Absolutely agree. Actually the Kerbal Space Program is one of our sort of "role models", when it comes to modern Indie games. The others are for instance the Prison Architect or Gnomoria._0rbit_ wrote:I think the best model to follow for development of the game is to follow a path similar to Kerbal Space Program. That game is highly succesful. Perhaps what Factorio lacks to be interesting for a broader public is a more consistent, polished look and a more clearly defined set of game elements.
Actually we have a plan:) And we have been following it since the end of the Indiegogo campaign. The plan is following: Turn an interesting prototype (what we had during Indiegogo) into a consistent looking game, that can be played to the end (something you could call a beta). Since back then we have moved forward a lot with the graphical side, we have turned trains prototype into usable system, we have polished the user interface, we have balanced the game (though still needs work) and now we are working on the combat system and the enemies. The last bigger missing area after this is the main campaign content and the goal of the freeplay._0rbit_ wrote:As for now, to me the development often strikes me as "Oh, hey, that may be cool! Let's make it!". But it should be more like: "We want this and that game. We will work on it until we have it like we intended it. Then we will see what further steps we want to take."
Of course we take the privilege to introduce new, experimental stuff along the way, just because we think it will be fun. But the main goal we have had for a while is to prepare the game for the steam Greenlight. Soon we will update the trailer and start a bit of marketing for the Greenlight, which should happen in october.
As for the businessman. He had couple of good monetization ideas. However we didn't find them feasible. Our strategy is quite simple here. Make a good game, that people will like and sell it the old fashioned way. You pay once and you get the game. No DRM, no adverts, no in game content to buy, no tricks. Recently a friend of ours recommended us that Factorio should be mining BTCs (or other digital currencies) to increase our (struggling) revenues. Well that is not going to happen:)