Splash DamageBlogMore Brink Previews Infiltrating UK Sites, Magazines

Splash Damage Blog

More Brink Previews Infiltrating UK Sites, Magazines

Submitted by badman on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 18:24

We recently had a small Brink press event here at Splash Damage, with several journalists getting a closer look at the game and some special interview time with the people behind it. The resulting write-ups are now starting to pop up and you can read first-hand impressions in Will Porter's two-pager on Eurogamer, Alec Meer's extensive preview on Rock, Paper, Shotgun, as well as the latest issue of PC Gamer UK.

Not strictly related to all this, the current issue of Games Master UK also features a nicely written two-page preview of Brink. Look for more coverage in the coming weeks.

39 Comments

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darthmob
Are there new screenshots released for the print reviews? I hope we will see some *cough* scans *cough*.
Elsewhere, clever-clever stuff like allowing different classes to hear certain battle noises at different levels are being toyed with - meaning that Medics are better attuned to hear the cries of the wounded, while Operatives are more able to hear a rival sneakster reloading.Sounds interesting! PS: Don't forget to click the "I'm excited about Brink button" at the bottom of the eurogamers article.
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Posted on 25 September, 2009 - 18:38
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tokamak
That's truly fascinating. Wonder if this could work with visuals as well, like the soldier seeing bullet trails, grenades and turrets better, that sort of stuff.
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Posted on 25 September, 2009 - 19:36
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timestart
That's truly fascinating. Wonder if this could work with visuals as well, like the soldier seeing bullet trails, grenades and turrets better, that sort of stuff.\
You mean like... BRIGHTSKINS?!
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Posted on 26 September, 2009 - 00:26
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deadlights
Ahhh noooo lol
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Posted on 26 September, 2009 - 01:13
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Shiv
"One melee attack and they're on the floor incapacitated, another and they're fodder for the great respawn in the sky." ?!?! From the eurogamer story, under a picture. It also shows a heavy beating up a light :x
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Posted on 26 September, 2009 - 02:15
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Florisjuh
"One melee attack and they're on the floor incapacitated, another and they're fodder for the great respawn in the sky." ?!?! From the eurogamer story, under a picture. It also shows a heavy beating up a light :x\
Shit the one article which I did not decide to read when I first saw it, because I thought they all said the same, actually had a new bit -,- Off to read the article myself I guess [edit] the thing about hearing sounds louder if they are relevant towards your class sounds like a very interesting gimmick, Bethesda must be shipping in big bags of money if SD has the resources to try so many innovative thingies :)
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Posted on 26 September, 2009 - 08:29
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tokamak
You mean like... BRIGHTSKINS?!\
Yeah actually I was thinking in that direction. Not 100% bright skins but subtle brighter skins for players and objects that are relevant to that class. So fallen teammates appear brighter to a medic than to the other classes. And fallen enemies appear brighter to an operative than to the rest etc. Maybe it's a bad idea altogether, sounds are far more subjective to players and can therefore be more specific to classes. Making things appear slightly brighter can make the graphics more confusing.
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Posted on 26 September, 2009 - 12:02
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DarkangelUK
I like the Halo ODST style highlighter that puts a very subtle outline around players not directly in your front FOV. Could be colour coded healthwise, white for ok and get gradually more red for injured team mates. (i've not seen ODST in great details so i could be slightly off)
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Posted on 26 September, 2009 - 12:14
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kamikazee
Screenshots would be nice when comparing games...
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Posted on 27 September, 2009 - 12:38
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DarkangelUK
It's similar to this, i believe it's a tactical display that can be enabled in ODST that temporarily distinguishes enemies and team mates. Green obviously for the friendly, but also encompasses the whole map so you can see the layout when its in dark areas. But maybe making an upgrade for medics that can use it to tell team mate health and location by the colour rather than used for everything.
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Posted on 27 September, 2009 - 17:21
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tokamak
It would be cool if such a display toggles if you grab a medpack / revive kit.
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Posted on 27 September, 2009 - 17:48
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deadlights
I have to be honest, that looks like sh*t.
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Posted on 27 September, 2009 - 19:35
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Bezzy
"One melee attack and they're on the floor incapacitated, another and they're fodder for the great respawn in the sky." ?!?! From the eurogamer story, under a picture. It also shows a heavy beating up a light :x\
Not perfectly correct. Can't talk about it yet, other than to say that melees don't necessarily incap in one hit.
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Posted on 27 September, 2009 - 19:57
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BioSnark
That may be true but I'd bet you'd never get a misplanted explosive charge like you do in quake wars with that outlining the objective.
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Posted on 27 September, 2009 - 22:37
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maggol
That may be true but I'd bet you'd never get a misplanted explosive charge like you do in quake wars with that outlining the objective.\
Misplanted explosive, he2 that make me laugh:D
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Posted on 28 September, 2009 - 05:22
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darthmob
That may be true but I'd bet you'd never get a misplanted explosive charge like you do in quake wars with that outlining the objective.\
There is nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Being able to screw up a plant is part of the experience. Good example: gun controls on Oasis in ET. You had to decide if you would plant it directly at the gun or try a trickplant that takes longer to plant and might not work at all but takes more time to defuse as well (not talking about silent plants or from the outside, those were just lame). Bad example: blow up objectives in Wolfenstein. From what I've seen you can only plant the dynamite at that one spot where a glowing dynamite is already highlighted. You stand in front of it, press your context key and wait. How much more boring can it get?
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Posted on 28 September, 2009 - 09:33
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DarkangelUK
Well i wasn't really expecting the whole area to be highlighted, i was more just thinking for a medic, press a key and it gives a brief overview of team mates status using the outline that gradually fades away again... call it medisight or what ever as you will. It also wouldn't be an always-on feature, just an active status feature.
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Posted on 28 September, 2009 - 12:09
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tokamak
It doesn't even have to be as obvious as his example. There's a whole grey area in which such features can be tweaked to work well.
That may be true but I'd bet you'd never get a misplanted explosive charge like you do in quake wars with that outlining the objective. That'd be another point Brink could improve upon, the option to take back your charge and plant it again without having it on a cooldown.
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Posted on 28 September, 2009 - 18:39
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BioSnark
There is nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Being able to screw up a plant is part of the experience.\
But it makes no logical sense that an explosive "works" when planted on one surface and doesn't "work" when planted on a surface an inch away. Clarity on map and game mechanics is always a good thing in my opinion, at least in a multiplayer game. Trial and error planting is an unnecessary turnoff for newer players and for experienced players playing with newer players.
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Posted on 28 September, 2009 - 22:48
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mortis
Based on the comments in the previews, I saw quite few people angry about the lack of female models. Wouldn't it be a realitively modest amount of extra work to make those people into happy customers? Just my $.02.
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 00:43
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tokamak
Wouldn't it be a realitively modest amount of extra work to make those people into happy customers? Just my $.02.\
No, that would cut the number of options for the male models in half.
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 08:30
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darthmob
But it makes no logical sense that an explosive "works" when planted on one surface and doesn't "work" when planted on a surface an inch away. Clarity on map and game mechanics is always a good thing in my opinion, at least in a multiplayer game. Trial and error planting is an unnecessary turnoff for newer players and for experienced players playing with newer players.\
Then the solution is simple: make it clear where an explosive has an effect and where it doesn't. I think that ET was quite newbie-friendly in that aspect. A new player would always plant it next to the objective (once he found out what it was since it wasn't really shown on the hud) and that always worked. Keep in mind that there were no sticky explosives and you could either plant them on or in front of something. Advanced players knew the areas where explosives had an effect and could make use of that which of course could go wrong. ETQW introduced waypoints to show where an objective was but it wasn't perfect either. I have seen players plant explosives at random walls because they didn't realise it showed the objective through the wall. :tongue: All I was trying to say is that making it absolutely foolproof equals absolutely dumbing it down. It is ok to make the transition easier for new players but don't ruin the experience for everyone else beyond that level.
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 10:53
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Anti
Based on the comments in the previews, I saw quite few people angry about the lack of female models. Wouldn't it be a realitively modest amount of extra work to make those people into happy customers? Just my $.02.\
You'd be suprised how much extra work it takes!
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 12:48
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mortis
You'd be suprised how much extra work it takes!\
Yeah, it's another project to be sure...but in the overall process would it be ultimately worthwhile/profitable? It just feels odd to me to not have a female model in a futuristic game. It seems to be the main gripe that I've heard so far. With this being SD's third big project, I was kind of expecting to see at least one female model (not a T and A bimbo like in most FPS, but rather a gritty and/or athletic female model). Having female models will make a small but vocal portion of your customer base happy, IMO. Oh Well, I suppose that there is always hope for a Game of The Year booster pack or something along those lines...
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 16:33
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KylHu
Yeah, it's another project to be sure...but in the overall process would it be ultimately worthwhile/profitable? It just feels odd to me to not have a female model in a futuristic game. It seems to be the main gripe that I've heard so far. \
It's unfortunate, but I can see why females might be excluded. Just think about the things that would need to be thrown in with the inclusion of female player characters. It's not even a matter as simple as cutting down on male character content to make room -- they'd have to cut the male content in half (or less) yet the workload would double. New voicework, new animations, new art, new customization options, most of which would have to be built separately and differently than that of male models, only further increasing development time and costs for what would likely amount to comparatively less content then going without female models. Really, it's the same reason/excuse that most developers use, but it's a very valid one. Kind of a catch twenty two -- the demographic that prefers playing female characters is small because the amount of female playable characters offered in games is small because the demographic that prefers playing female characters is small because... Well, here's hoping there'll eventually be a PRC package featuring some ladies so the Ark will be less of a sausage-fest. :)
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 17:13
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Senyin
Well i wasn't really expecting the whole area to be highlighted, i was more just thinking for a medic, press a key and it gives a brief overview of team mates status using the outline that gradually fades away again... call it medisight or what ever as you will. It also wouldn't be an always-on feature, just an active status feature.\
Hmm I like that. I'd pay XP for that. On the 'no female models' subject, I must admit I was a little dissapointed to see no female models (again) *snif* And with Brink's artstyle, I can only imagine how cool they would look =) Buy hey, what really matters is gameplay after all! I rather see no female models at all then just one btw. Edit: As a response to Kylhu's post (but not directed at you necessarily) The difference with Brink is that your model "stays with you" and you can make him 'yours'. If I understood correctly, you will always play with this same character you created, no matter what class or side you choose. The model represents you in a way. That's why it weighs more that there will be no female models then in other FPS'ses. It's different from just choosing a pre-made figure you have no attachment with. I use strong words for an FPS, like attachment, but isn't that the whole idea behind the models in Brink? A little more RPG- like feeling when it comes to your model? My impression was that this was the intent anyway. And now I'm suppose to create 'me' as a male and identify with him =D But I have Sympathie for the reasons behind it ofcourse! It would be awesome if SD made a little gesture to their female fanbase in the form of a Johnny Depp tattoo or something, hahahaha :D
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 17:17
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KylHu
The difference with Brink is that your model "stays with you" and you can make him 'yours'. If I understood correctly, you will always play with this same character you created, no matter what class or side you choose. The model represents you in a way. That's why it weighs more that there will be no female models then in other FPS'ses. It's different from just choosing a pre-made figure you have no attachment with. I use strong words for an FPS, like attachment, but isn't that the whole idea behind the models in Brink? A little more RPG- like feeling when it comes to your model? My impression was that this was the intent anyway. And now I'm suppose to create 'me' as a male and identify with him =D\
Yeah, I see where you're coming from. It would be really awesome if Brink included female player characters, not just for gamers that want to play them (many of which would presumably be female gamers), but for the industry as a whole. Until developers bite the bullet and cater to that audience, no-one will, and that market will go untapped all the while. I'm just stating the harsh impracticality of it. :) Brink would be a good game to feature playable female characters for a lot of reasons (most of them previously stated), especially with the level of customization the game will offer. In a perfect world, I suppose. If they were included later on, at least the voice chat turned off by default would prevent distasteful comments from adolescent males towards female character players. :)
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 20:07
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tokamak
I'm not trying to be a chauvinist here or something but putting females in a game like this always turns it into a bit of a parody (already more than it is now). Imagine all the horny geeks fitting on the most revealing cloth, letting barbarella's jump and shoot across the battlefield. No just no. I already had difficulties with the damsel in distress scene in COD4 (let alone being nuked as a reward), including females really needs some serious thinking to not make the entire thing a joke.
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 22:32
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Nail
Full face helmets/masks and gloves could solve all the race/gender problems I suppose, but I really see no benefit to female models in game.
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 22:49
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DarkangelUK
I find it rare to see females asking for females in games, always seems to be the males ;)
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 22:53
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tokamak
If anything, most girls are usually more annoyed by the way women are depicted in the games than not being available at all.
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 23:27
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Senyin
I'm not trying to be a chauvinist here or something but putting females in a game like this always turns it into a bit of a parody (already more than it is now). Imagine all the horny geeks fitting on the most revealing cloth, letting barbarella's jump and shoot across the battlefield. No just no. I already had difficulties with the damsel in distress scene in COD4 (let alone being nuked as a reward), including females really needs some serious thinking to not make the entire thing a joke.\
Doesn't that depend on the path the devs choose though? Keep those models covered, flatchested and 'masculine'. I would love to see some ugly badass female models, as suppose to those cheap standard barbarella's you speak off. But you got a point, it's a fine line. I really see no benefit to female models in game Most people prefer to play in their own gender when the model is suppose to represent you and is sticking with you for a long time. Which I believe is the idea of Brink's models. In any other FPS, I do not care. In Brink it just seems a bit odd. On top of that: Did the Ark refuse to take women in? Those bastids!! :mad: :wink:
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Posted on 29 September, 2009 - 23:33
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KylHu
On top of that: Did the Ark refuse to take women in? Those bastids!! :mad: :wink:\
No wonder the Resistance is making such a big fuss!
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Posted on 30 September, 2009 - 16:42
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tokamak
No wonder the Resistance is making such a big fuss!\
It also tells us a bit about the sexual orientation of the security :wink:
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Posted on 30 September, 2009 - 16:49
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Nail
"Most people prefer to play in their own gender when the model is suppose to represent you and is sticking with you for a long time. Which I believe is the idea of Brink's models. In any other FPS, I do not care. In Brink it just seems a bit odd." Fine, as long as they have downgraded abilities to match, ie: less strength, speed, endurance, appropriate "fight or flight" reaction etc. The game is just that, a game. It's about pretending, pretend.
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Posted on 30 September, 2009 - 21:10
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Shiv
What if i wanted to pretend i was a lady.. called polly... and i had uber massive muscles a beard and a sexy voice. i guess its easy for a man to pretend he is a man.
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Posted on 1 October, 2009 - 00:52
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Nail
I figure it's easy to pretend to be a warrior in the future with the ability to kill hundreds or thousands of people with no consequences and spring back to life in a few seconds after being killed. On the interwebs, you can pretend to be anything or anyone you want.
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Posted on 1 October, 2009 - 02:25
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Senyin
Well Nail, no point in 'arguing'. There will be no female models. The end :)
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Posted on 1 October, 2009 - 11:16
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Mustang
Seeing as this has somewhat turned into a discussion about female models I wish to add my support for them +1 From day 1 I will look forward to the patch day when they get added
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Posted on 8 October, 2009 - 01:36