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

[GentlemanCthulhu]

A narrative QA tester is the lead writer on VtmB2. What has the world come to.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

A narrative QA tester is the lead writer on VtmB2. What has the world come to.

obsidian made a web dev the lead designer of pillows of eternity

 

[Saerain]

At this point the MMO would probably have been better.

 

[Herumor]

At this point the MMO would probably have been better.

It would have definitely been more fun due to it being a player-driven experience, and EVE has had some great moments due to this.

 

[Saerain]

Yeah, I did think that of the major MMO studios in 2006, CCP was the best choice by far. I don't know today, though. They're all dead or deeply corrupted.

 

[BruceVC]

This month's Chinese Room newsletter includes a spotlight on Arone Le Bray, the former Bioware narrative QA tester who's likely the principal writer on Bloodlines 2:

How did Arone start his career?
"Fell backwards into it! I have a BA in English from University of Alberta, which qualified me to think & talk about stories. So, naturally, I was able to find work in a small tea shop. I lucked into a position as a contractor QA Tester at BioWare, and soon wound up working with the Narrative Team. For 15 years! Then, I heard about an opportunity at TCR and… here I am!"
We're thrilled to have Arone as part of the team.

Some tips for getting into the industry, in Narrative Design, according to Arone?
"Look into what it is abt your favourite stories or characters that really works for you, & how some of those experiences are fundamentally tied to the fact you are playing a game. Just like movies are different from graphic novels or plays are different from television shows, the medium of videogames is its own beast and you’ll find that a lot of the best stories you love from gaming could ONLY have been possible through those experiences."

People that inspire Arone?
Ann LeMay, Patrick Weekes, Corinne Busche, Anthony Burch, Ashly Burch, Brenda Romero, Lukas Kristjanson, Tulay McNally and many others!
In his free time, outside of helping craft our next awesome titles, Arone reads sci-fi, goes on hikes with his partner Kristi (pictured!), likes to hang out with the awesome Marceline & Hap, watches shows like Taskmaster, Lower Decks, The Cleaner etc.

Re: videogames, favourites include: Star Ocean – Second Story, Final Fantasy (special shout-outs to 6, 7, and 12), Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross, Warframe, Borderlands series, Looter-shooters (Destiny, Division, etc.), Bastion and Hades (Supergiant Games – Good times…)...

Not a man of taste, but that's Bioware for you. Keep those expectations low.

Is it confirmed that Chinese Room are the developers for Bloodlines 2?

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Is it confirmed that Chinese Room are the developers for Bloodlines 2?

Not officially, but it’s generally considered the worst kept secret at Paradox.
A bit like when everyone and their grandma knew Aspyr was working at the KOTOR remake.

Incidentally, I can see this turning out just as well.

 

[NecroLord]

I have already given up hope when it comes to VTMB 2.
It's just not gonna happen. If it will,it will turn out to be a complete abomination.
Like I said,just replay the original VTMB.

 

[Roguey]

Incidentally, I can see this turning out just as well.

They'll likely release a disappointment, but I have confidence they'll end up shipping something. They're meeting the milestones so far and Paradox is paying greater attention and being tighter with the purse strings.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Meh, without Mitsoda at the helm, there's no realistic chance for them to recapture that 90s goth charm. So even if it would turn out as an ok game, I heavily doubt that it'd be anywhere near as atmospheric as VtMB; especially since, regardless of devs, they'd have to self-censor as to not trigger the usual suspects with 'problematic' depictions of various stereotypes hence the characters falling flat (and memorable characters were the greatest strength of VtMB alongside the general atmosphere).

 

[NecroLord]

They won't create memorable characters like those in VTMB anymore.
A character like Larry would probably be too "problematic" for current year.
More likely they will create some soulless tranny who will tell me all about her pronouns and how racist the Camarilla is.
I heard Mitsoda's wife is part of the "Twitter Brigade". She/her pronouns,Support BLM,the whole thing.

 

[Mary Sue Leigh]

Feels like any character I could think of at random would be too problematic today.

Imalia? Too pretty!
Jeanette/Theresa? VA needs to be a real schizo!
Brother Kanker? Not gay enough!

 

[HereticGuy]

Feels like any character I could think of at random would be too problematic today.

Imalia? Too pretty!
Jeanette/Theresa? VA needs to be a real schizo!
Brother Kanker? Not gay enough!

You know what would happen today? Lots of motherfuckers who exposed too much an1me would share fanarts of Beckett as a furry husbando on -excuse my language- Reddit.

 

[BruceVC]

They won't create memorable characters like those in VTMB anymore.
A character like Larry would probably be too "problematic" for current year.
More likely they will create some soulless tranny who will tell me all about her pronouns and how racist the Camarilla is.
I heard Mitsoda's wife is part of the "Twitter Brigade". She/her pronouns,Support BLM,the whole thing.

Imagine if they made the egregious decision of including BLM vampires as there own clan

 

[Vincente]

Imagine if they made the egregious decision of including BLM vampires as there own clan

You mean the Brujah?

 

[GhostCow]

They won't create memorable characters like those in VTMB anymore.
A character like Larry would probably be too "problematic" for current year.
More likely they will create some soulless tranny who will tell me all about her pronouns and how racist the Camarilla is.
I heard Mitsoda's wife is part of the "Twitter Brigade". She/her pronouns,Support BLM,the whole thing.

Imagine if they made the egregious decision of including BLM vampires as there own clan

Don't make me post Rudy again

 

[HereticGuy]

Imagine if they made the egregious decision of including BLM vampires as there own clan

You mean the Brujah?

My knowledge about World of Darkness is limited with Bloodlines; I thought Brujah Clan as rock'n'roll themed fighter archetypes. Would someone like Nines Rodriguez, who witnessed the fucking great depression at 1930's, would give a shit about BLM? I mean today's clowns would love to write things like that; but in WoD's own universe, are Brujahs dumbfuck leftists like that?

 

[Vincente]

Imagine if they made the egregious decision of including BLM vampires as there own clan

You mean the Brujah?

My knowledge about World of Darkness is limited with Bloodlines; I thought Brujah Clan as rock'n'roll themed fighter archetypes. Would someone like Nines Rodriguez, who witnessed the fucking great depression at 1930's, would give a shit about BLM? I mean today's clowns would love to write things like that; but in WoD's own universe, are Brujahs dumbfuck leftists like that?

They're all about politics, left or right doesn't matter. Brujah can both be BLM loving leftists, and Hitler supporting skinheads, both stereotypes have a premade character in the clan books.

 

[NecroLord]

Imagine if they made the egregious decision of including BLM vampires as there own clan

You mean the Brujah?

My knowledge about World of Darkness is limited with Bloodlines; I thought Brujah Clan as rock'n'roll themed fighter archetypes. Would someone like Nines Rodriguez, who witnessed the fucking great depression at 1930's, would give a shit about BLM? I mean today's clowns would love to write things like that; but in WoD's own universe, are Brujahs dumbfuck leftists like that?

They're all about politics, left or right doesn't matter. Brujah can both be BLM loving leftists, and Hitler supporting skinheads, both stereotypes have a premade character in the clan books.

The Brujah of old used to be warrior scholars. Their passions are more easily stirred,which is why they have a harder time resisting frenzy. They used to be idealists,willing to defend their ideals with great zeal and determination. The Brujah dominated city of Carthage was razed by the Ventrue Rome,which is where their great hatred for the Ventrue stems from.
In the modern nights they are mostly punks though,and have fallen far from their lofty heights.

 

[Vincente]

The Brujah of old used to be warrior scholars. Their passions are more easily stirred,which is why they have a harder time resisting frenzy. They used to be idealists,willing to defend their ideals with great zeal and determination. The Brujah dominated city of Carthage was razed by the Ventrue Rome,which is where their great hatred for the Ventrue stems from.

Are they making a game set in Dark Ages? If not, can't see how Brujah being warrior poets of Carthage fits what I'm trying to say. They are rabble-rousing rebels in Modern Nights.

 

[NecroLord]

No.
You should play Vampire The Masquerade: Redemption. It is set during the Dark Ages.
Pretty decent game,but it deviates quite a lot from the Storyteller System.

 

[Vincente]

You should play Vampire The Masquerade: Redemption. It is set during the Dark Ages.

I did, it was a fun game. Christof falling into torpor and waking up in Modern Nights was a nice touch, too.
But I digress, here's a skinhead Brujah, directly taken from clanbooks. Pardon the scan quality.

Spoiler

 

[Xelocix]

Sometimes I stick my finger in my bellybutton and sniff the moist lint that comes out.

 

[SmartCheetah]

You should play Vampire The Masquerade: Redemption. It is set during the Dark Ages.

I did, it was a fun game. Christof falling into torpor and waking up in Modern Nights was a nice touch, too.
But I digress, here's a skinhead Brujah, directly taken from clanbooks. Pardon the scan quality.

Spoiler

That reminds me of my PnP Vampire character who was a Gangrel escaped convict. Dude went on a white supremacist rampage which concluded in his arrest. He was embraced by the kindred who actually prepared the attack on a prison convoy. Was pretty fun meeting the rest of the group in the tattered orange jumpsuit.

 

[HereticGuy]

Thanks for the clarification Vincente and NecroLord !