[Eibu]

Well I’ve been thinking how Abe’s powers could work in a 3D universe but make them more like a direct translation from 2D (and then some)…these are just my ideas, I’m not screaming “This is the way it should be” but just putting them out there and sharing them for the criticism of all.

First about Abe’s Movement:Basically I imagine there are three degrees of “pressure” you can put on the analog stick and they are – light, normal, and hard.
Pushing the stick normal makes Abe simply walk and probably would only be used in situations where you would want to avoid falling but don’t have to sneak. Pushing the stick lightly would make Abe sneak and make that humorously loud sneaking noise to walk past sleeping enemies. Pushing the stick hard (which is what happens most of the time) makes Abe run.

Pushing down on the analog stick while standing still makes Abe crouch. Now you don’t have to hold it down only click it. While in this crouched position pushing the analog stick lightly or normally makes Abe crawl (a new movement). Pushing it hard makes Abe roll. And it works while already in movement, say you’re running away from something and you need to roll underneath something, while running you simply depress the analog stick and Abe will start rolling (just like pressing X on the PS).

Jumping should return to the classic style. Standing still and hitting the jump button, let’s say A, makes Abe jump up with arms extended in the air like he’s trying to grab something. Jumping while moving makes Abe leap. (all this is just like the previous games but in 3D). But now that we are in 3D, when he’s hanging off a platform Abe can shimmy along sideways while hanging. To climb up just hit A again and to fall back down depress the analog stick.

And to press buttons, use Vendos, turn wheels, and pull levers there should be another action button other than the jump button. I think that covers movement.

Next about Abe’s Chanting Powers: Get ready for more boring detail!!
Here I should start out saying I also envision one-hit kills and no spooce so keep that in mind. First off I think both shoulder Triggers should be held in order to Chant. Of course the first function of chanting is to open bird portals to free Muds and if they stay open let you travel through them.

Possesion: Possession should work like this – Abe sits in a safe place and starts Chanting holding both Shoulder Triggers down. The light show will flicker around Abe and after a few moments the nearest creature [see my Possession guide further down] that can be possessed, is. No spooce. No steering orbs.

Hidden Messages: Remember the Hint Flies from Oddysee? Well they are back (in 3D of course) and chanting near them makes them start to form words (natural LED screens). HOWEVER I came up with something new! Chanting can reveal hidden messages that are invisible others. Examples – In an industrial area there is one wall with a ton of random graffiti on it. Chant and the camera will pull away to make the wall more visible and a usefull (or useless) message will glow in blue letters on the wall. This can also be used to make blue arrows glow on the ground possibly leading you to a secret area and whatnot.
I guess I can explain my camera system here since I mentioned it. The camera is stapled to your back MOST OF THE TIME. Example – you are running towards a cliff meanwhile the camera is giving you a nice view of Abe’s rear. Then when you get to the edge of the cliff the camera flips around and zooms out to give you a view of the Scrab you need to posses below the cliff and Abe’s mug is also in the scene.

Chant Circles: Standing in a purple chant circle and chanting summons the floating spirit of a Shaman who can give you advice and power ups. Blue chant circles are used for storm circles and controlling weather. Green chant circles can be for opening up doors or activating wells. Herding Muds into a giant red chant circle to power them up into warriors instead of individualy. I am pro warrior Mud but I don’t think they should be your army like they are in Munch. They should only be used to take out one Big Bro that stands in your way or one group of sligs instead of the entire levels worth of bad guys.

Regrowing Plantlife: This is a new concept which sort of takes from spooce and some old videos of tree growing Muds. Example – you need to get up to a cliff but it’s too high to reach and there is no Bounce Vendo, BUT there is a dying tree next to it. Start chanting and watch the tree slowly form back to life and grow with convenient branches for Abe to climb. Another Example – Abe is running from a Slig in an outside environment and needs a place to hide, and the camera focuses out from Abe’s back and reveals some saplings in the corner. Stand in the corner and chant to quickly grow the saplings into concealing bushes and watch the Slig run past Abe.

Healing: Let’s not let that big ass chest tattoo go to waste! Either a gift given by a Shaman, Bird Portal with a number in it, or possibly a Vendo, Abe will glow with a golden energy. What’s the use of this? Well in MY game there are Muds who are either sick from brew or are seriously injured from constant beatings and can’t follow you when you ask. Well now that you are glowing with gold energy chant and a wave of Healing power will rush over sick and injured Muds so they can now follow you.

Shrykull: And let’s not forget about his hand tats! By the same means as above, although I doubt a Vendo can give you this power, receive a red glowing aura for Abe. Now get to where you are supposed to and chant transforming Abe into Shrykull and blowing the hell out of everything in the area.

Farts: That’s right I want explosive farts back! Drink some brew and press a button to let a fart loose. Now the fart will hover there and start to change color and countdown till is explodes. OR you can possess it and have a nifty weapon. To steer the fart use the analog stick to move it on a level plane. To raise it’s altitude press down on one of the triggers to make it rise. To lower it and lose altitude depress the analog stick button. The fart will go off by itself after some time or you can detonate it by chanting.
Jeez this is turning out longer than I thought.

Now about Gamespeak: Abe and everyone else should have a deeper gamespeak. Going back to the old convention of holding down one of the shoulder buttons (doesn’t matter) and either push or hold one of the four face buttons.
Abe: Of course Abe can say hi to one or all. Say wait, work, follow me, attack and some other various words or noises for puzzle solving purposes. The Mudokon emotions should also return and Abe could have multi-button conversations to work through the Muds problem and finally get him to obey the Follow Me command.
Sligs: Yeah sligs have gamespeak and can use it to open slig locks and open doors. But here is the puzzle part, some doors are only opened by a secret Slig code which can be found posted on a wall somewhere or maybe Abe needs to find it first using his Hidden Message chanting power. Flying sligs would also return and can be controlled the same way as Farts.
Gluks: As a Gluk you can order your employees to do different things and access factory computers to manipulate different sections of the place.
Paramites: By yourself you are a strong killing force but get round up your buddies to take out larger or multiple creatures and also get them to help you solve puzzles like pulling chains and standing on pressure plates.
Scrabs: This is the simplest and all you do is roar and weaker Scrabs will follow you. I say weaker because the Scrabs who think they dominate you will chase you and you have to use your shred power to kill them before they do you while the weakers ones will cower away from you unless you roar to make them follow not-to close behind you to say round them up and unposses them so Abe can pull a lever trapping them in a pen.
Vykkers: similar to Gluks I guess (haven’t played Munch and don’t know much about them yet).

And finally General Crap:
Non linear level design. Example – after arriving in a Mud villiage Abe is escorted by Big Face to a temple. At the main foyer of that temple are three different archways that branch off into different paths. At the end of each path lies a portal to a different area of Oddworld. Once you complete that area you return to the temple and can choose a different path. I would also like to see puzzles with multiple solves but not so non-linear that you could exploit a power up and just blow through the level. Elum should return and runs way faster than Abe and can leap over wide obstacles and gaps. Hey one level could have you race against other Elums and one where you run away from something.

My thoughts on Munch: I can’t play Munch until X-Mas but from what I hear his Head-Jack is underused. Instead of just Snoozers and Cranes he should also be able to puzzle solve your way into a security room and then jack into the computer and turn off the Alarm for Abe, or manipulate doors to trap baddies and open up paths. Munch could also jack into wider variety of robots with different functions, control, and weaponry. Stand next to a chant supressor which Munch can take control of, shock some sligs to get them to follow the orb and then run the orb into some mines to get rid of it and the annoying group of sligs. There can also be a type of mine that can only be disarmed by Munch jack-zapping it. I think it would be neat if Munch could go into 3D underwater environments and swim around the same way Farts and Flying Sligs are controlled.

Well if you’ve read this far thanks for your patronage. If you have any questions I've probably thought about so go ahead and ask.