darkSpyro

Releasing Thrillipede/Buzz Wing earlier = longer gap of no release before the next game.

Quote: newkill

Releasing Thrillipede/Buzz Wing earlier = longer gap of no release before the next game.

So? It's akin to holding us hostage to me. The game's new release cycle should be between September and March. That's 6-7 months and long enough if you ask me. I kinda laugh at all of the LC Hex when they thought they could hold out until the release of the next game. The stores are selling her at $1 each now.

That's not the problem. I would prefer it if the would release the new characters first and with later waves the revamped. But that wouldn't change that the games have too less content to play them for more as a few weeks. So we play over the months other games and it happens, that I buy new characters and packs, that I put boxed in the cupboard till I play the game again (mostly in spring).

Giving priority to new characters would be much better (which doesn't mean they should keep all reposes for the latest Waves but simply release less of them compared to the new faces).

After all, they shouldn't worry about reposes not selling well if they truly are cool new versions of "fan favorites", right?
No need to put them everywhere, Starter Packs included.

Oh and, Happy Easter to everyone!
May Eggcited Thrillipede not hide the eggs in the hellish realm he comes from.

Quote: newkill

Releasing Thrillipede/Buzz Wing earlier = longer gap of no release before the next game.

Yes and a longer gap kind of eases the feeling that you are wringing money out of people. Too much, too soon and people see it for what it is. They need a cooldown period. Fans need to feel like it isn't never ending. The logic you are using is fine if they weren't so far behind the eight ball. People aren't anxiously awaiting more stuff, they are trying to finish off the game they have now. They need time to build up excitement for a new entry.

Hm... learning about this, these are some features I found wrong about this installment (SuperChargers) in the series:

• No cores.
  
As it has been in all past installments of the game, cores have been an option for all consumers of the series for if they do not like the current gimmick. Although the SuperChargers may have seemed like cores, but in more of a 'racing' theme, they just did not feel like cores, if my fellow veteran fans can relate. Cores have been a key factor of the game. Even if I do not like the cores, I usually feel the urge to buy them due to their originality. I am sure many other Portal Masters can relate. The only Core Skylander that I do not currently have is Spotlight ($33 on Amazon?! If only I were willing to pay that much...). But, back to my conclusion, Activision would have most likely made more of a profit if they had included these little guys (no, not Minis) into this installment.

• No special modes for Skylanders.
  
In SuperChargers, there were no modes where you could play Skylanders' 'on foot' combat other than in Story Mode. Other than that, it was vehicles, vehicles, vehicles. The Portal Masters' options for upgrading and enhancing their Skylanders were all limited to playing the same Story Mode chapters in repeat (which was VERY boring in my opinion). Not only was Player vs. Player mode not included, but neither Arena Mode or even Special Missions. As the series is named SKYLANDERS, you should have options for enhancing your SKYLANDERS other than playing vehicle-centered chapters over and over!!! Excuse me for my tension, but this was a very large issue I had with SuperChargers.

• No traditional cards included.
  
While this is not a huge issue I had with this installment, it is something I believe I should mention in my statement. Like I have said in my other bullet points, this is something that every past installment of Skylanders had. Cards were a way for me to preview (although the cards were usually inaccurate about Skylanders' in-game stats) my purchased Skylanders' strengths and weaknesses and a way for me to grow closer to the series, by making up fun card games with my sibling and so forth. While SuperChargers figures did include stats, having stats pasted on a sticker that I am bound to throw away is not quite appealing to me. Getting rid of traditional cards was a save of resources, but a step down in overall game quality in my opinion.

• Increased prices, fewer figures.
  
Obviously, in this installment, this was an attempt to save money and earn more in the process. I did not like this criteria that Activision hoped to reach. For example, SuperCharger Skylanders cost $11.99-12.99 in most retail locations, while they are basically just cores but a little bigger and can "SuperCharge vehicles" or whatever. Also, vehicles costing $14.99-15.99? Mmm... While I have noticed that in past installments that the centralized gimmick figures are typically at this price, I believe that the prices should have been dropped at least a small margin... especially when Activision is introducing a gimmick like none used before. I believe that if Activision slightly dropped the prices (by $1.00-2.00), it could definitely draw attention to the series as it originally did in Spyro's Adventure.

In conclusion, Skylanders: SuperChargers was a hit and miss, which is why this layoff has occurred. As it is most widely known as "The original Toys-to-Life series," it should stick to being that, and nothing more. If Activision stuck to how Skylanders was originally arranged, it could most likely have a few more years of success for Skylanders. I would personally like if Activision licensed a Skylanders game with 36 new cores (4 new for the traditional elements, 2 each for Light and Dark), maybe dropped the price for a single Skylander to $8.99, created 4 new adventure packs, returned traditional cards and easy-Skylanders-upgrading gameplay, and would just have a game that is overally similar to Spyro's Adventure, but keeping Arena Mode and Kaos Doom Challenges, having better graphics, and having more Story Mode levels and detail. Basically, I would like a Skylanders game that is very similar to what the original game was. But, I am not even asking for that much. I am just asking for Activision to keep Skylanders connected to its original setup. It would keep the series alive, and definitely keep fans' interest alive. But, maybe not their wallets.

Stay traditional, Activision/Toys for Bob/ Vicarious Visions.

Quote: Swap Force Fan

In conclusion, Skylanders: SuperChargers was a hit and miss, which is why this layoff has occurred.

TFB and VV studios were not affected by the layoff, only the one in Minnesota that created Guitar Hero Live. The title of this topic and the linked article are misleading, only Guitar Hero Live actually failed.


They took a risk, tried shaking up the Skylanders formula by mixing a different game genre (racing). Not everyone was on board, it sold less than they expected, happens. "Less than expected" does not mean horrible sales, it means they did alright but less than the initial objective they had. What will happen next? TFB will most likely give us an awesome game that has the magic of previous entries with a creative concept like they know how to do. People need to stop acting like the franchise is on the verge of death and stay confident.

Quote: newkill

Quote: Swap Force Fan

In conclusion, Skylanders: SuperChargers was a hit and miss, which is why this layoff has occurred.

TFB and VV studios were not affected by the layoff, only the one in Minnesota that created Guitar Hero Live. The title of this topic and the linked article are misleading, only Guitar Hero Live actually failed.

They took a risk, tried shaking up the Skylanders formula by mixing a different game genre (racing). Not everyone was on board, it sold less than they expected, happens. "Less than expected" does not mean horrible sales, it means they did alright but less than the initial objective they had. What will happen next? TFB will most likely give us an awesome game that has the magic of previous entries with a creative concept like they know how to do. People need to stop acting like the franchise is on the verge of death and stay confident.

You mean like Trap Team? Awesome game that captures the magic of the previous entries it is not. I have a feeling that Superchargers is only part of the mess. The fact they aren't selling as many starters indicates it isn't the game itself - had it just been figure add-ons not selling, I would agree, but it isn't. They are having trouble getting people to re-commit at all.

I think many are looking at the opportunity cost of all of the other games one can purchase for the money required for this one game, and are simply making a decision from a utiility standpoint. If the game wasn't a quick 12 hour run through and done, they could justify the purchases a bit more. But they can't. And I'm sure the parents have put their foot down. And the new parents have heard what the gig is from the old parents. Street cred is probably a bit sour.

Quote: defpally

You mean like Trap Team? Awesome game that captures the magic of the previous entries it is not.

Entries, plural. But Trap Team had the best character roster and the most creative gimmick so far in my opinion. Despite some flaws, it was a solid entry to me. #subjective #opinion #notworthtryingtochangemymindaboutit

I'm not trying to change your mind, but it is a silly claim. It was just more playable characters except you got generic "vessels" that you could buy to put them in, whoopee. Swap Force was an creative innovation, fun to play with and interesting impact on gameplay. Trap Masters was just more playable guys, they were Giants without lightcore.

The game was fun enough, but it was basically more levels other than trapping - and that was just another character delivery. Very few people consider it creative or at the top of their list of Skylander games. If they just release Skylanders 6 with some method of just giving you new plastic to buy and play the same game, the franchise will be dead. There are literally hundreds of playable characters in the game now.

Well what can I say... I preferred Trap Team to Swap Force. I'm not interested in experimenting 250+ swapabilities.

When I'm talking about gimmick I mean the concept of bringing a character from the game into a toy, with the sounds coming from the portal, changing a Villain into a good guy, etc. It was more "magical" and impressive (kids are the main target audience, don't forget) than switching top and bottom parts on a character (not saying it was bad). Trap Masters should have had lights in their weapons that light up during Villain fights though, that would have pushed the concept to the max.

I think you're really underselling the villains, defpally. The fact that you could instantly switch back and forth between a skylander and a villain makes for really neat character combo gameplay that isn't possible just by using skylanders alone. They weren't just "more characters to use", but rather a complementary type of character to use.

The concept deserved to be carried forward into future games just as swapping has been. It's a shame it was ditched.

And I can swap a character back and forth if I have it next to me. Sure you get the intro animation, but the game pauses while you do that.

I do find it very interesting that newkill mentions all the physical aspects of traps - the lights and sounds coming from the portal, the downplays the ability to literally make your own Skylanders physically by pulling them apart.

You aren't interested in 250+ swapabilities, but you are interested in 50+ villains, many of which have a very limited set of 2 moves? Whaaaa?

And by the way, if making the toy aspect more interesting was a big deal, Superchargers would have sold gangbusters, because other than Swap Force, these are the first actual toys that kids can play with instead of just statues.

I get you like the game and love Trap Team, I like Skylanders as well and have a ton of them. But, pleasing you isn't what is going to sell Skylanders 6. You might be cool with Trap Team 2 or something like that, but it isn't going to save the farm when the competition is doing pretty much everything better on marketing/stocking and aren't trying to make you buy a new Starter again this year. If you like the franchise, you might want to open your eyes to the weaknesses a little more. Rah-rahing Activision/TfB is going to drive the franchise into Guitar Hero land, and who wants that?

Quote: defpally

I'm not trying to change your mind, but it is a silly claim. It was just more playable characters except you got generic "vessels" that you could buy to put them in, whoopee. Swap Force was an creative innovation, fun to play with and interesting impact on gameplay. Trap Masters was just more playable guys, they were Giants without lightcore.

The game was fun enough, but it was basically more levels other than trapping - and that was just another character delivery. Very few people consider it creative or at the top of their list of Skylander games. If they just release Skylanders 6 with some method of just giving you new plastic to buy and play the same game, the franchise will be dead. There are literally hundreds of playable characters in the game now.

Swap Force rules the creative roost in my opinion as well. Agreed on future outcomes if they rinse/repeat this year. I'm guessing it will be a "phone in" year because the game's development is roughly 50% done when the sour news on this game hit them. I'd suspect if VV gets another swing is when we'll have a significant change (and of course, because it doesn't come from TfB, we'll get some strong opinions on this). In short, their SDLC doesn't allow for quick changes mid stream if there's a problem is where my money is at.

Quote: newkill

Quote: defpally

You mean like Trap Team? Awesome game that captures the magic of the previous entries it is not.

Entries, plural. But Trap Team had the best character roster and the most creative gimmick so far in my opinion. Despite some flaws, it was a solid entry to me. #subjective #opinion #notworthtryingtochangemymindaboutit

I agree. TT's gimmick has been the most enjoyable (and creative) for me as well. I liked the whole idea of being able to play as "the dark side" of skylanders, which was well built imo.

SF gimmick never appealed to me tbh.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Swap Force rules the creative roost in my opinion as well. Agreed on future outcomes if they rinse/repeat this year. I'm guessing it will be a "phone in" year because the game's development is roughly 50% done when the sour news on this game hit them. I'd suspect if VV gets another swing is when we'll have a significant change (and of course, because it doesn't come from TfB, we'll get some strong opinions on this). In short, their SDLC doesn't allow for quick changes mid stream if there's a problem is where my money is at.

That's my point that these defenders just don't seem to get. I know you have been a big fan of Skylanders, as am I - both our collectors are huge. But, we are both software developers and we know which of the two Skylanders developers tends to push the envelope technically and mix up the design the most, and they aren't up to bat this year. By the time TfB figured out Superchargers wasn't doing that well, it was most likely way too far along on part 6. Rinse/repeat will kill the franchise.

I have to agree on not being as gung-ho on the SWAP Force selling point as some others. Swapping the figures didn't really do much to set them aside from their non-swapped counterparts. It would have been nice if each of the 255 combinations had some kind of wholly exclusive move/attack based on the combination of those two halves - but man, that would have taken *forever* to develop.

I ended up playing most of SWAP Force with cores. :y

Well, Def, I think this series death will come the very minute they decide to not release the regular Thrillipede and Buzz Wing. I see that happening. It's not the first time they've held back on their figures, but now they're taking away the ability to see everything ingame.

In my opinion the prognosis is grim and they brought it upon themselves.

Quote: GameMaster78

Well, Def, I think this series death will come the very minute they decide to not release the regular Thrillipede and Buzz Wing. I see that happening. It's not the first time they've held back on their figures, but now they're taking away the ability to see everything ingame.

In my opinion the prognosis is grim and they brought it upon themselves.

-----

Quote: GameMaster78

Well, Def, I think this series death will come the very minute they decide to not release the regular Thrillipede and Buzz Wing. I see that happening. It's not the first time they've held back on their figures, but now they're taking away the ability to see everything ingame.

In my opinion the prognosis is grim and they brought it upon themselves.

Yo, gamemaster.

Calm the hell down.

They wouldn't do that.

#teamunclebob

Quote: defpally

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Swap Force rules the creative roost in my opinion as well. Agreed on future outcomes if they rinse/repeat this year. I'm guessing it will be a "phone in" year because the game's development is roughly 50% done when the sour news on this game hit them. I'd suspect if VV gets another swing is when we'll have a significant change (and of course, because it doesn't come from TfB, we'll get some strong opinions on this). In short, their SDLC doesn't allow for quick changes mid stream if there's a problem is where my money is at.

That's my point that these defenders just don't seem to get. I know you have been a big fan of Skylanders, as am I - both our collectors are huge. But, we are both software developers and we know which of the two Skylanders developers tends to push the envelope technically and mix up the design the most, and they aren't up to bat this year. By the time TfB figured out Superchargers wasn't doing that well, it was most likely way too far along on part 6. Rinse/repeat will kill the franchise.

You know, people can have different opinions on many things. And there is nothing wrong with it.
Being just a "software developer" not in game development is irrelevant in this context. If you've never participated in a game development then you most likely just have no idea what's going on under the hood. You might use all modern top of the art bells and whistles in your game engine like real time lightning or x16 antialiasing or whatever is cool today. But if the game you made is so-so and boring then none of these tech wonders will save you from fiasco.

Toys for Bob started developing next game almost year ago, most of design decisions were made already long time ago. Some of them might be changed looking at the current state of Toys to Life market, some others already can not. Since we have no idea what new gimmick will be in next Skylanders game if any - it is too early to start crying out loud that this is the end and Skylanders are doomed.

I sense a hint of sarcasm in that post, but I actually LOl'd at the teamunclebob thing. He got it wrong with the U.S. release of yawn traps. Just sayin'.

I'm #teamgamemaster. I can see when the writing is on the wall. Massive fire sales almost every week now, and the fact Acti isn't teasing or talking about a release means they're too scared to tell us they aren't coming.

It's a double edged sword at this point. Do they release Buzz and Thrill in an assortment with other figures stores have to keep putting on sale, which means the stores probably don't want to order? Or do they want to package Buzz by itself and Thrill be itself and stores get quote a few shelf warming landers akin to Doom Stone and Lightcore Hex, in which case, stores probably don't want to order?

Quite a predicament. Again, they brought it upon themselves with their playing it safe mentality, their knack for not releasing all of their products, knack for not providing release info and proper communication to the customer, not meeting demand on any given Skylanders product and not giving each Skylanders product its own SKU ala Dimensions and Infinity.

You almost made a post without mentioning Dimensions and Infinity, I'm impressed! Please stop with the "now they're taking away the ability to see everything ingame", as if it was actually confirmed Thrillipede and Buzz Wing will not be released, but it is not the case. It is more likely they will come out than the opposite.

Ok, trappable villains are not just "more playable characters".
They add a strategic aspect to the basic gameplay, because you have not only the possibility to switch to them in any moment (if their timer is full) allowing you to actually nullify potentially fatal damages while trying to reach a safer area but also the capability of using certain villains' attacks to help the Skylander him/herself since a lot of their abilities stay active after they are gone.

You can dislike them as much as you want of course but at least dislike them for what they truly are.

Never saw Trap Masters as proper Gimmicklanders so I can't say if they were a good gimmick or not... Same goes for the SuperChargers.

The problem is they decided to ditch a past gimmick and keep the others.
What exactly made them think keeping the Swappers's ability to swap or the Giants' ability to crush was a no-brainer but traps were sacrificable...?
Sorry, "they aren't actual characters" isn't a excuse because so are vehicles and I'm expecting future games to pay respect to them.

Last but not least I'm all for the "rinse and repeat" formula, if done correctly.
I don't get into a series only to see it change almost completely after just 4 games/books/movies/issues/whatever.
Older games' series (and a couple of the still exsisting ones) had the guts of keeping themselves loyal to their original formula and most of them were a success from the first entry to the last.

I'm sure there must be something else between "reheated meal" and "am I still playing the same series...?".
That what makes you recognize good developers: not because they change everything they can only to say "look, it's NEW and SHINY, you see, it's not the last game you played it's a sequel!" but because they know what they can change or even remove and what should always remain untouched.

So yeah, if if TfB came up with Giants 3.0 (talking about the game not the gimmick) with a new cool story, new set of characters and more gimmicks INSIDE the game, exactly like V.V. did with the levels of SuperChargers... I'd be the happiest Portal Master on Earth.

I am and will always be glad that SuperChargers happened because it showed us developers are still willing to experiment, try and push the limits as far as they can, because it showed us and them certain mistakes and other great successes but I don't want to see it happen again.
They can experiment again but I won't be happy again if they'll repeat the same mistakes.

Quote: GameMaster78

I sense a hint of sarcasm in that post, but I actually LOl'd at the teamunclebob thing. He got it wrong with the U.S. release of yawn traps. Just sayin'.

Funny. I got the Yawn traps in the US without importing. Didn't you?

Quote:

It's a double edged sword at this point. Do they release Buzz and Thrill in an assortment with other figures stores have to keep putting on sale, which means the stores probably don't want to order? Or do they want to package Buzz by itself and Thrill be itself and stores get quote a few shelf warming landers akin to Doom Stone and Lightcore Hex, in which case, stores probably don't want to order?

Quite a predicament. Again, they brought it upon themselves with their playing it safe mentality, their knack for not releasing all of their products, knack for not providing release info and proper communication to the customer, not meeting demand on any given Skylanders product and not giving each Skylanders product its own SKU ala Dimensions and Infinity.

Did this guy SERIOUSLY just trash the idea of shipping Thrillipede and Buzz Wing in solo cases, then praise Dimensions and Infinity for shipping product in its own cases? Like, two paragraphs apart?

Quote: UncleBob

Quote: GameMaster78

I sense a hint of sarcasm in that post, but I actually LOl'd at the teamunclebob thing. He got it wrong with the U.S. release of yawn traps. Just sayin'.

Funny. I got the Yawn traps in the US without importing. Didn't you?

Quote:

It's a double edged sword at this point. Do they release Buzz and Thrill in an assortment with other figures stores have to keep putting on sale, which means the stores probably don't want to order? Or do they want to package Buzz by itself and Thrill be itself and stores get quote a few shelf warming landers akin to Doom Stone and Lightcore Hex, in which case, stores probably don't want to order?

Quite a predicament. Again, they brought it upon themselves with their playing it safe mentality, their knack for not releasing all of their products, knack for not providing release info and proper communication to the customer, not meeting demand on any given Skylanders product and not giving each Skylanders product its own SKU ala Dimensions and Infinity.

Did this guy SERIOUSLY just trash the idea of shipping Thrillipede and Buzz Wing in solo cases, then praise Dimensions and Infinity for shipping product in its own cases? Like, two paragraphs apart?

Oh damn.

Quote: Rom713

You know, people can have different opinions on many things. And there is nothing wrong with it.
Being just a "software developer" not in game development is irrelevant in this context. If you've never participated in a game development then you most likely just have no idea what's going on under the hood. You might use all modern top of the art bells and whistles in your game engine like real time lightning or x16 antialiasing or whatever is cool today. But if the game you made is so-so and boring then none of these tech wonders will save you from fiasco.

Toys for Bob started developing next game almost year ago, most of design decisions were made already long time ago. Some of them might be changed looking at the current state of Toys to Life market, some others already can not. Since we have no idea what new gimmick will be in next Skylanders game if any - it is too early to start crying out loud that this is the end and Skylanders are doomed.

That's kinda exactly what we were saying. They cannot change design at this point in the process. That's the point of being a software developer and being aware of the SDLC, you know what is and is not changeable this late in the process. That is consistent no matter what kind of software you make. Many people think you can just 180 the design in a few months on a multi year project. But whatever mechanic they have going they will have to go with, because by the time the Supercharger train wreck was visible it was too late. And going by TfB's history of focusing on the plastic, I'm not really thinking they are in a position to alter course of the next game.

Quote: UncleBob

I have to agree on not being as gung-ho on the SWAP Force selling point as some others. Swapping the figures didn't really do much to set them aside from their non-swapped counterparts. It would have been nice if each of the 255 combinations had some kind of wholly exclusive move/attack based on the combination of those two halves - but man, that would have taken *forever* to develop.

I ended up playing most of SWAP Force with cores. :y

You have to open them to see why they are fun man... They were fun to play with, my youngest son loved them - and he actually likes the vehicles too. Best "toys" of the series. I like the aspect that you can take some features from a character and some from another and sort of combine them. Not truly mix and match, but it's still pretty flexible.

It isn't that I disliked Trap Team or thought trapping villains weren't cool, but it really wasn't much of an innovation. Press a button for a tag team with another character, or you can just swap one out on the portal. Now that we are at 200+ playable characters, swapping in a tag team really doesn't knock my socks off. They need something that isn't just more playable options.

Open them? What kind of crazy-talk is that? :D

Seriously, though, outside of the starters, I did buy a bunch of extra figures at launch and opened a few of them. I had planned to buy two of each so I could try all the swappable combinations. After messing with a few of them, game-play wise, I just didn't see what made one half play any different with another half vs. any other halves. Sure, if there was one top and one bottom you really liked, then yeah, that's nice - but when the cores seemed so much more balanced and fun, there just wasn't anything that stood out (gameplay wise) with the SWAPpers.

It was a neat concept - and still to this day, I like the tactile swapping and the pull of the magnets... and the SNAP when they click together... but the game play aspect just didn't do much for me.

Villains did offer some new gameplay mechanics - but, mostly, just made the game easier. It's like paying on Easy with all my Level 20 Eon's Elites. Sure, I *can* do it - but it's not very fun either.

This is where we get into an earlier topic - where the game responds to what character I am using. "Oh, you're using a Life based Skylander? I'm going to send Undead enemies to attack you!" This changes up the gameplay *and* makes my decisions as Portal Master actually have an influence in the game world.

Quote: defpally

They cannot change design at this point in the process. That's the point of being a software developer and being aware of the SDLC, you know what is and is not changeable this late in the process. That is consistent no matter what kind of software you make. Many people think you can just 180 the design in a few months on a multi year project. But whatever mechanic they have going they will have to go with, because by the time the Supercharger train wreck was visible it was too late. And going by TfB's history of focusing on the plastic, I'm not really thinking they are in a position to alter course of the next game.

It is actually very depend on the project. Your famous Diablo 3 is looking right at your with the very big grim smile . And it is not unique, there are more examples from game development.
I do not know what is your experience as software developer but I personally have seen 360 degrees rotations on designs and implementations a few times when there were only few month left before planned release. Lately, thanks to agile and similar BS, it seems to be a mainstream. With Skylanders it will be much more harder to do but not impossible - it all depends on how much current design can be changed without changing physical equipment already produced in a mass for the next game. Which we have no idea of.

Agile allows for smaller incremental delivery timeframes for smaller pieces of functionality. It doesn't mean you can re-develop 50% of the game when half the time has expired. You can argue they could re-focus the remaining development items to strengthen its offering based on what has been developed, though.

Everyone remember the fiasco on Trap Team - timer or unlimited time? That one simple item took them a while to nail and we watched it all unfold in real time.

I know I say this a lot but I do think the timer was Acti's idea. They probably thought that no one would get the new Skylanders (Or at the very least, would have lower toy sales) if the villains were infinite.


Also, while I like a lot of them, the villain themes should have been optional.

Could be but I wouldn't be too sure.

The sudden change indeed caught me off-guard but the more I thought about it the more I imagined they decided to do that because otherwise villains would have been just more playable characters and not something even slightly innovative.

Either way I'm confident TfB had enought time to notice what went wrong with SuperChargers and still be able to fix it, in case.
Not everything but I think they definitely have a better idea of what to do.

Quote: Drek95

Could be but I wouldn't be too sure.

The sudden change indeed caught me off-guard but the more I thought about it the more I imagined they decided to do that because otherwise villains would have been just more playable characters and not something even slightly innovative.

Either way I'm confident TfB had enought time to notice what went wrong with SuperChargers and still be able to fix it, in case.
Not everything but I think they definitely have a better idea of what to do.

Hopefully they did, and hopefully VV will learn with whatever TfB messes up on Sky 6 and then we can finally get the best Skylanders game ever.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Agile allows for smaller incremental delivery timeframes for smaller pieces of functionality. It doesn't mean you can re-develop 50% of the game when half the time has expired. You can argue they could re-focus the remaining development items to strengthen its offering based on what has been developed, though.

Everyone remember the fiasco on Trap Team - timer or unlimited time? That one simple item took them a while to nail and we watched it all unfold in real time.

Agile is garbage, and I speak that as someone that is fully trained in it, does it at work and am a Sprint Master that holds the daily stand ups and does development as well as project planning. It works fine if you can cut your project up into a bunch of really tiny two week chunks and if you like to treat your developers like a bunch of replaceable numbers. In other words, offshore Java devs. It also promotes writing inefficient, poorly documented code and being not at all being maintainable, delivery takes precedent over good design.

If you work with good, competent devs that can deliver what they estimate like I work with it is just a hassle that encourages writing bad code that you can't come back and update later easily. The only reason it has caught on like it did is because companies are still trying to find an effective way to offshore development to unqualified, cheap labor. If you cut the job up into small enough pieces then anyone can do it is the philosophy.

Quote: Rom713

It is actually very depend on the project. Your famous Diablo 3 is looking right at your with the very big grim smile . And it is not unique, there are more examples from game development.
I do not know what is your experience as software developer but I personally have seen 360 degrees rotations on designs and implementations a few times when there were only few month left before planned release. Lately, thanks to agile and similar BS, it seems to be a mainstream. With Skylanders it will be much more harder to do but not impossible - it all depends on how much current design can be changed without changing physical equipment already produced in a mass for the next game. Which we have no idea of.

Diablo 3 has been altered over four years since release. And the core game is still the same, many changes have been made but the whole story and gameplay design (minus the expansion) is still the same. Skylanders has maybe 6 months, and if it requires any physical item change, much less than that.

Quote: defpally

Quote: Rom713

It is actually very depend on the project. Your famous Diablo 3 is looking right at your with the very big grim smile . And it is not unique, there are more examples from game development.

Diablo 3 has been altered over four years since release. And the core game is still the same, many changes have been made but the whole story and gameplay design (minus the expansion) is still the same. Skylanders has maybe 6 months, and if it requires any physical item change, much less than that.

I was talking about pre-release Diablo 3 in beta and alpha. You can find a lot info about how all three games in Diablo series were created and about "last minute changes" in all 3 of them. It is quite an interesting reading about Blizzard and creation of a few their big hits.

Blizzard games are never finished though. Diablo 2 and Starcraft just got a patch I believe for compatibility reasons. If all game developers kept their development standards we would be in much better shape. Whether you like their games or not, or like game changes they have made or not, it is hard to argue with the quality.

Quote: defpally

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Agile allows for smaller incremental delivery timeframes for smaller pieces of functionality. It doesn't mean you can re-develop 50% of the game when half the time has expired. You can argue they could re-focus the remaining development items to strengthen its offering based on what has been developed, though.

Everyone remember the fiasco on Trap Team - timer or unlimited time? That one simple item took them a while to nail and we watched it all unfold in real time.

Agile is garbage, and I speak that as someone that is fully trained in it, does it at work and am a Sprint Master that holds the daily stand ups and does development as well as project planning. It works fine if you can cut your project up into a bunch of really tiny two week chunks and if you like to treat your developers like a bunch of replaceable numbers. In other words, offshore Java devs. It also promotes writing inefficient, poorly documented code and being not at all being maintainable, delivery takes precedent over good design.

If you work with good, competent devs that can deliver what they estimate like I work with it is just a hassle that encourages writing bad code that you can't come back and update later easily. The only reason it has caught on like it did is because companies are still trying to find an effective way to offshore development to unqualified, cheap labor. If you cut the job up into small enough pieces then anyone can do it is the philosophy.

I only brought it up to communicate that even the development methodology won't save them. So tell me how you really feel about it lol. (btw, I've been a Scrum Master too, and I've seen all the tell tale signs around me. Sounds like we need to chat lol).

Nobody expects a second Diablo 3. They has 2 years time to fix one game, not more as 10 (since Diablo 2). I know we're talking about a billion dollar franchise, so that they could spend 100 millions or more for a game, but that will not make their concept phase longer. There is no much time for big experiments. On the other site they could use some ideas from the concept phases for the next games.

n-space developers that worked on the skylanders games for the 3ds is shutting down...

http://nintendoeverything.com/n-space-is-shutting-down/

Quote: CountMoneyBone

n-space developers that worked on the skylanders games for the 3ds is shutting down...

http://nintendoeverything.com/n-space-is-shutting-down/

That's terrible

Quote: HeyitsHotDog

Quote: CountMoneyBone

n-space developers that worked on the skylanders games for the 3ds is shutting down...

http://nintendoeverything.com/n-space-is-shutting-down/

That's terrible

its game over for the skylanders now... activisions have layoffs and skylanders developers shutting down. vv might be the next in line after their failure.

All because the 3DS developer of SG and SSF was shut down? I doubt that.

That logic... it fails. First, if you would read what people have said, the layoffs didn't happen in places where the Skylanders games are being produced. Specifically, I believe Bifrost noted that the location was where Guitar Hero was made.

Second, if you would actually read the info on the link you posted, Skylanders wasn't even noted as one of their major works. Skylanders, from what I saw, wasn't even mentioned in the article. And yet you want to attribute both of these things to Skylanders dying. Their is no logical connection there, other than you wanting Skylanders to collapse, and using any stretch of a connection to prove your point.

Course, most people know this, anyway. But just in case somebody new clicks this by chance, you need to be called out on this.

Quote: CountMoneyBone

Quote: HeyitsHotDog

Quote: CountMoneyBone

n-space developers that worked on the skylanders games for the 3ds is shutting down...

http://nintendoeverything.com/n-space-is-shutting-down/

That's terrible

its game over for the skylanders now... activisions have layoffs and skylanders developers shutting down. vv might be the next in line after their failure.

N-space hasn't make a Skylander game in years......


@Aura. n-space didn't make SSA3DS, that was VV. N-space did Giants and SF for 3DS.

Ah, I got confused on the 3DS devs. Fixed.

Beenox will likely take over for now, unless Acti hires another studio.

Also, trigger words:

"Skylanders" "failure" "didn't exceed expectations" "lay offs".

Quote: HuskerfanChuck

That logic... it fails. First, if you would read what people have said, the layoffs didn't happen in places where the Skylanders games are being produced. Specifically, I believe Bifrost noted that the location was where Guitar Hero was made.

Second, if you would actually read the info on the link you posted, Skylanders wasn't even noted as one of their major works. Skylanders, from what I saw, wasn't even mentioned in the article. And yet you want to attribute both of these things to Skylanders dying. Their is no logical connection there, other than you wanting Skylanders to collapse, and using any stretch of a connection to prove your point.

Course, most people know this, anyway. But just in case somebody new clicks this by chance, you need to be called out on this.

i dont read bifrost posts anymore, so i guess thats why didnt know about that.

You could've read the article. But hey, you're the one with the baseless beliefs, I shouldn't even try to expect you to not jump to conclusions.