Game News Bloodlines weekly update

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Troika Games; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

<a href=http://www.rpgdot.com>RPG Dot</a> posted <a href=http://www.vampirebloodlines.com>Bloodlines</a>' <a href=http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php#2780>update #9</a>. No link is provided, as they claim it came straight from Activision Community Manager, <b>Shane DeFreest</b>.
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<blockquote><i>Will Bloodlines support the three standard types of damage (Bashing, Lethal, Aggravated) found in the World of Darkness? And if so how will they be implemented?</i>
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Yes, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has all three types of damage. The end result is similar to the PnP version. Vampires are nearly immune to Bashing, Lethal poses a bit of a problem, and Aggravated is extremely problematic. Bashing damage is done by blunt instruments, Lethal is dealt by bladed weapons and firearms (though interestingly, Vampires treat firearms as bashing damage) and Aggravated is caused by fire, huge amounts
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of electricity, and some of the Disciplines.
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<i>Will there be powers that allow a Canite to fly, will there be a maximum height you can travel? </i>
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Unfortunately, Cainites will not be able to fly. However, they can jump some good distance, which is regulated by their Strength and Athletics. I can't give you any precise numbers at the moment as we're still balancing the gameplay.</blockquote>No flying? Damn! I wanted to play Superman
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[Whipporowill]

According to an old post on the Bloodlines Inn, vampires will be able to scale sheer walls. I'd certainly like to know if that is still in...

And Shane usually mails the updates out at the same time he posts the updates at the Inn, so there's no reason for RPGDot to supply any link, I wouldn't. But for some reason his mails seem to take 100 years reaching my codex-mail. Bah.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Well, Shane, if there is indeed such a person, has never made it to the Inn, so it's clear that RPG Dot made it all up. If it was a real update, it would have had questions like "Is Buffy in the game? Can I romance her?"

 

[Ortchel]

This game sounds more and more amazing all the time.

But whats with the obscure damage types?

Don't we call those 'blunt, slashing and elemental' generally?

'Aggravated'?

Seems a bit superfluous to me.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Well, wouldn't you feel aggravated if some jerk sets you on fire? Duh!

 

[Whipporowill]

Aggravated damage is a lot harder for a vampire to heal - ordinary wounds (even lethal) can just be healed by spending some blood to clot the tissue.

 

[Ortchel]

Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it makes sense if you've played the pen and paper or what have you, but to an outsider like me whos never played or cared to play any vampire related anything it just seems obscure.

Anyway, based on that logic, Vault Dweller, how about 'irritating, kinda hurty, aggravated and really annoying' damage types??

I'm all for it. Better than fucking D&D.

 

[fnordcircle]

If you think that's obscure, wait till you read about obsfucation, celerity, potence, protean and vicissitude.

Face it, that's cooler than saying invisible, fast, strong, shape shifting and plastic surgery.

 

[Megatron]

Is it meant to be coming out on June 3rd?

 

[Whipporowill]

HIGHLY unlikely, I'd say at least 3-4 months after HL2 as part of the engine contract, so it's not actually looking that good for a 2004 Bloodlines release.

 

[Ortchel]

That damn hl2 ..

 

[HanoverF]

HIGHLY unlikely, I'd say at least 3-4 months after HL2 as part of the engine contract, so it's not actually looking that good for a 2004 Bloodlines release.

Didn't someone from Activision (?) say that they had some dissagreement about the delay and it wouldn't be the last we heard about it... and then it was the last we heard about it

 

[Whipporowill]

Absolutly right. Shane said he would have more info on the release date in a few weeks, but that they were still planning for 2004... but that was in the beginning of february, when a 2005 release was mentioned in a Bloodlines preview somewhere.

Here's what he said over at the Inn:

Thank you for your continued interest and support for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Regarding recent inquiries about the game's ship date, rest assured that Activision is planning to release the game this fall, 2004. Stay tuned for more updates coming in the next few weeks.

-Shane

http://vnboards.ign.com/Bloodlines_Inn/ ... 751224/?24

Consider Gabe Newell has stated that HL2 will be out "this summer" in a preview scan of a german pc mag, there's still a possibility I guess. Summer can mean anything from may to september though, right?

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I think so, but I think it's the beginning of september when summer ends. So that would mean that we'd get it at December at the earliest?

 

[Whipporowill]

The 3-4 months gap between HL2 and Bloodlines was just an approximation I made, I have no actual basis for it. But it makes sense for Valve to have a clause in the engine contract somewhere saying, "we will ride the hype - you can get what's left".

 

[Petey_the_Skid]

But whats with the obscure damage types?

Don't we call those 'blunt, slashing and elemental' generally?

'Aggravated'?

Bashing Damage: Damage caused by blunt trauma(including fists, feet, and blunt weapons like baseball bats and sticks), that is easy to heal, even a mortal with no supernatural powers will heal all bashing damage with a day or two of rest. Vampires and mortals can roll to soak this damage, and after soak, vampires divide the damage taken by 2. Vampires treat firearms as bashing damage. A mortal cannot die from bashing damage, only knocked unconcious, at which point he can then be beaten to death.

EX: Ralphie smacks Jessica, a toreador vampire, with his fist and rolls 3 levels of bashing damage. Jessica rolls her soak dice(she has 2 soak dice from her stamina, and has no fortitude or any armor), and successfully absorbs 1 level of damage with her stamina, leaving 2 levels that go through to cause actual damage, however because she is a vampire, this number is divided by 2, meaning Jessica only takes one level of damage.

Lethal Damage: Damage caused by things that cut, tear or otherwise pierce the flesh. At the Storyteller's discretion, extreme blunt trauma(falling, metal sledge hammers) can be considered lethal as opposed to bashing. This damage is deadly to mortals, they cannot roll to soak this damage with stamina, and if they have 3 or more levels of lethal damage, they will eventually bleed to death without medical attention. It can take months of recovery for a mortal to heal this type of damage, and they may be left with crippling injuries, at the storyteller's discretion.Vampires may roll soak, but do not divide divide this type of damge by 2.

EX: Shrugging off Ralphie's punch, Jessica slashes at him with her machete. Getting extremely lucky on her rolls, she causes 7 levels of lethal damage. Ralphie, a mortal wth no armor, is now at the incapacitated health level, unable to move or act, and will die in minutes if the bleeding is not stopped. Even if the bleeding is stopped, the amount of damage he suffered from one blow most liekyly represents an injury from which he would never fully recover(loss of a limb, or hideous disfigurement, perhaps loss of some non vital-organ, Colostomy bags anyone?).

Effects of lethal and bashing on vampires: Bashing and lethal damage cannot kill vampires, only send them into torpor(sort of like a coma for vampires) for a certain time(weeks to years, depending on the vampire). The one exception would be cutting off a vampire's head, which instantly kills them.

Aggravated damage: Damage caused by supernatural means, such as were-wolf's claws or a vampire's fangs, sunlight, fire and certain other effects. Mortals cannot soak this damage except with armor, and maybe not even that, depending on the exact damage type(most armor gives little defense against fire for example). They treat it as lethal for healing purposes, but are more apt to be scarred by it. Vampires can only soak aggravated damage with fortitude, if they have it, and armor, stamina has no effect. It is also much more difgficult to heal than lethal or bashing damage(5 bloodpoints + 1 willpower point/level for aggravated vs 1 blood point/level of bashing or lethal damage), meaning that most vampires can heal only one level of aggravated damage per night.

Effects of aggravated damage on vampires: This type of damage can actually KILL vampires. If a vampire loses its last health level to aggravated damage, it's bye bye, final death for you chico.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

From what petey says, it sounds rather reasonable.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

The 3-4 months gap between HL2 and Bloodlines was just an approximation I made, I have no actual basis for it. But it makes sense for Valve to have a clause in the engine contract somewhere saying, "we will ride the hype - you can get what's left".

Yeah, any idea where that rumour started? It wasn't one of the devs or something like that? I've been trying to find it but have so far come up trumps.

 

[Azael]

While I don't doubt that Bloodlines will be released after HL2, I don't see why there's the need for such a long wait. They are not exactly competing titles and I imagine Valve want to show of their engine as much as possible after all the delays.

 

[dunduks]

I don't see why there's the need for such a long wait. They are not exactly competing titles and I imagine Valve want to show of their engine as much as possible after all the delays.

Well if Troika would release VTM before HL2, that would mean that engine is *complete* and Valve didn't tell the truth about the code being stolen, need to rewrite it etc... it would mean that the HL2 wasn't ready for release to begin with.
Grrr, those lazy lying bastards.

 

[Dhruin]

I am positive I've seen a dev comment that Bloodlines can't be released before HL2, so I think Whip is right. Can't remember the source, though.

 

[Avin]

the only good thing that comes from ww was mage, the ascension. but you can't simulate the freedom of that magic system in a crpg.

then we have a vampire crpg now that ww decided to end vampire, werewolf and mage... just in time.