. I am not mad at all. I merely thought about this, and this is the conclusion I arrived at.

I love Aquaria. I've brought it, not downloaded it off a bittorent site for that very reason. I love the graphics, I love the gameplay, I love the stlye. It's just the ending that I have a little mixed feelings about.

If I wanted to rant about how bad the game is, I wouldn't be stupid enough to do so where the developer is the admin and could easily fry my ***. And I would have made it much more obvious.

I have a couple of games I would gladly throw my bladder at (Another World comes to mind), but Aquaria isn't one of them.

I personally feel that its pretty obvious that Mia lead you through the game by setting up situations for you to fall into.

Really? Perhaps I played in a bad way or missed something, but I only learned her name at the end. Have I missed something?