New Stranger HD preview, plus more tomorrow!

[Michael]

Hi all

Here's a new hands on preview of Stranger HD (very positive by the way!):

http://www.thegamefreakblog.com/?p=114

And there's an exclusive interview with Stew Gilray tomorrow (30th), apparently with some exclusive info

[Mikaeel]

I can't wait for the hands on demo for the Abe games.

But this looks cool.

[Crashpunk]

Can't wait!

Thanks for shairing Michael

[Paul_hibs3]

Michael mate you just earned yourself a Rep +1. If you care about that sort thing ha

[MeechCrunchies]

Wow dude!
I'm probably going to get flack for this, but I don't really care much for Stranger (played the hell out it) Although I'll buy it to support JAW and OWI ♥
I can't wait to see Abe HD, even if we will have to wait a while for demo of it.
+Rep for you Michael!

[squeak117]

Next part. Some pretty excellent information in here!

http://www.thegamefreakblog.com/?p=131

[Michael]

Just read the second part and wow, I can't believe there were plans for Hand of Odd 2! Plus two other secret games in addition to the ones we've heard about. Lots to look forward to then

[STM]

Hey look, they've got those posters that that guy made! Crap I don't remember his name.

SG- Yes. There’s a timeline of Oddworld document that covers around 2-3 thousand years of Oddworld time, and the games so far have covered two, maybe three hundred years, so you know, there’s around two and a half thousand years left to explore…

This amazed me in particular, we're going to see the distant future of Oddworld or the distant past! Perhaps long after Abe has been forgotten or perhaps when the glukkon's are still rudimentary alchemists. The two hundred year we've already seen? Does that mean SW is happening well after Abe's escapades?

[DarkHoodness]

What a fantastic interview - I'm surprised more people here aren't talking about it. I'm still glad to see that Stewart and the rest of JAW seem to have exactly the right attitude of continuing the Oddworld series for the sake of them being amazing games that'll give them enough profit to continue production, rather than making games simply to make money.

It's also interesting to learn that most of the set pieces for the quintology (species, timeline, settings) have already been sketched out - It never occurred to me that Stranger may not have been set even in the same time period as the Abe games. That explains a lot, and also explains why it's difficult to see how Stranger relates to the other three games.

However, doesn't that produce a similar problem with future titles relating to the other games? You'd have to drop a lot of subtle hints to solve that - For example recognisable debris/ruins, ancient packaging with familiar faded logos on them, maybe recognisable cave art, and having species that play a prominent role in one game making cameos in ones where they don't have much of a role.

I'm still interested to see what they'll end up doing with Hand of Odd. Seems they haven't decided quite what to do with that yet.

There's one thing I will criticise regarding the trailer: 400mbs is pretty much normal for a high-definition YouTube video. Yes, processing a 60 FPS vid would have taken longer, but in the end it's something that promotes the games - Having it look good is very important. Surely the time investment needed to make it higher definition would have been worth it?

[STM]

I don't know DH, just because they're around in say 0 ARFE (after rupture farms explosion ^_^) doesn't mean they'll be extinct by 1900 ARFE or have not evolved by 1500 BRFE. Even some of the companies might still be going, certainly we have a few companies and institutions around from the Norman era 1000 years ago.

[Wil]

Steward

Stewart.

[Dynamithix]

Neat interview.

[DarkHoodness]

Stewart.

Fix'd. I typo'd.

My point is that Star Wars can get away with having an expansive timeline because it has many species and locations that are well established and easily recognisable. Oddworld needs to do the same by using its wide range of pre-existing set pieces more, so that people can familiarise themselves with them.

However if things aren't set in stone, then you'll have the problem of retcons and inconsistencies as designs are updated to go with storylines as they are expanded on, so *shrug*

[STM]

Well we've only seen Mudos, what about the continents east and west, then I imagine the influence say, mudokons have for example, would wane massively. Maybe enclaves of mudokon travellers and shit.

[Nath]

Am I right in thinking there was a hint to Fangus in that interview?? I hope so.

And I wonder what he means when he said It'll be Abe's Oddysee plus more.

[Crashpunk]

This is a great in-depth interview.

I really cannot wait for more Abe News. :3

SG- Well it’s not a remake of Abe’s Oddysee, it’s Abe’s Oddysee with other stuff…but we can’t talk about that…

k then?

[Paul_hibs3]

Theres talk of them integrating AE into abe HD as well.

[Dynamithix]

Hey look, they've got those posters that that guy made! Crap I don't remember his name.

I think his name was ameba2k.

[Crashpunk]

Ah now I remember. Just Add Water must of bought them off his site.

Theres talk of them integrating AE into abe HD as well.

FUCK. YES.

[Manco]

Am I right in thinking there was a hint to Fangus in that interview?? I hope so.

Yeah, that talk about taking the Stranger engine and modernising and upgrading it strongly suggests Fangus.

The stuff about the massive range of species and history gets my inner rabid fan going. When the guy in charge of developing the next games starts talking about massive timelines and murky history, that’s awesome.

[Sekto Springs]

Still pining for that glowing zappfly
The rendering on Xplosive's McGee looks pretty nice though

[Jordan]

That interview was awesome. This way proven by my constant "fangasms". I love OWI and JAW's approaches to doing things, I wish more companies would be like that. I so wish I could work for Just Add Water. The fact that it's in England makes my dream of working on an Oddworld game more real.

[Manco]

Highlights are now up on the OddBlog.

I think the length of the highlights is a testament to the amount of cool stuff revealed in this one interview.

[Nate]

This amazed me in particular, we're going to see the distant future of Oddworld or the distant past! Perhaps long after Abe has been forgotten or perhaps when the glukkon's are still rudimentary alchemists. The two hundred year we've already seen? Does that mean SW is happening well after Abe's escapades?

No, it doesn't. SW was definitely occuring at the same time as Abe's stories.

My assumption was that the two hundred year range includes the period in which the Glukks turned evil and enslaved the muds.

[Wil]

Awesome job with OddBlog, OddHunter. I'm very pleased.

[Crashpunk]

Its a nice post indeed

[Manco]

Much appreciated, guys.

Just... ask Stewart not to divulge so much info in one day next time.

[Michael]

I was intrigued too by the comment that the games so far have covered 2/300 years of Oddworld history. Thinking about it though, I don't think it was meant that what we have played spans that long, more that information has been given in the games relating to that time period.

I would probably consider Abe's narration at the beginning of AE, that the mudokons used to bury their dead in necrum, as covering some hundred years prior. Likewise, we are told of the steady (near)extinction of the gabbits which must've taken place over an extended period of time. Really, you can kind of assume some of Oddworld's history from these small pieces of info, and considering there have been no direct references to the future in the games, it seems likely the 2/300 years is in the past.