Abe HD Ideas

[Wil]

I'll leave it to Nate to clear up what happens when you ignore instructions like that.

[Nepsotic]

I apologized, I just wanted to clear that up.

[Scrabaniac]

Erm so back to Abe HD, is the picture posted on Facebook a prototype? Because there are still lots of elements missing

[Wil]

It's not done yet, if that's what you're asking.

[STM]

Well, maybe if you spent less time on Minecraft mollycoddling chickens...

[OANST]

Do you think they got back to work yet?

[STM]

Let's not get our hopes up.

[Sanssouci]

I have another wish:
Though the game clearly won't fit my ideal (as sort-of-explained here and here), (which I guess is for the best when you consider how conservative the vast majority of suggestions are, to the extent that there are actual complaints that the single released screenshot does not have identical decoration to a screenshot for the original game, (which is insane to me,)) but I think it would be pretty cool if possession was an ability Abe discovered after escaping RuptureFarms. It's quite strange that he begins with magical spiritual powers - it sort of undermines one of the key themes of spiritual reawakening from the vacuous industrial world and the reconnection to nature and noble nativeness etc.
Also I don't think he should have the ability to rescue other slaves until he returns.

anyway despite my previous two posts i linked above hoping for a proper reimagining that one screenshot does look pretty good

[Nepsotic]

I have another wish:
Though the game clearly won't fit my ideal (as sort-of-explained here and here), (which I guess is for the best when you consider how conservative the vast majority of suggestions are, to the extent that there are actual complaints that the single released screenshot does not have identical decoration to a screenshot for the original game, (which is insane to me,)) but I think it would be pretty cool if possession was an ability Abe discovered after escaping RuptureFarms. It's quite strange that he begins with magical spiritual powers - it sort of undermines one of the key themes of spiritual reawakening from the vacuous industrial world and the reconnection to nature and noble nativeness etc.
Also I don't think he should have the ability to rescue other slaves until he returns.

That has been discussed before, and we concluded that it was for gameplay purposes, and also Abe was more spiritual than other Mudokons right from the moment he was born, apparently.

[Jordan]

Goddammit, some of you guys can be so fucking pessimistic.

EDIT: This post was directed at the negativity towards Michael Bross' input, not sure if it belongs here anymore...

[Sanssouci]

That has been discussed before, and we concluded that it was for gameplay purposes, and also Abe was more spiritual than other Mudokons right from the moment he was born, apparently.

yeah i thought so, but that reasoning is obviously nonsense. you can design good stealth escape-from-rupturefarms gameplay which doesn't use possession if you really want to. you could put in more weapons like the grenades, or put in a decent distraction mechanic, or a push-slig-into-grinder mechanic, or any number of things.
the main two reasons to have possession right from the off, as far as I can see are a) gotta keep it just like the original, or b) lack of creativity in creating fun compelling escape gameplay without it

edit: not arguing that JAW should do this - hope i've established that the community reaction has clearly decreed that conservatism is righteous - this is just wishful thinking from a very personal perspective

[Connell]

I think it'd be easier to add a small section, even just a line of dialogue about how Abe always knew he had powers or some shit and when he saw the New N Tasty sign it was time to use them, rather than change one of the most fundamental aspects of gameplay in Abe's Oddysee to only appear in the last quarter of the game. Abe should only be aware he can save Mudokons, and not that he can posses Sligs until Monsaic Lines, when the game outright explains he's a beast.

I like the idea of a bit more stealth gameplay in the escape, using alternative methods to get past Sligs and such.

[MeechMunchie]

But chanting is only introduced to the player in the Monsaic Lines. You're not supposed to get the Good ending on your first playthrough.

[Wil]

Possession and GameSpeak are the defining features of Abe gameplay. They need to be there from the start, or a whole bunch of people will go "Yeah, this game's alright but I can't really do anything." Or if they're familiar with the original, "Yeah, it looks pretty but they removed some major gameplay features."

[MeechMunchie]

Okay, the Native Muds drugged Abe, kidnapped him, cut his stitches and force-fed him Spooce before dropping him back into RuptureFarms to come round and shut it down.

[Connell]

But chanting is only introduced to the player in the Monsaic Lines. You're not supposed to get the Good ending on your first playthrough.

I'm 99% sure that there's an LED board in Rupture Farms explaining how you need to rescue Mudokons, and the means by which to do so.

[Nepsotic]

Yes, but it doesn't explain possession. It just says how you have to say Hi to them and lead them to portals, that's purely gameplay, too. Otherwise it'd be weird having the Glukkons tell Abe how to save the Muds. Maybe they should go, they didn't make much sense.

[Sanssouci]

To continue this cos it's an interesting debate:

Possession and GameSpeak are the defining features of Abe gameplay. They need to be there from the start, or a whole bunch of people will go "Yeah, this game's alright but I can't really do anything."

The obvious solution to that would be to give the players interesting things to do. Most other games get on all right without possession and without players claiming they can't do anything.
I would, incidentally, keep gamespeak from the beginning so perhaps opening portals could be kept even though possessing sligs is not. A better solution would be designing puzzles that require gamespeak - getting mudokons to follow to places to open doors or charge a slig or turn off machinery or distract a guard/cctv or whatever - but they're not actually saved till Abe returns and can open portals.

Or if they're familiar with the original, "Yeah, it looks pretty but they removed some major gameplay features."

Yeah that would be a problem, but I don't think it's a major one if the spiritual awakening of Abe is emphasised so it makes sense that chanting is an ability that gradually develops after his initial escape. Ideally you would also be adding additional gameplay elements to cover the lack of chanting as mentioned.

[SpAM_CAN]

I have another wish:
Though the game clearly won't fit my ideal (as sort-of-explained here and here), (which I guess is for the best when you consider how conservative the vast majority of suggestions are, to the extent that there are actual complaints that the single released screenshot does not have identical decoration to a screenshot for the original game, (which is insane to me,)) but I think it would be pretty cool if possession was an ability Abe discovered after escaping RuptureFarms. It's quite strange that he begins with magical spiritual powers - it sort of undermines one of the key themes of spiritual reawakening from the vacuous industrial world and the reconnection to nature and noble nativeness etc.
Also I don't think he should have the ability to rescue other slaves until he returns.

anyway despite my previous two posts i linked above hoping for a proper reimagining that one screenshot does look pretty good

I suggested that Blue Mudokons have a more potent chant than green ones. That would explain why you need several green muds to open doors in Munch, and why green muds don't chant in AO/AE (except for the ones that give out spirit rings).

So yeah, accept that as canon and the whole thing makes more sense. Or don't, doesn't bother me.

[Nepsotic]

Oh, can we not just keep chanting from the beginning? You're creating a problem that shouldn't exist.

[Sanssouci]

edit: actually scratch that reply which basically just reiterates posts you've already ignored.

you're right, i'm just creating a problem from nothing and AO and everything canonically oddworld is totally perfect. (ESPECIALLY the music- you better not be thinking of changing it or anything jaw!!)

[Scrabaniac]

Abe will be chanting from the very start, guaranteed.

[Asmoden]

Abe will be chanting from the very start, guaranteed.

Hope not.
The storyline will improve a lot if Abe actually learn to chant in the mosaic lines.

[Connell]

Get rid of those twats with slingshots. Doesn't really make sense that the peaceful natives are all trying to kill him.

[Nepsotic]

I think they're just confirming that he's not an imposter.

[Wil]

It's almost as though they're trying to defend their holy bastion of ancient culture from some kind of threat that involves Mudokons working for industrial forces.

[Andrelvis]

It's almost as though they're trying to defend their holy bastion of ancient culture from some kind of threat that involves Mudokons working for industrial forces.

Hehehe = D

[Scrabaniac]

Theres nothing that pissed me off more than running through the lines and without warning, a native pops out of nowhere and slingshots me to death!

[AvengingGibbons]

Theres nothing that pissed me off more than running through the lines and without warning, a native pops out of nowhere and slingshots me to death!

You should show more respect than sprinting around their holy sanctuary. :P

[Crashpunk]

This isn't really a game idea as such but I was thinking it would be cool to have some Pre-order bonuses? Maybe a Oddworld TF2 Hat for a Steam exclusive or maybe a nice, shiny box for the game