Here's why Prey didn't sell better

[Kristian Joensen]

If 3DR says it, doesn't that simply mean that 1 million copies got sold to stores? Does that say anything about how well the stores were able to sell them?

My figures on Prey sales come from the publisher's royalty report from which we are paid. As I said, the figure represents worldwide sell-through. I doubt they're paying us for units not sold--when publishers make mistakes, 99.9 percent of the time it's in their favor, not ours. I've not seen the NPD figures, but based on a recent audit we conducted I know that those figures can be quite mis-representative of actual sales.

- Scott Miller, October 22nd, 2006.

[Laser Eyes]

Selective quotation. Scott's quote above was in response to this question:

Hey Scott, a million units huh? I've seen the NPD data and you are nowhere close in the US. Unless the game is selling much much better in europe than it is in the US I can't see any way the game has sold that much. Care to explain yourself?

http://dukenukem.typepad.com/game_ma...g_a_wider.html

So the independent data suggests Prey did not sell as well as claimed by 3D Realms insiders. Just find me one independent source that Prey sold a million copies and I'll believe it.

[Kalki]

That question came from a person named "Fact Checker". Is that the independent data you're referring to?

[Servo]

Duke Nukem is a self-absorbed narcisist...and we LOVE him!

[avatar_58]

Originally Posted by Laser Eyes

So the independent data suggests Prey did not sell as well as claimed by 3D Realms insiders. Just find me one independent source that Prey sold a million copies and I'll believe it.

I hope you realize the sales include consoles right?

[Morbid]

The Doom3 engine. A piece of crap actually. Prey was very similar to Doom3 and Quake4, it had the same claustrophobic level design, horrible lighting with high contrasts that hurt the eye, 4 colour palette textures and similar weapon sounds... It was better than the other two though, but I didn't really enjoy any of them. Played once (was forced to end Doom3!) and never touched them again... Oh and unlike Valves portals, those in Prey were just a clever marketing gimmick (except for 2-3 situations)

[ZuljinRaynor]

Originally Posted by Morbid

The Doom3 engine. A piece of crap actually. Prey was very similar to Doom3 and Quake4, it had the same claustrophobic level design, horrible lighting with high contrasts that hurt the eye, 4 colour palette textures and similar weapon sounds... It was better than the other two though, but I didn't really enjoy any of them. Played once (was forced to end Doom3!) and never touched them again... Oh and unlike Valves portals, those in Prey were just a clever marketing gimmick (except for 2-3 situations)

I think the Portals in Prey, although just walkways, were much better than the ones in Portal. As much as I love Portal, it seems more gimmicky. Mainly for the fact that the portals don't behave realistically. There is always a fake boost that doesn't do the real momentum in Portal.

The Doom 3 engine isn't a piece of crap. Quake Wars shows that.

[Colicedus]

I think some one should try to make a Portal physics game with FBA and see how it turns out. I think then the portholes may seem a little more real.

BTW, 3DR designed portals WAY before Valve ever did.
around about 1998
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1U7RvxLTI

[jet jaguar 2.0]

I thought Prey fell short in several areas:

Weapons - A few gritty, hard-hitting real-world weapons would've been nice. A fps without a shotgun is not much of a fps. I found most of the alien weapons lacked a visceral 'punch'. Need to work on the sound effects of these weapons too.

Portals - Nothing more than doorways in Prey. Learn from Valve's Portal on ways to use them more creatively and effectively. Only caveat is the fact that even though Prey had portals first, if Prey 2 uses portals the way Valve did it will look like 3DR are a bunch of copycats. Still, if Prey 2 is going to have portals they have to be utilized better or simply do away with them.

Levels - It reminded me so much of Doom 3 and Quake 4 it's not funny. I hate games that seems to have 1 setting or environment and for Prey it was nothing but metal pipes, metal floors, and glass tubes. The levels were also very id-like in their claustrophobic design. Open it up! Halo was average in a lot of ways but it did wide open spaces and huge awe-inspiring chambers very well.

Enemies - Like much of the game, while the concept designs might've looked great and innovative on paper, in the game the enemy units felt very ho-hum and run-of-the-mill. I'll bring up Halo again. While largely an average game Halo's enemies were very distinctive and had a lot of character. The grunts were little more than cowardly cannon-fodder and their mannerisms showed that, while the elites were truly elite. They sounded badass and were far tougher than a squad of grunts.

Overall I have to say that with a few exceptions(spirit walk, original storyline) Prey simply didn't do enough to differentiate itself from every other id fps ever made. You could put a copy of Quake 4, Doom 3, and Prey in each others retail box and I doubt people would notice.

[JobivanHiob]

Originally Posted by Colicedus

I think some one should try to make a Portal physics game with FBA and see how it turns out. I think then the portholes may seem a little more real.

BTW, 3DR designed portals WAY before Valve ever did.
around about 1998
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1U7RvxLTI

this video is still amazing. Remember this was in 1998. Running on a Pentium 266 with a Vodoo 2. Look at the shadows cast from the fan, in 1998 this was unique!
I wonder how 3DR improved with DNF. Must be the killer

[Babe]

The game didnt sell too well cause through word of mouth it spread to other gamers that the game is too short PERIOD

[wayskobfssae]

Originally Posted by JobivanHiob

this video is still amazing. Remember this was in 1998. Running on a Pentium 266 with a Vodoo 2. Look at the shadows cast from the fan, in 1998 this was unique!
I wonder how 3DR improved with DNF. Must be the killer

Wow, what happened to destroyable environments?

[madhatter man]

Originally Posted by Babe

The game didnt sell too well cause through word of mouth it spread to other gamers that the game is too short PERIOD

A lot of games that are released are short but still sell a hell of a lot.

examples:

God of war

gears of war

heavenly sword

bioshock

etx....

All games than can be beat under ten hours but still manage to sell more than prey.

[Altered Reality]

Originally Posted by jet jaguar 2.0

Portals - Nothing more than doorways in Prey.
Levels - It reminded me so much of Doom 3 and Quake 4 it's not funny.

IMO, those 2 points are the main reasons why people who didn't like Prey... didn't like it. I'm trying to deal with them in my mod: http://alteredreality.altervista.org/
This mod includes the Portal Wrench (which you will need to use to pass some seemingly insurmountable spots) and every episode will have a totally different setting. The first episode is out now, be sure to play it and tell me what you think of it (in the right thread)

[Mikko Sandt]

Originally Posted by Morbid

The Doom3 engine. A piece of crap actually.

Riiiiight. Doom 3/Prey had some of the finest lighting effects ever, Quake IV had stunning visuals and ET: Quake Wars - the best fps ever - shows the engine can also handle huge outdoor areas without any fps drops.

[Scream]

Originally Posted by Mikko Sandt

ET: Quake Wars - the best fps ever

Umm, ya, right.

[naddie]

I convinced my friends to DL the demo, and the initial stage (very interactive) was impressive. The demo was set to impress - they set the stage for portals, the gravity flip, and the wall walk. It was mostly puzzles, and the SP game seems like it's gonna be alot of fun.

Then we started playing MP, and no one had fun with it. It was just "okay". Basically a novelty. No one bought the game but me (I bought into the hype since I was an avid reader of this forum).

There isn't even really any ePinions entries on it! I wrote the first one, and apparently, someone else agrees with me - he/she wrote one too and confirmed what I felt (along with a few others who commented the review).

http://www.epinions.com/Prey/display_~reviews

I know there are fanboys out there, but really - a game's staying power is MP, and Prey's MP is weak (especially since there is only 2 game-types - both very similar).

I really REALLY REALLY hope DNF is going to focus on their MP gameplay more (since SP should already be good considering the company).

Standard DM is dead.


EDIT: Also want to add - some people equate being in publications and in the public eye long after it's been released as "selling better". HL2 is an older game than Prey, and it's still being talked about (and it's SP only!). I was really hoping that Prey was one of those games that will constantly be brought up in magazines, podcasts, and other media.

The way I think of it is - if this is a game I missed out on, will I actually pick it up at the store 6 months to a year after it's release? If not, then it didn't make an impression at all.

[madhatter man]

The reason prey is not talked about much is because its your standard FPS with the death walk and spirit walk gimick that stuck out. Half-life 2 is talked about so much is because of that the game is just so realistic and has a huge modding community. Mods are the reason why Half-life 1 was talked about so much and what kept Duke 3D and Doom alive all these years/

[Rgw20014life]

http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=6978According to this Heavenly Sword hasn't even sold a million units yet. Did you just assume since it has been getting pushed by Sony on every PS3 commercial that it has sold tons?

[Caine]

well read my little review in prey 2 discussion, i think after playing prey through it was ok but i really am still disappointed with this generic shooter...

[Danule]

Originally Posted by achtung

The whole thing with his head not moving up and down when you look up and down in a mirror turned me off.

Oh, and it feels very "standard" if you know what I mean.

yeah man, i complained about that too, how the HELL did that get passed the editor? that is one of the biggest and most noticeable mistakes i have ever seen in a game. it was very unprofessional especially for a game that was supposed to be a AAA title. also the plot was weak, and so were the enemies.

[Danule]

Originally Posted by Colicedus

I think some one should try to make a Portal physics game with FBA and see how it turns out. I think then the portholes may seem a little more real.

BTW, 3DR designed portals WAY before Valve ever did.
around about 1998
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR1U7RvxLTI

yeah too bad they did such a terrible job using them. :P that old prey looks alot better than what we ended up with. kind of depressing.

[New Horizon]

Originally Posted by Morbid

The Doom3 engine. A piece of crap actually.

Heh, you have no idea what you're talking about. The engine is fantastic. It's how developers choose to use it that makes or breaks it. The things you're slagging the engine for have little to do with the engine itself and more with design. Just because the level design didn't take full advantage of it doesn't mean it's crap. We're making large, non-claustrophobic levels in The Dark Mod. Been working with the engine for nearly 4 years while making a total conversion.

[madhatter man]

Well they say wow has 9 million suscribers, but how many actually play it?

A company can say anything about it and have there fans beleive every word of it because few actually go and see the real data.