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We would also like to talk more about the progress being made in the game and what we’re doing next.
Remember this at the end of this post.
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Let’s start with a bit of an explanation: The game is currently in what we are calling a pre-alpha stage
So.. You created a "gameplay reveal teaser" (video title) which shows not that much gameplay at all, and isn't really a teaser, much more a let down? Ok... Go on...
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– features and graphics are still being coded.
Graphics are made, animated, modelled, activated on states, but not coded. :D But sorry for interupting.. go on...
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Since the switchover of our development team this past Fall, we have focused on core functionality and “under-the-hood” engine work. This is why there has not been significant visual progress on the title. Engine work is critical to the overall stability of a game, and it requires significant labor and time to get right.
Ok, I'll get back on this in a minute.
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We knew in the Fall we still had a lot of work to do to achieve the core engine we wanted – one that could support a game like RCTW. Now, however, we are able to finally continue working on the higher level functionality and visuals.
Ok, why didn't you say so? You had 4 blogs (only 4, but okay) but you didn't mention anything about "graphics will come later, we have other priorities, ..." . What's even worse: you actually did put screenshots in the other blogs (see blog 3) with better-quality models and textures, showing that you actually -DID- make progress on that.
Lets bring it a bit further even: a game dev team consists out of multiple roles: we have engine devs, gameplay devs and artists. Those are 3 different jobs who need very different qualities. I get that you prioritise game engine stuff, but artists can still work on textures, on 3D models, on animations and more while the engine people do their fancy math-stuff. Or do you want to tell me that the team working on it is SO SMALL that they're multitasking? If so, I fear for the end-result to be honest.
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Our intention in releasing our pre-alpha gameplay as a trailer was to show that there is progress being made.
You want to show us that progress is being made by showing us a video of worse quality than the printscreens you gave us months ago? Well that makes sense I guess.. >.>
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RollerCoaster Tycoon has meant so much to so many people over the years, and it’s entirely your prerogative to feel protective of the franchise, just as it’s ours to assure you that it’s in good hands.
Well, it's kinda hard to know if it's in good hands, because none of the devs, artists or even community managers have given a sign of live since... Forever. I mean, for all I know some student is working on this project after his school hours in his dungeon, while replaying Portal 2 for the 500th time.
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Our hope in releasing the trailer in its current state was to offer some reassurance that gameplay and features were coming along.
Gameplay and features seen in the trailer:
-> You can build shops with strange building animations that don't fit to a path.
-> You can freebuild coasters, but no bending tracks, and the speed-up boosts looks "mobile".
-> Your park has no shadows or special lightning
-> Your park has a maximum of 7 attractions
-> Your park has laser fountain animations
-> Your park has NO waiting queue functionality
-> your trains can change from 100km/h (or m/h) to 0 km/h in a nano-second, without any consequences
-> Your guests can puke.
Erghm, and I have to feel reassured now?
UPGRADED ENGINE! BETTER GRAPHICS!
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Regarding the current state of game graphics, we have been exploring prototypes for a while and are happy to announce we will be upgrading to the Unity 5 Engine.
That's nice.. So all the engine stuff you're working on.. Has to be rechecked against Unity 5 standards now? I mean, I know it sounds nice for people who don't know that much about game engines and stuff but.. oh well.
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We hope to be able to share the results of the upgrade by this summer. We hope to take full advantage of the many new environmental, lighting, and shadow improvements as well as many other features in our original Unity 4.6-based engine to create a game that looks great.
Please don't use Unity for its looks.. Use it for its functionalities! Use it to get the most out of the performance! Use it so that our park can have 50000000 peeps in it without lagging.. The artists should work on the looks.
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Our early results are extremely promising. We know that today these words must ring hollow, but trust that we are doing everything we can to make the game look excellent.
you mean, more promising than those pre-rendered printscreens you gave us months ago, or more promising than the "gameplay reveal teaser"? Also, what ever happened to all the shaders that you used for the pre-rendered printscreens? Did those vanish while changings devs?
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MORE REALISM!
In response to requests and comments from our fans, we can confirm that our teams will be adjusting the art in the game to make it not only higher definition (taking advantage of our engine upgrade) but more believable/realistic overall, while still keeping the charm of RCT.
They will -adjust- the art. This means that they hoped to keep this, but now have to chance it because we asked for it? This means that, if we didn't complain, you'd have gone like "oh ok.. This looks nice enough"? Who ever gave that art a green light in the first place at Atari? Is Atari so busy with lawstrikes that they don't even check content anymore? What is happening there?
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We want the rides to feel like they can be found in real life. Even though some of the rides may never actually exist, we want them to look like they could, and are constructed with real materials.
Ok, let me say this, a good way to start looking would be... RCT3 - RCT2 - RCT1! The rides, attractions and shops in those looked spectacular... I get it, you want a new game and bla-ble-bla, but sometimes it's good to look back and see how it was done before.
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Along with this, we are also taking a pass on our Americana theme to make sure those rides are closer to those you may find today when visiting your favorite amusement park.
Again, this wasn't your original plan? Wait.. Did you guys even play rct 3? The amazing thing there was that, apart from all the "neutral" attractions, you could get PARTS of your park in certain themes..
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We will let you know as we make progress along this development path. We also know that once our robust user-generated content systems launch you will be able to make the scenery, rides, etc. that you want and we plan to fully support that.
Please please please, user content is nice and stuff, but shouldn't be your priority.. I agree: prepare it, make it possible, but first make a game that works and that the community wants.
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We will not release the game until we know that it is truly ready. If the game needs to be “put back into the oven,” then we will do it. We have waited for more than 10 years for the next great edition of RCT, and we plan to take the franchise to new heights with RCTW. We will take the time required to achieve that goal. We will communicate on the expected release of RCTW later this year. The team needs the time to craft the experience that so many of you have been waiting so patiently for.
Ok, time to be realistic: you will wait when needed... Until you think you've spend enough money and they you'll be like: "oh just release it already, and see what everyone thinks.. We can always make dlcs and hotfixes when needed"...
Just being realistic ;-) RCTW has been very expensive for Atari already...
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As always, what matters to us is your feedback and we want to continue to hear from you during the course of development.
Ok, look, we know you've said that devs come to see the forums every now and then, and that you pass feedback and this and that, but what annoys me here is that it's hard to believe those words.. Even you (mattlab) only login on the forums every 3-4 days. This means that RCTW isn't the only project your working on atm. That doesn't sound that reassuring, does it?
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We have high expectations and standards for delivering RCTW as well as a desire to keep this open dialogue with our community going as development progresses.
The problem is: there is no open dialogue. We post questions and requests and feedback.. you answer whenever you feel like it.
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There will be lots more new content released with many visual upgrades, and as the game progresses we will share them. As we have said previously, there will be Alphas, Betas, hands-on previews at gaming events, developer chats, blogs, and more. We look forward to your feedback to make sure we are headed in the right direction. This game is too important to too many people for us not to do it right.
*cough*gameplay release teaser*cough*
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Also, if you haven’t already, please join the community on Steam and add RCTW to your Wishlist.
AKA: please show us how much money the game is worth spending on. ;-)
Ok, let's get back to this:
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We would also like to talk more about the progress being made in the game and what we’re doing next.
What progress has been made, because you didn't say anything really. You said that you're working on the engine to add functionalities, but for all we know, that means that you added a nice font to the engine so your labels look nicer.
We have had no examples of functionalities, no proof that they exist, and no answers to many of our questions.
Oh well, Jordumus out!