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https://store.steampowered.com/app/1803310/Incubus__A_ghosthunters_tale/
Can't say I'm thrilled, which, in a way, is such a shame because Boakes and Captain Beefheart had actually created something rather wonderful - dare I say it - even unique, way back in the Cretaceous period with The Lost Crown. There was no other game quite like it in terms of atmosphere and immersion. The idea of taking real locations in a small, sleepy fishing village and then fashioning a slow-burn ghost story around the place is fused with potential. His earlier games paved the way for this moment and, in 2009, the future looked bright for Darkling.
This all beggars the question, what the hell happened?
The brand was established; there was a captive and growing audience; while Boakes could use later games to really push and develop this fascinating, initial game world. And yet what came next is too tiresome to recount.
I’m sure it can’t be much fun for him, if he comes onto these forums, to read the attitude to his forthcoming game (and he undoubtedly has been working hard) which will probably consist of a good deal of cynicism and apathy alongside his count-them-on-your-fingers fans (individuals who have yet to be on the end of one of Boakes’ invectives). However, in many ways, he has only himself to blame.
Why has he demonstrated unacceptable behaviour towards fans of his games with legitimate questions and gripes (me, included)?
Why has there been 12 years of excuse-making, obfuscation and selective silences?
Why do we still care?
Sadly, I don’t, as his leaves-on-the-track misadventures have become as comic as they are ridiculous. The latest lukewarm response to a new game from Boakes is the antithesis of what the response would’ve been had it come ten years previously when his star was in the ascendant and he was heading for the creation of something very special. Sadly, since that time he has sunk into a mire of his own making – a lost crown, indeed.
14 years passed since Lost crown was released - it was a different era of gaming that will never come back. TLC will remain one of those games that are incredible but never got a proper closure just like Half-Life games for example.
Constantly ditching game builds and postponing the release/development was an awful waste of creativity and most likely after a decade they won't be able to do justice to the game anyway. There are many ways to close the story though, such as book, comic, short movie, but seems like they never really bothered.
Coming Soon™
1.) Announce new game!
2.) Hype new game with screenshots, info, question answering, overall hype!
3.) Have a soon release date. 'This month.' 'Very soon!'
4.) Date passes. There is silence. No communication.
5.) Month or so passes..they go back to talking like normal. Any questions regarding game gets you banned.
Then a few months..we repeat from the top. This has happened with ALL of their games. So lets see in a few months what new game they'll add to the list.
This was a very well written post, I am not used to that on steam, I`m not sure that steam forums are even worthy of the effort you've put in.
I actually do wonder about Mr Boakes .... His behaviour is odd at best, I had him as a friend on facebook for a couple of years and had a small and polite chat via PM about every several months, even one a give away for his last game Ghost Vigil. Then one day, I messaged very politely saying how much I appreciated the game and asked whether we could expect to see Blackenrock soon as I am a fan of TLC games and enjoyed them more than DF games even though I liked both.
That was pretty much exactly what I wrote to him, and maybe I shouldn't have used acronyms but I presumed he would understand THOSE acronyms, his reply to me, bear in mind I had had at least 3 cordial exchanges of a few messages each way in the past, his response was "I have no idea what you are talking about so stop messaging me" and then I was blocked. This was about a year ago
I was very taken back as I had maybe messaged him 2 or 3 times before and had a small chat.
Bringing me back to my point and reading into/guessing this, I presume the pressure of years of people asking about it now provokes a knee jerk reaction?
But yes, he has bought it on himself, and now we are starting the ride again, another new game, another hype , another coming soon but many many ditched projects before this, blackenrock, storm warning, silent night, and that's off the top of my head.
It really is a shame as I genuinely loved the unique if unpolished lost crown games but or whatever reason, its the same cycle, the promise of multiple new games now without fruition.
IF there are issues or they have been abandoned, the very least he could do is say so, and not keep restarting this charade every few years and ignoring his last games and ignoring his reasonably questioning "fans".
Anyway, didnt mean to meander, good post Lermentov
Well, that is the number one question which's answer is just beyond me: why on earth can't people like him just communicate a little about what is happening and why a game does not come out? So many others can. During the last years I've read a ton of posts saying "We are sorry to inform you that we are not ready with the game and it will come out half a year later. Thanks for your understanding!" And the tenor in the answers was always:"Take your time, we prefer a good and ready game, too!". But not Mr.Boakes. Really, may it be a writing blockade, psychological problems, or what else - it's all human and could be communicated. But he prefers to make it worse and worse and worse. You see in uncountable tons of examples that lying to the community always leads to the worst outcome, but still so many people prefer it over anything else.
Your experience has, unfortunately, been replicated by many others over the years. And, as you say, Boakes’ skin is now stretched so thin that any comment which isn’t related to muffins or atmospheric weather has him reaching for the metaphorical sledgehammer.
One really just has to step back, take a breath and think through what is happening – a games designer advertises a new game vociferously, and then when the game fails to materialise he throws an infantile tantrum and unfriends anyone who asks questions related to its whereabouts – to realise that we are at the bizarre, unhinged end of the behaviour spectrum.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In my experience, the vast majority of people on the Steam forums are gentle folk who happen to love video games and don’t want to upset anybody, least of all a designer whose games they enjoy. All any of us ever wanted, as Hauptmann previously said, is an honest update as to what’s going on (as well a long-overdue apology). This would then obviate the need for questions about the game and Boakes’ spleen could take a break from its incessant venting.
Sadly, that isn’t what’s coming. No, we’re now heading down Groundhog Way as the hype builds towards a new game – Incubus. To my jaded eyes, this looks a pretty underwhelming follow-up to a game which was pretty underwhelming to start with. What has garnered my interest a fraction more, however, is that Boakes has nailed his colours to the Halloween-release mast. So, notwithstanding my ennui regarding this release, there is a small, exceedingly wicked part of me who, just for the comic value, can’t wait to see to see the wheels come off the incu-bus.
Hahahah :)
Uh-huh.
Last time it was storms; today, it's 'sneeze' on the track.
Ha ha. You couldn't make this up. It's the gift that keeps giving.