Can SOE confirm a cinematic for Planetside 2?

[SuperMorto]

Hi all,

I have just recently seen this cinematic for FireFall, and it immediately made me ask the question, has/or will SOE be doing one for Planetside 2?

This video has been seen 400,000 times, and that's some big numbers. Now personally I don't like FireFall as I have played the beta and I truly believe Planetside 2 will be 200 times better for FPS and MMO gamers in every way.

So, will SOE being doing a cinematic, or will it be an in game trailer, or will it be up to the community to make videos?. Either way I'm cool, but a heads up would be nice so we can get prepared. I'm not sure the budget for PS2 is the same as FF, but I do know you already have won the design race. Now its the advertising war you must win to pull in the users.

I know videos like this are not a representation of game play, but they are good for getting potential users imaginations going, and that at the end of the day is why we play games. To use our imagination.

The FF Video:

[RadarX]

Every awesome game needs an awesome trailer. PlanetSide 2 will be an awesome game.

[Knocky]

Originally Posted by RadarX

Every awesome game needs an awesome trailer. PlanetSide 2 will be an awesome game.

Let me be the first to say....don't waste resources on a once-viewed video. Waste them on loading animations.

[Bags]

What's the point of CGI? shouldn't the gameplay speak for itself if it's so awesome mr radarx?

[sylphaen]

Originally Posted by Knocky

Let me be the first to say....don't waste resources on a once-viewed video. Waste them on loading animations.

Let's hope they make the right choice.

What's the point of CGI? shouldn't the gameplay speak for itself if it's so awesome mr radarx?

Gameplay trailer ? With forgelight, you shoot two birds in one Jackhammer shot ! Time saved, awesome results and time left for loading animations.

[krnasaur]

I have a better idea! give all us PSU'ers the alpha client. We will make the new trailer for you.

[kaffis]

Originally Posted by Knocky

Let me be the first to say....don't waste resources on a once-viewed video. Waste them on loading animations.

Okay, this got a LOL from me, followed quickly by a "hell yeah!"

If you make loading animations, that's just one more arsenal for machinima fans to make awesome *in-game* trailers, if you want to look at it from a marketing perspective.

That said, I think once-viewed videos are a powerful marketing tool, too. Especially if they're exciting enough to be thrice-viewed videos or more. This doesn't necessarily require one to call up the CG animators and drop a load of cash, SWTOR style, though. If your gameplay's awesome enough, and you can cut it together with a compelling narration/narrative, that's equally as good, and sometimes better. And definitely more cost-effective.

[MrBloodworth]

Originally Posted by Knocky

Let me be the first to say....don't waste resources on a once-viewed video. Waste them on loading animations.

/signed ( I know it would be a different team )

Exit/Enter animations are sorely needed to make this a more solid, grounded game.

[NewSith]

Now what kind of cinematic can we suggest?

I suggest 3 cinematics, one per each faction, designed in a timeline manner, pretty much like Brink Intro. The video shall contain the short elaboration of the lore and be concluded with forces gathering in mass launching off for an assault.

The order I suggest is: TR first (as they ARE the lore basically), then NC, then VS. You can later use these videos for faction intros, pretty much like SWTOR did.

[Captain1nsaneo]

Oh look, another generic half naked woman in a combat zone.

Please tell me that what ever trailer PS2 has it won't just be generic poorly armed and armored soldiers shooting randomly off screen. Personalizations on armor, weapons, and vehicles give even minor background characters some flavor.

The only opening that has made me anxious for a game was the original Dawn of War's cinematic the cost of which was about the same as adding another whole race to the game.
I'd rather see more time taken with the game than an awesome intro. Just run around invisible in a massive fight during beta if you want to make an awesome trailer. Heck, just get Radant and Miir to come up with something, there's no rule that says you can't have more than one awesome trailer. I suppose you could also let Hamorad run around making comedy to strange german children's show songs too. (If you haven't seen Radant's Sex Over The Phone remedy that fact)

[SniperSteve]

Originally Posted by RadarX

Every awesome game needs an awesome trailer. PlanetSide 2 will be an awesome game.

Well, if you ever need warm bodies for an in-game trailer, look no further...

[kaffis]

Originally Posted by NewSith

Now what kind of cinematic can we suggest?

I would do a cinematic that emphasizes the war-torn gameplay, but from a narrative perspective.

Start with a dark screen, with a short (10-15 second) crash-course intro into Auraxis' situation, narrated by what turns out to be a TR infantryman, as he opens his eyes/looks out of a foxhole, loads his cycler, and vaults out of it to defend a base against an onrushing assault. He shoots at some enemy soldiers, then takes cover behind a barricade. Past the barricade stomps a TR MAX, blasting the hell out of some oncoming Vanguards in a fury of awesome, before a Reaver swoops out of the sky and obliterates the MAX, banking to perform evasive manuevers against incoming defensive fire from the base as it speeds to its next target: a bridge battle with Vanu.

There, the Reaver rains fury down upon some Magriders, firing off a final salvo before the lock-on warning spelling his imminent destruction via Scythe causes him to eject, allowing the camera to zoom in on the flight trail of his last barrage of rockets, which land afoul of their target, which we follow into battle against more Vanguards and lightnings, melting a path through their lines...

To face down the original TR engineer, who now sits in a nest of destruction that he's helped build up, along with two squads of his buddies, who lead a counter-charge against the faltering NC lines and the Magrider.


Make it personal, showing off escalating bits of new combat systems and scale as you go, cutting from perspective to perspective to show off all 3 factions, and then bring it back to the original personal story, emphasizing it's about YOU and your friends at the end.

[Legion]

A cinematic for each faction is a good idea. It would be nice to have one at character creation because they could provide background information on each faction to help the player decide. I think that the forgelight engine is beautiful enough that any game intro could just use that and actual gameplay. Such a decision would certainly be more in line with current industry standards for FPS.

[Sirisian]

Originally Posted by kaffis

I would do a cinematic that emphasizes the war-torn gameplay, but from a narrative perspective.

Start with a dark screen, with a short (10-15 second) crash-course intro into Auraxis' situation, narrated by what turns out to be a TR infantryman

Personally I'm a huge fan of words on the screen with no connection to a protagonist. Take the recent Armored Core V intro. Played that game the other week. Epic especially since they went photorealistic in parts.

But yeah like you said stick to action and chaos as mentioned. Also show off nanites forming things like vehicles. The effect would be worth it especially in high quality CGI. In any case end if with an orbital strike tearing something apart like a galaxy flying through one as it came down tearing through a wing sending it into the ground.

[Warborn]

My god Firefall has the worst armor design I've ever seen. Totally exposed biceps and thighs just so players don't forget their bro characters are totally jacked and hardcore, while their chick characters are fine-ass honeys. I love how these fucking assholes attempt pander to us like we're so braindead we wouldn't appreciate characters unless the sexual elements are kicking us in the testicles.

Anyway, yeah, cinematics are cool. Planetside I guess something to kind of illustrate the themes of the three empires would be nice. Efficient militarism vs. idealistic plaid shirts vs. nerds from the moon or whatever.