ACRA'S PROFILE

I got into game development in hopes of making friends and gaining some sense of self-worth.

Boy, that was the most foolish decision of my life.

I also do some written LPs of RMN games over in this topic. It's not as big as I like, but I'm busier than I like, too.

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Acra's Playtesting Topic

Links to game sessions:
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Baclyae Revolution - [ 1 | 2 | F ]
Keeper of the Fog
Notes from Province - [ 1 | 2 | ...
Port Traventor - [ 1 ]
{ New game slot here . . . }


I've complained multiple times about how too many developers here keep their nose to the ground, only worrying about their own project(s), with no care for the rest. It's something I've most certainly been guilty of. And will probably continue to be guilty of from time-to-time. So this is my attempt to rectify that, at least a little.

I think what makes this different from other similar topics is that the main goal isn't about getting a review out of it. Those may or may not come out afterwards, down the line, but that's not my priority. It's to give my full mindset, step-by-step, as I play through the game. How my opinions and perceptions shift over time, and a more in-depth look at any given section of a game than a review would. I think the best descriptor would be to call it a Written Let's Play? I don't really like that moniker, but whatever.

When I'm not guts-deep in my own gamedev, I'd hope to put out a session a week (roughly an hour of gameplay, several more of editing my thoughts into something coherent), hopefully more, but I guarantee nothing. I'd also like to say that I'll probably juggle between multiple games at a time, which hopefully won't get confusing, but should loosen the glut of one big game clogging the system for months and months. I likewise make no promises to finish every given game. But I'll try.

Now, I'd like to say I'm taking all comers, but I know I can't realistically deal with every one that might cross my table. So I'll be upfront and say what traits I'll specifically favour when making decisions of what to play, probably in this order:

1.) A high degree of customization: classes, skill trees, interesting equipment choices, a choice in party members, that sort of thing.
2.) Nonlinearity. I realize that's a pretty rare request when taken at face-value, but I mean it in broader contexts, too. Things like branching dialogue and whatnot.
3.) Long; this might seem an odd specification, but I know other people tend to favour a breadth-first approach to make their Makerscore number go big fast, so I figure I'd specifically go the opposite direction and tackle lengthier games. This doesn't mean I won't do unfinished games or demos, just that I'm aware of the irony that the longer the game, the less likely it'll be played, and would like to do something to rectify that.
4.) Only RPGs, or at least still in the turn-based domain. It sounds like an absolutely idiotic thing to say, and yet I feel RPGs are under-represented on a place called RPGMaker.net, what with every other month's Featured Game being a platformer.
5.) Not Commercial. Obviously.

Doesn't mean I won't consider things that fail to meet these criteria, but that should at least give a general direction. I do at least somewhat know where my biases lie. You are also welcome to suggest a game that you didn't personally create... but I don't realistically see anyone doing that, and I'm primarily looking to help active developers gain an outsider's perspective on their projects, and another playtester, rather than being funny or interesting or anything.

So, suggest away!
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