Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo bugs won't be in final game, dev vows

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 25 January, 2012

Outsourced demo introduced new bugs.

Bugs players have found in the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo won't be in the final game, one of its creators has vowed.

Big Huge Games lead designer Ian Frazier said the finished game is "in much better shape" than the demo, which was not created by Big Huge Games.

"There's a lot of tension about the demo, which we didn't build in-house," Frazier told Eurogamer. "It was branched off our code about three months ago. It got a lot of bug fixing. We sent them what we had, but there are a lot of bug fixes they didn't get. So we're all nervous, like, the demo's really buggy.

"But all the time the demo was worked on is time we spent de-bugging the main game. It should be clear from the reviews the main game is in way better shape. That's been a source of nervousness."

The biggest negative Big Huge Games has seen in the feedback to the demo is its buggy-ness, Frazier said.

"We're very not happy about that. But at the same time, the feedback overall has been really positive. Given the bug situation I'm incredibly happy with how positive the reaction has been.

"I'm not going to say the game's bug free - no game is. But it's pretty darn solid. Final code will show it's way better across all three platforms than the demo build. The demo didn't see the advantages of the last home stretch of bug fixing, which is a little bit painful."

In fact, the demo introduced bugs into the game that never existed in the code Big Huge Games created.

One of these relates to dialogue skipping - the result of missing voice over in the demo.

"The thing that's really hurtful for us is they actually introduced some new bugs in the demo that weren't even in the game when it branched," Frazier said.

Dialogue skipping is "not technically a bug", Frazier explained. "What they're seeing is the VO just isn't there. The big challenge for this demo was the game is frickin' huge so trying to get the download size down to something reasonable was a real challenge for the group that was working on it.

"Don't get me wrong - they did a good job with little support from us. I'm not trying to poo-poo those guys by any means. But in order to get it to fit to be a reasonable size download that would actually meet Microsoft and Sony's requirements, they had to cut everything that wasn't needed for the demo, like extra art and audio assets, and they cut a little much. They cut some audio that actually is in the demo. So if you talk to something and that clip's not there, you'll just see the words flicker across the screen."

While Frazier declined to name the contractor used to create the demo, he insisted it "does great work". "They did an amazing job within the context of the time they had."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 4 weeks ago

  • Planeswalker #1 4 weeks ago

    Does that mean the full version will have a better frame rate on the PS3? I'm pretty sure it dips below 30 FPS sometimes even when there is no combat going on.

  • Bradach #2 4 weeks ago

    the PC version runs like warm butter on my system (mid-high spec). the sound was shifting from front speakers to rear speakers in mid sentence though but i'm sure that wont be in the final game. Overall it seems to be a great game. i'll pick it up during the summer drought

  • Monkey_Puncher #3 4 weeks ago

    Can't decide whether I want to get this game or not. I liked a lot of the stuff the demo did, but the world also had a strange feeling of being a bit empty and lifeless.

  • Xboxfanuk #4 4 weeks ago

    The demo was probably similar to how Fable II demo was. A small segment of content to play with in a small sandbox. However from looking at game journalist playing the game you can see other parts of the game, and it's fricken huge! This largest enemy in the demo pales in comparison to the actual BOSS fights.

    Also the demo didn't feature any of the main cities which are also fricken huge!

    Here is the game with the demo area in it:



    Now here is the world of amalur map:



    Reckoning is just a tiny part of this massive world with a 10,000 year history. It should be sweet!

  • uknortherner2000 #5 4 weeks ago

    I was unimpressed by the PC demo but not because the demo itself was bad - it was actually rather good - despite my character running all the time (for fuck's sake, include a walk option!). No, it was discovering that nowhere on Steam did it mention that this was an EA title (it suggested it was 38 Studios who developed/published the game)using SecuROM (no DRM mentioned at all). It was only seeing the SecuROM logo flash up briefly during installation and EA demanding I log into their servers (which I refused) did I know this had anything to do with EA.

    As I boycotted EA a long time ago, I will not be buying this. I don't want hardware-disabling spyware being installed on my PC behind my back, no do I support EA's shady practices of banning people from their forums for flagging up bugs, and even locking them out of their own games.
    Edited by 2 at 25/01/12 @ 14:31

  • Vanmunt #6 4 weeks ago

    Really looking forward to this... loved the demo, thought it was a bit buggy and hoped it was early build so really happy to read this. Review in progress on an other game site make for some good reading, definately going to wait for this and not pick up FF13-2 where the demo consisted of pressing X, X, X, X ooo hang on L1 X X X yeah I won.

  • Darren #7 4 weeks ago

    The demo was competent in all areas except for the god-awful camera but I found it to be completely bland and forgettable otherwise. I quit before the timer even ran out. From the demo, the game looks a bastard child of World of Warcraft and Torchlight with gameplay borrowed from Darksiders and dozens of other western RPGs such that it lacked any real identity of its own. Unless the final game is more inspired then I think I'll give it a miss and wait for Mass Effect 3, thanks!
    Edited by 1 at 25/01/12 @ 14:32

  • riz23 #8 4 weeks ago

    Oh there is going to be some heated words in meeting rooms and conf calls over this one!

  • DigitalScars #9 4 weeks ago

    I enjoyed the demo and i'll definitely be picking this up as i enjoy hack n slash fable efforts.

    However i do hope they sort out the camera angles or sort some sort of camera control out as it was all over the place.

    My only other gripe (small and petty) but i really do feel like the UI (health bars/mini map etc) could be scaled down in size a little, i just felt it took up more of the screen than necessary. The graphics used for most of the UI look a bit cheap and doesn't quite blend in with the game either.

  • DodgyPast #10 4 weeks ago

    At least he didn't throw the contractor under a bus.

  • ZuluHero #11 4 weeks ago

    I played it on PS3 and thought the framerate was solid (even for a demo) though maybe I was just oblivious to any that may have occured due to being totally drawn into that amazing world?

    I did have the floor dissapear on me a few times after a load, but im pretty sure something like that would be fixed for sure.

    Bottom line, I even preordered on PS3 and am really looking forward to the game.

    BTW, did the graphics remind anyone else of a really hi-res World of Warcraft? The first area really felt like a cross between Elwynn Forest and Darnassus :)

  • Miths #12 4 weeks ago

    @Xboxfanuk Thanks for the images. I'm glad to learn that the full game will have a much larger world than what the world map in the demo showed.

    I haven't quite made up my mind on whether to buy this game or not.
    I didn't really enjoy the supposedly so great combat system all that much, although that could easily change at higher levels of course.
    I wasn't fond of the art style, but it's also something I could live with.

    My main issue is probably the mute protagonist, I just find it very hard to accept in RPGs here in the post-Mass Effect/SWTOR age. And it bugged me a lot more here than in Skyrim because the dialogue sequences actually show your character just standing there like a wooden doll.
    And aside from the narrator (was that Claudia Black? I wasn't entirely certain) I wasn't really all impressed with the voice acting either.

    But a large, fairly open world RPG with a supposedly rich back story and hopefully interesting quests does peek my interest after all.

  • Po1ymorph #13 4 weeks ago

    The demo crashed twice for me around 10 minutes in. Have not gone back to to it yet, may give it another go, it does sound like it could be pretty good.

    Third times a charm.

  • RedSparrows #14 4 weeks ago

    You can walk, at least on 360 ;)

  • TelexStar #15 4 weeks ago

    I really want to like this but after just coming out of Skyrim (and Dark Souls before that, and Dead Island before that, and Deus Ex before that), I'm not sure I can stomach another "huge" game. I tried the demo and got as far as the character select screen before feeling physically sick.

    What's that you say? Mass Effect 3 in March? urrggghhhh.

  • WillyWongler #16 4 weeks ago

    @Xboxfanuk Good work man. I'm shocked at how big the final game will be. BHG should consider giving you at least a fiver for promoting their game.

    @Darren Agreed on the camera. I think it's too floaty and really needs an invert X axis in the options. The camera alone can make the difference between whether or not it's a day one purchase for me.

  • Inmediasress #17 4 weeks ago

    After playing the demo I can say its not great nor is it bad so its medicore.
    Which in my book means that I may pick it up but only at half price.

    I wondered why it reminded me so much of WOW, and then I came upon that it was supposed to be an MMO in the first place they just changed it to an SP game.
    Well to their merits the combat seemed fluid enough but all in all, it's been there done that category nothing earth shattering.
    The fate cards thingy could be interesting if there is actually some unlockable abilities that are unique, otherwise it's just a fancy name for a foolproof boring leveling system.

    Performance wise it runs great on my PC tough I experienced strange lock ups.
    Graphics look okay I'm not a graphics whore, tough the cartoony WOW look is kinda of putting, but that is strictly personal preference.
    The UI is along the console line, like Skyrim which in other words makes it plain useless if not a direct chore to use.
    The story is something that I don't think we can judge from a demo, but I also don't think it will be a heaven shaking bestseller.
    Wether Salvatore did anything other than give his name to it will remains to be seen in the full game.

    For me this game managed to pique my curiosity tough I wouldn't and won't buy it for more than half price.

    Oh as I almsot forgot I think thsi is what Fable 3 supposed to be like so I guess people who wanted more of old school fable should pick this up.(and Mou
    lyneux should retire before he looses all dignity he has)
    Edited by 1 at 25/01/12 @ 15:32

  • FanBoysSuck #18 4 weeks ago

    I quite liked the demo dispite the ATI bank screen problem and the strange random pausing.

    I doubt I'll be getting it day of release but it's certainly on the radar for when a quiet patch comes around.

  • wattsn26 #19 4 weeks ago

    Sony has no file size limitations on PSN however Microsoft does, so I can blame them for the spotty PC demo

  • scowat #20 4 weeks ago

    Post deleted at 16:41:01 08-02-2012

  • WadiumArcadium #21 4 weeks ago

    The demo was good but I'm not sure I want to pay full price for it. Certain buy at some point though.

  • Lycanthroat #22 4 weeks ago

    I'm waiting for the demo to download now, so I'll keep this in mind.

    Looking forward to something mixed up with a bit of Skyrim and Dark Souls!

  • TheBusterMan #23 4 weeks ago

    Despite the bugs,I kinda enjoyed the demo.Such a shame there's no co-op.Still I'm tempted.

  • kassmageant #24 4 weeks ago

    i liked demo, but i didn't got that EPICNESS vibe from it. it was more like good saturday morning cartoon. it's enjoyable, but it doesn't blow you away. i hope it will get more epic, because gameplay-wise, it looks like it can cure my bad taste after dragon age 2.

  • Lunatic4ever #25 4 weeks ago

    I was disappointed by the demo. It looks very bland and it feels like the world has no weight and thus isn't immersive enough for me. The design seems childish but some of the action is violence. The characters are goofy for mot of the time. Also the glitches and bugs sucked a lot.

    Of course, this was just a small fragment of the whole game but if the demo fails to convince...it's not a good sign,is it?

    This shouldn't be compared to skyrim because it really is a different game. Look at how simple you smash crates and look at the loot. This is more like fable. it's more simple and lacks the atmosphere and emotion I fear...


    I won't buy it.

  • Kaonazhie #26 4 weeks ago

    I was going to buy this game, until the demo crashed on me and I just completely lost all motivation to buy it. Potentially silly, I know.

    I'll pick it up when it's cheap - I've got plenty of other things to keep me occupied until Mass Effect 3... which hopefully won't blow. All this ridiculous cut content is making me sad.

  • Lonewolf2002 #27 4 weeks ago

    I have pre-oredred this, ATI/AMD bugs aside it seemed quite good and a well thought out way of doing the demo. Camera is an issue in the demo but not major maybe it will be better in the final game but for me no game breaker.:cool:

  • timberwolf #28 4 weeks ago

    Yeah just like Battle field 3...

  • agent55 #29 4 weeks ago

    Can't get myself to slog thru Skyrim anymore so this might be a Day 1 for me, the demo was quite enjoyable. If it doesn't have "Dragons-on-rails" it'll already be better than Skyrim in my book.

  • kassmageant #30 4 weeks ago

    Post deleted at 20:05:26 25-01-2012

  • DrStrangelove #31 4 weeks ago

    Tried the demo too now because from the trailer it sounded like Skyrim and looked like WOW. But combat felt much more like third-person action-adventures like God of War, a bit too light for my RPG taste.

    Certainly there's nothing wrong with mixing together aspects of successful games, but somehow it doesn't catch me as Skyrim does for example. It is all professionally made and stuff, and really isn't bad at all, but to me it feels a bit like a project some CEOs wanted to have with very clear target group thinking, as opposed to a game like Skyrim that just feels more enthusiastic and passionate.

    Bottom line is, in my opinion it has a problem that many EA games have in common: it feels a bit generic.

  • drhickman1983 #32 4 weeks ago

    I liked the demo, without loving it.

    At the moment, the art style is the main draw for me, I kind of prefer the art style found in Kingdoms of Amalur (and it's likely influences) to the more "gritty" art direction in some other games.

    (Regarding the graphics, Fable and Warcraft do seem like pretty easy comparissons that people have already made, but I do think they're valid.)

    The gameplay itself, which ultimately is more important than the art style, seemed to be decent without being particularily awesome. I did find the character a bit weightless when running around but the combat seemed fairly solid. I'd say the combat has the potential to be good.

    The mute protaganist thing really doesn't bother me, when playing Mass Effect (for example) I inevitably skip the voice recording once I've read the text.

    I'll keep an eye on this one. Not a day one purchase at the moment, but something to muse over.

  • Hellion83 #33 4 weeks ago

    Post deleted at 20:12:17 01-02-2012

  • Morte-360 #34 4 weeks ago

    I was not interested in this at all until the demo my curiosity is piqued I didn't come across a bug either but the frame rate kept dropping.
    Edited by 1 at 26/01/12 @ 04:52

  • killuminati2911 #35 4 weeks ago

    I have both xbox360 and Pc demo (BTW looks way better on my pc wich is from 2008 :p ). I enjoyed it very much and I'm looking forward to get a copy on day one.
    The only point is: if you can't do something right, that in the end can turn out busting your product, MAYBE it's better to not do that at all. Am I right?
    (OR release a demo after the official game's release).
    Edited by 1 at 26/01/12 @ 07:57

  • MattEdWithCheese #36 4 weeks ago

    All of the GUI was there but the game itself was just a black screen, I skipped the cutscenes so I thought my character was blindfolded or something... :/

  • Lonewolf2002 #37 4 weeks ago

    @MattEdWithCheese

    Turn off post processing in graphics options if you have an ati/amd GPU.
    Edited by 1 at 26/01/12 @ 17:38

  • a.monteiro #38 4 weeks ago

    I loved the demo, had minor issues but... "Dialogue skipping is "not technically a bug", Frazier explained. "What they're seeing is the VO just isn't there. The big challenge for this demo was the game is frickin' huge so trying to get the download size down to something reasonable was a real challenge for the group that was working on it."

    Lies, sorry. The Dialogue skipping is actually a bug, characters there were once voiced become muted (music and sound fx may disappear too), and the text scrolls so fast you can't read it.

    Hopefully he isn't lying about the final version being polished as well.

  • MattEdWithCheese #39 4 weeks ago

    @Lonewolf2002 Ah thanks! I'll do that when I reinstall!

  • valyrian #40 4 weeks ago

    It seemed very good at times, but I was constantly annoyed with pulling a shield out my a*** to block and then seeing it magically slip right back up there again
    This happens with pretty much everything you equip, use daggers and the staff on your back disappears, switch to staff and your daggers are gone...personally I hate that, im one of those ppl who wana draw their sword, admire it and sheathe it

    Its a shame really, when you look at Moves you can see the combat will be quite deep, defo not button bash