Digging Around for Creatures 4 News
With no new information about Creatures 4 for some time, I started to get curious. And when I get curious, I go through hoops to find any little tidbit of information available! I should note that the lack of information is understandable, and I have no negative feelings towards the developers. I’m an impatient Creatures fan, though! Anyway, I decided to look at the official Creatures 4 web site to see if there was anything else hidden away somewhere. The same message about subscribing to the newsletter has been present for a long time. I signed up as soon as I spotted it! Then, it dawned on me… What about a sub-directory?
Abracadabra, and I found the Creatures 4 site! I was thrilled at first to see the background design, but my excitement was quickly quieted when I noticed that the content looked very old. As in, the latest information mentioned Gamescom 2011. Even worse, many of the links were broken. Granted, the site has not yet been publicly released, although it is very easy to locate. There are also versions in other languages, although these seem to have more broken links. With the release so close, perhaps the real site is offline.
When the correct link for the about section can be found, the content should look eerily familiar. As in, it actually comes directly from the Gameware Europe site based on information about previous Creatures titles. I know all about the importance of mapping out and testing a web site prior to launch: My own test content usually includes lots and lots of gibberish! I was just surprised to see this content sitting here from September 2011. The one bright spot appeared to be the navigation options:
The forum is functional, and I immediately registered. I have yet to post, though, as this still appears to be an inactive element of the Creatures 4 community. As the forum shows, the last activity occurred in September 2011. My hopes are high that this is just a test site, while the rest of the real content resides offline and hidden from prying eyes… Like mine! I figured I would find nothing, but I suppose this is something. Hopefully a big chunk of news about Creatures 4 will be coming soon, and perhaps the site will even be updated! Creatures 4 was renamed Creatures Online in 2013.
I’m surprised how vibrant the pink is on ‘Petal’ there in the forums… thanks for the find, Jessica! :D
No problem, Malkin! When I get impatient for news, I go to extreme lengths to find any little piece of information… I was expecting to maybe find a new screenshot, but this was a pleasant surprise! That pink really is vibrant, but it will be nice to have those color options. I hope that controlling color saturation is a customization option, since I prefer muted colors at times. We’ll see what happens!
if you read the content after clicking on the “game” button it says that norns are felines…really? have i been playing with kitty cats this whole time?
It seems like they’ve taken the site back down. When I first saw this update I was able to look over the site, but now when I click the link, it takes me to the “subscribe to be the first to know when the website is open!” page.
Lilliumbird: That’s actually a quote from the original press release, which made us all wonder a bit! I think it was just something lost in translation, though. “Critters” or something of that nature probably would have fit in better. Norns barely remind me of cats!
Anonymous: Are you sure? I can still access this area. Make sure you’re visiting the page with /en at the end of it: The main index page still mentions the newsletter subscription.
Ah, yes. That was the problem. :)
To me, norns look more like foxes than cats.