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Mori_Yuki: Sorry for not being excited over this news. This is about the 10th or 14th pixel mush game in a pool of what feels like ahundredmillionplusone over the last couple years - and, yes, it starts getting old. May we consider adding some games in the next couple NOT being pixel or cheap looking mobile clones of some game that's already been done before? Can we, please?

I don't say I don't like the occasional pixel-art game standing out from the mass and it's getting increasingly harder to discover those. Since there are lots of wishes still not fulfilled for whatever reason maybe we ye are willing to strike a balance? Let's say for every pixel junk game coming up for release during the next 6 months GOG will add 5 games from the Community Wishlist. How about it?
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Starmaker: I don't want to contribute to the pile-on but

> Company: Roman Glebenkov / Roman Glebenkov

One dude. This is as close to Good Old Games as we can get, and as far from cheap looking mobile clones as a game can ever be. I want to play a game someone wanted to make.
As I mentioned in my second post - this is no verdict on this game and has nothing to do with it in particular. It just so happens that this was the final straw that broke the camel's back meaning to say one to many in a long line of pixel games so I posted my opinion here. ;-)
Post edited April 09, 2021 by Mori_Yuki
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Mori_Yuki: Sorry for not being excited over this news. This is about the 10th or 14th pixel mush game in a pool of what feels like ahundredmillionplusone over the last couple years - and, yes, it starts getting old. May we consider adding some games in the next couple NOT being pixel or cheap looking mobile clones of some game that's already been done before? Can we, please?

I don't say I don't like the occasional pixel-art game standing out from the mass and it's getting increasingly harder to discover those. Since there are lots of wishes still not fulfilled for whatever reason maybe we ye are willing to strike a balance? Let's say for every pixel junk game coming up for release during the next 6 months GOG will add 5 games from the Community Wishlist. How about it?
You know what, I agree. It needed to be said and you're right.
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Starmaker: I don't want to contribute to the pile-on but

> Company: Roman Glebenkov / Roman Glebenkov

One dude. This is as close to Good Old Games as we can get, and as far from cheap looking mobile clones as a game can ever be. I want to play a game someone wanted to make.
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Mori_Yuki: As I mentioned in my second post - this is no verdict on this game and has nothing to do with it in particular. It just so happens that this was the final straw that broke the camel's back meaning to say one to many in a long line of pixel games so I posted my opinion here. ;-)
I would like it if gog would cater to all different kinds of people with all kinds of different tastes, but for too long it feels like almost everything is constantly indie art pixel retro tech demo walking simulator. 99% of all sales seem to contain nothing that makes me happy. I've been replying old games for quite a while.
Post edited April 10, 2021 by fridgeband
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Mori_Yuki: Sorry for not being excited over this news. This is about the 10th or 14th pixel mush game in a pool of what feels like ahundredmillionplusone over the last couple years - and, yes, it starts getting old. May we consider adding some games in the next couple NOT being pixel or cheap looking mobile clones of some game that's already been done before? Can we, please?

I don't say I don't like the occasional pixel-art game standing out from the mass and it's getting increasingly harder to discover those. Since there are lots of wishes still not fulfilled for whatever reason maybe we ye are willing to strike a balance? Let's say for every pixel junk game coming up for release during the next 6 months GOG will add 5 games from the Community Wishlist. How about it?
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Dillerkind: A low-res graphics style is often not only a question of style and aesthetics but an economic necessity. If you're a small team or maybe even a single developer, you may not have the means to do "bigger", more up-to-date graphics. And to be fair, looking at modern AAA games, they often look kinda same-ish too. Highly detailed character models and scenery, performance-captured animations, etc - if everybody is realistic-high-res-blingbling, then nobody will stand out from the crowd either. In the end, graphics are just the packaging and the content, i.e. gameplay, should matter more :)

Don't get me wrong though. I understand what you're saying. I personally am not so much fed up with pixel graphics per se, but with the use of the term pixel art and how it's being overused so much. I wish I got 1€ for every time I read phrases like "lovely pixel-art", "cool old-school pixels" and the likes on a game's store page. I myself am not a complete stranger to creating pixel-art and sometimes I find myself thinking "yeah, it's pixel alright.. can't see much of the art though". Just thinking it, not saying it out loud, mind you :D

As for games on the community wishlist... I'm sure that more of these games would be available by now if it was that easy. It's certainly not because GOG doesn't want to have them. I think especially with older games it's not always clear who currently holds the rights to these titles, if anybody at all. With many of the more modern AAA games the publishers simply don't seem to be too keen to have their products available without drm or they even have their own store where they're selling exclusively. That's why you won't find e.g. EA or Ubisoft titles from the last 10 or so years here.

Anyway... Just my thoughts.
Absolutely nobody here is bashing the developer. I respect their style of game making, but there are large amounts of other people who just like different types of games. Nobody is asking for less pixel indie retro art tech demo walking simulators, people like me simply want more of other types of games so that everyone can enjoy games. I'm currently in what feels like my biggest ever video game dry spell because I can't find a single new game to buy. No games cater to my interests, simply because there is a lack of balance and variety in what new games gog seems to be releasing for a long time.
Post edited April 10, 2021 by fridgeband
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WildApple-OP: I would also like to ring in, if you excuse me :)

Yes, you have many valid poinst in your posts.
You mention economic reasons. Right, but you don't need 3D graphics for a good looking game...*

I am also slowly seeing myself in the group of people, who says, that there are simply too much new games every week with pixel graphics.

Yes, there are situations/games, where pixel-graphics can be and look good, like let's see, Tooth and Tail, Undungeon (comming soon), Lovecraft's Untold Stories, Valfaris, Blasphemous, Broforce, Crystal Caves HD etc.

[i]* Personally I prefer modern graphic like you can see in
Street of Rage 4;
Guns, Gore & Cannoli;
Monster Train;
Cat Quest series;
The Adventure Pals;
The Swords of Ditto;
Mark of the Ninja;
Zombotron;
8Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure (released yesterday);
Shadowrun Returns series;
Apotheon;
Blackhole;
Feudal Alloy;
Fury Unleashed;
Steamworld series
...and many others.

I tried to make a list of games you can buy on GOG.com[/i]

So, why not try something "better"?
No need for excuses. It's a discussion that's open for everybody to join in ;)

Yes, you're right that good looking graphics don't have to be 3D. However, good looking (hi-res) 2D is a ton of work too. And if your own artistic skills aren't up for the challenge of coming up with a consistent, cool 2D art style and you can't find or afford to hire somebody who'd fit the bill, then you're still out of luck. Low-res graphics are safer, in a way. That's not to say you can't go wrong there. You obviously can go very wrong with pixel graphics but I think especially for many new and possibly inexperienced devs it's still the most viable option. Meh, I'm beginning to sound like I'm making excuses for people's art-style choices :D

I like your list of games. I've played several of these myself and I agree, the ones I've played all have a quite unique style that's not just low-res pixelated. One (pixel) title I have to disagree though: Valfaris. Looks kinda meh imho. I only played this one briefly and from what I remember the graphics look pre-rendered and scaled down, kinda messy for the most part to be honest. Ah well, it's just personal preference, of course.


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fridgeband: Absolutely nobody here is bashing the developer. I respect their style of game making, but there are large amounts of other people who just like different types of games. Nobody is asking for less pixel indie retro art tech demo walking simulators, people like me simply want more of other types of games so that everyone can enjoy games. I'm currently in what feels like my biggest ever video game dry spell because I can't find a single new game to buy. No games cater to my interests, simply because there is a lack of balance and variety in what new games gog seems to be releasing for a long time.
Hey, it's all good. I know you guys weren't bashing anybody. I just felt like throwing in some potential reasons why devs might be using a certain graphics style (and yeah, I'm probably stating something very obvious here.. lol). Not sure if I fully agree with you calling it a "type of game". After all, it's just a graphical style that often has little to no direct effect on actual gameplay. You can make most types of games with anything from the most reduced pixelated to the most advanced 16k ultra-blingbling-the-future-is-now 3d type graphics. Yes, there are certain types of games that are far more common than others - but that's always been the case. Remember when the original Doom came out and seemingly every second game tried to cash in on its success? Or the RTS boom in the mid to late 90s.. or walking sims.. or open world survival crafting games.. or battle royale shooter.. and the list could go on.

Nowadays it's super easy for pretty much everybody with a computer to create games and stuff. There are so many tools and engines out there, some of which don't even require any actual coding knowledge and many of them are very affordable or even completely free. You can get/buy assets as well, so you don't need any artistic skills yourself either. imo this super low entry level is the main reason why so much stuff (often quite crap) gets released today. I don't use Steam but I do keep an eye on what's being released there and holy cow, the amounts of releases are completely out of control. Which brings me back to something I already said in my other post: the games that do get released on GOG. I can totally relate to what you said about not seeing anything you want to buy. I've been feeling like this myself for a couple of months now (not that I was suffering from a shortage of stuff to play, mind you). However, while some games may get rejected by GOG, my guess is that most of the games that aren't released here, aren't because the devs/publishers have no interest in it, for one reason or another. That said, there are a few titles due to release within the next couple of months that I'm looking forward to. Hopefully you'll find something you like as well.

Okay, I'll leave it at that. Don't want to derail the topic any further
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WildApple-OP: Right, but you don't need 3D graphics for a good looking game...
The first Stronghold game (and maybe the second part Crusader) is the perfect example that you are fully right; no 3D and it was the best game in the series. Making the sequels in 3D was imo a bad decision and a big reason, though not the only one, that the series went down. Using 3D was the beginning of the end of the Stronghold series.
Post edited April 13, 2021 by gamefood