Why are there no gameplay videos?

[dighost 25]

I am very interested in this "sim", but am leery of pulling the trigger to purchase.  Having been burned by so many software purchases (poor programming, terrible graphics/gameplay) in the past, I simply don't put much faith into the developers "hype" or description of how the game behaves or looks.  Sure a video doesn't promise that the title will be great (Duke Nukem anyone..), but at least I can see what to expect more or less.  Unless I missed something, I can't find any footage online.   In this day and age no videos??

[kathief 2]

We are working on some promo videos - apologies for the delay! We've been madly prepping for meetings at the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco this week. More news after we return!

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

In my opinion, promo videos should have been released before the game was out. Seems like a sloppy launch to me. I'm interested in the game but I have no idea what to expect. After so much disappointing software, it's not easy to burn $10 like that.

[kathief 2]

We are back from an incredibly successful trip to the Game Developer's Conference and are now focused on creating videos. We would have loved to get them out prior to the game launch, too, but we were focused on the game itself. Please keep in mind that this game is a work in progress by a small, passionate, independent team. We don't always get things finished in the ideal order, but we are always working to improve the game and want to make sure our audience is having fun. More news soon!

[HiFlyer 9,359]

In my opinion, promo videos should have been released before the game was out. Seems like a sloppy launch to me. I'm interested in the game but I have no idea what to expect. After so much disappointing software, it's not easy to burn $10 like that.

 

Closest thing to a game-play video I have found so far.

 

http://vimeo.com/59553363

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Closest thing to a game-play video I have found so far.

 

http://vimeo.com/59553363

 

Me too. I haven't found anything else than that. What's more disappointing, 1.5 months after the launch, and still not even a gameplay trailer. How do they expect to get sales when you can't even see what the game feels like?

 

I'm personally sick of waiting, and not interested in this game anymore. I hoped CGF would be successful with their first game (the former Aces members deserve it), but they've done everything wrong.

[kathief 2]

Wow, welcome back, eh? Here's a link to our first promo video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvNvJPwBt6g

 

Starting a new company and launching our first game - completely independently BTW - has been an incredible learning experience and we continue to work on the game and learn every day. Keep in mind that in earlier releases, we had a huge team and the full force of the formidable Microsoft machine behind us. It was an amazing wave to ride while it lasted! This time, it's just a handful of us and things sometimes take a bit longer. We wish the pace was quicker, too, and behind-the-scenes, sometimes it is. In other times, patience is one of the virtues we have had the opportunity to get to know better during this adventure.

 

One other observation... the game industry itself is evolving. The "standard procedures," for building, releasing, and promoting games, and for making a living as a game developer are evolving, too. The business models and financing options that seemed set in stone for the entire life of Flight Sim before 2009 have crumbled, and the industry is far from consensus re: their replacements. For a startup, that means we have to be nimble, open, and able to experiment and learn what works - and what doesn't.

 

Now that our base release is out, we will try lots of different types of additions, for different audiences and gameplay styles. We will also be experimenting with guerrilla marketing techniques with our partners. This will not be a totally smooth ride or a straight glide path from A to B, but it has been and will continue to be fun. Our passion for and dedication to simulation gameplay are things that haven't changed. I hope at least a few of you are up for the ride, as long trips are way more fun with friends. Thanks for listening!

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL 663]

Flight Simmers are a tough audience, no doubt the Members of CGF remember well Phil Taylors experience during FSX's development and its service packs as a bit of a nightmare.

Times change perhaps , so did the product but the audience hasn't , simmers are sophisticated users of hardware and invest in their setup more than most casual gamers in an effort to garner the best visuals possible at the highest graphic settings while trying to maintain good framerates.

They are ostensibly trying to simulate an activity but closer to the truth is that there is a premium on the asthetic aspect, the accuracy of system function is often cited as important but commentary on visuals far outnumbers any other aspect of the 20 + releases i have been associated with.

The point i am trying to make is that what one sees onscreen must look outstanding, because that is what folks are looking for and at, pixels, be they animated or static they are eyecandy and that is the basic building block of simulating anything.

 

The visuals need to be the first and foremost  concern as they are the only part of a product available to the user to appreciate on screen , we developers see them ( visuals ) as the top layer sitting on all that codebase, our clients only see the visuals and preceive function as built on the visual element in action.

 

After watching the Video i was left with no desire to see the product onscreen, there was an impression of flatness to the rendering , no shimmering , no surface specularity , the water itself invisible as there were no suspended particles , diminished visibility depending on distance didnt look real to my eyes.

Please take this post as intended, my 2 cents i guess , i am trying to give my impressions based on what i saw onscreen in the video with what i have learned over the years making products for this market, eyecandy , eyecandy , eyecandy, function , and in that order.

 

[kathief 2]

Thanks, Chuck - duly noted! Re: our video, we recorded in 720p, as per YouTube's recommendation for good results on the widest variety of devices, but we clearly lost some of the subtle details. In the real game, there are particle effects, water surface effects, dynamic lighting, etc. and the conditions/visibility change from dive to dive, as they do in the real world. It's certainly not perfect, but it's a solid start.

 

We definitely understand the need for fabulous graphics and kicka** gameplay, but new games, especially new independent games, have to start somewhere. Please remember that FSX took many, many iterations before it became the game it is now. We are just getting started.

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL 663]

Thanks for the reply ,  while slightly off the topic at hand i was wondering if an SDK is planned so as to allow the creation of a Sub?

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Thanks, Chuck - duly noted! Re: our video, we recorded in 720p, as per YouTube's recommendation for good results on the widest variety of devices, but we clearly lost some of the subtle details.

 

720p? I can watch the video in 1080p.

 

As for graphics, they need tons of improvement. I think that adding a few more shaders and bloom effects would be a good start.

[HiFlyer 9,359]

There is a strong Mavis beacon style educational-scholastic "early learning" vibe to this video, that is reinforced by the choice of music. I wonder what is the intended target audience?

[kathief 2]

Hi! My apologies for the delayed replies - we've been swamped doing local events in the Seattle area to get the word out and hands on our game. So far, so good!!

 

Re: an SDK... yes, tools are definitely in our long-term plans, so that others can create new divesites and adventures to share with the community. We are working on new dive sites, too, but there's no way we can create them all. It's funny that you ask about a submersible, since we participated in an event last week at the Seattle Aquarium with Mission Blue and Greenpeace to launch their campaign to protect the Bering Sea Canyons. In addition to demo'ing the game, we created mock-ups of a sub with Sylvia Earle in it to show what that add-on will look like in the game.

 

Re: the educational aspect of the game, yes, that is a key area of focus for us. As players dive in the game, we expose them to high-level dive science, such as the concepts of air consumption at different depths and compass navigation. Players can also earn certifications that are inspired by the PADI specialties, such as underwater photography and wildlife identification. As players find fish, corals, and other critters, each one unlocks a page of a Field Guide that can be read after the dive that shows what that creature looks like in the real world, along with some other cool real-world info on it. Finding wreck artifacts unlocks pages of real history that describe the ship, the battle in which it was sunk, the surrounding area, and some of the environmental challenges that have arisen as the ship and it's other sunken neighbors have deteriorated since World War 2.

 

As a company, our goal is to help people explore the world from home - the real world, with all its quirks and charms and fun stuff to learn about. It's a non-standard approach in the rest of the game world, but familiar to simulation fans.

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL 663]

No lack of work or water in Seattle it appears , and happy to hear that your getting lots of ideas for inclusion and support with them.

 

Did paypal service become a feature of the website ? , i would imagine the sdk is some time off yet .

 

Best CJ

[kathief 2]

No, unfortunately, we don't support PayPal yet, but it's on our schedule for later this summer.