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[orci]

Do you remember the days when you bought a game, be it for Playstation, Sega Genesis, or PC, and the game was complete and mainly glitch-free on the day of release? For cartridge games, there was no patches, and you could be confident you could play the game to it's fullest extent from beginning to end.

Many PC games also didn't utilize the patches in the early years, and if they did, it was to fix small issues that would usually go unnoticed unless you bothered reading the patch notes. I remember Command and Conquer games receiving patches 1-2 years after their release because at the time companies wanted to satisfy their customers to keep them coming back for more.

Now, flash forward 15 years, the year is 2011 and nearly every game that is released for console and PC is buggy, incomplete, and many times completely unplayable. Many of the big-name developers cripple the content of a game right at launch, making the rest only available via DLC so they can pad their wallets at your expense. Recent examples are Civilization 5, Modern Warfare 2, and Kane & Lynch 2.

And here is where "Indie" developers such as Team Meat shine. I haven't paid full price for a single game from a big-name developer that is known for employing DLC. In fact, the only game I have purchased that employed DLC is FEAR and FEAR 2, which were on sale in a bundle for a paltry $10 on Steam this past Christmas. What I have purchased however are Indie games. Recettear. World of Goo. VVVVV. Amnesia. The Ball. Not only is every single one of these games 50% (or less!) the cost of games made by the aforementioned companies, I have found much more joy playing these, receiving free content updates, and talking to the community and friendly developers than I have found from playing any other non-Indie game in the past 5-10 years.

So, Team Meat, I implore you to never go the way of Activision, EA, Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and many others. Don't buy into corporate greed at the expense of your fanbase. Keep doing what you are doing and you will have not only a large, loyal fanbase, but a great community that is willing to purchase your future products and spread the good word about great customer service and support. Word of mouth should never be underestimated.

I'm looking forward to the update at the end of the month that is sure to throw the community into a full-throttle level-editing, as well as the word that is may be including a new chapter. All this. For free.

So, what say all of you? Are you tired of nearly every "big" developer trying to screw you out of every penny, and stopping support/patches for games only months after its release? Do you miss the good old days when every company was like Team meat and had an Indie personality? I know I do.

[Sr. Domi]

Don't worry, Team Meat is very close to the community, and they claim that the next big update will be free.

[orci]

Don't worry, Team Meat is very close to the community, and they claim that the next big update will be free.

Oh, I know it will be free. I just wanted to know what stance everyone else has on the gaming market of today and whether or not they are as disappointed as I when it came to the big-name developers taking advantage of the consumer.

Team Meat and other Indie Devs are like a beacon of hope for me.

[Zarkith]

The 80s and 90s had their fair share of buggy games, but keep in mind that they were also smaller development-wise (so less code for bugs to appear in) and earlier consoles didn't utilize internet connections to receive patches through. Of course, this is a good thing. Now that patches are far easier to implement these days they've become a crutch for developers, especially with publishers breathing down theirs necks to release as soon as possible because god forbid they allow time and effort to be put in the dime a dozen first person shooters they churn out.

That's the great thing about Indie devs, there's no pressure to rush out a title or millions in resources to be lazy with. There's plenty of time to put in plenty of effort with plenty of limitations (Mostly people). Limitations are the key to creativity and the source of so many fantastic titles that don't burn a hole through your wallet. INDIE GAMING IS BEST GAMING! 8)

I can't wait for the level editor, except I can. Take all the time you need Team Meat, I'm sure you'll make the editor the best it can be. ;)

[Olikrom]

I spoke with Ernest Adams (Founder of the International Game Developers Association) a few years back, and he admitted that most companies ship their games at 80-90% completion, since most games can be fixed at that point with patches and updates. Personally, I think that's a terrible way to do things, because it allows these companies to get lazy.

In fact, I'm sure that talking to him was what turned me off to game development in the first place. He seemed really jaded with the whole industry, and flat-out said that you will rarely get to work on a project that you want to do. He said he spent several years on Madden, and never got to make his own game in all the years he spent at EA.

I think that's why indie devs are going to become more popular in the upcoming years. A lot of people want to build games, but don't want to wade through all the bullshit to get it to the general public. Thanks to games like Super Meat Boy, I've regained my desire to create games again, and I hope that this is a mentality shared by many would-be developers.

[Swat]

I think that's why indie devs are going to become more popular in the upcoming years. A lot of people want to build games, but don't want to wade through all the bullshit to get it to the general public. Thanks to games like Super Meat Boy, I've regained my desire to create games again, and I hope that this is a mentality shared by many would-be developers.

Hell, maybe if Indie ames continue to have more and more quality over AAA games then big companies will be forced to put effort into polishing their games.

[orci]

Hell, maybe if Indie ames continue to have more and more quality over AAA games then big companies will be forced to put effort into polishing their games.

Exactly what I am hoping. More than anything, I think many gamers are starting to realize that graphics don't equal quality games anymore. I can spend 5 hours playing and beating an FPS game from the past year that may look pretty, but I'd rather play a game with 1995 graphics that last 50+ hours. But even then, maybe Indie games have amazing graphics in comparison to multi-million dollar projects like CoD games. The Ball and Amnesia are both great Indie games in my opinion.

[Orange Man]

That's what makes Team Meat cool! They care, and are cool like that that!

[valzi]

Approval.

*clap clap*

 

[Thieving]

The thing that really grinds my gears is on-launch DLC. Like really? At least be sneaky about it and release DLC later like you were 'working' on it. They don't even care that players know they didn't release the game at full capacity.

That's why I have been buying a lot of Indie games recently, they don't have the luxury of releasing a half assed game because no one will take a second look at an unfinished game that isn't released by a huge company with a ridiculous budget.

I salute you Team Meat, stay true to the gaming nature.

[Mr Afro Skeleton]

I cried at reading this topic. 
Team Meat is my hero! 

[orci]

I think it just really helps put into perspective how the market has changed over the past 20 years, and how we are getting less for our money than we did 10-20 years ago.

Fast forward 10-20 years from now, and who knows if you will be able to even access a fraction of the DLC that has been purchased? I love my GB and SNES games because I know I can play them any time I like without fear of software conflicts or game companies shutting down content servers.

[SystemOfMeat]

well said. i agree with you 100% Team Meat is the tastiest MEAT!!

[Naity]

That's quite true. >I really appreciate the way they do thing.

And their way to make money after the game release via merchandising instead of game content is also the way it should be : makes everybody happy (even though you spend more money at the end  ).

[Kyoshi Yozima]

We love you, Team Meat!