Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Discussion Topic Part 1

[Kein]

I'm not too a big fan of the pigs being fast. Judging by the footsteps and how fast the shadows move in the pen room, they must be pretty damn fast as their default speed.... me no likey.

Agree after detection in Amnesia there was a chance to get away as you could run as fast as they do + you have tactical ways of outrunning by blocking barricading.
But if it really is this fast and smarter holy crap...

Well... they did say that players wouldn't be able to play AAMFP the way they played TDD. So maybe these new monsters are what that was about? (amongst other things I bet) Maybe there are ways to use the environment to your advantage, even though they are faster than you? For example their speed could make it difficult for them to turn corners, or something like that... or maybe there's some special "rule" concerning the circumstances under which they'll attack you. (maybe they stay away from light, or only attack you fom behind, or only when they are in a group... the possibilities to balance out their superiour speed are endless )

I honestly dot' mind some Thief experience - ie don't be seen or you ded. Love the "silent path" in Dishonored and don't mind to see survival horror with more actual sneaking (if you can really run away now).

Istrebitel
What this gentleman and scholar said.

Exostalker

The point is - it looks just like a custom story. It's not worth to spend money on it.

Umm.. okay? Don't buy it then? Where is the issue?

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Of course blind fans will like anything... for me, I have played original with custom stories enough... Sequel should introduce somethingnew than a story and new models. The gameplay should be changed at least a bit. From what I see now, it's all the same, only lantern has changed, and instead of hiding in closet you have to hide in a cage. I would expect much more from a team which will be working on this for more than one year.

Okay then, since we already know that apart from the entirely new levels, story, characters, etc., there will also be new enemies with yet mostly unknown behaviour and gameplay consequences, as well as new puzzle mechanics, could you please give a more precise example of what kind of new gameplay element you feel is lacking?

Maybe I should explain further: The beauty of Frictionals games so far was, that there were very few and simple gameplay mechanics (namely physical interaction with objects in the environment, a lightsource toggle and the ability to crouch, jump and sprint).
By keeping things this simple, they were able to create a hitherto unknown level of immersion into a game, while still allowing for a certain organic variety in terms of puzzles, chase sequences, etc.

Therefore, I have a hard time imagining what kind of mechanic thechineseroom could add to the player that would improve the overall gameplay experience without being a mere gimmick. The player is not the right place to add new mechanics in this kind of game, the puzzles, environment and enemy behaviour are, because they form the "playground" on which the player can create his own experience through the simple, but flexible control options given to him. And all those three areas have been improved and given new content.
Therefore, I'm not being a "blind fan", I simply admire the beauty of a simple, yet elegant system that has been carefully refined over the course of four games and I won't demand change for the sake of change alone.

[maarten12100]

And it looked just like a total conversion mod - amnesia with new textures and models, not a new game... I think I will be disappointed with this, at least judging from the trailer.

Congratulations, you have just discovered the meaning of the word "sequel".

No seriously, sarcasm aside, if you want a game that's entirely different from Amnesia, you should wait for Frictionals new, secret title. Expecting a game called "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs" to be entirely different than the first Amnesia doesn't make a whole lot of sense, now does it? Apart from the fact, that most Amnesia fans would probably feel betrayed if it was.

From what we've heard so far, their goal was to improve those aspects of Amnesia that didn't work perfectly, while keeping the base game mechanics and feeling of the original. And I think they succeeded.

The point is - it looks just like a custom story. It's not worth to spend money on it.

Of course blind fans will like anything... for me, I have played original with custom stories enough... Sequel should introduce something new than a story and new models. The gameplay should be changed at least a bit. From what I see now, it's all the same, only lantern has changed, and instead of hiding in closet you have to hide in a cage. I would expect much more from a team which will be working on this for more than one year.

Isn't that like saying Black plague wasn't a new game because it has
the same engine only a different story and you couldn't kill enemies
anymore.
I don't see your point tbh
As the gameplay has changed the enemies behave different isn't that a change in gameplay.
We don't know how much the gameplay changed yet.

[Googolplex]

The point is - it looks just like a custom story. It's not worth to spend money on it.


Of course blind fans will like anything... for me, I have played original with custom stories enough... Sequel should introduce something new than a story and new models. The gameplay should be changed at least a bit. From what I see now, it's all the same, only lantern has changed, and instead of hiding in closet you have to hide in a cage. I would expect much more from a team which will be working on this for more than one year.



Also - only improving some aspects, as you said, won't work. People have played this game over and over for hundreds of times, it got so boring... Everybody knows the gameplay scheme, how the monsters and scares work. Level editor and hundreds of custom stories should be judged for that.

A Machine For Pigs will be made definitely more professional than custom stories. There is a talented developer team working hard on it and get paid under the supervision of Frictional Games. When you say it's not worth to spend money for an unique good game like that, then I ask me, for what games should I spend money then? FIFA 13, Most Wanted 2012, Call Of Duty? When you want to blow your money away, then buy action games like that. But Amnesia will be a decent game for a niche of grown-ups!

The gameplay should NOT be changed. Amensia TDD also doesn't needed a different gameplay compared to Penumbra. It's also the same. And it's the typical Frictional original kind of gameplay I like. To change that, would also change the feelings of immersion as I know from Frictional's previous games. The gameplay of Penumbra & Amnesia is PERFECT, why to change that?
I'm not a blind fan.
My only sorrow is that A Machine For Pigs will be too short (seems to be twice as long as Justine). I really hope I'm wrong and the experience will be similar to TDD, 10 hours long. And that puzzles are not only to put things in, I really would prefer a puzzle system similar to Penumbra Overture. More tricky, more physic based, more thoughtful. Not simply put an object into a machine and operate a lever.
And some "scares" like you see someone walking in the end of a passage, are become familiar. You know there is nothing. This are just illusions, it's of course a good effect, but when you alrerady know the mechanics of Amnesia, you become familiar. An other problem is, that as more "effects" there are, as more it seems inplausible and every single effect lose its impact. Against with Amnesia TDD and Penumbra were scary even when nothing is happen. Just alone the atmosphere and sounds are horror. It's wrong when the player gets flooded up with effects. This will break the horror.

But I hope they know what they do and that the experience will be long, different locations with many rooms, many puzzles and a complex town with hidden secrets etc.
Actually we just can speculate about the game, but I'm sure there's more than the trailer shows.

[maarten12100]

The point is - it looks just like a custom story. It's not worth to spend money on it.


Of course blind fans will like anything... for me, I have played original with custom stories enough... Sequel should introduce something new than a story and new models. The gameplay should be changed at least a bit. From what I see now, it's all the same, only lantern has changed, and instead of hiding in closet you have to hide in a cage. I would expect much more from a team which will be working on this for more than one year.



Also - only improving some aspects, as you said, won't work. People have played this game over and over for hundreds of times, it got so boring... Everybody knows the gameplay scheme, how the monsters and scares work. Level editor and hundreds of custom stories should be judged for that.

A Machine For Pigs will be made definitely more professional than custom stories. There is a talented developer team working hard on it and get paid under the supervision of Frictional Games. When you say it's not worth to spend money for an unique good game like that, then I ask me, for what games should I spend money then? FIFA 13, Most Wanted 2012, Call Of Duty? When you want to blow your money away, then buy action games like that. But Amnesia will be a decent game for a niche of grown-ups!

.. really? I knew you were retarded but..

let me rephrase that for you "FIFA 13, Most Wanted 2012, Call Of Duty? When you want to blow your money away, then buy conservative games"

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

.. really? I knew you were retarded but..

Please, could you be so kind as to refrain from personal insults, especially when unprovoked? I like this forum, because people here seem to be more civil with each other than it is the case on the "average" gaming forum.

But I hope they know what they do and that the experience will be long, different locations with many rooms, many puzzles and a complex town with hidden secrets etc.

Actually we just can speculate about the game, but I'm sure there's more than the trailer shows.

Speculation is what gets us through the long wait!
So let's speculate. I'd say, while we can't really guess how long the game will be, the many different environments shown so far could be a clue. Theres some sort of mansion, which seems to be pretty big since it includes a museum, big banquet hall, etc. Then there are the streets of London. Another location is the chapel we've seen on the early screenshots, probably a smaller level or integrated into a bigger one. We've also seen something that looks like a shed of sorts or maybe a storage area. And then there are the machine tunnels which were shown in the trailer and I believe a big slaughterhouse was mentioned in an interview somewhere... well with all those locations, I'm fairly certain it will have at least the same length as TDD. And since they are far more varied, it will probably feel longer.

[Oink]

Yeah I agree.

Although, I couldn't hear any music within the monsters surroundings, only squeals and groans, no music or special ambience at all.

A couple of things:

a) The game isn't finished yet
b) It's a teaser trailer
c) I heard a variable background sound ................ listen to it again.

[Statyk]

If they keep music out of monster search, I wouldn't mind that. Sometimes it makes me more tense. =P Did so with the trailer!

[maarten12100]

If they keep music out of monster search, I wouldn't mind that. Sometimes it makes me more tense. =P Did so with the trailer!

The music gets me on the edge however it warns you for what is coming after you.
Never wracking

[Wooderson]

I kinda have to say that the absence of sound can be just as scary as with extreme ambient sounds. It can really take you by surprise at time and I can just imagine walking around a corner as soon as I hear the monster squeal and shitting myself instantly.