Aliens: Colonial Marines preview at GamesRadar (QTEs)

[Visualante]

GamesRadar

Each mission will put you in the space armor of a different marine in the six-man squad. You’ll use commands familiar to Brothers in Arms players to guide your troop through the maze of acid-blasted corridors, trying to stay ahead of the critters. By focusing on one squad member at a time, Gearbox has been able to create an episodic feel to the action. Back stories, plot details and characters gently expand and you’ll get a deeper perspective on the action. It also means that the game will have a very immediate feel – you can dip in for an hour at a time to play out one episode of the full story arc. When that first confrontation does arrive it’s not the guns-blazing, space marine frag-fest you may expect. Instead the alien bursts out of the shadows and drags you kicking into an air duct where it prepares to cocoon you in slime. You guessed it - this is a Quick Time Event where button presses have to be hit as the event unfolds. It works well, as the directions mimic the action perfectly. For example, pressing right smashes open a vent casing to the right, or pressing up raises your gun and blasts your captor, forcing it to retreat..

ffs Gearbox

[Dabanton]

I thought this got canned?

[Darklord]

If QTE's are hated so much, why is heavy rain so hyped? That shit is ALL QTE's.

I hate them. They aren't fun. I hope this is like the only QTE in the game. :\

[Dabanton]

If QTE's are hated so much, why is heavy rain so hyped? That shit is ALL QTE's. I hate them. They aren't fun. I hope this is like the only QTE in the game. :\

I think thats more the system it's on...

Anyway i don't mind QTE's as long as they don't get too difficult and silly.

[Apharmd Battler]

We need more info on this game. I'm hope we hear some good things in the near future.

[SonnyBoy]

Ive been looking forward to this game, I hope its not canceled.

[adamma666]

oh, I thought this game was supposed to ba single-player shooter in the vein of the AvP games for the pc. squad-based? Brothers in Arms? hm, that is definately not my type of game. and I need another alien-fix, the franchise is too good and there are too few games around it. imo.

[Draft]

I hope Don Bluth had the presence of mind to copyright these stupid things and is making a mint from the last few creatively bankrupt years of game development.

[epmode]

I think thats more the system it's on... Anyway i don't mind QTE's as long as they don't get too difficult and silly.

I feel that they're ALWAYS annoying, even when easy. I mean, even at their best (God Of War,) they do little more than shit up an awesome cutscene with ugly UI stuff.

[DieNgamers]

I like QTEs :O

However, I only really experienced them in God of War and RE4 and thought they fit in the content.

[Blame!]

I hope Don Bluth had the presence of mind to copyright these stupid things and is making a mint from the last few creatively bankrupt years of game development.

knowing good 'ol don, i would think probably not.

those old dragon quest and space ace games controled like shit anyways.

[fallengorn]

QTEs are a plague!

[JdFoX187]

oh, I thought this game was supposed to ba single-player shooter in the vein of the AvP games for the pc. squad-based? Brothers in Arms? hm, that is definately not my type of game. and I need another alien-fix, the franchise is too good and there are too few games around it. imo.

Nope, it was always squad-based. They were shooting for four-player co-op but I'm guessing that's been put on hold?

[cultofweaver]

I'm sure somewhere within Gearbox there's a couple of Game Designers and Producers playing through Left 4 Dead and slapping themselves on the forehead.

Co-Op survival gamplay in an Alien infested camp! THAT is the game I want to play not some sub-Alien Resurrection story mode with QTEs. Just give me 3 pals and a couple of good maps and send us to our deaths over and over.

This could be one of the great missed opportunities of all time.

[adelante]

I'm sure somewhere within Gearbox there's a couple of Game Designers and Producers playing through Left 4 Dead and slapping themselves on the forehead. Co-Op survival gamplay in an Alien infested camp! THAT is the game I want to play not some sub-Alien Resurrection story mode with QTEs. Just give me 3 pals and a couple of good maps and send us to our deaths over and over. This could be one of the great missed opportunities of all time.

They had something like that in the first AVP...

[methane47]

If QTE's are hated so much, why is heavy rain so hyped? That shit is ALL QTE's. I hate them. They aren't fun. I hope this is like the only QTE in the game. :\

Well cuz most games with QTE's are already superduper action packed... So creating QTE's just so you can show action with dramatic camera angles kind of screws the whole point of the game....

While for Heavy Rain if Indogo Prophecy is any indication.. the game is HEAVY on story and drama... and the game is already cinematic so QTE's is just away to present some interactive action without having to create a whole fighting system.

[JDSN]

So this aint cancelled? FUCK YES!

[shuri]

Not really, Left4Dead got stale incredibly fast, and to be honest, it would feel more like a 'bonus' multiplayer mode in a bunch of others. GAF is hating on the girl because it's made by Gearbo.

[Zenith]

If QTE's are hated so much, why is heavy rain so hyped? That shit is ALL QTE's. I hate them. They aren't fun. I hope this is like the only QTE in the game. :\

"The influence of the movie is all over this shooter, with Quick Time Events ensuring you never know what’s around the next corner. "

The action resembles Call of Duty in style, with down-the-scope targeting and a rechargeable health system.

uh, if there was one game that didn't need iron sights and "realistic" gun physics, Aliens is it. it's supposed to be like an 80s action movie.

[CcrooK]

Just don't can the game!

[ram]

lets recap - gearbox last team based fps (hells highway) was crap, which dont bode well for another team based fps.

why not making a game in the vein of valkyria chronicles? would be much better imo.

[sionyboy]

Sega has confirmed Aliens: Colonial Marines is still on course for a 2009 release, estimating the Gearbox shoot-‘em-up will arrive some time in Q1.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/32850/Alie...ive-in-Q1-2009


Seems like its coming out of nowhere, I thought it'd be later in the year... :/

Still, boo to QTEs and I hope it turns out decent despite their inclusion.

[Nocebo]

Not really, Left4Dead got stale incredibly fast, and to be honest, it would feel more like a 'bonus' multiplayer mode in a bunch of others. GAF is hating on the girl because it's made by Gearbo.

Not really, Left4Dead did not get stale incredibly fast, and to be honest, it wouldn't feel more like a 'bonus' multiplayer mode in a bunch of others.

[fallengorn]

lets recap - gearbox last team based fps (hells highway) was crap, which dont bode well for another team based fps. why not making a game in the vein of valkyria chronicles? would be much better imo.

Wasn't there a tactical AvP game?

[Defuser]

why not making a game in the vein of valkyria chronicles? would be much better imo.

That's even worst.

[ram]

That's even worst.

why? right now i am playing hell`s highway and honestly after finishing valkyria chronicles the gearbox game does a real bad job on selling team based gamesplay (and fps gameplay too).

[PuppetMaster]

I don't mind QTEs but in a FPS game?

I saw those in Jericho and did not fucking like what I saw!

[SolidSnakex]

If QTE's are hated so much, why is heavy rain so hyped? That shit is ALL QTE's. I hate them. They aren't fun. I hope this is like the only QTE in the game. :\

Because the people that dislike QTE's are just very vocal about it. But developers wouldn't keep doing it if most gamers really didn't mind them. Hell 2 of the most popular games of the past few years have been God of War and RE4 and they both use QTE's.

[Darklord]

Because the people that dislike QTE's are just very vocal about it. But developers wouldn't keep doing it if most gamers really didn't mind them. Hell 2 of the most popular games of the past few years have been God of War and RE4 and they both use QTE's.

Yeah, developers would never over use something...

When God of War and RE4 came out it was a rare thing to see. After those about a million games used them. They suck.

[AndresON777]

QTEs are a plague!

Yes, they need to be destroyed

[snoopers]

[Deacan]

I just don't see why they have to add QTE, what advantage do they provide apart from pissing people off if they fail to press a button and have to do it again.

[deepbrown]

I think thats more the system it's on... Anyway i don't mind QTE's as long as they don't get too difficult and silly.

No, it's the way it's done. QTE's done right work. Plus Heavy Rain's are all player controller QTE's - IE. where you look, a button will come up on the screen.

[Gibb]

Do hope the QTE's are usable/intuitive and not some random mashing shit.

Love the idea of having different classes with different abilities on your team tho =)

Hope they have some cool online MP/co-op as well.. aliens vs marines or facehuggers vs marines!

[Booser]

Gimme now. Fuck yes, Aliens is one of my all time favs. I even enjoyed Alien Trilogy. This sounds awesome.

[Joseph Merrick]

might as well throw in the towel, gearbox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM7Q27LxE-s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYay-tASXsA

not going to be close

[Draft]

Anyway, it doesn't matter.

True Gamers know that the REAL Aliens game is coming, and it's called Natural Selection 2.

[Baha]

When that first confrontation does arrive it’s not the guns-blazing, space marine frag-fest you may expect. Instead the alien bursts out of the shadows and drags you kicking into an air duct where it prepares to cocoon you in slime. You guessed it - this is a Quick Time Event where button presses have to be hit as the event unfolds. It works well, as the directions mimic the action perfectly. For example, pressing right smashes open a vent casing to the right, or pressing up raises your gun and blasts your captor, forcing it to retreat..

Didn't Dead Space do this scene but without the QTEs? And the alien of course.

[VictimOfGrief]

I hope to God this game is good.... after the BiA let down.... I hope they get this one right.

[Oldschoolgamer]

Didn't Dead Space do this scene but without the QTEs? And the alien of course.

Eh? You had to shoot a weak spot to escape massive damage, iirc. That's no better than qte.


PLZ let this game be good. I've been dieing for another good aliens game.

[D4Danger]

bullshot.jpg

The game is NEVER going to look like that.

[Hammer24]

I´m really looking forward to this game. But QTE´s? Hype -1000!

[DeBurgo]

The game is NEVER going to look like that.

uh, you think so? It looks pretty reasonable to me, especially considering that the screenshot is not full resolution, nor is it direct feed.

[bloodforge]

Really looking forward to this. QTE's don't bother me.

[Draft]

Eh? You had to shoot a weak spot to escape massive damage, iirc. That's no better than qte. PLZ let this game be good. I've been dieing for another good aliens game.

Yes it is. It absolutely is. It uses the core gameplay mechanic during that sequence. You aim and shoot, just like you always do.

QTEs are garbage because they shove core gameplay aside for a few seconds so you can play Simon. That's stupid.

[Broadbandito]

looking good. Glad it wasn't canned

[Dibbz]

The game is NEVER going to look like that.

Looks totally achievable tbh.

[RavenFox]

If QTE's are hated so much, why is heavy rain so hyped? That shit is ALL QTE's. I hate them. They aren't fun. I hope this is like the only QTE in the game. :\

Thats Heavy Rain, it fits. This is tobacco chewing Marines with big guns and attitude vs Aliens out for blood and food. QTE in this saddens me.

edit: Im not going to hate though. I wait and see how its done.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I just don't see why they have to add QTE, what advantage do they provide apart from pissing people off if they fail to press a button and have to do it again.

QTEs do a great job of simulating a split-second-reaction situation, but the key to making them effective is to use them sparingly and no "game over" or re-try for failure. In much the way Heavy Rain promises, the event should branch out in two playable directions depending on success or failure.

[Night_Trekker]

The QTE hate is ridiculous. It sounds fine as implemented in the game.