Hello, I was curious after all these years how are Sk veterans doing?
Since, you know, basically, 90% of the players are just veterans that can't let go SK due to having much time or money invested I guess?
I once was kind of in that spot, so I have the same feeling.
I became a Software Engineer and currently working as a Data Base Admin.
How is life treating you? Why cant you leave?
I'm out but I maintain being a member of a couple of SK discords to keep in touch with old SK pals and also in case someone has a bug report/feature request regarding my calculator. Just adding or tweaking a few numbers for a weapons is such an absurdly small job I feel morally obligated to do it now that I've put my work out there.
Outside of SK I put a preposterous number of hours into Earth Defense Force but I also play many other things. Like you I also do database work and I've moved so far out that I have thoroughly unplayable lag towards SK (it was previously only borderline unplayable) ridding me of this curse forever.
used to play a few hours in SK but once gates start to have only compound or axis valley on T3 stopped to play for a while idk how its now probably the same but will be back on black kats because a friend still want a book despite have the all the gear.
outside SK, mmm i havent found games that arent freaking "OH HEY YOU GOT YOUR GEAR? NICE! BUT YOU NEED TO REFINE IT TO +21 TO KILL THIS MONSTER WHICH ISNT A BOSS BUT STILL YOU FIND MANY OF THEM ON THE DUNGEON, OH BTW YOU NEED TO KILL THEM IN 1 MINUTE OR YOU WOULDNT GET PASS TROUGH THE DPS WALL, ALSO GOOD LUCK REFINING YOUR ITEM BECAUSE ITS 2% CHANCE FROM +6 REFINEMENT.
So i decided to go back to the first MMO i played since i found out it have the "retro version" still running its the one where i learn grinding get your efforts rewarded as soon you craft it. and since the level pack i made for Doom64 which was recreating Episode 1 from Doom got good reviews im working on doing the same for Episode 2.
Well, outside of SK, I sometimes tend to look on some things that goes on in the gaming industry here and there, trying to get out of boredom, you know.
For a few examples, I've read that Limited Run Games' very own store is gonna open very soon, which is very nice, considering we needed many more stores like that popping up, being its contributing to keeping physical releases intact as it has been, past and present.
Already finished about a couple games people hardly pay any attention to lately, I think, such as Atooi's "Mutant Mudds" and the sequel, "Super Challenge". Would like to see "Mutant Mudds 3" sometime, considering the year's the first game's 10th anniversary is what started it. And Xeodrifter, nice Metroidvania platformer, but really lacked boss variety and originality, along with a somewhat hollow chiptune soundtrack. Should "Xeodrifter II" be made, I would expect more new original bosses, slightly . Tanukii Studios' "Go! Go! Kokopolo" games, still waiting on more news on "Kokopolo DX", 'cause its been months, Shin'en Multimedia's Jett Rocket games, really have been waiting for "Jett Rocket III" since I've finished it, & Gunman Clive 1 & 2. Hoping Gunman Clive 3 gets made one day.
With key games many people pay too much attention to lately, such as Fortnite, Overwatch, Among Us, even Friday Night Funkin', even making too much minor moments they try to pointlessly popularize online(just my perspective on that), I really feel the attention should focus back to such games people hardly play and admire lately. No one can stay too hooked to those kind of games forever I've mentioned in the former. Sooner or later, people are going to get bored and tired of said games from the latter.
As one, I feel each IP from the past should feel more respected and noticed, not going to the point where they've gotten too dormant to consider completely forgettable. I really don't pay attention to such games that draw too much peoples' attention to where they're making whatever creations they wanted in key genres. I mean, its no problem having any kind of game that has great customization for people, but with other developers kinda neglecting past dormant IPs, along with more gamers too focused on too many multiplayer online games, I feel we should focus back on the real roots past games made time to time see more like those made frequently. Sure, its not bad to try something different now and then, but what really worked in the past in gaming and key aspects in the development process should remain as it is, for keeping to the roots always work right.
There should be some kind of initiative to get that kind of attention back to those IPs & maybe a few changes to the game development and management structure to bring some more focus back to past dormant IPs with better respect. Its more about the focus on returning past IPs back to their prime.
That's something more people should think about today.
You know, from what I've read time to time, people have been more and more concerned about many games getting, and have been, delisted from digital marketplaces not yet re-released, nor preserved for more new gamers-to-be to enjoy, play, and acknowledge, even obscure games such as, the LostWinds games, the more recent "Oscar" games from Virtual Playground seen on the DSi Shop. Even though not many people enjoy bad games, especially those from WiiWare, for instance, they still deserve preservation for more people to play, too, such as Spogs Racing(thought that looked neat and interesting when I've watched the trailer)& Blaster Master: Overdrive. Yes, many people have played them and they did point out many flaws that made them in bad shapes they may be, but that was from Wiiware's & DSiWare's tight download size limits at the time. If such limits would've been less tight, maybe those games would've been quite better.
Given Nintendo's very... unpopular decisions in the gaming business industry that made a lotta people mad at them lately, and, obviously still do, I feel we really should have new standalone platforms that can give second, or even perpetual chances to previous games that have been delisted, no matter how good or bad they may be, both on a home console and a true dedicated handheld console, not mobile phones. What I'd love to see those games back again. If more people would like to contribute to that, I'd be greatly thrilled.
I'm also enjoying the amazingly cool new chiptune music tracker, Furnace, that does not only multiple systems' chips, but lets you combine them and use whatever duplicates of said chips people wish, for very cool endless possibilities of making music and sound effects singular chips could not do all alone! Could anyone care to contribute to such creative potential that tracker has? I'd like to see those made and watched online to see how anyone who downloaded Furnace can do on making lots of cool new music and sounds.
Link to where you can find that tracker is right here. Take a look, and give it a try, if you want. - https://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/124388
I do have more of mine to say.
When it comes to having guides in game development, hardly any mentioned using different alternatives to select programs many people find expensive, and/or not willing to pay a monthly fee to make art, do game programming, make sounds & music, etc., and so far, little programs have such means to be great alternatives while still making great games that have perpetual purchases rather than monthly subscriptions. There should be more programs that provide to be alternatives to said ones that are monthly payments only, even game engines, of which can be made in proprietary without even the need to use one with said unnecessary pricing model. I would love that to happen more.
I've been trying out Furnace, that cool new chiptune tracker, but I lack prior experience in said tracker. If any prior instructions/tips on making music and sounds on Furnace are needed, they're encouraged. Its a bit much to wrap my mind around... so far. The interface could be more easier to get around, though.
Also, I have really enjoyed games having mid-bosses, mini-bosses, sub-bosses, whatever term they're called because they not only provide greater originality and variety in boss design and their own battle themes to distinguish them from normal/major bosses, both shared themes & unique themes, but they also prove they're more fun to beat with major bosses.... even if more than one unique mid-boss appears. However, there hardly seems to be any guides that give people wanting to be game devs the means to make said mid-bosses, even though more new mini-bosses are appearing in newer games lately, such as those in the Blaster Master Zero Trilogy, Sonic Mania, & The Legend of Zelda - Tri-Force Heroes(that of which has all of 'em based on key enemies, old and new, but with unique designs standing out to be actual mid-bosses).
In my belief, at least each main stage/world in any game should have one unique mid-boss to face before going against the major boss. Having more than one is fine, too, long as they're unique, not repeats of beating mid-bosses over and over again, no matter how different the battlefield is, even reskinned colors don't count, because that takes away vitality and uniqueness of any original mid-boss.
Still, there should be newer guides to give people advice and inspiration on creating mid-bosses in games. Can anyone make such guides? I think anyone could. All they would need are examples of any mid-boss from past games, maybe actual artwork of 'em, and words of wisdom on designing mid-bosses in games so people would feel more comfortable in making 'em. Who would like to give making such guides a try sometime? That is, if anyone wants to.
I still play a couple of times per week. It varies over the years. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes I guide a new player through the missions for the first time. That's really fun. Otherwise, I've not seen any friends in a long time. In Spiral Knights, that is. Cheers.