New video: Gametrailer's 'Global Conspiracy' walkthrough

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

Doesn't matter much. I'm just sayin' they are very similar, and find it odd that some people would not recognize that.

 

ZOMG they're SOO DIFFERENT.

 

Seriously though, I agree. I don't think Obs is trying to avoid comparison with Mass Effect.

[Gorth]

...and that it is the simplest possible way show visually how many points have been allocated to each skill doesn't have anything to do with it?

 

I suppose they could have made the skills as pillars (columns) and then piled points from bottom to top instead, but then, somebody would probably point out that it looks very much like one of Biowares Tower of Hanoi games

 

But besides that, there isn't really that many sensible ways you can represent that information.

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

Just to throw it out there, I noticed that the AI will rush forward and try to rifle smack MT. Why not allow the player to execute a counter-takedown if they time their own melee to interrupt that?

[Pop]

Did Matthew Rorie call Sie a 'cougar'? OK, is that an elite German squad or something or did he mean it like Ellen Barkin in Ocean's 13? Tell me it's anything BUT the latter.

He meant it in the latter way. Alpha Protocol comes from the distinguished Witcher school of gender politics.

[SirPetrakus]

No I'm not saying it is most similar to Mass Effect's character skill system because Mass Effect used it most recently, I'm saying Alpha Protocol's character skill system is most similar to Mass Effect's because Alpha Protocol's character skill system is most similar to Mass Effects. Not exactly the same, but definitely inspired/influenced. I'd imagine probably whoever even designed it would not have an problem admitting that.

 

Of course all games are going to have some similarities, and general ideas and styles evolve over time. But as I was saying before, the character screen of Alpha Protocol both acts and looks the same as Mass Effects.

 

Vampire Bloodlines wasn't nearly as similar.

 

Take a look at these three screenshots and ask yourself if one of them seems to look a little bit different than the others:

 

 

 

 

 

It's been many years since I played Bloodlines but the skill system wasn't as much like A.P's as M.E's was/is, in both the design and looks.

 

Are you really telling me you can't see much similarity in the layout, look and design? And please don't say that AP's skill system was as much influenced by uh, SSI's Curse of the Azure bonds because they both have skill points or some such.

 

Good God man! I'm saying that it uses a skill system similar to VtM i.e. an arithmeticaly progressive number of skill points to purchase a higher skill rank, but with a better layout, friendly for the casual gamer! If you wanna nitpick and say 'hurr durr they stolez skill screenz from ME, OMGZ they're so similarz!' OK, fine feel free to do so.

 

Yes, it looks similar, yes, it most surely must have been influenced by it, but if you're gonna make a comparison, please start with something more tangible. It's not like either game, ME and AP, consist of 50% skill screen action and 50% actually playing the game! It's a damn fine layout and a lot of games will probablt use it in the future, are you going to hold it against them too?

 

It just seems to me that the similarities between the skill screen is a rather weak point to make if you want to say that AP rips off ME. Do you really even care that much?

[lasthearth]

Why are you so defensive? All people said is that it the game has a lot of Mass Effect feel, nobody said "ripped off ME", and nobody "held it against them".

 

As far as I'm concerned comparisons to ME is a compliment as that game both sold very well and was very well critically received. Obsidian would be ecstatic if Alpha Protocol had the same commercial and critical success. If you have some bizarre Bioware hate that makes you think that comparisons to popular Bioware games is a put down, then you need to go work out your own psychological issues.

[Rostere]

As action RPGs go, MEs and APs character sheet screens are actually not very similar.

[Hell Kitty]

As action RPGs go, MEs and APs character sheet screens are actually very similar.

[Rostere]

As action RPGs go, MEs and APs character sheet screens are actually very similar.

 

Why? Beacause they are both blue? Come on, if they have anything in common it's only superficial...

[Hell Kitty]

Why on earth would you bring up colour? Do you honestly think that's what people think makes it similar?

 

It's the layout of those pages that makes them resemble one another, certainly closer to each other than Bloodlines. The only way to claim they don't look similar is to get seriously nit picky with each individual element on the screen.

[Rostere]

Why on earth would you bring up colour? Do you honestly think that's what people think makes it similar?

 

It's the layout of those pages that makes them resemble one another, certainly closer to each other than Bloodlines. The only way to claim they don't look similar is to get seriously nit picky with each individual element on the screen.

 

I see only one similar feature worth mentioning: skills are represented by squares/ boxes with distinct "tiers". Everything else is either trivial or superficial.

[Morgoth]

The layouts are similar, because they make the most sense? Character left, skill right. Duh. It fits nicely into the widescreen resolution.

[Hell Kitty]

Everything else is either trivial or superficial.

 

Of course it is, which is what makes claims that the screens are actually not very similar so ridiculous.

 

AP shares many similarities with ME. There are also many differences. The character screen, not one of those differences.

Edited June 26, 2009 by Hell Kitty

[kreese12]

I'm just going to go over this one brief, quick time. In response to SirPetrakus'es question last page, I don't really care that much.

 

Ok, the similarities between the ME and AP character screen, in looks and design:

 

1: Char. name top left corner, beneath it, class (presuming)

2: Char. picture left 1/3rd of screen (A.P has same char. pose as the M.E inventory screen)

3: Skills right 2/3rds of screen

4: Skills represented by squares; with 'skill milestones' unlocked and irregular intervals. Seems for both AP and ME, each additional skill point adds to a variable related to the skill (i.e Enemy Spot Distance %10) and the 'skill milestones' function to a:) unlock a usable skill, or/and b:) determine whether your skill is at a basic / average / hard level (i.e ME, decryption at 8 point means you can unlock 'average' rated crates; I'm presuming it'll be similar to A.P here because of in that screen shot last page, it says the character's concealment rating is 'Basic')

5: Hehe ya they are both blue. Didn't even really notice that before; thanks for pointing it out.

 

That's about all of them.

 

And it's not that fair to say 'well why don't you compare it to KOTOR then?' because the thing is , Bioware made KOTOR, so it seems natural that Bioware would develop and use a similar system for future games, such as M.E. Although Obsidian used a similar skills system for KOTOR 2 it made sense because it was a sequel to the Bioware game, whereas this there new IP , which has no links to Bioware.

 

And also SirPetrakus, as I said really clearly last post (now I'm not even sure if you read it) I don't "hold it against them" at all. I was just pointing out that I saw an influence. I think it's a good system. The differing point values is a nice touch as well.

 

Okay I'm really going to drop it now. Thread is totally derailed.

Edited June 26, 2009 by kreese12

[Niten_Ryu]

I liked ME combat mechanics but I certainly wouldn't like to see 'em copy/pasta into modern spy RPG like Alpha Protocol. ME had energy shields and all that scifi stuff to justify some design issues but to see Mikey to upgrade his toughness in order to absorb more damage is bit hard to accept. Or to see blond merc take several clips worth of assault rifle ammo into her face and live to tell about it.

 

Obsidian should trust their abilty to write interesting story, characters and choices. Those features don't need scifi/fantasy combat mechanics. There's no need to re-intent the wheel either. Splinter Cell perfected combat (and stealth) mechanics for the spy game several years ago. Splinter Cell did fell short on storyline and choices and that's where Obsidian should strike with Alpha Protocol IP.

[SirPetrakus]

I really think that AP as a game will stand very well on its own. I just don't see why the need for all these people comparing it to ME. Yes, it is a TPS RPG that uses the UT3 engine, just like ME, and has a skill screen similar to ME's. I just mean that I don't get people saying ME everytime they see AP.

 

It just occured to me, though, that prior to ME's release, people where saying 'It's like KotoR, but without the lightsabers'. So I guess there is more truth to your words than I originally perceived. Sincerest apologies for that. I guess we will always reference a successful game of the past to describe a 'coming soon' title.

 

I guess I'm just pissed over the whole 'Saren is ressurected WITH SCIENCE!' thing at ME. Unless Saren was a T-1000 model, that made NO sense.

[Oner]

Obsidian should trust their abilty to write interesting story, characters and choices. Those features don't need scifi/fantasy combat mechanics. There's no need to re-intent the wheel either. Splinter Cell perfected combat (and stealth) mechanics for the spy game several years ago. Splinter Cell did fell short on storyline and choices and that's where Obsidian should strike with Alpha Protocol IP.

Recently I've read a lot of opinions that story and atmosphere are secondary to gameplay, so maybe I just read the wrong forum, but story is considered an extra to gameplay. And some thought story and atmosphere should be scrapped entirely, and only gameplay conts (not making this up). o.O

Personally, I gladly play a crappy game if the story is really good, Aquanox 2 for instance (then again, it wasn't really bad, just really average), but I don't think most players agree with that, unfortunately.

[kreese12]

Alright SirP we can consider the M.E comparisons completely over I will not mention that game again.

 

Re:Oner, as much I as I love fiction, stories, game writing and all that, I would also agree that story and atmosphere come second to gameplay. Because you can have a great game without a good story, but you can't have a good game with good gameplay. For RPGs the balance is titled towards story a bit more, but even still. I wouldn't say Oblivion had much beyond the world's most generic fantasy story ,but was still a great RPG.

 

That being said, now-a-days gamers do seem to desire a good plot and setting more and more. For example, Bioshock would have been nothing remarkable if it had the used the same mechanics, but was a WW2 FPS, or a typical-aliens-invade-the-world FPS.

[Oner]

I always was the opinion that a good story can make any game fun, so I'm entertained either way, and in the end that's what counts, amirite?

[kreese12]

Ya I think so, but I would say gameplay trumps story.

 

I'm sure you've played a game that had a cool story, but the game wasn't much fun.

 

The last one I played like that was... The Path. Had a cool premise, really inventive stimulating writing, a neat story, but the gameplay didn't hold my interest for more than an hour. The damn chick was too slow hehe

 

But right now I'm loving Burnout Paradise. And the story is 'You get a car, and drive like nuts!' which works out fine for the game

 

But I guess the final catch is if the story is so good that it overcomes any gameplay weaknesses, then hey, than ya, that is what counts.

Edited June 26, 2009 by kreese12

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

I just don't see why the need for all these people comparing it to ME. Yes, it is a TPS RPG that uses the UT3 engine, just like ME, and has a skill screen similar to ME's. I just mean that I don't get people saying ME everytime they see AP.

 

Why not? People compare games, it's how quality is decided by the masses.

[SirPetrakus]

I just don't see why the need for all these people comparing it to ME. Yes, it is a TPS RPG that uses the UT3 engine, just like ME, and has a skill screen similar to ME's. I just mean that I don't get people saying ME everytime they see AP.

 

Why not? People compare games, it's how quality is decided by the masses.

 

Yeah, but why ME specifically? ME is a good game, a great game even, but the PC overheat bug and the final fight with Saren just ruined everything this game did for me, and sometimes, in dialogue terms mostly, it did very little. VERY little. I hope AP will do better than that.

[H]

Yeah, but why ME specifically? ME is a good game, a great game even, but the PC overheat bug and the final fight with Saren just ruined everything this game did for me, and sometimes, in dialogue terms mostly, it did very little. VERY little. I hope AP will do better than that.

You mean there were other western RPGs before Mass Effect? I can't find any for my Xbox 360.

[Zoma]

Fable 2

[lasthearth]

I just don't see why the need for all these people comparing it to ME. Yes, it is a TPS RPG that uses the UT3 engine, just like ME, and has a skill screen similar to ME's. I just mean that I don't get people saying ME everytime they see AP.

 

Why not? People compare games, it's how quality is decided by the masses.

 

Yeah, but why ME specifically? ME is a good game, a great game even, but the PC overheat bug and the final fight with Saren just ruined everything this game did for me, and sometimes, in dialogue terms mostly, it did very little. VERY little. I hope AP will do better than that.

 

Because the game reminds them of Mass Effect.

 

You think there is some conspiracy out there or something? That people are making the comparison for no good reason? They make the comparison because they see similarities. And the fact so many people are comparing AP specifically to ME should make you pause and reconsider your position, that maybe there's something obvious that everyone else sees and you're just missing because you don't want to see it.

 

Because deep down your fear is that AP will be just like ME and you don't want to consider that possibility.

 

Fear not, I think AP will have game play mechanics similar to ME, but the story will be completely different as the settings of the two games have little in common. I'm also fairly sure the characters in the game will be very unique to its own settings and story lines.