Monthly Archives: December 2013

Robert Pelloni answers my AMA questions

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Pelloni started an AMA on reddit last week, and he took the time to answer my questions. There were no amazing reveals or anything, but it was nice to hear his answers.

I assume you refunded the BobsPasses because you didn’t sell enough to make a difference. Was that the reason, or was there another?

Correct, and I ran out of time to continue full time work on the RPG.

The .nds demo felt different than the Java one, but they’re obviously from different points in the RPG. Are they both still relatively indicative of the feel of the final RPG?

The Java version is the definitive version now, it is cleaner and I’m happier with the code. I am going to try a Javascript rewrite and maybe a C++ one, not sure which first.

Most people I know aren’t interested in bob’s game anymore. This seems primarily due to a lack of trust in you, thinking that you’ve been lying. I understand what they mean about the protest and the like, but I think it was also a performance and viral marketing more than lying.

Correct.

Were your intentions at other stages in bob’s game fully honest, or was there more to them? In other words, were you really hoping to release the nD, and what happened to it?

I did try to pursue funding for the nD and was talking to the Dingoo manufacturer. It did not go well, so I did what I could and turned it into a virtual console. nDworld was originally intended to be a connected portal for the handheld. By now I don’t think the nD is that relevant of an idea, and making a cheap Android handheld (nDroid?) would be better.

Did you really want to sell BobsPasses, or was that a commentary on gamers’ willingness to give money to a game that might not fully exist?

I was seriously selling them, but also kept it as a bit of commentary given the circumstances. It fit the situation well.

You do actually want to get the Kickstarter funded so that you can release the minigame and eventually the RPG, right?

Yes, I don’t know how to do anything else.

I hardly know what to believe anymore, but I’ve enjoyed both the marketing for bob’s game and the demos themselves. I’d love to sit down and play the full RPG someday! Thanks!

Thank you. I’d love for you to play it too.

Source: [bob’s game] my puzzle game (for Ouya/PC) Kickstarter needs some traction, AMA! : gamedev, Robert Pelloni, reddit.com, 12/9/13.

Direct link to comment: robertpelloni comments on  [bob’s game] my puzzle game (for Ouya/PC) Kickstarter needs some traction, AMA!, Robert Pelloni, reddit.com, 12/15/13.

bob’s game from bob’s game for OUYA Kickstarter

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After six months without news of bob’s game, there’s been a new development. I’m sorry for being slow to post about it. I received an e-mail from gbev, former bob’s game forum moderator, on November 25 that discussed Robert Pelloni’s new Kickstarter. Thank you to Nathan M. (@shicky256) for commenting on The strange tale of “bob’s game” to let me know about the Kickstarter (and to pr0ton for replying as well)!

Edit: The Kickstarter was not successful.

Pelloni has started a Kickstarter for the bob’s game from within the bob’s game Java game. I know, I know. The tale of bob’s game is always confusing. Back in what I called Act VIII in my “strange tale” post, Pelloni created a web-based, Java version of the game. The Java game lost some of the child-like wonder I felt from the original .nds demo, but like that first demo, it also contained a minigame. This was the “bob’s game” within bob’s game. It was a puzzle game that involved falling blocks, but the rules of the game shifted – think Tetris, Dr. Mario, columns, but with a ruleset that shifts between them as the levels progress. In the comment I linked above, Nathan M. says that Pelloni “…wants it to be the MUGEN for puzzle games…” I think that’s a good assessment. The game was interesting, although I actually liked Tetrid from the .nds demo more.

The Kickstarter is for that rule-shifting puzzle game. Pelloni hopes to raise $6,667 so he can release that puzzle game for OUYA and PC. To be clear, this is not for the bob’s game RPG; it’s only for the puzzle game. Pelloni keeps it simple with only two pledge levels. For $4, you get the GAME PACK that comes with a digital download of the full game. For $25, you get the ENTHUSIAST PACK that comes with a full copy of the game and access to beta builds and the developer forum. As of this moment, there are 11 backers for the GAME PACK and 10 backers, including me, for the ENTHUSIAST PACK. There are six days left, and I don’t think he’s going to make it.

You may remember that the online demo asked for purchases of BobsPasses. All BobsPass purchases have been refunded, and Pelloni claims in the Kickstarter comments that those accounts that purchased it have been marked as permanently premium. There was no reason given as to the refunding of the BobsPasses. Perhaps he didn’t raise enough and knew that keeping a handful pledges without enough to make a difference would just make angry customers.

When I first saw the BobsPass sales pitch, I was skeptical of Pelloni’s true goal. Did he really want to raise money with them, or was he commenting on crowd-sourcing? Did he think gamers were naive for giving money to a developer without any guarantee of a game? I have no idea. I didn’t pay for a BobsPass, but I did contribute to the Kickstarter. What’s coming next for bob’s game is a mystery, but I’d still love to play a full RPG that felt like that original .nds demo!