There's an interview with Tim Schafer here if anyone's interested. Doesn't say too much new stuff about the game, it's more about its development and reactions to it and stuff.
Because a special guitar model only available in game is a pretty shitty pre-order bonus, if you ask me. If EA follows pattern, you'll be able to buy it as DLC a month or two after release anyway.
"Forged by the evil geniuses at Double Fine in close collaboration with Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, this amazing piece of badness will feature an entirely new and different suite of effects – not only a unique, sexy body inspired by the members of Tenacious D (OMG look at that screenshot), but new sound effects, new voice over work from Jack Black and Kyle Gass, a new visual effects suite, and new geeky technical stuff like unique textures, materials and shaders – trust us, it’s going to rule very, very hard."
I'm guessing some of the riffs you play will be Tenacious D inspired, maybe with Jack and Kyle singing along or something,
But in all seriousness, I hope that when you use different "spells", each one will be to the tune of a different D song, along with heavenly singing from JB and KG.
More impressions on Brutal Legend's gameplay, this time talking more about gameplay with controlling your army. It sounds like these sections play like a heavy metal Pikmin mashed up with Dynasty Warriors, which is really a tantalizing phrase when you mull it over for a few moments.
Brutal Legend's more strategic side was the subject of a recent demo led by Tim Schafer. He guided us through some of the troop-command elements of the game, something we saw a little bit of in our most recent look. Basically, Eddie has liberated a legion of headbanging teenagers and recruited them into his army as part of his quest to save this alternate world from demonic control. Eddie's most immediate enemy is General Lionwhyte, a glam rocker with "hair so fabulous he can fly on it." At various points in the game, you'll need to stage large-scale battles with troops of varying classes against Lionwhyte's own army.
...
You'll take your army of headbangers and runaways and guide them around the battlefield using basic squad commands, such as go, follow, and stay. As they fight opposing troops (characters who happen to look and behave just like yours, only with glam metal outfits), you can run along and fight on your own using the trusty battle-axe for melee combat and your magical guitar, Clementine, for ranged warfare. If you want to get fancy, you can also perform double-team attacks where you interact with your troops for added effectiveness. There's one attack where headbangers put you in the middle of their mosh circle to keep you protected and another where a runaway will sit on your shoulder and fire flaming arrows lit by a lighter you hold above your head in true metal fashion.
The end goal is to destroy the opposing base. On the path to victory you'll run into a few more obstacles besides enemy troops. One we were shown was the fan leech, which is a giant monster who drains all the fans in your area to keep you from spawning new troops. With a proper mix of troop management and good old-fashioned brawling mayhem, you should be able to power your way to victory.
...
Based on our previous looks at Brutal Legend, these strategic sections of the game should be a fun alternative to the basic brawling and vehicle-based combat that make up the bulk of the gameplay. If you're worried that it will veer too far into real-time strategy territory, don't be. What we saw looks just as accessible as the more straightforward action bits, but with just as much of a sense of humor driving it all. We'll have more on Brutal Legend in the very near future, so stay tuned.
I just came in here to post about that last bit Lunker said.
They were talking about this on yesterday's Giant Bombcast and I don't know, now my interest in Brutal Legend has kind of died down. RTS is pretty much the only genre I specifically hate, I really never thought I'd see the day where it was interfering with a good action game experience.
I think genre bending has been overlooked for too long, and am glad to see games introducing it. Obviously all the components have to be done "right", but that's true for any game.
It'll be nice to have FPS on one side, and RTS on the other, and somewhere in the middle is a happy medium.
Seriously. Battlezone 2 is a delight and a third. So long as the soldiers do the bare minimum needed to keep them from being a nuisance to control it is totally fine.
I just came in here to post about that last bit Lunker said.
They were talking about this on yesterday's Giant Bombcast and I don't know, now my interest in Brutal Legend has kind of died down. RTS is pretty much the only genre I specifically hate, I really never thought I'd see the day where it was interfering with a good action game experience.
From the impression I got, it's not like the entire game is strictly RTS. It seems like this is kind of an interspersed mode used for certain battles, and the rest of the game is more of a direct-control kind of thing. I really don't like Pikmin either, but at least with this kind of play you still have control over your character.
In all, though, if the writing is as amazing as I expect it to be, this will be the kind of game that you play through in spite of the gameplay; it's incidental to the full experience. I don't think most people loved Psychonauts because it was an amazing platformer.
I enjoy that "Coming this Rocktober" is actually part of the marketing pitch.
Nice.
Also, about the troop commanding...it sounds more like Overlord than it does a bona-fide RTS. I imagine those who don't like RTS games won't be as intimidated by it than it sounds on paper.
You can't kill the metal
The metal will live on
Punk-Rock tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were smite to the ground
New-wave tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were stricken down to the ground
Grunge tried to kill the metal Ha,hahahahaha
They failed, as they were thrown to the ground
Aargh! yaow!
No-one can destroy the metal
The metal will strike you down with a vicious blow
We are the vanquished foes of the metal
We tried to win for why we do not know
New-wave tried to destroy the metal, but the metal had its way
Grunge then tried to dethrone the metal, but metal was in the way
Punk-rock tried to destroy the metal, but metal was much too strong
Techno tried to defile the metal, but techno was proven wrong
Yea!
That would be like a husband abandoning his family and then suing after his wife meets a better looking guy
It's not quite again, it's Activision beefing up its threats with legal filings.
Still, what an odd dick move. I mean, if Activision had so much invested in it and wanted it back, why didn't they, y'know, release the damn thing? (Besides the fact that it doesn't fit into their new and official strategy to only release mega-huge games that can be sequelled to death.)
Then again this is just a strategy to delay the game and prevent someone else from making money.
Posts
http://www.brutallegend.com/blogs/archive/2009/05/06/gamestop-br-252-tal-legend-and-tenacious-d-team-up-to-unleash-the-greatest-and-best-pre-order-exclusive-in-the-world.aspx
Because a special guitar model only available in game is a pretty shitty pre-order bonus, if you ask me. If EA follows pattern, you'll be able to buy it as DLC a month or two after release anyway.
That guitar is way cooler than the one you actually get
I'm sick of getting T-shirts
I just think an unlock code for a set of textures already on the disc is a lousy bonus. Skate 2 came with a t-shirt and special textures.
According to that blog, the guitar comes with new voice-over work from Jack Black AND Kyle Gass.
Which gives me hope that there's Tenacious D stuff in the game itself.
"Forged by the evil geniuses at Double Fine in close collaboration with Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, this amazing piece of badness will feature an entirely new and different suite of effects – not only a unique, sexy body inspired by the members of Tenacious D (OMG look at that screenshot), but new sound effects, new voice over work from Jack Black and Kyle Gass, a new visual effects suite, and new geeky technical stuff like unique textures, materials and shaders – trust us, it’s going to rule very, very hard."
I'm guessing some of the riffs you play will be Tenacious D inspired, maybe with Jack and Kyle singing along or something,
Doesn't change my opinion, I still think it's a crappy bonus.
This, this I can actually use.
To be fair, the other stuff DOES make it more interesting than just some dull texture swap.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
Oh man, if only.
But in all seriousness, I hope that when you use different "spells", each one will be to the tune of a different D song, along with heavenly singing from JB and KG.
They were talking about this on yesterday's Giant Bombcast and I don't know, now my interest in Brutal Legend has kind of died down. RTS is pretty much the only genre I specifically hate, I really never thought I'd see the day where it was interfering with a good action game experience.
It'll be nice to have FPS on one side, and RTS on the other, and somewhere in the middle is a happy medium.
I've played Pikmin.
I don't like it.
Did you like the squad gameplay in San Andreas?
I'm still excited to see this game, because if nothing else you've got Tim Schaefer and Jack Black being hilarious.
From the impression I got, it's not like the entire game is strictly RTS. It seems like this is kind of an interspersed mode used for certain battles, and the rest of the game is more of a direct-control kind of thing. I really don't like Pikmin either, but at least with this kind of play you still have control over your character.
In all, though, if the writing is as amazing as I expect it to be, this will be the kind of game that you play through in spite of the gameplay; it's incidental to the full experience. I don't think most people loved Psychonauts because it was an amazing platformer.
It was a tedious collectathon topped only by Donkey Kong 64. Though, I did enjoy the mostly-unlimited use of psychic powers.
Brütal Thoughts with Jack Black: Part 1.
I enjoy that "Coming this Rocktober" is actually part of the marketing pitch.
Nice.
Also, about the troop commanding...it sounds more like Overlord than it does a bona-fide RTS. I imagine those who don't like RTS games won't be as intimidated by it than it sounds on paper.
BL has it's own e3 website...http://e3.brutallegend.com/
Also, that page has a contest to win a guitar modeled, if I'm reading it right, exactly like the pre-order bonus guitar.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XNgSGtEsw4
Hey, I have a blog! (Actually being updated again!)
3DS: 0860-3240-2604
INSTAGRAM
edit: man this interviewer is bad
I would be a gibbering idiot, too.
All right, people. It is not a gerbil. It is not a hamster. It is not a guinea pig. It is a death rabbit. Death. Rabbit. Say it with me, now.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/activision-sues-double-fine-over-brutal-legend/
I am filled with rage.
...again?
Quoting again EA's awesome response:
The metal will live on
Punk-Rock tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were smite to the ground
New-wave tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were stricken down to the ground
Grunge tried to kill the metal Ha,hahahahaha
They failed, as they were thrown to the ground
Aargh! yaow!
No-one can destroy the metal
The metal will strike you down with a vicious blow
We are the vanquished foes of the metal
We tried to win for why we do not know
New-wave tried to destroy the metal, but the metal had its way
Grunge then tried to dethrone the metal, but metal was in the way
Punk-rock tried to destroy the metal, but metal was much too strong
Techno tried to defile the metal, but techno was proven wrong
Yea!
Metal!
It comes from hell!
It's not quite again, it's Activision beefing up its threats with legal filings.
Still, what an odd dick move. I mean, if Activision had so much invested in it and wanted it back, why didn't they, y'know, release the damn thing? (Besides the fact that it doesn't fit into their new and official strategy to only release mega-huge games that can be sequelled to death.)
Then again this is just a strategy to delay the game and prevent someone else from making money.