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

[Tyranicon]

If this keeps going on, the mods are gonna sink the entire thread into the politics subforum.

 

[Roguey]

Anyway, Paradox acknowledged Bloodlines 2's existence again in their latest annual report:

EXPECTED FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
In the coming year, continued good profitability is expected. Five
announced games are awaiting release; Age of Wonders 4 developed
by Triumph Studios, Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2,
developed by Hardsuit Labs and another unannounced studio,
Cities: Skylines 2 developed by Colossal Order, Life By You developed
by Paradox Tectonic and The Lamplighters League developed by
Harebrained Schemes. Development is also underway on several yet
to be announced games.

 

[Storyfag]

corporations aren't incompetent or stupid.

bruh. the stories I could tell you...

 

[Harthwain]

corporations aren't incompetent or stupid.

bruh. the stories I could tell you...

Indeed. Corporations can be incompetent or stupid, while cutting costs and trying to make profit.

 

[Twiglard]

The story is good. It is not deep, but it is well executed. Very well for a video game with talking heads.

I liked it back in the day but some years ago rewatched the mission briefings. Halfway through the original campaign Zeratul the magical Negro and the rest of his proud warrior race steal the show and it becomes a total cliche.

It changes tone once you go from the Raynor/Mengsk conflict to the space-fantasy elements that define the series. The former could actually be preferable.

 

[RaggleFraggle]

The story is good. It is not deep, but it is well executed. Very well for a video game with talking heads.

I liked it back in the day but some years ago rewatched the mission briefings. Halfway through the original campaign Zeratul the magical Negro and the rest of his proud warrior race steal the show and it becomes a total cliche.

It changes tone once you go from the Raynor/Mengsk conflict to the space-fantasy elements that define the series. The former could actually be preferable.

Maybe? Episode 1 is the most tightly plotted (its novelization is the only one that doesn’t feel like complete schlock), but objectively speaking it’s still overrated hackery. It still goes into capeshit territory at the expense of the geopolitics/astropolitics of the world they live in. You could replace the aliens, Kerry and the Confederacy with sexy lamps and lose nothing of value. Maybe if the scale was severely shrunk down to a gang war it might work, but… the writer is still a hack who can’t even write one decent novel. It being hackery is fine, but it’s so overrated af.

But I digress. This is not the thread for that.

 

[Harthwain]

I liked it back in the day but some years ago rewatched the mission briefings. Halfway through the original campaign Zeratul the magical Negro and the rest of his proud warrior race steal the show and it becomes a total cliche.

It changes tone once you go from the Raynor/Mengsk conflict to the space-fantasy elements that define the series. The former could actually be preferable.

It is true that Terran and Zerg campaigns are better than Protoss ones in both Starcraft 1 and Brood War.

 

[hello friend]

Yeah the entire protoss campaign is boring af

Like an entire race of retards spazzing out

 

[RaggleFraggle]

Yeah the entire protoss campaign is boring af

Like an entire race of retards spazzing out

Their backstory is spelled out in the manual and it is fairly nuanced given the limits of the time. The dark templar had some philosophical disagreements, did some science experiments, accidentally caused the apocalypse, got expelled from their homeworld for the damages. In the game script, the judicators are depicted as deranged stereotypical bigots when the manual established they had good reason to distrust the dark templar. Zeratul’s unconvincing speeches that easily change the minds of the judicators at the climax are Gary Stu level. This writing frustrates me.

The studio mandate to include missions where you fight the same side creates huge problems with the storytelling when the premise is about the three races fighting an apocalyptic battle for control. Especially when the writers don’t have any experience whatsoever. The writing is so clumsy

 

[Tyranicon]

I can't really say too much about OG Starcraft or Broodwar's writing quality since it's been like two decades since I've played it, but it does achieve the job of being memorable. I remember basically all the main characters of the game, despite having only played through the campaign once. The story/lore in the manual is probably where 70% of the actual writing is and I feel most people skipped out.

Writing in video games does not have a high bar. Off the top of my head, the only game that had memorably good writing is PS:T, and that's because it was more of a book masquerading as a game.

 

[Semiurge]

If this keeps going on, the mods are gonna sink the entire thread into retardo.

ftfy

 

[RaggleFraggle]

I can't really say too much about OG Starcraft or Broodwar's writing quality since it's been like two decades since I've played it, but it does achieve the job of being memorable. I remember basically all the main characters of the game, despite having only played through the campaign once. The story/lore in the manual is probably where 70% of the actual writing is and I feel most people skipped out.

Writing in video games does not have a high bar. Off the top of my head, the only game that had memorably good writing is PS:T, and that's because it was more of a book masquerading as a game.

Exactly.

Memorability is the result of good presentation. Presentation is a matter of art direction, sound design, etc and in video games this can distract audiences from weak writing. But style doesn’t substitute for substance. When criticizing substance, it’s a non-sequitur to point at the style.

Video games don’t have high writing standards. RTS especially doesn’t have examples of good writing. At best, it’s junk food. At worst, incoherent nonsense. I don’t even think of the genre’s writing in terms of good or bad, but in terms of “capeshit” and “everything else.”

What frustrates me is that fandoms will fight to the death to defend hack writing. It’s hack writing and calling it out for what it is shouldn’t provoke such strong pushback. You can still enjoy something, or remember it nostalgically, while acknowledging that it is terrible. I remember The Magic Voyage and other crappy children’s movies quite fondly, but I can’t argue with the Nostalgia Critic and other youtubers when they shred it.

Like, back when someone said Mitsoda’s writing wasn’t as good as we all thought, I was initially confused by this but I ultimately didn’t try arguing much. Maybe it wasn’t as good as it could’ve been, but at least it wasn’t worse. It also helps that the tone is intentionally campy and self-aware, so I don’t take it as deadpan seriously as I might something with a completely serious presentation and rabid fandom that takes it at face value.

 

[Space Satan]

Good news, the game is given a new, refreshing, view, more fitting this trying times and dropped a new trailer

 

[Caim]

Dude looks like Alex Mercer from Prototype. Who's technically a kind of vampire.

 

[Tyranicon]

Good news, the game is given a new, refreshing, view, more fitting this trying times and dropped a new trailer

... did they instantly produce new vampires from fucking?

That's the new twist on the genre we've all been waiting for.

 

[Fedora Master]

If this keeps going on, the mods are gonna sink the entire thread into the politics subforum.

These threads are like festering wounds. The longer you leave them open, the worse they'll get.

 

[Caim]

Good news, the game is given a new, refreshing, view, more fitting this trying times and dropped a new trailer

... did they instantly produce new vampires from fucking?

That's the new twist on the genre we've all been waiting for.

I know that lycanthropy is an STD, but I guess that vampirism can be one as well.

 

[Semiurge]

If this keeps going on, the mods are gonna sink the entire thread into the politics subforum.

These threads are like festering wounds. The longer you leave them open, the worse they'll get.

This thread should be made into a sudanese pussy. Stitched shut until the day Bloodlines 2 comes out and this thread is ready to get fucked again.

 

[Roguey]

Looks like Paradox finally found a sucker to buy their stake in Hardsuit. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/keywords-studios-acquires-us-developer-hardsuit-labs

Hardsuit Labs is the latest acquisition by the ever-growing Keywords Studios.

The services empire today announced it had added the Seattle-based developer to its portfolio for an undisclosed sum. Hardsuit will be part of its 'Create' services line and continue to provide co-development and porting for other games first.

Founded in 2015, Hardsuit has previously worked on various Call of Duty and Gears of War titles, as well as games such as State of Decay and Crash Bandicoot 4, providing services such as design and engineering support. It is currently working with Epic Games on Fortnite and Fortnite Creative.

The team previously began development of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, but was dropped in Feburary 2021. It has also produced its own title, free-to-play shooter Blacklight: Retribution.

Andy Kipling and Russell Nelson, the studio's founders, will continue to lead the business and support its 70 employees.

Sticking to what they do, none of that "rpg" business.

 

[Delterius]

i'll say this about paradox, they have connections in the 'literally who' network

 

[Cricket McBangle]

Paradox is at Summer Games Fest. Could this be the time? I hope so, I honestly love seeing the Codex roast games.

 

[ind33d]

Dude looks like Alex Mercer from Prototype. Who's technically a kind of vampire.

Prototype was sick. My dad bought it for me at a Gamestop on a whim and it turned out to be incredible. RPG with Prototype/Hulk gameplay would be kino

 

[Readher]

Dude looks like Alex Mercer from Prototype. Who's technically a kind of vampire.

Those ads often use models from actual games. The most famous one is Sam Fisher in prisoner clothing from Double Agent as Lvl 1 Crook in Mafia City.

 

[Roguey]

A new job listing from The Chinese Room has a gun that's a bit smokier than usual https://www.thechineseroom.co.uk/senior-game-designer/3668eb14-3114-4dff-9a22-036cc6c644c5

We are looking for an experienced Senior Game Designer to join The Chinese Room to work on an exciting new game. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a pivotal role in developing the experience for our players.

For this role, we need someone who has experience designing and delivering AAA action-RPG gameplay and mechanics.

To be successful, you will have:​

• A passion for games with strong storytelling.
• Minimum of 5 years' game industry experience in a design focused role.
• Two or more shipped titles on consoles or PC.
• Experience of delivering features from initial designs, through prototype to ship.
• Proven track record of designing features in a 1st person or 3rd person AAA action game.
• Strong understanding of Unreal Engine 4 or 5.
• Experienced with blueprints and their implementation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

It would be great if you had:​

• Experience of Unreal Engine 5.
• Experience designing RPG systems.
• Experience in adventure games.
• Experience in mission design.
• Experience designing AI behaviours for enemies or NPCs.

Of course if this applies to BL2 it means it's likely still a bit way off.

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

So how's Bloodlines 2 going?