Online RPG Inkbound Launching On Steam Early Access May 22nd | MMORPG.com

System

Online RPG Inkbound Launching On Steam Early Access May 22nd | MMORPG.com

Inkbound, the upcoming online RPG from Shiny Shoe, is releasing later this Spring, coming to Steam Early Access on May 22nd.

Read the full story here

ashiru_1978

Looks like a somewhat interesting game, but too much purple for me, it's nauseating just looking at it.

maskedweasel

ashiru_1978 said:

Looks like a somewhat interesting game, but too much purple for me, it's nauseating just looking at it.

It is a lot of purple now that you mention it. It's a really good game though if you like card, turn based strategy, and roguelike games. I'm looking forward to it.

Valdheim

I agree with the look of the game being to purple but I have to say that because of it's look I almost didn't play the demo/beta and almost would have missed what is actually a very fun game with a quite unique combat system. It's a shame it doesn't speak much to me visually.

kitarad

I tried this out during the week Steam allows you to play these not yet released games. Cannot recall what that event was called and I enjoyed it. It was fun.

ashiru_1978

Valdheim said:

I agree with the look of the game being to purple but I have to say that because of it's look I almost didn't play the demo/beta and almost would have missed what is actually a very fun game with a quite unique combat system. It's a shame it doesn't speak much to me visually.

This is extremely prevalent in newer games, basically put, it's usually for some evil force. The stereotype is that the bad guys have it, it's a dark color with some neon to it. Here are a few examples:

===================================

Heroes 3 Dungeon: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mightandmagic/images/b/ba/H3-DungeonTown.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100622150016&path-prefix=en

Heroses 6 Dungeon (Purple Neon): https://www.destructoid.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/253150-shadesofdarknessspread.jpg


===================================

Heroes 3 Inferno: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mightandmagic/images/1/1a/H3-InfernoTown.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100622140015&path-prefix=en

Heroes 6 Inferno (Red Neon): https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vCqp-IX39gg/maxresdefault.jpg


===================================

Heroes 3 Necropolis: https://heroes.thelazy.net/images/b/b1/Necropolis-in.png

Heroes 6 Necropolis (Green Neon): https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aiflfAHIVIM/maxresdefault.jpg


===================================

Kel'Thuzad: https://www.warcrafttavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/WotLK-Classic-Naxxramas-KelThuzad-Featured-Image-scaled.jpg

C'Thun: https://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/normal/75169-cthun.jpg

Lich King (Blue Neon): https://64.media.tumblr.com/3a71dd608ab8be128b6e841f792eca79/4793fc00b6381baf-e1/s1280x1920/fe722ae07042da1a8e00f6f85381b34f44095ff6.jpg

Illidan (Green Neon): https://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/normal/82362-illidan-stormrage.jpg

Deathwing (Red Neon): https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Deathwing-WoW.jpg

===================================

You can see the comparison between HoMM3 and MMH6 how in 3 they use simplistic designs to convey the theme of the faction and how masterfully have they accomplished it, in 6 all they do is give the bad guys some base dark color like black or gray and then slap some neon on top and this now means they are the bad guys, it doesn't mean it's some weird themed nightclub.

Same goes for WoW - in Vanilla, the last bosses of Naxxramas and Ahn'Qiraj don't have this stupid disco neon on black theme and they still look unique and like how a last boss does.


These examples are from when designers had talent and imagination versus now when designers are talentless and it's a miracle how they even have jobs. This is also very prevalent in mobile game where it's the exact same - you see some disco neon on black guy and you know he is the bad one. I think this is another dumbing-down of games that caters to the lowest common denominator - bad games made for people whose bar is set so low that they don't even care about anything anymore.

Imagine how good WoW would have looked if they did not go for this dumbed-down cartoony art style since TBC. The game would have still looked unique and not boring and trying to impress people with neon lights.

It's like Activision are color-coding the game for toddlers:

- TBC - the green game
- WoTLK - the blue game
- CATA - the red game
- MISTS - the green game
- WoD - the red/orange game
- BfA - the purple game
- SL - the light blue game
- DF - the light green game

I think they think their players are idiots or maybe it's true.

Blowfeld81

Fantastic news.

For me it was the best demo of the last Next fest and even in pre- alpha I easily could pull in 20h to 100% (minus one bugged task) what was there.

Day 1 buy for me, especially after how great Monster Train was.

Mendel

I enjoyed the demo, too.  But it isn't a long term game for me -- more a lobby game than anything else.

DarkZorvanReturns

Blowfeld81 said:

For me it was the best demo of the last Next fest...

Unfortunately, that's a pretty low bar.

Kyleran

So now developers are building season passes into games pre-launch...