World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 - VTMB sequel from The Chinese Room - coming early 2025

[Ryzer]

Skill trees introduced by Diablo 2 need to die.

 

[Baron Tahn]

Wouldnt mind seeing the stat sheet.

You're seeing it, it's the ability tree.

No. Noooooooooo!

Seriously though whats the tab at the top of that screenshot that says 'character'? I figured that was for our charisma/dex/str/cant remember what VtM uses....Im being too optimistic aren't I?

 

[Roguey]

No. Noooooooooo!

Seriously though whats the tab at the top of that screenshot that says 'character'? I figured that was for our charisma/dex/str/cant remember what VtM uses....Im being too optimistic aren't I?

That's what you click on to equip new outfits.

 

[Baron Tahn]

No. Noooooooooo!

Seriously though whats the tab at the top of that screenshot that says 'character'? I figured that was for our charisma/dex/str/cant remember what VtM uses....Im being too optimistic aren't I?

That's what you click on to equip new outfits.

Damn you're probably right. No inventory tab....rage *falls a little bit further to the dark side*

 

[Storyfag]

hordes of lesser vamps

Instant immersion breaker. One of the worst aspects of VtM: Redemption. FFS, vampires should be bossfights and *perhaps* elite mobs.

 

[Baron Tahn]

I mean it's not ideal sure but nothing about this game is looking ideal. No human can face an elder. What are you thinking it'll be?

 

[Vincente]

I'm down to lay down the Hard Justice™ on thinbloods.

 

[Storyfag]

I mean it's not ideal sure but nothing about this game is looking ideal. No human can face an elder. What are you thinking it'll be?

Crack spec ops kill-teams. Ghouled.

 

[just]

my name is mr. phyre
vam phyre

 

[Rahdulan]

hordes of lesser vamps

Instant immersion breaker. One of the worst aspects of VtM: Redemption. FFS, vampires should be bossfights and *perhaps* elite mobs.

Sabbat shovelheads disagree. Although later edition/ruleset developments seem to support your way of thinking more. What with Willpower cost also being involved in Siring another vampire, at least in Requiem.

 

[Harthwain]

Instant immersion breaker. One of the worst aspects of VtM: Redemption. FFS, vampires should be bossfights and *perhaps* elite mobs.

I'd say it depends on the context. Having vampires make others do the dirty work for them (and buck being passed down the pecking order) makes sense, but making ALL vampires into elite mobs is a bit much (unless you play as a vampire hunter. Then I'd agree with you completely).

 

[Semiurge]

No. Noooooooooo!

Seriously though whats the tab at the top of that screenshot that says 'character'? I figured that was for our charisma/dex/str/cant remember what VtM uses....Im being too optimistic aren't I?

That's what you click on to equip new outfits.

Damn you're probably right. No inventory tab....rage *falls a little bit further to the dark side*

The absence of stats is one thing, but the absence of an inventory is the clearest sign that this is just a walking simulation with a story. You have no freedom to choose which way to solve quests without it involving either dialogue, walking between talker A and talker B and of course the punching. There's no room for creativity, and therefore there's no need for an inventory. At best you can be handed keys or keycards for quests which will be very linear. The game world itself must also be very barren, its only flavor comes from its occupants and their inane dialogue.

 

[The President]

So basically it’s 4-5 abilities per clan and that’s it? Unless you get a low amount of AP while playing it shouldn’t be too tough to max out considering an OOC discipline is 2 AP.

Unless there’s separate things for non-combat situations, it doesn’t look like there’s anything RPG progression wise for non-combat.

I’ve even less faith in paradox now considering they said this game more aligned with their vision. So their vision is a game that doesn’t resemble their own TT game whatsoever?

 

[Tyranicon]

No. Noooooooooo!

Seriously though whats the tab at the top of that screenshot that says 'character'? I figured that was for our charisma/dex/str/cant remember what VtM uses....Im being too optimistic aren't I?

That's what you click on to equip new outfits.

If we're being optimistic, you might also be able to equip other kinds of cosmetics too.

 

[Baron Tahn]

The paid DLC extra speshul elite limited kind, no doubt.

 

[Sweeper]

The paid DLC extra speshul elite limited kind, no doubt.

Hey, faggot, don't just rate my post with sheeple you piece of shit.
If you got something to say, say it, bitch ass nigga.

 

[Baron Tahn]

I think you are a sheep that tries too hard?

 

[Roguey]

I’ve even less faith in paradox now considering they said this game more aligned with their vision. So their vision is a game that doesn’t resemble their own TT game whatsoever?

As Infinitron put it "Somebody at Paradox has a serious hardon for the idea of the Bloodlines video game as a 'demonstration of how VISCERAL vampires are.'" As they put it in the first dev diary:

While making decisions about Bloodlines 2, one constant reference is our first game pillar: “Feel like a Vampire”. Everything you do in this game should make you feel like a predator of the night.

In video games, we often get to be a mighty hero fighting against the darkness. Vampires, especially as playable characters, are underrepresented. We’re building the game around the experience of doing things only a Kindred can. With non-combat gameplay, we found early on we were doing the RPG tropes: find a keycard to open a door, turn on a generator to restore power to a lift. We put in a rule that the non-combat gameplay should be about something only a vampire could do; keep it aspirational.

So things like picking locks, hacking computers (admittedly inappropriate for an elder who's been asleep for a century), shooting guns, and picking up and selling loot are all out because those are not vampire-specific activities.

 

[Sweeper]

I think you are a sheep that tries too hard?

I'm trying to come up with an insult, but I don't know enough about you to form any.
You sound pretty faggy I guess.

 

[Baron Tahn]

So things like picking locks, hacking computers (admittedly inappropriate for an elder who's been asleep for a century), shooting guns, and picking up and selling loot are all out because those are not vampire-specific activities.

So not VtM at all really then? Just a power fantasy action game with vam(phyres) in it? Why use the IP at all?!

For gods sake they had an opportunity here to at least do a Redemption style thing that starts in medieval times, get trapped or whatever, then wake up and LEARN guns and so on. Like, you know, an ultra smart elder vampire. No wonder they are dropping all the good clans and going for what...Warrior/rogue/mage and I guess a 'all rounder'.

 

[The President]

As Infinitron put it "Somebody at Paradox has a serious hardon for the idea of the Bloodlines video game as a 'demonstration of how VISCERAL vampires are.'" As they put it in the first dev diary:

That’s great and all, but the immense violence and disciplines were only one part of the setting. If we’re going on the first game as well, it certainly wasn’t its strong point either. I do remember that review on Glassdoor you posted that said “Paradox doesn’t know how to make an RPG and will not learn”. I didn’t think it was this bad though, we get exp and do quest for a few combat exclusive abilities? Where is the thought process here.

While making decisions about Bloodlines 2, one constant reference is our first game pillar: “Feel like a Vampire”. Everything you do in this game should make you feel like a predator of the night.

In video games, we often get to be a mighty hero fighting against the darkness. Vampires, especially as playable characters, are underrepresented. We’re building the game around the experience of doing things only a Kindred can. With non-combat gameplay, we found early on we were doing the RPG tropes: find a keycard to open a door, turn on a generator to restore power to a lift. We put in a rule that the non-combat gameplay should be about something only a vampire could do; keep it aspirational.

So things like picking locks, hacking computers (admittedly inappropriate for an elder who's been asleep for a century), shooting guns, and picking up and selling loot are all out because those are not vampire-specific activities.

I can take their quotes a lot of different ways, but why take everything flavorful out of the game. The game seems like it is all combat and mass combat at that. The way the system works is you’ll never not be fighting a mass of enemies as that’s the only way to keep using the disciplines over and over again. With no items, money, or any other skills there’s an over reliance on combat. It sounds like we’ll have a big pointless city with nothing to do it in progression wise. Even Vampyr had items, upgrades, shops, and money to keep building your character. Doesn’t look like we’ll be building much of anything here.

 

[S.torch]

Why use the IP at all?!

For the same reason everyone uses IPs these days: brand recognition and marketing. Half the job to create something is promoting it. If you take an existing IP - or better yet, if you take an existing IP with a cult following status - you already have that job done. Be it a game, book, movie or any other type of media. Is just too juicy a fruit to not to take it.

 

[ColaWerewolf]

As Infinitron put it "Somebody at Paradox has a serious hardon for the idea of the Bloodlines video game as a 'demonstration of how VISCERAL vampires are.'" As they put it in the first dev diary:

So things like picking locks, hacking computers (admittedly inappropriate for an elder who's been asleep for a century), shooting guns, and picking up and selling loot are all out because those are not vampire-specific activities.

This could work if there was a comprehensive system for using mortal retainers, or influencing mortals to do your dirty work for you.

Need to get inside a locked building owned by thinbloods? Coerce the mortal police to break down the door and act as meat fodder against the thinbloods inside.
Need to hack into a CCTV system? Have a NEET satanist hacker in your back-pocket who thinks you're a messenger from Hell sent to initiate him into Lucifer's super special strike team, like Neo but with horns.
Need to get inside a secret sewage system used by the Nosferatu? Have the local real estate mogul send his thugs to rough up the owners of the overhead building and validate a demolition permit.

But I don't see anything like that in what they've featured so far, which makes me think that they don't really know what a "visceral vampire" is. Vampires aren't supposed to be just mortals with special powers and fangs. They're leeches who corrupt the mortals around them, because weaker and more vulnerable mortals means easier access to blood. Drug-pushing, prostitution, murders, mental health issues, pollution, unrest -- the more the mortals struggle with existential issues the easier it is to feed from them without being noticed or inconvenienced by them. A lot of the clans deal with heightening social issues in mortal society:

Ventrue - Economic issues.
Brujah - Public Unrest issues.
Toreador - Emotional issues.
Malkavian - Mental issues.
Lasombra - Criminal/Corruption issues.
Ministry - Degeneracy issues.

Others like Gangrel, Hecata, Tzimisce, Banu and Tremere don't influence the mortal society as much, because they look inward more so than outward, but they still profit from it.

 

[Wesp5]

If you take an existing IP - or better yet, if you take an existing IP with a cult following status - you already have that job done. Be it a game, book, movie or any other type of media. Is just too juicy a fruit to not to take it.

That only works if you honor the original IP, as Disney, Sony and WB are still learning with Star Wars, Marvel and DC...

 

[Jenkem]

what's the over-under on the Brujah guy being gay

yeah no way the antifa faction would be filled w/ sexual degenerates and troons... no fuckin' way!!