Black Mantis
Member
I've liked what I've seen so far, so unless it comes in below average, it's got my money.
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Hideki Kamiya talks Scalebound - "The biggest game of my career"
- Thread starter Strootman
- Start date
I've liked what I've seen so far, so unless it comes in below average, it's got my money.
Yeah the breakdown thread did a much better job hyping me for the game honestly
Scalebound is a 2017 Xbox One exclusive** Action-RPG made by PlatinumGames, a Japanese developer famous for its action titles like Bayonetta and Vanquish, and most recently 2015s Transformers: Devastation.
The purpose of this thread is to primarily act as a hub of information for the title as the wait for its release lengthens, this way any people interested in or curious about the game can have a centralized location for updated news, and secondarily to clear any misinformation or answer any FAQs about Scalebound.
Official Website: http://www.scaleboundgame.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scalebound
I. Origins
Upon the completion of Bayonetta in 2009, Hideki Kamiya began discussing a longtime dream project of his with the team at Platinum. Growing up heavily interested in the worlds of fantasy inspired RPGs, Kamiya had always wanted to create a game where the player controlled character would fight alongside a dragon. During these early stages, the protagonist of the project was set to be a young girl, and would see the player take a more reserved role in combat. The child's frailty would make using the dragon as a conduit to defend her from the world around her the focus of the gameplay. However, the game was simply not destined for full scale development. Platinum began crafting the prototype on PC, where all their titles begin development, where they realized the ambition and the scope of the game made releasing on the current consoles not a possibility without serious compromise, a decision Platinum did not intend to make.
While Scalebound was put on the backburner, they shifted focus and began development on what would eventually become The Wonderful 101. Following that titles release in 2013, Platinum had a newfound interest in working with new partners in the industry. Its then when Atsushi Inaba, former CEO of Clover Studios and present day producer at Platinum, suggested pitching the idea to Microsoft. From their perspective, the deal was advantageous: On Microsoft's side, they would receive a AAA product from Platinum to promote their console with, meanwhile Platinum would gain experience working with a big western publisher on a AAA project, while also getting to work on a longtime passion project.
II. The World Of
Scalebounds setting is the world of Draconis, a fantasy-inspired world filled with giant monsters, knights, and floating islands. Speaking to the origins of the designs, Art Designer for the project Yeng-Kee Cho discussed there were originally several themes Draconis was experimented with, including both a more sci-fi inspired world as well as a steampunk approach. The decision to focus on a more fantasy setting arose from an iterative process the art team followed, as well as an interesting although minor clash in how to approach the aesthetics:
Governing the world of Draconis is a mysterious energy known as The Pulse, compared by the lead art designer to Star Wars The Force, in that it's a defining energy that forms the base for the entire universe. The pulse is both a literal and figurative shaper of the world of the Draconis, being responsible for some of its more exotic features like the floating masses of earth that decorate the skyline as well as bearing responsibility for the situation that finds our main character in this foreign land, although the details on why or how remain hidden.
Early concept art of the protagonist:
Speaking of the protagonist of our story, players will find themselves in control of a fashionably questionable guy named Drew. While his in-game backstory remains sparse, the character of Drew was born when Platinum desired to increase the player's sense of immersion when in the world of Draconis. Drew is from our reality, a young man thrust into a foreign and hostile world, and like many young people around Drews age he is reckless and hot headed, a result of the overestimation of his youth. This seems to be a theme looking to be explored in the final game, as the bonds that come with forging a friendship like the one featured in Scalebound certainly contrast to the described behaviour of our protagonist, but that's simply conjecture for the time being.
Partnering up with Drew will be Thuban, a majestic dragon that is the last of its kind in Draconis. Even less is known about Thubans backstory, so the origins of your compadre are still to be seen, but what is known is that the dynamic between these two characters is what forms the backbone of the game as they are linked together in quite a serious manner: If Thuban dies, so does Drew:
As Drew grows, both in terms of power and as a person, Thuban will be present and will grow alongside him. More than just a story however, the partnership between the two is represented in-game in various ways, like the banter between them as they wreak havoc on a battleground, or Drews mysterious dragon arm, which acts as an in-game health meter for Thuban.
Fun fact: Thuban, for those interested in astronomy, is a star in the constellation Draco. That stars Bayer designation? Alpha Draconis.
One of the more interesting pieces of gameplay showing the extent of Drew and Thubans relationship came from the live demonstration at the Xbox fanfest in Tokyo towards the end of 2015. During the demonstration, Hideki Kamiya (who was playing live) mistakenly caused the mantis monster from previously released gameplay demos to jump off the in-game cliff, killing itself before he could show off Drews dragon mode and Thubans ultimate attack. While figuring out the best way to show off Drews fighting abilities given the incident, Kamiya decided to make Drew attack Thuban.
And the result? Thuban wasn't happy:
The Music of Scalebound*
Much like the situation our hero finds themselves in, the music of Scalebound is an odd combination of realities, including both modern licensed music like Prodigy's Wild Frontier, and the more genre standard orchestra heavy original tunes.
Essentially, the more modern music is used during combat sequences to put both the players and Drew in the zone as people say, and the original score will be handled outside of fighting. Crafted by several esteemed composers like Christopher Lennertz, Hitomi Kurokawa and Naoto Tanaka, the score for Scalebound is being made to be as fantastical as the premise of the game. Those not interested in electronic heavy music should note the modern music will not be a one genre affair, the music will be sourced from a variety of artist (both known and unknown) in a variety of genres, and is being handled between platinum and the guys responsible for Forza Horizons music selection at Microsoft.
(OP Note: I've decided to hold off on enemies of Draconis and more world-related info until more is revealed.)
III. Combat: Deceptively Deep or Simply Shallow?
As stated above, Scalebound is an action role playing game first and foremost, so those interested in the hundred-combo action style of game PlatinumGames gained fame with will probably be served better elsewhere.
This is not to say the combat featured in Scalebound will be a simple affair, this is still Platinum we are talking about. However, what makes Scalebound so at odds with people who are fans of the extreme action genre is the very thing that makes it special in the first place; Thuban, your partner dragon. The fact is, in games like Bayonetta for example, the player is in complete control. An experienced player laughs in the face of adversity because they understand their player character is the powerful one in this world, so while there might be a difficult enemy or two, it comes down to mastering the powers of this particular person to succeed and nothing more. In Scalebound, the focus is on the synergy between two beings, rather than the mastery of one. Not only that, but Thuban is capable of acting independently of Drew, the exact opposite of that level of control you see in an extreme action game. Not only does the player have to manage the powers and equipment for Drew over a longer period of time and to a level of detail deeper than your typical action game, but there's a much larger and much stronger partner you have to build a relationship with to succeed.
Basic combat with Drew seems like familiar territory to those who have played similar genre games: You mix up between a variety of different level attacks (preferably in a row with no damage taken) with the type of attack and other factors like speed, damage, and range all based on the button pressed and the weapon equipped. So far we have seen a few of these weapons in-game, including what appears to be a greatsword, a longsword, a bow, a spear, and a usable shield:
Spear/Greatsword
Bow (With explosive tips?)
Shield
Longsword
(OP Note: From the version we have seen gameplay of, it seems weapon durability is also a thing)
There also seems to be mines of some sort that can be used against the various foes you will encounter:
Next, we have Drews Dragon Arm. I mentioned early that it serves as an in game reminder of Thubans health, but it also comes with its own nifty bag of tricks. Firstly, is a tether of sorts used to propel you towards the enemies in order the mount them. Like an odd hybrid of Just Cause and Dragons Dogma, for example:
Secondly, the arm also allows Drew to rapidly fire blue orbs out of it, damaging enemies it can hit.
(OP Note: In the Xbox Tokyo fanfest video, Kamiya has a moment where he's shooting this at Thuban while speaking to the person presenting next to him. I don't speak Japanese, but what was happening on screen seem to indicate shooting thuban with these orbs can heal him. Will need someone who can understand to confirm that though, could be nothing.)
Lastly, the Dragon Arm can overtake the rest of Drews body, granting him enhanced speed, damage, and overall abilities. This Dragon Mode is managed by a meter located under the current health bar, and only lasts a brief time (Can be upgraded to last longer, of course) during which Drew can fight on par with thuban, tackling giant monsters up close and personally:
So, outside of the player character, we have the massive dragon Thuban to assist on the battlefield. Though uncontrollable by the player directly, Thuban remains a powerhouse capable of outrageous outputs of damage. Breathing fire, crushing foes, and delivering kick ass flash kicks are just a few of the possibilities, and adding even more is the fact that Thuban is quite customizable. Change his fire breath to an icy blue shout of cold, or equip him with metal blades attached to his tail to enhance his close quarters capabilities. It also seems the player is capable of giving Thuban basic instructions in order to guide him a bit on the battlefield, such as attacking a specific enemy or base.
IV. FAQs
Can we fly the dragon?
Yes.
Whats up with people calling the protagonist dudebro?
Not really sure with this one. Id assume they are either looking for the word Edgy or don't know what dudebro means. Perhaps a combination.
On a personal note, if you do mean edgy, then yeah, I agree. Although it's not that I disagree with his personality so much, it's that his character design is not really all that interesting aesthetically. Luckily, it seems we can change clothes:
Will there be multiplayer?
Hell yeah!
Outside these few pieces of gameplay, we know almost nothing about how the multiplayer actually works. Whether it's a drop-in/drop-out style or boss only ala Dark Souls for example, remains to be seen. At this point, all we can say for certain given its recent delay to 2017 is that it exists, and will probably allow up to 4 people to play together online.
Why the headphones?
This is speculation, but the headphones could serve as a consistent reminder of Drews identity as a modern young man, and probably also serve as a somewhat reasonable explanation for the in-game music containing stuff like Prodigy on top of original orchestral pieces.
Why is this not an extreme action game?
One might argue that due to the nature of sales when it comes to previous titles in their resume (regardless of quality) that the decision to make Scalebounds moment to moment gameplay more simplified compared to titles like Bayonetta is a business oriented choice to make Scalebound appeal to a wider audience. Whether that sits well with you or not is personal, but I believe that that's a choice the developers are allowed to make. Scalebound has never been marketed as an extreme action game, and should not be judged based on the standards of another genre. Id even argue that recently, Platinum is seeking to broaden its portfolio as to not pigeonhole themselves into being considered a strictly one (sub)genre kind of developer. Again however, this is pure speculation.
What is an extreme action game?
What most mistakenly call a character action game.
But that's a topic for another day.
Edit: Update 01/24/2016
*Added new information "The Music of Scalebound" into the "World of" section
*Various grammar fixes
Edit: Update 3/04/2016
**A recent thread on Gaf has suggested the game will be coming to W10, which isn't particularly surprising given the recent developments of over at MS. Personally, i like this idea. Expanded community is what im all about, so being able to link up with some of you PC players out there is nothing but a positive.
Thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1193453
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
The biggest problem with scalebound is it is neither Western enough (dragon, boss weapon and armour design is far more Japanese) nor Japanese enough (reduced complexity in mechanics, a more douche protag than DmC Dante, CO op focus).
In trying to cater to both markets, it will fail to capture either.
And you are basing that off of two demos? Sheesh. Well, it is your opinion. #shrug
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
If it sells a least a million it will be only due to the fact that Microsoft is willing to Market it.
Even still, I don't see any scenario where this game is a bigger success than quantum break. Even that's optimistic.
It is not 10 hours long, and it has multiplayer. These facts alone will make the game sells better than quantum break.
PanicFreak
Member
Tell me more. How did you like the main campaign? Are there any interesting side quests or is it just a check the box thing?
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
Tell me what game, never mind a Japanese game from a niche developer like Platinum that had such a tepid responce from its first two demos (and reveal trailer) and then went to be a critical and commerical success?
I know its in your blood to defend anything Xbox branded, but after nearly 2 decades of Kamiya titles, I think it becomes obvious what amount of commerical appeal they have
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
You are being sarcastic but don't be surprised if scalebound shared alot of ideas with his previous titles.
At the very least there will be at least one shitty ass mini game that outstays it's welcome.
PanicFreak
Member
OK. Well, thanks for your thoughts. I will be waiting for reviews before making up my mind on this title.
Doug Heffernan
Member
I wish they would have showed some of the open world exploration instead of that really awful boss fight.
It's likely they'll put it on Steam.
If Rise of the Tomb Raider sales have shown us anything, barely anyone uses the Windows Store for PC Games.
#rollseyes Grow up and keep your fanboy noise somewhere else please. We can have a conversation without stupid comments like those. Thanks.
Nope, can't tell you any game off the top of my head. I was just in disagreement that based off of two gameplay videos that it won't capture either audience. I don't think the game will be for everyone (as is every game) but I think waiting to see more footage before a game that isn't coming out until sometime next year before writing it off is more reasonable than straight up saying it will fail. But that's my opinion.
When it comes to Platinum, I'm much more excited for Nier. But Kamiya games are usually great so I won't properly write this game off until the mediocre reviews roll in
Well, I did my part for Japanese devs on 360
By which I mean, I own Blue Dragon.
Well, I did my part for Japanese devs on 360
By which I mean, I own Blue Dragon.
Wolfenstein.
How is this intrinsically not Japanese? Also I seriously can't take the douche thing seriously from you people anymore.
chromatic9
Member
Let's hope it's not Salebound
This constant regurgitation of "it's also an RPG it's not just about fast paced action!" is getting dull. It's not a valid counterpoint to mediocre action combat when they haven't shown us anything that should make us think the RPG stuff is supposed to be phenomenal and so great that it makes up for boring combat. I said it in the DF thread but if Platinum can't get the part they're supposed to be good at right, how are they going to get the part they're new to even better?
Also, it's nowhere near the biggest boss that Kamiya has made. The final bosses of both Bayonetta and W101 are larger (and more fun looking) than what the E3 demo showed.
Also, it's nowhere near the biggest boss that Kamiya has made. The final bosses of both Bayonetta and W101 are larger (and more fun looking) than what the E3 demo showed.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
Fair enough.
Well, I hope scalebound is a success, for Platinums sake. long as they keep making games like Transformers and Nier, they can push out as many TMNTs and Scalebound as they want.
RiccochetJ
Gold Member
Definitely looks ambitious. Problem is that none of the demos I've seen so far have made it a must buy title for me.
Well, they still have time and a lot could change. I honestly do want it to be good. There's things that I see in those demos that look like they could be absolutely epic.
Well, they still have time and a lot could change. I honestly do want it to be good. There's things that I see in those demos that look like they could be absolutely epic.
Samurai G0SU
Member
Tell us more. tell usssssss
Hope everything will turn alright for Kamiya, I read somewhere he even slept in his office to make The Wonderful 101.
EDIT : The Wonderful 101 game director slept at the office for a large chunk of its development
EDIT : The Wonderful 101 game director slept at the office for a large chunk of its development
So you already think it will be a turd meanwhile Nier 2 will be goat...k
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
A game that is designed to be played entirely co-op limits game design, both in the size of level/environments and enemy design, (enemies are generally slower, are normally more grindy solo, have less attack patterns).
Japanese RPG games have traditionally focused on the single player experience. A fully co-op RPG is still relatively new territory.
GarciaHotspur
Member
I'm afraid it will also be the worst...
Where'd you get that info? I thought it was further along since it was said that you don't get Dragon Riding off the bat. #shrug
Kamiya would like your consent before you discuss his sleeping patterns
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
No. I think Nier 2 is going to be just as Niche as the original. It is however, looking like a far more promising game for fans of platinum games.
I also think a lot less is riding on Nier than scalebound.
No fucking chance. Looking at some of the other exclusives on xbox that align far better with the xbox crowd like dead rising, sunset overdrive and wuantum break, they cant expect to sell more then 500-600k tops.
Actually I'd bet on Nier outselling Scalebound. Nier at least appeals to a specific and fairly loyal audience. Scalebound feels like it'll appeal to no one.
silver.tongue
Member
The E3 footage was awful.