[Destructoid's Director of Communications Hamza Aziz asked Jonathan Holmes to make a show called Sup Holmes so that Destructoid could later sell a t-shirt that says "Sup Holmes" on it. This is that show]
On the latest episode of Sup Holmes?Mike Roush and Alex Neuse from Gaijin Games (developers of the Bit.Trip Complete and the upcomingRunner 2) once again proved that when videogame developers don't let publishers or PR people do their talking for them, some amazing things can happen. Talking to guys like this is what I love about my job the most.
Here's a quick excerpt from the show where Mike and Alex talk about why the $.99 app is the "worst thing to happen to the game industry in a long time" with ironic results. We also get in a open brainstorming session on how a Bit.Trip RPG should play, and a quick recap on what got the two men to motivated to start their own development studio in the first place.
As for this Sunday, we'll have Brian Provinciano, developer of Retro City Rampage (launching on WiiWare/PSN/XBLA/Steam/PSVita/HamSandwich this May) on the show to talk about what the game industry is today Vs what it should be. Email your audio, video, or text questions for Brian and myself to HolmesSupHolmes@gmail.com, and thanks for watching!
Jonathan Holmes is the most lovable Associate Editor on Destructoid. Catch him on videos, original editorials, and on back episodes of the Destructoid Show and MTV's Road Rules. Jonathan is a retro gamer's gamer.
Likes
Mega Man 2, Resident Evil, Katamari Damacy, Bit.Trip, Metal Slug 3
Meet the rest of the team
There's a market for .99c apps and $10-15 XBLA/PSN experiences. I don't see .99c games as a bad thing - for consumers it's why Sony is driving down competetive games on the PSN.
Just look at the new Motorstorm - it's a $7 PSN Vita download. Without competetive mobile market pricing, we'd assuredly be seeing a higher price point.
If your game is good, it can sell - .99c or $60. See Cthulu Saves the World on Steam. Personally, I'm glad for .99c games. Just gotta adapt to a changing marketplace.
The 99cent pricing that Jim always holds up as such an awesome thing is absolutely fucking devs over in the long run. Only big players and scambags can make money on IOS and the 99cent pricing has devalued gaming across the board.
but don't the .99c apps just reinforce the idea that the 3DS and Vita are far from being ousted by the mobile gaming industry? the devs should be getting behind the 3DS and Vita for that very reason. why would you talk trash about it if your a company that puts out solid and deep content?
just saying that us gamers should not be dooming the dedicated handheld gaming market and devices.
The 99c thing makes sense to me when its something like flinging birds at pigs in flash. Simply put, if the game is "bigger" it deserves a higher price point to me.
I have a love hate relationship with Steam sales, though. When I get in on one its great. If I see them lower the price after I bought something already I get a bit annoyed. But it does present the opportunity to take a chance on an indie developer I've not heard of when they have those sales. If I end up liking them I usually start buying their stuff full price.
I'm mostly just too poor to buy EVERYTHING full price these days, though.
A Bit.Trip RPG would be AWESOME. The best RPGs for me were on the SNES, deep storytelling, amazing music, the exact things that shine in the Bit.Trip series. Hearing them talk about adding music-based gameplay to a Mario & Luigi style makes me do bad things in my pants...
the 40 clams i spent on Bit. Trip complete were some of the best video game related dollars ive ever spent. its good to know that i put that money towards supporting two really cool dudes.
I would argue that in the long run, the $0.99 game will have a negative effect on games in the fact that it will require smaller budgets and that will in effect require smaller games and less intricate games coming out because they cant make big games and expect to make a profit selling at 1 dollar each.
Part of my mind knows it's Conrad, but I try to silence that part with a soldering iron every chance I get.
Great show, Holmes! I think you're doing a great service to the indie scene. It's a positive and honest way to get to know the developers as they aren't pushing a product or trying to deliver their sales pitch.
Honesty = respect = buying the Bit Trip series on Steam (in my case anyways)
As someone in the process of starting a game studio (Darkroom Games, google us, or don't because you won't find anything yet), I have massive respect for the Gaijin Games guys. However, I think they're overlooking one crucial thing: The 99 cent price point is perfect for studios like mine. Who would pay $60 for a game from five 20 somethings barely out of college? Hell, who would pay $15 for a game from a group like that? The 99 cent price point will allow us to release our first game for next to nothing and help put our names out thee. Then when we do our second game we could make it a much longer and deeper experience and maybe charge $3-$5 for it. From there we can keep designing more and more content rich games and selling them at appropriate prices until we're releasing full blown retail games in the $40-$60 price range.
As someone in the process of starting a game studio (Darkroom Games, google us, or don't because you won't find anything yet), I have massive respect for the Gaijin Games guys. However, I think they're overlooking one crucial thing: The 99 cent price point is perfect for studios like mine. Who would pay $60 for a game from five 20 somethings barely out of college? Hell, who would pay $15 for a game from a group like that? The 99 cent price point will allow us to release our first game for next to nothing and help put our names out thee. Then when we do our second game we could make it a much longer and deeper experience and maybe charge $3-$5 for it. From there we can keep designing more and more content rich games and selling them at appropriate prices until we're releasing full blown retail games in the $40-$60 price range.
I smell an RPG where you have to fight for four hours without a savepoint to get to the last boss who will kill you instantly. Because oldschool is soooo cool and edgy nowadays.
@ Fessegrim- It's not that old school is "cool and edgy", it's that it's often about the principals of using game design, and not surface level details, to make your game fun. That's how games used to be, because they had no choice.
Things are different today, where games can be "cool and edgy" on the surface, but have little substance beneath that. People like games like Arkham games, Heavy Rain, Red Dead Redemption, Call of Duty, GTA, and L.A. Noire because they are "cool and edgy", not because of the way they are designed. People like those games because they are dark and cool and edgy and serious and grown up and blah blah blah, regardless of the fact that from a design perspective, they are often quite lacking in sophistication in both concept and execution (especially Heavy Rain).
So yeah, that's the difference between "cool and edgy" and "well designed game". There are plenty of terribly designed old school games as well, but if a new game uses classic design mechanics, it's usually because those mechanics are still awesome.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX immediately comes to mind.
I've only just now gotten around to watching this series, but I just wanna say I like what you're up to, Sir. You always have some kind of interesting video project going on.
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
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Contest:
7:00 PM on 02.21.2012 | 
Just look at the new Motorstorm - it's a $7 PSN Vita download. Without competetive mobile market pricing, we'd assuredly be seeing a higher price point.
If your game is good, it can sell - .99c or $60. See Cthulu Saves the World on Steam. Personally, I'm glad for .99c games. Just gotta adapt to a changing marketplace.
Great interview. I'll be first in line when the 'Sup, Holmes? shirts come out :)
just saying that us gamers should not be dooming the dedicated handheld gaming market and devices.
The 99c thing makes sense to me when its something like flinging birds at pigs in flash. Simply put, if the game is "bigger" it deserves a higher price point to me.
I have a love hate relationship with Steam sales, though. When I get in on one its great. If I see them lower the price after I bought something already I get a bit annoyed. But it does present the opportunity to take a chance on an indie developer I've not heard of when they have those sales. If I end up liking them I usually start buying their stuff full price.
I'm mostly just too poor to buy EVERYTHING full price these days, though.
I would argue that in the long run, the $0.99 game will have a negative effect on games in the fact that it will require smaller budgets and that will in effect require smaller games and less intricate games coming out because they cant make big games and expect to make a profit selling at 1 dollar each.
Part of my mind knows it's Conrad, but I try to silence that part with a soldering iron every chance I get.
Great show, Holmes! I think you're doing a great service to the indie scene. It's a positive and honest way to get to know the developers as they aren't pushing a product or trying to deliver their sales pitch.
Honesty = respect = buying the Bit Trip series on Steam (in my case anyways)
Things are different today, where games can be "cool and edgy" on the surface, but have little substance beneath that. People like games like Arkham games, Heavy Rain, Red Dead Redemption, Call of Duty, GTA, and L.A. Noire because they are "cool and edgy", not because of the way they are designed. People like those games because they are dark and cool and edgy and serious and grown up and blah blah blah, regardless of the fact that from a design perspective, they are often quite lacking in sophistication in both concept and execution (especially Heavy Rain).
So yeah, that's the difference between "cool and edgy" and "well designed game". There are plenty of terribly designed old school games as well, but if a new game uses classic design mechanics, it's usually because those mechanics are still awesome.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX immediately comes to mind.