I never understood why people hated Bioshock 2. Even if it lacked the "atmosphere" of the first the end game of it all was WAAAAAY better then Bioshock 1
I am confused with this. Microsoft has no need to compete with Sony on a first-party front. They average higher when it comes to metascore and sales. They don't need to compete with Sony.
Yes they do, Sony publishes across a wider variety of genres and even funds boutique games such as Puppeteer and Last Guardian. Comparatively, Microsoft only has shootbang and Forza as their major releases; a far cry from the early years on the 360 when they published Mass Effect and Ninja Gaiden 2.
I gotta say that both Bioshock 1 and 2 are on the same level for me.
They're good games but I hardly consider them anything special like most people do.
Anyway as for MS I have to throw in my vote for some strong 1st party offerings next gen.
All these acquistions and such really make that evident. Hopefully its not all kinect type stuff however.
Lastly as for Bioshock Infinte I'm hoping that all these delays and developers leaving the game won't affect it largley. While I know what I said about 1 and 2. I have high hopes for Infinte. The setting really interests me and it just looks like it could be a game I could consider a masterpiece.
Which is why I think this thread is funny (and sad). I understand people want to be positive (and I'm not trying to be overly pessimistic), but developers don't 'finish' a game and spin their wheels for five or six months making small changes here and there.
The combat director also worked on Red Faction Guerilla and Saints Row The Third. The AI lead seems to be taking a management role with Microsoft. He is in charge of finding core games.
Now I am definitely worried about Bioshock Infinite, went from day 1 to not even sure if I will buy unless impressions are very positive well after it releases. Seems like a good pick up for Microsoft, but still if the game is in that much trouble or in such a bad state these people leaving couldn't get the job done, sure it looked like they were trying for very big things, but Dishonored and Borderlands 2 just released are pretty amazing, these main people working on the game are at fault if they could not get it to at least that quality.
I played Bioshock 1 and 2 for the first time this year, back to back. I did not see any change in atmosphere (which I guess is a negative for many), however I could immediately feel BS2's superior mechanics, and playing through the game I could also tell BS2 has better variety, pacing, story and fantastic ending. It would be nice if BS2 offered a bit more exploration, but that's about it.
I still need to play Minevra's Den which is supposedly the best Bioshock to date.
I was saving my Minerva's Den playthrough until a couple weeks before Bioshock Infinite release, bought it a long time ago, guess will just play now instead.
BioShock 2 was better than the first in pretty much every way imaginable. Better gameplay, better level design, I give them more credit for at least trying with the story this time, and better execution of core themes.
BioShock 1 had the whole new environment thing going for it, but once you realized it was
largely just System Shock 2 again but worse and with more steampunk-ish with Randian elements sprinkled in
that wore thin pretty damned fast.
Also, Minerva's Den fans should know that the project lead on Minerva's Den, Steve Gaynor, (yes that Steve Gaynor) departed Irrational Games earlier this year. He was working on Infinite as a lead level designer, iirc.
EDIT: Yep:
SteveGaynor said:
Senior Level Designer
Irrational Games
Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Computer Games industry
2010 – 2011 (1 year)
I worked with creative director to establish quest objectives, player flow, and story events throughout the game's campaign, as well as handling initial implementation of a number of levels in the campaign.
Despite everything, I think his departure was the biggest blow to the game's development. Kinda a shame no one seemed to care all that much about it though =\
There's no official statemetns pointing towards anything else right now, and the upcoming trailer will either cement the February release or push it to a undefined point next year.
But I would feel confident in thinking they will hit their target this time,
Most of 343i's line up made up of talent from damn near every major studio, and i believe not too long ago som ex Codemasters(i think) guys went to Rare.
And isn't it normal for most developers to stay with the game til the launch, especially if they've worked on it a long time to ensure they get associated with it and get credits?
Ohh, i thought he was part of Gaikai, which is a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment, seems he left before the Sony acquisition....my mistake, i rely almost solely on LinkedIn for background checks.
And i forgot all about Gaikai only being recently acquired.
This is what im thinking.
It seems like MS might have some serious first party support next gen....towards the mid end of current gen MSs first party stuff was nigh nonexistent.
Recent acquisitions and studios formed.
Microsoft Studios Victoria
Microsoft Studios Vancouver
Connected Experience
Good Science Studios
Microsoft Playful Learning
Twisted Pixel Studios
Press Play
Skybox Sports
MSMG
Platform Next Studios
Phil Harrison - stolen from Sony
Don Norbury - stolen from Irrational
Clint Bundrick - stolen from Irrational
He sort of a semi PR guy for them. They just stop doing studio shows like Inside Xbox. He still has his blog and podcast. He also still does some videos for them.
Update: I posted this in the comments, but a few folks have missed it: I will continue to do the work I have always done, that part will not change. The weekly videos that I used to do with Inside Xbox will unfortunately not continue. I hope that clears things up.
He sort of a semi PR guy for them. They just stop doing studio shows like Inside Xbox. He still has his blog and podcast. He also still does some videos for them.
You may remember that a month ago Irrational's Art Director, Design Manager, Senior System Designer, Director of Product Development, and a Writer left Irrational.
I thought this was a bit suprising: Alex Liu left for Microsoft in May too. He was a game designer over at Naughty Dog and worked on Uncharted 3 (He did the levels Rough Seas and Caravan) and The Last of Us.
All these talented folk just don't go there for a reason, something must be brewing.
Part of me wonders how much Microsoft is investing in all of this talent to really beef up their 1st part studios for next gen, or if they are just stealing away talent from other developers in a strategic effort to ensure that they are not making games for their competitors (Sony & Ninty)...seems like what they did with Rare anyway this gen. Buy 'em, make sure they can't develop for Nintendo or Sony, then basically decimate the studio.
I thought this was a bit suprising: Alex Liu left for Microsoft in May too. He was a game designer over at Naughty Dog and worked on Uncharted 3 (He did the levels Rough Seas and Caravan) and The Last of Us.
All these talented folk just don't go there for a reason, something must be brewing.
Part of me wonders how much Microsoft is investing in all of this talent to really beef up their 1st part studios for next gen, or if they are just stealing away talent from other developers in a strategic effort to ensure that they are not making games for their competitors (Sony & Ninty)...seems like what they did with Rare anyway this gen. Buy 'em, make sure they can't develop for Nintendo or Sony, then basically decimate the studio.
Part of me wonders how much Microsoft is investing in all of this talent to really beef up their 1st part studios for next gen, or if they are just stealing away talent from other developers in a strategic effort to ensure that they are not making games for their competitors (Sony & Ninty)...seems like what they did with Rare anyway this gen. Buy 'em, make sure they can't develop for Nintendo or Sony, then basically decimate the studio.
It'll be back in full force when the next version launches, thankfully. I just hope Microsoft will have enough courage to let their internal teams go wild with it, instead of shoehorning motion controls into existing genres and concepts.
It'll be back in full force when the next version launches, thankfully. I just hope Microsoft will have enough courage to let their internal teams go wild with it, instead of shoehorning motion controls into existing genres and concepts.
Even if they make it more accurate and precise, how much more can you really do with it? The idea is just too limited and clearly people aren't interested. Didn't Fable Journey sell less than 50k? It works for games like Dance Central and Kinect Sports but it's just too limited to ever be what they wanted it to be.
