Fan Created Adventure Games
I was wondering what people though about fan-created adventure games. I have played games such as Space Quest 0, New Adventures of Zac McCracken, and have been checking out the websites for games like Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth, and Hero6 (a Quest for Glory spinoff) and several others that have yet to be developed.
Basically, I think that it is great that so many people have the time to make these adventure games for free. Adventure Gamers has a whole section of their site devoted to these type of games.
Do you guys think it helps the adventure game genre to have these fan created titles floating around? Why don't game developers notice the fact that adventure fans have resorted to this and produce more games along the same lines. These games have shown that adventure game fans love playing the old dos and scumm games - doesn't seem like it would cost game companies that much to put out a few new titles along the same lines.
Basically, I think that it is great that so many people have the time to make these adventure games for free. Adventure Gamers has a whole section of their site devoted to these type of games.
Do you guys think it helps the adventure game genre to have these fan created titles floating around? Why don't game developers notice the fact that adventure fans have resorted to this and produce more games along the same lines. These games have shown that adventure game fans love playing the old dos and scumm games - doesn't seem like it would cost game companies that much to put out a few new titles along the same lines.
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Comments
Adventure games draw a wider audience than any other genre. It also seems to draw people who are also "casual" gamers. That's why Myst sold so well. They got all the people who didn’t usually buy games. Casual gamers play a lot of games online (keep reading this is going somewhere). If you look at casual gaming portals, you’ll see games with upwards of 20,000 people online at once. That’s great, but how many of those people are paying for the full versions of games? The answer is a lot less. I’ll be (very) generous and say one in four. No let’s go back to our KQ1 example ¼ of 500,000 is 125,000. That’s not so impressive, and that’s assuming that it is a compatible example to the casual games, which usually are priced around $20. At $50 the sales data would be even lower.
The only way to get the big guys to make adventure games is to show them that there is a profit to be made in Adventure games. They know there’s a big fanbase (the Sam and Max debacle certainly showed that). If Telltale and Autumn Moon shock the world and make tons of money for their games we may see a resurgence. But do we want that? I think that there are plenty of Adventure games on the horizon. And with the fangames that this thread is actually supposed to be about, we have plenty to play in the meantime.
Ok, I did a google search and found this at Avault. It says:
"Products like Battlezone, Grim Fandango and the last Secret of Monkey Island are just a couple games I know off the top of my head that did around 30,000 units." The article is dated June 24, 2002 but doesn't say where the data comes from.
According to Just Adventure Grim Fandango has sold approximately 95,000 copies since its release. This does not include overseas or online purchases. The numbers came from PC Data according to JA. No date.
Just Adventure has used PC Data's information to compile adventure games sales lists in the past, too. According this list Grim Fandango sold 16,157 units in 2001 in the United States, online sales excluded.
In June 2002 year-to-date sales were 8,032.
The most recent sales data is from March 2003 year-to-date sales being 1,584.
Thats a flop in my book. Its a shame.
Most people who buy games buy them for the shiny box they come in or because it has some pretty graphics. In fact, most people seem to assume that games have to be either shooters, platformers, or 'the sims' (damn, how i hate the sims).
if they do download games from the interweb it's going to be something counter-strikesque unfortunately. No. I'm afraid the only way adventure games are going to become popular again is through some decent professional games.
While some people will download these games because the are good and give them vague flashbacks to a better age filled with sprites etc., for the mainstream the games are going to have to be good looking and fairly addictive. as well as having all the things adventure gamers know and love.
(Might i just add that despite my dissapointment on no Sam and Max 2, Bone is looking pretty sweet)
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/08/23/pressrelease_6105439.html
Yay for going offtopic. Tony Jaa is the new muay thai jackie chan in my mind. Watch Ong Bak (a great thai movie).
Adventure games, (to me), just look like they take alot of time and organisation. I don't have the artistic skills required or the ability to run a team. So if I want to make a adventure game I'd have to join a existing team. I think that's the best way to suceed.
By the way Alucard, I think your right. Life is a demanding mistress. That's the best thing about game design. You can drop away from reality, from life. She might be knocking at the door all night long, but nobody will be home. Infact, your half way to Peru by the time she busts open the door, knocks over all the precious china, trashes the furniture, throws out your mint condition star wars collectable figurines and screams out, " WHERE IS PUNY MAN!!!!!!!"
(crazy)
Anyhow, you are all leading towards a good point. Is there a place where aspiring adventure game makers can meet up and volunteer to work on games together? Is there an amateur/underground adventure game "community"? I'm curious as I was making a MUD once, and there is a good deal of support for that.
(Also, in case my job here becomes...untenable...then it'd be good to know where to find minions to help me make my next big masterpiece.)