Abe HD Ideas

[Nate]

See if we can get some subsurface specularity on that mother.

You're introducing Sam in AOHD?!

[Phylum]

Bomb those mothers.

[Sekto Springs]

What about this ? ;P

That. Is. Adorable.

[Clannfear]

Slig with hair is really superb idea, I'm supporting this and everything that Lorne want in this remade Oddysee. I want to look at masterpiece - real vision of first Abe game. Imagine the slightly different, darker and weirder Abe's Oddysee. Holy cow... that'll be great in my opinion.

P.S.

Give our Abe that color and you're my personal heroes... He looks really (beautifuly) different on this sketch. Is this also Lornes original version of Abe? I hope so.

You guys should really make someday some spin-off game with different art style of every character (something like art above maybe?). Art's of Abe's Oddysee are such masterpiece. They're representing known places but with different design. Game like this could be done. Look at the Zelda franchise. Every game looks different in design. But my idea is to make spin-off (with design changes) not quintology game (god no!). Think about it Oddworld game which focuses on ART. Not on mechanics, superb story and achievments. Only you (as abe for example) and environment. Only you and feelings. (Look at Journey for PS3 - 95% of players love it with whole soul).

[Xavier]

The Sligs you encounter in the original games don't have hair and I have to say I prefer it that way. I admit I feel uncomfortable with character design alterations.

On the other side I have to say Sligs with hair could look awesome. So you could introduce them later on in another game and come up with an excuse for them to have a physical difference (colder area, other mother, etc.)

[Nate]

What about this ? ;P

I think it's time to update Industrial theme. Who's with me?!

[JennyGenesis]

I think that should be the reward for rescuing all mudokons in the game.

All sligs have big fuzzy green fur!

[Nepsotic]

or a cheat maybe

[Crashpunk]

I do like them straps on Abe's Feet and Arms. They look like a part of native outfit which could go along with Abe going to Mosaic Lines and the Temples. The long ponytail looks pretty cool too but not on Abe, I think would suit the native mudokons.

Apart from that, I just want you to keep all of the creatures and characters the same. I'm that sort of person who really dislikes change in something I really love.

[sheridanm962]

I think it's time to update Industrial theme. Who's with me?!

I use The Industrial theme, I'm in.

[STM]

I think if Abe ever made a tribalism change it should feature as he reaches Monsaic Lines and not a moment before hand. It just wouldn't flow to have him wearing tribal hear styles and stuff in RF Z1.

[Havoc]

What about this ? ;P

[Strike Witch]

I wonder how feasible it would be to make creatures in a level have different skin tones? Like, since there are so many screens with multiple sligs and so forth. Like, slightly lighter or darker green skin to differentiate them.

Then again, would people even care? And they're drones, so there's not really much point...

Oh yeah, single visor or two-eye Sligs?

[Clannfear]

If single visior was the original Lorne idea - I'll say single (imo the best).

[Crashpunk]

Visor Sligs. They look more aggressive then the two-eye sligs and since the were oringinally in Rupture Farms, Keep it that way.

You could also make the Two-eyed Sligs for the Exoddus re-make if that's happening.

[Sekto Springs]

I wonder how feasible it would be to make creatures in a level have different skin tones? Like, since there are so many screens with multiple sligs and so forth. Like, slightly lighter or darker green skin to differentiate them.

This was already discussed. I think most people here agreed that Mudokons/Sligs varying slightly in size/color would be good.

I think the singular visor design should stay. If you're going to re-do the FMV's, you could perhaps include a bridging scene where the new, two-eyed visors become standard issue after one Slig too many walked off a high ledge like a lemming.

[Manco]

Changing the visor design between games fits into my crazy idea about humanizing the characters as the story progresses, so I’m for it.

[Strike Witch]

You can even sneak in a "Can't see a thing in this helmet" scene.

[DarkHoodness]

Oddworld's far too original to be referring to other franchises, even as a joke... And I like it that way. :P

A Star Wars reference like that would be so out of place in an Oddworld game.

[Sekto Springs]

I don't think she meant that they should make an outright reference. Oddworld's production material contains at least one Star Wars reference with the "Luskan Raiders".

I kind of hate Star Wars, and if Oddworld referenced it or anything else in the finished material, I'd lose a lot of respect for the franchise.

[Wil]

Oddworld's production material contains at least one Star Wars reference with the "Luskan Raiders".

It's "Luskan Marauders".

[Strike Witch]

I don't really think a throwaway gag would ruin the franchise, but whatevs.

[Glitch]

referential jokes tend to pull at a player's immersion and ruin SOD. It pulls players out of the here and now and takes them into places of their brain that have nothing to do with what they're doing.

I think stuff like that has to play properly with the feel of the game. In a game like AO, the reference would have to be very subtle, whereas in games like Matt Hazard or Duke Nukem it doesn't have to be because the game isn't trying to make you feel anything.

Fallout 3 does a good job, but that's because its overall feel is just on the right side of silly to be able to pull it off. You couldn't have something like that in a bleak apocalyptic future game such as Metro 2033 simply because it would feel wrong. The game is trying to make you feel something about your position, about what the world has become, and bringing you out of that for some cheap referential humour counteracts that.

AO, when we first played it, had an incredible ambiance, and although that has reduced simply due to replaying and familiarity, it's still there. I would be a shame to diminish that experience in AHD for a few cheap giggles.

That said, New game + is a different kettle of fish entirely :P

TL;DR:

take a Ritalin and read it you ADHD bastard.

[Strike Witch]

Hey, I did read it! How rude!

[Glitch]

Then the TL;DR bit doesn't apply to you

[Xavier]

I totally agree with Glitch on this one. Plus I've never been a big fan of referential humour, mostly because I never seem to get the references .

[STM]

The exploded whale in Fallout 1 was fantastic. Really loved that...do that.

[Havoc]

I think it works for Fallout because the entire universe in those games is an actual alternate reality of the real world, thus it would make sense that a lot of things are similar yet different. Nuka Cola is the best example, as are the names of many quests.

Oddworld is a different world all together without any kind of human/Earth influence. As such the only joking references it should contain are ones that apply to Oddworld itself. Like Stranger making an Abe related joke or the other way around. Even Abe saying 'Get Freaky' would be pushing it enormously.

[Sekto Springs]

It's "Luskan Marauders"

Is it? Oh, thank god.

Also, I'm glad we see eye to eye on that one, Glitch.

[skychase2rebirth]

I think "developer commentary" like in Portal 2 would be awesome.