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[jedimike]

First off, my exposure to Shadowrun is very limited. I love the characters, artwork, settings, and technology stuff, but I don't remember playing the SNES or Genny games... I never played the Pen&Paper RPG, or the card game, or the board game...

However, I was one of the people who was pleading for a straight out RPG, or at the very least an Action RPG a la Deus Ex... and I was one of the ones who bitched about the direction of the game after E3.

Then I came across this interview with FASA Studio head Mitch Gitelman. This guy was VERY passionate, open, and honest about the game. Anyone who loves (or hates) Shadowrun should really take a listen to this.

After hearing impressions of the game from a couple various sources and the interview above, I'm beginning to really dig on the fact that this could be a really great game. It is definitely not what I initially envisioned, but it has the potential to be one of the best team FPS's created since CS and hopefully this will lead to more games created in the Shadowrun Universe.

Anyone else feel differently about Shadowrun now versus E3?

edit: I should have mentioned that the interview starts at the 11:00 mark. I've listened to a lot of podcasts and this is one of the top interviews I've ever heard.

edit: added some hands-on impressions from TXB.

 

[Mejilan]

I just finished playing a portable version of Shadowrun SNES (maxed out Armitage for the first time ever!)

Armitage, Dog Spirit, Drake, Akima & Co. collectively say, "**** you, FASA!"

 

[trancejeremy]

No. I think a team FPS for Shadowrun will work pretty well, but it's just not something I would ever buy, since I have little interest in FPSs and zero interest in team FPSes (since I don't have broadband)

 

[PhatSaqs]

I hated it and bashhed it because the game isnt close to an RPG but after listening to the OXM podcast I guess I got a change of heart.

The gameplay sounds stellar and i'm looking forward to playing it. Hopefully they release a demo which is the ONLY way most peeps will give the game a chance at all.

 

[IJoel]

No. I want a true single player mode.

 

[White Man]

I think it has the potential to be a decent FPS, but a Shadowrun game it ain't.

 

[ronito]

Nope. Don't feel any differently now. My anger is unquenchable.

 

[KiNeSiS]

I was/am a big fan of the two console games for there respective systems.
Like everyone else I was dissapointed but when I think about it, I am gonna give this game an open mind.
In essence good sales can make them decide on an rpg, and if an oblivion inspired shadow run rpg with this engine is birthed sounds phenomenal to me!!!

 

[Azih]

Good sales

Spoiler

lol

will mean more crappy Shadowrun team online only fps games in the future. Bad sales will mean the Shadowrun franchise gets sunk for at least another decade in videogame terms.

Seriously FASA, In certain older civilised cultures men threw themselves on their swords when they failed as entirely as you already have. And you haven't even RELEASED ANYTHING yet. God.

 

[Mejilan]

Seriously FASA, In certain older civilised cultures men threw themselves on
their swords when they failed as entirely as you have.

:lol

 

[flarkminator]

No, I will never forgive them.

 

[Barnolde]

360 has enough shitty shooters, this one isn't even worth a rental.

 

[Sinatar]

No, I will never forgive them.

Ahahah awesome picture. As for my opinion, it hasn't changed as nothing about the game has changed, they've done nothing to address the concerns of the community so **** em.

 

[tHa_vIlLaMaN]

I never played a Shodowrun game, so there's no opinion to change

 

[Joe Molotov]

I will hate them forever. FOR-EV-ER.

 

[pr0cs]

Never played any other Shadowrun so the direction this game is going is irrelevant to me.
Everything I've seen looks pretty interesting so I'm still interested in the game.

 

[Azih]

Alright, I'm listening to the podcast, the first 2/3rd of this is stupid fluff. Now we're getting into the meat of actual questions.

So first this dude says that nobody gets pissed off at Shadowrun collectible card games or board games. Yes well nobody waited TEN YEARS for those, and failing/not failing at those ventures has minimal impact to anything else. Failing at THIS means that we have to wait at least 10 more years for the next video game because uh, I don't know if you know this mr FASA developer man but videogames are a LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE TO MAKE THAN COLLECTIBLE CARD GAMES.

For a lot of people <pen and paper role playing games> comes down to the tactical combat. Yeah so it would be nice if the TACTICAL COMBAT in your videogame RESEMBLED shadowrun combat in any way shape or form. Here's a hint. It doesn't.

"We had action developers" So don't make a Shadowrun game, your expertise are completely unsuited to Shadowrun games.

Funny how their little inital roundtable to find out everything *important* about Shadowrun didn't come up with any.. y'know SHADOWRUNNERS.

Edit: And the damn 'converts' he was talking about were MICROSOFT EMPLOYEES!

 

[RyuHayate]

I can't say I've had any previous experience with previous Shadowrun titles considering I've never played them. However, I appreciate the fact that FASA is atleast attempting to innovate in the heavily crowded genre in multiple ways with this game.

 

[Cheerilee]

I initially didn't think that an FPS was a suitable match for the Shadowrun franchise, but every now and then I start to think that maybe it could work (in the right hands), or that maybe I'm being too hard on people, or maybe I just get bored and stop giving a crap... and then someone from FASA Studios opens their mouth and makes me hate them all over again, as it was when I listened to this podcast the other day.

I've occasionally been somewhat hopeful that the SNES/Genny/SegaCD games could appear on Live Arcade/Virtual Console/DS/PSP, perhaps followed by some new low-budget 2D entries into the series with some real heart, but then it's occured to me that these guys own Shadowrun and would have to greenlight every detail of the games. I'm afraid of the kind of RPG these guys keep saying they'd want to give us.

Shadowrun is dead to me. Seeing the SNES game on the DS (through legitimate means) is probably too much to hope for.

 

[flarkminator]

I had started to convert, until I read a pitch that MS recieved for a Shadowrun MMO, and it was beautifull. Absolutly everything you could have possibly wanted in a Shadowrun game...and...and they went with this ****ing god awful abortion of a game.

I...ugh...*walks out shaking head*

 

[RyuHayate]

I had started to convert, until I read a pitch that MS recieved for a Shadowrun MMO, and it was beautifull. Absolutly everything you could have possibly wanted in a Shadowrun game...and...and they went with this ****ing god awful abortion of a game.

I...ugh...*walks out shaking head*

Really? If you can, could you please provide the link to view the pitch?

 

[jedimike]

Well I love Counter-Strike and spent countless hours on the game... TeleGliding and the Tree of Life sounds pretty ****ing awesome. I also like the idea of gifting or loaning money. I can see how non-FPS players would still be pissed though.... but as a Counter-Strike fan and only having limited exposure to Shadowrun, I'm actually pretty excited.

 

[flarkminator]

Really? If you can, could you please provide the link to view the pitch?

It's my boss, so not really heh.

 

[FoneBone]

Since I'm not a hardcore fan, I can't say I give a shit about the exact combat system, or whether or not it ****s around with established continuity. What I do think is that the uniqueness of the fantasy/cyberpunk setting is wasted on a genre like this -- better something (anything) that could actually have a story-based focus.

 

[Mejilan]

What I do think is that the uniqueness of the fantasy/cyberpunk setting is wasted on a genre like this -- better something (anything) that could actually have a story-based focus.

That...

And that it ****s with our childhood memories of awesome Shadowrun games. :/

 

[RyuHayate]

It's my boss, so not really heh.

Oh, sorry. I wasn't aware of that :lol

 

[jedimike]

That...

And that it ****s with our childhood memories of awesome Shadowrun games. :/

Did you listen to the interview? It's funny because he actually mentions people hating him because he is wrecking their childhood...

 

[AlanHemberger]

I think it has the potential to be a decent FPS, but a Shadowrun game it ain't.

My thoughts exactly. If it wasn't labelled Shadowrun, I'd have no qualms.

 

[Mejilan]

Did you listen to the interview? It's funny because he actually mentions people hating him because he is wrecking their childhood...

I don't hate him. I just FASA realizes how much they're full of shit, snap out of it sometime in the next decade, and give us what we really want.

 

[aku:jiki]

Where were all the nostalgic whiners during the 10+ years between the past console games and now? I sure as hell hope you were out supporting FASA and Shadowrun by buying tons of their products, because you don't have a right to bitch if you didn't.

If all of these supposed "hardcore fans" that have flooded videogame forums since this game was revealed had actually supported the IP for all those years, maybe it would've been more valuable and the thought of trying to expand its worth by approaching the subject matter from a different angle wouldn't have come up.

Wait, I forgot that logic isn't welcome here. Sorry.

 

[Mejilan]

FASA would have made it much easier to support the IP by releasing proper sequels to the videogames we fondly remember. Contrary to your opinion, seemingly, not all gamers play PnP products or horde ****ing collectible cards.

Oh right, they didn't bother to make any games for the past 10 years. And when they finally snap out of it, they give us a ****ing team-FPS without even a real story mode.

 

[jedimike]

I don't hate him. I just FASA realizes how much they're full of shit, snap out of it sometime in the next decade, and give us what we really want.

Honestly, I'm not sure they can do it. I sense a lot of hesitation from this guy about making an RPG. He said several times that FASA is a developer for action games. In that sense, I give him benefit of the doubt. It's not like FASA actively went out to get the Shadowrun license... they have it and can't do anything with it but develop a "shooting" game.

After Fable 2, I'd like to see Lionhead get a shot at the license. I'm confident that we will see a true Shadowrun RPG... and I'm actually kind of glad that FASA realizes their strengths and is making a game that favors their style.

 

[Mejilan]

Not like the (completely different) SNES and Genny incarnations of Shadowrun didn't feature some action gameplay to go along with the RPG goodness.

It's just that what they're doing now is such a 180 from what us fans knew and loved... And really, it's not like the MS console is lacking in FPS titles... :/

 

[aku:jiki]

FASA would have made it much easier to support the IP by releasing proper sequels to the videogames we fondly remember. Contrary to your opinion, seemingly, not all gamers play PnP products or horde ****ing collectible cards.

But this is a PnP IP. They had no obligation, and obviously no economic reasons, to make another videogame for you. If you love the IP so much, you could've found something else to love about it. You know there are like books, comics, everything based on Shadowrun, right?

You were just being lazy and you're not actually a fan at all. You're just being nostalgic, and that doesn't help anyone anywhere. Ever.

 

[Mejilan]

But this is a PnP IP. They had no obligation, and obviously no economic reasons, to make another videogame for you. If you love the IP so much, you could've found something else to love about it. You know there are like books, comics, everything based on Shadowrun, right?

You were just being lazy and you're not actually a fan at all. You're just being nostalgic, and that doesn't help anyone anywhere. Ever.

What the hell do you know about me? I grew out of the PnP phase ages ago. AD&D 2nd Gen to be specific. And I outgrew PnP licenses novellas in like the 2nd grade. With Dragonlance, IIRC. And my brother was the comic afficcionado, not I.

I, on the other hand, have always loved (and still do), most of the Shadowrun and AD&D/D&D computer and videogames. THOSE are what I'm a fan of.

Sure, FASA never had to go ahead and produce another Shadowrun game again. Neither did they have to go ahead and make a potential pap-smear of an FPS, either.

 

[jedimike]

Not like the (completely different) SNES and Genny incarnations of Shadowrun didn't feature some action gameplay to go along with the RPG goodness.

It's just that what they're doing now is such a 180 from what us fans knew and loved... And really, it's not like the MS console is lacking in FPS titles... :/

Yah, but who does MS have in their stables to develop a true RPG? Rare, Bungie, Ensemble? Lionhead has Fable 2 and their close friends at BioWare are doing Mass Effect. Trusting FASA to do a modern day Action/RPG may not have had the best results.

And I'd rather see FASA doing Shadowrun than assisting with another Mech Assault. Then again a new Crimson Skies would have been the best.

 

[aku:jiki]

What the hell do you know about me?

I know from your posts that you ignored an IP you call yourself a "fan" of. It makes me question if you even know what fandom is.

THOSE are what I'm a fan of.

So what? That was over 10 years ago. This is in no way, shape or form intended to be a sequel to those games. Nobody has said anything of the sort. You just assumed that, and you were wrong in doing so because Shadowrun is not a videogame IP. It's just not. So stop viewing it as one -- your opinion on this matter is highly irrelevant. It can't change facts.

 

[Mejilan]

*shrugs*

Who says it has to be in-house? My limited research suggests that the Genny and SNES incarnations of Shadowrun were developed by (or in conjunction with) Blue Sky Software and Beam Entertainment respectively.

Hell, if Bethesda can get the Fallout IP, why not see an exclusive X360 (possibly PC) FASA/Bethsoft colloboration funded by MS? Or FASA/Bioware?

Edit - Stop acting like an ass aku. Like I said. I'm a huge fan of FASA's prior Shadowrun games. I couldn't give two shits about Shadowrun comics, obsolete PNP games, or shitty genre novellas, because I'm not a fan of comics, obsolete PNP games, or shitty genre novellas! This thread is to discuss Shadowrun the game, not the Shadowrun comic, Shadowrun PNP ruleset, or Shadowrun flavored genre books!

This X360 abomination is a slap on the face, to the old video games AND to the IP. It's such a complete WASTE of said IP.

 

[RyuHayate]

Then again a new Crimson Skies would have been the best.

Man, word. Big time.

 

[Cheerilee]

Did you listen to the interview? It's funny because he actually mentions people hating him because he is wrecking their childhood...

Something to the effect of...

"Daddy? Why do people hate you?" "Because I killed their inner 12-year-olds."

Who does he think he's selling the game to? The inner 12-year-olds of people who don't know or give a crap about FASA or Shadowrun? Actually, to hear him talk, that's exactly who he thinks will buy the game. FPS's all-combined have apparently sold more videogames than the Shadowrun licence. How stunning. I'd have never guessed it. I wonder if RPGs have sold more videogames than the Shadowrun licence? That'd be funny.

My thoughts exactly. If it wasn't labelled Shadowrun, I'd have no qualms.

Another misquote coming...

People say we just slapped the Shadowrun name onto an FPS. That's absolutely positively untrue. We decided to make a new Shadowrun game. Then we noticed that we have no idea how to do that. So we took this existing FPS game engine that we had lying around, and we slapped the Shadowrun name onto it. You see, that's completely different.

Where were all the nostalgic whiners during the 10+ years between the past console games and now? I sure as hell hope you were out supporting FASA and Shadowrun by buying tons of their products, because you don't have a right to bitch if you didn't.

My brother bought the paperback novels. I concentrated my efforts on the Battletech series. I imagine that 99% of the people on the Shadowrun forums (probably the biggest source of Shadowruin hatred) did a lot more than that. But even if we didn't, I fail to see your point. I was waiting for a new game to arrive (it didn't even have to be great). Now FASA has shown me that I don't need to bother waiting anymore. It's not coming.

It's not like FASA actively went out to get the Shadowrun license... they have it and can't do anything with it but develop a "shooting" game.

They could've offered it to someone who was capable of doing something more with it than a company designed merely to cash in on the popularity of Activision's Mechwarrior 2.

Not like the (completely different) SNES and Genny incarnations of Shadowrun didn't feature some action gameplay to go along with the RPG goodness.

Another chance for a hilarious misquote!

Sure, Shadowrun had you going on Shadowruns and stuff like that, but all we're saying is that none of that mattered, that all Shadowrun was about was getting a gun in your hand and letting you think that you were shooting people in a desperate effort to survive. Why do people seem to have a problem with us saying things like that?

 

[element]

I had started to convert, until I read a pitch that MS recieved for a Shadowrun MMO, and it was beautifull. Absolutly everything you could have possibly wanted in a Shadowrun game...and...and they went with this ****ing god awful abortion of a game.

I...ugh...*walks out shaking head*

A recent pitch or was this Shadowrun Assasins from 6 or 7 years ago?
The original single player pitch for the recent Shadowrun would have been more along the lines of what people wanted, but they went in a different direction.

They could've offered it to someone who was capable of doing something more with it than a company designed merely to cash in on the popularity of Activision's Mechwarrior 2.

About 4 or 5 years ago MS thought about bringing back Shadowrun and they had various companies pitch there ideas. Some really cool things came up and some really good companies threw there hat into the mix, but nothing materalized from those.

 

[SamBishop]

That was fairly interesting, actually. Didn't really sway me too much since I, like a lot of folks here, was really only interested in getting a next-gen cyberpunk world that I could explore and really immerse myself in with characters and settings that were built for atmosphere and I just don't see that happening with a FPS. Maybe my impressions will change when I play the game, but I don't see that happening.

On a side note, I don't listen to many podcasts, and the few that I've heard from Ziff must've spoiled me because Jeezus ****, they need to scrub that audio a little. The amount of heavy breathing and popped Ps is out of control, and there were times where Mitch's audio was so faint I could hardly hear him. Are most podcasts this bad? I would have figured something by the OXM guys would have sounded a little more polished.

 

[jedimike]

Shadowrun hands-on from TXB...

http://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1461/Shadowrun/p1/

This is quickly moving to the top of my list of most anticipated games. As you can see, there's been a huge visual upgrade.

Some interesting tidbits about the difference between PC and 360 versions...

To get a feel for what Xbox Live Anywhere holds for the unified gaming environment we tried Shadowrun out using both the Xbox 360 controller as well as the PC mouse and keyboard controls. Both felt very well balanced and while there are still obvious advantages and disadvantages to each setup, the overall playing field is relatively level. For instances where we were using the sniper rifle, the mouse did feel a bit more precisely controlled, but the controller allowed for more fluid movements like circle-strafing in close quarters. Navigating through the sub-menus seemed a bit easier on the Xbox 360 as you didn’t need to take your fingers off of other controls as you do on the keyboard setup. Perhaps I am a bit biased towards the console controls since I’m much more used to the controller, but I really felt as though both control schemes came out fairly equal in the end. It seems as though the deciding factor will really be whichever platform a player is more comfortable with rather than thinking that one setup over the other will be more advantageous than the other. In fact, while playing, we were unable to tell which players were using one or the other and we were told by the testers they got the same impressions as well.


As far as the game’s performance on each platform, both the PC and the Xbox 360 versions are identical. Visually, each version is indistinguishable from the other and while the PC version will allow players to disable some of the advanced graphic settings, there won’t be anything they can ramp up that the Xbox 360 isn’t capable of doing as well. Another interesting note is that the Xbox Live Achievements will be included in the PC version as well as the Xbox 360 version. This makes sense as players on the PC can tie their system to an Xbox Live Gamertag if they happen to have one. Voice communication will also work across the board thanks to voice over IP support within Xbox Live Anywhere. This means that players on the PC will be able to vocally interact with Xbox 360 players as seamlessly as they could with other Xbox 360 players. Another concern of PC players was in regards to the number of PC users still using the 4:3 aspect ration monitors in relation to the native 16:9 Xbox 360. Simple, anyone with a 4:3 monitor will utilize widescreen bars so the 16:9 image can be displayed. The bottom line is that thanks to Xbox Live Anywhere, the only real way to notice who’s playing on which platform is to take a look at their statistics in the lobby which will note whether they are playing on a PC or the Xbox 360. Other than that it truly will be a uniform playing field.

 

[distantmantra]

A true Shadowrun RPG would have convinced me to buy a 360, but this walking abortion of a title/sad attempt to make cash does not.

 

[TheDuce22]

360 has plenty of RPGs on the way so that part of it doesnt bother me. Its a tough sell without a real single player mode but games like Battlefield 2 and Chromehounds pulled it off.

 

[border]

As you can see, there's been a huge visual upgrade.

There has?

 

[MightyHedgehog]

My hate, fueled by extreme disappointment, has subsided...now, it's just bubbling under the surface resulting in a look that crosses two-day constipation and vacant-eyed insanity. I'm officially on the fence.

P.S. I still think that this game IS A COLLOSAL FCUKING MISTAKE.

 

[Coop]

It might have improved from E3, but it still doesnt look good

 

[IJoel]

Nope. No single player, no sale.

 

[Pseudo judo]

It looks decent enough and I like how the rpg elements diversify the gameplay. I never played Shadow run on SNES so I'm not blinded by a love for the particular style of gameplay the IP was spawned from. I also enjoy competitive gameplay over live, so I'm most certainly interested in this game.

As others have mentioned, in the next year the 360 will hardly be lacking in RPG's and I'm sure a more traditional Shadowrun game will be coming to appease the current haters. It's almost certainly a buy if it's as good as it sounds. The folks refusing to give it a real look or a chance simply because it doesn't adhere to their version of what a Shadowrun game should be remind me of the Japanese gamers who won't even consider 360 games because of the platform it's on, their emotions clouding logic and common sence like a bunch of whining women.