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[Dyno]

Actually, I'd easily argue that the lead in Uncharted is much more akin to Indy than Lara is. Indy is not some infallible, acrobatic, pompous high class action hero like Lara is - he's in fact quite clumsy and wins only through perseverance, wits and comical incidents/chance. Which is exactly what they are going for with Drake in Uncharted.

I agree and would add that Indiana Jone's - above all - possesses the near-superhuman ability to take a beating.

In that respect he is a perfect video game hero.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Isn't Amy Hennig writing Uncharted's story? If so, no one should be worrying about that aspect of the game.

 

[Vashu]

Nah, Amy's the lead-director on this one. She did however write the stories for Soul Reaver, but most of you already know that. She's working with a team of writers now, so I'm sure we can count on a good story. Most likely because the team she works with has some experience too in this field.

Writing for a game is completely different than writing for a movie, mostly because you have to take in the gameplay aspect. That's why I liked Heavenly Swords' cheesy and over the top acting and storytelling. It complemented the over the top gameplay and it suited the game well.

Seeing the Jak games, and the direction they are taking Uncharted in, I'm positively interested in how they managed to do the story.

 

[JCtheMC]

I can understand you don't like the art direction, but come on, this is Naughty Dog we're talking about. I'm sure the game has a worthwile story, couldn't be more worse than Halo 3's (which is kinda generic to my taste, but it's still a good experience). We hardly know anything about the story, other than Nathan Drake trying to track down his great-great-great-great-great-great and then some grandfather's lost treasure.

Like any other game developed by a respectable house, i'd be stupid to not play it when it comes out. Preview shots and internetbuzz can never completely convey the Awesome of a videogame. I just don't have as much fate in Uncharted being a truly immersive nextgen game, as opposed to certain others who have already proven themselves (Bioshock) or just seem generally more attractive to me personally (AC).

If Naughty Dog can prove me wrong, there's definitely no love lost.

 

[Vashu]

Like any other game developed by a respectable house, i'd be stupid to not play it when it comes out. Preview shots and internetbuzz can never completely convey the Awesome of a videogame. I just don't have much fate in Uncharted being a truly immersive nextgen game, as opposed to certain others who have already proven themselves (Bioshock) or just seem generally more attractive to me personally (AC).

But, Bioshock had to prove itself too to be honest. I mean, we knew it was coming and that it was something in the vein of System Shock, but that was all we knew. Bioshock turned out fine, and I'm sure that Uncharted can compel the Indy/Jak/Ratchet/Lara crowds.

To you, it might not be interesting, which is of course your every right. But I think Uncharted could be a very immersing game. I played the heck out of the older build a few weeks ago, and you could tell that the game wasn't even polished by then. I'd say it's immersive enough.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Here's an interview Amy did about Uncharted's story.

1. As far as the narrative that holds Uncharted together, did you guys have a story in place and then built a game around it? Or did you have a game in place, and then built a story around it?

The story and the game design were pretty much built up in parallel. We started out with a high concept – we wanted to use the power of the PLAYSTATION®3 hardware to really capture the look and feel of a classic pulp adventure, re-envisioned with a contemporary hero.

So first off we really studied the genre – everything from the old pulp magazines and adventure serials of the ‘30s, to more recent retro-style action/adventure movies like the Indiana Jones series, and contemporary historical-mystery thrillers like National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code.

When you look at all these sources, certain conventions crop up again and again – from narrative themes and motifs (cliffhangers; fallible heroes; out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire events; companions in peril; skin-of-your-teeth escapes), down to specific styles of gunplay and hand-to-hand fighting. Embracing all these conventions not only gave us a backbone for our story development, but a set of principles to structure the gameplay around.

http://www.us.playstation.com/News/Editorials/75

 

[Tieno]

I just saw that making of and the most interesting part is that they're using the same method for capturing and recording actor's performances as they did with Heavenly Sword (ie motion capture and actors actually acting of one another). This should give the cutscenes a more natural flow.

 

[RavenFox]

Is it possible for Uncharted to make us feel as if we're trying to find this lost treasure/family history? Will we feel threatened by pirates, animals, and curses placed on tombs and treasures we cross? What would it take for this game to suck you in?

I'm just wondering, I seen some good things about this game, and I hear Naughty Dog is making it. Maybe they can pull the adventure thing off, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Crash Team Racing wasn't much of an adventure. It did have a voo doo mask curse though.

Jesus with these threads. FAIL FAIL FAIL. Do you think I'm weary of you?

 

[Vashu]

I just saw that making of and the most interesting part is that they're using the same method for capturing and recording actor's performances as they did with Heavenly Sword (ie motion capture and actors actually acting of one another). This should give the cutscenes a more natural flow.

Good stuff! This is what happens when you have studios sharing their tech and knowledge. I take it they did to be honest.

 

[EdgeTurn]

Good stuff! This is what happens when you have studios sharing their tech and knowledge. I take it they did to be honest.

I don't think he meant that anyone was sharing tech between the two studios, only that they were both using similar well-known techniques used by movie studios for motion capture.

 

[Vashu]

I don't think he meant that anyone was sharing tech between the two studios, only that they were both using similar well-known techniques used by movie studios for motion capture.

Alright, then they didn't. Still, good stuff.

 

[DCharlie]

I wonder what that would be like...

my mother spec`ed a game when i was a kid - came up with a space panic style game involving lifting floorboards to trap enemies underneath. true story.

 

[Haunted]

I hope you're happy now, sp0rsk *shakes fist*

 

[Lord Error]

I just saw that making of and the most interesting part is that they're using the same method for capturing and recording actor's performances as they did with Heavenly Sword (ie motion capture and actors actually acting of one another). This should give the cutscenes a more natural flow.

They are not using the same thing though. Preformance capture used in HS was recording actors' facial movements as well. In Uncharted, they seem to be doing manual facial animation. Actors on the set didn't have tons of those tiny balls stapled all over their faces.

 

[JCtheMC]

I'm sure that Uncharted can compel the Indy/Jak/Ratchet/Lara crowds.

I prefer my action adventures to be just a tad more mature than that. Although i enjoy the Francis Drake reference, it's hella cheesy.

 

[SolidSnakex]

They are not using the same thing though. Preformance capture used in HS was recording actors' facial movements as well. In Uncharted, they seem to be doing manual facial animation. Actors on the set didn't have tons of those tiny balls stapled all over their faces.

Another game using performance capture is that new SW game...And it looks horrible (the facial animation).

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Yes I think Uncharted will do a fantastic job immersing the player.
This would not be a post if you had been following the much larger Uncharted thread.
Do yourself a favor and go educate yourself over there.

 

[Azure Dream]

Actually, I'd easily argue that the lead in Uncharted is much more akin to Indy than Lara is. Indy is not some infallible, acrobatic, pompous high class action hero like Lara is - he's in fact quite clumsy and wins only through perseverance, wits and comical incidents/chance. Which is exactly what they are going for with Drake in Uncharted.

You're right, I probably didn't phrase that well. Still, it seems too reliant on the guns, at least from what I've seen at this point. Indy pulled out his gun when it mattered, but most of the demo playthroughs I've seen have Drake switch to shooting the moment they spot someone ahead. Still, maybe it fits the theme of the game as a whole, I think I was wrong in what I thought it was trying to do.

 

[Lord Error]

Another game using performance capture is that new SW game...And it looks horrible (the facial animation).

That's probably because they made sure to manually tweak all the animations until they looked right.

I'm dead serious when I say HS is the best and most meaningful showcase of that tech I've seen yet. Polar Express movie, and even this new Beowulf movie both just look too weird too often, to the point that I can't understand why they just didn't do them with green screens with real actors (like Sin City). In HS use of the tech made sense (to keep characters look the same as during gameplay) and the animation fit perfectly in.

 

[watership]

Is it possible for Uncharted to make us feel as if we're trying to find this lost treasure/family history? Will we feel threatened by pirates, animals, and curses placed on tombs and treasures we cross? What would it take for this game to suck you in?

I'm just wondering, I seen some good things about this game, and I hear Naughty Dog is making it. Maybe they can pull the adventure thing off, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Crash Team Racing wasn't much of an adventure. It did have a voo doo mask curse though.

I hope it looks good, and stuff blows up.

 

[Infernodash]

I think it will succeed greatly. The problem will be people that have extremely high expectations. Uncharted has started to gather a ton of steam these last few months and because of this even if Uncharted was to get an 8.5 across the boards it will not be good enough.... As some gaffer said before... "it isn't halo 3."