icemann on 24/3/2019 at 11:27
I recall the early reviews of SS2 being pretty good. First I heard of it was from ign, not being long before the demo came out. That inspired me to go download the demo soon after, and from there my love of SS2 began.
heywood on 24/3/2019 at 13:14
I recall that when SS2 was released, some couldn't get past the low-poly models and level geometry. Others loved the game despite them.
The SS3 teaser didn't impress me. I don't expect a small development team to blow me away with amazing graphics and a super-detailed world. I really don't need that to enjoy a game. I just don't like the look they're going for. But if there is good immsim-ish RPG gameplay I won't care too much.
Anyway, gamers have been spoiled by jaw dropping graphical realism and big open worlds that take huge teams years to create. What Otherside is testing is whether there is a viable market for imm sims without AAA detail. Ascendant wasn't a proper test because it was unfinished and broken at release. So let's see what happens with SS3. If it turns out that the market doesn't want an imm sim without AAA detail, then I think we're screwed, because very few games in this genre can sell multiple million of units at release.
henke on 24/3/2019 at 13:36
Quote Posted by Starker
Thief and SS2 didn't look all that hot either, though.
Nor did Deus Ex, VtMB or Stalker. Prey is a real outlier in how polished and jank-free it was on release, while still being really complex. I'm not expecting System Shock 3 or any other immsim on an indie-budget to live up to it.
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
Were you trying to paraphase Grey Fox from MGS1 just now?
No, I thought I was being original. Didn't realize I was ripping off the comedy stylings of Grey Fox.
EvaUnit02 on 24/3/2019 at 15:33
Quote Posted by henke
Nor did Deus Ex, VtMB or Stalker. Prey is a real outlier in how polished and jank-free it was on release, while still being really complex. I'm not expecting System Shock 3 or any other immsim on an indie-budget to live up to it.
Deus Ex? Yes. Stalker and VtMB1 used graphically cutting edge engines for their time. Bloodlines 1 had better facial animations than a lot of games, even those from the 8th console gen.
Quote Posted by henke
No, I thought I was being original. Didn't realize I was ripping off the comedy stylings of Grey Fox.
(
https://youtu.be/yIW_HG9bzn0?t=446)
froghawk on 25/3/2019 at 02:34
Bloodlines came out on the same day as Half-Life 2 on the same engine and didn't look anywhere near as good...
Sulphur on 25/3/2019 at 06:53
As much as I love Bloodlines, it's despite its graphics and gameplay. Honestly, I wouldn't care half as much if it weren't for the confident writing and atmosphere that permeates the entire thing. Plus, it leavens all of that with a helping of intelligent satire and the dark humour of Fallout - you can tell that Troika loved infusing their work with actual personality. It's a rare, rare thing.
Starker's got a point in that most of the imsims we're fans of had faces only a mother could love, so to speak. Graphics certainly wasn't Deus Ex or Thief or SS2's strong point.
PigLick on 25/3/2019 at 07:03
I'm currently replaying Bloodlines (Malkavian, cos havent done that yet). The graphics have a certain charm, although why they made everyone walk so sexily I dont know.
Pyrian on 25/3/2019 at 07:15
Well, it's VtM, so a sexy walk was mandatory. They ran out of budget to include a normal walk as well. Indeed, it was probably below things like "fix major bugs" and "late game content".
demagogue on 25/3/2019 at 13:53
Quote Posted by Starker
Quote Posted by demagogue
Edit2: Ok, on the topic of henke's question... The System Shock 3 trailer genuinely got me down. They don't have a real budget and the contrast to Prey really makes it noticeable. And I think it might make a difference not only with the look of the game, but with the systems and gameplay.
Thief and SS2 didn't look all that hot either, though.
Ok, this is a good opportunity to clarify something.
Well, I have to step back, as there are multiple points going on here. On the one hand, yes, I did mean straight up eye candy, which Prey has in spades and the SS3 trailer didn't so much. But there's another point lurking in there that I didn't bring out but I should now. Like other people are saying, it's the charm in the look of it, which is more about art direction and heart, for lack of a better word, being put in it. Prey also has that going for it, and so did Thief and SS2 and Deus Ex, and I wasn't feeling it in this trailer. Well not even just charm, but also confidence (I was thinking about that before Sulpher even mentioned it). The SS3 trailer came across as a bit too self-consciously fan-made-team-ish, and I think just by the nature of their enterprise that may be a hard tone to shake.
But I'll grant that all of that's kind of an unfair charge to level against the SS3 trailer at this point because it was an admittedly short trailer that didn't show much; it's still evidently at a very early pre-alpha stage so shouldn't be taken as representative of the final game; and you know they have to show the kinds of stuff they showed because it's probably a Marketing 101 thing. So I won't put too much stock into even my own opinion. I got bad vibes, but they were just vibes at this point, and I've been wrong about vibes before (but I've been right about them too!).
ZylonBane on 25/3/2019 at 15:23
Y'all are crazy. Bloodlines looked fantastic when it came out, and still holds up well graphically even today. Since most of the environments are boxy urban exteriors and interiors, those are inherently going to age well. Maybe some people don't like the heavily stylized approach they took to the character faces, but that was a deliberate artistic choice on Troika's part.