39 réponses à ce sujet

[Busomjack]

I can't wait for Dragon Age Awakening but after I beat that game I'm wondering what will be the next great Bioware game to get?  

Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 3 are both over a year away.

Alpha Protocol is being developed by Obsidian and Obsidian and Bioware have worked together before so there games have a similar style.
Does anyone know if Alpha Protocol is going to have any gameplay similarities to other Bioware RPGs?  I'm hoping it will help fill the void as I eagerly await the next big Bioware game.

[Leinadi]

Here goes my info dump!

From a gameplay standpoint, it will likely be the most similar to Mass Effect. It uses the Unreal Engine, and a similar (though doesn't appear to be identical) third person perspective and "actiony" gameplay. It also features a similar dialogue system though the responses are timed in Alpha Protocol.

Other than that, there are quite a few differences I think. It's mission based, so think the ME2 missions on that. However, in contrast to the ME2 levels, the Alpha Protocol ones have different paths to take through them. The skills you choose as a player also seem to bring some more dynamics into the gameplay. You can stealth through a lot of the game. You can choose between killing people or simply knocking them out (and the game will respond to this). It's been confirmed that, while you have to use violence in the game, you can play through the game without killing anyone.
There are also other skills which should affect the battlefield in various ways, you can trick enemies using certain gadgets if you have invested in Technical Aptitude for example.

As far as story goes, we don't actually know much yet other than that the main character of Mike Thorton was a spy working for the government. Something caused him to leave or they simply booted him (I can't remember now) and now he's working with a secret organization called Alpha Protocol.

The seem to have focused heavily on choices. They keep mentioning that each choice you make will repercussions in many different ways, the "network" of various choices and their results appear to be quite complex. For example, I believe they stated that the endgame can be completely different depending on what choices you make. Key characters can be alive or dead (or not even encountered) depending on what you do. There is no "alignment meter" of any kind, just choices.

For those who care, there are 4 (if I remember correctly) romances. If you're a skilled ladies man James Bond type of spy you can romance all of them and apparently get recognized for it, but you can also choose to romance none of them and get recognition for that.

That's some stuff off the top of my head.

Modifié par Leinadi, 26 février 2010 - 10:12 .

[DarthCaine]

To add, devs said the game is short, about 25 hours, however that are lots of choices and consequences that change how the game is played

However it looks like Alpha Protocol will be the ONLY RPG after Awakening for this year

IMO it'll be a cult classic like VTMB

Modifié par DarthCaine, 26 février 2010 - 10:14 .

[Arbiter Libera]

I just hope it's a successful mix of ME and Bloodlines, which it at least appears to be to some degree with it's stronger RPG elements (more akin to ME1) and choices having greater effects. I have high hopes for it, but it won't really be a traditional RPG akin to DA:O if that's what you're saying.

[AshedMan]

I hope it's great. I'd love a Mass Effect style spy game.

[Busomjack]

I actually was hoping for more of a light rpg shooter hybrid like Mass Effect.

Bloodlines was cool but I thought the game was a bit unsettling.

[Arbiter Libera]

Busomjack wrote...

Bloodlines was cool but I thought the game was a bit unsettling.

You're an undead blood drinking monster... mission accomplished, I guess.

Of course, I'm not saying it could be similar to Bloodlines thematically, but that it could be more along it's lines when it comes to mission structure and all that. Bloodlines is an interesting concept of what RPGs could've become if they weren't so afraid to break off from the well known formulas and conventions.

[MerinTB]

I think the comparison to Bloodlines is a sad one.



It'll probably be a little more successful than Bloodlines, unless it is as buggy as Bloodlines was reported to be on release.



For me it's the RPG I'm most looking forward to outside of Bioware stuff - even more than FFXIII (though, to be honest, I'm excited but not expecting much from FFXIII.)



If Alpha Protocol is allowed to be finished before release (unlike Kotor 2) then it should be a benchmark in RPG design. But I doubt it'll be a huge financial success - though I hope I'm wrong on that note.

[Leinadi]

Deus Ex also sounds like it could be a fair comparison to Alpha Protocol in some ways.



But I think it'll actually be a pretty unique game. I must say that I've been pretty annoyed at some of the Mass Effect comparisons in particularly that I've read. Yeah, the game is undoubtedly similar in some aspects, but the dynamics of the gameplay/levels, the choices and reactivity and the story and characters seems like a world apart.

[Ecael]

It's made by Obsidian. I wouldn't expect it to be Bioware-quality.

[StreetlightEagle]

Ecael wrote...

It's made by Obsidian. I wouldn't expect it to be Bioware-quality.

I for one think they did an excellent job with KOTOR 2. Granted it wasn't as good as the first one but I believe that if they had the right amount of time to complete it and got the ending right, it may well have been.

[MerinTB]

StreetlightEagle wrote...

Ecael wrote...

It's made by Obsidian. I wouldn't expect it to be Bioware-quality.

I for one think they did an excellent job with KOTOR 2. Granted it wasn't as good as the first one but I believe that if they had the right amount of time to complete it and got the ending right, it may well have been.

Had they been given the time to finish the droid factory and the actual ending to the story, it probably would have been better.

[flem1]

MerinTB wrote...

Had they been given the time to finish the droid factory and the actual ending to the story, it probably would have been better.

Sorry, when they have the ending problem with *every single game* they release, you have to stop blaming the publishers and looking at the company itself.

Anyway, it looks promising though not being able to change the guy's name (or, obviously, sex) is a drag.

[MerinTB]

flem1 wrote...

MerinTB wrote...

Had they been given the time to finish the droid factory and the actual ending to the story, it probably would have been better.

Sorry, when they have the ending problem with *every single game* they release, you have to stop blaming the publishers and looking at the company itself.

Anyway, it looks promising though not being able to change the guy's name (or, obviously, sex) is a drag.

Ok, so, who considers these games unfinished?
Fallout, Fallout 2, Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter, Icewind Dale II...
those were all published by Interplay that, other than some disagreements that caused some Black Isle people to leave and form Troika, gave Black Isle the time they needed to finish their games.
Lucasarts and Atari, however, not so giving on the time to Obsidian when working on sequels.

The majority of Obsidian have at least as good a record, in my eyes, as Bioware.  Just saying.

Modifié par MerinTB, 27 février 2010 - 12:47 .

[Giantevilhead]

Both of Obsidian's games, KotoR2 and NWN2, were rushed.



However, the NWN2 expansions were not rushed. Mask of the Betrayer had a great ending. It had probably one of the best evil path/ending ever. Storm of Zehir on the other hand was trying to emulate the PnP version of D&D and it did that quite effectively but people who haven't played PnP games may not have liked it.

[Seagloom]

flem1 wrote...

Sorry, when they have the ending problem with *every single game* they release, you have to stop blaming the publishers and looking at the company itself.

Obsidian has done KotOR2 and NWN2 and its expansions. Out of those games only KotOR2 had a truly borked ending. I'll admit NWN2's third act felt rushed compared to the previous two, but it had a proper ending. It wasn't a *good* ending for the party, but it felt complete and showed how the player's actions influenced the region. At its worse NWN2 left me with a feeling that its third act could have been more, and that there was a lack of development for Casavir and Qara. Both of them obviously had cut content. It was a far cry from KotOR though, where the entire endgame was a total mess and a whole map was missing. KotOR2's final areas felt so disjointed it's almost like playing an entirely different game once you reach that point.

All that's left after those two are Mask of the Betrayer, which I felt had a very complete ending. I know there was a lot of rage over not being able to tear down the Wall, but hey, sometimes we can't get everything we want. I liked that it wasn't an option, and that for once, the player character wasn't treated as an almighty god at the end of a fantasy RPG's plot. Storm of Zehir barely had a plot. The finale fit for what little there was. So... this is a longwinded way of writing that I don't see them screwing up endings for every single game.

As far as Alpha Protocol is concerned, I think it will be the next big RPG by virtue of there being *nothing* else for months. Unless the new Drakansang game is coming out here this year? I know it's out in Germany already. It's going to a bare year for anything resembling an RPG. There's little reason not to snatch it up.

Modifié par Seagloom, 27 février 2010 - 01:13 .

[Busomjack]

Arbiter Libera wrote...

Busomjack wrote...

Bloodlines was cool but I thought the game was a bit unsettling.

You're an undead blood drinking monster... mission accomplished, I guess.

Of course, I'm not saying it could be similar to Bloodlines thematically, but that it could be more along it's lines when it comes to mission structure and all that. Bloodlines is an interesting concept of what RPGs could've become if they weren't so afraid to break off from the well known formulas and conventions.

It was a great game, but some parts of the game were unsettling...in a good way.  Particularly the Tzimice's house and the hotel.
Some of the violence in that game was incredibly sadistic.  It wasn't like Dragon Age where the excessive blood seemed almost comical.  Bloodlines was violent in an especially cruel kind of way.

[Busomjack]

Obsidian is great. The only reason KOTOR II did not live up to the first one was because of a rushed development cycle, it wasn't Obsidian's fault.

[Panderfringe]

Giantevilhead wrote...

Both of Obsidian's games, KotoR2 and NWN2, were rushed.

They were also just pretty bad games.

[flem1]

Seagloom wrote...

All that's left after those two are Mask of the Betrayer, which I felt had a very complete ending. I know there was a lot of rage over not being able to tear down the Wall, but hey, sometimes we can't get everything we want.

It wasn't about tearing down the wall, it was about the ridiculously lame lack of a fight.  Three (?) obviously rushed one-encounter areas = battle for heaven?  C'mon.

Obsidian has never had the project-management skills of Bioware.  I hope that's changed.

[Giantevilhead]

Panderfringe wrote...

Giantevilhead wrote...

Both of Obsidian's games, KotoR2 and NWN2, were rushed.

They were also just pretty bad games.

And Dragon Age gives people diarrhea. See, I can make up statements without giving any support too.

flem1 wrote...

Seagloom wrote...

All that's left after those two are Mask of the Betrayer, which I felt had a very complete ending. I know there was a lot of rage over not being able to tear down the Wall, but hey, sometimes we can't get everything we want.

It wasn't about tearing down the wall, it was about the ridiculously lame lack of a fight.  Three (?) obviously rushed one-encounter areas = battle for heaven?  C'mon.

Obsidian has never had the project-management skills of Bioware.  I hope that's changed.

The Fugue plane isn't heaven, it's Purgatory. Here's the descrption of the Fugue Plane from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting:

"When mortals die, their souls are drawn to the Fugue Plane. Most of this place is flat, gray, bland, and nondescript, with no notable topographical features. The spirits of the dead gather here, usually unaware that they have died. From time to time, the power send representatives - usually outsiders of the appropriate alignment - to the Fugue Plane to gather the souls of their worshipers."

The Fugue Plane is basically a big boring empty space. It's not populated with monsters or outsiders like the other planes.

Modifié par Giantevilhead, 27 février 2010 - 03:00 .

[Panderfringe]

Giantevilhead wrote...

Panderfringe wrote...

Giantevilhead wrote...

Both of Obsidian's games, KotoR2 and NWN2, were rushed.

They were also just pretty bad games.

And Dragon Age gives people diarrhea. See, I can make up statements without giving any support too.

Except we have gone over it. The games weren't finished.

[Borschtbeet]

I hope Sega has given Obsidian enough time to finish Alpha Protocol.

[Jae Onasi]

I expect Avellone's story to kick butt, the game play to be generally fun, and the ending to be something along the lines of "no matter what you do in the game, it's all for nothing. You'll either disappear in a jet plane to nowhere, or the building will collapse on you and you die."

[Noilly Prat]

 I'm one of those people who loved KOTOR 2, even in its unfinished state. But I'm also one of those people who, while generally enjoying NWN 2's gameplay enhancements over the original, thought the story was rubbish and actually wanted all the characters to die. So Obsidian comes out even for me, more or less.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Alpha Protocol turns out, and I hope it will be great. I do have some concerns, though, which I have mentioned in another topic.