American's Nightmare: Live Arcade or Game on Demand?

[OttoSporteman]

The reason I ask this and why I think it deserves a separate thread is because, even if the distribution way is the same, there are LOTS of difference between them and if it doesn't directly affect the final product QUALITY it certainly affects the EXPERIENCE.

Live Arcade:
2Gb max
200 Gamerscore points
Maximum 2 DLC with 25 gamerscore points each (don't know if this one persists)

Games on Demand:
No size limit
1000 Gamerscore points
No DLC limits but only 750 additional gamerscore points can be added

Are there any other limitations?

And I do mean it affects the experience. Achievements are something that really gave Alan Wake a replay value. Unless it's a reaaaaaaaally short game, if you'd split 200 points on a full game, you'd almost reach the 200's when finishing it, which is kinda boring!

So, Remedy, is the new Alan Wake's American Nightmare an Xbox Live Arcade (like Limbo, Shadow Complex, 'Xplosion Man) or a Game on Demand through Xbox Live, like Crysis, Resident Evil 4, so on?

[MikkiRMD]

It's an XBLA game.

That said, I think we're kind of pushing the envelope of what that means. I'd love to talk about it a little more, but as I've said before, we've got a whole lot of information coming out soon (we've been doing lot of interviews...), and I don't want to steal anybody's thunder here. =) You'll hear a lot more very soon.

[GTB]

Can't wait for more infos.

The problem with a XBA version: no collector! :p. I'm glad for the reception of the trailer during the VGA. It's a good com' for this ip. Alan Wake season 1 is unkown in France. I hope Microsoft will communicate more and better this time.

[PC Gamer]

Its obviously a Game on Demand title as the price point can be set higher & more achievements than XBLA means more buyers.

[Kahr]

Its obviously a Game on Demand title as the price point can be set higher & more achievements than XBLA means more buyers.
As mentioned above, it's XBLA, not Game on Demand.

[ThomaZane]

Its obviously a Game on Demand title as the price point can be set higher & more achievements than XBLA means more buyers.

Ehum, Mikki just wrote above you that it'll be an XBLA. Also at the end of the trailer (on Vimeo) it says XBLA.

[LonelyGreyWolf]

Sounds to me like they're going to make it episodic; release one episode every three months or so. 800/1200 MSpoints for each. If you're worried about gamerscore, then this would mean that the gamerscore could be even more than 1000 points when all episodes are released.

I hope this isn't the case though.

[Kranitoko]

Id prefer it to be XBLA. Cause the price tag Microsoft put on GoD games is a bomb.

Plus you can go further than 250G on XBLA but only in rare occasions.

[MikkiRMD]

...it's still an XBLA game. =)

[teraMEL0S]

Can't wait to see what the team creates! I for one love XBLA and its many gems. The fact that this title doesn't seem to fit the mold of what a typical XBLA downloadable title is gets me excited as hell.

[MarkusRMD]

With the new dashboard there's actually not that much difference how they're displayed. Just some things required of the games are different. Like you have to have leaderboards in an XBLA title.

[Prof.Dr.Moertel]

With the new dashboard there's actually not that much difference how they're displayed. Just some things required of the games are different. Like you have to have leaderboards in an XBLA title.

Which is why there is a wave-based survival mode, right? ;) :p

[MikkiRMD]

Which is why there is a wave-based survival mode, right? ;) :p

Well, that, and it's a lot of fun. That also had a little something to do with it. ;)

[thebestbit]

^^^ Thats screaming for multiplayer IMO but only if it has no negative effect on the effort put into the single player story.

[bennysce]

With the new dashboard there's actually not that much difference how they're displayed. Just some things required of the games are different. Like you have to have leaderboards in an XBLA title.

Isn't that kind of stupid? Why require developers to add a leaderboard when they can make games (like story-based games) that normally doesn't fit leaderboard-based gameplay and certainly wouldn't need a part like that. Even if it turns out well in this case you could've saved a lot of money not having to develop the survival mode at all..

[MikkiRMD]

We would have had the Fight Til Dawn mode even if there was no leaderboard functionality available on Xbox LIVE, simply because it's a lot of fun and it definitely adds replay value. It doesn't really have anything to do with the leaderboard as such.

When it comes down to it, a leaderboard is just a way to track and compare statistics. You could, for example, have a leaderboard for displaying level completion times (speed runs, anyone?). Or anything, really. And it's something that is ridiculously easy to ignore if you're not into it, but please bear in mind we already tracked some statistics in the original Alan Wake (although we didn't use Xbox LIVE's Leaderboard functionality for that), and clearly some people thought it was fun to compare those statistics, despite enjoying a story-driven game -- we've had a couple of threads here on our forum about it.

[sidetwo]

Yeah, Fight Till Dawn is a ridiculous amount of fun!

[JakeBloom]

Very excited for Fight Til Dawn!

I'm curious, will interviews with Remedy about Alan Wake's American Nightmare be posted to this website when they are released? It seems like an easy way to keep track of all new American Nightmare info that I so desperately need.

[MikkiRMD]

Hey JakeBloom,

We'll probably create a separate thread for all the AWAN media coverage or something -- but however you do it, I'm sure you'll find links to everything here; if there's something we don't spot, I'm sure the fans will. They're pretty good about that sort of thing. =)

[SeymourDuncan17]

You can't say whether or not it's just single player at the moment?

Either way, I'm fairly pumped for it. But, there's no way it's going to eclipse my excitement for the campaign.

[JakeBloom]

Hey JakeBloom,

We'll probably create a separate thread for all the AWAN media coverage or something -- but however you do it, I'm sure you'll find links to everything here; if there's something we don't spot, I'm sure the fans will. They're pretty good about that sort of thing. =)

Great! Can't wait for the news to surface :D

[bennysce]

We would have had the Fight Til Dawn mode even if there was no leaderboard functionality available on Xbox LIVE, simply because it's a lot of fun and it definitely adds replay value. It doesn't really have anything to do with the leaderboard as such.

When it comes down to it, a leaderboard is just a way to track and compare statistics. You could, for example, have a leaderboard for displaying level completion times (speed runs, anyone?). Or anything, really. And it's something that is ridiculously easy to ignore if you're not into it, but please bear in mind we already tracked some statistics in the original Alan Wake (although we didn't use Xbox LIVE's Leaderboard functionality for that), and clearly some people thought it was fun to compare those statistics, despite enjoying a story-driven game -- we've had a couple of threads here on our forum about it.

good to hear you decide on the features from an entertainment perspective rather than demands from the platform :)

ok so maybe you considered it already for the original game at some point? either way i guess i am one of those that never plays the additional modes like this because they usually feel very pointless compared to the campaign, especially if there is no multiplayer. But if i'm among the few i guess its a good feature to have.

now, some kind of coop mode where you play a fun mini-story, that would have increased the value a lot for me. "alan and barry/sarah hunting in the woods ep 1 - 6" :)

[bennysce]

Hey JakeBloom,

We'll probably create a separate thread for all the AWAN media coverage or something -- but however you do it, I'm sure you'll find links to everything here; if there's something we don't spot, I'm sure the fans will. They're pretty good about that sort of thing. =)

that would be great. we don't all have time to read all the posts in all the threads :)

[Maniac]

Since this is XBLA does that mean that there will be a demo/trial version that you can UPGRADE to a full version?

[SeymourDuncan17]

Since this is XBLA does that mean that there will be a demo/trial version that you can UPGRADE to a full version?

One would assume, yes.

Hell, Dead Rising: Case Zero and Case West had a trial.

[Louie82Y]

Looking forward to this. Will buy it day one and hopefully re-buy it later on for PC (assuming it gets ported).

Also, I don't know what compelled me to make this, but I just had to...
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/279/kbamericannightmare.png

[SeymourDuncan17]

Also, I don't know what compelled me to make this, but I just had to...
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/279/kbamericannightmare.png

Whoa.

[MikkiRMD]

Since this is XBLA does that mean that there will be a demo/trial version that you can UPGRADE to a full version?

Yes, that's a requirement on all XBLA titles.

Also, I don't know what compelled me to make this, but I just had to...
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/279/kbamericannightmare.png

AAAAAAAAA

[StarsRPD]

XBLA for the win. I have 280 arcade games. Awaiting this awesome Alan Wake game!

Games on Demand is good as well. More achievements!

[TannosukeGR]

I'd like to ask the RMD peeps that... Do you guys have any plans to release AWAN to PC(Steam and Nordic Games)?

[The Dukenator]

Sounds to me like they're going to make it episodic; release one episode every three months or so. 800/1200 MSpoints for each. If you're worried about gamerscore, then this would mean that the gamerscore could be even more than 1000 points when all episodes are released.

I hope this isn't the case though.

Where did you hear that it was episodic? An game that I know, it was originally planned to be released in episodes, before deciding to releasing it all at once. It was DNMP from what I recall.

[djshauny1]

Im fine with whatever.

Just happy to play great games regardless of platform they are on.

:)