Death comes through weapons, Defeat comes through stronger enemies, but victory comes through Camaraderie..Victory is The Comrade Militia.
The Comrade Militia is a military-style First Person shooter/Third person melee video game based upon an alternate earth and an alternate world war II. The game is told through the story of the Allies' greatest squad and Brothers in Arms...The Comrade Militia.
Featuring an anime-based style akin to the likes of Valkyria Chronicles...The uniform, weapon, and vehicle design will most likely copy that of real-world World War II looks.
The game's story is heavily focused on the members of the so-called Comrade Militia as they will encounter all sorts of experiences that will change their lives forever.
Combat is a mostly traditional experience with the ability to do Third-person melees or takedowns such as using bayonets, knifes, or knocking enemies out by hitting them with rifles. Players will also be able to man turrets, but the main emphasis is on infantry-based combat.
The soundtrack will reflect this by having action music that will keep the player within the experience, and also sound design that will bring the environment, soldiers, and weapons to life while keeping with the art style.
The game will also offer Co-op as you will be able to create your own squad member of The Comrade Militia and also competitive multiplayer where players can also play as the Axis enemies.
That's all I have for now.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
L.O.S.T. Competitive Multiplayer: Pumping and Chucking Ice
So getting into the issue of the competitive multiplayer of L.O.S.T., the game isn't gonna be too flashy with it...but the main emphasis on what will make L.O.S.T. different is of course the destructible nature of the Ice and buildings...Due to the Artic Aliens having no real weapons besides chucking ice and smashing people by breaking down buildings, this is meant as a strategic motive and not just crushing the human team. Due to the more "melee" nature of the Artic Aliens it would be best to use a third-person perspective, given the larger build and bodies the Aliens have.
The humans will of course play almost identical to the campaign variants, the individual classes with specific weapons, the availability of futuristic vehicles, but the consequence being more fragile beings. At this point the whole premise of the multiplayer is of course the "tradeoff". Having bulky ogre-like aliens that can smash and crush people with tons of fun...or have the technological advantage and feel the thrill of taking down larger prey.
The hunt begins in L.O.S.T. competitive multiplayer...
The humans will of course play almost identical to the campaign variants, the individual classes with specific weapons, the availability of futuristic vehicles, but the consequence being more fragile beings. At this point the whole premise of the multiplayer is of course the "tradeoff". Having bulky ogre-like aliens that can smash and crush people with tons of fun...or have the technological advantage and feel the thrill of taking down larger prey.
The hunt begins in L.O.S.T. competitive multiplayer...
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
L.O.S.T.: Bringing the Frostbite
Breaking idea...I know I've mentioned Destructible environments before and the ability for the enemy to use chunks of ice as hurdling weapons to crush the good guys, but wouldn't be cool to have an awesome technical feature while of this is going on...kind of like how EA overemphasizes the power of their Frostbite engine?
Getting back to some of the earlier comments on L.O.S.T.
Ice: The ice the enemy will throw at you will have some nifty features, such as based on the placement and angle the enemy grabs it...it will be shaped accordingly and so well the "hole" creating from "taking" that chunk of ice.
Adaptive A.I. and the Ice: Though this game is meant as a co-op and multiplayer focused game, like Lost Planet there are gonna be times where A.I. is better due to either nobody online or etc. Like the enemy being able to adapt it's battle plan based on your weapon and placement/movement...Ice is a pretty fragile material, and so it would be an awesome technical feat when your A.I. allies had a CQC shotgun tried or accomplished to pump that ice to pieces, but of course it would be better if they targeted the Artic Aliens themselves if they didnt have ice, but after that chunk of ice is in the picture detroying that block of ice is the priority. I am just thinking "out-loud" at this point.
Something to think about.
Getting back to some of the earlier comments on L.O.S.T.
Ice: The ice the enemy will throw at you will have some nifty features, such as based on the placement and angle the enemy grabs it...it will be shaped accordingly and so well the "hole" creating from "taking" that chunk of ice.
Adaptive A.I. and the Ice: Though this game is meant as a co-op and multiplayer focused game, like Lost Planet there are gonna be times where A.I. is better due to either nobody online or etc. Like the enemy being able to adapt it's battle plan based on your weapon and placement/movement...Ice is a pretty fragile material, and so it would be an awesome technical feat when your A.I. allies had a CQC shotgun tried or accomplished to pump that ice to pieces, but of course it would be better if they targeted the Artic Aliens themselves if they didnt have ice, but after that chunk of ice is in the picture detroying that block of ice is the priority. I am just thinking "out-loud" at this point.
Something to think about.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Mobile Ops: The One Year War (PART 2)
I warned you, here comes part 2 of the Mobile Ops Initiative.
Now getting back to the story of Mobile Ops, it would be interesting if the plot took some points from MGS4 and other recent titles, and that is the nature of PMC warfare. It would be a fresh start if the hero and his crew of friends/allies had to fight more than just a direct enemy, and that would be side skirmishes with PMCs hired by the enemy. That being said it would also be a fresh change if the enemy wasn't obvious like in most Gundam stories, and the notion of more westernized political intrigue took over, giving you the sense of a "Gundam Black Ops" pilot. Gundam Wing had a similar flair since most of the pilots in that series were to quick too be widely noticed, and adding a sense of Stealth to gundam for once would counteract the familiar feeling of always having the enemy coming at you while in the open. Like I said before the addition of fighter or tank-only missions would keep the player at a more tactical level instead of an all-out warmachine.
The canon mechs are there since the original gundam did supply models for fighters, tanks, and sniper mecha. It all depends if the mecha could be upgraded to be more limber and agile than just giant clunkers. That and being rid of the need for space warfare would ease the design since space has never been a friendly battlefield in most combat games unless in a RTS setting.
Now with all this tactical and stealth motive the game has, it would be obvious to implement having the main players camouflage-aware. Too many sci-fi stories ignore this all together and have their characters noticable in plain sight, and kudos to Metal Gear Solid for being smart enough to take that out of the norm. Camouflaged Mecha and Individuals are a must to give the game the needed realistic oomph this kind of reboot needs.
Well that's it for part 2...expect more in the future.
Now getting back to the story of Mobile Ops, it would be interesting if the plot took some points from MGS4 and other recent titles, and that is the nature of PMC warfare. It would be a fresh start if the hero and his crew of friends/allies had to fight more than just a direct enemy, and that would be side skirmishes with PMCs hired by the enemy. That being said it would also be a fresh change if the enemy wasn't obvious like in most Gundam stories, and the notion of more westernized political intrigue took over, giving you the sense of a "Gundam Black Ops" pilot. Gundam Wing had a similar flair since most of the pilots in that series were to quick too be widely noticed, and adding a sense of Stealth to gundam for once would counteract the familiar feeling of always having the enemy coming at you while in the open. Like I said before the addition of fighter or tank-only missions would keep the player at a more tactical level instead of an all-out warmachine.
The canon mechs are there since the original gundam did supply models for fighters, tanks, and sniper mecha. It all depends if the mecha could be upgraded to be more limber and agile than just giant clunkers. That and being rid of the need for space warfare would ease the design since space has never been a friendly battlefield in most combat games unless in a RTS setting.
Now with all this tactical and stealth motive the game has, it would be obvious to implement having the main players camouflage-aware. Too many sci-fi stories ignore this all together and have their characters noticable in plain sight, and kudos to Metal Gear Solid for being smart enough to take that out of the norm. Camouflaged Mecha and Individuals are a must to give the game the needed realistic oomph this kind of reboot needs.
Well that's it for part 2...expect more in the future.
L.O.S.T. Ambient Script W.I.P.
Ambient 1: When the player(s) find the ATVs and/or Jetpacks.
Player character(Male/Female): Command, this is ground...We found the ATVs and Jetpacks.
Intel(Female): Affirmative, now make your way to the mining facility. Command out!
Ambient 2: When the player(s) encounter(s) the first alien that pops out from the snow.
Player character(Male/Female): What the heck is that?!
Intel(Female): What's going on down there?! We are getting some seismic activity!
Player character(Male/Female): Some large human-like beast is attacking us!
Intel(Female): Get rid of it, we need to get to the mining facility ASAP! Command out!
Player character(Male/Female): Roger, command!
Ambient 3: When the player(s) defeat the first alien.
Player character(Male/Female): Phew, I hope I don't see another one of those as long as I live.
Player character(Male/Female): Command, this is ground...We found the ATVs and Jetpacks.
Intel(Female): Affirmative, now make your way to the mining facility. Command out!
Ambient 2: When the player(s) encounter(s) the first alien that pops out from the snow.
Player character(Male/Female): What the heck is that?!
Intel(Female): What's going on down there?! We are getting some seismic activity!
Player character(Male/Female): Some large human-like beast is attacking us!
Intel(Female): Get rid of it, we need to get to the mining facility ASAP! Command out!
Player character(Male/Female): Roger, command!
Ambient 3: When the player(s) defeat the first alien.
Player character(Male/Female): Phew, I hope I don't see another one of those as long as I live.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Mobile Ops: The One Year War
So I had this recent craving for a Gundam-esque shooter game. I know that a few years ago Bandai attempted such a thing and called it "Mobile Suit Gundam: Operation Troy" and the state-side name "Mobile Ops: The One Year War"....excluding the fact that the game never made it state-side as well as most gundam games after that. I remember the time when games based on franchises like Gundam were common-place, even in the states, but it seems the american hate for animes at places like IGN have made people like Bandai stay isolated in japan. Leaving quirky games like Front Mission Evolved direct access to the western market, even though Front Mission is no gundam.
The reason for this article is to bring a gundam-esque setting back to the states, on the premise that the story and plot get a significant western overhaul while still maintaining the "anime giant robot" integrity. Given the nature of the original gundam, this ideal will stick to the title "Mobile Ops: The One Year War" for now.
Now if I were to put the vision of this concept in a nutshell, the game's tentative title would be "Tom Clancy's Gundam". Absurd yes but there IS a bridge between the gap, and that is our shared interest in political intrigue and espionage, even though we "stretch" it quite differently. The only issue is finding the perfect median on which these two similar ideals cross paths.
That being said, most if not all J-robot franchises always star a single hero's rise to power. Amuro, Rick Hunter(Robotech), etc. With this kind of cultural backdrop it's hard to picture a mech game that is squad-based, even though people like Rick Hunter who obtain subordinates throughout their anime's story, and the fact that most Mech games have the nature of wanting the player to feel like "a king" of the battlefield. It wasn't til long after playing "Ace Combat 4" that you get the feeling that "YOU ARE ACE COMBAT".
Which goes into the big issue that most western military games are nowadays always team-based. Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, Republic Commando, Bad Company...all of which you're just a piece of the puzzle..not THE puzzle. I think the only Japanese-based game I have played that required team-based thinking was "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War", and even then your wingmen are mostly just there for story purposes and don't really do any killing themselves. The fact of the matter being, will the game have to alienate itself from other mech games and counteract the "Battlefield king" psychological-game mechanic?
Continuing on, is the issue of graphics direction. Most japanese mecha games always result to some japanese-style animation, especially gundam. I think the best median for japanese military graphics were the cutscenes in "Ace Combat 5" Not too cartoony, not too realistic...perfect. This kind of art direction would be perfect for this cross setting and would still give the impression of the japanese nature of the game's roots. That and the mecha themselves looking highly-detailed unlike the washed-out models japanese-mecha are accustomed to would be a perfect companion to this kind of art direction.
= Perfect
Now getting back to the whole "One Year War" thing. I find it quite impressive how the japanese have set up most of their combat stories, not too drawn out and not too short to where you just seem like a nobody in a bigger or smaller picture. I think a "one year war" is a great way of setting up the gameplay for this Gundam 2.0 game. Now that being said, everyone needs to start small, and that's going back to the original anime roots of Mecha. How about that Amuro kid just happening to find a Gundam in the middle of a firefight between the Federation and Zeon? Great character development potential right off...kudos to you Bandai/Sunrise. Now the fact of the matter being, having the character getting "Anime PTSD" by the ending...a little over the top for what the game should aim for in such un-treaded territory.
Now, Front Mission Evolved tried to mix Mecha and "just a person" gameplay, and quite failed at it...if any developer were to want a better example...there's always Lost Planet...they had the person-to-mech switching dead-on IMO. Now given the nature of games like Ghost Recon, you're not going to have all "the cool toys" all the time, and it would be nice to check out more vehicles than just Mecha. Suped up fighters and tanks found in Gundam-esque settings would be nice refreshers for more close-quarters missions.
Well, I think that's about it for now, but don't think there won't be a part 2 to this concept...prepare for more bits and nobs later.
The reason for this article is to bring a gundam-esque setting back to the states, on the premise that the story and plot get a significant western overhaul while still maintaining the "anime giant robot" integrity. Given the nature of the original gundam, this ideal will stick to the title "Mobile Ops: The One Year War" for now.
Now if I were to put the vision of this concept in a nutshell, the game's tentative title would be "Tom Clancy's Gundam". Absurd yes but there IS a bridge between the gap, and that is our shared interest in political intrigue and espionage, even though we "stretch" it quite differently. The only issue is finding the perfect median on which these two similar ideals cross paths.
That being said, most if not all J-robot franchises always star a single hero's rise to power. Amuro, Rick Hunter(Robotech), etc. With this kind of cultural backdrop it's hard to picture a mech game that is squad-based, even though people like Rick Hunter who obtain subordinates throughout their anime's story, and the fact that most Mech games have the nature of wanting the player to feel like "a king" of the battlefield. It wasn't til long after playing "Ace Combat 4" that you get the feeling that "YOU ARE ACE COMBAT".
Which goes into the big issue that most western military games are nowadays always team-based. Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, Republic Commando, Bad Company...all of which you're just a piece of the puzzle..not THE puzzle. I think the only Japanese-based game I have played that required team-based thinking was "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War", and even then your wingmen are mostly just there for story purposes and don't really do any killing themselves. The fact of the matter being, will the game have to alienate itself from other mech games and counteract the "Battlefield king" psychological-game mechanic?
Continuing on, is the issue of graphics direction. Most japanese mecha games always result to some japanese-style animation, especially gundam. I think the best median for japanese military graphics were the cutscenes in "Ace Combat 5" Not too cartoony, not too realistic...perfect. This kind of art direction would be perfect for this cross setting and would still give the impression of the japanese nature of the game's roots. That and the mecha themselves looking highly-detailed unlike the washed-out models japanese-mecha are accustomed to would be a perfect companion to this kind of art direction.
+
Forming into something like
= Perfect
Now getting back to the whole "One Year War" thing. I find it quite impressive how the japanese have set up most of their combat stories, not too drawn out and not too short to where you just seem like a nobody in a bigger or smaller picture. I think a "one year war" is a great way of setting up the gameplay for this Gundam 2.0 game. Now that being said, everyone needs to start small, and that's going back to the original anime roots of Mecha. How about that Amuro kid just happening to find a Gundam in the middle of a firefight between the Federation and Zeon? Great character development potential right off...kudos to you Bandai/Sunrise. Now the fact of the matter being, having the character getting "Anime PTSD" by the ending...a little over the top for what the game should aim for in such un-treaded territory.
Now, Front Mission Evolved tried to mix Mecha and "just a person" gameplay, and quite failed at it...if any developer were to want a better example...there's always Lost Planet...they had the person-to-mech switching dead-on IMO. Now given the nature of games like Ghost Recon, you're not going to have all "the cool toys" all the time, and it would be nice to check out more vehicles than just Mecha. Suped up fighters and tanks found in Gundam-esque settings would be nice refreshers for more close-quarters missions.
Well, I think that's about it for now, but don't think there won't be a part 2 to this concept...prepare for more bits and nobs later.
L.O.S.T. Opening Script
CAMERA: The player character's view comes into focus as he/she is sitting in a large air transport with the hatches open. The player can shift the view to look around the air vehicle. The air transport is making its way to a nearby valley and while on the way the player can make out surrounding snow-covered mountains, valleys, and also blizzards and wind blowing snow across the tops of the mountains. After a brief moment the pilot and intel officer of the air transport speaks about the players' mission.
Intel(Female): Okay, listen up! A few days ago we lost contact with a group of miners who have been drilling for emergency resources for their respective countries. Seeing that due to the international bigwigs getting "cold feet" over an impending ice age, it's critical that we find out what happened to those miners. Your mission is to make your way to the mining facility and confirm if the miners are indeed still alive or dead. We know that at the landing site there are ATVs and Jetpacks left over from the miners that might make your job of traveling easier, so use them to your advantage. Our pilot here will update you on the rest.
Pilot(Male): Yes, ma'am! The only thing I can tell you is that don't expect these mountains to be cake walk. Expect heavy snow on the ground and plenty of falling snow with harsh winds. I can only hope those thick uniforms you have on can help you rough it.
Player character(Male/Female): Roger that. Got an ETA?
Pilot(Male): Well...we're here!
Player character(Male/Female): Figures
CAMERA: The air transport holding the players and NPCs soon lands as the wind starts to pick up with the sight of falling snow following close behind. The pilot then leaves his seat and turns to the rest of the crew.
Pilot(Male): Okay guys, you'll have to hump it the rest of the way, I would find those Jetpacks and ATVs if I were you!
Intel(Female): Okay, everyone out! I will be giving you intel as you make your way to the mining facility once we're airborne again. Good luck!
Player character(Male/Female): Affirmative
CAMERA: The players' characters soon leaves the aircraft with it flying off once all the other players are on the ground.
(end real-time opening)
Intel(Female): Okay, listen up! A few days ago we lost contact with a group of miners who have been drilling for emergency resources for their respective countries. Seeing that due to the international bigwigs getting "cold feet" over an impending ice age, it's critical that we find out what happened to those miners. Your mission is to make your way to the mining facility and confirm if the miners are indeed still alive or dead. We know that at the landing site there are ATVs and Jetpacks left over from the miners that might make your job of traveling easier, so use them to your advantage. Our pilot here will update you on the rest.
Pilot(Male): Yes, ma'am! The only thing I can tell you is that don't expect these mountains to be cake walk. Expect heavy snow on the ground and plenty of falling snow with harsh winds. I can only hope those thick uniforms you have on can help you rough it.
Player character(Male/Female): Roger that. Got an ETA?
Pilot(Male): Well...we're here!
Player character(Male/Female): Figures
CAMERA: The air transport holding the players and NPCs soon lands as the wind starts to pick up with the sight of falling snow following close behind. The pilot then leaves his seat and turns to the rest of the crew.
Pilot(Male): Okay guys, you'll have to hump it the rest of the way, I would find those Jetpacks and ATVs if I were you!
Intel(Female): Okay, everyone out! I will be giving you intel as you make your way to the mining facility once we're airborne again. Good luck!
Player character(Male/Female): Affirmative
CAMERA: The players' characters soon leaves the aircraft with it flying off once all the other players are on the ground.
(end real-time opening)
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Forever and Never: Light Preveals
Recent breaking idea I had at about midnight while "envisioning" more game ideas.
Graphics: semi-realistic anime style similar to FF7:AC and Final Fantasy 13
Premise: Two characters are trapped in a dark, evil version of their world filled with demon knights and horridly twisted characters. The areas around them are pale, dim, and faded with what seems to be no hope of returning to their "light" world. They must trust each other to survive.
Characters:
The boy: A teenage boy who was taken to the dark world only a few hours before "the girl". His only means of defense are a knife and pistol taken from one of the corpses laying on the ground. Dark short hair, black-ish clothing, brown-shoes, and the dark world has given his skin a whiteish-pale tone.
The girl: A younger teenage girl who was taken into the dark world at the beginning of the game and is considered the heroine of the game. She somewhat befriends "the boy" due to his better ability of fending off the enemies who have spawned in the dark world. Blue hair, red clothing, and black shoes and also pale-white tone caused by the effects of the dark world.
Enemies: Mixture of demonic knights and twisted monsters who attack or "feast" upon the "light visitors" who enter their world. The only chance of return for the good guys is to wipe them out....all of them.
Combat: The battling system is comprised of real-time combat. The boy who is the starting character in combat can use his knife to potentially block incoming strikes, and can counter or attack to deal damage to enemies. Timing is everything if players want to survive the ever-impending onslaught of enemy groups.
The girl is the healer that can use magic given to her mysteriously in the dark world, she can also flank the enemy and try to distract them so the boy can get a more precise and timely shot at foes. She also wields a staff that can do long-range attacks, and can even "snipe" enemies from far away due to the real-time aspect of combat.
Combo-drives: The boy when able to score enough hits to fill up his Drive meter, can unleash a special attack called a Combo-drive. The drive allows the player to inflict higher and more frequent damage for a moment while the foes are somewhat suspended in time. Use it to your advantage.
Graphics: semi-realistic anime style similar to FF7:AC and Final Fantasy 13
Premise: Two characters are trapped in a dark, evil version of their world filled with demon knights and horridly twisted characters. The areas around them are pale, dim, and faded with what seems to be no hope of returning to their "light" world. They must trust each other to survive.
Characters:
The boy: A teenage boy who was taken to the dark world only a few hours before "the girl". His only means of defense are a knife and pistol taken from one of the corpses laying on the ground. Dark short hair, black-ish clothing, brown-shoes, and the dark world has given his skin a whiteish-pale tone.
The girl: A younger teenage girl who was taken into the dark world at the beginning of the game and is considered the heroine of the game. She somewhat befriends "the boy" due to his better ability of fending off the enemies who have spawned in the dark world. Blue hair, red clothing, and black shoes and also pale-white tone caused by the effects of the dark world.
Enemies: Mixture of demonic knights and twisted monsters who attack or "feast" upon the "light visitors" who enter their world. The only chance of return for the good guys is to wipe them out....all of them.
Combat: The battling system is comprised of real-time combat. The boy who is the starting character in combat can use his knife to potentially block incoming strikes, and can counter or attack to deal damage to enemies. Timing is everything if players want to survive the ever-impending onslaught of enemy groups.
The girl is the healer that can use magic given to her mysteriously in the dark world, she can also flank the enemy and try to distract them so the boy can get a more precise and timely shot at foes. She also wields a staff that can do long-range attacks, and can even "snipe" enemies from far away due to the real-time aspect of combat.
Combo-drives: The boy when able to score enough hits to fill up his Drive meter, can unleash a special attack called a Combo-drive. The drive allows the player to inflict higher and more frequent damage for a moment while the foes are somewhat suspended in time. Use it to your advantage.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
L.O.S.T.: Land of Snowy Terrain
L.O.S.T.
Land of Snowy Terrain
The game is set on a “land of snowy terrain” inspired by the environments in games such as Star Wars: Battlefront II (Hoth) and Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. L.O.S.T. is a multiplayer and co-op focused FPS focused on immersing gamers into the large-scale arctic “maps” where the game-play will commence.
Some basic features of the game are;
Tessellation: for the mountains, characters, and buildings
Weather effects: Falling Snow and Wind
Vehicles: Air transports, Jetpacks, and ATVs.
Mega Textures: High-quality enormous textures for the environment.
Physics: Things such as buildings and ice are destructible and also enemies popping out of the ice or snow.
Adaptive A.I.: Enemies will respond based on the situation and environment.
Dynamic Fur: The clothing of the characters.
First-Person-Shooting: Semi-futuristic Shotguns, Automatic Rifles, and Sniper Rifles.
Due to these basic requirements the underlying engine will be created in native DirectX 11 (maybe even multi-core CPU support). The story of the game starts on the first map where a group of miners have lost contact with the rest of humanity and the players must investigate either if they are still alive or have died in some mining accident. Players are inserted by futuristic air transports and are given hover-based ATVs and Jetpacks to make their ground travel easier. While on their way to the mining facility players will encounter the game’s enemies who are arctic aliens awakened from the mining activity that had landed on Earth eons ago. Enemies have adaptive A.I. based on the players’ weapons, distance, and movement. Enemies will also try to use the environment to their advantage such as crushing you with broken ice, knocking down buildings, and other physics-based attacks. The game ends by wiping out the remaining stranded aliens before they can attempt to contact their home world.
The campaign should only require a total of three or four maps to keep players engage throughout. The multiplayer will use custom variations of the campaign maps based on the specific competitive game modes. Assault: Humans versus the Aliens-whichever team has the highest kill count wins. System Link: Whichever team hacks the most systems win. Extinction: Stop the aliens from contacting their home world before reinforcements come. Home-front: Aliens must stop the humans from contacting air support.
First Map: A narrow valley where players are inserted through mountains and then land at the beginning of the valley. ATVs and Jetpacks will be available at the starting position, the aliens will spawn from the ice and other hiding places. The map ends when players have secured the mining facility.
Second Map: Players must use Jetpacks to hop across large-sized floating pieces of ice while they traverse a huge river in the hopes of investigating the origins of the enemy aliens. The map ends when they reached the “home” of the alien menace.
Third Map: The crash-site of the aliens, players must get rid of the aliens and destroy the computers on the crashed space-ship if they wish to not have the aliens contacted their home-world. The map ends when they are successful.
REFERENCES:
ALIENS:
HUMANS:
ENVIRONMENTS:
Female: Voice type: Medium-Medium low, Commanding, Tense, british or neutral american accent.
NON-PLAYABLE:
Pilot(Male): Voice Type; Not-gruff, calm, "following" voice.
Intel(Female): Medium-Medium high, calm/neutral, british or neutral american accent.
Land of Snowy Terrain
The game is set on a “land of snowy terrain” inspired by the environments in games such as Star Wars: Battlefront II (Hoth) and Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. L.O.S.T. is a multiplayer and co-op focused FPS focused on immersing gamers into the large-scale arctic “maps” where the game-play will commence.
Some basic features of the game are;
Tessellation: for the mountains, characters, and buildings
Weather effects: Falling Snow and Wind
Vehicles: Air transports, Jetpacks, and ATVs.
Mega Textures: High-quality enormous textures for the environment.
Physics: Things such as buildings and ice are destructible and also enemies popping out of the ice or snow.
Adaptive A.I.: Enemies will respond based on the situation and environment.
Dynamic Fur: The clothing of the characters.
First-Person-Shooting: Semi-futuristic Shotguns, Automatic Rifles, and Sniper Rifles.
Due to these basic requirements the underlying engine will be created in native DirectX 11 (maybe even multi-core CPU support). The story of the game starts on the first map where a group of miners have lost contact with the rest of humanity and the players must investigate either if they are still alive or have died in some mining accident. Players are inserted by futuristic air transports and are given hover-based ATVs and Jetpacks to make their ground travel easier. While on their way to the mining facility players will encounter the game’s enemies who are arctic aliens awakened from the mining activity that had landed on Earth eons ago. Enemies have adaptive A.I. based on the players’ weapons, distance, and movement. Enemies will also try to use the environment to their advantage such as crushing you with broken ice, knocking down buildings, and other physics-based attacks. The game ends by wiping out the remaining stranded aliens before they can attempt to contact their home world.
The campaign should only require a total of three or four maps to keep players engage throughout. The multiplayer will use custom variations of the campaign maps based on the specific competitive game modes. Assault: Humans versus the Aliens-whichever team has the highest kill count wins. System Link: Whichever team hacks the most systems win. Extinction: Stop the aliens from contacting their home world before reinforcements come. Home-front: Aliens must stop the humans from contacting air support.
First Map: A narrow valley where players are inserted through mountains and then land at the beginning of the valley. ATVs and Jetpacks will be available at the starting position, the aliens will spawn from the ice and other hiding places. The map ends when players have secured the mining facility.
Second Map: Players must use Jetpacks to hop across large-sized floating pieces of ice while they traverse a huge river in the hopes of investigating the origins of the enemy aliens. The map ends when they reached the “home” of the alien menace.
Third Map: The crash-site of the aliens, players must get rid of the aliens and destroy the computers on the crashed space-ship if they wish to not have the aliens contacted their home-world. The map ends when they are successful.
REFERENCES:
ALIENS:
HUMANS:
ENVIRONMENTS:
CLASSES:
CQC-Shotgun
Assault: Automatic Rifle
Sniper: Sniper Rifle
CHARACTER TYPES:
PLAYABLE:
Male: Voice type; Commanding, Tense, A bit gruff with a thin accent
Female: Voice type: Medium-Medium low, Commanding, Tense, british or neutral american accent.
NON-PLAYABLE:
Pilot(Male): Voice Type; Not-gruff, calm, "following" voice.
Intel(Female): Medium-Medium high, calm/neutral, british or neutral american accent.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Cyrain Studios: Job Descriptions
Producer: Provides the resources for game creation: Licensing of engines, Distribution methods, and coordinating with publishing rights.
Lead Writer/Designer/Director: Writes the main plot, designs the overall world and essential gameplay mechanics, and Directs the "realities" of that world.
Co-Designers: Assist in maintaining the overall vision and help with designing specific pieces of the world(AKA Maps), design bits and pieces of the gameplay, and keep the direction on-track
Programmers: Knowledge of graphics, gameplay, and script programming to keep the framerates efficient, the gameplay tight, and the cinematic feel on a competitive level.
Artists: Create the Concept Art, Models, Textures, Animation, and Maps of the world, characters, and props.
Composers: Compose music such as themes, Cinematic, and Background tracks that is efficient and epic.
First project: World War 3: Modern Conflict(Action Game)
Playtesters: Ensure the ability of maximum quality of the current project and product. Skillful abilities in Action games required.
Lead Writer/Designer/Director: Writes the main plot, designs the overall world and essential gameplay mechanics, and Directs the "realities" of that world.
Co-Designers: Assist in maintaining the overall vision and help with designing specific pieces of the world(AKA Maps), design bits and pieces of the gameplay, and keep the direction on-track
Programmers: Knowledge of graphics, gameplay, and script programming to keep the framerates efficient, the gameplay tight, and the cinematic feel on a competitive level.
Artists: Create the Concept Art, Models, Textures, Animation, and Maps of the world, characters, and props.
Composers: Compose music such as themes, Cinematic, and Background tracks that is efficient and epic.
First project: World War 3: Modern Conflict(Action Game)
Playtesters: Ensure the ability of maximum quality of the current project and product. Skillful abilities in Action games required.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Cyrain Studios
Okay, let's get cranking on what I want to do when I start up my own game studio.
Studio title: Cyrain Studios(of course)
Producer: Brian McCain(BrioCyrain)
Lead Writer/Designer/Director: Brian McCain(BrioCyrain)
Co-Designers: Yumi Ozaki(mistwalker)
Programmers: ???
Artists: ???
Composers: Depends how much people like Uematsu want.
First project: World War 3: Modern Conflict(Action Game)
Playtesters: Brian McCain(BrioCyrain)
Looks good for now..Hmm...
Studio title: Cyrain Studios(of course)
Producer: Brian McCain(BrioCyrain)
Lead Writer/Designer/Director: Brian McCain(BrioCyrain)
Co-Designers: Yumi Ozaki(mistwalker)
Programmers: ???
Artists: ???
Composers: Depends how much people like Uematsu want.
First project: World War 3: Modern Conflict(Action Game)
Playtesters: Brian McCain(BrioCyrain)
Looks good for now..Hmm...
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sandbox Gaming Ignited: Sakaguchi VS Kojima
Now you're thinking, why a game where Kojima and Sakaguchi are against each other? Well it's the perfect sandbox set up in my opinion. The premise to create a sandbox where the "gods of gaming" can influence and affect the world not through cars or brawls, but with their pure genius game designing powers will give you a sense of unprecedented control.
The game as far as gameplay goes is meant to be a median between pure sandbox games like GTA or etc, and god games similar to Spore, SimCity, or otherwise. Being able to affect the world like a god while being still a vulnerable character is meant to give you a feeling of tactics and intuition. Now you're thinking "Where does the Versus aspect come in?", but it's quite simple actually. Both Sakaguchi and Kojima as competing game developers are out to take full control of the world, using their creative powers to use such powers as spawning game characters to control or scare off NPCs, manipulate the environmental aspects pertaining to marketing(texture control), and first and foremost make the world become "their's".
Now it's quite obvious to me that the environment visually and gameplay wise should be affecting by their actions...Sakaguchi's areas should morph into a more fantasy-esque art direction, while Kojima's areas should look like something out of MGS4 or otherwise...and neutral territory should look like a normal large city similar to Tokyo. The victor is the man who makes the city fully Fantasy or MGS-esque, and making the world "theirs". The suspence of having to maintain or usurp control of the town is where the action begins. Having to fight, persuade, and move your way across town will be the peaks of excitement. Two campaigns and a competitive multiplayer mode is practically essential.
Choose your sides wisely gamers, for there is nothing short of world domination on their minds!
The game as far as gameplay goes is meant to be a median between pure sandbox games like GTA or etc, and god games similar to Spore, SimCity, or otherwise. Being able to affect the world like a god while being still a vulnerable character is meant to give you a feeling of tactics and intuition. Now you're thinking "Where does the Versus aspect come in?", but it's quite simple actually. Both Sakaguchi and Kojima as competing game developers are out to take full control of the world, using their creative powers to use such powers as spawning game characters to control or scare off NPCs, manipulate the environmental aspects pertaining to marketing(texture control), and first and foremost make the world become "their's".
Now it's quite obvious to me that the environment visually and gameplay wise should be affecting by their actions...Sakaguchi's areas should morph into a more fantasy-esque art direction, while Kojima's areas should look like something out of MGS4 or otherwise...and neutral territory should look like a normal large city similar to Tokyo. The victor is the man who makes the city fully Fantasy or MGS-esque, and making the world "theirs". The suspence of having to maintain or usurp control of the town is where the action begins. Having to fight, persuade, and move your way across town will be the peaks of excitement. Two campaigns and a competitive multiplayer mode is practically essential.
Choose your sides wisely gamers, for there is nothing short of world domination on their minds!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
SimEarth: The Ultimate AI Experience
Now you might be thinking about the original SimEarth, that old game where you basically just watched little icons of lizards and that awful polution and then at the end of the nuclear winter your final race goes in a space ship and ends with having an orbital space station...at least the version I remember.
All in all there wasn't much "medling" to be had unlike Spore which seems to be a recent offspring of what SimEarth could have been in recent years, but while Spore had some ground-breaking ideas....the endgame was pretty horrible IMO.
So getting back to what I believe would be a true successor to SimEarth, it would require the greatest AI engine ever made. Yes you would be the god character but the god character shouldn't need to do everything just so the races stay in check(or dont kill themselves).
Basically my premise for the ultimate SimEarth is AI...AI that is not only about figuring out what to do, but AI that takes a virtual-bioligical form. I am talking about Artificial Life, a subject less studied even from AI. The game would serve a revolution in computational biology by using "virtual-dna" to create the basis for each living race, be it animal or humanoid. Characters would virtually be living creatures, having virtual organs, virtual intelligence, virtual social tendencies, and the like. Now in recent yes the Morpheme and Europhoria engines were all about simulating muscles, but only for physics purposes. SimEarth goes beyond that for more of intellectual purposes so the characters would feel "mortal". Being wounded realisticly, be able to evolve their abilities based on their "biology", and other realistic precedences to create the ultimate simulator.
Of course there are other mechanics that I have yet to see be touched personally. Though it's obvious that the race you're bound to get stuck with is the fittest race and one that gains sentience, but after that they usually don't get much smarter besides making stuff. Now with SimEarth they would have the ability to develop their own languages based on an amazing soundwave generator, their own religions or cults, and of course build their own empires....themselves. Of course now you're thinking, "What is in it for me?". Since you are playing "God" you will of course be able to influence the superior race with things such as effecting weather, giving boosts to the underdog or otherwise in a large war, and even creating or preventing natural disasters. Gaia will of course be the spirit of the Earth, and it's easy to say IMO that she'll be your CNN news and give you tips or suggestions on what is favorable on the basis you want to keep your Earth intact.
Now those are outta the way, what would your Earth look like? Well it would make plenty sense to me that you would be able to influence how many continents, islands, and oceans the planet has, by simply tweaking the Land to Ocean ratio during the beginning stages of when your planet is coming into form.Now that you have a greatly diverse looking planet, you pretty much want to see the mile-to-mile eye candy? Well, I agree! If anything SimEarth not only should generate the planet in full-view, but it should be nice that while you are causing havoc or spying on tribes that you have something similar to CryEngine 3 while you're at it!
Now what about endgame? Well, while I'm not sure what it would be like myself, wouldn't be nice that you had more options besides staring at space station and an ice covered planet? I THINK SO!
All in all there wasn't much "medling" to be had unlike Spore which seems to be a recent offspring of what SimEarth could have been in recent years, but while Spore had some ground-breaking ideas....the endgame was pretty horrible IMO.
So getting back to what I believe would be a true successor to SimEarth, it would require the greatest AI engine ever made. Yes you would be the god character but the god character shouldn't need to do everything just so the races stay in check(or dont kill themselves).
Basically my premise for the ultimate SimEarth is AI...AI that is not only about figuring out what to do, but AI that takes a virtual-bioligical form. I am talking about Artificial Life, a subject less studied even from AI. The game would serve a revolution in computational biology by using "virtual-dna" to create the basis for each living race, be it animal or humanoid. Characters would virtually be living creatures, having virtual organs, virtual intelligence, virtual social tendencies, and the like. Now in recent yes the Morpheme and Europhoria engines were all about simulating muscles, but only for physics purposes. SimEarth goes beyond that for more of intellectual purposes so the characters would feel "mortal". Being wounded realisticly, be able to evolve their abilities based on their "biology", and other realistic precedences to create the ultimate simulator.
Of course there are other mechanics that I have yet to see be touched personally. Though it's obvious that the race you're bound to get stuck with is the fittest race and one that gains sentience, but after that they usually don't get much smarter besides making stuff. Now with SimEarth they would have the ability to develop their own languages based on an amazing soundwave generator, their own religions or cults, and of course build their own empires....themselves. Of course now you're thinking, "What is in it for me?". Since you are playing "God" you will of course be able to influence the superior race with things such as effecting weather, giving boosts to the underdog or otherwise in a large war, and even creating or preventing natural disasters. Gaia will of course be the spirit of the Earth, and it's easy to say IMO that she'll be your CNN news and give you tips or suggestions on what is favorable on the basis you want to keep your Earth intact.
Now those are outta the way, what would your Earth look like? Well it would make plenty sense to me that you would be able to influence how many continents, islands, and oceans the planet has, by simply tweaking the Land to Ocean ratio during the beginning stages of when your planet is coming into form.Now that you have a greatly diverse looking planet, you pretty much want to see the mile-to-mile eye candy? Well, I agree! If anything SimEarth not only should generate the planet in full-view, but it should be nice that while you are causing havoc or spying on tribes that you have something similar to CryEngine 3 while you're at it!
Now what about endgame? Well, while I'm not sure what it would be like myself, wouldn't be nice that you had more options besides staring at space station and an ice covered planet? I THINK SO!
Brio Cyrain's FireScore; Stealth Action Streamlined
So this is one of my ideas...WAAAAY back when I was in germany. A stealth action game which was inspired by stealth action game trailers. Roughly-based on the original trailer for Dark Sector my game was meant to also have a sci-fi spin, but after experiencing games like Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell I decided to also take into account more modern mechanics.
The game would also be the third installment of a large line of titles I was meant to produce with my own theoritical studio, easily named Cyrain Studios.The game would use high-tech gadgets, CQC and stealth weapons, and of course a "spy-suit". At the time I was really into quirky title names and dubbed the game "FireScore" due to the premise of having plenty of action and a solid musical score, and the name just sounded cool IMO.
Unlike Splinter Cell where you are finding terrorists or the original plot for Dark Sector where you're confined to space stations filled with dismal-brained goons, FireScore would take place in high-tech enemy corporations who are out to take over the world through conspiracies, but given the futuristic setting the mercenaries and henchmen would also have a variety of nice toys. You advantage would be your gadgets, CQC, and Nanosuit that practically gives you a superhuman presence.
After that is where the idea practically died, seeing how the overwhelming cliche twists the game has...I believed it wouldn't go too far.
The game would also be the third installment of a large line of titles I was meant to produce with my own theoritical studio, easily named Cyrain Studios.The game would use high-tech gadgets, CQC and stealth weapons, and of course a "spy-suit". At the time I was really into quirky title names and dubbed the game "FireScore" due to the premise of having plenty of action and a solid musical score, and the name just sounded cool IMO.
Unlike Splinter Cell where you are finding terrorists or the original plot for Dark Sector where you're confined to space stations filled with dismal-brained goons, FireScore would take place in high-tech enemy corporations who are out to take over the world through conspiracies, but given the futuristic setting the mercenaries and henchmen would also have a variety of nice toys. You advantage would be your gadgets, CQC, and Nanosuit that practically gives you a superhuman presence.
After that is where the idea practically died, seeing how the overwhelming cliche twists the game has...I believed it wouldn't go too far.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Boredom Joke
Note to terrorists and enemy agents, "Don't tick off an elite agent like Sam Fisher"
Side effects include "Busted Skulls, Dead people, and human shields"
Call your doctor if you think you have ticked off such a person.
Don't wait, call now
Call toll free at 1-800-YOU-DEAD
That's 1-800-YOU-DEAD
don't wait, call now
(end commercial)
(phone starts ringing)
"Hello, this is the "Don't tick off an elite agent like Sam Fisher" clinic...how may I help you?"
(dude with russian accent): Um, I just killed this dude's daughter a few weeks ago and now I am getting text messages, emails, and letters from the dude who says he will be here in 5 minutes to kill me
"I see...that's alot of symptoms, have you made sure you have plenty of security systems, bodyguards, and shotguns in your cabinets?"
(dude): Yes, yes...I have all of that, but I saw your commercial and it sounded really promising due to my current situation. Is there any way of your company helping me? I have about 2 suitcases of 1 million dollars each
"Ah, well. We might take it as a down-payment loan, but what are you exactly asking for? We got explosives, rifles, elite bodyguards, etc"
"Well yes, but...hold on a second..(gunfire in the background. I will have to call you back..If I survive that is"
"bye bye"
(clinic): Have a nice day...bye.
(hanging up tone)
Side effects include "Busted Skulls, Dead people, and human shields"
Call your doctor if you think you have ticked off such a person.
Don't wait, call now
Call toll free at 1-800-YOU-DEAD
That's 1-800-YOU-DEAD
don't wait, call now
(end commercial)
(phone starts ringing)
"Hello, this is the "Don't tick off an elite agent like Sam Fisher" clinic...how may I help you?"
(dude with russian accent): Um, I just killed this dude's daughter a few weeks ago and now I am getting text messages, emails, and letters from the dude who says he will be here in 5 minutes to kill me
"I see...that's alot of symptoms, have you made sure you have plenty of security systems, bodyguards, and shotguns in your cabinets?"
(dude): Yes, yes...I have all of that, but I saw your commercial and it sounded really promising due to my current situation. Is there any way of your company helping me? I have about 2 suitcases of 1 million dollars each
"Ah, well. We might take it as a down-payment loan, but what are you exactly asking for? We got explosives, rifles, elite bodyguards, etc"
"Well yes, but...hold on a second..(gunfire in the background. I will have to call you back..If I survive that is"
"bye bye"
(clinic): Have a nice day...bye.
(hanging up tone)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A night being Kojima
Kojima was a poor man, who wanted to be rich. He lived in a broken down house, staring into the night sky. He had a wife and two kids, one being a son and the other a daughter. After supper Kojima was still staring into the night sky, and that is when his luck had changed. A small comet was heading toward the Earth and it would be crashing not far from his house. Kojima then ran to his car and started driving toward the potential landing site of the comet. Desperate to be rich he thought, "If I get there in time, I could sell the pieces of the comet and become rich!" and so with this in mind he drove even faster. The comet was getting closer and closer and so he drove faster and faster. He managed to get there right when the comet smashed into the ground, and was able to sell the pieces immediately. His ego now risen above being a lowlife and poor individual, he found out that his daughter had somehow died during his travel.
His soul now shattered, he knew that he had to go back into the past and rescue his daughter. Using a radioactice piece of the comet, he managed to go back far enough to where it was after supper again. He found out that his daughter had stowed away in the back of his truck and must of gotten hit by a piece of the comet. He rushed to save his daughter from himself and was able to manage to stop the truck before it had reached where the comet landed. Though he wasn't rich anymore his daughter was safe, but he now thought if it was possible to be rich AND still have his daughter?
I had woken up after this crazy dream and thought, "that was pretty dissapointing dream". Then I went back to sleep after thinking, "Then again...IT'S KOJIMA".
The End
His soul now shattered, he knew that he had to go back into the past and rescue his daughter. Using a radioactice piece of the comet, he managed to go back far enough to where it was after supper again. He found out that his daughter had stowed away in the back of his truck and must of gotten hit by a piece of the comet. He rushed to save his daughter from himself and was able to manage to stop the truck before it had reached where the comet landed. Though he wasn't rich anymore his daughter was safe, but he now thought if it was possible to be rich AND still have his daughter?
I had woken up after this crazy dream and thought, "that was pretty dissapointing dream". Then I went back to sleep after thinking, "Then again...IT'S KOJIMA".
The End
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Jedis and Commandos: What if Sakaguchi and Kojima both worked together on a Star Wars game?
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
...Star Wars games have been hit and miss ever since the creation of LucasArts; the gaming division of LucasFilm and the George Lucas Empire, starting with the old-school SNES or likewise games based on the original three movies, and ending with games like Battlefront, KOTOR, and the horrid Force Unleashed series. It goes without saying that most of the "true movie-based" titles were nothing more than shovel-ware, the old 2D ones seeming to be practically impossible to beat, and likewise with the new renditions of the prequels.
Star Wars gaming shined brightest when the developers weren't limited to individual bits and pieces of the universe: Republic Commando being a side-story, Battlefront encompassing the franchise as a whole in shooter form, and the "KOTOR" series being an even further back prequel with its unique emphasis on player decisions. All three franchises became popular and were quite enjoyed by both star wars and non-star wars fans.
The problem began when the co-developers behind games like Battlefront and KOTOR ended up abandoning Star Wars and LucasArts. Pandemic left to create a Battlefront-esque Lord of the Rings game for EA, but ended up shutting down after the title horribly bombed, and also BioWare left the KOTOR franchises to create Mass Effect and Dragon Age for both EA and in some cases Microsoft.
After this predicament it seems LucasArts made things worse with the shovel-ware hit "The Force Unleashed", claimed to be the best-selling Star Wars game to date, though many of the true star wars fans have done nothing but ignore the series as a whole. The sequel being termed as a short "expansion pack" and the gameplay repetitive, it seems LucasArts have dug them into an almost inescapable pit. Thus it's about time someone or some group came in to save the day.
It will take someone like Sakaguchi and Kojima to save the day with their industry experience and superior genius. That said you might think me as madman for picking these two, but it will all make sense by the end of this article.
A perfect fit don’t you think?
THE PREMISE:
Now I haven't anything truly against the deviant madness that Pandemic and BioWare had bestowed on the Star Wars Universe, but their mechanics were used far before they created Battlefront and KOTOR. Star Wars: Battlefront was nothing more than BATTLEFIELD: STAR WARS, and BioWare's "pick a choice and change the game" was invented way back in games like Tactics Ogre. That being said both game franchises were popular, enjoyable, and finally gave Star Wars gaming something to brag about.
The issue being, there should be more to games than just a "tried-and-true" mechanic that makes the game fun, and games like Battlefront needed to evolve to become a more unique figure that should feature "Star Wars-only" mechanics. There was the chance for a proper "Battlefront 3" that had this sort of growth for the series, but the developer known as "Free Radical" ended up shutting down as well. The series is or was degraded to horrible PSP and/or DS ports, practically killing the franchise for good.
BioWare has done no better as they've returned to the KOTOR franchise, but with an over-budget MMORPG that's costing them over 100+ million dollars to produce. Fans have wanted no more than a proper KOTOR 3 game, but it seems BioWare has done nothing but overkill the situation.
Also the fact that the one-time Republic Commando game that was also extremely popular seems to have no hopes of a sequel. It is a dark day in the world of Star Wars gaming, and we need Sakaguchi and Kojima to create a new ground-breaking Star Wars IP.
REVIVAL:
Sakaguchi and Kojima know MORE than a thing or two about their respective fields; Immersive RPGs and Tactical Stealth Action games. Now that we have that out of the way, would you be surprised that Star Wars had these sorts of features...IN THE MOVIES? Just picture instead of a sword or tranquilizer gun, change it to a lightsaber and laser rifle. Boom, first problem solved!
Now what of the game's overall design and how exactly could Kojima and Sakaguchi benefit it? Well, we all know Sakaguchi is a master of story-telling, and creating great characters. One of Star Wars greatest strengths is its story and awesome characters, also on a note if the game will utilize characters with lightsabers (which it most definitely will): we need someone who knows a thing or two about swordplay and the whole "mystical" stuff. Kojima is a given seeing how the second half of Star Wars is basically espionage and combat. I mean the first movie starts off with spies and stolen battle plans, and guns blasting everything! I mean what else do you need to get for an action-element working in the game? Also the fact that Raiden is a slice and dice maniac, Kojima could have a hand in the lightsaber action also.
There's also the fact that there are things Kojima and Sakaguchi have in common that are essential for an amazing Star Wars IP; both love character development and dialogue. There's plenty of it in the Star Wars movies so having story-junkies such as Kojima and Sakaguchi are a natural fit. As long as they mostly stick to the star wars lingo it should be nothing short of perfect, the only issue now being the backdrop and timeline that the game would take place.
PROPOSAL #1:
Obviously there's always multiple ways of doing things, and the first option would be an alternate side-story. Knowing full well that Republic Commando was an amazing game, it would be the first line of defense for the new IP. A squad of Rebel Commandos fighting skirmishes and completing missions while people like Luke takes all the fame. The Rebel Commandos would sport mechanics like CQC, Snake-like tactics, and electronic-swords that worked similar to lightsabers. Of course with this in mind there should be opportunities for local and online co-op, albeit not "forced" to where a lone player is left frustrated at times. Also the possibility for competitive online matching should definitely to be taken advantage of.
PROPOSAL #2:
One thing’s for sure, and it is that there are enough if not too many prequels to the original movies. Let's go with something that has been only done really in book-form...Sequels! It would be nice to give the game a clean slate with the possible war-ridden scenarios of the future, a time after the destruction of the Empire. From what books I read the Jedi are now back in full abundance and there's deceit to be had in the newly-restored republic. If there is anything that Sakaguchi and Kojima CAN do, it is making suspenseful plot twists and making a game exciting. The premise to begin a Star Wars IP with an emotional potency is what games like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear are about, and something this duo of geniuses is best at accomplishing, the characters being fully capable of welding both Jedi powers and lightsabers with also characters who could use guns and other weapons. The possibilities are endless!
PROPOSAL #3:
Now there is always the safest best for this proposal, and go with the most logical approach. This would mean recreating the original trilogy in video-game form. As I said earlier the original script and scenario had the attributes of an immersive RPG that had "shared" mechanics of a tactical stealth action game. Instead of just a redundant movie-game that had cheap snippets of gameplay, it would be a fully-realized gameplay-universe which gives players an interactive alternate "look" of what was going on. Gamers would have a "main hub" in which they could "witness" immersive tidbits of the original universe. Of course this would require access to George Lucas' original scripts and what-not, but it's definitely something that has to be experimented with!
What Saka/Jima can learn from Pandemic/BioWare:
There were a few things that BioWare and Pandemic got right that Sakaguchi and Kojima can use; and that is making the game accessible to people outside of the Star Wars "fan club". BioWare made their games intriguing with KOTOR's immersive mechanics, Pandemic made Star Wars a fun shooter experience with Battlefront. If anything Sakaguchi and Kojima should look to their Star Wars predecessors while determining which of the three (or so) proposals the best choice is. Star Wars territory is not to be treaded lightly, if anything it is almost like entering the emperor's throne room before the last battle of the final movie.
Good luck to you Sakaguchi and Kojima!
CLOSING COMMENTS:
So I am still a madman and it still doesn't make sense, but hopefully I was able to influence at least some of you with my argument. In my opinion Sakaguchi and Kojima are the most capable in this dire situation...what are you top picks for the revival of Star Wars gaming?
Also...
Until Next Time!
...Star Wars games have been hit and miss ever since the creation of LucasArts; the gaming division of LucasFilm and the George Lucas Empire, starting with the old-school SNES or likewise games based on the original three movies, and ending with games like Battlefront, KOTOR, and the horrid Force Unleashed series. It goes without saying that most of the "true movie-based" titles were nothing more than shovel-ware, the old 2D ones seeming to be practically impossible to beat, and likewise with the new renditions of the prequels.
Star Wars gaming shined brightest when the developers weren't limited to individual bits and pieces of the universe: Republic Commando being a side-story, Battlefront encompassing the franchise as a whole in shooter form, and the "KOTOR" series being an even further back prequel with its unique emphasis on player decisions. All three franchises became popular and were quite enjoyed by both star wars and non-star wars fans.
The problem began when the co-developers behind games like Battlefront and KOTOR ended up abandoning Star Wars and LucasArts. Pandemic left to create a Battlefront-esque Lord of the Rings game for EA, but ended up shutting down after the title horribly bombed, and also BioWare left the KOTOR franchises to create Mass Effect and Dragon Age for both EA and in some cases Microsoft.
After this predicament it seems LucasArts made things worse with the shovel-ware hit "The Force Unleashed", claimed to be the best-selling Star Wars game to date, though many of the true star wars fans have done nothing but ignore the series as a whole. The sequel being termed as a short "expansion pack" and the gameplay repetitive, it seems LucasArts have dug them into an almost inescapable pit. Thus it's about time someone or some group came in to save the day.
It will take someone like Sakaguchi and Kojima to save the day with their industry experience and superior genius. That said you might think me as madman for picking these two, but it will all make sense by the end of this article.
A perfect fit don’t you think?
THE PREMISE:
Now I haven't anything truly against the deviant madness that Pandemic and BioWare had bestowed on the Star Wars Universe, but their mechanics were used far before they created Battlefront and KOTOR. Star Wars: Battlefront was nothing more than BATTLEFIELD: STAR WARS, and BioWare's "pick a choice and change the game" was invented way back in games like Tactics Ogre. That being said both game franchises were popular, enjoyable, and finally gave Star Wars gaming something to brag about.
The issue being, there should be more to games than just a "tried-and-true" mechanic that makes the game fun, and games like Battlefront needed to evolve to become a more unique figure that should feature "Star Wars-only" mechanics. There was the chance for a proper "Battlefront 3" that had this sort of growth for the series, but the developer known as "Free Radical" ended up shutting down as well. The series is or was degraded to horrible PSP and/or DS ports, practically killing the franchise for good.
BioWare has done no better as they've returned to the KOTOR franchise, but with an over-budget MMORPG that's costing them over 100+ million dollars to produce. Fans have wanted no more than a proper KOTOR 3 game, but it seems BioWare has done nothing but overkill the situation.
Also the fact that the one-time Republic Commando game that was also extremely popular seems to have no hopes of a sequel. It is a dark day in the world of Star Wars gaming, and we need Sakaguchi and Kojima to create a new ground-breaking Star Wars IP.
REVIVAL:
Sakaguchi and Kojima know MORE than a thing or two about their respective fields; Immersive RPGs and Tactical Stealth Action games. Now that we have that out of the way, would you be surprised that Star Wars had these sorts of features...IN THE MOVIES? Just picture instead of a sword or tranquilizer gun, change it to a lightsaber and laser rifle. Boom, first problem solved!
Now what of the game's overall design and how exactly could Kojima and Sakaguchi benefit it? Well, we all know Sakaguchi is a master of story-telling, and creating great characters. One of Star Wars greatest strengths is its story and awesome characters, also on a note if the game will utilize characters with lightsabers (which it most definitely will): we need someone who knows a thing or two about swordplay and the whole "mystical" stuff. Kojima is a given seeing how the second half of Star Wars is basically espionage and combat. I mean the first movie starts off with spies and stolen battle plans, and guns blasting everything! I mean what else do you need to get for an action-element working in the game? Also the fact that Raiden is a slice and dice maniac, Kojima could have a hand in the lightsaber action also.
There's also the fact that there are things Kojima and Sakaguchi have in common that are essential for an amazing Star Wars IP; both love character development and dialogue. There's plenty of it in the Star Wars movies so having story-junkies such as Kojima and Sakaguchi are a natural fit. As long as they mostly stick to the star wars lingo it should be nothing short of perfect, the only issue now being the backdrop and timeline that the game would take place.
PROPOSAL #1:
Obviously there's always multiple ways of doing things, and the first option would be an alternate side-story. Knowing full well that Republic Commando was an amazing game, it would be the first line of defense for the new IP. A squad of Rebel Commandos fighting skirmishes and completing missions while people like Luke takes all the fame. The Rebel Commandos would sport mechanics like CQC, Snake-like tactics, and electronic-swords that worked similar to lightsabers. Of course with this in mind there should be opportunities for local and online co-op, albeit not "forced" to where a lone player is left frustrated at times. Also the possibility for competitive online matching should definitely to be taken advantage of.
PROPOSAL #2:
One thing’s for sure, and it is that there are enough if not too many prequels to the original movies. Let's go with something that has been only done really in book-form...Sequels! It would be nice to give the game a clean slate with the possible war-ridden scenarios of the future, a time after the destruction of the Empire. From what books I read the Jedi are now back in full abundance and there's deceit to be had in the newly-restored republic. If there is anything that Sakaguchi and Kojima CAN do, it is making suspenseful plot twists and making a game exciting. The premise to begin a Star Wars IP with an emotional potency is what games like Final Fantasy and Metal Gear are about, and something this duo of geniuses is best at accomplishing, the characters being fully capable of welding both Jedi powers and lightsabers with also characters who could use guns and other weapons. The possibilities are endless!
PROPOSAL #3:
Now there is always the safest best for this proposal, and go with the most logical approach. This would mean recreating the original trilogy in video-game form. As I said earlier the original script and scenario had the attributes of an immersive RPG that had "shared" mechanics of a tactical stealth action game. Instead of just a redundant movie-game that had cheap snippets of gameplay, it would be a fully-realized gameplay-universe which gives players an interactive alternate "look" of what was going on. Gamers would have a "main hub" in which they could "witness" immersive tidbits of the original universe. Of course this would require access to George Lucas' original scripts and what-not, but it's definitely something that has to be experimented with!
What Saka/Jima can learn from Pandemic/BioWare:
There were a few things that BioWare and Pandemic got right that Sakaguchi and Kojima can use; and that is making the game accessible to people outside of the Star Wars "fan club". BioWare made their games intriguing with KOTOR's immersive mechanics, Pandemic made Star Wars a fun shooter experience with Battlefront. If anything Sakaguchi and Kojima should look to their Star Wars predecessors while determining which of the three (or so) proposals the best choice is. Star Wars territory is not to be treaded lightly, if anything it is almost like entering the emperor's throne room before the last battle of the final movie.
Good luck to you Sakaguchi and Kojima!
CLOSING COMMENTS:
So I am still a madman and it still doesn't make sense, but hopefully I was able to influence at least some of you with my argument. In my opinion Sakaguchi and Kojima are the most capable in this dire situation...what are you top picks for the revival of Star Wars gaming?
Also...
Until Next Time!
Monday, September 13, 2010
LOST PLANET: EXTREME CONDITION REVIEW
Well I have been avoiding this game for years now due to absolutely loathing the demo, but after quite enjoying the Co-op and Multiplayer demos of the sequel Lost Planet 2 which I plan to get the PC version I decided to give the demo of the original a chance and to my surprise I was able to finish it. Thus I finally broke down and bought it and to my surprise the full game is much more forgiving than the demo.
For those who play the demo the first couple of missions are just extended versions of the demo so they are quite familiar, and at this point the story is sluggish at best. The game (at least on EASY) seems to have a checkpoint system so if the Boss of a mission kills you usually you just whined up at the beginning of the battle. The bosses can be quite intense given your rig bottlenecks due to the massive DX10 features that might sink your resources. I found myself switching DX10 features on and off to give me an advantage during gameplay.
The missions are a mix of fighting the alien menace known as the "Akrid" that form most of the enemies and bosses. Though you will find a small handful of human "mechs" that will be quite challenging as well and the human enemy assortment of "snow pirates" and "NEVEC". By the end of the game the story picks up rapidly to the point of being (IMO) quite interesting (given you can handle "Anime/Japanese" stories).
As a character you will find yourself switching between the "person" and the Vital Suits (aka "Mechs"), and the game utilizes a "Thermal Energy" or "T-ENG" system of restoring health and such. Though let your T-ENG deplete to zero and the cold environment will suck at your life and eventually kill you. Bosses and enemies will take off life which will auto-restore using your Thermal Energy but given certain bosses the VSes will suck on your T-ENG so it's best to see this as "Motivation" to give your enemies the quickest death possible.
Your weapons come in a very generic assortment. Machine Guns, (Sniper) Rifles, Laser (Sniper) Rifles, Shotguns, Rocket Launchers, and a few types of grenades. VSes also have interchangeable weaponry that as a person you can actually use yourself or detach or attach to the VSes (I actually defeated a boss after he destroyed 3 of my mechs so I ended up stealing the VS Grenade Launcher and killing him as a person).
All in All the game is good fun given you can make out the Bosses weakspots without much help from the NPCs, and the Story has its shining moments by the end.
In My Opinion?
9 out of 10
The game is rather cheap now too.
For those who play the demo the first couple of missions are just extended versions of the demo so they are quite familiar, and at this point the story is sluggish at best. The game (at least on EASY) seems to have a checkpoint system so if the Boss of a mission kills you usually you just whined up at the beginning of the battle. The bosses can be quite intense given your rig bottlenecks due to the massive DX10 features that might sink your resources. I found myself switching DX10 features on and off to give me an advantage during gameplay.
The missions are a mix of fighting the alien menace known as the "Akrid" that form most of the enemies and bosses. Though you will find a small handful of human "mechs" that will be quite challenging as well and the human enemy assortment of "snow pirates" and "NEVEC". By the end of the game the story picks up rapidly to the point of being (IMO) quite interesting (given you can handle "Anime/Japanese" stories).
As a character you will find yourself switching between the "person" and the Vital Suits (aka "Mechs"), and the game utilizes a "Thermal Energy" or "T-ENG" system of restoring health and such. Though let your T-ENG deplete to zero and the cold environment will suck at your life and eventually kill you. Bosses and enemies will take off life which will auto-restore using your Thermal Energy but given certain bosses the VSes will suck on your T-ENG so it's best to see this as "Motivation" to give your enemies the quickest death possible.
Your weapons come in a very generic assortment. Machine Guns, (Sniper) Rifles, Laser (Sniper) Rifles, Shotguns, Rocket Launchers, and a few types of grenades. VSes also have interchangeable weaponry that as a person you can actually use yourself or detach or attach to the VSes (I actually defeated a boss after he destroyed 3 of my mechs so I ended up stealing the VS Grenade Launcher and killing him as a person).
All in All the game is good fun given you can make out the Bosses weakspots without much help from the NPCs, and the Story has its shining moments by the end.
In My Opinion?
9 out of 10
The game is rather cheap now too.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Kudos to Ubisoft
Quite honestly I don't recall making a Forum account yet I already had one. I just wanted to say Kudos to Ubisoft for making GRFS.
Quite honestly I'm tired of all the WWII and Modern rehashes that have been done to death now...and seeing Ghost Recon move closer into the future is a fresh step thanks to basing it on realistic prototypes.
Quite honestly after hearing about the Wii version of Ghost Recon and catching my eye with the 2 player co-op I decided to again research the Ghost Recon franchise. The Wii version looks very fun and Future Soldier has blown me and many of my friends away with its presentatiion.
Watching the E3 Demo with a few of my friends we were amazed by the graphics to the point we came away impressed. One of my friends who isn't even really into shooters is now wanting the game due to shear originality this game holds. The mixture of stealth, technology, tactics, visuals, and other aspects IMO is nowhere else on the market.
Quite frankly I'm at a loss for those who think this game has "no tactics"...quite honestly I and my friends agree that the E3 gameplay was nothing but tactical prowless. I have yet to see any "run and gun" and "full-out action" in any of the videos. If you were to pick up a game like MW2 or BC2 with tanks and choppers blowing everything to smitherings then I can agree with the run and gun antics.
Heck this game presents a level of realism few games have...I've heard people compare it to other "command-based" games...but quite frankly due you see a real soldier popping a menu in front of him...no. I've lived in the military my whole live and I tell you for a fact Ghost Recon is more along "the real army" than most other games...CQC is very much in use in the real army and melee takedowns are standard in the army now.
If you were to ask my Dad who has served in the army for years now he would say Ghost Recon is definitely more along the lines of what actually goes on in real combat. Heck if you were ever to watch a video on how SWAT teams do stuff most of their situations are CQC. And to think SWAT stands for "Special Weapons and Tactics".
That all being said I'm not trying to change your guys opinions but I believe Ubisoft has done amazing job of bringing shooters to the next level and presenting an experience that nobody else has attempted to do. I understand that the series has made by some drastic changes but IMO FS is looking bright for many people I know who have been waiting for a game like this.
Good day everyone.
Quite honestly I'm tired of all the WWII and Modern rehashes that have been done to death now...and seeing Ghost Recon move closer into the future is a fresh step thanks to basing it on realistic prototypes.
Quite honestly after hearing about the Wii version of Ghost Recon and catching my eye with the 2 player co-op I decided to again research the Ghost Recon franchise. The Wii version looks very fun and Future Soldier has blown me and many of my friends away with its presentatiion.
Watching the E3 Demo with a few of my friends we were amazed by the graphics to the point we came away impressed. One of my friends who isn't even really into shooters is now wanting the game due to shear originality this game holds. The mixture of stealth, technology, tactics, visuals, and other aspects IMO is nowhere else on the market.
Quite frankly I'm at a loss for those who think this game has "no tactics"...quite honestly I and my friends agree that the E3 gameplay was nothing but tactical prowless. I have yet to see any "run and gun" and "full-out action" in any of the videos. If you were to pick up a game like MW2 or BC2 with tanks and choppers blowing everything to smitherings then I can agree with the run and gun antics.
Heck this game presents a level of realism few games have...I've heard people compare it to other "command-based" games...but quite frankly due you see a real soldier popping a menu in front of him...no. I've lived in the military my whole live and I tell you for a fact Ghost Recon is more along "the real army" than most other games...CQC is very much in use in the real army and melee takedowns are standard in the army now.
If you were to ask my Dad who has served in the army for years now he would say Ghost Recon is definitely more along the lines of what actually goes on in real combat. Heck if you were ever to watch a video on how SWAT teams do stuff most of their situations are CQC. And to think SWAT stands for "Special Weapons and Tactics".
That all being said I'm not trying to change your guys opinions but I believe Ubisoft has done amazing job of bringing shooters to the next level and presenting an experience that nobody else has attempted to do. I understand that the series has made by some drastic changes but IMO FS is looking bright for many people I know who have been waiting for a game like this.
Good day everyone.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Console Wars: The Balance of Power
I was prompted to make this blog post on account of someone liking my "console war" system. Thus is as follows:
PS1 and N64:
PS1: RPGs and some measly platforming
N64: prefered platforming and SHOOTERS.
PS2, Gamecube, PC, and Xbox:
PS2: RPGs, Platformers, and lame Shooter ports
Gamecube: Platforming, Adventure, and plenty of lame ports(RPGs and Shooters alike)
Xbox: W-RPGs and SHOOOOTEERS.
PC: MMO(FTW?)
PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, and PC:
PS3: JRPGS, Lame W-Shooter ports, J-Shooters, and plenty of platforming.
Xbox 360: Lame JRPGs(ports also), W-RPGs, SHOOOTEERS, and some odd platforming.
Wii: EVERYTHING
PC: Coughing to death just to get a single game*(even ports for that matter)
PSP and DS:
PSP: RPGS(Yay!), Shooters(need second analog!), Platforming(Sokay).
DS: RPGs(Meh), Shooters(sokay), and Platforming(The only Redeeming factor).
That's it for now.
PS1 and N64:
PS1: RPGs and some measly platforming
N64: prefered platforming and SHOOTERS.
PS2, Gamecube, PC, and Xbox:
PS2: RPGs, Platformers, and lame Shooter ports
Gamecube: Platforming, Adventure, and plenty of lame ports(RPGs and Shooters alike)
Xbox: W-RPGs and SHOOOOTEERS.
PC: MMO(FTW?)
PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, and PC:
PS3: JRPGS, Lame W-Shooter ports, J-Shooters, and plenty of platforming.
Xbox 360: Lame JRPGs(ports also), W-RPGs, SHOOOTEERS, and some odd platforming.
Wii: EVERYTHING
PC: Coughing to death just to get a single game*(even ports for that matter)
PSP and DS:
PSP: RPGS(Yay!), Shooters(need second analog!), Platforming(Sokay).
DS: RPGs(Meh), Shooters(sokay), and Platforming(The only Redeeming factor).
That's it for now.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
DRONES; Nobodies with skill and Outsource studios!
After having about a 2+ hour conversation on MSN with a couple of my friends. I was reading the main page of the Mistwalker site and couldn't help but take it out of context.
We strive to create and produce the highest quality games,
including plot/script, system design, conceptual art and 3D graphics.
We hope you will enjoy our games and our heart warming message will reach you.
Now mistwalker is a great company and all, but the bold letters sound like they are advertising services as an OUTSOURCING company. Lo and behold when that 2+ hour conversation started by taking the bold phrases out of context. I am quite familiar myself with outsourcing companies during my research of the animation and game development industries. The word "DRONE(S)" come to mind since these companies are practically filled with what they call themselves "Nobodies", but quite frankly they are "Nobodies with Skills".
The thought also occured to me with mistwalker is when my friend Yumi Ozaki used the terms "Mr. Sakaguchi" and "I'm nobody". Mr. Sakaguchi seems to be the only driving force behind mistwalker and people like Ozaki and others under him are "Nobodies" who just do the work Sakaguchi drives them to do. During one of those conversations a programmer I know said Lionhead Studios under Microsoft is the same way...A man by the name of Peter Molynuex practically runs the studio all by himself with his coworkers being "Drone-like Minions" who wait on paw and knee for him to call the shots.
What happens is when a company lacks a driving director such as Sakaguchi or Peter they become a "Drone Company". Which Drone Companies usually form into "Outsourcing" companies that crave direction and purpose under a project giving by a "Mr" or "Mrs" superior. Outsourcing gives them purpose, it gives them money, and the continue to do their respective skills and jobs as "drones".
Personally I remember writing a script for an "Azumanga Daioh" fandub, I decided to insert a family injoke and asked if the producer had issues with it. They didn't mind it AT ALL and when the video was done I found out they played the main character and the injoke appeared which appealed to me and the rest of the script was fantastic with nobody mentioning complaints against the injoke.
Fast forward for me putting a "writer available" ad on gamedev.net and a programmer who wanted to make an XNA RPG for the Xbox 360 indie service came to me and wanted to me to write for his RPG...I find out he didn't want me to write FOR his RPG...but his WHOLE RPG quite frankly. He seemed to be another victim of droning and gave me full control over the story and he would just program and design based around the plot I would create. I wrote quite a bit of the story and took the challenge but the programmer had to leave and the project ended, with practically no feedback or complaints from him on the story.
A came across an Animation ad from an Outsourcing company out of China on forums.awn.com and it goes like this;
http://forums.awn.com/showthread.php?t=12726
EasternMiracle is a digital content production company specializing in 3D and 2D animation and VFX post production. (Our website www.easternmiracle.com Look forward to your visit and exchange)
EasternMiracle is one of the largest and highest quality digital animation and VFX studios in China. We provide quality, yet inexpensive, animation production and consulting services to overseas digital entertainment companies such as television and film production companies, game developers, as well as advertising agencies in production of their television commercials and other digital needs. We provide production services in conceptual design art, modelling, rigging, texturing, animation, cinematics and digital effects to our clients in USA, UK, Germany, Norway, Australia and China give them an edge over their competitors.
Chinese artists recruited locally are well trained by experienced western talents who raise the Chinese artists' production quality to meet and even surpass our clients' expectations.
Our game team has extensive experience in modelling, texturing and animation from complex high resolution characters for normal map texture generation purposes to very low poly count props.Our core talents were educated and experienced in North America and Australia and speaks fluent English and Mandarin.
We hope have business with you. Thanks.
Notice the similarities in the dialog between "Eastern Miracle" and "Mistwalker"? Listing the kind of work they do for public consumption? Probably the only difference right now is mistwalker (at least at this point) is still making their own games(under the direction of Mr. Sakaguchi). What worries me is the possibility of mistwalker becoming an outsourcing company after the retirement of Sakaguchi since at least one of them admits to being a "Nobody". Amazing individuals, Amazing skills, but people who see themselves as Nobodies craving work and a driving force.
Practically...DRONES.
We strive to create and produce the highest quality games,
including plot/script, system design, conceptual art and 3D graphics.
We hope you will enjoy our games and our heart warming message will reach you.
Now mistwalker is a great company and all, but the bold letters sound like they are advertising services as an OUTSOURCING company. Lo and behold when that 2+ hour conversation started by taking the bold phrases out of context. I am quite familiar myself with outsourcing companies during my research of the animation and game development industries. The word "DRONE(S)" come to mind since these companies are practically filled with what they call themselves "Nobodies", but quite frankly they are "Nobodies with Skills".
The thought also occured to me with mistwalker is when my friend Yumi Ozaki used the terms "Mr. Sakaguchi" and "I'm nobody". Mr. Sakaguchi seems to be the only driving force behind mistwalker and people like Ozaki and others under him are "Nobodies" who just do the work Sakaguchi drives them to do. During one of those conversations a programmer I know said Lionhead Studios under Microsoft is the same way...A man by the name of Peter Molynuex practically runs the studio all by himself with his coworkers being "Drone-like Minions" who wait on paw and knee for him to call the shots.
What happens is when a company lacks a driving director such as Sakaguchi or Peter they become a "Drone Company". Which Drone Companies usually form into "Outsourcing" companies that crave direction and purpose under a project giving by a "Mr" or "Mrs" superior. Outsourcing gives them purpose, it gives them money, and the continue to do their respective skills and jobs as "drones".
Personally I remember writing a script for an "Azumanga Daioh" fandub, I decided to insert a family injoke and asked if the producer had issues with it. They didn't mind it AT ALL and when the video was done I found out they played the main character and the injoke appeared which appealed to me and the rest of the script was fantastic with nobody mentioning complaints against the injoke.
Fast forward for me putting a "writer available" ad on gamedev.net and a programmer who wanted to make an XNA RPG for the Xbox 360 indie service came to me and wanted to me to write for his RPG...I find out he didn't want me to write FOR his RPG...but his WHOLE RPG quite frankly. He seemed to be another victim of droning and gave me full control over the story and he would just program and design based around the plot I would create. I wrote quite a bit of the story and took the challenge but the programmer had to leave and the project ended, with practically no feedback or complaints from him on the story.
A came across an Animation ad from an Outsourcing company out of China on forums.awn.com and it goes like this;
http://forums.awn.com/showthread.php?t=12726
EasternMiracle is a digital content production company specializing in 3D and 2D animation and VFX post production. (Our website www.easternmiracle.com Look forward to your visit and exchange)
EasternMiracle is one of the largest and highest quality digital animation and VFX studios in China. We provide quality, yet inexpensive, animation production and consulting services to overseas digital entertainment companies such as television and film production companies, game developers, as well as advertising agencies in production of their television commercials and other digital needs. We provide production services in conceptual design art, modelling, rigging, texturing, animation, cinematics and digital effects to our clients in USA, UK, Germany, Norway, Australia and China give them an edge over their competitors.
Chinese artists recruited locally are well trained by experienced western talents who raise the Chinese artists' production quality to meet and even surpass our clients' expectations.
Our game team has extensive experience in modelling, texturing and animation from complex high resolution characters for normal map texture generation purposes to very low poly count props.Our core talents were educated and experienced in North America and Australia and speaks fluent English and Mandarin.
We hope have business with you. Thanks.
Notice the similarities in the dialog between "Eastern Miracle" and "Mistwalker"? Listing the kind of work they do for public consumption? Probably the only difference right now is mistwalker (at least at this point) is still making their own games(under the direction of Mr. Sakaguchi). What worries me is the possibility of mistwalker becoming an outsourcing company after the retirement of Sakaguchi since at least one of them admits to being a "Nobody". Amazing individuals, Amazing skills, but people who see themselves as Nobodies craving work and a driving force.
Practically...DRONES.
Friday, July 23, 2010
JRPG, WRPG, the RPG battle that scorches the pacific.
Many a forum fall to the wrath of console wars and bashing or flaming. People get banned, forums are ruined, but the battle never ends. There is yet another battle that since the early 2000s has been kindled by the fuel of furious gamers. The war between JRPGs(Japanese or Eastern RPGs) and WRPGS(American or Western RPGs) has begun ever since people wanted to make RPGs based on Star Wars, Dungeons and Dragons, and popular titles like "The Lord of the Rings". On the east side is treasures like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and other such titles like Fire Emblem.
Both genres of RPGs have very unique aspects that cater to usually two sets of RPG gamers. To the point of where it is hard to believe that both genres were rooted by the same origins that is Pen and Paper or Paper and Dice RPGs. Both started at class-centric character-based brawls against hordes of horrible fantasy creatures. Usually each "party" of each genre captured the essence of a "warrior", "magic user", "thief", or "tank" like character. As the genres spewed over in their respective regions the classes expanded into culture ideals and soon became very unique.
You would never find a "white, black, or red" mage in a WRPG, and you would never find an actual labeled "elf" in a JRPG(though there is few exceptions such as Final Fantasy XIV and such who use alternative naming). Though there are quite a few linking traits that keep each genre that self same overarching genre of "RPG". Warriors use armor, magic users wear cloaks or comfy clothing, and usually you have the "tank" class that can pound a house into brown sugar with their huge weapon, and of course "Dragons", and so forth.
The point is this rant is I think in the near future people should try making a "bridge" game. A game that combines the aspects of the "J and W" side of RPGs and can turn it into something grand. A Lord of the Rings game designed by mistwalker(aka Sakaguchi)? A Final Fantasy game made by Bioware? Possibilities in my opinion are quite endless since it's practically a game of mix and match for game developers. A game that is not purely "J" or "W" but just..."RPG".
Both genres of RPGs have very unique aspects that cater to usually two sets of RPG gamers. To the point of where it is hard to believe that both genres were rooted by the same origins that is Pen and Paper or Paper and Dice RPGs. Both started at class-centric character-based brawls against hordes of horrible fantasy creatures. Usually each "party" of each genre captured the essence of a "warrior", "magic user", "thief", or "tank" like character. As the genres spewed over in their respective regions the classes expanded into culture ideals and soon became very unique.
You would never find a "white, black, or red" mage in a WRPG, and you would never find an actual labeled "elf" in a JRPG(though there is few exceptions such as Final Fantasy XIV and such who use alternative naming). Though there are quite a few linking traits that keep each genre that self same overarching genre of "RPG". Warriors use armor, magic users wear cloaks or comfy clothing, and usually you have the "tank" class that can pound a house into brown sugar with their huge weapon, and of course "Dragons", and so forth.
The point is this rant is I think in the near future people should try making a "bridge" game. A game that combines the aspects of the "J and W" side of RPGs and can turn it into something grand. A Lord of the Rings game designed by mistwalker(aka Sakaguchi)? A Final Fantasy game made by Bioware? Possibilities in my opinion are quite endless since it's practically a game of mix and match for game developers. A game that is not purely "J" or "W" but just..."RPG".
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
"ULTIMATE GAMER!!!"; The game show...about video games!
A recent idea I had for a TV show came to me when I was in the depths of ultimate boredom. I was thinking about key game shows like JEOPARDY and WHEEL OF FORTUNE to name a couple. Then the idea occured to me that wouldn't it be cool to have a GAME SHOW about VIDEO GAMES? When this occured the name of the game show was immediately obvious..."ULTIMATE GAMER!!!".
There would be 3 contestants throughout each episode. A Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox contestant. Each contestant would have to answer questions based on their specific console(s) and also answer group questions covering all the consoles. If a contestant got too many questions incorrect they would be eliminated and transfered to a "detention room or area". The contestant to answer the final question correctly and/or first would get a prize and be dubbed that episode's "ULTIMATE GAMER!!!".
The main marketing run for the show is the impending episodes' bigwig cameo from a famous or popular game company who would have the honors of asking the final question.
There would be 3 contestants throughout each episode. A Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox contestant. Each contestant would have to answer questions based on their specific console(s) and also answer group questions covering all the consoles. If a contestant got too many questions incorrect they would be eliminated and transfered to a "detention room or area". The contestant to answer the final question correctly and/or first would get a prize and be dubbed that episode's "ULTIMATE GAMER!!!".
The main marketing run for the show is the impending episodes' bigwig cameo from a famous or popular game company who would have the honors of asking the final question.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The dawn of a new era. The sun setting on one of days old.
Final Fantasy is the crown champion of RPGs in this world. First designed, then directed, then on to be produced by a man named Sakaguchi. Final Fantasy named after being a last ditched effort for Squaresoft(Now known as the lesser-abled Square-Enix) the game became a large success spawning 12 or so sequels and spin-offs. Turn the clock to about 14 years later and Sakaguchi and his composer Uematsu break off to form Mistwalker funded by the loathing Microsoft who was able to suck up many JRPGs for Xbox 360 which the original Xbox exponentially lacked. Mistwalker went on to make 2 games for the Xbox 360. One being Blue Dragon that catered the long-awarded Dragon Ball style by Akira Toriyama. The second title being an Unreal Engine 3 RPG similar to those bad attempts by the crazy Square-Enix company trying to bide time for the eventual 5 year release of Final Fantasy XIII.
Go on to 2010 and Mistwalker up from then has made a small collection of blue dragon and other games for the Nintendo DS and now what seems to be their last marker with the simply named "The Last Story". It is not difficult to say that Sakaguchi has begun another loop of another last ditch effort to make Mistwalker a truly successful RPG developer. My hopes are on end seeing the trailer for it and only being fairly impressed of what is to follow. The most daunting issue is what happens AFTER The Last Story. Is the game really Sakaguchi's "LAST STORY FINAL FANTASY?" to the point of actually retiring? That and if The Last Story only makes minimal sales and Sakaguchi DOES leave...what would become of the Mistwalker corparation? Will Ozaki and the rest go back to separate companies or will they just move on to reorganize under yet another design studio?
It's hard to say but I find it rather saddening to have Mistwalker dissipate while Square-Enix goes on living without a sense of gratefulness. Mistwalker, if they wish to keep up their game must be willing to open up to new ideas for games instead of just "borderline RPGs". They need to find a designer or designers who appreciate the genre yet have the concepts needed to have Mistwalker become that "truely successful" company. If only I was one they would consider being able to take on the task of doing such a thing.
That ends my rant for now. Good luck Mistwalker.
Go on to 2010 and Mistwalker up from then has made a small collection of blue dragon and other games for the Nintendo DS and now what seems to be their last marker with the simply named "The Last Story". It is not difficult to say that Sakaguchi has begun another loop of another last ditch effort to make Mistwalker a truly successful RPG developer. My hopes are on end seeing the trailer for it and only being fairly impressed of what is to follow. The most daunting issue is what happens AFTER The Last Story. Is the game really Sakaguchi's "LAST STORY FINAL FANTASY?" to the point of actually retiring? That and if The Last Story only makes minimal sales and Sakaguchi DOES leave...what would become of the Mistwalker corparation? Will Ozaki and the rest go back to separate companies or will they just move on to reorganize under yet another design studio?
It's hard to say but I find it rather saddening to have Mistwalker dissipate while Square-Enix goes on living without a sense of gratefulness. Mistwalker, if they wish to keep up their game must be willing to open up to new ideas for games instead of just "borderline RPGs". They need to find a designer or designers who appreciate the genre yet have the concepts needed to have Mistwalker become that "truely successful" company. If only I was one they would consider being able to take on the task of doing such a thing.
That ends my rant for now. Good luck Mistwalker.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
METAL ACE CHRONICLES script
(dark screen)
One day, I was just a simple man. I had a family, friends, and a job. Also one day my life came to an end during a fatal car crash (crashing sound)
They put me in a status chamber and said when they had the technology they would use it to repair my body. Years past, decades past(2010 on the screen goes past 2030 and ends at 20XX). The day came when they revived me.
(scientist): We now have the technology to rebuild him, he will be man and machine. The strongest human in the world.
(shows lab tests and stuff)
(back to main character): They repaired me using both human and robotic parts. I was stronger and faster than any human, and soon they wanted a favor. They said people like me who have been given robotic strength have waged war against normal humans and have slaughtered thousands of innocent humans. They outfitted me with armor and weapons and soon I became known as the Metal Ace...and this is my story
(of course shows scenes corresponding)
(following it is action packed gameplay footage)
words fly by during it
COURAGE
DUTY
LOVE
HATRED
POWER
(then the gameplay ends with a giant robotic humanoid flinging metal ace off a building)
METAL ACE CHRONICLES
coming soon
One day, I was just a simple man. I had a family, friends, and a job. Also one day my life came to an end during a fatal car crash (crashing sound)
They put me in a status chamber and said when they had the technology they would use it to repair my body. Years past, decades past(2010 on the screen goes past 2030 and ends at 20XX). The day came when they revived me.
(scientist): We now have the technology to rebuild him, he will be man and machine. The strongest human in the world.
(shows lab tests and stuff)
(back to main character): They repaired me using both human and robotic parts. I was stronger and faster than any human, and soon they wanted a favor. They said people like me who have been given robotic strength have waged war against normal humans and have slaughtered thousands of innocent humans. They outfitted me with armor and weapons and soon I became known as the Metal Ace...and this is my story
(of course shows scenes corresponding)
(following it is action packed gameplay footage)
words fly by during it
COURAGE
DUTY
LOVE
HATRED
POWER
(then the gameplay ends with a giant robotic humanoid flinging metal ace off a building)
METAL ACE CHRONICLES
coming soon
Friday, July 16, 2010
World War 3: Modern Conflict
I need to vent. WW3:MC was an old 5 or 6 year old I had as a teenager. Quite frankly my idea's originality has stood the test of time as not even recent games have come close to that age old game idea. A massive combat action game set upon large(and I mean HUUGE) battlefields against two opposing factions fighting a war based on only the assumption. The story basically comes to fruition when South Korea's coast is pummeled by a nuclear warhead. Almost immediately the UN points fingers at North Korea and call it an act of war. North Korea in earnest denies the deed. Soon military forces with North Korean markings converge on and attack the South Korean border. The UN establishes an invasion force under the title UNAF(United Nations Allied Forces) and begins their attack to occupy North Korea. The North Korean counterattack is established by a force comprising of North Korea and it's allies called the DFOA(Dragon Force Of Asia). Gameplay begins after the introduction plot.
Players choose from one of the two opposing super-forces and creates their character based on a certain class or MOS. Players can create separate classes with other characters similar to loadouts on current games. There is some customization but it would not exceed the "reality" of that Class or MOS. Players can access a wide range of Land, Sea, and Air vehicles and platforms during skirmishes(the real-time and 24/7 battles that take place on the gigantic battle maps). Vehicles and platforms including Transport and attack choppers, attack and transport boats, attack and transport ground vehicles, Jets, and a Limited variety of transport planes. The game is based on old conventional modes known as either Conquest, Domination, or AAS(Advance and Secure).
To reach the maps the players usually will spawn from the DFOA or UNAF HQ which one is located in central China and the other Mainland Japan. The players can access superior transport planes that will give them a streamlined way of moving across the overworld or separate maps.
The game after the end of every year goes into a somewhat "Expansion Pack" mode where the story develops where a secret organization nukes the US, EU, and Asia. The organization is revealed as a mix of Neo Nazis, old communist regimes, and terrorists under the title "Pure NAZI". The game changes the maps into timed missions located in Africa, the Middle East, and Siberia.
So basically after this the DFOA and UNAF team up(the player factions are combined) and the super faction takes on timed missions against AI Pure Nazi units. Afterwards the final mission opens where players must occupy the PURE NAZI HQ in the cold depths of Siberia where the Nuke Silos are and after the final battle happens an ending ceremony happens where the top players of the year get mentioned during a real-time cutscene. The game ends with the world back in order and then the game reboots for another "one year war"
That's really all there is to it but it seems it's easier said than done.
Players choose from one of the two opposing super-forces and creates their character based on a certain class or MOS. Players can create separate classes with other characters similar to loadouts on current games. There is some customization but it would not exceed the "reality" of that Class or MOS. Players can access a wide range of Land, Sea, and Air vehicles and platforms during skirmishes(the real-time and 24/7 battles that take place on the gigantic battle maps). Vehicles and platforms including Transport and attack choppers, attack and transport boats, attack and transport ground vehicles, Jets, and a Limited variety of transport planes. The game is based on old conventional modes known as either Conquest, Domination, or AAS(Advance and Secure).
To reach the maps the players usually will spawn from the DFOA or UNAF HQ which one is located in central China and the other Mainland Japan. The players can access superior transport planes that will give them a streamlined way of moving across the overworld or separate maps.
The game after the end of every year goes into a somewhat "Expansion Pack" mode where the story develops where a secret organization nukes the US, EU, and Asia. The organization is revealed as a mix of Neo Nazis, old communist regimes, and terrorists under the title "Pure NAZI". The game changes the maps into timed missions located in Africa, the Middle East, and Siberia.
So basically after this the DFOA and UNAF team up(the player factions are combined) and the super faction takes on timed missions against AI Pure Nazi units. Afterwards the final mission opens where players must occupy the PURE NAZI HQ in the cold depths of Siberia where the Nuke Silos are and after the final battle happens an ending ceremony happens where the top players of the year get mentioned during a real-time cutscene. The game ends with the world back in order and then the game reboots for another "one year war"
That's really all there is to it but it seems it's easier said than done.
Blacklight: Tango Down 60-minute XBLA trial
Well at first I had mixed ideas about Blacklight. First I heard it was only rated Teen but after seeing a few trailers with blood I was put off by it. So today I decided to search on the XBL Game Marketplace to try the game for myself to see how the gameplay actually was. I was a bit surprised that the blood wasn't as bad as it seemed in the trailers and I became interested in the game again. I did a few tries of the Co-op(alone) and got put in my place multiple times by the AI. After taking a break I decided to try out the online multiplayer component.
It took awhile but I finally found other players in the "Last Man Standing" mode. Basically your typical "die and your dead for the rest of the round" deathmatch. Let's just say there was only once that I made it to the end of the round where the victor ended my prolonged life and won the match again.
After several rounds I tried my hand at the "Domination" mode which for many other games is labeled "Conquest". The point of the game is to capture as many nodes as possible and keep them for your team. There were only a couple of rounds where my team actually won but the battles were quite frantic where players were getting killed by the second. Also players with the shotgun was a menace due to the considerable power and distance the shotgun had...after my time was up I was able to unlock the shotgun and ended up getting a killing spree of around 4 enemies and ending the demo finishing a round with 12 kills coming from the onslaught of my shotgun and spamming grenades.
Me and my Brother plan to get it for PSN/PS3 and play it together, but that will have to wait 'til mid to late august when the PSN/PS3 version actually launches.
It took awhile but I finally found other players in the "Last Man Standing" mode. Basically your typical "die and your dead for the rest of the round" deathmatch. Let's just say there was only once that I made it to the end of the round where the victor ended my prolonged life and won the match again.
After several rounds I tried my hand at the "Domination" mode which for many other games is labeled "Conquest". The point of the game is to capture as many nodes as possible and keep them for your team. There were only a couple of rounds where my team actually won but the battles were quite frantic where players were getting killed by the second. Also players with the shotgun was a menace due to the considerable power and distance the shotgun had...after my time was up I was able to unlock the shotgun and ended up getting a killing spree of around 4 enemies and ending the demo finishing a round with 12 kills coming from the onslaught of my shotgun and spamming grenades.
Me and my Brother plan to get it for PSN/PS3 and play it together, but that will have to wait 'til mid to late august when the PSN/PS3 version actually launches.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Welcome/The Story so Far
Hello and welcome to "The NetherScript Chronicles" blog. The NetherScript Chronicles is my RPG story/plot that I wish to turn into a real RPG in the future. I will be posting what I have so far soon, but I wish to get people's advice on the story by making the story public here.
I am a writer at heart and my dream is to write the plot/story for RPGs. I will take any reasonable constructive criticism you can give me. Now to the story;
The NetherScript Chronicles:
Loxe, a farmer’s young son who spends most of his time taking care of his father’s apple trees met a young girl named Maylil at a town dance, and after awhile the both of them fell in love with each other. Loxe and Maylil got married a few years after that, but after she bore a daughter she died. Loxe soon found out he might have to raise his only child alone, and soon after his daughter becoming a toddler she contracted a rare illness.
Loxe, now a young father whose wife has passed away many years ago now faces the possibility of his young daughter dying also. Her illness has been degrading her body and soul for months now. Loxe after having visits from the Town Doctor regularly finally is given the advice to search for a cure away from his town. After giving it a bit of thought he agrees and heads off with some weapons and other equipment. The world around his town is also ill and when he travels to the nearest town he finds a young woman whose brother seems to have the same illness as well as people in other parts of her town.
The young woman named Erinie decides to join Loxe’s quest to find a cure for the illness. After leaving this quiet region however they meet forests filled with accursed monsters who seemed possessed by a greater evil. After traveling through the forests they find a temple that might be the key to the cure, but after journeying through its dark chambers filled with more monsters they find an individual wearing a dark cloak and robe who seems to causing some of the degradation of the land and the creation of the monsters.
Loxe and Erinie try to take him on but are quickly blown away and the man disappears but leaves behind him a page of some sort. Loxe and Erinie finally regain consciousness and they take the page out of the temple and find the monsters have left the forests and they are relieved but confused at the same time. They decide to take the page back to Erinie’s town and look for anyone who might know about the page. They go to a bar and a man overhears them and suggests going to the town librarian. He cannot decipher the page but says the page is a part of a larger book, and he can read on the page a name called “The NetherScript”. So they decide they must collect the rest of The NetherScript pages before any more harm can happen to their world.
Before they leave on their journey a mysterious old man gives them the ability to use a boat so they can travel to another country since they have already explored their own country. A new area is unlocked and they set off on the boat, but then the man in the dark robe and cloak confronts them and wrecks their ship. They wash up on the shore of another country and after regaining consciousness they continue their journey and find a village of dwarfs.
The dwarfs are more than kind enough to let them rest on their village, and they also have the ability to upgrade their weapons and clothing. After this Loxe and Erinie hear that there is another temple underground from the Dwarf village and they set off to see what’s there. They find the entrance and the temple is full of monsters similar to the ones in the forests and in the forest temple. They manage to make their way to the main room and find another man with the same kind of clothing causing havoc. They manage to beat this one though and take the page from him. Also like before the monsters disappear without a trace and peace is restored.
They return to the dwarf village and find the village in chaos. A young dwarf is taken by a large monster but Loxe and Erinie fight him off. The young dwarf named Thor then vows his life to Loxe for saving him and joins the group. The dwarfs then tell Loxe about an ancient weapon that could help them fight off some of the NetherScript’s magic, and tell them it’s in a volcano to the north. Thor is also given a mighty hammer handed down by the great dwarf warriors and becomes a valuable member of the team. They head off to the volcano and find giants who seem to be very weak compared to Thor’s hammer.
They enter the main chamber of the volcano and fight the King of the giants, they defeat him and the Giant’s remains reveal an underground room that houses the ancient weapon, The NetherSword. When Loxe pulls out the sword an ancient spirit reveals to him that The NetherSword and The NetherScript can either destroy each other or the both can bring harmony to each other. Loxe is determined though to use it for destroying The NetherScript once he is able to apprehend the pages used by the cult who are causing havoc around the world.
They leave the volcano and are hinted to go a more northern country filled with ice and snow, and there they can find more clues to The NetherScript. They head off in another boat and the man who wrecked them the last time from the forest temple appears again for final time as Loxe and his group finally destroys him and gains his most recent page. They continue and reach the ice continent and find a group of nomads who are being oppressed by an evil kingdom of trolls and goblins. Loxe, Erinie, and Thor go on a quest to smite the evil kingdom and after defeating the king are given a page of The NetherScript. Also alongside it ancient seeing glasses that can magically translate The NetherScript just by looking though it.
The translator tells them to head off to the desert continent to recover one of the last pages. They head off and are captured by desert pirates who fear The NetherScript. They reveal they are descendants of a once powerful civilization, who used to use The NetherScript to control the world, but one day an ancient warrior who used the NetherSword in one swipe destroyed their civilization and the world returned to a peaceful place. Loxe earns their trust by explaining he plans to destroy The NetherScript after he collects all the pages using The NetherSword and he could use their help. The desert pirates points them towards the old capital of the ancient civilization for one of the pages might be there.
That's what I have for now...Thoughts?
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