Dishonored - Preview Roundup

Dhruin

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As promised by Bethsoft last week, new Dishonored previews are hitting the 'net. Let's start with Alec Meer on Rock, Paper, Shotgun, who say they were told there are "eight or nine different broad methods of completing a level":
Linear – the devil word. Scourge of freedom, the antithesis of PC gaming, the ancient enemy of anyone who’s ever roamed the Zone or steered a Dragonborn across the mountains. Or so the purist spirit often believes. Is, the question hangs so very heavily, Dishonored a linear game?
Yes. At least in the sense that it is not an open world. It is a series of missions in a linear order, most if not all of which require you to eliminate a specific target or targets. That’s okay, though, because my understanding of the game – having seen it in action – has morphed from something like ‘steampunk Deus Ex’ to ‘magic Hitman’. In what I’ve just been shown of the game, the same mission is tackled in two very different ways, with yet more described. And yes, I thought it looked amazing.
Strategy Informer:
The demo did a good job in outlining the different ways the game can be played but Smith and Colantonio were keen to emphasis even further the variety of options available to the player. They mentioned examples of emergent gameplay being discovered play testers that they hadn't accounted for, describing an elaborate case when a player attached an explosive mine to a rat, possessed the rat and took it into a room of enemies before detonating the mine.
IGN:
Taking on the task of building a fictional world from scratch presented numerous challenges for Antonov and the team at Arkane, such as balancing Dunwall's fantastical aspects with familiar, grounding elements. "If they're too strange or too original, [fictional cities] may not appeal to anybody," said Antonov. "We have to strike a balance between accessibility and overall appeal…Every dock, every chair, everything was designed by hand because we wanted to hand craft this, as opposed to the procedural method of making games. This is a steampunk, Victorian world, but it doesn't have any rivets, it doesn't have any copper, it doesn't have any tubes. It's a new breed, a world of its own."
Eurogamer:
Dishonored is a game about systems, choices and unique pathways. The first time you see it in action your mind hurtles through a constant stream of comparisons. Deus Ex comes first, then Hitman, Thief, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, BioShock and even - at a point at which the hero occupies the body and soul of an ornamental fish - Disney's Sword in the Stone.
PC Gamer:
The best moments of the stealth playthrough came from this sense that the player should be allowed to solve problems however they see fit, particularly when it comes to combining Corvo’s magical powers. Creeping around the outer wall of a parlour where one of the Pendleton brothers was arguing with a prostitute, Colantonio explained the possession ability – which we’ve previously seen being used to take control of rats and fish – can be upgraded at great cost to allow Corvo to enter into the bodies of humans. So what’s to stop the player just possessing his targets and chucking them off something high? Apart from the fact that Corvo would die along with his host, not very much.
...and PC Gamer also has a video interview with Harvey Smith and Raf Colantanio.
More information.
 
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It seems the world has seen the light
 
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Assassin's Creed on steroids and rails.

Yeah but eliminate doesn't always have to mean kill - and they make a point of that in one of the interviews giving an example where in some cases you could opt - if you were observant or patient enough and felt like going that route - to remove a target by more political means and without bloodshead. Some of these could be made availible by simple observation and correct action on the part of the player character, and others might be the fruits of performing favors for NPCs in exchange for leverage (they gave a specific example of this, a bit spoilery though.)

They also mention several specific instances where early testers had discovered new type of routes (not just single-use tricks) beyond the 5 or more general routes they had anticipated per mission. These included things like jumping off presumably unsurvivable high rooftops but posessing a guard on the way down and effectively creating new unexpected ways to use one's chosen abilities to overcome obstacles.

So I think a more apt description would be "assassin's creed on mentats." Still not open world of course and more in the rough neighborhood of Deus Ex.
 
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I hate that so many people equate "non-linear" exclusively with "open-world." The ironic thing is that the majority of open-world games are about as linear as it gets when it comes to story, quest and individual dungeon/level design, how many different solutions to a quest there are (if there's even more than just one solution in the first place) and choices/consequences. For example, Deus Ex is far more "non-linear" than any Elder Scrolls game thanks to all of the different ways that the player can creatively approach and explore each level/objective, and if what has been shown thus far holds true, the same will be the case for Dishonored. Definitely my most anticipated game for this year.
 
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I hate that so many people equate "non-linear" exclusively with "open-world." The ironic thing is that the majority of open-world games are about as linear as it gets when it comes to story, quest and individual dungeon/level design, how many different solutions to a quest there are (if there's even more than just one solution in the first place) and choices/consequences. For example, Deus Ex is far more "non-linear" than any Elder Scrolls game thanks to all of the different ways that the player can creatively approach and explore each level/objective, and if what has been shown thus far holds true, the same will be the case for Dishonored. Definitely my most anticipated game for this year.

Yeah, it's funny but a more confined environment can (not always) also mean a more well defined environment and significantly greater freedom in how you choose to interact with and move about it.
 
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I hate that so many people equate "non-linear" exclusively with "open-world." The ironic thing is that the majority of open-world games are about as linear as it gets when it comes to story, quest and individual dungeon/level design, how many different solutions to a quest there are (if there's even more than just one solution in the first place) and choices/consequences. For example, Deus Ex is far more "non-linear" than any Elder Scrolls game thanks to all of the different ways that the player can creatively approach and explore each level/objective, and if what has been shown thus far holds true, the same will be the case for Dishonored. Definitely my most anticipated game for this year.

QFT...
 
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I'm avoiding the previews to avoid spoiling myself so this may be wrong... but I wish games that aim for sophistication would do something other than have me kill people.
 
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I'm avoiding the previews to avoid spoiling myself so this may be wrong… but I wish games that aim for sophistication would do something other than have me kill people.

Yeah - like this does. They discuss instances where you can, by less direct means, discredit and eliminate targets without killing them or attacking them. I'd go into more detail, but it was kind of spoilery when the preview discussed it.

Exactly how prevelant those kinds of options or how diverse your options in approaching the plot and various situations will be... yeah we'll probably have to wait for it to come out to see if that pays off. I hope it does, but we all know how well that works out sometimes.
 
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Yeah - like this does. They discuss instances where you can, by less direct means, discredit and eliminate targets without killing them or attacking them. I'd go into more detail, but it was kind of spoilery when the preview discussed it.

Exactly how prevelant those kinds of options or how diverse your options in approaching the plot and various situations will be… yeah we'll probably have to wait for it to come out to see if that pays off. I hope it does, but we all know how well that works out sometimes.

Just to add to this, from the interviews I've read/watched, there will be non-lethal options, according to the creators (Harvey Smith, Raf Colantonio). Just to give an example - it's a pretty minor spoiler, but because it's still technically a "spoiler," I'll hide it with spoiler tags:

At some point in the story, the player is tasked with assassinating a slave-owner who runs a mine and sends his slaves to suffer in the harsh working conditions present. Rather than simply killing this man, the player can somehow figure out a way to imprison him in the mines, accomplishing the goal of "eliminating" the target, thus removing him from power and completing the objective, all while doing so in a very creative, non-lethal manner. Apparently, this type of act will also have story ramifications later on.

This type of solution is basically a "better" punishment than merely being assassinated and is a fate that fits the target. It's yet to be seen how often this sort of creative non-lethal option is available, but the example above sounds pretty intriguing and immensely satisfying given the character and the scenario.

For me, i personally go for the lethal route in games of this nature - but if the non-lethal solutions are as consistently interesting as the one above, I may just change my approach for Dishonored.
 
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This makes me happy!

Also, I hope there is no "better" option for completing an objective. Just different rewards/results. Better is subjective.
 
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This makes me happy!

Also, I hope there is no "better" option for completing an objective. Just different rewards/results. Better is subjective.

Sorry about that Majnun, I didn't mean to use the word "better" to imply the non-lethal solution is literally the "better" route to take - there is no morality system (thank goodness - most of the time morality systems end up being arbitrary and very "game-y"). Instead, apparently the world will simply react to the deeds and decisions of the player, and not in a way that "punishes" violent players or heap ridiculous amounts of glowing praise on the halo-wearing non-lethal types. What I mean by "better" in the scenario from the preview is that this particular solution is a very clever twist in terms of "punishing" the target while simultaneously eliminating him - there's a bit of poetic justice to that specific outcome, but whether or not that is truly the better route is up to the player's interpretation/imagination. Hope that makes more sense :)

Having multiple solutions of this nature and leaving the outcome of each objective in the hands of the player is already enough to make me pretty happy - making these decisions carry weight and have meaningful repercussions down the line will be icing on the cake.
 
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If it allows multiple approaches, like Deus Ex, I'm in. As I said previously, I don't like being an assassin, but I really like the art direction in this game, the atmosphere. If the missions are kinda open as implied in some of these previews and posts, I would probably get it anyway.
 
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The trailer was enough to put me off the game. I hate the mixture of technology and fantasy - big-ass robots that remind me of War of the Worlds? Borrring. If they had kept it traditional fantasy I might have been interested.
 
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- big-ass robots that remind me of War of the Worlds?
Exactly! Yay!
If they had kept it traditional fantasy I might have been interested.
Borrring.

No really, do people not appreciate a fresh setting? I do still like traditional fantasy too, but god am I glad about someone doing something different every now and then.
 
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No really, do people not appreciate a fresh setting? I do still like traditional fantasy too, but god am I glad about someone doing something different every now and then.

My thoughts exactly! More traditional fantasy is fine, but it gets a little stale playing through the same old (or similar) setting that you have already experienced many times over. I discovered games such as Planescape: Torment, Vampire: Bloodlines, and Arcanum during a phase I was going through where I was simply burned out on the usual fantasy settings used in countless RPGs, and I'll never forget how delighted I was at exploring these wonderful new lands not knowing what to expect - the "predictability factor" wasn't getting in the way of enjoying a new experience. The sense of discovery and "wonder" is much stronger when the experience is unfamiliar.

This is why I'm always really pleased when a developer decides to finally break away from the typical settings and has the courage to try something new and inspired. Now, a "brave new world" certainly has to be carefully crafted in order to still be believable (just because something is new is obviously no guarantee that it's going to be better) , but it's always refreshing when it turns out well. It's still far too early to draw a firm conclusion, but from what I've seen so far, Dishonored's world appears to have been meticulously crafted to bring that sensibility and consistency to a creative new setting.
 
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Exactly! Yay!

Borrring.

No really, do people not appreciate a fresh setting? I do still like traditional fantasy too, but god am I glad about someone doing something different every now and then.

I think the setting looks very exciting - Steampunk elements and a world that developed different technology, magic and that wonderful art direction - fantastic.
 
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Well, that is my preference, I noticed it also has guns, I have always been against guns in my fantasy too. If there are guns then I want it to be science fiction, not fantasy. Call me a classical fantasy buff, but that is what I like. Nope, can't get enough of it. Magic, wizards, swords, monsters, yes! Guns, robots, technology, no! I'm sure others can feel differently.
 
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I hate that so many people equate "non-linear" exclusively with "open-world." The ironic thing is that the majority of open-world games are about as linear as it gets when it comes to story, quest and individual dungeon/level design, how many different solutions to a quest there are (if there's even more than just one solution in the first place) and choices/consequences.

I agree. If I have to go from A to B, and I can take any route through C and/or D, but the states in B remain the same regardless of my chosen route, then I consider that to be linear.

I would consider the gameplay to be non-linear if the states in B differ depending on your actions in C and D and/or the order in which you have done things. However, seeing a deep implementation of this definition of non-linearity in games is actually rather rare.

I guess many people interpret "linear" geometrically as in "a straight line".
 
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I really like steampunk overall but I just didn't like the art direction from what we saw in the CG trailer. Couldn't quite put my finger on it (aside from the design of robot/soldier things which I just thought looked bad).

But, the real test will be with in-game footage obviously.
 
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