SSR: System Shock Kickstarter

[67431c600dd78unn_atropos]

I'm still trying to find a polite way of expressing myself about the assassin

I'm struggling here, too. There is a better joke than my lazy montage somewhere in there.

[67431c600df4cvoodoo47]

ok, that background silhouette thing has totally killed it. also psst, mantis shock.

[67431c600e247ZylonBane]

But Cylon Ninjas were generic evil robots and the SS1 Cyborg Assassin looks nothing like it except for the eye light.

Err... there's no such thing as a Cylon ninja. I was listing several qualities which, when combined, describe a cyborg assassin.

[67431c600e593RocketMan]

LOL at praying mantis.  Actually when I look at it that way, it seems highly likely they took inspiration from that critter.  I'm not against change... the mutated cyborg is certainly different.  The assassin is just different in the wrong way.  Same with how they made the enforcer arm too big.  Reduce that and restore the red and you're golden.

[67431c600e72eGawain]

https://player.vimeo.com/video/179396392

Tried to embed, but it asks for password.

[67431c600e842Gawain]

It seems they are trying to add animal or insect look to each enemy. Mutated cyborg looks like sloth with cat mask.
I don't like either one.

That assasin cyborg fan art looks awesome.

Edit. Maybe adding more groves is the explanation! More groves more mutated animals

[67431c600eb2bThiefsieFool]

The new groves should be interesting, I hope they're both original and fitting i.e you don't break the door open on one and find yourself in some Bioshock-like artistitheque with thousands of ballroom masks on the walls.

That new Assassin.....honestly I would like it if it was the 2nd form of the Assassin, after its cover was blown and it's taken some damage, it produces those terrible articulated arms to give itself an edge, kinda like the rage mode of the protocol droids in Secmod.

[67431c600ecd5Vegoraptor]

That would actually be quite nice. Might be a little awkward to animate a transition from humanoid hands with opposable thumbs to mantis blades (are they folded on its back and just swing into position?). And, come to think of it, this whole bionic vibe makes sense considering Citadel is officially designed for robotic and genetic research. Why does it have a laser drill again?

[67431c600ee4dRocketMan]

The high res citadel doesn't do it for me.  It's high res, yeah.  Some parts look like they were done right, like the shield generators and to a lesser extent, the mining laser.  The bridge section looks alright but they fucked up the ceilings on the bridge and all the groves.  If you play the original game, you know that the ceilings are a lattice framework, presumably meant to support a force-field... although I think it's pretty clear that it is a force-field from the external views of citadel station in the vmails.  The ceilings of both the groves and bridge therefore should be both transparent and illuminated.  Instead they look like hard coverings now.  And as before, there are STILL 8 groves.  I will continue to maintain that this is stubborn arrogance on the part of Night-Dive for making a mistake, until there is any indication that they did this for a good reason and I can think of no good reasons at the moment.

[67431c600efabicemann]

Something tells me that that is going to be on the main menu screen.

Now to wait 1-2 years to see if I'm right.

[67431c600f07eRocketMan]

I think you're right.

[67431c600f2f9Join2]

The new groves should be interesting,

The Mantis Assassins will fit right in.

That photoshop gave me a good laugh.

[67431c600f7a2Marvin]

And as before, there are STILL 8 groves.  I will continue to maintain that this is stubborn arrogance on the part of Night-Dive for making a mistake, until there is any indication that they did this for a good reason and I can think of no good reasons at the moment.

God forbid Night Dive might add something to the game instead of copypasting everything down to the last wall panel.

[67431c600f956X-Tech !]

No. Main screen should be like TRI OPTIUMUM software co-worker panel same as in System Shock 2 is. No music but strange ambient sound in background.

[67431c600fa53X-Tech !]

I can make best System Shock ever but gimmie hands to this. I can draw even some monsters concepts in shodan way.

[67431c600fd96RocketMan]

God forbid Night Dive might add something to the game instead of copypasting everything down to the last wall panel.

Not at all.  I mean some creative license is ok and if they wanted to add something like a new area in a level that would be just fine (so long as it didn't completely clash with everything else) but do you not see 8 groves as a massive plot discrepancy? 

My reasoning is simply that you visit 3 yourself, the other is accounted for because it was jettisoned and even the maps on the wall show a pictorial diagram of 4 groves.  That and the vmails make it look consistent and planned out.  Suddenly doubling that without changing the plot would leave a lot of questions, even for those who have never played SS1, as there would be evidence left behind suggesting there should only be 4.

However, I may have missed the point if in fact ND is shooting for a re-imagining of the game.  I think it was raised before that they may have just wanted to do their own thing with SS1 but for some reason the original marketing impression has stuck with me, making me believe that their goal was to improve the game without changing it in any severe way.

[67431c600ff16Join2]

8 groves, if they are all accessible playspaces, could lead to tedium too. Personally I found three groves to be a bit much vanilla, but of course it just depends on what you do with it. I propose making one grove without much lighting, giving more purpose to the head lamp and nightvision, plus it'd be pretty frightening and interesting if done right.

As always, variety is key.

If there is 8 groves, all/most should be accessible, as Shock design philosophy demands it. Everywhere is accessible at some point or other to reinforce the illusion of a real space, with one or two exceptions.

Also I'd prefer less groves, but make each more expansive and vast like they were vanilla, rather than 8 mini-groves (which is easily how I see things ending up).

[67431c60102bfAurora]

8 groves, if they are all accessible playspaces, could lead to tedium too. Personally I found three groves to be a bit much vanilla, but of course it just depends on what you do with it. I propose making one grove without much lighting, giving more purpose to the head lamp and nightvision, plus it'd be pretty frightening and interesting if done right.

As always, variety is key.

If there is 8 groves, all/most should be accessible, as Shock design philosophy demands it. Everywhere is accessible at some point or other to reinforce the illusion of a real space, with one or two exceptions.

Also I'd prefer less groves, but make each more expansive and vast like they were vanilla, rather than 8 mini-groves (which is easily how I see things ending up).

What would make the most sense is if the groves supported different ecosystems. Tundra, taiga, desert, rainforest... they could be going through different seasons too, and different simulated times of day.

[67431c601062fThiefsieFool]

You're not getting them to put the 8 groves back into pandora's box at this point, same way you won't get them to put the RPG redesign back in the box, they rearranged kickstarter goals just to keep some remake aspects alive so forget about it, all you can hope for is the extra elements are not too badly executed.

Low-light grove is quite good, hell you could have a swampy or flooded grove that you have to swim around in to switch things up especially if cyberspace doesn't have that 3d movement swimming-like aspect to it.

What would make the most sense is if the groves supported different ecosystems. Tundra, taiga, desert, rainforest... they could be going through different seasons too, and different simulated times of day.

Yeah, good idea to keep it fresh.

[67431c6010732Gawain]

All you can hope for is the original elements are not too badly executed.

[67431c601086cvoodoo47]

I also don't mind (fitting) level changed and additions, and as mentioned earlier (somewhere), would actually recommend redoing the levels for their (pretty-sure-coming-unless-the-SS1-remake-bombs) SS2 remake - reshaping the levels of VB to form an actual working starship could only make things better.

however, changing a long range sniping guy into something that pokes the player with kitchen knives is something straight out of the wtf drawer. not even id dares to pull that kind of stunt in their (infinite) line of Doom remakes/reboots.

[67431c60109bfX-Tech !]

Truth is there should be 100% remaked original version with same music notes and same locations and somehow remastered enemys but there should be second version with expanded locations and new enemys and items and plots.
So my suggestion is make expansion version as base and as extra bonus after finish game allow to play origin with original remastered music and locations and plot and enemys and items.

[67431c6010ac8Aurora]

They don't have the time and money for that.

[67431c6010bbaX-Tech !]

Yeah ? So why they showing so many new ideas ;P