I haven't played Forgotten Memories yet (since it isn't out on the Vita or Android), but by the sound of things I think they should have the save system be similar to the one in the Dead Space games: You get to manually save once every ten or so minutes (and these are the only points you can load manually), but the game auto saves just before pretty much every major room/encounter so that when you die you don't have to replay the last x ammount of minutes of whatever lead up to the moment you died.
The fact remains, and it IS fact, that mobile gaming will never mature or reach the realms of hardcore when Developers who dare to bring us premium experiences disappear and ditch the platform at the first sign of some very limited criticism from two mobile gaming sites who's reviewers are stuck in the past. You don't need to prioritise mobile, but you SHOULD continue to develop titles alongside their console counterparts where the end product is as near to identical as possible, as is the case with Forgotten Memories. As I said you have $200,000 nearing $300,000 worth of customers out there who you are threatening to leave with a now incomplete product if this is indeed the first chapter of many. Do you have any thoughts on my Private Message or indeed my posts here?
Our plans now is to make the easy mode really well... zero challenge, only for people who wants to explore and finish the game quick. As for normal and hard modes it will remain exactly the same, a challenging experience with limited save points and floppy disks.
I've replied to your PM, Yes, the fact remains that mobile gaming still need to mature and hardcore gaming on mobile still probably a niche market. To be honest I was surprised we made 300 000$ in just two weeks (despite being featured in AppStore home page in more than 160 countries the entire week). As I said earlier, we'll keep continue improving the game (controls, mechanics, etc) and iOS version will get a big update later this month (with new game modes) but future episodes will see the light first on consoles and ported back to iOS. We are not crazy to leave 500 000$ plus counting customers (specially when they really enjoyed the game) but yeah, consoles will have higher priorities. Again thanks for your support and time to answer and give your thoughts. Regards from Psychoz team!
My point is: There's nothing wrong with a game being challenging, but if I have to replay the last ten minutes every time I die (once again: No, I haven't played the game, so I don't know to which extent that's the case or not), that's not fun, it's frustrating and repetitive. The game should be the challenge, not the save system. Once again, I'm not saying that one should necessarily be able to save anytime, anywhere, but at the same time I don't think replaying areas I have literally just beaten sounds fun. This is especially the case in any kind of scripted game where you already know what's going to happen the second time you play something. That's why I think something like Dead Space's save system might work well, since the manual save stations are far enough apart for you to have to play one sequence of the game at a time to progress, with each save station being like a small reward at the end (they are usually in safe-ish places in those games), but at the same time dying isn't an annoying, frustrating experience thanks to frequent auto saves. If you die in a room you don't have to replay all the rooms before it that you've already beaten.
Just read it, thanks for taking the time to reply both there and here in the thread. What I think is also an interesting point to those who say iOS is better suited to F2P is to look how much money you guys have made from a £3.99/$4.99 app in just two weeks. That amount right there is proof that Premium DOES work and that serious money can be made. Sadly too many developers, especially larger ones, are more intent with pacifying the loudest voices who moan about app prices and push us toward the F2P/IAP model. As I said before, Survival Horror is not a genre I normally play ... ever, even back on PlayStation I never finished any of the Resident Evil games because I scare easily! However I have bought your game and will give it my best shot, on the setting to enjoy it as intended. I am a huge advocate of premium apps and the belief that iOS CAN be home to premium, console quality experiences. It's only right I support you as a developer also.
We still think the normal mode should not have such frequent save points but I'm OK if people want an easy mode with more frequent saves and similar stuff.
Thanks for abandoning the platform that got you where you are? Good move! In all honesty the save system, camera (yes I played with sensitivity), combat and animation would be critized even on consoles. You need to stop thinking it is only mobile gamers that think these gameplay elements aren't good. Like I've said Alien Isolation was heavily critiqued for the save system that is similar to this. The controls aren't great and I hope the MFi controllers help. The flashlight mechanic is also not great and wouldn't be well received in consoles either. You need to STOP generalizing everyone that makes these criticisms as casual mobile gamers. People on consoles will complain just as much if not more. I enjoyed the game. The atmosphere, sound, voice acting, story, setting etc is fantastic! But there are gameplay elements that are subpar no matter if it is intended to be a 90s survival horror game or whatever. We are just trying to help and seem to be getting generalized as "haters" and such.
He's clarified that they're not abandoning iOS but won't prioritise it over console and PC like they did with this release.
I should mention that it really was Apple, we don't have any PR team working for us, if we sold that much it was entirely Apple promoting the game because they really liked it and they told us they need more games like this on the AppStore. They supported us having the best coverage we can get (AppStore homepage big banners, best new games and other multiple categories). We got featured 2000+ on iTunes and 160+ on the AppStore home page (every single day). Also Apple is working with us since 2013, heck they even came to Montreal to meet our team in person! Again, we are not departing from mobile and unfair/shitty reviews won't either (despite me losing all my faith in TA reviewers) but priorities will of course change. Regards,
I didn't directed my message to you. I just let my mind speak about nippickers as there's more than just camera rotations in a game (which btw can be tweaked through the options menu). A game controls should n be bad because few thinks the camera is too slow (yes some find the camera too slow, others find the camera too fast) this is in fact a harsh generalization. Like the destructoid guy telling me the controls are bad because it does 180 quick turns if you swipe the screen too fast which in fact is a double tap quick-turn mechanic clearly stated in the game manual. He dislike that feature because he's not used to it but no, it felt into the "controls are bad in this game". Same goes for combo timing, peoples deliberately tries to hit enemies without timing the hit and well they miss their hit and again "controls are bad in this game". For god sake, there's even a combat tutorial who clearly explain it.
I have stopped playing Angry Birds a long while ago. Seriously, what's with the post? Does premium games without IAP suddenly mean it is not suitable for playing outdoor now? I played Modern Combat series, GTA, Republique etc just fine on the iphone too, while I am waiting for those stuffs to run in the freemium titles.
I do agree. We hope these criticism will be taken in stride so that the developers can learn from the mistakes. Adjusting priorities due to feedbacks seems childish. I don't think any sane person deliberately purchase this game just to hate on it.
I honestly can't believe how so many people would rather pay for IAP and crap easy games. Have we become so lazy as people that any resistance has become difficult to deal with. Honestly easy as is is perfect for casual gamers and normal is perfect for people that want a rush. I really hope the developers don't change that. TATO I'm really hoping to stop listening to the haters on here and give us episode 2 ASAP! I would hate to wait so long for a release because of the whiners
I wasn't really going to bother commenting any further on this thread because of a specific group of three people doing their best to sink the game because it doesn't suit their own "requirements", but you bring up a point there I find needs commenting. It's not specifically aimed at you as it is one I've seen mentioned a lot here so it's not personal obviously enough, it's just in relation to that specific point that I find extremely contradictory to what people on here have been asking for with years. The platform may be mobile in its nature when directly linked to iPhone but didn't anybody consider the iPad ? Did anybody put any thought into why Apple has/is supporting this particular game? Do people really bring their iPad on the bus with them to play games? I'm sure some do only want to play on buses but isn't anybody actually looking at the potential demonstrated by the iPad Air 2 and its monstrous specs? Didn't anybody consider for a minute why Apple has gone down that spec road with the iPad? I can tell you it's not so more people can play more games for 5 minutes on a bus journey. It's not so Candy Crush can upgrade their graphics and it's not to make the five minute segments in Future Fight look better. It's partly the reason but it's not the primary reason. It's amusing me greatly that this thread has spent so much time complaining about a specific segments, particularly those three attempting sinkers, but funnily enough the MC5 thread was dominated at one stage by people complaining about the shortness of the segments. So tell me exactly what is a developer to do? Stay true to a vision they develop for more depth or just keep churning out mini games? Doesn't anybody actually want some serious (I'd use a different word because even mini games are serious in their own way) games? Are you all so adapted to accepting that the hardware of your device is being limited by the majority who want mini games that you can't see the value in something that's not a mini game? Is it somehow wrong for a developer to develop something for what is at this stage clearly a niche market on iOS? Do all the mini game supporters really have to come in and try and sink a game that doesn't fit their own needs yet fulfils the needs of plenty of others who actually understand what the game was going for? I clearly remember the Tempo thread as well where there was nothing but complaints about how short the stages were. I still supported that game because I am open to many options and many options give me many different games to play in different environments and different situations. Tempo fulfilled my desire to play in short sessions while out and about. However I'm somewhat sick and tired of that because it appears to be the only option I have at this stage. I enjoy Future Fight as well and I very much understand why Eli likes Candy Crush so much, it's an extremely well designed and compelling play. But only in certain circumstances. It may not be for me, but that's fine, it does its job very well for what people want at particular time. And I don't contribute to its thread because I have nothing to contribute to it. Simple as that. The same general rules apply to this game. It fulfils a certain requirement and that requirement is to play something at home, for longer, with more challenge and requires a little bit more thought and is a bit more than simple tapping and button mashing, something I've seen criticised heavily on here in the past. So why all the negativity towards it? Is everybody on here simply not open to options and so self entitled that if a game doesn't fulfil all of their own requirements that It's automatically bad? Are other people not entitled to have something with more vision than a bus stop game? Is it such a bad thing to actually have a choice between playing a short button masher or playing something at home for prolonged periods of time? Despite seeing a demand for more longevity and depth or more "serious" in "mobile" games the biggest indicator I've gotten from this thread is in fact the opposite, that's not what people want, they want bus stop games and every game to a bus stop game irrelevant of what it's really meant to be. Isn't anybody actually just sick and tired of playing for five minutes at a go and jumping from game to game while the energy or timer refills on another one? I have no personal console anymore myself at home because I have an iPad Air 2 that fulfills most of my requirements but was certainly missing out on something like this game that I could play for a few hours in a row at home when I had time. I obviously have ports such as GTA series Bioshock and Oddworld and they fulfil a certain desire but let's not fool ourselves and say they grow the platform, they don't. They are not unique to mobile and as most reviews of them has said, particularly with Bioshock, play them on their designed platforms, console, to get the best from them. I don't necessarily agree with that but they don't offer anything unique that can't be got elsewhere. I'd like to se that uniqueness in the App Store. Exclusity with games designed from the get go for the App Store and iPads. Something we get first that gets ported to others later on and not the other way around all the time. Something that offers more than 10 minute gameplay before a timer kicks in and I have to rotate to another game to keep playing something. Some thing with atmosphere that doesn't get broken when the bus arrives or a timer kicks in. Some thing I can actually pay for and have. In other words everything this game offers. Surely I'm not unique in having that desire or that circumstance? Now bear in mind that it's not just gamers reading this thread. It's developers and certain other people who decide the future strategy of certain platforms. Do you really think you are spreading the correct message by saying "but it's a mobile game", "why can't I play it on the bus"? What exactly do ye think will be the result of giving out that message? And ultimately, the developer has always been very clear on their vision and that vision was not a bus stop game. If it's a bus stop game people are looking for, well, there is hundreds of thousands of them out there to choose from. Can those of us who want something extra or something more not also get what we would like? Is there something inherently wrong with actually having the choice? There is an awful lot of self entitlement in this thread from certain people and you know what, tough luck if you can't play it "mobile" at the bus stop, that was never it's purpose. If you actually played it as designed, and as so many have demanded from "mobile" games, one would see how satisfying an experience it is. And yes it has some issues in certain areas but no more than any other top level I've played. And finally, if you want to see some more "substantial" games on "mobile", and I mean more specifically iPad because it's that device that is going to get "developed" in a certain way along with the TV, ye might want to put some thought in to want is continued to be posted on here because why it's not obvious that there is a particular strategy/test/research at play here by a certain entity is beyond me. It's very lucky that the game has managed to do reasonably well, not well enough to make an impact in certain future decisions to my mind, but the thread comments have certainly made it clear that a rethink of whatever strategy might be in play may be necessary and that "mobile" gamers are not just ready to grow up yet no get a maturer platform despite whatever they have said in other threads. It looks like Candy Crush/taptapswipe/Infinity Blade/Future Fight/F2P/Injustice-Mortal Kombat-Immortals/bus stop simplified gameplay and heavily monetising might actually be the only way to go. All excellent games in their own right and particular environment by the way so not criticising the at all as they fulfil a specific requirement at a specific time and environment. Pity really as I was going to enjoy at least having the option. It's certainly appears many on here wouldn't though despite all the posts to the contrary over the years.
Really? Childish? I thought taking feedback on board was exactly what a good company does. Adjsting priorities is an inherent part of that. The thread has made it perfectly clear that certain types of games are not what "mobile" gamers want despite years of arguing otherwise on this forum. From the feed back on this thread, it's clear that mobile is NOT the place for this kind of game and the vision the developer had for it as something a bit more than the simplified tap tap easy win F2P game that "mobile" gamers have clearly become accustomed to. Future Fight being the most recent example of what a gamer really wants, a very entertaining game but very short missions and a huge grind fest. The perfect bus stop quick play game that can be grinder for years to get to the end without spending anything. I'm sure some other developers reading the thread would adjust their priorities accordingly as well and either go full hog simplified or just put "mobile" on the back burner and focus on console types first. That is essentially the message people have given out here.
the controls(touch) on this game are the best control i found on mobile device. ive been testing it since the original beta with many of its flaws, but now i can say that its perfect, people just dont get used to it first. even i have to get used to first modern combat control the first time i played it, it really hard to control at that time, but after playing so many fps on touch screen then ill try it again, it was piece of cake. BUT, people are right about the crosshair calibration where when you are in combat mode the crosshair should point directly to where we swing our weapons(melee) instead of being slightly stray to the right, its kinda confusing especially when you are facing the shadow enemy, you have you point your flashlight at her to slow her down(with crosshair directly at her), but when you want to swing the weapon, you have to move the crosshair slightly to the right to hit the target. thats the only complained here for me. i dont know if its design that way, i never ask tato directly about it since i just try to learned and now, im mastered the control along with the combat system
Yes, I do indeed think its childish that the reaction to these feedbacks contributes more toward adjusting priority than towards improving the game itself or the next episode. Its not true that if you are asking for the removal of save point mechanic means you want the game to become some "tap tap easy win F2P" freemium game. There are numerous premium games for hardcore gamers on mobiles and games on console that doesn't contain such save point mechanic too. Dead Space for ios doesn't need save point mechanic to be a premium game for mobile. Same for Republique. Both plays equally well on the iphone, and I do play both of them while I am waiting for bus. Lets not paint a general brushstroke here. Nobody who complained about the game, is asking for a simplified tap tap swipe battle mode. or monetising. or for this game to become a f2p app.
It is perfectly clear that with the feedback on this thread that mobile is not the platform for this game. You can perceive it as childish all you want, it's just amusing that you can't see that you're complaint about the save system is merely childish and self entitled by its nature. It's not the save system you're looking for in this game. Get over it and move on rather than insulting the developer with these "childish" comments directed at them. Don't bother replying. I have no further interest in partaking in this futile discussion or explaining the nature of feedback and the resulting actions of it. And I don't use buses so I don't particularly care whethe Republique is playable or not while waiting for one and would rather get a bit more than that from game these days. Even a "mobile" one. But especially one that I would play on an iPad Air 2.
