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Dishonored: Reviews are in, it's good! Completion hours equivalent to penis length.

darleysamdarleysam On my way toUKRegistered User regular
edited October 2012 in Games and Technology
notbethesda.jpg


http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-07-bethesda-announces-dishonoured
Bethesda has announced Dishonored, a new first-person stealth action adventure game.

The developer is Arkane Studios, which was bought by Bethesda parent company ZeniMax in August last year.

Harvey Smith, one of the developers of the first two Deus Ex games, is co-creative director, reveals Game Informer.

Viktor Antonov, who designed Half-Life 2's City 17, is also on board.

"Dishonored is the antithesis of a edge-of-your-seat roller-coaster ride," Game Informer said.

"It's a game about assassination where you don't have to kill anyone. It's a game about infiltration where you can set up traps and slaughter the entire garrison of an aristocrat's mansion rather than sneak in. It's a game about brutal violence where you can slip in and out of a fortified barracks with nobody ever knowing you were there. It's a game about morality and player choice where the world you create is based on your actions, not navigating conversation trees."

Coming to PC, PS3 and 360 next year.

Massive picture spoilered super go!
dishonored_spreadcover.jpg.jpg

So there's not a lot of information to go on just yet, but I am intrigued.

New first screenshot! Line up for the sword-ride:
dishonored-firstscreen.jpg

Also text!
Who are you?
Players take on the role of Corvo, the Empress’ legendary bodyguard. As the game starts, Corvo is falsely imprisoned for her murder. What the corrupt Lord Regent behind the coup didn’t realize is that Corvo is legendary for a reason. He’s not only a skilled combatant accomplished in the art of not being seen, but Corvo has a suite of supernatural powers that combine with his natural talents and unusual gadgets to make him one of the most lethal men in the known world.

Why should you care?
Even if you haven’t played them, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Thief and Deus Ex. One of the main minds behind those two games, Harvey Smith, is the co-creative director of Dishonored along with Raf Colantonio, the founder of developer Arkane Studios. The two share a vision of a game that gives players the power to be creative with their skills and tactics, and invites them to come up with interesting solutions to the obstacles in front of them. Arkane is known for its immersive first-person gaming (Arx Fatalis, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic), and the power of a talent-driven publisher in Bethesda (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout 3) behind the team is promising.

How are they going to do that?
Dishonored has several major elements that combine to create its unique gameplay: mobility, powers & gadgets, environment, and AI. The trick is that a single power doesn’t just do damage or heal you. You can combine them organically to create interesting effects. Stop time and knock a bunch of stuff off a table in one direction then book it in another, so the guards search for you in the wrong place. Summon a swarm of rats to attack one guard, but possess one of the rats and escape in the chaos. Every problem has as many solutions as you want it to.

What’s the catch?
It’s an assassination game that reacts to how violent you are. An unusual “chaos” system tracks how much collateral damage you cause, and the game world changes as a result of your actions. Unlike a light/dark side meter, though, it’s a behind-the-scenes element that affects story decisions without punishing the player or pushing them to play one way or another.

A Eurogamer preview:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-05-dishonored-preview
So it's pretty interesting to sit down and watch Arkane Studios' Harvey Smith and Raf Colantonio play around with the tools you get in Dishonored, their first-person stealth game about an assassin with magical powers, because they insist they've taken the opposite approach.

Whenever they introduce a new power or tool during development, within hours someone on the team invents an exploit that kind of breaks the game, like coupling the high-jumping ability with a partial-teleport to travel vast distances and meddle around in the rafters of the world. Rather than shut that option down again, they then think about how they can design levels that benefit from it.

Stealing some screenshots, hopefully:
ss_preview_2Dishonored_Tallboys.jpg.jpg

ss_preview_newnewDishonored_ThugvsCityGuard.jpg.jpg

ss_preview_Sneak_Observation02.png

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darleysam on
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    CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I don't have to kill anyone? Yeeeesssss.

    Cantido on
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    Mike DangerMike Danger "Diane..." a place both wonderful and strangeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Hey, it's the Combine!
    APC.jpg

    Mike Danger on
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    darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I saw that artwork and was like "wow, channelling Half Life 2 there", then read who was doing their artwork.

    darleysam on
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    PeewiPeewi Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    This certainly sounds promising. That walker remind anyone else of the HL2 striders?

    Peewi on
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    Mike DangerMike Danger "Diane..." a place both wonderful and strangeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Hell, even that train there looks like the Combine trains now that I notice it isn't part of the wall.

    Well, even if it does look really similar, a stealth game in a City 17-type environment is pretty awesome.

    Mike Danger on
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    RakaiRakai Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    It's a game about morality and player choice

    This kills my interest. Maybe they'll do something that doesn't suck, but every implementation of such things ends up making cringe and not in a good way.

    Rakai on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]XBL: Rakayn | PS3: Rakayn | Steam ID
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    darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Hell, even that train there looks like the Combine trains now that I notice it isn't part of the wall.

    Well, even if it does look really similar, a stealth game in a City 17-type environment is pretty awesome.

    The way I see it, sure it looks like City 17 (because it's designed by the same guy, seemingly), but I love City 17 and only wish that Valve would give us more of it. Since they're busy elsewhere, I will take the hell out of this instead.

    darleysam on
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    Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I did some cursory digging awhile back and apparently, when Bethesda got hacked a few months ago (and several hundred resume's were leaked) there may have been evidence to believe that Arkane was the third party studio that was working on Half-Life 2: Episode 4 (What's that, you ask? Episode 4? Third-party? Am I crazy? Read ye and be educated: Linky. The other rumor being that Valve, after evaluating Episode 1 and 2, decided to drop the episodes and Ep4 got canceled.

    I wonder if it eventually turned into Dishonored, hence the massive similarity to HL2. (I know it has the HL2 art director, but I imagine that guy has enough range to not make everything he does look like HL2.)

    Undead Scottsman on
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    PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The promotional phrasing is a bit silly.

    "In a world of black and white, he paints in blues and greens. In a city of endless sorrow, his laughter echoes through the alleyways. In a heart bursting with love and joy, he lives as a mote of spite and apathy. He is.... Contrasting Description Man! Coming soon to a theater near you."

    PantsB on
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    Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I am a fan of stealth games. This is officially on my radar.

    Gandalf_the_Crazed on
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    Muddy WaterMuddy Water Quiet Batperson Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Colour me curious.

    Muddy Water on
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    CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    On one hand, this sounds fucking amazing.

    On the other hand, I really just want Arkane to make a successor to Dark Messiah.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
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    Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Cherrn wrote: »
    On one hand, this sounds fucking amazing.

    On the other hand, I really just want Arkane to make a successor to Dark Messiah.

    You mean a sequel to "The Adventures of Sir Kicksalot Deathboot in the Land of the Conspicuously Placed Spike Racks?"

    I could go for that. :D

    Undead Scottsman on
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    OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    What the fuck

    Everything about this game sounds like it was tailor made to give me the world's largest hard on

    Is... is this a dream?

    Olivaw on
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    ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    So, other than Dark Messiah*, what should I know Arkane from?

    * Which, yes, is "The Adventures of Sir Kicksalot Deathboot in the Land of the Conspicuously Placed Spike Racks" and is awesome.

    Elvenshae on
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    Mike DangerMike Danger "Diane..." a place both wonderful and strangeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Wiki says they did Arx Fatalis (which I think was well-received?) and BioShock 2 (which was sort of mixed reception, IIRC)

    Mike Danger on
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    Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The only other game they've released is Arx Fatalis, which was an okay action RPG inspired by Ultimate Underworld. They were working on a game called "The Crossing" which was a source engine game featuring crossplayer. (Basically the singleplayer and multiplayer components would directly interact somehow.)

    EDIT: Apparently they did work on Bioshock 2 as well.

    Undead Scottsman on
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    gjaustingjaustin Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Olivaw wrote: »
    What the fuck

    Everything about this game sounds like it was tailor made to give me the world's largest hard on

    Is... is this a dream?

    If it is, don't pinch yourself.

    I want to play this too.

    gjaustin on
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    MongerMonger I got the ham stink. Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The dudes that made Dark Messiah are making a stealth Half-Life 2?

    It is physically impossible for me to be more totally in than I am.

    Monger on
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    DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Cherrn wrote: »
    On one hand, this sounds fucking amazing.

    On the other hand, I really just want Arkane to make a successor to Dark Messiah.

    You mean a sequel to "The Adventures of Sir Kicksalot Deathboot in the Land of the Conspicuously Placed Spike Racks?"

    I could go for that. :D

    I'm stealing that phrase, oh yessir I am.

    And this game sounds like it could be fun, guess I'm gonna wait and see!

    Darmak on
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    Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I stole it from the 1up review, so just remember you're a second-hand thief! That's like twice as worse as normal thievery!

    Undead Scottsman on
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    EdcrabEdcrab Actually a hack Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I wondered what these chaps were up to since Dark Messiah and the sadly stalled Crossing. Sounds intriguing!

    Edcrab on
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    ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Rakai wrote: »
    It's a game about morality and player choice

    This kills my interest. Maybe they'll do something that doesn't suck, but every implementation of such things ends up making cringe and not in a good way.

    "It's a book about...characters....and stuff..."

    Zombiemambo on
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    Linespider5Linespider5 ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGER Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Cantido wrote: »
    I don't have to kill anyone? Yeeeesssss.

    In games where you don't have to kill people, there are rarely incentives for doing so, beyond, you know, not killing them.

    I'd like to see a game where if I'm a stone killer the missions progress into escalating death traps because they know I'm a stone killer and want to put me down like the sick dog I apparently am. Whereas if I don't kill, perhaps things don't get so damn black and white that I can start winning over guards and locals, and maybe save the world without killing it off in the process.

    Linespider5 on
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    DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Cantido wrote: »
    I don't have to kill anyone? Yeeeesssss.

    In games where you don't have to kill people, there are rarely incentives for doing so, beyond, you know, not killing them.

    I'd like to see a game where if I'm a stone killer the missions progress into escalating death traps because they know I'm a stone killer and want to put me down like the sick dog I apparently am. Whereas if I don't kill, perhaps things don't get so damn black and white that I can start winning over guards and locals, and maybe save the world without killing it off in the process.

    Playing a game and not killing everyone sometimes is the harder choice, and is a reward in and of itself. I like doing things differently instead of the usual destroy the fuck out of anything that moves option.

    Darmak on
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    augustaugust where you come from is gone Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    What is blowing me away is not only the pedigree of the people making this game and that it's a first person stealth action game but that enough money is being put behind it that it's making the cover of Game Informer.

    Take all my money, then take all the money of my alternate selves in parallel dimensions.

    august on
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    Linespider5Linespider5 ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGER Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Darmak wrote: »
    Playing a game and not killing everyone sometimes is the harder choice, and is a reward in and of itself.

    bullshit.

    Sparing a life shouldn't be tantamount to not using a health kit. It should do something, or count for something. And not in an achievement sense of the word, either. If a character is basically dead when I end the level/mission/whatever because I will never, ever, see this character again unless I replay the level, it doesn't matter whether or not I killed that character. It especially doesn't help if the character lacks any unique characteristics or is in a nondescript military outfit with a gas mask on.

    Granted, I'm not saying every character needs to be a rodeo clown with a personal diary. We can, however, do better and expect better. In the real world, shooting someone in the head is a big fucking deal, even in war. If you can't illustrate the positive consequences of sparing someone's life (for whatever reasons may limit this), emphasize the cost somehow. I don't think about all the goombas I've spared from not being squashed, and you're full of shit if some ephemeral, moralist choice that is in no way reflected in the game itself is sufficient reason for not killing an opponent.

    Linespider5 on
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    augustaugust where you come from is gone Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    PantsB wrote: »
    The promotional phrasing is a bit silly.

    "In a world of black and white, he paints in blues and greens. In a city of endless sorrow, his laughter echoes through the alleyways. In a heart bursting with love and joy, he lives as a mote of spite and apathy. He is.... Contrasting Description Man! Coming soon to a theater near you."

    Just for the record that's Game Informer's description, not the studio's.

    august on
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    Guitar Hero Of TimeGuitar Hero Of Time Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Very very very very interested in this game. With a side-order of caution. I've been hurt before.

    Guitar Hero Of Time on
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    Mostlyjoe13Mostlyjoe13 Evil, Evil, Jump for joy! Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    How about a game where who you choose to kill and not to kill changes the way you can complete the game. Side with one faction and keep Engineer A alive during a 'murder them all' mission nets you optional paths in the harder 'this dude be paranoid trap house' mission.

    Mostlyjoe13 on
    PSN ID - Mostlyjoe Steam ID -TheNotoriusRNG
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    Vi MonksVi Monks Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Darmak wrote: »
    Playing a game and not killing everyone sometimes is the harder choice, and is a reward in and of itself.

    bullshit.

    Sparing a life shouldn't be tantamount to not using a health kit. It should do something, or count for something. And not in an achievement sense of the word, either. If a character is basically dead when I end the level/mission/whatever because I will never, ever, see this character again unless I replay the level, it doesn't matter whether or not I killed that character. It especially doesn't help if the character lacks any unique characteristics or is in a nondescript military outfit with a gas mask on.

    Granted, I'm not saying every character needs to be a rodeo clown with a personal diary. We can, however, do better and expect better. In the real world, shooting someone in the head is a big fucking deal, even in war. If you can't illustrate the positive consequences of sparing someone's life (for whatever reasons may limit this), emphasize the cost somehow. I don't think about all the goombas I've spared from not being squashed, and you're full of shit if some ephemeral, moralist choice that is in no way reflected in the game itself is sufficient reason for not killing an opponent.

    While I agree with you for the most part, and I think the things you describe sound pretty awesome and I hope they're in the game, it's also true that some people just like having the option to go through a game in a unique way, even if there's no in-game reward for doing so. Even having the option of a no-kill playthrough can be a selling point for a lot of people, myself included. Granted, everyone's tastes are different, but it's still nice to have that option.

    Oh yeah, this game sounds awesome, am I dreaming?, cannot wait, etc.

    Vi Monks on
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    GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    The concept sounds promising to me, but I'm totally turned off by the art style (if the image in the OP is truly an accurate reflection of the way the game will end up). It just looks so derivative of HL2. Not that there's anything wrong with HL2, it's just...I'd like to see the concept mated with something more original and visually interesting.

    Gaslight on
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    Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Very very very very interested in this game. With a side-order of caution. I've been hurt before.

    This.

    Especially with Bethesda Softworks... Games they publish tend to not be all that great, and can sometimes hurt you so very badly (Brink)

    Skull2185 on
    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
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    gjaustingjaustin Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Skull2185 wrote: »
    Very very very very interested in this game. With a side-order of caution. I've been hurt before.

    This.

    Especially with Bethesda Softworks... Games they publish tend to not be all that great, and can sometimes hurt you so very badly (Brink)

    And it'll probably crash every 15 minutes.

    gjaustin on
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    DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Darmak wrote: »
    Playing a game and not killing everyone sometimes is the harder choice, and is a reward in and of itself.

    bullshit.

    Sparing a life shouldn't be tantamount to not using a health kit. It should do something, or count for something. And not in an achievement sense of the word, either. If a character is basically dead when I end the level/mission/whatever because I will never, ever, see this character again unless I replay the level, it doesn't matter whether or not I killed that character. It especially doesn't help if the character lacks any unique characteristics or is in a nondescript military outfit with a gas mask on.

    Granted, I'm not saying every character needs to be a rodeo clown with a personal diary. We can, however, do better and expect better. In the real world, shooting someone in the head is a big fucking deal, even in war. If you can't illustrate the positive consequences of sparing someone's life (for whatever reasons may limit this), emphasize the cost somehow. I don't think about all the goombas I've spared from not being squashed, and you're full of shit if some ephemeral, moralist choice that is in no way reflected in the game itself is sufficient reason for not killing an opponent.

    I'm not talking about moral bullshit, fuck that, I mow down motherfuckers all the time and it's no big deal. I don't give a shit if there's some kind of background to a character, like if they have a wife and kids, blah blah fucking blah. I'm talking about if in a game it's easier to kill someone than leave them alive (say because they're standing in front of a door you need to go through) and you choose to take the harder path of not killing them (causing a distraction that makes them leave the area, for example), it's more rewarding because you didn't take the easy way out of just shooting a dude in the face. I like having a choice to do something the hard way and the easy way is all, I don't care if there's any other reason to do so (such as more health or ammo or a different storyline).

    Darmak on
    JtgVX0H.png
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    OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Rakai wrote: »
    It's a game about morality and player choice

    This kills my interest. Maybe they'll do something that doesn't suck, but every implementation of such things ends up making cringe and not in a good way.

    "It's a book about...characters....and stuff..."

    Yeah, like, what about that sentence bothers you

    Because if you are bothered by morality systems involving dialogue trees it sounds like this game will not have much of that!

    Olivaw on
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    PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
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    TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Gaslight wrote: »
    The concept sounds promising to me, but I'm totally turned off by the art style (if the image in the OP is truly an accurate reflection of the way the game will end up). It just looks so derivative of HL2. Not that there's anything wrong with HL2, it's just...I'd like to see the concept mated with something more original and visually interesting.

    If someone draws two pictures, is one derivative of the other?

    TychoCelchuuu on
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    GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Gaslight wrote: »
    The concept sounds promising to me, but I'm totally turned off by the art style (if the image in the OP is truly an accurate reflection of the way the game will end up). It just looks so derivative of HL2. Not that there's anything wrong with HL2, it's just...I'd like to see the concept mated with something more original and visually interesting.

    If someone draws two pictures, is one derivative of the other?

    If I am an artist, I may draw a horse. But If all I can draw is horses or I never try to draw anything else, I'm not much of an artist.

    All I'm saying is I would have like to have seen a little more imagination go into the visuals. But hell, all we have is this one picture so who knows what the game will end up looking like.

    Gaslight on
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    vamenvamen Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Darmak wrote: »
    Darmak wrote: »
    Playing a game and not killing everyone sometimes is the harder choice, and is a reward in and of itself.

    bullshit.

    Sparing a life shouldn't be tantamount to not using a health kit. It should do something, or count for something. And not in an achievement sense of the word, either. If a character is basically dead when I end the level/mission/whatever because I will never, ever, see this character again unless I replay the level, it doesn't matter whether or not I killed that character. It especially doesn't help if the character lacks any unique characteristics or is in a nondescript military outfit with a gas mask on.

    Granted, I'm not saying every character needs to be a rodeo clown with a personal diary. We can, however, do better and expect better. In the real world, shooting someone in the head is a big fucking deal, even in war. If you can't illustrate the positive consequences of sparing someone's life (for whatever reasons may limit this), emphasize the cost somehow. I don't think about all the goombas I've spared from not being squashed, and you're full of shit if some ephemeral, moralist choice that is in no way reflected in the game itself is sufficient reason for not killing an opponent.

    I'm not talking about moral bullshit, fuck that, I mow down motherfuckers all the time and it's no big deal. I don't give a shit if there's some kind of background to a character, like if they have a wife and kids, blah blah fucking blah. I'm talking about if in a game it's easier to kill someone than leave them alive (say because they're standing in front of a door you need to go through) and you choose to take the harder path of not killing them (causing a distraction that makes them leave the area, for example), it's more rewarding because you didn't take the easy way out of just shooting a dude in the face. I like having a choice to do something the hard way and the easy way is all, I don't care if there's any other reason to do so (such as more health or ammo or a different storyline).

    I agree with this as well, and telling someone they are "full of shit" because they like to play this way is ridiculous.
    My favorite way to play all the Thief games was to get in and out without anyone knowing I was ever there. Not because I cared about killing on ANY sort of morality level, but just because I enjoyed being good enough to be that sneaky and felt it fit perfectly with the protagonist.

    vamen on
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    augustaugust where you come from is gone Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    First screen:
    dishonored-firstscreen.jpg

    august on
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