Thu, Mar 31, 2011 | 17:32 BST
There’s not always “a pressing need” to replay story scenarios in a FPS, says Brink dev
Splash Damage’s Ed Stern has said the reason the developers have stayed away from a heavily scripted story in Brink is for more replayability.
Speaking with TSA, Stern said it here’s “absolutely nothing wrong with a well-scripted FPS,” but there’s not always “a pressing need,” for players to replay story scenarios “other than to beat their best time, do it all with headshots, etc.”
“The gameplay experience isn’t always enormously different,” said Stern, “and the single-player campaign sometimes inadvertently but actively misleads you about what the multiplayer will be like, which can lead to a horrible lurch: you go from a game you’re enjoying, and good at, and beating, where everything tends to happen in front of you, to suddenly being shot in the head from every possible angle by unpredictable enemies who have as much health as you do, who don’t just fall over when you shoot them twice, who maneuver much more aggressively than AI opponents, won’t let you take cover – and often freely share their observations upon you, your playing style all over VOIP.
“So, before I forget, VOIP in Brink is Friends List-only by default. Brink is all about replay value. Our first game, Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, is eight years old and has had over half a billion matches played. We want players to not just play Brink, but replay it, over and over, in a meaningfully different way every time.
“But no matter how scintillating the writing and acting, there’s only so many times you’ll want to watch an intro cinematic, even if you do get to see your character as an extra in the background, their clothes, hairstyle and facial ornamentation growing ever more extravagant as the foreground characters go through their drama again and again.
“And once you finish one faction storyline, you can see the same events in an entirely different light in the other storyline, and then replay those maps again in a completely new way using the abilities you’ve unlocked as you level up, perhaps as a new body type (Heavy or Light, or stay as Medium), and with the weapons and attachments you’ve unlocked while polishing your skills and tactics in the challenge levels.”
Splash Damage has promied Brink will make playing with strangers fun with its 16-person drop-in, drop-out multiplayer. We’ll all know for sure once it releases on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in May.
24 comments
#1
DSB
31/03/11, 5:13 pm
Splash Damage are smart guys. I think most people expect the multiplayer experience to be different (AI versus I, duh) but there’s obviously a lot of people who buy multiplayer-oriented games expecting a polished singleplayer.
#2
M. K.
31/03/11, 5:15 pm
What about a demo? I already have two must buys in MAY! (LA Noire and Dirt 3
)
#3
Ireland Michael
31/03/11, 5:16 pm
I like the way these guys think.
#4
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 5:36 pm
Where are the preorder bonuses?
#5
DSB
31/03/11, 5:40 pm
Steam, Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, Direct2Drive, Walmart.
You know, the place where preorders live.
#6
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 5:45 pm
I’m European and I want European preorders, pretty please?
#7
Kyle Wrigley
31/03/11, 5:46 pm
What exactly has Splash Damage “promied”?
#8
DSB
31/03/11, 5:47 pm
Direct2Drive, Amazon, Steam and Gamestop have european stores and websites, as far as I know. Not sure about Best Buy.
#9
Kyle Wrigley
31/03/11, 5:49 pm
#8 Best Buy’s in the UK, not sure about elsewhere,
#6Euro preorders were announced to be the same content as US.
#10
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 5:58 pm
And I won’t spend 50 euros on Steam while other retailers like Play and TheHut sell it MUCH cheaper.
*looks at GAME and Play, which DO HAVE preorder bonuses listed.*
Why the fuck didn’t they announce them? Why Bethesda didn’t send any PR about it to my site?
#11
DSB
31/03/11, 6:03 pm
Because Google, I’m guessing. If you typed Brink preorder bonus into your browser instead of into a comment, you’d have gotten numerous links detailing each one, in shorter time.
And you wouldn’t have to deal with any smartass answers.
The preorders started last year if I remember correctly, and there are quite a few news reports detailing them, so I’m guessing you missed it.
#12
Kyle Wrigley
31/03/11, 6:09 pm
@ 10 & 11,(Mostly 10) Brink preorder bonus’ were originally announced in Fall-ish 2010. That’s why there’s hasn’t been any recent announcements.
#13
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 6:13 pm
http://www.vg247.com/2011/03/15/brink-pre-order-bonuses-detailed/
“These pre-order bonuses will be offered exclusively through participating retailers in the coming weeks.”
In my book this means they should have sent a PR with a list of participating european retailers like they did back in August, and I’ve been waiting till now for that PR.
@8
D2D: Psycho Pack (awful) at 39,95£
Amazon.co.uk: no bonus at 24,91£ + delivery
Steam: Spec-Ops Pack (average) at 49,99€
GameStop: Doom Pack (average) at 49,98€
Thanks, but no thanks.
I prefer GAME: https://www.game.co.uk/PC-Games-and-Downloads/Shooter/First-Person/~r354221/Brink-Special-Edition/
Doom Pack + Spec-Ops Pack at 32,94£ delivered.
#14
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 6:16 pm
The US preorders for Brink were announced back on August 24th 2010, I know it because I wrote it myself for the site I’m working for.
#15
Kyle Wrigley
31/03/11, 6:20 pm
Wow, you guys got robbed of the Fallout pack?
#16
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 6:29 pm
@15 Nope: it’s sold at Play.com
http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/10296392/Brink/Product.html
#17
Aimless
31/03/11, 6:31 pm
Pre-order bonuses are amongst the forerunners for worst burgeoning trend of this generation.
#18
Kyle Wrigley
31/03/11, 6:35 pm
Ahh, you just didn’t mention it earlier then. ok. We’ll I’m glad they didn’t screw those near the GMT out of something and make it US only.
#19
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 6:42 pm
@18 Not really. I just didn’t mention it because it wasn’t cited by DSB nor I wasn’t interested in it.
#20
DSB
31/03/11, 7:03 pm
Personally I’d prefer the psycho pack, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t add it into some sort of DLC later on. Bethesda aren’t exactly lazy when it comes to milking their games, and I doubt that Splash Damage want to permanently cut content depending on retailers.
I don’t blame anyone for wanting to get the best deal, but I don’t miss those 20-30 euro, or any DLC enough to fill up my bookcases with black plastic.
#21
Jorge
31/03/11, 7:33 pm
@NeoSquall You should take a better look at Amazon UK. They DO have listed the Psycho Pack. Actually: http://www.splashdamage.com/content/brink-pre-order-bonuses-announced-europe
#22
Bloodyghost
31/03/11, 7:51 pm
@20, Bethesda milking games? I think you got Bethesda and Activision or Bethesda and EA mixed up.
#23
DSB
31/03/11, 7:58 pm
@22 Nah.
The idea that Bethesda aren’t every bit as bad is pretty much blown away by their conduct when it comes to handling ips and pushing unfinished games out the door.
Last time I tried to play Alpha Protocol the PC controls still didn’t work.
It’s pretty obvious that they want to play big, by the very same ruleset.
#24
NeoSquall
31/03/11, 10:09 pm
@21 Well, the Amazon page ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bethesda-Brink-PC-DVD/dp/B00305HJGK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1301605656&sr=8-2 ) doesn’t list anything about it.