The small joys of new technology

After all the wait, I can safely say the part that I'm waiting for is the initial "In Tex's office before the case starts" bit. Only this time, hundreds of things to click, backstory galore with each click. Does the fax machine still work? Is there still a watercooler? Do the double chairs still exsist, and the scotch guard testimonial get written?

You know, the first part of the game where the danger isn't there yet, you can explore, and you can click on everything and absorb story. It only happens and is fresh "one time" folks. Count em, one time. That first time will be a doozy, and I hope it's crammed full of content. Of course I'll click on everything and play the game a thousand times over I'm sure, just like I did with Pandora, but it's all about the first time.

"It feels like the first time ... It feels like the very first time ... "

mr_cyberpunk wrote:

Opening the door to Tex's office, looking outside, and then stepping through seamlessly outside and onto Chandler ave with no loading! Take that, Skyrim!

Sai wrote:And the trash is actual trash rather than jagged mush, that $611k+ was worth getting actual rendered trash!! OK I exaggerate but yeah walking to the end of Chandler (the other end from Golden gate that is open) will be interesting to see how it looks other than a wall of jaggedness. Maybe some trash will move in the wind

you see that trash pile over there... you can climb it..

I didn't think of that! Though there were those big "Radiation" warning signs over there. Guess we'll have to go all S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernoby on it and bring a geiger counter (and I don't mean something that counts the amount of Geiger lizards, by the way still like the pet shop on Chandler Avenue idea someone, maybe Cathy?, gave with Geigers and mutated pets ).

Tex is immune to radiation anyway, no?

Frogacuda wrote:Tex is immune to radiation anyway, no?

I think Norms are just resistant but not immune, it seemed that they tended to stay indoors on days when radiation is said to be high or do most acitivity at night (which fit well with the neo-noir theme). Tex takes the risks sometimes but maybe he'd refrain from walking into a high radiation zone just incase. Unless there is some clue that is out there that he needs to find whilst avoiding any hotspots with enough radiation to kill an elephant (and I don't mean Beek). At the start of Under A Killing Moon he says:

The air outside feels thick like I'm breathing through a pair of dirty gym socks. It's a high raditation day and most everyone will be staying inside. But I need to hunt for some work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjH8Vq1GNIg

The end of Chandler Avenue is barricaded off and there are lots of signs warning about radiation past that point, it'd be cool if at some point you had to dig around out there in the barren wilderness for info (or maybe to find an informant like Beek, who is heavily mutated and said to live in the shadows) whilst making sure to avoid any lethal radiation hotspots and stealth mission past the less friendly heavily mutated inhabitants.... hmm wait a minute its the "dark and dangerous" part of Chandler Avenue!!. I hope there will be some mutated creatures too, they were cool in Parasite Eve.

I wonder where they're going to put the four new businesses on Chandler Ave. I assume the Morlocks will be underground, but there's three new shops and a Golf Cafe to squeeze in there now and I wonder where they'll fit if they don't knock that fence down.

Then again, this is 7+ years later so maybe they'll start to rebuild some of the rubble.

Well I hope it won't mean scrapping some of the memorable but disused buildings like Rusty's Fun House, the warehouse etc. And like you say I would rather the fence with a gap and alley next to Rook's stay. And next to Golden gate is that other fence/gap that leads to various places.

I havent replayed the games for a long time (intentionally, so I could forget things). But looking at a Youtube vid for UAKM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... XJw#t=401s

• There might a large empty building between the Brew & Stew / Electronics Shop unless that was filled in PD? Depending on how big the businesses need to be they could fit 2 small narrow ones there (about the size of a small newsagents).
• Next to the warehouse is just a very tall wall, so something could go there.
• The Slice O' Heaven looks kinda bigger than what would be needed for a small pizzeria business ran by 1 person. Could be wrong but it looks even bigger than the Brew & Stew in UAKM so maybe a business could go right next to the fence to Rook's alley.

(I assume the wall next to Chelsee's stand is the side room where Rusty forever remains.)

I'd like to Rusty's turned into a small Bookstore for Chelsee... Keep the Warehouse, I liked having to go in there and route around for things, I'd like to have to do that again, just maybe a bit more elaborate...

The Electronics store is a must... The Bank can go though, maybe change that into something else... The Pizza Shop could become some sort of outlet store maybe... How about if Tex's computers no longer work and there is a Computer Cafe on the street now???


I'd like to see more Speeders around the street... Makes one wonder how everyone comes and goes... Besides Tex's Speeder, we haven't see any others...

I think some neat puzzles would be having to break into people's Speeders to get some sort of clue or piece of evidence from them... Maybe we'd have to go into the Electronics Shop and buy a device that we'd have to hook up to the Speeder and then solve the "Slider" puzzle that comes up... After all Aaron said he wanted more "Slider" puzzles, here's his chance... Just a thought...

I wonder if they'll put anything in where Tex has to go to Australia, given all the devotion given by some of our Aussie contributors... Maybe Tex will need to go retrieve something from the Opera House or something like that...
I'd also like to see Tex get a Thorny Devil as a pet... I love those little guys, they are just so awesome...

Bafitis wrote:I'd like to Rusty's turned into a small Bookstore for Chelsee...

Aw I like Rusty's, I'd be sad to see it go. It'd be cool to walk through it again even if it is just to get access to the rooftops. Rook's Pawn Shop could stock books

The Pizza Shop could become some sort of outlet store maybe...

In the pitch video Slice O' Heaven is lit up. Also they said in the RetroNick interview they once considered casting the daughter of the woman who played Francesca to take over the pizza business after she expressed that she'd be willing I think.

How about if Tex's computers no longer work and there is a Computer Cafe on the street now???

I'd rather see something new. He can just get a computer at the Electronics Shop, I could be wrong but I think I read they're bringing back money in the game, not sure.

I'd like to see more Speeders around the street... Makes one wonder how everyone comes and goes... Besides Tex's Speeder, we haven't see any others...

My theory is its more a luxury in Old San Francisco to have a speeder with the downtrodden society feel to the area I bet economy is poor there so maybe not many people if any have them. I think it is something unique for Tex since he began work in New San Francisco and has to travel far and wide. But those living in Old Sanfrancisco probably stick to that area due to the prejudice in other places against Mutants. It feels like each of the residents on Chandler are content to just stay in their own little world/community, except Chelsee who doesn't show her mutation. Also Old San Francisco is more barren and sparse too so less places to need to travel to and easier to walk around. Whereas New Sanfrancisco has that impossibly dense infrastructure that makes speeder travel a necessity that is in Blade Runner etc.

In the pitch video they had a police speeder doing a patrol and some other speeder travelling past. Perhaps they could just show speeders passing by rarely to keep the feeling that its the kind of area people fly by and forget than stop at. I think if he has to travel to New Sanfrancisco they should show lots more speeders there but Chandler could remain sparse to keep the rundown feel to the area. Maybe in the few instances Mutants from Old Sanfrancisco require travel they can just rent a Taxi speeder.

a device that we'd have to hook up to the Speeder and then solve the "Slider" puzzle that comes up... After all Aaron said he wanted more "Slider" puzzles, here's his chance... Just a thought...

Nooo!
The slider thing was a joke (I hope ). Since slider puzzles tend to be a unfun and uncreative mechanic in games.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413237

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/vi ... Homecoming

I'd also like to see Tex get a Thorny Devil as a pet... I love those little guys, they are just so awesome...

Yeah creatures in general would be cool. Either unusual pets or mutated wildlife.

Parasite Eve rat:

I agree with Sai that Rook's can stock books. It has in the past, after all.

There are numerous unutilized buildings throughout Chandler Avenue that could be turned into a new store. And, given the Golden Gate Hotel wasn't up to code, it could be looking at a major interior renovation that could make up for at least one new business on the street, more if they put in a gift shop. I wouldn't mind seeing a reinvisioned Rusty's Funhouse, maybe repurposed from being a funhouse, but still having previously unknown surprises, like a hidden attic or basement full of nefarious goods from Rusty's heyday. Also, aside from Tex's conversations with Beek Nariz in UAKM, there's never been a real fleshing out of the area in the immediate vicinity of Coit Tower where Weinie World and the Cocoa Cabana are located. They could put some new businesses there that are entirely new structures.

Speaking of Weinie World, could you see the Soup Nazi running that? Makes me wonder if every line he says will end with him shouting "NEXT!" And, do they still have tater tots on the menu?

Hammerhead

Rook only had rare books, I was thinking that Chelsee could upgrade to a small bookstore, Suzanne seemed to like the idea on Facebook, doesn't mean it is going to happen, just saying she liked it...

But if that's your way of thinking then you might as well put Chelsee on Unemployment and put a Magazine Rack in the Brew & Stew... Then you can get books at Rook's and Magazines at Louie's...
I've been to a fair number of Pawnshops and besides antique books, I've never see a book section... You can't stroll into a Pawnshop and pick up the latest Stephen King Novel...

I'm sorry, but I think it is time for Rusty's to go... That doesn't mean we can't still use the building to get to the Rooftops... The structure doesn't have to change, just what is housed inside...

That's fine with the Slice O' Heaven if that is their intention... Yeah I saw it lit up, but I figured that was only to add to the video, I didn't realize it was because there was a chance of it coming back...
I'm sorry I don't read every article, even if it is Tex based... I spend over 12 hour a day reading on a regular basis as it is...


As for wanting to see something New, a Computer Cafe would be new... Yeah I remember the computers in the Electronic Shop, they were all well out of Tex's price range if memory serves... Either that or they were antiques and Tex said you'd be lucky to get it to work...

I just figured that a Computer Cafe would have lots of people coming and going, good chance to meet some new characters and informants...

What of the Bank between Louie's and the Electronics Shop??? Should they start opening the Bank or should they replace it with something???
Will the Flamingo be staying or will they be replacing that as well???

You know Chandler Avenue doesn't have to stay a run down derelict street... Remember how there was trash everywhere in UAKM and then in Pandora it got a Government Funded clean up... Well why can't money be dumped into Chandler Avenue, doesn't have to be government money, but maybe some rich guy decided to pick a place to try and restore and it happens to be Chandler Ave...
We could have Rook and Louie as well as Nilo complaining that some rich guy thinks he can come in and just buy everything, but none of them want to sell...


I don't have a huge problem with Slider Puzzles, given that they aren't near impossible... I didn't get the vibe that it was a joke... Very well could be, doesn't matter, take the Device I mentioned and input other types of puzzles, maybe similar to the Cop-Lock that was on Rusty's in Pandora or some mathematical puzzles...

Either way, I like the idea of the Car-Lock-Picking Device... You could even set it up for both levels of play, the novice level will only have to open the locks whereas the Advanced Gamer level you'll have to bypass the alarm as well as open the locks... I'm sure with their ingenious creative minds they could work some fun into it...


I wouldn't mind seeing some sort of Convenient Store/Liquor Store come to Chandler Ave...

I like the idea of creatures... Maybe in order to get to a certain spot out in the wasteland you'd have to go to the Convenient Store and purchase, lets say some bacon, so you can lure a creature away from the direction you want to go... Or maybe there is a creature that won't come near you if you have some smelly cheese or something, so you have to go and pick out the right kind of cheese, if you pick the wrong cheese then you end up getting eaten by the creature and have to start over and pick another cheese... Maybe have half a dozen cheeses to choose from...

Just an idea off the hip, I'm sure there are many things they could come up with...

maybe there is a creature that won't come near you if you have some smelly cheese or something, so you have to go and pick out the right kind of cheese, if you pick the wrong cheese then you end up getting eaten by the creature and have to start over and pick another cheese... Maybe have half a dozen cheeses to choose from...

the small joys of new technology

Sai wrote:

mr_cyberpunk wrote: you see that trash pile over there... you can climb it..

I didn't think of that! Though there were those big "Radiation" warning signs over there. Guess we'll have to go all S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernoby on it and bring a geiger counter (and I don't mean something that counts the amount of Geiger lizards, by the way still like the pet shop on Chandler Avenue idea someone, maybe Cathy?, gave with Geigers and mutated pets ).

Dang it.. you kinda didn't get the joke lol. It was in reference to the "You see that mountain over there you can climb it" claim that was around with Skyrim. I was pointing out that Tex would never need to be an open world game. UAKM did more than enough to create the illusion of a gameworld that was larger than it actually was via the use of travel cutscenes/transitions- similarly the flight sim elements in Mean Streets also did pretty decently (heck I wouldn't mind even going back to that form of navigation.. it had its own uniqueness to it and reminded me a LOT of Dynamix's Red Baron lol).

Regardless, streaming in data in the new game, should they use Unity will be extremely simple to implement. I wouldn't be too worried.

I wonder if it would be possible to integrate the FMV and the real-time graphics this time. Not in-game, but for the cut scenes. That way you don't have to make two versions of every set (cgi and in-game). I wonder if there might be other benefits to that too... Hmm...