FA+
Shop
Packedrat: What is going on-
8 years ago
I believe there is a bit of an explanation for what's going on with packed in order. Lets outline some simple points:
-I've had two harddrive failures in a row
-I've had my svn fail for some damn reason on two large repos
-my dropbox backup is fine
-my flashcard backups are fine
-and my non-work laptop's backup of it is fine
So packed's data is Aokay despite running into two 1TB drives failing right after each other. I'm currently rolling fine with an old 320gb + 160gb. on somewhat new desktop hardware. Something I admit to still being a bit unused to heheheh....
As for the reason no work has really been done. I am easy affected by stress and demands. I work on projects because "I want to." Not to be rude to those who are really excited over packed. I'm genuinely happy people do love the game. It's a great motivation that has been helping my urges to continue work on it grow. However a small spell of "holiday blues" and some rather... direct comments about shoehorning stuff into the game has pushed me a bit into my old attitude on vorefable. Where I feel as if I am making a game for people who WANT something of me. Rather then me making a game with others just "along for the ride." I don't think I fall under the usual expectations of a content creator. I make things exclusively because I wish to create; Not for fame, not for money, not for recognition. I make things because I want to craft an image I have in my mind. I start to shutdown if demanded and order in directions that make my own choices matter less.
This is where I need to make a distinction on feedback. Something that is always welcome, along with bug reports. Even if I don't have a good answer for it, ( in a lot of cases it's because the feedback will probably be implemented, and my "response" would be to show it in the game. ) Feedback though is largely the changes to a system already implemented in the game. EX: Jumping feels floaty as shit, X feels "wrong", the layout of Y is confusing, or even lots of people posting that they are lost in a certain area can be extremely helpful feedback. Even people "confusing" features for bugs is very helpful, as it shows I have not properly conveyed to the player that something IS part of the game. Meaning I can work towards making that clear to the player <spoilers> For example, walljumping was thought to be a bug to a lot of people. Until I changed the wall-sliding to a long drawn out slowdown, and a very hard and direct JUMP off the wall, with a motion-trail to boot! <end spoilers>
The part where feedback becomes upsetting and irritating is when it leans into "add X" territory. "A fox enemy might be fun." is not so much feedback as a hidden request, but this is still in the "passable" area. It's just someone who has some kinda interest and wants to make it known. Not very irritating and angering. I take notice, but it is unlikely to make me decide to do something unless a new idea sparks me that feels at home with it. Often times a GAMEPLAY related idea is more interesting. Stuff like "an enemy spawns floating platforms when fed." Though I still need the creative freedom to turn that into something that fits. Outlining the design, interactions, and outright full on mechanics down to the T is a fast way to have an idea never be used. Due to how directly it feels I am being used as just a pen for someone else's idea.
However the truly irritating "feedback" involves entirely new systems to be added to the game, or outright replacements of old ones, ( this part can depend a bit, for example, melee attacks probably need a good rework, and may need their own dedicated submission to collect feedback on it... ) Things like "change the grabs to include entirely new levels of struggling/keyboard mashing/entirely new animations for all enemies/entire areas dedicated to an idea/entire gamebreaking mechanics based around a single enemy/adding playable enemies/adding predmode/adding a gallery mode/etc are very damaging to my ability to actually work on the project. It makes my interest in it drop like a damn brick. ESPECIALLY with bullshit back talking when I call people out on that crap. However those are personal issues between me and them. DO NOT, pursue anyone for that kinda stuff. I reply to everyone if I can, allow me to handle that. It's possible their own ideas might just be a bit "out there" but not something that would start an argument with me. So please LET ME HANDLE THAT MYSELF. Do NOT treat me as needing some kind of personal defense force. If my content is bad I will respond to the criticisms and feedback as NEEDED, by MYSELF.
However, despite the previous bit, it still impacts my work urges considerably. I am slowly trying to work my will to touch packed back up. In this time I've also begun work on a side project with a few friends. Not vore related, but still slightly in the realms of furry containing stuff, without being overwhelmingly furryfandom esque. My urge to work back on packed has been raising, but I want to get a chunk of this project done. So when I return to packed I will be excited and eager to get the latter half of the game done. Due to most of packed being nearly finished anyway.
---
A second note on packed. I've sadly lost the changelog of stuff between the last nightly and my current dev files.... So the next changelog might be missing changes done to the game. As I am unsure of the changes due to the chaos that was the double HD crash.
---
One last thing regarding packed changes: I think I've finally reached a settled changed to the micro form. Due to rat-tf doing most of it's job already, and how the TF button has become contextual based on action required ( rat is hold down while crouched, and bat will be hold up while jumping. ) The microform will be moved into a sort of "gameover recovery" mechanic, allowing you the choice of entering their belly as a micro and escaping from inside them, or simply respawning back at camp. I feel this gives a possible fix to certain boss struggles too, as it's a "get of jail" free card provided you can scale the 1hp gauntlets inside them.
-I've had two harddrive failures in a row
-I've had my svn fail for some damn reason on two large repos
-my dropbox backup is fine
-my flashcard backups are fine
-and my non-work laptop's backup of it is fine
So packed's data is Aokay despite running into two 1TB drives failing right after each other. I'm currently rolling fine with an old 320gb + 160gb. on somewhat new desktop hardware. Something I admit to still being a bit unused to heheheh....
As for the reason no work has really been done. I am easy affected by stress and demands. I work on projects because "I want to." Not to be rude to those who are really excited over packed. I'm genuinely happy people do love the game. It's a great motivation that has been helping my urges to continue work on it grow. However a small spell of "holiday blues" and some rather... direct comments about shoehorning stuff into the game has pushed me a bit into my old attitude on vorefable. Where I feel as if I am making a game for people who WANT something of me. Rather then me making a game with others just "along for the ride." I don't think I fall under the usual expectations of a content creator. I make things exclusively because I wish to create; Not for fame, not for money, not for recognition. I make things because I want to craft an image I have in my mind. I start to shutdown if demanded and order in directions that make my own choices matter less.
This is where I need to make a distinction on feedback. Something that is always welcome, along with bug reports. Even if I don't have a good answer for it, ( in a lot of cases it's because the feedback will probably be implemented, and my "response" would be to show it in the game. ) Feedback though is largely the changes to a system already implemented in the game. EX: Jumping feels floaty as shit, X feels "wrong", the layout of Y is confusing, or even lots of people posting that they are lost in a certain area can be extremely helpful feedback. Even people "confusing" features for bugs is very helpful, as it shows I have not properly conveyed to the player that something IS part of the game. Meaning I can work towards making that clear to the player <spoilers> For example, walljumping was thought to be a bug to a lot of people. Until I changed the wall-sliding to a long drawn out slowdown, and a very hard and direct JUMP off the wall, with a motion-trail to boot! <end spoilers>
The part where feedback becomes upsetting and irritating is when it leans into "add X" territory. "A fox enemy might be fun." is not so much feedback as a hidden request, but this is still in the "passable" area. It's just someone who has some kinda interest and wants to make it known. Not very irritating and angering. I take notice, but it is unlikely to make me decide to do something unless a new idea sparks me that feels at home with it. Often times a GAMEPLAY related idea is more interesting. Stuff like "an enemy spawns floating platforms when fed." Though I still need the creative freedom to turn that into something that fits. Outlining the design, interactions, and outright full on mechanics down to the T is a fast way to have an idea never be used. Due to how directly it feels I am being used as just a pen for someone else's idea.
However the truly irritating "feedback" involves entirely new systems to be added to the game, or outright replacements of old ones, ( this part can depend a bit, for example, melee attacks probably need a good rework, and may need their own dedicated submission to collect feedback on it... ) Things like "change the grabs to include entirely new levels of struggling/keyboard mashing/entirely new animations for all enemies/entire areas dedicated to an idea/entire gamebreaking mechanics based around a single enemy/adding playable enemies/adding predmode/adding a gallery mode/etc are very damaging to my ability to actually work on the project. It makes my interest in it drop like a damn brick. ESPECIALLY with bullshit back talking when I call people out on that crap. However those are personal issues between me and them. DO NOT, pursue anyone for that kinda stuff. I reply to everyone if I can, allow me to handle that. It's possible their own ideas might just be a bit "out there" but not something that would start an argument with me. So please LET ME HANDLE THAT MYSELF. Do NOT treat me as needing some kind of personal defense force. If my content is bad I will respond to the criticisms and feedback as NEEDED, by MYSELF.
However, despite the previous bit, it still impacts my work urges considerably. I am slowly trying to work my will to touch packed back up. In this time I've also begun work on a side project with a few friends. Not vore related, but still slightly in the realms of furry containing stuff, without being overwhelmingly furryfandom esque. My urge to work back on packed has been raising, but I want to get a chunk of this project done. So when I return to packed I will be excited and eager to get the latter half of the game done. Due to most of packed being nearly finished anyway.
---
A second note on packed. I've sadly lost the changelog of stuff between the last nightly and my current dev files.... So the next changelog might be missing changes done to the game. As I am unsure of the changes due to the chaos that was the double HD crash.
---
One last thing regarding packed changes: I think I've finally reached a settled changed to the micro form. Due to rat-tf doing most of it's job already, and how the TF button has become contextual based on action required ( rat is hold down while crouched, and bat will be hold up while jumping. ) The microform will be moved into a sort of "gameover recovery" mechanic, allowing you the choice of entering their belly as a micro and escaping from inside them, or simply respawning back at camp. I feel this gives a possible fix to certain boss struggles too, as it's a "get of jail" free card provided you can scale the 1hp gauntlets inside them.
So, I'd just step back from the project for now, as you say. After all, it's just a hobby. Come back to it when you feel like it would be a fun thing to do. I'm a big fan of packed, but even if it's delayed or cancelled, I'll know that it was for the best.
Thanks again for giving us such a wonderful game
if the micro tf is just used as a 'last chance' thing, then it can't be used for progression (or it can, but it would lead to forcing the player to take damage and do a one hit kill area to proceed). that would also mean that it's not required, and players can skip it, or not even know it exists.
i'm also curious as to if there would be a limit to the amount of times it can be used in one 'life'. if there is none, then players could be incredibly reckless as long as they can beet the micro section, instead of getting better and avoiding hits.
those are the kinds of things i'm talking about. i, as a player, am fine with these kind of things, but i want to make sure the you, as the creator, are also fine with it, and if not, find something you do like. that is especially important in a passion project.
-Skippable items are already intended, and even encouraged. Technically the only items you need in the game are double jump, egg launcher/siphon, and any items tied to the four "main" bosses, but even then you'll be able to reach one of the game's endings through sheer exploration anyway. Even if it's not the "best ending."
-It's unlikely to be used as a one time life item. Simply because packed never really sets you far back anyway due to how the camp system simply re-spawns you instead of removing progress. Though a large part of packed's core is the vore and damage interactions. While none of the hits are intended to be forced hits. The chance to escape from a vore situation back to where you were at the cost of beating an area "by avoiding hits" inside the enemy, due to the 1hp limit. Would encourage the player getting better in that regard anyway.
I'm actually curious on your concerns about me. Largely if you're a new follower to my projects. I've actually been doing these for several years at this point. I'm well aware of mechanical interactions, as well as player conveyance. Ya seem to be treating me as if I don't know the weight of the choices I make about even the tiny mechanical changes something like "adding crouching" could do to a project. keheheh.
-for the skippable items , I just said something stupidly obvious, and i'm sorry for that. I was asked to voice my concerns, so I said what was on my mind. (also, I was not including small things like the egg amount up-grades, only things like new abilities)
-that third part, let's just chalk that up to me being an idiot, only seeing half the argument. that part is painfully obvious.
I am quite new to this project, having first played it around august this year. again, i'm sorry. sometimes (a lot) my mind just starts going, "what if this game did this, or maybe that game having this other thing." it has lead to many weird things.
I don't like sharing my thoughts. I always end up say something stupid/obvious and either realize how dumb it was after or just end up pissing off everyone. i'll just stay out of your business, forget everything I've said.
I'm happy to talk any time. It seems like you might enjoy the help on your own projects. Game development is a very hard field. I'm just a very headstrong and rough individual when it comes to making sure what I do feels "right" for the game. Hence taking so long to even decide that this gameover change, and axing the overworld microform is a valid change to make.
Sucks about the freakish hardware failure, and I hope you can get that up patched up. You're an excellent creator and your vision for this game is really starting to come into focus within the game itself. It's rough, but I hope you can ignore the petty masses that want something tailored specifically to them. Best of luck.
Also so everyone else knows, this is a joke I have with them, do not get upset with me, despite if you've read the journal, should know that Kose doesn't want you to get upset on their behalf anyway.
I love talking shop about games. Games have been my go-to activity since I was a little kid. I also like talking about weird fetishes to broaden my horizons and indulge.
I try to leave valuable feedback on game mechanics, thoughts on aesthetic changes and content, and suggestions for more things that would be interesting as a whole and not just for me. I know I'm not always successful in that, and I apologize if I've been over-reaching myself. Absolutely nothing I suggest is meant to be "You should add this to the game!" but rather adding to the pot. You're the creator, so of course you get to decide what does and doesn't work, but everything that is in the game now was just a thought at some point, so it can be hard to contain the enthusiasm about what could be.
Sucks about the Hdd crashes though. For some reason, I feel they were Seagate drives... Don't let it get you down too much as you still have a working drive it seems. Just keep doing what you do and you'll get past these holiday blues.
But yes, I tend to avoid seagate like a plague if I can help it.
As much as packed is a "hobby." My games, and making them in the first place is honestly a massive focus in my life. I've had quite a few sleepless nights trying to fix issues people will never even hear about, only knowing an update took a few days longer then normal hehehehe. The most memorable one was a crash on IOS devices because the html5 version of the game was trying to set a 3d audio location, which actually isn't possible on an IOS' browser apparently. Though no error would pop up at all, and it would just go to a black screen very 1 second to 3 after the game started. Trying to debug this with someone over FA's note system. It was a fun week or so heheheheheh. I'm glad it got fixed though, It's a great feeling.
Since you're aware of yourself, do you think there's a way for you to condition yourself to let that feedback slide off better than it seems to currently? You've already put not making the same mistakes into practice, using the experience you went through to benefit this project, so you clearly are someone who strives for change when something doesn't work. As someone who's done a lot of personal growth myself, I'm aiming to become a person who isn't as bothered by things that have caused problems for me largely because I am/was bothered by them. The steps I've already made have gotten me pretty far already - I have a job I love doing, I work from the comfort of my own home so I can enjoy being around my family more while being a good financial resource, and through it all I'm becoming more confident in myself and relying less on others to validate my opinions and feelings for me. I want the same sort of thing for you, to be able to reach a place where words on a screen written by someone who simply doesn't have your interests in mind won't affect you as deeply, so you can be happier overall. :)
I hope I'm not crossing any lines here. ^^; I've been feeling really good lately, and being the meddler that I am, I really just want to spread it around. I'll lay off the Dr. Phil schtick if you ask me to.
Sorry for bumping a really old comment, was clearing my FA notifications for the first time in years. found this, and it just struck home.
That and a pred system sounds ridiculous. There's more than a few reasons for that, but as a whole I've really enjoyed what you've done with Packed and feel like that'd diminish the experience. Being in a world full of predators out to get you is a lot of why I /personally/ find the game so appealing. Overall, I'm always looking forward to more progress, but your own interests should come first and foremost.
As with anything I think I share the sentiment of many others here. Take your time, your health (mental included) is important. Regardless of the slew of people who would prefer the game be done already. Personally I'm just excited there is a game to this degree and I've done my best whenever I've left a comment on feedback to keep it to a bug or other issue rather than asking for things to be added. I guess it just doesn't feel like something needs added when you've been doing such a great job already. It's your game, your baby. Take everyone's criticism with a grain of salt, if you can. There will always be people who just "want more" and don't care.
Honesty specific animal/character requests don't seem that bad to me but I guess it depends on how it's being "requested".
As for the drives, yeah they were both salvage. Though it's funny that all my other drives are also salvage, and haven't failed yet heheheh.
Can never tell with hard drives. Kinda sucks in that way.
So yeah, I can understand your pain with hard drives. Hope your problem gets solved a little faster and with less trouble than mine has...
sorry bout your hardware though.
So I suppose my question would be what is currently the last thing that a player would be able to accomplish? Like boss/powerup kind of part.