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Resident_Hazard on 17 June 2008
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ItsaMii said:
HappySqurriel said:
...

You know what I see from that list?

A developer who built a reputation for delivering low budget games on time and under budget with the promised features ...

You want to know how I came to that conclusion?

Publishers gain access to licenced properties and turn a profit by producing these games at the lowest possible cost and selling them based entirely on the popularity of the IP. These publishers tend to farm these IPs out to the same developers because they know they can consistently produce the games they promise to under budget and on schedule; if High Voltage went overbudget, delayed their games, or didn't deliver their promised features they probably wouldn't receive further IPs.

Developers like High Voltage are not (typically) given the opportunity to break the cycle of being a shovelware developer ... But High Voltage seems to be well managed because they have built up enough money (over time) to be able to pay for development of The Conduit without a publisher; being that they're taking a very high personal risk you would assume they have faith that they will be able to produce a high enough quality title to both recover their investment and build a decent reputation for themself.

 

 

You make me feel like shit. All these years looking down on shovelware developers and now I realize that sometimes it is not even their fault. It is like blaming voice actors for cartoon or game with poor story. They are just doing their job (in some cases they are not even allowed to do it properly).

Even talented developers would deliver shit if they had a very small budget and a tight schedule. Am I still allowed to hate Ubisoft and EA (no excuses for budget and development time)?


 

Keep in mind, one of the best studios in the world has churned out licensed shlock to make ends meet--Treasure. And they consistantly turn right around and give us top-quality, high-intensity titles.

 I think it's fair to doubt High Voltage because of their past, but it's also fair to give them the benefit of the doubt.  They have Gyrostarr and Animales De La Muerte coming to Wii Ware--both exclusively built internally for the Wii.  They clearly worked their asses off building a graphics engine that properly optimizes many of the Wii's strengths.  I think all these years they were just building up to when they could break free from the "licensed shlock" mold to create their own wonders.  Rare also started out as a fairly mediocre company waaaaayyy back in the day, and then turned into one of the single greatest developers in the world (then even more quickly turned into one of the lamest after Nintendo sold 'em off).  Look at how the guys at High Voltage are hyping The Conduit--look at how clearly proud they are to be making this product, and how determined they are to break into the Wii with as much force as possible.  These guys have determination and vision, and sure, The Conduit doesn't have the most original story line in gaming (aliens invade the capital?! OH NOES!!), but then, Halo is little more than your typical alien-invasion FPS, too.  It's just really well refined.  Which is exactly what the guys at High Voltage seem to be aiming to do with their three new original Wii titles--a high level of refinement and giving Wii owners games we're sorely lacking.

Except for Gyrostarr because, honestly, I think we have enough Shmups--as if that genre could ever get tired.  And the Blackjack game on WiiWare was clearly one of their last licensed drones to earn some capital for the other three titles.