-
Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.
"This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.
Betrayer (17th century FPS from Ex-Monolith devs)
- Thread starter Wirdschowerdn
- Start date
Dr Tomo
Learned
I will give it a 50/50 and wait till close to release or when it is in beta as they might make some positive changes as you did mention it was alpha. Only time I would not bother with a title in this pitiful condition is when it is in beta as at that point the game is going to release in the current state. I thank Zewp for the honest review and not some fanboy 
over the game unlike *cough another thread lolz.
over the game unlike *cough another thread lolz.
Lyric Suite
Converting to Islam
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2006
- Messages
- 56,631
Don't refer to that shitty movie. Unlike Austin Powers, NOLF was actually quite clever and funny.
True, NOLF never descended to similar levels of lowbrow humour. The sequel was more hit-and-miss but still light-years ahead of anything Mike Myers has ever done.
I got a free p/review copy today. It shows promise, but it's not great yet.
My eyes are sensitive to bright light over broad areas, so the art style in its default state gets annoying. However, I turned off SSAO in a configuration file to make some areas appear less murky, and I lowered the brightness on my monitor, and it was fine. The developers said that they had originally colored the environments, but playtesters responded in a certain way to the game with that specific colorless filter. It's likely that the assets are still designed with color in mind, so I think it would look much better if the devs recreated or edited them with high contrast and monochrome in mind. I also support any initiative to tone the blinding white down to maybe a light gray, with white reserved for intensity like the sun. With the brightness down and AO disabled, I had no problem navigating or finding enemies or items.
What's good is that you take few hits before going down, and the ranged enemies seem capable of leading you. However, they deserve more complex AI. Ranged enemies stand still and fire at you, and melee enemies run at you, and that's really it. At least some of the devs were technical guys at Monolith, which was an AI powerhouse. Condemned was their worst that I've played, and even that had enemies who would try to take cover, ambush you, run away when wounded and so on.
What I'd suggest is an AI system that tries to make use of the landscape and the visual style. Ranged guys probably shouldn't need to move around much, since people tended to shoot things while standing still back then, but it would be nice to see them move to higher ground or some kind of natural cover before shooting (the area is full of hills, after all). Right now, all they do is roam around and then stop everything once they see you. And for melee guys, I'd like to see them attack with a sense of self preservation. Since shaded areas are very dark in the game, melee enemies could run for cover of darkness under trees and such once they spot you, provided that shade would also darken their auras. Maybe they could just stick to shaded areas naturally. If you get near or if you turn your back, then they'd decide to attack. This is really just me fantasizing, and I don't know how high the combat is on the list of the developers' priorities, but their pedigree gives me hope that AI is something they can focus on.
Exploration is pretty interesting. The quests/notes screen also contains a tab about people who lived in this place, and as it seems, you get to find clues that add to their biographies. Things like tombstones describing them and stuff. The story looks like it will be pretty gritty and interesting, too. All the mission critical clues have bright red auras around them, though. I would have preferred that they be tinted or colored red.
My eyes are sensitive to bright light over broad areas, so the art style in its default state gets annoying. However, I turned off SSAO in a configuration file to make some areas appear less murky, and I lowered the brightness on my monitor, and it was fine. The developers said that they had originally colored the environments, but playtesters responded in a certain way to the game with that specific colorless filter. It's likely that the assets are still designed with color in mind, so I think it would look much better if the devs recreated or edited them with high contrast and monochrome in mind. I also support any initiative to tone the blinding white down to maybe a light gray, with white reserved for intensity like the sun. With the brightness down and AO disabled, I had no problem navigating or finding enemies or items.
What's good is that you take few hits before going down, and the ranged enemies seem capable of leading you. However, they deserve more complex AI. Ranged enemies stand still and fire at you, and melee enemies run at you, and that's really it. At least some of the devs were technical guys at Monolith, which was an AI powerhouse. Condemned was their worst that I've played, and even that had enemies who would try to take cover, ambush you, run away when wounded and so on.
What I'd suggest is an AI system that tries to make use of the landscape and the visual style. Ranged guys probably shouldn't need to move around much, since people tended to shoot things while standing still back then, but it would be nice to see them move to higher ground or some kind of natural cover before shooting (the area is full of hills, after all). Right now, all they do is roam around and then stop everything once they see you. And for melee guys, I'd like to see them attack with a sense of self preservation. Since shaded areas are very dark in the game, melee enemies could run for cover of darkness under trees and such once they spot you, provided that shade would also darken their auras. Maybe they could just stick to shaded areas naturally. If you get near or if you turn your back, then they'd decide to attack. This is really just me fantasizing, and I don't know how high the combat is on the list of the developers' priorities, but their pedigree gives me hope that AI is something they can focus on.
Exploration is pretty interesting. The quests/notes screen also contains a tab about people who lived in this place, and as it seems, you get to find clues that add to their biographies. Things like tombstones describing them and stuff. The story looks like it will be pretty gritty and interesting, too. All the mission critical clues have bright red auras around them, though. I would have preferred that they be tinted or colored red.
Zewp
Arcane
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2012
- Messages
- 3,568
I was thinking the same thing about enemies hiding in shadow. Especially the wooded areas are very dark. If they could make it so that enemy auras only show when they're standing in the light, they could have a really good thing going with enemies hiding in woods and shadows. There's one part of the first map where the road passes right by a wood that's dark as fuck and while walking along that road I thought that I would be in pretty deep shit if enemies were to suddenly come rushing out of those woods.
Seeing as they seem to want player suggestions, maybe I'll go drop that suggestion on the Steam forums a bit later.
Seeing as they seem to want player suggestions, maybe I'll go drop that suggestion on the Steam forums a bit later.
Terpsichore
Arcane
Next step in the evolution of gaming: no graphics! A pitch black screen with sliding achievements as you repeatedly mash one button. In hard mode these fall in the shape of square tetris blocks and you have control over them.
FeelTheRads
Arcane
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2008
- Messages
- 13,716
This is called art-style? 
Let me tell you what it is: cheap as shit way to make graphics that will be gobbled up by hipsters. CUZ BLACK AND WHITE IZ ARTISTIC DONTCHU KNOU?
Let me tell you what it is: cheap as shit way to make graphics that will be gobbled up by hipsters. CUZ BLACK AND WHITE IZ ARTISTIC DONTCHU KNOU?
It's dark. You are about to be scammed by an artfag.
DefJam101
Arcane
I wholeheartedly support the development of black and white games but they really should not look like this
Apparently they added a color slider to it now: http://steamcommunity.com/app/243120/discussions/1/864978109640192364/
Or: You can now adjust the black and white values seperately, making it look less strenuous to the eyes: http://steamcommunity.com/app/243120/discussions/1/864977479730083134/
These ex-Monolithians, they appear to be learning animals.
Or: You can now adjust the black and white values seperately, making it look less strenuous to the eyes: http://steamcommunity.com/app/243120/discussions/1/864977479730083134/
These ex-Monolithians, they appear to be learning animals.
That looks MUCH better.
Tel Velothi
Cipher
"17th century FPS"
Oh, so that's how graphics looked back then!
Oh, so that's how graphics looked back then!
FuelBlooded
Scholar
- Joined
- May 31, 2012
- Messages
- 265
OMFG COLOURS!
AstroZombie
Arcane
That's a lot better.
Good interview with Hubbard and Longo, about their inspirations and stuff:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/09/16/monomania-shades-of-old-in-blackpowders-betrayer/
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/09/16/monomania-shades-of-old-in-blackpowders-betrayer/
DefJam101
Arcane
next gen HD sepia filter for hyper realistic moving 19th century family photo fps
Clockwork Knight
Arcane
So the devs caved in to all the "BUUUUUUUUUUH ITS 2013 Y IS GAME BLACK AND WHITE" threads. At least there's a slider so you can choose how you want to play, and they've said the "intended" way is black and white.
Look a few posts up.
Look a few posts up.
Last edited:
DramaticPopcorn
Guest
Name a few...But now it looks like a generic medieval FPS !
As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.