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

[Delterius]

Guys you don't get it, it looks goofy because it wants to be faithful to the original game!

Ffs. The original is far less goofy and janky than people are making it out to be. Stop putting it down to make this game look better.

TBH the original is kinda lucky/genius that 95% of it focuses on the non terrible facial animations. Remember, in the beginning, when the Sheriff kills a bunch of sabbat 'shovelheads' and the camera pans to you looking through a window? The PC looks like the Hunchback of Notredame.

Anyways, something tells me most of the trailer is a creature of Marketing/PR and that this game doesn't actually have dancing scenes on third person. Then again I might be wrong.

 

[Vincente]

something tells me most of the trailer is a creature of Marketing/PR and that this game doesn't actually have dancing scenes on third person.

There is footage of player character dancing in third person, in one of the gameplay videos. Probably the 8 minute one where you chase the nosferatu thinblood for Elif.

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

Guys you don't get it, it looks goofy because it wants to be faithful to the original game!

Ffs. The original is far less goofy and janky than people are making it out to be. Stop putting it down to make this game look better.

I'm just kidding.

Despite some flaws, Bloodlines have some nice features in terms of visuals for it's time. I always liked the facial animations a lot in this game, they are not completely realistic but they make the characters very expressive.

Some environments like LA downtown are very atmospheric thanks to how the visuals work.

 

[Delterius]

something tells me most of the trailer is a creature of Marketing/PR and that this game doesn't actually have dancing scenes on third person.

There is footage of player character dancing in third person, in one of the gameplay videos. Probably the 8 minute one where you chase the nosferatu thinblood for Elif.

I was actually wondering if that was meant to be the PC or some introduction for the best girl. But then she bits the guy, so it can't be the PC. And I don't think its a cutscene either. The 8 minute demo where you enter the club and just talk to 'Elif' flows much better than a sudden cutscene.

Also I don't think they'd actually impose that many expressions onto a blank slate, non voiced protagonist. Or, in case I'm wrong and it does happen elsewhere, I disagree with that decision.

I still think someone on PR/Marketing made a call for a Cinematic Trailer TM. And that it was a dumb decision.

 

[Delterius]

Also I demand first person finger snapping or else I'm cancelling my many pre orders.

 

[Semiurge]

All the dancing came across as Twin Peaks-esque to me. Doubt it'll be as well-written though.

For some reason it made me think of this (3:15)

 

[DeepOcean]

From this dialog you get:
a - VV is extroverted, she likes to talk with people
b - She is vain, likes attention, is self centered and at same time insecure. It is all about her here.
c - She is self centered but she isnt an idiot, she keeps track of what you are doing.
d - She likes to manipulate people, pump their self steem up, calling you a celebrity for example, to make people like her.

In terms of gameplay, this is a little acknowledge to the player actions so the player feel he is having an impact. It isnt the most brillant writing of the world but it is pretty slick.

Many games cant do half of that with three times the word count.

 

[vortex]

Also I demand first person finger snapping or else I'm cancelling my many pre orders.

Sorry. Finger snapping would be just too op. Game already looks too easy to play.

 

[Semiurge]

This trailer was our first glimpse of Camarilla leader Prince Cross' in-game appearance:



Not as dashing as in the announcement trailer and concept renders:

Will this even have motion captured animations in cutscenes? The ones in the video look like they could be, but done badly.

I'm just kidding.

Despite some flaws, Bloodlines have some nice features in terms of visuals for it's time. I always liked the facial animations a lot in this game, they are not completely realistic but they make the characters very expressive.

Some environments like LA downtown are very atmospheric thanks to how the visuals work.

It always bothered me that she shares Therese's head model. It looks so obvious during the theater scene.

 

[Zombra]

For the first time, I'm having tangible doubts. Something about the environments and gameplay we've seen so far have felt shallow, but I chalked that up to "It's just what they've thrown together so far, the real game will be bigger and deeper". This second trailer has that same shallow feeling. I could almost feel the controller in my hands. I feel like we're going to not only have fewer gameplay hours, but fewer missions, fewer locations, fewer side stories, a smaller world. Is this supposed to release this year? The studio is too small, not enough time to give it depth.

The whole vibe of that trailer just feels like an insult. Vampires are super strong and bulletproof and that's so cool, they laugh everything off and no one takes themselves seriously, it's a cartoon. Everybody does whatever they want and dance around in their big mansions and kill stuff. We got powers bro. Bloodlines 1 characters were more stylized visually but they took themselves seriously, really had a point of view and I believed them as characters, even the weird and wacky ones. Not getting that feeling here. It's all a joke.

 

[Harthwain]

For the first time, I'm having tangible doubts. Something about the environments and gameplay we've seen so far have felt shallow, but I chalked that up to "It's just what they've thrown together so far, the real game will be bigger and deeper".

I have learned to never think this way anymore. If the base product doesn't look promising, then usually it won't be much better down the line (unless you completely rework it).

 

[Life of the Party]

You need some class for a Bloodlines sequel. This trailer has two women, one of them is winking at you, the other one is flipping you off.

Like I said, the part between 1:17 and 1:21 looks nice, the rest of it is mostly just some superhero stuff. I did warn you, by the way.

They want a power fantasy for women and minorities while most of us here want something prestigious and monocled.

 

[TheSoul]

The trailer feels really fake, feels even less impressive than before. Only looking forward to the soundtrack at this point

 

[HansDampf]

Can't tell if they're trying too hard to hit the same notes as the first game, or if it's just the fanservice-y trailers. Is that woman in the club their version of the flirty vampire waifu? Then they are setting themselves up to fail. They won't beat Tourette. And I still can't get over "Prince Cross". Next we'll meet the new Anarch leader Tens Fernandez, the Nosferatu Bernhart Zung, and comic relief character Officer Honk.
And the character/face models look really awkward.

 

[user]

Some models felt like they were made out of plastic, a lot of animations were awkward, blood vfx was terrible... Can get past all that if it turns out to be half the rpg Bloodlines was. Liked the vibe of the trailer and they don't seem to shy away from at least some degree of perversion and violence, which is good news for everyone here!

 

[moon knight]

Trailer was nice. This was never gonna have the 100 million AAA polish and expecting that is misguided. It will live or die by its writing, atmosphere and quest design.

The Witcher 2 looks much better and is 10 years older than this game

 

[Prime Junta]

Trailer was nice. This was never gonna have the 100 million AAA polish and expecting that is misguided. It will live or die by its writing, atmosphere and quest design.

The Witcher 2 looks much better and is 10 years older than this game

 

[Zer0wing]

The Witcher 2 looks much better and is 10 years older than this game

The lighting is pure ass in TW2. Your precious Triss model looks like shiny metal doll instead of real human.

 

[Roguey]

The trailer feels really fake, feels even less impressive than before. Only looking forward to the soundtrack at this point

The downgrade suggests this is real.

Spoiler

The Witcher 2 looks much better and is 10 years older than this game

Witcher 2 was made by some of the best artists in the biz and benefited from the cost of Polish labor.

Compare BL2 to uh... Alpha Protocol.

 

[moon knight]

The lighting is pure ass in TW2. Your precious Triss model looks like shiny metal doll instead of real human.

Spoiler

It still holds up. Because the overall graphic quality of a game is more of the sum of its parts. It's about artistic direction.

 

[Zer0wing]

The downgrade suggests this is real.

Or it was all CGI.

 

[Infinitron]

Yeah, the announcement trailer was a prerendered cinematic. It's like saying Witcher 3's downgrade was because it didn't look like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0i88t0Kacs

Anyway, I'm waiting for the gameplay.

 

[Roguey]

Or it was all CGI.

It's all cg but I know what you mean.

 

[Technomancer]

Only looking forward to the soundtrack at this point

I have my doubts that Schaffer will replicate success of his past work. He said it himself, when he wrote soundtrack for bloodlines his life was in a black line and that influenced his work, infused with his emotions he made dark and moody themes.

Right now he is old, successful and content, I don't expect a man like that writing something like this:

 

[Ninjerk]

Wasn't the Bloodlines ST even more lifted than Fallout's?