[Lee in Limbo]

I'm trying desperately to stay away from really involved space RPGs, but this game really does look to be fifty kinds of sexy. Problem is, I'm not a console guy.

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by Lee in Limbo

I'm trying desperately to stay away from really involved space RPGs...

Having a rough time with that?

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Lee in Limbo

Problem is, I'm not a console guy.

And that's stopping you?

[rlpw]

Don't worry Lee they'll set it up for PC right after they squeeze all the gamebox money out of it they could.

[insane_cobra]

Yeah, in two years or so, after they're done with porting Jade Empire.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

LOL!! Such is reality.

[Lee in Limbo]

That does tend to be the reality these days. I just hope they give us good controller options, so I can get the game(s; Jade Empire? Shadow of the Colossus? Oh please oh please yes) to run properly.

And as for space games, I've seen too many RTS/TBS space games with RPG features lately. As well, I've no time to get suched into any RPGs, but the couple I've dabbled in, though gorgeous and enjoyable, haven't devoured my life like they have some peoples. Fantasy based, though. I'm hoping that's not why I've resisted.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Shadow of the Colossus? On the 360? Huh?

Personally I can't stand the dungeon & dragon type stuff, though Oblivion is an exception. Not only does it not interest me (the LOTR stuff never did, either), it's just become redundant and a half. That's one main reason for which I played the KOTOR series and Jade Empire. One is sci-fi, the other Asian pseudo historical fantasy.

I look forward to Mass Effect partly for its look and style and atmosphere, and to Bioshock for its ideologically substantial story concept and fresh look (FPS/RPG underwater with an Ayn Rand Objectivism gone ape approach).

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Shadow of the Colossus? On the 360? Huh?

I believe he meant on the PC which is just as improbable. Has Sony ever released a non-Everquest PC game?

Personally I can't stand the dungeon & dragon type stuff, though Oblivion is an exception. Not only does it not interest me (the LOTR stuff never did, either), it's just become redundant and a half.

Amen to that. I'll make more exceptions, but in general I detest Tolkinesque fantasy.

I look forward to Mass Effect partly for its look and style and atmosphere

And music! Seems to have a fantastic score!

[Intrepid Homoludens]

The latest views from Mass Effect.

[samIamsad]

Looking good! Mh, kinda funny that you see blurry textures like that (take a look at the scratches on the guy's shoulder pad) in games as technological advanced as this. I remember being a bit shocked by some of Half Life 2's floor textures once I took a closer look... Epic used some sort of cheap trick to prevent close-up's from getting blurry years ago by adding some sort of second layer of detail surface texture over everything once you got closer, but then, that was just that, a cheap trick. Looked pretty good though and it's still being used in UT2004 years after its first appearance in the original Unreal.

Still, nitpicking. Just thought this is kind of interesting since stuff like that sticks out a heck of a lot more now that everything's getting closer and closer to that targeted "photo realism". Same goes for stiff animations and so on.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I was just enlightened that both Mass Effect and Bioshock are using the Unreal Engine 3.

[Spiwak]

Looks pretty stellar, if you ask me. It's a good time when RPGs are actually having great-looking games...even if they're more action-oriented RPGs.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

I was just enlightened that both Mass Effect and Bioshock are using the Unreal Engine 3.

Oh, didn't know that. In any case, I think that whole detail texture thingy was only used on walls and objects, not character/creature models or anything, I think. There is even an option to turn it on and off, since it can slow down the performance quite a bit depending on your machine.

[Dasilva]

Woah, this game keeps looking better and better.

[Maquisard]

I'm interested in whether the face of the main character is preset (the shaved male seen in all the screenies), or whether he/she will be customizable.

[samIamsad]

...and I thought your were fantasizing about a beard that grows over time. Hey this IS supposed to be next-gen™, so there! Possibly involving a subquest on Planet X-11122, where beardy guys (gals, too!) get sacrificed in the pit of hairy molemen immediately. In order to get into there alive, and since all shavers have magically disappeared from the ship you need to arrange a makeshaft shaving by collecting duct tape, covering your face in apple syrup and then.. oh, wait, different game, besides: That's got to hurt!

[insane_cobra]

A barber class would be sweet, though. Shave your enemies into oblivion!

[Tobbe]

Nice screenies!

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

A barber class would be sweet, though. Shave your enemies into oblivion!

Oh, the possibilities! The so very male scent of aftershave pervading the battlefield, ingame advertising everywhere, enhanced razor blades dealing a whopping 3d6+6 damage, Trep getting a hard on... I can't belive Bioware would be so stupid to let this go unconsidered.