So, with the recent news that there is hope for Tex again, I believe som speculation is in order. 
I believe, and hopefully I am wrong here, that they will not use live actors. I think this would be a big blow to the series. I believe the live actors really added something special to Tex games. Hopefully, the company that Aaron is dealing with is willing to take the risk and try live actors again. Hopefully............
I believe, and hopefully I am wrong here, that they will not use live actors. I think this would be a big blow to the series. I believe the live actors really added something special to Tex games. Hopefully, the company that Aaron is dealing with is willing to take the risk and try live actors again. Hopefully............
Yes, I was thinking that myself. That it's more than likely it will be full-3D.
Although that was back when they had to try and push past Microsoft's reservations by changing the character to rendered models. But since the current emphasis these days is on 3D (especially within animated films), the new company probably won't have a much different stance unfortunately.
I think we had a bit of a discussion on the old forum about FMV vs 3D, and what we individually preferred. I said that I would prefer FMV and I still do. It would be a shame to not have the regular cast again for starters. But I also acknowledge that to get sales and interest, to even get published, things may have to change. So at the end of the day that's all there is to it.
I would guess though that even if all the characters were 3D, the voices would still be done by the regular cast etc. And if (like me) someone enjoyed the Radio Theater then it will probably not make much difference once you get used to the visual change.
But it is reassuring that Aaron also said that they would try to make the 3D Tex look as good and realistic as possible. Perhaps there could be a hyrbid mix with live actor's appearance being overlayed onto the models or something... But I have no clue about such things.
Perhaps in some way we could have some acting in it (ideally, the cutscenes being FMV and the movement/action being 3D) but it will probably be dominated by 3D.
There's a bit in the Ask Aaron section of the old forum where Aaron comments on the character rendering issue:
Although that was back when they had to try and push past Microsoft's reservations by changing the character to rendered models. But since the current emphasis these days is on 3D (especially within animated films), the new company probably won't have a much different stance unfortunately.
I think we had a bit of a discussion on the old forum about FMV vs 3D, and what we individually preferred. I said that I would prefer FMV and I still do. It would be a shame to not have the regular cast again for starters. But I also acknowledge that to get sales and interest, to even get published, things may have to change. So at the end of the day that's all there is to it.
I would guess though that even if all the characters were 3D, the voices would still be done by the regular cast etc. And if (like me) someone enjoyed the Radio Theater then it will probably not make much difference once you get used to the visual change.
But it is reassuring that Aaron also said that they would try to make the 3D Tex look as good and realistic as possible. Perhaps there could be a hyrbid mix with live actor's appearance being overlayed onto the models or something... But I have no clue about such things.
Perhaps in some way we could have some acting in it (ideally, the cutscenes being FMV and the movement/action being 3D) but it will probably be dominated by 3D.
There's a bit in the Ask Aaron section of the old forum where Aaron comments on the character rendering issue:
May of been more about this topic that I missed from that section though. I find the Search function on the old ezboard to be rather useless... :\The bottom line is this: We have to convince MS that a new Tex Murphy game would be profitable. To do this, (1) we must prove a solid business case (e.g. the cost of development vs. the expected sales numbers); (2) we have to "compare" a Tex game to existing games -- this means that we may have to "spin" our concept in another direction. One idea is to make a console game. Another is to make all the characters rendered.
But before anyone panics, let me assure you... Chris and I are very protective of our detective. We would NEVER sell him out for any reason. The only way we'll make another Tex game is if we can offer the same quality experience our fans got from the last three. It may be different in some ways, but the heart and soul CANNOT change. For example: The characters are vital to the game. For that reason, the only way we would use "rendered" people instead of filming the actors on blue screen would be if the technology allowed us to create acceptable facsimiles of the real people. Otherwise, no dice. Also, if we were given the green light for Tex and all we had to do was add more "arcade-like" action, I know for a fact that Chris and I could come up with some running and gunning "Tex style" that would in no way interfere with what makes Tex Murphy who he is. I can guarantee this: Tex will NEVER turn into some mutated, bastard cousin of an FPS.
(Ruri_Ayanami from the old Tex Murphy ezboard).
"I don't believe in intuition, don't know why... just a feeling." - Tex Murphy
"I don't believe in intuition, don't know why... just a feeling." - Tex Murphy
Frankly you have to wonder "what" exactly they are working or thinking of. It might not even be a game at all, it might simply be Aaron working on doing a novel to tell the end of the story.
In any case at this point anything new would be welcome. But I think it a little premature to think that its a game (unless I have missed some sort of post). So far the only publishers willing to do Adventure games period are second hand publishers or overseas publishers.
But if it is a new game then I would agree there is just about 0 chance of it being a FMV. Everytime you read a retrospective of the PC gaming history from publications or watch G4, you hear how FMV was such a "stupid mistake". The head of PC Gamer said on a progaram titled the History of PC gaming that FMV was the industry's way of trying to go hollywood and was a stupid mistake. With common thoughts like this is about impossible to get people to put money in a FMV game.
It still amazing to me how the world works not on truth and reality but on the preception of reality and truth.
In any case at this point anything new would be welcome. But I think it a little premature to think that its a game (unless I have missed some sort of post). So far the only publishers willing to do Adventure games period are second hand publishers or overseas publishers.
But if it is a new game then I would agree there is just about 0 chance of it being a FMV. Everytime you read a retrospective of the PC gaming history from publications or watch G4, you hear how FMV was such a "stupid mistake". The head of PC Gamer said on a progaram titled the History of PC gaming that FMV was the industry's way of trying to go hollywood and was a stupid mistake. With common thoughts like this is about impossible to get people to put money in a FMV game.
It still amazing to me how the world works not on truth and reality but on the preception of reality and truth.
Last edited by Cubase on June 09, 2005 • 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
The characters you see in the MYST V trailer are NOT.. repeat NOT the final characters... that was a Ubi pre-release trailer...
The actualy characters in the game actually look AMAZING!!!
And yes... revelation incorporate FMV BEAUTIFULLY.... best I have ever seen... purely seemless.
-Cub. =o)
The actualy characters in the game actually look AMAZING!!!
And yes... revelation incorporate FMV BEAUTIFULLY.... best I have ever seen... purely seemless.
-Cub. =o)
Hey Cub, you reminded of something I thought of earlier, how seamless fmv can be now-a-days. Granted, I am sure that it would be an expensive move, but if do right, I can definitely see it work out. I mean, look at the movies out there like SW or LOTR. Now I know that video games should not mix with hollywood but these movies show that it is possible.
I for one am am a fan of FMV. Some poeple say that it takes the 'immersion' out of the game. I have to disagree, I just put in Wing Commander Prophecy last night and am once again hooked. Aside from the cut scenes, adding a 'vid feed' direct to cockpit added some 'reality' to the game.
Granted some FMV games are not so good...take Phantasamagoria...Tex, Gabriel, and Wing Commander did it right IMHO.
Granted some FMV games are not so good...take Phantasamagoria...Tex, Gabriel, and Wing Commander did it right IMHO.
Well, while i would love an fmv Tex game, i imagine because of the cost and risk of such a venture, Chris and Aaron would build a better case to get a Tex game made in 3d.
Because of today's technology, they could probably pull some decent characters off, and of course we'd still have the voices.
Personally with 3d, i think the trick is to try and shy away from realism and go more with stylized characters.
No matter what the game will look like though, it's gonna have Aaron's writing and it's gonna have the voices we know and love.
I guess what i'm saying is pray that we get Tex the way we want him, but if we get something else, chances are it's not going to be bad.
Because of today's technology, they could probably pull some decent characters off, and of course we'd still have the voices.
Personally with 3d, i think the trick is to try and shy away from realism and go more with stylized characters.
No matter what the game will look like though, it's gonna have Aaron's writing and it's gonna have the voices we know and love.
I guess what i'm saying is pray that we get Tex the way we want him, but if we get something else, chances are it's not going to be bad.
Well... speaking for myself, I too would love fmv and true actors (the ones we know and love) to be the backbone in a (hopefully) new Tex Murphy game.
There has been a lot of interesting discussions over the years, about what elements makes the Tex Murphy-games, which we all love so much, so special...
A lot of true statements have been made about this issue... Some said it was the caractors, the storyline, the fmv, the gameplay, the sound, the groundbraking technique...
- I think its *The Combination* of all these things... Take 1 element away, and we wouldn't have quite the same Tex Murphy, we all love so much.
Of course, there will always be an economical issue... And, eventhough I am not very familiar with the gaming industy in particular, and with the techniques used by the developers, I would think it natural, that e.g. fmv would be much easier and alot cheaper to do today, than it was back then in 1994... Afterall, time has passed, new medias, new techniques and much more powerfull computers and programming-tools have been developed.
So, for me, bottom line(s) would be, that what ever the old crew comes up with, im In !
- Having said that, I cant promise to be as happy with it, as I am with the old games (uakm, pandora, overseer). They are in a class of their own.
In the end, what ever happens, we can always look back at the middle/late '90's with a good feeling, a smile upon our face, and pleasant thoughts towards our one-and-only hero, thinking "those were the days..."
-Jack-
There has been a lot of interesting discussions over the years, about what elements makes the Tex Murphy-games, which we all love so much, so special...
A lot of true statements have been made about this issue... Some said it was the caractors, the storyline, the fmv, the gameplay, the sound, the groundbraking technique...
- I think its *The Combination* of all these things... Take 1 element away, and we wouldn't have quite the same Tex Murphy, we all love so much.
Of course, there will always be an economical issue... And, eventhough I am not very familiar with the gaming industy in particular, and with the techniques used by the developers, I would think it natural, that e.g. fmv would be much easier and alot cheaper to do today, than it was back then in 1994... Afterall, time has passed, new medias, new techniques and much more powerfull computers and programming-tools have been developed.
So, for me, bottom line(s) would be, that what ever the old crew comes up with, im In !
- Having said that, I cant promise to be as happy with it, as I am with the old games (uakm, pandora, overseer). They are in a class of their own.
In the end, what ever happens, we can always look back at the middle/late '90's with a good feeling, a smile upon our face, and pleasant thoughts towards our one-and-only hero, thinking "those were the days..."
-Jack-