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Spider Man 2s Fraudulent NYC

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
I live in London. Believe whoever you want but even your own posted video makes it clear it isn't accurate.

It's not 1:1 representation, of course it's not. It's their own version that:

1) Includes all the major landmarks and iconic locations
2) Keeps the geography and position of all areas in relation to each other

Did they cut a street or 2 here and there for gameplay purposes? Yes? Is it the best reedition of real life city in video game form? I think so. If you don't, why don't you post a better example?
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Well if you want realism then it should be way more dirtier with trash all over for sure.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
It's not 1:1 representation, of course it's not. It's their own version that:

1) Includes all the major landmarks and iconic locations
2) Keeps the geography and position of all areas in relation to each other

Did they cut a street or 2 here and there for gameplay purposes? Yes? Is it the best reedition of real life city in video game form? I think so. If you don't, why don't you post a better example?
Fraudulent NYC —> click bait ;)?
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
No it shouldnt. People play games to escape reality, not be reminded by it. There is no need for accuracy in cities.

Agree to disagree. Spider-Man NY would be much better if they included iconic skyscrapers as they are in real life. Do you play video games to escape amazing and timeless architecture? Well, whatever.
 

The Cockatrice

Gold Member
Agree to disagree. Spider-Man NY would be much better if they included iconic skyscrapers as they are in real life. Do you play video games to escape amazing and timeless architecture? Well, whatever.

Yeah, they should remove the Avengers tower, Oscorp buildings and all other Spider-man related landmarks for accuracy sake. Also, all the ground stores and shops should also be accurate because as Spider-man you do not swing in the air above 70% of the buildings, you're walking. Fucking lmao.
 
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MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
Yeah, they should remove the Avenger tower, Oscorp buildings and all other Spider-man related landmarks for accuracy sake. Also, all the ground stores and shop should also be accurate because as Spider-man you do not swing in the air above 70% of the buildings, you're walking. Fucking lmao.

Dude, we will not find a common ground. If you think that including architectural icon like Chrysler Building would not make the game's world better, then I have nothing else to say to you. Have a blessed day.
 

The Cockatrice

Gold Member
Have a blessed day.
Return Of The Jedi Episode 6 GIF by Star Wars
 

Three

Member
It's not 1:1 representation, of course it's not. It's their own version that:

1) Includes all the major landmarks and iconic locations
2) Keeps the geography and position of all areas in relation to each other
Now read the OP and try and spot the difference.
Did they cut a street or 2 here and there for gameplay purposes? Yes? Is it the best reedition of real life city in video game form? I think so. If you don't, why don't you post a better example?
I'd say no and that it doesn't matter that it isn't. The Getaway was a more accurate rendition for back then but this isn't really about a pissing contest, I was just letting you know Watchdog's London is inaccurate to the same degree as the OP bar the American phenomenon of trying to get money for the Chrysler building's likeness which we don't really do here.
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
I'd say no and that it doesn't matter that it isn't. The Getaway was a more accurate rendition for back then but this isn't really about a pissing contest, I was just letting you know Watchdog's London is inaccurate to the same degree as the OP bar the American phenomenon of trying to get money for the Chrysler building's likeness which we don't really do here.

Look at The Getaway. It's the same couple of buildings copy and pasted to populate these "super accurate 1:1 streets". Thank God they condensed the city in Legion because it would not be fun to drive.

Regarding Spider-Man. They did their own version of Freedom Tower, but they didn't care to put something even resembling icon like Chrysler. You know what they put in its place? A rectangular. Because they didn't care. A side note: Chrysler Building was present in the first game.

Listen, I'm just more passionate about these type of things than most here. I used to be really into urban photography, I was on SkyscraperCity Forum forum and so on. I can understand why most people don't care. I hope you can understand why some do care about this.
 
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miklonus

Member
Yeah, they should remove the Avengers tower, Oscorp buildings and all other Spider-man related landmarks for accuracy sake. Also, all the ground stores and shops should also be accurate because as Spider-man you do not swing in the air above 70% of the buildings, you're walking. Fucking lmao.
I got a funny feeling g this is one of those blindly defend Sony posts. Something tells me you wouldn't care about this otherwise. My man is from NYC and played the game. How the fuck you gonna call him a moron and tell him he ain't got the right to criticize a game that HE PLAYED. He bought the shit, h3 can do whatever the fuck he want about it.

"Moron". Fuck outta here.
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
I got a funny feeling g this is one of those blindly defend Sony posts. Something tells me you wouldn't care about this otherwise. My man is from NYC and played the game. How the fuck you gonna call him a moron and tell him he ain't got the right to criticize a game that HE PLAYED. He bought the shit, h3 can do whatever the fuck he want about it.

"Moron". Fuck outta here.

GymWolf GymWolf , I think we need your intervention here.




If you succeed I will petition to give you "Dove of Peace" tag.
 

miklonus

Member
By the way SlimySnake SlimySnake I thought of you when seeing this thread's title. Nice of you (1) to come into this thread and (2) to actually be from NYC/Queens. Funny how a smart person doesn't go ignorantly throwing around the word "moron".
 

Hugare

Member
lol, people are hating on you but I get you, OP

I visited NY last year and I was excited to "visit it" again in Spider-man 2

Unfortunately, I wasnt able to locate many places that i've been irl, like the Chelsea Market or Columbus Circle

Central park was also reaaally different from what I remember

A more faithful recreation like the Watchdogs example posted here would have been awesome

Say what you want about Ubisoft, but this is something that they are great at (probably due to a huge amount of people working on their games)
 
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Three

Member
Look at The Getaway. It's the same couple of buildings copy and pasted to populate these "super accurate 1:1 streets". Thank God they condensed the city in Legion because it would not be fun to drive.
What are you talking about? That's not what it's like.
Regarding Spider-Man. They did their own version of Freedom Tower, but they didn't even care to put something even resembling icon like Chrysler. You know what they put in its place? A rectangular. Because they didn't care. A side note: Chrysler Building was present in the first game.
"They didn't care" yet they had it in the first. They did care but the new owners of the building didn't reach an agreement with Insomniac on the copyright so they replaced it with another building not to land in legal trouble. And it was removed in Miles Morales not just 2.
Listen, I'm just more passionate about these type of things than most here. I used to be really into urban photography, I was on SkyscraperCity Forum forum and so on. I can understand why most people don't care. I hope you can understand why some do care about this.
Cool then you should be happy that there is another rendition of NYC even if it's not 100% accurate just like Watchdogs isn't a 100% accurate rendition of London but you seem pleased with. Just enjoy Spidermans photomode


 
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The Cockatrice

Gold Member
You got so offended by his post that you had to call him a moron? Really dog?

No, I didnt get offended. I found his post about the ACCURACY OF A CITY in a VIDEOGAME about a guy with superpowers swinging around a city taking down fictional characters in a FICTIONAL NYC filled with FICTIONAL buildings, moronic. Simple as that.
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
"They didn't care" yet they had it in the first. They did care but the new owners of the building didn't reach an agreement with Insomniac on the copyright so they replaced it with another building not to land in legal trouble. And it was removed in Miles Morales not just 2.

They didn't care to put anything even resembling the real thing. Read my post. I understand they don't have the license anymore. They don't have the license for Freedom Tower as well yet they designed a building that kind of looks like Freedom Tower. You look at it and you know what it's trying to imitate. There are ways to go around it but that takes effort. It's easier to place this monstrosity in its place and call it a day. All I've said is that they had Chrysler Building the first game. I didn't say when it was removed, You're looking for "gotchya" moment so hard that you're having troubles reading with understanding. Relax and take a breather.

asT5ny0.png


Cool then you should be happy that there is another rendition of NYC even if it's not 100% accurate just like Watchdogs isn't a 100% accurate rendition of London but you seem pleased with. Just enjoy Spidermans photomode

It doesn't have to be 100%, 1:1, street by street. It just must include all key landmarks and iconic architecture that makes a city what it is. Legion does it extremely well. Spider-Man 2 could do it so, so, so much better.

I honestly don't have the energy to continue this conversation, don't even bother.
 

Ogbert

Member
So in a game featuring a man that shoots webs from his wrist and climbs up buildings at the speed of sound, your problem with realism is the lack of authentically rendered takeaway joints?
 

Three

Member
They didn't care to put anything even resembling the real thing. Read my post. I understand they don't have the license anymore.
Obviously they didn't put something resembling the thing so as to not land in legal trouble by resembling the thing.
They don't have the license for Freedom Tower as well yet they designed a building that kind of looks like Freedom Tower. You look at it and you know what it's trying to imitate. There are ways to go around it but that takes effort.
A tall octagon isn't effort and the Freedom tower doesn't resemble the real thing in SM at all
Untitled-design-33.png

It's easier to place this monstrosity in its place and call it a day. All I've said is that they had Chrysler Building the first game. I didn't say when it was removed, You're looking for "gotchya" moment so hard that you're having troubles reading with understanding. Relax and take a breather.
Nobody is looking for a gotcha. That seems more like you looking for the limited landmarks that didn’t licence their image in the US as a gotchya for SM.
It doesn't have to be 100%, 1:1, street by street. It just must include all key landmarks and iconic architecture that makes a city what it is. Legion does it extremely well. Spider-Man 2 could do it so, so, so much better.
You haven't explained how it differs when I'm saying it doesn't really differ that much in terms of accuracy. Legion is missing landmarks too, some are even poorly modeled (look at Buckingham Palace) but like I said it isn't missing the main landmarks like big ben or Buckingham palace like some specific NY landmarks because we don't really treat our buildings as moneymakers for using their likeness. Besides most of our famous landmarks are more than 100 years old so they probably can't anyway.
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
A tall octagon isn't effort and the Freedom tower doesn't resemble the real thing in SM at all
Untitled-design-33.png

Ironically, this building in this area in the context of the city is exactly what I'd expect to be placed if licensing was the issue. Nobody will mistake it for anything else. It's their version of Freedom Tower. That's how every situation where licensing is a problem should be approached.

Sorry, I didn't bother to read the rest of your post, I'm sure you're making some groundbreaking points and all. I wish you a nice day!
 

jumpship

Member
BREAKING: Insomniac games environment artists responsible for Marvel's Spider-man 2 New York arrested today on suspicion of illegal plan to deceive PS5 gamers with inaccurate, fake and dishonest modelling of Manhattan and surrounding boroughs. Charges include the fraudulent portrayal of two males sticking to walls while shooting webs, a male extraterrestrial parasitic life form plus an number of other residents in the NY area with super human abilities. In a statement Insomniac games said they take this matter very seriously and will cooperate with authorities. Charges for not accurately modelling the entirety of NY plus the deliberate and dishonest use of super humans carries a maximum sentence of 19 years.

You Got It Reaction GIF by BrownSugarApp
 

Esppiral

Member
Stop complaining at least you are getting games located in your zone, meanwhile the rest of the world can only dream of a game taking place in their city
 
I like what they do in Forza Horizon. Is it accurate? No, but it captures the aesthetic and keeps traversal entertaining.
 
As a native New Yorker, no, "we" don't all find this to be a serious matter. It's a mild chuckle at the absolute most. Silly but entertaining.

Max Payne still has my favorite NYC atmosphere in gaming. Winters here can be bleak and they nailed that whole dark NY winter feeling. GTA4 is second.
 
I felt like despite the overall map being 2x as big, the Manhattan Island actually felt a bit smaller than before...or maybe I'm just tripping.

The best videogame version of NYC will always be GTAIV anyways.
It's because of how fast you can move for sure. Also Central Park is probably the strangest factor as it seems exactly the same size as the first game but with a bigger city around it.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
I haven’t played Spider-Man 2 but know what the OP is talking about, there’s a certain sense of verisimilitude that comes about in the best video game recreations. Like for my money the best NYC is in the Division even though it is quite a small part of it, I was extremely familiar with the parts it modeled and they nailed it, to a T, it was unbelievable.

But I did think the first Spider-Man at least did a good job with the city. Brooklyn is hard to nail as it’s quite a different vibe and practically a different city from Manhattan, and games that include it tend to not lavish the same levels of detail on it. GTA4 was pretty good for the time.
 

MirageMew2

Member
Actually, yeah, it’s especially egregious in the sequel. SM Remastered still has the best Manhattan and stays installed as a result.

Personally I think it’s no coincidence a lot of story missions focus on the LES/Financial District and Queens - the absence of the Chrysler is palpable swinging uptown.

“Atlantic Ave” and the Downtown Brooklyn area is such a huge disappointment with how new everything there is in real life. I wanted a jump in quality as seen in Miles’ Harlem, crazy to say two whole boroughs in SM2 feel like less of a substantial addition than Harlem in Miles Morales.

The Division 1 Lower Manhattan and even GTA IV Liberty City are far superior.
 
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Neilg

Member
Obviously they didn't put something resembling the thing so as to not land in legal trouble by resembling the thing.

A tall octagon isn't effort and the Freedom tower doesn't resemble the real thing in SM at all

Do you understand the point of making something legally distinct? Of course it doesn't resemble the real thing. If it connected in triangles with white borders then they'd get in shit for not having the license and putting something far too similar in.
 
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Three

Member
Do you understand the point of making something legally distinct? Of course it doesn't resemble the real thing. If it connected in triangles with white borders then they'd get in shit for not having the license and putting something far too similar in.
Exactly, that's my point. It looks nothing like the real thing still to avoid any legal action and it isn't "high effort" to create an octagon vs multiple rectangles to replace the other building.
 
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