Jan 26, 2013

Terraria creator asks what YOU would like to see in a possible update

Terraria

It seems today is a good day to speak to the community and ask them how you should update your game. Following the news that Terraria is being ported to consoles with a bunch of new features including split-screen support, a world map and even a new final boss, developer Andrew 'Redigit' Spinks has hinted at a potential update to the PC version of the game. He's taken to the forums to ask players what they want to see, and (at the time of writing) he's received 40 pages worth of replies.

Posing it as a hypothetical question, Spinks posted the following: "Say I am considering doing an update for the PC version of Terraria... In the event that such a thing were to take place, what would be some things that you would be interested in seeing?" Responses include "steal shamelessly from the console functionality", Steam Workshop compatibility, ropes, quicksand, better wiring and larger map types. So far, Spinks appears fond of another pet/s (possibly of the turtle variety), ocean biomes, and more holiday content.

I second the vote for Steam Workshop support, which would give the game an edge over the newer, more feature-packed console versions, and potentially soften the vitriol of those who are angry that it even exists. ALSO: a donkey. I would like a donkey. What about you?

Thanks, PCGamesN.

Jan 24, 2013

See The Stuff Terraria Gets On Console That It's (Probably) Not Getting On PC

Terraria

It was, quietly, one of the biggest PC games of 2011 (and 2012), so it's little surprise that Terraria is heading to consoles.

This clip shows some of the new features coming to the console. Features that, incidentally, weren't originally planned to be coming to the PC version, which has been "finished" for some time now. That said, the game's creator is currently playing the tease...

Terraria will be out on Xbox Live and PSN in a month or two.

Terraria [GameSpot]

Sep 11, 2012

Beloved PC Indie Terraria Reborn on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

Terraria

PC gamers were saddened when the developers of the pixel-perfect 2D building, exploration and combat game Terraria announced an end to game updates. Well good news, sort of! Terraria is returning with brand-new content... to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network.

The announcement that appeared this morning on the game's official Facebook page was met with mixed reactions from Terraria's mainly PC fan base. Some are excited that the game will reach a new audience, hopeful that this new console content will also make its way to PC.

Others are just being fussy.

Great news for a guy who can give 2 shits about consoles.. I think Re-Logic meant to say "Awesome news for us! We're selling out!"

Me? I'm just glad to have more Terraria in any form Re-Logic deems to distribute it in.

Update: The press release has hit, aiming the game at an early 2013 release.

"I can't say how excited I am to finally have Terraria come to Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 system! To see it come so far is a complete shock, especially after such humble beginnings," said Andrew Spinks, creator of Terraria. "It's always been my dream to have as many people as possible know and enjoy Terraria as much as I have and this is another big step in that direction. It's been awesome working with 505 Games and I can't wait for everyone to see the additional features that they've been able to bring to this new edition of the game."

Jul 30, 2012

Terraria Meets Borderlands in FortressCraft2d

Terraria

ProjectorGames, creators of one of the best-selling Xbox Live Indie MineCraft clone FortressCraft, are going in a different direction with FortressCraft2D: sideways.

A far cry from the 3D building game that sold like gangbusters in the XBLIG channel, FortressCraft2d is a 2D zombie survival game that leans heavily on procedural generation of worlds and weapons to keep the experience fresh and new every time it's played. There's a definite Terraria vibe here, with a little Borderlands thrown in for good measure.

This is a community-driven game, so much so that they've gone and shared the design doc, which covers everything from inception to merchandising potential. And don't mention ripping off other games — he's got slapping people that do on his todo list.

*hides*

FortressCraft2D : Zombie Survival [IndieCity Underground]

Apr 3, 2012

Far From Terraria Firma: Starbound

Terraria - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Adam Smith)

It was probably when the first screenshot from Starbound emerged onto the hazy plains of the internet that a law was passed making it illegal to refer to the game without nodding approvingly and saying, “Huh, Terraria in space I guess”. Yes, it’s a side-scrolling game with mining and construction, a similar visual style, and, yes, there’s crossover in some of the design talent, but there are plenty of differences as well. For one, rather than seeding standalone worlds, Starbound takes place on planets which can be visited by other players, provided you pass them the coordinates. There’s a lot more variety in terms of creatures and landscapes as well, with procedurally generated flora and fauna. Thrillingly, the only video I’ve found is a lighting demo. Be thrilled!

(more…)

Mar 2, 2012

The Infinite Sadness That Comes When the Game Updates End

Terraria

Recently the developers of the procedural PC playground game Terraria announced that updates for the game would be ending. It was a crushing blow to commenter Jezuz. Share his desolation in today's Speak Up on Kotaku.

I'm... I'm not sure why, but after finding out (quite late, at that), that the developer of Terraria was no longer going to release any more updates, I started crying heavily for about 10-15 minutes.

Two things need clearing up here.

I'm not a mega-Terraria fan, it's just one of those 'I play it once and awhile for about a week non-stop and love every second of it then wait for a big update to come out' type of games for me.

And secondly, I cried. Not just, crying, I felt true dysphoria over it, to the point that water streamed from my eyes for multiple minutes of time.

I was, an am, just... sad. I had hoped the game would keep expanding, keep going, keep releasing new iterations... But, this is showing a deeper point of these 'new age' PC games. The procedurally generated worlds that these games sit in, perhaps make us feel like these developers are perpetually going to proceed in generating new worlds and content for us.

How sad to think that Minecraft some day will be nothing but solid code, never being touched by the original creators for anything more than fond memories. How sad to think that Terraria's code is now... solid. It's no longer content fluid, it is a solid game. We paid for it, and it is now... a game that is complete.

Odd that something so basic, can be so cripplingly sad if you've never thought of it before. If you'll excuse me, I need to compose myself before I go and... Sit here for a few more hours.

Editor's Note: Changed the screen up top. Also, oops.

About Speak Up on Kotaku: Our readers have a lot to say, and sometimes what they have to say has nothing to do with the stories we run. That's why we have a forum on Kotaku called Speak Up. That's the place to post anecdotes, photos, game tips and hints, and anything you want to share with Kotaku at large. Every weekday we'll pull one of the best Speak Up posts we can find and highlight it here.