Hey PixelJunkies

[DylanCuthbert]

So my account finally got approved and it should be developer flagged soon.

Feel free to throw any questions out there and I'll try to answer them personally (as long as they aren't *too* personal ;) ).

We created a true gem with the Steam version of PixelJunk Eden and I need you guys to spread the word - there really isn't any other game like it. The original PSN version had a few problems for some people because we weren't sure of ourselves back then and unfortunately rushed it a bit (PixelJunk Monsters had yet to take off and become the huge success it is now so financially speaking we were a bit worried...) and so the Steam version let us go in and fix everything we wanted to fix! We think it's absolutely brilliant (well we would but you know... it *is* absolutely brilliant).

I know people are complaining about the lack of legacy controls but hey, we'll patch that in just for you - but in the meantime I'd love it if you could try the mouse controls as they are just so much FUN!

This game is truly unique and unlike anything else out there and my plea to the Steam community is to help rally up the troops as to be honest it isn't doing as well as it should be - and it appears to be primarily because people simply don't know about it... yet!

So if you like it shout about it! Organic platforming FTW :)

[q3c]

Hey Dylan!

Thanks for bringing this awesome game to PC. I have played the hell out of the PS3 version, but got the PC one pretty much the moment it got released (even gifted a copy to some other designer friends of mine).

Eden is not only tons of fun to play, but also a huge source of inspiration in my work (I am a motion design director) - what the Q-Games team and Baiyon did simply has no equivalent in the current landscape of games, indie or AAA.

I was wondering if you guys are in a similar position to That Game Company (my other favorite indie developer) - meaning: coming to an end of some kind of exclusive agreement with SONY. What I am trying to ask is basically: can we count on Q-Games taking their other games (and new IP's) to the PC from now on?

I hope Eden does well in sales - did some promoting via QubaHQ.com (my site) although my audience does not necessarily comprise of gamers. Best of luck, and can't wait for 4AM to drop!

[DylanCuthbert]

Hey there,

Eden has been out of its exclusivity period for a few years now - the main problem for us is finding the time and resources to bring these games to other platforms because of course we'd actually prefer to be making newer titles - but at the same time we also want to see more people experiencing unique titles such as Eden... so it's a very delicate balance!! We don't like "ports" and so each title is always added to or tuned up when it moves onto a new platform, like Monsters Deluxe on the PSP/Vita or Monsters Online over on facebook. It's important for us to take care with each title.

[Gordon Nukem]

It's wonderful to see PixelJunk Eden released on Steam, and I hope that in time it'll do well enough to convince you to bring more PixelJunk games on here. :D I'm happy you're taking the time to communicate directly with fans. You just don't get that with most companies... Keep up the great work!

I'm curious, if things go well, what's the next PixelJunk game you'd wanna bring over the most?

[postm]

I like the game too. Unfortunatly, I have a tendency to rage quit when I make mistakes in a time limit gameplay. I would probably spend more time with this game if the time limit on each level wasn't there. That would make it more of a zen style game. Now, for me, it's a raging game.

[DylanCuthbert]

There are plenty of ways to gain more crystals - for example, use the quick drop to land in seeds and you get a bonus.

It's not a time limit as such but the energy required for you to exist in the other dimension of those gardens and we are very generous with the crystals. The very first non-patched PS3 version was a bit tight in this regard but I haven't heard any complaints since we patched it, and especially from the PC version which is looser still.

However, I am considering patching the game so even if you do run out it just resets your position and leaves the plants as they are instead of resetting them as it does now. I need to test how this feels but if it feels ok I will implement it.

[zecg]

I am considering patching the game so even if you do run out it just resets your position and leaves the plants as they are instead of resetting them as it does now. I need to test how this feels but if it feels ok I will implement it.

Please don't do this. Or make it optional if you do. I feel it's very well balanced as it is, but it's a bit on the easy side what with the mouse controls and that would just make it too easy.

[q3c]

Agreed. I think you balanced the game quite well. I do fail sometimes, but that's a part of the experience.

Easy mode would just shorten the experience and remove the challenge. Take that from a casual gamer who in no way advocates "hardcore difficulties" and typically plays games on Normal or Easy difficulty mode :)

[postm]

Ya, don't get me wrong. I'm not asking for the time limit to be removed as that would more or less remove the challenge.

I was just giving feedback to the devs by saying that this game ain't for me because I have a problem with time limits. They make me rage or ROL (rage out loud). :P It's a good game, but I can't play it because of how my temper reacts to time limits :)

[beauchette]

Hey Dylan,

it's nice to see people like you investing time reading directly from us gamers.

I'll say I really love Eden, and other pixeljunk games, but a lot of people told it in this thread far better than I would.

So, I know there's another thread about it, but I'd like to tell why I'd like controller support in this game : I played the ps3 version a lot (in fact, I played all pixeljunk games a lot). And when I first started playing the pc version I was kinda disappointed to notice it was only playable with a mouse. it had been so long since I played Eden that I tried with the mouse anyway, and I must admit that after a few minutes, it feels really better and more accurate than the controller.

so I suppose it's not clear why I want controllers ? it's quite simple : playing relaxed sitting comfortably in my chair, rather than with the hand on my desk with my mouse.

Being a pc veteran (who also owns a ps3) I even admit to playing some pc fps with a controller because it allows me to lay my back comfortably on a chair.

I'm not sure other players feel like me, feel free to tell, people.

[JoeB]

I'd also like to extend my thanks for bringing this out on PC. I would have never had the opportunity to play it otherwise since I have no plans on ever owning a console for the foreseeable future. I bought the soundtrack with the game too because I especially like the music (listening to 637 Volpe as I type this).

I truly hope you will also bring your other titles onto Steam as well. I will most certainly buy them too as I'm sure they will have the same level of quality I got from this game.


Also, thanks for posting here. I really like it when developers reach out to the community rather than just hide in the shadows and not say anything to anyone.

[DylanCuthbert]

Agreed. I think you balanced the game quite well. I do fail sometimes, but that's a part of the experience.

Easy mode would just shorten the experience and remove the challenge. Take that from a casual gamer who in no way advocates "hardcore difficulties" and typically plays games on Normal or Easy difficulty mode :)

Oh I think it will still be the same challenge (who wants to be reset?) and for players such as yourselves I'm pretty sure you aren't even getting to the "failed" screen are you?

From talking with other players they are only getting to the failed screen 2-3 times during their entire play which means it doesn't need to be as harsh as it is or it feels out of place.

[DylanCuthbert]

beauchette - we'll be adding a "legacy mode" which will support a gamepad as long as it has an analog stick or input of some kind which people can use to play it in the same way they play the ps3 version. The mouse is definitely the preferred input (as default) but for people such as yourself I see no problem in introducing a sub-mode such as this.

[Teh_Saccade]

However, I am considering patching the game so even if you do run out it just resets your position and leaves the plants as they are instead of resetting them as it does now. I need to test how this feels but if it feels ok I will implement it.

Hi Dylan,

I wanna be reset! Maybe an option, like "restart y/n" and/or "reset&restart y/n"?
Tho, once you beat the garden, if you fail collecting all five, it resets anyway unless you continue? But then, it's best to reset and restart, cos your score is wiped and the challenge is totally gone...
I *do* like sandbox games, tho.

This PC version sure does feel a lot easier (ie, less smashing the PS3 remote into the TV in frustration) than the PSN version - it's great :D

It's much easier to exist for longer, what with the teleport thing and mouse making it better to control. Crystals everywhere make it a little less challenging, though - however, I still use the PS version tactic of gathering prowler's combo crystals for time and hovering round a big nugget til it's needed and saving a load of seeds for climbing and crystal emergencies.
I think anyone who's really looking for a challenge and wants to appreciate the game, and mong out to the soundtrack, will do what I do and just meta-game instead of ploughing through it.

I'm a firm believer in change the way you play the game, not the game itself.

Therefore, please don't change it so that the plants stay out if you get reset, if it means having to quit the garden after 1st complete to reset it (I'm lazy and it'd be an extra few clicks...) - they allow you to get your score back up easier and stay alive if you fail and have to restart.
I have a suspicion that you're talking about the 1st time you play though, when you're just looking around with little pressure.

What kind of achievement would "10-minute-rule" be, if you could just open all the seeds, taking as long as you wanted, then die and come back zero-score to just bounce up and grab all spectra in less than 2 minutes (2-minute-rule?).

Well, game achievements aren't like life events; I'm being the saddest tosser around and spending over an hour farming pollen and prowlers for 600k points :P

I'm so glad you brought this game to PC. Me n my ex used to play it forever, but she took the PS3 and all my games when we split (and deleted all my online save-games - wtf man? Don't mess with a man's save games... ¬¬) and only Monsters remained in my catalogue for re-download.

Thanks a lot, matey :D
I'll try not to be too sad and climb every leaderboard, but since there is one, I'll probably give it a try... :/

---
Also, I use a PS3 remote for the PC since I have no PS3 now, and I'm finding the mouse to be a lot more intuitive for control. I'll try the gamepad, but I think the mouse is the best. Good choice.

[DylanCuthbert]

Hey there, well this patch rolled out yesterday, but yes once you have collected the first 5 and you are then in challenge mode it will reset each time you run out.

I think this makes it less of a jolt for the more casual user - of course I prefer a harder configuration but we do need to cater more for people who don't like too much of a jolt. It's hard enough for them to simply climb back up to where they were.

[Mart00n]

First of all, thank you so much for bringing this to the PC. This is by far my favorite PS3 game, and when I saw a PC version it was an instant buy for me.

I really like the mouse controls. I liked them immediately.

Regarding the time limit, I wouldn't be opposed to giving players an option for a "relaxed" mode, or something along those lines. But I'd still want a mode available that had some kind of time pressure, since that's how I prefer to play.

[Teh_Saccade]

Hey there, well this patch rolled out yesterday, but yes once you have collected the first 5 and you are then in challenge mode it will reset each time you run out.


Oh cool, that's good then. It wouldn't have been as fun the other way :)
I've not had an update, but sometimes it takes a while to sort out for some reason.

[DylanCuthbert]

Are you sure it didn't update "invisibly" for you? Try running out of time on a stage (that you are only 1 or 2 Spectras in on so you don't lose too much).

[QQQ]

Do you have any idea why the game will not save for some people? I have now gotten around eight spectra a few times, but then I quit to go do something else and come back to find nothing saved.
I love the game, but I can't play for more than 20-40 minutes at a time so I am getting bored with the first few levels. It is like a demo that teases so much more content to come, but I can never reach it.

[DylanCuthbert]

If you are not logged into Steam the game won't save - because we use the Steam cloud save system. We will issue a patch which will warn you of this.

[Zeewolf]

Does that mean the game won't work properly in offline-mode? To me it sounds like the patch should fix that, then... the offline-mode is there for a reason.

[Luk 333]

I'm sorry to hear that the game isn't selling very well. A part of this might be caused by the fact that I haven't seen any reviews on some of the important PC gaming websites, like Rock, Paper, Shotgun or PC Gamer. If they haven't got review copies yet, you should definitely send them some Steam codes to gently remind them of the game. :) PixelJunk Eden is almost 4 years old now and it was a PS3 exclusive, so I guess a lot of people were waiting for a PC review to see what's it all about, a review which unfortunately hasn't arrived. A demo might also have helped with this.

I'm always happy when a console developer makes the cross towards pc and I hope you'll catch a lucky break to reward you for your effort.

[tungsten]

Thank you for bringing this game to PC. I look forward to the possibility to play other pixeljunk games on steam, and hope that with enough success you may bring them to steam android. Please port monsters, and the two shooters to pc.

[Rumble19]

I just wanted to say how nice it is to see a developer communicating so directly to your fans. It goes a long way toward building and maintaining a great relationship. Thanks you for this, and for the game.

[Troa11]

Dylan, to the comment a page back about how you don't care to do "straight ports". On the one hand I can totally understand that you want to offer quality and put some pride in your work. However, to those of us limited to the PC platform or at least lacking the PS3 platform, let me just say that we would be very happy with straight ports just so we could have the chance to play some of these gems.

Overall though, I'm just happy you're willing to put the gamepad controls back in. I've been getting used to the mouse, but it still doesn't feel as accurate or "flow-y" as the gamepad did for me back when I had a PS3.

[djcolon]

Absolutely totally and utterly in love with this game. Also so glad you no longer require a PS3 to play it! Thank you very much Dylan & Co, cannot wait for more! :)

[daveosaur]

With the legacy patch coming soon, are you planning on adding a "hard" more at all? I played this game a ton on the PS3, and while it could be frustrating at times, I kindof liked having the gardens reset every time you enter them. It was a nice excuse to listen to the music a lot longer, as the later spectra in the level took a lot longer to get.

[DylanCuthbert]

daveosaur - once you collect all 5 spectra in a garden it switches to "challenge" mode... where you need to collect all 5 in one go just for your own enjoyment :)

[webcider]

Hey just want to say i am so glad i bought the PC version i absolutely love it :D compared to the PS3 version i really like the mouse controls.

[apoc_reg]

Hey Dylan just thought id say how much I love Eden its a great game. The music, the graphics and the gameplay and the translation to PC works well.

Would love to see more PixJ on the PC and also even more Eden someday/somewhere!

Think Garnett Lee on Weekend Confirmed got me into Pixel Junk first off talking about Shooter 1 and I have all your releases on PS3.

eden especially is dripping with style, keep it up!