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

[Roguey]

Haven't checked this thread since the gameplay footage released. Why is The Chinese Room developing this and how do you go from a remake of Dear Esther and Amnesia Machine for Pigs to developing VTMB2?

I tried to piece things together and I'm now even more confused. Any answer to this would be greatly appreciated. 2.2 million pounds for a studio ain't shit.

In August 2018, Sumo Group, the parent company of Sumo Digital, acquired The Chinese Room for £2.2 million, making it the fourth UK-based studio under Sumo Digital. Co-founder Pinchbeck took the role of creative director for The Chinese Room, while Curry continued as an independent composer for the studio. Pinchbeck described the acquisition as "the end of a chapter" for the studio as they determined their next project.[11] From late summer 2018, The Chinese Room began re-staffing, adding veteran developers Ed Daly as studio director and John McCormack as art director.[12] Dear Esther launched on iOS on 30 September 2019.[13] On 12 June 2020 The Chinese Room released its first Apple Arcade title Little Orpheus to positive reviews.[14] As of October 2020 the studio is working on an unannounced new title.

Sumo bought them to make action-adventures https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...-from-paradox-interactive.126124/post-7578021

 

[Semiurge]

I cant believe this topic is still going when the last official word about the game was on page 107 or some shit.

Maybe they'll release the game if we reach 1000 pages.

I have a feeling that this thread is going to be a lot less fun once the game comes out and that's saying something

There are three outcomes. The game will either be

1. So shit that it will provide comedy gold for the next decade
2. So painfully mediocre that it's quickly forgotten, not bad enough to incite mockery but not good enough to be satisfying as a game
3. Codex GOTY
4. Super-secret option: it's never released

My money's on 2.

Haven't checked this thread since the gameplay footage released. Why is The Chinese Room developing this and how do you go from a remake of Dear Esther and Amnesia Machine for Pigs to developing VTMB2?

I tried to piece things together and I'm now even more confused. Any answer to this would be greatly appreciated. 2.2 million pounds for a studio ain't shit.

In August 2018, Sumo Group, the parent company of Sumo Digital, acquired The Chinese Room for £2.2 million, making it the fourth UK-based studio under Sumo Digital. Co-founder Pinchbeck took the role of creative director for The Chinese Room, while Curry continued as an independent composer for the studio. Pinchbeck described the acquisition as "the end of a chapter" for the studio as they determined their next project.[11] From late summer 2018, The Chinese Room began re-staffing, adding veteran developers Ed Daly as studio director and John McCormack as art director.[12] Dear Esther launched on iOS on 30 September 2019.[13] On 12 June 2020 The Chinese Room released its first Apple Arcade title Little Orpheus to positive reviews.[14] As of October 2020 the studio is working on an unannounced new title.

Why did they get chosen? Because they work for peanuts. Haven't you noticed the pattern already? Cheap, casual newcomer companies after another.

 

[gerey]

It's going to be a wokefest, so my money's on 1.

No way a project that has been a circus for this long, made by one collective of incompetent liberals, and then remade by another equally incompetent Marxist commune, isn't going to be comedy gold.

And even if by some miracle they manage to cobble together a competent product, they still have to somehow avoid all the festering shit present in the newest edition of WoD.

 

[Lambach]

Honestly, I'm just hoping for this:



But with less gay lizards and more gay Ancient-Curse-From-God-Xirself powered undead numales or butch dykes.

Seriously, I shit you not, this is the best outcome you can possibly hope for.

 

[NecroLord]

It's going to be a wokefest, so my money's on 1.

No way a project that has been a circus for this long, made by one collective of incompetent liberals, and then remade by another equally incompetent Marxist commune, isn't going to be comedy gold.

That's what I thought too.
VTMB 2 just doesn't look that special.
Finally, playing as a Thin-Blood soyboy is just stupid. Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles. Not only that, but Sabbat fanatics are all over their asses.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles.

I'm not very familiar with the setting. Is there any precedent at all for a thin-blood to gain status?

 

[Ibn Sina]

It's going to be a wokefest, so my money's on 1.

No way a project that has been a circus for this long, made by one collective of incompetent liberals, and then remade by another equally incompetent Marxist commune, isn't going to be comedy gold.

And even if by some miracle they manage to cobble together a competent product, they still have to somehow avoid all the festering shit present in the newest edition of WoD.

Even in a hypothetical scenario where it was not woke, it would still be shit just because it will be based on V5 of the VTM. Here are the changes you can expect:

Remember all those cool signature disciplines that were unique to specific clans? Like dementation, Thaumatgery, protean? All that is gone, replaced with 8 or so disciplines recycled between the clans. All the disciplines and the power levels of fresh vampires have been nerfed to hell. In the original setting, just by being a vampire you had physical advantage over a mortal. now in V5 2 guy with bats can smear you on the floor.

Remember all those cool extremely rare bloodlines like the flesh eating vampire you meet in the hospital? or the italian style mafia vampires who use necromancy? all that is gone as well, replaced with a generic undead necromantic clan.

The eastern vampires have been completely retconned from the setting as well, replaced with generic western vampires, making the world more homogenous.

the sabbat as a faction have been almost removed from the game.

...and many more shit changes like that. Make no mistake, the game will be garbage either way, woke or not woke.

 

[RagingNomad]

d

It's going to be a wokefest, so my money's on 1.

No way a project that has been a circus for this long, made by one collective of incompetent liberals, and then remade by another equally incompetent Marxist commune, isn't going to be comedy gold.

And even if by some miracle they manage to cobble together a competent product, they still have to somehow avoid all the festering shit present in the newest edition of WoD.

Even in a hypothetical scenario where it was not woke, it would still be shit just because it will be based on V5 of the VTM. Here are the changes you can expect:

Remember all those cool signature disciplines that were unique to specific clans? Like dementation, Thaumatgery, protean? All that is gone, replaced with 8 or so disciplines recycled between the clans. All the disciplines and the power levels of fresh vampires have been nerfed to hell. In the original setting, just by being a vampire you had physical advantage over a mortal. now in V5 2 guy with bats can smear you on the floor.

Remember all those cool extremely rare bloodlines like the flesh eating vampire you meet in the hospital? or the italian style mafia vampires who use necromancy? all that is gone as well, replaced with a generic undead necromantic clan.

The eastern vampires have been completely retconned from the setting as well, replaced with generic western vampires, making the world more homogenous.

the sabbat as a faction have been almost removed from the game.

...and many more shit changes like that. Make no mistake, the game will be garbage either way, woke or not woke

Bruh, typical player who couldn't look beyond the main book. And Two guys with bats cannot win vampire. Several special/Disciplines in 3, 20 editions was trash and that' why they bind them. There is whole book about Sabbat. You've got baby-duck syndrome.

 

[NecroLord]

Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles.

I'm not very familiar with the setting. Is there any precedent at all for a thin-blood to gain status?

I don't think it is clarified in lore, but it is extremely unlikely for a Thin-Blood to gain status and influence in The World of Darkness.
By way of diablerie, a Thin-Blood can become a full fledged vampire, but diablerie is serious business, a very dark crime, one that will probably result in the Thin-Blood being hunted down and put to Final Death.

 

[normie]

It's going to be a wokefest, so my money's on 1.

No way a project that has been a circus for this long, made by one collective of incompetent liberals, and then remade by another equally incompetent Marxist commune, isn't going to be comedy gold.

That's what I thought too.
VTMB 2 just doesn't look that special.
Finally, playing as a Thin-Blood soyboy is just stupid. Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles. Not only that, but Sabbat fanatics are all over their asses.

soyblood

 

[Vincente]

I don't think it is clarified in lore, but it is extremely unlikely for a Thin-Blood to gain status and influence in The World of Darkness.

Well, it IS supposed to be the "Dante Must Die: Nightmare Modo" of the clans. And being able to walk in the sun is also nice, same with Thin-Blood Alchemy.

 

[Storyfag]

Remember all those cool signature disciplines that were unique to specific clans? Like dementation, Thaumatgery, protean? All that is gone, replaced with 8 or so disciplines recycled between the clans.

You are misrepresenting the actual situation. Protean is still fully extant. The signature elements of Dementation remain as combination powers of other Disciplines. Thaumaturgy's been renamed to Blood Sorcery, but largely remains as it was.

Remember all those cool extremely rare bloodlines like the flesh eating vampire you meet in the hospital? or the italian style mafia vampires who use necromancy? all that is gone as well, replaced with a generic undead necromantic clan.

The Italian Mafia Necromancers *were* the generic undead necromantic Clan. And they still make up the mainstay of the re-united undead necromantic Clan. I don't get what your beef is here, other than the fact that the flesh eaters are indeed a poor fit with all the splinters of the actual necromantic Clan, since they don't originate from the same Founder.

 

[Semiurge]

It's going to be a wokefest, so my money's on 1.

Tragically, your choice would be the better of the two. At least it would be meme-worthy unlike outcome 2 that would fail in every aspect imaginable. That's why I'm actually hoping that it will be either 3 or 1. With 2, we'd get the privilege of once again turning the woke against those who pushed it.

 

[good fucking shit happen]

The fuck you retards even talking about? Some bitch ass dev gave you a whiff of a vampire game back in 2019 and then fucked off with his fingerless gloves and you niggas still yappin about it. Is like dis thread rite here is the real Bloodlines 2 and got more content than the vaporware shitheap ever got. I cast dominate and you all gonna shut up until there are news so I don't waste my fucking time opening up this thread thinking there might be a fucking video game to talk about.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

waste my fucking time

Pretending you have anything better to do will not fly here, bro.

 

[NecroLord]

Protean is still fully extant.

Protean is one of the most powerful disciplines in the World of Darkness.
Up there with the likes of Presence, Fortitude and Celerity.

 

[Storyfag]

Protean is still fully extant.

Protean is one of the most powerful disciplines in the World of Darkness.
Up there with the likes of Presence, Fortitude and Celerity.

Yes. And it is still fully in the PnP V5 rules. Now available to not just Gangrel, but also to Setites (who replace some powers with their snake stuff) and Tzimisce (who replace some powers with fleshcrafting).

 

[Ismaul]

Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles.

I'm not very familiar with the setting. Is there any precedent at all for a thin-blood to gain status?

Blackface my man.

That's how you get "we wuz thicc bloodz" status.

 

[NecroLord]

Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles.

I'm not very familiar with the setting. Is there any precedent at all for a thin-blood to gain status?

Blackface my man.

That's how you get "we wuz thicc bloodz" status.

We wuz Brujah and sheeeeeeeeeit.

 

[Ibn Sina]

Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles.

I'm not very familiar with the setting. Is there any precedent at all for a thin-blood to gain status?

Blackface my man.

That's how you get "we wuz thicc bloodz" status.

We wuz Brujah and sheeeeeeeeeit.

The Brujahs in V5 left the camarilla to join the BLM.

 

[Vincente]

Protean is still fully extant.

Protean is one of the most powerful disciplines in the World of Darkness.
Up there with the likes of Presence, Fortitude and Celerity.

Yes. And it is still fully in the PnP V5 rules. Now available to not just Gangrel, but also to Setites (who replace some powers with their snake stuff) and Tzimisce (who replace some powers with fleshcrafting).

Tzimisce Protean is sick though, especially how they use it in NYBN, growing your finger bones instead of nail-claws.

 

[NecroLord]

Thin-Bloods are the lowest of the low in the vampiric circles.

I'm not very familiar with the setting. Is there any precedent at all for a thin-blood to gain status?

Blackface my man.

That's how you get "we wuz thicc bloodz" status.

We wuz Brujah and sheeeeeeeeeit.

The Brujahs in V5 left the camarilla to join the BLM.

Brujah Lives Matter.
Fuck modern Brujah. Never liked them.
The Dark Ages warrior scholar Brujah were way better.

 

[Storyfag]

Protean is still fully extant.

Protean is one of the most powerful disciplines in the World of Darkness.
Up there with the likes of Presence, Fortitude and Celerity.

Yes. And it is still fully in the PnP V5 rules. Now available to not just Gangrel, but also to Setites (who replace some powers with their snake stuff) and Tzimisce (who replace some powers with fleshcrafting).

Tzimisce Protean is sick though, especially how they use it in NYBN, growing your finger bones instead of nail-claws.

Yes, that was a specific instance of the player taking a Vicissitude power for his character instead of the typical Protean power. And Tzimisce can learn to do it to others

 

[Vincente]

"“No love for…!?!”

Didn’t see what you were hoping for in this update–like, video games, perhaps? Never fear, we have much more to share with you in the months ahead… but we’re waiting for a dramatically appropriate moment!"

https://www.worldofdarkness.com/news/world-of-darkness-update
January update from WoD. At least they are mentioning the game and not sweeping it under the rug, right?

 

[Cricket McBangle]

"“No love for…!?!”

Didn’t see what you were hoping for in this update–like, video games, perhaps? Never fear, we have much more to share with you in the months ahead… but we’re waiting for a dramatically appropriate moment!"

https://www.worldofdarkness.com/news/world-of-darkness-update
January update from WoD. At least they are mentioning the game and not sweeping it under the rug, right?

The Vampire: The Masquerade Ultimate Itch.Io bundle now available on HumbleBundle for $149.99 made by fans for fans.

I suspect like last time they’re gonna also tease out some of the projects that have been in the works (Hunter the Reckoning getting a game, I believe a remake of the ones from the PS2) along with the Bloodlines 2 re-announcement. You know because it went so well last time.

Also it would appear that Bloodlines 2’s Steam page has been given a (placeholder) release date of December 2023.