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Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines sequel or remake

Started by Mister Six, March 19, 2019, 10:56:46 PM

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Mister Six

Bloodlines is very different from Redemption so if you don't like the latter still give the former a try.

Also I assume that the GOG Bloodlines is fully patched, but double check; the game on release was a mess and it was only after a big fan fix that it became playable.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Mister Six on March 24, 2019, 01:34:18 AM
...I assume that the GOG Bloodlines is fully patched, but double check; the game on release was a mess and it was only after a big fan fix that it became playable.

Thanks for reminding me.  I did think about it but I think that GOG's general policy is to provide the most up to date version, configured for the Windows operating system.  I've been eyeing up a couple of HD mods, mind you.  I'm kind of going back and forth in my mind, as to whether I should change the core experience as intended.  Decisions.  Decisions.  First world problems, hey?

VelourSpirit

I never like to mess with the original art design. Seen that Half-Life 2 cinematic mod? Just seems artless to me. Completely ruins that haunting soviet vibe. Obviously play it how you want, it's your experience, but I will say so much of the appeal is from the game's atmosphere. Keep us posted anyway!

St_Eddie

#33
Quote from: TwinPeaks on March 24, 2019, 02:25:16 AM
I never like to mess with the original art design. Seen that Half-Life 2 cinematic mod? Just seems artless to me. Completely ruins that haunting soviet vibe. Obviously play it how you want, it's your experience, but I will say so much of the appeal is from the game's atmosphere. Keep us posted anyway!

I don't know about Half-Life 2 but I certainly don't care for the 'Black Mesa' remake of the first game.  I adore the chunky, colourful art style of the original version.  I wouldn't change it for the world.  I've long been a supporter of art style over technical fidelity.  It's for that reason that I think that the graphics of the original version of Final Fantasy VII look so much better than the technically superior graphics of the upcoming remake.  Style trumps technical achievement every time.  One will age gracefully and the other will date horribly.

If one strives for realism in terms of graphics, then history will demonstrate that one is doomed to repeat the failings of those with aspirations of furthering the field of videogame graphics, via a pompous display of ultimately outdated and in hindsight, ugly graphics; the technological equivalent of a firework display.  Sure, it looks nice in the moment, as those 1's and 0's explode in the binary sky but for all the "oohhing" and "aahhing", will that shallow display look so "oohing" and "aahing" in 20 years time, when one looks back at the video recording?

Those who choose to pursue realism within videogame graphics; you're doing a man's job.  You're furthering science and technology.  You're also making a game which is destined to be branded as outdated within a couple of years.  It's why The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has aged much more gracefully than The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.  Technical specifications be damned.  Art style is king.  The pursuit of realistic graphics is a folly, in all but pushing the boundaries further for the sake of pushing the boundaries further.

In 30 years time, people shall still coo at the visuals of OkamiPaRappa the Rapper will never look dated, it will always look as visually appealing as it always has but could the same be said for Call of Duty XIIIXIII?  Well, could it?  I think not.

Mister Six

Driving a stake through the heart of the edit bug.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Mister Six on March 24, 2019, 05:10:59 AM
Driving a stake through the heart of the edit bug.

Arrgghhh!  Edit Bug Boss is dead!  And someone has spunked on his face!

ToneLa

Quote from: TwinPeaks on March 24, 2019, 02:25:16 AM
I never like to mess with the original art design. Seen that Half-Life 2 cinematic mod? Just seems artless to me. Completely ruins that haunting soviet vibe. Obviously play it how you want, it's your experience, but I will say so much of the appeal is from the game's atmosphere. Keep us posted anyway!

That's fuckin woeful that mod.

HL2 update is all ye need

Norton Canes

Dug out my 2nd edition V:TM handbook the other night and have been reading through it. Love the depth, the atmosphere, the illustrations and even the lovely heading font with its spiky serifs like vampire's teeth. In fact it's almost too perfect to spoil by actually playing.

Norton Canes

7. Brujah.
Always hated The Lost Boys.

6. Gangrel
Only useful for hook-ups with Garou. Didn't White Wolf sling them out of the Camarilla anyway?

5. Tremere
Ventrue-lite. The blood magic is handy though.

4. Nosferatu
Zola in the last minute of extra time! Monster, monster.

3. Ventrue
Because powerful capitalists are the real vampires, huh kids?

2. Malkavian
You don't have to be mad etc.

1. Toreador
This is why everyone wants to play Vampire RPGs, surely? Lounging round like louche delinquents experimenting with ersatz sexual practices.

Norton Canes

TBH that's how I spend most of my actual day, and I'm not even a vampire.

Mister Six

Ventrue always struck me as the least interesting lot to play as, in terms of the game. Do they get anything fun? Slightly fancier digs? Is that it?

Norton Canes

You get to bully people around and generally act like a pompous, over-privileged arse. I guess plenty of people must enjoy that. Also they get Dominate and Presence as starting disciplines, not sure that's true of any other clans.

VelourSpirit

They're revealing a new clan each week, you start as a thinblood and then some time into the game you'll pick one of 5 clans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xELjqNZjmaM Thinblood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU6LwptKvYg Brujah

really excited to see some full gameplay

Mister Six


VelourSpirit

There'll apparently be free DLC clans later on, but yeah for now two clans will be getting the shaft. Maybe three if they introduce the Lasombra or something, which I don't know much about but they look quite cool (which describes World of Darkness in general for me, I just like VTMB and the rest is looking at illustrations)

Noonling

Quote from: Mister Six on May 04, 2019, 05:12:59 AM
Only five? Boooo.

If they are distinct in terms of gameplay I don't think that's an issue. If I recall, it was only Malkavian and Nosferatu that actually played differently in VtMB, otherwise it was just the odd line of dialogue and slightly different powers that distinguished the others.

I'm wondering how you change form being a thinblood to being part of a clan, do you get rebitten by someone of a higher generation, or are you still a thinblood but find out more about your sire or something?

Noonling


garbed_attic

Cara Ellison is a terrific writer and just very cool. She gave me enthusiastic thumbs up when I held up a piece of paper saying "Thanks for getting Increpare in the Guardian" at a DJ set she was giving. Very stoked she's been working on this.

Anyone else been replaying Bloodlines in anticipation of this? (Remember, make sure to download all the patches!)

Mister Six

Quote from: Noonling on May 04, 2019, 11:22:13 AM
If they are distinct in terms of gameplay I don't think that's an issue. If I recall, it was only Malkavian and Nosferatu that actually played differently in VtMB, otherwise it was just the odd line of dialogue and slightly different powers that distinguished the others.

Er, there were bits and pieces. The magical ones got to stay at vampire Hogwarts, and, er, probably some other stuff. Been years since I played it. You're right, though - if they make it five distinct play styles/experiences, that'll make it worthwhile. Do we know who'll be in the game? I'm guessing Toreador, Nosferatu, Malkavian (that one's a lock)... maybe Gangrel and Tremere? Ventrue are your classic vamp aristocrats, but also kind of bland compared to the rest.

Or maybe they'll use one of the clans that weren't playable last time? Poking about on a fan wiki, that looks like Giovanni (the mafia necromancer ones from the mansion break-in quest), Assamite (Middle Eastern assassins who drink the blood of other vampires), Followers of Set (Egyptians who worship a cthonic god and are extra susceptible to light), Lasombra (even more aristocratic than the Ventrue; definitely vote Tory), Ravnos (thieves, tricksters and vagabonds) and Tzmisce (the creepy ones that mutilate people and melt flesh).

Of those, only Ravnos sound like they'd really be fun to play, or offer a substantially different playstyle from the rest (Giovanni and Tzmisce too, but I'm not sure how practical that would be in gameplay terms), but maybe someone who's more up on the lore can correct me on that.

VelourSpirit

I finished my replay last week, was sad to finish it.
I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a game so much. I usually try and talk to everyone in RPGs but this is the only time where it didn't feel tiresome - I was genuinely excited to get to know every character.
The atmosphere is my favourite in any game. most people wouldn't say it's a particularly good looking game but there's just something about it that's perfect to me. Almost sad the new one will look all shiny and smooth (I'm sure it'll still have a strong aesthetic of its own though).
Love that score too so I'm really glad Rik Schaffer is coming back.

Mister Six

There's a thought - is the writing and design crew coming back from the first one?

Noonling

Quote from: Mister Six on May 04, 2019, 11:32:06 PM
Er, there were bits and pieces. The magical ones got to stay at vampire Hogwarts, and, er, probably some other stuff. Been years since I played it. You're right, though - if they make it five distinct play styles/experiences, that'll make it worthwhile. Do we know who'll be in the game? I'm guessing Toreador, Nosferatu, Malkavian (that one's a lock)... maybe Gangrel and Tremere? Ventrue are your classic vamp aristocrats, but also kind of bland compared to the rest.

Or maybe they'll use one of the clans that weren't playable last time? Poking about on a fan wiki, that looks like Giovanni (the mafia necromancer ones from the mansion break-in quest), Assamite (Middle Eastern assassins who drink the blood of other vampires), Followers of Set (Egyptians who worship a cthonic god and are extra susceptible to light), Lasombra (even more aristocratic than the Ventrue; definitely vote Tory), Ravnos (thieves, tricksters and vagabonds) and Tzmisce (the creepy ones that mutilate people and melt flesh).

Of those, only Ravnos sound like they'd really be fun to play, or offer a substantially different playstyle from the rest (Giovanni and Tzmisce too, but I'm not sure how practical that would be in gameplay terms), but maybe someone who's more up on the lore can correct me on that.

Brujah have been confirmed, and I think there's too much potential overlap between them and Gangrel, so probably not the latter.

Outstar (I watched several of her videos yesterday) speculates Toreator, Ventrue, Tremere (hinted at in interview) and lastly either Lasombra or Nosferatu, thinking Malkavian might be in a DLC as they are so much work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdUjxbFyH74

From what she said Lasombra sounds less likely to me as they are too similar to Ventrue (from my limited knowledge), BUT I feel like surely they'd want to bring a new clan into the base game, so maybe Lasombra instead of Ventrue, and Nosferatu being the last one. They can't NOT put Malkavians in at some point though.

VelourSpirit

Nosferatu have got to be in since they've made all the sewers. Malkavians would be a substantial DLC that would generate extra buzz after the initial release, though I couldn't see Ventrue getting much buzz because they're just rich arseholes really, and not like the sexy Toreador arseholes or the cool goth rich shadow Lasombra arseholes that may be in the game. Gangrel could come in with the werewolf expansion they mentioned somewhere.

Speaking of Gangrels, hope to see Beckett again. There's basically no way he won't be in it. Out of everyone in the game he was the one I wanted the approval of the most. Really wanted him to go 'ahh you're proper clever you are, me and you are the only good ones eh'.

Mister Six

Ah, yeah, when you put it like that, Malkavian DLC seems almost certain. Cynical, even.

Ravnos seem like they could have potential for clever alternative routes through quests. Don't see the point of both Ventrue and Lasombra, so yeah - swapping out the former for the latter also seems like a distinct possibility.



VelourSpirit

I like her very much. I wonder if character selection is like the first game or if there's customization beyond clothing.


Mister Six

#57
EDIT: Nevermind.


VelourSpirit

https://gematsu.com/2019/05/big-bad-wolf-developed-vampire-the-masquerade-narrative-rpg-announced
There's another VTM RPG in development too. Could be going from dormancy straight into over saturation but to be honest I can't get enough of vampires.