[360] Crackdown 2

[obonicus]

Well, they could reuse them with modifications rather than start at a clean slate. Where'd the 1.5 years number come from? I feel like there must be a wealth of crackdown 2 info going around that I haven't seen.

I think it's speculation going by the date Ruffian Studios was announced and Crackdown 2's release date. Gamasutra reported it December 2008.

 

[DrJay24]

Well, they could reuse them with modifications rather than start at a clean slate. Where'd the 1.5 years number come from? I feel like there must be a wealth of crackdown 2 info going around that I haven't seen.

The lead guy said they were six months old or something in an interview. I think the game is due this time next year.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I think it's speculation going by the date Ruffian Studios was announced and Crackdown 2's release date. Gamasutra reported it December 2008.

Well, the article does mention that...

Gamasutra has learned that a Dundee, Scotland-based developer called Ruffian Games has been founded by key Crackdown-related employees, including lead designer Billy Thomson, with unconfirmed reports of a Crackdown sequel in development there.

So there's always the possibility that there was already work underway on Crackdown 2 before they left and formed Ruffian Games.

And since Realtime Worlds has focused on APB perhaps this whole split was due to a division on whether to proceed with a Crackdown Sequel or not.

Regards,
SB

 

[Malibu]

EDGE Interview

One thing we’re not getting caught up in is dialogue-driven cutscenes. It’s not what we do and we’ve no business going towards that kind of thing. If we got dragged into the fight that’s going on between other games in this genre, I think that’d be a bad move. We’ll definitely have variation with the objectives and push forward with the freeform structure; we don’t just want ‘find-the-boss, kill-the-boss’. We made the first game and we know what was lacking. We’ve listened a lot to the community and the reviews. Obviously, we can’t take every comment on board, but we’re doing our best to address the biggest issues.

A few of us found it difficult to deal with the fact that a lot of the freeform elements of the original were weak in certain areas. But we’ve learned from that. Billy won’t say this himself but he has an incredibly strong vision of what Crackdown 2 is. Moving the original on with that we believe was an incredibly powerful and important piece of DLC – that kind of evolution is something we’re keen to pursue.

We’ve improved the technology and we’ve probably got one of the better engines for long-distance vistas for both characters and vehicles. We don’t use depth of field and we don’t use fog.

One thing we’re pretty proud of is that people don’t look at it for the technology; they look at it for the game. It’s very easy to get lost in technical achievement. We have to make technical leaps to benefit the gameplay, but we only think in terms of the player.

 

[DrJay24]

The good:

we don’t just want ‘find-the-boss, kill-the-boss’.

The bad:

One thing we’re not getting caught up in is dialogue-driven cutscenes. It’s not what we do and we’ve no business going towards that kind of thing. If we got dragged into the fight that’s going on between other games in this genre, I think that’d be a bad move.

The genre has evolved, I don't see how you can get away with no story or character development.

 

[obonicus]

Well, it's Crackdown, there's very little to it besides the mechanics. I do hope they strengthen some of the mechanics overall, though. Some added depth in melee might be fun, if just for the possibility to torture gang members in creative ways. And maybe better free-form shooting, the lock-on was okay but not great.

 

[Tap In]

The genre has evolved, I don't see how you can get away with no story or character development.

keep your chocolate out of my peanut butter!

CD has it's own feel. I like the advancing development of the bosses and the more involved "story" which they say this will have but I don't necessarily need cut scenes. Especially when they know they can do other things better than they can or want to do cut scenes. After CD1 I'm willing to see what they come up with especially WRT the music.

 

[Gubbi]

The genre has evolved, I don't see how you can get away with no story or character development.

Using cutscenes is a horrible story telling device in games. It turns otherwise excellent games into B-movies. Lost Planet is an excellent example, MGS to a lesser degree.

NPC chatter, radio chatter, radio logs, grafiti and documents are all examples of better ways to communicate a story IMO, since you can choose to completely ignore it if you want to.

Cheers

 

[Malibu]

More details

Even though Ruffian is "doing a lot of work on rendering and lighting to push the bar up" on the visuals, Crackdown 2 is "retaining the vibrancy and comic stylings of the original." But more importantly, their new tech is "increasing the capabilities of the systems that [allow] us to have thousands of characters and activities in the world, it will play a significant part in gameplay and be integral to the online experience."

 

[AlNom]

Wonder when we'll get to see some in-game/engine media.

 

[AzBat]

Looks like Game Informer is the first to get the newest details on Crackdown 2. GameSpy got the info from NeoGaf...

... the promise of four-player co-op and 16-player online gameplay (which is said to feature character progression ala Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.)

Some of the highlights aside from these new multiplayer-geared features include:

• Support Points are gone, Agents can now call in for ammo and supplies anytime and anywhere.
  
• Vehicles like Trucks or Buses have room for a mounted turret, which makes them great for getting around in Co-Op.
  
• More variations in weapons, meaning people have more to choose from than just the homing rocket launcher.
  
• You'll obtain skill orbs by using abilities relevant to your character.
  
• The freaks evolve over time, making them MUCH more fearsome as the game progresses.
  
• Doing missions in the day or night has a huge effect. At night, the freaks come out to play.
  
• The city hasn't changed in architect, all the roads are the same. Some buildings have been demolished and other small things, but over all it's the same city.
  
• City decays over time from the infection.
  
• A lot more weapon variety. New powerful shotgun, Rail Gun, and sticky grenades.
  
• New Agency helicopter and other vehicles. All old Agency vehicles returning.

http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/crackdown-2/1023324p1.html

Not sure I'm liking the zombie/flood element. I'm also hoping there's more changes to the city than just a couple of buildings torn down. Everything sounds pretty cool. Wished there was more details on the agility & hidden orbs.

Tommy McClain

 

[liolio]

I hope that they won't focus on graphics. Crackdown is still nice. I would enjoy better animation, more living world => better Ai. I would also enjoy he they had some stealth component to it.

 

[DrJay24]

The gameplay elements sounds great, the Prototype-esque plague sounds lame.

 

[AlNom]

Found some other info (also from the magazine)

• Dynamic Civilian Events (Example: A man trying to sell something in the day, getting marauded in the night. And the Agency will put up signs saying "play dead when you see an Infected".)
• The game looks much more detailed and grittier, but still keeps the "cartoony" look.
• Most of the civilian cars in the game are the same, but reskinned and armed with armor and weapons to survive in the new hazards of city life.
• The Cell (a gang) is composed of ordinary citizens just wanting to reclaim the city from your team (the good guys). You take them out, and reclaim their turn for the Agency.
• More instances where Co-Op play is prudent.
• Melee attacks are much more varied a fluid.
• Key to the City DLC is a go!
• All repetitiveness is completely removed. Better boss battles.
• Doing missions in the day or night has a huge effect. At night, the freaks come out to play.
• City decays over time from the infection.
• More precise targeting system. Skill is rewarded.

 

[RobertR1]

* Smeared in awesomesauce.

 

[Acert93]

Yeah, it actually has my interest and attention. A complete MP and Coop game where skill (aiming) is required in a huge living city with dynamic and quasi-RPG elements? About time!

 

[AlNom]

Cheater.

 

[aselto]

I don't like the fact that streets layout remains unchanged. I was thinking about replaying Crackdown one of these days, but at this point I have to forget as much as possible. :/ But at least it'll allow direct graphics comparisons, which could be quite interesting. Also, I liked autoaiming in the first one, it worked with the rest of the gameplay.

I guess we have to wait to see some gameplay footage.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Well if they are to stay in the same city, it only makes sense that the streets will still be the same. Granted they could have moved to a different city entirely, but perhaps they have an ongoing and evolving story they wish to tell?

Regards,
SB

 

[obonicus]

Crackdown is Realtime Worlds, I don't think Free Radical was involved. They were too busy making Haze.