EA SET TO UNLEASH ODDWORLD STRANGER

[Xavier]

By OddBlog

EA SET TO UNLEASH ODDWORLD STRANGER ON THE PLAYSTATION 2 AND XBOX IN SPRING 2005!!!

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 8, 2004 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that Oddworld Stranger, the latest in the internationally acclaimed character-based Oddworld series, will bring its signature brand of action gaming to owners of the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Xbox® video game system from Microsoft. Oddworld Stranger, which is currently under development for a planned spring 2005 debut, will be published and distributed by EA under the EA GAMES™ brand.



Developed by Oddworld Inhabitants®, Oddworld Stranger features detailed interactive environments set in an enthralling new frontier of the Oddworld universe. Players step into the role of the Stranger, a rough and tumble bounty hunter who tracks down outlaws for moolah. Using a special weapons system that gives a whole new meaning to “live” ammo, players will encounter deviant species and hostile challenges along the way. Oddworld Stranger combines first and third-person gameplay with familiar Oddworld elements and an all-new engine to deliver a unique gameplay experience. Set to award-winning visuals, players will be moved by the complex and inspiring story as the Stranger comes to grips with his true nature in the hunt for the ultimate bounty.



Since its debut, the Oddworld series has become one of the most popular game franchises of all time with nearly five million units sold worldwide, garnering more than 100 industry awards and gracing the cover of more than 50 magazines. The three previously released chapters, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee®, Abe’s Exoddus® and Munch’s Oddysee® have been heralded as revolutionary for their mix of brilliant graphical artistry, unique personality and compelling gameplay.

whole info here:
http://info.ea.com/news/pr/pr501.htm

[Oddish]

Spring 2005! aoww.. that's such a long, i was thinking Jan. And the game is going to have first person AND third person, that's good.

Great find Xav!

[Sekto Springs]

I'm downloading the zip. Hope it has some goodies.

[Xavier]

the Hi Ress Screen, and the already seen art...
don't expect too much

[Sekto Springs]

Yes, it was a rip off. I guess I shouldn't expect so much from OWI so soon.

[Nate]

heh. I never got the 'live' amo pun before this... {ps codek, love the smilies}

[oddguy]

Whoa! I got on the forums late today! Then my computer went all weird on me, so OWW was updated waaaay late. Oh well.

Anyway, I like the screen. Looks awesome. I especially like the details in the rock formations, sky, and building. I was a little dissapointed in how the characters looked. Abe Babe was telling me they looked almost CG...and I didn't see it.

I'm sure the game will look better in motion.

I'll shut-up before I'm beaten!

-oddguy

[Shell Man]

Stranger comes to grips with his true nature in the hunt for the ultimate bounty.

I got it! Stranger is out to capture some kind of legendary creature, but as the game progresses, he finds out he is that creature, and he changes to look more like it over time. (I'm sure this has been theorized before, but it seems to make more sense now than before.)

[sligster]

The three previously released chapters, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee®, Abe’s Exoddus® and Munch’s Oddysee® have been heralded as revolutionary for their mix of brilliant graphical artistry, unique personality and compelling gameplay.

finally, someone says good on MO.

[MojoMan220]

Spring 2005 is a long time! OWI made it seem like they were almost done. As long as that extra time is put to good use I won't mind too much.

[Sekto Springs]

Spring 2005 is a long time! OWI made it seem like they were almost done. As long as that extra time is put to good use I won't mind too much.

I never got the vibe that they were almost done. What gave you that impression?

[Majic]

EA Games. They'll have another nice title to add to their library now.

[Sekto Springs]

Amazing if they'd add George Lucas to that ever-growing "library" of theirs if you catch my drift. Ah, I guess you don't.

[MojoMan220]

I never got the vibe that they were almost done. What gave you that impression?

They have said that all cinematics, in-game and CG are almost done, and they are mainly polishing what's already there. I suppose this takes longer then I suspected.

[Eriken]

2005 is gonna be a friggin awesome year for games. Already there's Stranger and the new Legend of Zelda, and I can't wait to find out what else.

[Esus]

Very nice new screenshot, it's about time we had some ingame stuff

[Xavier]

Noticed they always use Oddworld Stranger in the press release? It might be the definitive name after all

[Oddish]

I thought 2004 was going to great year for game's. Mabey it might no come 2005, mabeg 2006, 2007!!

Remeber the first ever Stranger we heard. If it said spring 2005, what woud be your reaction?

[Esus]

we heard of it in 2003. 2 years isn't exceptionnally hard to believe, especially as we had no clue as to development progress.

[Killa_47]

it is definately a very long wait until spring 2k5 i mean i thought it would be in february but now........

[Sekto Springs]

Live with it. The final game is gonna be worth the wait.

[Wil]

finally, someone says good on MO.

MO got tonnes of official awards.

I never got the vibe that they were almost done. What gave you that impression?

Ack. *rewrites so as not to be harsh* Several Forumites were going around interpreting AIA's claims of completed videos and such as meaning the game was practically releasable.

Great job, Xavier. Ta for keeping OddBlog updated while I've not an Internet connection. Now I need to make sure I can get my name on there before it gets pushed off, but I don't feel like trawling through the dozens of sites reporting the same news along with their own interpretations.

[Dualist]

I was a little dissapointed in how the characters looked. Abe Babe was telling me they looked almost CG...and I didn't see it.

That has to be the PS2 version no doubt, and EA should of at least told which platform that screenshot was from.

We will have to wait for Abe Babe to confirm if this isn't or it is the Xbox version.

[Xavier]

OWI devlopped it on Xbox, and the PS2 version will be derived from it after...
so it's probably an Xbox screen

[Dualist]

OWI devlopped it on Xbox, and the PS2 version will be derived from it after...
so it's probably an Xbox screen

So you don't think Oddworld might of started on some changes on the PS2 version?

[oddguy]

Ack. *rewrites so as not to be harsh* Several Forumites were going around interpreting AIA's claims of completed videos and such as meaning the game was practically releasable.

Guilty.

Sorry, Max. I appologize.

-oddguy

[Wil]

No need to apologise to me, oddguy.

It's that angry mob out there you need to worry about.

I personally wouldn't bother worrying about what platform the screenshot is taken from. It's a very nice image, though I agree there are areas that need improvement. The sky does look flat, or maybe it's just up against those gorgeous rock formations. I doubt that's the most polished the game is going to get. Relax, we have months to wait.

[Dualist]

Yeah I'm glad it's delayed give the game even more polish and more time to change things or add to it.

It's defiently not the final product, becuase the guy who is carrying the gun on the left looks like it has no bumpmapping or textures in it. Same with Stranger's straps on his arm. Like it is apart of its arm.


I have faith in Oddworld, they will defiently make the game look better, well more detail on the characters becuase the backgrounds look drop dead gorgeous.

[Alcar]

Great, it had to happen while I was away! I've been checking back at the EA Info page everyday! Anyway, concerning the screenshot. I must say, I was drawn to its overall unpolished-ness. Sharp, and pixelated edges, with flat backgrounds aren't exactly the CG quality I was expecting.

But, they do have just under half a year to polish everything, and no doubt they'll polish it. Can't wait

Alcar...

[Cloverfield]

Well, that screenshot doesn't really do justice to what I saw. So don't go judging everything on that one screenshot. I was personally dissapointed in the screenshot, but that is going on what I think. And also, don't judge everything from my comments, you have to make your own decisions and such.

As for the release ... so long to wait. Egggh ... can't wait that long! It will almost be time for another E3 by then. But I don't know if I'll be going to E3 next year yet, it's so far in the future. But with the impressions that some have got by reading the AIA features ... remember that game production takes in many stages. So just because you might be given the impression that one part of the game is complete, that doesn't mean that other parts are. And also during testing stages, things might be changed and fixed, so even if a game is playable, then it doesn't mean that it is complete.

Oh how I'd like to try and apply to work for EA now [to fulfil my current ambition of working in the gaming industry]. But EA Australia is based in Queensland, and with me being in Victoria it would mean I'd have to move. *sigh*

Abe Babe...