Weird West: Definitive Edition - top-down immersive sim action-RPG from Arkane founder Raf Colantonio

[rusty_shackleford]

It can't be one because there is no such thing as an "immersive sim"
Solving problems using ingame mechanics is not a fucking genre.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Simulation" "Systems" "Simulation!" "Systems!!"

Yes, exactly what makes an immersive sim.

Except WW isn't one.

Opinions.

Fact.

 

[Child of Malkav]

Fact.

Spoiler

 

[Roguey]

"Simulation" "Systems" "Simulation!" "Systems!!"

Shut up, Raph.

I'd say it's pretty important to emphasize how this isn't just another isometric shooter with an off-beat setting.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Maybe they could say something like "our game isn't as trash as 99% of the market and lets you think up your own solutions" rather than inventing a non-genre to describe games made for people with above room temperature IQ.

 

[distant]

"Simulation" "Systems" "Simulation!" "Systems!!"

Shut up, Raph.

I can get excited listening to someone being passionate about systems and mechanics as the selling point for a game, it's how it should be. Beats "4K, raytracing, open world, procedural generation" and all the other shit that tell me nothing about how the game plays.

Art-style kind of reminds me of Desperados 3, I don't love the screenshots but if the game is really good I can get into it.

 

[distant]

Maybe they could say something like "our game isn't as trash as 99% of the market and lets you think up your own solutions" rather than inventing a non-genre to describe games made for people with above room temperature IQ.

Deus Ex-like.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Maybe they could say something like "our game isn't as trash as 99% of the market and lets you think up your own solutions" rather than inventing a non-genre to describe games made for people with above room temperature IQ.

Deus Ex-like.

Going to find you and punch you.

 

[Gargaune]

Friendly reminder that BG3's EA has plenty of "oooOoh systeeeeemc" gameplay like Weird West does, but no one, neither games journalists nor Swen himself have called it an "isometric immersive sim." And the reason the former lot didn't is because the latter didn't, and the latter didn't because it isn't. The term's an oxymoron. The only reason journos keep bleating about Weird West being one is because Colantonio deftly planted that sexy, albeit incorrect marketing idea. And by "deftly", I mean he mentioned it once or twice, because that's all it takes to get the parrots squawking.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

"Simulation" "Systems" "Simulation!" "Systems!!"

Shut up, Raph.

I'd say it's pretty important to emphasize how this isn't just another isometric shooter with an off-beat setting.

But it is!

 

[kangaxx]

Already arguing about the genre before a single one of you fuckers has played it!

 

[Roguey]

Friendly reminder that BG3's EA has plenty of "oooOoh systeeeeemc" gameplay like Weird West does, but no one, neither games journalists nor Swen himself have called it an "isometric immersive sim." And the reason the former lot didn't is because the latter didn't, and the latter didn't because it isn't. The term's an oxymoron. The only reason journos keep bleating about Weird West being one is because Colantonio deftly planted that sexy, albeit incorrect marketing idea. And by "deftly", I mean he mentioned it once or twice, because that's all it takes to get the parrots squawking.

D:OS and BG3 have a lot of simmy elements on account of Swen's love of Ultima, but they're not immersive sims because they have too many gamey "because we the designers said so" elements.

But it is!

Nah, isometric shooters have the narrow scope of just being about shooting things. WW's scope is wider.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

D:OS and BG3 have a lot of simmy elements on account of Swen's love of Ultima, but they're not immersive sims because they have too many gamey "because we the designers said so" elements.

fake news
they're not immersive sims because it doesn't exist, "immersive sim" should be the lowest standard for world interactions in an RPG

 

[LJ40]

D:OS and BG3 have a lot of simmy elements on account of Swen's love of Ultima, but they're not immersive sims because they have too many gamey "because we the designers said so" elements.

fake news
they're not immersive sims because it doesn't exist, "immersive sim" should be the lowest standard for world interactions in an RPG

Take it up with Warren Spector. He started all this.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

D:OS and BG3 have a lot of simmy elements on account of Swen's love of Ultima, but they're not immersive sims because they have too many gamey "because we the designers said so" elements.

fake news
they're not immersive sims because it doesn't exist, "immersive sim" should be the lowest standard for world interactions in an RPG

Take it up with Warren Spector. He started all this.

I will as soon as I can find the weasel.

 

[Roguey]

fake news
they're not immersive sims because it doesn't exist, "immersive sim" should be the lowest standard for world interactions in an RPG

Black Isle/Troika/Obsidian/Bioware didn't follow Origin/Looking Glass's design principles, they had different priorities.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

fake news
they're not immersive sims because it doesn't exist, "immersive sim" should be the lowest standard for world interactions in an RPG

Black Isle/Troika/Obsidian/Bioware didn't follow Origin/Looking Glass's design principles, they had different priorities.

And they were wrong. "Immersive sim" just describes basic D&D problem solving.

 

[Gargaune]

Black Isle/Troika/Obsidian/Bioware didn't follow Origin/Looking Glass's design principles, they had different priorities.

Correct, and you know what I'm gonna say one of those principles is, don't you?

 

[Roguey]

Correct, and you know what I'm gonna say one of those principles is, don't you?

The Outer Worlds is first person, not even an optional third person view like Bethesda games, and yet it follows the Fallout/Arcanum/Bloodlines lineage.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

halo infinite is my favorite newest immersive sim because it's first person and first person means rpg

 

[Gargaune]

The Outer Worlds is first person, not even an optional third person view like Bethesda games, and yet it follows the Fallout/Arcanum/Bloodlines lineage.

But I never said any genre or school of design needs to stay glued to a given camera perspective, just that this one does. My argument isn't that perspective sets genres apart, but that this particular category needs certain elements, including FPP, to achieve its goals.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Get over this autistic nitpicking.
"Immersive sim" is as good and descriptive as any other sub-genre name.

But I do agree with Gargaune that using it for a top down game is implicitly an oxymoron.

 

[V_K]

On the other hand, an isometric immersive sim may pave the way for a turn-based immersive sim. Which would be glorious.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

On the other hand, an isometric immersive sim may pave the way for a turn-based immersive sim. Which would be glorious.

wait until you find out that these not only exist, but we have an entire subforum for them

 

[Child of Malkav]

This is fucking why Weird West will be an immerssive sim, you absolute fucking apes.
Listen to the part where he talks about systems.

And then look at the various Weird West videos, the short ones where they actually show and explain gameplay creativity through simulation.