World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from Hardsuit Labs

[Neanderthal]

Imagine if Chris went around apologizing for updated my journal or nature of a man or Tim for war never changes.

It will happen, in your heart you know this to be true. Abandon hope, know only despair.

 

[CyberModuled]

Thanks Mitsoda! You've basically made Stygian even more appealing than it already did because at least it'll more likely have the balls to cover the lack of sanity to an extreme that's interesting.

 

[santino27]

Everyone's favorite topic: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...n-of-mental-illness-in-vampire-the-masquerade

"I think people still enjoy the unique experience of them, but I don't think they're a great examination of mental illness and shouldn't be held up as one."

And why the fuck does it need to be?

 

[Wesp5]

By the way, how pathetic is Brian that he feels it necessary to go on a literal apology tour for writing one of the most memorable things about Bloodlines?

It seems to me that this isn't about Bloodlines only, but typical for the VtM PnP game too. I never much heard the term fish-malk before the Bloodlines 2 discussions in all the years I work on Bloodlines, but there are obviously a lot of people playing this kind of Malks in the PnP game! Maybe Brian wants to apologize for choosing the same easy way out when he added the Malkavian player dialogues late in the development of Bloodlines. I think we all agree that the Malkavian NPCs are great and not to blame...

 

[DeepOcean]

I really dont see the point of his apologizing beyond throwing bones to the usual insane social media tards.

Schizopherenic people have way more problems than some obscure rpg writer virtue signaling. There is a thing on fiction, it isnt supposedly to be accurate unless it is the express goal of the author.

I dont know why people who fucking writes a video game about vampires should care about accurate depiction of insanity.

There isnt intrinsic value on portraying insanity accurately unless the author wants to make use of it for story purposes.

If this apologizing was about making the writing better, I doubt they would be repeating that shit so much.

 

[Barbalos]

Also there is the fact that Grout was a Malkavian schizophrenic-type character, and he was probably the most intelligent and insightful character in the entire game. I didn't think the overall depiction was bad at all. Also for most (all?) of the wacky things you could say as a Malkavian PC, I don't think you were ever forced to say those if you chose otherwise (maybe a few times)?

 

[Delterius]

but typical for the VtM PnP game too

Yes.

Fishmalk players are insufferable and I say this as an agoraphobic introvert who has listened to HOURS of larping on the 'net.

 

[ShadowSpectre]

That said, he emphasizes to us that the Malkavians of Bloodlines 2 will not be one-to-one representations of mental illness or those who live with one or several. The playable characters in the game are exclusively vampires which are, by their nature, inherently dangerous.

"I want people to have an understanding that the Malkavians aren't an accurate representation of mental illness, but are influenced by it," says Mitsoda. "But at the same time, being a stand-in for people with similar problems, I don't want them to be purely comic relief.

"As I said before, I'm pretty tired of mental illness being used as a crutch in writing -- the twist or punchline being the character is crazy. It's pretty obvious when a writer has just written themselves into a corner if they use the 'They're crazy' excuse to justify sudden shifts in motives or character traits."

There was nothing wrong with how the original game dealt with the "mental illness" of Malkavians. In fact, it was quite varied. You have the "Sisters" as your multiple-personality disorder (which is actually a great highlight and depicted pretty well). Schizophrenic but brilliant and insightful Grout was also done well and having the catatonic Malks in the mansion weren't unrealistic considering the setting either. If you play a Malkavian character, it can be silly, but for the most part it is more of a giant game spoiler of foresight and insight into everything going on in the game (considering you are playing a supernatural vampire, why would a Malk not be able to be like this?) It was all quite fitting. People with mental disorders can also have strange conversations, especially if they are co-morbid schizophrenics with auditory and visual hallucinations. I was once relayed a first-hand story of a woman who would talk to plants. When they moved with air flow/the wind, she would say that they are in fact "nodding" in agreement, responding to her, etc.

When Mitsoda implies that all of what he wrote had a punch line of "crazy," he must be crazy for going along with and highlighting the new liberalism doublespeak, since why does any of the above have to be "crazy"? Mental illness is reality (especially for the people who suffer from it). His own characters are well done in the first game. Mental illness doesn't have to equate crazy, but he has basically stated, all mental illness is crazy. The whole concept of vampires is crazy, how about that? Most vampire characters fit the definition of a psychopath after all. Especially the ones depicted in the trailers (I hope this is not Chris' blood ).

Let's ruin another game with this latest bout of social pandering with their version of how mental illness should be portrayed. We're about to get a bunch of mildly depressed emo Malks with the occasional bout of mania instead, just watch.

All this aside, I was once watching an older VHS from the late 80's or early 90's in an abnormal psychology (more severe mental illness) class in university. Towards the end of Bioshock, a number of the splicers are singing this specific song in a creepy tune and manner. I recognized right away that the devs copied it directly from the patients depicted in that video. Considering the scenario, it was quite appropriate.

I do think Mitsoda did his research on the first game. Game devs usually do. He just doesn't want to admit it because it's not acceptable to these social media snowflakes.

 

[RNGsus]

Their worthless degrees have prepared them for this epic showdown.

 

[karoliner]

Nothing will ever be good again.

 

[Wyatt_Derp]

Nothing will ever be good again.

Entropy. The universe has been expanding for billions of years, particles and atoms moving away from each other with increasing speed. We were very foolish to think that this fact wouldn't affect our weekend entertainment. Don't blame the blue haired land whales. Those people are just misinformed goblin creatures moving atoms around like mindless dock workers. Blame Science for giving us the knowledge of our own pre-destined destruction.

 

[Saerain]

Vote Extropy, you damned hippies.

 

[Delterius]

Nothing will ever be good again.

except this game, which is the best

 

[vortex]

This game will be the best, once Wesp is done patching. It will take some decade.

 

[Delterius]

This game will be the best, once Wesp is done patching. It will take some decade.

wesp is never done with his Holy Work

 

[Wesp5]

This game will be the best, once Wesp is done patching. It will take some decade.

wesp is never done with his Holy Work

Because you people still find issues in Bloodlines, even if they get smaller and smaller . And no, I don't want to do that again, not even for Bloodlines 2 !

 

[Delterius]

This game will be the best, once Wesp is done patching. It will take some decade.

wesp is never done with his Holy Work

Because you people still find issues in Bloodlines, even if they get smaller and smaller . And no, I don't want to do that again, not even for Bloodlines 2 !

I shall nail thousands of bugreports to your door, as a holy call for you to return to Duty.

 

[Infinitron]

Spoiler

 

[Nines_Anarch]

"March next year"?

When was the release date announced?

I mean from what we've seen so far, the 'March 2020' release date shown on the Bloodlines 2 Steam page is reflected in the trailer's 'Q1 2020' date, but the lack of specificity might mean that Bloodlines 2 could need a bit more time in the coffin.

 

[Delterius]

"March next year"?

When was the release date announced?

like ten thousand years ago

edit: edits were editted

 

[Wesp5]

I mean from what we've seen so far, the 'March 2020' release date shown on the Bloodlines 2 Steam page is reflected in the trailer's 'Q1 2020' date, but the lack of specificity might mean that Bloodlines 2 could need a bit more time in the coffin.

I actually hope so. March 2020 would bring the release right next to Cyberpunk 2077 and being overshadowed should not happen again to a Bloodlines game !

 

[ZVERMIX]

Imagine if Chris went around apologizing for updated my journal or nature of a man or Tim for war never changes.

Chris already basically did, right here on Codex discussing rape depiction in his previous work.

 

[Kyl Von Kull]

I mean from what we've seen so far, the 'March 2020' release date shown on the Bloodlines 2 Steam page is reflected in the trailer's 'Q1 2020' date, but the lack of specificity might mean that Bloodlines 2 could need a bit more time in the coffin.

I actually hope so. March 2020 would bring the release right next to Cyberpunk 2077 and being overshadowed should not happen again to a Bloodlines game !

They've been saying Q1 2020 and March is the latest it could possibly come out if they're shooting for a Q1 release date. In their shoes, I would be busting my ass to get the game out in January or February so there's some space between it and Cyberpunk. Postponing strikes me as a very bad idea. The only thing worse than releasing your action RPG a month before CP2077 is releasing it a month after CP2077. Although obviously they'll release on the same day as the most hyped game of the year if they're really trying to recreate the feel of the original.

 

[Zer0wing]

They've been saying Q1 2020 and March is the latest it could possibly come out if they're shooting for a Q1 release date. In their shoes, I would be busting my ass to get the game out in January or February so there's some space between it and Cyberpunk. Postponing strikes me as a very bad idea. The only thing worse than releasing your action RPG a month before CP2077 is releasing it a month after CP2077. Although obviously they'll release on the same day as the most hyped game of the year if they're really trying to recreate the feel of the original.

They could've postpone the release to October to not compete with Cyberpunk 2077 and make sure to iron out any Urine 4-related problems and prepare the DLCs at least. And to be sure they'll have RDNA 2 rays supported from the start instead of patching it later when nobody would care.

 

[LESS T_T]

Related PAX West panels are all about Cara Ellison:

https://west.paxsite.com/schedule/p...iting-video-games-with-vampire-the-masquerade

USGamer Presents: The Art of Writing Video Games with Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Writer Cara Ellison

• MON 09/02 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
• SPHINX THEATRE

Former critic and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 writer Cara Ellison is joined onstage by USG news editor Eric Van Allen to talk about the art of writing video games, how going from critic to writer changed her perspective, and what it takes to bring a beloved RPG into the modern era.

PANELISTS
Eric Van Allen [News Editor, US Gamer], Cara Ellison [Writer, Vampireasquerade - Bloodlines 2]

https://west.paxsite.com/schedule/p...xe-live-how-to-make-vampires-erotique-in-2019

RPS Presents: S.EXE Live: How to Make Vampires Erotique in 2019

• SAT 08/31 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
• SPHINX THEATRE

Cara Ellison, writer on Bloodlines 2 joins RPS (and others?) for a live revival of her former RPS column S.EXE, and discusses how you make vampires sexy in 2019.

PANELISTS
Nate Crowley [Section Editor, Rock Paper Shotgun], Cara Ellison [Writer, Vampireasquerade - Bloodlines 2], Mike Channell [Co-Editor, Outside Xbox]