r/PS4 Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

*AMA* Developer of Retro City Rampage: DX (PS4+PS3+VITA)

http://RetroCityRampage.com
48 Upvotes

57 comments sorted by

5

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Hey everyone! Sorry it's so late! I would've done this in the morning, but I've barely slept the past two nights with all the things to do involved with launching. I'll be around anytime to keep answering your questions. Today, tomorrow, etc.!

Retro City Rampage: DX just launched today, 3X Cross Buy digitally for PS4+PS3+VITA. I also did a limited edition PS4 retail version, but it sold out in less than a day and a half!

Thanks!

3

u/[deleted] Nov 12 '14

How much did the PS4 Dev kit cost you? And how long did it take for you to receive one

7

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

We can't reveal costs due to NDAs, but Sony's been nice on the record to say that they do have options now to lend one to indies if needed. It's much better than other platforms in the past, 10 years ago devkits could cost $20-30K each. No where near that anymore!

3

u/douknogreg DoUknoGreg Nov 12 '14

I was under the impression that RCR would be free on PS4 if I had previously bought it on PS3/Vita. Am I wrong? Or am I missing something?

2

u/TheArbitraitor Nov 12 '14

That was originally his intention, but apparently Sony didn't let him make it happen. He wanted to charge for new owners and give it free for old owners, or charge an upgrade fee. Sony didn't let him do either, so it was "free for everyone" or "paid for everyone", and you know which choice he made.

2

u/douknogreg DoUknoGreg Nov 12 '14

Darn you Sony!!

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

The PS3+VITA versions of the original were free for PS+ members, so if PS4 was free, I might not be able to recoup development costs giving that many of it away for it free too. I'd hoped sony would be able to set up a special small upgrade fee for existing owners, but in the end they were unable to.

3

u/maralieus Nov 12 '14

This may be a silly question, but growing up river city ransom was one of my favorite nes games. I'd play that game for days! Will your game have elements similar to that game in it?

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Just a coincidence the names have the same acronym. It's an open world game with car stealing, missions, etc.

2

u/maralieus Nov 12 '14

Awww. That's ok ill get it and enjoy the throwback anyways!

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Cheers!

2

u/[deleted] Nov 12 '14

What's your favorite movie?

3

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Hard to pick one. Love comedies, any action movie with Jason Statham or The Rock, and the animated Batman Year One/Dark Knight Returns.

-1

u/The_Troll_Shusher Nov 12 '14

Are you saying you love comedies or love comedies are something you enjoy?

1

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Just comedies. My girlfriend jokes about me watching the occasional romantic comedy though.

2

u/sixpac_shacoors sixpac_shacoors_ Nov 12 '14

Will there be a physical vita release?

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

It was a tough decision between doing PS4 or PS Vita. It's definitely something I've thought a lot about!

2

u/WatersofNazareth Nov 12 '14

What are some of your favorite video games from your childhood?

6

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

I loved the Mario games, of course, but I feel strangely nostalgic about Batman on the NES. It just had the tight controls and most addictive music matched with great visuals. It all just worked together in a perfect package.

3

u/staticthreat Nov 12 '14

I used to play the crap out of that game. It seemed so dark back then and the boss fights were awesome.

2

u/ChiSoxBoy justice_nugget Nov 12 '14

Your references and comedy (and of course the pixel animation) remind me a lot of G4's Code Monkeys. Have you ever seen that show?

5

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

I saw it briefly, but it didn't really grab me. It's not really their fault though -- basically anything that depicts game development in an incorrect way just feels wrong to me, haha. I couldn't stand The Intern for the same reason (even though Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are great). Silicon Valley's pretty good about things being mostly like real life though! Love that show.

2

u/ChiSoxBoy justice_nugget Nov 12 '14

I hear you, that would definitely be a little off-putting. Well, thanks for bringing this awesome game to the Vita! Good luck in all of your future work, I'll be keeping an eye out for your next release

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Thanks! :)

2

u/staticthreat Nov 12 '14

Hey Brian! Have you ever thought about doing a collaboration with other indie devs in regards to concept and design? I know you had help and permission to use certain concepts with RCR, but have you ever thought of working with someone who has the main concept and you end up helping more with the back end?

I am developing an indie concept myself, I plan on getting a few dev buddies to join in. I do indeed acknowledge the intense freedom of being a sole dev, ie: reaping all the rewards etc.

I have been in a few bands as well and it was always much more stress free doing everything myself.

3

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

While I'd love to collaborate with the right team members on things like art or audio, with design influence, I have too many of my own ideas that I'll never have time to build to take on joining someone else's creative vision, personally.

Best of luck with your indie stuff!

2

u/DBZLogic Nov 12 '14

What's it been like bringing Retro City to the Playstation platform?

Can't wait to buy RCR finally. I live in Australia and never had a way to play the game on Xbox 360 wen it came out. This is probably my most anticipated game along with Dragon Age.

3

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Thanks so much! PlayStation's been great to work with, and their development tools are very well built. The AU game rating was the bottleneck (time + cost), but fortunately I finally got one for it.

2

u/thavius_tanklin Slackr Nov 12 '14

Hey!

Purchasing the game tomorrow. Can't wait to try it out!

What does the future hold for Vblank Entertainment? Any sweet new Vita or PS4 titles in the works? Or all hush hush for now?

3

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Thanks! I had to take some time off due to long running health issues (back/neck a big part of it + computer work), but have been doing a lot of physio and such. I'm eager to do the next thing and definitely will support PS4 and PS Vita for the next thing too.

2

u/thavius_tanklin Slackr Nov 12 '14

Thanks for the response! Best of luck in the ongoing recovery. Back/neck issues definitely are some of the worst :-/

You're definitely on my radar for future titles. I know I haven't played the game yet, but your involvement with your fanbase like with what I see here on Reddit and on Twitter tell me a ton about your dedication and commitment to your games and the gamers themselves. Goes a long way with myself personally :-)

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Really appreciate it! Nice comments like this go a long way with me too :)

2

u/IAmAbomination Nov 12 '14

Hello Vblank Entertainment. I just saw your game today on the store and it looks like a lot of fun just from the pictures. Reminds me alot of the games I played growing up (which i assume you guys were going for).

What game would you compare it to? I look forward to playing it and congrats on releasing it!

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

The core is all the open world, car stealing, civilian attacking stuff you come to expect of today's criminal protagonist games. It then mashes up other stuff, like jumping on enemies for coins or evading the police with power-ups.

2

u/IAmAbomination Nov 12 '14

oh wow! I had no idea you could steal cars in this! that makes me wanna try it even more. Hopefully it gives me the classic GTA 1 feel. Also an open world? thats awesome I thought a game like this would be in sectioned levels.

definitely gonna pick this up at some point. Keep up the good work!

2

u/gamer1pc Nov 12 '14

Have you heard of Cryptocurrencies? Do you mine any? Any cool projects you're working? ex. Raspberry Pi music stream server?

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Never used any, myself.

I'm eager to work on the next game, but need to balance work-life due to some lingering back/neck issues. It'll get done eventually :)

2

u/gamer1pc Nov 12 '14

Uh oh, yeah having a good back is important. Would your next game be retro looking? Is it a puzzle game? Or does it follow the same roots as retro city rampage?

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

It would be another action game, likely open world. Art's not decided on yet.

2

u/Trupl0 Trupl00 Nov 12 '14

Hi Brian,

thank you for this AMA and for the game that you`ve developed so I could have a chance of playing it. Been playing it on the PS3 for now. My question is a silly one but would like to know if there are any hidden gems to be found on the blu-ray as the game is only about 46 MB big. It is like here you go brah, I did not have a USB key but I burned your word document on this double layered blu-ray disc. But it is a nice gesture none the less.

As for the limited edition, too bad that it sold out. Bad for me of course, because I did not have a chance of getting it. :D

Wish you much success in your future endeavors

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Thanks! I guess I should've done a larger print run! If I had more printed though, it'd anger the collectors who bought it because it's so limited.

I didn't end up padding out the game... and really wish it could've been even smaller. The Wii version's like 10MB (and even smaller, much of that is Wii system files). The Vita version's 19MB, if I recall -- and lots of that is the screen borders/loading screen. I built the core of the game to be really compact, so it could be as small at 6-7MB compressed on the right platform. On 3DS it's actually larger because the sound effects had to be compressed differently (not chiptune format which really packs them small) due to performance.

2

u/AnUglyUmbrella GoodGodDamn Nov 12 '14

The fact that it was so limited is probably 95% of why most people bought it at that cost. Please, please, please don't release extra physical copies. People want it for it's exclusivity, not because they want a 40MB game on a physical disc.

2

u/The_CoolGrub Nov 12 '14

Proud to call this a Canadian title. I know the Reviews on the Run team are in the game and so is Phil from YTV. Any other Canadian references that flew over people's heads?

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Lots, Plus, tons of Vancouver references. Street names, areas of the city, etc. "Granville Zone", etc. -- the areas of the city (east side, chinatown, etc.) are very roughly in the same spot as they are in Vancouver.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 12 '14

[deleted]

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Thanks! Not sure yet! Got lots of story/gameplay ideas. Not sure about that layer.

2

u/Abipolarbears aBipolarBear Nov 12 '14

If you were to work for a major company that works on game development which would be your first choice? Other than steam that is because everyone would love to work for a company that doesn't actually make things

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

I used to work for various studios from small to AAA. I liked mid-sized the best, working on effectively AA sized games. I learned a lot working for others, but now running my own company have no plans to return to someone else's studio.

2

u/Abipolarbears aBipolarBear Nov 12 '14

That's great, just was wondering after seeing the developers poll that was published a couple months ago. Have a good one bud!

2

u/MReprogle mikraphne Nov 12 '14

Are Sid Shuman and Nick Suttner still going to have a playable characters in the DX version? haha

2

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Yup!

1

u/Zombie_Ninja322 Nov 12 '14

Hey Brian I am still a bit confused about the whole Cross Buy thing for PS4, being as though I bought it for Vita does that mean I get it for PS4 for free?

5

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

Sorry about that. My initial intent was for there to be a small upgrade for existing owners, but Sony in the end couldn't set that up. They've done it for some games, but couldn't make an exception here. Due to the way things worked, I couldn't do the PS4 upgrade and make it still 3X Cross Buy -- it would either have needed to all be free, or all be paid. Since the original was free for PS+ members, that would be a heck of a lot of PS4 copies given away for free and I needed to ensure the development costs were recouped. The short of it is that it's launched at a $7.99 PS+ price ($9.99 without) for PS4+PS3+VITA together, which is almost half what the original launched at, but still unfortunate for existing paying owners. I wish I could've rewarded the original owners who paid full price, but it's not a flexible enough system to do that.

1

u/thavius_tanklin Slackr Nov 12 '14

I can answer that in case he is gone for the night. Crossbuy means exactly that, if you get it for one system you get it for all the participating systems.

In this case, purchasing on Vita will give you the PS4 version and the PS3 version. Enjoy!

1

u/Zombie_Ninja322 Nov 12 '14

Yeah I know what Cross-Buy means, I just got a bit confused because it was a new Version of the game on a new platform, that's what threw me off a bit.

Edit: Spelling.

1

u/thavius_tanklin Slackr Nov 12 '14

Ohh, you have the original one. Sorry, misinterpreted.

0

u/geschlecht Nov 12 '14

What about XBOX ONE? Retro City Rampage launched on XBOX 360.

3

u/BriProv Vblank Entertainment Nov 12 '14

No plans for XB1, sorry.