Paradox has bought White Wolf, plans on giving "some fresh blood" to the WoD/Vampire IPs

[WhiteGuts]

At this point, WoD needs a massive success for it to even register on HBO's radar, I think. Unless the execs are really impressed by WW's pitch to them or something.

I just want a Bloodlines sequel, men.

 

[pippin]

Anyone who has been following the development of the gaming industry during the last 10 years would NOT want a sequel to Bloodlines. A new game with VtM's rules, maybe. But the endings to Bloodlines were quite conclusive imo -it was basically the end of the world after all- so what could you make as a follow up? How would you address the Therese/Jeanette situation? The Malk leader wasn't dead after all? Actually, you can open it, but just a little?

 

[WhiteGuts]

I didn't mean a direct sequel. Rather a new game with the same mood and personality.

 

[Alex]

Anyone who has been following the development of the gaming industry during the last 10 years would NOT want a sequel to Bloodlines. A new game with VtM's rules, maybe. But the endings to Bloodlines were quite conclusive imo -it was basically the end of the world after all- so what could you make as a follow up? How would you address the Therese/Jeanette situation? The Malk leader wasn't dead after all? Actually, you can open it, but just a little?

I don't quite remember the ending, but isn't the new edition of Vampire use one of the endings to gehenna as canonical? If they wanted to make a direct sequel, they could just take that ending and envision how it changed L.A.

 

[pippin]

Yeah, that would be cool, but I dread the day they announce a Bloodlines 2. Just don't touch it and make your own thing, it should be easy since you don't really have games seriously attempting to use vampires as a major plot point. And all of them are trying to ape Bloodlines after all. But Redemption was its own thing and Bloodlines stood alone as well, so ideally a new Vampire game should be disconnected from both.
The question is what could be the best setting. Something urban? Something more ancient or medieval? The previous games have already done that.

 

[pippin]

Anyone who has been following the development of the gaming industry during the last 10 years would NOT want a sequel to Bloodlines. A new game with VtM's rules, maybe. But the endings to Bloodlines were quite conclusive imo -it was basically the end of the world after all- so what could you make as a follow up? How would you address the Therese/Jeanette situation? The Malk leader wasn't dead after all? Actually, you can open it, but just a little?

I don't quite remember the ending, but isn't the new edition of Vampire use one of the endings to gehenna as canonical? If they wanted to make a direct sequel, they could just take that ending and envision how it changed L.A.

I stopped caring about Vampire when they announced Requiem, which was like Vampire's dnd 4th edition. All I remember now is that Bloodlines and a few tie-in novels were supposed to tell the final days of the world and that Jack dies stabbed in the back like a fucking noob

 

[WhiteGuts]

A new Bloodlines game must be both contemporary and urban. That's part of the appeal.

 

[Alex]

Anyone who has been following the development of the gaming industry during the last 10 years would NOT want a sequel to Bloodlines. A new game with VtM's rules, maybe. But the endings to Bloodlines were quite conclusive imo -it was basically the end of the world after all- so what could you make as a follow up? How would you address the Therese/Jeanette situation? The Malk leader wasn't dead after all? Actually, you can open it, but just a little?

I don't quite remember the ending, but isn't the new edition of Vampire use one of the endings to gehenna as canonical? If they wanted to make a direct sequel, they could just take that ending and envision how it changed L.A.

I stopped caring about Vampire when they announced Requiem, which was like Vampire's dnd 4th edition. All I remember now is that Bloodlines and a few tie-in novels were supposed to tell the final days of the world and that Jack dies stabbed in the back like a fucking noob

Well, I don't care much for Requiem either, but the new edition will be set in oWoD.

 

[Zombra]

The question is what could be the best setting. Something urban? Something more ancient or medieval? The previous games have already done that.

I guess that just leaves undersea domes!

 

[pippin]

The question is what could be the best setting. Something urban? Something more ancient or medieval? The previous games have already done that.

I guess that just leaves undersea domes!

Andrew Ryan was a ventrue, obviously.

 

[Athelas]

I'd hope any future VtM game, whether a Bloodlines sequel or not, could improve on the Deus-Ex-y design that Bloodlines had going for it (stealth, hacking, etc.). Maybe even let you use the dominate discipline to mind-control people into scouting ahead for you. Lots of potential there for cool mechanics.

As far as the writing goes, I really hope they don't go overboard with the metaplot stuff. While the characters in Bloodlines were excellently written, I thought the actual plot was a convoluted trainwreck, mostly due to trying to cram in as much lore as possible by tying everything to Gehenna and the war between the Sabbath and the Camarilla and even having a surprise cameo of Caine himself. I can't think of many stories where the protagonist being too stupid to live and lacking any sort of agency (by handing the sarcophagus key over to LaCroix) is presented as a triumph.

 

[pippin]

Troika wanted to have Caine as a cameo, basically the only guy who is 100% trustworthy in the game. However, for some reasons, White Wolf would not allow Troika to depict the character like that, and instead you have this character who really looks and sounds like Caine but it's not really him... officially, at least.
Also, you had a chance by the end of the game. You were always a puppy, and if you wanted LaCroix to win, then that's "your" victory. Same goes for the Camarilla or even the Anarch endings.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Don't open it.

 

[Roguey]

I can't think of many stories where the protagonist being too stupid to live and lacking any sort of agency (by handing the sarcophagus key over to LaCroix) is presented as a triumph.

That doesn't happen if you side with blood magic guy.

 

[Athelas]

I can't think of many stories where the protagonist being too stupid to live and lacking any sort of agency (by handing the sarcophagus key over to LaCroix) is presented as a triumph.

That doesn't happen if you side with blood magic guy.

It does if you side with the anarchs, which is the most straightforward ending and probably the one most players picked. And the endings don't take place in alternate universes - the sarcophagus is rigged with explosives no matter the choice you make.

 

[Roguey]

It does if you side with the anarchs, which is the most straightforward ending and probably the one most players picked.

You can always assume that the protagonist realized something was up, given that both wolf-scholar guy and cryptic emailer tell you not to open it, as in "no, you're not going to be able to diablerize whatever's in there."

The "side with Prince" and "side with Ming Xiao" options are way dumber.

 

[pippin]

I liked the way they handled the Ming Xiao ending. It's like being dipped into the FEV vats in Fallout 1.

 

[Athelas]

It does if you side with the anarchs, which is the most straightforward ending and probably the one most players picked.

You can always assume that the protagonist realized something was up, given that both wolf-scholar guy and cryptic emailer tell you not to open it, as in "no, you're not going to be able to diablerize whatever's in there."

The "side with Prince" and "side with Ming Xiao" options are way dumber.

They are much dumber, but in both of those cases the logical thing happens: you're punished for your stupidity. By contrast, taking the key yourself is still far more sensible than handing it to LaCroix. Even assuming that not opening the sarcophagus is the smart choice, even then your character only escapes the explosion by mere happenstance - if the elevator was delayed by half a minute, you'd be blown up too. How does Jack immediately know whether you handed over the key or took it yourself while he's watching the explosion happen from a safe distance? What does it matter anyway - in either case the explosion happens, and you're just a pawn after all. The whole thing falls apart under scrutiny.

I'm not sure what exactly the significance is supposed to be of the sarcopagus being rigged with explosives either when your character is basically capable of single-handedly slaying Cthulhun monstrosities by the end of the game. It's rather obvious they ran out of time/money and had to quickly contrive some explanation at the end.

 

[Roguey]

Yeah, but in both of those cases you're punished for your stupidity. By contrast, taking the key yourself is still far more sensible than handing it to LaCroix.

You do have the (dumb) option of opening it yourself.

Even assuming that not opening the sarcophagus is the smart choice, even then your character only escapes the explosion by mere happenstance - if the elevator was delayed by a minute, you'd be blown up too.

The explosion doesn't escape the sarcophagus if it's closed (that is, in order for the scene to work I figure the timer itself doesn't start until the casket is opened). There's no explosion in the "blood magic hides the sarcophagus away for safekeeping" ending or the "Ming Xiao chains you to it and chucks it into the ocean" ending.

I'm not sure what exactly the significance is supposed to be of the sarcopagus being rigged with explosives either when your character is basically capable of single-handedly slaying Cthulhun monstrosities by the end of the game. It's rather obvious they ran out of time/money and had to quickly contrive some explanation at the end.

Nah, it was building up to the "What's in the box???????" ending and the reason you can do those things is because Caine's been secretly drip-feeding you. He didn't think much of LaCroix and wanted to build his hopes up only to crush them, with you as an unwitting pawn (the chess analogies are right there in the emails). Yes, it's what tv tropes refers to as a gambit roulette, Troika isn't as clever as it thought it was.

 

[Athelas]

I find it hard to believe the ending wasn't truncated in some way. It happens to almost every RPG, and Bloodlines is one of the more notorious cases of a troubled development cycle.

Yeah, but in both of those cases you're punished for your stupidity. By contrast, taking the key yourself is still far more sensible than handing it to LaCroix.

You do have the (dumb) option of opening it yourself.

Well yeah, the problem is the lack of an option to simply take the key away (instead of using it).

 

[Roguey]

I find it hard to believe the ending wasn't truncated in some way. It happens to almost every RPG, and Bloodlines is one of the more notorious cases of a troubled development cycle.

When this kind of thing happens, they don't create an entirely new ending, instead you get an incomprehensible mess (kotor 2).

"Your character kills LaCroix and then just walks out" is an anticlimax.

 

[Irenaeus II]

Troika isn't as clever as it thought it was.

Like the other guy said, I'll just Tommy Lee Jones you.

 

[Kem0sabe]

If they license the property for an rpg I truly hope it will be first person with real time combat,

And please don't let obsidian or inxile get their hands on this.

 

[Rake]

If they license the property for an rpg I truly hope it won't be first person with real time combat,

And please don't let obsidian or inxile get their hands on this. Not any other AAA dev

Fixed.
The Ideal for me would be an isometric, 2D game with minimal combat, focused on story and atmosphere. Think a mix of Blood Omen, PST and AoD

 

[deuxhero]

They want to make WoD to "most recognizable horror universe" and hope it will get a HBO series treat.

While HBO is laughable, I could see CW doing good things if given the license (as long as you only expected good for CW numbers).