I just have to give some props to Ark: Survival Evolved

To me, this is how you do early access right. I've seen games released with far less polish than this. The biggest thing that stands out to me: They didn't release to early access until it was OBVIOUS that the game was strong, playable and had a good, clear direction with enough content to last players for quite a while.

I've been playing for several days now, and I'm honestly blown away by the polish, content, and creativity. I know I'm gushing a little here, but I'd started to feel my faith slipping in early access games (specifically, the survival genre). It seems to be that getting something out the door and getting cash is popular, and then suddenly the game gets abandoned or slows to a crawl while the game gets "stabilized" or whatever. At least two of the ones I have supported have died off, and a couple of others...honestly, they seem to be creeping along after having great trailers and big releases to get it out the door. I applaud their integrity, it gives early access a better name instead of a cheap one.

This is good for all of us. Showing everyone that it is doable reinforces confidence in everyone that game developers are not just in it for a quick buck or to get something unsustainable out the door. I hope this is encouragement and motivation for everyone.

Ok, gushing off

 

I agree that Ark is a good game and immediately had a lot of content for an early access game.
But the thing that I will now always remember about the developers of Ark, is that they did one of the dirtiest early access things I have ever seen:
They released PAID DLC, long before the base game that everyone paid them money to develop and add content to, had even left early access.

That's just F***ing gross and unethical.

To top it of, the game is now soon about to release, and they now raised the price to 60 euros.
Because why the F*** not?
They already got paid, twice, to make the game, and now when they know that they have a very good product, they are gonna milk the F*** out of it.

Maybe you are right. Maybe they DID have integrity once.
That was a long time ago.

 

Yes, and the original post was too...

I'd be genuinely surprised if anyone bought it at this point. The Steam reviews that are initially visible on the page are almost entirely negative and most of them are from people with hundreds of hours (one guy has over three thousand).

 

Welp, look what's resurfaced. It HAS been a while since I wrote my post. Figured I should add some post-Ark observations.

TLDR: I got my money's worth and much more, it's just a game, and a little perspective is important.

First, I do not like people releasing paid DLC DURING an EA. And I think raising the price at release to 60 euros is a bit much. I also don't like that the sold it to Snail games, a company which (having experienced Dark and Light) has some big customer service/community issues.

I got more, MUCH more than got my money's worth. I did buy the DLC, and enjoyed it. Hundreds of hours. I haven't even come CLOSE to that from any other product on steam, with maybe the exception of Skyrim. And so what if the price is a bit high now? It's not like they are dragging people into slavery, or forcing anyone to buy it. And it's a GAME for crying out loud. That is a LUXURY. Not a necessity by any means. Nobody is obligated to sell things for any cost other than what they want. Somehow, we've decided that if someone doesn't sell me an ice cream cone for the price I want, they are evil or greedy. Whatever.

Before Ark, I had never played a game which allow such a degree of customization. Most games STILL don't. Ark went waaaay out there in allowing players and admins to customize the gameplay experience.

And I've been around long enough to remember the non-EA model. You go buy it at the store, and what you get is what you get. Game sucks, or is buggy? Eh, too bad. But now...even when you get to pay a reduced price, and play hundreds of hours, people still act like they are personally offended and victimized if later on it doesn't meet their loftiest imaginations of what a game someone else created should be.

I do NOT like how EA has turned into "get payed now, deliver later...ehhh...sorta subject to change as we see fit." But that is OUR choice, to pay people up front. I made the choice and I either am satisfied with the result and move on, or I learn from it and CHANGE my behavior and move on. Otherwise, it's nobody's fault but MINE.

Is it perfect? No, but I've noticed a trend now where pretty much, nobody is satisfied or happy. If you've played Ark, and look at what it offers, it's amazing, and yet you get hordes of people ready to roast someone because a TRex ate their bronto. Or (heaven forbid) they play on an official server and experience the pit that it is due to other player's behavior.

It just seems to me, that we have overall become spoiled, and nothing is good enough and anything we encounter that is an inconvenience makes people go into a rage, roast the offender and just demonize them. I don't agree with this.

 

they take alot of things from modders and put em in the game ... or they did in the beginning when i had some attention given to that game..
... which is kinda cool... but i think sorta shady too...

and its funny they were distributing the Jurassic Park theme in their files ... which idk is just funny i guess..

 

You make it sound like the reduced price is a present from them. For me it's mostly a "mutual agreement". I help them with funding and player data to improve and finish the game and get the game at a reduced price. The developer stands to gain much more than I do.
If years pass and I'm not happy with the product (not from a design perspective, that lies in the hands of the developer) than I will criticize them, regardless of the time I spent with their product. DLC during EA is a deal breaker for me, but if the other players are happy, I don't really care.

I never played Ark and I stopped buying Early Access games a long time ago, so this is not an opinion on Ark. My last mistake was DayZ. I didn't spend much time with this game, but even if I did, I would be criticizing them now, because they had enough time and money and didn't do a single thing with it. I moved on and didn't look back. But if someone is unhappy with a product (in EarlyAccess you pay for a future product) it's in their right to show it.

 

Isnt it a singleplayer game? Personally I would never buy a SP game in early access. Once you completed the game will never feel as good again. Its never better than the first time you played it. Why ruin that with a unfinshed EA state?

edit: never mind, mixed up the titles, more coffee for me

 

early access is a pretty meaningless term to me these days. most consumers don't know about game dev and won't cut you any slack.