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Impressions from the extended 'The Last of Us' demo

A

AngryMoth

Member
Jeff Cannata brought up a good point on weekend confirmed about one of the challenges facing this game which is balancing the difficulty. In these sort of narrative driven, cinematic games I want to feel a sense of danger, but I don't actually ever want to die. Certainly watching the demo you're on the edge of your seat, and clearly its very rehearsed so there are a lot of intense moments, but in the end they pull through. So how do you balance the difficult to achieve that when the player doesn't know exactly whats going to happen, so that the sense of danger is there, but it isn't so hard that I'm going to keep dying and get frustrated? Is it a case of having a lot of outs for when you're in trouble like Elle coming to the rescue or easy hand-to-hand combat? But then if you know you can rely of those things does the sense of danger go away? Interesting problem.
 
P

patsu

Member
AngryMoth said:
Jeff Cannata brought up a good point on weekend confirmed about one of the challenges facing this game which is balancing the difficulty. In these sort of narrative driven, cinematic games I want to feel a sense of danger, but I don't actually ever want to die. Certainly watching the demo you're on the edge of your seat, and clearly its very rehearsed so there are a lot of intense moments, but in the end they pull through. So how do you balance the difficult to achieve that when the player doesn't know exactly whats going to happen, so that the sense of danger is there, but it isn't so hard that I'm going to keep dying and get frustrated? Is it a case of having a lot of outs for when you're in trouble like Elle coming to the rescue or easy hand-to-hand combat? But then if you know you can rely of those things does the sense of danger go away? Interesting problem.
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The TRS folks mentioned something similar. They were at the edge of their seats watching someone else play. It may be more engrossing than them fumbling with the controls, messing up the experience.

Perhaps it is time for Sony to roll out spectating, or at least recorded play. ^_^



UrbanRats said:
Nothing against them or anything, but i've seen like, 3 videos of them, and everytime they are this psyched for something, so.. :p
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Sure ! You can always listen to what they are psyched about and see if you agree with them this time, or not.

EDIT:
I wonder if it would work if the game auto-plays like a movie if you don't touch the controller at all. ^_^
That way, I'm pretty sure my wife and many of my friends can enjoy it too.
 
LightofRohan

LightofRohan

Member
AngryMoth said:
Jeff Cannata brought up a good point on weekend confirmed about one of the challenges facing this game which is balancing the difficulty. In these sort of narrative driven, cinematic games I want to feel a sense of danger, but I don't actually ever want to die. Certainly watching the demo you're on the edge of your seat, and clearly its very rehearsed so there are a lot of intense moments, but in the end they pull through. So how do you balance the difficult to achieve that when the player doesn't know exactly whats going to happen, so that the sense of danger is there, but it isn't so hard that I'm going to keep dying and get frustrated? Is it a case of having a lot of outs for when you're in trouble like Elle coming to the rescue or easy hand-to-hand combat? But then if you know you can rely of those things does the sense of danger go away? Interesting problem.
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To me that's definitely one of the biggest problems in games (mainly cinematic experiences) still to this day. There has to be an alternate to death, but it's really hard to figure out a good solution to that problem. Hopefully next generation someone figures something out!

But I'm glad I have a GF that likes watching me play games. Maybe in this one I'll practice it first before she watches, then I can live it through her! Haha.
 
P

patsu

Member
Darknessbear said:
But I'm glad I have a GF that likes watching me play games. Maybe in this one I'll practice it first before she watches, then I can live it through her! Haha.
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+1

I did this for KZ2 and Heavy Rain. After a short while, my wife simply shoved me aside and asked for the controller. ^_^
 
Mikey Jr.

Mikey Jr.

Member
Loudninja said:
Heh the gameplay video has over 2 million views
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZYkj0glnqs
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In like a couple of days, it is the 6th most viewed video on Playstation's channel. In 5 days, it has 2 million views. That is great, especially for a new IP like this.

jett said:
To save it for gamescom? :p That's what they did with the behind the doors footage of Uncharted 3 from least year's E3.
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Blehhhhh. Didn't Sony not even want to go or something?
 
M

Man

Member
Yeah, I would prefer no highlighting in this game.
For Uncharteds hero pace it makes sense but I want to scavenge in the Last of Us without aid (by default) like in the original RE games.
Each find will feel more rewarding.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
"A lot of people are wondering about the fluidity of animation", says Jacob Minkoff, lead designer on The Last of Us.

"When you push the punch button, it fires a bunch of rays around the game world, and says 'What's nearby?'. Oh, there's a wall nearby. Or there's a desk nearby. So if you press the punch button and make contact, it will smash this guy against the wall".
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"We've developed this engine over four games now, over a period of six years, and have a system that dynamically looks around and sees contextually what sort of animations would be right to play in the area", reveals Minkoff.

"For instance, maybe he'll throw a punch and succeed, and the guy hits the wall, or fail and hit his hand against the wall, and go 'Ow!'. We have this library of dozens and dozens of animations streaming off the disc at all times based on what's happening in the environment".
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One second, all you can hear are tweeting birds, creaky floorboards, heavy breathing, or a leaky tap - the next the crack of steel on skull, or explosion of a revolver.

Short. Sharp. Powerful. Combat brutally destroys the equilibrium of the world, but you do what you must - at any cost - to survive. Ellie covers her ears and cowers when a gun is fired, and looks visibly shaken when examining the body of a guard Joel has just shot in the forehead, blood slowly seeping across the floor - almost as if she's shocked by the actions of the person she most trusts.
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We're told a bit more context, about how the world has become a harsh battle for survival after the rise of the 'infected' fungus. Joel remembers the world as it was, but Ellie has only ever known the marshall law of the quarantine zones, where people are killed for breaking rules, or exhibiting the slightest sign of infection. Their journey explores the worst - and best - of humanity, so you won't just battle pockets of survivors, but meet farming communities, striving to create a better life.
Click to expand...

Only yesterday, Hideo Kojima expressed his respect for The Last of Us, during our exclusive interview with the MGS creator.

"The most surprising thing at the Sony conference was The Last of Us", says Kojima, "I'm very interested in how the game was put together, like at what point do you get controlled by the AI, and when do you get control. The Last of Us is in a different direction to what I want to accomplish, but it was very impressive".

Minkoff returns the compliment. "It's cool since we all spent about a zillion hours on Metal Gear Solid, so it's good to see he's interested. It (The Last of Us) is fantastically complex, but it's finally coming together, and I think that's what Kojima is recognising. We have this intense game, with all this brutal combat and fascinating stealth that's being achieved at a level that has not yet been done, since we finally have the technology to do it."
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http://www.computerandvideogames.co...nfused-by-the-last-of-us-secret-punch-lasers/
 
C

Cyberia

Member
Telegraph's Game of the Show:

Best game: The Last of Us
Despite a last minute push from surprise package Watch Dogs, in the end it was always down to Sony's two new IPs for best game at E3. The enigmatic Beyond made a phenomenal debut, but perhaps raised a few too many questions. The Last of Us, on the other hand, was a focussed, exciting statement of intent from developers Naughty Dog. The game follows the journey of the grizzled Joel and 14 year old Ellie, as they make their way across post-apocalyptic Pittsburgh. Faced with the worst of humanity in the wake of the outbreak, the game depicts its violence in a brutal, uncomfortable way. Fights tend to be messy, unpleasant skirmishes against individuals and small groups, rather than the waves of enemies in Uncharted. But the game is mainly about the relationship between the two characters as they navigate the crumbling environment, and the interaction between the two at this early stage is already fascinating. Brave, exciting and technically brilliant.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/e3/9320228/E3-2012-Best-in-show.html
 
M

Morue

Member
Ok, after having watched everything I could during this E3, I can now safely say that the LoU demo was the highlight of the show for me. The wait is really going to be unbearable...
 
-Plasma Reus-

-Plasma Reus-

Service guarantees member status
So unusual that it's being demoed on Jimmy Fallon even though it's not coming out this year.
Have ND confirmed the release date to be next year? Maybe a January release date?
Spring next year looks like it'll have every single game that should have come out this fall!
I won't be able to buy all of that, so I will have to prioritise.

This is the first game that makes me want to NOT kill my enemies. Very exciting stuff.
 
L

Loudninja

Member
kavinsky said:
So unusual that it's being demoed on Jimmy Fallon even though it's not coming out this year.
Have ND confirmed the release date to be next year? Maybe a January release date?
Spring next year looks like it'll have every single game that should have come out this fall!
I won't be able to buy all of that, so I will have to prioritise.

This is the first game that makes me want to NOT kill my enemies. Very exciting stuff.
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Sony confirmed its a 2013 title.
 
C

Callibretto

Member
Loudninja said:
No he is not a gamer, its going to be awesome to see how the Ai reacts to his playstyle.
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Fallon is so bad at videogamea he almost fail uncharted scripted scenes. are they really going to let him play last of us which seems like it'll be much harder than uncharted.
 
D

Don'tBeWeird

Member
This is definitely the most mature work I've ever seen from ND.

I remember playing Crash as a child, when I was in my teens I was introduced to the Jak games, got a little older and I was wowed by the Uncharted universe.

Now, I'm a fully grown adult and I'm enormously excited for The Last of Us, which looks to be their best game yet.

Naughty Dog and I have grown up together. :')
 
R

Ricky_R

Member
Mikey Jr. said:
I wonder what the game plays like with the infected.
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Don't we all... They're making these creatures feel so damn mysterious and interesting. They're doing a good job making us feel pretty "scared" about them since encounters with humans seem to be so dangerous and tense.

Imagine the encounters with the infected. Can't wait.
 
Represent.

Represent.

Represent(ative) of bad opinions
I have a feeling the infected will only come out at night. And you'll have to face them in complete darkness due to no electricity.

And ND, you really shouldn't let millions of people see this on Fallon for the first time.
 
L

Loudninja

Member
Represent. said:
I have a feeling the infected will only come out at night. And you'll have to face them in complete darkness due to no electricity.

And ND, you really shouldn't let millions of people see this on Fallon for the first time.
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We already seen them in the daylight.

Remember the first trailer?
 
T

Thrakier

Member
Well, maybe we are just witnessing the birth of a real classic here. I hope so and I'd be happy for ND because you really see that this is their passion and they come across as humble guys. It's kinda amazing when you see how much they ran away from the likes of Insomniac or the other PS top tier deveopers since the PS1.
 
Slayer-33

Slayer-33

Liverpool-2
Strike said:
tumblr_lw6urxkgDk1qfzjwwo1_500.png

Didn't change anything.
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Can't I upload my own image of this (Capital One custom card) without them turning it down because of copyright issues?


Damn I want to make my own lol.
 
Mikey Jr.

Mikey Jr.

Member
I dont think the general fallon audience is going to think highly of the game. It is probably one of the most realistic games in how it kills people. The general audience probably doesnt have that muc exposure to video games, and with games like cod, the deaths are so cartoony and unemotional. Tlou is the complete opposite. Not sure if people are ready for it. Maybe im exaggerating. I dont know.
 
I

i-Lo

Member
I don't know if this has been talked about before in this thread, however, the shadows are just too good. I have never seen shadows as good as these on even previous ND titles. The shadows actually follow the rules of umbra and penumbra! I would have never thought to see this in a game in real-time that is not only NOT on a current gen high end PC but also on a console that is 7 years old.
 
L

LightOfTruth

Member
i-Lo said:
I don't know if this has been talked about before in this thread, however, the shadows are just too good. I have never seen shadows as good as these on even previous ND titles. The shadows actually follow the rules of umbra and penumbra! I would have never thought to see this in a game in real-time that is not only NOT on a current gen high end PC but also on a console that is 7 years old.
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I haven't actually noticed, but you're right. At least in the sense that the shadows are better than their past games.

Looks amazing. In almost all aspects, this game seems like something one would expect from next-gen.
 
P

pharmboy044

Member
No way Jimmy Fallon will get a chance to play The Last of Us. It most likely will be a video of the 7 minute game play with ND or the voice actors describing what's going on.

Also, going off of what one of the ND developers said on one of the E3 Bombcasts, I highly doubt they are ready to show anything new.
 
L

Loudninja

Member
pharmboy044 said:
No way Jimmy Fallon will get a chance to play The Last of Us. It most likely will be a video of the 7 minute game play with ND or the voice actors describing what's going on.

Also, going off of what one of the ND developers said on one of the E3 Bombcasts, I highly doubt they are ready to show anything new.
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Dont he play all the stuff on the show?They are showing a live demo.

Anyways we see it on Wednesday
http://instagr.am/p/LgVeqYvZ2Q/
 
P

patsu

Member
pharmboy044 said:
No way Jimmy Fallon will get a chance to play The Last of Us. It most likely will be a video of the 7 minute game play with ND or the voice actors describing what's going on.

Also, going off of what one of the ND developers said on one of the E3 Bombcasts, I highly doubt they are ready to show anything new.
Click to expand...

That's my thoughts too. But they don't really have to show a video. That takes away too much impact. They can let an ND staff control the game, with some fallback options.


Fallon can ask questions from a casual's perspective.
 
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