Our friends at IndieGames.com working on article about Minis development and need your voice for survey.
http://johnpolson.polldaddy.com/s/minis-consumer-survey
They will show the results soon, so please support and spread the word!
Minis Survey by Indie Games
(35 posts) (11 voices)-
Done.
Here are my answers.
1. How important are online leaderboards for Minis to you?
Unnecessary - I'm not the type to care about where my time and score stacks up against anyone else's.
2. How important is DLC for Minis to you?
Somewhat important - While I do think good games should be expanded on, I don't want developers to start taking the Capcom route and think they can hold content just to charge you for it later. It's something that inevitably happens.
3. How many Minis have you not purchased because they did not have demos?
0-3 - I buy what appeals to me, good or bad, I'll buy what interest me. Demos would actually do more to keep me from buying a game than buy it. A damn good example of that is me not wasting a hundo on Duke Nukem Balls of Steel Edition because of the demo.
4. Would you purchase more Minis if they had trophies?
No - I don't care about trophies.
5. How many more Minis would you purchase a month if they had trophies, leaderboards, and multiplayer features?
0-1 - Slapping trophies and such on minis won't change how often I purchase them. Only a steady flow of good minis will do that.
6. Are you interested in free-to-play Minis (that have in-game purchases)?
No - I rather pay for a good (complete) game and buy DLC that expands on it later.
7. Would you pay more for larger-sized games (better graphics, sound, etc)?
Yes - The more content developers can put into minis means a chance for grander gems. Velocity with better graphics, sound, etc sounds like Heaven to me. And that's only one example.
8. Should FuturLab release photos of Kai Tana in a two-piece?
Yes - Self-explanatory.
Posted 10 months ago # -
JeremyR
MemberUnfortunately, all of those things are impractical as long as Minis are PSP games. The PSP has been thoroughly hacked and thus online leaderboards and trophies and even demos wouldn't work.
Leaderboards would be maxed out, trophies would be won instantly. Time limited demos would become the real game by having the time limit removed.
But if say, there was a Minis 2.0, for the Vita and PS3?
To be honest, if a game has DLC, I simply don't buy it until it and the DLC are all on sale in a bundle. Also don't care much about leaderboards, since I don't need to compensate for anything, and ditto for trophies.
I've also learned the hard way to avoid F2P games like the plague. I spent $300 on Sword of the New World (of all games) before I realized I was addicted to it. (Ironically, I decided to buy a lifetime sub to Lord of the Rings Online, thinking I could avoid F2P by that, only to have that game go F2P).
While I recognize that developers are having a hard time profiting enough with the current model, especially how iOS has sent game prices to almost nothing (and the higher cost of game development), a lot of F2P boils down to either pay to win, or gambling (random boxes and such). If they keep it at just cosmetics and such (like buying a 2 piece for Ms. Tana), it doesn't bother me, but that seems to be pretty rare.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Spanish_Bread
Memberi'd just like to share my thoughts on Minis and survey questions, though i've already finished answering the survey...
online leaderboards - score attack mode or endless survival mode are more appropriate for ps minis titles because i think they are minis and meant to have pick-up-n-play type of game, so knowing other players' score in different parts of the world makes "reaching for higher score" SO MUCH FUN...
DLC - i think dlc are just for PSN games or retail games, just my opinion...
demos - pspminis review and a bit of youtube gameplays are enough for me to decide which game to buy... but since demos are free, demos are still welcomed...
trophies - sorry i don't have ps3 so i really don't know how it works or if its the same with achievement, i think it would be better if it unlock something (maybe a music or some wallpaper) in-game
multiplayer (online??) - not really sure with this, i can't think of any pspmini game that can be fully enjoyed with online multiplayer functionality, though a 2-player ASSf2B would be nicer to play...
Free-to-play - i think it would be ok for PS vita games since some models have 3g connection
Large-sized games - for me, they can't be ps mini anymore but rather PSN games ;P
Posted 10 months ago # -
4. Would you purchase more Minis if they had trophies?
This is the main one to me: Yes! I'd get a lot more. And I know I'm a trophy *****. :P
Posted 10 months ago # -
@huicho
Yes, it is. ;)Posted 10 months ago # -
I did the survey.
1. How important are online leaderboards for Minis to you?
Unnecessary - It's a little fun like what Grip did, but I don't judge a game for this. I am not that kind of guy.
2. How important is DLC for Minis to you?
Unnecessary - I really am being honest here, but DLC seems like something not for the PSP Minis. Not important. But I sure would like it.
3. How many Minis have you not purchased because they did not have demos?
0-3 - I buy what I think I will like. What interest me. We also have reviews and a simple ''lets play'' is more than enough. As long as if it interest me. But demos would be an okay addition
4. Would you purchase more Minis if they had trophies?
No - Trophies are nice additions. But trophies are certainly not going to make up my mind on a purchase.
5. How many more Minis would you purchase a month if they had trophies, leaderboards, and multiplayer features?
0-1 - Putting that kind of content on a horrible game does not make it better. But like I said earlier, they would be nice additions. N.O.V.A. should have had multiplayer.
6. Are you interested in free-to-play Minis (that have in-game purchases)?
No - Tough one, but I rather pay for something that is full. Not buy a whole bunch of small things.
7. Would you pay more for larger-sized games (better graphics, sound, etc)?
No - Honestly, it does give the game quality, but I won't pay more than 4 dollars on something like that.
8. Where are you located?
North America
Question O. Should FuturLab release photos of Kai Tana in a two-piece?
Yes
Almost everything was No.But I have something to say.
Comment poster Lin said something very true
That survey seemed mostly pointless seeing how damn near every single question on there was asking about adding something which is completely straying away from the original concept of the Minis in the first place; small, nicely priced, fun games for enjoying at any point (especially if you don’t have much time to jump back into a game of your favourite RPG/whatever game you’re playing)
I do not think Sony will ever listen to this survey. I am sorry, but wasn't that what minis were supposed to be? They were not meant for online multiplayer, online leader boards and trophies, demos, and DLC. If that could change, that would be great, but I don't think they will.Posted 10 months ago # -
I think it's too late for them to care honestly. But if they did they would likely think, "If you guys want all of this for the minis, you may as well buy PSN titles.". Which honestly I can't disagree with. Minis were created for people who don't rely on trophies, online multiplayer, people who just want cheap games that they can pass the time with.
I'll gladly throw whatever the asking price is for a Velocity HD (Raystorm HD type remake would be pretty cool), but when it gets to that point it just doesn't fell like a mini anymore. I don't know how much more costly it is to develop PSN titles vs minis, but I imagine it not being much more than a beefed up mini. But I could be wrong about that.
And I'm going to go ahead say it. Trophy whores would make sh*tty minis become the norm. Most already admit that they will buy terrible games just to earn trophies. Developers/publishers will slap a low price tag and trophies on sh*t and know it'll sell. No thank you. I have to sort through enough crap to find the good stuff as it is. I'm sorry if that offends anyone, but I just don't like that type of attitude. This generation was worse than the last for a reason.
Posted 10 months ago # -
See I hate when developers would get lazy like...
Developers/publishers will slap a low price tag and trophies on sh*t and know it'll sell.
It is just trophies. Like really. Would you rather play Age Of Zombies (No achievements) or something worse than Finger Connection with all the trophies you have. Seriously, achievements of that sort are fun extras, but they do not make a game better.Posted 10 months ago # -
They also discuss this over at Sixth Axis (a really good website).
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/06/28/opinion-the-real-problem-with-playstation-minis/
Posted 10 months ago # -
In my opinion Playstation Minis will most likely be replaced by Playstation Mobile anyway. There doesn’t seem room (or any point) for both to exist.
I agree with that comment wholeheartedly.
If Velocity had come out during the beginning of the program, maybe there could have been a chance of Sony increasing the cap and giving you guys more freedom. But I don't think it matters now.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Spanish_Bread
Memberthe article from TSA is quite a good read... as a consumer,(before i found this site) before i buy a ps mini, i just rely on what's available information in playstation store using my PSP... what i see is just title of the game, price, and a very short description... no screenshots or short footage of gameplay (which i think is a big selling point)... i could have bought more of the ps mini library if these things are easily accessible... but no thanks, i just then found this site with extensive reviews, however, i just wish someday each pspmini reviews here will incorporate some short gameplay videos too (just wishing XD)...
and by the way, is Playstation Mobile like appstore for sony mobile phones??
Posted 10 months ago # -
"and by the way, is Playstation Mobile like appstore for sony mobile phones??"
In response to this yes pretty much, they also work on Vita and some HTC devices.
Anyone can sign up for the developer program here:
Posted 10 months ago # -
Yeah just a rename! FYI I do work for SCEE.
Posted 10 months ago # -
1. How important are online leaderboards for Minis to you?
Somewhat important - I have created many of the topics in our High Scores subforum, so it should be obvious that I'm the type who's curious about how his performance compares with others'. It is certainly not a dealbreaker for me, but it would definitely be nice to have.
2. How important is DLC for Minis to you?
Unnecessary - Some people like purchasing extra levels to extend a game. I'd rather just get a sequel. :) Don't make it so that I have to mark Game X as unfinished after I've already completed it! Full-on expansions, like B-Wing and Defender of the Empire were, I'll take those, but stuff like Call of Duty map packs, no.
3. How many Minis have you not purchased because they did not have demos?
0-3.
4. Would you purchase more Minis if they had trophies?
No - Trophies are fun to get (sometimes), but they have no influence on my purchasing habits. It's the same kind of viewpoint as I have on online leaderboards.
5. How many more Minis would you purchase a month if they had trophies, leaderboards, and multiplayer features?
0-1 - None of those influence my purchasing decisions. Would be good to have, but only along the same lines as napkins being available for free at restaurants.
6. Are you interested in free-to-play Minis (that have in-game purchases)?
Yes - Hey, if developers can find a way to make profitable games that I can play without any expenditure on my part, that sounds good to me. However, some caveats: there's a 99% chance I will never make any in-game purchases (I haven't even purchased the Gradius V avatar clothes in PS Home!); if the game is only fun with in-game purchases, I simply won't play it; if you subsidize the game with in-game advertisements which adversely impact game performance, I won't play it in that case, either. So, be advised that I'm saying yes to this question, but I'm the consumer who will just be freeloading. If you want to actually sell me on something, sell me the game.
7. Would you pay more for larger-sized games (better graphics, sound, etc)?
Yes - I already do this. They're called "games that are not Minis." I'm not sure how you would market "big" Minis, though, since they'd just be competing with other non-Minis titles.
8. Should FuturLab release photos of Kai Tana in a two-piece?
No - Any image of Kai Tana which FuturLab would deem suitable to release would most likely not bring an end to the customer demands. And while considering this question, I just realized that JeremyR was probably talking (in another thread) about Tana/Clawrence slash fiction. What the . . . ??? (What the crab?!)
wasn't that what minis were supposed to be? They were not meant for online multiplayer, online leader boards and trophies, demos, and DLC.
They weren't meant for that, but they were meant as PlayStation's response to mobile phone gaming. Phones can now do online functionality in their games. Minis have not evolved correspondingly.
available information in playstation store using my PSP... what i see is just title of the game, price, and a very short description... no screenshots or short footage of gameplay (which i think is a big selling point)
I think the absence of those came down to PSP hardware limitations. If you browse the PS Store on a PC (i.e., through Media Go) or a PS3, you do get screenshots and sometimes a video trailer.
Posted 10 months ago # -
They weren't meant for that, but they were meant as PlayStation's response to mobile phone gaming. Phones can now do online functionality in their games. Minis have not evolved correspondingly
That's where PS Mobile comes in.
Any word on when PS Mobile will become available milli!? I need some new cheap games for my Vita, and since new minis, and most old, aren't Vita compatible PS Mobile is my only hope.
I think the absence of those came down to PSP hardware limitations. If you browse the PS Store on a PC (i.e., through Media Go) or a PS3, you do get screenshots and sometimes a video trailer.
They still haven't done that for Vita's Store either. The eShop has good descriptions, a few pics and trailers. It seems more like the folks at Sony are just lazy more so than hardware limitations.
Posted 10 months ago # -
JeremyR
Memberi just wish someday each pspmini reviews here will incorporate some short gameplay videos too (just wishing XD)...
I personally would love to do that, but to be honest, I'm not even sure how to go about doing that. If I had a PS3, and an HDTV and a video card with input for my PC, I guess I could do it that way, but I don't have any of those things.
Didn't know you played Lotro. Jeremy. I play it too, although I will probably pass it on when Guild Wars 2 comes out.
I don't play it much. I started playing in 2008 and don't even have a character at level cap (I did until they raised it to 75). I pretty much just make alts and play them up to Moria, then go play something else for 6 months and come back.
Posted 10 months ago # -
JeremyR
MemberI dunno if it's allowed (perhaps not), but why not just add "Blitz" (or "Extreme" or "licious" or "Deluxe" ) to the title and re-release a game for the Vita?
Yeah yeah yeah, Treasures of Montezuma Blitz is different than Treasures of Montezuma. But not that different, it's still a Match-3 game.
Posted 10 months ago # -
I've wondered what the go-to title add-on word will be for the PSV. Games for the SNES often had "Super" tacked onto the front; N64 titles often ended in "64"; for the DS, it's "DS," sometimes things that abbreviate as "DS"; for the PSP, it's "Portable" (more often so in Japan); for the 3DS, it's "3D"; for the Wii, well, lots of titles started with "Wii" or "We," in addition to some that ended in "Wii"; for the PS3 and Xbox 360, it's "HD"; I think the Jaguar had a bunch of titles ending in "2000." The PSV, though, nothing so far.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Well Little Big Planet Vita ends with with... well Vita.
Posted 10 months ago #
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