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Well, after much anticipation Shantae for Game Boy Color is finally on the shelves. My hat goes off to Matt and Jimmy for all of their hard work and dedication on this title. Check out the Official Website, if you get a chance. I threw together a bunch of AIM Buddy Icons from the game. They're some of the best buddy icons I've ever seen (even if I do say so myself). We at WayForward Technologies appreciate all of the fan support we have received in response to this game. Thank you.
On that note, please keep in mind that nothing on this website is endorsed, sanctioned or supported by WayForward Technologies. This is my site, and contains only my thoughts, feelings, expression and passion. Please don't take anything I say here as a WayForward press release.
The current state of the videogame industry is a sham. Those in the position to publish games are not gamers and know nothing of the art of creating games. I have been forced to put out titles that I am ashamed of, because some idiot at the publisher wants the title his way, despite that fact that he never plays videogames and has no interest in playing them. I have had producers who couldn't tell a line of ASM from a hemorrhoid try to tell me how to code!
Beyond the frustrations that exist in the actual mechanics of game production, there is the issue of original titles. For a small developer, producing an original title and running a profitable business are nearly mutually exclusive. Publishers are simply not willing to gamble any money on an original title. Take Shantae as an example. It took over two years to find a publisher for that game – and then, they would only pick it up because it was 90% finished. In order to create Shantae, we had to simultaneously produce Sabrina Zapped, Sabrina Spooked, Wendy Every Witch Way and WWF Betrayal. The saddest part: the quality of each of those titles is directly proportional to the amount of freedom that the publisher gave us. The more freedom, the better the game. The better the game, the better the sales. In other words, it is in the publisher's best financial interests to give us freedom in the development of a game. Now... here's the kicker – an original title gives the developer the most freedom, yielding a better game and better sales. Nonetheless, publishers don't want original titles and they refuse to give us the freedom to make great games.
Oh well, rant over.
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| - Lars |
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