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[VGA] The Outer Worlds

Teslerum

Member
https://www.pcgamer.com/obsidians-t...nd-fallout-into-a-bold-open-ended-sci-fi-rpg/

"You were part of a ship that got lost," Boyarsky says. "You've been frozen for 70 years. If you're frozen for more than 10 years, it's a really bad thing. This guy figured out a way to save you, and he needs you to help him get more chemicals to help save the rest of the colonists. But you don't have to help him do that. You can go to the 'evil board,' the Halcyon corporate board, and turn this guy in and see what happens if you do that."
"You get a lot of money," Cain adds.
One of the two main planets has been terraformed and is kinder to human life, while the other hasn't, making it home to more (and more dangerous) alien predators. Your ship will serve as a home base for you and your companions, much like Mass Effect's Normandy. You'll be able to chat with them and pick up companion quests, as they all have their own reasons for tagging along with you.
In an hour demo of The Outer Worlds, I watched them head to a small frontier town to respond to a distress call, then take a mission from a scientist to retrieve his previous research into hunger-suppressing toothpaste. Like everyone else in Outer Worlds, he works for a corporation: Everything is branded, and the megacorporation that sells you lunch is likely also manufacturing weapons or drugs.
Here are some other things I learned about The Outer Worlds:
  • It's out in 2019
  • It's an Unreal Engine 4 game
  • Your protagonist isn't voiced
  • There's a special class of "science weapons" that will have special, ridiculous effects, like a shrink ray
  • There's a full character creator even though it's first-person only (you'll see your character in the inventory, and if you leave the game idling long)
  • Your companions don't have separate inventories. Taking companions with you just gives you more inventory space to work with yourself
  • If companions really dislike the decisions you make, they'll leave and go back to the ship. You can persuade them to see things your way
  • No romancing companions. They considered it, but decided against it.
  • Companions each have a special attack (one named Felix does a double drop kick) but you can also equip them with whatever weapons you want
  • Hacking and lockpicking don't have minigames, and are simply based on your attributes
  • There are six skills (strength, intelligence etc.) and for every 20 points you put into one (up until 100) you'll gain a new perk
  • As in the creators' past games, you can play as a "dumb" character with stupid dialogue options. Your companions react appropriately.
  • They're still not sure if it will be possible to play through the game completely pacifist (but you'll almost definitely have to at least kill some robots)
  • Robots aren't sentient, but your ship's AI seems to have a strange degree of personality
  • Tim Cain wants you to know there are a lot of drugs, but he's not going to pressure you to take them

Low intelligence dialouge!

There are also a few gifs in the article.

Edit: Also

 
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Kreydo

Member
My hype deflated a lot after the gameplay video.

I'm not a big fan of the color used for the art direction, the contrast and glow are so heavy it vomit everywhere on the screen.
The combat look a bit dull with no weapon feedback, also no companion order/management?
The game is only in first person view.
 
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Fuz

Banned
MPpQZe5.png


And fuck you, bioware.
 
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Havoc2049

Member
Wow, that gameplay video looked amazing! Love the look of the ship, architecture and the outdoor environments. This is a full on single player RPG and really nothing like the launch trailer, which did give me a Borderlands vibe. After watching the gameplay video, the game is more along the lines of a Fallout: New Vegas style sci-fi RPG. I'm getting this day one!
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
So in the footage he constantly held his gun out, can we sheathe it and walk around like normal people if this is really as much RPG as it is FPS? Minor annoyance, just saying.
 

Serianox

Member
So in the footage he constantly held his gun out, can we sheathe it and walk around like normal people if this is really as much RPG as it is FPS? Minor annoyance, just saying.

Considering how much the gameplay looks like New Vegas i'd be surprised if you can't hold a button down to sheathe your stuff.

Edit: Just finished watching the 15 min video man there really going all in for that Fallout style game. Couldn't have picked a better timing since all of the Bethesda 76 fiasco will probably translate to a lot of people hungry for a more tradicional Fallout style of game.
 
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Redneckerz

Those long posts don't cover that red neck boy
It looks very much like Fallout meets Space. One scene looked close to the indoor court in Fallout 76.

Visually, its UE4, but you can tell that its either an older build or personal lighting preferences - Its very much a game of today. Some parts look like Cyberpunk 2077, but how it would look like if it was an early in gen title.

Other than that, i like the goofy nature of the game, it being an open world title that shares a lot with Fallout but also looking sideways to Far Cry New Dawn, Rage 2, Generation Zero... If anything, 2019 is the year of open world RPG shooters.

It looks awesome though, could be a real sleeper hit.
 

Kadayi

Banned
Liking the look of the gameplay and the styling. I just hope that there's an option to holster your hand cannon because wandering around with a gun constantly drawn looks daft as fuck, especially when you're pointing it at your companions.
 

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Liking the look of the gameplay and the styling. I just hope that there's an option to holster your hand cannon because wandering around with a gun constantly drawn looks daft as fuck, especially when you're pointing it at your companions.

Its pretty much a given you'll be able to holster. Would be a weird oversight.
 

Javthusiast

Banned
The actual fallout game we wanted, lol. No for real though, even on a smaller budget this looks super exciting and I am sure the story and choices will be better than bethesdas recent works.
 

Alebrije

Member
This is great. Hope this new IP has something similar to V.A.T.S. (Fallout) but also means real competition to Bethesda.

This game and Cyberpunk look promising and honestly hope they fill the hole Bethesda has left due to its lazyness.
 

Gavon West

Spread's Cheeks for Intrusive Ads
MS and Obsidian own the IP. This first game is published by TT though. Something that was in the makings long before MS swooped in for the acquisition. Sequels will more than likely be published by MS - baring First rights aren't in the pre existing contract between PP and Obisidian. If so, MS will likely buy out TT's end to keep it exclusive for sequels (if there are any)
 
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Isa

Gold Member
So stoked for this, just the kind of game I've been wanting. Man I'm excited for it, I hope it sells well enough. Cool that MS and Obsidian keep the IP.
 

Kadayi

Banned
ACG has put up quite a decent video going into the game in depth looking at the reveal trailer as well as the interviews and Game Informer gameplay footage pulled out some choice details regarding the design etc. Worth a watch with your morning coffee for sure.

 

Kreydo

Member
Seriously the reception is way too dithyrambic about The Outer Worlds, and while i'm a New Vegas fan(and good RPG in general) we can't overshadow some obvious flaws in those previews.

Nobody will point out the gun never unsheathe even while chatting with NPC?
The combat? Seriously you have been hyped by those combat??? There is nothing! It look worse than in Fallout 3 which is 10 years old.
Art direction..? So you create cool neo-retro billboard and suddenly your game is the new Bioshock?! Comon look closely at the building, they are totally randoms.
You guys enjoy the piss filter over your screen?
The game isn't open world btw (it will be closer to Dragon Age Inq maps)
The level design.... Enemies in middle of explosive barrel, really? And box disposed randomly for you to take cover before the fight...
No companion management, just 'bonus' depending on your setup... It's even more casual than a Mass Effect.

After Fallout 76, i have the feeling everything a bit RPG and solo will get a pass...
 
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Teslerum

Member
Seriously the reception is way too dithyrambic about The Outer Worlds, and while i'm a New Vegas fan(and good RPG in general) we can't overshadow some obvious flaws in those previews.

Nobody will point out the gun never unsheathe even while chatting with NPC?
The combat? Seriously you have been hyped by those combat??? There is nothing! It look worse than in Fallout 3 which is 10 years old.
Art direction..? So you create cool neo-retro billboard and suddenly your game is the new Bioshock?! Comon look closely at the building, they are totally randoms.
You guys enjoy the piss filter over your screen?

The game isn't open world btw (it will be closer to Dragon Age Inq maps)
The level design.... Enemies in middle of explosive barrel, really? And box disposed randomly for you to take cover before the fight...
No companion management, just 'bonus' depending on your setup... It's even more casual than a Mass Effect.


After Fallout 76, i have the feeling everything a bit RPG and solo will get a pass...

This.... this is almost too easy for a hi Todd joke.

Seriously, nearly every point you make you exaggerate from a *will need clarification* to completly laughable.

Also

1. Chatting with NPC's is zoomed in. You don't see the gun, so it might as well be holstered. Apart from that we don't know if you will be able to holster either way.
2. It's not open world as in the modern interpretation. How big/stuffed the individual hubs are we don't know.
3. How you get from *Companions give you bonuses* to *No companion management at all* is anyone's guess. As well as how you define *companion management*.
 
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Kadayi

Banned
Seriously the reception is way too dithyrambic about The Outer Worlds, and while i'm a New Vegas fan(and good RPG in general) we can't overshadow some obvious flaws in those previews.

Nobody will point out the gun never unsheathe even while chatting with NPC?
The combat? Seriously you have been hyped by those combat??? There is nothing! It look worse than in Fallout 3 which is 10 years old.
Art direction..? So you create cool neo-retro billboard and suddenly your game is the new Bioshock?! Comon look closely at the building, they are totally randoms.
You guys enjoy the piss filter over your screen?
The game isn't open world btw (it will be closer to Dragon Age Inq maps)
No companion management, just 'bonus' depending on your setup... It's even more casual than a Mass Effect.

After Fallout 76, i have the feeling everything a bit RPG and solo will get a pass...

I concur about the gun in face thing. That really bugged me watching the Game Informer footage. However, I suspect that will be addressed. Early days and all.

As for the rest of it. I think its pretty clear that we are looking at a less than serious RPG in the vein of Borderlands gives the stylings versus something grimdark and heavy and so in that sense, I can be a bit more forgiving of the aesthetic choices and combat. On paper not being open world might feel like a negative, but assuming there are a fair number of planets to visit it probably isn't feasible to go completely open world without giving over on deliberate design to procedural generation to populate them and run the risk of blanding out the environmental differences. in the process. In truth, I'd say Obsidian is looking to make a fun game here and probably build a franchise off of it first and foremost versus creating something intended to rival Dragon Age or Mass Effect in terms of scope and critical acclaim.

Ultimately this game was conceived and in development prior to Obsidian partnering with Microsoft, so it would likely be mid-tier in budget. I suspect now with MS funding them Obsidian will probably be in a far better position to really push the boat out and no doubt MS are likely looking at them to make to some big splashes in that regard. Mayhap we might get those spiritual successors to Alpha Protocol or VTM:B everyone would like to see finally come to fruition.
 

Kreydo

Member
So because the game isn't serious and 'fun' , we shouldn't point out the dull combat, a decade old level design, and oversatured effect over a piss filter as Art direction?

Like i said I'm glad to have a new solo RPG by Obsidian, but please have some perspective... Because beside the great dialogue choices system and stats from New Vegas, i haven't seen anything else promising in the gameplay preview.
The 10 min "gameplay" of a guy shooting pokemons with a Nerf gun, was convincing to you?
 
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Kadayi

Banned
So because the game isn't serious and 'fun' , we shouldn't point out the dull combat, a decade old level design, and oversatured effect over a piss filter as Art direction?

Like i said I'm glad to have a new solo RPG by Obsidian, but please have some perspective... Because beside the great dialogue choices system and stats from New Vegas, i haven't seen anything else promising in the gameplay preview.
The 10 min "gameplay" of a guy shooting pokemons with a Nerf gun, was convincing to you?

What's convincing mean to you exactly? Stylistically the game isn't aiming for convincing, so I don't really get your particular beef tbh. I mean this isn't a case of Obsidian building a realistic looking gameworld and then ruining it with bullet sponge enemies and damage popups ala The Division. Where is the incongruity? Formulate an argument.
 
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Kreydo

Member
A combat system convincing as a feature. If we are playing a RPG we should expect something else first, but here we don't even have the feeling of a modern action FPS.
 
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Teslerum

Member
So because the game isn't serious and 'fun' , we shouldn't point out the dull combat, a decade old level design, and oversatured effect over a piss filter as Art direction?

Like i said I'm glad to have a new solo RPG by Obsidian, but please have some perspective... Because beside the great dialogue choices system and stats from New Vegas, i haven't seen anything else promising in the gameplay preview.
The 10 min "gameplay" of a guy shooting pokemons with a Nerf gun, was convincing to you?
There's a huge difference between pointing out flaws

(art direction and combat, which admittingly do have their flaws. One because it somewhat lacks a more unique identity which coming from Arcanum, Bloodlines and Pillars is more than a bit disappointing and combat which doesn't look all that great but imo still looks like a better New Vegas)

and writing things like the bolded.

One is an argument we can discuss. The other is on the level of a school yard fight between 11 year olds and destroys your previous argument.
 
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Kadayi

Banned
A combat system convincing as a feature. If we are playing a RPG we should expect something else first, but here we don't even have the feeling of a modern action FPS.

When has a combat system in an RPG ever convinced? I mean what are you demanding exactly? Spell it out. Because you're about as clear as mud at this juncture. Are you expecting some sort of ARMA/Kingdom Come Deliverance level of fidelity or something?
 
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Isa

Gold Member
I'm content with what I've seen so far. I'm happy to see them making a more ambitious game, with what I expect to be a fairly modest budget. I don't care how retro it looks or feels, hell I could go play classic Ys running into enemies, which is plenty of fun. I look forward to seeing them blossom under MS later. As it stands I'm pleased to see a new IP giving Bethesda and Bioware a run for their money, with a more B or A tier budget no less.
 

Kreydo

Member
One is an argument we can discuss. The other is on the level of a school yard fight between 11 year olds and destroys your previous argument.
It was hyperbol but it's how it felt and how i could discribe at best.


When has a combat system in an RPG ever convinced? I mean what are you demanding exactly? Spell it out. Because you're about as clear as mud at this juncture. Are you expecting some sort of ARMA/Kingdom Come Deliverance level of fidelity or something?

RPG are answering to some code, if not they are just action/aventure game. Here we have RPG with an interesting dialogue system, but an action shooter without ANY mechanic.
Like i said even Fallout 3 which is barely a RPG had some mechanic in his combat system, with accuracy/stats relevant in fight and with the VATS system to emulate turn by turn. Sure it was far to be perfect but it has a mechanic.
For a better example you can take Mass Effect, since in Outer World you can also pick 2 members, in Mass Effect you could order your companion : to rush, to take cover, to do special ability or to create combo attack with them.
A combat system! Something just obvious in a RPG, i don't understand why it seems so weird to you...

Don't mistaken me I'm really looking forward this game, but I'm just bored to see i will have to wait and mod it to have something good to play with.
 
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Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
It was hyperbol but it's how it felt and how i could discribe at best.




RPG are answering to some code, if not they are just action/aventure game. Here we have RPG with an interesting dialogue system, but an action shooter without ANY mechanic.
Like i said even Fallout 3 which is barely a RPG had some mechanic in his combat system, with accuracy/stats relevant in fight and with the VATS system to emulate turn by turn. Sure it was far to be perfect but it has a mechanic.
For a better example you can take Mass Effect, since in Outer World you can also pick 2 members, in Mass Effect you could order your companion : to rush, to take cover, to do special ability or to create combo attack with them.
A combat system! Something just obvious in a RPG, i don't understand why it seems so weird to you...

There have been good RPGs with bad combat systems before, that's not weird to occur either. Like Planescape Torment :p

We haven't really seen stats and skills and synergies and enemies that will have their own to know if this develops to something more interesting at least in the pre-combat stuff if not in the feel of the actual action though. Gearing up to exploit enemy weaknesses and counter your own could could become important too.

And not every RPG has to have full party members, companions with less involving ordering have been done before too. Fallout 1 has AI companions like that, even (not sure of 2). Many primarily single-character RPGs allow you to get a helper or two here and there, it's nice and doesn't mean they should become full party RPGs or go home.
 
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Kadayi

Banned
RPG are answering to some code, if not they are just action/aventure game. Here we have RPG with an interesting dialogue system, but an action shooter without ANY mechanic.
Like i said even Fallout 3 which is barely a RPG had some mechanic in his combat system, with accuracy/stats relevant in fight and with the VATS system to emulate turn by turn. Sure it was far to be perfect but it has a mechanic.
For a better example you can take Mass Effect, since in Outer World you can also pick 2 members, in Mass Effect you could order your companion : to rush, to take cover, to do special ability or to create combo attack with them.
A combat system! Something just obvious in a RPG, i don't understand why it seems so weird to you...

There is a slow down mechanic in the game. Its demonstrated in the Game Informer video. As regards the companions, this is an initial reveal so it's perhaps a tad too early to say what is what with your companions at this stage.
 

Kreydo

Member
There have been good RPGs with bad combat systems before, that's not weird to occur either. Like Planescape Torment.
I know but it's dumb to make this as a rules, the point is to have deep mechanics in every feature for the best gaming experience.
 
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