GWJ Chromehounds

I wonder... What ever happen to the demo?

Yes, Nei, what ever DID happen to the demo on which you staked your credibility?

LobsterMobster wrote:

Yes, Nei, what ever DID happen to the demo on which you staked your credibility?

Good question. Here is the official statement that was release for the public from Nei Administration.

May 30, 2006

In the month of May, pre-E3 days, our inside source has revealed crucial information regarding the ChromeHounds Demo. The paid informant has provided us with the time frame of the release and at the time we had no reason to doubt the authenticity of the information.
Now, in a post E3 day, I'm sad to say is that we were wrong. We learned that such event never took place and the demo was never released to the public. We were too quick to jump to conclusion and we were wrong on our part, not to double check on the information. We had no intention on misleading the public and rest assured that we have taken steps to prevent further mistakes. Now, the informant has been arrested and will be held in custody while we will conclude our investigation in to what caused this miss-information. At same time, we will look at the possibility at the 3rd party in attempts to interfere and perhaps to discredit this organization. Based on our finding we will take appropriate steps to ensure that 3rd party will be dealt with.

I also like to correct some of our mistake by announcing that the ChromeHounds will be release on Tuesday, July 11 in the year of 2006. It will be available for pick up at any location on the following day.

Thank you for your time.

Nei's credibility aside, I think we could all use that demo just about now. After reading yet another interview about the game this morning the little sirens in the back of my head that scream "WANT, WANT" have now reached a near deafening volume, and they must be appeased soon.

Single Player Preview of the game on Gamespot.

Whoa, we can pick it up at ANY LOCATION on the 12th!? I'm totally going to get mine in my driveway.

Nei wrote:

Single Player Preview of the game on Gamespot.

Thanks for the link. (WANT, WANT)

Another preview of SP on TeamXbox... might be a bit more info than Gamespot. I didn't get a chance to read it yet but I second the notion... I want, I want!

Link

The thing that concerns me is I've heard a couple, "We want to play more!" comments, but no, "OMG this game is a must-buy!" No one really seems all that excited after trying it. :\

I'm pretty darn excited, but trying to control my excitement.

I think people just waiting for Review Copy of the game before they can state that it's a 'Must Buy'.

One thing that I'm wondering about is that the game should be out in a month... and no word about the code going gold. Plus from what I recall, the game was to ship in Japan 2 weeks ahead of US release.

Nei wrote:

One thing that I'm wondering about is that the game should be out in a month... and no word about the code going gold. Plus from what I recall, the game was to ship in Japan 2 weeks ahead of US release.

As excited as we are about this game, I'm not sure that it is really a big enough release to warrant a "gone gold" press release. Or at least that is what I'm telling myself to keep it from bothering me.

True... but considering that games are really sparse as of late, anything that would hit Xbox 360 warrants a notice!

Console Games don't tend to "go gold" when they're made by Japanese developers and publishers.

I see...

...

For those of you worried about urban environments, check out this or this screen. Weird how it leaves footprints on the pavement, eh? Also, destructible buildings shown here.

And last but not least, lighting effects on trees in the background here.

More screens showing off cool stuff at WorthPlaying.

LobsterMobster wrote:

Weird how it leaves footprints on the pavement, eh?

Here in Texas, cars will distort asphalt during the summer. I can absolutely believe a 50 ton mech would leave prints in asphalt on desert sand.

For those of you worried about urban environments, check out this or this screen.

If you were to turn the camera to the left, you'd see nothing but a few trees and big empty hills. Those are a few buildings on the side of the road, not much more than that I'm afraid.

Even the impressions are saying that the game maps are "sparse" so I don't think we'll be stomping through any city parks or anything. What a shame! Some of my favorite Maech Warrior moments were in cities.

I'm sort of surprised for 3 countries not to have any major cities! Although I understand that the game takes place in post WWIII time so the land would look a bit bare but... there is got to be more than just gas pipelines and refineries. I want to see more of metropolis area.

I agree that a huge city would be a lot of fun but I think these little villages and industrial complexes are going to be the best we're going to get. I guess I'm not as upset about it as some of you guys.

LobsterMobster wrote:

I agree that a huge city would be a lot of fun but I think these little villages and industrial complexes are going to be the best we're going to get. I guess I'm not as upset about it as some of you guys.

Does it have giant, highly customizable robots that fight each other? As long as it controls well, I'm fine. In any case, I'm sure we'll get some interesting environments to play in, even if it doesn't include massive metropolises.

funny (ok not haha funny) how the peak of the mech combat genre is a game made over a decade ago. I think in cases like this game, improving the graphics and detail is getting in the way of improving gameplay. They probably wont do cities because the framerate would be bogged down, but if they cut the million poly mechs down to half a million (for example) you could throw manhatten into the game without a hitch. Its too early to criticise the game obviously but we can already see that the game environment is lacking in detail. I know, its the tired old gameplay vs graphics argument but you can start to see where the misguided focus may be hurting this one.

Now you have a situation where gameplay really has to be what wins us over. If multiplayer isnt spectacular this game may end up labelled with 'its a rental'. Quality environments can really make a mech game interesting. If every map is essentially an open plain with 8 mechs on it, that will kind of kill much of the strategy.

Positives I see from the screenshots: BIG maps and long range weapons. As long as the mechs have some strategic options like some kind of detection masking, jump jets and other ways to create and avoid traps, we'll have a party on our hands. Otherwise it'll be walk-shoot-walk and the last one left standing wins.

Just watched 'gamespot: on the spot' showcase Chromehounds demo... nothing new, unfortunately.

[edit] More new(?) screenshots at TeamXbox.

[edit 2] BOOM... looks really good! IMG

[edit 3] Game Informer SP preview which sounds less exciting especially with comment like this...

Unfortunately, the single player element of Chromehounds isn't all that exciting. While you'll be able to learn the ins and outs of each of the RTs, and load up on the much needed Hound building parts, the overall experience is ho-hum. The story is quite forgettable, and at least if that was engaging it wouldn't feel as though From Software was forcing you to play through it just to earn parts. Basically, the single player boils down to be one big training simulator. I'm getting flashbacks from the original MechAssault where the single player was only completed to get the two most powerful unlockable Mechs in the game to use online in Xbox Live matches.

IMAGE(http://www.parrottimes.com/forums/images/smilies/bump.gif)

Multiplayer Preview at GameSpy!

Screw Game Informer. Looks like they went into it thinking MechAssault.

LobsterMobster wrote:

I agree that a huge city would be a lot of fun but I think these little villages and industrial complexes are going to be the best we're going to get. I guess I'm not as upset about it as some of you guys.

Hey, try Metal Head for the 32X... maybe not destructible environs, but.. a definite roffel moment.

I'm relatively excited about this one, but it's all about the depth of gameplay that happens before and after the fingers squeeze the trigger that will make or break this game for me. Perhaps I'm just jaded by reading all the old FASA mechwarrior novels where actual ambush, planning and outhinking tactics weighed as much on the battlefield as the size of your Autocannon.

With large maps, class variety, depth of communications as well as the clan/team structure and perpetual world campaign backgrounds, it's starting to sound like a worthy addition to the mech genre.

Johnvanjim wrote:

With large maps, class variety, depth of communications as well as the clan/team structure and perpetual world campaign backgrounds, it's starting to sound like a worthy addition to the mech genre.

Exactly why Nei, Lobster, and I have been gushing over it for the last few months.

Getting close now, folks.

Saw some in-game footage from Masterbit Theater at IGN. Looks a little plodding, but very pretty. Will be interesting to see it it does all that was advertised.

Link

Gone gold.