This week we reached something that, not too long ago, was a merely distant dream:
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is in BETA
This means that the all needed assets are completed and that it is possible to play the game from start to finish. What is left now is just a bit of polish and minor additions. This does not mean that all is good and we can just relax though. The game is still rough around the edges at places and require quite a bit of work. However, we no longer have to worry about getting new things into the game. Now we can just focus on what is already there and make it as nice as we can.
It is quite astounding how far the game has gotten. We started out making the first proper content around two years ago, and since then the amount assets have just continued to grow. Looking through our project files I counted a total of:
106 Music files
1202 Model files
1533 Texture files
856 Sound files
This was just a very rough calculation though so I have surely missed a few. Also, there is still stuff left to add, so we are not done just yet!
It is also worth noting that this does not mean that a demo will be out shortly. For that you have to wait a few more months I'm afraid. However, we have sent out previews to a few places and some first impressions have started to drop in:
IGN thought that "Amnesia could be the scariest survival horror game in quite a long time".
Adventure Gamers said "I can already assure horror fans that another unsettling, potentially-pants-peeing adventure awaits".
Ripten pondered if it "might just be Frictional Games’ best title".
This means that the all needed assets are completed and that it is possible to play the game from start to finish. What is left now is just a bit of polish and minor additions. This does not mean that all is good and we can just relax though. The game is still rough around the edges at places and require quite a bit of work. However, we no longer have to worry about getting new things into the game. Now we can just focus on what is already there and make it as nice as we can.
It is quite astounding how far the game has gotten. We started out making the first proper content around two years ago, and since then the amount assets have just continued to grow. Looking through our project files I counted a total of:
106 Music files
1202 Model files
1533 Texture files
856 Sound files
This was just a very rough calculation though so I have surely missed a few. Also, there is still stuff left to add, so we are not done just yet!
It is also worth noting that this does not mean that a demo will be out shortly. For that you have to wait a few more months I'm afraid. However, we have sent out previews to a few places and some first impressions have started to drop in:
IGN thought that "Amnesia could be the scariest survival horror game in quite a long time".
Adventure Gamers said "I can already assure horror fans that another unsettling, potentially-pants-peeing adventure awaits".
Gamer fill confessed that "I had to (yes, had to) turn Amnesia off after a short hour of play, so as to give my nerves a rest".
TGDB said "Het spel zou best wel eens één van de engste survival horror games in tijden kunnen zijn". Which I am not sure exactly what it means, but according to babel fish it was quite positive!
To hear things like this from an early preview (consisting of around the first 1/3 of the game) is extremely motivating and makes us very happy. Now we just need to make sure the full game delivers as well! More previews should pop up now that E3 is over, and be advised that they might contain spoilers.
Thanks to all who have supported us so far! We are very close* to a finished game now!
*An offical release date may or may not be announced next week.
As long as you guys have learned from a lot of the mistakes you made with Requiem, and gone away from the silly gimmicks and left out the dry attempts at humor, this is going to be amazing.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait. Loved penumbra. Thought the trilogy as a whole was solid even if unexpected and varied styles.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I must say that from what I've read and seen so far it seems like it will be a fantastic game. Just take your time with the polishing now, no need to rush. Make the best game you guys can and I'm sure you'll get great success! :D
ReplyDeleteLoved all the Penumbra games, even Requiem! Don't feel pressured, just do what you guys do best, make great games!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I'm normally too big a pantsy for most horror games, but I just have to give this one a proper go.
ReplyDeleteOh btw, "Het spel zou best wel eens één van de engste survival horror games in tijden kunnen zijn" translates to "The game could be one of the scariest horror games in recent times." So it's pretty much the same as IGN's quote. :)
Congrats, guys! You are truly amazing - five people making an awesome game in about three years! I have never seen that before.
ReplyDeleteP.S.: I too loved Requiem.
Glad to hear! Congrats! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be fantastic, I loved all the Penumbra games, and really enjoyed Requiem. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteWoah, you just keep teasing and teasing... i wish i could go in coma and wake up the day you release this game :P
ReplyDeleteVery nice, when will you guys get a publisher so people can get a fancy box with art to go with the horror?
ReplyDeleteI cant wait for it! Everything youve made is fantastic! PLEASE: Dont rush anything! Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteis this will be in the redist file, or encrypted files...
ReplyDeleteyou help me alot to get some extremly nice texture!
btw, redist is for "redistribution"? :/
Penumbra was a real take-back to Surv-Horror, I think this will be the same ohshitturnoffthegame experience as Penumbra was, good job guys.
ReplyDelete"ohshitturnoffthegame" - I actually did turn of the game after I had been killed by the first dog XD
ReplyDelete"TGDB said "Het spel zou best wel eens één van de engste survival horror games in tijden kunnen zijn". Which I am not sure exactly what it means, but according to babel fish it was quite positive!"
ReplyDeleteThis means: The game could be one of the best survival horror games ever!
Yay! I am so excited for you! I might die if I try to play it though, but it is looking bright so far. Wow! Good luck getting the last bits jiggled into place, I'm really impressed!
ReplyDeleteGo for it! You guys are the best! Loved Penumbra! Sooooo different to the other run-of-the-mill so-called horror games!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU PEOPLE FOR DOING THIS!!!
ReplyDeleteQuote from IGN preview: "What Frictional appears to have really nailed is a sense of creeping dread that follows you around from room to room."
Leaving room for the chance that the previews are (possibly, but hopefully not) overenthusiastic, the comments look really encouraging. My advice is to take as much time as required to polish the game. Don't rush anything.
P.S. Castle Brennenburg? Does the name have some meaning relevant to the game's setting?
P.P.S. I'd love to see a blog entry on what were the most significant design decisions influenced by us - the blog readers, or something along those lines. Is this possible without introducing spoilers?
P.P.P.S. Oh, yeah - the voice acting seems pretty good. Thumbs up.
ReplyDeleteFrom the sound of it, this Count Brennenburg has kidnapped ordinary human beings and conducted experiments on them. Do we get to encounter or rescue any of them while they are still human?
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling that Daniel is an employee of Count Brennenburg, that the deep voice he hears giving him instructions in his head is the Count, and that the voices of the pleading woman are from when Daniel conducted experiments on them.
ReplyDelete