On August 20 2020 14:58 TheYango wrote: The hype level for this game always felt like it was disproportionate to what the devs could actually deliver. I looked up what "Hardsuit Labs" had made before when this project was first announced, and the only game they have to their name is a mediocre f2p shooter released in 2012 that I'd never heard of, and which got mediocre-bad reviews. They formed in 2015 as a bunch of the leftovers from the closure of Zombie Studios, whose entire portfolio is literal shovelware (and before anyone says anything about Spec Ops, no, they did not make Spec Ops: The Line, which is the only non-shovelware Spec Ops title). Expecting them to actually turn out a worthy sequel to VtMB was always a pipe dream.
Hiring a couple good writers and convincing Paradox to let you use the IP isn't going to make what appears to be a B-rate dev studio that's never made a noteworthy game (and in their previous incarnation almost exclusively made shovelware) suddenly turn out a masterpiece.
I think you are underselling Hardsuit Labs a bit. Sure, they might not've released a full on AAA title but they did successfully finish numerous games that released on multiple platforms. I guess you could call them a workhorse type dev team, which is all you really need as vtmb thrived on the story rather than impressive visuals etc.
Now, firing of Mitsoda and Ka'ai is somewhat troubling, especially it being so sudden. They did hire a very experienced person in their place so that's good.
All this tells me is that perhaps there was a problem with the intended scope of the game, where perhaps Mitsoda started branching out the story too much and adding more and more stuff at the time when it all should've been pretty much wrapped up and just had to be ironed out. I think his social anxiety might also be a problem during stressful final push to finish the product when you really need great hands-on leadership and direction (and Mitsoda has a history of working on cancelled projects).
I don't expect it to be CP2077 level of game, I just want it to be good enough to drag me in like the original vtmb did. Right now I'm not too much worried and I'm actually glad they're pushing the release date instead of releasing a half-assed, buggy mess.
How Paradox was handling the situation seems rather unprofessional to me. Firing 2 big decision makers without giving them a proper explanation as to why is a bad look imho. Haven't read much about the new guy in charge Alexandre Mandryka, only that he's worked on some Far Cry and Assasin's Creed titles, which aren't exactly rpg related in any way...
On August 21 2020 08:35 thePunGun wrote: How Paradox was handling the situation seems rather unprofessional to me. Firing 2 big decision makers without giving them a proper explanation as to why is a bad look imho. Haven't read much about the new guy in charge Alexandre Mandryka, only that he's worked on some Far Cry and Assasin's Creed titles, which aren't exactly rpg related in any way...
This would tie up with my theory of them needing to streamline the experience. I think they have more than enough of a story but had trouble implementing it in a way that would flow properly. I guess they did some secret testing and it didn't go well. It's easy to do a complex open-world-like sandboxy game but then you need to make it in such a way that people won't get confused.
Dunno. This kinda died for me. They don't have that benefit of the doubt that CDPR have with their track record. Delaying time and time again, letting people go mid development, no clear communication, ...
I am open to be positively surprised but for me this got demoted from "must have" to "maybe when it's on sale and I have time"
So, why we wait for more news on VtMB2 we get more news regarding the new battle royale in the WoD universe:
I'm not really a fan of battle royale genre but this interview kind of piqued my interest. Lead behind it is a big WoD fan and has been TTRPG player and LARPer for decades and he was talking about keeping the Masquerade or having to hunt during the battle royale. Could be interesting. Also, it's supposed to be f2p with the business model being based not around lootboxes but monetizing vanity items.
So, there are telltale signs that 10 months after original release date VTMB2 is being re-made from the scratch. Paradox CEO mentioned something about not believing the game being released during the first half of 2021. They're also adding new gen console development for it (which I think might be bad for the game).
Wow, changing the studio mid-production? IDK what the hell was going on behind the scenes but this can't bode well. At least they're honest about it not coming out 2021 (instead of delaying every 3 months...)
So, the rumors of the game being scrapped and basically re-made from scratch were true. I'm actually really curious about what went wrong and why. From the gameplay videos they released it looked like they've had something going on. Sure, it did look like it required more polish and work but it didn't look bad at all. With the firing of lead writer and designer first I would assume that maybe they went a bit overboard with the story and created something that, while grand, can't be feasibly delivered in a reasonable time frame (but then, why fire them and not just move them to other projects and get another designer to fix the mess?).
The lack of communication is kind of baffling. I understand the need for secrecy but at least some communication would be nice instead of months of silence.
On February 23 2021 23:41 Manit0u wrote: So, the rumors of the game being scrapped and basically re-made from scratch were true. I'm actually really curious about what went wrong and why. From the gameplay videos they released it looked like they've had something going on. Sure, it did look like it required more polish and work but it didn't look bad at all. With the firing of lead writer and designer first I would assume that maybe they went a bit overboard with the story and created something that, while grand, can't be feasibly delivered in a reasonable time frame (but then, why fire them and not just move them to other projects and get another designer to fix the mess?).
The lack of communication is kind of baffling. I understand the need for secrecy but at least some communication would be nice instead of months of silence.
I think the remake from scratch is still a rumor. I hope a wrong one unless Pdx actually pushes back release like 3-4 years.
I can't really pretend to be surprised tbh. Troika's downfall was management, Pdx hired the same guys again and well, surprise. I assume Pdx brought in a quality tester or something similar and that guy saw a game with gameplay from the early 2000s that was months behind the deadline. So Pdx started to fire the leads.
I assume Pdx doesn't have a good grip on how far the game is and how quickly they can get it back on track, so they currently aren't communicating until they know more.
My guess as to why Paradox isn't releasing more info is: They're probably embarrassed about this whole clusterfuck and the less details people know about it, the better.
The battle royale genre quickly became one of the most popular genres in video games, but after a while the games lost their edge. The idea needed some new bite, a bit of fresh blood injected into the formula that would give it new life. Enter Sharkmob Interactive, who have partnered with World of Darkness to bring Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt to PCs later this year. At first I thought the idea was too far-fetched, but after spending an hour with the game battling against developers and other press, the concept now makes perfect sense.
The core battle royale gameplay is intact in Bloodhunt: a large number of players enter a confined space, looting and finding weapons scattered throughout the area. Eventually the playing area gets constrained even further, forcing the players to group together and battle it out until the last vampire wins. Simple, easy to understand, and anyone who's played Fortnite or PUBG knows what to expect.
What's interesting is how the game tweaks those mechanics in order to present a more unique experience. Take "the circle," the ever-present barrier between the safe zone and the storm that will eventually kill anyone caught in it for too long. In most battle royales that is a perfect circle, completely round and slowly shrinking until a match ends. In Bloodhunt it can't be called a "circle" because it's simply not, it's an amorphous shape that makes the boundary between safe and deadly much more difficult to predict. In one match an early safe zone was trapezoidal almost before constricting into a straight line, completely catching me off-guard. This is an interesting change, defying one of the previously iron-clad rules of battle royale, and it makes the late-game section of a match very interesting.
The world of Bloodhunt seems ordinary, but even that holds some changes to the standard battle royale formula that really make this game stand out. Let's start with the city of Prague, which serves as the map for Bloodhunt battles. It's a sprawling urban landscape with buildings that stretch to the sky. Every structure in the game can be climbed, allowing for rooftop battles or scouting when planning your next move. Some buildings even have indoor areas, which could be hiding top loot or offer a place for you to hide in a pinch. However, the vampires warring in the city aren't the only beings walking around, which touches on another of Bloodhunt's crucial changes.
NPC human citizens line the streets of Prague as you explore, the extrasensory "scanning" function allowing you to find them in real time. Feeding on these poor souls--you are a vampire after all--not only restores health, but sometimes offer specific buffs for a short time. One NPC I encountered regenerated my health one half-point per second for as long as the buff lasted. Another improved my defense, while a third made my melee attacks stronger. These buffs will stack if you feed fast enough, including leveling up buffs you might have already found to make them stronger. These buffs could easily make a difference throughout a match, so make sure to keep an eye out for a meal.
As you are a vampire, and you need to maintain the "masquerade" in order to not expose yourself as a vampire, the city and its people can also work against you. Entering the indoor areas can sometimes trigger an alarm, tipping off nearby enemies to your location. Jumping on cars sets off their car alarms for the same effect. Worst of all, should you confuse a NPC for an enemy during a skirmish and kill them, your cover is blown and every enemy in the match can see your exact location for a full minute. This is bad enough in a solo match, but imagine how angry your friends will get when you blow their cover in a team match.
But what makes this game Vampire: The Masquerade the RPG and not just a vampire battle royale? That would be twofold, the different classes to choose from when creating a character and the bits of lore scattered throughout the map. Classes vary from tank-style bruisers that deal heavy damage up front to lithe and agile runners that do best from a distance, and you get your choice right from the start. As for the lore, dozens of collectibles across the map fill in the overarching story surrounding Bloodhunt, creating a story that I suspect will continue for a long time to come. These are pieces that make this game feel like a true Vampire entry, like it belongs in the conversation with the rest of the established lore, and they go a long way in making Bloodhunt feel authentic.
The world of Vampire: The Masquerade sounds strange when placed next to the term "battle royale," but right now Sharkmob is well on its way to assuading any fears about the idea. Bloodhunt is a new and refreshing take on the format, making a lot of changes to the normal formula but keeping just enough familiarity to not push battle royale fans away. Add to that the RPG elements that core Vampire fans will appreciate, and this is shaping up to be a solid cross-section of two wildly different genres. We'll know for sure when the Closed Beta for Bloodhunt begins on July 2.
EPT![[image loading]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eu5XKbOXUAEIdvX?format=jpg&name=large)
