A sneak peak into Oddworlds future

[Sticker]

Currently OWI is busy with Citizen siege.... so.... were kinda bored all together. Buuut, whats gonna happen when they finish Citizen Siege? Well I'll tell you what happens, were gonna be seeing *trumpets, drums and the whole shebang get ready* ODDLINE!!!! That's right Oddline, an MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, i know it sounds Odd, wasn't my idea). Basicly players can play a race on Oddworld and do all manner of cool stuff like learning how to shoot throw rocks et cetera. But what do you see?

[Fuzzle Guy]

Oddline sounds crap. I don't want an endless online game. I want a game with a very strong, well planned story. Which is why I'm glad they're now in the movie business. I will miss the games because they were fun to play, but Oddworlds Strong points were always Character and story - Something which a movie needs.

Or...

One of my favourite games is Star Wars Battlefront and it's sequel. I would very much like to have an Oddworld "Battlefront" in similar format. Choosing whether you're a native, or an Industrial.

They had a Story Mode and a Instant Action, that would be good. Story mode for battling to serve a purpose for the story, and then just instant action - I want to play in Paramonia, fighting the Industrials.

I would also like to see Steef included in the native parts, but no "FPS".

Lol, what am I saying "I would also like to see". Getting a bit excited over it there lol.

[Bullet Magnet]

I think some amateurs are already putting an Oddworld online game into production. Someone made this real-time paramite, anyway.

[Wil]

do all manner of cool stuff like learning how to shoot throw rocks et cetera.

Past Oddworld games have advanced brainstate AI including GameSpeak and emotions, dynamic biospheres, and realtime shootouts. And the coolest thing about Oddline is that you learn to throw rocks? An online Oddworld game would have to have some pretty special ideas, like those of The Hand of Odd. I’m waiting to see what happens with Wage Wars before I comment on online Oddworld.

I hope for a series of five Oddworld feature films that are fantastic hits, and are accompanied by a series of video games running alongside them. A 3D Abe’s Oddysee; Munch’s Oddysee—​The Director’s Cut, and then we can move on with the Quintology we’ve been waiting so many years to move on with.

[Cullen Heath]

I think some amateurs are already putting an Oddworld online game into production. Someone made this real-time paramite, anyway.

Hey, where did you get that, man...?

[Bullet Magnet]

See this thread for details.

[skillya_glowi]

Strange, I never heard the name Oddline before. It doesn't exactly fill me with anticipation, though. I hate to be pessimistic but I doubt the "old" Oddworld is ever coming back.

[Nate]

Skillya - I'm pretty sure it's his own hypothetical idea for a game, not anything from OWI.

[Jordan]

You're pretty wrong in saying this. What's the point in using your idea and pretending OWI have made it? Oddline? Come on, even I can think of better things than that.

[Wil]

I’m certain Sticker is just saying what he hopes to see in Oddworld’s future.

[Jordan]

I’m certain Sticker is just saying what he hopes to see in Oddworld’s future.

Yeah. It's nice to have hopes. It's the way he announced it is all.

[Bullet Magnet]

Actually, didn't Lorne say in on of these many interviews we've been provided with recently that he is looking at the online market for future games? I thought he mentioned something along the lines of WoW, but it may have just been content delivery.

[Wil]

Wage Wars will be an online game,⁸ and may be digitally distributed.⁶

6. Lee, Matt (03/07/2007). Email to MoxCo. Executive. ‘Citizen Siege correspondence’. Oddworld Forums.
8. Lanning, Lorne (05/09/2007). ‘Lorne Lanning’, special feature. CGSociety.

He talked about online games in his most recent interview, with Oblio and Phong at Massive Black’s Revelations workshop. I haven’t yet transcribed it, and I don’t feel like sitting through all 40 minutes of it right now, so from memory: he was talking about how to stay alive in the gaming industry, you really need to be aware of exactly what kind of games are economically viable. Right now developers are getting out of console gaming because there’s too little to be made there, what with the increasingly complicated hardware and software structures that need to worked around. The possible exception to this is the Wii, whose toolset is built up from the Gamecube’s and not completely reinvented like its rivals’. Therefore more developers are turning to online gaming.

[Fuzzle Guy]

Alot of money can come from online games aswell because people aren't just paying for the game once.

After having been thinking, I've thought that the idea of an Oddworld Online game is quite good. You could choose what species your playing as, give them a name, clothes, a voice etc. Get given tasks to do. Industrial and Natives. I think that game could work.

[4mrleesssssill]

Remember that origanally, Oddworld was really a puzzle game. Yes, you had guns, story, characters, and enemys, but at heart you also had a grid based movment system, gameplay that involves planning your every move, and other puzzle based aspects.

It has evolved along with the games, but I really can't see Oddworld fitting well into the Online genre.

You have to think about what genre this game would be- adventure a la WoW? Because level grinding and kitting out characters with Wand of +5 to Uglyness sounds neither fun or.. Odd.

Shooter? Okay, that COULD work. I like the Battlefield idea somone had above, where you would have the tree huggers and the industrialists, but remember that the market is currently flooded with top-quality Online Shooters at the moment, and a game such as Oddwold would likey ge lost in the mix. It would have to do somthing very differant to get noticed.

RTS- now this I like. It fits in with the straigic element to Oddworld that forced you to think about your actions. Again, it would have to be done very well, but I would totally dig Hand Of Odd Online. Make it happen, OWI!!!

[Sticker]

Well first of all, Jordan. Your kind of a pessimist aint ya? i mean all you do is complain and whine and bitch people down et cetera and you have absolutely NOTHING. And yes throwing rocks is bad example. Basicly, here's my vision. You start by making a character, thats either a Native or an Industrial. You then choose a race, an affiliation: Magog Cartel, Marching Mudokons Gabbits for gabbits freedom fighters, whatever ^^. You then add details like height, skin colour, possible clothes or decorations like tatoos. Think suits for Glukkons or tatoos for Mudokons. Think letting your hair grow as a Mudokon or just keeping a ponytail. I'm thinking weapons like Mudahawks and Mudabows. But also new weapons like a slingshot, or oddshot/longshot ^^. Think weapons for Sligs, like big Whammy's or pants stickers like: Wide load, Squashed it again. Basicly you then start the game with one of Oddworlds FMV's. You see yourself growing up to your age and your affiliation aswell as a location. You then start playing and earn skill points rather then levels, for stuff like using a weapon or building or bossing people around et cetera. I'm also thinking traitors, think Mudokons on the side of the Glukkons or vice versa. Now you might think, but what are Native's paying stuff with. Well here's that thought. Trade, the ancient Native Americans mostly traded and Mudokons are based on Native America's. Basicly players can either pay with Spooce which kind of acts like a currency. Or they can trade items that are worth a certain amount of Spooce. Industrialists are basicly using Moolah. What I'm also seeing is making your items. Think food, traps, tools, contraptions of all sorts and even weapons and there ammo. Ofcourse there is a limit. You can't see a Slig going to the other side, and industrialising the Mudokons. So, thats most of my ideas. Now go bitch THIS off Jordan.

[Fuzzle Guy]

In All honesty, I don't think another game should be made. They can continue making movies. Whether it be stand-alone films, or movies of the games.

Personally I think Movies of the Games is a bad idea unless they choose Strangers wrath. With AO and AE, you've got to fill at least 90 minutes, and try desperately to avoid 70 minutes of "Hello, Follow me" crap. You owuld end up adding in new parts of the story, which would greatly disappoint fans because it could be seen as doing a George Lucas to an already good story.

Strangers Wrath is the film that I think could be done without adding much new plot to the film. Maybe have An outlaw at the beggining, a second outlaw, then Caste D. Radier then the whole section of the film with him as the Steef. Stranger is the most suited for a movie IMO.

Edit: I made that image some time ago but I just added to Oddline Wordart onto it now.

[Sticker]

Duuude you rock!!!! Wait... that means I dont have the dibs anymore!! Oooooh nooo. Well maybe I'll have to share my millions of dollars with ya. ^^. Seriously dude this rocks!!

[Bullet Magnet]

Remember that origanally, Oddworld was really a puzzle game. Yes, you had guns, story, characters, and enemys, but at heart you also had a grid based movment system, gameplay that involves planning your every move, and other puzzle based aspects.

It has evolved along with the games, but I really can't see Oddworld fitting well into the Online genre.

You have to think about what genre this game would be- adventure a la WoW? Because level grinding and kitting out characters with Wand of +5 to Uglyness sounds neither fun or.. Odd.

Shooter? Okay, that COULD work. I like the Battlefield idea somone had above, where you would have the tree huggers and the industrialists, but remember that the market is currently flooded with top-quality Online Shooters at the moment, and a game such as Oddwold would likey ge lost in the mix. It would have to do somthing very differant to get noticed.

RTS- now this I like. It fits in with the straigic element to Oddworld that forced you to think about your actions. Again, it would have to be done very well, but I would totally dig Hand Of Odd Online. Make it happen, OWI!!!

If anything, the important stats of an Oddworld MMORPG would not be your character, but the parameters of the environment around you. Or, if you are an industrialist, your business and social/financial power. Oddworld would certainly find an intelligent way to break the mould if they produced a MMORPG, and probably far more intelligently than that.

In All honesty, I don't think another game should be made. They can continue making movies. Whether it be stand-alone films, or movies of the games.

Personally I think Movies of the Games is a bad idea unless they choose Strangers wrath. With AO and AE, you've got to fill at least 90 minutes, and try desperately to avoid 70 minutes of "Hello, Follow me" crap. You owuld end up adding in new parts of the story, which would greatly disappoint fans because it could be seen as doing a George Lucas to an already good story.

Strangers Wrath is the film that I think could be done without adding much new plot to the film. Maybe have An outlaw at the beggining, a second outlaw, then Caste D. Radier then the whole section of the film with him as the Steef. Stranger is the most suited for a movie IMO.

Stranger was designed to be cinematic like a movie, which would explain your preference. But remember: the Oddysee quintology was originally imagined i[]as[/i] movies, not games. The Abe's Oddysee movie will not be an adaptation of the game: the game is a pre-emptive adaptation of the movie. Those fears are unfounded.

[Wil]

Now go bitch THIS off Jordan.

Oddline, as a work of creativity, belongs in Fan Corner, not Oddworld Discussion. Also, you can stop responding to negative comments with personal attacks right now.

[Sticker]

But he started it!! Eeeh oh oops ^^. Anyhow im right but Jordan cud have been nicer. Sorry dude, not my intention to be mean.

[Jordan]

Those are some great ideas. All I'm getting at is how you pronounced Oddline as if OWI were going to make it. So you can stop trying to argue back.

[4mrleesssssill]

A 3D Abe’s Oddysee;

Sorry, I just noticed this, and I was like, WHAT?!

By 3D, I assume that you mean that it will work on a 3D plane (as opposed to, say, 2.5d which is 3D models that play out in a 2D world). Now WHY ON EARTH would you want that? Oddworld, like Sonic, has always been better in 2D. You could argue that the 3D games were still great, but AO is a game that should always stay in 2D; it simly wouldn't work half as well in 3D. *shudder*

Now, a munches oddysee DC I would LOVE to see- as well as sorting out all the alledged flaws of the games, adding in all those things that were in the early videos, and some of the things that were in production art, would make this game AWESOME.

Anyway, back on topic- Oddline! So, going with the MMORPG idea (a la WoW), after you've chosen your side and character, what would happen then? Quests?

[Wil]

Why on Earth would I want that? So there can be a commercially viable, hugely immersive world that takes the player through the story of the Abe film. Lorne will already have ideas, only having decided to make the original 2D given the state of the 3D game graphics of the day. The original Abe’s Oddysee will also be classic, and will always be 2D, but now we’re destined to see the story vastly expanded upon, it makes every sense to have it accessible in an interactive form at the same time.

[4mrleesssssill]

Thats another thing that I wanted to ask about the future of Oddworld, actually- is it CONFIRMED that Lorne Lanning is going to recreate the first two game in the Oddworld Quitology as Movies? I know that the Quintology is going to be continued as Movies, with accompanying games, but as for the games that are already here, are there definatly going to be accompanying movies for them?

I still disagree, by the way- if there IS going to be an AO movie, surley that will be the medium used to expand the story, and the game will be left alone. And imagine the way, gameplay-wise, things such as puzzles and fighting would happen. Would one-hit-kills still apply? It just wouldn't work in 3D, and if they changed it enough to make it work in 3D, thet it wouldn't even BE Abes Oddysee anymore- AO is a 2D game, and it should always stay that way. 2D isn't inferior to 3D, its just a differant was to play, and AO and AE are games that were always meant to be played in 2D.

[Wil]

Yeah, except when Lorne wanted them to be 3D.

And yes, the first Oddworld film will be Abe’s Oddysee. No point at all in having the moviegoing public join us partway through the Quintology and expect them to know what’s going on.

[Sticker]

Well first of all, Citizen siege is a whole new side. Basicly it's the future of earth, but a screwed up version. I thought Lorne said he was gonna back movies about the first game but don't take my word; take that of the site. Ok, Sam, after you start you basicly just perform things I'd like to call Taks. Just quests but differently named ^^. Those give you stuff like Spooce or materials or unique stuff. You simply play around, fighting for your side.
My intention was for you to be able to actually see the effects of what you. Like whne you save a shipment that the traders gain that amount of stuff and if dont they actually lose it. Another important feature would be status. You basicly earn status by doing stuff important to your race, in the case of the Glukkkons that would be owning real estate, cash and sigarettes. On the matter of gameplay I'm thinkin of using some kind of armor, like armored suits for Glukkons and special vests for Sligs. If you dont get those, yes then its a one hit kill. This would ofcourse boost the use of evasion and stealth, exactly what I'd want. You might even be able to avoid violence, think using ranged weaponry or in the case of the Glukkons never showing up on the battle field. Like in AO dying doesn't have to be a problem, think ressurection totems for Mudokons, another Slig with same stats, name appearance et cetera being made for a killed Slig.

Another idea I got was Munch's Exoddus. Anyone ever heard of The Lost Vikings? If you have think of that game and you have Munch's Exoddus. Basicly you take Munch and Abe, AE gameplay and AO's story and surroundings. Munch and Abe work together as a team, solving puzzels together and freeing both Fuzzels and Mudokons. You can switch between both Abe and Munch, although theo hter character stands still. He will follow orders like follow me, wait, et cetera Each has there abillities and weaknesses. Here's a of there capabillities:

Abe:
Everything we've seen in previous games. One funny feature I had in mind was that Abe has orange rings which allow him to make enemies laugh so much they die after a while.

Munch:
Can zap enemies, similair effects to Abe's slap except long ranged over an entire screen. This knocks an enemy back.

Can swim, hold his breath unlimited periods of time, and operate underwater equipment.
Can operate and survive some Vykker technology, but not all.
Can free and command Fuzzels, mostly leading to a big bloody mess.
Can hoist on any ledge visible in the screen, but cannot reach any higher then that.
He's slower then Abe, making him an easy target.
Can carry stuff and trade it with Abe but not use it in most cases.
Is immune to Soulstorm brew but cannot use the explosive farts.
Weighs more then Abe.
Can leap out of water with superior speed and height, making him both deadly and able to reach higher ledges and rings.

Pardon for the long reply ^^.

[Fuzzle Guy]

Yeah, except when Lorne wanted them to be 3D.

And yes, the first Oddworld film will be Abe’s Oddysee. No point at all in having the moviegoing public join us partway through the Quintology and expect them to know what’s going on.

We joined Hannibal Lecter half way through his series (Most audiences hadn't seen Manhunter before Silence of the Lambs) and we knew what was going on.

And if not, you could have a bunch of Mudokons tell someone what was going on. I don't want an Abes Oddysee movie. I'm not sure whether it's my need for something new from Oddworld, or whether I just don't like the idea of AO in movie form.

[Sticker]

Hey neato I got my first funny purple thingy!! Oh hehe, well maybe OWI will do both.

[Fuzzle Guy]

By the way Sticker, you seem to be producing alot of ideas. I think you should start a thread in the fan section about Oddline. It's not really what this thread is about...