Hi all, I haven't been here in quite a while, but I wanted to stop in and wish everyone a Happy Holidays! 

I've been having a lot of busyness in my life lately and some health issues (nothing major though) and I've had to cut back overall on game and computer time. I have some extra time off work this week, so I wanted to check in. I hope everyone has been well!

(edited because business isn't the same as busyness)

Last edited by jen379 (December 22, 2013 11:58 am)

WendyDarling wrote:

I've played a few levels of ART now and even though it seems just the same as Kingdoms for some reason I don't like it at all.  Might be because I have to learn the placement of all new objects.  Maybe because my parents sold antiques out of our house and I've had enough to last a lifetime.   I don't really want to play it but the cheapskate in me wants to buy the sale food.  I haven't unlocked coin food yet, though, just gold bar food.

Fairly early in the game, there's a quest to buy garlic breadsticks.  The sale probably won't last long enough for you to unlick the clam chowder (the cheap coin food), can't remember how long it took to unlock the eggplant parmagiana, but I think buying one was part of a quest.
 

jen379 wrote:

Hi all, I haven't been here in quite a while, but I wanted to stop in and wish everyone a Happy Holidays! 

I've been having a lot of business in my life lately and some health issues (nothing major though) and I've had to cut back overall on game and computer time. I have some extra time off work this week, so I wanted to check in. I hope everyone has been well!

Hi, Jen, welcome back!  I hope things have settled down for you now and I certainly hope your health is better! 

I hope you find the time to pop in more often now that you're back and I certainly wish you a year filled with lots of gaming time in 2014. 

Happy Holidays to you, too! 

stusue wrote:

I've just come across this post from Artifex Mundi in August but it's very apropros for now.  I found their answer very interesting when they were asked if they were going to release a Christmas game ...

Artifex Mundi wrote:

Thank you for this feedback. Christmas theme is a difficult one. And from the business side - there is only one time a year you have Christmas ;) And around that Elephant Games are releasing their Christmas game. So BFG "Christmas slot" is taken - and we are not strong enough to fight with Elephants for it So I am afraid we may not decide to go for it - at least for some time  

ETA:  Oops, silly me.  I made a booboo. 

And ERS is supposed to have a Christmas game (maybe it will be released on Christmas?), but just how many people will spring for the SE version of it in January?

It good for people to give developers feedback, but there are times I just have to shake my head and wonder how much thought was given before they opened their mouths.  There's 3 parties involved:  customers, developers, game portals, and all 3 have to be getting something out of the arrangement.

For instance: how many times have you read of BF forums that the SE releases of CE's should be soft releases and hw many times do they have to tell BF that?  Well, maybe the developer doesn't WANT their SE to be a soft release.

Meanwhile, over on the CCC replacement forums, people are telling the developers to sell their games directly, don't bother with BF.  Are these people will to pay more for the game so that the devs can hire a larger CS staff, and more people to work in bookkeeping, and accountants capable of dealing with the tax laws of different nations, etc?  Not to mention the loss of any seed money a portal is throwing their way.  And do they really think BF will give away the rights to make teh next Azada, MCF, HE, etc to companies who don't have exclusives with BF?
 

For me, vo, achievements and collectibles are not a deal breaker for me, although I tend to get a lot of CE versions at sale time.  What I want is good artwork, a good story and good puzzles.  I love the changes in HO scenes to the interactive scenes and I imagine they up production costs.  They do have to be more innovative as time goes on and the customer demands more of a challenge.  Some of the smaller devs are my favourites as they try to be different.  I am saddened about Magicindie.  I'm not adverse to games on my IPad but the two they have upcoming are definitely aimed at a different sex and era than I'm from! That being said I've gotten so sick of the bitching on other forums and whining about BFG (still!) that I just stopped reading them.  I started to wonder if some of them even played games. It all seems very petty.  People are missing out on some really great games if they are disregarding them if there are no locks and dialogue to read or some other minor thing.