Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2021 17:49:24 GMT
More or less by accident, I've become something of an Early Access addict. All three of my Christmas presents from Mrs Toast are Early Access titles (Timberborn, Teardown, Going Medieval), and looking through my recently-played list on Steam they're pretty much all Early Access (Hardspace: Shipbreaker, Satisfactory, Valheim, Space Haven, Dyson Sphere Program, UBOAT, Raft). The rest of my recently-played list is rounded out by now-launched but previously Early Access titles (Oxygen Not Included, Kerbal Space Program, Rimworld, Prison Architect, Factorio, Subnautica) that I bought before full release.
There have been some frustrations along the way with some of these, and I have some regret over-playing KSP (to the tune of more than 400 hours) before it was fully cooked so that I didn't really enjoy the full release so much, but on the whole this has worked out well for me. I guess if I had an ounce of self control I should have waited until all of these were fully finished, and enjoyed them in all their glory, but I've had insane value in terms of hours played vs. pounds spent on many of these.
So, Early Access, good thing or bad thing? Let's have heated debate!
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Tomo
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Post by Tomo on Dec 26, 2021 17:55:06 GMT
Sort of a necessary evil for me. I don't like buying early access games, but I get how the model helps devs who might otherwise struggle.
Valheim is an amazing early access game, which is extremely polished and well-made, but when you get to the end there is a stark reminder that the game isn't finished. Little bit of a shame.
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Post by crashV👀d👀 on Dec 26, 2021 22:28:22 GMT
Absolutely love an early access game, my fave on your list has been Dyson Sphere.
The reason I like them is probably why most hate them but I like experiencing QoL improvements as they're released. Playing factorio and DSP before blueprints and copy paste as an example was still brilliant but afterwards it just made me love them all over again.
I'm looking forward to some of the upcoming combat and sub orbital station stuff coming to DSP this year so I'm playing though it again designing a bunch of blueprints for early and late game
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zagibu
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Post by zagibu on Dec 26, 2021 23:50:42 GMT
I guess it works okay for more sandboxy types of games. I would never do it for a story based game, though.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2021 0:31:17 GMT
You're totally right zagibu about the story elements, but the sandbox stuff can suffer too. That's where I went wrong with KSP, overplaying the early/mid game to huge amounts during various iterations of early versions. By the time later (and indeed, final) releases come out, going back through the early stages to see the new later stuff is too much of a chore. I'm trying to find the sweet spot crashV👀d👀 is talking about, keeping pace but not getting ahead of development progress. An example here is Space Haven, where I love the basic concept but find it too undercooked at the moment so have left it well alone for months. |
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Post by Chopper on Jan 1, 2022 16:55:33 GMT
I tend to go for the early access games that are pretty much mechanics-complete, if not feature complete. While I enjoyed Satisfactory a lot, I probably won't go back and try out trains and nuclear and the other stuff that appeared later, and as a result I'm holding off on Dyson Sphere Program. If there is a story element, or a lot still missing, I won't play them until release. So The Long Dark, yes; Subnautica, no. Currently contemplating picking up 7 Days to Die and Project Zomboid, where it doesn't really matter if they are ever completed. looking through my recently-played list on Steam they're pretty much all Early Access (Hardspace: Shipbreaker, Satisfactory, Valheim, Space Haven, Dyson Sphere Program, UBOAT, Raft). How did you find UBOAT? I've had that since the original Tim Stone writeup but have been waiting for it to exit EA.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2022 18:31:52 GMT
UBOAT is good and getting better. As a hard-core Silent Hunter III (and grudgingly SH-IV) devotee, I was a bit sceptical. Recent updates have already made it a lot less "gamey" and more like a sim, and with a few carefully selected mods it can become something to rival SH. In current condition it's a very satisfying submarine management game, with the combat tactics and strategy getting better all the time.
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KD
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Post by KD on Jan 1, 2022 19:34:52 GMT
On the subject of submarine games, I just picked up Ironwolf VR, once I’m alone in a few days I’ll be on it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2022 19:54:32 GMT
I like a good early access as well. Hades, circuit superstars, valheim, prison architect to name a few.
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KD
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Post by KD on Jan 1, 2022 20:46:34 GMT
Circuit Superstars was last one I bought, good little game that.
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