What would fellow fans like to see in the next Oddworld game(s)?

[Nate]

And collect fucking Spooceweed.

How is that different to regular Spooceweed? Does it give him the spiritual sustenance needed to fertilise the gabbiar?

[Varrok]

First of all, I'd like a game with:
-2D gameplay (Graphics might be 3D, there's IMO no problem with that),
-Oddworld atmosphere, you know, dark, dirty corporational buildings, sligs warehouses, mysterious spiritual forests, fate etc etc.
-Level and atmosphere of common brutality not lower than in AO/AE
-Great, smooth character/enviroment animations
-Hard to find secret arenas, mudokons/somebody-else rescuing
-Puzzles and game difficulty equal (or higher!) than AO
-No quicksaves, only (good placed) checkpoints
-Good/Bad endings dependable on player's choices
-FMVs with the sense of humor
-Awesome, memorable music
-Nice story and story-telling
-not simplified (like in MO) Gamespeak and A.L.I.V.E-like interactions
-final touch, polished product

That define an good Oddworld game for me, (I think... did I miss something important?) is it really that much?

I think underwater levels are a good idea as long as they're made wisely...

[GlukkonGluk]

You don't ask for much, eh?

[Michael]

Ive never had the chance to play Munch's Oddysee, but from videos Ive seen it looks like Abe does a flip every time he jumps, (Crash Bandicoot style). Was this the case throughout the game?

Personally, I'd really like them to bring back realism from the originals in terms of the way Abe runs, jumps, etc. Most of all though, I miss the tension felt in AO/AE- that feeling that you could die any second with the slightest wrong move. This to me seems lost with the introduction of a health bar.

For example, in AO when you saw a slig, you had to plan how to get round it without getting shot. As soon as you have a health bar, i.e. not a one-hit death, the player is no longer afraid to take a risk, and can afford to run straight into gunfire knowing they won't be killed. Oddworld needs strategy!

[Varrok]

Ive never had the chance to play Munch's Oddysee, but from videos Ive seen it looks like Abe does a flip every time he jumps, (Crash Bandicoot style). Was this the case throughout the game?

I don't remember Abe jumping without a flip in MO so propably yes, but I played Munch's Oddysee some months ago...

Personally, I'd really like them to bring back realism from the originals in terms of the way Abe runs, jumps, etc. Most of all though, I miss the tension felt in AO/AE- that feeling that you could die any second with the slightest wrong move. This to me seems lost with the introduction of a health bar.

For example, in AO when you saw a slig, you had to plan how to get round it without getting shot. As soon as you have a health bar, i.e. not a one-hit death, the player is no longer afraid to take a risk, and can afford to run straight into gunfire knowing they won't be killed. Oddworld needs strategy!

Nice observation, I whole-heartly agree with you.

[Anty]

I'd say stick to the many good elements of AO and AE. Everything about the perfect environments and the tense music of the two Abe games were perfect. MO was too choppy and the 3D gameplay gave it that ilk of Crash Bandicoot, which isn't a bad thing! It just killed that element of seriousness for me. The stealth/tactician gameplay mentioned before is the right way to go as Varrok says above.

I'd like to see at least part of the new material focus on Molluck the Glukkon. A way for Abe to return could be to hunt him down in whatever facility he might be in? Who knows? But if an Abe game is in the works, I'd like to see Molluck.

If it's about Munch, I'd like to see MO done how it was meant to be as so many of you have also said! I may be over-analysing things too much, but:

"TSA: Will they be new games, or ports of existing ones?

SG: That’s extremely difficult to answer, so I’m not going to."

Now this could be (and probably is) deliberately done to keep us guessing, but his vague answer allows the idea of re-doing Munch's Odyssey to fit the bill. It would be a new game, but in essence a port of an existing one. We'll see.

I prefer the older elements to the games so I guess naturally I'd prefer an Abe title, but I'd love to see what they'd do with Squeek. I could handle a Munch title, but I'd be disappointed with a Stranger title as I thought it was too much of an abrupt curve for Oddworld. (Chicken people?)

They need to keep the Scrabs, Slogs, Sligs, Gluks. I'd love to see Meeches make a return, and now that technology has improved maybe an Elum could be back? If they do new stuff, they ought to make it worth it like the introduction of Fleeches. (Greeters were so pointless!)

A 2.5D game with a co-op mode could be really funny, and add further elements of puzzles; one as Munch, one as Abe, or a fellow Mudokon etc.

[Stranger4002]

Wow Anty; thats a long list, but yeah a lot of what you mentioned I would love to see in the next game...I especially like the aspect of the return of Molluck and Elum.

Well; here what I would like to see in the next game:

*Abe and Munch as the main characters.
*Being able to play as 2 player; as in one person can play as Munch and the other as Abe and being able to co-operate between players.
*Boss battles. (Maybe tie it in with puzzle elements? Some of the boss battles on Stranger's Wrath involved working out a particular way to battle your enemies; I would love to see the ways Abe and Munch could tackle bosses.)
*Tense atmosphere similar to AO. (I didn't mention AE; because in my my opinion, it wasn't as tense.)
*3D view (I know a lot of people dislike this; but personally I like it.)
*Return of the puzzle elements.
*Bring back all the same items as there were in AO. (Such as grenades etc.)
*Underwater zones for Munch.
*Darker atmosphere. (I'd particularly like it if they gave it a black comedy style atmosphere.)
*Some moderate gore.
*Realistic character movement.
*A kick-ass soundtrack featuring mainstream music.
*Some big name voice actors. (Like Billy West and Frank Welker maybe.)

I might of left something out; but thats more or less the additions I'd like to se in the next game.

[Varrok]

Abe and Munch as the main characters.

As long as It would be next game in quintology, I highly doubt these two as main heroes :P

*Some big name voice actors. (Like Billy West and Frank Welker maybe.)

Popularity of voice actors means nothing, really... for example:
Abe's Voice - James McCaffrey (Max Payne 2 voice)
Sligs' Voices - um..... Dominic Armato
this wouldn't sound well :P

BTW. What does "2.5D" (in Just Add Water sense) stands for?

[Anty]

You can argue for or against Abe as a hero at this stage. As Oddworld mascott, for commercial purposes it makes sense to have a Twitter account by him (as opposed to lesser characters like Munch) and to feature his image on the JAW site. But this Tweet strikes me, as it hints that there will be an Abe-based product:

"Follow me to learn my fate, to be announced at a later date. #Oddworld 6:04 PM Jul 22nd via web"

I'd be interested in the results to maybe a thread/poll actually as to who people want to see as the next hero/protagonist. Abe, Munch, Squeek, Stranger, Other.

[ODDWORLDisTHEbest!]

What does "2.5D" (in Just Add Water sense) stands for?

2.d gameplay with 3.d graphics, like little big planet.

[Jordan]

I want Lorne to voice Abe and whoever he has in the past. I would be mightily disheartened if he didn't voice the characters in the newer games.

[ODDWORLDisTHEbest!]

yes that would be gay.

[Nate]

*Some big name voice actors. (Like Billy West and Frank Welker maybe.)

OWI always resisted hiring professional voice artists because they wanted to use the characters for multiple games over a long period of time and that would put a massive amount of power in the actor's hands. Imagine if they got to the last game in the quintology and the actor said "I'm not coming in unless you pay me ten million dollars!". They'd be absolutely hamstrung, because the fans would associate the characters with the voices and would be upset if anything changed.

[Sekto Springs]

I think the in-house voice work gave Oddworld more character anyway.
Can you imagine Tom Kenny doing voices for OW? *shudders* No thanks.

[Xavier]

Here are my thoughts, note that it's only my opinion.

First of all, I'd like a game with:
-2D gameplay (Graphics might be 3D, there's IMO no problem with that),
Yeah why not...
-Oddworld atmosphere, you know, dark, dirty corporational buildings, sligs warehouses, mysterious spiritual forests, fate etc etc.
Absolutely
-Level and atmosphere of common brutality not lower than in AO/AE
Absolutely
-Great, smooth character/enviroment animations
Of course
-Hard to find secret arenas, mudokons/somebody-else rescuing
Yep
-Puzzles and game difficulty equal (or higher!) than AO
Not sure about this one, I remember tons of people dropping AO because they thought it was too hard.
-No quicksaves, only (good placed) checkpoints
Hell no, Quicksaves should be in it! But I guess you could have an option to disable it (like Vita chambers in Bioshock)
-Good/Bad endings dependable on player's choices
SW didn't have alternate endings and frankly it doesn't brother me
-FMVs with the sense of humor
Absolutely
-Awesome, memorable music
Absolutely
-Nice story and story-telling
Absolutely
-not simplified (like in MO) Gamespeak and A.L.I.V.E-like interactions
yep, a bit less context sensitive Gamespeak then in MO
-final touch, polished product
Absolutely

*Abe and Munch as the main characters.
To me anyone can be the main character as long as he's interesting
*Being able to play as 2 player; as in one person can play as Munch and the other as Abe and being able to co-operate between players.
Co-op could be a nice touch, just don't throw it in there "for the sake of it"
*Boss battles. (Maybe tie it in with puzzle elements? Some of the boss battles on Stranger's Wrath involved working out a particular way to battle your enemies; I would love to see the ways Abe and Munch could tackle bosses.)
Hmmm why not
*Tense atmosphere similar to AO. (I didn't mention AE; because in my my opinion, it wasn't as tense.)
Absolutely
*3D view (I know a lot of people dislike this; but personally I like it.)
I rather have 3D too, but I wouldn't mind a 2D game
*Return of the puzzle elements.
Absolutely
*Bring back all the same items as there were in AO. (Such as grenades etc.)
That would definitely be a nice touch
*Underwater zones for Munch.
Could be fun yeah
*Darker atmosphere. (I'd particularly like it if they gave it a black comedy style atmosphere.)
Yep
*Some moderate gore.
Yep
*Realistic character movement.
Uhm, yes
*A kick-ass soundtrack featuring mainstream music.
Hell no
*Some big name voice actors. (Like Billy West and Frank Welker maybe.)
Hell no

[squeak117]

I just want them to keep that eerie feel. The atmosphere in the first two games have since been unmatched by any game. Sounds are extremely important.

Half of the things I remember from Abe's Oddysee come from the sounds; being too scared to walk through to the next screen because I could hear the distant mechanical footsteps of a slig, or the patters and screeches of a Scrab. Not to mention that once I heard that webbing sound that the Paramites made, my brain would immediately tell me to run as fast as possible in what seemed to be the safest direction at the time.

It's the same thing with music. It's a lot to ask, but everything in Abe's Oddysee fit together with the next. The music complimented the visual, the visual complemented the sound and the sound complimented the music. The whole game was just one big circle of awesome. That's what I would want in a new Oddworld game.

[Varrok]

-Puzzles and game difficulty equal (or higher!) than AO
Not sure about this one, I remember tons of people dropping AO because they thought it was too hard.

There is one easy solution for that: Make required part of the game easy as for "Normal" player (not TOO easy, though), and make every secret place hard to solve... And everyone will be happy: Casual gamers will complete the game (Good ending doesn't need finding any secret places, right?) and more hardcore gamers will have fun from puzzles that will equal their abilities

-No quicksaves, only (good placed) checkpoints
Hell no, Quicksaves should be in it! But I guess you could have an option to disable it (like Vita chambers in Bioshock)

Yes, I think that's acceptable too...

SW didn't have alternate endings and frankly it doesn't brother me

SW wasn't the part of quintology... and rescuing mudokons/gabbits/I-don't-care-who-else is pretty much pointless with only one ending at the end.

Half of the things I remember from Abe's Oddysee come from the sounds; being too scared to walk through to the next screen because I could hear the distant mechanical footsteps of a slig, or the patters and screeches of a Scrab. Not to mention that once I heard that webbing sound that the Paramites made, my brain would immediately tell me to run as fast as possible in what seemed to be the safest direction at the time.

Imagine the game with Guardian Angel from FMV I'd shat my pants if I met that thing in real life... it's so awesome

2.d gameplay with 3.d graphics, like little big planet.

I'm happy

[Mr. Bungle]

I want what i saw in the old Munch's Oddysee gameplay demo's for the PS2, only with improved graphics. That looked so cool. Also, I want Molluck back.

[Xavier]

There is one easy solution for that: Make required part of the game easy as for "Normal" player (not TOO easy, though), and make every secret place hard to solve... And everyone will be happy: Casual gamers will complete the game (Good ending doesn't need finding any secret places, right?) and more hardcore gamers will have fun from puzzles that will equal their abilities

Yep sounds good to me. Even if, now that I think of it, that's pretty much how AO was designed. I guess AO difficulty is good

SW wasn't the part of quintology... and rescuing mudokons/gabbits/I-don't-care-who-else is pretty much pointless with only one ending at the end.

Yup but nothing tells us that the next few games are going to be part of the quintology either.

[T-nex]

OWI always resisted hiring professional voice artists because they wanted to use the characters for multiple games over a long period of time and that would put a massive amount of power in the actor's hands. Imagine if they got to the last game in the quintology and the actor said "I'm not coming in unless you pay me ten million dollars!". They'd be absolutely hamstrung, because the fans would associate the characters with the voices and would be upset if anything changed.

But that already happened. Lorne changed Abe's voice already in AE. It pissed me off, cos while Abe's voice in AO was sympathetic and unique... His voice in AE made me almost hate him. It so goofy and... deep.
The previous voice was a voice that really screamed: I'm a helpless worker trying to make something of this. His later voice just annoys me. Yea. It's a grudge I'll never let go of >: (

[Varrok]

His voice in AE made me almost hate him

I agree with you: I like AO Abe's voice much more...

[T-nex]

You mean... AE :P
I agree with you: I like AO Abe's voice much more...

Yes... I mean AE x_X

I don't get why they chose to change it. There must have been a reason. But Abe's voice in AO was so pleasent =(

I also wish they had continued the rhyme-type of narrating.

[Varrok]

Yea, me too... But they propably won't... it was kind of "exclusive" to AO

[GABBITS OWN]

i'd like to see the classic puzzles like abes oddysee had, i'd like better graphics, abe, and 2d, but we all know its 2.5d anyway.

I love oddworlds classic puzzles as well, oddysee was the best...

[ODDWORLDisTHEbest!]

i'd just like it the same as AO, but with a new story, new settings, better graphics, new memorable music, and new enemies, as well as new friends, but the same old abe.

[GABBITS OWN]

I should design a new slig...

[Abe'a'zull]

I would like to see a game with Abe, atmosphere like old good A: Oddysee with long story and amazing landscapes.

[odd_escapist]

i like to see abe again and the game should go back to platform like it use to be gd times

[odd_escapist]

i also agree with Abe'a'zull

[Xavier]

Please don't double post, use the edit button instead.

I'd like something more like Stranger's Wrath actually, it's definitely my favorite OWI game gameplay wise.