Farscape Video Game 131
mythr writes: "I was reading Firingsquad, and I found this preview of a Farscape video game. It's a top-down action/adventure game, sort of like Diablo, based on the Sci-Fi Channel series. It says that it's slated for May. I know I can't wait."
I can't wait for this game! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:It helps if the TV was any good..which it isnt! (Score:2)
The series, no. It's awful. But watch the original 4 episode miniseries if you get a chance, it's good, dark, moody sci-fi. Dune on crack.
I can definitely wait. (Score:1, Redundant)
Re:I can definitely wait. (Score:1)
> I suppose they chose Farscape because it was a cheap license, but sheesh. Licensed games have a history of being disappointing [...]
A couple of people have mentioned "license" games. Does this just mean a game company bought the rights to do a game based on a show, or does it have some more technical meaning?
Thnx.
Re:I can definitely wait. (Score:2, Informative)
The term applies to any game which is based on a non-game franchise. TV shows, movies, toys. The muttering is due to the fact that 90% of these games end up biting the big one. This is probably because the publishers think they can sell a game based on the license, rather than good gameplay.
Justin
Re:I can definitely wait. (Score:2)
Re:I can definitely wait. (Score:2, Funny)
> Sturgeon's Law applies.
90% of all laws are crap?
Re:I can definitely wait. (Score:4, Insightful)
Anyway, I can allready tell that I don't like the game. However much of an improvement the game play, plot, whatever are over Diablo II (and I'm not saying it is better; just for sake of argument) the game is ugly. I realise that this is a subjective judgement but take a second look at those screenshots. The detail level is fairly high but the element of wonder or the unexpected, not to mention artistry, is just completely absent. Crates in piles and explosions (10th screenshot)! How delightfully unexpected.
You look at the circular buildings in the eighth screenshot, and you can tell no real thought was put into "how would we make these buildings look cool, alien, inhuman, unexpected, strange?" You can point to all sorts of things (first screenshot, for example) and say "well, that's weird." But the only thing I like is the white vehicle in the fourth screenshot, which looks pretty cool.
Which is too bad, because the farscape show looks really good. The totally lunatic design was the best thing about the show; it's fun for the same reasons good Dr. Who is fun, because a trashcan with deelybobs glued onto it rolls onto the screen and you say "damn, that trashcan looks COOL". Only, instead of a traschan it'd be a muppet, but it's the same thing. If the game were really trippy eyecandy, I could see playing it even if it were dreadful.
P.S. I tried to post links to the screenshots I'm talking about but they don't work, so I just supplied numbers.
if the game is *anything* like the series (Score:1)
Cool (Score:1)
Re:Cool (Score:2)
Eugh (Score:5, Insightful)
Farscape is an alright show. It doesn't interest me too much, but regardless - I don't see this game as doing anything but tarnishing the franchise. Then again, I'm not too fond of firingsquad either... so here's to hoping their information is wrong.
Its not top-down (Score:1)
for practical purposes, top-down equals isometric (Score:2)
Its not top-down ... Neither was diablo. diablo was isometric, as this appears to be.
Most top-down games (e.g. Metal Gear Solid, Zelda, Pokemon, Final Fantasy) are not drawn to be viewed from straight above but instead to be viewed from about 30 to 60 degrees to the horizon. The orientation of an isometric game is not that different, except the camera points northeast instead of north. In fact, though Starcraft is drawn isometric, it actually draws the world with square tiles. In addition, Bomberman 64 and Dungeon Keeper 2 have a key command to change in real time between a traditional "top down" view and an "isometric" view simply by rotating the camera.
should be interesting (Score:3, Interesting)
Sure Dargo got his son back but then the brat goes and pokes Dargo's girl friend.
I'm sure the game is going to be alot like a 2 hr special. A bunch of problems to solve and bad guys to kill. But at the end of it there still royally screwed.
It still should be fun though.
tangent; Does anyone know if Zahn is still dead? I'm catching up with the reruns and they keep showing them out of order.
Zahn still dead (Score:2, Offtopic)
Yes, last season was a little on the depressing side, but at least we got to see Aeryn get it on with that guy from Earth several times. Claudia Black, mmmmm yum!
They DO have a few victories though. Remember the shadow depository they obliverated? They now have all the money they could need. They are making progress, but they have to drag us through two more seasons before they can declare victory over the galaxy.
Re:Zahn still dead (Score:1)
Um, hate to burst your bubble, but the money they stole out of the shadow depository had those metal-eating bugs in it (the spidery-looking alien Scorpy was banging tried to screw him over). The bugs ended up eating all the money and parts of Moya.
Re:Zahn still dead (Score:2)
Re:should be interesting (Score:1)
Sure Dargo got his son back but then the brat goes and pokes Dargo's girl friend.
Hey! No spoilers please! Over here in Germany, Drago got his son back just yesterday. ;-)
Anno
Zhaan (Score:1)
see also:
Zahn, Timothy (author of Star Wars books)
Zahn, Steve (actor)
Zahn, Paula ("sexy" CNN anchorwoman)
Unlikely that Virginia Hey ("Zhaan") will return (Score:1)
1) The contact lenses she wore for her costume began to do irreversible damage to her eyesight.
2) Having to keep her head shaved was preventing her from getting other roles. (Don't ask me about wigs, I'm just the messenger.)
volpone
Re:Unlikely that Virginia Hey ("Zhaan") will retur (Score:1)
Maybe the would-be hirers didn't want to spring for a wig when they could get an actress that had hair.
Space Quest / Old Sierra Style (Score:4, Interesting)
Other links (Score:5, Informative)
Here is a link [sonyweb.com] to a preview at Sonyweb.com for the game. It looks like the game will come out on the Playstation 2. The preview includes many pictures and lots of information.
Here is a a little of what it says:
The #1 sci-fi television show, Farscape, is set to make its appearance on PS2 and PC, and although not due to be released until early next year, the hype surrounding the game is already building. Farscape, a critically acclaimed original sci-fi channel series, has quite a large fan-base, and these science fiction lovers will be anxiously awaiting the release of a Farscape video game. Thanks to Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the show is brought to life with innovative creature design and high-tech special effects.
Action, Adventure, a Licences, Umm.. Fun anyone? (Score:1)
Am I remebering things wrong, or is is not possible to make a simple but fun game anymore.
Does anyone think that the Farscape licence is here for anything but to cash in on a trend? Do the big game publishers think that it's impossible to write a *good* game, so to sell anything.. it needs to be attached to something that does sell?
Ohmygod.. I'm jaded! Help!
Re:Action, Adventure, a Licences, Umm.. Fun anyone (Score:2, Insightful)
>possible to make a simple but fun game anymore?
CHU CHU ROCKET!
there is still some room in the simple but fun category. Tetris swept the world in the days of Super Mario 3. And let's not forget bust-a-move. These games are among the real gems. There is a lot to be said for pushing graphical limitations as far as they can go, but it will always be the simple, yet enthralling games that make the biggest impact. No commitment, lot's of challenge.
Re:Action, Adventure, a Licences, Umm.. Fun anyone (Score:2)
Re:Action, Adventure, a Licences, Umm.. Fun anyone (Score:2)
i got tony hawk 2 for christmas and was disappointed. i traded it in last week for chu-chu rocket. i don't think i've made a better trade in my life. Including the time i traded my soul for a case of Jolt cola and tickets to the Slayer concert.
Re:Action, Adventure, a Licences, Umm.. Fun anyone (Score:2)
Probably the reason CCR is such a fun multiplayer puzzle game is the fact that, unlike Tetris, the four players actually interact on the same field instead of multiple parallel fields. That, the speed, and the proximity make CCR digital happiness. I only wish there was a working DC emulator so I could play mad Chu Chu Rocket. And Jet Grind Radio.
Re:Action, Adventure, a Licences, Umm.. Fun anyone (Score:1)
you are west of the house .... (Score:1)
"You are in an open field west of a big white house with a boarded front door.
There is a small mailbox here
If you have never played these fantastic text based adventures, do yourself a favour , and download a free copy !
Darren Kruse CCNP CCDP
WAN/LAN Networking Consultant
mailto://darren_kruse@hotmail.com
www.geocities.com/darren_kruse [geocities.com]
OT Question about zork (Score:1)
And yes, I tried to find the answer using google, but all I seemed to be able to find were links to different version of the game.
Re:OT Question about zork (Score:1)
Re:U only need 3 games on your PC! (Score:1)
aliens (Score:1)
-David
Re:aliens (Score:2)
Re:WTF just happened? (Score:1, Funny)
Kinda depressed she got killed in that movie pitch black. I thought she was gonna run in guns blazing and kill everything.
Re:WTF just happened? (Score:1)
Video game sure, but what about episodes? (Score:1)
It's quite amusing... (Score:5, Insightful)
I mean, sure, history says that games based on franchises aren't doing well. But sitting here bashing a games playability or fun factor without ever playing it is kinda a little over the top, right? Or is there some part of the logic I'm missing? (Let me know if there is!)
Re:It's quite amusing... (Score:1)
Until a game comes out all there is to do is speculate about how much fun it's going to be. And all you've got to speculate on is what you know about the game itself and other games like it. As long as the discussion's intelligent, what's the problem?
Re:It's quite amusing... (Score:1)
Intelligent discussion on Slashdot? No way!
Re:It's quite amusing... (Score:1)
This is SlashDot, damnit, won't you people finnaly get it? We are supposed to be as impulsive as possible, and make all sorts of stupid commments and alikes. Just take a look at my post...
Does anyone understand... (Score:1)
Re:Does anyone understand... (Score:2, Insightful)
Some people just don't get it.
Remind you of Gobliins? (Score:1)
Well, this Farscape games sounds like it could be even better. You have 6 characters to choose from, with a correspondingly greater complexity. I look forward to testing out the game myself.
Re:Remind you of Gobliins? (Score:2)
Not a top down game (Score:1)
Farscape is a fully 3D game - unlike Diablo, where the viewpoint is fixed, the player is allowed to zoom the screen in and out, and rotate around the center axis as he wishes. Character and creature models are in full 3D as well, and they animate fluidly as they move about the screen.
The Moya (Score:1)
Her name is Moya. I think The Crichton and The Aeryn would slap them upside the head for calling her The Moya all the time.
Anyway, like many others, I don't have very high hopes for the game, but hey, maybe we'll get lucky and it'll be good. At least the actors from the show are apparently doing the voices, there's some small consolation.
*His* name is Moya (Score:1)
Re: *Her* name is Moya (Score:1)
Maybe (Score:1)
A video game is not a good sign. (Score:1)
I guess this show has its days numbered, well that's my opinion anway.
Ummm... (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm going to be quite scared if it's basically...Crighton (pardon spelling) just goes around and kills things. Quake/Diablo with some Farscape scenery/characters? Blegh.
I really don't think the Farscape series translates well to any genre of computer game, honestly. MAYBE, as I believe someone suggested, something along the lines of a Space Quest type game, but that'd be about it.
Re:Ummm... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Ummm... (Score:1)
You know what would make me play a Farscape game? (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem is, very few action based games based on a license are good because the license made them good. Take Rogue Squadron II for the GameCube, that game is awesome. But does it really need to be set in the Star Wars universe to be a hit? Not really. That game is probably the best use of a movie license in recent years. But as Wing Commander proves, you don't need to base a space combat game on a license just to make it good.
Judging from the preview, it really doesn't look like the Farscape game is all that dependent on the Farscape universe. It's because of that alone I won't pay any attention to it. You might tell me to not judge a game by it's title, which is a fine argument. However, I'm the type of person who really appreciates inspired games. If they can't sell me in the marketing literature on why it needs to be Farscape and it can't be a brand new license, then chances are pretty good it's going to be mediochre at best. I mean read the preview, they're trying to excite me by saying "Yah they gave us a lot of freedom and let us make our own environments...". This concerns me because because it really smells like this was originally a different game and they were able to band-aid the Farscape license into it. "Lots of people will see 'Farscape' on the title and flock to buy it!". I'm insulted.
Farscape doesn't lend itself too well as an action game, but I really do think it's storyline could be made into an interesting adventure game like the ones I mentioned above. Imagine if they created it as a bunch of episodes that lead to one big conclusion, and you are control the characters through the development of the story. If any of you are fans of games like Day of the Tentacle then you will probably immediately see my enthusiasm for Farscape to be used this way. The uniqueness of Farscape is it's characters and its situations. But if you play a game where you run aruond shooting anybody, how can you expect it to make really good use of the license? From what little I've seen of Farscape, episodes rarely end in shootouts.
Personally, I think Quantum Leap would also translate well into this genre. Man, when I think about having a Quantum Leap story told in this fashion I get pretty hyped. That would be so cool to leap in, walk up to a mirror, and see a different reflection. Or to have the imaging chamber door open and have Al walk through and let you know what's up. Damn that'd be awesome. Man... I think Doctor Who could work that way too.
Pity the game industry thinks that the only genre out there is 'make your computer obsolete action'.
Re:You know what would make me play a Farscape gam (Score:2)
Re:You know what would make me play a Farscape gam (Score:1)
I'm just waiting for a Freespace movie to come along and prove to be the exception to the rule.
Re:You know what would make me play a Farscape gam (Score:2)
Unfortunately, though, it still takes a decent story idea to make a good cartoon. "Swing your arms, from side to side, come it's time to go DO THE MARIO!!" Hee heee Anybody remember that?b
Some commentary (Score:2)
It's funny you bring up Wing Commander, which has become a franchise in and of itself (or did, before Origin folded for no visible reason). I still consider WC's 1, 3, and 4 to be unparalleled masterpieces of the space-dogfight genre of computer games. Then we get Wing Commander: Prophecy which, while a decent game, seems to rely mostly on eye candy and the "look! another WC game!" factor to achieve sales, not to mention a really lackluster plot with holes I could pilot a Fralthi through.
I agree with you that Farscape would make a lousy or at least merely a contrived shooter game. The series isn't about combat, so making a combat game from it is as silly as all the attempts to make a combat game out of Star Trek. For game adaptions of such shows, puzzle-solving or roleplaying/interaction adventure games seem the way to go. Why are we seeing an MMORPG in the Star Wars universe and not in the ST universe? Simple, in Star Wars you have an excuse to have violence and conflict everywhere so you can have characters killing enemies and "levelling up", in the ST universe the only conflict is at the borders of the various empires (Federation, Romulan, Klingon, Kzinti, Cardassian, Dominion, etc.). It would be ludicrous to start a new human character on Earth and walk out in the wilderness outside Starfleet HQ and find swarms of monsters to fight. =P But that's the only concept game designers seem capable of understanding these days.
And finally, about Quantum Leap, I agree wholeheartedly. =) That was one of the coolest TV shows ever made, and an adventure game with it would be awesome! I'm not sure whether the game would come with "episodes" which could be run in random or predetermined order, or whether there would be a string of episodes where choices Sam makes in one "life" affect the way things happen in another one. Changing history? Hints of Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder", anyone?
And finally, I know how you feel about the "make your computer obsolete action". I've been computer gaming pretty much obsessively since '91, IIRC, and if the "more eye candy == better!!" school of thought were correct, you'd expect that I would have seen a steady, overall improvement in computer games from then until now, eh? Well, I haven't. Some of my favorite games to this day are games I played back in my early days, the Zork games, the original Wolfenstein, Dune 2, Civilization, etc. Of course, there have been good games more recently, but the quality depends on the dedication to making a great gaming experience, not on how pretty it looks or sounds. Few computer games companies seem to understand this concept any more; one that does is Spiderweb Software (no, I don't work for them, this plug is because I happen to like their games
Cheers,
Kasreyn
Re:Some commentary (Score:2)
You mentioned no good ST licenses, Star Trek 25th Anniversary (back in the 386 days) is still regarded as a pretty good game. Interestingly enough, it's kind of a mix of Wing Commander (for the space battles), and the Day of the Tentacle style adventure interface. It was made (or published?) by Interplay I think. (my memory is a bit fuzzy there)
That game not only had style, but it was fun to play too. It's a wonderful example of what I mean, wish I had remembered it when I made my original post.
Voyager Elite Force was a step in the right direction, but it dissolved into 'shoot everybody in this level'. I was kind of offended by that. Early in the demo there was a part where a crewman was trapped behind a pair of forcefields. On the other side of him was a hull breach. You had to shut down the right forcefield to get him out. If you shut off the wrong one, he got blown out into space. Heh that kicked ass. I was hoping for more of that, but the demo let me down. So I never bought that game. Shooting Borg drones endlessly does not a game make.
I think Armada got really good reviews if memory serves, but that's an example of the ST license not adding all that much to it. Essentially it was Command and Conquer in Space that used ST vehicles. I enjoyed the demo though.
Yes, Wing Commander was a franchise, but it earned it's place there. If Wing Commander had used the Battlestar Galactica license originally (I just pulled that out of the air, WC reminds me of Galactica a little) then the chances are we would have seen just the first game. I believe that the reason it became the success it did was because it was original and they could go places with it. It took on a life of it's own and became a franchise. If they had used another license, they'd be at the mercy of what's going on in the show. They can't have any of the main characters die, and they wouldn't be able to change anything. Using the Galactica example, the game wouldn't be able to have Galactica returning home. That would stink since that's the point of the show!
Man, I'm aching to play Indianna Jones 3 again.
Everything farscape. (Score:1)
As for the show itself, no new eps in the US until April, but news eps will be showing in the UK any day now. And apparently, they're already showing where hebrew is the primary language, as I've aquired the latest ep with Hebrew subtitles (which look completly alien and complement the show rather well).
I can't stand the way the show is scheduled. Technically season 3 hasn't ended yet, with 3 or 4 more eps to go, then I guess season 4 starts right away (why do they DO that?) This latest ep sets up a premise for the next few but basically it stands on its own, and frankly wasn't that good. Hopefully the season finale will be better. Until then I'll be downloading 500mb eps on my 56k. Why do they wait months to air episodes they already have completed? Febuaray is sweeps after all.
And yes, Zhaan is still very much dead and will probably stay that way.
Oh, and no sign of Stark but he's still in the credits.
Cher look-alike in Farscape! (Score:1)
sierra (Score:1)
bust out the infocom parser (Score:2)
Re:bust out the infocom parser (Score:2)
Actually, there are plenty of "Infocom-like" games still being made, though the games I'm talking about range from the traditional [ifiction.org] to the not so traditional [adamcadre.ac].
If you're interested in finding out more, I'd suggest reading reviews of recent text adventures from a site [brasslantern.org] or two [wurb.com] and then downloading the games from the Interactive Fiction Archive [ifarchive.org].
Re:bust out the infocom parser (Score:1)
the Moya (Score:2)
I found it quite irritating every time the Bob Colayco reffered to the ship as "the Moya". It is "the ship" or it is plain "Moya". Calling it "the Moya" just clashes. It also just screams "the Bob Colayco doesn't actually watch Farscape".
-
I'd like it better... (Score:2)
Re:I'd like it better... (Score:2)
Yet another Aussie import. With babes. (Score:1)
Shouldn't be modded down, interesting point.... (Score:2)
If the true value of any game is the license (hah! I smirked at that), then it seems the only the people who are interested in the movie/tvshow/comic it's based on will pick up the box. Shows like Farscape tend to divide people into groups of "I love this show!" and groups of "The show sucks, and the ppl that watch it suck even more!!!"
Farscape's not so bad about this, but I can imagine a bunch of Star Trek fans laughing at the idea of a Babylon 5 game, even though there's been very little good to say about the Trek gaming franchise.
No matter how good the game is, using the Farscape license is a bit of a risk. I'm not that confident that the fan base that would buy the game on PC is broad enough to earn a profit.
Re:I dont want to start a flame war but.... (Score:2, Insightful)
Farscape may not be able to claim complete originality, if there even is such a thing any more in the sci-fi genre, but it is quite good. They don't make up their own science as they go along nearly as much as any of the Star Trek series do, especially Voyager, the characters are not one-dimensional, like most of the original series of Star Trek, and the sets are fairly well done.
Hands down, Farscape is, IMAO, the best sci-fi series on TV right now.
Kierthos
Re:I dont want to start a flame war but.... (Score:1)
low budget? Well when star trek want to make a new aliaen species they usually resort to sticking a bit of plastic on there nose. Thats right, forget the infinite evolution possibilities in the universe, all nature can come up with is a little nasal surgery.
At least in farscape the variations in the Aliens are large and interesting.
Farscape is original and superb Sci Fi. It also got the best looking aliens babes in the TV universe.