Those screens look pretty nice, don't they? What calamity will prevent them from completing Freedom Force, or will they beat the curse?

Actually the most succesful SH(Marvel style) game I've played yet is Spiderman on PSX. Great game and lot's of fun. I wish they had it for DC too.

Marcus

"Actually the most succesful SH(Marvel style) game I've played yet is Spiderman on PSX. Great game and lot's of fun. I wish they had it for DC too."

It's not coming for the DC? It's out for N64 and GBC. I'd think they'd do a DC version too.

Yeah, there have been a bunch of console superhero games. My kids loved the PSX Spiderman too.

"Those screens look pretty nice, don't they? What calamity will prevent them from completing Freedom Force, or will they beat the curse?"

They may complete it, but I don't know how willing I'll be to play it if the real-time aspect isn't genius. My long-postponed geek-gamer's dream of controlling a team of superheroes will be a nightmare if I can't a) manage all of them properly, or b) watch all of the action.

I really think turn-based is the only way to go on a game like this -- if you have heroes on different parts of the map, what fun will it be if, while managing one, you can't see what's happening to the other? Ideally Combat Mission style turn-based, allowing for replays of the action and watching a film of the whole shebang afterwards.

I just read on gamespot that it's coming. More advanced plus better gfx.

What impressed me the most was that they truelly captured the true nature of Spiderman. It's rare to see a game do that. Now if they could do Batman and Superman as well :).

Marcus

"What impressed me the most was that they truelly captured the true nature of Spiderman. It's rare to see a game do that. Now if they could do Batman and Superman as well :)."

Batman would be neat, but how do you do Superman? That was always the problem with that comic. The guy had amazing strength, super speed, x-ray vision, heat vision, invunerability, and so on. The comics had to contrive situations where he had problems.

I agree turn-based sounds better than real time for this kind of game. The FF web page does say it's 'tactical', which to me means turn based. Maybe like the Jagged Alliance games? I really enjoyed those.

I think it sounds great, but I've been hurt before. I'm trying not to leave work early to go look for the magazine that FF says has an article about it. I don't think it's working.

I think Irrational is using the same engine that Blue Byte used for Battle Isle Andosia and that Mythos is using for Dreamland. I'm too lazy to fact check this. Does anyone know if this is right?

We are using the NetImmerse engine to develop the game, and its fantastic (yea, I think thats the same one being used for BIA).

As for turn-based, well, its not going to be turn-based, but it will have a concept of "Action Points" which are spent to perform actions. This concept enforces a sense of turn-based, whilst still keeping the sensation of action that a comic book requires.

Oh, for more info, check out...

http://www.irrational.com.au (especially the forums there)

Hey, thanks for dropping by, Andrew! I just want you to know that the hopes and prayers of gamers everywhere are with you. Trying to do a PC superhero game is like Lindy trying to cross the Atlantic. :)

NetImmerse looks pretty good in Battle Isle. I think you have a solid engine there. Just make sure the pace of the game is such that we're not overwhelmed. Feeling frantic isn't quite the same as feeling excited.

Yeah, Mark summed it up perfectly : "Feeling frantic isn't quite the same as feeling excited."

My biggest concern is if we'll be able to track all of the action without feeling frantic. I mean, not being able to observe the details of a complex action set piece as it unfolds kind of defeats the purpose of a superhero game for me.

I guess maybe I'll go check out them forums to see if my doubts can be assuaged...

Okay, they're assuaged. The guys at Irrational seem committed and intelligent. One of them came up with the most convincing argument for real-time tactical that I've ever heard.

The combat system basically boils down to pausable RT, with a maximum of four characters under your control in a given battle.

The rest of the game's current feature list is dreamy, too. Recruitment of custom heroes. A fully destructible environment. Customizable powers. Knockback!

I had forgotten they were the guys responsible for System Shock 2. I'm looking forward to seeing what they can pull off.

"but how do you do Superman? That was always the problem with that comic. The guy had amazing strength, super speed, x-ray vision, heat vision, invunerability, and so on. The comics had to contrive situations where he had problems. "

Well he has super powers but also weaknesses. Cryptonite is one but you would have to have enemies with equal powers. Other cool characters would be Judge Dredd and the X-Men.

Marcus

As for the new superhero game.

Realtime or turnbased is not the main issue for me. First and forthmost I want a fun game with long lasting appeal, if that works then I'm not really bothered about what exact mechanics they use.

Marcus

As to the new superhero game, I want to be able to pick up a Toyota and hurl it through a wall. That would be cool.

Hey Mark, then you would have love Agents of Justice since that was the only thing they bothered doing right.

Yeah, I heard they had that in there, Rob. I wish I could have seen that game in action. I've heard so many conflicting things about it. It must have been a troubled project for Microsoft to dump it the way they did. It's sad that it was Barcia's last PC project.