Comments 653

Re: Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Wolverine to Boast 'Very Cool' Dialogue Tech

Vacuumator

Did one of the recent Spider-Man games not have different delivery for the dialogue depending on Spider-Man’s current level of exertion? Dialogue was recorded where he could be heard to be more out of breath dependant on what was happening at the time.

I posit that this new technology might use some form of AI-enhanced system to alter tonality in order to provide some form of dynamic dialogue delivery, whereby the recorded dialogue can be altered to become contextual and better reflect the onscreen events and action.

What this might mean for actors is an entirely different discussion, should something like this be possible and be implemented. If it’s effectively the same recorded dialogue, then contractually that is what they are signed for, so what is done with the dialogue should be irrelevant.

@Oniguy The potential of audio, dynamic audio, spatial audio, should not be ignored. There is a huge focus on visuals in games, but there is much more to be explored in terms of what can be done with aural soundscapes. Sound shouldn’t be considered separate from visuals, they are symbiotic and there are possibilities for dynamic systems driven by the visuals, which is an interesting concept and would make for more realistic, immersive worlds. I’m very much interested to hear what this new dialogue technology is and whether it is something we might see implemented elsewhere.

EDIT - I clearly don’t know how to @ someone mid-comment.

Re: The Walking Dead PSVR2 Looks Generations Apart from Meta Quest 2

Vacuumator

@lindos

Perhaps, rather than this being purely a technical discussion, it could be suggested that it is also an artistic one. We are used to different systems and generations of consoles performing differently across versions of the same game, but it cannot be argued that what is presented here shows a huge divide in terms of quality. Granted, it’s a mobile chipset against the raw power of the PS5, but it appears that the Quest version severely compromises the vision intended by the developers.

As this is a game that likely relies on its aesthetics in order to create atmosphere, is it not the case that the player would be less immersed in the experience, because the visuals don’t deliver what they need to? Is the developer pleased that that got the game running on the Quest, or disappointed that it really doesn’t deliver the same experience?

I really can’t think of a recent game where versions across systems look so different, apart from the previously mentioned Shadow of Mordor. Players may prefer to play games on certain platforms depending on where a game might perform best, but in this case, the weaker platform really doesn’t appear to convey the developer’s original intent for their product.

Re: Suicide Squad's Divisive Aspects Will Not Change Due to PS5 Delay

Vacuumator

This sounds like a disaster. The purple orbs gameplay loop just sounds ridiculous. I’m presuming this is not some key canon element featured in the comics and it’s just something the developers came up with, because it’s all that they could apparently come up with?

Games are, for the most part, roleplay. What is the appeal of players taking on the role of these characters if they are not going to have any of the attributes that the comic characters are known for? If the player/s are simply gun-toting versions of the same character, but with a different skin, then what’s the point in utilising the license, if it’s not going to realise the full potential of the characters and their abilities?

The potential delay into 2024 sounds ominous, despite the insistence that there will not be a dramatic change in direction for the game. That’s highly likely, as there would have been too much invested at what is probably the latter stages of development. Any time from now up until release is going to be needed to try and turn this product into something gamers want - it appears that it’s not in that state right now.

My only interest in this game is following its progress and potential failure and seeing how this reflects on attitudes towards live service games.

As with the Abandoned saga, there are going to be mistakes made in this industry, but it’s interesting to watch and learn how these episodes are handled, by developers, publishers and gamers.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 468

Vacuumator

@MakersMark

I’ve literally only played the first couple of minutes. I’ll give it more of a go, as I really have no sense of what the game is like/mechanics from what I’ve seen. I did find that some of the VO is very well delivered, and some of it just seems flat and inconsistent with the other performances, so that’s a little jarring.

Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 468

Vacuumator

Finished another playthrough of Dishonored, this time on Steam Deck. It’s a shame the sequel isn’t supported on the Deck. I may move on to a repeat play though of Death of the Outsider instead, or perhaps start one of either Prey or Deathloop, neither of which I’ve played before.

After never being a PC gamer (discounting some BF2 back in the day), I’m rather enjoying the Steam Deck.

I also purchased Disco Elysian in the Steam Spring Sale, primarily because I hear the writing is great and wanted to check it out for this reason.

Re: The Walking Dead PSVR2 Looks Generations Apart from Meta Quest 2

Vacuumator

Is this really a case of a downgrade for a non-tethered system? If so, it presents a strong argument for having that cable and additional processing power.

I’ve never understood the obsession the preference for VR headsets being wireless. The internal battery adds bulk (and heat) and of course all the computing power needs to be onboard. A physical cable doesn’t really inhibit movement that much, if at all.

I don’t recall seeing a more noticeable gulf in versions of the same game since Shadow of Mordor on PS3/PS4. The former was a version that shouldn’t have been made/released and the same argument could be presented here. The Quest version presents a dramatically altered vision of the game in terms of aesthetics. When compared to the PS version, it looks incredibly comprised and the immersive experience is just not going to be the same considering the quality (or lack thereof) of the visuals. Textures look incredibly bad to not even there in places - the amount of plain-coloured, blurry, muddy textures in place of actual art assets is bordering on appalling.

Perhaps this is just a cash-grab. This shouldn’t have passed quality control.

Re: Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1) - The Pinnacle of PS1 Ridge Racer Games

Vacuumator

@JamieO

The potential (but unlikely to non-existent) updates to the PS Classic that you mention should have been on the device at release. These simple features are considered standard on many other similar systems (and NSO). Auto-Bleem and Project Eris add so much to the system and elevate it from the mediocre device it was at launch to being one of the best emulation machines.

If you haven’t tried adding additional items of interest to the Classic I would definitely recommend Auto-Bleem. It’s really very simple and presents a plug and play solution. All that needs to be done is to load the software onto a USB drive, add your legally-owned and obtained additional files and everything just works. The interface remains the same, there are just more “things” to scroll through on the carousel.

I was going to switch from Auto-Bleem to Eris, but see that Eris actually requires some minor modification of files. I like that Auto-Bleem loads everything off the USB - the device is left unaltered without the USB attached. It is, however, rather fussy about USB drive compatibility.

I wish I’d kept my PSone, but owning a Classic and a PS3 (Super Slim), I feel I have the retro-PSone gaming bases covered.

Re: Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1) - The Pinnacle of PS1 Ridge Racer Games

Vacuumator

I spent many an hour with my copy. Everything about it seemed so polished and modern at the time. The box artwork, front end UI, fonts, they all added up to create something that felt fresh. It wasn’t a stylised vision of future design, like the Wipeout games (which can actually appear a little dated in places now), the presentation felt very forward-thinking. Even a lot of current games don’t look as good as this in terms of the overall package.

The music was also phenomenal. It was the same upbeat, slightly cheesy Japanese-pop sound, but taken to the next level, one where it actually sounded good, like in belonged as background music in a trendy venue or club, not inside a videogame.

The lighting model was superb for the time. The effects at different times of day made every track feel and look different.

I’d actually forgotten it was a stock game on the PS Classic.

Re: Techland Ditches the Zombies, Working on Open World Fantasy Epic Next

Vacuumator

The first Dying Light is one of my favourite games, so I’m intrigued by this, although a single image is not much to go on at the moment. I’m hoping for something unique. I feel Horizon, with its introduction of machines as the main enemy /element did something different. The question is what can the fantasy genre do to stand out? Recent sci-fi/fantasy games such as Outriders and Forspoken have a very generic appearance. How does one describe these games? “That’s the one with the…??” On the surface, games such as these have no clear USP. Forspoken appears to be some monsters in an open world. Outriders, the same in a sci-fi setting? What I don’t see from these games is a setting that looks different, or mechanics or systems or means of interaction that really stand out. Perhaps I’m being picky, perhaps more of the same is not always a bad thing, if it’s produced to a high standard.

I certainly hope this new game from Techland offers something new in an over-saturated genre.

Re: Splash Damage Teases Project Astrid, Streamers Shroud and Sacriel Involved

Vacuumator

I sighed when I read this yesterday. I’m not judging these streamers and their knowledge of gaming, gaming trends etc, it’s just that with so many people struggling to get into the games industry, it reads as a little disappointing that these people are involved with and likely being paid well for what may amount to little input.

This reads as a promotional tool. Many people who play this game when it comes out will have never heard of these streamers. There is likely a very large sector of the gaming community who have never, nor ever will, have any interest in watching streamers playing games.

I want to hear about the game, sell me on that. These people aren’t games designers. I don’t really care what their input is. It perhaps says something about Splash Damage and their product that they feel this collaboration is both useful and relevant.

“They bring with them insights into what fans and creators want”. Why doesn’t the studio know this? Sadly, it’s becoming more common that developers and publishers don’t know the market - Suicide Squad being a prominent case. And are games really being made with “creators” in mind? If so, that marks a sad decline for the industry.

The boundless possibilities that new technology, new hardware and ever more powerful VR headsets affords video games presents an exciting future. Nevertheless, I’m finding less and less to get excited about in terms of content. There is little that is revolutionary and there really should be. There are lots of unique titles and concepts, but perhaps there needs to be more encouragement, more funding, to see that those with novel ideas are championed.

Rant over.

Bring on Brink 2.

Re: The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (PSVR2) - Lousy Rails Shooter Is a Supermassive Shame

Vacuumator

To those at Supermassive, bravo team, you’ve done it again, or not, as the case may be.

It did seem mildly curious that they chose to debut on the next version of PlayStation’s headset with a game that, on the surface, looks exactly like Rush of Blood. Apart from the obvious tech/control upgrades, there is nothing here that shouts innovation. The possibilities in VR are endless, there are only so many jump scares that can be elicited from a rollercoaster ride.

First time around this was interesting, on a platform with so much potential, it doesn’t appear like it’s worth consideration.

Re: The Last of Us TV Show Is Now Available on Amazon Prime, Hulu, More

Vacuumator

@The_Pixel_King

To buy.

Despite loving the games (Part II being one of my all-time favourites), I have little to no interest in watching this. Hearing that the story feels rushed feels like even less incentive to give it a try.

Years down the line, is the opinion going to be that there should have been more time devoted to the story of the first game? I fully understand pacing, brevity, less is more, but this world holds so much opportunity and it sounds like there is potentially a lot left unexplored.

Re: Surprise! Forspoken and Other Square Enix Games Didn't Meet Sales Expectations

Vacuumator

I played the Forspoken Demo for five to ten minutes. It was enough to get a sense of the game and I was left with the presumption that is all the game would be - open world combat ad infinitum with progressive unlocks and skills. It didn’t appear like a game that would offer any surprises or present anything new that isn’t there in the opening few moments of the game.

Re: The Response to Rocksteady's Suicide Squad Has Been Abysmal

Vacuumator

This is just not appealing at all. The Arkham games were great, even the WB Montreal developed Origins really isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. This game should have been more of the same. With so many characters to choose from in the DC universe, it’s bizarre that they went down this route.

Who are live service games marketed at these days anyway? I can’t many imagine many older gamers have the time to devote to this model of game. They require regular stints to gain anything from them, which isn’t always realistic with other life commitments.

The sad fact is that most of these games die very quickly without support. It’s only the solid games that have a lot of investment in them that succeed. I’m just not interested in any type of live service game at all. By the time I have a chance to get round to them, support will be lacking to non-existent.

It’s also interesting that Assassin’s Creed is shifting back to a more concise framework for its next game. 100+ hour games just aren’t that appealing to some. Single player adventures running maximum twenty hours are perfect for a certain audience and I certainly hope we don’t see the day when there comes a decline in those games being developed.

Re: Anticipated Survival MMO The Day Before Underwhelms in 10 Minutes of Stale Gameplay

Vacuumator

The volunteer aspect needs more transparency. Fine, if someone wants to volunteer for some asset work or translation or less demanding roles. But what of lead designers and programmers, those in charge of sound design? If those people are not compensated then that becomes more of a discussion.

The is no suggestion of royalty share at all. If volunteers want to work on a project to further their skills and their CV then that is great. However, this project needs to be more open about the use of volunteers. There are enough people struggling to get into the industry as it is. If this project succeeds (which seems unlikely), it is unfair that some of those involved will not benefit.

Re: Where to Watch The Last of Us TV Show

Vacuumator

@sjbsixpack

As with many fictional diseases, transmissibility would be far more likely inside, in a contained area, with little or no ventilation. Outside, it would be highly unlikely that the virus would spread, therefore there would be absolutely no need for masks to be worn - to do so would prove to be pointless. This is under the presumption that CO 2 is at a non-harmful level, which of course it would be.

Re: Where to Watch The Last of Us TV Show

Vacuumator

@Olmaz

Perhaps this is simply a matter of aesthetics? In reality the spores would not be visible. Interiors thick with clouds of dust particles would likely be the way to show them. Maybe it was decided that this proved not to be particularly threatening, or strong enough visually. There may well be other practical means why this decision was made.