Preview Also a Bloodlines preview at IGN

[Spazmo]

Tags: Troika Games; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Along with the <a href=http://rpgcodex.com/index.php#2054>movies</a> of <a href=http://www.vampirebloodlines.com>Bloodlines</a>, <a href=http://pc.ign.com>IGN</a> has got a traditional <a href=http://pc.ign.com/articles/493/493776p1.html>preview</a> of the game. Looks like <b>Leon Boyarsky</b> has been making the rounds.
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>You'll start out as a fledgling vampire, recently "embraced." Your powers are minimal, but you will already be stronger and faster than the average human. The opening scene we were shown (and featured in one of the gameplay clips) takes you into an apartment where you'll meet Mercurio, a human who does favors for the clans in exchange for vampire blood that allows him to live longer. He's about sixty years old, but he looks about in his mid-thirties. But he's been beaten up badly, apparently a victim of a deal gone wrong, and he needs your help. While going through the conversation, you'll get dialogue choices that allow you to role-play a demeanor--like in Fallout--and how you talk to him will have an effect on how he deals with you later. You can be politely inquisitive, sarcastic and bored, or you can just whack him. I wouldn't recommend that, though, because he's important to some powerful people, namely the prince, who's bidding you will be doing--for a time, at least.</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
That's too bad, if you ask me. I was hoping Troika's titles would further explore the potential of opening vignettes.
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://65.75.129.150/~gengame/">GenGamers</a>

 

[Volourn]

Maybe they realized they sucked at 'em, and are takinga break from 'em until they know they can get it right.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

They're prolly saving it for their next IP.

 

[Whipporowill]

Well. No need for vignettes as your choice comes afterwards - you choose clan and such in-game I believe.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Yeah along the game you'll eventually decide to join a clan or go solo. I hope it isn't just something purely aesthetical though.

 

[Whipporowill]

I'm sure it isn't - clan decides what disciplines you have access too (at least in pnp) and should cause different reactions from members of opposing clans (some people just don't fancy eachother). As for locations, npc's and quests exclusive to a clan - who knows, but it's sure probable.

 

[Seven]

Well I'm not sure of anything, but I don't think that games need opening vinettes to be good (not that Spaz said so). Plus, I don't really see the advantage of doing them in a game like this since you don't choose a clan until later.

 

[LCJr.]

Screw the vignettes. How about a supportive publisher and a good (relatively)bug-free game?

I had high hopes for Troika when they started out, granted maybe to high, but not anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if this game turns out to be pretty mediocre and bug-ridden.

 

[Whipporowill]

Well... that's why Valve licensed them the source engine and Activision seems to think they have a hit on their hands? I'm thinking this game will be Troika's biggest - which would be both good and bad.

 

[Azael]

I don't get how you choose clans later in the game, I thought new vampires belonged to the clan who "sired" them?

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I don't get how you choose clans later in the game, I thought new vampires belonged to the clan who "sired" them?

I don't know anything about Vampire's rules, but thats what i was thinking also. In which case a form of vignettes would make sense. In a way.

 

[Whipporowill]

I think you were sired by a Caitif (clanless fellow) and sort of get adopted when the Prince orders him dead - or at least that's what I remember hearing.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Smart move :D

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

I think you were sired by a Caitif (clanless fellow) and sort of get adopted when the Prince orders him dead - or at least that's what I remember hearing.

This is one way, yes. There are others, but most of them involve you being sired into the clan, at which point you really have no choice. We'll see how they do it. Maybe they can pull it off in a plausible role-play sense.

 

[Whipporowill]

I'm pretty sure this is THE way it's done in Bloodlines... :wink:

 

[Voss]

Thats bad, and doesn't make sense.
A Caitiff is Caitiff, and can't become part of a Clan. (except possibly in name only), and most of them treat Caitiff like dog shit. At best you'd be a tool, at worst they'd execute you out of hand (as many older vamps feel Caitiff are a threat to the masquerade by their very existance).

The one positive thing this has going for it is that it would fold nicely into the End Times campaign/storyline that WW is cooking up.

The idea of choosing a clan (in game/character context, not player context) is just, well, wrong. A vampire chooses someone to Embrace- the mortal doesn't have much, if any, say in the matter

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Well, I don't see anything really wrong with letting you choose if they would do something like you choose the clan, and then you get a vignette of someone from that clan embracing you. Each clan's vignette would differ to fit the mood of that clan. That way you still get control of your clan outside of role-play, but it doesn't effect the role-play proper. If you can understand what I mean.

 

[Voss]

Oh, I don't object to the *player* choosing the characters clan. Thats a big thing in creating your own character.

Its the (possible, since I don't know that this is more than rumor) idea that the *character* is wandering into Vamps'R'Us, trying out Clans to see which one goes best with their black leather angsting pants, then calling out 'Toreador, I choose you!'

And I just disturbed myself with my own imagery...

 

[Seven]

Thats bad, and doesn't make sense.
A Caitiff is Caitiff, and can't become part of a Clan. (except possibly in name only), and most of them treat Caitiff like dog shit. At best you'd be a tool, at worst they'd execute you out of hand (as many older vamps feel Caitiff are a threat to the masquerade by their very existance).

Maybe that's the whole point. Either that or it's another one of those chosen one deals in which case the prince would have no choice but to keep you alive, and in which case you're still a tool. From what I've heard about this world being used or falling prey to machinations is the order of the day, right?

 

[Jinxed]

I thought the Codex didn't like Bloodlines and won't post news about it. And even Saint posted the previous item about it.

Is it just me or is this game getting a lot more hype than previous Troika games?

 

[Psilon]

It's a side effect of working with Valve. See: Half-Life, Half-Life 2, TeamFortress 2, PowerPlay, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Steam...

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I thought the Codex didn't like Bloodlines and won't post news about it. And even Saint posted the previous item about it.

I said I wasn't as interested in it as I was in the previous games Troika's done. I post news about lots of things I'm interested in even less than Bloodlines.

 

[Voss]

Maybe that's the whole point. Either that or it's another one of those chosen one deals in which case the prince would have no choice but to keep you alive, and in which case you're still a tool. From what I've heard about this world being used or falling prey to machinations is the order of the day, right?

Still wouldn't buy you acceptance from a Clan though. Appearance and prestige are very big in Vamp society in this game. Using a Caitiff as a tool and then abandoning the poor fool (or staking him out for the sun) would be fine. Any real measure of social acceptance (such as adopting him into a Clan) would be taken as well as a female black President of the USA in 1840.

And any situation in which a prince would be forced to keep a newly embraced Caitiff alive would be *extremely* heavy-handed an awkward. By one of the major rules of the masquerade, permission to embrace a new vampire is given by the prince of the city, and anyone who does it without permission (which is almost guarranteed with a Caitiff) can be executed out of hand, with the new vamp going on the pyre as well.

So unless its a BS situation where the newly embraced Caitiff happens to stumble upon an assassination attempt on the prince and miraculously saves him (someone thats roughly 50x more powerful than he is, by the by) purely by accident (and in full view of significant members of vampire society, who now know that the prince owes this piece of garbage of a favor) it just isn't likely.


Anyway, it seems rather moot. Check the Character Devlopment section on the website. It repeatedly mentions Clan. I'm assuming by the way its written that it is addressed toward the player, since it mentions choice of Clan (and is rather meta-game oriented- begin your adventure, enter the World of Darkness, etc) , but it mentions *beginnning* with powers inherent to your Clan, Clan dictates your powers, etc.

Theres not a single mention of Caitiff, (even mentioned as the colloquial, Clanless) at all. The focus is purely on the Seven Clans of the Camarilla. (though it should be noted, from where I think this is in the WoD timeline, the Gangrel aren't technically, anymore)


As for the beginning described in the interview, it could simple be a fairly straight forward sire embraces childe, trains him, sets him up on his own to test him/see how he fairs own, and he gets sucked into the existing power blocks. And since the sire would probably owe the prince for allowing him to embrace someone anyway, the new vamp ending up working for the prince would a) help his get rid of some of his debt, and b) give the new vamp the most obvious route to power buy working for the man in charge. And so, the prince's lackey shows up with tasks... Do them, and you have an opening into the existing power structure, reject them, and well...

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe they realized they sucked at 'em, and are takinga break from 'em until they know they can get it right.

Or maybe it's because Vampire was started while ToEE was going on, hmm...

 

[Trash]

Though I was quite pleasantly surprised by the apparent depth of quest solving, the magic system looked cool (and rather nasty...blood boil!) The weapons looked kinda weak. That shotgun sounded like a fly swatter, and other gun sounds were equally underpowered. Same for the hand to hand fighting sounds, it all sounded a bit flat and dull.

Hope these were just place holder sounds though, blowing a chunk out of someone with a shotgun should feel mean, look mean and SOUND mean!

Second I'm wondering how the travel system will work. One big city like GTA3? Different area's/hubs that you can traverse to like DX2? An overall map in the fallout style? Or different locations that you can click on in a map like bloodweb did (neat old style cyberpunk/vampire game by microprose)
All of these styles have their different advantages and disadvantages, though I hope for large gameing area's with loads of changes to explore.
Cya,

Trash