My issue with Stranded was that I didn't know it was a "walking simulator" type of game. I figured it was a point and click and do things type of game.
Also I remember it being really slow and obtuse.
It says right on the store page that "Stranded is a minimalist adventure game that foregoes dialogue and puzzles to focus on atmosphere, mystery, and exploration." You can't really blame the game for this.
Oh, I don't. It's mostly my preconceived notion of how games that look that way play.
Also I think I got it from a site that wasn't Steam, so maybe they weren't as clear about it.
It's a lovely little adventure game. Beautiful, pixely landscapes and environments. There's almost no interactivity in the game. No inventory, no switches, no pressure pads, etc. With one exception, what little that needs 'doing' in the game is accomplished by walking. I wrapped it up at 55 minutes, so for folks looking to knock stuff off their backlog it's a very doable line item.
None of its cards have dropped yet (currently idled to 86 min.) So maybe the dev changed the drop rate to the post 2 hour mark for the new refund policy. This is a game I could definitely see taking it on the chin with the new policy. Not only is the game completable in a hour, but it does not have a lot of traditional 'game' elements. I can see folks who didn't know what they were getting into being upset at the level of interactivity and 'rage refunding.' (Even a cursory glance at the Steam forum comments suggests there's quite a bit of this going on.)
Thanks again to Drake for the gift of Stranded a while back.
I'm really happy you enjoyed it! I love it to bits. I love the music and the sound design. The art and story is great too, really well done. And I think the concise gameplay mechanics serve the story and game well. It's very short but then I think most people agree that the point of playing games isn't to just kill time.
I can't say I'm surprised at the reaction of the average gamer. Much of the games design was inspired by Proteus and its mechanics. Proteus is the poster-child for the "walking simulator" argument. Either you get this stuff or you don't, that's fine. I just fear that Steam's new refund policy (which otherwise is completely reasonable) is treating these kinds of games as worthless and worse, a silent acknowledgment of the scam accusation.
I'm really looking forward to Peter Moorhead's next game, Murder, and I will buy it where ever he sells it. I just don't want to see this kind of thing vanish from Steam's store front. I think games like Proteus, Gone Home and Stranded are where the rubber hits the road as far moving narrative in gaming forward is concerned.
I like Proteus, but I do wish it had the option for a faster walk speed. Nothing like a standard FPS speed, but something that doesn't feel like I'm trekking with an additional 100 lbs on my back and it's already been five miles.
An optional setting for a faster movement speed is something I could get behind. I like the pacing personally, it lends the island a feeling of size. Also the pacing and the musicality of the gameplay are tied together. Moving faster could make that aspect of the game feel off. Proteus is a subtly tuned blend of complex elements.
Faster speeds can make levels feel small and constrained. Doom's levels are pretty big, but if you ask most people the impression they have is that they are small compared to current games. If Call of Duty had strafe running you could likely speedrun those games and get a refund under Steam's current policy. :P
I agree that the developers made that walking speed for a reason. But I, personally, never walk that speed anywhere unless I have a backpack on, it's hot out, and I'm going up a mountain. For me, Proteus was a game about exploration, but whenever I saw something interesting, I wanted to feel "oh hey, look at that tower in the distance, I'm going to briskly walk over there because I'm excited to see what it is." Instead I felt "oh hey, look at that tower in the distance, I'm going to slowly trudge over there...still trudging....still trudging....excitement lost."
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DrakeEdgelord TrashBelow the ecliptic plane.Registered Userregular
Sure, I'd totally support something like a slider in the options menu that would allow you to set a custom movement speed. Hell, a flying option would be fun too. Perhaps this sort of thing could be modded into the game. There are a couple of mods out there for Proteus but I don't think anyone has done anything with the game's movement systems.
Oh, and did you try running down hills? Or running with the bees? If you haven't, try running with the bees in the spring time.
KalnaurI See Rain . . .Centralia, WARegistered Userregular
So, @Halfazedninja is a monster. Not only did he gift me Witcher III, but he gifted it to me over on GOG, so now my game library OCD is twitching. Not to mention my free time twitching when I manage to pull myself away from dinofriends (aka ARK). Thanks, man! :heartbeat:
A not-totally-unrelated question: how often do things go on sale for over at GoG? I've no really ever shopped there ever, and I'll almost certainly want the Season Pass before I start, as these days games are only getting a single playthrough from me.
I make art things! deviantART:Kalnaur ::: Origin: Kalnaur ::: UPlay: Kalnaur
So, @Halfazedninja is a monster. Not only did he gift me Witcher III, but he gifted it to me over on GOG, so now my game library OCD is twitching. Not to mention my free time twitching when I manage to pull myself away from dinofriends (aka ARK). Thanks, man! :heartbeat:
A not-totally-unrelated question: how often do things go on sale for over at GoG? I've no really ever shopped there ever, and I'll almost certainly want the Season Pass before I start, as these days games are only getting a single playthrough from me.
Unfortunately for you, the most recent big sale was just before the steam one. They also have flash sales where they give out X number of games at a particular price and that is some freaking hilarity in human behavior.
Still, there's always some smaller deal in the works.
the Groupees Badass Banana Bundle is really annoying, it includes the Fury of the Furries soundtrack but not the game, I loved that game as a kid and would have bought the bundle if it included the game
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HalfazedninjaAuthor of Jake Howard: Multiverse 101!Behind YouRegistered Userregular
So, @Halfazedninja is a monster. Not only did he gift me Witcher III, but he gifted it to me over on GOG, so now my game library OCD is twitching. Not to mention my free time twitching when I manage to pull myself away from dinofriends (aka ARK). Thanks, man! :heartbeat:
A not-totally-unrelated question: how often do things go on sale for over at GoG? I've no really ever shopped there ever, and I'll almost certainly want the Season Pass before I start, as these days games are only getting a single playthrough from me.
I'm pretty sure the season pass content doesn't start hitting until the fall. Trust me there is more than enough to keep you busy till then.
Also, just add it to your Steam library. OCD almost fixed :hydra:
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Oh, I don't. It's mostly my preconceived notion of how games that look that way play.
Also I think I got it from a site that wasn't Steam, so maybe they weren't as clear about it.
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I agree that the developers made that walking speed for a reason. But I, personally, never walk that speed anywhere unless I have a backpack on, it's hot out, and I'm going up a mountain. For me, Proteus was a game about exploration, but whenever I saw something interesting, I wanted to feel "oh hey, look at that tower in the distance, I'm going to briskly walk over there because I'm excited to see what it is." Instead I felt "oh hey, look at that tower in the distance, I'm going to slowly trudge over there...still trudging....still trudging....excitement lost."
Oh, and did you try running down hills? Or running with the bees? If you haven't, try running with the bees in the spring time.
She said I looked handsome. This really made my day, cookie and stomach issues aside.
winner: Idx86 check email
Winner: blazenwo check email
Winner: Kevko
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
A not-totally-unrelated question: how often do things go on sale for over at GoG? I've no really ever shopped there ever, and I'll almost certainly want the Season Pass before I start, as these days games are only getting a single playthrough from me.
Unfortunately for you, the most recent big sale was just before the steam one. They also have flash sales where they give out X number of games at a particular price and that is some freaking hilarity in human behavior.
Still, there's always some smaller deal in the works.
http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16534
I'm pretty sure the season pass content doesn't start hitting until the fall. Trust me there is more than enough to keep you busy till then.
Also, just add it to your Steam library. OCD almost fixed :hydra:
Enjoy
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