Shadowrun: Returns is live, 20 years since the SNES, 19 years since Genesis Options

[almost normal]

In the latest update, Returns has been pushed back from a January release date to 'May or June'.

At the same time, they've also removed a large feature, in that you can no longer recruit friends characters in your game as fellow runners.

How do you feel about this?

[mister__joshua]

I accepted their reasoning and support the decision.

For me, and social aspect of the game should take a back seat to core features, functions and playability. At the end of the day a successful release will only signal the beginning of Shadowrun Returns. If it's good and successful then features like this will be added over time as more people buy it and they release DLCs and whatnot. If it's not as successful then I'll be glad they worked on core gameplay and that I have a playable game if they have to stop supporting it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

On the release date; Not unexpected. I can't remember the last time a non-iterative title (Eg. Not Fifa 12, 13) I was waiting for was actually released on it's originally stated release date. TBH I hadn't even realised that January was the original release so wasn't expecting it yet anyway! With the size of game they're planning it was an optimistic proposal at best.

[Stahlseele]

Seeing how my Birthday is in June, i like it.
Also:
I don't want to be social, why should i have to be in a single player game? <.<

[almost normal]

Says the guy with nearly twelve thousand posts. <3

[mister__joshua]

Yeah, it's a shame. We could have had a 'post your character' thread. It's a feature that might still see light eventually though. Just not now

[Bearclaw]

I accepted their reasoning and support the decision.

For me, and social aspect of the game should take a back seat to core features, functions and playability. At the end of the day a successful release will only signal the beginning of Shadowrun Returns. If it's good and successful then features like this will be added over time as more people buy it and they release DLCs and whatnot. If it's not as successful then I'll be glad they worked on core gameplay and that I have a playable game if they have to stop supporting it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

On the release date; Not unexpected. I can't remember the last time a non-iterative title (Eg. Not Fifa 12, 13) I was waiting for was actually released on it's originally stated release date. TBH I hadn't even realised that January was the original release so wasn't expecting it yet anyway! With the size of game they're planning it was an optimistic proposal at best.

Me too

[Sengir]

Where do you get that "latest update" from, something they say in the Q&A vids?

Anyway, the idea of sharing characters in an offline game always seemed a little odd to me and not really interesting.

[CanRay]

Says the guy with nearly twelve thousand posts. <3

He's even more anti-social than I am...

[Stahlseele]

He's even more anti-social than I am...

coming from you, that's high praise indeed! ^^

[_Pax._]

How do you feel about this?

RE: the pushback ... I'd rather they delayed a month, or two, or even a year, than release a bad product. Edit to add: I say that as a $60 backer, too. I'd rather wait a bit, and be sure to gt my money's worth ... than rush things, and maybe not.

RE: not being able to hire friends' characters: that's disappointing, I hope they find a way to bring that back, maybe in a future expansion or patch.

[Adarael]

This. Working under release day constraints that are inflexible often will lead to REALLY shitty decision making. Better to push back if possible than release on time while making cuts to core areas.

[Blade]

As long as they release it one day. Not rushing is a good thing, taking too long is not.

[Iduno]

I was pretty excited to have a new game to play in January, but it sounded like a really short development time to me when they gave that as the release date.

Not being able to share characters you've created bothers me more, but I'm not sure how that would work anyway.

[_Pax._]

Not being able to share characters you've created bothers me more, but I'm not sure how that would work anyway.

It'd require some sort of central server, that served as a social nexus, and kept track of each player's characters - stats, bio, exploits, etc. The game would then have to hook into that, in order to know who your friends were, and what their characters were. It would then use that information to present options for you to hire NPC runners from.

I'm guessing they decided that building the netcode to handle that, and then maintaining that social nexus free of charge, wouldn't work within their business model.

A shame really, but I can understand that entirely too well. As overwhelming as the response was, they have to be cognizant of the risk that anyone who might want a copy of the game, is already going to GET at least one, due to kickstarter rewards.

[Sengir]

It'd require some sort of central server, that served as a social nexus, and kept track of each player's characters - stats, bio, exploits, etc. The game would then have to hook into that, in order to know who your friends were, and what their characters were. It would then use that information to present options for you to hire NPC runners from.

If done that way it would also water down the differences to SRO, which the makers probably wanted to avoid. And then there is a bunch of questions about the implementation. How do you make sure the external NPCs have a power level that matches the party? Do changes (including negative ones like death) get backported into the "owner's" game? What happens if your character is hired and you want to play him? After thinking a bit about it, I hereby change my vote from "meh, who cares" to "good riddance".

[Stahlseele]

if characters are stored kinda like save-games in files each of their own, then this could probably be circumvented by players sending each other these files for import/use in their games . .

[almost normal]

Dont think so. The plan was for you to be able to hire player runners as party members. Doesnt quite work if you're playing your buddy as a mani.

[_Pax._]

Import could still allow for your friends' characters to be imported as NPCs for hire.

[Vegetaman]

This. Working under release day constraints that are inflexible often will lead to REALLY shitty decision making. Better to push back if possible than release on time while making cuts to core areas.

Definitely this. Make it good; don't rush it!

[binarywraith]

This. Working under release day constraints that are inflexible often will lead to REALLY shitty decision making. Better to push back if possible than release on time while making cuts to core areas.

Chiptruth. Better a good product later than originally expected than a steaming pile of dreck on time.

[Lionhearted]

Canne Can't be worse then the game we shall not mention, high hopes that this will get more people interested in the franchise , I mean even nerds give me blank stares when I mention SR currently...

[ChromeZephyr]

Canne Can't be worse then the game we shall not mention, high hopes that this will get more people interested in the franchise , I mean even nerds give me blank stares when I mention SR currently...

That makes me incredibly sad.

[almost normal]

Personally, I'm a bit annoyed that their output right now is set to "Less, and later".

[Adarael]

That's the nature of scoping. Tech hurdles appear, and you end up discovering it will take way less time and money to do somethings you wanted to, and way more time and money for others.

[almost normal]

If you spend decades in the industry and can't figure out how to estimate properly yet, you're not good at your job.