Hobo Tough Life - Released

Originally Posted by joxer
Never said Infinity Engine is a MMO capable engine. Because it isn't.

Sure, but it's coop capable.

I think what Joxer means is that if the game is designed as single player first and foremost, then adding co-op is fine as it will not affect the single player foundation.

There is truth in this reasoning and developers are aware of this and hence you can see "singleplayer" tags more prominently in Steam and elsewhere.

Is it just me, or the concept of this game sounds a little bit tone-deaf? I really don't know what to make of it.

Originally Posted by SpoonFULL
I think what Joxer means is that if the game is designed as single player first and foremost, then adding co-op is fine as it will not affect the single player foundation.

That's the reasonable assumption (and we wouldn't have as much issue with it if it were the case), but he keeps going beyond reasonable. Most of the time it's automatically "aaargh MMO with optional SP!!!1!" regardless of the reality, and it gets tiresome.

Originally Posted by Shagnak
bullshit.

Originally Posted by Shagnak
tiresome.

Do me a favor and add me here:
https://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/prof…?do=ignorelist
Thankyou in advance.

Originally Posted by joxer
Do me a favor and add me here:
https://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/prof…?do=ignorelist
Thankyou in advance.

Nope, not doing that. I'm sure you have some redeeming qualities…
(I'll shut up now)

Originally Posted by gabrielarantest
Is it just me, or the concept of this game sounds a little bit tone-deaf? I really don't know what to make of it.

I haven't played much, but I did not get that impression. It looked to me like it was trying to offer an honest portrayal of homelessness in a survival game, rather than simply staging hobo fights. While it's really too early for me to say, I got the impression it was likely made with empathy, not mockery or cruelty.

You don't need a FCKN game for this. If you lose your job, you are instantly transported into this IRL..

Which is why it seems like a good idea to me to offer an honest portrayal. We could all probably use some more empathy toward the people who have had happen to them what could happen to any of us.

Originally Posted by Capt. Huggy Face
I haven't played much, but I did not get that impression. It looked to me like it was trying to offer an honest portrayal of homelessness in a survival game, rather than simply staging hobo fights. While it's really too early for me to say, I got the impression it was likely made with empathy, not mockery or cruelty.

I gave it a try last night. Unfortunately, I didn't find it as interesting as I thought I might.

The world is just kind of bland. Everything looks very samey, and I didn't feel much of an urge to explore. There's also very little to interact with other than containers at first. Maybe it gets more interesting once you start building your home, but I didn't feel like trying to get to that point.

Have you engaged in any combat yet? What did you think of it?

No, I haven't. My quick spin so far was more of a stress test. I tried talking to some of the beautiful people with ugly models, but they just barked rude-sounding Russian at me, with English subtitles over theirs heads. Since this is a game, I then tried to kill one of them as payback for incivility, but it wouldn't let me. I was lacking the attribute -- willpower, I think. I might have been cold and hungry at the time. My combat option was grayed out in a menu that looked like combat might be text based, like in Neo Scavenger, which I found surpringly compelling.

I'm hoping to take another spin tonight. I am curious what the combat actually is.

Originally Posted by Capt. Huggy Face
I haven't played much, but I did not get that impression. It looked to me like it was trying to offer an honest portrayal of homelessness in a survival game, rather than simply staging hobo fights. While it's really too early for me to say, I got the impression it was likely made with empathy, not mockery or cruelty.

I see, thanks for sharing your impression. However, my problem is not with the fighting (or the violence). The problem in my opinion is that this game is basically simulating the life of poor people. It is in some way a "poverty safari". It sounds kind of wrong simulating other people's struggles, doesn't it?

Well, it's not as if they're making light of homeless people. If anything, it might make more people aware of how difficult life must be for people in that situation. I find games like Postal or the one where you torture people more offensive.

Besides, I've basically started off as a hobo in the majority of RPGs I've played.

Yeah, better to raise some awareness in an honest way, rather than act like homeless people don't exist.

Originally Posted by gabrielarantest
…my problem is not with the fighting (or the violence). The problem in my opinion is that this game is basically simulating the life of poor people. It is in some way a "poverty safari". It sounds kind of wrong simulating other people's struggles, doesn't it?

Not if it's done honestly, without mockery or cruelty. I think it helps you understand just how difficult and dehumanizing those circumstances can be. Understanding is the foundation for empathy.

I've asked my kids if they have done in school an exercise we did when I was young. Sadly, they haven't, but someone should start it up again.

We had to team up with a partner for a full day of regular school activities and classes. The only difference was one kid was blindfolded, and the other served as his eyes, helping with pretty much everything. Halfway through the day, the blindfold was handed to the other kid, and the roles were reversed. Aside from serving as a team-building exercise, it was also designed to show us the struggles of those with cirrcumstances less fortunate than our own. I really don't remember much from school, but I remember this lesson vividly to this day.

The struggles in this game are no joke. I still haven't gotten in a fight to see what combat is like. One mugger decided I was too damn poor to bother with. While looking up info on the Web about this tutorial-free game, I did stumble across a post that said the combat is indeed text based, though. But I still don't know. My circumstances killed me twice last night, before I could get some kind of shelter together.

I understand the point of all of you and it makes sense. But the more I think of it the more I disagree. Because it is not about joking or not. You see, we play games to have fun. At the end of the day, games are about it: having fun. And having fun simulating other people's struggle seems kind of f**ed up to me.

Just to be clear: I am not saying that people who play the game are f**ed up, but the idea behind the game seems that way to me.

Originally Posted by Capt. Huggy Face
Not if it's done honestly, without mockery or cruelty. I think it helps you understand just how difficult and dehumanizing those circumstances can be. Understanding is the foundation for empathy.

I've asked my kids if they have done in school an exercise we did when I was young.

Is it for empathy, really? I really get your point, but as I said, games are intended as entertainment (the ones that sell on Steam at least). This is not the same as a school exercise that is intended to be educational. Don't get me wrong, I believe in you when you say that in your experience you are learning to have empathy from the game. And that is positive. But I wonder, is that really the message that this game is sending if you have fun playing, then turn off your PC, have a good meal, and go to bed under a roof? Idk…

Anyway… you have played the game and I haven't, you probably know the intention of this game better than me.

You know, I was discussing this with my wife and she remembered me of the game "this war of mine". I felt that TWoM was very respectful with war victims and it even raised money for victims at some point if memory serves. If this game has the same atmosphere as TWoM maybe it is less problematic, I guess… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Not my idea of a fun game. I like survival games but really don't have a desire to pretend to be a homeless bum. I only play games to have fun, so this has no appeal. I know there are real life homeless, real life drug addicts, real life HIV and AIDS and Cancer and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and Dementia sufferers and yet I feel no desire to pretend to be any of these folks nor walk a mile in their shoes as make believe.

Does this make me shallow or lack empathy? Meh. Games are for escaping reality for me.