RPG Vault E3 RPG round up

[Vault Dweller]

In case you missed this year's hype show, <a href=http://rpgvault.ign.com>RPG Vault</a> was kind enough to post an <a href=http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/516/516339p1.html>overview</a> of <b>E3 2004</b>

<blockquote><b>Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines</b>:
Troika's upcoming release seemed to draw considerable and deserved attention for its visuals, but the gameplay will be far more important in the long run. A conversation and demo with team leader Leonard Boyarsky reinforced and expanded my already keen interest. The polish and other efforts that go into the game between now and release will determine how good it ultimately is. What I can say at this time is that the components seem to be in place - a very capable developer, an intriguing property, strong technology, etc. - to provide the potential for a truly superior role-playing experience.

<b>Dragon Age</b>
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the show was the fact BioWare showed this project, even on a very limited basis, since release is likely at least two years away. The demo was based on proof of concept work; full details are available in the Dragon Age Preview at Neverwinter Vault. In terms of highlights, the game will be party-based, using a new engine capable of rendering battles with hundreds of participants. The rules system and IP will both be proprietary, the latter incorporating both familiar and original fantasy races. Given the time frame noted earlier, how soon we'll see more information is open to question, but you can bet we'll be watching keenly for each and every tidbit.</blockquote>They even mentioned currently controversial <b>Guild Wars</b>, so you can follow the link and see what all the drama was about.

 

[Spazmo]

I don't see how BioWare announcing a generic high fantasy RPG is a big surprise, but hey, whatever rocks Jonric's boat.

 

[Nightjed]

he didnt mention evil genius, boo!, oh well maybe in part 2

 

[Psilon]

I don't see how BioWare announcing a generic high fantasy RPG is a big surprise, but hey, whatever rocks Jonric's boat.

Especially when it's nowhere near completion. NWN anyone?

 

[Sol Invictus]

Evil Genius isn't an RPG, though. It's an UBERGAME, which surpasses RPGs

 

[Psilon]

Not that it's a bad thing to be such, but Evil Genius strikes me as Dungeon Keeper + NOLF.

 

[DemonKing]

I thought this was funny:

The Bard's Tale
I actually saw this top-down, action-oriented title at a pre-E3 event in late April. Developer inXile is headed by Brian Fargo, who was closely involved in the property's previous incarnation, which included three games, a compilation and an RPG construction set, all released over a decade ago.Much of their appeal was based on the title character, an atypical protagonist who was often sarcastic and not often altruistically inclined. It will be interesting to see if the team can recapture his unique quality and adapt it for today's role-playing audience.


Huh? Since when was the Bard's Tale series based around a single character? All I remember was making 6 characters ala the original Wiyardry games and fighting 4 groups each containing 99 barbarians. If your characters had any personality, it was inside your own head if at all.

 

[Vault Dweller]

... and adapt it for today's role-playing audience.

Judging by the success of Bioware's games, today's role-playing audience doesn't have a clue and would accept pretty much anything.

 

[Nightjed]

Not that it's a bad thing to be such, but Evil Genius strikes me as Dungeon Keeper + NOLF.

What happened with NOLF3 anyway ? im pretty sure they said it was on development when they released that pos of contract jack, dont tell me they canceled it because of jack that would be like fobos all over again. I was hoping to hear something about it after E3.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Not that it's a bad thing to be such, but Evil Genius strikes me as Dungeon Keeper + NOLF.

What happened with NOLF3 anyway ? im pretty sure they said it was on development when they released that pos of contract jack, dont tell me they canceled it because of jack that would be like fobos all over again. I was hoping to hear something about it after E3.

Hey now; Jack was good, but not as good as Cate. Hell, sometimes you get bored with intelligent FPS:es and just fell the urge to pull out the ol' machine gun and blast them fricking italian mobsters. Contract Jack also has some of the best dialogue (well, "speaker-dialogue") I have ever heard/read in a game. It's fun hearing silly american-italian accents on overdrive.

 

[Nightjed]

MAYBE if jack had had enemies with nolf2's quality AI it might have been fun, but no, every move they do is totally scripted.
Jack should have been like hitman(stealthy until you make a mistake and have to take the whole building out), not like serious sam(senseless killing of massive ammounts of dumb enemies that always know where you are like they had e.s.p. or something), and its not even close to serious sam's fun rating.

edit: and btw, that still doesnt answer what happened with NOLF3 ,and they better but that "minion-to-cube" machine in evil genius :D

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Yeah sure the AI sucked, but one cannot deny that the game was entertaining the small amount of time it lasted. I'm not a big fan of the Hitman-games. They look cool and they sound cool, but I just think they're rubbish. The story's good, but other than that... Nah. Making Contract J.A.C.K. into a stealth-game would ruin the FPS-genre more than Half-Life did.

Edit: NOLF3 will happen sooner or later, although I'd prefer if they ended the games. Rest assured; they will because the games don't sell as good as Monolith wanted.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Evil Genius is in development by many, I repeat, many of Bullfrog's former developers. The ones who made Dungeon Keeper 1/2 and not that EA-driven SimThemePark mess of a game. I like to think of it as the spiritual successor to the Dungeon Keeper series with a nice, NOLF-ish style to it. That 60s spy thriller style is never a bad thing!

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Evil Genius is indeed one of my favourites and it's just because it remind me so much of Dungeon Keeper. Wonder which evil henchman will take the role of the Horned Reaper?

 

[Sol Invictus]

Yeah sure the AI sucked, but one cannot deny that the game was entertaining the small amount of time it lasted. I'm not a big fan of the Hitman-games. They look cool and they sound cool, but I just think they're rubbish. The story's good, but other than that... Nah. Making Contract J.A.C.K. into a stealth-game would ruin the FPS-genre more than Half-Life did.

Edit: NOLF3 will happen sooner or later, although I'd prefer if they ended the games. Rest assured; they will because the games don't sell as good as Monolith wanted.

Eh? Wot? Have you been eating crazy crackers?

Games like Hitman, Thief 2 (and hopefully Thief 3) and Splinter Cell offer a lot more than the usual run-and-gun or Rainbow Six-clone games out in the market. I spend most of my time playing stealthy sneakers these days and really not much else. Heck, I dumped my addiction for Lineage 2 and picked up Pandora Tomorrow where I left off. Right now I'm anticipating Thief 3, not only to see if Spector can redeem himself after DXIW (which wasn't an entirely bad game in its own right, provided you ignored the lack of 'real' choices, just one that had the poorest performance I've ever seen with my computer spec) but because I need a new sneaker after I finish Far Cry (mostly run and gun, but some sneaking) and Pandora Tomorrow.

I'd been a helluva lot happier if they made JACK out to be like the Splinter Cell games instead of a dumbed down version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein... without the good AI.

I'd like for you to explain how Half Life supposedly 'ruined' the FPS genre. If anything, I think it spiced it up with a little more than the usual 'kill stuff on every level' game that Doom created many years ago.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Evil Henchman taking the role of the Horned Reaper... mmm. I'd hazard a guess and say that it's probably one of the more unique henchmen out of the Bond movies. (read: one of the guys NOT wearing a jumpsuit) Someone like Jaws, or the guy with the blades in his hat.

 

[Anonymous]

Metal Gear Solid 2 is a good sneaky game if you play on Extreme with no radar (so you actually have to sneak and be catious), you can even take it a notch further and set it to where the game ends if you're ever noticed.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

I'd been a helluva lot happier if they made JACK out to be like the Splinter Cell games instead of a dumbed down version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein... without the good AI.

Right on, dude. Comparing Splinter Cell with Hitman? I rest my case. If they'd make JACK like Splinter Cell I'd be kind of happy. The NOLF-games are parodies on the 1960's spy fascination, mostly the U.S. fascination by the way and I suppose that would be enough for making them into sneakers. Except it wouldn't be any good. Imagine Splinter Cell with mechanic poodles. Now that's a parody.

I'd like for you to explain how Half Life supposedly 'ruined' the FPS genre. If anything, I think it spiced it up with a little more than the usual 'kill stuff on every level' game that Doom created many years ago.

Okay, here goes: The story reeks B-movie. The puzzles are irritating and boils down to pulling levers and moving boxes. The A.I. is bad. Also; I would like someone to explain how in the eternal blazes Gordon can handle all those weapons without getting the extensive training needed. "And today we'll go over the use of this weird alien technology..." Uh, no.

Half-Life destroyed everything that FPS was about; entertainment. Not even Opposing Force, the expansion, could save it from boredom. Basicly, it's a game who's success was made by a certain mod named Counter-Strike.

 

[Anonymous]

To be honest, I thought Half-Life wasnt all it's cracked up to be. Seemed very pretencious and crappy. I think the main reason it got to be so popular was because it was easy to pick up and ran on almost everyone's systems.

 

[Sol Invictus]

If you like run and gun go back to Quake 2, which sucked. That's what FPS are all about, baby. Suckage!

Maybe you'd like Daikatana?

 

[Anonymous]

Doom 2, sir.

 

[suibhne]

Nah - Marathon all the way.

(Someone had to say it, and I feared I might be the only former Mac zealot here. )

 

[Ausir]

Duke Nukem 3D!

 

[Elwro]

Doom II and Blood.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

If you like run and gun go back to Quake 2, which sucked. That's what FPS are all about, baby. Suckage!

Maybe you'd like Daikatana?

Maybe you'd like something uninteresting, unsatisfying and bitter? FPS is all about entertainment. If I want to move boxes around I go play fricking Tetris or whatever.