Amplitude in "Game Developer" Magazine

[zmeston]

In the August 2003 issue of Game Developer, Harmonix wrote up a Postmortem (the most enjoyable section of GD for non-techies like myself) on Amplitude. Among the more interesting quotes:

"With FreQuency, we wanted to build upon the foundation introduced by the Japanese music games, by introducing a more captivating play experience, both by deepening the gameplay and by increasing the gameplay's musicality." To me, this is another way of saying "We wanted to make a more complicated version of Dance Dance Revolution," but does anyone think they succeeded at their goal?

"All of the available evidence suggested that FreQuency's gameplay was rock-solid, fun, and addictive. Then why didn't it sell? We have our theories. For starters, the musical content in the game was almost exclusively electronica, and electronica is not mainstream music."

"There are hundreds of games to choose from out there, and so consumers will often make their first judgment about a game based upon a momentary glance at a screenshot...We had faith that, with compelling enough gameplay, looks wouldn't matter so much. We were wrong. Most prospective players will write off a game in an instant if, at first glance, it doesn't hit the graphical production standards to which they're accustomed." We all know this to be true, but it's extra-depressing when a developer says it.

"It was still a struggle to get [Amplitude] completed on time, and we did work some long hours, but we never worked a seven-day week, and we were almost never at work after midnight. For us, that was a big accomplishment." Just in case any of you are harboring foolish dreams of getting into the game industry and having a life at the same time.

-- Z.

[hydr0x]

the musical content in the game was almost exclusively electronica, and electronica is not mainstream music."

well, it IS mainstream in europe

[davidbrit2]

I think the sales numbers reflect that the US market just wants the latest RPG/3D Adventure/Pokemon clone shovelware that developers are going to send out the door. Japanese seem to be more open minded the the area of consumerism, so games like Beatmania, DDR, Pop'n Music, and other such coolness catch on easily. In the US, it's usually met with, "That's gay." Translation, "That makes me question my standards that were forced upon me by soceity. Therefore, I am afraid to make my own decision on the matter, and will shove it aside, hoping nobody notices."

DDR can be quite an enlightening experience indeed. ;-)

[junglehunter]

I think they should've made a commercial of some sort or made different magazine adds for Frequency. I didn't like techno as much before I played the game but it grew on me. There are also other genres of music in the game to be enjoyed.

[SoulBlazer]

Then how come I keep seeing more and more DDR and the like arcade games -- and more more older people as well as teens playing them?

[davidbrit2]

Yeah, the user base is going up pretty quickly, but it's not anywhere near the mainstream status that I suspect Konami would like it to be. I have a feeling that it could be a fad that will bottom out suddenly, leaving not enough players left to support it. Oh well. As long as my PS2 still works.

[zmeston]

Yeah, the user base is going up pretty quickly, but it's not anywhere near the mainstream status that I suspect Konami would like it to be. I have a feeling that it could be a fad that will bottom out suddenly, leaving not enough players left to support it. Oh well. As long as my PS2 still works.

Jason Enos, the American producer of the home DDR games, had to fight like hell to convince Konami to bring the franchise to American consoles, so I'm sure the company is thrilled that the game has had any Stateside success at all. It'll never be mainstream in the States, due to the aforementioned "gayness" factor, and I can see players burning out on it after a while. (Its popularity has apparently waned in Japan, along with the rest of the rhythm/music genre.) I was hoping the Xbox version, DDR Ultramix, would allow players to create step patterns for custom hard-drive soundtracks; it would give the game unlimited replayability. Of course, unlimited replayability means you'll never buy another version.

-- Z.

[Oobgarm]

"With FreQuency, we wanted to build upon the foundation introduced by the Japanese music games, by introducing a more captivating play experience, both by deepening the gameplay and by increasing the gameplay's musicality." To me, this is another way of saying "We wanted to make a more complicated version of Dance Dance Revolution," but does anyone think they succeeded at their goal?

Yes. They suceeded, but only by adding powerups to the mix and by creating a multi-section playing field. Those are by no means jaw-dropping innovations, but they do add a bit more depth to the title.

"All of the available evidence suggested that FreQuency's gameplay was rock-solid, fun, and addictive. Then why didn't it sell? We have our theories. For starters, the musical content in the game was almost exclusively electronica, and electronica is not mainstream music."

But so is the music in DDR. It may not be quite as "hardcore" electronica, but I don't think that's a fair way to dismiss FreQ's lack of sales. Blame an uneducated/closeminded game buying public. The game reaped plenty of rewards from critics, technical and otherwise.

I'm sure that my above thought is one of their theories.

"There are hundreds of games to choose from out there, and so consumers will often make their first judgment about a game based upon a momentary glance at a screenshot...We had faith that, with compelling enough gameplay, looks wouldn't matter so much. We were wrong. Most prospective players will write off a game in an instant if, at first glance, it doesn't hit the graphical production standards to which they're accustomed." We all know this to be true, but it's extra-depressing when a developer says it.

Sad but true, as you said. Such is the evil of consumers. If it's not part of one of the top 3 genres (RPG, Sports, Action), most people dismiss it anyway. The hardcore gamers among us (dare I say refined?), those who are able to appreciate a title that brings something new to the table, are the only reason games like this exist.

"It was still a struggle to get [Amplitude] completed on time, and we did work some long hours, but we never worked a seven-day week, and we were almost never at work after midnight. For us, that was a big accomplishment."

And I enjoy the fruits of their labor. FreQ and Amp are both in my top 10 game EVAR, at #9 and #10, respectively.

I lament the fact that that gaming industry has become so fickle. I know that the "big" titles help keep the industry afloat, but all of the "me too" shovelware drags it down. It's a damn shame that great product(s) like these and many others go virtually unnoticed.

[Daniel Thomas]

It's always tough when original games like Frequency don't sell. Perhaps someone should tell the gaming industry that the store shelves are over-saturated. It's difficult to pick one good game out of an enourmous crowd, especially with loud brand-names getting all the attention. Sequels are pretty much the only thing that'll sell, judging by sales figures and the occasional glance at any "what-you-want" column in the prozines.

It's just a matter of getting the buyer's attention, and there really isn't any way to grab them. The videogame magazines don't have anything approaching the circulation of mainstream pop culture magazines (Rolling Stone, Spin, EW, etc.), and they only target a specific teenage male audience. Cue the childish sex jokes and over-enthusiastic reviews.

I'm not really sure how you'd fix things. Any takers?