I am excited about this! Aquaria co-creator Alec Holowka, now of Infinite Ammo fame, has released the first teaser for his upcoming adventure/exploration game Marian. (Which was first announced a while ago.) As he’s said before, Alec is all about crafting a deep, personal experience for the player. And I wouldn’t pick anyone else for the job. I am sure his style of holistic game design will result in something truly special.
This is quite an ambitious endeavor, and one that Alec cares more about “than any other project” he’s worked on. If you’re interested in supporting him, head over to the Infinite Ammo site. Godspeed, Alec!
Although that’s not actually why I donated to the project. It’s mostly that I’d like to see more really ambitious indie projects and I know from experience how hard it can be to self-fund development.
Hardly a teaser. No indication of gameplay, game graphics or anything. CGI intros are a dime a dozen these days. Call me when they’ve got something to show.
I also wasn’t as fond of that type of facial design as in the original concept arts. I think it has to do with the impossibly small nose. It just kind of creeped me out. But perhaps that’s part of the deal - you’re reminded that this is not a human being (besides the whole woodgrain texture heh, among other things).
I’m still really looking forward to the game, although I think full 3D might take a long time to pull off with the level of detail I expect from anyone who was involved with Aquaria’s development. I also must say I am completely biased towards 2D games, like them better when they’re well done than 3D games XD. I used to get horribly motion sick or get bad headaches if I played 3D games, and sometimes I still do. Never had much problem with 2D and sometimes even the best 3D doesn’t look as good as the best 2D :P.
Looking forward to the game, but, I really hope it’s a 2D game in the end. 2D games and 3D. IMHO, it would take far more work to create a special 3D game, something that would feel unique and still enjoyable. Unfortunately, most 3D games today feel very average and I’m not really talking about Indie games so much, but the amount of work that goes into a 3D game only for it to come out as a generic 3D platformer really isn’t what we need. I think it would take much longer to flesh out a 3D game and something that an indie can put their creative effort into. However, it might take less time to make 3D cutscenes than to try and make an entire game 3D, a game that is both unique and engaging I mean. Again, this is only my opinion and I don’t expect anyone else to agree but here’s how I see it in short, I can’t think of any 3D indie games that I would pay as much as I did for Aquaria. Why is that? I just don’t feel that most indies would have the time to make a fully fleshed out and realized 3D adventure. Ultimately, I don’t think there would be the same bang for the buck. Here’s another example I’d like to use: I enjoyed Zeno Clash, but again, I would never pay as much for it as I did for Aquaria. It’s nowhere near as long, it’s not really a full adventure game yet I’m sure that a lot of work was put into it as well. There just isn’t the same amount of gameplay value though. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t pay the same amount for a 3D indie game, it would just have to be of the same high quality and gameplay value, Aquaria (and numerous other 2D indie games) have lasting appeal, most 3D indie games don’t (again, just my opinion). Hopefully that’s understandable. When I think about it, perhaps 2.5D is another possibility, if the team at Infinite Ammo team did want to somehow utilize 3D gameplay in some way (interacting with a background or foreground parallax for example).
This hasn’t been an attempt to start a flame war on what’s better, but I think there are more than enough generic 3d titles to take your pick from on most consoles. Again, I think a realistic direction to take the game would be 2D or even 2.5D
I liked the atmosphere in penumbra but aside from that the game and gameplay were mediocre. The game also didn’t have that lasting appeal where I’d want to jump back in again even after long periods of time. Again, that’s my opinion but if I were to talk about what I value in a game and if I was going to pay for either Penumbra or Aquaria I’d by Aquaria based on how much I’ll get out of the game (not just the type of game, because I do like Action/Adventure games, but I am equally interested in Horror and Survival Horror). Bottom line, I think I’d get much more out of Aquaria. It has to be understood that these are just my opinion but I’m basing it on not only my time spent enjoy the game but how much time I can spend enjoying the game. If one is selling for half the price of the other then I would make more considerations and definitely want to try out the demo just to see if it’s my type of game in the first place. But, I can tell you that I did like Penumbra and it’s eerie atmosphere, but Aquaria had more to offer I felt while Penumbra was a well crafted game and I’m sure a considerable amount of work went into it, I don’t find that the same value can be taken from it - especially not for the same price. Obviously the discussion can only evolve based on personal opinion but I think it’s best to try and state your ideas comprehensively because who know because who knows, maybe a developer or two is listening. It might help determine how one or two of them price their games in the future, perhaps not. It might just be food for thought. Again, others might view things differently. Some people don’t give a damn how much they spend on a game as long as they enjoyed the game, however brief it may be. I personally enjoy a good game that I can go back to and feel like going back to. I enjoy a good story and atmosphere with gameplay that doesn’t require me to memorize a dozen hotkeys. So I think that kind of explains why I get more value out of games that have given me those kinds of experiences when playing them.
I just realized I didn’t really say anything positive, although I was very impressed with the little tease of a video we have been given. Alec is too good with teasers, what with the Marian teasers, and the Aquaria soundtrack teasers!
Beside the nose, I really actually love the character design (even the smaller boobies which someone else complained about, I am sick of the plastic Barbie doll look treatment most female characters are given in video games. It’s unrealistic and usually unproportional to the rest of their bodies). I figure Marian is meant to be the puppet of like a 13-15? year old girl, or like at least a teen-aged girl, and wooden puppets don’t go see surgeons when they don’t develop like porn stars naturally at a young age. Although, she could go see a carpenter, I guess. Shrugs I love the wood grain texture of the skin, although I did wonder if you were going to make her a painted marionette for the skin coloring.
I’m just wondering about some of the deeper themes you’ll be exploring in this one… any heads up on any of those? I’ve gotten to where I can’t really enjoy a game or a book or movie without disecting it anymore, so I find myself wondering just what’s going to be going on.
Don’t be so selfish, JohnnyNmemonic! ;) If independent developers are not going to explore the potential of realtime 3D, who is? These people need encouragement, not warnings of caution. I’d rather see them try and fail then not try at all. As you can tell from the mediocrity of most 3D games, there’s a lot of work to be done! Being sensible and careful is not going to help. Let’s be crazy and reckless! Are we indies or what?
Oh yes yes please.
fapfapfapfap
fapfapfapfapfap…
Mmm… pretty.
Although that’s not actually why I donated to the project. It’s mostly that I’d like to see more really ambitious indie projects and I know from experience how hard it can be to self-fund development.
Good luck Infinite Ammo!
Her face looks mildly disturbing for some reason, but I can’t put my finger on it.
meh, flat chested heroine… please
BOOBIES
but seriously.. I’ve gotta see more to make my mind up
Nice idea for a project direction (mannequin and strings). Looking forward to it.
Gotta love the super-mature critiques offered by the TIGS community.
I think I liked the early painted concept art better. The 3d seems to have lost the kind of pastel expressionist style that interested me originally.
Also, hardwood boobies would…well, that phrase really needs no further explanation.
Marian … Marionette
Nice
Hardly a teaser. No indication of gameplay, game graphics or anything. CGI intros are a dime a dozen these days. Call me when they’ve got something to show.
Hey! The chick’s got lady wood!!!
I invented marionettes centuries ago as slaves for my army to conquer the world but I saw a goat and got side-tracked.
Poor goat
Marian’s wooden performance joke, etc.
Nice, I guess. But I don’t like that face. It’s too… I don’t know, it’s just not pretty. Should have been more like the early concept art.
@Seraph - Dread the alternative. There’s nothing worse than serious internet-critiques.
It puts the lotion on its skin.
Looks like a good game……
for women and fags!
(SOMEONE had to say it)
I also wasn’t as fond of that type of facial design as in the original concept arts. I think it has to do with the impossibly small nose. It just kind of creeped me out. But perhaps that’s part of the deal - you’re reminded that this is not a human being (besides the whole woodgrain texture heh, among other things).
I’m still really looking forward to the game, although I think full 3D might take a long time to pull off with the level of detail I expect from anyone who was involved with Aquaria’s development. I also must say I am completely biased towards 2D games, like them better when they’re well done than 3D games XD. I used to get horribly motion sick or get bad headaches if I played 3D games, and sometimes I still do. Never had much problem with 2D and sometimes even the best 3D doesn’t look as good as the best 2D :P.
Thanks for the comments. :)
P.S. if anyone has detailed feedback that you’d like to share with me directly, please use http://infiniteammo.ca/contact/
I lick marionettes for a living.
Looking forward to the game, but, I really hope it’s a 2D game in the end. 2D games and 3D. IMHO, it would take far more work to create a special 3D game, something that would feel unique and still enjoyable. Unfortunately, most 3D games today feel very average and I’m not really talking about Indie games so much, but the amount of work that goes into a 3D game only for it to come out as a generic 3D platformer really isn’t what we need. I think it would take much longer to flesh out a 3D game and something that an indie can put their creative effort into. However, it might take less time to make 3D cutscenes than to try and make an entire game 3D, a game that is both unique and engaging I mean. Again, this is only my opinion and I don’t expect anyone else to agree but here’s how I see it in short, I can’t think of any 3D indie games that I would pay as much as I did for Aquaria. Why is that? I just don’t feel that most indies would have the time to make a fully fleshed out and realized 3D adventure. Ultimately, I don’t think there would be the same bang for the buck. Here’s another example I’d like to use: I enjoyed Zeno Clash, but again, I would never pay as much for it as I did for Aquaria. It’s nowhere near as long, it’s not really a full adventure game yet I’m sure that a lot of work was put into it as well. There just isn’t the same amount of gameplay value though. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t pay the same amount for a 3D indie game, it would just have to be of the same high quality and gameplay value, Aquaria (and numerous other 2D indie games) have lasting appeal, most 3D indie games don’t (again, just my opinion). Hopefully that’s understandable. When I think about it, perhaps 2.5D is another possibility, if the team at Infinite Ammo team did want to somehow utilize 3D gameplay in some way (interacting with a background or foreground parallax for example).
This hasn’t been an attempt to start a flame war on what’s better, but I think there are more than enough generic 3d titles to take your pick from on most consoles. Again, I think a realistic direction to take the game would be 2D or even 2.5D
Penumbra did it.
I liked the atmosphere in penumbra but aside from that the game and gameplay were mediocre. The game also didn’t have that lasting appeal where I’d want to jump back in again even after long periods of time. Again, that’s my opinion but if I were to talk about what I value in a game and if I was going to pay for either Penumbra or Aquaria I’d by Aquaria based on how much I’ll get out of the game (not just the type of game, because I do like Action/Adventure games, but I am equally interested in Horror and Survival Horror). Bottom line, I think I’d get much more out of Aquaria. It has to be understood that these are just my opinion but I’m basing it on not only my time spent enjoy the game but how much time I can spend enjoying the game. If one is selling for half the price of the other then I would make more considerations and definitely want to try out the demo just to see if it’s my type of game in the first place. But, I can tell you that I did like Penumbra and it’s eerie atmosphere, but Aquaria had more to offer I felt while Penumbra was a well crafted game and I’m sure a considerable amount of work went into it, I don’t find that the same value can be taken from it - especially not for the same price. Obviously the discussion can only evolve based on personal opinion but I think it’s best to try and state your ideas comprehensively because who know because who knows, maybe a developer or two is listening. It might help determine how one or two of them price their games in the future, perhaps not. It might just be food for thought. Again, others might view things differently. Some people don’t give a damn how much they spend on a game as long as they enjoyed the game, however brief it may be. I personally enjoy a good game that I can go back to and feel like going back to. I enjoy a good story and atmosphere with gameplay that doesn’t require me to memorize a dozen hotkeys. So I think that kind of explains why I get more value out of games that have given me those kinds of experiences when playing them.
I have always been a big fan of Alec
Goooooo team!
I just realized I didn’t really say anything positive, although I was very impressed with the little tease of a video we have been given. Alec is too good with teasers, what with the Marian teasers, and the Aquaria soundtrack teasers!
Beside the nose, I really actually love the character design (even the smaller boobies which someone else complained about, I am sick of the plastic Barbie doll look treatment most female characters are given in video games. It’s unrealistic and usually unproportional to the rest of their bodies). I figure Marian is meant to be the puppet of like a 13-15? year old girl, or like at least a teen-aged girl, and wooden puppets don’t go see surgeons when they don’t develop like porn stars naturally at a young age. Although, she could go see a carpenter, I guess. Shrugs I love the wood grain texture of the skin, although I did wonder if you were going to make her a painted marionette for the skin coloring.
I’m just wondering about some of the deeper themes you’ll be exploring in this one… any heads up on any of those? I’ve gotten to where I can’t really enjoy a game or a book or movie without disecting it anymore, so I find myself wondering just what’s going to be going on.
Don’t be so selfish, JohnnyNmemonic! ;) If independent developers are not going to explore the potential of realtime 3D, who is? These people need encouragement, not warnings of caution. I’d rather see them try and fail then not try at all. As you can tell from the mediocrity of most 3D games, there’s a lot of work to be done! Being sensible and careful is not going to help. Let’s be crazy and reckless! Are we indies or what?
I wish Alec and his team the best of luck!
JohnnyNmemonic - can you find a way to make your point with 90% less drivel?
How about this, let them try and fail and make it free! Don’t bother asking for money until a decent 3D game is made. Just being honest.
Narsokissed: you’re kind of an asshole. Just being honest :\
Nava: just let him try and wait for a 3D game that meets his snobby standards. It’s his time wasted. :)