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Do you think this defintion expresses what you feel overall? *SPOILERS*

Yes.
5 (20%)
No.
15 (60%)
Not sure.
1 (4%)
Pie.
4 (16%)

Total Members Voted: 22

Author Topic: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending  (Read 70675 times)

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Offline inkblob

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #60 on: April 26, 2008, 07:52:37 am »

(i.e. don't do something interesting and then pull the "its all a dream BS")


I think my most hated plot device is the ~prophecy~

oh it has infinite weight and meaning because it's prophecy...  storytellers use that way too much as an unfounded and never explained method of bloating the merit of a character's importance. off the top of my head I can't think of one instance that explained how the prophecy happened, like what made the prophecy come to be ( besides *magic* )  if a spaceship has faster than light travel, I want to know how, are they folding space, are they using worm tunnels, what. prophecies are immune to being quantifiable and way to abused.
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Offline Glamador

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #61 on: April 27, 2008, 05:28:50 am »
Well the concept of a prophecy doesn't heighten a character's importance.  The idea is that it would have happened prophecy or not, the prophecy just let's us know about it before-hand...and possibly avert the catastrophe that has been prophecied.  And yes, magic or psychic ability is usually the culprit in those situations.  But I do agree that the "it's all a dream" is VERY overused and trite.

If I might refer to one of Jolee Bindo's wonderfully entertaining stories from KotOR:  There once was a young jedi under Jolee's tutilage that was prophicied to have a great destiny in store for him.  He thought this destiny made him invincible.  So when Jolee and the young jedi were captured by a dangerous warlord the young jedi, ever brash and arrogant, confronts the warlord who proceeds to throw him down an exhaust shaft.  His body collides with something and causes the ship to explode, killing the warlord in the process.  That's a pretty important destiny isn't it?

But it just goes to show you that prophicies don't heighten a character's importance.  A good prophecy is open to misinterpretation.  Prophecies and destinies and fortunes are only bad in the way you describe if they are written poorly to begin with.  It's not the fault of the plot device, it's the fault of the writer that he can't make it more interesting.

This...game...ROCKS!
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Offline ZealousD

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #62 on: May 11, 2008, 09:43:10 am »
I know this comes a bit late into the topic, but I just wanted to share my thoughts to Alec about people's complaints about the game.

1. "I hate Li"
The problem with Li is that we never really learn about this character. The game is really suppose to be about Naija, and the storytelling is centered around Naija, and we play fully as Naija most of the time. Li feels a bit like having an extra tentacle sticking out of your back. Sure, it can be helpful sometimes, but it still feels a bit unnatural. He's not developed enough to be a major part of the story and his help is minor at best. Developing him more would have fixed the problem, but at this point it'd be difficult to change him. He's something that you need to learn from when making future games. Don't feel like you have to fix him now. Aquaria may mean a lot to you, but unless you feel like Aquaria is going to be your only major project, you need to let it go. Any changes you make to him at this point could make the game worse. In other words, just let it go.

2. "Menu screens suck"
Some people will complain about anything. Don't worry about it. These people are stupid.

3. "I hate dragging things"
Auto-cooking stuff is stupid. Part of the appeal in the cooking system is it's flexibility and options. If they don't like the system, that's their problem. However, some interface enhancements are always helpful, like letting people double-click items to move them to the cooking area rather than making them drag everything.

4. "Map System sucks"
The only problem I had with the map system is that you had to move to other areas to see what you had and hadn't explored. Being able to see all explored areas of the map at once is helpful. Think about how the Metroid/Castlevania games did their map systems.

5. "The story is too obvious!"
6. "The story is too vague!"
7. "Mia plotline is stupid"
You can't please everyone. Don't feel like you have to.

8. "I'm lost, I don't know where to go"
This must be the first time they've played an exploration-adveture game (aka a Metroidvania game). They need to grow and pair and deal with it. Or not play games of this genre. I don't play turn-based RPG's and then complain to the developers that I have to deal with that battle system. It's a personal preference. If you try to address this, you will break the game. Now, common stumbling blocks can always be subtlely improved (like the throne room puzzle, or that song puzzle in the sunken city) but addressing this problem in a global sense is impossible.

9. "I'm not going to buy the game unless it has widescreen support"
Good lord I hate people like that. At least this is the kind of change you can make without any blowback. Pretty sure there aren't any people that wouldn't buy the game if it had widescreen support.


10. "I'm not going to buy this game unless its for the Mac"
I've got a friend in this situation. She has a Mac laptop that she uses. She is in this position. She really wants to play it. She doesn't have a choice in the matter unless a Mac version is available. I'm glad you're doing this.

11. "I'm not going to buy this game unless its for Linux"
Now this one is a bit harder to justify. From my experience, most people that use Linux have a separate Windows partition anyway to deal with compatibility problems. I know my brother is like this at least. Don't feel like you have to have a Linux client because you'd be catering to a very small audience. To be perfectly honest, your effort would probably be better spent trying to get the game on PSN/XBLA/WiiWare.




Alec, you need to realize that you've still created one of the best indie games ever made, and in my opinion, the best indie game ever made. That is a tremendous accomplish.

However, you also need to realize that almost no game is perfect.

You can't satisfy everybody. You can't please everybody.

But you can certainly satisfy and please a hell of a lot of people.

Don't take individual criticisms seriously. Now, if tons of people are criticizing a certain element, than it certain merits a second look. But just people one or two people on the boards complain about something doesn't mean you have to change it.

Don't take this stuff personally.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2008, 09:48:55 am by ZealousD »

Offline Glamador

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #63 on: May 15, 2008, 06:06:26 pm »
Plus don't forget that only people that REALLY dislikes something will complain on the forums.  So if it seems like alot of people are bitching, that's only the crazies that like to bitch alot and know how to find this website.

This...game...ROCKS!
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Offline inkblob

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #64 on: May 15, 2008, 06:48:46 pm »
Plus don't forget that only people that REALLY dislikes something will complain on the forums.  So if it seems like alot of people are bitching, that's only the crazies that like to bitch alot and know how to find this website.

I'd like to say something scathingly witty abut Glam finding this website and bitching a lot, but I won't and will try and wipe the smirk off my face  ;)
Ellie: Are they from the future too?
Sawyer: You told her?

Offline Alphasoldier

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #65 on: May 16, 2008, 07:20:13 pm »
Glamador is only bitchy against the bitchy people. :p
God sees and knows everything, but at least he won't gossip about it.

Offline armored

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #66 on: June 15, 2008, 07:47:01 pm »
1. IGN doesn't like the music.
This is just proof that IGN's reviewer fails the Turing test.

2. Li
Personally, I liked Li, though I'd be quite interested in a Director's Cut with the additional upgrade scenes and perhaps another memory?
More Aquaria is always welcome

3. Menus/UI
I have no complaints, but I do have one bit of constructive criticism(I know, I know, but I just have to get this off my chest):
The singing system is one of the most immersive casting systems I've ever seen...however, quite a few of the hardest bosses depend on fast switching and casting, to the point that I gave in and exclusively used the hotkeys for the rest of the game starting at the Lobster in the Icy Veil, which took some of the flavor away.

Please, don't let the complainers discourage you, Aquaria is AMAZING, and I can't wait to see what you create next.

Offline Matlock

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #67 on: June 18, 2008, 02:54:24 pm »
First time poster here, I literally just finished the game (with secret ending, yay) and I've been playing Aquaria NONSTOP since I got it a few days ago.

I didn't read the whole thread, nor do I intend to. People will always nitpick games, yada yada yada. What's important to know is that you guys have made an utterly fantastic game. There's no other way to put it. Beautiful, entertaining, fun, full of atmosphere...it has everything. I've been playing video games since I was old enough to grasp an NES controller in my pudgy kid hands, and it is very rare for me to be floored like this. I loved it. I am drooling in anticipation of the sequel, and it kills me to know that it'll be years until it comes out, probably. I'm telling all my friends to buy your game...hell, I'll buy it for them if I have to, just so they can play it and be amazed the same way I was.

Games like Aquaria are what the gaming community needs, guys. I say that as a lifelong gamer. Keep it up. Seriously.

Did I mention that I loved this game!?  ;D

Offline silverflagon

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #68 on: June 18, 2008, 06:33:58 pm »
Plus don't forget that only people that REALLY dislikes something will complain on the forums.  So if it seems like alot of people are bitching, that's only the crazies that like to bitch alot and know how to find this website.
Me? Bitching and I love this game so much that I made my friend's mouths water at the thought of it, sorry to disapoint you Glamadour but I am not a bitcher I scream down your ears  instead if I am unhappy lol

By the way it's actually helping me to lose weight because I forget to eat while playing it lol
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/485144/Tiger%20Tank.mp3

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Offline Christor

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Re: I have found a word describing Aquaria's ending
« Reply #69 on: June 27, 2008, 07:01:16 am »
Great game!

8. "I'm lost, I don't know where to go"
    In this type of game, I kind of like not knowing where to go and it ads time spent on the game.
    Which I have missed on many other games, where the gameplay last for short eight hours.

11. "I'm not going to buy this game unless its for Linux"
    I'm sitting on a linux box and I don't have a problem with Aquaria not being coded for linux.
    I have and will always use wine for most windows games and when that doesn't work I will boot
    into windows to play that specific game.
Quote
I have to admit that the secret ending hit me like a lead pipe to the stomach.
    I have to agree on this one, the ending hit me like a lead pipe to the stomach and I loved every last bit of it!
    Call me a machocist but I loved the ending, shocking with a twist (Also love BSG.).
    The two things I didn't like with Aquaria was/is no mapmarkers (not really a problem because
    I made my own with screenshots and Paint.) and the ending, where my thougt on this was.
    - What the fraking god! Wheres the sequel, I want it now!

I loved this game so much that I will play it again when the 1.1.0 patch comes.
This time I will find all treasures  :P
« Last Edit: June 27, 2008, 07:06:48 am by Christor »