"The Crossing" gets revealed

[Steel.Inferno]

This is that "crossplay" game professing to have innovating... crossplay... gameplay. It's the cover of the feb GFW. I read the article and it sounds pretty interesting, in a wow this is nearly doomed to fail, but damn cool way. I'll try and explain it, but it is still very confusing to me.

As best I understand it, players are divided into two groups: Story mode, which is solo or Co-Op until crossplay is in effect, and skirmish mode, which is more standard round-based multiplayer. When Story players reach various points, such as in this example where the "Elites" Postmodern Templar Knights with guns, a "skyhook" and similar equipment, need to steal a special drill from another faction. Its weird, alternate reality stuff, where the Knights Templar basically won, Renaissance never happened... um. I can't explain it, their story is too plain crazy.

Suffice to say, it's run-of-the-mill mercs with nothing too much odder than jetpacks versus quite high tech supersoldiers. When the story players need to do such a mission as stealing this drill, the pop into a multiplayer server, which is rearranged for crossplay. The elites, in this example, are pitted against mercs of a hostile faction. The elites are two Co-Op story moders, mercs are multiplayer skirmishers, who up until this had been playing a CS-style match. It also says that the mercs could be split up, one team helping elites, other against, and other formats. Elites are better, and mercs are in for a tough fight, but they earn points for beating elites which can be used in normal skirmishes for some neat bonus. And like Story players can "raid" Skirmish battlefields, likewise Skirmishers can go to the Story players' map and interact there. They described that as like in the Matrix, where Agents would take over anyone spotting Neo. So when an A.I. guard sees you in Story mode, a skirmisher merc might take over and make it a much more challenging fight.

It really sounds promising, to me, but also a bit ambitious. Then again, it's loosely scheduled for 2008, so they have time. There's more info on 1up and the like if anyone is interested.

 

[bam23]

Doesn't really sound that exciting tbh.

 

[63]

Sounds like a bad mod idea

As of now, L4D > Crossing

 

[CptStern]

you understood what he said? can I have a translation please

 

[Steel.Inferno]

I don't understand what I said. The game/article makes NO sense.

 

[63]

Pm scans please!

 

[ailevation]

Pm scans pretty please!

 

[Steel.Inferno]

I can't get scans sorry, I don't have a scanner and someone's borrowing my camera...

 

[Adrik_Senturu]

Eh I have the magazine.

Basically theres a singleplayer/co-op mode, and a normal multiplayer Skirmish mode. At certian points in the story, people playing the normal multiplayer, will join that server and act as the bad guys. Theres also an additional thing you can be which is a merc, which acts as the NPCs for the map (Neutral guys and whatnot).

So basically yeah its not that revolutionary or anything :|

All that happens is, you'll be playing singleplayer and every 2 or 3 maps, the bad guy's will be replaced by actual people, and the NPCs by mercs. Which makes me wonder, what happens when people stop playing singleplayer?

 

[Asuka]

Sounds very interesting. Cant wait for some more info/media.

 

[Steel.Inferno]

Eh I have the magazine.

Basically theres a singleplayer/co-op mode, and a normal multiplayer Skirmish mode. At certian points in the story, people playing the normal multiplayer, will join that server and act as the bad guys. Theres also an additional thing you can be which is a merc, which acts as the NPCs for the map (Neutral guys and whatnot).

So basically yeah its not that revolutionary or anything :|

All that happens is, you'll be playing singleplayer and every 2 or 3 maps, the bad guy's will be replaced by actual people, and the NPCs by mercs. Which makes me wonder, what happens when people stop playing singleplayer?

What he said. I just can't summarize things. at all.

 

[Asuka]

It sounds much more then what you typed out. The only thing im worried about is the developer, while they have the help of a valve art director i have to be cautious. After what they pulled with Dark Messiah i have to worry. That game was so buggy and broken i still havnt played it since its release.

 

[63]

Pm scans please!

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Hmmm it sounds interesting but I was hoping for a more thorough cross-play... Example being that you are sort of always in a multiplayer type zone and you are competing for various things against players in story type modes and not go into round-based modes.

Either way, it will be very interesting to try out! I would want to read the article myself though because you guys don't make it sound that exciting at all.

 

[Asuka]

Pm scans please!

He already said he cant.

 

[Gunner]

Sounds like a bad mod idea

As of now, L4D > Crossing

Absolutely agree.

 

[63]

He already said he cant.

The other guy. There are now 2 people with the mag.

Pm scans please!

 

[Kadayi]

The only thing this game has to do with Valve is that it running on the Source engine. The blurb about Valve Art Director refers to Viktor Antonov, the guy who did pretty much all the concept Art for the Combine tower and APC etc (basically if it was spiky looking..Viktor was behind it). Viktor left Valve after HL2 lost coast and set up his own consultancy(http://www.vulkanbros.com/intro.html). He did a lot of the Concept art for DMoM&M for Arkane as well.

 

[Lucid]

Sounds pretty stupid tbh.

 

[StardogChampion]

Sounds better than that zombie craptastic game.

 

[Adrik_Senturu]

I'll see if I scan it later for some of you guys to PM it too (My scanner is being a bit wonky) till than, heres a summary they have in there of what exactly it is. This ones alot better than mine D:

Solo-,multi-,cross-play - confused? The Crossing's untried modes aren't all complexity all the time. In the simplest sense, story missions are single-player shooting with an exception: naturally intelligent, people opponents take the place of A.I., if and when you want. So-called skirmish maps, on the other hand, are harder to wrap your head around in that their context and conventions kaleidoscope to accommodate the kinds of players playing. In milquetoast multiplayer mode, skirmishes pit two more or less symmetrical parties against one another, much like Counter-Strike or Day of Defeat. So far, fine. However, The Crossing also iterates on and integrates skirmishes into its solo/co-op content, and here's where the intricacy occurs.
According to Colantonia, "Once one story mission - in a campaign's cycle of story and skirmish maps - is complete, our servers select an appropriate match (according to criteria including difficulty setting, ping, language preference, and so on) and place story players in the queue for applicable skirmish maps." Conversely, the system explains to skirmishers that story players (or Elite soldiers) are now entering the next round - in which case, the server may (or may not) reassign specific skirmisher roles according to the narrative need. For instance, it's possible that skirmishers, who were competing as cops and thugs in two teams of 10, become one 20-man IBAT brigade charged with preventing the pair of Elites from accessing a control center. Meanwhile, another map might maintain two skirmisher teams: one to assist the Elites, one to assault them.

 

[Gorgon]

you understood what he said? can I have a translation please

same here :O

 

[Reginald]

So in 5 years, you want to play the game again because you want to relive the story or what not, but you can't advance past certain parts because there will be no one left playing multiplayer to play against you?

Unless of course you can play against NPCs if you so desire. In which case it's just a gimmick. Eh.

I get it, but it seems stupid. I'll happily let them surprise me though.

 

[hool10]

I'm noticing games are becoming more weird in the story direction, almost like they are running out of ideas. Like Resistance story about WW2 never happening...it's just a ****ed up story. I think everybody will forget about this game though when we have Ep2 and L4D.

 

[Steel.Inferno]

Here's the exact quote of their "story" from the article... I'll prob get scans today if I can get my camera.

"The City Of Light we see when The Crossing starts is a cordoned slum, a down-at-the-heel complex of squatters and nonexistent social support far from postcard Paris. Neither Antonov nor the segment we watch elaborates on the nature of the no-go zone other than to explain that bedlam follows the failure of the French government. Futhermore, The Crossing's speculative fiction posits parallel universes, one of which is on a timeline concurrent with our own until 1307, when, instead of disbanding under papal decree, as happened in our history, the Knights Templar assume control of the crown. Emissaries of a Christian military order, they somehow trek from their autocratic side of the coin to our lawless one on the reverse. Later, they enlist players to dimension-hop home for still unspecified causes...

So The Crossing is an interesting excercise, because this incident changed the world 600 years ago in the 14th century. France becomes a crusading country. The Renaissance never happens, and European history is rerouted."

It goes on, but basically there is orderly Christian-controlled Paris in one universe, and an anarchic one in the other, and they mix together...

 

[Deadline]

I think they are just trying to come up with original ideas, which I give them credit for. But if your original ideas suck... then scrap it and start over.

Edit: I have the mag too, and no I cant get screens, sorry.

 

[CptStern]

Here's the exact quote of their "story" from the article... I'll prob get scans today if I can get my camera.

"The City Of Light we see when The Crossing starts is a cordoned slum, a down-at-the-heel complex of squatters and nonexistent social support far from postcard Paris. Neither Antonov nor the segment we watch elaborates on the nature of the no-go zone other than to explain that bedlam follows the failure of the French government. Futhermore, The Crossing's speculative fiction posits parallel universes, one of which is on a timeline concurrent with our own until 1307, when, instead of disbanding under papal decree, as happened in our history, the Knights Templar assume control of the crown. Emissaries of a Christian military order, they somehow trek from their autocratic side of the coin to our lawless one on the reverse. Later, they enlist players to dimension-hop home for still unspecified causes...

So The Crossing is an interesting excercise, because this incident changed the world 600 years ago in the 14th century. France becomes a crusading country. The Renaissance never happens, and European history is rerouted."

It goes on, but basically there is orderly Christian-controlled Paris in one universe, and an anarchic one in the other, and they mix together...

hope it doesnt look like Hellgate london


sounds interesting, in capable hands it could turn out to be an exciting kickstart to pc fps gaming

 

[Steel.Inferno]

Got my cam back, I'll have scans once I'm done uploading...

Not very good ones, but the text is readable, I'm terrible at digital photography and I've only used this camera twice before.

Sent to a few people. If you didn't get and want, reply/pm

 

[jondy]

scans pls

 

[Reginald]

Scans please if there are some new pictures.

 

[MultiVaC]

As of now, L4D > Crossing

Agreed. I thought The Crossing sounded like really cool idea when it they first mentioned it, but now that I know exactly what it is it sounds too weird and convoluted. Left 4 Dead has a simple gameplay formula that hasn't really been explored but almost everyone has thought about at one point, plus it's inspired by 28 Day Later and has zombies. I'm hoping The Crossing will be great, but my feeling is that if the idea is that hard to explain, it's probably not going to work out that well.

 

[BaconIsGood4You]

Free Zinio (online magazine subscription) Issue

You can get a whole bunch of magazines for free if you use Zinio. Just google "free zinio" and click the first link (a forum called FatWallet) for all the magazines.

 

[Tamer17]

Sorry for the bump , but it'a for a good reason!

1UP has the interview up on their site. New screenshots and new trailer. The interview clarifies the concept and overall it shaping up nicely.

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=0&cId=3156558

 

[VictimOfScience]

Saw it in the GFW magazine. Not that interested yet.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Woo! Now I can experience the joy of multiplayer lag in single player too

 

[TwwIX]

sounds...complicated

 

[Asuka]

Did you guys see the trailer...

Looks ****ing amazing, graphically and just look at the movement of the game. This looks INSANE!

Source engine is looking crazy in that video.

 

[Lucid]

So technically, if the game bombs and nobody plays online...

Then you pretty much can't finish the singleplayer game?

 

[Dan]

I think there is still a lot of confusion about the game. The 1up video clears up a lot of it. Basically it is a single player game, but all of the NPCs can be replaced by "mercenaries" that queue up to fill in any spaces as they become available. There are also "levels" where the main character (or characters) joins up with a team of secondary characters to play a CS style match against an opposing team. I say main characters because obviously co-op is included too. Perhaps there might also be opposing main characters.