World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from Hardsuit Labs

[Sykar]

What are the chances that this game will turn out alright? Give it to me straight.

As alright as the tranny hooker that took your virginity!

 

[Infinitron]

First look at a couple of characters here:

Spoiler

 

[Roguey]

They listed movies, but didn't specify what literature they're drawing from.

 

[LESS T_T]

A bit strange interview with some developers that were not interviewed before and/or has been promoted since: https://www.usgamer.net/articles/bloodlines-2-july-interview-next-gen-seattle

Makes me wonder if there was a shake up at the leads level.

Bloodlines 2's Developers on Next-Gen, Immersion, and Seattle in the World of Darkness
Hardsuit Labs isn't winding up to miss the mark.


Hardsuit Labs had stayed fairly quiet in the months leading up to last month's Xbox showcase. Since the Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 developer announced a delay in October of last year, pushing the sequel of a cult-classic vampire RPG into the latter half of 2020, the studio seems to have been mostly heads-down in development.

At the time, Hardsuit CEO Andy Kipling and lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda plainly laid out why the delay was necessary. Speaking to Hardsuit Labs recently, Lead Producer Nikhat Ali echoes the sentiment: the bar is set high for Bloodlines 2, both from fans and, as Ali tells me, internally at Hardsuit Labs. And the ghost of the original Bloodlines' notoriously spotty launch still lingers to this day.

"It is well known that the first Bloodlines game launched with a number of issues," Ali says. "We won't ship a game in that state. Last year it became clear to us that we needed more time to deliver the game that the community expects."

The Next Generation of Kindred
Ali says they are confident that Hardsuit Labs can hit that mark, though. Despite COVID-19 suddenly shifting game development to new, socially distanced arrangements, Ali is proud of the team's ability to shift to working from home. Some tasks, like motion-capture performance and recording, can't be done remotely, but much of the development has continued apace at home offices.

All the while, Hardsuit Labs has been ramping up to not just a current-gen launch, but the upcoming generation too. Alongside its new trailer at the Xbox showcase, Hardsuit Labs and publisher Paradox Interactive announced that Bloodlines 2 will be coming to next-gen systems, and will be part of Xbox's Smart Delivery—a program that enables free next-gen upgrade for anyone who already owns the game.

Lauren Gregg, production director at Hardsuit Labs, tells me that Hardsuit has been working on optimizing Bloodlines 2 for next-gen consoles for "some time before" the announcement. "The process has been smooth and we are looking at ways we can unlock the full power of the Xbox Series X's features," said Gregg.

What does this mean? The easy answer is one we've heard from other developers already: better graphics and fidelity. But more than polygon counts or SSD capacities, Gregg tells me, there is interest in the storytelling capabilities. Bloodlines 2 is, after all, an RPG—and an RPG tends to put its characters and narrative front and center.

"Look at Disco Elysium, one of the best RPGs of the last few years," said Gregg. "That game traffics in story and message, not technology. For me, the biggest gift of new tech and next-gen is that it can increase immersion. When tech is used in the service of immersive narrative experiences, that's when I think it is used best."

A City in Darkness
The world Gregg and the Hardsuit Lab team wants to immerse players in with Bloodlines 2 is Seattle, or at least, a fictionalized version of it. Where the first Bloodlines played out in California, with depictions of Hollywood and Santa Monica, the sequel heads up the Pacific Coast to rainy Seattle, which entails a bit of a change in scenery.

Mitsoda has stressed the importance of place in the past for Bloodlines 2; in making sure that the Seattle portrayed in Bloodlines 2 is honest to the real-world version, and not shying away from the real issues Seattle faces.

When asked about how the team is approaching an accurate depiction of Seattle, and what that means for the player, Lead Creative Designer Rachel Leiker explains: "There are few cities in the U.S. where the financial inequality of the modern world is more visibly apparent than it is in Seattle." Kindred will come from all walks of life, and that means seeing both the penthouses and skyscraper boardrooms populated by Ventrue to the homeless encampments under freeway passes.

However, that's just one part of the larger whole. Leiker refers to Seattle's origin as a frontier city, and a haven for those who found themselves on the fringes of society. "This meant artists, poets, authors, and more of the type of people that tend to have a profound impact on the culture of a place," said Leiker. Then, with the tech boom, money starts flowing into the city, creating a widening economic divide.

"Many of the people who built the culture of the place were pushed and priced out, and that meant social change," Leiker says. "Bloodlines 2 plays on this struggle between old and new—old money and new money, established culture and changing culture, and more."

The micro-stories—Hardsuit's term for smaller stories that play out in the city hub during the course of the game—flesh out this sense of place throughout Bloodlines 2. Smaller narrative stories that take place on the periphery of the main quest line makes it possible to better understand the motivations of different factions, or make important decisions about how to play the game. Leiker says these can directly influence the player's perception of the world and other characters' as well, which can have "unexpected outcomes."

This means a wide variety of viewpoints, too. The World of Darkness isn't just about vampires, after all; the original Bloodlines had werewolves, ghosts, and hunters. While Leiker won't tell me what else lurks in the shadows of Seattle, she does say that "the Kindred are not the only monsters active in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest."

Ties That Bind
The clans themselves have intertwined themselves with the workings of the city as well. Ventrue's ties into the burgeoning tech companies are predictable. While some clans from the first are making a reappearance, not all are playable; Leiker says the team knew from the get-go that it wouldn't be able to include every one of the original clans, so it set out to pick choices that would both "fulfill fan desires and expectations," as well as offer a variety of playstyles. The arcane blood-mages of the Tremere, the charismatic Toreador, the slightly more direct Brujah and, of course, Malkavians ("We would have been staked had we not included Malkavians," Leiker says).

There is more on the way after launch too. "I will say the Season Pass is called the 'Season of the Wolf,'" Leiker says, "You can speculate from there." Ultimately the team is forging ahead, planning to show even more of Bloodlines 2 this year.

Still, the ghost of games past lingers. 2004's Bloodlines is remembered quite fondly by fans. It tackled real-world issues, questions of ever-graying morality, and what it means to live as a blood-sucking immortal while trying to maintain some semblance of the Masquerade. Leiker tells me that one of the main goals in setting out to develop Bloodlines 2 was to make a true successor to Bloodlines, hearkening back to the original's blend of comedy, absurdity, and darker themes.

Mitsoda and the team have been "key" to striking the tone for what a modern Bloodlines game is like. But Leiker also acknowledges that some of the content in Bloodlines would be considered problematic by today's standards. The mature themes are still coming forward, but with an understanding of how times and understandings have shifted.

"It's important to us that Bloodlines 2 hits those humorous beats, and tackles mature topics with respect and without punching down," said Leiker.

There's still a ways to go, where as of this writing, Hardsuit Labs and Paradox haven't set a firm date for Bloodlines 2 quite yet. For this team, Bloodlines 2 has been years in development, and for fans of the cult classic, it's been years of waiting to see whether something can capture that same magic. It's a heavy weight, and Hardsuit Labs is well aware of it, yet determined to meet those expectations head on regardless.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

They keep saying it, but what exactly was in B:VtM that would be controversial today? It’s a game set in The WORLD OF DARKNESS, where depravity and degeneracy run amok, and how one survives it. Do they expect supernatural ultra predators spawned from literal evil to live in a hippie commune and write bad poetry? Skulking through the gritty underworld is the entire appeal of the setting. In what way do they anticipate players be taken morally aghast?

 

[Harthwain]

I have the impression the developers' focus is on issues which aren't even tangent to the setting. The article screams "financial inequality!" and "real-world issues™", but I don't feel like it has anything to do with vampires. This makes the whole game feel like an excuse to talk about something else.

 

[compvet24]

It is the ever present text-book 'my writing will save the world!!!!' phenomenon that seems to be present in most modern day Western video games.

 

[Longes]

They keep saying it, but what exactly was in B:VtM that would be controversial today? It’s a game set in The WORLD OF DARKNESS, where depravity and degeneracy run amok, and how one survives it. Do they expect supernatural ultra predators spawned from literal evil to live in a hippie commune and write bad poetry? Skulking through the gritty underworld is the entire appeal of the setting. In what way do they anticipate players be taken morally aghast?

Clan Malkavian. "Funny crazy man" is a hate crime now.

 

[Infinitron]

World of Darkness press release: https://www.worldofdarkness.com/new...oins-world-of-darkness-as-brand-creative-lead

STOCKHOLM – June 30, 2020 – World of Darkness, the transmedia entertainment brand behind celebrated fantasy horror properties like Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse, has announced the hiring of Justin Achilli as Brand Creative Lead. The author and designer of a wide range of World of Darkness games, rulebooks, and supplemental material over the last 23 years, Justin rejoins the World of Darkness team as the brand continues to expand in 2020 and beyond. Martyna “Outstar” Zych, a popular YouTuber, Twitch Streamer, and Vampire: The Masquerade enthusiast, has also recently joined as Brand Community Developer and now broadcasts a weekly livestream show “WoD News.”

To stay connected on all things World of Darkness with “WoD News”, as well catch the latest season of the pioneering Vampire: The Masquerade tabletop roleplay show “LA By Night” please visit the official World of Darkness Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/worldofdarkness.

“I’ve loved the World of Darkness since my then-girlfriend convinced me to get into it back in the 1990s. It led me into a career in games, and at every studio where I’ve worked I’ve met people who have themselves been long-time players,” said Justin Achilli. “I’m very excited to help deliver the future of WoD, as Paradox has the ability to realize games and other media that we simply didn’t have the means to accomplish in years prior. More than anything else, I’m looking forward to bringing this dark, mysterious world I love to an entirely new generation, and saying hello again to fellow Methuselahs who have been with us since ancient times.”

Achilli is an acclaimed game designer with credits on more than 100 gaming productions, ranging from video and tabletop games to board and card games. From 1997 to 2011, he prolifically conceptualized, designed, and authored countless World of Darkness products and materials across a wide range of supernatural horror franchises, including Vampire: The Masquerade, Dark Ages: Vampire, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and more. In recent years, Achilli has held various roles at Funcom and Red Storm Entertainment, where he worked on Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Star Trek: Bridge Crew, and Werewolves Within. With his unparalleled breadth of World of Darkness knowledge and experience, Achilli will lead creative development for World of Darkness, supporting product development both internally and with licensed partners.

“My love for the World of Darkness started with my brother gifting me Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines when I was fourteen. It wasn’t exactly meant for my age, but it was an educational experience that led to me eventually entering the games industry. Through the cryptic note on the protagonist’s inbox I found the game’s concept artist, whose work inspired me to start creating digital art, pursue my Master’s degree, and land my first industry job at CD Projekt RED,” said Martyna Zych. “The World of Darkness fan community is one of the most creative, passionate and inclusive tabletop and video game groups I’ve ever known. I will always be one of the fans, but the opportunity to work behind the scenes on this amazing brand is a dream come true.”

Zych, known as Outstar on YouTube and Twitch, is a game developer who has worked as an animator on The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt and as a concept artist on the Eventide franchise. Zych is also a Vampire: The Masquerade enthusiast who has for years been a leading figure in the franchise’s online community. In anticipation of Bloodlines 2, she won the 2019 Vampire Jam with her own Vampire: The Masquerade game: Santa Monica By Night. In her role as Brand Community Developer, Zych is now responsible for both managing the incredible World of Darkness community of fans and players, as well as growing this community as the brand expands with new products in new mediums. She has launched a weekly livestream show on all things World of Darkness and manages all official World of Darkness social media channels.

“The hiring of Justin and Martyna is shows the direction that World of Darkness is headed,” said Sean Greaney, Brand Manager for World of Darkness. “In his creative role, Justin will ensure that we preserve the tone that this story universe has always been known for, while merging it with modern, contemporary creative design. Martyna has been an active member of the World of Darkness community for years and will play a vital role in helping us connect with our wide range of audiences. With these hires, we’re building a world-class team to manage and extend this brand, and both of these talented individuals are instrumental to moving the World of Darkness forward.”

World of Darkness fans can look forward to a number of exciting new products across video games, tabletop, card games, comics, and audiobooks in 2020 and beyond. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, the successor to the iconic Bloodlines video game from 2004, is currently in development. Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood, the Werewolf brand’s first video game entry, will launch in 2020. Vampire: The Masquerade: Walk Among Us, a trio of audiobooks, were published by HarperCollins earlier this month. Releases in the next year include four new Vampire: The Masquerade board games, a Vampire: The Masquerade comic series from Vault Comics, and more.

"Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2...is currently in development."

"Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood...will launch in in 2020."

 

[Longes]

World of Darkness [...] has announced the hiring of Justin Achilli as Brand Creative Lead

Why? Why do they keep hiring these senile old fucks who haven't made a good game in their life? The most success Achilli ever had was correctly identifying the flaws of VtM, and then completely failing to fix them as he made Vampire: Requiem.

 

[Wunderbar]

They are running away from Cyberpunk

 

[Sailor Woedica]

BTW I totally missed this when Damsel was first announced...but she's also totally officially fierce:

Damsel, known from the first Bloodlines game as a fierce Anarch

https://www.worldofdarkness.com/news/damsel-is-back-in-vtm-bloodlines-2

 

[Jason Liang]

World of Darkness [...] has announced the hiring of Justin Achilli as Brand Creative Lead

Why? Why do they keep hiring these senile old fucks who haven't made a good game in their life? The most success Achilli ever had was correctly identifying the flaws of VtM, and then completely failing to fix them as he made Vampire: Requiem.

Vampire is a pretty small community bro

Achilli contributed way more creative work than Mike Tinney

 

[NotSerious]

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

 

[udm]

They keep saying it, but what exactly was in B:VtM that would be controversial today? It’s a game set in The WORLD OF DARKNESS, where depravity and degeneracy run amok, and how one survives it. Do they expect supernatural ultra predators spawned from literal evil to live in a hippie commune and write bad poetry? Skulking through the gritty underworld is the entire appeal of the setting. In what way do they anticipate players be taken morally aghast?

Agreed and that's why Corporate_Jew_Master had the right idea.

Spoiler

RIP wherever you are bud

 

[Longes]

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

Who is she and what did she do?

 

[Wunderbar]

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

Who is she?

Rock paper shotgun journalist.

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

what did she do?

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/03/14/s-exe-hot-mods-nsfw/
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/12/19/s-exe-coming-out-on-top-nsfw/

 

[Sailor Woedica]

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

 

[Semiurge]

They keep saying it, but what exactly was in B:VtM that would be controversial today? It’s a game set in The WORLD OF DARKNESS, where depravity and degeneracy run amok, and how one survives it. Do they expect supernatural ultra predators spawned from literal evil to live in a hippie commune and write bad poetry? Skulking through the gritty underworld is the entire appeal of the setting. In what way do they anticipate players be taken morally aghast?

Hooers, oriental stereotypes, amusing lunatics, boob physics, strippers, the word "dyke", porno shop, snuff films, ebonics.... All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain. Time to bend the knee.

 

[Häyhä]

This is now my go-to soundtrack for the majority of mainstream western video games these days:



Wish I could also go into a torpor and sleep over these retard times.

*Re-installs original Bloodlines once again*

 

[compvet24]

I can envision it now, after being stained by playing VtMB:2 everyone will seek to cleanse themselves by reinstalling VtMB 1

 

[Semiurge]

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

Who is she?

Rock paper shotgun journalist.

Cara Ellison being anywhere near this should give people pause.

what did she do?

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/03/14/s-exe-hot-mods-nsfw/
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/12/19/s-exe-coming-out-on-top-nsfw/

This week I have been inspired in my work for this column by the magnificent website Critique My Dick Pic

Spoiler

 

[Storyfag]

I can envision it now, after being stained by playing VtMB:2 everyone will seek to cleanse themselves by reinstalling VtMB 1

What do you mean REinstalling?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

They keep saying it, but what exactly was in B:VtM that would be controversial today? It’s a game set in The WORLD OF DARKNESS, where depravity and degeneracy run amok, and how one survives it. Do they expect supernatural ultra predators spawned from literal evil to live in a hippie commune and write bad poetry? Skulking through the gritty underworld is the entire appeal of the setting. In what way do they anticipate players be taken morally aghast?

not enough trannies or minorities, features attractive females

 

[Sarkile]

Were there any trannies in Bloodlines? That would probably make it accurate to their actual representation I think.