Splash Damage is now an ironic representation of their injured reputation.

(fearlessfox) #1

[I]DISCLAIMER: the following text is meant to be taken in good humour. It’s not a call to arms, nor is it a challenge to fans of Brink, or an attempt to belittle something they love. It’s how I feel about this game, it’s an attempt to it all up in a constructive way and to show how the frustrations some of us are having with the game are not merely teenage whines and unsubstantial rants.

I spent £35 and 50 hours of my life on SD’s product, so I reckon I’ve earned the indulgence.[/I]

Let’s start with a clarifying statement:

For any of you who think those making criticism of Brink are somehow out to sabotage SD’s efforts and might be applying similar definition to me, go through my post history. I’ve adamantly defended Brink since day one. Since before the patches, since the game really was a bloody mess.

Do I love the concept of this game? I do. Do I enjoy the OBJ based play? A lot! Am I excited enough by the possibility and potential of Brink - enough to tell my friends and people I know that it’s worth investing time and effort in? In many ways, yes.

And as all of this is true for me, really…

I should still adore Brink.

Smart is the coolest thing to happen to a FPS in years, and the art style and customisation are superb, the OBJ based play is a breath of fresh air, and the entire concept is simply wonderful. However, the game just feels (As stated in a previous post) disembodied and a little sterile.This is mostly due to lack of /ANY/ kind of communication on consoles, but there are other reasons too…

While the mechanics are very, very good (imo), the overall atmosphere and feel is… just empty. There’s no warmth to it; there’s nothing to back up all the charm that’s hinted at with the excellent menu systems and customisation options. This is to do with the lack of a proper in-depth story mode (as was promised), it’s in part to do with the lack of content (8 maps, one mode - and it’s not lacking TDM or CTF before you start, SD could have invested the time inventing something new…), but it’s mostly (imo) to do with the lack of community support - no stats on launch, no clan support, no dedi servers for consoles… all of these things are not standard and shouldn’t be expected from most games…

but Brink promised to be more than that

and it so easily could have been.

As for the game itself, it’s a lot of fun… however, once you’ve leveled your character and played the matches a few times…

what else is there right now? As stated, there’s:

No clan support, no way for console players to easily organise matches, no stats for those interested in a more competitive angle…

nothing to support a truly vibrant meta-game or competitive scene.

And yes, this might come in time… there’s a problem with this, however…

The buzz surrounding Brink pre-launch was intense, and as the launch let so many people down with technical flaws and broken promises, that buzz was killed sharply and cruelly and a buzz taken in that way is almost impossible to regain.

Brink had momentum, it had underground whispers, it had un-broken and heartfelt promise, it had it all… it’s not often you can lose so much and regain even more.

Those of you claiming SD didn’t want a hit, but stuck to their guns to produce a more niche game… Maybe, but the thing is…

Brink /could/ have been a massive hit

Had it delivered on all the promises the devs made, this game could have smashed through the generic stylings of CoD et al and truly made its mark.

The chatter and excitement for this game when some of the previews were shown was unlike anything I’ve experienced for a game in this genre for years.

Had this game come out a blazing technical triumph, it would be gathering ridiculous momentum right now.

I know people who love Brink. Who have loved Brink. Who will always have a place in their hearts for Brink. As it stands, however, they just can’t bring themselves to spend their precious free time with Brink when…

Brink is offering a movie and a hug, and other games are inviting us back to their bedrooms for wine and slow dances.

Yes, the foundations of Brink are unique, wonderful, intelligent, refreshing… but put the entire thing up to games like BC2, KZ3, and even BLOPS, and these games (even if they’re not as wonderful in concept) outshine Brink in almost every other way as an example of how games should be made.

Brink has so much potential

and this is why people are getting so upset. Remember that next time you read a rant about the game’s problems - the person who wrote it probably once loved Brink as much as you do now, possibly even more, and that’s why it hurts them so much.

Splash Damage made a lot of unspoken promises and slight-of hand gestures with their previews of this title. They were a developer with a reputation for delivery and their assertions of integrity and claims of brilliance were met with slow-burning excitement and rare anticipation of something that could actually be what it was proposed…

Their name is now as the title of this thread suggests, something that will always remind us that they didn’t quite live up to their own hype.

I’ll be dipping in and out of Brink as it is a very fun game in short bursts, I’ll be spending most of my time with my newly purchased copy of BC2 - a year old game that feels more alive than a newly released title.

There’s something about that that isn’t quite right…

(PS - I love alternative music, Classical, Metal, Hip-Hop, Grime… I love World Cinema, Classic Literature, Graphic novels and comic books… I love art, and dance, and the academics too… my favourite games are those that are a little unique: Metal Gear Solid, Team Fortress 2, Beyond Good and Evil…

My point is, I’m not a pop crazed CoD freak who doesn’t “get” a more intelligent game. Cheers!)

(BiigDaddyDellta) #2

well, at least you have valid points and you are entitled to your opinion. No one should flame you for that, and you did present yourself without being a complete douche. We appreciate that around here.

(Jess Alon) #3

Good for you? I’m just not sure what you expect to get out of this thread besides causing even more division on these boards.

(fearlessfox) #4

I’m not sure why you’ve communicated with me like I’ve just wandered in and started critiquing Brink… I’ve been here almost as long as you have, and I’ve made more posts.

The /vast/ majority of them have been in avid DEFENSE of Brink. Just have a scroll through my history.

This isn’t some off-the-cuff knee-jerk reaction, this is a considered opinion based on years of development and many hours or discussions and actual game-time.

You don’t have to read it, and like the guy below you you can dismiss it and move along. I just felt the need to express myself and write something that might be enjoyable to read for some, and spark a healthy discussion with others.

Cheers!

(Jess Alon) #5

[QUOTE=fearlessfox;322181]I’m not sure why you’ve communicated with me like I’ve just wandered in and started critiquing Brink… I’ve been here almost as long as you have, and I’ve made more posts.

The /vast/ majority of them have been in avid DEFENSE of Brink. Just have a scroll through my history.

This isn’t some off-the-cuff knee-jerk reaction, this is a considered opinion based on years of development and many hours or discussions and actual game-time.

You don’t have to read it, and like the guy below you you can dismiss it and move along. I just felt the need to express myself and write something that might be enjoyable to read for some, and spark a healthy discussion with others.

Cheers![/QUOTE]

Just as long as you’re encouraging healthy discussion and not more Splash Damage browbeating I’m all about it. They are trying to fix the problems. And I doubt they sabotaged their own game on purpose.

(fearlessfox) #6

If you read my post and all the suggestions and clarifications, then you’d realise this.

And SD have patched this game quickly, sure, but for some reason I expected SD to be a developer who would be very candid and forthcoming with their responses to feedback and, thus far, they’ve not proven to be.

Perhaps my expectations were too high of them from the start?

(Up&Down) #7

You should have played BC2 since beta like I did… then you could have writen three times the amount you have written here, and that would have only scratched the surface. BC2 had ALOT more bugs/issues than Brink does.

Funny, I just stopped playing BC2 in favour of Brink, each to their own I guess.

Edit. I see your on console, imo its not comparable, sorry ignore my comments.

(darthmob) #8

If I would be wearing a hat (you know something like a fedora) I would tip it and nod in silent appreciation. Good read and valid points.

[QUOTE=fearlessfox;322195]And SD have patched this game quickly, sure, but for some reason I expected SD to be a developer who would be very candid and forthcoming with their responses to feedback and, thus far, they’ve not proven to be.

Perhaps my expectations were too high of them from the start?[/QUOTE]

It has been quiet for a while, that’s true. It wasn’t always like that though. Have a look at the post histories from half a year or a year ago of Rahdo, Exedore, Bongoboy or any other SD staff member present on the forums. They were quite active when it came to discussing opinions on game mechanics, features and design decisions.

(fearlessfox) #9

[QUOTE=Up&Down;322199]You should have played BC2 since beta like I did… then you could have writen three times the amount you have written here, and that would have only scratched the surface. BC2 had ALOT more bugs/issues than Brink does.

Funny, I just stopped playing BC2 in favour of Brink, each to their own I guess.

BC2 is dead now, but it was good.[/QUOTE]

I’ve been playing BC2 for the last few nights, and it’s much more alive than Brink. And, as stated, that’s a very troubling thing.

I’ve met more people, had more memorable experiences, and more “holy ****” moments in the last two nights of gaming than the entire time spent with Brink since release.

I /want/ Brink to be everything SD promised it would be. Some things like the fact that SP was advertised as this great experience when, in reality, it’s a very sterile human Vs bot MP emulator, cannot be changed… but the M experience can certainly be augmented to match the vision delivered in the previews.

However, as suggested, perhaps it’s already too late…

I a “dead” game such as BC2 feels more alive than a game that’s only just been launched, how much hope is there that the impressions made can be overcome via positive word of mouth once the title has been patched to par?

(Azev2000) #10

TO the Op

Thank you for posting that. It is everything I have felt, but failed to get out without it turning into a rage post.

I also have gone back to BC2 and just occasionally play BRINK. After just 2 or 3 games the fun fades away and I am left trying to convince myself to not play something else. I am finally facing the fact that BRINK will never be the game many of us expected. Even with months of patches.

SDK would help a ton, but the PC community is fading so fast that even the modding community will be reduced to only a few talented teams.

(fearlessfox) #11

Cheers, I appreciate that someone enjoyed reading my rant. :stuck_out_tongue:

[QUOTE=darthmob;322202]
It has been quiet for a while, that’s true. It wasn’t always like that though. Have a look at the post histories from half a year or a year ago of Rahdo, Exedore, Bongoboy or any other SD staff member present on the forums. They were quite active when it came to discussing opinions on game mechanics, features and design decisions.[/QUOTE]

See, this just goes further in convincing me that SD don’t really care about Brink any more.

In the previews they seem so excited, so sure, so proud that this game they were developing was shaping up to be a genre defining experience.

Perhaps they were hit hard by the limitations of cross-platform development and the cuts they evidently had to make to keep performance acceptable made them lose a little bit of love of a vision they couldn’t quite realise?

Or perhaps other internal problems occurred we’ll never be privy to and, somewhere along the line, Splash Damage just lost faith in themselves.

Of course, the excuse could be that they are all too hard at work on fixing their game to spend time chatting with us, but I wouldn’t buy that.

If SD cared like they seemed to care in their previews, I’m almost certain we’d be in active and pen debates with them instead of discussing it all amongst ourselves and relying on conjecture and assumption and faith to lend our posts weight.

It’s a shame.

(Up&Down) #12

Have you played any BF titles before?

Because if the BC2 experience is the at the top of your list , then you have missed alot of epic moments.

Im not saying BC2 is bad, its just not as team focussed as it was in the beginning, when there were more BF vets playing, and its not as good as BF2 or BFV or '42 in terms of gameplay.

But I really think that you can’t compare Brink to BF titiles, imo BF is in a league of its own and its not on the same scale.

Maybe it’s beacuse I read none of the hype, or my expectations were low to begin with, but to me Brink is something fresh to play in the FPS genre, and Im really enjoying the 50 hours I have played so far… but who knows maybe it will grow stale… only time will tell.

(Jess Alon) #13

Well there ya go fearless fox. You got a couple pats on the head. Keep in mind that Brink is having technical issues right now. And BC2 is not. Also Brink is a NEW IP. So you can’t really compare Brink to the big boys yet. It may very well be a sleeper hit once it gets the issues resolved.

And NOTHING can take away Splash Damage’s achievements in the industry as being a studio that makes games for gamers who LOVE team based gameplay. And if anything they’ve at least achieved that with brink. Even though everyone wants to point the finger at all the other bells and whistles and forget that fact.

(St NickelStew) #14

This is SP’s only game right now, and they think quite highly of it. I think SP are going to do the best job they can of working out all the bugs and getting things right. I continue to play Brink over BC2, where I am a level 50 with over 500 hours of gameplay (Battlefield games are the only FPS games I have played for 2-3 years).

Brink is a fun game right now, and will become even more fun once the patches and DLC begin arriving.

(Jess Alon) #15

[QUOTE=fearlessfox;322211]Cheers, I appreciate that someone enjoyed reading my rant. :stuck_out_tongue:

See, this just goes further in convincing me that SD don’t really care about Brink any more.

In the previews they seem so excited, so sure, so proud that this game they were developing was shaping up to be a genre defining experience.

Perhaps they were hit hard by the limitations of cross-platform development and the cuts they evidently had to make to keep performance acceptable made them lose a little bit of love of a vision they couldn’t quite realise?

Or perhaps other internal problems occurred we’ll never be privy to and, somewhere along the line, Splash Damage just lost faith in themselves.

Of course, the excuse could be that they are all too hard at work on fixing their game to spend time chatting with us, but I wouldn’t buy that.

If SD cared like they seemed to care in their previews, I’m almost certain we’d be in active and pen debates with them instead of discussing it all amongst ourselves and relying on conjecture and assumption and faith to lend our posts weight.

It’s a shame.[/QUOTE]

See? You are just browbeating them. There’s so much speculation and negativity in what you’re saying. Why don’t you just get over yourself? Your original post just lost all credibility because you obviously have an agenda and that is to run your mouth.

You don’t know what the situation is. Just because they aren’t sending you an email every five minutes telling you exactly what they are doing doesn’t mean something isn’t being done. They don’t want to give people like YOU more crap to SPECULATE upon and create an environment of negativity so they all shut their traps until there’s something to say.

The developers DO chime in if there’s an actual constructive conversation going on but why should they give you a second of their time if you are just going to continue to talk about all of them like they are dog****?

(Azev2000) #16

You are so quick to try and silence the people with valid points.

The saddest thing is you really think that the only thing holding BRINK back is technical issues. I’m glad you are having a good time. At least you don’t feel ripped off like the majority of those who purchased the game.

Oh even after the patch the steam stats show that the peak players online for today was 5,244 and yesterday that number was closer to 6k.

(Jess Alon) #17

[QUOTE=Azev2000;322244]You are so quick to try and silence the people with valid points.

The saddest thing is you really think that the only thing holding BRINK back is technical issues. I’m glad you are having a good time. At least you don’t feel ripped off like the majority of those who purchased the game.

Oh even after the patch the steam stats show that the peak players online for today was 5,244 and yesterday that number was closer to 6k.[/QUOTE]

I’m not trying silence anyone. I think it’s ridiculous to speculate and say that everyone at splash damage studios are sitting at their desks thumbs up their butts not trying to fix anything. I think that’s a pretty ridiculous accusation. And to say they don’t care about their very first original IP? Really? This is their baby. I just think that speaking for what the developer’s intentions are is stupid. Who knows what caused the debacle. I know that Splash Damage is going to lose money. I doubt they planned it. People who bought the game are acting like Splash damage set out to do this purposefully from the start.

As far as peak players. Wait til the weekend and get back to me with those numbers. You guys JUST got a real patch. That’s all.

(Codine) #18

A large chunk of the community has already left this game. The competitive scene will die within a few months. This game will probably forever stay consolised. This whole 1 button for everything killed the game for me. I’m sorry, the game is fun and all but I’d rather just go back to ET if they aren’t going to bother making this a proper pc game.

(fearlessfox) #19

[QUOTE=Up&Down;322216]But I really think that you can’t compare Brink to BF titiles, imo BF is in a league of its own and its not on the same scale.
[/QUOTE]

I dislike it when people say you can’t compare things like this. Of course you can.

The comparison is one of overall quality and value for money and, also, what the game has achieved since launch.

As stated in my post, I agree with you fully that Brink is something of a breath of fresh air, but it’s a single breath and not an oxygen tank of the stuff.

I hope you continue to enjoy Brink, I hope SD patch it so it takes off in the future, and I hope very much that I can come back to the game in a few months and be wowed and humbled.

I just don’t see where I’d be drawing the faith from to claim that it will as a certainty.

To answer your question, I’ve played:
BF1942 - PC
BF - PC
BFBC2 - Ps3

BC2 is my favourite so far. I’m not a TDM fan, but the TDM in this game when you get a team of players who communicate and share tactics and create moments that I recall the next day due to their sheer brilliance, well, that’s something that’s rare.

I’ve found it in other titles too, I’m in no way a BF fan boy (really, BC2 is the only one that’s hoked me and I’m playing it on a damned console ffs…), but it does act as a marker for excellence.

Here’s something that will serve as an example, bear with me:

[I]The wind bit through my combat fatigues far sharper than the threat of enemy blades. My shotgun pulled tight to my chest with anticipation, I glanced over at our recon agent who gave the signal to the soldier.

The crack of machine gun fire shook the rickety foundations of shell we were crouching in as inhaled frozen air and forced my aching muscles to life. I ran from our ramshackle cover into the deadly open. The wind bit, the snow blinded, I felt the air slice in front of me as a bullet tore through blizzard leaving a distinct trail for a split second that was immediately engulfed by the relentless sleet.

Then I hit solid wall and collapsed hard. Now was not the time to rest.

I crept slowly through the building I’d entered and took stock of my bearings. The sniper house was directly to my N/W, and there was ample cover to move through between us. I readied my shotgun and felt my way through the dilapidated buildings. Ahead of me I saw a shape. An enemy soldier stood with his rifle aimed at the front of the building where my comrades sat drawing attention for me. I crept up to him slowly willing the snow under my feet silent and holding my breath. Don’t. Turn. Around…

His lidless body fell to the floor as I snatched his tags. The trophy was well earned.

I realised in my excitement I’d lost my bearing. In which house had the enemy chosen? Was it now my fate to wander uninvited, unannounced, unprepared into another’s home. A home well guarded and protected from intruders.

I imagined a figure sat in a room that was once a place that young lives slept sound knowing they were protected, safe, secure, and the bitterness of the irony bit deeper than the cruel winds ever could.

I was snapped out of the dream by a blink of light on my tactical HUD. Our Recon guy had spotted the sniper. A present wrapped up and laid out under a lit tree. I shouldered by gun and drew my knife once more.

As the sniper’s body fell, I breathed in deeply and my muscles sagged. It was over. My team announced their celebrations. They were moving in to my position to re-group. I felt relief was over me and the adrenaline mixed with it and drugged my system.

The kill woke me. My senses sharpened. I heard the floor creak behind me, ever so slightly…
[/I]

I apologise for the awful fan-fic style of the above, but BC2 actually creates moments like this for me in every game I play. for al the raw fun of Brink, it hasn’t the atmosphere to even attempt it.

(wolfnemesis75) #20

Did you throw away your preorder code by mistake or something? What’s with the crazy insane and wildly exaggerated reactions to Brink? Even the haters think Brink is fun!