Cookie cutter?
Coudln't disagree more strongly.
Been playing games for 35+ years and have masters degree in business.
After years of watching Developers as a businessman I can now confidently state that:
"Sacrificing game play for realism is almost always a bad idea."
Yes there are exceptions but this isn't that kind of game.
This one already has fictional elements [aka zombies aren't really real].
Sometimes the term cookie-cutter get overused and I feel like this was a good example.
There are formulas that work because after years of testing, we know what people like and enjoy.
Depends on the definition of realism ... We are not talking somebody learning how to become a electrician, mechanic, it specialist to build all the tools, now are we
The issue is more that people are tied into that things called dopamine receptors and they like instant gratification. See how loot boxes have turned games into more or less addictive gambling simulators. XP/Perks are simply a way to fast give people that rush.
Play some of the mods that have introduced food spoiling, there own take on food spoiling, steam powered electricity generation, more complex crafting and its actually those mods that are the more popular ones. Clearly showing their is a demand for the more complex gameplay.
7D2D is not a triple A game that focuses on that specific group of people, or it was not in the past. These recent changes make it feel they want to step away towards this more cookie cutter game play. Do not take my word for it. Here on this forum you do not see a lot of talk back from people mostly because you get creamed if you disagree with the direction 7D2D but if you watch a bunch of the youtube 7D2D players and the responses from people on the A17 changes... its a different ballgame.
We shall see where 7D2D is going to end up but from my book they are way too much trying to emulate triple A games like Fallout or mmorpg, what is cookie cutter to the bone. The problem is that 7D2D has no story line or triple a production. The game lives and dies by its story content or instant gratification and that is missing ( A17 is clearly the attempt to do this past part ).
Maybe my expectation are a lot higher then most people because A16 was more then stable to go to content creation and not reworking everything again ...
My personal expectation after 15 months of development was not some graphical improvements, dungeons, total reworked skills/perks but REAL actual content. Real new zombies, new animals, more content to find, electricity massively expanded to provide mid to late content ( they have the base structure of it in game!!! ), ... And here we are today, a lot of tricks to delay the early game play, removal of even more realistic elements and what else to show? People drooling over a jeep or a balloon. *sigh* ...
7D2D was a fun survival, crafting game with zombies. You had the ability to see a future with a even more expanded gameplay. But over time, more and more features are getting stripped for more typical cookie cutter gameplay with a focus (starting in A16) in A17, on dungeons, xp/perks, weapon modifiers, explore for the good loot, ... sounds familiar because that is almost exactly Fallout gameplay. But its a far step from the older 7D2D gameplay. So sorry but the cookie cutter comparison is dead on.
There are also things to avoid, like adding unnecessary items/systems/etc to provide more realism.
Sometimes they don't make the game better, they just satisfy pedantic whims.... which doesn't sell.
They had no problem selling between 2 to 5 million copies with the old system. So lets us not nitpick about what people like. There are different groups of people with different preferences. Up to now 7D2D focused more on niche market and did well in the sales. Because it was scratching a itch people had.
I know no matter what is say, we will not see eye to eye. I feel like i wast my time talking about this stuff because its clear TFPs have their own vision, a vision that simply has changed over the years and fits less and less in that niche market. Its their game, sure, but also their risk. A game build upon a niche community, is not so easy changeable.
I am sure people will play A17. I will play A17 but A16 was also the alpha i spend the fewest hours in compared to the older ones. But from my personal taste where A16 has gone, i know the game is changing into a gameplay style that i detest. And no offense but 15 months waiting for this *sigh* ...
Just an opinion. I respect that you feel a different way.
Np :smile-new:
