Force Feedback - Star Wars Games Analyzed 23
Thanks to TotalGames.net for their article discussing the history of Star Wars-based videogames, in which they air the fan-voiced complaint that "LucasArts used to be a seal of quality on a game, but it's become totally devalued by so many third-rate titles." However, the article notes the upsurge in buzz over expansive titles like Knights Of The Old Republic, commenting: "Rather than divide their fanbase into original trilogy and prequel fans, LucasArts seem to want to bring them together", before suggesting some unlikely license uses along the lines of Super Bombad Racing: "Jedi Set Radio and Dance Dance Rebellion, anyone? Maybe Grand Theft Jawa?"
Full Throttle II (Score:2)
Why did they stop development on Full Throttle II then? I thought the reason they quit qith that was just that: is was to be a combination of arcade adventure and 'real' adventure.
Re:Full Throttle II (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't fix it if it ain't broken.
But you need 3D to attract the quake crowd you say? Stop talking to customer focus groups. People that say they would buy X if only it had Y are lying. It is like people who say they would use public transport if only XXXXX, or who would run linux/mac if only it had XXXXX. They won't. Ever.
Perhaps in fit of sanity lucasarts realised that one of the most bitched about parts of the original full throttle was the bike fights. Sure it was original. Sure it was new. Sure it was kinda fun. Until you got hopelessly stuck at that point.
Hybrid games rarely work. Mixing adventures with anything is sure to fail miserably. I am wrong? Prove it. Adventures are slow by nature. Hell in Lucasarts adventures you usually can't even die. To then suddenly add elements from other games, rarely works. Answer me this. Wich did you thought was more fun. The fights in Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis or the ones in the original Monkey Island? Right thought so.
The official line anway was that Lucasarts thought Full Throttle 2 was not going to live up to expectation. Make of that what you will. It been discussed on slashdot in its own artice.
GK4 (Score:1)
I remember lucasfilm games (Score:5, Interesting)
Their adventures based on the excellent scumm engine were topnotch. X-wing was amazing.
Then something happened. I don't know what but I will give you the clues. Maybe you can figure it out.
Missles in later x-wing games. X-wing is a dogfighter. Laser against laser with the odd protontorpedo against heavy targets. Later on in the game however you couldn't start a run on a capital ship without dodging endless missles. What joy.
Minefield in x-wing games. Clear 1 gazillion tiny mines. Whee. Are you having fun yet?
Monkey Island 4 control system. (it may have been grim fandango that did it first don't know) UGH. One of the bad points of click and play adventures has always been pixel hunting. Now you had to pixel hunt by moving an other pixel across the screen with cursor keys. Yikes. Whoever made this one is an enemy greater then Gates and McBride put together.
Mmmm, I just don't know what happened at lucasarts. Did someone quit? they were once the greats. Then again there was time when sierra was know for quality as well. Oh well. I guess that certain things just pass away. Spam free email. Usefull usenet. Perhaps it is like dementia in humans. Once great minds doomed to become like drooling 2yr olds.
Let us remember the Lucasarts we once knew and loved. And hope that this demented old driveling shell of a company passes away peacefully in its sleep.
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:2, Interesting)
I was amazed by the quality of older titles like Strike Fleet (modern-day naval simulator), and Tie Fighter, and Dark Forces.
But once they started to contract out the work to other companies the quality was very erratic.
It was if key personnel were no longer working on the games, and instead just licensing out the Star Wars content to other companies, hop
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:1)
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:1)
I would disagree with you on the Xwing games though. Even with the mines and the missles, they were still a lot of fun. In the case of Xwing vs. Tie fighter, LEC / Totally games dropped the ball in the sense that Tie fighter had been such a stellar game, with a stellar story line, that ditching SP in favor of MP only in Xwing vs. Tie, was almost criminal.
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:2)
But then made up for it by porting Xwing and Tie Fighter to the XvT engine.
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:2)
Actually, in this particular case, it was only SORT OF outsourcing since the people they outsourced to were Totally Games [totallygames.com], a company formed by Larry Holland, the former Lucas
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:1)
There have been some good Star Wars games though. Rogue Squadron was great, and the first game you actually got to go against AT-AT's in.
As for Afterlife, I only ever played the demo, but I remember thinking it was a very innovative game.
Of course, there have been total dogs like Rebel Assault which were just FM fests. (Though sadly, I still want to play that:))
Re:I remember lucasfilm games (Score:1)
I guess they deserved to put their logo in their own games, right?
I agree about the minefield comment, though.
Some valid points; however, whinning.. (Score:2)
Whine, whine, whine, "I can't get my games, woe is me, I shall now cry pathetically on Slashdot."
You ignore that they made a lot of PC-only cames. Oh, how shall I ever forgive that Lucasarts because I can't get the early Monkey Island or Grim Fandango games on my favourite console?
Game developers develop for the audien
Ah yes, the good old Star Wars games (Score:4, Insightful)
- Super Star Wars/Super Empire Strikes Back
These games were awesome! The controls unfortunately had a few flaws, but nevertheless the gameplay kicked ass due to the variation. One level you'd be platforming through a sandcrawler, the next you'd be flying a Mode 7-based hovercraft. The graphics and sound were amazing for their time too, and those sprites still look great IMO. Extremely crisp, and the bosses look just the way they should
- Dark Forces
Anyone with me when I say this is one of the most underrated games ever? The atmosphere is incredible and the level design ingenious. I remember it as being way too hard though, but perhaps I'd do better if I played it today.
- Shadows of the Empire
This game had really awful controls and some fatally boring levels. But it was revolutionary when it came... first encounter with a real 3D Star Wars game. Some tense moments too, and great use of music (well, how could any Star Wars game NOT feature great music?
what? (Score:4, Funny)
Episode 1 and 2 actually had fans?
Heh, funny I never knew that.
Original trilogy (Score:1)
The begining of the decline (Score:3, Interesting)
Like Microprose, for a while you could buy anything from LucasArts and it was going to be a good game, sadly that is no longer the case.
What about Star Wars Galaxies (Score:1)
Re:Lucasarts did what with KOTOR? (Score:2, Informative)
FYI: LucasArts is shocked that KOTOR got amazing reviews and selling really well.