[Periglo]

Originally Posted by SnorkleCat

I will probably like it better because it has the action elements in it. (hangs head in shame) I didn't realize it a few months ago, but I really like action elements in adventure games.

Well, cover my eyes with one of those black boxes used in TV, because I've recently realized the same. After Dreamfall (I know, improvable action) and Psychonauts (I know, improvable adventure), I do not mind some action at all. It's just another element to make the plot evolve, just like puzzles.

[AdrianWerner]

from all the gamecock games annouced this one sounds and looks the most promising to me.

I also hope Hero will turn out well, the last two Firefly games were awfuly dissapointing, one more flop and I will assume all the Impressions talent went to TiltedMill

[AFGNCAAP]

Disregarding the issue of how much action will it contain for a minute, the interview still failed to reveal anything about the gameplay. Is the LucasArts factor and the admittedly cool piece of concept art (it's not a screenshort, is it?) enough to get us excited about a new game?

Because I am.

P.S.

Originally Posted by Mike Levine

[W]hat great detective story didn't have chases, shootouts, etc.?

Just about anything by A.C. Doyle or Agatha Christie?

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

Disregarding the issue of how much action will it contain for a minute, the interview still failed to reveal anything about the gameplay. Is the LucasArts factor and the admittedly cool piece of concept art (it's not a screenshort, is it?) enough to get us excited about a new game?

...we are making a game that isn't afraid to let you talk to other characters, let you "investigate" crime scenes or find clues.

Apart from that, I dunno about you, but

"Insecticide is a hard-boiled, fast-shooting detective game set in a festering future city where bugs have evolved as the planet's dominant race.

was quite enough to make me chuckle.

[AFGNCAAP]

Those are parts of the "LucasArts factor"...

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

Is the LucasArts factor and the admittedly cool piece of concept art (it's not a screenshort, is it?) enough to get us excited about a new game?

There's also a teaser trailer.

[maladroid]

Originally Posted by Elessar

What I am saying is, you don't have to jump to the roof just because an ex-Lucas designer is working on a game. Wait and see if the game is good and then judge it. I am not much in the 'oh god, oh god I can't breath from the anticipation' attitude.

Certainly not, but seeing a concept that looks adorable and with great premise (especially in the artistic department) and then realizing it probably won't be similar in gameplay to a standard adventure game, isn't enough to disappoint me either. No one is pre-ordering or anything, I am just happy with the intentions of this team, pretty much regardless of their glorious LucasArts past (except for Larry Ahern - Peter Chan, whose work in Curse of Monkey Island pleased me greatly).

By the way, by "see further" I meant beyond the "pure-adventure-game with-tons-of-puzzles-and-no-direction-buttons" wall. I know I was once reluctant to jump over it for many years but I am glad I did. Not saying that was lies beyond should appeal to everyone, though.

[TangentBlack]

I don't think anyone is judging the game yet. We are all just excited about the possibilities. Anticipation is half the gift of a new game received (or rather not received). Anyways, is it really necessary to create an argument on a non-argumentative thread?

[Marek]

Originally Posted by texallos

I am just happy with the intentions of this team, pretty much regardless of their glorious LucasArts past (except for Larry Ahern - Peter Chan, whose work in Curse of Monkey Island pleased me greatly).

Just to clarify, Larry Ahern was co-designer and art director of CMI, but Peter Chan didn't work on that game. He's best known for doing the concept art for Grim Fandango and the world concept art for Psychonauts (and was also an artist/animator on games like MI1, MI2, S&M, etc.)

[MoriartyL]

You all know how berserk I get about misclassification. But for the time being (until we're actually told how it'll play), I'm willing to accept his description of "an action-adventure in the truest sense of the word". Because that sounds like the sort of thing I'd say if I had made an adventure whose story happens to involve action. And the story does sound pretty nice.

I'm not looking forward to this, though, since it's a safe bet I won't be able to ever play it.

[insane_cobra]

Maybe it's a metalude.

[maladroid]

Originally Posted by Marek

Just to clarify, Larry Ahern was co-designer and art director of CMI, but Peter Chan didn't work on that game. He's best known for doing the concept art for Grim Fandango and the world concept art for Psychonauts (and was also an artist/animator on games like MI1, MI2, S&M, etc.)

Ah, rusty memory. I knew he sounded familiar and for some reason his name rhymed with Larry Ahern's next to it in my mind . Still, his bio seems all the more impressive now (especially his involvement in Psychonauts) so no real harm done.

Thanks for the correction, Marek.

[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

Maybe it's a metalude.

Could be, could be. But we'll see.

[MoriartyL]

Just to explain the distinction to the uninitiated:

If the action scenes are non-interactive enough to qualify as an adventure in their own right (as with Fahrenheit), OR the action scenes are disconnected enough from the rest of the game to be considered "mini-games" (as with Snatcher), then it will be an action adventure, meaning that it is an adventure game which just happens to tell an action story. This kind of game would appeal mostly to adventure fans.

If the action is very interactive, and is given enough prominence to define the game around it, but there is exploration surrounding it, then it is a metalude, which roughly means that it follows the formula of The Legend of Zelda. (Zelda has puzzles and action in equal parts.) This kind of game could appeal to both adventure fans and action fans.

If the puzzles are only present in the context of action gameplay (which would qualify them as a variation on the action game in their own right), OR they are disconnected enough from the rest of the game to be considered "mini-games", then it will be a story-driven action game. This kind of game would appeal mostly to action fans.

If there are action and puzzles in equal parts, and there is no exploration to connect them, then it is a mess, meaning that it is too disjointed to establish a clear identity. This kind of game would appeal mostly to fans of bad games.

[TangentBlack]

Mory, by puzzles you mean only a broader semantic such as but not exclusive to dialouge situations, item delivering/collection, and mini-games? Puzzles in their most exclusive sense could be interpreted in a number of different ways. I don't mean to be pesky, but I actually think that your on to something with this definition. It should be posted in some official thread about the genre to prevent any further arguements on the matter.

I am suprised I haven't read it prior to this thread considering your emphasis on the topic.

[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by TangentBlack

Mory, by puzzles you mean only a broader semantic such as but not exclusive to dialouge situations, item delivering/collection, and mini-games? Puzzles in their most exclusive sense could be interpreted in a number of different ways. I don't mean to be pesky, but I actually think that your on to something with this definition. It should be posted in some official thread about the genre to prevent any further arguements on the matter.

I am suprised I haven't read it prior to this thread considering your emphasis on the topic.

I'm not sure what it is you think I'm saying. I don't remember defining puzzles; for that matter, I'm not sure I ever considered how puzzles should be defined. But now you've gotten me thinking about it, and it's an interesting question. Difficult, too.. I'm not certain whether all dialogue trees are puzzles, for instance. The other specific points you raise are pretty straightforward, though: Item collection is just an indicator of progress, not a puzzle in itself. And a mini-game is just a game-within-a-game- a structural construct, not a type of content. It could be just about any type of content.

[Melanie68]

Oooh, ooh, ooh!!

Lookie here!

I suppose that's as good a place as any to talk more about puzzles if you'd like. It's just coincidental that I started the thread.

[MoriartyL]

Wow, Melanie. Good call. Y'know, going by the date it wasn't really that long ago- and yet not only do I not remember any of this, but I actually disagree with a lot of what I said there. Hmph.

[Legolas813]

Game Informer has a short interview with Gamecock:

http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...1103.38812.htm

[Lunatik]

Wow! This is great news!
Another team of LucasArts veterans, well, keep them coming!