Heavy Rain

[Frogacuda]

My point was that Quantic Dream was going on and on about how they were going to bring emotion into games -- which is great. But then they just show a non-interactive movie clip. How is that a game? Because it's being rendered on a PS3? Literally, the exact same clip could have been shown at a film festival.

It's not from the game, dude, it's a tech demo. It's not a scene from the game at all.

But still, that doesn't make their claims hollow. Is the emotion going to be brought to the game by having better inventory puzzles or is it going to be more effective because the digital actors are more expressive? Adventure games are a form of digital fiction. Quality puzzle design and a natural interface is really all there is to the gameplay, more that any actual mechanics. And that's fine.

If it plays like a 15 year old LucasArts game, with amazing production values, a great story, and unprecedented cinematic flair, it'd be a pretty damned good game, don't you think?

[Compass]

It's not from the game, dude, it's a tech demo. It's not a scene from the game at all.

But still, that doesn't make their claims hollow. Is the emotion going to be brought to the game by having better inventory puzzles or is it going to be more effective because the digital actors are more expressive? Adventure games are a form of digital fiction. Quality puzzle design and a natural interface is really all there is to the gameplay, more that any actual mechanics. And that's fine.

If it plays like a 15 year old LucasArts game, with amazing production values, a great story, and unprecedented cinematic flair, it'd be a pretty damned good game, don't you think?

I know it's a tech demo.

I know what passes for gameplay in most adventure games.

I am way into Quantic Dream. I will buy Heavy Rain. I will probably enjoy it.

What I am saying:

Rendering an FMV in extreme detail, down to super-nuanced character behavior, has nothing to do with gameplay and, while cool, does not particularly impress me as far as implications for potentially groundbreaking game design. I never said this makes their claims hollow. I said I hoped they were planning on doing more with this "emotions in videogames" angle than just trying to replicate real life in non-interactive cut-scenes that happen to appear in a videogame.

[Brand X]

There was an interview a few months back in Edge with the guy who runs Quantic Dream, and it was pretty informative in terms of advancements they hope to make to the genre.

If I can find the issue I'll scan the pages.

[Compass]

Exactly. I had just read that interview before watching The Casting. It's the one with The Outsider on the cover, #165.

[Brand X]

Yep, that's the one. They seem to have set their bar very high in terms of what they hope to achieve. But who really knows if that's just hopes and dreams vs what they can really provide in terms of gameplay experience.

[Frogacuda]

Rendering an FMV in extreme detail, down to super-nuanced character behavior, has nothing to do with gameplay and, while cool, does not particularly impress me as far as implications for potentially groundbreaking game design.

I never said this makes their claims hollow. I said I hoped they were planning on doing more with this "emotions in videogames" angle than just trying to replicate real life in non-interactive cut-scenes that happen to appear in a videogame.

If it ain't broke...

[B-Ri]

bump-asaurus

according to spies at the GC sony press conference tomorrow, a new Heavy Rain trailer and gameplay is going to be shown off

http://kotaku.com/5039130/frenchies-...spoilers-ahead

Also new Singstar, and they got caught before they saw the whole press conference.

[Error]

Many Bothans died to bring us this information?

[Frogacuda]

bump-asaurus

according to spies at the GC sony press conference tomorrow, a new Heavy Rain trailer and gameplay is going to be shown off

Oh shit, Heavy Rain is going to have gameplay? Day one.

[Cowutopia]

It's nothing but QTE's