SpyParty Goes the Minecraft Route, Launching Paid Beta

Former Maxis employee and outspoken developer Chris Hecker has received a steady stream of attention since debuting his independent creation, SpyParty, at GDC a few years back. Hecker has been showing off updated versions of SpyParty at various trade shows, including some fascinating-to-watch demonstrations at PAX, but the project moved one step closer to reality today, moving into a paid beta.

The paid beta (aka the Minecraft model) will cost you $15, according to Hecker.

"This will let you play the beta as much as you want as I update it over SpyParty’s development, and also get you a copy of the finished game when it’s released on PC," he said. "I still have a lot of work to do in figuring the details out, so this stuff could change, but $15 is what you should expect when you get your invitation."

Minecraft will transition from paid beta to final game in November. SpyParty isn't anywhere near that, with Hecker noting it's a "long way from the finish line," so a release date is the furthest thing from his mind.

If you'd like to sign up for the beta, head on over to the official SpyParty website.

Spy Party is Chris Heckers first game as an independent developer.

Huh?

Cool. But never really got into minecraft.  Just didn't appeal to me.

the link at the end leads to the minecraft page?

Shouldn't that be the Mount and Blade or Taleworlds model?

Ooooh... I could see myself paying for this.

FYI, your link to the SpyParty website actually goes to the Minecraft page.

I'm not convinced. It's a really interesting concept, but I don't like paying money when for all I know it could be complete trash.

" dd "

" I'm not convinced. It's a really interesting concept, but I don't like paying money when for all I know it could be complete trash. "

" the link at the end leads to the minecraft page? "

hmm, 15$ seems a little steep when you think about what this game seems to be. Minecraft started to charge that when it reached a size that gave it almost infinite replay value.

No way. $15 seems like it'd be too high even for the final product to me.

" Shouldn't that be the Mount and Blade or Taleworlds model? "

link leads to minecraft wiki page

I've been following this game, and it's been getting super great impressions from people on shows, so eff it, 15$ for the full game, while getting updates minecraft style, and watching a game come into it's own, step by step. worth it for me =)

Was starting to think this project was dead, it's been so long since I saw anything of it.

Funny how another one-man indie dev Andy Schatz, who's making Monaco, posted just a few weeks ago that he WON'T be going the "Minecraft" route and accept payment for early builds/alpha.

" Shouldn't that be the Mount and Blade or Taleworlds model? "

sold, been waiting for this.

"@MattyFTM said: 

" I'm not convinced. It's a really interesting concept, but I don't like paying money when for all I know it could be complete trash. "

Wow what. No.


Pretty great game actually for not even being done yet. 

Edit- Seeing more of these comments come in and I'm kind of surprised more people don't know about this. There was constant talk about it during PAX times and a lot of Game of the Shows I heard for it.

Sniper vs Spy

But like CRAZAY.

"

I hope there is a quick look... I have not seem anything of this game

Hecker, Markus "notch" Persson and Jonathan Blow guested on an excellent episode of the Bonus Round:
  

" @Skrams said:

"@MattyFTM said: 

" I'm not convinced. It's a really interesting concept, but I don't like paying money when for all I know it could be complete trash. "

Wow what. No.


Pretty great game actually for not even being done yet. 

Edit- Seeing more of these comments come in and I'm kind of surprised more people don't know about this. There was constant talk about it during PAX times and a lot of Game of the Shows I heard for it.

Sniper vs Spy

But like CRAZAY.

"

Buzz at a games convention doesn't mean it's going to be good. Plenty of games get a ton of talk at these events, but end up falling far short of expectations. And the uniqueness of this game only increases the chances of that being the case with this game. People have talking about the uniqueness of it, not the actual quality of the product. As I said, the concept behind it is really cool, and if it all comes together then the game will be awesome, but there is no guarantee that it's going to happen. It could fall flat on it's face and be terrible for all you or I know. I hope that doesn't happen, but I'm not going to be paying for it when it's still a very real possibility that it could happen. "

I just signed up

I love supporting indie developers.

I really don't know much about this game, but it seems like 15 bucks may be a little steep? Minecraft seems more open ended, like a sandbox. This game seems to have more of an objective, like figure out who is the bad guy by social interactions/body language kind of stuff. It seems like it might get a little old after a while. 

It looks like a very nice concept but I also feel it could get boring really fast, I'm tempted though, but I think I'll stay clear from this beta, when the game comes it'll probably be 15 bucks anyway so I see no advantage of paying for it now.

" 

Edit- Seeing more of these comments come in and I'm kind of surprised more people don't know about this. There was constant talk about it during PAX times and a lot of Game of the Shows I heard for it."

I have no idea what to think of this. He's comparing his game to becoming like starcraft or CS but it also seems semi-fun. No way for now/

If they do want to go the Minecraft route that means they have to agree that their game will be PIRATED TO HELL.
Seriously, I got a Minecraft copy from a friend who asked me to play on his server. I fell in love with that game and bought it after that. I bet that a ton of people that own Minecraft now are on the same boat as me. Half of my friends are too.
Now tell someone at Maxix that they should let their beta be pirated. I bet they'd flip.

So now that there will be two games using this model, could we please get the Reviews tab reinstated on the Minecraft page? Y'know, for the user reviews that have been written? *plug* /shameless

Doesn't minecraft let you try it for free?   This doesn't sound like it comes with a restricted free version, so why would anyone pay for it.

" I love supporting indie developers.

It's like paying money to make myself feel like a better person and getting a free video game as a bonus.

"

" @Skrams said:

"@MattyFTM said: 

" I'm not convinced. It's a really interesting concept, but I don't like paying money when for all I know it could be complete trash. "

Wow what. No.


Pretty great game actually for not even being done yet. 


Edit- Seeing more of these comments come in and I'm kind of surprised more people don't know about this. There was constant talk about it during PAX times and a lot of Game of the Shows I heard for it.

Sniper vs Spy
But like CRAZAY.
"

Buzz at a games convention doesn't mean it's going to be good. Plenty of games get a ton of talk at these events, but end up falling far short of expectations. And the uniqueness of this game only increases the chances of that being the case with this game. People have talking about the uniqueness of it, not the actual quality of the product. As I said, the concept behind it is really cool, and if it all comes together then the game will be awesome, but there is no guarantee that it's going to happen. It could fall flat on it's face and be terrible for all you or I know. I hope that doesn't happen, but I'm not going to be paying for it when it's still a very real possibility that it could happen. "

I love supporting free ideas. It's encouraging, and great to see! If I knew how to code, I'd be making a handful of games.

Thanks for this bit of news, this is the first I've heard of the game and I'm sold.
They'll have my $15

" Doesn't minecraft let you try it for free?   This doesn't sound like it comes with a restricted free version, so why would anyone pay for it. "

" @MattyFTM said:

" @Skrams said:

"@MattyFTM said: 

" I'm not convinced. It's a really interesting concept, but I don't like paying money when for all I know it could be complete trash. "

Wow what. No.


Pretty great game actually for not even being done yet. 


Edit- Seeing more of these comments come in and I'm kind of surprised more people don't know about this. There was constant talk about it during PAX times and a lot of Game of the Shows I heard for it.

Sniper vs Spy
But like CRAZAY.
"

Buzz at a games convention doesn't mean it's going to be good. Plenty of games get a ton of talk at these events, but end up falling far short of expectations. And the uniqueness of this game only increases the chances of that being the case with this game. People have talking about the uniqueness of it, not the actual quality of the product. As I said, the concept behind it is really cool, and if it all comes together then the game will be awesome, but there is no guarantee that it's going to happen. It could fall flat on it's face and be terrible for all you or I know. I hope that doesn't happen, but I'm not going to be paying for it when it's still a very real possibility that it could happen. "

Very true.  Brink got a lot of buzz when people first started seeing it at conventions and getting an impression of the innovation involved...and look how that turned out. Also, just because a game is indie doesn't necessarily make it good.  This game looks like it has an interesting concept to it, but where is the staying power?  I'd like to play it for an hour or so, but it just doesn't look like a game that I could spend months playing, which is kind of what it sounds like Hecker expects people to do.  Minecraft is a totally different kind of game that you can lose yourself in for days or weeks at a time.  I hope this turns out to be good, and if it is I will totally buy it when it comes out, but I'm not about to bet $15 on it being good. "

15 bucks...maybe.

I feel like I should be getting into Minecraft. Or Garry's MOD...or something.

Is that man being assassinated David Cameron? 

I signed up will probably buy the beta, it seems like a neat idea.