Game News RPGDot's CRPGs of 2005 part uno

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Dungeon Siege 2

<A href="http://www.rpgdot.com/">RPGDot</a> has posted their <A href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1067">2005 CRPG releases article</a>. It includes such titles as <A href="http://www.swkotor.com/">Knights of the Old Republic 2</a>, <a href="http://www.dungeonsiege.com/ds2.shtml">Dungeon Siege 2</a>, <a href="http://www.the-fall.com/">The Fall</a>, and so on. Here's a bit about <A href="http://www.dungeonsiege.com/ds2.shtml">Dungeon Siege 2</a>:
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<blockquote>After the enormous RTS hit Total Annihilation, Chris Tayor (no, the other one) founded Gas Powered Games and turned his attention to developing the action-RPG Dungeon Siege for Microsoft. The result was a 3D party-based game with a graphical engine that was a tour-de-force for the time but the gameplay was highly linear and streamlined, almost playing automatically. Dungeon Siege 2 sets out to improve on the original with more focus on story and characters, larger towns that act as hubs to provide a little more freedom, an improved skill system and a new scripting engine to give the designers more flexibility creating scripted events.</blockquote>
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Improved skills system should go a long way towards making the sequel better. With a character system, at least there will be something to do periodically.
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Thanks, <b>Dhruin</b>!

 

[Whipporowill]

And since yesterday we have a "release date resource list" for 2005. Help keep it updated by pm'ing me, thanks.

 

[Fresh]

Yes this is a nice article, but they've left Metalheart out damnit.
http://www.metalheart.ru/english/index.html

 

[Whipporowill]

It's a 3 part thingie - with the big players making up the first part, so like um... hold your horses?

 

[Fresh]

Ahh yes thats right. But personally Im much more curious about Metalheart than Dungeon-whatever.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Well, Dungeon Siege 2 could be a major player, but Dungeon Lords and The Fall probably aren't.

 

[simmschn]

The Fall is actually quite good. A bit buggy, but the story and the quests are very interesting. Of course it's no masterpiece like Fallout, but I think most of you will enjoy it when it's out in English language.

 

[Screaming_life]

Well, Dungeon Siege 2 could be a major player, but Dungeon Lords and The Fall probably aren't.

If Dungeon Siege 2 is gonna be a major player then someone shoot me now!

 

[the_dagon]

enjoy the fall ???

err...

The fall has been released in french.
it has many technical problems/concept faults.

- Technically:
1. it's buggy, VERY buggy, and there's an always occuring stopping bug near the beginning of the game (after about 4 hours)
2. scripted missions are bad, very bad. i.e.: I'm stuck at a place where I know what to do, but the cutscene just doesn't happen, because I don't rest exactly at the place where programmers thought I should
3. there are no spoken voices in french (there ARE in german). Distributor said : "there wasn't enough time to record french voices and to release it for christmas". However the game is sold the same price than in germany : 55 euros (about 60 US$).

- gameplay:
1. NO FREEDOM... i.e.: You meet the new government, and have two options : Do the mission, quit the dialog and... talk again and do the mission. Only one choice. Only one way to do things (or maybe two),...
2. scripted missions (look technical problem)
3. missions are BORING. Make tarzan look nice to meet jane. get soap, ask for a barber, get nice clothes... to get clothes you have to make Joe's machine stop, so find a stick to block the machine (there are thousands of stick around you, in the forest, but get the right one... only one can be taken)

this game COULD HAVE BEEN a HIT. However it's not. And that makes me mad, as it has a lot of potential.
Shortly it's bad & boring. Saint_Proverbius told me it could be bad, he was terribly right.

 

[Dhruin]

Yes this is a nice article, but they've left Metalheart out damnit.
http://www.metalheart.ru/english/index.html

There are 17 games in the second part, including Metalheart. The idea is simply to summarise the potential year ahead, so don't expect any revelations.

According to their forums, Metalheart will be finished in January or so...but there's no english publisher at this point. We then have a 12 month wait until they sign with a 3rd-rate publisher who will almost go broke, not have the money to do a decent translation or any voiceovers -- and it will sit on the shelf for another 12 months while they use the little capital they have to get a crappy MMO not one cares about out the door.

In time, the occasional Russian (or German - it's Akella's German satellite studio) will post that it wasn't that good, anyway, and it will fade into obscurity.

Or something like that.

 

[Sol Invictus]

You forgot Seal of Evil.

 

[Dhruin]

Nope. Seal of Evil was released in English in the UK last year, so that's off the list as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Sol Invictus]

You didn't even give it any coverage last year. It comes out in the United States and gets an international (European and Asian) release sometime early this year, but it's not on the list? Since when did RPG Dot cater only to it's British readers?

As far as I'm concerned it looks like you guys are just being lazy to add it into the article.

You might as well take The Fall off the list since it's already out in most German speaking countries if you want to go by the logic that it's 'already released'.

By the way would you mind explaining why the fuck TES4: Oblivion is on the 2005 list?

 

[Dhruin]

WTF? Hello? For starters it's the first of three articles, so you wouldn't have known if it was included at this point.

As it turns out, it isn't included. I didn't consider any game released in English in a major market. Honestly, if that doesn't sound reasonable, I don't what to tell you. Should I leave it on next year's list if SoE has been released in the US but not greater Europe? What about Australia - does that count?

The Fall is available in German, Spanish and French -- not ENGLISH.

No coverage for Seal of Evil? You can read, right? Check our database and then check your own to see if we ignored it. If your source for a US and a European release would like to send out a press release announcing the US and European publishers, we'll report that, too. By the way, your database says a release date of Q1-2004.

And Oblivion...do I really need to quote WHAT I SAID IN THE ARTICLE?

 

[the_dagon]

just to say thanks

I just had to say thanks to Dhruin

Your article(s) are awesome
I was currently doing the same for the Dagon's Lair, and I know it's a lot of work !

I wouldn't include some of the games you listed, as I don't really think those are RPGs (Star Wolves), but you definitely made me complete my list with one or two titles I forgot (heart of Eternity !!!).

anyway, thanks for your work !

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Hell, I didn't know Seal of Evil was released in english last year.

Anyway, fight on. :D

 

[Fresh]

Hey Dhruin, excelllent article. I missed the thing with dividing the high-profiles vs the lower-profiles. Certainly Metalheart belongs in part 2 of the article.

 

[dipdipdip]

I'm told The Fall uses a Resident Evil-style control scheme. That's just disgusting.

 

[Elwro]

An interesting article, keep up the good job!

 

[Sol Invictus]

WTF? Hello? For starters it's the first of three articles, so you wouldn't have known if it was included at this point.

As it turns out, it isn't included. I didn't consider any game released in English in a major market. Honestly, if that doesn't sound reasonable, I don't what to tell you. Should I leave it on next year's list if SoE has been released in the US but not greater Europe? What about Australia - does that count?

Most people don't even know what Seal of Evil is and the last time I checked, England wasn't a 'major market' to begin with. It was never released in the entire English speaking market and neither England nor Australia can be considered large markets in comparison to international releases, American releases or even the German speaking market, which is the 3rd largest gaming market next to America and Japan.

The Fall is available in German, Spanish and French -- not ENGLISH.

That's 3 markets right there, and the German speaking market is, as I mentioned before, the 3rd largest gaming market in the world. That's a lot more 'market' than England and Seal of Evil certainly isn't available in the 'English speaking market' unless you only consider England to be the largest English speaking market, which it isn't.

No coverage for Seal of Evil? You can read, right? Check our database and then check your own to see if we ignored it.

What does it matter? The game certainly hasn't gotten anywhere as much coverage as that wretched piece of shit The Fall yourselves, NMA and everyone else seems to be either getting a hard on for or the total opposite of a hard on, whatever that is.

If your source for a US and a European release would like to send out a press release announcing the US and European publishers, we'll report that, too. By the way, your database says a release date of Q1-2004.

Our database is rarely updated and that's probably my fault, but you knew that and had to point it out anyway as if it was poignant and meaningful to this discussion, right? It's not.

And Oblivion...do I really need to quote WHAT I SAID IN THE ARTICLE?

I read it, and as it so turns out, it's a total load of horse manure considering that the developers themselves have said that the game wouldn't be likely ready for release this year. I don't have a direct quote, but that's pretty much what they've been saying for the past few months.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I'm told The Fall uses a Resident Evil-style control scheme. That's just disgusting.

I've tried it out (the German version) and let me tell you how true that is. It's 100% true, and the game itself is a horrific mess. It certainly lives up to the Silver Style brand of awfulness and unpolished craptitude.

 

[Fresh]

And Oblivion...do I really need to quote WHAT I SAID IN THE ARTICLE?

I read it, and as it so turns out, it's a total load of horse manure considering that the developers themselves have said that the game wouldn't be likely ready for release this year. I don't have a direct quote, but that's pretty much what they've been saying for the past few months.

The devs arent saying ANYTHING about the release date, at least not in any of the interviews, forumposts, etc Ive read.

 

[Whipporowill]

Well, Rex you seemed to believe Dragon Age would be out in 2005, so shut up already?

 

[Dhruin]

Most people don't even know what Seal of Evil is and the last time I checked, England wasn't a 'major market' to begin with. It was never released in the entire English speaking market and neither England nor Australia can be considered large markets in comparison to international releases, American releases or even the German speaking market, which is the 3rd largest gaming market next to America and Japan.

You seem to be stuck on this point, so let's explore it a little. Since you've established I'm lazy, I'm curious to hear your resolution for some of the issues here and I must admit, I'm a little interested why your brilliant self hasn't solved these problems for the Codex other just ignoring release updates in the first place.

1). When should I consider a game "released"? What if a game is available in one major market (we'll ignore the fact that the UK is a major market) but not others? What if it's never released in one major market...should the game be forever flagged "not released".

2). Why don't you support these multiple markets you're so worried about. Q1-2004 for Seal of Evil? Is that US, UK, Botswana?

That's 3 markets right there, and the German speaking market is, as I mentioned before, the 3rd largest gaming market in the world. That's a lot more 'market' than England and Seal of Evil certainly isn't available in the 'English speaking market' unless you only consider England to be the largest English speaking market, which it isn't.

You still missed the point. The article in in English. I'm an English writer. The primary language of the site is English. The Fall ISN'T AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH.

What does it matter? The game certainly hasn't gotten anywhere as much coverage as that wretched piece of shit The Fall yourselves, NMA and everyone else seems to be either getting a hard on for or the total opposite of a hard on, whatever that is.

*blinks* So you want me to invent Seal of Evil coverage? I did a hands-on preview, organised a giveaway and have a review underway. I contacted GMX and posted an update when the UK release date was missed. That no other sites are intested in SoE or that GMX did a poor job promoting it just has nothing to do with RPGDot. What did you do for SoE that was so special? I don't see a bunch of newsbits in your database that I missed.

Seems to me you're just trying to be a jerk.

Our database is rarely updated and that's probably my fault, but you knew that and had to point it out anyway as if it was poignant and meaningful to this discussion, right? It's not.

Might want to check the meaning of "poignant". Anyway - yes. You want to call me "lazy" over a game you're so passionate about but can't be bothered updating the release date for a year and I'll call you on it.

I read it, and as it so turns out, it's a total load of horse manure considering that the developers themselves have said that the game wouldn't be likely ready for release this year. I don't have a direct quote, but that's pretty much what they've been saying for the past few months.

They've been careful to avoid saying that, so I'd love to see your quote. They've also said the engine is basically complete, they're adding content and they're playing the game for the fun of it and not just to catch bugs. I took that last bit with a huge grain of salt, so I was careful to say that Oblivion might not belong there.

Perfectly happy to accept I stretched it on Oblivion but I'm also comfortable that I pointed out I was speculating.

 

[Jed]

Ah, don't sweat it Dhruin. Rex will warez Seal of Evil, post here how it's the bestest game ever, then two weeks later trash it, the developers that made it, and eventually say that the people of the nation where it was developed are filthy and eat cats and dogs off the streets.