Risen 2: Dark Waters

[Silverwolfpet]

Oh, just go on and read this, I've written everything there. Screenshots included.

For those of you who may know what I'm talking about...well, I'm talking about Risen 2. It looks brilliant and it got me really excited!

When TTG launched Tales of Monkey Island, people were talking about the possibility of having a MI RPG... this is as close as possible to that idea/dream! Let me hear your thoughts, let's get excited together!

...that sounded better in my head.

[Hayden]

Damn, that looks great! I'll certainly be buying a copy of this as soon as it's released and on special. Those environments are just begging for someone to go and explore them. I should probably go back and play the first game too, to get a feel for the style and the gameplay.

[doodo!]

When did you start working for the man? You take a game that has pirates in it ,and you make it into a monkey island RPG, by twisting and fabricating abstract parallels between the two franchises?

And the fact that this is a Monkey Island forum. They could pay you for such hype...

The main character/ lead turns me off to it any ways...

[Silverwolfpet]

In answer to your concern, please name three other games in which one can actually be a pirate and change the story depending on his actions. This practically screams "I wanna be a pirate!"..

I'm just excited over this game and there are obvious parallels! Pirates and Voodoo Dolls? C'mon!

[doodo!]

It's ok, I just have delusions of the man and all that...it's cool. Sorry, I'm just unstable but I like being that way.

Thanks for sharing.

[Irishmile]

SWP is right... while there are plenty of games with pirates in them there are not many fantasy pirate games... things that delve into magic, voodoo, and curses.

[Lennie Melvin]

I haven't really played any rpgs before but this looks amazing - especially the artwork pictures. The trailer has a real MI2 atmosphere... I'm practically drooling LOL I'm definitely thinking about buying this, thanks for the heads up SWP

[Sarendor]

This game comes from the creators of Gothic, which is a series of games beloved by many players of adventure games. So I believe that Risen 2 would be a good start if you want to go into the RPG genre.
And I wonder what the voice acting is going to be like. In Gothic, the American version was voiced by German actors, and I cannot forget the lines 'What the hell are YOU DOING here' by Jacko in the cave near the new camp, as well as the 'I'm waitin' for m'friend to return from th' miine' by one of the diggers outside the old camp.

[Vainamoinen]

Originally Posted by Sarendor

This game comes from the creators of Gothic, which is a series of games beloved by many players of adventure games. .

Indeed, that is very true. I might add a few things. The creators of Gothic have literally tried to recreate their franchise with the first "Risen". This game has turned out to be exactly the same as their previous games - a feast for those who wanted exactly that, but dead boring to everyone else.

I'm glad that they are now trying to head for "stranger tides", so to speak. Still, the ridiculous and counter-character "nameless hero" still prevails. Let's see if other characters get more of a face in this; unfortunately, this was exactly the weak point in "Gothic 3".

But since the "Armada of the Dead" RPG was canceled by Disney (and THAT had looked like my hopes and dreams), I guess I'll give Risen 2 a fair and honest chance.

By the way, in the aftermath of "Gothic 3", the rights of "Gothic" went to their publisher JoWood (who raped this licence for good). But it seems like those rights are expiring and will go back to Piranha Bytes. They will promptly make another Gothic, I can predict that with certainty.

[Silverwolfpet]

Originally Posted by Vainamoinen

But since the "Armada of the Dead" RPG was canceled by Disney

I understand why you liked that game...buuuut I have to say that I'm pretty certain it would've sucked as an RPG.

The subject was brilliant...but the gameplay was not as complex as the one in Gothic. As far as I saw in the trailers... you could face situations in which you had two options:
For example: Please help me, my daughter caught fire, do you have any water?

Answer 1 - Yes, here you go, have fun!
Answer 2 - No, you're ugly, go away!

It's incredibly easy to guess which action is the "correct" one.

In Gothic 2, there is a part where
(not so big spoiler since it's the beginning of the game, but still a spoiler)

A merchant that sits near a farm offers you a signed paper with which you are allowed into town. Being an ex convict, you are not allowed into town. He just asks you to remember "that you owe me one for helping you, friend".

Later on, you find the merchant into town. He tells you to help him get his old spot in the marketplace back, since now a woman was selling her wares there.
You are supposed to incriminate the woman, aka lie to the guards about her and get her thrown in jail.

Now you had multiple options here:

1 - Help the merchant, after all he helped you.
2 - Tell the guards about the merchant's plan, and get him thrown in jail
3 - Don't take the paper from the merchant, don't go into the city at the beginning.
4 - Kill the merchant and take his paper.
5 - Steal the paper from the merchant without killing him.
6 - Work on a nearby farm and become a farmer. Farmers are allowed into the city.
7 - Work on a nearby farm without becoming a farmer, take earned money and bribe the city guards to let you into the city.
8 - Steal from the farm and bribe the guards.
9 - Kill the merchant, steal his stuff, steal from the farm and don't go into the city, hoping for the best later on.

Now THAT's what I call an RPG... not to mention that each of these actions influences the story in bigger or smaller ways.
You could face a revenging enemy later on or just a big XP boost, with guilt hanging over your head.

Let's hope Risen 2 works the same way.

(Piranha Bytes) will promptly make another Gothic, I can predict that with certainty.

Woohoo!!

[Trenchfoot]

^ That sounds very very very cool! All those options, and which one is the correct one? Fantastic!

Too bad my computer won't support those graphics. Oh, well...

[Silverwolfpet]

How old is your computer? Gothic 2 is pretty old, I'm sure most computers can run it.

[Trenchfoot]

Originally Posted by Silverwolfpet

How old is your computer? Gothic 2 is pretty old, I'm sure most computers can run it.

Well, it runs most TT games without much trouble, but let's say with games post-2006/2007 she can't make it. For example, I bought BioShock some time ago and I couldn't play it because of the graphics. And in the end it ended up being too violent for my taste

However, I'll try Gothic 2. Maybe it could work? Let's hope so, because that description you made, made me droll!

Oh, and is the Kauff and Gustav game gonna be an RPG?

[Silverwolfpet]

Hm, I suggest you start with Gothic 1. Same idea, but it's the beginning of the story. It's kind of important.

As for the Kauff and Gustav game... it will certainly be a point&click game Classic gameplay, Curse of Monkey Island-type. It's going well, but I need a few more animations to start building it.

[Vainamoinen]

Originally Posted by Trenchfoot

However, I'll try Gothic 2. Maybe it could work?

Your computer can't be THAT old. I think:

Minimum system requirements: Windows XP or Windows Vista, 1.2 GHz Processor (1.4 GHz recommended), 512MB RAM (1 GB recommended), 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended), Mouse, Keyboard.

[Chyron8472]

Reminds me less of Monkey Island and more of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 (which imo are great movies but not at all Monkey Island-ish.)

[Harry Blue5]

To me, it feels like the lovechild of Tales of Monkey Island and Fable III. I have no reason why it feels like a lovechild of the latter, it just does.

'Course, it's probably just because Fable III is the only Xbox game I've ever played, being a hardcore Nintendo fanboy.

[Silverwolfpet]

New info: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/gdc-11-risen-2/713059

I like that in the interview, at one point, the dude says something simmilar to "If you ever wanted to be a pirate" hahaha!

[CartoonistWill]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Reminds me less of Monkey Island and more of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 (which imo are great movies but not at all Monkey Island-ish.)

True. Interesting story, I heard that Ron Gilbert and Disney both were inspired to create Monkey Island and Pirates of the Caribbean by the same source material - a book containing a hero, a ghost pirate and ghost ship and ghost crew, and a damsel in distress. Oh, and with the dog who holds the keys to your jail cell but is always just out of reach.

Okay, I haven't read the book, but the book I'm talking about is Tim Power's "On Stranger Tides." Ron Gilbert also admits to Monkey Island being inspired by Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride.

I find it all kind of cool.

[CartoonistWill]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Reminds me less of Monkey Island and more of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 (which imo are great movies but not at all Monkey Island-ish.)

Something else interesting I dug up (from Wikipedia, should you choose to trust the information):

"Cancelled film
In 2000, Lucasfilm together with Industrial Light & Magic were working on an animated film based on the [Monkey Island] series. Steve Purcell created the concept paintings and Ted Elliott wrote the story. However during development the film was cancelled. Concept art of the film was released via Purcell's official blog.
In 2007, fan site World of Monkey Island was contacted by an anonymous source who told them that Ted Elliot had written the script for the film who before then remained unknown to the project. Elliot would later go on to write the Pirates of the Caribbean film series which bears striking similarities to the Monkey Island series.[7]"



I'm honestly surprised it got this far. I didn't think Monkey Island would ever generate a movie - but would love it if it did!