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

[Zer0wing]

Will it be an actual RPG? It's an important question, 'cause SS1 wasn't and it only for the better.

 

[Sordid MCA/Prosper Hybryd]

It's just me, tech director Jason Hughes, art director Arturo Pulecio and design director Chip Sbrogna," he explains. "We're in concept phase, where we blue-sky what game we want to make before diving into pre-production to determine how to build that game.

It seems that Sheldon Pacotti isn't in the team anymore.

 

[Infinitron]

It's just me, tech director Jason Hughes, art director Arturo Pulecio and design director Chip Sbrogna," he explains. "We're in concept phase, where we blue-sky what game we want to make before diving into pre-production to determine how to build that game.

It seems that Sheldon Pacotti isn't in the team anymore.

Hmmm, conspicuous omission indeed.

IGN mentioned him earlier this month, but they might just have been copypasting: http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/10/system-shock-3-concept-art-images-released

The new design director: https://www.linkedin.com/in/csbrogna/

Lead Designer

Company Name: OtherSide Entertainment
Dates Employed: Mar 2017 – Present

Employment Duration: 3 mos
Location: Austin, Texas Area

Fairly recent hire.

 

[Andhaira]

Wait, Spector wasn't involved in SS2? That's very troubling, as SS2 was superior to 1 in every way.

The fact he wants to get back to the 'Hacker' as the hero/protag sounds bad. Very bad; as the char gen in SS2 and the choice of 3 character types (Marine, Psi Op, Hacker) and intermingling of these 3 (multi classing in a sense) was amazing for the time and still is. Each class offered a unique play style, and then you had the combos.

Deus Ex 1 was inspired by SS2 also, btw.

 

[Ash]

SS2 was superior to 1 in every way.

This is true. Far more synergistic and better executed design.

Wait, Spector wasn't involved in SS2? That's very troubling...

Eh, he headed Deus Ex and was the producer on both Underworld and Shock. He has the credentials, the questions are does he have the desire, same uncompromising mindset he had in those days, the non-interfering corporate backing, and a excellent team with good design sensibilities to carry it all out. Chances are very likely the answer is no to at least one of these.

The fact he wants to get back to the 'Hacker' as the hero/protag sounds bad. Very bad; as the char gen in SS2 and the choice of 3 character types (Marine, Psi Op, Hacker) and intermingling of these 3 (multi classing in a sense) was amazing for the time and still is. Each class offered a unique play style, and then you had the combos.

Doesn't mean there won't be extensive character development and playstyle variation. Could just be classless like Deus Ex, Underworld, or, well, Shock 2. There wasn't really classes in that game and you were a "Soldier", yet could still be a hacker and psi-blaster in one. Who says a hacker can't also be a soldier? You pretty much were both in Shock 1, and didn't even have to level any skills to be proficient in rollerblade drive-bys and soaking up tons of attacks.

Deus Ex 1 was inspired by SS2 also, btw.

Yes and no. The devs did play the game during development but it wasn't a primary inspiration, the games were released not too far apart so it couldn't have been.

 

[LESS T_T]

New programmer at Otherside Austin is fresh graduate, seems like giving more weight to their vision for simulations: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-legros/

I am a Trinity University student about to graduate with a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. I have done research in Automata theory and using compute shaders in particle simulation. Previously, I presented my research on Subsumptive Data Structures at YR-ICALP in 2015 and worked at HHMI Janelia during the summer of 2016. Currently, I am working on sand simulation on the GPU for my undergraduate thesis. I also tutor a variety of grade levels in Mathematics and Computer Science. I am hoping to pursue a career in graphics research, where I am interested in shader work with materials and particle systems.

 

[DawnrazorDCLXVI]

Classes didn't matter in System Shock. I'd rather have meaningful character choices than class constraints, considering you were free to develop your character as you chose.

SS1 had it's charm. Cyberspace is a concept that could be expanded upon. Granted, I only played through the second game. I am really excited about this sequel. Gimme.

 

[LESS T_T]

Job listings for SS3; Producer, Senior Software Engineer, and Senior Environment/Level Artist: https://otherside-e.com/wp/jobs/

 

[LESS T_T]

And they hired ex-Ion Storm Austin, ex-Junction Point developer Robb Thomas as Senior Software Engineer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-thomas-b94933/

AI lead on System Shock 3

Previous career, in reverse order:

KingsIsle Entertainment (Programmer for Wizard101)
Vigil Games (AI Programmer for Dark Millennium Online)
Sony Online Entertainment (Developed AI system for DC Universe Online)

Midway Studios Austin (Responsible for authoring and maintaining NPC behavior code for an unreleased title.)

This probably is the canceled "immersive game similar to Michael Mann's Heat" that led by Harvey Smith.

Junction Point Studios (Responsible for generating NPC behavior code for an unreleased title.)

Ion Storm (Responsible for authoring and maintaining NPC behavior code for an unreleased title.)

This is the canceled Deus Ex 3.

Mind Control Software (Created Nokia Golf that shipped with Nokia phones.; Worked on a prototype of a 3D algebra education game.)

 

[Ash]

It's just me, tech director Jason Hughes, art director Arturo Pulecio and design director Chip Sbrogna," he explains.

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,46383/

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Managerial job. You know who will be calling the shots.

 

[LESS T_T]

They hired ex-Origin, ex-Junction Point artist Chris Douglas as Senior Environment Artist: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-douglas-b38b5b3/

Lots of Wing Commander in credits: http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,149/

He also did contract work on Arkane's Prey: http://www.chrisdouglas3d.com/prey/

 

[LESS T_T]

Looks like T-Rex is using Unreal Engine 4. Not necessarily meaning they're making SS3 with UE4, it could be just for quick prototypes.

Also those papers on the window:

Left:

Evan LeGros

[illegible list]

Right:

MY TOP 5 [illegible]

[illegible]

3. imgur [?]

[illegible]

Evan LeGros is a programmer that recently mentioned in this thread.

And they indeed made some confusions:



"nothing to do with," heh.

 

[thesheeep]

Ahhh, the unwashed and uneducated masses. Lovely.

 

[anvi]

I hope NightSide hurry up with their System Shock 4 remake.

 

[agentorange]

Yeah. A FPS with light RPG elements and focus on exploration with a minimal, ambient story is very well suited for Avellone. The series is already known for partly amnesiac protagonists anyway so what more could Avellone add.

 

[HoboForEternity]

avellone tbh would make an interesting walking simulator

 

[V_K]

avellone tbh would make an interesting walking simulator

A simulator of walking away from Obsidian.

 

[Latelistener]

This will end up in tears, but I'll enjoy the ride anyway.

 

[Invictus]

I dont know... the Shock style game has been popularized by the Bioshock games so even pasting those same mechanics (as dumbed down as they have been) to a Shock game, add some hacking, Psi powers and Shodan and voila... System Shock 3

 

[anvi]

 

[thesheeep]

Can't be worse than Fallout 3 after Fallout 1+2.

Right?

 

[LESS T_T]

It's just me, tech director Jason Hughes, art director Arturo Pulecio and design director Chip Sbrogna," he explains. "We're in concept phase, where we blue-sky what game we want to make before diving into pre-production to determine how to build that game.

It seems that Sheldon Pacotti isn't in the team anymore.

Hmmm, conspicuous omission indeed.

IGN mentioned him earlier this month, but they might just have been copypasting: http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/10/system-shock-3-concept-art-images-released

Well, apparently he's gone back to frog design (fabulous design firm founded in 1969) where he previously worked for 9 years: https://designmind.frogdesign.com/2017/09/current-state-intelligent-systems/

So much of what is written about the future of AI amounts to broad philosophical statements, often about the nature of humanity, knowledge and life itself. We asked Sheldon Pacotti, Senior Solution Architect at frog Austin, to unpack some of this complexity for us. Here he shares his view on the current state of AI in product design, its common misconceptions and a look at where we’re going next.

[...]

About Sheldon Pacotti:
Sheldon Pacotti is Senior Solution Architect at frog in Austin. Having studied math and English at MIT and Harvard, Sheldon enjoys cross-disciplinary creative projects. He builds award-winning software, writes screenplays for video games, creates software architectures for businesses and writes about technology.

Btw FWIW interesting that he has been playing immersive sims recently: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198008106546/games/

(Also he played Dream Daddy for 60 hours!)

 

[Iznaliu]

(Also he played Dream Daddy for 60 hours!)

This is clearly the most important part.

 

[Cyberarmy]

Dream Daddy

Bloody hell!!!!