Lorne @ GameCentral - ‘we’ve become triple-A indie’

[Xavier]

Long and interesting interview with Lorne about the Oddworld Inhabitants company and New 'n' Tasty (and perhaps other stuff, I have not finished reading it)

http://metro.co.uk/2014/07/08/oddwor...indie-4790351/

GC: I remember you said you were going to do the animated movies and everything.

LL: Well, we hope to. And we had a movie deal, but 2008 happened with the financial crash and we had a R-rated, CG animated film that was a $40 to $60 million budget. But 2008 happening the way it did, and what happened to Hollywood and financing, you could tell that the writing was on the wall and that’d we’d never actually release that film. So we didn’t really follow through. But we still have it, if we were to build, and we still have this property if we want to build on that.

[Strnadik]

I like his gaming industry vision, he is absolutely right about nowadays publishers and AAA games. If you want to release something big, you have to be a slave. Also I guess if JAW and Oddworld will have enough spare money to develop new things (after NnT and Exoddus remake, and possibly a new game), they will definitely make some movie, that could be amazing. ^^(I'm still reading)

[Connell]

It would be very nice if New 'N' Tasty is a complete success and becomes the pioneering game in a radical shift-up of how the gaming industry works. We can all dream.

[Havoc]

Triple A, absolutely. But one has to question the indie part, given the publishing deal with Sony. Or is JAW heavily favoring Playstation for anything they do out of the kindness of their heart, without any monetary gains in return? No, I didn't think so. Indie my ass.

[OWI_Alex]

Triple A, absolutely. But one has to question the indie part, given the publishing deal with Sony. Or is JAW heavily favoring Playstation for anything they do out of the kindness of their heart, without any monetary gains in return? No, I didn't think so. Indie my ass.

Sony aren't publishing New 'n' Tasty. Oddworld are.

The 30 day exclusive window is - as has been said multiple times before - down to them showing New 'n' Tasty during E3 2013.

[Xavier]

Triple A, absolutely. But one has to question the indie part, given the publishing deal with Sony. Or is JAW heavily favoring Playstation for anything they do out of the kindness of their heart, without any monetary gains in return? No, I didn't think so. Indie my ass.

Did you even read the interview?

This was supposed to be a simple preview of Oddworld: New ‘N’ Tasty!, an HD remake of PS one classic Abe’s Oddysee. But at the same time we were given the chance to interview Lorne Lanning, the co-founder of publisher Oddworld Inhabitants and a man who purposefully abandoned the video games industry following the release of Stranger’s Wrath (already available as a HD remake) in 2005.

...

We’ll have a full review as soon as we get our hands on the finished game but for now here’s our insight into how the game was made, and why it isn’t being published by anyone other than Oddworld themselves…

...

Formats: PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One, and PC
Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants
Developer: Just Add Water
Release Date: 23rd July 2014 (PSN only)

...

GC: Do you regard yourself as an indie developer, in the modern sense of the word?

LL: Well, ah, independent in that we are 100 per cent independent. We are self-financed, we are self-published, and that’s really what it means, so… but this is the thing, there’s a bit of a stigma now…

[Havoc]

I didn't mean publishing deal in the traditional way. I mean that Sony is giving JAW and the game extra exposure and who knows what else in return for an exclusive Playstation release and apparently exclusive Playstation content.

That's exposure, promotion and assistance they would not otherwise have had without Sony's help, thus no longer making it an independent title.

But mostly I'm just finding it frustrating to see that Oddworld of all IP's is jumping on the exclusive release platform, exclusive pre-order DLC bonus content bandwagon. It's insulting to the franchise and the fans if you ask me. I refuse to buy a 400 euro console just to play this game on day one. And in return not only do I have to wait an additional month, apparently I also stand to miss out on exclusive content.

When New 'n' Tasty was announced as an indie title I was relieved to know that this game wouldn't come with all this bullshit that is so common in the game industry these days. So excuse me for feeling slightly aggravated that it's still happening.

[OWI_Alex]

I didn't mean publishing deal in the traditional way. I mean that Sony is giving JAW and the game extra exposure and who knows what else in return for an exclusive Playstation release and apparently exclusive Playstation content.

That's exposure, promotion and assistance they would not otherwise have had without Sony's help, thus no longer making it an independent title.

But mostly I'm just finding it frustrating to see that Oddworld of all IP's is jumping on the exclusive release platform, exclusive pre-order DLC bonus content bandwagon. It's insulting to the franchise and the fans if you ask me. I refuse to buy a 400 euro console just to play this game on day one. And in return not only do I have to wait an additional month, apparently I also stand to miss out on exclusive content.

When New 'n' Tasty was announced as an indie title I was relieved to know that this game wouldn't come with all this bullshit that is so common in the game industry these days. So excuse me for feeling slightly aggravated that it's still happening.

The content isn't exclusive at all - please see my post in the other thread.

Your concerns are understood - but the content isn't exclusive to PlayStation platforms.

[Havoc]

Yeah I just read that. That's reassuring at least.

[Holy Sock]

That's exposure, promotion and assistance they would not otherwise have had without Sony's help, thus no longer making it an independent title.

That's nonsense. You might as well say, then, that any indie title that took part in ID@Xbox is not an indie title. Any indie title that is being promoted by PS is not an indie title.

[Xavier]

So yeah, the only thing Sony has that the other platforms don't have is a timed-exclusive. And that was in return of allowing OWI to be on stage for the showing of New 'n' Tasty during E3 2013.

I realy don't feel non PS4 owners are being cheated here. And I don't even have a PS4.

[MeechMunchie]

I didn't mean publishing deal in the traditional way.

Almost stopped reading here. "No, I didn't say anything stupid, you just read it wrong!"

I mean that Sony is giving JAW and the game extra exposure and who knows what else... That's exposure, promotion and assistance they would not otherwise have had without Sony's help, thus no longer making it an independent title.

Huh. So Wariopunk's YouTube channel is now a video game publisher?

[Havoc]

Almost stopped reading here. "No, I didn't say anything stupid, you just read it wrong!"

Huh. So Wariopunk's YouTube channel is now a video game publisher?

I dunno? Is the game being released exclusively on Wariopunk's YouTube channel?

[Holy Sock]

Christ, Havoc, you really need to get over this 30 day exclusivity deal.

[Havoc]

Christ, Havoc, you really need to get over this 30 day exclusivity deal.

Well I won't. Because I hate these kinds of ridiculousness about platform exclusive deals for any reason and with any developer. It's stupid and if even 'independent' developers start doing this crap then what little dignity is left in the game industry is quickly going down the drain.

Since this is a brand new expensive project for JAW I'm gonna say I understand why they took a deal like this. Doesn't mean I have to agree or like it. But I wholeheartedly hope that this will not be repeating itself for future titles.

[MeechMunchie]

I dunno? Is the game being released exclusively on Wariopunk's YouTube channel?

Is the game being released exclusively on PS4?

(No)

It's a month, Havoc. This game is going to exist on PC until the collapse of human civilisation. 30 days on PS4 are not a big deal.

[Holy Sock]

Well I won't. Because I hate these kinds of ridiculousness about platform exclusive deals for any reason and with any developer. It's stupid and if even 'independent' developers start doing this crap then what little dignity is left in the game industry is quickly going down the drain.

Since this is a brand new expensive project for JAW I'm gonna say I understand why they took a deal like this. Doesn't mean I have to agree or like it. But I wholeheartedly hope that this will not be repeating itself for future titles.

What are you talking about a lack of dignity? Independent developers do it ALL THE TIME. It's about getting your game out there in the best possible way you can at that point in time. They usually release only on PC and/or take the best console offer they can get. If they want exposure, if they want to get on consoles, they have to work within their parameters.

Indie games need as much exposure as they can get. New 'n' Tasty is the only up and coming indie game I can think of that's going to be on almost every platform by the end of the year. So, in reality, we're lucky that Oddworld and JAW are spending the time and money to port this game onto other platforms instead of just going straight for an exclusive PlayStation only deal that so many other indie developers would only dream about.

If they were flushing their dignity down the toilet they would have caved into Microsofts unrealistic ID@Xbox demands.

This was about Sony giving them a great opportunity in return for a relatively minor and fair return.

[Bullet Magnet]

I, for one, would welcome a Wariopunk-exclusive title.

[Connell]

Whilst I don't entirely agree, I completely see where Havoc is coming from. I had a phone conversation with my dad earlier, and I explained to him that I want a PS4 because "The new Abe is coming out" and "they still haven't announced a release date for any other platform" and "You get bonus outfits and additional levels". These are the core facts, and his response was "Wow, they really have their marketing techniques sorted out, don't they?". It is easy to see how the exclusivity deals can be misconstrued as money grabbing attempts.

[Holy Sock]

It's marketing certainly. They don't have a marketing budget like they would if they had a big publisher behind them. So this exclusivity deal is in lieu of something like that without any heavy strings attached (which 30 days isn't).

I mean, sure, if they were aiming for same day release with PS3 i would imagine it will be released within the 30 day period.

[OWI_Alex]

Indie games need as much exposure as they can get. New 'n' Tasty is the only up and coming indie game I can think of that's going to be on almost every platform by the end of the year. So, in reality, we're lucky that Oddworld and JAW are spending the time and money to port this game onto other platforms instead of just going straight for an exclusive PlayStation only deal that so many other indie developers would only dream about.

Quite. Also worth bearing in mind that given the fact that JAW are a relatively small studio in terms of staff, it takes time to ensure that each version looks, sounds and plays the best it can do. Hence why we're not yet at a stage where we can announce dates for PS3 and PS Vita.

This was about Sony giving them a great opportunity in return for a relatively minor and fair return.

Exactly.

[Xavier]

Quite. Also worth bearing in mind that given the fact that JAW are a relatively small studio in terms of staff, it takes time to ensure that each version looks, sounds and plays the best it can do. Hence why we're not yet at a stage where we can announce dates for PS3 and PS Vita.

I'll be playing it on PS3 first (I don't want to buy a PS4 as I already have the Xbox One) and I'll gladly wait a couple weeks more if that means the quality is at the level JAW/OWI want it to be.

[Crashpunk]

Holy Sock nailed all the points that I wanted to say but fucking hell Havoc. You spend what? 9 years waiting for the next Oddworld game and now your butthurt over the fact you have to wait 30 days. Just be glad it's actually coming out for other platforms.

I, for one, would welcome a Wariopunk-exclusive title.

Already in talks with Just Add Water.

[STM]

Chris' sprite is actually going to be his avatar.