Alpha Protocol on Kotaku

[Zoma]

"Aims ambitiously for RPG, FPS Fans"

 

http://kotaku.com/5021528/alpha-protocol-a...or-rpg-fps-fans

 

That's not just ambitious. That's like ultra super ambitious. That's like getting a Deus Ex and SS2 hit.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Zoma

[flem]

Well, I guess depth of field effects are in. Anyway...

 

While they hope to offer a good deal of character customization, players won't, Obsidian said, be doing the "traditional 'make your face' type modifications" — instead, customization for Thorton is more about his skills, abilities and accessories, along with subtle appearance factors like hairstyles.

Why so limited?

 

It may not seem like much, but players love the customization stuff.

Edited July 3, 2008 by flem

[Wrath of Dagon]

The character I made in ME animated horribly, I had to go with the default anyway. May be they're just trying to avoid those kinds of problems.

 

Edit: Less looping back in the dialog sounds good, hopefully it'll be more like a real conversation instead of an info dump. "Super Powers" is a bit of a disappointment though.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Wrath of Dagon

[funcroc]

Gamasutra interview

 

Meshing Genres

 

When looking at ways to bring more action elements into the RPG genre, Roberts cited a number of games spanning a decade of gaming and several genres, and in particular noted that BioWare's recent Mass Effect served as something of a reassurance.

 

"Deus Ex is definitely something we've looked at, as something that just shows great action RPG gameplay," he said. "Recently, Mass Effect provides some great groundwork for some things we were already thinking about when that game came out. It was great to look at; they kind of confirmed where we were going. Early on, we looked at Resident Evil 4. Half-Life 2 was a game that we looked at.

 

"We're using the Unreal Engine, so a lot of Unreal games we looked at on the technical side. Gears of War was one game we looked at for a while. Recently, I know our animation team loves Uncharted; it's just a great, incredible game, and a great example of third-person action gameplay."

 

Parker was sure to note that the team is looking to innovation from a practical standpoint, not for its own sake. Obsidian is hoping to bring in shooter fans as well as its traditional RPG base.

 

"There's a lot to be said for the idea that making something different doesn't necessarily make something good," he pointed out. "We're not just trying to make something different."

 

"The plot and story are going to be really different for the FPS players we can pull, the ability for them to really make decisions about what's going on and really feel involved. We're trying to evolve our genre, we're trying to make a different kind of roleplaying game."

[mkreku]

Please let the "super-hero" part just be a figure of speech, as when compared to any normal human being, and not be actual super-hero powers.. I've definitely had enough of magic and paranormal bull**** to last me a lifetime already.

[Patrick K Mills]

It's a figure of speech. Mike will do things that no human could *really* do, but nothing paranormal. He can't see ghosts, but he can shoot better than William Tell. He can't fly, but he can kick the crap out of Pei Mei.

[SirPetrakus]

I am really looking forward to AP. I don't really care about customizing my chars face on AP, same thing went for Shepard on ME. Most of my friends are die hard shooter fans with pretty graphics and beefed up armored guys that shoot stuff all the ti ... let's just say they really liked GoW. So I showed them the screens on AP and told them what it's about and they pooped their pants. I think that's a sign Obsidian is on a good path with this game and I'm pretty sure they'll deliver. Just take your time and no bugs, guys.

[mkreku]

It's a figure of speech. Mike will do things that no human could *really* do, but nothing paranormal. He can't see ghosts, but he can shoot better than William Tell. He can't fly, but he can kick the crap out of Pei Mei.

Thank you! That's reassuring for at least ONE member on this board (memeME).

 

I don't mind bullet time, as it's a gameplay element more than a superhero power. I just don't want to see Thorton flipping over cars or shoot laser beams out of his ass.

[funcroc]

Game Informer interview

 

We also learned a bit more about the game

[Jorian Drake]

shoot laser beams out of his ass.

Wow, that would be funny, i wanna see that

[Humodour]

Game Informer interview

 

We also learned a bit more about the game

[Wrath of Dagon]

More than one way of being completed sounds very good, but it's kind of vague. Is this going to work like Deus Ex or like KOTOR?

[Humodour]

KOTOR was non-linear and adaptive?

 

Of course, if it's all in what happens at the end, that's kind of silly. I know they often tout how awesome it is that you get allies and enemies at the end, but honestly, people don't care so much; people care more about consistency for the entire game. So sure, make the end enemies/allies change depending on your choices, but don't make that the only time your choices count.

[Calax]

KOTOR was non-linear and adaptive?

 

Of course, if it's all in what happens at the end, that's kind of silly. I know they often tout how awesome it is that you get allies and enemies at the end, but honestly, people don't care so much; people care more about consistency for the entire game. So sure, make the end enemies/allies change depending on your choices, but don't make that the only time your choices count.

I'm just worried the endings are going to turn out like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance where, if you didn't do all the sidequests right somthing terrible happened. For Example, you don't save the queen of the Shi'ar, you just wiped out the west coast of america. and so on.

 

I can understand not putting a freaking face maker in the game. I REALLY don't want to spend 1 hr trying to get my face to look right only to find that in the first cutscene it looks like the nose was grabbed and yanked UP at the tip. things like hairstyle and the general grizzledom level of the player is fine but not the actual structure of the face.

[Pidesco]

One of those articles mentioned newspapers. Will there some sort of public notoriety rating related to the different ways you finish can finish missions?

[Wrath of Dagon]

KOTOR was non-linear and adaptive?

No, I meant KOTOR was not like Deus Ex, and I wanted to know whether the AP quests would be more like Deus Ex or like KOTOR. And I agree, just having your choices matter only at the end is not very satisfying, but they said it will also matter along the way.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

I hope Obsidian knows it's going down a risky road. RPG and FPS fans are all very far apart, and by trying to please everyone, there's a good chance you'll end up pleasing no one.

 

Personnally, I think it's retarded to focus on the classification of your game, or even think about it when you're making it. Just make the best game you can and ignore the genre categorizing. It's something you can decide on later without much impact. Heck, most games that can't be categorized into regular genres wind up being great.

[random n00b]

Personnally, I think it's retarded to focus on the classification of your game, or even think about it when you're making it. Just make the best game you can and ignore the genre categorizing. It's something you can decide on later without much impact.

In a world where the quantity/quality of your marketing is as important as the quality of the product you're selling (if not more), that simply doesn't work.

 

 

Heck, most games that can't be categorized into regular genres wind up being great.

Such as? Edited July 5, 2008 by random n00b

[Humodour]

I hope Obsidian knows it's going down a risky road. RPG and FPS fans are all very far apart, and by trying to please everyone, there's a good chance you'll end up pleasing no one.

 

Personnally, I think it's retarded to focus on the classification of your game, or even think about it when you're making it. Just make the best game you can and ignore the genre categorizing. It's something you can decide on later without much impact. Heck, most games that can't be categorized into regular genres wind up being great.

 

Um... no. Maybe if this was 10 years ago an RPG/FPS crossover would be risky.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

... ****. I wind up saying something stupid again.

 

I blame Diablo II for making me think it's 1999 again.

[~Di]

Alpha Protocol doesn't strike me as an RPG at all. Preset protagonist... no companions... only the ability to hone various skills, talents, and choose different methods of solving various missions. Welcome to the spiritual successor to Deus Ex!

 

Now I loved Deus Ex, and still play it occasionally... but no way was it an RPG. It was an FPS with a skill-set and choices. Being an RPG junkie, I'm a little disappointed. I'll wait for a while after release to get a better feel for the game and how it's received before I decide to buy or not. For some reason I just expected an Oblivion game would naturally be an RPG. Shows that one should never make such assumptions, lol!

 

Anyway, whatever it is I hope it is a success for Oblivion... but not so big a success that they stop making my RPG's!

[random n00b]

Welcome to the spiritual successor to Deus Ex!

I'm drooling already!

 

 

Anyway, whatever it is I hope it is a success for Oblivion...

Freudian slip?

[Gorth]

Welcome to the spiritual successor to Deus Ex!

I'm drooling already!

 

 

Anyway, whatever it is I hope it is a success for Oblivion...

Freudian slip?

 

I am sure that thousands of Morrowind fans had "expected an Oblivion game would naturally be an RPG" too, much to their disappointment. We could solicit the opinion of the NMA crowd on the subject too

 

A bit of joking aside, not really expecting a typical rpg from this one though, more like an action game with some "depth" (not sure how to explain it otherwise) to it. Didn't one of the founding fathers of Obsidian once say something to the effect of wanting to do an FPS game years ago. Some interview about whether they would do traditional crpgs forever.

[Tigranes]

Definitely, I think I've said before that I'm treating AP like I would Thief or Deus Ex. Excited about the prospect of a fun and distinct gameplay style with a suitable story/character foil (a bit more so, as it is Obsidian), but nothing like a CRPG experience. That's not necessarily bad, Storm of Zehir shows they're not changing the company direction or anything.

[Xard]

Alpha Protocol doesn't strike me as an RPG at all. Preset protagonist... no companions... only the ability to hone various skills, talents, and choose different methods of solving various missions. Welcome to the spiritual successor to Deus Ex!

 

Now I loved Deus Ex, and still play it occasionally... but no way was it an RPG. It was an FPS with a skill-set and choices. Being an RPG junkie, I'm a little disappointed. I'll wait for a while after release to get a better feel for the game and how it's received before I decide to buy or not. For some reason I just expected an Oblivion game would naturally be an RPG. Shows that one should never make such assumptions, lol!

 

Anyway, whatever it is I hope it is a success for Oblivion... but not so big a success that they stop making my RPG's!

 

Erm, what exactly do you think RPG means?