Vapourware System Shock 3 by OtherSide Entertainment - taken over by Tencent!

[cvv]

"I like and respect the second one but it was significantly different from the first," he replied. "I'm constantly struggling with how much we adhere to the tenets of the first one and how much do we adhere to the tenets of the second one. The second game was a much more traditional role-playing game than the first one. It's a mental struggle for me about which direction I want to go in. I will admit that."

What's he struggling with FFS. Gameplay-wise stick to the second (we want an RPG instead of a shooter), atmosphere-wise to the first (we want a cool, cyberpunk, futuristic SF instead of a dumb, cheap, space zombie horror).

 

[BlackGoat]

"Arturo has been working on our version of Shodan, which is going to be interesting and different from what people expect. I expect it will infuriate some people but definitely get people talking."

Spoiler

 

[Infinitron]

Gameplay-wise stick to the second (we want an RPG instead of a shooter)

O rly DraQ

 

[Maculo]

I still am excited, but I am worried about exploring Shodan's motivations. Specifically, I am worried it will end up a cliche about human greed or environmental damage.

 

[Zombra]

"Back when we made System Shock, cyberpunk was still at its height in terms of popularity and cultural significance and it was a big inspiration. Nowadays, cyberpunk is a little less current. I've learned over the years that it's foolish to try to convince people to become interested in something they don't care about, so we're finding things that people are interested in today."

"As I was playing them, I emailed people who worked on the original games," he said. "I would say, 'oh my god, this game is so hard' and the response I would get back would be '1994.' Then I'd say, 'this thing is so big' and the response was '1994.' And then I'd say, the UI in this game is terrible, what were we thinking?' and the response would be '1994.' So it was an eye-opening experience just in terms of how far games have come since then.

Screw the series' fundamental genre, people don't care about cyberpunk any more. SS3 will feature a wisecracking Will Smith type character as the hacker and SHODAN will be "reimagined" to be more like Scarlett Johansson. Turns out SHODAN extracted some of the hacker's DNA during the earlier games and SS3 will be a road trip through a series of amusement parks to find their lost child who's all grown up now.

It's amazing to see how far games have come. They used to be big and challenging. It's great to see they are so small and easy today. That's what we're shooting for.

Dare to reach for the stars, Warren.

 

[cvv]

"Arturo has been working on our version of Shodan, which is going to be interesting and different from what people expect. I expect it will infuriate some people but definitely get people talking."

Spoiler

It's boring, forgettable, ugly shit but it'll get people talking. 'Murica yeah.

 

[BlackGoat]

"Back when we made System Shock, cyberpunk was still at its height in terms of popularity and cultural significance and it was a big inspiration. Nowadays, cyberpunk is a little less current. I've learned over the years that it's foolish to try to convince people to become interested in something they don't care about, so we're finding things that people are interested in today."

I despise this mentality. Make what YOU'RE interested in, man. That's what artists do. Besides, people love retro shit. In a few years when cd projekt releases their cyberpunk game, this doofus and every other game maker is going to be scrambling to cover the same territory.

 

[cvv]

Dare to reach for the stars, Warren.

Yeah, those statements are kindda scary. Plus he's criminally wrong about cyberpunk, sure the original primitive incarnation ála Neuromancer is badly obsolete (as is the case with the nuDeus Ex) but the overarching theme - body enhancements, human/computer linking, social upheaval - is more alive than ever. In fact there are few hard SFs today that don't use cyberpunk tropes. Ofc they're much cooler, smarter and sophisticated than 25 years ago.

SS3 should absolutely be a ultra-modern cyberpunk thriller. Pls no more space zombies.

 

[Infinitron]

It's a bit weird to me re: System Shock and "cyberpunk". People talk about how SS1 was this cyberpunk game totally different from SS2, but isn't there a limit to how meaningfully "cyberpunky" a game can be when there are no other human beings in it who aren't zombie mutant cyborgs? SS3 could end up being more cyberpunk just because it does have other people, no matter what the developers try to do.

 

[Excidium II]

Modern cyberpunk aesthetics look like shit. I want chrome and wires everywhere.

 

[cvv]

Modern cyberpunk aesthetics look like shit. I want chrome and wires everywhere.

Then stick a chrome dildo in your butt and a wire in your eye. There, 1990s nostalgia solved.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

I like the angle that Underrail used... antique tech used everywhere because reasons.

Still technical, yet dark magic due to antiquity.

 

[Ash]

I've learned over the years that it's foolish to try to convince people to become interested in something they don't care about, so we're finding things that people are interested in today.".

It's going to be shit.

 

[Athelas]

It's a bit weird to me re: System Shock and "cyberpunk". People talk about how SS1 was this cyberpunk game totally different from SS2, but isn't there a limit to how meaningfully "cyberpunky" a game can be when there are no other human beings in it who aren't zombie mutant cyborgs? SS3 could end up being more cyberpunk just because it does have other people, no matter what the developers try to do.

Wel, in SS1 the progression of the player character happens entirely through cyberware you find. You even get a head-mounted lantern and eyes in the back of your skull. And there is of course cyberspace.

While SS2 uses cybernetic modules to explain character progression (they presumably rewire your brain chemistry or something to let you become more proficient at certain things), in practice it feels more like a traditional RPG progression system where your character becomes more experienced and trained over time.

 

[Infinitron]

It's a bit weird to me re: System Shock and "cyberpunk". People talk about how SS1 was this cyberpunk game totally different from SS2, but isn't there a limit to how meaningfully "cyberpunky" a game can be when there are no other human beings in it who aren't zombie mutant cyborgs? SS3 could end up being more cyberpunk just because it does have other people, no matter what the developers try to do.

Wel, in SS1 the progression of the player character happens entirely through cyberware you find. You even get a head-mounted lantern and eyes in the back of your skull. And there is of course cyberspace.

While SS2 uses cybernetic modules to explain character progression (they presumably rewire your brain chemistry or something to become proficient at certain things), in practice it feels more like a traditional RPG progression system where your character becomes more experienced and trained over time.

Right. But Warren also says he naturally leans towards making the game more like SS1 than SS2, so we're sort of getting contradictory messages here.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Early days I guess.

 

[Sacred82]

Yeah, those statements are kindda scary. Plus he's criminally wrong about cyberpunk, sure the original primitive incarnation ála Neuromancer is badly obsolete (as is the case with the nuDeus Ex) but the overarching theme - body enhancements, human/computer linking, social upheaval - is more alive than ever.

https://aeon.co/essays/your-brain-does-not-process-information-and-it-is-not-a-computer

 

[Kem0sabe]

If this ends up more like bioshock fps and less like ss2 rpg... Then fuck them all for false hopes.

 

[cvv]

Yeah, it's gonna be another Bioschlock isn't it. Doug Church, you're our only hope.

 

[Invictus]

Honestly I feel more hopeful for these SS proyects than almost anything else on the gaming horizon nowadays, with Stalker 2 in limbo, Miyasaki mum about what From Software's next game and Grimoire beign Grimoire...
I kind of just like replaying my favorites or spacing out in No Man Sky

 

[undecaf]

"so we're finding things that people are interested in today"

Namely, shit.

Yeah, it's gonna be another Bioschlock isn't it.

Like what Arkane's Prey also seems to be becoming (from what it looks like). How not very interesting.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

I would assume "what people are interested in today" should be taken as 'what our core audience is interested in today'. If not it will indeed be shit.

 

[Cynicus]

I still am excited, but I am worried about exploring Shodan's motivations. Specifically, I am worried it will end up a cliche about human greed or environmental damage.

Or maybe SHODAN just needs a hug. Seriously, though, could we even hope to understand the motivations of a rogue super-AI that's flipping its bits? It sounds like an attempt to humanize the inhuman. I'm curious to see what they come up with, but this could go so very wrong.

 

[Zombra]

I still am excited, but I am worried about exploring Shodan's motivations. Specifically, I am worried it will end up a cliche about human greed or environmental damage.

Or maybe SHODAN just needs a hug. Seriously, though, could we even hope to understand the motivations of a rogue super-AI that's flipping its bits? It sounds like an attempt to humanize the inhuman. I'm curious to see what they come up with, but this could go so very wrong.

Don't worry. In this sequel, we're going to explain away all the mysteries that made the previous episodes cool! What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Infinitron]

Here's the website of the guy who will mostly likely come up with this stuff: http://sheldonpacotti.com/

Pacotti makes Tim Stellmach look middlebrow. >_>