Development Info Joseph Hewitt on future projects

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Gearhead; Joseph Hewitt

<b>Joseph Hewitt</b>, the guy behind <A href="http://www.geocities.com/pyrrho12/programming/gearhead/">Gearhead</a>, discussed the future of his projects beyond the release of 1.0 of the stompy robot rogue-like after playing <A href="http://www.greyhawkgame.com">Temple of Elemental Evil</a>. Here's what he had to say on the subject:
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<blockquote>Playing this game was kind of like doing research for GearHead, and this is what I've decided: The next release of GH is going to be the much-awaited v0.900, after which I'll be initiating a feature freeze. I want to do some major things to GearHead, clean up the engine and interface, and start work on the second generation random plot generator.
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The last two features I'll be adding will be lancemate tactics settings and the ability to force surrender by talking in combat. If there's anything else that you absolutely must see in GH1.0, tell me now.
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The v0.900 to v1.000 series will be mostly about adding content, tracking down bugs, and fine-tuning the game. There's still a lot of work to be done.
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Following v1.000 I'll be working on another turn-based RPG, which I'm hoping to use as a prototype for the UI I want to see in GHv2.00. Initially I thought about a superheroes RPG but after playing ToEE and being disappointed by its bugginess/sameness-every-time I've been thinking about a party-based fantasy dungeon crawl. Maybe I'll see what kind of a FRPG I can make in a couple of weeks, a la Dungeon Monkey.</blockquote>
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My vote is for the superhero one. There are way too many generic fantasy dungeon crawlers out there both commercially and independently developed, and there's only <A href="http://www.myfreedomforce.com">Freedom Force</a> in terms of superhero CRPGs.
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[Mr. Hand]

Speaking of Superhero CRPG's, has anyone ever played a game called Superhero League of Hoboken? It was probably out in the early 90's or thereabouts and I remember it being a good, humerous party based RPG.

Got this from some website or the other:

In the post-apocalyptic future, you play The Crimson Tape, leader of the Superhero League of Hoboken. The various heroes in the league--who possess such varied powers as the ability to see inside closed pizza boxes, the power to raise the cholesterol level of enemies, or refold road maps--are charged with the mission of defeating the chaotic Dr. Entropy and ridding the New York vicinity of the mutations and monsters which have come to inhabit it.

On second thought, maybe I was just young and stupid.

 

[fnordcircle]

If I was making an RPG I would set it in the future and make it a combination RPG/Space Sim.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Speaking of Superhero CRPG's, has anyone every played a game called Superhero League of Hoboken? It was probably out in the early 90's or thereabouts and I remember it being a good, humerous party based RPG.

Actually, it was an adventure game with some "RPG elements" tossed in. Nothing really RPGish to it though. Still, it was a decent little game. Oh, and it was released in 1994.

 

[Jed]

If I was making an RPG I would set it in the future and make it a combination RPG/Space Sim.

Yes!

 

[EEVIAC]

The point buy skill system Gearhead has is perfect for a supers game. All it needs is more modularity so you can make your own powers.

I'm kind of tired of modern space games. I wouldn't mind a Space 1889 or even a Buck Rogers style game though.

 

[RGE]

I think superheroes are boring. Spandex sucks and the Marvel megabrawls once gave me a nightmare filled with nausea. Seriously. But whatever floats his boat. Maybe a partybased fantasy RPG wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it'd be something very different from the usual elves and dwarves and saving of the world from the bad demondevilguys. I really enjoyed Vicente Segrelles' Mercenary stories, so something similar to that would be nice to see.

 

[Spazmo]

I'm kind of tired of modern space games.

How can you get tired of 'modern space games'? There aren't any!

 

[Eclecticist]

Superhero CRPGs...ehh...

 

[EEVIAC]

How can you get tired of 'modern space games'? There aren't any!

You're probably right. Freelancer and X2 aren't exactly paragons of the genre.

If it has to be a space game though, I want Chesley Bonestell space.

 

[the_dagon]

star control 2

Star Control II ... best ... space ... rpg ... ever...


hmm ok it's not quite a RPG but this game is too good to be true
:D !

 

[LlamaGod]

I think a classless Superhero RPG where your hero develops from how you create him would be cool. I.E. you keep pumping up strength and slowly become a stong titan, but your mental abilities are a bit weak, or maybe you did them evenly, so you can read dictionaries in a few minutes and lift cars, but your other ability are probably weak (speed probably, so you stomp around slowly).

Lots of stuff could be done with that idea, skills and abilities gained from stat levels and requirements, equipment that lowers/enhances things (like gloves that allow you to shoot lighting bolts).

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Re: star control 2

Star Control II ... best ... space ... rpg ... ever...

While I don't really see it as an RPG, SC2 is, without a doubt, my favorite space sim ever. About the only two things RPGish about it are the insane amount of dialogue options presented throughout as well as the "levelling up" of your ship. SC3 was a complete and utter joke and I felt it to be quite an insult to SC fans everywhere.

Kind of like X-Com: Apocalypse was an insult to X-Com fans.

 

[Kamaz]

Superheros suck. Just like mechs. I can see some corelations here - first they make mech-game and then they plan to create super-hero game. Doooh.... I would rather see that fantasy cRPG. True, there are too many fantasy crap out and I hate fantasy, though, I hate it a bit less than mechs or superheros, so, personally I would be more pleased with fantasy cRPG.

Also, overcoming my individual attitude to mechs/superheros/fantasy, I would like to see fantasy cRPG better. The reason is that usually you are average human and get boosted accidentally to become super-hero. No evolution, just - BANG! - and you are super-hero with your feats/perks and abilities. That kinda turns off RPG part which asks for level-ups, progress etc. Of course, you can create RPG where you slowly become [more powerful] superhero, but then it doesnt sound very super-hero to me.

The other thing is that superheros are mostly superheros - I mean, you can play only as super-hero. In Fallout, one of the best things was that I could play whatever I wanted, not being particulary the one to save the world. If you are super-hero you allready posses some freaky powers and you cannot be average guy with average dreams [like my gecko hunter character in Fallout2 who never stepped outside areas around Den, Redding, Klamath and his only dream was to hunt so many Geckos he could buy Highwayman]. And it kinda turns me off, because I am tired of being the chosen-one to save the world [again] or the greatest badarse of them all [ohhh, the choices! dooh..] in cRPGs. I started to hated KOTOR since I got special..Jedi..fuck them, I dont want to be Jedi! Nor superhero. In such case, fantasy setting is much more promising for lone/independant adventures in game's setting.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Well, Kamaz, I can see where you are coming from in reference to CRPGs. I don't fully agree, but I understand your point.

I always tend to play the underdog in any pen and paper RPG I play. Vampire: The Masquerade for example. I always play a mortal, and much to the chagrin of the general V:TM public who has such a hardon for playing vampires, I tend to handle myself pretty well. I've even had people call me a blasphemer for daring to play a mortal. Yeah. Whatever. Now wipe the drool from your chin and go get a life. That's a good wannabe.

In the old superhero PnP RPG Villians & Vigilantes, I always tended to play a non superpower. Granted, I usually played a person in a position of some power, like a cop or military personnel. But, they never had any special abilities and were thusly far outclassed in any superhero battle. It actually required me to use my brains.

While I would love to see these things implemented into a CRPG, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them. Usually, if it's got a decent story and is fun to play, I'm happy with it.

I would recommend you give Freedom Force a try. Damn good superhero CRPG and at a damn decent price now. I've seen it for $10 in bargain bins.

 

[EEVIAC]

The reason is that usually you are average human and get boosted accidentally to become super-hero. No evolution, just - BANG!

You're right. What we really need is setting sources that explicitly detail character progression in organic forms. Like Karate Kid, because Ralph Macchio gets better at karate and shit by waxing cars, and that's just like levelling up.

Of course, you can create RPG where you slowly become [more powerful] superhero, but then it doesnt sound very super-hero to me.

Yeah, you could. And that'd make for a much better game. Wow!

In such case, fantasy setting is much more promising for lone/independant adventures in game's setting.

Like there aren't any super-powerfull, magic-wielding heroes in fantasy. Gaining super powers isn't that different from learning spells or buying Speedware or a Midnight Lady implant.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Superheros suck. Just like mechs.

OMG first mechs, now superheroes d00d u suk Exitium ban him!

j/k

 

[Avin]

superhero crpg in watchmen shape would be delightful.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Otaku makes a good point. There are lots of "super heroes" without SUPAH POWAHZ. I don't think Joseph Hewitt would exactly force you in to being the Last Son of Krypton, really. Batman doesn't have super powers, and he's one of the best known super heroes. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, doesn't have any super powers - just his power armor. Same thing goes for Elektra, The Punisher, Robin(the original Robin moved away and became some other superhero somewhere else), Captain America(who lost his super powers but still stayed Captain America), and the list goes on and on. Even many of the villans in comic books don't have super powers, like Lex Luthor.

However, like others have said, just because you are a super powered hero doesn't mean you have to get your powers instantly. Superman didn't know all his powers until after he had gone to the Fortress of Solitude in the original movie, for example. Rogue of the X-Men gained strength and flight after interacting with Captain Marvel.

I'm not a comic book buff, but I do know there are cases for both. There's probably way, way more than I've listed.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Batman doesn't have super powers, and he's one of the best known super heroes.

I think that's primarily one of the reasons why I like Batman a whole lot. The "only" things he's got for him are various forms of combat, his senses and his detective skills. He's just a human, only with no super powers at all - just standard skills and aptitudes highly developed and trained. Add some gadgets and a neato costume and there.

Robin(the original Robin moved away and became some other superhero somewhere else)

He became Nightwing, and was the leader of the New Teen Titans for a while (not sure if he still is).

 

[Avin]

Instead of supah heroes CRPG why the hell nobody thought about making a (Neil Gaiman's) Sandman universe CRPG?

For super powers, most critics use to agree that (Alan Moore's) Watchmen is the best comic book ever and it had just only man with *power*.

A psionic CPRG would pleases me.

 

[Greenskin13]

That's all, folks.

I think that's primarily one of the reasons why I like Batman a whole lot. The "only" things he's got for him are various forms of combat, his senses and his detective skills. He's just a human, only with no super powers at all - just standard skills and aptitudes highly developed and trained. Add some gadgets and a neato costume and there.

That's what sort of turns me off to heroes like Batman. He is supposed to be human, but he just kicks way too much butt for me to like him. Perhaps he's just too cool for my taste.

I'm with Avin, here. Rorschach will always be my favorite super hero. Not only was he human, but he was a regular human at that. Okay, so maybe he wasn't sane like any other human, but he didn't have super strength or unilimited resources like Batman does. I remember the scene when he was trapped by the police in the apartment building, and he used an aerosal can as a grenade to distract the police.

 

[Avin]

Rorschach was far better character than Batman. The dark knight is a super in disguise. Not super only in name, Batman is.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Re: That's all, folks.

I remember the scene when he was trapped by the police in the apartment building, and he used an aerosal can as a grenade to distract the police.

A classic case of brains over brawn and exactly the kind of model I have used for many of my RPG characters, no matter the setting. Playing the underdog can be loads of fun if the system allows for it. And if the system doesn't allow for it, the GM is usually willing to make exceptions if you talk with them. That's why CRPGs suck for that purpose because none of the ones out there I know of allow for underdog types nor can they be manipulated to handle such. Daggerfall does to an extent, as does Darklands. Other than those examples though, nothing else comes to mind.

 

[Spazmo]

Punisher actually reminds me of Rorschach (I think Rorschach predates Punisher as well) insofar that they're both 'normal' humans who have a crazy vendetta against crime and no compunctions about killing criminals. Both characters are really cool.