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Profit Motive: A Business Adventure RPG

TubeTube Registered User admin
edited September 2012 in Indie Games
eusolace wrote:
"A Business Adventure."
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Game Demo:

Note that if you have AVG security it might think the game.exe is an untrusted program, but it is not :)

Profit Motive Demo Version 4.0 (187MB)

Official Website

http://profitmotivegame.com/

Game Summary

Profit Motive is a modern day, corporate themed RPG. Players assume the role of Myron Meckler, a one-time executive of a major corporation who has been betrayed by his former supervisor and expelled from the company in dishonor. The game follows Myron as he strives to regain his power and position in the business world.

Players will start out as a small business owner surviving the wiles of unruly and unethical competition and grow into a mega conglomerate vying for power against rival companies in intense corporate warfare.

Key Game Features
  • Over the top battles featuring a unique Turn-Based Combat System.
  • The ability to hire key staff and gain the support of NPCs in the world who can be "Summoned"to your aid in battle.
  • 4 Stages of Business Development including: Lv.1) Small Business, Lv.2) Franchise, Lv.3) International Corporation, Lv.4) Mega Conglomeration.
  • Each level introduces new gameplay mechanics and player abilities that add depth and strategy to the battles.
  • Corporate themed story world with lots of interesting character side stories and open-world missions that explore multiple aspects of running a business.
  • High quality background and sprite art.

Screen Shots:(Some tiles and sprites shown below are early WIP and will be replaced eventually)

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Playtest Questionnaire:

If you have a few free moments to fill out the following questionnaire after plaything the game, we'd really appreciate it. We're looking to do whatever we have to in order to improve the quality of the design and the overall gameplay experience:

Profit Motive: Game Experience Questionnaire

Special Thanks to everyone who has sent in feedback so far! All your thoughtful comments and suggestions for improving the game are being taken to heart and acted upon :)


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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited September 2012


    SPECIAL NEWS AND EVENTS - September 4th, 2012

    The second Profit Motive Fan Art Contest has been announced on DeviantArt!:

    PROFIT MOTIVE FAN ART CONTEST #2

    Good luck to all entrants.

    See the winners from the previous fan art contest here:


    Project Status and Updates

    Version 4.04 Updates (September 5th, 2012)
    • This version includes a minor bug for a potential hang in the Insurance Dual Battle.

    Version 4.0 Updates

    Here's what's new in this latest version:
    • All player suit graphics are in and now show up in battles.
    • Key Staff also now have different outfits that get unlocked based on leveling them up.
    • All placeholder character and NPC sprites have been replaced
    • The Profit Meter, Capital, and PP HUD visuals have been added (Yay! No more number boxes!)
    • A first pass has been done on all the tileart for Market Town's exterior (still not many interiors done yet...)
    • The dialogue for the first 3 missions of the game has been revised and edited so there are a lot less spelling errors now and better writing :)
    • A first pass of most sound effects are in.
    • Massive amount of Bug Fixes both graphical and technical.
    • And finally, a new side-quest and Key Staff character and abilities has been added. Introducing the accountant Esper!:

      Esper_Portrait_ss.jpg
    There are still issues with the passage settings and some areas, but nothing that should block game progression (save often!).

    The next big update will come in December. We should have the location map and new interface for the battle HUD working as well as the revised intro and endings.

    Bugs

    Please report any bugs you find in the demo and I'll work on getting them fixed.

    That's it really. The more feedback we can get at this stage the better.

    Known Issues

    There are quite a few bugs and polish issues that I'm aware of and will be addressing in the next few iterations of the demo. They are:
    • Passage settings are not set for a few swapped tilesets (i.e. Abandoned Market Town).
    • Some of the text in battles is placeholder and the AI is always showing you what they are thinking (which is just in there so that the battles are easier to debug during the development phase, they will eventually be removed).

    Incoming Features

    The Metagame
    • All NPCs will have Item Gifting or metagame interaction features.
    • Proper menu and interface will be developed so that players can track their progress across various aspects of their business.

    The Openworld
    • More and interesting openworld events will be hooked up.
    • Current side missions will be completed and polished up.
    • The NPC Metagame will be expanded and finalized so almost every NPC has varied and interesting interactions.

    Gameplay
    • Random and Infinite Battles will be added soon
    • The map will be fixed so that it works properly throughout the whole game.
    • All Battles will be gaining context and all of the placeholder "Attack #1", etc. will be removed. The AI will also no longer show you what they are thinking as you play, this is simply in there for debug purposes.
    • All of your choices in the dialogue branch will start to matter more and change the outcome of the story. You will also have better choices to make than what's currently been put in the demo.
    • 2-Player vs mode will be added to the final version of the demo.

    The Visuals
    • More background tiles for Market Town and all the interiors will be coming soon
    • More 2D character art, sprites, and animations are on the way
    • The whole interface will be visual and all the debug boxes will be removed.

    eusolace on
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    Erin The RedErin The Red The Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMA Baton Rouge, LARegistered User regular
    Downloading now. Looks fun! The art style is reminiscent of Phoenix Wright. This is a good thing. Thanks for the heads up!

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    TurkeyTurkey So, Usoop. TampaRegistered User regular
    I'm a bit confused. Is the game freeware, or will it be commercially available after it is completed?

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    Gigazombie CybermageGigazombie Cybermage Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    Hahaha, interesting.

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    TubeTube Registered User admin
    Turkey wrote: »
    I'm a bit confused. Is the game freeware, or will it be commercially available after it is completed?

    I believe it's a commercial product. It meets our requirements because it has a demo available.

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    cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    Props to whoever did the art.

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    LepwaveLepwave Registered User regular
    Phoenix Wright vibes coming from this, not a bad thing.

    XBL/CoX tags - Lepwave/@Lepwave
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    cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    Well, that guy did steal Godot's outfit.

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    jclastjclast Registered User regular
    This looks neat. Next time I am on a PC that can run any games I will give the demo a spin. From what you posted though, I really dig the art style, and you've got me interested about how battles play out.

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    Gigazombie CybermageGigazombie Cybermage Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    After playing it a while, I have to say I really like it! Good characters, with a simple to learn, yet hard to master battle system. ETA on the full release? Definitely gonna have to pick this one up.

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    Thanks for all the great feedback!

    @Turkey: The demo is free. The final version will be a commercial release.

    @Gigazombie: That's great! Please do leave us feedback via the survey linked in the post when you are finished playing the demo. We're tentatively releasing the final version in summer of next year.

    -Sage

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    DírhaelDírhael NorwayRegistered User regular
    I really like the look of the game, and it sounds like something I'd have a great time playing. I'll be checking out the demo when I'm back home and have access to my PC again, but until then...what are the chances of you releasing a OSX version?

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    TurkeyTurkey So, Usoop. TampaRegistered User regular
    I'll give the demo a check as soon as I have the time. It looks really interesting!

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    @Dirhael: It depends on how well the PC version does. If sales go well enough, we will be able to port over to OSX and other devices.

    @Turkey: Thanks! Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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    VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    Looks way more exciting than PharmaSim.

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    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    I've updated the developer post with specific information about the demo. We'll continue to do this for each build.

    Cheers,

    -Sage

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    KadokenKadoken Giving Ends to my Friends and it Feels Stupendous Registered User regular
    Looks great. This doesn't look that graphic intensive, would you ever be able to put this on droid/iOS/PSN store for Vita/3DS store?

    This does look pretty interesting, something I'd be excited to play.

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    Kadoken wrote: »
    Looks great. This doesn't look that graphic intensive, would you ever be able to put this on droid/iOS/PSN store for Vita/3DS store?

    This does look pretty interesting, something I'd be excited to play.

    Thanks! As mentioned, we'd definitely be willing to, provided the PC version does well enough and gets all the support it needs.

    -Sage

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    Profit Motive is a feature on Let's Play if you'd like to see some footage of the game with humorous commentary:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCSxnq9owpU

    -Sage

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
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    mustcodemustcode Registered User new member
    Looks very interesting, will dl and give it a try. If story is on par with, say, Phoenix Wright, then you got a hit!

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    mustcode wrote: »
    Looks very interesting, will dl and give it a try. If story is on par with, say, Phoenix Wright, then you got a hit!

    Thanks! Be sure to let us know what you think via the survey once you give it a try :)

    -Sage

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    The Crowing OneThe Crowing One Registered User regular
    Oh, this looks like a ton of fun! I'll check out the demo as soon as I have a few spare moments (sorry, finally crawling out from under a rock and getting around to Half Life).

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    AuralynxAuralynx Darkness is a perspective Watching the ego workRegistered User regular
    Tried the demo out briefly. Not a bad effort. Will grind through the rest of it when I have time; definitely a promising piece of work from what I've seen so far.

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    Thanks guys! Interested to hear what you think of the full game :)

    BTW, Profit Motive Version 4.05 has been uploaded to the main website: http://profitmotivegame.com It includes some updated dialogue and minor passability bug fixes.

    Thanks!

    -Sage

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    24 hours left to go before the Profit Motive Fan Art contest ends. You can see all of the current entries on our twitter stream here:

    https://twitter.com/Profit_Motive

    -~-

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
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    NotoriusBENNotoriusBEN Registered User regular
    im watching a couple LPs of this game and it looks bananas. it's like phoenix wright for business.
    im going to try out the demo and give you a run down of it.

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    Steam - NotoriusBEN | Uplay - notoriusben | Xbox,Windows Live - ThatBEN
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    KulimarKulimar Registered User regular
    im watching a couple LPs of this game and it looks bananas. it's like phoenix wright for business.
    im going to try out the demo and give you a run down of it.

    Awesome! Do let us know what you think in the feedback form above if you get a chance to play through it.

    Cheers!

    -~-

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    The Profit Motive 4.0.8 demo is up on Steam's Greenlight "Concept" page! You can help by voting it up here:

    http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=103392059&searchtext

    -~-

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    JAGSJAGS Orlando/VietnamRegistered User regular
    edited October 2012
    eusolace wrote: »
    The Profit Motive 4.0.8 demo is up on Steam's Greenlight "Concept" page! You can help by voting it up here:

    http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=103392059&searchtext

    -~-
    Oh cool!

    I enjoyed the demo I downloaded awhile back so I am voting this up right now.

    JAGS on
    Cursed MECH 1/2 Tower Defense 1/2 Twin Stick Action. FREE 2 Play.
    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/budleiser/web-and-ios-game-twin-stick-shooter-tower-defense
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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    Thanks for the support!

    -~-

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
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    ZenfarZenfar Registered User regular
    I thought this was a bad idea until I saw the screenshot of accountant Esper!!!!

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    KulimarKulimar Registered User regular
    Zenfar wrote: »
    I thought this was a bad idea until I saw the screenshot of accountant Esper!!!!

    Well do be sure to let us know what you think if you end up giving it a try :)

    -Sage

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    Brink KaleBrink Kale Mister Registered User new member
    I've been playing the game having downloaded it a short while ago. I have to admit, the Phoenix Wright driven art is what enticed me to give this a chance. Off the bat, I loved it. I've always had a thing for those 2d camera down type games with interaction based on your thoughts, etc. I feel like this game will turn out to be one of those games I'll probably play for shits and giggles.

    [Bugs / Technical Issues]
    Issue:
    On my first playthrough, I noticed you could move around during the "chat" with the "Investor" so basically, I saved the game right after he gave me the money and it seems that the game bugged up upon doing do. It played out the scene first then faded to black and asked me if I wanted to save. I chose yes and upon coming out of the save screen I was just stuck at the black screen. Same upon load, stuck in the black. Sometimes I can still open the options menu by pressing the escape button but, not every time. Just possibly the scene? Starting a new game now.

    Detail:
    Upon completing the battle with the Investor's Accountant, my character walks over to the investor and recieves $50,000.00
    I walk to the Save Ledger while the Investor is walking down and talking.
    I am asked if I want to Save.
    The screen fades to black and I select YES to save.
    Upon completion of my Save, it just returns to the black screen.
    Attempting to Load the Saved Game only brings me back to the black screen.

    Recreated: 3+ Times.
    - - - - -

    Issue:
    I was exploring, went into the Job Office in Market Town and somehow found myself walking over a counter into the back area. Neither the door, or were the people responsive so I'm sure it was a bug. o3o

    Detail:
    This image should say it all: http://i.minus.com/iHLuu5gKm3xvc.png

    Recreated: 2+ times
    - - - - -

    Issue:
    When I pull up the map, I apparently still interact with the world around me (the enter and space button). Not sure if its a bug to your dev team but, I think its something that should be seen as a bug.

    Detail:
    Image: http://i.minus.com/i4omkMfQOKNs9.PNG

    Recreated: over 9 thousand? (I'm really just having fun with this game now!)

    - - - - -
    Issue:
    Literally, just Fuck the Police. He-he. Actually, I can walk through the front and back of the cars

    Detail:
    Image: http://i.minus.com/ihpnpIKxny7Tg.gif

    Recreated: More than a lot? o3o
    - - - - -

    [WTF Moments]
    Question:
    Why Am I Here? -> http://i.minus.com/ib04zXgPt0IUm8.png

    Reasoning:
    After speaking to the guy who would tazer me in an instant, I pretty much expected to either not be let into the back of the register area, be tazed for doing so or something along those lines. Possibly a funny instance you could put in for the game but, as a player I'm just like o3o "So. . . freeze this is a stick-up. . . I said freeze buddy. . . Never mind." -facepalm-

    [Critique]
    Amazing Art. 8 / 10

    Cute and appropriate music. 6 / 10 (the battle music is a bit "sudden" in my ears. I know its supposed to feel suspenseful but I don't quite like it. It feels like it should have levels of suspense to show your winning / losing etc. Somewhere along the lines of the ambience should give you confidence or make you realise you just fucked up big time)

    GamePlay & Mechanics. 5 / 10 (Loving the overall feel of the game. Movement, speech, the overall flow. The only thing I'm still trying to understand is the battle sequence. The battle sequence tutorial really doesn't give you much, it should definitely be less drawn out. One of the attacks were missing in the first battle (the charge attack one) so adding it into the second battle just makes me bleh if I skip the tutorials. Then there was a really brief mention of the battle power number; which to show how confused I am, I can't even tell you the name of it. Whether its a level or my raw attack strength. Then at some point, I guarded but the guard icon for quick movement didn't show up the entire battle and I was just like @_@ "Well fuck you too buddy."; mostly because the accountant looks shady as fuck. -shrug- I think overall, the battle should be reworked / tweaked somehow. Finally, a confirmation that the game was in fact saved is always good. Lets the player feel secure. I know I sure do.

    [Additions]
    I know its probably a given but, just in case. I'm one of those players who really enjoys easter eggs. Well the more 'in context' ones of course. Simple things such as the desk in the Investor's office being an interactable object and the -ehem- "Open Minded Title". I saw the "Lets Play" videos posted and I have to say. I'd like to be able to see my character be able to hop into the chairs and possibly tinker with the computer / phone, even if its just to be shouted at for doing so.

    I am not far at all in the story but, I am hoping that maybe you guys could add a more malicious side of things. Maybe we don't want to be goodie-two-shoes. I'd like to go down a more sinister path to get my revenge from time to time and I'm sure your players would definitely like the options. One more thing I am huge on, your actions impacting how different NPCs regard / talk / treat you in-world.

    And thats all for tonight. <3

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    eusolaceeusolace Game Designer and IP Developer VancouverRegistered User regular
    Hi Brink,

    Wow, thanks for all the great feedback and comments! We definitely encourage you to continue playing as a lot of the things you ask for in the additions section are available to some degree in the demo.
    We'll take note of these bugs you ran into and make sure they get fixed for the next version release.

    Cheers,

    -Sage

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