Obsidian Entertainment to develop RPG based on film Aliens!?

[Morton]

Sounds too good to be true! Obsidian Entertainment is the company which made Icewind Dale, KOTOR and NWN 2 RPGs. As it says in the announcement, the game will be ready in a few years and "will be developed for the next-generation systems and the PC".

http://www.sega.com/aliens/index.php
http://www.sega.com/corporate/corporate.php?item=pr_20061213a

And if that wasn't enough, they also announced that Gearbox Software will develop an FPS based on Aliens. 8O

 

[cafuddled]

The role playing game will build upon the distinctive look and feel of the original films while utilizing next-generation technology to create an entirely different and unique Alien experience

“to create an entirely different and unique Alien experience”

I cant believe what I just read there, did they say they want to change what made Alien a great franchise… Did they just say there going to make one of the biggest movie and gaming names in to a turn based f*ck fest. This better not turn out how I can see it turning out or this could just very well ruin a lot of respect that I held for these game designing people.

 

[VBDude]

I loved Aliens growing up--I have all the movies, all the books, several action figures, and quite a few games, including an obscure Myst-like clickfest and multiple versions of the Aliens Doom TC, not to mention the never finished Aliens Quake mod that got killed by Fox--but this is a little late in the game for multiple licensed titles. Even my weird brand of fandom is drying up. I can honesly say this doesn't excite me at all.

BTW, Obsidian made KOTOR 2, Bioware made KOTOR.

 

[Morton]

Alien vs Predator (the film) was released 2-3 years ago, so it's not really an old franchise. There are still lots of people playing Alien vs Predator 2. I just hope Obsidian doesn't make the game too... alien with the "entirely different and unique Alien experience".

 

[cafuddled]

Same difference, they could have both been better games. I don’t think it could ever be too late to make a good game out of a franchise like Alien, look at the Alien Vs Predator games they where excellently well done and very fun to play be it online or single player. I just I cant see this franchise being good for anything other than a fast paced FPS or FPS mix titles, as anything else would just draw away from the movies appeal of action/horror and turn in to just another game under an expensive brand name.

At the moment I may indeed be jumping the gun a bit about this Aliens MMORPG, but then not many details have been released to tell what kind of a game it will be. Will it be a FPS on a huge scale like PlanetSide or will it just be another turn based D&D style hack and slash MMO where instead of aliens jumping out at you and ripping your body in to many little peaces all in a matter of seconds, you have to sit there taking turns to attack.

Also is Gearbox creating a FPS variant really a good idea, look at the mess they made of Counter Strike 2… need I say more?

[Edit]

Maybe I should email them, saying that I don’t want an "entirely different and unique Alien experience" as I am happy with the experience I have been getting. I would still be happy with more of the same. I don’t know about you lot but Aliens Vs Predator 2 was one of the very few games that made me actually sad when I had completed the single player. There was no relief that I had finally got through it nor was they’re any pushing for me to play through it at any point. Once I seen that end screen I wanted more and I still do, I just hope to god they don’t mess things up and waste a whole lot of a great may peoples time.

 

[Wolfy]

I think AvP2 took the Aliens games as far as they are gonna go imo.

I don't see how an rpg would work. If you're a human then at the end of the day there are only a handful of alien variants. If they start inventing new ones I don't see it working.

If you're an alien then I suppose they can go off and start inventing enemies galore but being an alien in a game isn't as much fun as you would think it to be as way made plain by AvP2.

I'm not condemning this game before it's out but I'm definitely not hopeful for it never mind the fact that an Aliens based game should always and forever be a shooter and not an rpg

 

[Morton]

Actually, in the end of last century I used to play a text-based AvP MUD which had role-playing elements. You could play as a human marine, a synthetic, an alien or a predator. It was fun! As a human or synthetic you could pilot the marine spaceship to the orbit of some planet, drive the APC into a dropship, open launch bay, fly the dropship, land on the planet, enter the APC and drive around shooting at aliens or predators with APC gun turrets. I remember there were quite many planets in the game populated by aliens, predators, and humans. There was also a space ship derelict somewhere in space, infested with hostile rebel synthetics. 8O A real Alien vs Predator MMORPG or MMOFPS would rock the world! There's actually an MMORPG which distantly reminds of the Alien franchise, called Face of Mankind. I've seen aliens that looked almost exactly like the xenomorphs from the Alien movies on some screenshots from that game. Heh, actually I once encountered one of those xenomorphs myself and it scared the hell out of me. I was going to a planet with a dark underground cave complex to start some mining operations and that thing, which I had only heard rumours about, leaped at me from the shadows and killed me with a few bites. Those aliens even have a somewhat similar life cycle compared to xenomorphs because later I encountered some of their eggs on another planet. Unfortunately, the combat system in FoM is much crappier than in AvP 2 even though FoM is based on the Lithtech game-engine. An AvP 2/FoM hybrid MMOFPS would be awesome.

 

[cafuddled]

Wolf dude person man, I have to disagree with you about the Alien class in Aliens v Predator 2, saying that it’s not any good? I found them tremendously fun to play with in both the single player campaign and the multiplayer games. Being able to climb walls and roofs made for some great hide and seek play with you being able to pop out of vents, cracks and corners. Also in multiplayer the sheer speed of them and the fact that they don’t give off a heat signature made for some great screams off of unsuspecting marines over ventrilo.

But when you think about it would a massively multiplayer FPS work for this type of game either, what could possibly make it interesting. Aliens when they’re not fighting they are just sleeping about on walls blending in with the decor, that’s if they even made the Aliens playable. And if there not playable, the whole thing becomes nothing more than a big co-op game that you will more than likely have to pay monthly.

I really can’t think of any way they could make an Aliens MMO that would actually work well!

 

[VBDude]

I really can’t think of any way they could make an Aliens MMO that would actually work well!

I agree, if you could play as an Alien it wouldn't work. But where did all these MMO references come from. I didn't read it in the press releases. That would be a horrible idea as neither company ever made anything like it. I don't want them getting their feet wet on our beloved Aliens!

BTW, does anyone else see this as preperation for another movie? I'm cringing already as the last three haven't been very good.

 

[cafuddled]

Damn it, I only went and miss read the thing. Me and my stupid brain!

Still what I was saying is still relevant to the argument, a turn based RPG would simply suck all the life and action out of Aliens just like it did out of Star Wars. Does no one else think KOTOR would have been a much better game if the battle were done in a way similar to Jedi Knights?

I take it that when you say the last three movies where pants you were including AvP in that statement, as I would hate to think anyone could think Aliens was a bad movie. Saying that a new movie if it was made well would not be amiss I think. I have always wanted to find more about where these creatures came from and why.

 

[VBDude]

Yikes, I hope no one thought I was talking about Aliens being a bad movie. I would never have been a fan without it. It's still my favorite alien flick (not just my favorite Alien flick), though I still prefer predators, there movies weren't as good.

Have you read the books? There are over a dozen of them, including a few AvP and Predator books. Great stuff if you want more background. Surprisingly consistent and a lot more back-story: aliens on Earth, trained aliens, the alien homeworld, and royal jelly as a performance-enhancing drug, all in the first four books!

I didn't mind the action in KOTOR, but Aliens need to scare the crap out of you. That's why campy, old Aliens Doom worked so well.

Edit: A thought occurred to me: Obsidian has only made Bioware sequels so far, right? So, what if they used the Mass Effect engine? 8)

 

[Mackle]

BTW, Obsidian made KOTOR 2, Bioware made KOTOR.

Lets hope that it doesn't turn out to be as buggy or as unfinished as KotoR2 then.

Still what I was saying is still relevant to the argument, a turn based RPG would simply suck all the life and action out of Aliens just like it did out of Star Wars. Does no one else think KOTOR would have been a much better game if the battle were done in a way similar to Jedi Knights?

I thought KotoR was a superb game, and I can't be the only one as it won a few "Game of the Year" awards from various publications and websites. I certainly wouldn't say that the combat system sucked the life out of the game.

 

[torque79]

I have to agree Jedi Knights combat system was far more enjoyable. That is not to say KOTOR was horrible, but I had a BLAST playing jedi knights games. It's one of the very few games I actually kept various savepoints throughout the game to go back and replay enjoyable lightsaber battles, etc. There were parts I would beat, save, and reload just to play the fight over and over again for fun.

As for Aliens, have any of the games done a really great job yet of introducing Dolby Digital 5.1/7.1 or whatever technology of your choice? I'm wondering if the AVP games had really awesome, immersive sound? That was the best part of the Aliens movies, such an AWESOME environment created just with that one motion sensor sound. Oh, and the machine guns.

 

[Wolfy]

Also in multiplayer the sheer speed of them and the fact that they don’t give off a heat signature made for some great screams off of unsuspecting marines over ventrilo.

You know AvP2 stands as my favorite multiplayer ever. Particularly simple stuff like a couple of humans against one predator. It was the bomb. Was that you moving? Me? I'm nowhere near there. I thought it was you? *KACHUNK!!!!* and one marine is now minus a head. Oh it was the best ever however I've never played it over broadband and now that I finally have it I assume that no one plays it anymore not that that matters cos I appear to have lost my game

 

[Wolfy]

Ah went and ahem.... downloaded this over the weekend and am surprised to see there are still servers up and running. The game is a lot faster than I remember it being but YAH it's lots of fun

 

[bfellow]

BTW, Obsidian made KOTOR 2, Bioware made KOTOR.

Lets hope that it doesn't turn out to be as buggy or as unfinished as KotoR2 then.
...

Ahem you forgot NWN2 is also buggy and "unfinished" with all the showstopping bugs still in the game.

 

[cafuddled]

I really want to play AvP2 again now... That’s it I am installing it as soon as I get home.

 

[Morton]

Sometimes I play the multiplayer AvP2 demo. On a good day there are 10-20 other people playing it.

 

[cafuddled]

I found my old jewel cased version of the game and installed it, man how good is this game. Only problem I have found now is that people have over played the game and have ether became far to good at it leaving me with no chance of winning Or have restricted half the god damn weapons making the game crap when you go the predator :x

 

[Wolfy]

Yeah my thoughts exactly. When I first played the game I pwned all around me but now the only people left are hardcore, as a cloaked predator all I have to do is twitch and I get shot at from all angles. It isn't helped by laggy servers either.

That being said I've already had some great games. In particular I could play 1v1 pred vs marine all day. Pm me if you wanna try getting a 1v1 up if yur bored one of these days.