...the time saved by doing one episode at a time! When you do a full game (three episodes before release), you invariably end up working on all three episodes towards the last half of the product's life cycle. With episodic, though, you are forced to focus on one at a time. The savings in time is synergetic and much less than adding up the total time for all three seperate episodes. For me, it was like cooking a meal. Until now, I was in the kitchen trying to make the salad, entree, and desert all at the same time. It's confusing and chaotic, and it's difficult to focus. Preparing each seperately, which is what most of us do, is the preferred game plan. Just thought I'd mention that, if it wasn't already obvious.

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Original post by LEVELORD For me, it was like cooking a meal. Until now, I was in the kitchen trying to make the salad, entree, and desert all at the same time. It's confusing and chaotic, and it's difficult to focus. Preparing each seperately, which is what most of us do, is the preferred game plan.

Just as long as the main course doesn't get cold, the salad doesn't go brown and the desert hasn't hardened. [smile]

But, yeah I can see the benifits to segmented releases and have thought on it in the past. Besides, it gives you the gratifcation of having something to show while you're still building levels, where-as, one might normally cut corners at the end to rush the project out.

...You are talking about non-commercial games right? I wouldn't like waiting for a game I am paying for, but a free game I don't mind at all. In fact, it pulls me in more if I must wait.*

*(Oh 20X6, how I long for level 10!}

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Original post by Servant of the Lord Just as long as the main course doesn't get cold, the salad doesn't go brown and the desert hasn't hardened. [smile]

...ROFFL! ...beautiful!

In fact, most chefs DO cook everything at the same time. To be more accurate, in fact, they prepare everything at the same time, and COOK them separately when serving in a restaurant. But when they (we) do this at home, they(we) prefer to have everything prepared and TIMED, so that everything can be served exactly when needed.

More often than not, in fact, you'll notice that the tools you have used to create the game are the same throughout, so you end up building your tools for half of the development time, and then spend the last half of it on, well, content. WHich means that you can indeed cut off some content development time by reducing the charge, but it means that you've spent more than needed on the tools. Or that, if you want to add value to your tools, you'll have to develop MORE content throughout time, after you've been able to see the flaws in your tools, because you've ALREADY developped something with them.

Now that I've gone through the circular thinking thing, let me tell you why it's a bad idea to develop through episodic cycles. Sure you can have more content added over time, and you will be able (with hope) to hook your audience to your game. But maybe said audience will expect MORE content from your next episode, instead of simply a more VARIED content. Which means that you'll have to develop different tools, or even modify entirely the previous core code to allow for new content. WHich means that you'll end up doubling the development time to double the content time, instead of just piling the content time to go with the development time.

And this will be more tiresome than value-worth.

The only bright side of episodic paradigm i see , it the ability to change the course of the game dynamically.I for one am not convinced episodic gaming will bring about a revolution.But looking forward to it none the less [wink]