The Gamer's Quarter

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

After having Thief: Deadly Shadows sitting around in the plastic for the past two or more years, I finally opened it after hearing the first positive impressions of it ever from Cycle. I played for a couple hours last night and I have to say that it provides possibly the most oppressive game environment I’ve played in since Metroid 2.

This leads me to believe that Warren Spector needs to create the next Metroid.

Retro, please hire him!
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aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

Works on the 360, right?

I really need to pick that up. Been meaning to play it forever.
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Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

the idea presented here that metroid is nowadays in the hand of a studio with no identifiable celebrities who, in fact, might be pretty well served to go around hiring american FPS (FPA? whatever) developers is kind of a shocking one to swallow.

that said: sure, yeah, go for it! i don't buy enough videogames based on the big names behind them nowadays, anyway (helloooo studio era).

also lord knows i can't bring myself to give a damn about prime 3 at present.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

simplicio · . Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Aparently some games run really well (mainly Halo and GTA), but from my experience you can get anything from horrible slowdown not in the original game, graphical glitches, lighting problems, random weirdness, or just plain failure to play. I mean, depending on how much you're willing to put up with it may not be that big a deal for you.

Like, HL2 was just fine though I know it would have been "better" on the Xbox due to a few areas with massive slowdown. Though Pariah gets to a point where it just goes into a weird infinite graphic loop after a certain level and becomes unplayable. Some games have holes/spaces between polygons.

The 360's BC will probably be the reason that I get a PS3 sooner than later (when they stop including hardware BC on PS3s, because their software emulation only supports something like 40% of all PS2 games, and if the 360 is any indication then it will never work right either).
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

Warren Spector didn't work on Thief: Deadly Shadows, you know. This thread should be about Randy Smith.

Edit: if i've got my facts straight, spector didn't work on any of the thief titles. i think smith was part of The Looking Glass before joining Ion Storm, tho. He's since gone on to work on the recent Might and Magic FPS title.

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Uh, he didn't?

What was he doing as the Studio Director at the time then?

Randy Smith is credited as "Project Director" though.
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Perseus · . Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Posts: 56

That's a really good question. He was probably involved in the development of Deus Ex 2, tho he wasn't project lead or a designer on that one either. I'm guessing he was too bogged down with running the studio to lead any projects and just gave miyamoto-style input on all of them.

Edit: It occurs to me that it's extremely hard to pin-point the person ultimately responsible for Thief 3's atmosphere being as tense and atmospheric as it ultimately was. The lead designer? The art director? If I had to choose one guy, it'd be the one who designed that one level- I think it was called the Cradle.

Cycle · Mac daddy Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2767

I thought the Cradle was awesome and very clever and very well designed, but I actually didn't think it had the best atmosphere in the game. I should write an article about that one day!

Also, Shaper, what the hell are you doing? Thief is totally a first person game. I tried playing it in third person for about ten minutes before I reverted back.

I recall Warren having more to do with Thief 3 than Deus Ex 2, but I can't remember what role specfically. Also, I know he worked on the original Thief because I read an interview with him about it before the game came out, and it sounded like he did lots of work on it. I don't think he worked on the second though, he was busy with Deus Ex.

Mobygames isn't that reliable.
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Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I refuse to trust a company with a mascot this ugly.
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Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279