Company News Obsidian to make Super Spy CRPG

[Trash]

I got the newest Game Informer in and they have a ten page article on what could possibly be the coolest idea for a WRPG I've heard of since Mass Effect. It is called Alpha Protocol by Obsidian Entertainment. What is the idea behind this RPG that has me ranting?

You are a modern super-spy. You are James Bond. You are Jack Bauer. You are Jason Borune. You are John Clark.

(What is with badass spies and short, four-five letter first names starting with "J?")

Not in the literal sense, but you get the idea. You play as rookie CIA field agent Micheal Thorton, who screws up on his first mission and gets framed in the process. He knows that something big is going down and has to figure out what, without the CIA's support. You have a list of names belonging to people all over the world as clues leading to the bigger conspiracy. The game consists of traveling around the world, tracking these people down while conversing with informants and taking on various side-operations connected to the main story that provide clues and other things to help you along your way.

In terms of combat, it will be much like Mass Effect. That is to say, it will be a third-person shooter. However, the game wants you to craft your own kick-ass super-spy. There are a number of different skills that you put points into to improve that particular area, like becoming better with pistols or hand-to-hand combat techniques. The developers said they want you to have freedom to develop Thorton how you want, while making sure that you can't just max all the skills and get a spy that enjoys the best of all worlds by the end of the game. You can go the Solid Snake or Sam Fisher way and lay low while enemies go past, relying on stealth. Or you can take the Jack Bauer approach and just start shooting things with your pistol.

When it comes to conversations, they are taking an approach that is like Mass Effect, but different at the same time. When starting a conversation you choose your "tone," but not what you actually say. That is determined by which tone you take. There are three tones: Smooth (And when it comes to the ladies, flirtatious), professional, and brash. This is much like Mass Effect's Paragon, Neutral, and Renegade system.

However, unlike Mass Effect, the conversations are more like cutscenes. You choose your tone and watch it play out just like a conversation in a cutscene or movie. You also have a limited amount of time while the NPC is talking to change your tone when Thorton talks next, resulting in different responses or just because you want to change your own reactions. This means the conversations are supposed to be more natural, and you won't run into times where, like in many RPGs, you get the same response no matter what you say. Also, once have had a conversation, it's over. You can't just go back to the NPC and redo the whole thing.

The game also deals with morality, but not in a typical "Light Side vs Dark Side" ordeal. Instead, Obsidian is aiming for more the morally blurred path than outright good and evil to reflect the real world of espionage. Sometimes you have to do dirty things as a spy, which the game promises to reflect.

I bet you are all asking "Well Raven, this is a James Bond-like spy RPG...Where are the hot Bond Babes?" Don't worry, Obsidian is promising numerous hotties that you can develop relationships with, be it romantic or purely sexual. Yes, you heard me right, you can go all James Bond and, apparently, bed every one of these ladies if you work it right.

This is a highly condensed form of a ten page article, so I'm leaving a lot out. I'd suggest reading up on this game. Alpha Protocol promises to be a great RPG, blending a unique setting for the realm of RPG games with what is basically evolutions of concepts we have already seen in Mass Effect. This looks to be an action-heavy espionage thriller of an RPG for everyone sick of more fantasy or sci-fi settings (Not that there is anything wrong with that).

Goddamn, this sounds like it could be a shitload of fun. I'm wondering how they'll implement that whole travel around the world thing though.

 

[Morgoth]

Scans:

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...serid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=2#post341152257

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

The quest structure seems very promising. Side quests aren't just sources of XP and phat lewt, they actually provide your character with useful information that can help you with the main quest. Haven't seen that since Torment.

 

[Texas Red]

Goddamn, this sounds like it could be a shitload of fun.

Imagine how fun it would be with a, you know, *interesting* setting.

 

[The Feral Kid]

For the team members at Obsidian "make a role play game" is more of a philosophy than a statement

Oh for the love of God. Stop it!

There is running and gunning, but I want to make absolutely clear that first and foremost, it's a role-playing game

With "Running" and "Gunning" being the keywords here.

Approaching Aplha Protocol, we really looked at what we're good at. We're good at making role playing games

Is that an uderstatement?

Rome, Taipei, Moscow, Saudi Arabia

Seems Obsidian members haven't gone to holiday for a long time. Cause this game looks more like a travel brochure.


Notice the repeated use of the word "role-playing". Obsidian has to have the record for using the term so many times yet so uncalled for. Not feeling comfortable about something? There is absolutely no reason repeating the word unless you want to present something it isn't role-playing as such. To your core-fanbase that is.

 

[Shoelip]

Goddamn, this sounds like it could be a shitload of fun.

Imagine how fun it would be with a, you know, *interesting* setting.

At least it's not the sword coast.

 

[The Feral Kid]

"At least it's not the sword coast".

Uh huh. As if the Sword Coast/FR have been put to good use by Obsidian or Bio in NWN1 and its expansions. There is material in the SW coast alone to make tons of kick-ass rpgs. Setting doesn't make a game. It's how one handles it.

 

[Disconnected]

Bards Tale: Teh Remaek anyone?

Oh well, it might be a good game, despite gambling on a conversation metagaming mechanic that AFAIK has backfired every time it's been tried.

I just hope the Alien game won't be a cRPG in name only.

 

[Ander Vinz]

I just hope the Alien game won't be a cRPG in name only.

Ha-ha. What do you expect? Metaphorical tale about space marines? Deep and touching dialogues between aliens and predators? Convincing alien queen to kill herself with your intimidation skills?

 

[Disconnected]

Ha-ha. What do you expect?

I try very hard not to.

But what I hope for, is a sci-fi/horror game with assets & art direction to make HR Giger pale with envy. A game with interesting NPCs, well-written dialogue, and a far-reaching story that can play out in several different ways, depending on how I respond to it. Basically, what I hope for is an Alien cRPG. Unlike what appears to be most people, I think the setting lends itself very well to that kind of thing.

I also hope I'll get to die a lot, because regardless of how meta-gamey reloading is in a cRPG, it does make the world feel a hell of a lot scarier.

 

[Cabazone]

Great, once again, we must play the most uncharismatic character. Design seems pretty good, so why the hero is so fucking ugly ?

 

[Ander Vinz]

I also hope I'll get to die a lot, because regardless of how meta-gamey reloading is in a cRPG, it does make the world feel a hell of a lot scarier.

I agree.

 

[inwoker]

why they revealed more info about alpha protocol then aliens till now?

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

Because Alpha Protocol will be out earlier. Aliens RPG is scheduled for release in autumn 2009, AFAIK.

 

[Briosafreak]

When it comes to conversations, they are taking an approach that is like Mass Effect, but different at the same time. When starting a conversation you choose your "tone," but not what you actually say. That is determined by which tone you take. There are three tones: Smooth (And when it comes to the ladies, flirtatious), professional, and brash. This is much like Mass Effect's Paragon, Neutral, and Renegade system.

This is just like the Blade Runner dialog system, the adventure game from a decade ago.

 

[RK47]

How do the stances...work in an 'argument or when NPC ask for an opinion from the character?'

I understand how it works when reacting to a statement like 'You'll never make me talk' then you either go smooth, or go Bauer style.

But when the NPC asks your opinion on certain matters such as methods of infiltration how will the stances affect the response? Is Suave gonna involve disguises? Professional=Gadgets? And Brash = Front Door, Guns Blazing?

 

[Briosafreak]

Just read the article on Game Informer, I'll put here my take on some issues this game brings:

In the GameInformer April issue we’ve talked before there is a ten pages piece about Obsidian’s Alpha Protocol, with several references to Fallout, like this one by Fergus Urquhart:

The RPG genre is changing, you can’t go off and make Fallout again. But I think, with Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Oblivion, and a lot of the other RPGs that are coming out, you’re starting to see a movement in the RPG genre.

I’ll guess it’s a movement in standardization, since they all look a like, with gunplay real time combat with a pause, third/first person view and the dialog system of ten years old adventure game Blade Runner. Maybe Fallout 3 will have a more elaborate dialog system, that could be nice, we’ll see, but for the rest they are all becoming the archetypal simplified console western RPG , with guns and more reliant in player reflexes and not character skills and attributes. But maybe Obsidian is really trying to do something different, let’s see what Chris Parker has to say:

We knew we wanted to do something different. Something that didn’t involve a d20 system, and with more action. Something faster paced, more compelling, and that did a better job blending player skills with character skill.

I rest my case.

 

[aries202]

The thing that's worrying to me is that now it seem that everyone agrees that ME's dialogue system is the best thing since sliced bread. (whihc was invented by a baker in Minnesota, I think ?, the sliced bread, not the dialogue system for ME..)

And so everyone and their grandmother (or grandfather) now wants to use ME's dialogue system, especially since it seems more cinematic than the normal dialogue trees. If the developers want to make movies, then please go make a movie...instead of trying to sell the cinematic dialogue system to the -ehm- masses...

 

[Riso]

With "Running" and "Gunning" being the keywords here.

So fucking what. Afraid the combat actually requires your actually playerskill instead of pointing and clicking in tbs/rts combat? Like in you know, Vampire Bloodlines.

We knew we wanted to do something different. Something that didn’t involve a d20 system, and with more action. Something faster paced, more compelling, and that did a better job blending player skills with character skill.

I rest my case.

What's wrong with you faggots? Where is the problem? Vampire Bloodlines did the same.

 

[Oarfish]

Yup, and UU back in the day. Single player RPGs can work well as action hybrids, even more so when gunplay is involved as its easy to simulate character skill by messing with the aim.

And lets face it, the basic gameplay of NWN2 & MotB was god awful, RtWp in highly restrictive areas against space invaders levels of enemies just isn't good.

 

[The Feral Kid]

With "Running" and "Gunning" being the keywords here.

So fucking what. Afraid the combat actually requires your actually playerskill instead of pointing and clicking in tbs/rts combat? Like in you know, Vampire Bloodlines.

Good rpgs are much more rare than good shooters, and when one comes out with the tag rpg I expect it to be one. Shooters/action games? I've played more than you simpleton ever get the chance to. I object to Obsidian's pathetic attempt to re-assure "this is first and foremost a role-playing game" when actually is a next-gen action-orientated console crap. Simple enough for you dummy? Good, go take your pill and take a nap now.

 

[Dark Matter]

Please explain to me how this game sounds any less retarded than Fallout 3 or Mass Effect.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

I object to Obsidian's pathetic attempt to re-assure "this is first and foremost a role-playing game" when actually is a next-gen action-orientated console crap.

Read the article, would you? The game has dialogue, choices and consequences, non-linearity. Why do you keep calling it a dumb shooter, for fuck's sake? It isn't any dumber than Bloodlines.

 

[Morgoth]

Please explain to me how this game sounds any less retarded than Fallout 3 or Mass Effect.

It's from Obsidian, uses a setting that forces the devs to think outside the sword & orc box, plus it has combined Mitsoda & MCA power encompassed. How does that sound retarded compared to soil corrosion and blue alien sex?

 

[elander_]

The dialog novelty is just a different way to rearrange dialog lines on the screen. It sorts out those that are more agressive from those that are more diplomatic, with the neutral ones in between. Did anyone actually said in that article that dialog trees are out or is this just someone jumping to conclusions?

Bloodlines blended action and rpg very well. With a low weapons skill i couldn't shoot anything in front of my eyes even with my targeting scope centered on my target i could still fail. I couldn't use my player skill to compensate for that.