Game News Hard to be a God announced

[Spazmo]

Tags: Akella; Hard to be a God

Russian developer Akella sent a <a href=http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?show=784>press release</a> to <a href=http://www.bluesnews.com>Blue's News</a> about their new RPG Hard to be a God.<blockquote>Akella presents the long-awaited details on its internal project, the "Hard to be a God" RPG based on the novel of the same name by Strugatsky brothers.
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The "Hard to be a God" game will be a thoroughbred role-playing game affirming all the best traditions of the genre. The storyline is non-linear presenting several story branches with 4 endings depending on the main character's in-game behavior.
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The game utilizes a 3D-engine with free rotating camera. Wounds, weapons, armor and different equipment are shown on the characters' models.
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One of the gameplay features is the interference of two epochs in the game universe – the medieval and the alternative future. This provides the peculiar variety of different weapons and armors – from swords and bows to miniguns, from full plates to force fields – and equipment like binoculars and night vision goggles at characters' disposal. The standard RPG equipment "doll" is amplified with slots for sword shoulder-belts and hidden weapon scabbards on wrists and arms.
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The combat system features many different combos and special attacks (stunning, disarming, etc.) provided by some abilities and special weapon types. During a battle the character can be wounded badly which will diminish his attributes and require long recover, and even lose a limb or be decapitated by a strong attack of the opponent.</blockquote>Sounds like a ball. Here's hoping they can get someone to publish it outside of Russia.

 

[Whipporowill]

The dumb blue's guys actually had it down to being a Troika game first. Boy, was I suprised - since there's absolutley zilch about Troika in the press release. Talk about smoking crack on the job.

 

[Deacdo]

Alleka has been on my radar since Sea Dogs. I was pleased they split with Bethesda...but unfortunately we haven't seen one of their releases in N. America since

Interested in this one as well as Metalhearts.

 

[dojoteef]

Holy SHIT! They're making a game about me!

(Sorry, I had to do it before someone else did.)

 

[Spazmo]

The dumb blue's guys actually had it down to being a Troika game first. Boy, was I suprised - since there's absolutley zilch about Troika in the press release. Talk about smoking crack on the job.

Actually, it mentions that the world map is "Arcanum styled"--but that's it. Anyways, nobody but Russians could name a game "Hard to be a God".

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Yeah, Sea Dogs was, and still is, a great game. I like the sound of this new RPG and hope they get a publisher for the states as well.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Has anyone read the novel by the renown Soviet-era authors? Could be interesting.

 

[DrattedTin]

Probably sucks. "Renowned" authors usually do. Especially when their books are described as "emotional", "weighty", or "classic".

 

[Shagnak]

Has anyone read the novel by the renown Soviet-era authors? Could be interesting.

Could be the Strugatski brothers?

[edit] Doh. Just read the 1st post [/edit]

I've read both Roadside Picnic (insp. for the movie "Stalker" and the game of the same name) and Prisoners of Power. I've heard of Hard to be a God in relationship to the latter. Is it the same (translated?). Can anyone confirm?

Neither are really appropriate for direct transaltion to a video game. But you knew that, right? Its like using the basis of We Can Remember It For you Wholesale (PK Dick) for a mindless Arnie action flick (i.e. Total Recall).

Take the central idea and rape it up the arse for all you can get.
Fuckers.

 

[Shagnak]

Okay, different book from Prisoners of Power, which is more "Geezer stranded on alien planet who then finds himself marooned in a society whose government perpetuates war by brainwashing its citizens" - paraphrased from blurb .

 

[ichpokhudezh]

In fact there are quite a few of their books based on the setting.
It sports an utopian and extremely advanced Earth (it's the most advanced civ in a galaxy, if I remember correctly) where individuals reached almost unlimited freedom, and there's a type of 'executive government' with certain number of bodies/commitees. One of them is a Progressor committee, which has a goal of speeding up progress of somewhat stalling civilizations and transforming regimes into some x-cracy, that fits some internal standards. This committee recruits and trains individuals ('progressors') to be placed as agents inside target civilizations. Such individuals are supposed to further 'progress' (whatever that means to the committee), have quite a few limitations on their activities and are supposed to be closely watched by controlling agents.

As one of the layers, it brings up the dillemma of the agent being a person (with preferences/morality/personality disorders/etc) and an incredibly powerfool tool (as in "god's hand"). This particular book centers (imo) on this one.

A translation of the title that's a bit closer to the original russian title would be 'A god is an intricate and laborious occupation'.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Sounds like a pretty good book, and a good setting for an RPG especially with the moral dilemmas.

 

[Spazmo]

I hope they don't go overboard with the socialist propaganda, though.

 

[Ap_Jolly]

Huh? Didn't you hear? Communism is coming back, dude, big time.

 

[Fez]

Yed'ini mog'oochi Sov'etski Soy'ooz, mi b'oodem vsegd'a bezav'etno verni!

Nas k torjestv'oo kommun'izma vedy'ot!

So where can I by the hopelessly ironic overpriced communist emblem t-shirts?

 

[ArcturusXIV]

Screw this shit. They need a game based on Gormenghast!

 

[ichpokhudezh]

So where can I by the hopelessly ironic overpriced communist emblem t-shirts?

Beloved Stalin is People's Happiness