This month marks the two year anniversary of Demigod's initial release. It's time to start thinking about its future.
If you had your way, what would you do with Demigod?
For example: For a Demgiod v1.5, what key tweaks would you do in that?
For a Demigod expansion, what would you do in that?
For a Demigod sequel, what would you do in that?
We'd like to hear how you guys would like to see Demigod evolve in the future.
Anyway, back to a super realistic approach to getting another patch for the existing demigod.
Here's exactly what I'd do.
Anyway, that's my take. Option 1 would require little to no work on SD's side. We'd tell you what the worst bugs are along with the code, you just fix and test. And side note, we've been testing the crap out of each and every fix. A cursory review and a quick run through qa should make it clear that our testing has been solid. Option 2 and 3 require a little work on the communities part and you folks at SD or GPG agreeing that we aren't suggesting some idiotic, balance breaking items. Option 4 and 5 would take 5 minutes to implement and 5 minute to test. Option 6 is well... pie in the sky. That would be the biggest development cost, and I'd only do it if I had the resources and saw a solid value add in the future.
You know, I'm not sure why it says that......
Today I played DG for the first time again since I stopped playing back in 2009 so I'm sure those stats are still from back near the release.
I'd be happy to be cannon-fodder for you and Kitkun sometime though. hehe Tonight I was just playing a few games with a bud (testing some of my "connectivity theories") but I should have sometime on the weekend for a few friendly games.
This is a copy from comment on this topic in the demigod forums:
I wouldn't like to see any changes in the graphic design of the game. Imo, this is one strenght of the game which let it stand out from all the low comic graphic DotA games.
Also, I don't need 30+ demigods/heroes to choose from. The diversity is virtual, in fact the abilities repeat, only the combination of them changes. I prefer a clearly arranged amount of demigods like in the first DotA Mods for WCIII (I'm speaking of those made from Eul) in place of too many heroes/demigods. Why? Because of the balance. Balancing 8 or 10 heroes is already not that easy, but balancing 30 heroes....well.
Which brings me to my next point which I would like to see adressed in a sequel of Demigod: Attempts to balance the demigods. I'm play the game only from time to time, but my impression is that there are some heroes which are a "bit" stronger than the other demigods, you know, one of them is really smelling out of his mouth.
But what I really wish is a complete rework of the network code in order to make the game finally accessible for multiplayer matches.
Additionally those kind of games have to have some kind of tracking system for wins, losses and disconnects.
A team balancing system on players statistics would be good (optional).
has BUILT IN GAME CHAT been mentioned?? just asking, too lazy to read all the posts.
DG for free would be an interesting idea. It seemed to work for Steam when they put Portal for free last year. Brought alot of people to the system that hadn't origninally used it. It would also kickstart DG again as a game (assuming fewer connectivity issues).
I haven't played DG since the month it released. For a while I really wanted to. Then I was waiting for a few friends to try it, but they were waiting for things to be fixed first. Eventually we all kind of forgot about it. Then I went to try and play it again online and everyone pissed and moaned about how bad I was at the game. Eventually I couldn't find a team to join, so I just gave up. Tried again recently to play and there were like 3 games available and I didn't even bother trying to join them as the players were clearly quite experienced.
I think, from my perspective, a "Comp Stomp" mode would be fun (maybe there's one in there, I dunno). Something where I could join up with a friend and just play against AI's. More maps. I dont know the game well enough anymore to know what game mechanics need serious work. I remember I had camera control issues, but that was on my old computer and I haven't really tried the game on my new machine that can handle the graphics at a fair clip. Maybe have a "survivor" mode where your team is just getting mad rushed by enemies in increasing numbers as time progresses.
The more I think about it, the more I like the "Permanent Free Game" weekend where anyone who wants the game can get it for free for one weekend only after which it goes back to full price, just like Portal did.
That's my feedback on things.
I agree on all accounts! client/server model PLEASE. I would PAY for that, even a subscription basis.
And yes, no flooding a gazillion demigods. 10 - 12 is perfect! The many possibilities of play style even with a single DG is what's AWESOME.
And allow towers to be rebuilt by a citadel purchase or the like IMHO.
I think putting the uberfix and ai mods into an actual patch would be enough to finish Demigod off as a veteran product.
Connectivity, (client/server), would be a nice icing on the cake, but it would serve better as an addition to a sequel. It should eliminate the problems with people disconnecting just before losing and such and would serve as a motivator for us to buy the sequel.
I would just make demigod 2. If demigod 1 would of released with smooth multiplayer and a good ladder, you would of had a smash hit on your hands. With that smash hit, you would of had alot more money, which in turn would of kept the expansion packs coming, new maps and the like.
This is a great game, when you make demigod 2, I would look to add even more Stragey elements in the basebuilding part. Make it a true hybrid of strategy and pvp.
Demigod 2 would get me running to the shop to buy it. Some ideas:
Graphics are excellent already I don't think any improvement is needed there. Balance is excellent in my opinion too.
Items need a visit. Perhaps customisable items Like favor items would be a good thing. For example allow favor items to be built based on favor points - perhaps 20 "upgrade" levels with buff trees available for the favor item similar to the character build model - for example Blood of the fallen starts with only a small health buff and regen, but other trees could be passive aura health, life steal, or perhaps "health boost" - an instant ability that disables all other benefits (from the item) for a cooldown period in exchange for a instant HP. These different options in favor items would be purchased with favor points, and a "retrain" of your favor item would cost favor points too. This way people could experiment with different favor builds but limited by cost. As you build your favor item you increase it's buffs, custom it's attributes, and tweak it along the way.
Make people select their customised favor item in a profile "lobby" before they even join a game. Nobody else will know what they've got - it's a pain having to try and speed click your favor item at the start of the game when you just want to GO!
Allow gold gifting during a match, so you can help your teammates or pool resources for a cit upgrade. Just make a 'drop gold' option similar to dropping an item (allow them to specify an amount of course)
Another idea was mentioned once - Gypsies (or whatever you wanna call them), similar to monks but they regenerate your mana. Also allow a minion idol for these.
More Flag types! For example flags that affect agility and speed of the DGs. How about a flag that's a Teleport flag. It's always gray, but upon capture you gain a warp or teleport in your inventory that expires after let's say 45 seconds.
Connectivity is an obvious "need fix" as is automatching.
Have a player level that reflects the player's skill rating. If you are level 50, you're bloody pro. If you stomp a noob, you don't increase your level. If you're level 10 and you win vs lvl 50, then you graduate a level. If your level 20 and get beat by a noob, you drop a level. This is a better system that win% and #games IMHO.
PLEASE PLEASE make DGII, or at least revive this best game ever made. I'm willing to buy it full price all over again if it works as originally intended.
Awesome
I've been far from Demigod since it started with serious NAT problems, couldn't connect to any game. And looks like that the patch it didn't fix so much too.
So I think that for a future patch:
1. Better connection (everybody is saying that, but is good to say again).
2. Lobby mod download, is really a pain to comeback to the first game menu and change it all the time.
3. New arenas (2x2 and 3x3, the others are almost not used, so...).
4. New DGs.
5. Please implement the essential mods to the vanilla game.
6. Rebalance Demon Assassin and Regulus.
Since I stoped playing DG i've been on LOL, and seriously, I miss DG, is much more epic and complete. For a new sequel:
1. More DGs, dunno something like 14 or 16, Demigod is not like LOL, each DG have inumerous effective builds, so I think this number of DGs is really nice.
2. A more consistent single-player experience (I know that this is not the focus of this game, but a nice Singleplayer experience is good for beginners.
3. More consistent ladder, in-game chat and Pantheon game mod.
4. A map maker is always nice, this keeps games like WC3 alive until today.
5. And a good connection.
Well, I didn't have hope of a new Demigod, but if it really happens I'll certainly buy it.
Hopefully Stardock is taking note of the strong trend in requests emerging here:
- Better connectivity
- Better matchmaking and ladder systems
- More/better maps and/or the ability for the community to make maps
- More (ongoing) attention to balance
- Mod auto-downloading
These five have been mentioned by almost everyone that's commented so far, and for good reason. Many of these are the most important elements of a MOBA, and the reason why HoN and LoL have been so much more comparatively successful than Demigod despite not looking as nice nor having as much flexibility with hero skill choice.
Not to say that these two things should necessarily be sacrificed to focus entirely on the above, but if a huge art budget is encroaching on your ability to fix connectivity issues and fund patches and balance changes post-launch, it should be pretty clear which you should cut corners on.
Demigod is a beautiful game, which as someone said previously was part of its downfall since it was impossible to mod thanks to the price of the graphics program a potential modder would need to purchase.
Would the community favor sacrificing graphics quality in Demigod 2 in order to make modding and mapmaking possible? Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies are pretty popular nowadays, so I'm thinking it might be a sacrifice worth making.
I would. Obviously, the pie in the sky would be to keep the level of "pretty" while enabling map makers to create maps that don't have giant gods in the background. I'd think this would be possible. Also, we need a few more colors, tbh. The detail is awesome, but colors a bit bland. That said, I probably would have traded all the pretty for map making tools. Game play is number 1 - and demigod has that in spades.
I think many valid points were already said. What i know is that there are people out there who play demigod but do not like LoL or HoN. They just dont like the Style or dont get it that they have so many in common. I think there is no point in DG1.5, if you want to make it right , make a good DG2. Listen to the valid suggestions in this thread. Take a look at the market (i even feel silly to tell you to do this .. ) , learn from all the fails , look at your fans and try to understand why you still have any at all (-;good luck!
fail
I just didn't get DOTA at all, tried it for like an hour a while back and thought it was the most tedious, ridiculously pointless exercise i'd had for a while, loved WC3 and those types of games though. Maybe I didn't give it enough time but just knew it wasn't for me pretty much straight away, the WC3 graphics & UI are looking pretty dated now as well.
Even with Dmeigod's many, many flaws, it still beats those types of WC3 "mods" without even trying in my opinion. Just a shame I/we are in the minority of people that think so. Why are those types of mod so succesful, is it just that they are free to play?
It's not a big sacrifice that must be done. SC2 is really pretty too and it have map editor.
Yeah, Demigod is a little alike LoL, but is much more complete, and the Demigod's gameplay really rocks. I would say that LoL is played for kids too, Demigod no...
I absolutely HATED DOTA,LOL, and HON. I think DG is AWESOME. Yes, I too find it hard to believe there's not more people into DG. When I first played DG my first impression was "why do they move so slow?", But I soon learned that the realistic movement speed is actually more real time than any RTS I've ever played. I think the rapid pace and cartoon style of the other games is attractive to gamers these days.... But me, I'm a fan of chess so I guess I'm not in the majority of computer gamer types.
DG still gets my adrenalin pumping like crazy.
Fixed
Tutorial and a better single player campaign .
Point #1
Forget the peer2peer of the soho engine. Get server side / client for better online performance.
If someone has a bad connection, it wont affect the others. (your impulse reactor seem interesting tho)
Point #2
MAPS!!! trust me, more maps, more easy to mod = more players! = more $$ = u are more happy
More heroes could be interesting too.... We kinda get tired of seeing the same thing over and over again... too many people end up taking double because the lack of choices.
Just my 2 cents from an old Demigod beta tester (special thanks of your manual/game credits) who got for a brief moment the top #1 rank along with FLurus. still got the screenshot for those interested.
I think the main issue has already been hammered home. Connectivity. Trying to play this game in any normal internet environment instead of a lan was such a painful experience.
I actually disagree on the "we have enough" demigods. People need variety to stay interested; it is no small fact that the other games of a similar genre continuously output new heroes. Even if you had 2-3 viable trees for each hero (didn't quite get there with DG1) people would still eventually bore of the same dozen visual choices. Gameplay may be paramount, and everyone is quick to jump on the "I don’t care about graphics as long as the gameplay is good" but the reality is computer games are also a visual media and this genre thrives on diversity.
Graphics are stunning, I'd have been more than happy if the current engine/models were carried over and added to except for the exclusivity and inaccessibility to modding due to the granny stuff. This game isn't dating even 2 years down the track from its release.
Items were generally one of the weaker points I think, there were just too many items that pretty much all DGs benefited from, and my friends also found that after a while you basically got two sets of items depending on whether you were more caster or more melee but that was it. If i were to have another patch, I'd probably like to see some minor tweaks or variety put into the item system.
In a nutshell, if the connectivity was better, and there was a touch more diversity amongst the demigods I wouldn't change a lot. I think the menus could have been a bit more streamlined but that wasn't game breaking by any means. I never really had any serious balance gripes rather than queen feeling a bit weak even after her tweaks so no complaints there either. All in all this game was my favourite for a long time, and it was disappointing to see it disappear into nothing whilst others in the genre have powered forward into what I wanted Demigod to be. Better luck with DG2, here's hoping.
I'm compiling a short list of things from uberfix that I believe are critical and should be included in a patch. I think I'll have 2 solid adjustments to items as well that should make some useless items worthwhile and maintain solid balance. I'll post the details when I get a chance.
I still do hope there is an official announcement on the future of DG soon though. Fingers crossed.
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