New Abe Game!

[GlukkonGluk]

Oh, no...when they said "Abe will be reappearing", was THIS what they were referring to?! He'd better be in new things as well!!

[Havoc]

I wonder if they're going to redo the cinematics as well. Would be a little embarrassing to let the engine's 3D look better than the movie's 3D.

[Jordan]

I hope this is done right... The original game was beautiful, and it doesn't necessarily need HD graphics to make it any better, and I think that with most things. Some things have that charm and it can't be restored by giving it up-to-date graphics.

[NovaMan]

The cinematics should be sequenced with scripts using 3d graphics instead of bink video.

[Xavier]

The cinematics should be sequenced with scripts using 3d graphics instead of bink video.

Nope, I really wish the cinematics to be real masterpieces again, not some generic in game stuff.

[Sekto Springs]

Lorne Lanning has gone the way of George Lucas.
Riding on the coat tails of his former masterpieces as opposed to making new ones.
Except, you know, Lucas has money.

[Paradigm]

I'm willing to wait a bit longer for a *new* Abe game, because this recreation of Abe's Oddysee will definitely keep me busy for a while!

Here's hoping the 2.5D follow-up to Abe's Exoddus will come to pass in the near future, then we can finally complete the trilogy of Abe games.

[Phylum]

Trilogy of Abe games? This is news to me.

[Rayrockslots]

Always happy to see more Oddworld. No release date? No problem. Don't give us one unless your sure, cause you've got another chance to let us down...

...and we wont be happy

[Paul_hibs3]

Oh, no...when they said "Abe will be reappearing", was THIS what they were referring to?! He'd better be in new things as well!!

I agree, I'm buzzin on seeing abe in new games rather than remakes.

I'd also like to add, since AO remake HD is getting done, cue a AE remake in HD also in 2012. So more time used on 2 projects. I understand that this is probably to reel in old people who played the games years ago going "Oh I remember that game that was awesome, but I didn't complete it all since it was hard, but I'll give it another go since its re-done again." Just wish they had more faith and made a new game for the fans who have been waiting ages for one. Good things come to those who wait though

[hedjeroo]

I can personally see both sides to this... but a good move, in my opinion. I'll explain why in addition to my view of both sides.

See, on the one hand, it's releasing an old game, a remake. Remakes are kinda lazy in a way, even if they're from the ground up... because you're using the same creative content. And if you don't, people will complain that you're not being true to the original (a la Pokémon remakes).

Logic dictates that more of the same thing can lead to oversaturation of the market (hello Rock Band and Guitar Hero!), but at the same time consider that the current generation of young gamers probably haven't even heard of Abe. Heck, I know a lot of people in my generation or a bit later who don't know who Abe is.

Admittedly the sidescrolling 2D/2.5D platforming game market is starting to saturate (hello indie gaming), but Abe is still pretty unique compared to those because of things like GameSpeak and the combination of potty humour and dark humour.

On the other hand, it's a rerelease of a game that not everyone got to experience, in formats that allow for a great deal of experience. As far as I can tell, OWI and JAW are releasing this game for every platform they damn well can. Previously it was PlayStation and later PC exclusive.

A HD remake will not only introduce new fans, but allow old fans to relive the game in a new way, and not have to worry about things like resolution and control issues - as everything will be updated for the current generation consoles. I have had a wonderful time trying to configure a comfortable and understandable set-up for AO on my laptop for the X360 controller, and resorted to the fairly poor response of the keyboard when I screwed up the configuration.

Due to the artistic view being taken on games more and more nowadays, Abe has more chance to shine in this climate because it is very much a game that makes you look and think: the creators definitely intended to convey a message with it, and it is definitely an artistic game because the cutscenes are seamless with the gameplay and everything is beautifully rendered and styled.

I'm not sure if I'll buy it, since I get annoyed about buying the same game multiple times (I have now bought Sonic Adventure THREE TIMES. GRRRR)... But I'll certainly give it a look-in.

And now I'm going to shut my ass. :P

[Nate]

I think I remember (don't quote me on this) one of the mods saying a HD remake is unlikely. I think it was Max. but i don't remember what thread

That was in response to the suggestion that they could simply up-res the original AO and put out an HD version with the same engine and models and stuff.

Why moan about a remake of one of your favourite games? They might still need to gain more profits to make an entirely new game, it's like, nothing since 2005 and now all this new amazing crap and people are moaning...you don't have to buy or even acknowledge this remake right?

Because remaking AO in 2.5D will cost almost as much as a completely new game; they still need just as many artists and programmers and modellers and animators. The only thing they'll save on is puzzle design.

[hedjeroo]

While I agree that it'd be easier for them to use existing resources, and cheaper too, the problem is if they no longer have those existing resources. Which is full possible considering it's been a while, although, apart from acts of God and other unpredicted unpreventable disasters, I imagine they wouldn't have had anything happen that would lose said resources.

Of course, it depends which models they scale up too. Scale up the ones used in the cinematics and you're peachy.

[Mr. Bungle]

I liked the dirty, gritty look of the original, but this will be undoubtedly awesome.

[Xavier]

Because remaking AO in 2.5D will cost almost as much as a completely new game; they still need just as many artists and programmers and modellers and animators. The only thing they'll save on is puzzle design.

I'd like to point out that once the basic characters and props are redone and the new engine is running they will be able to do new stuff as well quite fast after the release of AOHD. This means perhaps AEHD or even SOMETHING NEW.

Oh and am I the only one to think there has been some major cock up going on with this announcement and that it should have been announced at the E3?

[Mudokon_Master]

This is just a AO HD remake. I don't think they'll add anything new to the game.

I hope they do. I really don't want just the same game in HD, there's no point. They should just change the levels around and make you able to posses scrabs and paramites.

[Jordan]

I hope they do. I really don't want just the same game in HD, there's no point. They should just change the levels around and make you able to posses scrabs and paramites.

This would probably change the way certain puzzles are done. I liked how you couldn't possess Scrabs and Paramites in AO, it gave you a sense of Abe's development into what he can do in AE compared to in the original game.

[The Brewmaster]

How many projects are JAW developing for Oddworld again? because if we only have 2 left after SW and AO we are screwed ,you know its just going to be remakes of MO and AE.

[Mudokon_Master]

This would probably change the way certain puzzles are done. I liked how you couldn't possess Scrabs and Paramites in AO, it gave you a sense of Abe's development into what he can do in AE compared to in the original game.

I know but they'd have to make SOMETHING different in the remake otherwise it would be completely pointless.

How many projects are JAW developing for Oddworld again? because if we only have 2 left after SW and AO we are screwed ,you know its just going to be remakes of MO and AE.

I realllyyy hope that's not the case!

[Manco]

I'd like to point out that once the basic characters and props are redone and the new engine is running they will be able to do new stuff as well quite fast after the release of AOHD. This means perhaps AEHD or even SOMETHING NEW.

I get the feeling this isn't going to be the last Oddworld HD re-release; we're already getting SW and AO, and like you said the resources from AO would make it easier to build an HD AE too. After that, only MO would be left to remaster.

I also can't help but wonder if this is going to be how they reintroduce the Quintology to people - start with a remake of the Abe games, then redo Munch, and then move on to Part 3.

Oh and am I the only one to think there has been some major cock up going on with this announcement and that it should have been announced at the E3?

JAW's "cut [sic] out the bag" tweet combined with the "announcement" being a Facebook page definitely makes me think this is the case.

How many projects are JAW developing for Oddworld again? because if we only have 2 left after SW and AO we are screwed ,you know its just going to be remakes of MO and AE.

I think they mentioned five or six projects? I'm not sure, but that's what I remember.

[Jordan]

I know but they'd have to make SOMETHING different in the remake otherwise it would be completely pointless.

Yeah... that something different being the updated graphics, possibly music etc. Creating a remake doesn't necessarily mean changing gameplay options.

[Manco]

New post from Stewart Gilray over on the Steam forums: http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...2&postcount=14

Morning guys ...

This wasn't supposed to be announced until E3, so I'm not going to go into too many details here, but suffice to say, if you've read interviews I've done over the past 10 months, you'll notice in some I mention that we've been trawling through old backups for old data...

The original game art was built with SGI machines as "NURBS" ALL OF IT, characters and environments etc...

That data is our source ;-)

Also imagine if you will a game that has "living" backgrounds, e.g. in the "Escape from Rupture Farms" area, there's the silhouetted escape route, those static spot lights in the background are no longer static

As for anything else, that's it for now, I'm saying nothing

Emphasis mine.

[Nate]

Hrm... well, if they're essentially recreating the game from the original assets (rather than creating anew), then I think I can get down off my high horse and support this idea.

[MeechMunchie]

And my fears of an unwise new art style have been abated.

[Manco]

I wonder exactly what the E3 "announcement" will contain - will it be a trailer, some in-game footage, or a full playable demo?

I can't wait for June now.

[Havoc]

New post from Stewart Gilray over on the Steam forums: http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...2&postcount=14

Emphasis mine.

This is assuring. Thank you Steward!

Edit: I've been searching, but I can't find exactly what NURBS are. I assume they are the base 'model' for the assets in the original games in some form or another.

[Xavier]

Excellent stuff. Thanks for sharing oddhunter

[Dynamithix]

Now I'm even happier!

[Manco]

Thought this was interesting: http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...0&postcount=18

The original Art Assets do still exist in some form or other, however the code is long since gone, for the most part.

So it looks like they'll be using the original art assets but building the actual game again from the ground up.

[OANST]

Yawn