How Come....

[dead3r]

.. this game is not more popular?
Its a great space combat game (lacks documentation tho..)
But its hardly known anywhere..
I was searching for some good indie games which linked to a list which linked to an interview which linked to this site.

[Betelgeuse]

good question

couple things off the top of my head

it is a rogue-like game, not a popular genre
small (yes I have seen people complain the download was too small and therefor couldn't be a good game)
not in 3-D (see above)
still in development
time span between new versions

that being said it does seem to attract new people all the time and with the plans on advertising the game more with 1.0 I think the game community will grow alot.

[Daedal]

I'd disagree with two of those points, Betelgeuse. Rogue-likes have a good 'cult' following, but I've never seen this game advertised on any Rogue-like website. I'd offer instead that the biggest reason folks don't come in droves is that it's actually really hard to find the website even if you're specifically looking for it.

Regarding the 2D-ness of the game, a lot of folks actually prefer that to a 3D game. 3D games are slower, generally uglier (chunkier), more resource intensive, and often more difficult to navigate or just clumsier. A quasi-3D environment, like the one in Freelancer, would be nice, but definitely not necessary. (As a side note - Freelancer is mapped out on a giant 2D grid, but includes height in each sector. Everything is still very planar, but occasionally you get something floating off into the z axis.)

I completely agree with the last two points, though. It's hard to stay interested in a game in development unless you're developing it. And even then... On the other hand, I think this game shows great promise. If it can really become as deep as Nethack I think it will draw at least as great a following, if not greater due to the graphics and the genre.

[Betelgeuse]

I think the point that it is still in development is a good point, you can still influence it. (I tend to hang around more in games still in development more than completed games, even commercial games, maybe it is just me)

I think nethack is still in development how do they get over that problem? Is it just better known kind of thing? (that can be solved by advertising?)

[Daedal]

Nethack is still in development, but for the average player to realize that he'd have to play the game for years. It's so complicated and complete the way it is that each new feature added to it is just gravy. Put another way: Nethack is still growing, but the growth is negligible compared to what's already there.

Transcendence is not at that point yet. When you can play a game of Transcendence (or two, or three, or five) and feel that the game is challenging, fun, balanced, and captivating all the way through to the end, then it'll be ready.

Advertising and that special cult status that Nethack has achieved play a big role, but without its completeness I don't think it could retain its fans. Transcendence could go on a huge marketing spree right now and most of the people that come check it out would play a game or two and forget about it. There's not enough to do yet. There's still balance issues that make you put the game down halfway through. It's just not there yet..

[dead3r]

Nethack is different imo. Starting nethack for first time is not easy and you need to play a lot able to enjoy it. Many people just give it up. But transcendence is different. Its very easy starting off the game.
But I do agree that transcendence is still lacking in some content. In comparison you can play nethack thousands of times with many different variations.

On the other hand, I think this game shows great promise. If it can really become as deep as Nethack I think it will draw at least as great a following, if not greater due to the graphics and the genre.

Completely agree...

[GambitDash]

I've had a couple friends of mine say, "Oh, it only runs on Windows?" Admittedly, they were mostly chaps with mac's, but has anyone else had that reaction when mentioning it to people? Or am I the only one that has talks to people about it? :)

[Periculi]

Oh, I am definitely a transcendence evangelist.

I even have a few converts.

However, getting them to join this forum is a different matter altogether.

[digdug]

i've got a couple of friends playing transcendence with vmware on macs.

[Stormhawk]

I've gotten a friend to play and she loves it. (I would try to get more, but I'm really limited on friends.)

[F50]

I'd disagree with two of those points, Betelgeuse. Rogue-likes have a good 'cult' following, but I've never seen this game advertised on any Rogue-like website. I'd offer instead that the biggest reason folks don't come in droves is that it's actually really hard to find the website even if you're specifically looking for it.

True. This needs a link at some rogue-like site when 1.0 is reached.

I think the point that it is still in development is a good point, you can still influence it. (I tend to hang around more in games still in development more than completed games, even commercial games, maybe it is just me)

I agree betel. When you know that this is all a game will ever be, you either play the game as it is, or not at all. If the game is in development, there is a certain excitement to watching the code grow.

I've had a couple friends of mine say, "Oh, it only runs on Windows?" Admittedly, they were mostly chaps with mac's, but has anyone else had that reaction when mentioning it to people? Or am I the only one that has talks to people about it?

It runs on wine just fine, you just need a significantly better computer. That said, most of the people that I talk to aren't interested in the kinds of games that I play. Perhaps they just don't believe that you can just grab a game off of the internet for free (legally, that is).

[H Iris]

My Bro's are both addicted to the game but neither wants to join the forumn (but the older Bro does help with Mod concepts)

[evilbob]

Funnily enough, a friend of mine who works on macs is addicted to the game. He went scampering for 0.99 when I told him about a couple of new features.