Hey Max, can you elaborate on the Hand of Odd booklet Stewart was showing off? You tweeted a picture of it, but did you get to look inside it?

It's a design document that describes the mechanics of the gameplay. There's also art and code in it. I didn't get a good look, but I can tell you it's obviously much too fleshed out to describe or even read in any single sitting.

Sounds interesting.

You say it's fleshed out; would you say that that bodes well for the game's development? Folks are pretty apprehensive over the whole Facebook thing, so does the detail in the design document reassure you in that regard?

In other words, does big detailed document = quit worrying about it being Farmville 2.0

Well, according to JAW's Twitter, in response to someone asking about HOO and Facebook, they replied 'No, we did not mention Facebook'.

Perhaps Stewart Gilray only mentioned it to draw comparisons between games such as farmville, not to imply it was going to release on Facebook as a platform ;)

I didn't get enough of a look to pinpoint any actual knowledge about the game's mechanics. Even if I did, those designs are going to be reworked for the game's new format, so it's highly up in the air.

What I will say is that they are reworking the existing C&C-design rather than shoving Oddworld graphics into a FarmVille clone. I have no doubt that it won't be a Click Sim or Spam-'Em-Up like FarmVille and its retched ilk.

Probably just Eurogamer who made some stuff up because JAW mentioned Farmville. Assholes getting us all worked over nothing...

That was me. The idea that Oddworld might turn into a stupid Facebook game really worried me, because I love Oddworld and I detest Facebook games with a burning detestation. JAW's reply has abated my fury somewhat, but I'm still uncertain. They apparently didn't mention Facebook, okay, but that doesn't mean they're not considering it. I really hope they're not.

Ah, in that case I'm now very much looking forward to this!

Hopefully the original ideas behind Hand of Odd still make it into the final game - I'd hate to see Oddworld reduced to a pure C&C clone.

It won't be a pure clone of C&C beileve me.

I would be cool it had an MO style. It seems like the MO characters and graphic style is more for this type of game.

Anything in particular shown last night that makes you say that, or is it just a gut feeling?

More of a gut feeling, We didn't really get shown that much but knowing OWI and J.A.W. they will make more of an original game not a clone.

See people? Why overreact for some info? And a wrong one, as it seems. Eurogamer, continues to fuck it up, like always. *shrugs*

All RTS's are basically the same anyway. Bases. Units. Combat. Will be interesting to see how this is going to work in Hand of Odd. Somehow I don't really like the idea of both sides having standard units including tank like creatures/vehicles.

For HOO, I doubt units on both sides would be evenly matched, identical with different character skins (slig, mudokon etc). This would go against the premise of Oddworld I think, that the weaker race stands up against the... >cough< odds. I imagine mudokons will be weaker one on one, focusing more on defence, while the industrial side probably focuses more on firepower.

The game should be evenly balanced of course, but I just imagine this being in more creative ways than usual. For example, maybe muds build defences from natural resources they can re-grow quickly, whereas the sligs will have a finite number of resources to compensate for being stronger?

Also, the game's title has always seemed to imply some kind of spiritual, god-like power. Perhaps the mudokons can call on natural events to help? Pure speculation of course :p

Funny I thought exactly the same thing. I think the different sides should play very differently, not have the exact same units and strategies.

I think the game will not be your standard RTS, maybe infrastructure and building a city is as important as waging war, a little like AoE but not much.

Industrial

The Industrial team starts with a stockpile of resources which they must rely on early in the game. Expensive but powerful machines, each specific to a resource, can be constructed once the required technology is achieved. These must deliver the resources to a Supply Depot stockpile building.

Industrial soldiers are ranged and deal high damage, but they are inaccurate and move slowly across many terrains (with the exception of Flying Sligs). There are also some very powerful units such as the Slig Tank which are also very expensive. Almost all Industrial units also cost population room which must be provided by Camps.

The Industrial team should train an army as soon as possible to attack the Natives before they have gathered enough resources for their own, or build strong walls around their base, fending off the Natives while they train an army of very powerful units, like Slig Tanks, which even the largest Native army could not overcome.


Native

Natives begin with no resources and must gather everything they need. Though slow early on, later in the game the Natives may gain resources at a very fast pace. Most Native units can gather resources, and there is are both stationary and moving stockpile units to deliver the resources to.

The Native army is weak, and will be easily defeated by an Industrial army the same size as itself. Enough units gathering resources will allow the Natives to train a much larger army, however, and many of their units do not cost population room.

If the Natives can survive the initial Industrial army, they should be able to destroy the Industrial base before they have time to gather enough resources for another.

Is this just Ench's story of Oddworld or is it actually quoted?

Removed the quote tags because it's not a quote.

Please don't make the mistake of thinking that all Facebook games are terrible. Sure, you have a lot of farmville clones and ones that regenerate action points every day, but that doesn't mean you couldn't find a fantastic game on there.

Not sure if everyone is aware of Starcraft or Alien VS Predator Extinction, but those games had very distinctive units with some kind of balance to ensure playability. I'm curious as to how interesting Industrial vs Industrial would be. (Imagine Sligs walking around with different coloured visor eyes or pants, or floating orbs with a different coloured eye! xD)

You writing a guide for a game that doesn't even exist, or what?

Well, it's official. I hate oddworld.

Great. Bye!

Shame it wasn't Sligstorm as a few people had speculated. I'm sure it will be a fun game though and I suppose any new Oddworld is good.

Just thought I'd throw in that I said hand of odd would work well on fb ;D lol

The only good one i've played was Bejeweled. Most Facebook games are terrible.

"What's this? AN RTS game?! That's it, strike my name from the fan club's mailing list and burn my official hat, I'm leaving!"

Can I have your hat?

And that was a standalone indie/puzzle game made by PopCap and exported to Facebook.

They weren't there originally, I added them to answer Scrabtrapman's question.

I think that's what I was doing. Something like that, anyway.

Let's all think about this logically. Hand of Odd appears on Facebook and is probably one of the few half-decent titles on there apart from games like poker and farmville. This gets people to start playing the game and then attracts a whole new audience, thus leading to more future software sales which means more money to make more games and ultimately more happy Oddworld fans :)

And if they connect the facebook game with the ipad version, etc then I think the game is gonna be prettty big indeed.

Plus if Oddmobb are experimenting with social networking it seems logical to experiment with content on social networking sites. Don't you think?

Yeah we should! il send you a raunchy picture of my mutilated genitles which includes a vagina with hairy balls (just like Crashpunks mum). You are so gonna want me! :P xxxx

Ps: At the risk of completly spamming this thread I would like to ask if anybody knows whether Hand Of Odd will require subscription or anything ?

At this point we pretty much know nothing about the game other than some potential platforms and inspirations.

Now tell us more about your furry Sonic fantasies

Hand of Odd was always the title I wished hadn't been shelved. The fact that it's making a comeback is great to me. I remember the premise of it being an RTS, but it sounded a bit more 'passive', perhaps a bit more like Civilisation but in real-time? Economy building, genuine survival, rather than direct combat? Maybe it could be a bit more personal than most.

Interesting to see how it will turn out. Here's hoping it will be approached with a serious atmosphere and retains the Oddworld feel.

I'll be playing Industrial for sure. Just hearing Sligs yammering while I'm selecting characters would be worth it.

They didn't mention the Commodore 64 or the Dreamcast either. Are you worried about them pursuing those options too?

No, I would love to play Oddworld on the Commodore 64.

If I remember right, AO was planned to be released on Dreamcast.

Shame that Munch's Oddysee and Stranger's Wrath never made it to the PS2, or things could be very different now. Oddworld Inhabitants are very keen to play the field and not stick to one console, which in the long run could be a good idea.

Sure, a lot of facebook games suck, but have you tried "Wild Ones"? It's a worms clone that has competitive online play. I'm not saying it's the best game ever made, but it's a good example of what you can do with the technology available. I'd love a Sligs vs Mudokons game online (no matter what game genre they pick). Who wouldn't?

Even though I would love this I seriously think its gonna be cartoony and similar to Munchs art style

Feel free to share your evidence for this.