Game News Bloodlines sounds good to RPGDot

[Spazmo]

Tags: Troika Games; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

<a href="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPGDot</a> has finally got around to kicking off their big 2004 awards hullaballoo, starting with awards for <a href=http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1087>sound and music</a> and <a href=http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1084>graphics</a>, both of which Troika's Vampire: Bloodlines wins. Here's why Bloodlines took the graphics award:<blockquote>There were always high expectations for the graphics in Vampire: Bloodlines. The first game to license Half-Life’s Source engine, the expectations built by Valve’s Godzilla were palpable. Ultimately, while some were disappointed that Bloodlines fell short of Half Life’s graphical heights, it was clearly the only RPG to push the envelope in 2004 and established a new watermark for the genre. Certainly the graphics succeeded in establishing the sinister and bloody atmosphere but it was the facial animation system that stole the show: the superb facial emotions in Bloodlines’ NPCs added a new layer of depth and life – arguably demonstrating for the first time how good graphics in an RPG could genuinely improve the gameplay.</blockquote>Bioware's NWN expansion Hordes of the Underdark is an inexplicable first runner up for sound even though it was released in 2003, knuckleheads.

 

[Volourn]

Hahahahahahah. BIO rulez!

 

[Greatatlantic]

Bioware's NWN expansion Hordes of the Underdark is an inexplicable first runner up for sound even though it was released in 2003, knuckleheads.

I think they are based in Europe and HoU must not have been released there until 2004, only explanation I can think of.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Ultimately, while some were disappointed that Bloodlines fell short of Half Life’s graphical heights, it was clearly the only RPG to push the envelope in 2004 and established a new watermark for the genre

How exactly did they 'push the envelope'? Perhaps, they pushed the envelope for being the buggiest/most poorly performing RPG to date, and established a new watermark for the genre: "RPGs are buggier than all other games".

 

[Greatatlantic]

How exactly did they 'push the envelope'? Perhaps, they pushed the envelope for being the buggiest/most poorly performing RPG to date, and established a new watermark for the genre: "RPGs are buggier than all other games".

No, I think Fallout 2 set the watermark for RPGs being buggier than all other games. There has been a lot of confirmation of this since, and not just by Black Isle and Ex-Black Isle. Morrowind was incredibly bugged when it was first released. I also can say I didn't find the bugs of Bloodlines that grevious. Of course, my gig of RAM probably saw to that.

What Bloodlines did was take the focus off of combat and put it on NPC interactions. Their cast of characters was simply amazing, if the majority of them were 1 dimensional. The dialogue of such interactions was incredibly well done, the people spoke like real people. Contrast that with anything to come out of Aribeth's mouth... Plus, the game world was incredibly "immersive" if I may use that overused word. The Deb of the Night show still cracks me up when ever I listen to it. They also did a very good job of balancing all the various skills. Being able to sweet talk people got you a lot of bonuses, even if combat was inevitable at times.

 

[Shagnak]

Yes, 'tis a pity that the emphasis was completely turned on its head later in the game.

It became combatoholics anonymous

 

[Greatatlantic]

Yes, 'tis a pity that the emphasis was completely turned on its head later in the game.

It became combatoholics anonymous

Yeah, I don't think anyone denies they dropped the ball for the end sequence. I think they were going for some epic large scale show down, which didn't fit into the rest of the game. However, the end levels don't make the rest of the game any worse. Plus, the ending was such a great twist after all those "fate of the universe hangs in balance" dreck developers have been going with.

 

[Sol Invictus]

So instead, they just made the ending in the exact same vein as Arcanum's. It was a big anticlimatic 'meh' ending for me.

 

[Fez]

Troika had trouble ending a game properly, it was always a downer instead of a high when it ended. Their game endings are like the difference between a fantastic orgasm at the end of sex, or having to pull out just before, and jump in wardrobe to hide when the husband comes home.

 

[Shagnak]

having to pull out just before

...and giving her a facial?

and jump in wardrobe to hide when the husband comes home.

...oh. And then finishing yourself off while they have make-up sex?

Oh well, either is probably more than the average computer geek gets

 

[LlamaGod]

So instead, they just made the ending in the exact same vein as Arcanum's. It was a big anticlimatic 'meh' ending for me.

you didnt even beat Arcanum

 

[Spazmo]

You didn't beat Bloodlines, either.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I beat Bloodlines recently. I never finished Arcanum but I know the ending anyhow.

 

[Dhruin]

Ultimately, while some were disappointed that Bloodlines fell short of Half Life’s graphical heights, it was clearly the only RPG to push the envelope in 2004 and established a new watermark for the genre

How exactly did they 'push the envelope'? Perhaps, they pushed the envelope for being the buggiest/most poorly performing RPG to date, and established a new watermark for the genre: "RPGs are buggier than all other games".

You failed to notice this particular award (and therefore that blurb) was for graphics, I take it? Which other RPG in 2004 was graphically superior?

HotU just made 2003 (December) and we were a little a little earlier with the articles last year, so HotU wasn't included...hence it fell into the 2004 lot. Not perfect, but, well...

 

[CloudNine]

I hardly think destroying the world to give all souls eternal rest counts as a 'meh' ending.

 

[Sol Invictus]

You failed to notice this particular award (and therefore that blurb) was for graphics, I take it? Wink Which other RPG in 2004 was graphically superior?

Well, I happen to think that TOEE was graphically superior to Bloodlines. It had great animations, nice colors, and some very 'pretty' locations, like Hommlet. The game wasn't much in terms of storyline, VO or performance, but it definitely had good graphics. If anything, I'd say TOEE (which came out a year earlier) pushed the envelope, not Bloodlines. Pixelshaders in a first person RPG are 'gee-whiz' and all, but not in comparison to Half Life 2, Far Cry or Doom 3.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

No, I think Fallout 2 set the watermark for RPGs being buggier than all other games.

Descent to Undermountain.

 

[Dhruin]

I really liked the graphics in ToEE...but that doesn't reflect on Bloodlines having the best graphics in an RPG in 2004. I also think it has the best graphics overall of any RPG (despite some flaws) and the quality of the facial animations added a new dimension and opened a new door to character depth, hence my comments on pushing the envelope. As nice as ToEE was, the animations didn't add to the experience in the way that Bloodlines' facial animations did, other than just being nice eye candy -- and therefore not that important.

No other RPG in 2004 even attempted to have impressive graphics. Farcry et al are nice and all but the quote is clearly referring to RPGs. Anyway, the voters voted...and the rest is my opinion.

 

[Digit]

No, I think Fallout 2 set the watermark for RPGs being buggier than all other games.

Descent to Undermountain.

Gee thanks. I had cleansed that game from my mind. -_-

Digit