My purchase depends not only on how much content there is at day 1 -- but if it feels (reasonably) complete. If the game has a narrative focus (like Absolution), then cutting that off 2/3rds of the way in is just going to be crazy unsatisfying -- however if the game is mostly just separate contracts completely independent of one-another with narratives tied to the level and target then I can see myself getting on board, that is if the game is good to begin with.
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IO Interactive explains Hitman release
- Thread starter Messofanego
- Start date
Barry Burton
Member
I'm okay with this, if the alternative would be waiting until Fall 2016 or whatever for the full, finished game. I'm fine with not waiting as long for some new Hitman missions, even if there are only a handful of them in December.
Obviously, this is predicated on them delivering a functional product when it launches, and keeping their promise of steady content drops. They could certainly screw all of that up and if they do, they should be held accountable, but sitting here today I'm not inherently against the idea.
Obviously, this is predicated on them delivering a functional product when it launches, and keeping their promise of steady content drops. They could certainly screw all of that up and if they do, they should be held accountable, but sitting here today I'm not inherently against the idea.
Messofanego
Banned
This Hitman is not narrative-focused like Absolution, thank god. It's more hit-focused like Blood Money.
RowdyReverb
Member
My biggest question remains unanswered: Why buy a mostly unknown and unreleased product now instead of waiting and buying a complete, fully known product later for the same price? What is the benefit to the consumer?
If I were to invest in this release strategy, I'd prefer a subscription model that ends up being $60 total once all the portions are released rather than paying up front and just hoping the upcoming stuff is worth the money.
If I were to invest in this release strategy, I'd prefer a subscription model that ends up being $60 total once all the portions are released rather than paying up front and just hoping the upcoming stuff is worth the money.
FrontalMonk
Banned
Why does anyone buy anything day 1? Because they're impulsive and want it in their hands as soon as humanly possible. If you want to wait until a physical release that's your perogative, and personally I'm impulse as shit and want it in my PS4 like, yesterday.
90TilInfinity
Member
I guess they're banking on a strong real-time community aspect, as well as the live, one-attempt assassination events (lasting 48 hours or so) which won't be on the disc iirc.
DrFaustPhD
Member
I'm intrigued by this idea. If done well it could be really interesting. My closest experience with anything like this would be the multi-player focused Splatoon, but there's a lot of directions this could go. I'll certainly be keeping my eyes on this.
xrnzaaas
Member
I'll probably wait for a retail release, especially since I like to have my games in physical form whenever possible. Gotta say they're risking a lot by charging a full price for an episodic game... even if you consider the fact that there won't be any microtransactions or paid DLC's. I'm wondering how many people will say 'no' to that idea.
crazyrabbits
Banned
Called it, and not entirely surprised.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
This will surely go great and everyone will be happy come release.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Seems like there is no good reason to buy this upfront. You're paying $60 for a promise. But if the next episodes are delayed or the game isn't that great, you're just holding the bag. I'd rather just wait and see, to make sure the content is actually good and comes out consistently
Nostalgic Nightmare
Member
Nope.
Will buy physical once it's available.
Will buy physical once it's available.
Lord_Balkan
Member
What they are saying is Hitman will be feature complete, but it won't be content-complete.
Early Access games are generally both feature and content incomplete.
You're a saint. I hated how overly scripted Absolution was. So many of the levels and scenes are actually dependant on you triggering dialog and events between NPCs. Most other Hitman games allowed the level to 'live' a bit without you essentially being a trigger to everything.
I can't even name a single mission where that doesn't happen.
It's a great reason not to buy it straight away then, I'm done with episodic and cut releases.
Although I understand half the blame is on me, I'm actively deciding to play it before it's "done".
So yeah from now on I'll just wait unless it's something I absolutely want to play.
You're also putting yourself in a position of waiting because of delays or them just giving up continuing.
It's happened before.
Although I understand half the blame is on me, I'm actively deciding to play it before it's "done".
So yeah from now on I'll just wait unless it's something I absolutely want to play.
You're also putting yourself in a position of waiting because of delays or them just giving up continuing.
It's happened before.
Interesting.
I really don't care for the 'release first, finish the game later' mentality, but hopefully the disc release will be suitably delayed. If they wait long enough that most things are on the disc, I might actually be interested in this game.
This is an odd gamble for them to be making. I'm not against it, but personally I tend to stick with one game at a time and exhaust all the content in one go. With a staged release like this I'm probably going to be immersed in something else when new content arrives and won't have time to dive back into Hitman.
Oh I'm not saying Absolution is a great Hitman game by any means. But I have to defend its Contracts mode. People have come up with some incredibly challenging and funny contracts. The idea of players being able to make Contracts in bigger and Blood Money-like areas (early impressions so far tell us the HITMAN alpha mission is a significantly large level) really excites me.
ebullientprism
Member
I really hope this doesnt become a trend going forward. Instead of what most studios would do (delay till its finished/have the whole game done instead of the first part) they are releasing a partial game and killing off second hand sales by asking people to hold on to their copy.
Hoping this bombs miserably.
You can almost feel the "well this was bad but hopefully the upcoming content is better" posts in the OT.
Hoping this bombs miserably.
You can almost feel the "well this was bad but hopefully the upcoming content is better" posts in the OT.
More_Badass
Member
Hitman is uniquely suited for this structure since its levels are self-contained mini-sandboxes. It really wouldnt work well for other games
Yeah, no. The alpha impressions have already been very positive. Blood Money gameplay with Absolution's visuals and controls
I could already feel the "holy shit this is Blood Money 2" comments from those who have only played the alpha already.
Have you seen anything leaked from the alpha? The Paris level is probably the biggest level in the entire franchise, and is the opening act to the game.
I personally like taking out unique NPCs in some of the games, like the Don's family in Silent Assassin. If the game simply allows the community to do more things like that, then right on. I don't need Contracts mode for that, but it very clearly gives appeal to try and pick out the unique characters in a level.
If I have one suggestion, it'd be to not lock Contracts to difficulties. Let the difficulty level be a multiplier, but never lock the hit to it. I kinda got fed up trying random missions in Absolution, only to load the stage and be in Purist difficulty.
That's curious. I can feel the "this the true sucessor to Blood Money" posts myself. Because I'm actually informed about the game.
Also, "killing off second hand sales by asking people to hold on to their copy. "? The retail version will only release when the game is complete.
Kwansu Dudes
Member
I wish they would be more upfront about how much content we're getting per release, the schedule of when the content would release and if # of sales affect the future content in anyway. I'd like to think they're doing this to make the best Hitman retail release, but they could just invite hardcore Hitman fans to test out their levels.
Granted it's still several months away, but a lot of goodwill has been lost in the industry (esp. After Absolution).
Granted it's still several months away, but a lot of goodwill has been lost in the industry (esp. After Absolution).
Fragamemnon
Member
I actually like this model because content can be tweaked before release based on player metrics and feedback. There's really no reason that they couldn't just make it a platform for awesome hits and update it with content for well past 2016.
That may sound like "early access" , but it's really more of a service model.
That may sound like "early access" , but it's really more of a service model.
ebullientprism
Member
True successor to blood money is hilarious. Based on what? Some posts on forums?
We saw an entire level (Chinatown) when Absolution was going through its hype cycle and that calmed a bunch of people down by its "Blood money" likeness. How'd that turn out?
Even if, best case scenario, the first level is classic Hitman. There is literally no guarantee that the rest of the game will be good. There are no reviews that can tell you that. No impressions from other forum members. There wont be any cause you wont get to play past whatever part is there at release.
You are basically (again best case scenario) paying 60$ for what could be this game's Chinatown marketing showpiece.
We saw an entire level (Chinatown) when Absolution was going through its hype cycle and that calmed a bunch of people down by its "Blood money" likeness. How'd that turn out?
Even if, best case scenario, the first level is classic Hitman. There is literally no guarantee that the rest of the game will be good. There are no reviews that can tell you that. No impressions from other forum members. There wont be any cause you wont get to play past whatever part is there at release.
You are basically (again best case scenario) paying 60$ for what could be this game's Chinatown marketing showpiece.
This certainly clears up some confusing. However, I would still need some clarification on the amount of content available at launch. The notion of drip-feeding content throughout the year is interesting, but the game requires a solid content foundation for something like that to go over well
tryagainlater
Member
If the base content is worth the money, I'm fine with this. Hitman is the type of game I think works in this format. But I'm not preordering future content if there's not enough there at launch.
Seems like it could work, but it also seems very risky. I could see non-core gamers blasting through the 3-5 starting levels and then complaining to their friends that they paid $60 for a 1 hour game. On the other hand, maybe it will have the GTA effect, where people end up playing it more to mess around than to do the missions. It'll be interesting to see.
We definitely need more info about what we're actually buying, though. At least tell us how many levels to expect, if not what kind of levels or release schedule they'll have.
We definitely need more info about what we're actually buying, though. At least tell us how many levels to expect, if not what kind of levels or release schedule they'll have.
family_guy
Member
I'll probably wait this out if they don't have some sort of trial or demo at launch. Episodic games have all had terrible release schedules, with the exception of Resident Evil Revelations 2 where the game was basically finished on launch day and they just spread it out.
TheSinkingKnight
Member
Hell yeah, can't wait.
Would rather get it in episodic pieces because it will ensure that I replay missions and try out new stuff.
Would rather get it in episodic pieces because it will ensure that I replay missions and try out new stuff.
Messofanego
Banned
Based on impressions from GAFers who've played the alpha.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=171381355&postcount=6
I've completed the level three times now in three completely separate ways and there are parts of the level I haven't even been to yet. It's a freakin huge area.
No more checkpoints, saving is back.
No silent assassin yet.though I don't even know if the final score board takes it into account yet. Seems rough.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
You are correct in the sense that it will probably be more polished barring a buggy release, but he is completely right in saying it's an unfinished product, no matter how the PR is trying to spin it. People don't be naive, don't support these practises.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
What if they release a couple of levels like blood money, you buy it and then the remaining part of the game that they release after you give them your money is bad like Absolution? This is just a theoretical scenario, but it's too explain why it does matter that you wait until the game is fully released before you give them your money.
ichtyander
Member
Kinda reminds me of how Payday 2 was released in a very barebones state with content and tweaks being added later on based on community feedback. It's not the same thing of course, obviously.
Messofanego
Banned
2min video of Paris mission with Diana briefing (spoilers), while showing the map at the same time:
https://a.pomf.cat/qzcswa.mp4
https://a.pomf.cat/qzcswa.mp4
shin_velcro
Neo Member
I hate to be "that guy" that jumps in & says they will wait for a GOTY or the like but I never buy Tell tale games untill the last part has a release date. So will do the same with this, long as it does turn out to be good.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
You're doing it right. Nothing wrong with being an intelligent, responsible consumer.
FrontalMonk
Banned
I don't think anyone's being naive. You either want to play this game as soon as humanly possible, or you want to sit on the fence. I don't usually both with episodic crap, but Hitman is one of those games...I mean, I could go home tonight and play Blood Money and it'd still be awesome and worth playing. I can't say that about a lot of games. If this is basically Blood Money 2, like the GAFers who have played it are saying it is? I'm in, day fucking one, and I don't really care how they structure it.