Preview First Night Watch Screenshots

[Sol Invictus]

Tags: Night Watch; Nival Interactive

As you may, or may not have heard, Nival Interactive is developing a new RPG called Night Watch, based on the Watch trilogy by Russian novelist Sergei Lukyanenko. The game allows the player to take on the paranormal, like vampires and werewolves throughout various European cities. Night Watch is being developed on Nival's own Silent Storm engine and features turn-based combat.
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The <a href=http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=22317>first screenshots</a> of Night Watch have been made available at Worthplaying.

 

[Whipporowill]

Hehe, I just posted that in "general rpg" a while ago - kinda figured we didn't do screenshots as news. But I guess this one was pretty much justified, silly me.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Silent Storm meets Bureau 13?

 

[Whipporowill]

Silent Storm meets Bureau 13?

I kind of got that vibe too - although B13 was more of a bizarre adventure game. Don't remember completing it either, was there a major bug or something? Still, if that's what Nightwatch turns out like, I'll be one happy camper...

 

[Sol Invictus]

You did? Heh. Anyway, Saint gave me the go. Feel free to post screenshots as news. Volourn does not dictate news policy.

Here's some background info on the novel (and probably the game):

For as long as Universe existed, there was The Gloom, a twilight realm that existed beneath the surface of all things. And for as long as Humanity existed, there were The Others - human beings who tapped into The Gloom and gained incredible abilities. But The Gloom doesn't offer it's gifts freely. Those who use The Gloom for two long lose their ability to age, but with every year they gain, they lose more of their humanity. And if The Others enter The Gloom while weakened, they are consumed, never to return again.

Over the centuries, The Others formed into two distict groups. The Light Others believed it was their duty to help the weak and the helpless. The Dark Others shunned all obligations. They did whatever they wanted, regardless of morals and consequinces. For millenia, the two sides fought a vicious battle. Both sides were willing to use any method to achieve victory. But eventually, they realized that if they continue their battle, neither side would survive. And so, the leaders of both sides forged the Grand Treaty. This strict set governed the way The Others used their powers. The Light Others created the Night Watch, so that the Dark Others don't violate the Grand Treaty. The Dark Others created the Day Watch, so that the Light Others won't violate the Grand Treaty. And the Inquisition, a group composed of both Dark and Light Others, was created to ensure that neither side becomes too powerful.

Since then, the Night Watch and the Day Watch kept their eyes on each other, diligently policing every violation to the treaty. But just because the battle was over didn't mean the war ended. The old leaders continued to plot, using humanity and The Others as their pawns. Only time will tell which side would prevail.

 

[Vault Dweller]

They look kinda crappy comparing to SS, no?

 

[Whipporowill]

Nah, I think Saint's complained about Screens before. But I guess first screens or screens revealing new and relevant information are good to go - I wasn't complaining per se, so you know.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Yeah, B13 was a bit bizarre... I do remember finishing it with the hacker and the vampire, though. The ending was pretty much the worst part of the game, but the setting was pretty interesting

I could have just mentioned Nocturne as well.

 

[dunduks]

They look kinda crappy comparing to SS, no?

Those screens that look like they are washed up - it is the effect of "twilight".

 

[Whipporowill]

http://www.nival.com/nightwatch_ru

There's a russian nighwatch web page over at Nival's official site. Doubt many of us has the ability to understand the cyrillic alphabet (or the russian language at that), but there's a a few closeups of the models et c.

 

[Jed]

It looks more like the screens were taken from a box with a shitty videocard. At any rate, as long as they keep this TB, count me in!

 

[Jinxed]

B13 was pretty nice. An old game though, not many people played it.

I do not care if we're gonna fight with carebears in Nivels new game. I just want a well developed gameworld to match the engine.

That's not gonna happen.

If we would be allowed to re enter locations in the SS2 engine, save games would weight in gigabytes.

That's one of the upcoming problems of JA3, fancy 3d engine = no destructable walls.

It looks more like the screens were taken from a box with a shitty videocard. At any rate, as long as they keep this TB, count me in!

It looks like they used a voodoo card for those screenshots.

 

[Screaming_life]

They look kinda crappy comparing to SS, no?

Looks ok to me, not terribly interested in gfx

Plus it looks quite zoomed in, if it's like SS i doubt you'll play most of the game like that


So is this gonna be proper RPG or more similar to SS ?
World / levels?

 

[Sol Invictus]

It looks alright, but they should probably polish the textures up and add some light bloom. It'd definitely fix the problem of the jaggy looking models. Chances are it was just taken on a low-end box.

 

[Deacdo]

Pretty sure this is supposed to be a TBed Tactical game, not an RPG.

 

[Screaming_life]

Translated from the Russian site:
(couldn't be bothered to make it legible! )

* Advanced RPG system. You begin the adventure of weak Other 7-th level, but during game can develop yourself up to the magician of one of the maximum categories!
* Three lines of development of the character. The double-dealing fellow, the Magician and the Fighting Magician, each of which possesses the features of conducting fight, skills and opportunities
* Thin magic operations owing to which duels get an especial acuteness - try to remove a damnation which is guaranteed will kill you through some courses or to define, whether the enemy whom you pursue, illusion getting in a trap is
* Detailed characters correspond to the prototypes from the universe of "Patrols", they are alive people with the ideas, desires and fears, and enter various mutual relations with you during game
* A fascinating plot in style of a series of books "Patrols", with complex multilevel artful designs of intrigues of Great Magicians and a detective component
* Completely destroyed environment the Advanced graphic cursor Silent Storm allows Others to destroy surrounding subjects and buildings that adds fascination and flexibility to magic duels

 

[DemonKing]

Looks just like a modern day SS to me.

Might be ok if they stick to the same combat engine as SS, but the poor dialog and crappy voice actors I could do without.

 

[dunduks]

Might be ok if they stick to the same combat engine as SS, but the poor dialog and crappy voice actors I could do without.

They can't stick to the same combat since its almost magic only, guns don't work very well on magicians, unless they are loaded with explosive bullets, but even then they would only stop enemies, not kill them, also since time is slower in twilight, bullets travel very slow.

 

[Jed]

Dunduks, are you a Russian speaker, or did you read the books in another language? If so, maybe you could check the site and report back any interesting solid information. I would definitely appreciate hearing more about this game. Hell, even if it's just a tactical TB game, it still sounds better than the vast majority of the "cRPGs" lined up for 2005.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

I kind of got that vibe too - although B13 was more of a bizarre adventure game.

Aye, that it was. But did you know that Bureau 13 was also a PnP RPG from back in the early 80's made by Tri Tac Games? They also did a very awesome RPG called Fringeworthy which is where the idea for the TV show Sliders came from. My friends and I played Fringeworthy and B13 alot back then.

 

[dunduks]

Dunduks, are you a Russian speaker, or did you read the books in another language? If so, maybe you could check the site and report back any interesting solid information. I would definitely appreciate hearing more about this game. Hell, even if it's just a tactical TB game, it still sounds better than the vast majority of the "cRPGs" lined up for 2005.

There is not a lot of information about the game, except whats on the site, here is the bit that is about the game:

• RPG system: You begin your adventure as a weak 7th level "other", but in the course of the game you will be able to rise mage to one of the high levels. (level system works like this: 7th being the weakest, 1st powerfull and the highest level - outside of categories (so called great mages)).
• 3 possible classes: wereperson (able to turn into animals or creatures), sorcerer, battle mage - each with different aproaches to battles, skills and abilities. (I dont have more information on classes except their names)
• Complex magic system, that makes duels even more interesting - try to remove a curse, that might kill you in a couple of turns, or determine if the enemy you have been chasing a few blocks is real or maybe just illusion to lure you into trap.
• Detailed NPCs that are exactly like their prototypes from "Watch" books, they are living persons with their own agendas, fears, wishes and will interact accordingly with you in game.
• Interesting story about powerstruggles and intrigues of the Great Mages
• Fully destructable environment, upgraded SS engine, that adds more fun and flexibility to magic battles.

The script for the game was written by Lukyanenko himself, so I'm quite positive that its good and complex, since the books are more about political powerstruggle between good and evil guys. Oh and you are on the good side this time, they plan to do evil side in sequel.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Wow. Sounds nice. I'll definitely keep my eye on this one. Been hoping someone would beef up the SS engine and use it in another game.

 

[Jed]

wereperson (able to turn into animals or creatures)

Ah, that explains why there was that huge dog in most of the pics. This games sounds pretty damn cool. Definitely on my "watch list."

Thanks, Dunduks!

 

[Stark]

when reading the title for a moment i thought someone made a game based on Terry Prachett's novel.

this is good news. any TB combat game out of Nivel won't be too shabby.

 

[kumquatq3]

good news

Where you can get SS:S in NA (english import), if anyone is interested

http://www.gogamer.com/cgi-bin/GoGamer.storefront/SESSIONID/Product/View/001SILSG