Jason Moyer on 16/3/2009 at 22:55
I don't think a trailer can really demonstrate the primary reasons why Obsidian makes the best RPGs, imho.
Pidesco on 16/3/2009 at 23:01
Quote Posted by Jason Moyer
I don't think a trailer can really demonstrate the primary reasons why Obsidian makes the best RPGs, imho.
Yes. It's like making a preview trailer for chess, or something. But how else are you going to catch the eye of the average gamer?
Ostriig on 16/3/2009 at 23:09
Quote Posted by Jason Moyer
I don't think a trailer can really demonstrate the primary reasons why Obsidian makes the best RPGs, imho.
That's a good point, but I have to wonder just how much in line with their previous titles this Alpha Protocol will turn out to be. In the GT TV interview, I seem to recall one of their reps trying quite hard to get across the point that AP was initially envisioned as primarily an Action game, with the RPG part trailing it. And as much as I love Obsidian for
other stuff, I don't think Action is up their alley. I can't put my finger on it, but the original KOTOR's combat was generally fun, imo, whereas I found TSL's to be a horrible spunkbucket that I'd stick my hands into just for the sake of advancing that compellingly intricate plot.
Pidesco on 16/3/2009 at 23:19
Quote Posted by Ostriig
That's a good point, but I have to wonder just how much in line with their previous titles this Alpha Protocol will turn out to be. In the GT TV interview, I seem to recall one of their reps trying quite hard to get across the point that AP was initially envisioned as primarily an Action game, with the RPG part trailing it. And as much as I love Obsidian for
other stuff, I don't think Action is up their alley. I can't put my finger on it, but the original KOTOR's combat was generally fun, imo, whereas I found TSL's to be a horrible spunkbucket that I'd stick my hands into just for the sake of advancing that compellingly intricate plot.
What are you talking about? KOTOR1's combat was the exact same as that of the second game. Which means both had crap, pointlessly easy combat that was a bore to navigate through. TSL's main fault was that its core gameplay was inherited from KOTOR, which was just dire in the gameplay department.
As for AP, personally, I think it is shaping up to be Mass Effect in the real world, only with combat that doesn't suck, actual action gameplay options like stealth and melee, and overall better writing and roleplaying.
Jason Moyer on 16/3/2009 at 23:35
They could put out a trailer that's nothing but dialog trees showing off the improvements they've made to the ME dialog system and giving away 3/4 of the story, but that would probably suck. It certainly isn't going to sell it to action RPG people who are more interested in having something pretty to look at while they grind away at the skill tree and collect everything they find in the game than the degree of control the player has over the game through character interaction and choices/consequences beyond "WUT DO I HAVE 2 DO TO GET THE JAMES BOND EVIL RENEGADE LESBIAN ENDING?"
Ostriig on 16/3/2009 at 23:55
Quote Posted by Pidesco
What are you talking about? KOTOR1's combat was the exact same as that of the second game. Which means both had crap, pointlessly easy combat that was a bore to navigate through. TSL's main fault was that its core gameplay was inherited from KOTOR, which was just dire in the gameplay department.
As I said, I can't put my finger on it. It's just the impression that stuck with me - could've been an issue of balancing for those same mechanics, or it could've been the position of the moon in relation to the third grain of salt on W's pretzel at that time. Regardless, it's not a point I want to argue any further, since it could well be just a case of my remembering things wrong, I admit.
Quote:
As for AP, personally, I think it is shaping up to be Mass Effect in the real world, only with combat that doesn't suck, actual action gameplay options like stealth and melee, and overall better writing and roleplaying.
You got all that from the trailer? Not that I didn't wish you were right, I do, it's just that the gaming industry's pumped a good dose of skepticism in me over the last couple of years.
Quote Posted by Jason Moyer
They could put out a trailer that's nothing but dialog trees showing off the improvements they've made to the ME dialog system and giving away 3/4 of the story, but that would probably suck.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't contradicting your previous post. Merely stating that if Obsidian goes heavy on the Action elements, I'm not sure just how well they'll turn out.
Pidesco on 17/3/2009 at 00:23
Quote Posted by Ostriig
You got all that from the trailer? Not that I didn't wish you were right, I do, it's just that the gaming industry's pumped a good dose of skepticism in me over the last couple of years.
Not just from the trailer, obviously. I've been paying attention to what's been released about it. From information gleaned from the rare dev words on the game, it seems that the basic premise for the game from the get go was: "let's make a real world RPG, with action gameplay that wouldn't feel out of place in a straight action game."
So in a way I guess you could say it's going to be a third person action game, with a bit more emphasis than usual on different ways to overcome situations, plus the added focus on narrative and character development, typical of Obsidian.
The question is whether they can make the different gameplay approaches varied and deep enough, and whether they can pull off the action gameplay. I think they can, but we'll still have to wait and see.
Zygoptera on 17/3/2009 at 01:17
I only really have two concerns with AP. Firstly whether it's going to get smacked by a logjam of new releases as some of EA's new IPs were last year and secondly whether its going to have TrojanWorks DRM like E: TW. Neither of which are really anything Obsidian can do anything about.
Quote Posted by Ostriig
You got all that from the trailer?
He's a (volunteer) mod over at Obsidz' forums.
