Gearbox' Aliens: Colonial Marines

[Humodour]

Co-op?

 

<3

[GreasyDogMeat]

I actually preferred the gameplay of AvP 1 by Rebellion Software. My ideal AvP 2, or Aliens: Colonial Marines would have been gameplay by Rebellion, with story and cutscenes by Monolith.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Monolith and Gearbox are equally mediocre, IMO. But gearbox earned some cred with me because of their attempt to add more gamplay to the FPS genre with the whole covering fire system in BiA. It was flawed, sur, but a good effort nontheless. FEAR on the other hand was a straight-up shooter with no surprises.

 

FEAR may just be another shooter in regards to the general mechnics, but it sure looks nice. That's also not mentioning the general Bullet time and melee additions.

 

BiA not only had interesting team mechanics, but the weapons were alot more realistic than your run of the mill point and shoot COD affair.

 

You're being a little harsh don't you think?

[Nick_i_am]

The main problem with BiA is that most of it was a series of puzzlemaps with only one path through them. Put the tank here to kill the mg, but don't put it too far forward or the AT gun will kill it, so use the tank to take out the MG then flank the gun with infanty to kill the crew so you can use the tank to destroy the roadblock ect ect.

 

There were some awsome setpeice battles with freeform attack/defend objectives, but too much of the above really.

[GreasyDogMeat]

I hated BiA. Really REALLY hated it. For all the bluster about realism they did some stupid things with the weapons. They also pulled a cheap trick where bullets would not go exactly where you aimed down the site. You could have the site dead on an enemy and the bullet would hit 5 feet away. Realistic and understandable when the gun is at your side, bull when you are aiming down the site.

 

The game also didn't feature corner leaning or prone position. Considering leaning around a corner is common sense, and prone is one of the 3 stances taught in the military it was a huge blemish on a supposedly realistic WWII shooter.

 

Also what Nick said. It got really old really quick.

Edited February 16, 2008 by GreasyDogMeat

[Nick_i_am]

Having said that, the squad command and suppression mechanics were both very nice.

[alanschu]

EB Games's product description

 

Developed by Brothers-in-Arms creator, Gearbox Software, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a squad-based first-person shooter which recaptures the tension, horror and combat of the movies that created the sci-fi action horror genre. In the game, players battle Aliens using a variety of awesome weapons including pulse-rifles and flamethrowers, plus brand-new equipment and skills. Aliens: Colonial Marines will retain the atmospheric look and feel of the original films while leveraging next-generation technology to create an entirely new interactive Aliens experience. Claustrophobic environments, a brooding soundtrack, and a multitude of surprises and shocks will take the tension and action to unparalleled levels. Game modes include a single-player campaign plus four-person multiplayer player co-op, plus many more to be revealed in future months.

 

 

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOOMG

[Morgoth]

So it's going to be another hold-my-hand FPS where I always have to give orders to my Marines where they walk, and when they step on Alien mash, they're gonna cry like babies "Oh Gawwwd Sir HELPP WAHHHHH SHOOT SHOOT WHAHHH WHAHHH".

 

Great.

[Humodour]

So it's going to be another hold-my-hand FPS where I always have to give orders to my Marines where they walk, and when they step on Alien mash, they're gonna cry like babies "Oh Gawwwd Sir HELPP WAHHHHH SHOOT SHOOT WHAHHH WHAHHH".

 

Great.

 

I agree. I don't like baby-sitting in computer games.

[Pop]

So it's going to be another hold-my-hand FPS where I always have to give orders to my Marines where they walk, and when they step on Alien mash, they're gonna cry like babies "Oh Gawwwd Sir HELPP WAHHHHH SHOOT SHOOT WHAHHH WHAHHH".

 

Great.

Where did you get that idea? It could be like Gears of War, where your computer allies are more or less useless, but they were also invincible (at least, that's how I remember them being) and reviving is only a part of multiplayer. Or it could be a largely solo game with teammates only in certain parts of the game in which they're not easily killed ala AVP2, with multiplayer changing the dynamics of the game a bit.

[Zoma]

Brothers in Arms AI isn't perfect but definitely not THAT bad.

 

It should work if we consider that they keep refining the existing AIs.

[Atom523]

So it's going to be another hold-my-hand FPS where I always have to give orders to my Marines where they walk, and when they step on Alien mash, they're gonna cry like babies "Oh Gawwwd Sir HELPP WAHHHHH SHOOT SHOOT WHAHHH WHAHHH".

 

Great.

Where did you get that idea? It could be like Gears of War, where your computer allies are more or less useless, but they were also invincible (at least, that's how I remember them being) and reviving is only a part of multiplayer. Or it could be a largely solo game with teammates only in certain parts of the game in which they're not easily killed ala AVP2, with multiplayer changing the dynamics of the game a bit.

 

In Gears of War your allies were able to be "knocked out" and you had to help them up. I believe it was Killzone where your allies were useless but invincible. The allied AI in Gears wasn't that bad, they couldn't handle the enemy without you but they could handle a a few.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

They also pulled a cheap trick where bullets would not go exactly where you aimed down the site.

 

Hardly a cheap trick, and certainly more preferable to CoD's point and click mechnic where infact it is near impossible to miss because it makes you into an instant marksman.

 

BiA atleast had a gritty realistic feel to its weapons, though I must state that I do believe it is flawed on other levels such as that of level design. The weapons mind were indeed one of the better things about BiA.

 

The effect is that BiA is atleast challenging, where CoD is piss poor easy, fun online, but otherwise a pathetic attempt at a WW2 shooter. I don't have much experience with MoH so I won't say much, but from what I do know of it is that it also suffers greatly from CoD's instant marksman perfect shot syndrome which, while fun, it is utterly pathetic.

Edited February 17, 2008 by @\NightandtheShape/@

[Zoma]

BiA I think, if I am not mistaken, provides players behind the cover defensive bonus in that, there is a percentage of the shots made on mark to miss if you are behind cover. The only weapon that makes an exception would be the sniper rifle.

 

In this way, BiA promotes the exact gameplay they have in mind: Suppress and flanking.

[skuld1]

They also pulled a cheap trick where bullets would not go exactly where you aimed down the site.

 

There's more to marksmanship than lining up the sights.

 

Of course it's debatable whether other factors should be considered, and how they would be modeled if included. I have no problem with slight random 'inaccuracy' added to the game. I never had nice, neat quarter-sized groupings when I fired at the range... and that was at the firing range, with stationery targets that were not firing back at me!

[GreasyDogMeat]

They also pulled a cheap trick where bullets would not go exactly where you aimed down the site.

 

There's more to marksmanship than lining up the sights.

 

Of course it's debatable whether other factors should be considered, and how they would be modeled if included. I have no problem with slight random 'inaccuracy' added to the game. I never had nice, neat quarter-sized groupings when I fired at the range... and that was at the firing range, with stationery targets that were not firing back at me!

 

I believe 'sway and shake' is more than enough added realism. When you are fighting the sway and finally get the shot lined up for that split second it is just a cheap rip off to have that shot miss by five feet, give or take. That there is a case of 'magic bullet'. The spread even with the weapon at your side was extreme beyond belief. I remember trying a few rambo rushes just for the fun of it, stopping literally 5 feet in front of a german, unloading the weapon dead on at his chest and having every bullet hit the ground or wall around him... ridiculous.

 

'up and to the left',

'up and to the left',

'up and to the...'

 

Another massive flaw, imho, was the game did not feature pain animations. The original Medal of Honor for PSX featured enemies that would grab a wounded extremity, buckle over or generally show the discomfort of being shot. In BiA every shot except the final kill shot might as well be a BB. I had frequently hit Germans in the head, but the only clue my bullet hit would be a blood splatter that appeared after the shot, yet the enemy would just keep fighting like my gun was loaded with paint balls or something.

Edited February 18, 2008 by GreasyDogMeat

[sharkz]

From Game Informer

I won't post it word for word cause that would be plagiarizing.

 

but the important stuff.

 

sorry I dont have scanner but I will later describe the screenshots.

 

"A few years ago, we made a list of a lot of projects that we would really like to work on.

At the top of my list was Aliens"

 

Brian Martel, creative director

 

 

"We're finally at the point where the game in a similiar blockbuster style as the movie was -

and be a legitimate treatment, not a watered-down version."

 

Brian Cozzens, art director

 

 

Aliens : Colonial Marines is a First Person Shooter with mechanics that stress working

together as a unit. Four Colonial Marines investigate the Sulaco. Unlike many FPS titles,

thre is not one central hero character (awesome!!!), the role is shared among the whole

squad. The game reinforces that notion by assigning the player to control a set marine

for a particular mission; you will experience everyone's perspective.

 

Marines carry four weapons:

*Primary weapon

*Secondary weapon

*grenades

*handgun

 

Primary weapons like pulse rifles and smartguns, are how class will be represented.

 

"We wish to remain authentic to the true soldiers, so characters generally do not drop

or pick up weapons. That is one of the reasons we switch character during the story -

to keep our soldiers realistic, but still give the player access to different weaponry

throughout the game".

 

The secondary weapon will vary and be customized according to the character,

like Hicks' shotgun in Aliens.

 

Each character will also carry a special item they can interact with allies or the

enviornment.

*Hacking tool for sealed doors

*Torch can weld things shut

*Medical Kit can revive as well as neutralize acid burns.

 

There are Squad Commands. Besides move and attack orders, you can also

use context senstive commands like hacking doors, sealing vents, and setting up

gun turrets.

 

There will be elements at highlight horror and suspence from the film. Aliens

will use the enviornment to their advantage. Air ducts, ceiling pipes, gratings on

the floor. Position, firepower and cooperation will be important. Motion tracker

confirmed and flamethrower confirmed.

 

<b>FOUR PLAYERS CO-OP CAMPAIGN</b>

2 players Splitscreen and 4 players online play!

 

players can join and drop, a.i. takes over the vacancies.

 

There will be moments whre you can barricade yourselves to survive an onslaught

of aliens. With more feelings of tension and desperation to survive.

 

Character depth will is being worked on. "That's something people forget:

The characters DO matter." Everyone thinks 'Oh, they're going to be fodder',

but if you don't care about them, they're pointless."

 

The game will go beyond the Sulaco, there will be human enemies involved that

was the aliens as biological weapons. And the mystery of the space jockey's species might

be also revealed.

 

"We have squadmates that need to survive, until we kill them in the story."

[This could throw a wrench in the workings of the group, especially if it leaves a player

without a marine to control. Gearbox is aware of that but hasn't settled on the best way

to resolve the situation. "We are going to make the absolute best co-op game we can

make to the extent that it doesn't interfere with the best single player game we can make."

"Obviously there are some things we can't do if there are always four people alive, but

there are ways around that situation. We are going to find them, because it's our job to."

 

CLose-Encounters system. "Close encounters are almost unlimited in their ability to

let us do what we want to do. Aliens can interact with the world - it isn't just a bunch

of button presses until its over. The alien could leap back onto a cabinet, or another one

of your squadmates. He could leap back and through a duct and out of sight."

 

The marine's actions in the example are initiated by the player through responding to

less intrusive instructions. A subtle flash of green on the right side of the screen

tells you to move the analog stick in that direction, whereas one in the upper left corner

could be a prompt to pull the left trigger. By abandoning the usual control scheme,

close encounters makes it possible for the team to create those one-of-a-kind combat

situations that caputre the flavor of the most iconic moments in Aliens.

"If we were to recreate the power-loader battle against the queen, that would be a

close encounter."

 

TYPES OF ALIENS. "There won't be porcupine aliens shooting spines at you. It

can't be goofy or stupid. You have the original Alien, and we sort of think of him

as the smart one, as a scout. He'll hide and ambush people. Then there's the Warrior

Alien, which we see in Aliens, which is going to be the one that rushes you and comes

in volume."

 

"It's the granddaddy of military sci-fi. With next-gen technology, we can finally do it

justice. We can really make the aliens look scary, we can make the setting freaky, and

we can creat the characters the players care about."

 

Screenshots to note:

*a huge structure (wtf is that?)

*Dropship

*sleeping chamber in Sulaco that wasn't jettisoned.

*APC. They seem to note that there will be driving segments.

*comparison screens of the movie Sulaco interior with the game version's interior.

*Facehugger screenshot. Seems to note there is no HUD. (if true, this is even better!!!)

*Pulse Rifle shooting at jumping facehagger, note of possibly being able to use

close encounters system to save yourself.

*Screenshot showing first person view of player holding the Motion Tracker, there

are 3 squadmates up ahead and one of them is welding the door. Note that those

marines are placeholders and they will have unique appearance in final version.

*Turrets firing at an alien

*Huge picture of 4 marines and 3 aliens in a battle. You can clearly see the LED ammo

counter on the other Marines' pulse rifles.

 

The graphics are beautiful and authentic to the Aliens archtecture and lighting.

 

THE GAME WILL HAVE MULTIPLAYER CAPABILITIES in addition to the

4 players co-op campaign.

http://boards2.sega.com/sega_board/viewtopic.php?t=84538

[Zoma]

I'm...I'm...I'm.... having an unnatural erection reading that.

 

WHOAH! WHEN IS IT COMING OUT!?

[sharkz]

Arround Q4 2008 / Q1 2009

 

Also, First scans right here, the game looks awesome:

 

 

 

Note: The marines shown are not the final marines they are just stand in until the final marines are finished.

[sharkz]

 

Note: The marines shown are not the final marines they are just stand in until the final marines are finished.

[Musopticon?]

Alright, looks very decent.

[Pop]

QTES WAH WAH

[funcroc]

Official Press Release

 

ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES VIDEO GAME DETAILS REVEALED

First-Person Shooter Based on Popular Motion Picture Franchise Coming to Xbox 360

[Llyranor]

DID YOU JUST SAY 4-PLAYER CO-OP?

 

OBSIDIAN, YOUR ALIENS GAME BETTER HAVE CO-OP TOO

 

YOUR CEO COMMANDS IT

[Tale]

Your only an Arch-Mage now.

 

Ooh, the writers for Gearbox's game were writers for DS9 and BSG. Ooh, one of them did the Kobol's Last Gleaming episodes.

Edited February 21, 2008 by Tale