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Good evening Kindred,

This week, as mentioned in our last dev diary, we’re bringing you our first video recap. Straight from The Chinese Room and their Community Manager Josh Matthews, you’ll hear from earlier dev diary authors Michele Nucera (Senior Concept Artist), Alex Skidmore (Project Creative Director) and Ben Matthews (Associate Art Director). In this recap, they’ll summarize their individual diaries, share additional thoughts and answer fan questions.

What’s Next

We’ll be back with the next dev diary in two weeks and we’re looking forward to our third clan reveal at PC Gamer Show: Most Wanted.
 
Well, it is called a summary, and they do at least say that the snow that bothered some people is there as a uncommon event, so that's one thing I suppose.

I am growing a bit concerned that the environmental design is now running into a fairly common problem of modern games - everything blue. Dark isn't actually blue. And just because there needs to be some light for gameplay reason doesn't mean everything should be blue-ish. System Shock remake somewhat infamously went down that route - ended up looking like this everywhere:
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"Go from the blue corridor to the blue hallway and enter the blue bay" ^^;
 
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It's a summary yeah but they still decided to pick questions from the community and answer them and even then what they picked was awfully boring so I don't really see the point of this if it says nothing new. We already knew about the snow being caused by an uncommon event.
 
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If those were the best, most positive questions they could find I'd like to see what they ignored. It couldn't have been less interesting if they talked about how the rendered each door's doorknob.
 
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It's a summary yeah but they still decided to pick questions from the community and answer them and even then what they picked was awfully boring so I don't really see the point of this if it says nothing new. We already knew about the snow being caused by an uncommon event.
We picked the ones that were relevant to the previous Dev Diaries. These were sourced from Discord and explicitly clarified what we were taking questions for.
 
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We picked the ones that were relevant to the previous Dev Diaries. These were sourced from Discord and explicitly clarified what we were taking questions for.
Since they didn't reveal much I guess that explains why the questions didn't either.

I'm starting to wonder if you guys are purposely sabotaging this game for some sort of tax write off.
 
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I gotta stop clicking on these. :(
 
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Maybe I'm too focused on the whole "diary recap" thing, but personally I didn't really expect anything new, really? Seems to be sorta the implication here. ^^;

Though, yeah, why ... bother then? And the Q&A ... again, not necessarily anything new, but perhaps a clarification on a point that's annoying everyone, like the name Phyre. Or something else, not like there wasn't some tidbit to give to people. But I have gone on about this before.

Kinda feels like the community team is speaking some fringe Indonesian dialect and (non-Discord?)-community speaks some ancient Suaheli or something. Just complete disconnect and inability to understand what's going on in the other's head. Eh, what do I know. Surely must be some sort of grand marketing plan somebody made somewhere ^^;
 
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To answer a lot of questions here (and from elsewhere, heh), we see your questions and queries, and we're doing our best to get you all the answers you want that work within our timeline. I know there's a lot of 'tell us now, tell us more' and we will! We can't wait to show you the extended gameplay in January, and we'll try to answer more questions at that time.
 
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To answer a lot of questions here (and from elsewhere, heh), we see your questions and queries, and we're doing our best to get you all the answers you want that work within our timeline. I know there's a lot of 'tell us now, tell us more' and we will! We can't wait to show you the extended gameplay in January, and we'll try to answer more questions at that time.
Most are asking "Please reassure us this isn't awful"... but frame it your way if it helps you guys feel better.
 
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Most are asking "Please reassure us this isn't awful"... but frame it your way if it helps you guys feel better.
Hi. I can understand your frustration; as I've said previously, we will work throughout this and next year to get fans answers, info, and a greater look into the game.

It's been many years and ups and downs of hype, and I get that it can be exhausting for you.

But y'know, there's no need for barbed words. We don't know each other, but I'm sure it doesn't improve either my day or yours. Perhaps it doesn't even matter to you either way, but I'd ask, when on this forum, to bring it down a notch. Just a tad. Thank you.
 
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Hi. I can understand your frustration; as I've said previously, we will work throughout this and next year to get fans answers, info, and a greater look into the game.

It's been many years and ups and downs of hype, and I get that it can be exhausting for you.

But y'know, there's no need for barbed words. We don't know each other, but I'm sure it doesn't improve either my day or yours. Perhaps it doesn't even matter to you either way, but I'd ask, when on this forum, to bring it down a notch. Just a tad. Thank you.

Feeona, I am not trying to be barbed and I apologize if my snarky sense of humour was construed as such. These are just video games and nothing worth causing other people hurt or insults over.

However...

Unfortunately video game developers seem to almost universally live in a bubble where they do not interact with their customers outside canned press junkets and pre-approved posts. They don't interact, you know, like human beings. They also tend to almost universally ignore their customers and fans, insisting they know better. Basically it's "We'll tell you what you want and we refuse to listen when you say you don't like it", followed by poor sales and total bewilderment why their game got trashed by the fans who didn't buy it. Often it's also followed by corporate apology and excuse making, even sometimes blaming their own customers for not "giving it a chance" or some other contrived excuse.

Unfortunately because of this culture in game development, video game fans have been conditioned to be loud and nasty because it's the only thing that gets the companies attention. The one language upper management understands is money and they see negative word of mouth as an impact on sales. If video game developers want this type of culture to stop then maybe they should start listening and stop insisting they know better and ignoring their customers.

You guys chose to make a sequel to a very beloved, cult favourite video game with a passionate base. You could have very easily not made a Bloodlines 2 and avoided certain desires and expectations... but you did. You could have just made a Vampire RPG without the baggage.

Rather then engage with your potential customers as human beings and answer questions, you choose to stubbornly stick to some corporate approved roadmap and damned be the response or consumer reality... you're sticking to it!

Fine, that's your choice but don't be surprised if people get more annoyed or pessimistic. By the time they get to any real information that might be beneficial people will have been stewing for so long nothing you say will be well received. You don't need to be a 20 year veteran game publisher or community manager to know how to read a room and pivot.

No one's asking Paradox to dump all their work on the internet for the world to see, just information about what kind of game we're getting given the title and pedigree it's tied to. Quite honestly, video game publishers take themselves way too seriously sometimes and protect their game information like it's state secrets. I sincerely doubt there is anything so cutting edge about your game (or anyone's these days) that it just can't fall into the wrong hands too soon.

I'm especially pessimistic because I work in film and know that if voice acting has been recorded, that means the game is almost complete because that's one of the last things you do. At this point there isn't much room for change.
 
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Unfortunately because of this culture in game development, video game fans have been conditioned to be loud and nasty because it's the only thing that gets the companies attention.
Unfortunately due to this behaviour companies have learnt not to let their devs talk like normal people on forums as it just releases vitriol. The devs on the HOI4 forum occasionally let their human side show, and they are usually then attacked for it - by a small minority certainly but still it's attacking them.

It looks like Bloodlines2 is going to follow the Vic3 model - where the 4 dev diaries per month are recapped in a video to maximise PR reach. As such the diaries (and videos) have probably already been planned all the way up to release, or at least close.

Dev Diaries are NOT "here's an interesting thing we're working on, what are your thoughts" they are a PR exercise to explain the process behind the development of the game so the readers can see why they are approaching it the way they are. Any questions answered are incidental to the purpose of the diaries and it is the Devs going above and beyond - so don't attack them or be sarky to them!

Again - Dev diaries are NOT a conversation, they are PR/advertising. Treat them as such, debate amongst ourselves and if any Devs respond to questions then be thankful we know more than before.

It will probably be 2 months of laying the groundwork and then the interesting dev diaries will probably begin Jan/Feb time.
 
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So we reached "You did it first! ...No! You did it first! ... No! You did it first! And so its all your fault! ... No! You did it first! And so its all your fault!" point of argument?
Very mature. -_-

Let me know, when we grow to "Past is past, we can work together, rather than against each other."
 
Unfortunately due to this behaviour companies have learnt not to let their devs talk like normal people on forums as it just releases vitriol. The devs on the HOI4 forum occasionally let their human side show, and they are usually then attacked for it - by a small minority certainly but still it's attacking them.

It looks like Bloodlines2 is going to follow the Vic3 model - where the 4 dev diaries per month are recapped in a video to maximise PR reach. As such the diaries (and videos) have probably already been planned all the way up to release, or at least close.

Dev Diaries are NOT "here's an interesting thing we're working on, what are your thoughts" they are a PR exercise to explain the process behind the development of the game so the readers can see why they are approaching it the way they are. Any questions answered are incidental to the purpose of the diaries and it is the Devs going above and beyond - so don't attack them or be sarky to them!

Again - Dev diaries are NOT a conversation, they are PR/advertising. Treat them as such, debate amongst ourselves and if any Devs respond to questions then be thankful we know more than before.

It will probably be 2 months of laying the groundwork and then the interesting dev diaries will probably begin Jan/Feb time.

Funny, I re-read my post and didn't see anywhere that I asked what a Dev diary was or even factored it into my statement other then commenting on "sticking to the plan".

So we reached "You did it first! ...No! You did it first! ... No! You did it first! And so its all your fault! ... No! You did it first! And so its all your fault!" point of argument?
Very mature. -_-

Let me know, when we grow to "Past is past, we can work together, rather than against each other."

Try reading what I actually wrote. Nowhere did I make anything even remotely close to a "they started it" type comment.
 
Unfortunately video game developers seem to almost universally live in a bubble where they do not interact with their customers outside canned press junkets and pre-approved posts. They don't interact, you know, like human beings. They also tend to almost universally ignore their customers and fans, insisting they know better.

I am a developer, and as you can see, I work in the industry. People in my position see and pass on everything. We interact constantly with customers and fans. It's not the job of a Concept Artist, a Level Designer, or a QA to come forward and spend time speaking to the community. Of course, they can if they wish to, but they're busy working on their game.

Marketing isn't always perfect, but saying they 'do not interact like human beings' is a wild generalization to make.
Fine, that's your choice but don't be surprised if people get more annoyed or pessimistic. By the time they get to any real information that might be beneficial people will have been stewing for so long nothing you say will be well received. You don't need to be a 20 year veteran game publisher or community manager to know how to read a room and pivot.

No one's asking Paradox to dump all their work on the internet for the world to see, just information about what kind of game we're getting given the title and pedigree it's tied to. Quite honestly, video game publishers take themselves way too seriously sometimes and protect their game information like it's state secrets. I sincerely doubt there is anything so cutting edge about your game (or anyone's these days) that it just can't fall into the wrong hands too soon.

Game development is always ongoing and is governed by scope, cost, and what can be delivered in the allotted time frame. It's not about "state secrets"; it's about us being respectful to fans and not promising something that can't be delivered. As such, we can't always say outright what will be in the game because we 100% want to ensure it's correct. There are many things we've not talked about and are waiting until next year because of this. I believe that overpromising something would be worse.

Personally, even if things are a little conservative right now, we're taking in feedback, and when we can completely confirm and talk about things in the game, we will.

I'm especially pessimistic because I work in film and know that if voice acting has been recorded, that means the game is almost complete because that's one of the last things you do. At this point there isn't much room for change.

I'm sorry, but this isn't always true. Voice Actors are often called back to do more line reads if things have changed. Bloodlines 2 is still in development, regardless of the voice work completed. In film, I assume that ADR is done after the movie has been cut and edited, in games, development continues until the last moment, and as such, there's no time to bring in voice actors at the end when you need them at various stages of completion.

Honestly, I would try to talk to each of your points more, but it does feel that you have your thoughts set on these matters, and I can't change that. I will say that I appreciate your response. I'm around daily on the forums to try and answer questions that I can answer.
 
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