The best humble bundle promotion ever is happening now: The Serious Sam Weekly Sale

Proof I am Alen: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Croteam/191676850855803

We can't talk too much about SS4 details yet, but we'll try to answer all of your other questions, as much as we can.

In attendance:

  • sky0908 : Davor Hunski, Producer, Croteam
  • AlenL : Alen Ladavac, CTO, Croteam

Edit: Thanks everyone for your awesome participation. Good night!

Comments: 1142 • Responses: 98  • Date: 

Warlizard327 karma

The screaming bomb-arm guys are one of my favorite video game bad guys ever.

Also, I loved how you said, "Meh, fuck it. Let's put in Pyramids. Pyramids are cool."

Sometimes I just want to blow shit up without context.

sky0908135 karma

Agree! Blowing up stuff is fun!

Maktaka247 karma

AAAaAAAaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAa?

AlenL242 karma

Boom!

liamdawe245 karma

Just a personal thank you for the SS3 Linux port, because of this me and my partner both purchased copies. We will also be sure to buy SS4 once it's on Linux, big thank you!

AlenL318 karma

Glad you like it. Our plan is to have SS4 on Linux day one. Enjoy!

iluvatar12 karma

Will the Linux version be network compatible with the Windows version? I know for SS:TFE and SS:TSE it wasn't (due to differences in floating point implementations). I haven't tried SS3 yet.

solaisyosei10 karma

SS3 is already network compatible (as far as I know), so SS4 will be too.

AlenL7 karma

^ what he said.

Azapa149 karma

I always enjoyed playing the first two games with my friends in cooperative mode.

Do you place any focus on cooperative play for the next installment?

AlenL223 karma

Yes, we always do. Full campaign coop was always an integral part of all SS games.

Azapa24 karma

Any new plans on how to scale the campaign to the number of players?

Or the usual Health/Damage/Number scaling?

Also, do you plan to add any special features or modes for cooperative play?

sky090858 karma

We know that people are loving it, and we will certainly have some new stuff there. Any ideas on your side? What you didn't like?

13HungryPolarBears6 karma

Will you ever include the ability to score headshots?

AlenL8 karma

Possibly.

kism3116 karma

Id just like to say thanks for taking the piss out of the FPS genre and releasing a Linux version of SS3:BFE

sky090861 karma

Thanks, sir!

tombuben105 karma

Was porting Serious Sam 3 to Linux a success? Also, Serious Sam 4 on Linux?

Yulike36 karma

This is a important question to me, as a Linux user. Garry Newman claims Linux isn't worth supporting, citing his game only sold 27 copies on Steam Linux. That said, it (GMod on Linux) isn't even advertised on the Steam page and is still in beta. I would like to know the Linux sales on some larger titles too.

AlenL119 karma

It is a tricky question. Linux's market share was historically miniscule. Now it is just small. But it is improving. But it is not a clear cut:

  • Linux users will on average spend more for a game than Windows gamers.
  • Just being present on Linux brings more exposure, which is good for marketing even for other platforms.
  • It is not the same when you release a new game with day-one support for Linux as when you retro-fit it. While numbers for Linux are good, we are looking forward to seeing even better ones when SS4 launches with Linux on day one.
  • If you didn't support Linux on day one, or it has some problems comparing to Windows, then some (primarily) Linux users are hidden in the list of Windows users. They have probably already bought the game when it didn't support Linux, and played it through on Wine or dual boot. But don't underestimate the power of good will you get by actually trying to support Linux correctly.

JM2C

I guess that Garry has a specific case in that he is never releasing a new game, so it is more difficult for him to get a momentum. Shrug

WantsANexus719 karma

Thanks to your Linux-friendliness, you're always getting my support. I suppose that's the good will you mention - you'll be getting cash off of me with SS4 (provided there's no last-minute delays, but I trust you guys).

The unconventional porting you mentioned in an answer sounds scary, especially with the separate paying for them. I do hope you do not mean a Loki style situation (or the way COD:BLOPS is sold for Mac and Windows separately), since I quite like switching systems to my fancy. And cross-platform multi-player is another important point.

If you however mean an upgrade (like a special edition, which has got a Linux version and I just pay another 5€ on top to get it), I don't know. We'll see once you release it, won't we? ;)

AlenL18 karma

Let's just say that we want to make SSHD:TFE and TSE available in a native build for Linux and OSX, in an innovative approach that you haven't seen before, and that we hope is fair, and let's please stop guessing how that is a scheme to cross Linux gamers. It doesn't make sense to spend resources on it in a way to provoke backlash. Otherwise we could just say: Screw the old games on Linux, it's too costly. No work, least backlash, right? ;)

T02my92 karma

Hello, Alen and Davor. :) Our Russian community from Serious Site wants to ask you this followed questions:

1) Do you have any plans about making port Serious Sam: Xbox to Xbox 360 Arcade? It's best version of the best game, but exclusive only for the first Xbox.

2) Will you post someday more content (screenshots, videos, maps, probably, alpha) about earlier-version of Serious Sam?

3) In which places will take action in SS 4, maybe Paris, Zagreb... or Moscow :P . And it's gonna be prequel to SS 3?

4) Are you planning to release SDK for Sam HD or BFE?

5) Will be some new Serious Sam games to Android or another platforms?

6) We will see face of Mental in SS 4?

7) Serious Sam story can be finished?

8) When you will post something new about Serious Sam 2 HD: BFM?

9) Undercode will take part in making soundtrack for SS 4?

10) Is it possible to join the beta-testers team of your projects?

And my personally question, did you get new members in Cro Team? :P

Thank you!

AlenL94 karma

Greetings to Russian gamers!

  1. Not at the moment. SS:XB was done in SE1.5 engine and it is not trivial to port it over to SE3+.
  2. We always plan to do it, but never get around to.
  3. Sorry, can't yet tell that, as said in the OP.
  4. Well, we've wanted to enable that all the way since SS2. For a while we were like getting further from that goal, but we are now back on track. I hope that somewhere in time for SS4 we can probably release something.
  5. We hope so. There are now some of the indie branch-offs, like the Kamikaze attack by Vlambeer. It is hard to make full FPS games on Android due to hardware limitations, but we hope to see that change as stronger hardware is released each day. When the hardware is ready, we will surely strive to make a Sam for it.
  6. Can't tell.
  7. Well, the story ends when Sam gets to Mental. (*) But who knows in which episode that will happen.
  8. This project is more in planning and prototyping phases and it happens more sporadically in-between work on main lines like PS3 and SS4 atm. But it is always on the back-burner.
  9. I can't speak in their name, but we will probably discuss the possibility with them.
  10. Our standard procedure is to take in people that current testers can vouch for.

Yes we did. Have you notice some of them on the Steam discussion boards? :)

Thank you, send Croteam's regards to Russian gamers.

(*) Or maybe it doesn't... ;)

avarisclari82 karma

Croteam, my people are upset about the constant destruction of our species by the one you call "Sam". We only want to peacefully coexist while munching on the bones of your inferior bodies. Please respond. If you do not, the invasion will resume.

sky090869 karma

Please, Mr. Mental, don't do so...we will surrender "the One" as soon as we can.....

Lindstad576 karma

What do you guys think of humblebundle?

AlenL172 karma

We love it from both sides (*) because it is totally awesome. What else could I say?

... ... ...

(*) As developers and as gamers. What did you think?

sky090863 karma

Yesterday bought a pack. Awesome idea, win-win-win for all parties. Love it!

ZamrosX67 karma

Serious Sam 3 was an amazing harkening back to classic PC First Person Shooters. (At least classic to me as SS was my first FPS) What are your opinions on the renowned disappointment of Duke Nukem Forever?

sky090855 karma

We were disappointed a little bit that Duke didn't made big impact, after all Duke was a legend...But I personally am not 100% sure that we will not see him back....

killabeez3657 karma

You guys should make the Duke Nukem game we were all hoping for. If anyone could pull it off it'd be you guys :)

Awesome work, by the way. Serious Sam is the shit.

AlenL69 karma

Perhaps you should tell that to 3D Realms. ;)

auran9866 karma

Where did the invincible pink scorpion man DRM idea come from? Because it was one of the best ways I've seen it dealt with.

AlenL61 karma

Kudos for that setup go to Darko. I agree it was a real gem. :)

aaaaaaaarrrrrgh21 karma

Is there a way to trigger the scorpion in the legitimately bought steam version (without permanently breaking anything)?

I mean, it's like a free DLC only available to pirates otherwise ;-)

AlenL29 karma

Nope. It's not really fun to play. It's designed to be annoying. It just looks good on a movie.

sky090842 karma

Thnks a bunch! Can' remember whose idea it was, but it was surely from one of the programmers :)

CheezeCaek260 karma

Who was the man that thought during development... "You know what we need? A gun that shoots cannon balls. Balls larger than a man."

Whomever he is/was, he needs a beer.

AlenL71 karma

That would be Roman, IIRC.

sky090845 karma

Our CEO, Roman had the huuuuge influence on design, he added some awesome ideas to the series (including the Kamikaze guy and name;)

functionals49 karma

How does it feel to have the best looking website at the moment?

AlenL58 karma

I knew we shouldn't have let them link to it. :P

dexter3037 karma

Wait i don't underdstand why is this your youtube description? http://i.imgur.com/BAqh0Qd.png

AlenL54 karma

Because someone obviously didn't patch some hole in the server and some spambot worm got through. :/

JewbrE49 karma

Are you planning on making a Serious Sam game which would take place in your own wonderfull country (Croatia) ?

sky090866 karma

Nice idea :) Actually one DM level has elements of coastline architecture, our Dalmatia is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Best untouched nature, amazing food, beaches, google!!!

Regularjoe4247 karma

Why did you make your own engine (as opposed to licencing one)?

Specifically, which features did you make sure to include in it?

sky090881 karma

We didn't have enough money at the time, it is simple as that :) but that made us better and sharper developers for the next decade!

Zomg_A_Chicken47 karma

How serious is Sam?

sky090857 karma

his best friend is Chuck Norris!

TheGooair146 karma

[deleted]

sky090836 karma

It is pleasure being able to give your best, make the best game you can and make some people happy. And you allow us to live like that. So, THANK YOU guys!

LightningRider37 karma

Why headless bulked up kamikazes ?

sky0908105 karma

It is all about screeming, actrually that scream audio file is really hard to reproduce, we tried refreshing with the new one in Sam 3, but almost none of the new sounds worked as we wanted. So, we leaved the old one. After all, we love it! AAAAAAAAAAAAA!

elefunk31 karma

Serious Sam 3 was my favorite shooter of 2011, by far. But those opening levels....man....those opening levels :-P

Can you please be sure not to do super-narrow stuff like that again in your future games? I stuck with it cause I trust and love you guys, but it prevented a bunch of my friends from getting too far into it, thinking the entire game was like that.

Serious Sam 4 is already my game-of-the-whenever.

sky090837 karma

Deal!

nimieties30 karma

Which game, outside of your own products, are you guys having the most fun with right now?

AlenL56 karma

Personally, I was last enjoying Antichamber, and I think before that it was FTL. Not playing anything ATM, due to too much work ATM.

sky090836 karma

Unfortunately, we don't get too much time to play games, but we steal some from time to time... In general, I like all kinds of action/adventure/puzzle/shooter games on all platforms, from PC/PS3/XBox, iPad.... I really enjoyed many games lately, some block busters like God of War, but to my surprise and joy, indie games gave me long time needed shoot of innovation, I just love that! I remember times when all games were just innovative and each one brought new mechanics. I see that happening today with indie, loving it.....

uffetak27 karma

If Serious Sam was made into a movie, which actor would you guys want to see as Serious Sam?
And one more question, when the character Serious Sam was created, did you guys base him on a real person? If so, who?
Thank you for making great games!

AlenL70 karma

I think Bruce Campbell would fit well. Nope. It's just how we envisioned a cool game hero would look/behave, if he wasn't to get into stereotypes.

sky090822 karma

No real person, just hero influences...But there is only one person in Milky way that could ever act as Sam......and his name is Chuck!

jokomul22 karma

Serious Sam was probably my favorite game as a kid (first and second encounters) and I was stoked for Serious Sam II. I enjoyed it, but even as a kid I remember thinking how different it was. Almost as if it was... not serious enough. Like with clowns and shit. Then Serious Sam 3 kinda went back to the original feeling, serious but not serious. So I guess what I'm wondering, is what was the deal with the second one? Why was the atmosphere/tone/feeling so different? It almost seemed like it was developed by a completely different team (I even checked Wikipedia at one point to make sure it was Croteam). I've been interested in this since I first played Serious Sam II and it would be great to hear about it from you guys.

AlenL31 karma

Yes, you are right SS2 was different. And some people don't like the results. Some people on the other hand loved it. But it is hard to say whether they loved it because of those changes, or in spite of them. And which part of the changes were a problem. It was a change of course for which it is now hard to say whether it was, globally, for good or for worse. SS2 seems to also have a following.

But this way or another, we've made a decision to stick with the classic modernized (SS3) style for now. We'll see how we'll handle it when we come around to doing SS2HD, or similar.

Urfoex22 karma

Is there any chance that you finish porting Serious Sam TFE and TSE and Serious Sam 2 to Linux?

How about releasing some source code, like e.g. id Software does, so community can make the ports, fixes, etc.?

AlenL36 karma

Didn't I answer the exact same questions on a discussion post this morning? :)

Anyway, I've mentioned on Steam discussions previously a few times that we have a plan to make TFE and TSE HD versions available on Linux and OSX. It will be a little unconventional way, but I think that you will like it. More about it when the time comes.

SS2 is a different thing. We'd like to have it available for Linux officially, but it's not as simple. There is the old Linux beta that you can install, if you really want.

Open sourcing the old engines has been postponed to give a chance to Revolution. See elsewhere in this thread about it.

rea98711 karma

The "unconventional" porting sounds scary. Whatever you do, but please do not publish a WINE port of the games. WINE ports are totaly unreliable...

AlenL22 karma

Nononono.... I'm totally not talking about Wine. Real native code. Same thing as SS3 and SS4. But the way we handle the porting is specific. Just wait and see.

rea9875 karma

That reminds me the GNU/Linux port of Unreal. I am not sure if it was official, but some nice guys (possibly liflg) released an installer which runs Unreal as a mode of Unreal Tournament. The result was great! The stuff that you refered reminds me that experience. :-)

AlenL8 karma

I shall not comment to that. ;)

Buhdahl21 karma

Is there a big secret in any of the Serious Sam games that nobody has found yet?

sky090825 karma

Don't think so, guys are able to dig all secretes once they get levels in editor.....

JohnDio19 karma

Serious Sam 3 looked gorgeous, so I'd like to ask some tech questions. What do you guys think of Unreal Engine 4 and CryEngine 3? Is the Serious Engine capable of rivaling them, and is it DX11-ready and 'next-gen'-ready? In other words, does it support displacement mapping, tessellation, etc? Moreover, will you push the graphical boundaries on the PC with Serious Sam 4?

InFerYes19 karma

I hope it will never be DX11 ready but OpenGL instead.

AlenL18 karma

It will be both.

sky090815 karma

We allways try hard on tech level. Epic and Cry guys are AWESOME, BF guys rule the world! We have most of the features you mentioned, and will include rest probably ASAP. We will try something eye-candy with Sam 4!

JamieSparkes18 karma

I've been playing Serious Sam 3, and what I love about it is the variety of enemies. When I was playing and I first saw an Alcor Class Warship, I felt really small in comparison to it, and I feel that many games don't manage that. I was wondering if there are going to be any more moments such as that in the next installment?

AlenL25 karma

Of course there will! Always!

sky090818 karma

Just wait and see. I promise you that you will be amazed!

gostan18 karma

In 5 words or less, make me want to play serious sam

sky090852 karma

male, action, blood, booom, run!

Zardoz8437 karma

The best game since DooM

sky090839 karma

Well that's a huuuuge compliment! We adored Doom!

usaokay17 karma

Where did the idea for "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" originated? Who voiced the Kamikaze?

sky090866 karma

Beleave or not, it is Roman, our CEO :) Now you know how he sounds when we are late with project!

T3RR0RH4WK17 karma

How do you feel about some folks calling ''Serious Sam 3 too serious'' and ''Serious Sam 2 not serious enough?'' Will Serious Sam 4 change anything as far as that goes or is this news to you guys?

I love the games though. Great work, and keep it up!

P.S. -- Thanks for porting SS3 to Linux!

AlenL32 karma

You can't please everyone. And sometimes trying to balance between two opposites will just make both sides unhappy. So we just have to choose something we think looks/plays great and make it that way.

Macheesemoe15 karma

The most important question ever: will the Harpy still be topless in future games? THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! SEE ITS IN ALL CAPS!!!

AlenL15 karma

I DON'T KNOW!!!111oneone

TheWhiteIrish14 karma

First i'd just like to say thankyou for making a great fps that i've spent countless hours playing with freinds.

What is the main way in which you address what needs to be in the next SS game you are intending to bring out for past and future. and why are the screaming bombers so god damn terrifying.

AlenL17 karma

You are welcome.

We always try to do something more bigger and badasser. Something more epic, more serious. It's a matter of coming up with something that sounds crazy and impossible, and then still making it. You'll see quite a bit of that approach in SS4. ;)

What would the wolf say to the Little Red Riding Hood?

sky090813 karma

Thanks a bunch! Next SS game, reaaaaaly complicated....You have to battle with so many ideas in such a little time span, have to add something new, not loosing the inner beauty...

Duffadash14 karma

Will we be seeing the Linux ports of Serious Sam TFE, TSE and II on Steam (or in the bundle)?

AlenL21 karma

Yes, see above, TSE and TFE HD for Linux, on Steam, but after SS4 and in a special arrangement.

jamietwells14 karma

Thank you for supporting Linux, it makes me proud to support you.

sky09087 karma

Thanks!

PlamZ13 karma

If you'd have the choice between explosions and and more explosions, what would you choose?

AlenL41 karma

Nukes.

sky090814 karma

Zen Buddhism. After all, we are totally peaceful guys.....NOT!!!!!!!!!!

coon197112 karma

What do you think about making an alternate-fire mode for the weapons in next Serious Sam game? Remember Next Encounter: for example, Rocket Launcher has a supersonic or homing missiles, Flamethrower can shoot by Napalm or Liquid Nitrogen or Laughing Gas e.t.c. It'd be an interesting innovation for Serious Sam 4.

sky090811 karma

I always loved that idea, even had that at a moment in time... Who knows?

AlenL32 karma

Oh, crap, not again. Thanks for the heads up!

FreekNik10 karma

Hey, guys! So, Serious Sam 4... What is this game presents? Is it another prequel or a long-awaited sequel or even something different? Also, are you going to use Serious Engine 3.5 for your next project or you will move to the newest technology?

AlenL20 karma

As said in the OP - we can't discuss details about SS4. I can say that it will run on a further improved tech. It has some astonishing new features, but more about it when official press release hits. In general, we are constantly improving and tuning tech from game to game.

RecycledDoom9 karma

I'd like to see less of a focus on graphic fidelity and more of a focus on gameplay mechanics and cramming more things into levels with that leftover power. I feel too many game developers put all of their energy into making a game look super pretty when they could just add more content.

AlenL15 karma

I like to think we are trying to balance it both. If we only did content, in FPS it would risk looking a bit bland. Have to keep up with progress and make it visually interesting.

aloyswaw9 karma

Is there going to be split-screen by any chance for PC and will we be seeing exact same features as on PC if we get a console release (NEXT GEN) (PS4) ? ^

AlenL20 karma

There already is split-screen for PC. Are you sure you are playing the right Serious Sam 3? ;)

There will probably never be exact same features for PC and consoles because both the HW limitations and platform policies are different. Though with PS4 it seems like it will get pretty close. Personally, I can't wait to see the results.

Vinsane158 karma

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you Croteam for making these awesome badass Serious Sam games! This video game series is my all-time favorite.

Also one question, are you working on any other project besides SS4?

Best regards from Slovenia :)

sky09087 karma

Hi neighbour and thnx a bunch! I hope that we will do some other great games in the future....

Schonke7 karma

How come every time I decide to thoroughly search a level in The First Encounter I only find about half the secrets? Do I just suck or are you trolling me? :(

AlenL21 karma

You are doing it wrong. You are supposed to read a guide about how to find all secrets. ;)

blastcat47 karma

What do you guys think about the Occulus Rift? Will we see something new from your team incorporating that technology?

AlenL14 karma

I hope so. But, unfortunately we are not working on it ATM. So many things so little time... Hope to get to that after SS3 PS3 and SS4.

sicapat6 karma

can a swallow carry a coconut if the swallow grips it properly?

AlenL17 karma

Only if it's a Serious swallow.

Edit: Damn it. Now we have to add a swallow-carrying coconut to SS4. I should keep my keyboard shut. :P

Shamunu6 karma

Would you rather fight one hundred duck sized horses or one horse sized duck?

AlenL25 karma

One hundred horse sized ducks. Each with a horse head. No, make it each with three horse heads.

Ansjh21 karma

Great, somebody make this in Serious Sam 4.

Souluna6 karma

This, this must be in SS4.. All my monies

a-ko8 karma

Please for the love of god put 100 duck-sized horses and 1 horse-sized duck in SS4.

The Reddit community would LOVE you.

AlenL10 karma

Oookeeey... let me just write this down... 100 duck-sized horses and 1 horse-sized duck for table #9. You got it.

a-ko3 karma

If you do this I'll pre-order the most super awesome mega deluxe edition of SS4 that you guys put out. Which, I'm probably going to do anyway--but it sounds nice.

AlenL6 karma

Oookeeey, I'll note to include a Super Awesome Mega Deluxe Edition of SS4, with ducks, horses et, al. Would a $100 be a good price tag for so much awesomeness?

Lindstad56 karma

How did you guys come up with the idea for serious sam

sky090815 karma

We had tens of names in circulation (still have them sticked on walls in our offices as memorabilia) but somehow Serious Sam was the one we really liked. It was controversial at the time but it stood great against test of time.

vadikboss35 karma

any plan of publishing Serious Sam Xbox on Xbox 360 Games of Demand?

AlenL16 karma

That is totally not up to us. IIRC, this is a business decision that has to be agreed with us. If it was always just up to us, we'd release everything everywhere. ;)

ALTHiR5 karma

What is the future of Serious Sam? Do you let indie developers publish more indie SS? Any new SS coming from CT?

sky090810 karma

Will be sir, we are building mega monsterous Sam4, it will be awesome, I promise!!!!!

Elcamo1235 karma

Will Sam ever get Mental?

AlenL8 karma

How do you know he already isn't? He sure sounds that way at times, doesn't he?

ShadowBH5 karma

[deleted]

AlenL7 karma

Well, start working on smaller things, even if they are for free, and ship, ship, ship.... just make sure you finish things. Keep up the spirit!

Good to hear from you, greetings to you and your friends in Bosnia!

SuperStingray4 karma

What are your favorite enemies from the SS games?

sky09085 karma

kleer, kamikaze, werebull....I loooove Khnum from Sam 3!

Solomanium4 karma

My favorite monster is the guy with a razor blade for a head. How do you guys choose which monsters make the cut? Who came up with Razorhead?

sky090810 karma

Uh it was looooong time ago when Roman invented that enemy... He was enjoying horror movies at the time, and he compiled something crazy like that in his weird head :)

SeriousWorm4 karma

~10 years ago you said that I could join Croteam when I finish college. Well, next year I'm finishing my Master's at FER so does that mean I'll be able to get my dream job?

:) Just kidding, keep up being awesome! Sadly I don't have the time to go back to being a level designer (mostly doing Scala programming now) but I'll always follow Croteam and your developments. ;) Although, I'd love to work on a JVM-based multiplayer server for a game, so if you need that kind of person.. :)

Sandro / the young-guy-with-the-worst-webcam-pic-in-ss1-tse-hall-of-fame

AlenL5 karma

Good to hear back from you! If you are ever in for it, just drop us a note.

disposableday4 karma

As someone who worked as QA at Take 2 for the first 2 SS games I just wanted to ask, how was Take 2 to work with as a publisher?

AlenL6 karma

There were good moments and there were bad ones. We did some great things together, but I wish it didn't end the way it did.

Regarding the QA, we were not happy with the way bug database was handled with initial titles as it meant double work for us, but later (at SS2 I think) when we switched over, it was smooth and a good experience. Greetings!

disposableday5 karma

Regarding the QA, we were not happy with the way bug database was handled with initial titles as it meant double work for us

I think we felt the same way. When I first started there everything had to go through the producer so we ended up passing around spreadsheets or word docs exported from our databases and it was difficult to co-ordinate especially when certain bugs required a dialogue with the developers. There was also the issue that back then we had two QA teams, one in Europe and one Stateside with very little contact between them so there was every chance the developers could end up being sent two databases with a lot of bugs duplicated between them.

Things started to run a lot smoother when we transitioned to online databases that the developers had direct access to.

Anyway, thanks for making games that were fun and not horrible to test (the highest accolade any QA can give) and may all your bugs be C-class.

AlenL6 karma

+1 :)

Silence2584 karma

I can't really think of a question right now, I just wanted to say that I have been playing the serious sam games for years. I've always loved exploring around and searching for all the little secret stuff, and easter eggs. I think finding the secret with the mobs with the developers faces is so so awesome. Thanks for making great games.

sky09086 karma

Thank you sir, I will make sure to include even more secretes in Sam 4. I hope that we will be given enough time to include some crazy stuff there. We particularly looove to create seceets. You can get loose there, let go your imagination....we love that!

Macheesemoe3 karma

How much of your work is done by contractors? I noticed that Stjepan Šejić seems to be your main character design guy, but he's a contractor. Anything else done by contractors, or is everything else handled in-house?

AlenL4 karma

Music was done by Damjan Mravunac and partly by Undercode. Part of sound effects were done by the Gl33k studio. But the majority of code and content is done in-house.

GloriousPeanut3 karma

Is there any chance of adding cowboy hats to the game? I really love the SS series but it seems like you got everything right (pistols, double-barreled shotgun, werebulls) except for the cowboy hat! I hope you can rectify this at some point, or maybe make some DLC.

AlenL4 karma

From what I've seen, seems like there will be some more interesting cowboy stuff in SS4. It maybe won't be hats, but also, maybe it will. You never know...

tmotom3 karma

Just wanted to say, Serious Sam for the original Xbox was one of my (and my brothers') favorite time sinks. Thank you.

sky09084 karma

Thank you!!! We loved that somehow experimental gameplay! We also think that it was very good!

JakMan5003 karma

I'm not criticizing or anything, but why was splitscreen co-op absent from the HD remakes of TFE and TSE? It was in the Classic games and then (thankfully) brought back in 3.

Also, remake of SS2 when?

AlenL6 karma

It was a complex feature that was lost when rewriting the engine for SS2. It took us a long time during TFE and TSE development to slowly refactor the engine to support it again, and it was finally done for SS3.

Coco23362 karma

I loved the serie for years, but I wonder, why were the DLC's for SS2 and 3 not included in the bundle? Also, will there be a lot of new weapons and ennemies in SS4? Can we expect a Coop mode with a second and entirely new character? Perhaps a different story mode like in Portal 2? Thanks for the time you give us! :)

AlenL5 karma

Wow, that's a lot of questions.

  • No particular reason. AFAIK. But, personally, I like it that way. At least it keeps the attach rate stats for the DLC realistic.
  • There will be new enemies and new weapons, or course. But I can't say more. See the OP.
  • See OP.
  • See OP.

BHK32 karma

I'm that one guy on your facebook page always asking this so I'll ask here too.

SERIOUS SAM ON CONSOLES WHEN? Not SS4 in particular but like a Serious Sam pack for Xbone/Ps4? Please I rather spend serious money on a new console then a new pc to play the most serious games made...

AlenL6 karma

A lot of Serious Sam games are already on consoles, but granted, mostly on Xbox/Xbox360. We are now working on porting SS3 for PS3. In the future we hope to release across the board, but it is hard to guarantee anything.

I know that it is the easiest for a gamer to get the game on a console, but for smaller developers like us, it is sometimes too hard to release for some consoles. Either because the hardware/API is hard to work with or limited, or because the requirements from business side are prohibitive for smaller teams.

Justlax72 karma

With the new Consoles coming out soon is there any new plans for the serious sam franchise?

AlenL2 karma

Yes, see around the thread. PS4 is in the works for now.

mmarin51932 karma

What part of croatia are you guys from?, my whole family is from Dalmacija, more specifically Zadar and Sutomišćica

AlenL3 karma

Most of us live in Zagreb, but origins are all over the country. Istria, Dalmatia, Varaždin, ...

EmergencyBurrito2 karma

What are your thoughts on enemies with hitscan weapons? Will SS4 feature less of these types? I noticed quite a few in SS3. It felt like they forced me to use cover more, instead of being able to wade into the horde while trying to dodge their attacks.

AlenL3 karma

Personally, I think we could have done them better, and use them less. Hitscan is not a total taboo, as for example Arachnoids work well with it, but I agree we could have improved/fixed it in SS3 if we had the time. We are aware of the problem and are keeping a lookout for that for SS4.

lewisem1 karma

Will SS4 be on the next gen consoles?? PLEASE

AlenL2 karma

Yes, we hope so.

jZampage1 karma

Absolutely loved playing Serious Sam. I was in a program in highschool for 'gifted' kids (not really that gifted, if you ask me) and their curriculum was nothing short of outrageous. I was introduced to Serious Sam through a peer and we played it every time we had 'class' for this particular program.

My question for you is, what would your advice be to an avid gamer with a B.B.A. if he wants to work in the video game industry? How do I get involved, or get my name out there? I'd love to venture into a career with gaming, as it has been my only solace. Any advice?

AlenL2 karma

We always have only one advice. Make your own games. Doesn't matter how small, but design them, implement them and finish them. And push them to the world. That is the only way to grow a developer - shipping.

jengi1 karma

Any plans for future football games, or are you sticking with Sam from here on out?

AlenL4 karma

Sports games are mostly taken over by people who can pay for team/player/league licenses. :(

Girlsand4201 karma

Do Croteam drug test? Do you smoke pot?

AlenL4 karma

We're born that way. It's the Eastern Europe, what would you expect? :P

ClemmyN231 karma

First of all, thanks for the AMA.
What are some of the major motivations/motivators driving you guys to continue on the Serious Sam series?

AlenL5 karma

You guys!

FreekNik1 karma

In my opinion, Serious Sam 3 was the first game in the series, where you tried to raise up the level of the in-game plot and make it more serious. Are you going to improve the story in the next game about Sam, improve some elements of story-telling, put in more different, memorable and active characters?

AlenL3 karma

Yes. We are constantly striving to do that. But we have to be very careful not to sacrifice gameplay for the story, and that's particularly complicated when we have campaign coop. I think that with time we are devising more and more tricks to do it.

kratos011 karma

Are you working on any PS4 Projects right now? How do you like the platform?

AlenL2 karma

Yes, we are porting the engine for PS4 as well. Still too early to comment on the platform. On paper it sounds great. Much more than PS3 and Xbox 360 did in their time. If its performance lives up to the expectation when we finish the port, we will love it. ;)

BrackGin1 karma

Are you guys considering platforms like OUYA for TV entertainment gameplay?

AlenL3 karma

Considering, yes. But it's early to be sure.

AtlasSarnosian1 karma

My question is aside from SS4 and the other releases. My question is based on Revolution. I've seen on one of the sites that you were mentioning on the game as an April Fools joke and I've heard rumors on the web discussing about some leaked screenshots of it, even aswell with its own Steam group. My question is: is it even real?

AlenL4 karma

Yes, the Revolution is real. Angelo is working on it using our original sources, and when done, we will be releasing it.