EvaUnit02 on 15/9/2016 at 19:25
Not to be confused with (
http://store.steampowered.com/app/360950/) Descent: Underground by ex-Star Citizen/Freelancer/Wing Commander devs (which is shaping up quite well, actually), (
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=627262447) Overload is being worked on by the original developers from Parallax Software.
Check out this trailer, it looks just like Descent 2 built with modern tech!
[video=youtube;_aFWkbVDrxA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aFWkbVDrxA&feature=youtu.be[/video]
zoog on 16/9/2016 at 10:25
Idea is good, trailer's not. Horizontal, inert, monotone gameplay. Levels might be enlarged from 90s or even get out to surface.
AntiMatter_16 on 16/9/2016 at 16:12
Gameplay looks pretty tight. Definitely has the Descent vibe to it. I'm looking forward to this.
The trailer could use some variety though.
Sulphur on 16/9/2016 at 19:02
It definitely looks like Descent, right down to the flares and the missiles and the chunky exploding robots. But yeah, zoog's got the right idea. Levels are surprisingly still 90s abstract - fair enough, Descent 1 and 2 were all space mines, and that can get boring if you want to make it realistic. Still, it runs the risk of seeming stodgily retro if that's all there's going to be.
hedonicflux~~ on 20/9/2016 at 21:43
I'm optimistic about this, while smartly skeptical for the same reasons zoog is. But that's saying something. This is literally the only 6DoF game I've been somewhat optimistic about since D2. And no surprise, as Matt, Mike, and the team are heading it. I expect something finally true to Descent when this comes out. Now, it's no Inferno (my prospective Descent spiritual successor). But it's obviously not trying to be a radical re-imagining with level design that boldly explores 6DoF spaces in a way never done before. The aesthetic is nice, it doesn't look bloated, and it retains the spirit. But as zoog said, the trailer depicts much too much horizontality in the level design. And they need to get away from gray. All the walls in the trailer are grey. Don't make the mistake D3 did.
Descent: Underground on the other hand was probably the worst news in 6DoF development I've gotten in some time, and that's saying a lot. Pretentious, based on audience-drooling spectacle, and filled to the brim with cheesy audio taunts. Screw Underground, I'll let the masses eat it all up.
zombe on 21/9/2016 at 09:18
The trailer is bland (reminiscent of the darn ol' rookie speed) and focuses solely on base game mechanics. Looks to take what was good in D1/D2 and drop the annoyances of D3 in that regard (*). Did not see variety of level design at all - perhaps too early in dev-cycle for that :/ Makes sense, get your game mechanics fleshed out'n'fun first - looks like the devs know their craft. Promising start.
*)
D3 had more realistic AI - which ended up being very annoying and not challenging (due to scoring hits being just random [AI good at trying not to get hit] with little skill relevance [there is little that skill can do when the most optimum thing you can do boils down to weapon spam]). What one needs in a good game, generally, is good artificial stupidity (AS).
D1/2 in addition to better AS, weapons also had a stunning effect - if you hit one, its ability to get away/retaliate was significantly reduced. Allowing other gameplay elements to shine: avoiding their fire while maintaining ones exposedness and choosing/dealing with the present targets (good AS -> predictability in gameplay flow -> fun (**)) at the same time.
**) A personal, and by far my favorite, example from full clear with zero damage (inc. from touching the walls for simplicity of rules) at highest difficulty challenge runs: remember the blue key room of level 2 in D1? Of course you do :p. Anyway, from personal experience, the best strategy for the whole challenge is to be extremely aggressive - in this case, no peeking the corners and such crap (sooner or later, due to your ship inertia, you will get hit) you just go straight in (even the smallest tunnels have enough space to doge SOME incoming fire - and if you are aggressive enough, SOME is all they can muster). While doing so, nail the green guys (the room is just long enough to do the damage and spacious enough to dodge the blue guys and the initial barrage from greens - just do not bump into walls). Then you have a second or two to finish the weaker blues as more guys show up from below and you just won't have the space left to deal with crossfire. Lots of fun for me at least - judging on the run where to dodge (so, you have where to dodge after that - and after that - and ...) and who to shot at while doing so. Enjoy the fireworks as everything explodes around you where ever you go.
I doubt i am dexterous enough for that nowadays (a joystick might help, but never used one, so doubt i would bother now) - still, would like that kind of gameplay to remain intact. The trailer at least does not exclude it and hints it being preserved.
immho.
Sulphur on 21/9/2016 at 09:35
While I'm not thrilled about this overall, I do love that all the little touches that made up Descent are in there, including the fact that shooting the lava causes massive damage to anything above it. I remember chortling in glee at that when I was a teenager, and I can't help but smile when I see it again now.
hedonicflux~~ on 22/9/2016 at 01:23
For Windoes.
Jason Moyer on 22/9/2016 at 02:22
I didn't ask for this.
