So the reviews are coming in and we're all very happy here. For the most part, the gaming press agrees: *Spider-Man 2* is the best game I've ever worked on.
Whew.
There is one recurring complaint: that the random missions are too repetitive. We saw this in focus tests, but thought it wouldn't be a problem with the final product: "If they get bored with the random missions," we said. "They can stop doing them. They can do challenge markers or photo missions or hunt down thug hideouts or deliver pizzas or go on dates. Challenge markers, in particular, are some of the most fun you can have, and worth more points than the random missions anyhow." Good answer, good answer. Bzzzzt! In hindsight, one problem is that the random missions are right in your face - right there on the HUD, and accompanied by VO ("Hey, Spidey!") - and to get to the challenge markers you have to bring up the zoom-out map and find one. Behavior of a gamer cannot be boiled down to just how many points they get for doing something; just as theme park and casino design build layouts to focus people's attention and channel them in certain directions, a videogame can intentionally or unintentionally do the same thing.
Anyhow, if any of you are playing the game, and are bored with the random missions, do some challenge markers. They're fun, I swear. In fact, I just bought my own copy of the game (since it takes forever to get our free copies) and have been playing them at home. (Except for the 'insane' ones, which are impossible unless you are or have been a professional game tester.)
Congratulations to everyone on the team!
My copy should be arriving from gamefly on Monday (hopefully) and if it is as good as all the reviews say, I'll probably end up keeping it. Of course, I rented the PS2 version so I may rent the GC version to see which one I like the controls on better, but whatever.
We ran into similar problems with Camelot where we said "we'll make X optional so if players dont want to do it, they dont have too" Invariably, players never saw it this way and thought they MUST do that one thing that we said they didnt have to do.
Different genre of course, but it does help illustrate the gap between the players interpretation and the designers intent of any given 'optional' portions of gameplay.
So when does preproduction of Spidey 3 start?:)
Posted by: Despayre | July 02, 2004 at 10:47 AM
>>So when does preproduction of Spidey 3 start?:)
Hey, my thoughts exactly! But yeah, kudos on the good reviews and great game, man. (And to any others of the team who read this.)
So, when are we going to find out these other projects you cats are working on?
Posted by: Jeffool | July 02, 2004 at 02:24 PM
Damn you, I was planning on waiting to get any new games for the immediate future until I finish more of the ones I own... but everyone I've talked to is absolutly RAVING about how awesome this game is...
*goes digging through the cushions*
Posted by: Patrick Sullivan | July 02, 2004 at 05:28 PM
You got a review on blogs.msdn.com!
http://blogs.msdn.com/duncanma/archive/2004/06/30/169950.aspx
Posted by: Chris_S | July 03, 2004 at 04:26 AM
I'm really happy the game is getting good reviews. It seems like most people on forums really like the game and are excited to swing around New York as Spidey.
I'm really glad someone who seems to have as much insight into what made the classics great is able to translate that into a great game.
Posted by: benjamin graner | July 03, 2004 at 03:24 PM
S-M:2 (ps2) is too expensive right now :(
Posted by: Zachary Slater | July 04, 2004 at 12:55 AM
I'd been reading your blog a lot back in the winter, but hadn't visited for some time when I heard friends talking about Spider Man 2 and how great it looks. Remembering your blog, I was intrigued. I've only been able to spend an hour or so with the game so far, but the swinging is brilliant -- I've been waiting for something like this in a game for years. I'm going to show it to my friend who's moving to NYC to help him with apartment shopping. It's nice to see your work pay off, and I'll definitely be catching up on the posts I missed. Would love to hear as much as possible about the development of this game.
Posted by: David | July 05, 2004 at 08:26 AM
Congratulations!
I hope you all get a well deserved rest now, before you go on to the next big thing. Reading the reviews, I'm salivating to buy it - but my consoles are still in moving storage :(
Posted by: Robert 'Groby' Blum | July 05, 2004 at 09:52 AM
Congratulations on a great game. I love the swinging physics. You can really tell a lot of work win in to that aspect of the game. My only complaint has been addressed already, and that is with the side missions. Overall a great game.
I would love to get a job as a tester in the industry!
Posted by: Matt | July 05, 2004 at 11:30 AM
thanksverymuch, Jamie... another (apparently) awesome game and no time to play... I blame you guys for that one now ... ;)
Posted by: Markus Friedl | July 06, 2004 at 12:49 AM
Next time make a PC version too instead of having some chumps do it.
Posted by: Jason | July 06, 2004 at 08:18 AM
PC stuff isn't up to us, that's ATVI's call. Of course we're not happy with it, but that's life.
Zakk, you should be happy it isn't $60. The industry is eagerly awaiting for that new price point to debut (ie, whenever EA starts doing it).
m.
Posted by: m to the vizzah | July 06, 2004 at 09:14 AM
Hello, First time i'v seen your blog, but i read most of yor posts. First off I absoultely love what you and the folks at treyarch have done with spiderman 2 the game. The gameplay is astounding and riviting from the get-go. With most games, after I beat the storyline I am rarely encouraged to collect the extras (gta3 anyone?) but I find myself swining around the city almost compusivley trying to find the various tokens hidden throughout the city. The game is a sheer joy to play AND watch as my wife can attest! Thanks again for such a truely fun and enjoyable game.
Posted by: Silent Wolf | July 07, 2004 at 11:08 AM
I suppose if the price were $60 I would still have to wait for it to drop to $something_I_can_afford. Though I suppose it might take longer to hit that price.
Posted by: Zachary Slater | July 07, 2004 at 11:05 PM
If only wiser minds had had some say on the PC version. The PC is my platform of choice, and I will often wait for the PC version of a game to come out (GTA VC, Full Spectrum Warrior, etc). I might buy a console version, but typically that's for my kids. So while I occasionally have two versions of a game, like Freedom Fighters, for example, it's not the norm. To have the version I would buy not only be completely different to the console but botched up as well hurts. Still, I'm eagerly looking forward to playing Spiderman 2 (on a console). Congrats on a job well done!
Posted by: carl huber | July 10, 2004 at 03:27 AM
Congratulations :) Any comment on that Kirsten Dunst story?
Posted by: Jurie Horneman | July 19, 2004 at 08:33 PM
wow... sales-wise really doing well so far... congrats!
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?section_name=ret&aid=3829
Posted by: Markus Friedl | July 20, 2004 at 09:43 AM
One of the things that I love about this game are the challenges. If anyone who has taken the time to complete some of them, he/she will know that those are well-designed courses. How much time did you guys put into those?? It seems like as if most of the courses were planned out (in terms of what to use) in great details...
But you know, with most of the 'newer' gamers. They're only motivated by unlockables and secrets, instead of actually 'enjoying' the game. I'm sure that you guys did plan on leaving unlockables for the collecting coins and challenges. Whatever happened, we know you did your best you could.
For the next game, I would be glad if you guys can leave those in... With different courses, of course. ^^
Posted by: Spenze | July 21, 2004 at 01:17 PM