Topic: My time with Alien: Isolation

• Novel Adaptation of William Gibson’s Alien 3 On The Way!
• More Victims! More Mutilations! An Interview with Predator 2 Director Stephen Hopkins – AvP Galaxy Podcast #121
• Aliens: The Original Years Omnibus Volume 2 Details Announced!

[Glaive]

Ah, but there is this thing in Single Players which people might have forgotten.
It's called difficultly settings.
Hardcore mode, almost no sounds, the Alien can see through walls, and half the time the tracker doesn't work and never gives directions. No written directions at all, you figure out how to get pass the level all on your own.

You'll be saying we should be playing 'Thief', next!

[Crazy Rich]

Yeah, Gary had stated that the AI was stripped back - I hate to think how difficult it is normally.

This makes me feel a little more "pumped" for the final product. 

[PRI. HUDSON]

Just want an above average game. How can SEGA not come up with that? YOU OWN ONE OF THE BEST FRANCHISES OF ALL-TIME!

[Mus]

Something to keep in mind which I didn't point out is that Gary Napper(?) the lead Alien designer said that the Alien had its behaviour and skill set stripped back to give us a chance.

Yeah, Gary had stated that the AI was stripped back - I hate to think how difficult it is normally.

Well, they said the exact same thing about the guards in the Thief reboot. in the end they were just really goofy and dumb, and I doubt they were at any point really 'smart' so much as plain overpowered. And I mean, it's not like game AI is actual intelligence. It's not difficult to make an enemy that you can't defeat, the hard part is making the behavior seem natural. Like in an FPS it would be simple enough to make the enemies run up to you and headshot you without fail, but that wouldn't be very fun or seem lifelike. Similarly here, when they say oh yeah the alien was super smart, I take that to mean it would just home in on you from way too far and feel unbalanced and unfair. They could make it attack you from the other side of the map if they wanted, the game tracks your location anyway so it would be simple to let the alien 'know' your position too and run there. Restricting its actions and reaction times while keeping it challenging enough, and making it act like a living thing is trickier, and then it's easy to end up with really goofy behavior too

[Shevvie]

Below is a map of the area we played in during the demo. Took me about 30 mins to get through this rather small section.

Is the motion tracker marker the little stripe that moves along the outer edges?



Actually what does the map look like in this game? How much detail does it have, is it just a barebones map of the corridor layout or does it go into detail about the areas?

Yes that little strip moves around. So if its at the top of the screen its in front of you so its fairly self explanatory but you need to remember that while you have that up you cant see your surroundings meaning that if the Alien happens to be standing still somewhere you would have a harder time seeing it because it blurs the focus depending if your looking at the tracker or the world. Its a cool mechanic actually that took me off guard at one point where I thought I saw it but it was actually just some pipes.

No I didn't decide to try and troll the Alien or anything like that, I heard enough about people getting killed for the slightest of mistakes.

[Mus]

Thanks for the map. I wonder how large the other areas are going to be. If there are some places that are more expansive and maze-like, maybe the ten hour length doesn't seem so far fetched. Estimating that maybe half of the game involves sneaking around the alien.

[Nightlord]

Below is a map of the area we played in during the demo. Took me about 30 mins to get through this rather small section.

That's a pretty disappointing map to be honest, it looks way too linear. Par for the course in a demo level though I suppose.
I do see a switch floor button there, so hopefully some levels will be multi-tiered.

[Jarac]

Good write up. Have to admit, I'm getting my hopes up for this game, but not too much. I remember all of the promises of A:CM. No pre-order, but will definitely buy if it lives up to its promises.

[PRI. HUDSON]

Good write up. Have to admit, I'm getting my hopes up for this game, but not too much. I remember all of the promises of A:CM. No pre-order, but will definitely buy if it lives up to its promises.

Same. If IGN, who I usually agree with when it comes to games purchased, gives it at least a 7, I will buy. Hell, I bought ACM, that game was like a 5 to me.

[Jarac]

Good write up. Have to admit, I'm getting my hopes up for this game, but not too much. I remember all of the promises of A:CM. No pre-order, but will definitely buy if it lives up to its promises.

Same. If IGN, who I usually agree with when it comes to games purchased, gives it at least a 7, I will buy. Hell, I bought ACM, that game was like a 5 to me.

I usually don't agree with IGN's reviews, nor GameInformer. I tend to prefer fan reviews, especially since a few games proved that reviews can be bought for their opinions or their silence (A:CM's review embargo was a disgrace on this industry).

[Snark]

Below is a map of the area we played in during the demo. Took me about 30 mins to get through this rather small section.

That's a pretty disappointing map to be honest, it looks way too linear. Par for the course in a demo level though I suppose.
I do see a switch floor button there, so hopefully some levels will be multi-tiered.

I don't think the map is supposed to look like a video game map. I think it is supposed to look like a map you would actually find in that station. Remember how basic computer graphics are in Alien.

[Mus]

i think he means the layout

[PRI. HUDSON]

Good write up. Have to admit, I'm getting my hopes up for this game, but not too much. I remember all of the promises of A:CM. No pre-order, but will definitely buy if it lives up to its promises.

Same. If IGN, who I usually agree with when it comes to games purchased, gives it at least a 7, I will buy. Hell, I bought ACM, that game was like a 5 to me.

I usually don't agree with IGN's reviews, nor GameInformer. I tend to prefer fan reviews, especially since a few games proved that reviews can be bought for their opinions or their silence (A:CM's review embargo was a disgrace on this industry).

With the games I buy, my opinions fall in line with theirs. I am sure if I branched out more, my views would differ.

[Nightlord]

Below is a map of the area we played in during the demo. Took me about 30 mins to get through this rather small section.

That's a pretty disappointing map to be honest, it looks way too linear. Par for the course in a demo level though I suppose.
I do see a switch floor button there, so hopefully some levels will be multi-tiered.

I don't think the map is supposed to look like a video game map. I think it is supposed to look like a map you would actually find in that station. Remember how basic computer graphics are in Alien.

What Mus said, the design of the map is grand it's just the scope that's disappointing.

[Shevvie]

Eh, I get the feeling that the game will be heavily story driven giving you a linear direction anyway so I was actually pleasantly surprised to see that I had 3 routes to choose from rather than one corridor.  I do admit that they nailed the look of the map.