Chapter 209: A Plethora of Sandbox Games
The current game content is definitely not ready for official release. Some features have yet to be implemented, and the modding tools are still in internal debugging. There is also the workshop review process.
Previously, the main mod content of the workshop was Overcooked and Fall Guys. These so-called player-developed mods were still based on components from the original game resources, so there were no major problems. But things are different now, especially with the recent release of Don't Starve. Alex has given players more control over the mods. Players can even modify the game's text descriptions and even customize the game's rules.
Whether this is good or bad, and whether it's fun or not, depends on the modder's skills.
This also makes the modding content of Don't Starve more complex.
Minecraft, on the other hand, is even more unique. Therefore, constant attention must be paid to the workshop and the player community. The volume of content in this area is quite large, so a dedicated review team is required.
According to Alex's plan, Minecraft will be released in early February, just before the end of the year. After the winter holidays, a limited beta test will be conducted to gather player feedback on the game's content and experience details.
For example, they will be asked if they can navigate the completely free gameplay of Minecraft and if they need a tutorial to understand the fundamentals of the game from the beginning.
They will also be asked where the game fails and if any problems with the controls or content are causing problems for the players. All this information will be collected during the beta test. Once it is finished, Alex and the team will be able to determine whether changes need to be made based on the feedback.
The time between the beta test and the game's release is a period reserved for this. Of course, the changes are likely to be limited to the controls and tutorials, as it has been confirmed that the gameplay and overall structure will remain unchanged.
As the content of Minecraft gradually expands, so will the team's decision to review the game's content.
A plethora of sandbox games have hit the market, with various developers eagerly promoting them, hoping to capitalize on the current sandbox craze. Amidst this overwhelming hype, the games from major developers NetDragon and Aether Games have attracted the most attention. Although they have not yet been released, they are already generating a lot of anticipation.
The reason? It's simple: as major game developers, Aether Games and NetDragon have invested heavily in this new sandbox genre. While this budget is essentially a test for Aether Games and NetDragon, given their size and scale, even this type of testing ground is unmatched by common companies. Consequently, their new titles, Voyage and Wasteland, are highly anticipated. The former features a maritime adventure, while the latter is set in a post-apocalyptic world.
Aether Games' travel game focuses on adventure, marketing itself as the first sandbox travel game. NetDragon's is a post-apocalyptic survival game. The specific gameplay is not clear, as not much has been revealed, only a theme. However, it is undeniable that it is truly captivating.
While there are many games with a wasteland theme, few focus exclusively on survival, and even fewer on travel. The incorporation of sandbox elements makes these two games instantly unique.
The developer of NetDragon's Wasteland is Mark, an old acquaintance of Alex, the incredibly kind Mark.
Among the games of the same era, these two games have captured the attention of players. After all, with their impressive graphics and production from major companies, along with their established selling points, it's hard not to attract players.
Meanwhile, after Don't Starve, several second- and third-tier game developers have released new titles. However, at that time, most simply jumped on the trend, even redesigning old games and labeling them as sandbox.
These games have been heavily criticized by players, with a rating as low as 7 out of 10. But precisely because of this, the industry is more optimistic about the future of sandbox games. The strong criticism suggests that players are quite enthusiastic about this type of game.
The criticized games are simply looking to make a quick buck. Their gameplay and setting are essentially the same, even without the sandbox label. In fact, simply by being labeled as sandbox, these games have received even more attention than before.
The industry constantly debates the direction of sandbox games.
"It feels different from the metagame that Alex launched back then. Could sandbox games become a major category?", he asks.
"In fact, the attention to Voyage and Wasteland from Aether Games and NetDragon continues to grow. I have heard that both companies have increased their budgets accordingly."
"The last two years have been interesting. Whenever one of these two companies creates a game, the other one immediately launches a project."
"Haha, they are old rivals, but they make me want to make a sandbox game too."
"I advise you to be careful. Although sandbox games seem to have a promising future, only Don't Starve has been recognized by the market so far. The essence of the so-called sandbox game is still in debate. In addition, judging by its current popularity, it will be difficult to gain a market share unless they launch it before Aether Games and NetDragon. It is better to wait and see how the sandbox game evolves!".
"That's right, let's wait a while."
"But Alex doesn't seem to have been very active lately. He launched a tour recently, and I thought he would participate like the last two years."
"Yes, after the development of Don't Starve, there has been no activity."
"I guess he's working on a new game?".
While the industry was debating the market and the development of this large number of sandbox games, in the Nebula Games office, Alex, Eric, Jane, and other team members were busy building a house.
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