P.U.R.E. RC6 Release - Page 3

P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

WolfeGames and projects headed by Argh.

Moderators: Moderators, Content Developer

User avatar
smoth
Posts: 22309
Joined: 13 Jan 2005, 00:46

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by smoth »

So what is the stance on pure if you are releasing it commercially? are the downloads going to be pulled suddenly or what?
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

No, we'll issue a version that's the official demo, and it'll contain three decent missions and multiplayer. Pretty standard stuff. We won't be demanding that anything currently in circulation gets pulled, I don't see the point in that.

We're torn up about which client to use, though. TASClient's going the way of the dodo, but SpringLobby crashes when tested on Vista.
User avatar
smoth
Posts: 22309
Joined: 13 Jan 2005, 00:46

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by smoth »

Are you sure it is crashing? I have vista 64 and it ran fine but initially there was a short hickup when it was loading.
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

Yeah, we have a crash bug on Vista Home Premium with the last version out, every time. I certainly haven't been able to test on every version of Vista, I don't have the resources.
User avatar
smoth
Posts: 22309
Joined: 13 Jan 2005, 00:46

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by smoth »

my main rig is ultimate but my lappy is home premium. Will have to try again on my lappy tonight, don't let me forget if I don't post tonight remind me to check.
User avatar
Pxtl
Posts: 6112
Joined: 23 Oct 2004, 01:43

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Pxtl »

Argh wrote:Yeah, we have a crash bug on Vista Home Premium with the last version out, every time. I certainly haven't been able to test on every version of Vista, I don't have the resources.
I'd be surprised, I run Vista Business 32, and I doubt Home Premium woudl be all that different. I'd be more likely to blame it on hardware configuration if the engine is crashing on Home Premium.
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

I would appreciate more testing results. Maybe it's any number of hardware or software issues.

I think that, realistically, that's been the hardest problem to overcome with this project, tbh. Testing and QA is very hard. So many places for things to go wrong, and I've gotta know how to fix them all, or talk to the relevant people and make things happen. Major fun, that.

But other than the GLSL crashes, most of it's been non-fatal, or "just" major failures in one section of the gameplay. The Chickens stuff is mainly because I went off half-cocked and didn't test it thoroughly enough, because I was damn tired at that point. Too bad and all, but it's just how it goes.

I'm worried about the SpringLobby stuff, though. It's a major problem- if TASClient doesn't work, and it crashes for mysterious reasons, then we're unable to offer a multiplayer experience to some users. It works fine here, and on XP64, just crashes on Eman's laptop.
User avatar
Otherside
Posts: 2296
Joined: 21 Feb 2006, 14:09

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Otherside »

releasing the online part practically free will mean no1 will buy the game the main reason games sell nowadays is because you need a cd key or verification to play online
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

I disagree very strongly with all of that. Read Brad Wardell of StarDock's essays on piracy, etc. People are perfectly willing to pay for things, even without copy protection.

The question is always value vs. price. Since you think the game's only worth $5, we're obviously not selling it to you, and that's all right with us.

Moreover... the demo won't sync with the official release, and the official release will continue to have new content added to it well after launch.

At any rate, that's pretty much all I have to say about this subject. If you think it's too rough to sell, that's fine with me, you're entitled to that opinion and we'll see what the market thinks.
User avatar
smoth
Posts: 22309
Joined: 13 Jan 2005, 00:46

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by smoth »

If you are adding new missions and unit for a single player I can see going that route commercially. I.E. dlc missions and things like that for pure.
User avatar
lurker
Posts: 3842
Joined: 08 Jan 2007, 06:13

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by lurker »

The demo may not sync, but a modified demo will.
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

Um, it won't be that simple, tbh. I intend to keep going with the release-often cycle, so it'll be a moving target. My guess is, serious piracy won't happen until well after it doesn't matter a lot.

That will also let me add value to the game for people who paid for it, as well as addressing the inevitable bugs that will be found, so it's not just churn for the sake of, of course.

I am hoping that sales will allow for at least 6 months to a year of constant addition and refinement of the game post-release. At our MSRP, we only need to sell 1-2 thousand copies before I can afford to do that. I won't get rich, or anything like rich, but it'll be a living.

I think that's doable, if I can get on one of the digital-distribution systems. That's only about 1/60th of the number of copies that we know have been downloaded worldwide, with an advertising / marketing budget of basically zero. In short, I think we're going to be OK, if I can deliver a product worth paying anything for. Is it there yet? No. Is it getting closer every day? Definitely.
User avatar
zwzsg
Kernel Panic Co-Developer
Posts: 7049
Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 13:08

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by zwzsg »

From all the spring release and mods I ever played, this pure is the only one to impose qwerty to my azerty keyboard. American arrogance and ignorance struck once more!
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

Could you maybe explain this a bit better? The only key we're tracking is the ESC key... no need to accuse me of some sort of nationalist crap, it's just a bug...

...and now it's fixed, it'll track KEYSYMS.ESCAPE instead of key 27. My bad, I forgot I was still using that hack from Merc Squad. It'll be in the next version.
User avatar
zwzsg
Kernel Panic Co-Developer
Posts: 7049
Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 13:08

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by zwzsg »

Wanted to force attack, A didn't work, Q worked, I assumed it was because A and Q keys are swapped between american and french keyboard.
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

Nope, haven't altered that at all, and I certainly don't force a key layout. If you find anything else like that, please let me know. That's really weird.
Tobi
Spring Developer
Posts: 4598
Joined: 01 Jun 2005, 11:36

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Tobi »

Argh: including a different SDL.dll?
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

Argh: including a different SDL.dll?
Maybe, in the installer version? I may have screwed that up when I built the last installer, I left a mess of crap in there. IDK otherwise, and zxswg said he installed bare-bones, so I'm guessing that's not what's up.



Progress Report:

Massive improvements in the special effects. Yes, massive. I haven't really reworked most of them for a year, because there didn't seem to be much need. But I was working on a bunch of stuff, and among other things, I needed a new effect. One thing led to another, and...

Buildings are quite spectacular, with fiery bits falling off and stuff spewing smoke everywhere. In general, I got rid of a lot of wasteful particle spam that was ugly and not working well in quite a few things and replaced it with slightly-less-wasteful but way prettier overall effects, and generally made it all a lot nicer, without hurting framerate.

I also cured the z-buffer fighting on just about everything. Figured that I should do that while I was busy getting everything else done. I'll see if I can scrape up some time Sunday to make a new video, it's pretty amazing what a difference this made in terms of look and feel. Gotta get other stuff done first, though.
Tobi
Spring Developer
Posts: 4598
Joined: 01 Jun 2005, 11:36

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Tobi »

Argh wrote:
Argh: including a different SDL.dll?
Maybe, in the installer version? I may have screwed that up when I built the last installer, I left a mess of crap in there. IDK otherwise, and zxswg said he installed bare-bones, so I'm guessing that's not what's up.
Yes, in whatever zwzsg used to get his copy :-)

Wrong SDL.dll version is the only thing I know which messes up keyboard layout. If I recall correctly you need 1.2.10 on Windows for proper azerty keyboard layout, all other versions are broken.
User avatar
Argh
Posts: 10920
Joined: 21 Feb 2005, 03:38

Re: P.U.R.E. RC6 Release

Post by Argh »

But... uh... the only things I've installed in that directory, besides AppLauncher, is Spring, SpringLobby, and TASClient. Strange. You guys sure SDL isn't different between 0.7.8 and 0.7.9 or something?
Locked

Return to “Argh's Projects”