Alpha build of Bientôt l’été now available

[FourthWall]

Been meaning to put some feedback up for ages. Not played the latest alpha (link expired on me), but I gather from the posts that the rough edges are disappearing. That leaves me in the wonderful position to simply gush.

I love the conversation system, despite not yet experiencing it with another human being. The collecting of conversation pieces from the environment is great, too. I haven't had a go at Bientôt l’été for a while, but I think I remember collecting one piece from elsewhere than the beach? That's where I see the greatest potential for this mechanic (in games with less abstract settings), in the constructiion of conversations from envrionmental objects that are part of procedurally generated scenes. Perhaps not enough to warrant dozens of playthroughs, but certainly enough to give each player at least one experience unique to them.

The coversations in Bientôt l’été are a game, but unlike the branching conversation scripts that most gamers are familiar with. They are a game that is probably best played with another human being, but I see the potential to catergorise and score coversation components. Nothing as obscene as visible scorecards, simply under-the-hood structure that would allow rudimentary AI to collect their own conversation parts and play with you. Like The Sims, but with real words and the possibility for deeper conflict and/or connection.

The difficulty of non-scripted conversations and the like is part of the reason why the gaming industry is mostly about violence and gratification (the easiest human conflict/reward relationship to computer-model). So overall, while the lack of a human 'opponent' meant I wasn't immediately grabbed by Bientôt l’été, I feel it has taught me something important about the nature of computer-modelled conversations. Perhaps this wasn't your aim (or your main one), but Bientôt l’été perfectly demonstrates that conversations, in the absence of real AI with the capacity to undertand and communicate with us, are not something the designer must script. With some more smoke and mirrors, and a little game theory (and a lot more data), I think it would be possible to build something that is indistinguishable from a person playing the same game.

So on the mechanic front, it's a solid thumbs up from me. I'd love to see this mechanic developed further and I hope others take inspiration when Bientôt l’été reaches a wider audience.

[shredingskin]

I quite liked the experience, the music transitions were really good, the atmosphere is amazing and I actually had a really nice experience with the bot (never found someone).

But I felt some things "off", like the "cutscenes" when you pick an appeareance, seems very psx (reminds me of old games that "showed" you something you have alredy seen or that you will be seeing it a lot), stiff, an atmosphere kill.

Also the "mechanic" of an appeareance everytime you exit the coffee place, it seemed like the feeling of discovery was drowned after a couple of tries (specially since most of the stuff appears next to the coffee house and you can see it just closing your eyes).

I also found a bug (I guess is nothing that will come very often), but at the start of my second game I was pressing B randomly and a "cutscene" triggered (just white) and the pick up animation also triggered, then I could walk into the water and never come back.

[Michaël Samyn]

Not played the latest alpha (link expired on me)

We can always renew the link. I believe there's a form for that on the download page. Or just send us an email (reception at tale-of-tales).

[Michaël Samyn]

the construction of conversations from environmental objects that are part of procedurally generated scenes

What an exciting idea!

[Michaël Samyn]

I think it would be possible to build something that is indistinguishable from a person playing the same game.

Personally, I'm more and more inclined to think that it's not necessary for us to believe that the virtual character is a real person. Maybe we can model them in such a way that they have a life of their own, a unique synthetic form of life that you would never confuse with human. Maybe at first we can model simple or stupid life forms, not dissimilar to animals or children. But perhaps this can evolve into strange and new and fascinating and complex life forms, that are still not human.

And maybe there is an important lesson to be learned for humanity here: that we shouldn't require our fellows in life to be like us. Vive la différence!

So on the mechanic front, it's a solid thumbs up from me. I'd love to see this mechanic developed further and I hope others take inspiration when Bientôt l’été reaches a wider audience.

Thank you. I would love to see that as well.

[Michaël Samyn]

I also found a bug (I guess is nothing that will come very often), but at the start of my second game I was pressing B randomly and a "cutscene" triggered (just white) and the pick up animation also triggered, then I could walk into the water and never come back.

Sounds like a wonderful experience! 

(but I'm afraid I have fixed that now  )


I understand what you mean about the old school cut scenes. But I think this will make the experience more understandable for people with less imagination.

[Bruno de Figueiredo]

I'm holding on to my thoughts on Bientôt as hard as I can. I suppose people far more watchful and knowledgeable are testing the program and sending valuable feedback, which enables me not to participate in this alpha testing as a tester with a tool belt around my waist, more like someone who's just silently delighted by the opportunity while while puffing large clouds of smoke. Because I've praised your work on more occasions than I can remember, I'll use this last sentence to mention that I find Walter Hus' contribution to the project to be of inestimable value - his music and sound design are gifted with a refinement and sophistication I don't think has ever been known in this format.

I also find it charming that the concept seems somewhat... autobiographical.

[Michaël Samyn]

Thank you. We are making Bientôt l'été especially for you!  And people who share your talents of appreciation.

It's not the last you'll hear of Walter Hus. Our next (small) project will feature his music as well. Very different. But equally nuanced and rich.

[Michaël Samyn]

The beta version of Bientôt l'été is ready. Please download it and let me know if you find any errors.

Thank you so much for all your feedback!

[Michaël Samyn]

To stress-test the multiplayer part of Bientôt l'été, we invite you to play on Wednesday 28 November at 10 PM in Belgium (= 9 PM London = 4 PM New York = 1 PM San Francisco = 1 AM Moscow the next day = 5 AM in Bejing the next day = 6 AM in Tokyo the next day).

[Bruno de Figueiredo]

Looking forward to Wednesday, Michaël.

[God at play]

Anyone around? I keep waiting for partners but am not getting matched up at all.

[Michaël Samyn]

We discovered a serious technical problem. I will fix this and release a new beta. Then we can test again next Wednesday.

[God at play]

Sounds good, look forward to it.

Just to report:
I noticed that most of the time I'd just be waiting on the first screen. A couple times I got to the second screen where I was sitting down, but never was able to match with someone in the end.

[Albin Bernhardsson]

I have a PS2 gamepad I usually have plugged in my computer and apparently if you Bientôt L'été with it in, the view starts rotating left (even if you unplug it). Starting with it unplugged solves it but I can't say I've had any similar problems with any other Unity-games.

It froze after about an hour and a half for me. I had left the building without meeting anyone, seen the black rock, collected the item and went into the building again. Here's the crash-report.