Game News Harebrained Schemes is hiring writers - new Shadowrun Returns expansion on the way?

[Zeriel]

Wait, people actually think Shadowrun Returns isn't shovelware now? When did this happen?

 

[Crooked Bee]

Ah yes, I remember that. I dunno, I didn't find any of those missions particularly engaging. I was just, um, going through the motions for most of the game.

Wait, people actually think Shadowrun Returns isn't shovelware now? When did this happen?

Shovelware is too harsh, imo; it's an alright "filler" RPG in a good setting. Also Dragonfall does show they are trying, that's why I'm going to play the 3rd game too.

 

[Infinitron]

Ah yes, I remember that. I dunno, I didn't find any of those missions particularly engaging.

O_O I got nothing.

It's interesting how a game's biggest "awesome" moments can fall completely flat for certain people, to the point that they don't even remember them.

 

[Darth Roxor]

It's because womyn have no souls, you can't expect anything good from them.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I also can't sing the blues

Well, obviously stuff like that is always YMMV, but I dunno, things like CYBERZOMBIE or OMG DOG FROM HELL or "there are zombies living in my sewers" or going through the usual (and let's be honest, pretty trite) non-combat motions in the Aztechnology mission just don't excite me anymore.

 

[Infinitron]

OMG DOG FROM HELL or "there are zombies living in my sewers"

Yes, I didn't find those super-interesting either, but those were in minor missions you did in the Kreuszbazar. The actual proper shadowruns were better.

Fighting your way to and out of Humanis Policlub, with all the choice and consequences along the way with the smugglers, etc. The multi-level areas in the Kesselhaus, and er, that building that APEX lived under. Good stuff.

 

[Gord]

Well, not much to argue there about then, I guess.

I found DF atmospheric and fun, so I'm looking forward to another expansion from them. Of course it wasn't perfect by any measure*, so I'm hoping for some more improvements.

* keeping with the Helldog or Ghouls-in-the-sewers examples here, both could have been improved quite a bit. Doggie was not really explored at all and the Ghouls were all choice but no consequences. That one part in the Kreuzbasar late in the game would have been perfect to easily show some consequences of your actions (with the ghouls, the gang in the other Kiez, etc.), yet they did nothing with those choices.

 

[Starwars]

Dragonfall was fucking awesome. Sure, not a big sprawling RPG with C&C (remember when this used to mean Command & Conquer) but it was entertaining as hell. I think I kinda warmed up to mission structure they've got going in Dragonfall (and they just did it plain better). Good variety, fun combat though a bit easy, great writing and a fun story to follow.

I kinda remain skeptical about this one though since, well... They weren't even sure whether they were gonna make it in the first place. So, how will the budget look? If they're not able to top, or at least match Dragonfall, in terms of size and quality it's gonna feel like a disappointment. Hope they can pull it off.

 

[V_K]

Well, while I liked Dragonfall a lot, I can kinda see Bee's point - non-combat interactions were somewhat barebones and simple, and combat was too easy to appreciate all of the options.
However, those final catacombs levels were great in all aspects. If they can do a whole campaign of that quality, we'd have the best dungeon crawl in years.

 

[Infinitron]

Lot of dreamers unaware about diminishing returns in this thread.

Hey, that should be the name of the expansion.

Returns may be somewhat UNdiminished by the fact that Kickstarter backers will have to pay for this one

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

I've seldom seen anything as pathetic.

Go rifle through your GD posts then.

 

[Decado]

I think your knowledge of what tablets are capable of may be a few years out of date, Decado.

There are 3D first person shooters for phones and tablets

Yes, there are now, in 2014, and on the best hardware. In 2011, when HBS formulated the idea for the game, and in 2012 when the kickstarter actually happened, tablets were pretty much for 2D gaming. And they still are, BTW. The nicest looking 3D game for tablets is probably Modern Combat (whichever number they are on now) and while it looks okay, it will drain your iPad super fucking fast. And that's with the newest versions.

There are plenty of graphical limitations to a tablet. Anyone who says otherwise is being obtuse. Jesus Christ I love how quickly we fall into these black holes of ridiculous nonsense.

 

[Decado]

I've seldom seen anything as pathetic.

Go rifle through your GD posts then.

burnsauce.jpg

 

[SuicideBunny]

I think your knowledge of what tablets are capable of may be a few years out of date, Decado.

There are 3D first person shooters for phones and tablets

and yet a somewhat complicated explosion in little inferno is enough to make them bend their knees because they can't compute it.

 

[Infinitron]

The first Modern Combat came out in 2009, and nuXCOM for tablets actually came out before Shadowrun Returns. I'm pretty sure the 2D had little to do with the computational power of tablets.

 

[tuluse]

Remember the original concept was for a top down look, not isometric. It was only when they had raised a certain amount of money they said oh by the way we'll do isometric.

Anyways, I think wanting the tablet audience informed the difficulty, the level design, and the interface.

A lot of other things like no real inventory could be either budgetary or mobile concerns, it's hard to say.

 

[DeepOcean]

The major flaw of Dragon Fall for me was how stats were downplayed and stats checks for the most part were irrelevant. I understand their wanting of not blocking a player progress just because he doesn't have the right build but they could add some interesting side objectives that were dependent of stat checks or place stat checks to give certain advantages to the player. The most insteresting stat checks present were related to rigging but the game was so easy that deactivating or not those turrets had little impact. Another thing that was lacking was the recognizement that it was a party rpg, they could add a few interesting things to do on the missions that required colaboration and a certain party combination to accomplish.

 

[Joni Odin von Hassenstein]

Good news!

I don't get why the Codex thinks Dragonfall to be so much better than the original campagin. Yeah, Dragonfall was fun to play. But, while the mechanics were pretty much the same, the story of the Seattle-campaign was way better!
[Edit] I admit, Dragonfall had at least some choices to offer. Which is good. [/Edit]

 

[tuluse]

I think Zed once described SRR as the best boring game. I have to agree with that sentiment.

I would like to see a Shadowrun game with the structure of Uplink. It would have to have procedurally generated levels though.

I'd also like to see better itemization, and more interesting powers that don't rely on cooldowns for balance.

 

[Morkar Left]

Good news!

I don't get why the Codex thinks Dragonfall to be so much better than the original campagin. Yeah, Dragonfall was fun to play. But, while the mechanics were pretty much the same, the story of the Seattle-campaign was way better!

Depending on the story it's a matter of taste / personal preference. I found the Dragonfall story actually better than DMS. DMS was good, too but fall a bit apart at the end while Dragonfall got better in it's conclusion (but they could have waited some more time before letting the dragon out of the bag, but would have required another game title, too).

 

[Excidium]

Good news!

I don't get why the Codex thinks Dragonfall to be so much better than the original campagin. Yeah, Dragonfall was fun to play. But, while the mechanics were pretty much the same, the story of the Seattle-campaign was way better!
[Edit] I admit, Dragonfall had at least some choices to offer. Which is good. [/Edit]

I don't like Dragonfall story much but it is much more shadowrunny and DMS falls apart halfway through when it becomes a conspiracy to save the world with every named NPC they could dig

Not that Dragonfall wasn't about saving the world either. Their Bioware-tier writers can't think of a better motivation

 

[Sensuki]

Yeah DMS became shit as soon as the murderer showed his face at the scene of the crime, and then even worse when the save the world plot appeared. Up until then it was an okay game (story wise).

 

[t]

Still no news about Dragonfall for android?

 

[Burning Bridges]

This game was so plain and utter shit that I haven't even downloaded my copy of the expansion.
You guys keep telling that I should, but also said Seattle campaign was good, so I don't believe you.
Interactivity for hbs means you run into a room, move the mouse until you realize you can only interact with the table, digest the athmopshere, then click on the table and be teleported into another room.
I'm a bit sad for the combat and style, there was some potential under a mountains of shit. But the stuff in between combat was so bad they should better delete everything and start from scratch.

 

[Infinitron]

You guys keep telling that I should, but also said Seattle campaign was good, so I don't believe you.

Who said the Seattle campaign was good?

P.S. Believe us.