Some Nobody
Junior Member
I'd love to see this...but mainly as like a random side thing you could do inside of an RPG that already let you do a crapton of other things as well.
I mean a game where the focus is on beating huge bosses that require thinking, strategizing and eventually climbing to beat them. Not like in some games where the large boss fights are split into different phases.
Probably because achieving that level of interactivity very difficult and time-consuming. From a design standpoint, SotC's design methodology is very technically advanced even to this day. While most other action games use collision boxes to prevent charactes from clipping, SotC uses a more advanced method to allow the player to interact with the colossi. The game's climbing mechanics is actually the interaction between the player character and a tightly tuned morphing collision mesh. A collision mesh is naturally more precise than collision box, and since the colossi move and bend their bodies the mesh needs to morph as well. This is to keep the interactions (mostly) precise and visually sensible, which is important because only visual cues given to the player is the moving body of the colossi.
Another key detail is that mesh also allows the player more possible vectors of movement while climbing, and in turn more ways to leverage their positioning and grip. If climbing was unidirectional, it would be too straightforward and not every strategic since the game would need to restrict the player to moving in the correct position.
I've only read about the process, but I can only imagine the amount of work required in creating a colossus and making it work as well as the ones in the game. Not only would the mesh have to be made, it would need to perfectly synced with the animations. I'd imagine that's far more difficult than syncing simple collision boxes. There's also plenty of physics involved as well.
The only game I can think of that tried to pulled this off was Xenosaga 2 and that's a turn based game. From what I've seen Metal Gear: Revengeance does this as well for its large bosses but it's definitely not as strategic or nuanced as SotC.
Probably because achieving that level of interactivity very difficult and time-consuming. From a design standpoint, SotC's design methodology is very technically advanced even to this day. While most other action games use collision boxes to prevent charactes from clipping, SotC uses a more advanced method to allow the player to interact with the colossi. The game's climbing mechanics is actually the interaction between the player character and a tightly tuned morphing collision mesh. A collision mesh is naturally more precise than collision box, and since the colossi move and bend their bodies the mesh needs to morph as well. This is to keep the interactions (mostly) precise and visually sensible, which is important because only visual cues given to the player is the moving body of the colossi.
Another key detail is that mesh also allows the player more possible vectors of movement while climbing, and in turn more ways to leverage their positioning and grip. If climbing was unidirectional, it would be too straightforward and not every strategic since the game would need to restrict the player to moving in the correct position.
I've only read about the process, but I can only imagine the amount of work required in creating a colossus and making it work as well as the ones in the game. Not only would the mesh have to be made, it would need to perfectly synced with the animations. I'd imagine that's far more difficult than syncing simple collision boxes. There's also plenty of physics involved as well.
The only game I can think of that tried to pulled this off was Xenosaga 2 and that's a turn based game. From what I've seen Metal Gear: Revengeance does this as well for its large bosses but it's definitely not as strategic or nuanced as SotC.
Thanks for the good explanation. Do you have any link where this is explained in detail? Would love to read about this.
http://teamico.wikia.com/wiki/Graphics_and_post-processing_effects_used_in_Shadow_of_the_Colossus
They refer to it as the "deforming collision system."
God Of War?
Wait no.... Dragon's Dogma?
Definitly thought Lords of Shadow tried to mimic it, but not so well.
Dragon's Dogma you could say borrowed the climbing element, but at least it was done pretty well until the camera spazzes out.
You have to commit the entire game to that design; SOTC's mechanics were so bespoke they didn't really fit for general-purpose use, and having distinct design paradigms for 'boss fight' and 'other content out of boss fight' would up the development workload significantly. I don't think you'd see such a design decision out of the indie field, these days, where they can afford to focus on a single mechanic to the detriment of others if they so wish.
I don't mean merely having huge bosses in games (such as in God of war, Lords of Shadows etc..)
I mean a game where the focus is on beating huge bosses that require thinking, strategizing and eventually climbing to beat them. Not like in some games where the large boss fights are split into different phases.
I'm talking about really figuring out what to do in order to get to the boss's weak point. How come we haven't gotten a SOTC ripoff yet since it was widely praised by critics and gamers alike?
It was announced two months after TLG.They've already ripped off The Last Guardian in Maijin and the Foresaken Kingdom
The only reasonable expansion on the concept would revolve around multiplayer. Teaming up to weigh down a limb, or everyone climbing onto one side of a monster to topple it. Things like that.
Actually, I think that was the original concept of SOTC.
Nope, you should stay alone and miserable.I tried SoTC and did not care for it. Come at me.
And then we have Rime for the PS4 which seems to borrow part of the series' spirit. I think that's the way it should be, people should take bits and pieces of franchises they appreciate and use them sporadically when it makes sense and improves their original vision.
I also feel games gained a certain "scenery" aspect people didn't cared for before SOTC. Ambiances and landscapes, attentions of ambiance quality went up a little since SOTC.
Blood of Bahamut is slightly similar I think, but not really what you are asking for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xut_U-05bFQ
Oh yeah, Nier gave me a SOTC vibe at some points, but maybe it's just me.
Well there's that one game about it on 3DS, but it doesn't look very good.
They've already ripped off The Last Guardian in Maijin and the Foresaken Kingdom:
Those massive enemies near the end of FFXIII gave me SotC vibes, as have videos of Xenoblade.