new game announced from gearbox...

[Majestic XII]

Oh peh-lease, not another WW2 game! Cant the industry come up with something new... and original?

Thank god for Nintendo and SEGA and all the other Japanese companies...

 

[clarky003]

cant wait too see OP flashpoint 2 at E3 soon,, I wonder how much has changed detail wise.. I bet its gonna rock, its been kept quiet real nicely

 

[Sprafa]

Oh peh-lease, not another WW2 game! Cant the industry come up with something new... and original?

Thank god for Nintendo and SEGA and all the other Japanese companies...

They're both in financial crisis

So gamers aren't that liberal

 

[Direwolf]

I don't care where its set, if its good its good.
Of course if it sucks we can whine all we want.

 

[Shuzer]

They're both in financial crisis

So gamers aren't that liberal

Nintendo is hardly in financial crisis.. sure, they're doomed if the GC2/DS doesn't pull through, but they're not in "financial crisis"

As for Sega, neither are they, since they no longer produce hardware, only software

 

[PvtRyan]

So any used in regard to the engine they use?

 

[[Matt]]

Not sure what engine this is but it doesnt look like source as the facial animation system doesnt look nearly as complex??

 

[OCybrManO]

They don't look like "twins" to me:

 

[OCybrManO]

d'oh...... feel free to delete this post :E

 

[ray_MAN]

I just loaded up Call of Duty because Band of Brothers inspired me, and I must say, If this game is anything like Call of Duty, I would buy it in a heart-beat. $2 that this is NOT the last WW2 game we see.

 

[Mr. Redundant]

that first picture looks more of a promo pic, it doesnt look "wholly ingame", more like ingame with a lot of touch-ups.

the faces look weird because I think they photosourced the Gearbox crew, (if you check out the group photo, they look like (pardon the phrase) "nerds") not that all people are superheroes, just they look out of place.

also Im not too sure Gearbox are working with the source engine this time around... especially since they are displaying the "Ubisoft" logo along with their new title... now Ubi could be just distributing it, but for some reason it makes me think farcry... although the pics look more source-ish (less shadows and bumpmapping) than Farcry.

also the backgrounds make me think "3d Skybox" instead of sprawling landscape... and Farcry is just Sprawling landscape.

 

[[Matt]]

the faces look weird because I think they photosourced the Gearbox crew, (if you check out the group photo, they look like (pardon the phrase) "nerds") not that all people are superheroes, just they look out of place.

The men who fought in WW2 didnt look like Conan the barbarian... they were regular people many of whom looked like nerds...

 

[Mr. Redundant]

The men who fought in WW2 didnt look like Conan the barbarian... they were regular people many of whom looked like nerds...

that was kinda my point, I was trying to figure out why the models looked so odd.
nothing wrong with it, just they look very photosourced.

 

[AmishSlayer]

I know that WW2 games have been done a lot lately, but the good ones leave me wanting more. Call of Duty was a blast for the most part but some of the Russian campaign was kinda weak. It turned into just boring indoor fighting all the time. If they keep getting better and better...I say keep 'em coming.

 

[[Matt]]

you lot should read the ugo preview i posted.... this games going to be nothing like MOH or COD...

 

[Mr. Redundant]

you lot should read the ugo preview i posted.... this games going to be nothing like MOH or COD...

http://www.ugo.com/channels/games/features/brothersinarms/
this one?
looks pretty dandy.

Gearbox has injected those details into their soldiers, who look familiar (one in fact is currently modeled after Vince Vaughn)

I could have sworn that one guy looked familiar.

btw, if that is your preview Matt, good job and great read.

EDIT: ok it is great job then, very cool.
but you shoulda just linked to it like me

 

[[Matt]]

oops.... seems i forgot to post it in this thread as i posted it in another forum i frequent... here it is!

Pinned down by gunfire by a few pesky Germans, your strategy in any current World War II first-person shooter would be simple: Charge up the street unloading your BAR, while leaping into the air and strafing to avoid any return fire. Sure, it's more James Bond than Private Ryan, but how else is one supposed to play such a game these days? Enter Ubisoft's Brothers in Arms, and a whole new World War II experience coming to PC and Xbox at the end of this year, PS2 and Gamecube early next.

Designed by Gearbox Software, Brothers in Arms was born out of president Randy Pitchford's passion to bring a more grounded Band of Brothers feel to a World War II game, encouraging a sense of identity of the squad members, and generally elevating the genre. Authenticity was key, and the team spent years researching and delving into the National Archives to get their facts straight, unearthing hundreds of hours of after-action reports, which were thought lost for over 30 years. Gearbox even tracked down Colonel John Antal, an Airborne Ranger in the U.S. Army and an author who had written military strategic manuals, to consult on the project. "He was writing these tactics exercises that were like choose your own adventures," explains Pitchford. "This guy was a game designer!" Antal would bring all the know-how to help make Brothers in Arms a smarter, cooler and most importantly, more tactical game.

Brothers in Arms follows Sgt. Matt Baker, a reluctant leader and a fictional character inspired by a true Sergeant who served during the war. As a member of the 502nd Airborne, Baker's dozen must paradrop behind enemy lines to aid the Allied assault on France by taking out enemy guns, reinforcing American soldiers and slowing the advance of the German counterattack. The offensive revolves around the invasion and subsequent holding of Carentan, a French city equidistant from Omaha and Utah Beach, where the Americans landed their troops. Divided, they would be driven into the sea by the German defenses, but if they were to come together, the Allied forces would have a shot at claiming the German-occupied port of Cherbourg and turning the war around. Whether or not Baker's able to deliver the goods is up to the player.

At its heart, Brothers in Arms is a mission-based first-person shooter and a player can run and gun if they choose. As proper military procedure doesn't encourage making yourself a sitting duck, Colonel Antal might not approve, but the course of action isn't prohibited. The player can switch between two weapons a la Halo, hop on fixed weapons and look down the sights of a weapon for more precise shooting. Sprinting is affected by the type of weapon you're lugging, and while you can jump, it's ill-advised. Standard shooter elements, sure, but the key difference here is that Baker is not alone.

As part of the leadership role, Baker has the ability to command elements, which are your fellow squad members, ordering them to attack a target, move to a position or follow him. Before anyone gets concerned, the execution is easy: On the Xbox, toggle between elements with the white button, and order them with the left trigger. Issuing these orders is context sensitive, so simply highlighting an enemy location instructs the element to attack, while aiming on a wall will request the element to move to the location and take cover. Your AI-led squad will automatically engage the enemy, taking the appropriate cover. More than utilizing the terrain by ducking behind walls or leaning around corners, squad mates will cover each other, with one soldier taking shots at the enemy while another reloads. In more than one case, a soldier would take the initiative and throw a grenade at an entrenched enemy. Theoretically, you could sit back and watch everything play out, but what fun is that?

A new concept for this shooter also revolves around suppression fire. In reality, suppression fire is the key to victory, pinning down your enemy so another can take him out. In multiplayer games, people use this tactic without even realizing it. In Brothers in Arms, suppression is measured by a threat indicator, depicted by a circle above the enemy's head. If the circle is completely empty, the enemy is pinned. Germans will continue to blind fire their weapons over their head or around corners, and without continued suppression, the circle will slowly, filling like an egg timer. Using one element to suppress an enemy, while another swings around to flank them is the quintessential tactic in Brothers in Arms.

This is a fundamental shift for first-person shooters, and the instruction does not play out like a real-time strategy game. At times, you can pull out a 3D external view of the area as a means of situational awareness; the idea that these soldiers committed aerial maps and geography to memory, but commanding troops a la Warcraft doesn't fly. The seamless transition between views is sweet, fading to black and white from color and tilting the perspective so that the scene resembles a recon photo. Within this setting, you can see where your elements are deployed and where the known enemies are, so that proper tactics can be used to dispatch them.

During our demonstration, it's important to point out the attention to detail. Meticulously re-created from photos of the era, every scene is being composed as historically accurate first, a work of art second. So far, they're succeeding as, even in this early state on the Xbox, Brothers in Arms is gorgeous and eerily authentic. Thanks to rag doll physics, an executed paratrooper (dangling from the branch he got snagged on) can be shot in the legs, forcing him to swing backwards, his arms swaying. Just don't let the rest of the team see you do it.

Utilizing the facial expression knowledge gleaned from their work on Half-Life: Opposing Force, Gearbox has injected those details into their soldiers, who look familiar (one in fact is currently modeled after Vince Vaughn) and can even track you with their eyes. It's subtle, but enough to make your fellow comrades feel like real folks instead of AI automatons. Voices are important too, and while no voice actors have been signed on yet, expect some real talent in this department. Already, you can hear unique chatter from the group as they take out targets, with one crying out, "You apes want to live forever!" being somewhat anachronistic (though much appreciated by this author!).

It's important that each of your guys does feel real, as Gearbox wants to move the story along in a way that players know their buddies. It's not just "guy in a helmet #1," but Joey, the Kansas City radio operator, for example. During some missions, players can choose to engage members, hearing their stories or just immersing themselves deeper into the moment. At any time, one can simply charge ahead with the mission, but for those looking for more depth, Brothers in Arms wants to deliver.

On our demonstration, Pitchford led Baker's group up the road from Carentan, where suddenly they were ambushed by Germans. Axis forces hid behind fallen horsecarts, and quickly, Pitchford dispatched the two elements (Fire and Movement) under his control, placing one (Fire) behind a stone wall, and the other (Movement) near a house, which he followed. The Fire element got the situation under control, pinning the Germans down so that now, Pitchford could lead the Movement element around the back of the house and take some pot shots. Unfortunately, all doesn't go as planned, as two separate German detachments engage our Movement element, forcing us to take cover by a wooden fence. Pitchford calls back the Fire element, needing their support, and while he waited for them, he looked down the barrel and took some shots at the Germans, capping a few in the process. Finally, with the Fire element in position, pinning down the enemy, Movement could swing into a recessed path and assault the enemy. Before Pitchford could raise his rifle, a member of his squad had tossed a grenade and sent German bodies flying. A little mop-up later, and the squad was back on its way.

There were still Germans in the vicinity, and over a hill, one in particular was on a MG42, pumping bullets faster than our squad could handle. Engaging the enemy with one element, and sneaking Movement to his side along the bushes was the plan, but suddenly, something bad happened. The ground shook and Baker's thrown on his back; motion blur fills the screen and there's a dull rumbling. A grenade, a mortar, who knows? Scripted? Sure, but still powerful. He hops back to his feet, and finishes what he started, before leading an element in to invade a house. Just as trouble is about to start up again, Baker's on the fixed gun in the window, taking out a half-dozen Nazis, while moving the Fire element into an outside ditch to pick off the stragglers. It's been a good run... this time.

There's a lot still in the works for Brothers in Arms as it closes in on its end of October ship date for Xbox and PC (PS2 and Gamecube will follow in 2005). For both Ubi and Gearbox, the Brothers in Arms name is two franchises: a series of games within the World War II era, and the potential to break into other theaters (like a modern day combat game akin to Full Spectrum Warrior). Unlike that game, Pitchford stresses, "We want to shoot the gun!" Alongside the single player missions, multiplayer will be an important addition, allowing players to lead elements of their own (in Xbox's current case, 2 players can play split-screen against another 2 players via the system link), and being the pros that balanced Halo PC, we have good faith they'll deliver. So much to tell, but we'll be seeing a lot more from Brothers in Arms this May for the E3 show.

 

[ray_MAN]

This follows the story of Band of Brothers exactly. That is NOT a bad thing.

 

[[Matt]]

hands on preview posted here...

http://www.1up.com/article2/0,2053,1568445,00.asp

 

[Neutrino]

Hmm...maybe I'm the only one, but I don't think this game looks all that great. It looks like a replica of Call of Duty with some souped up graphics. I'm sure it will be entertaining, but I doubt spectacular since the WWII genre has been done to death.

About the pictures, they look pretty good, but not stunning by anymeans in my opinion. For one thing the faces are pretty poor I think. They are not modeled very realistically compared with the new technology and the skin texture is way off. Also the vegatation did not look all that convincing to me. Perhaps I'm just tired of all the WWII clones, but I wasn't that impressed.

 

[Maxi]

Looks promising, however I don't like the 16 character limit.

 

[[Matt]]

Hmm...maybe I'm the only one, but I don't think this game looks all that great. It looks like a replica of Call of Duty with some souped up graphics. I'm sure it will be entertaining, but I doubt spectacular since the WWII genre has been done to death.

its not a COD clone ffs.... your basing your opinion on screenshots. Its a game thats more closely releated to raven shield and full spectrum warrior than COD or MOH...

 

[Neutrino]

.... your basing your opinion on screenshots....

And your not at all?

Heh, but ya I understand what you mean. But even if it's not a CoD clone like you say I'm still not that impressed. I looks pretty good, but nothing great in my opinion. Of course like you say based on such early work it is impossible to tell. I guess I'm just tired of WWII games in general. There are way to many of them and I think game companies should start looking for more original content.

 

[[Matt]]

And your not at all?

Heh, but ya I understand what you mean. But even if it's not a CoD clone like you say I'm still not that impressed. I looks pretty good, but nothing great in my opinion. Of course like you say based on such early work it is impossible to tell. I guess I'm just tired of WWII games in general. There are way to many of them and I think game companies should start looking for more original content.

Your saying it LOOKS good so of course I’m inclined to think your just looking at the screenshots and thinking 'meh...' I’m basing my opinions from the 2 previews I’ve read and to me this game is of interest. Whilst MOH and COD were fun in places I ran through COD once and haven't touched it again and never even bothered to complete MOH. Whilst some set pieces were impressive most of the time you found yourself playing the game as if you're one man against a whole platoon of Nazi’s. I found these sections rather dull and repetitive.

I have a love for games such as raven shield and operation flashpoint where tactics and teamwork are the key to success. In these games you are not a one man army and completing missions alone is practically impossible. I also have a valid interest in WW2 as my grandfather fought throughout North Africa and then both the Italian and the D day invasion with the British 8th army. This new game takes the elements of squad command gaming and implements them into a WW2 setting. You will be able to order your first squad to lay down suppressing fire on a position whilst you move around with a second squad to flank the position. Also every single man in your squad will have a personality. No longer will they be faceless cannon fodder for the Nazi's to shoot. In between missions when you're on your way to your next target you will be able to converse with your squad members and find out your corporal's name and whether he has a girlfriend back home and what sort of things they used to do together. Sounds strange but I believe that players would grow rather attached to the squad members in Brothers in arms and would certainly think long and hard before sending them on suicide missions. I know I couldn’t give a toss about an allied death in COD or MOH and even used to enjoy shooting them myself out of boredom but I guarantee you players would look after their own in Brothers in arms.

It’s the above mentioned elements that have made me sit up and take notice of this game. I hope this game turns out to be everything I wanted from MOH or COD but those games just failed to deliver the realistic tactical game i wished for.

 

[el Chi]

Oh goody. Another WW2 game. Just what the world's been gasping for...

 

[Direwolf]

A good game is a good game. Doesn't matter.
How many SWAT games have we all played? Or SciFi games set in another galaxy?

 

[Neutrino]

...... I also have a valid interest in WW2 as my grandfather fought throughout North Africa and then both the Italian and the D day invasion with the British 8th army.....

Ya, I meant no disrespect for WWII itself. My grandfather also fought in it. I just meant from a gaming perspective I don't think it is original anymore. Sure it might be funner than the other WWII games, but I'd prefer game studios to really stetch their imaginiations and come up with some new content.

 

[Murray_H]

"Utilizing the facial expression knowledge gleaned from their work on Half-Life: Opposing Force, Gearbox has injected those details into their soldiers, who look familiar (one in fact is currently modeled after Vince Vaughn) and can even track you with their eyes."

Sounds like Source to me....but perhaps they are not giving credit where it's due i.e. to Valve for the facial animations

Anyhoo, it won't be HL2-style Source, seeing as it's being developed on teh Xbox

 

[Epsi]

http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/foru...=166013&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Apprently it's Unreal Engine v2, of UT2k4 fame.

 

[TheRook]

i was thinking unreal...

looking at the grass (vegetation) "sprites" had that Unreal style to it... but still looks pretty damn good... not as great as HL2 / doom3 but good in its own rights Good luck to Gearbox if they do a good job ill proibably get it... but as its going for Gamecube & xbox i hope microsoft dont buy it like they bought Halo... good business strategy but bad for pc gamers...

TheRook
:farmer: